UPDATE!!
One of my ‘Reddit’ followers made Italian bread with this recipe!!
“I made this recipe, but substituted the milk with more water, and instead of letting the machine bake the bread, I used the dough program, then made a ball and let it rise in a greased bowl for an hour. After that I formed an Italian loaf and placed it in a cold oven. I turned the oven up to 450 F and baked the bread until it was done. It came out great! (The important thing of the recipe is the ratios, they’re spot on.)”
++ If you’re an experienced bread baker, give this a try. I know I will!
King Arthur Flour Company calls this recipe ‘Bread Machine Bread – Easy as Can Be’, but I prefer the name ‘Five-Star Bread’ because this recipe is so highly rated! The loaf bakes up super high with a lovely, springy texture – great for sandwiches, toast and French Toast.
Because ‘Five-Star Bread’ is made with a bread maker, you just add the ingredients, press a button and, in a few hours, you’ll be making sandwiches with freshly baked bread.
Judging from the reviews on the King Arthur Flour web site, it seems people have fallen in love with this sandwich bread. In fact a few people said they make this bread two to three times a week. You can’t have a better recommendation than that!
King Arthur Flour, based in Vermont (USA), has been in existence as a flour mill since 1790 – that’s a long, long time. I truly love their products. When we had our farm in Quebec we traveled back and forth between our ‘Yellow Farmhouse’ here in Massachusetts and our farmhouse ‘up north’ – and I loved to drop by King Arthur’s Flagship Store, aptly named The Baker’s Store, in Norwich, Vermont. If you’re ever in the New England area, I highly recommend dropping by!!

The King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Hotline can answer and & all of your baking questions! 1-855-371-2253.
Directions for Large Loaf (1 1/2 – 2 lb.)
++ For a Smaller (1 lb.) Loaf — continue scrolling down.)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1/3 cup lukewarm milk ++ warm, briefly, in microwave
- 3 Tbs. butter – slightly softened
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 3 Tbs. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast OR instant (bread machine) yeast ++ I used bread machine yeast
Follow your bread maker’s instructions for basic white bread. With my bread maker I set the machine to ‘Regular/Basic’, which takes 3 hours and 50 minutes. Enjoy !!
Instructions for Smaller (1 lb.) Loaf
- 2/3 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 lukewarm milk ++ warm, briefly, in microwave
- 2 Tbs. butter
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 5 tsp. sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. active dry yeast OR instant (bread machine) yeast
Follow your bread maker’s instructions for basic white bread. I know with my bread maker I set the machine to ‘Regular/Basic’. Enjoy !!
Follow this link for baking recipes of all kinds. King Arthur Flour even has a Help Line!
Made several times. My go to recipe. I also allow bread machine to do all the work until the last proof. Then I take it out and make cinnamon rolls. Great flavor!
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Cecile,
I forgot to mention that all the recipes that came with my bread
machine use less than 3 3/4 cups of flour. The largest amount
is 3 1/2.
Thanks
DSP
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Cecile,
I made this bread today and it tastes great.
However, my bread machine makes either a 1lb or 1 1/2 lb. loaf. I
followed the directions to the “T.” Only issue was it rose all the way to
the little glass window on the top of the machine. So there was a small
area of the bread that wasn’t the same color as the rest and it seemed a
bit under baked.
So just wondering if next time I should used the recipe for the 1lb. loaf instead?
Thanks
DSP
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You know there are those days, when I just want to eat a nice soft and warm white bread like this one. Slathered with lots of butter. Amazing!
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And today is one of those days – it’s grey and nasty outside, so I am gonna bake this bread just for little ol’ me!! I know the smell of baking bread with make me feel more cheerful. (And I’m soo ‘with you’ when it comes to slathering on lots of butter!!)
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ha ha I almost eat a whole stick of butter!
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Liz – I just love you!! ; o )
On another note, I went to a luncheon today and brought the owner (my friend) a loaf of the bread I made last night – the one made with honey& chia seeds etc. which I believe I told you about. Just as we started eating I asked my friend if she wanted to share the bread with everyone (perhaps 15 women).
