Bread Machine Pumpkin Nut Bread

This Pumpkin Nut Bread is a celebration of the Fall Harvest.

You can make this bread completely in your bread machine for a wonderful loaf of yeast pumpkin bread. Or, the dough can be made in the bread machine and then shaped into a loaf or festive pumpkin shape and then baked in a conventional oven. To make preparation really easy, I used a combination of both methods.

Pumpkin Nut Bread Recipe

The recipe for this bread is courtesy of ACH Foods.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons canned pumpkin*
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Directions:

 

To make the bread completely in the bread machine, add the ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer, adding pumpkin with milk and nuts with flour. Then select the appropriate cycle and crust setting, Press Start and you're all set!

 

Recommended Cycle: Basic/white bread cycle; light color setting, if available.

 

*Pumpkin varies in moisture content. If dough is too dry or stiff or too soft or slack, adjust dough consistency. After mixing for a few minutes, the ingredients should turn into a dough that forms a soft, smooth ball around the blade. If your machine seems to be straining or if the dough appears too dry or stiff, add more liquid in 1-teaspoon increments to achieve the proper consistency. If the dough seems too soft or slack, add additional bread flour in 1-teaspoon increments until the proper consistency is reached. Do not add more than 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid or flour.

 

Or, if you prefer, make the dough in the bread machine like I did.

 

Add the liquid ingredients to the bread machine pan.  Add dry ingredients on top of liquid ingredients and make a well for the yeast. Make the dough, then follow the instructions for shaping below:

 

For a pumpkin-shaped loaf:
Set aside a 1-inch square from each. Roll each half to 10 x 11-inch oval. Place 1-inch square on top of pumpkin as stem.

 

 

With side of wooden spoon, make 4 symmetrical curved creases from top to bottom of oval to resemble a pumpkin.

 

 

Cover; let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Brush with egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water.

 

 

Bake at 350oF for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze, if desired. I didn't drizzle with the glaze. The bread doesn't need it.

 

 

Happy Baking! 
Cathy

 

 

Pumpkin Bread Recipes:

• Pumpkin Nut Bread (Conventional)
• Pumpkin Nut Bread (Bread Machine)
• More Pumpkin Bread Recipes

Bread Machine Beer Rye Bread

I made this honey and beer rye bread to celebrate Oktoberfest. My friend from Romania loves German food so we decided to create our own Oktoberfest meal this weekend. The rye bread went well with the other menu items.

For this bread, you make a rye starter in a separate bowl and let it sit for a few days before making the dough in the bread machine. Letting the sourdough starter develop over 3 days will enhance the flavor of the bread.

If you're looking for a basic recipe for Pumpernickel Rye Bread that can be made completely in the bread machine, click here.

Honey and Beer Rye Bread (using the bread machine)
Makes 1 loaf
From: Bread Machine: How to prepare and bake the perfect loaf by Jennie Shapter

Ingredients:

For the starter:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup rye flour
• 3/4 teaspoon rapid-rise active dry yeast

For the dough:

• scant 3/4 cup flat beer
• scant 2 3/4 cups unbleached white bread flour
• 3/4 cup rye flour (medium grind)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon rapid-rise active dry yeast
• whole-wheat flour; for dusting

Directions:

Step 1: Mix the milk, flour and yeast for the starter in a large bowl. Stir, then cover with a damp dish towel. Rest in a warm place for 3 days; stir once a day.

Mixing the rye starter

Rye starter on day 2

Rye starter on day 3

Step 2: Make the dough. Pour the starter into the bread machine pan. Add the beer.


If the instructions for your machine specify that the yeast is to be placed in the pan first, simply reverse the order in which you add the liquid and dry ingredients.

Step 3: Sprinkle both types of flour over, ensuring that the beer is completely covered. Add the honey and salt, placing them in separate corners of the bread pan. Make a shallow indentation in the center of the flour (but not down as far as the liquid) and add the yeast.


Step 4: Set the bread machine to the dough setting; use basic dough setting (if available). Press Start. Lightly oil a 6 1/2 inch square pan that is fairly deep.


Step 5: When the dough cycle has finished, remove the dough from the machine and place it on a lightly floured surface. Punch it down gently.




Step 6: Roll the dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. It needs to be the same width as the pan and three times as long. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and the top third down, then seal the edges with the rolling pin.




Step 7: Place the folded dough in the prepared pan, cover it with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until the dough has risen almost to the top of the pan.




Step 8: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F. Dust the top of the loaf with a little whole wheat flour.

Step 9: Using a sharp knife, slash the loaf with four long cuts. Repeat with five cuts in the opposite direction to give a cross-hatched effect.




Step 10: Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.




We had German potato salad, sausage patties and a cucumber salad and this yummy rye bread.


Happy Baking
Cathy


You might enjoy these additional resources for making bread machine bread:

• Making bread machine bread
• Bread machine recipes
• Adapt recipes for use in your bread maker
  

Crusty Bread Machine French Bread

The dough for this crusty French Bread is made in the bread machine and baked in a stoneware baker for a crust that is thin and crispy. The crumb has a moist and chewy texture that melts in your mouth.



