Italian Bread (Bread Machine)

Name: Italian Bread (Bread Machine)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Yield: one loaf
Ingredients: 3/4 cup (180ml) milk; 3 TBS (45g) water; 1 large egg; 1 TBS (21g) butter cut into bits; 3 cups (411g) bread flour; 1 tsp (4g) sugar; 1/2 tsp (3g) kosher salt; 1 1/4 tsp (3.7g) yeast; 1 1/4 tsp vital wheat gluten; 1 cup (240ml) milk; 1/4 cup (60ml) water; 1 large egg; 1 1/2 TBS (21g) butter, cut into bits; 4 cups (548g) bread flour; 1 1/4 tsp (5g) sugar; 3/4 tsp (4.5g) kosher salt; 1 1/2 tsp (4.5g) yeast; 1 1/4 tsp vital wheat gluten

Monday, 13 January 2025

I decided to pop some flour, etc. into my bread machine before I went to church on Sunday morning so that I could have a fresh loaf of bread waiting for me when I got home. It had been a while since I had used my bread machine! I thought it was about time I dusted it off and gave it a good work out!

This Italian Bread recipe is not one I had made before. It uses simple ingredients, and I had everything in house to make it. It also goes really well with soup (its a great dunker) and so I thought it would go very well with a hot cup of soup after church.

It is a recipe I adapted from a book I have on my kindle entitled The Ultimate Bread Machine Cook Book by Tiffany Dahle. Every recipe that I have baked from the book has been superior and so good that I am considering buying a hard copy of the book now. I highly recommend.

This Italian Bread recipe was a great choice! It came out beautiful as you can see, with a lovely light tight texture and a moreishly crunchy crust! I was well pleased with it!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ITALIAN BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Simple ingredients, and a bread machine of course. I have a Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker, Model #SDRD250. I first learned about it from my friend Jo in the U.K. She had one and recommended it. I have been using this same model of bread machine for over 20 years now and am very pleased with it.

1 1/2-lb loaf:

3/4 cup (180ml) milk
3 TBS (45g) water
1 large egg
1 TBS (21g) butter cut into bits
3 cups (411g) bread flour
1 tsp (4g) sugar
1/2 tsp (3g) kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp (3.7g) yeast
1 1/4 tsp vital wheat gluten

2-pound loaf:

1 cup (240ml) milk
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1 large egg
1 1/2 TBS (21g) butter, cut into bits
4 cups (548g) bread flour
1 1/4 tsp (5g) sugar
3/4 tsp (4.5g) kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp (4.5g) yeast
1 1/4 tsp vital wheat gluten

I use salted butter as that is the only kind of butter I keep in the house. I only ever use unsalted butter if I think the salt will adversely affect a recipe and I haven't found one yet that it has really made a vital difference!

I use whole milk. It is the only milk I keep in the house also. Mine is also lactose free.

I do use bread flour, flour which is specifically milled to use in making bread. You can use regular flour if you wish, but if you do it is suggested that you also use some Vital Wheat Gluten to help boost the gluten in the flour. You can buy this online, or you can buy it in the grocery store.

I found it in my local store, and it was called Bread Booster. Bear in mind, you will still need to use yeast as this product does not an is not intended to replace yeast.

HOW TO MAKE BREAD MACHINE BREAD

Making bread in your bread machine is really quite easy to do. You must follow the directions as dictated by your own particular model however. Some models want you to add the wet ingredients first and some require that you add the dry ingredients first. Mine is a "dry ingredient first" machine.

You can also use the dough setting on your particular bread machine and then shape the bread manually, pop it into a regular loaf tin, let it rise and then bake it as you would any loaf of bread. This will give you a more conventional shaped loaf.

Some people prefer this. I am not really bothered with the shape of my loaf. For me it is all about taste and this is one great tasting loaf!

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE

Really if you follow the directions on your particular bread machine your bread should work out perfectly, but there are a few things you can do that will give you an even better loaf of bread.

1. Measure by weight and not volume. Weight is a much more precise way to measure. You can't go wrong. I have a set of digital scales that I use. I just pop the bread pan onto them and measure away. My scales measure in grams, Kg, pounds and ounces, milliliters, etc. I started baking by weight when I lived in the UK and I would now never bake any other way.

