whole-grain bread in a machine

 

First – yes, a loaf of fabulous bread a bread machine does make. However, that’s simply the tip of the bread machine iceberg. When I realized that not only can you go from start to finish in the machine and fill your kitchen with intoxicating bakery smells – the machine can also double as an extra pair of hard-working kneading hands, well, no bread was off limits. Make the dough in the machine, take it out and roll & twist your way to any bun, baguette or loaf your little heart desires – any bread beyond the loaf, is a batch of well-kneaded bread machine dough away. And if that’s not enough to get you going – how about jams, cakes, meatloaf,  and even dog biscuits courtesy of your breadmaker. Shut up! No, you shut up!

PS For all you non-bread machine owners, if you don’t have one – 2 words – get one! Fresh baked bread every single day is yours for the taking. This is one of the few appliances out there that will earn its keep at break-neck speed. Let’s do the math – even if you go for broke and spend a couple of hundred dollars – that’s 40 loaves at $5 each which, if you’re feeding a family, might last a couple of months. So there, now that it’s paid for itself by Christmas, put that bread machine front & centre and start baking bread like humans have been doing since someone discovered that pounded grains and water makes awesome bread – look who’s baking now!

click here to jump down to the whole-grain bread in a machine recipe

1. Gather the players.

2. Get your bread machine ready.

3. First in is the milk and water.

4. Then the flour.

5. Then the whole-grain cereal.

6. Then the yeast & salt.

7. And finally the olive oil & blue agave.

8. Set it and forget it – sounds like an infomercial!

9. Thankfully I have a little window where I can peak at the progress. If you don’t have a window – resist every urge to lift the lid – invaluable heat will escape and derail you before you even have lift-off!

10. And we’re off – it’s now baking; my nose is telling me before my eyes need to!

11. Looking good –

12. The word I’ve been waiting for …

13. Hello gorgeous!

14. Remove it from the pan and let it cool on a rack – walk away, walk away!

15. Once it’s cooled, grab a knife and start slicing – pass the butter – or not.

 

16. So there you have it – whole-grain bread from a machine!