Homemade Bread Using Bread Machine

Moist and Light Honey Pecan Wholewheat Bread – Bread Maker Version

The dough for Moist and Light Honey Pecan Wholewheat Bread, as it was being kneaded in my bread maker, looked super sticky. I added two tablespoons of white flour and was tempted to add more. I’m glad I didn’t. This bread cooked up beautifully with a moist and light texture. Nothing ‘cardboard’ about it, unlike some wholewheat breads. ++ Recipe does include some all purpose white flour.

A recent blood test showed I have a touch of hypoglycemia which means I need to eat protein with every meal – and watch my carbs. So, I believe the carbs I do eat should be healthy – healthy and delicious of course!! (Of course, I’ll still be eating desserts… I just can’t over indulge.)

++ About that bit of ‘Extra Flour’. When making bread dough, the amount of flour needed can vary depending upon the humidity of the flour etc. If the dough looks more like glue than dough, add a tablespoon or so of flour. After the bread maker kneads for awhile, the dough should come away from the sides and form a ball. If it doesn’t, add another tablespoon of flour. There’s NO way you can screw it up!

++ Loaf Ready in About 4 1/2 hours ++

2-LB. Loaf ++ For 1 1/2-LB. Loaf…. continue scrolling down

ADD INGREDIENTS TO BREAD MAKER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER

1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs. honey ++ Or sugar
4 tsp. butter
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white bread flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast/bread maker yeast
1/4 cup chopped pecans ++ If your bread maker alerts you when to add ‘extras’, add pecans then. If not, add nuts after dough has been kneaded for about 10 minutes.

++ Want to add chia seeds, flax seeds etc.? Just remove an equal amount of flour from the recipe

Set bread maker cycle to ‘GRAIN’ if possible. Otherwise, set bread maker cycle to ‘BASIC’. It doesn’t get much easier than that! ; o ) Enjoy!

– – – – – – – – –

1 1/2 Lb. Loaf

ADD INGREDIENTS TO BREAD MAKER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER

1 cup milk
3 Tbs. water
4 tsp. honey ++ Or sugar
1 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. active dry yeast/bread maker yeast
3 Tbs. chopped pecans ++ If your bread maker alerts you when to add ‘extras’, add pecans then. If not, add nuts after dough has been kneaded for about 10 minutes.

++ Want to add chia seeds, flax seeds etc.? Just remove an equal amount of flour from the recipe

Set bread maker cycle to ‘GRAIN’ if possible. Otherwise, set bread maker cycle to ‘BASIC’. It doesn’t get much easier than that! ; o ) Enjoy!

moist-and-delicious-honey-and-pecan-whole-wheat-bread-breadmachine-versiion-2

moist-and-delicious-honey-and-pecan-whole-wheat-bread-breadmachine-versiion

++ Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens ‘The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking’ – 1999.

November 5, 2016December 6, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!10 Comments

Parmesan and Basil Spiral Dinner Rolls – Short on Time? Buy Prepared Dough!

Parmesan and Basil Dinner Rolls would be a delicious addition to any meal but, at least for me, these babies are the perfect accompaniment for spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna … actually, pretty much anything Italian.

I used my bread machine, which makes a 2 lb. loaf, to prepare the dough for these rolls. Since I only needed half the dough to make 12 rolls, I used the rest to bake a loaf of bread. Of course, you could use the dough to prepare 24 Parmesan and Basil Rolls instead of 12!

Yesterday I lost a life-long friend to pancreatic cancer. Angela adored bread, in any form. My dear friend, I dedicate today’s post to you. And I like to imagine you and your mom busy preparing the best lasagna heaven has ever seen.

++ You can purchase 1 lb. of bread dough, prepare the dough the ‘old fashioned way’ or use a bread machine, set on the ‘dough’ setting – it’s up to you.

This bread machine recipe makes a 2 lb. loaf. One lb. makes 12 rolls plus one bread. Or, if you chose, you could make 24 ‘Parmesan and Basil Rolls’. For 24 rolls, you’ll need two 8 1/2″ – 9″ round cake pans.

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cup lukewarm milk
¼ cup lukewarm water
2 Tbs. butter or olive oil
4 cups bread flour
1 Tbs. AND 1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. bread machine (quick rise) yeast

Add ingredients and set bread machine for ‘dough’. Should take about 2 hours.

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. softened butter
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
¼ tsp. dried Italian seasonings – or oregano
¾ tsp. minced fresh basil leaves
2 – 3 fresh garlic cloves, crushed OPTIONAL

TO SPRINKLE ON TOP OF ROLLS AT END OF BAKING

1 heaping Tbs. grated Parmesan

METHOD

Oven at 375F 8 1/2″ to 9″ round cake pan Bake rolls for approximately 25 minutes

Mix 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 2 Tbs. softened butter, 2 Tbs. mayonnaise and herbs in a small bowl. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 lb. (16 oz.) bread dough into a 12” by 14” rectangle.

+ If using frozen bread dough, allow it to thaw and warm up a bit so dough will be easier to roll.

++ Dough may have the tendency to spring back – just let it rest for a minute and then ‘give it another go’. Also, don’t be afraid to take a bit of dough from one place and stick it onto another place in order to get the rectangular shape.

