Raisin bread for smaller bread machines

Raisin bread for 4 cup capacity bread machines

1 2/3 cups hot water or buttermilk (use buttermilk if you plan on using this bread over several days. The buttermilk keeps the bread softer longer)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs butter
4 cups WW flour
2 tsp instant yeast

1 1/2 cups raisins

Put in your bread machine in the order listed. Set to "whole grain" setting (3hrs 40 min)

You can find more bead recipes HERE

Whole wheat bread for smaller bread machines

Look at that bread! Isn't it huge?

Whole wheat bread for 4c capacity bread machines:

1 and 2/3 cups hot water or buttermilk (use buttermilk if you plan on using this bread over several days. The buttermilk keeps the bread softer longer)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs brown sugar

3 tbs oil or bacon fat (bacon fat produces a VERY tasty loaf!)

4 cups WW flour
2 tsp instant yeast

Set to WW cycle (3:40min)

For the white bread recipe click HERE

If you have a larger machine click HERE

Basic white bread for smaller bread machines

I thought this little machine of mine will never produce a satisfying loaf as my old machine did. But I was wrong and glad to be so!!!! After much experimentation and many dense loaves, here is a delicious bread that's light, satisfying AND past the top of the pan!

Basic bread for 4 cup capacity machines

1 1/3 cup hot water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbs sugar

3 tbs oil or bacon fat

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

I used the whole wheat cycle which is 3hrs and 40 minutes long.

If you have a larger machine HERE is a nice bsic white bread recipe for you!

Basic white bread for 6 cup capacity bread machines

I'm re posting this bread recipe that I always used in my big bread maker(6 cup capacity) before it died. I miss that bread machine...it made such a nice big loaf!

Here is the recipe of the basic bread machine bread that always turns out, always tastes right, is always light and fluffy yet crispy on the outside. Just the way I like it:)

(the indentation on the top is from the bread rising so high without collapsing that it touched the top of the bread maker) Basic Bread Machine Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups hot water


• 2 tsp salt


• 1 1/2 tbs sugar


• 1/4 cup oil


• 5 cups flour


• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

Method:

Put ingredients into the bread machine in order listed and set on basic bread setting.

The thing I like about this recipe is its so versatile!

For whole wheat I use 5 cups of whole wheat flour and use 1 1/2 tbs of molasses instead of sugar. I often do 50% and 75% whole wheat loaves as well. They always turn out right!!

The key is to have 5 cups of whatever flour to 2 cups of liquid. As well as always use 1 1/2 tbs sweetener and 2 tsp salt. The yeast content also must remain the same.

EDITED TO ADD: I've been using 2 tbs (instead of 1 1/2)of molasses lately for the WW bread and the loaf is just beautiful!! (Feb 2009)

For the white bread I've been using 2 tbs of honey with AWESOME results!! (Feb 2009)

Making 6 loaves of brown bread!

Mmmmmmmmmmm....homemade brown bread! There is nothing like it!

Can you tell I'm in a baking mood? This bread is on the agenda today!

This recipe is a combination of my "6 loaves of white bread by hand" recipe and the "honey wheat bread" recipe from Heather and I'm so so SO pleased with the results!! This is totally my staple recipe for wheat bread. It's light and flavourful and perfect for sandwiches. So between this and the white bread recipe....I'm set!

6 loaves of wheat bread by hand

6 cups hot water

3/4 cup oil

3 tbs salt

4 1/2 tbs sugar

Mix well until salt and sugar are melted then add

6 cups white flour

1 cup wheat bran

1 cup flax meal

5 cups whole wheat flour

6 tsp instant yeast

Mix with a heavy duty wooden spoon until it becomes too hard to mix. Gradually knead in 2+ cups of white flour. Knead, stretch, knead,pound knead etc...you get the picture:) Work it until the dough is easy to work with and smooth....about 10-15 minutes. Pour a bit of oil in the bowl and roll the dough in it until it is coated with it on all sides. Cover and let rise until doubled. Pour a bit of oil in 6 loaf pans. Deflate and divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into the shape of a loaf and roll them around in the oil in the pans to coat all sides of both the dough and the pan. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Cover and let rise until big and fluffy looking. Bake in 350F oven for 25-30 min.

This bread is every bit as good as it looks in the pictures.....give it a try!

Kitchen tip~rising dough

Since we're on the subject of bread....
I found a cool way to help bread dough rise............for smaller batches of dough...like whem you're making about 2 loaves of bread...


By placing the dough in an empty ice cream bucket with a lid!!


It really works quite a bit better than just covering the dough with a tea towel.
The results of my ice cream bucket experiment were quite delicious


60 slices of bread placed in Ziploc bags for later use.

My usual method goes like this:

To help any sort of dough rise turn the oven on real low for a minute then turn off and and put your pan of dough in there. The lukewarm temperature makes the dough rise faster and nicer it seems.

For tammy's fruit basket tip go to http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/4089