Bread Machine (20 page)
T
his is a basic white bread that pairs tangy buttermilk with wonderful maple syrup, and is especially nice for toast and sandwiches. Who could not love maple syrup? Produced by boiling the sap of the sugar maple tree that grows in the North-east states and eastern Canada, maple syrup has the most aromatic and enticing flavors of any natural sweetening. I always have some in my refrigerator. I always ask my literary agent to bring me a little jug for my birthday when she goes on vacation each summer in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The Fancy, or AA grade, is delicate in flavor, and the syrup becomes more robust in Grades A, B, and C, which are great for baking. Use fresh buttermilk in place of the water and dry buttermilk powder, if you wish, but you cannot use the Delay Timer with perishable ingredients.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1
1
/
2
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 cups bread flour
1
/
3
cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
1
3
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
3
/
8
cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1
/
4
cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 cups bread flour
1
/
2
cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe may be made using the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
T
he subtle sweetness in this bread comes from the ripe banana. Don’t worry that you add chunks of banana to the bread pan; they will get mashed during the kneading. Treat this loaf just like French bread; it is best the day it is made. There is no better bread for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable or nut oil
1 ripe 6-ounce banana, cut into chunks
3 cups bread flour
1
/
4
cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon gluten
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
1
/
2
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
3
cups water
1
1
/
2
tablespoons vegetable or nut oil
1 ripe 8-ounce banana, cut into chunks
4 cups bread flour
1
/
3
cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
The Right Ingredient: About Gluten
Gluten (also known as vital wheat gluten) is a natural protein occurring in wheat. It adds body and volume to bread machine loaves. I have specified the proper amount of gluten needed in each recipe in this book, but if you are creating your own recipes for the bread machine, a good guideline is to add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup of flour, depending on the gluten content of the flour in the recipe. Bread flour needs less gluten added; heavier whole wheat and non-gluten flours need more to make a high-rising, light-textured loaf. Advised proportions are always printed on the package. Vital wheat gluten is readily available in the flour section of supermarkets. It generally comes in a 10-ounce box that sells for less than $3.00. Hodgson Mill fortifies its gluten with vitamin C for extra punch. Vital wheat gluten is
not
the same as gluten flour; it is a more concentrated form, so do not confuse the two.
D
o not confuse canned coconut milk with canned cream of coconut, which is even more concentrated and sweeter than the milk. No need for extra fat or sugar in this moist, slightly dense-textured bread; the coconut milk naturally provides both. Be sure to shake the can well before opening it since the solids may have settled to the bottom. This is the perfect bread to serve with Thai food, with crawfish omelets, or with barbecued jerk chicken, cole slaw, and the “holy trinity” of Creole food—shallots, celery, and green peppers.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
8
cups canned coconut milk
3 cups bread flour