At first she wanted to keep it for herself but I told her I’d bring her another very soon.
Turns out the women loved the bread and it went well with both the salad AND the lecture about ‘taking care of ourselves’ through what we eat etc. Most of the women wanted information about my website…. and I was asked to speak at a local Rotary Club regarding food blogging. When I told the woman I’d bring ‘samples’, she said how much they love samples!! I’m going to ask my son to help me prepare a Power Point presentation. That will be a challenge but fun at the same time.
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My mom used to make this loaf in her bread machine and it was so good. I don’t have a bread machine, so it’s good to see your update and that it can be made without one!
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My recipe makes a HUGE loaf in the bread machine, so it might make two smaller loaves. I’d guess you’d have to see as you go along.
Also – here’s ‘King Arthur Flour’s’ recipe for Classic White Bread.
(The recipe calls for some powdered milk but I usually just substitute milk for some of the water in the recipe.)
You may not need yet-another bread recipe but thought I’d pass this one along since this bread is made without a bread maker.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthurs-classic-white-bread-recipe
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Crap – some how I deleted your comment. I’ve never done THAT before. I hope you have a wonderful evening. And I hope your tax preparations go well. I’ve gotta get going on my own… ; o (
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Great looking loaf, Cecile. The crumb is perfect for sandwiches. (I want an even coat of mustard in my sammich.) I’ll be switching out the milk to make Italian loaves, however. I gave my bread machine away a number of years ago. I love to bake bread and the machine went unused for far too long. All that I and I needed the counter space. I must admit, tough, you can’t beat a machine for convenience. Nice to wake up to freshly baked bread.
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As always, I read your comment with a smile on my face! I loved your comment about ‘wanting an even coat of mustard on your ‘sammich’. I used to drive my husband crazy in airports ’cause I couldn’t wait to get to the ‘special lounge’ for Frequent Flyers for a good old Gin & Tonic and The Sammiches!!! ; o ) (Bye yourself another bread machine – LOL!!!!) I have to store mine in my nasty old cellar… I put it in a white garbage bag and tie the bag up so it’ll stay clean! IT’S SOOOO YUCKY DOWN THERE!!
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+1 Cecile! I have to store mine in my garage. It’s wrapped up in a big bag and tied shut and on top of the refrigerator with drinks and extra stuff in the freezer. My can opener, coffee maker, cake transporter thing-a-mig, toaster, and meat slicer are stored the same way! Soul sisters! ♥ Oh maybe not…you’re still using your bread machine! 🙂
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I don’t have an actual garage at this old farmhouse. I do have a barn… and I have tons of things there, like my Christmas decorations etc. I sure wish I had a real garage…. I’d do the same thing you’re doing….which is far better than having to go down my nasty old cellar!! (My machine is also in a big bag ties with a twist tie.)
Hope you end up with a good photography day today!! ; o )
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It’s raining out so I’m being super lazy and reading blogs, and doing a little photo editing here and there.
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You’ve made me feel a bit better about what – I’ve accomplished today….pretty much NOTHING! I’m heading out to meet a friend for dinner, then we’re gonna watch the movie ‘Brooklyn’ at her home… so at least I’ll ‘blast myself out of this house’!! ; o )
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LOL! He-Man and I are planning to go our for soup for dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant so, I got showered and dressed. Winds are supposed to pick up and be pretty strong later so we may decided to stay in instead. I’m going through all my papers now to get ready for our tax appointment this week and saw your note when I came to my desk to look for a form I need.
I can’t wait til this prep and appointment is over!
Have a great time tonight. I haven’t seen that movie.
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I haven’t used my bread machine in years! My loaves don’t come out looking that good. They’re shape isn’t quite right, but the bread always tasted great.
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If you still have your bread machine – give this a try!! You know, my loaves sometimes come out a bit off-balance. This loaf did … just a bit. But, as you said, they still taste good!