Spread Parmesan/butter/mayonnaise/spice mixture evenly on the 12″ x 14″ rectangle. ++ I like to drop small amounts all over – I think it makes it easier to spread the filling.

Starting at the 12” end, roll up dough and cut into 12 equal sections.

Place sections in an 8½” to 9” round cake pan. (Pan does NOT have to be greased.) Cover pan with a dish (tea) towel and allow dough to rise until almost double – between 40 minutes to over an hour.

++ I recommend placing the dough in the oven to rise, and I place a 10” x 13” pan filled with hot water on the lowest shelf because the hot water helps the dough rise evenly – and usually faster.

Once rolls are risen, remove from oven and set oven temperature to 375F.Bake rolls for 20 minutes – remove from oven and sprinkle on 1 heaping Tbs. grated Parmesan. Bake 4 – 5 minutes more.

Allow rolls to cool for a minute or two, then remove from pan with a spatula. Enjoy!

April 16, 2016April 16, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!6 Comments

‘Five-Star’ White Sandwich Bread – Prepared in a Bread Maker

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!!

King Arthur Flour - Store- Norwich, Vermont — King Arthur Flour’s Flagship Store – Norwich, Vermont

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!

Five Star Bread - King Arthur Flour - Bread Machine - myyellowfarmhouse.com

COPY -Five Star Bread - King Arthur Flour - Made in a Bread Machine

February 27, 2016December 5, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!40 Comments

Rustic Italian Bread

The beauty of this recipe for Rustic Italian Bread is that the dough can be made in a bread machine and then baked in the oven – OR it can be made in the traditional way. So, you choose!

Unlike typical Italian bread, this bread is very light. It’s called “rustic” but I don’t think the name really fits. It’s more like “light as a feather Italian bread”!

Both recipes take 3 hours, 45 minutes – including 1 hour for cooling the bread. But that’s not all “hands on” time.

Ingredients (The same for both methods.)

1 cup water – temperature 100 F to 115 F Here’s a trick, if the water feels slightly warm on your wrist, then it should be fine. You only want it “warm”, not “hot”! Too hot – or too cold and the yeast doesn’t work. Of course, if you’re using a bread machine, it heats the water for you!
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cups BREAD flour – Interestingly enough – in Canada, they can use ordinary flour. Somehow the flour in Canada is “different”.
2 tsp. sugar – Yeast needs sugar to “work”.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (1/4 oz.) package active dry yeast – I called Pillsbury and they said to use regular yeast – even with a bread machine. 1/4 oz. yeast = 2 1/4 tsp. OR 1 cake fresh yeast
about 3 Tbs. cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten – spread on the bread BEFORE baking

Using a Bread Machine to Make the Dough

Oven at 375 F Bake 25 – 35 minutes Yield = 1 (12-slice) loaf

Place all ingredients – EXCEPT the cornmeal & egg white – in bread machine according the manufacturer’s directions. Set on “dough” setting.

When dough cycle is finished, remove dough and place on lightly floured surface. (I use a dish towel.) Punch dough down – meaning press it down with your hands, which flattens it out. If dough is too sticky, mix in a bit of additional flour before shaping.

Cover dough with a clean cloth. (I use the same dish towel.) Let dough “rest” 15 minutes. It will have already begun to rise a bit again. Nothing seems to keep a good dough down. ; o )

Shape dough into a baguette shape about 12″ long.

Prepare a cookie sheet by spreading 3 Tbs. of cornmeal on it. Place formed dough onto cookie sheet. If the baguette shape becomes a bit “messed up”, just pat it back into submission! I find the best way to cook or bake is not to take it too seriously. There’s alot you can do to “fix things” before they’re baked/cooked. And believe me, even wedding cakes can be fixed up – I know ! So don’t freak out – just find a way to fix the problem. I also find that talking to yourself helps immensely !

Now cover your lovely creation and let it rise in a warm place (80 F to 85 F) for 20 to 25 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, you can fill a 13″ x 10″ pan with hot water, place it in the bottom of your oven and let your bread rise in there. I’ve also been known to heat the oven a bit and then shut it off, but you may not want to try that in case you heat the oven too much.

After 20 – 25 minutes your dough should be about double in size. If the bread has been rising in the oven, obviously, take it out and set the oven to 375 F. Take a sharp knife and make a 1/2″ deep cut along the length of the bread. (Oops – I just realized the directions say “1 cut”, and I had read it as “one 1” cut”… oh well, my bread turned out OK..)

Brush sides and top of loaf with some of the beaten egg white. I use my fingers…

Bake for 25 to 34 minutes – or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. I’ve found that bread often cooks faster than the directions say. My bread was ready in 25 minutes, but each oven are different.

+ Tip – if you like a soft crust, cover the bread with a dish towel as it’s cooling. Enjoy!

Directions for Traditional Method

Ingredients – exactly the same as above

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Level off with a knife. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well. Add warm water and oil. Mix well. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. (I use a dish towel.) Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth. (To knead dough, push away from you with the palm of your hand, turn dough, fold over and repeat.) If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.

Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough, place it back onto the lightly floured surface and cover with inverted bowl. Allow to “rest” for 15 minutes.

To form the dough into a baguette and to bake the bread – refer to the directions above, as they’re the same. Enjoy!

++Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury