So lately I’ve been baking our family’s bread. For one thing, we don’t have a make-a-sandwich bread that we really like. For the longest time we loved Pepperidge Farm Nutty Oat bread, but these days we can’t ever find it. When I look for bread, I’m always trying to find something with, I don’t know, at least a smidgen of fiber. But often those choices are not appreciated by the rest of my family. And then, the ingredients lists freak me out a little bit.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, a friend (I think it was you, Flannel Pants Lady) posted some link on Facebook that talked about, I think, ten different products that are appalling and you should never eat them. Basically, because they have some horrible ingredient or other and you can make it yourself. I couldn’t find the link again when I just went searching, but it vexed and disturbed me because I think at least 2 or 3 of the products were regulars on my grocery list.
Anyway, I don’t think that it even included breads, but my constant disappointment in store-bought bread smacked into my consternation about crazy ingredients in basic things, and I ended up deciding I was just going to bake my own damn bread.
I have a breadmaker from a years-ago nursery school garage sale, and I’d dabbled in baking with the breadmaker before. I think I gave up because I was producing one brick after another. This time, I’ve found some success (amidst several other failures) with this Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread Recipe.
The good news is that it’s easy, it rises nicely, and it’s easy to slice thin to use for everyday stuff. I follow the recipe pretty closely, except I split the white flour part into half white flour and half King Arthur “white whole wheat.”
So, it’s a moderate success. I’d put it at serviceable-but-not-scrumptious. So if you’ve been trying to find a decent breadmaker-bread recipe, here’s one for you. But if you happen to have a breadmaker recipe that rises and slices and tastes delicious and is somewhat nutritious, I’d love to hear about it, pretty-please?
Malissa
I don’t have a breadmaker, but I do have a DELICIOUS bread recipe!! All you need is a Deep Covered Baker from the Pampered Chef (which I happen to be an Independent Consultant for the Pampered Chef).
The New artisan bread recipe!
Thanks to Chef Jim Lahey for developing this 3 step recipe.
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups tap water
1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 ½ cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at room temperature.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Liberally flour a Pastry Mat using the Flour/Sugar Shaker, and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself 3 or 4 times. Place on parchment paper and place in the deep covered baker with lid on to rise for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place the filled Covered Baker with lid on in oven for 30 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes then take the lid off. Bake for another 8 to 15 minutes until the bread is golden brown on top. Cool on a rack. OK, go ahead and eat it. We don’t have the patience to let it cool in our house either.
If you buy the 50 lb bag of bread flour and the yeast in bulk at Costco
( Keep most of the yeast frozen until needed), this bread costs
about 30 cents a loaf and takes about 4 minutes of your actual time!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like additional delicous recipes or tips. 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pampered-Chef-by-Malissa-Farrington/272608856096853?ref=hl
Ken B
I make delicious bread-machine bread, as you know.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
@Ken B–okay, the truth? I don’t eat much bread, myself. So when you were kind enough to give us a loaf, the rest of my family finished it before I got around to trying any!!
@Malissa–this might have to go on my gift wish list. But I’m a little bit afraid that I lack sufficient attention span. That’s one of my problems–I always think, hey, I meant to make bread! And then it’s hours too late….
Jenn
Glen always uses the King Arthur Whole Wheat Recipe. You add extra gluten and that helps the rising process. There is also a great oat flour recipe on their site: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/RecipeHome
There a wonderful foccaccia recipe too.
I don’t know if your breadmaker has it, but mine has a timer so I can set it up at night and wake to fresh-baked bread.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
@Jenn–Oh, I’ll try the King Arthur stuff–they’re my go-to flour. And I have to figure out if I’ve got a timer on the breadmaker.
Malissa
Katie –
I made this bread a quicker way the other day. The actual “work” was maybe five minutes.
Deep Dish Baker Artisan Bread
3cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
optional 1-1/2 teaspoons seasoning (Herbs de Provence, Rosemary Herb, or Lemon Rosemary)
Mix together
add 1- 1/2 cups warm tap water
Stir until incorporated
Cover and let Rise 2 Hours
Spray the Deep Covered Baker with the Kitchen Spritzer
Lightly flour dough and flip around in the dish until it no longer sticks to your hands. Put the dough in the DCB and let rise another 2 hours.
Spray the top of the bread with the kitchen spritzer if you would like a nice glossy bread.
Put into a preheated 450 degree oven for 30 minutes covered and then an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
DELICIOUS!
We sometimes eat ours with the Garlic or Rosemary Infused Canola Oils – Yum!
P.S. I can get you, or anyone else, a baker for FREE or half off!! Pampered Chef host benefits are amazing!!
This bread is great for dipping with oils or eating plain or with butter. You can also use it for sandwiches or paninis and then use the leftovers for croutons!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Thanks, Malissa!
Richard
I really enjoy your blog;thanks for the wonderful information