Thursday, May 24, 2012

Fill Your Freezer: Bread-Machine Sandwich Bread


The good news is -- my sink is still functional and not completely disassembled -- so I can wash some dishes today!!

I got a bread-machine for Christmas [from my mom].  I had been making bread "the old fashioned way" but I am way too impatient while it's rising.  I can throw ingredients in the bread-machine and go on with my day (I don't even have to be home!) and it kneads and rises all by itself.

At first, I was disappointed because the bread was dense and crumbly.  Then, I found this recipe at allrecipes.com that suggested a fix!!  Sandwich bread needs to be fluffier, which means it needs to rise longer.  This recipe calls for three rise cycles - but my machine only does two rise cycles (even on the "sandwich" setting).  So, after the first rise is over, I shut my machine off and start it over.  Works like a dream.


Here is my recipe~~
Ingredients: (this is the order my machine calls for)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup + 2 tablespoons water (1 & 1/8 cups)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 & 3/4 cups flour - I've used white bread flour, regular wheat flour, or a mix
2 & 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

However, I do it a little differently than what the machine says to do.  I add the sugar, yeast, and water first.  I let it sit until it gets foamy.


Then I add the other "wet" ingredients, then the other "dry" ingredients.  I set the machine for "Basic" on the "light" setting.  That setting takes 3 hours - and the second rise cycle starts 30 minutes into it.  My machine beeps when it starts the next cycle, I get a reminder if I forget about restarting the machine.



We don't eat bread too often, but often enough that we need to have some in the house.  I cut these loaves in half crosswise and freeze one-half.  I'm making 2 or 3 loaves (depending on how much flour I have on hand) to freeze for the next month.

And when my feet get tired, I set up a burrito filling station on a tray table in the living room... :-)



If you're interested in how I will use my {almost} fully stocked freezer during my postpartum weeks, make sure you subscribe!

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Beautiful Thursdays

3 comments:

  1. That is a great tip about the bread. I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I have a sandwich bread setting on my machine and I had the machine for months before I even realized it! That setting makes the most amazing bread and it is soft and yummy for about 3 days.

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    Replies
    1. Lana - Have you used this setting and frozen the bread? Is it still soft after freezing? Mine has the sandwich setting but the manual doesn't say how many rise cycles the setting uses. I haven't tried it out yet.

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