One of the main issues I've found with online bread recipes is that while the ingredients & techniques are explained, the critical component of getting the timing right for each stage is left out.
This is further complicated by issues around temperature in fundamentally cooler countries like New Zealand.
So I started working with several recipes to find what worked, & then understand why it worked.
Luckily, making bread in a bread maker is better, simply because it gets certain timings precise, without being distracted like is humans.
So while my recipe can be made entirely by hand in any oven, I highly recommend a decent bread maker be bought.
We own a Panasonic & my recipe has also been tested on Breville bread makers.
These are the 2 common brands in NZ so I've started there.
So, here is my recipe for the standard family favourite White bread loaf.
3 & half teaspoons of Edmonds Sure Bake bread making Yeast mixture, the Red top bottle. Must be the same as the photo I've showed here, please don't expect the same results with other active or dry yeast, or satchels.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tablespoon milk powder
430 grams of High grade flour - any brand is fine.
1 Tablespoon Oil, dont use butter.
280 Ml of Hot water, not boiling. Should be nice & hot straight from your hot water tap is ideal.
Put all ingredients directly in your bread maker pan & leave them for several hours, no need to mix, just soak.
Ideally leave overnight.
If your bread maker has a time function that's perfect.
Just set this up before bed & get it started for morning.
Now on the bread makers part, selecting the correct program is also important.
Please use a 4 Hour bread making cycle.
Don't use a rapid program, not as good.
Though if in rush a fast one is fine, especially if you soaked ingredients as above, but you'll notice the difference.
If you don't soak the above, the results will not be as good even on 4 hr cycle, & worse on rapid.
If you don't use hot water it will not rise as well.
Please set loaf size to medium, not large. And set to a light crust, not a brown crust.
Here is what our most recent loaf looms like, after being cut in half to show you how well it's come out.
We've had amazing & consistent results time.after time with the above.
Now in the next post I'll talk about the different variations you can try for any different things you want.
But please start here & hope you enjoy the bread as much as we do.
Happy baking.
