Anyone into bread machines?

[camos]

For the past year or so I have been developing a whole wheat whole grain, high fiber bread recipe. I've now made about 20 loaves that are consistent in size and texture. Now that it is done I thought I would share it with anyone who was interested.

 

The texture is much lighter than pumpernickel and somewhat firmer than store bought Ancient Grains or Squirrely type breads which would I guess make it a solid medium density bread. I use it for sandwiches and toast but it really shines in a panini press and as a hamburger "bun" because it doesn't turn into a gooey dough when eaten.

 

 

 

Hearty Multigrain Bread

 

Servings: 12

This bread is a medium textured loaf appropriate for sandwiches, spreads or eating with a meal. The texture is solid and hearty; yet light and sweet.

 

Ingredients:

A : Combine in bread pan:

1/4 c Red River Cereal (mixture of cracked flax, rye and wheat and whole flax grains)

1/4 c quinoa

Heat 7 fl.oz. water to boiling (microwave 2min) and add to cereal. Let stand 20 minutes or longer, it's not critical

Add 7 fl.oz. cold water.

2 Tbs olive oil

1/4 c packed demerara sugar or brown sugar as you prefer

1 tsp salt

1 egg

 

B : Combine in bowl prior to adding to bread pan:

9 oz Multigrain or whole wheat bread flour

1/4 c gluten topped up to 9 oz mark with whole wheat flour

1/4 c flax seeds milled

1/4 c oats or nine grain cereal or porrige oats

1/4 c bran

1/4 c dry milk powder, buttermilk powder is even better

 

 

C: Add on top of other ingredients in bread pan:

1 tsp bread machine yeast

1/2 c sunflower seeds raw

1/2 c pumpkin seeds raw

 

Optional - add at ingredient beep

1/4 c sesame seeds or

1/4 c poppy seeds

 

 

Directions:

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine.

Do "part A" first to give extra time for soaking grains.

Do "part B" and add to bread pan

Do "part C".

Select whole wheat cycle and 3 lb loaf.

Start

 

Note: When measuring flour - scooping with a measuring cup will pack more flour into the same volumn. The technique I use is to use a small scoop and "spoon" the flour into the measuring cup then shake to level a few times.

 

If anyone decides to try this let me know how it goes.

Edited June 30, 2013 by camos
Fixed Red River Cereal ingredients.

[mini-muffin]

Thanks I'll try it. Might have to go to VA for some of the ingredients. One bad part about living here is the stores don't always have the stuff you want. I'll let you know how it turns out, when I get all the ingredients.

 

Margaret

[Wade 2000]

Sounds good! I just emailed it to the wife. She is a bread making guru so I have confidence I will be trying it soon. Thanks!

[N3FOL]

We have a bread maker at home, but it looks complicated to use.

[Pegasus1300]

Have you ever tried this bread "by hand"?

[camos]

It probably is not too important but I have a 3 pound Black and Decker horizontal pan machine with two paddles.

 

Despite what the recipe says Red River Cereal is a mix of cracked flax, wheat and rye and whole flax seeds. That is for substitution purposes if Red River Cereal is not available in the US. This recipe has a lot of fiber and so a couple of slices is almost a meal in itself. I'm passing this on as a warning for those who are not used to eating much fiber and I won't go into the consequences that might follow.

 

Pegasus1300 Have you ever tried this bread "by hand"?:

 

No I never have made bread by hand. I have thought of letting my bread machine do the mixing and kneading then put the dough in a pan for the final rise and baking. The only disadvantage I can think of when using a bread machine is the bread bakes around the mixing paddles so they need to be carefully cut out which, no matter how you slice it, leaves holes. I have on occasion made no-knead Ciabata bread and no-knead Foccatia bread. I do like the convenience of using a bread machine. It take about 30 minutes to assemble the ingredients and then you can forget about it for about 3 hours and 48 minutes.

 

N3FOL We have a bread maker at home, but it looks complicated to use.:

 

I understand some machines may be complicated but the two I have had were really simple to use. There are selections for 3 different sizes 1, 2 and 3 lb loaves. There are 3 selections for dark, medium and light. There is a menu selection for the type of bread. In this case I use the whole wheat one. This selection controls the length of time for kneading, rising and baking which would vary depending on the type of bread and the type of flour being used. It's pretty much automatic.

