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12-23-2006, 04:02 PM
Re: (...)
and loving it! That dough cycle is wonderful. Being an inexperienced bread baker, I never bothered with it. My thinking was, just throw it all in the machine and forget about it. We all quickly got bored with the same old square loaf.
One of you fine people (sorry, can't remember who) told me to try using just the dough cycle with whatever bread recipe I wanted to use, then finish off the bread in the regular oven. Well, let me tell you, we have been eating wonderful, crusty, Italian bread with sesame seeds all week. My hubbie likes it so much, he offered to do it if I would show him how. So, thank you to the person who told me about this.
Now, I do have one question. The dough is a bit sticky when I take it out of the bread machine. Does that mean it needs more flour in the machine, or just to work some more into the dough on the board while making the loaves? Thanks.
Maryann
Maryann
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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Hi, Maryanne, twice I've started, gone to the kitchen and have timed out!
A little flour on your board won't hurt. As you get more practice, you'll notice about 10 min into the first cycle if you need more flour or not. My experience is that the higher sugar doughs are stickier, like my Portuguese bread or Brioche.
I know my dough is perfect when I can take it out of the machine, slightly dampen my tavallinni (I'm sure I spelled that wrong, it's basically a big cutting board that is reversible, with a lip to hold it on the counter) and work my dough with no add'l flour. The way you've been baking bread, you'll have it figured out in no time.
Two very good things to remember:
Yeast breads are very forgiving
A botched up loaf of freshly baked bread still tastes so much better than a store bought loaf! Glad you're having fun, guess I need to make some rolls for Monday.
PJ
PJ
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PJ, was that you? Thank you so much. We are completely hooked now. And thanks for taking the time to offer more good advice. You're right, I will get the hang of it.
Hope you will finally get to slow down a bit this evening. I still remember how hectic the holidays were when the girls were at home. Fun though!
Happy Holidays!
Maryann
Maryann
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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Good for you, Maryann - I can't remember either who first mentioned using the dough cycle, but I was surprised at how many of us use our bread machines like this.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
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Or, how many of us just gave up on it and put it away...far, far away, like gone!
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.
Billy
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hope not gone - it's worth dragging out again.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
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Yep, gone! Marilee has it now. I can use it while I'm here.
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.
Billy
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Here's a recipe for the bread machine that I adapted from a 1940s Chicago Culinary Institute cookbook that makes great crescent rolls: 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup butter 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 4 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast The milk should be lukewarm. I mix it in a measuring cup with the butter and microwave it for 90 seconds. Add the eggs to the bread machine container and pour in the milk/butter. Add the salt and sugar and then the flour. Put the yeast on top. Run it through the dough cycle. At the completion of the dough cycle, remove the dough and divide it into two pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into about a 14 inch circle (roughly). You can lightly butter the circle if you like. Cut each circle into 12 pieces (I use a pizza cutter). Roll each piece from the wide end and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet. You can curve each roll slightly to get the crescent shape. Make sure the end of the roll is on the bottom. Let the rolls rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour (l'm at high altitude, so I use the hour rise). Preheat the oven to 425 F. Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes until browned. When my daughter was in college she threatened not to come home unless these were waiting for her. Now I have to make them for every holiday meal. A lot of the other food blogs are talking about a No Knead Bread recipe printed in the New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining...i=5070.)It doesn't use a bread machine and it takes a little planning, but it is easy and makes a nice loaf of bread.
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I love the NY Times No-Knead 'Mark Bittman' bread and have made it at least once a week since the recipe started making the rounds.
Each time I make it, I try to make it even easier:
1) After the 18 hr rising period, I don't turn it out onto anything. The towel process is horrible and if I had to do that, I wouldn't bother with the bread. 2) Now I just sprinkle the dough (in the same bowl) with a little flour and use a spatula to fold it over a few times. 3) I let it rise for the 2 hrs in that bowl. 4) Sometimes, before I put the bread into the hot pot, I sprinkle the bottom with some cornmeal but I really don't notice it enough to bother with this step anymore.
I LOVE this bread and Mr HB laughs and calls his office The Bakery. When we start getting low on bread, I just stir up another batch and his office is the warmest room in the house.
It's kinda sour dough-ish. It's wonderful for sandwiches, garlic bread, toast....I love it.
Don't worry if you take the batter out earlier or later. The first time, I almost stood there with a timer waiting for the 18 hrs to be up. I have used it from as little as 15 hrs and as long as 22 hrs and I've found out it tastes better after longer hours. This recipe is very forgiving. I don't think it could be messed up.
The height of the bread depends on the pot you cook it in. My pot is about 10", so The bread is about 2"-3" high
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aardvarknav, I'm going to try those crescent rolls asap. They sound great!
Jan
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