2. Bread machine loaves work best with bread flour. Bread flour can also be labeled "Best for Bread" or "High Gluten flour."

3. You can use regular flour, but if you do I recommend adding Vital Wheat Gluten to the recipe. This helps to boost the protein content of the bread.

4. Measure very carefully. If you don't add enough flour, no matter the type of flour you use, the bread will collapse and often ends up uncooked in the center. If you add too much flour, you will end up with a dense, hard heavy ball.

5. I add Vital Wheat Gluten to all of my recipes for bread making in a bread machine. You can purchase it online. It helps to yield a much better loaf, helping the loaf to rise higher with a nicer texture than without. I buy mine on Amazon.

Vital wheat gluten is best stored in the refrigerator (for up to one year), but you can store it on the counter if you think you will use it up within two months (highly unlikely for the home baker.)

6. Yeast is a vital component in making yeasted breads! Duh. It can come in many forms. I recommend using yeast which is prepared specifically for use in the bread machine. I store my yeast in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

7. Salt is another important component in bread making. Do not however, let the salt touch the yeast. Salt is important in bread making, not only as a flavor enhancer, but also in controlling the level of yeast fermentation.

8. Follow the recommendations when it comes to the order of adding ingredients to your machine. There are reasons why some machines put the dry ingredients first and the wet last. Others might recommend putting in the wet first and the dry last. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXACT ORDER AS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR PARTICULAR MODEL!!

Most of the time when a recipe fails it is because the baker fails to follow the correct directions as per the machine they are using.

I think I have found a new favorite bread machine recipe. This bread is amazing. It is so light and squishy with a beautiful texture. I could have eaten the whole thing without batting an eyelid. I had to restrain myself. I enjoyed the heel of it while it was not long out of the bread machine along with a cup of soup!

If you are looking for a great all-round loaf to start off your bread machine journey on, you could not go wrong with this one!

If you have a bread machine that you would like to dust off and use more often, you may also enjoy the following delicious options!

FRENCH SANDWICH PAIN AU LAIT- Golden brown on the outside with a beautiful tight texture. When made conventionally, this is a slow rising bread which rises dramatically when baking. Traditionally this type of bread would be baked in a lidded loaf pan to make perfectly square loaves. Baking this in the bread machine provides almost the same result. It is a beautiful loaf and is perfect for sandwiches of any kind.

CHEDDAR CHEESE BREAD - This is my all-time favorite bread machine loaf of bread. What you have here is a delicious, soft, beautiful textured loaf of Cheddar Cheese Bread. I declare it even better than the one we had been buying at the local farm market. Its fabulous! It has a beautiful cheesy flavor.

Yield: one loaf

Author: Marie Rayner

Italian Bread (Bread Machine)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 10 M

Light and simple, this is a beautiful bread that is great served on the side of soups, stews, etc. It also makes amazing toast!

Ingredients

1 1/2-lb loaf:

3/4 cup (180ml) milk
3 TBS (45g) water
1 large egg
1 TBS (21g) butter cut into bits
3 cups (411g) bread flour
1 tsp (4g) sugar
1/2 tsp (3g) kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp (3.7g) yeast
4 1/2 tsp vital wheat gluten

2-pound loaf:

1 cup (240ml) milk
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1 large egg
1 1/2 TBS (21g) butter, cut into bits
4 cups (548g) bread flour
1 1/4 tsp (5g) sugar
3/4 tsp (4.5g) kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp (4.5g) yeast
6 tsp vital wheat gluten

Instructions

Add the ingredients to your bread machine in the order suggested by your bread machine's manufacturer. (Mine has you put the dry ingredients first, followed by the wet.)
Choose the basic/white program setting according to your machine's options. Select the right setting for the loaf size and color. Press start.
Once the bread has finished baking, remove from the machine. Tip out onto a wire rack. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes prior to slicing.

Notes

Serve fresh and warm, spread with butter alongside of any soup or stew for dunking.

Toast, spread with butter, a sprinkle of garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese for a single serving of garlic bread.

