Walk into any bakery and the aroma of fresh-from-the-oven bread immediately activates the salivary glands making mouths water. For a lot of people, that smell of freshly baked, warm bread is super hard to resist.
The great thing about bread machines is that you can create that aromatic sensation in your own home, and then indulge your taste buds while the loaf is still warm.
First Things First
There are all kinds of bread machine recipes, from sweet to savory to traditional white or wheat. Before you start mixing up your favorite loaf, there are few key points to consider first:
• Product specifications
Read the manufacturer’s manual for specific guidelines and recommendations, such as the order in which to add ingredients.
• Yeast storage
Rapid-rise or bread machine yeast is the preferable form of yeast for all bread machines, according to Elaine Magee, a registered dietitian and contributor to WebMD. She suggests storing unopened packages in a cool, dry pantry or in the refrigerator. After it’s opened, keep the yeast in a sealed container at the back of the fridge.
• Temperature matters
Unless a recipe specifically states temperature requirements, bring yeast and any wet or liquid ingredients to an ambient or room temperature for the best yeast reactions.
Now, check out some of these best bread machine recipes.
White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 (.25 ounce) package bread machine yeast
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Combine water, sugar, and yeast in the bread machine pan.
2. Set mixture aside for at least 10 minutes while yeast activates.
3. After 10 minutes, add oil, flour, and salt
4. Select the machine’s setting for either “basic” or “white bread” and press start.
English Muffin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
This bread responds to humidity in the air, so adjust water amount based on weather conditions. A general rule is to use less water in summer or humid conditions and increase it in dry climates or during the winter.
Directions
1. Add all ingredients into bread bucket.
2. Program machine for basic white bread and light crust.
3. Halfway through second kneading cycle, either peek into the machine window (most models have this) or open lid to make sure dough is soft, smooth, and somewhat sticky. If it’s looking dry, add water. If it’s too moist, add flour.
4. At this stage, finish the baking process, or for a more authentic English muffin texture, remove dough after either the final kneading or before final rise and roll it in cornmeal. Then replace the dough back into the machine and finish baking.
Ale Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm beer or ginger ale (70° to 80°F)
- 1/3 cup water (70° to 80°F)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients into bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Choose basic bread setting and preferred crust color.
3. After a few minutes, check dough for consistency; add 1 or 2 tablespoons of either water or flour as needed.
Buttermilk Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon bread machine yeast
Directions
1. Stir together baking soda and flour.
2. Place all ingredients into bread pan according to machine instructions.
3. Bake at basic or white bread cycle. Do not use delay option.
Seed and Wheat bread
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons light molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
1. Warm wet ingredients to 80 degrees F.
2. Bring all other ingredients to room temperature.
3. Follow instruction manual for order of adding ingredients to baking pan.
4. Bake with basic cycle and medium/normal crust settings.
5. Five minutes into process, check dough. If dry, spoon in ½ to 1 tablespoon water. If too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time until reaching preferred consistency.
6. Follow machine instructions for baking, removing, and cooling loaf.
