Showing posts with label Bread Machine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bread Machine. Show all posts
I have to say, although I am living on my own, that has not stopped me from baking and enjoying homemade bread. I am really getting a lot of use from my bread machine these days and I have been baking probably two loaves a week using it.
This past week I baked a loaf of Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread using a recipe for the bread machine that I adapted from a recipe I found by Beth Hensperger in her book, The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Every recipe that I have tried in it thus far has turned out beautifully, appearances aside. Admittedly when I saw this loaf, once baked, I thought to myself oh my . . . not exactly a pretty loaf.
Its all bumpy and lumpy . . .
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
Even from the top. I had my misgivings and I will admit at first I thought it would be a failure when I cut it open. I mean, its not exactly ready to win any beauty contests. I am sure you will agree.
I thought that perhaps it had a big air bubble on top. It kind of looked like it did. It was all I could do to wait for it to cool to room temperature so that I could slice into it and see what it looked like on the inside.
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
All my fears were for naught however, as is plain to see. There was no huge air bubble and the consistency is perfect, as is the crust. This is a really lovely loaf of bread!!
I immediately enjoyed a slice spread with cold butter. Oh my but it was really, REALLY good! It surpassed my every expectation.
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
Generally speaking whole wheat loaves will not rise as tall as their white bread counterparts, and I guess the nature of the flour used means that they might actually have a tendency to be a bit lumpy and bumpy.
But this loaf pleasantly surprised me. With a mixture of both whole wheat and white bread flours, and sweetened with maple syrup, and then not forgetting the addition of the buttermilk, it made for a really delicious wholesome loaf of bread!
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BUTTERMILK WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
There are a few specialty ingredients, but most are simple every day ingredients, and things we will all probably have in our own kitchens.
- 1 1/8 cups (250ml) buttermilk
- 2 TBS canola oil
- 2 TBS maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) bread flour
- 1 TBS plus 1 tsp vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
The buttermilk used here is dairy buttermilk. If you don't have any, you can easily make a substitution in one of two ways.
One, add a TBS of either lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill up to the measure required with whole milk. Leave for five to ten minutes to clabber.
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
Don't, and I mean this with all of my heart, do not substitute pancake syrup for the maple syrup. You do want to use the maple syrup. The two ingredients are not the same, nor do they have the same viscosity.
Vital Wheat Gluten is something I only recently started using and I have to say it really makes a difference in the loaves produced. It is not 100% required, but it does make for a much nicer loaf.
Note - Vital Wheat Gluten is not the same as Vital Wheat Gluten Flour. Vital Wheat Gluten is much more concentrated and not to be confused with the flour.
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
How you put this together will largely depend on your own model of Bread Machine. Some machines require that you put the liquid ingredients in first, followed by the dry. Others, like mine, the Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker Model# SD-RD250, require that you put the dry ingredients in first followed by the wet.
In all cases, do not let the salt come in contact with your yeast as it will hinder the ability of the yeast to do its job.
Follow the instructions as per your own bread machine model.
It is possible to use the dough cycle on your machine and then transfer the dough to a bread pan, let rise, and then bake in the more conventional way if that is your preference. You will still have a lovely loaf of bread. See the recipe notes for instructions on how to do that!
.JPG "Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread")
I can say with all honesty that this is the favorite loaf I have baked with my machine thus far. It has a beautiful crumb and texture and is not overly sweet. I was very happy with it.
Some other bread machine recipes you may enjoy are:
BASIC RUSTIC LOAF - Not 100% whole wheat but a beautiful combination of wheats, whole grain and other wise. It slices like a dream and has a beautiful texture, equal to or better than any store bought loaf out there. In fact I would say that is is far better than a store bought loaf!
BREAD MACHINE PARKER HOUSE ROLLS - Lovely rolls made using the dough cycle and then shaped and baked in the conventional way.
MILK AND HONEY BREAD - This recipe produces a lovely tall loaf with a beautiful crumb. Soft, tender and slightly sweet. Perfect for sandwiches or along side a nice bowl of soup, stew or chili!
Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread (Bread Machine)
Yield: 1 1/2 pound loaf
This is a recipe for the bread machine that makes an absolutely beautiful loaf of bread. Of all the loaves I have made thus far, it is my favorite. Moist from buttermilk and sweetened with maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 1 1/8 cups (250ml) buttermilk
- 2 TBS canola oil
- 2 TBS maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) bread flour
- 1 TBS plus 1 tsp vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into your bread machine according to the directions for your bread machine. (In my machine (Panasonic) you put the yeast in first, then the flour, then salt, gluten, then the wet ingredients.)
- Set crust on medium and program your machine for the basic or whole wheat cycle. Press start.
- As soon as it has finished baking, remove the bread from the pan, placing the bread onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely to room temperature.