 

Wade 2000 Sounds good! I just emailed it to the wife. She is a bread making guru so I have confidence I will be trying it soon. Thanks!:

 

That would be great, I'm really looking forward to hearing how it turns out. Tell her when it first starts mixing it will look like it is way too wet but not to worry because the whole grains take quite a while to soak up the moisture.

 

mini-muffin Thanks I'll try it. Might have to go to VA for some of the ingredients. One bad part about living here is the stores don't always have the stuff you want. I'll let you know how it turns out, when I get all the ingredients.:

 

A lot of people are not familiar with quinoa, an ancient grain from the Andes, which is one of the few plants that has a complete protein. Our Costco sells it so I expect it should be available in most parts of the US. Apparently there is also some difference between Canadian flour and American flour that might require a slight modification in the amount of water being used.

[saddlebum]

We have a bread maker at home, but it looks complicated to use.

 

There's a bread making machine? Why doesn't anyone ever tell me these things? I just spent the last 40 years working my butt off to pay the bills and now you tell me all I had to do was get me bread making machine.

[mini-muffin]

Actually it's the Red River Cereal I was wondering where to get. I found it on Amazon if I can't get it in a store.

 

Margaret

[camos]

Actually it's the Red River Cereal I was wondering where to get. I found it on Amazon if I can't get it in a store.

 

Margaret

Don't let yourself get hung up on getting Red River Cereal. Before I started using the cereal I used a combination of cracked wheat and whole flax seeds. I liked that the cereal was comprised of several different grains. When substituting anything the change in structure will affect the amount of liquid required. Flakes will react different from whole grains which will be different from cracked grains.

 

I moved away from the whole grains because they are more difficult to digest and can move through your system untouched.

 

I have started working a rye version of this recipe which substitutes rye flour for the whole wheat flour and uses molasses rather than sugar. This has changed the amount of water required. Probably due more to the molasses than the flour. Baking is like chemistry and requires strict adherence to quantity to get consistent results. And then there is the yeast which is like an X-factor... is it fresh or stale, is it meant for bread machines. I buy bulk bread machine yeast and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container but it comes from an open bin at the store.

 

With all the trial and error adjustments there was only one loaf that was a real failure, small and dense, most of the adjustments were required to get the size of a slice to fit in the toaster without having to flip it over.

 

I do ramble on don't I.

[camos]

It's been about a month and I was wondering if anyone was brave enough to try my bread recipe. As an enticement, here is a very useful resource to help the adventurous create their own bread recipes.

 

And of course, the required pix of the delicious results.

[Huggy]

Using the bread maker is like using the slow cooker in our house. That's what we do when its gets too cold and snowy to be outside for any length of time. I hate siting around with nothing to do all day. I need to be kept busy during my waking hours or I get my self in trouble with the wife!!!!! So I have the recipe and will try this fall/winter.

 

[camos]

Using the bread maker is like using the slow cooker in our house. That's what we do when its gets too cold and snowy to be outside for any length of time. I hate siting around with nothing to do all day. I need to be kept busy during my waking hours or I get my self in trouble with the wife!!!!! So I have the recipe and will try this fall/winter.

 

That's an "interesting" way to look at it.

It takes me about a week to go through a loaf of bread so the day before the old loaf is finished off I make the new one. It takes 20 minutes to prep and 3 hours and 48 minutes to bake. That's plenty of time to go and do something. While it does create a little scheduling pressure, it's not so much to make it very restrictive. If it wasn't for the really useless keep warm feature that can't be turned off one could just set it and forget it. During the week I put it on when I get home from work and it's done just before I go to bed. On the weekend, put it on then go and work in the yard or whatever project that is on the agenda and it's ready when I'm ready for lunch. I never get to go anywhere so keeping tabs on the bread doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

 

When it's time for a slow cooker meal, I start it before I go to work and it's done when I get home. So convenient. In this case the keep warm feature is a good one.

 

Just gotta love automated appliances.

[Huggy]

Takes me about 3 days tops to go through a loaf of home made bread!! There's just nothing like fresh bread made at home......mmmmmm.

 

[Flyinfool]

I often thought about getting a bread maker. but then some of the horror stories........

