When you want to sell a house they suggest you bake some bread. So powerful is the smell (and taste) of baking bread, it will make you feel at home right away. Bread Machines help make bread making easier. With “I Love My Bread Machine” by Anne Sheasby I found some really tasty bread recipes for almost any occasion.
The Bread Basics section has some excellent information about the best ingredients to use and what to look for in a good machine. The section on flours I found to be particularly helpful as different countries describe their flours differently. If you will be working with a recipe from another country and don’t know what strong flour is or have never knocked back bread, this is your chapter.
I can’t really say enough about how helpful I found the Bread Basics chapter because no one ever taught me this stuff. When you buy a bread machine and only have the 6 or so recipes it comes with you miss a lot of tips. For this chapter alone I would feel this book is a keeper.
Create Your Own Bread Machine Recipes
With the seven chapters worth of recipes, one would think they have enough. Sheasby didn’t think so and included information on adapting recipes. There is always going to be a time you find a cool recipe that is a bit different. Now you have the way to make it machine ready. Not only are you getting great ideas for bread recipes but it gives you the means to make your own!
Want to create something a little bit different and special? The “Flowerpot Breads” recipe is just the thing. Enjoy!
Flowerpot Breads
Cooking Time: 30–40 minutes, plus terra-cotta pot preparation
Makes 2 Loaves (each loaf serves 4)
Ingredients
- 350 mL Water 10 1/2 fluid oz/1 1/4 cups
- 1 tablespoon malt extract
- 450 g strong brown flour 1 lb/3 1/4 cups
- 55 g barley flakes 2 oz/1/3 cup, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1-2 tablespoons mixed herbs chopped, fresh
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon castor/superfine sugar
- 25 g butter 1 oz/2 tablespoons, diced
- 2 teaspoons yeast fast-action, dried, instant dry yeast
- milk for glazing
Instructions
- Liberally brush to new terra-cotta flowerpots (about 14/5 1/2 inch in diameter and 12 cm/4 1/2 inch high) with vegetable oil, inside and out, then bake in hot oven (200 C/400 F/Gas 6) for about 30 minutes. Leave to cool, then repeat this process until the pots are impregnated with oil. Do not wash after use: wipe clean with paper towels. Lightly grease the pots and set aside.
- Pour the water into the bread pan and add the malt extract. Sprinkle over the flour, covering the liquid completely., Then sprinkle over the barley flakes and herbs. Place the salt, sugar and butter in separate corners of the pan. Make a small indent in the center of the flower and add the yeast. Close the lid, set the machine to "Dough" and press start.
- When the dough is ready, remove it from the machine, knock it back on a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape and fit each piece of dough into a flower pot-the dough should roughly half-fill the pot.
- Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, or until the dough almost reaches the top of the flowerpots.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6. Brush the loaf tops with a little milk and sprinkle with barley flakes. Bake for about 30 - 40 minutes, or until the bread is risen and sounds hollow and turned out and tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve in slices.
Notes
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