Once you are familiar with how your bread machine handles different
combinations of flours and liquids, start to experiment with "old favorite"
bread recipes that have ingredient amounts that are easy to divide in half.
For example, if your machine takes 3 cups of flour, look for standard
bread recipes that call for about 6 cups of flour. If the original recipe
calls for one egg, remember that a large egg equals 1/4 cup liquid, and
adjust the other liquid ingredients to account for this amount.
Plan to be on hand when your newly converted recipe is mixing in the bread
machine, so you can add a tablespoon of flour if the dough is too soft, or
a teaspoon of water if it is too firm. You may need to experiment a bit to
get the amounts right. Use the recipes you've tried from your bread
machine manual as a guide in deciding whether the proportions of liquid and
dry ingredients seem to be appropriate.
Here are two of my favorite "converted" breads:
Caraway Cheese Bread (in the machine)
1/2 can Cheddar Cheese soup, undiluted
1 large egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons (level) active dry yeast
1. Divide can of soup evenly (I use two margarine tubs and weigh them).
Seal and freeze second portion for next batch of bread.
2. Place all ingredients in pan of bread machine in order listed, or in
the order recommended for your machine.
3. Set controls for Basic bread with medium crust and start machine. Makes
one 1 1/2-pound loaf.
Caraway Cheese Bread (original ingredients for 2 loaves)
1 can Cheddar Cheese soup, undiluted
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 teaspoons salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 packages active dry yeast
Most of the ingredients were divided in half, but I used slightly less than
half the amount of water so that I would not exceed the maximum of 3 cups
of flour for my bread machine. (This also has the effect of intensifying
the cheese flavor.) I also used slightly less than half the amount of
yeast, because this bread rises very high and will overflow the pan if I
don't use LEVEL teaspoons of yeast. The amount of salt was reduced
slightly below half due to personal taste.
Shredded Wheat Bread (in the machine)
2 shredded wheat biscuits
11 fluid ounces (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) boiling water
3 tablespoons honey
2 cups bread flour or unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1. Crumble shredded wheat biscuits into bread machine pan. Add honey and
boiling water, stir and let stand 20 to 30 minutes, until lukewarm.
2. Add remaining ingredients in order recommended by bread machine
manufacturer. Set controls for regular or basic bread. Makes one 1
1/2-pound loaf.
Shredded Wheat Bread (original ingredients for 2 loaves)
4 shredded wheat biscuits
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1/3 cup honey
5 to 6 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 packages active dry yeast
This one has a few more changes in ingredients, but it was a good one to
try because the original made 3 pounds of bread. I wanted to add more
fiber, so I substituted whole wheat flour and wheat germ for some of the
white flour. By using only 3/4 cup of WW flour, I left room in the machine
for the shredded wheat, gluten flour, and wheat germ. I used slightly more
than half the original amount of honey, but omitted the sugar. The amount
of butter is slightly more than half the original amount because I like the
flavor and texture it gives, but you could reduce it to 1 1/2 tablespoons
if you like. The first time I made this in the machine, I had to increase
the amount of water slightly, so the machine recipe has a bit more than
half as much water as the original.
These have become two of our favorite breads in the machine. I make them
more often now than in the past, because both were rather sticky and
difficult to handle when made by hand. Converting your "old favorites" is
definitely worth the effort!
Enjoy!
Bonnie Briscoe
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Bonnie Briscoe e-mail:bbriscoe@infolink.morris.mn.us
Briscoe & Associates
500 East Third St. voice phone: (612)589-1258
Morris MN 56267 fax/modem: (612)589-1754
Language is all that separates us from the lower animals--
and from the bureaucrats.
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