[camos]

I often thought about getting a bread maker. but then some of the horror stories........

I love horror stories. The Loafless Bread Goblin, The Witches of Yeastwick.

 

It is easy to make a less than perfect loaf of bread but fairly difficult to make an inedible one. I got a bread maker because most of the bread being marketed is of the junk variety. Most of the healthier brands are expensive and either not very tasty or not much better for you than the junk bread.

 

I know of no reason bread cannot be tasty, nutritious and part of a healthy balanced diet. However, it appears the only way to get that is to make it yourself. Baking is simply applied chemistry, the ingredients must be balanced and properly measured. Baking bread is one of the simpler aspects of baking and is way easier than rebuilding a set of carbs.

 

It isn't necessary to have a bread maker but it is convenient. There always seems to be a few inexpensive second hand bread makers available in Thrift stores.

[camos]

Here is an easy recipe that does not require a bread machine or any real work.

No-Knead Ciabatta Bread

 

Ingredients:

4 cups bread flour (I used 3 c multigrain and 1 c whole wheat)

*Note: you can use All-purpose flour if you want

1/4 tsp yeast

2 cups warm water

1 1/2 tsp salt

 

Combine all ingredients.

Let rise at room temperature for 18 hr.

Fold over a few times with spatula.

Spread olive oil on baking sheet.

Spray water on counter, cover with plastic wrap. (work area)

Sprinkle with corn meal.

Spread, stretch and shape dough into long narrow loaf.

Cover with towel to rise for 2 hours.

Slice top of dough.

Bake at 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

 

 

Video:

http://foodwishes.blogspot.ca/2009/01/no-knead-ciabatta-bread-you-can-believe.html

[camos]

So, it's been about a year since I first posted this thread and I though I would update it with the current evolution of my satisfying and nutritious multi-grain bread. It has not changed very much, just the addition of red lentils and a better way of measuring the flour.

 

 

 

 

 

Hearty Multigrain Bread - Updated

 

Servings: 12-16

This high fiber bread is a medium textured loaf appropriate for sandwiches, spreads or eating with a meal. The texture is solid and hearty; yet light and sweet. A little clarification, when I say sweet, that is a relative description since this is not a dessert bread.

 

 

Ingredients:

A : Combine in bread pan:

1/4 c Red River Cereal

1/4 c quinoa

Heat 7 fl.oz. water to boiling (microwave 2min) and add to cereal grains. Let stand 20 minutes or longer, it's not critical

1/4 cup red lentils

Rinse well in a bowl, 5 or more times, until water runs clear. Cover with water and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Set aside

2 Tbs olive oil

Combine 7 fl.oz. cold water, 1/4 c packed demerara sugar or brown sugar as you prefer, 1 egg and 1 tsp salt

After 20 minutes, add the red lentils to the bread pan then pour in the above mix.

 

 

 

 

B : Combine in bowl prior to adding to bread pan:

9 oz Multigrain or whole wheat bread flour (164g) (If using lentils 165g)

1/4 c gluten topped up to 9 oz mark with regular whole wheat flour (164g) (If using lentils 165g)

1/4 c flax seeds milled

1/4 c oats or nine grain cereal or porridge oats

1/4 c bran - wheat or oat

1/4 c dry milk powder, buttermilk powder is even better

 

 

C: Add on top of A and B ingredients in bread pan:

1 tsp bread machine yeast

1/2 c raw sunflower seeds

1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds

 

 

Optional - add at ingredient beep

1/4 c sesame seeds or

1/4 c poppy seeds

 

 

 

 

Directions:

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine.

Do "part A" first to give extra time for soaking grains.

Do "part B" and add to bread pan

Do "part C".

Select whole wheat cycle and 3 lb loaf.

Start

 

 

Note: When measuring flour - scooping with a measuring cup will pack more flour into the same volume. The technique I use is to use a small scoop and "spoon" the flour into the measuring cup then shake a few times to level.

 

 

This is new:

I no longer scoop the flour but weigh it on a scale which is much more accurate and is an aid for repeatability.

Also, have been adding the red lentils for a while. They did not noticeably change the texture and do add a bit more protein and other healthy nutrients.

[bj66]

I want one of those homemade "Bread" makers that makes those green slips of paper that comes in 20,50, and 100 dollar increments. AND it all is legal.......