Cut slices into four triangles, brush with a bit of olive oil and toast under the grill. Top with tomato bruschetta and serve.

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Meals of the Week, January 5th to 11th, 2025

Sunday, 12 January 2025

Hi everyone and welcome to my Sunday Meals of the week post! On Sundays I like to do a roundup of all of the main meals which I have enjoyed cooking and eating over the past seven days. You all seem to enjoy seeing them as well, so that makes me happy! I do hope that when I share these things you will also be inspired to cook some of these meals for yourself!

Living alone can really be challenge when it comes to cooking and eating. I know my next-door neighbor confessed to me recently that she does not cook at all anymore. She eats frozen dinners. I was really sad to learn that, but I was not surprised. I think many older people living on their own do the same thing.

Sometimes it can seem like too much trouble to cook a meal for yourself. Popping a frozen dinner into the microwave is so much easier, and often (with the really cheap ones) it can be much cheaper than cooking from scratch. In all truth, however, those meals are loaded with sugar, fat and salt. They are not meant to be eaten on a regular or a daily basis.

I understand the appeal, however. I do hope that I never get to that point! I have been sharing a lot of what I cook with my next-door neighbor recently. I really want her to eat much better and hate to think of her eating a steady diet of those nasty things. UGH.

I try to cook for myself every day, unless I am going out for a meal with my dad, or over to my sister's for supper.

I usually eat my main meal in the early afternoon, again, unless I am eating with other people. Then I will eat at whatever timer it is that they want to eat. I find that eating earlier in the day is much easier for me. I suffer from GERD and hate going to bed with a heavy meal on my stomach. I usually only eat something light in the early evening, such as toast or cereal or a salad, and I try not to eat anything at all after 7 PM. (Oh the joys of getting older!)

Breakfast most days will be a protein shake. Occasionally I will cook myself some oatmeal or have some of my homemade granola with yogurt and date syrup, but usually it is the shake. I quite enjoy them, and I can sip away at them while I am working at the computer.

So, after having said all that, here are my main meals that I enjoyed over the past seven days. I hope that maybe you will want to enjoy some of them yourself!

SUNDAY, January 5th - Sunday Dinner with the Family

Most Sundays I have dinner with my family, meaning my sister, her partner Dan and my dad. It is usually held at my sister's home, but occasionally they do come here and that is enjoyable as well. This week my sister cooked mini meatloaves which she served with mashed potatoes and green beans. She had Jello and whipped cream for dessert. (Sugar free, its my father's favorite!)

In its place I am sharing a recipe for Meat Loaf that I did as one of my Vintage Menus a few years back. If you check the link you will not only find a vintage recipe for a really delicious Meat Loaf, but also old-time scalloped potatoes, baked squash, carrots and a delicious apple dessert!

MONDAY, January 6th - Gammon Steak, Egg & Chips

I was feeling very nostalgic for the U.K. on Monday. I had spoken to my friend Tina and felt very homesick for my friends, etc. I decided to cook myself a really British Comfort Food Supper of Gammon Steak, Egg and Chips.

No such thing as gammon here however, so I made do with thick slice of ham leftover from New Year's and a fresh farm fried egg. I also used frozen chips which I did in the air fryer. Steamed some peas and fried myself an egg in a bit of butter. It was really delicious. A piece of buttered sour dough bread to dip into the egg yolk, also the chips were mighty delicious dipped into that egg yolk as well!

TUESDAY, January 7th - Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup

Had a very busy day on the cards Tuesday so I threw something into the crock pot in the morning and then just let the crock pot get on with it. Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Crock Pot Crack Potato Soup is a creamy, indulgent soup that combines some of the best comfort food ingredients! Potatoes, grated strong cheddar cheese, crisp smoky bacon, ranch seasoning, and the indulgence of cream. This is simple and really delicious. I enjoyed it with more cheese scattered over top, a few more bits of bacon and some chopped spring onions. I had crackers with mine, but a crusty bread would also go down a real treat!

WEDNESDAY, January 8th - Savory Minced Beef Casserole with Dumplings

Usually on Wednesday nights we go out to dinner with my father. This week we didn't as we were getting a snow storm. Comfort food was in order. I thawed out some ground beef and made a savory minced beef casserole with suet dumplings. It is a small batch recipe which makes two delicious servings.

