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Baking Bread: One Loaf at a Time


Baking Bread: One Loaf at a Time
Entry Two
To start the experiment, I hauled out my GoldStar Bread Maker HB-152CE, used only once. The problem was that I didn’t have the direction booklet and didn’t know how to operate the stubborn gadget. My first experiment a few months back resulted in a crispy banana bread that was raw in the center. I had to slice it in half and toast it for 45 minutes to achieve edibility. It was not a pleasant experience.

After searching online, I found basic instructions. Apparently, I needed to layer all the ingredients in order, snap that pan in place, THEN plug in the machine. Genius. Pure genius.

Next, I found a 1996 Gold Medal and Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Yeast recipe booklet stashed in with my cookbooks and looked for a whole wheat recipe. Even though all the coupons in the back of the promo expired in 1997, I figured the recipes were still good. The rest was ridiculously easy: I added the ingredients in order, plugged in the machine, and pressed a button. For four hours, I threatened the family not to open the machine, and we all struggled with the temptation as freshly baking bread filled the air.

At 11:08pm, the bread was ready. I risked burnt fingers to slice hot bread and slather it with honey butter. Bliss. The experiment was off to a positive start despite my substitutions.

Recipe One: Orange-Whole Wheat Breakfast Bread (Medium loaf)
Original ingredients Substitutions
Water 1 ¼ cups
Butter, softened 1 tablespoons
Bread Flour 1 ½ cups (*whole wheat flour)
Whole Wheat Flour 1 ½ cups
Wheat germ 3 tablespoons (**oatmeal)
Dry milk 2 tablespoons
Sugar 2 tablespoons (***honey)
Salt 1 ½ teaspoons
Grated orange peel 1 ½ teaspoons (****)
Bread Machine yeast 2 teaspoons

* I uncovered only one type of flour—bags and bags of whole wheat.
**No wheat germ revealed itself on the premises.
*** I substituted an equal amount of honey for white sugar or use raw sugar if a dry ingredient is necessary.
**** So, I tried to grate the somewhat wilted Christmas tangerine, but it wouldn’t cooperate. I considered orange juice but settled for throwing in what zest I had managed to collect, realizing, belatedly, that orange zest might not be quite the same as orange peel. I’m still not so sure.)

Again, the bread was surprisingly good, especially slathered in the honey butter I whipped up for the celebration. Hot bread and honey butter – we were off to a good start.

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