Notes
- It is possible to bake this bread in the traditional way. Simply use the dough cycle on your bread machine. Once finished, take it out, punch down, shape and place into a 1 1/2 pound loaf tin, cover lightly and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Uncover the bread, place it in the oven, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. A digital thermometer inserted into the loaf's center should register at least 190°F/88*C.
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I am sharing a milk and honey bread machine recipe with you today that you are going to fall in love with. I got my bread machine about two weeks ago now and I am just loving it. I have used it at least twice a week since then.
I baked this lovely loaf the other day and was really pleased with it. So pleased with it that I knew I had to share it with you!
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
I just love my bread machine. I have been using the same model of bread machine for about 20 years now. It makes fantastic bread. It is a Panasonic SD-RD250 with a raisin dispenser.
My friend Jo had one in the UK and she talked me into getting one and I was so pleased with it that I have used no other kind ever since. In fact I wore out one of them in the UK and had just purchased another one about a year or so before moving back to Canada.
I had not been going to get another one, but I just don't like the store bought bread here, so I finally caved a few weeks ago and purchased one. I am so glad that I did!
If you are a person who lacks the arm strength to knead bread really well, I can't recommend a bread machine enough! Even if you never actually bake your bread in it, they are great for making the dough and letting it rise.
You can just use the dough cycle and then pop your dough into a bread tin for the final rise and baking (in the oven of course!)
There are over 60 recipes in this book for some really delicious sounding loaves, in two sizes, 1 1/2 pound and 2 pound loaves. Each recipe is also accompanied with a tasty photograph so you know exactly what to expect.
This is the first recipe I have baked from it, but I have my eye on quite a few recipes and I think I am really going to enjoy baking my way through the book. I highly recommend!
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
As you can see this recipe produces a really nice tall loaf with a beautiful crumb. If you are a novice bread baker, even in the machine, this recipe is a great place to start!
It produces a loaf of soft, tender, slightly sweet bread that is perfect for sandwiches, or toasting. The other night we enjoyed it with bowls of chili. The milk and the honey add a richness to this bread that is quite irresistible!
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MILK & HONEY BREAD
There is nothing complicated here and you can get quite fancy with the honey if you like by using different varieties. Each will give you a slightly different flavor. I used clover honey this time. I am keen to try it with Greek honey.
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1 1/2 TBS butter softened
- 2 TBS honey
- 3 cups (420g) bread flour
- 1/2 TBS vital wheat gluten (optional)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 3/4 tsp instant yeast
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
I used whole milk. I only keep whole milk in the house. I am not a milk drinker per se, only using it for cooking or for on my breakfast cereal, so whole milk works for me. It has a special richness.
I use a good quality bread flour for this loaf. I did not use a blend this time as it was a white loaf.
I used clover honey, but as I said, I am keen to try it with Greek honey. I adore Greek honey. It has a slight anise flavor to it that I really enjoy. Some other good honeys to use would be orange flower honey, wild flower honey, and buckwheat honey.
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
The original recipe in the book called for 1 1/2 TBS of canola oil, instead of butter. I chose to use softened butter. I like butter and as you can see it worked well.
I also added vital wheat gluten to the recipe as it helps to boost the protein content of the bread and gives you a nicer rise. She did not use it in her original recipe.
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
If you have a larger machine you may want to make a 2 pound loaf, which will have a slight increase in amounts needed:
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
- 2/3 cup (160ml) milk
- 3 TBS honey
- 2 TBS butter, softened
- 4 cups (560g) bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
HOW TO MAKE MILK & HONEY BREAD
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!!
You could of course use the dough cycle and then bake your bread in a bread pan in the oven. 40 minutes at 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 will do the trick. Just use the dough cycle for your particular machine and then at the end shape it into a loaf, pop it into a greased bread pan, cover lightly and leave to rise for an hour, and bake as stated.
.JPG "Milk & Honey Bread")
This is a really lovely loaf of bread. I was very pleased with how it came out! If you are a keen bread baker and don't mind making bread by hand, here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:
QUICK AND EASY FRENCH BREAD - With only five basic ingredients and half an hour's time, this is a bread everyone will enjoy! It really is that quick! I know, amazing!
AMISH FARMHOUSE WHITE BREAD - Simple and easy. If I can make this anyone can. The Amish know what they are doing! They are great cooks. You can trust their recipes for anything.
OATMEAL BATTER BREAD - I have always had a fondness for batter breads. They are so much easier to make than regular breads. You can make them simply with a mixer and a bowl. They also tend to be a lot quicker to make than regular bread. This version is particularly good.
Milk & Honey Bread
Yield: 1 (1 1/2 pound) loaf
Delicately sweet with a light crumb, this classic white bread is the perfect every day loaf.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1 1/2 TBS butter softened
- 2 TBS honey
- 3 cups (420g) bread flour
- 1/2 TBS vital wheat gluten (optional)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 3/4 tsp instant yeast
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to your bread machine according to the manufacturer's instructions for your particular model. (In mine you start with the yeast, then flour, butter, then wet, then salt.)