Ground beef as a base with a rich and flavor-filled gravy, oven braised with some crusty suet dumplings baked on top. I shared half of it with my next door neighbor who was most appreciative! We enjoyed with some boiled potatoes and steamed carrots!

THURSDAY, January 9th - Oven Baked Chicken and Broccoli Risotto

This was something I had not made in a very long time. I do love a risotto from time to time but making one can be a bit laborious with having to baby sit them cooking on top of the stove. Doing an oven baked one is a lot less labor intensive. The oven does all the work!

This east oven baked risotto is very colorful and very tasty. Creamy, rich and just stuffed full of tasty bits of chicken and crunchy green bits of broccoli. Of course, you don't have to use broccoli if you don't want to. You can choose to use another green vegetable such as asparagus, or green beans or even peas. All are equally as delicious! (Not to mention easy!)

I just enjoyed this as is with a bit of cheese grated on top and a cheeky slice of homemade garlic toast.

FRIDAY, January 10th - Sole Filets with Lemon & Thyme

On Friday I enjoyed some fish. I love fish and would eat it more often if it wasn't so expensive. I particularly love Sole. It is a beautiful flat fish with a lovely mild flavor. On this day I dusted it with some flour and cooked it simply with some lemon and thyme. This is one of my favorite ways to cook fish. All of the flavors are delicate and go together perfectly.

I enjoyed this with pan fries and some peas and carrots. I do love peas and carrots together. They go so well together, and they go with just about anything as a simple side dish.

I have used up all of my sole now. Time to buy some more!

SATURDAY, January 11th - Pork Chops with Cream Gravy

I took a pork chop out of the freezer on this day and had myself a Pork Chop with Cream gravy for my supper. I did use a pot of Instant Mashed Potatoes. I buy the Idaho brand, and they are quite good. They are perfect for someone who is on their own and are basically just dehydrated mashed potatoes.

I love this pork chop recipe. It always tastes so good. The chops are tender and juicy, and that gravy is delicious. I enjoyed with some frozen veggies. This was the perfect meal to finish up my week!

And there you have it, my meals of the week for the second week of January, 2025. I think I ate rather well. It's been really snowy so I have been trying to use up what I have in the freezer.

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!

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Mississippi Mud Cake (small batch)

Saturday, 11 January 2025

One thing which is done really well in North America is the North American Diner. These, usually roadside eating establishments are well known for serving up good, honest, simple and delicious fare!

With excellent service, great food, reasonable prices, brilliant conversation and great coffee, they are a mecca for anyone who wants to enjoy a really delicious meal in a comfortable atmosphere that won't break the budget.

This recipe I am sharing with you today was adapted from one I found in The American Diner Cookbook. I cut the recipe in half to make a small batch Mississippi Mud Cake, which is a very popular dessert and not just in diners!

Mississippi Mud Cake is a delicious dessert cake with a chocolate fudgy brownie bottom, topped with a marshmallow topping and a fudgy chocolate icing. It is called mud cake because of the fudginess of the chocolate cake bottom, and the gooey marshmallow and fudge frosting. Almost mud like. It is said to have been invented in the southern American states.

It is a delicious meshing together of brownies, cake, and s'mores. Ooey, gooey, chocolatey, fudgy, deliciousness that is impossible to resist.

Very easy to make this cake always goes down a real treat. Whether you choose to enjoy it with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of java, this is one cake that nobody will be turning down a piece of! It's a real chocolate dessert treat! Family friendly and very simple to make.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE (SMALL BATCH)

A few simple store cupboard baking ingredients. There is nothing too out of the ordinary except for maybe the marshmallow cream. I will provide a link to where you can make your own.

For the cake:

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60g) softened butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup (94g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
pinch salt
1/4 cup (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Not the drink mix)
1/2 cup (58g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup (25g) marshmallow creme

For the frosting:

2 TBS softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (Not the drink mix)
1/4 cup (60ml) cream
1 cup (130g) icing sugar (confectioners' sugar/powdered sugar)
Additional toasted nuts to garnish (optional)

Everything needed for this recipe is pretty self-explanatory. Do make sure your butter is at room temperature. When I am baking, unless a recipe specifically asks for something different, I usually make sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature.

The one thing which might be difficult to come by in the U.K. is the Marshmallow Creme. This is a spreadable marshmallow product. You could probably just top the cake with regular marshmallows and pop the cake back into the oven for a few minutes to melt them, but you can also make your own Marshmallow Creme. I highly recommend this recipe on Sally's Baking Addiction. Her recipes are always very reliable.

Do make sure that you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not chocolate drink mix or cocoa mix powder. Both of those are sweetened ingredients and you don't want to use them. Unsweetened cocoa powder is specifically to be used for baking and that is what you need here.

You can toast your nuts very easily by popping them onto a baking sheet and popping the baking sheet into a moderate (350*F/180*C) oven for 8 minutes or so. Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn. You just want them to be lightly toasty.

HOW TO MAKE MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE (SMALL BATCH)

This was really a very simple cake to make. Quick, easy, delicious and just the right size. You can't ask for much more than that!

Make the cake part of the recipe first. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C./ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch round cake tin really well and dust lightly with flour. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together. Add to the creamed mixture, stirring everything together just to combine. It should be smooth with no dry streaks. Fold in the nuts.

Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing the top down.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should spring back, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few crumbs.

While the cake is still hot, dollop the marshmallow cream over top of the cake. Spread it out to cover with the back of a metal spoon. Set aside to cool completely.

Combine all of the frosting ingredients in a bowl, sifting in the cocoa powder so as to remove any lumps. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Spread this mixture over top of the cold cake. Sprinkle with additional chopped nuts if using.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

This was incredibly fudgy, rich and delicious! Very decadent as well with that lush marshmallow cream filling. It was perfect enjoyed with an ice-cold glass of milk!

I did use pecans instead of walnuts as most of the people in my family prefer pecans instead of walnuts. The chopped nuts on top were optional but added a lovely touch! It made the perfect dessert cake! Quick, easy and delicious! Why not treat yourself today!

Are you a fan of the small batch dessert cake? I love them as they are just the right size for the smaller family without a lot of leftovers to tempt me into eating too much of what I shouldn't be eating! Here are a few other favorites of mine!

7-UP SHEET CAKE - There is no leavening in the recipe. No baking powder, or soda. Instead the cake relies on the carbonation of the soda drink to give it some rise. This also helps to keep the cake tender and moist. It is really delicious and has a lovely lime glaze frosting. It also goes beautifully with fresh berries.

SMALL BATCH GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM - This is a small batch Gingerbread Cake, built for two with leftovers. Not enough leftovers that you have it hanging around for a week or two or three. Just enough so that you can enjoy it once as a dessert with something lush spooned over top, and once as a teatime treat, served warm, split and buttered. I hope that I am not the only person who enjoys my ginger cake buttered! Its delicious!

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Mississippi Mud Cake (small batch)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

I adapted this delicious cake recipe from a full batch recipe found in the American Diner Cookbook. The original said it made six servings, but they must have been really generous servings as a half a batch recipe makes four generous, deliciously fudgy servings! Simply delicious. This is a real winner of a dessert cake!

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60g) softened butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup (94g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
pinch salt
1/4 cup (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Not the drink mix)
1/2 cup (58g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup (25g) marshmallow creme

For the frosting:

2 TBS softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (Not the drink mix)
1/4 cup (60ml) cream
1 cup (130g) icing sugar (confectioners' sugar/powdered sugar)
Additional toasted nuts to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the cake part of the recipe first. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C./ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch round cake tin really well and dust lightly with flour. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together. Add to the creamed mixture, stirring everything together just to combine. It should be smooth with no dry streaks. Fold in the nuts.
Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing the top down.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should spring back, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few crumbs.
While the cake is still hot, dollop the marshmallow cream over top of the cake. Spread it out to cover with the back of a metal spoon. Set aside to cool completely.
Combine all of the frosting ingredients in a bowl, sifting in the cocoa powder so as to remove any lumps. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Spread this mixture over top of the cold cake. Sprinkle with additional chopped nuts if using.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!

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