Saturday, November 5, 2011

Whole wheat bread - in the bread machine

I bake a lot of bread. A LOT.

I bake fancy breads, thin breads, rolls, shaped breads, flatbreads ... Complicated breads don't frighten me.

But as the holidays approach and I'm rushing around trying to get a dozen things done at once, the everyday bread needs to be fast and easy. I don't need anything fancy - just a bread that I can toast in the morning or that I can smear with peanut butter when I need quick food.

If it's a little bit healthy, that's a plus. Because when I'm rushing, I might not be bothering to whip up salads - I'm more likely to grab a sandwich or snag some leftovers.

This bread fills the bill perfectly. Whole wheat for some fiber and nutrients, an egg for a tad more protein, and of course it's simple, since it all went into the bread machine.

Sure, bread made in a bread machine is kind of a weird shape, but when I'm shuttling trays of cookies in and out of the oven, I don't want to have a loaf of bread taking up valuable oven space. Not to mention that opening the oven door every 10 minutes to swap cookie trays isn't going to make the bread very happy either.

So here it is. My fast, easy, bread machine loaf. And no, it's not ALL whole wheat. I like whole wheat well enough, but I prefer the texture of bread that includes white flour. So shoot me. I'll eat an apple later to make up for the missing fiber.

Whole Wheat (and white) Bread
(in the bread machine)

1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons cane sugar
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) whole wheat flour
2 cups (9 ounces) bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter

Place all the ingredients in your bread machine in the order specified for your machine (this is correct for mine.) Press buttons. Wait.

Remove bread from the machine, remove it from the bread pan, and cool on rack before slicing.

Easy peasy.


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8 comments:

Salomé said...

I love bread also... this is gorgeous! Besos

Andrea @ ForkFingersChopsticks.com said...

So nice to meet you yesterday. I'm looking forward to following your kitchen escapades. We're about to eat the leftovers you sent with me with a bowl of soup. Thanks.

Re the bread machine - I thought they were pretty foolproof - one summer about my mom had a bad bout with one; after about 5 bad loaves she threw in the towel and gave the machine back to my sister.

Any recs on a bread machine?

Vanessa @French Foodie Mom said...

It turns out that I just unearthed my bread machine and dusted it off today. Perfect timing! Thanks for sharing.

Donna Currie said...

Andrea, I tried two bread machines before I got to use this one for a review, and after two disasters, I figured this would be just as bad. And I also assumed it was a high altitude problem, but even with high altitude modifications (as specified by the bread machine companies) I still couldn't get a good loaf of bread.

I was completely shocked when this one worked. Here's the link to my post about it: http://cookistry.blogspot.com/2011/09/me-vs-breadmaker.html Which probably isn't going to hyperlink, but that's okay.

I'd bet that any of the higher end machines would do a decent job.

Kevin said...

I've been making bread in a Zojurishi Bread Machine for about 10 years now. A good basic WW Bread like this recipe is great.

The only concern I have is adding an egg as my machine - not sure about other machines - however in mine a 3.5 hour process - the actual baking (cooking) doesn't take place until the last 40 minutes or so........creating a perfect environment for bacteria to develop. Considering that many eggs we buy already come with unsafe bacteria right from the chicken - adding a raw egg has me somewhat perplexed by your recommendation - however an egg does seem like a good idea.

Anyone have any thought s about this??

Donna Currie said...

Kevin, there are plenty of breads that use eggs and that are left at countertop temperatures for a long time. Inside the bread maker might be a tad warmer, but then again many people look for the warmest spot in their house or put the bread in the oven with the light on.

If you're worried or you're cooking for someone with a lowered immune system or who has other concerns, you could use pasteurized eggs.

The issue with salmonella, if that's your specific concern, is with eating raw or undercooked eggs, which is why no one gets sick from eating properly cooked eggs or chicken. A loaf of bread, when it's done, is close to 200 degrees in the interior, which is much hotter than if you were making a custard.

Kevin said...

Thanks Donna, as I wrote I like the idea of an egg, and it wasn't my personal concern if not for having read a warning not to use in a bread machine.

I do trust your experience, and "living proof" as your being alive and well. I feel liberated, an "Egg and I" it shall be.

Anonymous said...

I'm still LMAO after two days. What should I say? Everything in your post as just fine, except the Bread Machine Part. (I know, you had one for evaluation and that is just fine.) I still have a LOT to learn about bread making, but, darn it, I DO know how to make a decent loaf. I was born with TWO bread making machines, one at the end of each arm. At this point, an electric machine is not likely to improve my loaves. Hm. For the novice, a machine may become the stimulus necessary to move on to better methods and that is a Very Good Thing. Machines are not substitues for learning the basics. Ever. If I had a 'spare' $300 (as a good machine costs), I'd buy better pans or a better oven. Bread machines are a joke, too often played on folks that do not understand bread. -Craig

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