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I do still have my bread machine. It’s been wrapped up in storage for years. You’re tempting me to break it out! 🙂
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DO IT!! DO IT!!! DO IT!! One of my Reddit followers asked me if they could do a whole wheat version of this recipe – so today I’m going to make a ‘healthier’ version of this delicious bread with some whole wheat flour, oatmeal, white bread flour, wheat germ and honey. And I’m going to through in some chopped walnuts simply because I love the flavor they add!! SO – YOU have TO ‘BREAK OUT’ THAT old bread machine!! ; o )
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I picked up some active yeast so I’m thinking about it. 🙂
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Awesome! I thought about you saying your loaves don’t always look like the one in my photo. I tell you a secret. Sometimes.. once the machine is done with the 2nd kneading, I flip the dough over and also I have been known to push it around a bit to make it more level. I just realized yesterday that, when making bread the ‘old fashioned way’ we handle the risen dough and form it into a loaf shape… so ‘messing with it a bit’ can’t hurt it. ++ Someone on Reddit asked me if they could make the bread with whole wheat flour, so I ‘adjusted recipe’ so it contains whole wheat flour, wheat germ, honey and a bit of oatmeal.. plus some all purpose flour. I just made myself some toast from the ‘new bread recipe’ and it’s yummy! ; o ) ++ Please let me know how your bread turns out!!
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Will do! I used to make an Oatmeal bread we all loved. I also picked up some wonderful apricot jam thinking about fresh bread and jam with my tea in the morning. I just may have to break out the machine!
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I used to make a really delicious oatmeal bread too! Funny how we make certain things for a while and then, later on, ‘not so much’! ; o )
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Gaul, for awhile I was making bread, pizza dough, and rolls every week.
I think I just burned out. He-Man still asks for the Mexican pizza though. The crust is made with refried beans, a blend of cheeses, and salsa. It’s pretty good, but work and I’ve gotten ever so lazy in the kitchen.
My week-end photography plans may be scuttled if we get rain…it’s stalling at the moment, but if I’m stuck indoors due to rain I’ll make bread and photograph that! 🙂
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Wow – you were REALLY into bread making for a while there. I go through ‘streaks’ of using my bread maker, then it goes back into the cellar for a while.
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I absolutely LOVE my bread machine!! I’m glad you ‘dropped by’ the King Arthur Flour website – they do have tons of great recipes!!
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My bread machine died years ago and I’m unlikely to replace it but your loaf is lovely. The KA website has lots of good recipes and advice.
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I don’t have a bread machine, but the dough sounds great and your bread looks amazing! 🙂
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I absolutely LOVE my bread machine and once bought one for one of my sons and his family. His wife brought it back ’cause she thought she’d never use it… but that was before they had kids. I think if she had one now, she’d use it all the time. You know, it none of my business but I think you’d really enjoy – and use – a bread machine. You can even prepare just the dough – and then form to dough to make Italian bread etc. ; o )
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I’m sure it’s a great thing to have, I’m just so used to making focaccaia types of bread, I I just love working with the dough itself… 🙂
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Me too – I love working with dough… but I’m willing to give that part up.. at times… just for the convenience!! I should start making foccacia type breads. I’ll have to check your website for recipes!! ; o )
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Reading your comment, I’ve realized I didn’t post a focaccia recipe! I promise to post one soon. 🙂
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You’re right! I searched for a recipe right after I posted my comment to you. I’m looking forward – very much – to a focaccia recipe from you!! ; o )
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I have a few recipes and photos, just need to put them together. Hopefully next week. 🙂
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Excellent – and perfect timing ’cause I have been thinking that I’d like to try, once again, to make focaccia. I tried once, years and years ago when focaccia was just becoming popular and it was a bit dry. But, I actually think I didn’t really even have an idea – at that time – what focaccia was supposed to be like anyway!!
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No problem, I have my secret ingredient for that – olive oil directly in the dough. 🙂
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I like that!! ; o )
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