 

Actually just started experimenting with homemade pizzas this week. Used store bought crust for simplicity. I can tell it won't be long before I start doing homemade crusts. Now if my daughter would just like all the extra toppings!

 

But seeing this thread reminds me that we have a bread maker. Maybe the wife will give it a whirl again if we are ever home long enough to use it. Usually it's a wintertime thing. Recipie looks good!

[GAWildKat]

I love making homemade bread in the bread machine, sadly, I can no longer have bread since the gastric bypass. Haven't given up the bread machine yet, but haven't made any bread yet this year. May just keep it to satisfy the hubby.

[GeorgeS]

I really love good bread !!!! Always have, though I do not cook or bake myself.

 

But ------------ Since making it past 65, and still alive, I have noted, that Wheat Products, seem to Quickly add

to the waist line dimensions.

So sadly, I have Stopped, eating Bread, ( and potatoes ) It seems to be helping control the waist line.

 

I have replaced the Carbs. with a lot more " Steak " and " Hamburger" and eggs!! ie: more protein products.

 

Its not easy, passing up all those Pastry Shops!!! ( Especially on long Bike Rides !!! )

[GAWildKat]

I agree with you George! I miss the occasional sandwich and sketti, but I had to move to a high protein diet postop, lost 60lbs so far, now trying to drop the last 30lbs...

[camos]

Actually just started experimenting with homemade pizzas this week. Used store bought crust for simplicity. I can tell it won't be long before I start doing homemade crusts. Now if my daughter would just like all the extra toppings!

I like pizza but don't eat it very often. About 6 months ago I bought a package of 4 or 6 frozen pizza crusts from Costco, still got 2 left. They are convenient and taste pretty good. Been looking into making my own Whole wheat pizza crusts from scratch. Recently found this "How To" and recipe that caught my interest.

http://www.weedemandreap.com/pizza-dough-recipe-fluffy/

 

Most of the pizza recipes I've found online are pretty much the same. Tomorrow I'm making whole wheat tortillas from a recipe on this site. See how it goes.

 

But seeing this thread reminds me that we have a bread maker. Maybe the wife will give it a whirl again if we are ever home long enough to use it. Usually it's a wintertime thing. Recipie looks good!

Looks to me the bread maker is your wife. How could you forget?

[camos]

The thing about bread is that all loaves are not created equal. Breads stretch from a nutritionally beneficial meal to nothing better than junk food. Most of the breads available in stores these days are at or near the junk food category because they are mostly made with flour that has had all the nutritious bits removed. Fortunately for those who cannot or will not bake there are growing numbers of artisan bakeries that do produce a healthy and tasty product. The down side is that most of the "healthy bread" products are expensive to buy, $3-$6 per loaf. Really? It's just bread, not Kobe Beef. Sheesh!!!

 

No matter what kind of bread a person prefers, bread machines make it awesomely easy to produce a loaf of bread with only about 1/2 hour of prep time. Of course, there is the bake time which takes about 3 3/4 hours but other things can be done while that is happening. The biggest negative to bread machines is all of them are made by manufacturers who don't use them. That's my theory anyway. Otherwise why do they all automatically go into a keep warm mode after the baking cycle? If the bread is not removed, or at least the machine unplugged after the baking cycle then it will get over done. That is just lame...so lame!!! The solution is to get one of those timer plugs that will turn off the power at a preset time. Sadly I keep forgetting to do that.

 

The reason I decided to develop this whole wheat, whole grain recipe was to create a bread that was more than just an extra calorie vehicle to carry whatever food I wanted to wrap it around. Whole grains and seeds are high in necessary nutrients, proteins and fiber that the body needs. My recipe is most likely also high in calories but proteins and fiber are both necessary to keep your body satisfied for longer with the net result that you don't feel hungry for much longer than the usual bread types. The other part of what is good about whole wheat flour versus refined white flour is that since it takes longer to digest it will not spike the blood sugar which causes the body to produce high levels of insulin which makes it go into fat storage mode. When that happens much of what you have eaten gets stored rather than digested with the result not very long after eating blood sugar levels crash and your are hungry again. It's a vicious cycle. The more refined foods you eat, the hungrier you get. Ouch!!!