Wholemeal loaf

I have started making bread dough in the bread maker, and finishing it off in the oven. I find the strange shape of the pan tin in the breadmaker a bit disconcerting. The slices don’t fit well in the toaster, and I finish the loaf very quickly. 

Here is my recipe for breadmaker dough. Once the machine has made the dough, I kneed it, set it to prove and then bake it. Hello to Ronnie and Peter who were asking about this. 

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1 tsp dried yeast
  • 225g strong white bread flour
  • 225g strong wholemeal bread flour (or any ratio to total weight 550g)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp butter or oil
  • 330ml water

METHOD:

  • Put the ingredients into the bread-maker in the order specified, and set it to the wholemeal dough bread program, or the nearest suitable setting. My machine takes just over three hours for this, including soaking the flour in the water, warming the mixture to the correct temperature, kneeding and resting the dough. 
  • When the dough is made, remove from the bread maker, kneed it again for around 5 minutes. Try not to add any more flour. If the dough is a bit sticky to start with, try oiling your hands. 
  • Shape and roll the dough into a loaf shape, and put it in a large, greased, loaf tin. Cover, and set it to one side to rise. 
  • Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C. When the dough has risen to double, put it in the hot oven and bake for 33 minutes or so. 

As I am the only person who likes wholemeal bread in the house, I put half in the freezer so it doesn’t go mouldy. You can, of course, experiment with the basic recipe to customise it. 

Brunsviger

Hello Annie – this is the recipe that Malcolm has been playing with. We’ve had several versions at home before he took it to the coastguard last night. The original recipe is from Fika and Hygge, by Bronte Aurell. Malcolm has been testing out making the sticky dough in the breadmaker. 

Brunsviger, or Brunswick Bun, is like a large flat cinnamon bun, soaked in brown sugar and spices. 

INGREDIENTS: 

For the bread base:

  • 2 1/2 tsp dried yeast
  • 250ml whole milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 350g strong white bread flour
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 100g butter
  • 1 tsp salt

For the topping:

  • 175g softened butter
  • 225g dark soft brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp golden syrup
  • vanilla extract
  • Optional, 1 tbsp cinnamon

METHOD:

  • Put the ingredients for the bread dough into the bread maker in the order on the list. Program the bread maker for dough. 
  • When the  bread maker has done its stuff, make the topping. Whisk the butter with 200g of the dark sugar, golden syrum and vanilla extract. 
  • Tip out the dough, knock it back and kneed it. If you need a little more flour it is OK to add it now. 
  • Transfer the dough to a baking tin, we used our medium roasting tin to contain any leaks. Stretch the dough to the sides of the pan, and use your fingers to poke holes in the dough as if you are making focaccia. The more holes the better. 
  • Spread the soft topping over the dough, using a spatula. Cover all the dough, and then sprinkle over the rest of the sugar. Cover with a plastic wrap or clingfilm, and leave it to prove, around 30 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, set the oven to 200C. 
  • Once the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and cook for around 20 to 25 minutes. The topping should be shiny and sticky. 
  • Take out of the oven, cool, cut into squares and eat with coffee. Take time to enjoy this. 

For a stickier top, add more sugar to the topping before baking. 

 
 

Peanut butter bread

This is part of the campaign to find recipes for all the stashed ingredients we have. Why, I wonder, do we have so many jars of peanut butter? I thought of making bread with it in the bread maker, and finally I think I have got the proportions right. This makes bread that is delicious with jam in particular, but is also good with salad, or with marmite.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 325ml cold water
  • 2 tsbp honey
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 350g white bread flour
  • 125g wholemeal bread flour
  • 1 tsp yeast for bread machines

METHOD:

  • Put the ingredients in the bread machine in the order above
  • I used the white bread setting, middling sized loaf. Some bread machines prefer you to put the yeast in first, then the dry ingredients, and then the liquids.