Bread Machine Recipe

This is my favorite bread machine recipe. My bread machine only makes a one pound loaf, so if your machine is bigger, and you want to make a bigger loaf, you would have to increase the ingredients.  (Most larger machines can make loaves in smaller sizes though). However, I think that you should consult your bread machine manual to get some idea of how much salt and yeast to use in a larger loaf.  Same with other seasonings added to the dough.  I'm not sure that those ingredients would need to be increased in proportion to the others. This is a very basic recipe and as written it makes a nice light loaf of white bread. I think this recipe should work, even if you don't use a machine.

I don't bake bread in the machine, I always make dough and then bake it in the oven. I've never baked this bread in the machine.  If I tried it, I would use the light crust, and white bread settings.

7 ounces lukewarm water
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp white sugar
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine in order suggested by manufacturer.  Set machine to white bread and dough setting.  Check dough when it's a few minutes into the cycle and add either a small amount of flour or water if needed, to form a smooth dough that isn't sticky to the touch.  (Check your manual for more details and when to check.). Once dough cycle is complete, form dough into loaf and place in greased bread pan.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.  Bake bread in preheated 400 degree oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned.  Cool on a rack, covered with a clean towel.  Slice when cool.  Makes a one pound loaf, approximately 16 slices.

Variations:
This is not my favorite variation, but you could substitute whole wheat flour for up to half of the bread flour.  Add 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten for each cup of  whole wheat flour.  It might need a bit longer to rise.  Mix and bake as directed.

This can be rolled out into a pizza crust.  Just spread rolled out dough with tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese and add whatever toppings you like. Let stand for 10 minutes or so.  Bake at 400 until crust is browned and cheese is melted. Length of time to bake will depend on how thin you rolled the crust, and how much you put on it, but around 12 minutes is a good time to start checking.  I make two 12 inch crusts out of this. We eat one, and I bake the other until it's done, but not yet browned and then freeze it.  Sometimes I make 4 individual pizza crusts.  That way I can have mushrooms and peppers and hubby can have meat and onions.

I also use this recipe to make raisin bread.  I haven't had any luck with adding raisins to the bread machine.  They either end up all chopped up, or stuck to the outside of the dough, or rolling around loose in the pan.  Instead, I do the following:
1.  Roll out the dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface
2.  Very lightly brush the dough with a small amount of melted butter.
3. Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon and generously with raisins.  Press raisins into dough.   (If you omit the raisins, increase the cinnamon a bit and sprinkle with sugar, you will end up with cinnamon bread.)
4:   Roll up dough from short side, tuck ends under to form a loaf shape and place into greased bread pan.  Allow to rise and bake as directed above.

Cinnamon rolls are made similarly.  Spread dough rectangle with softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up from long side of rectangle and cut into slices about an inch thick. Arrange in a greased 9x13  pan, allow to rise, and bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.  Glaze with a powdered sugar glaze or frost when the come out of the oven.  I sometimes let these rise overnight in the fridge and bake them the next morning.

Herb Bread
Add to dough with other ingredients:
1/4 tsp each of:  dried basil, dried minced garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp each of dried rosemary,  and dried minced onion


10 Grain Cereal Bread
Add 1/2 cup 7 or 10 grain cereal to the pan, (the kind of cereal that you cook on the stove), before mixing the dough.  I buy 10 grain cereal from an Amish bulk food store, and it doesn't absorb much water, so I leave all the other ingredients the same.  I don't know about other brands of cereal.  You may need to decrease the flour or ad a bit if water.
This is our go-to variation.  We like the slight crunch of the cereal in our sandwiches and toast, and this is also a great bread to serve with soup.

Honey Oatmeal Bread
Add 2 tsp honey instead of the sugar and 3/4 cup quick oats to the bread.  Decrease bread flour to 2 cups.  You may need to add either additional flour or a bit of water to this one, depending on how much water the oatmeal absorbs.  Instant oats will absorb more water than quick oats, which in turn will absorb more water than regular oats or stoneground oats.