- Choose basic/white program setting, based on the options of your particular machine. Select the loaf size and press start.
- When loaf is done, remove it from the baking pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least half an hour prior to slicing it.
Notes
You can enhance the flavor by swapping in different varieties of honey. Greek honey has a slight anise flavor. Orange Blossom honey is very nice. Play around with it a bit and find your favorite!
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One appliance that I always made good use of when I lived in the UK was my bread machine/maker. I had one for over 20 years and used it all the time, at least once or twice a week.
I used it to make baked loaves and I used it to make doughs. They are very handy appliances to have.
I had not been going to replace it because there is just me in the house now, but I finally got tired of the bread that is available in the shops here. I don't like the size of the loaves, nor do I like how sweet they are. I decided to cave and buy myself another bread machine.
This is the model I purchased. The Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker Model# SD-RD250. This is the bread machine I have been using for over 20 years. I went through two of them in the UK. My friend Jo, who was the housekeeper at the Manor for a few of the years that I worked there, had this particular model also.
We both swear by them. They are the best machines going. They make beautiful bread and are quite a manageable size. I like the fact that they have a fruit and nut dispenser.
Bread machines come in handy for all sorts, not just making bread. Pizza doughs, cakes, pasta dough, etc.
Yesterday I decided to make my old basic rustic loaf that I used to always make in the UK. It is a beautiful loaf of bread. Not 100% whole wheat but a beautiful combination of wheats, whole grain and other wise.
It slices like a dream and has a beautiful texture, equal to or better than any store bought loaf out there. In fact I would say that is is better than.
I would even go so far as to say that this is the best bread machine recipe. And I never make those claims unless I am telling the truth.
.JPG "60/40 flour")
In the UK I used to use a combination of white and rye flours to make this particular loaf of bread. Here in Canada this is the flour I used. It is an organic 60/40 flour blend manufactured by Anita's Mill. I was unable to buy rye flour locally.
I went on line and this is what I found and I thought it sounded perfect. It is a blend of organic white and whole grain sprouted wheat, spelt and rye flours.
It made a beautiful loaf.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE
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.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
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 is often uncooked in the center. If you add too much flour, you will end up with a dense, hard heavy ball.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
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.
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.)
.JPG "Vital Wheat Gluten")
Note - Vital Wheat Gluten is not the same as Vital Wheat Gluten Flour. Vital Wheat Gluten is much more concentrated and not to be confused with the flour.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
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.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
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.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
BASIC STEPS OF BREAD MACHINE BAKING
What you the baker need to do:
- select the recipe you wish to use
- assemble your equipment and ingredients on your workspace
- measure the raw ingredients into the bread pan according to the machine recommendations
- program the control panel according to your machine instructions and press start
- check the dough consistency after a little bit and if need be adjust accordingly.
.JPG "Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)")
What your machine will do:
- mix the dough
- knead
- first rise
- punch down/deflate dough
- second rise
- punch down/deflate dough
- third rise
- bake the bread
When using the dough cycle your machine will beep to let you know your dough is ready to take out, shape and proceed as per your particular recipe. I like to use the dough cycle to make pizza doughs, bread rolls, etc. The machine always does an excellent job of kneading.
This easy bread machine recipe that I used today resulted in a beautiful loaf of bread. As you can see the texture was spot on. It was light and moist, not dry in the least and had a beautiful crust.
I enjoyed some last night, simply buttered and with some of my homemade Honey & Strawberry Jam. This morning I enjoyed a slice toasted and simply buttered.
Enjoy being the key word. Last week I made a loaf of French Bread in it according to the directions which came with the machine. It was gorgeous with a beautiful crisp crust. Cindy Dan and Dad were here and they also enjoyed it. That loaf disappeared in the blink of an eye!
Small family or large family, if you have never purchased a bread machine I have to ask the question, "What are you waiting for?" Its a purchase you will never regret. I guarantee! With the proper research, I am sure you can find one that is perfect for your own needs and budget.
I recommend this one because it is the one which works best for me, and I am not being paid to tell you that. This is simply my truth.
Basic Rustic Loaf (bread machine)
Yield: 1 medium loaf
This is the perfect loaf of bread for every day, with a beautiful texture and crust. The time taken is variable according to your own bread machine. I have a Panasonic SD-RD250 and it takes 4 hours start to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp dry yeast (easy yeast, for bread makers)
- 420g (4 1/4 cups) 60/40 bakers blend organic flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 TBS dry milk powder
- 1 TBS Vital Wheat Gluten
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 1/2 TBS butter
- 280ml (9 1/2 fluid ounces) water
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into the bread machine according to the manufacturers instructions.
- Bake on Basic bread, medium sized loaf, light crust.
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