French Bread Extraordinaire!

This French Bread recipe is from Linda Rehberg's and Lois Conway's The Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints. According to the authors, this method produces a wonderful loaf of bread that is comparable to the ones baked in France.

Ingredients: (medium-size loaf)

• 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups Water
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

Directions:

1. Place dough ingredients in bread pan, select Dough setting, and press Start.

2. When the dough cycle ends, the machine will beep. Set a time and allow the dough to rise 1 more hour. Open the machine, punch down the dough, set the time again, and let dough rise another hour in the machine.





Turn off bread machine, remove bread pan, and turn out dough onto a lightly floured countertop or cutting board. Form into a smooth, round ball then flatten it with your hands.




Note: If you want to bake your bread in a La Cloche, follow the steps listed under Variation. If you prefer not to bake your bread in a La Cloche, follow steps 3 - 5.


3. Place a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) in a around wicker basket that's at least twice the size of the dough. Dust the towel liberally with flour. Place the round dough in the center of the basket. Place basket in a warm place and let dough rise, uncovered, about 45 minutes until doubled in size.

4. Gently turn dough out of basket upside down onto a greased baking sheet. With a very sharp knife held almost parallel to the loaf, carefully slash the top of the dough at sharp angles in a # pattern.

5. Preheat oven to 450°F. Carefully place a small pan on the floor or bottom shelf of the oven. Add at least 1 cup boiling water to the pan. Place dough in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cake rack to cool 1 hour before slicing. To preserve the crisp crust, do not store in plastic wrap or bag. Bread can be loosely covered or left out for up to 2 days before it dries out completely.


VARIATION: (This is the method we chose.)

To make French bread with a crust so thin and crispy that it crackles when you remove it from the oven, try baking this bread in a La Cloche clay cooker.

1. Omit steps 3 through 5. Liberally cover the base of the La Cloche with cornmeal and place the rounded dough onto the base.

2. Slash the dough as indicated in step 4. Cover it with plastic wrap, then place it in a warm oven to rise until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.



3. While the dough is rising, soak the lid of La Cloche upside down in a sink of water. (Cushion the handle with a dishcloth or sponge.)*

* The manufacturers of La Cloche do not recommend soaking the lid before baking because the absorption factor of stoneware is less than 1 percent. However, the authors preferred the way the bread turned out when they soaked the lid so I decided to try it this way as well.

4. For a dark crust, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the wet lid over the dough; bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until dark brown.

5. For a lighter crust, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the wet lid over the dough; bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400°F and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.





Happy Baking!
Cathy

  
Additional resources for making bread machine bread:

• Making bread machine bread
  
• Bread machine recipes
  
• Adapt recipes for use in your bread maker

Sourdough Bread using a Grape Starter

I’ve been developing a natural grape starter using grapes from a local vineyard. I took a tour of the winery recently and it was very educational.

Did you know that red wine is better for you than white wine because they use the whole grape and not just the juice? 

When I heard that, it reminded me of the difference between whole wheat flour and white flour. Whole wheat flour utilizes the whole grain whereas white flour separates the bran and the germ.

Another similarity between making wine and bread is the fermentation process. When the wine maker started talking about the fermentation process for wine, I just smiled. Anyone that bakes bread on a regular basis is familiar with the fermentation process, particularly when you make bread using a starter. I think the process is fascinating - whether it's winemaking or bread making.

Speaking of starters, it's time to get started making the grape starter.

Here are the grapes I used. Don't they look yummy!

You can get organic grapes at a natural foods store or go pick you own.

Natural Grape Starter recipe from Rustic European Breads from your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts. They got the recipe from an old Oklahoma Dust Bowl cookbook.

• 1 1/2 cups/7.5 oz./210 grams organic unbleached bread flour
• 2 cups/16 oz./450 grams  room temperature spring water
• 1/2 pound/8 oz./225 grams organic grapes on the stem, unwashed

Day 1: In a medium-sized glass or plastic bowl, whisk together the bread flour and spring water until its lump free.

This is what the starter looks like before we add the grapes.

Submerge the grapes in the mixture

Starter after the grapes have been added.

Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm room from 4 to 7 days. Feed the mixture every day with a few spoons of additional flour and water, keeping the ratio 3 parts flour to 4 parts water. Within a few hours the mixture will begin to bubble and expand.

Grape starter after a few hours on the counter.
It's already starting to bubble!

The starter is ready to use once the aroma is tangy and the taste is sweet and sour all at once, usually on about the third day.


Day 2: Starter after being fed on Day 2. It still needs to sit for another day or so.

 

Note: If the starter just lies there after a couple of days, heavy and lifeless, throw away most of it and feed it again with 1/2 cup flour and 2/3 cup water. Let is sit for about 12 hours, and look to see if it's started bubbling again. If it's still dead, throw it out and start over.


Day 3: Here is the starter at the beginning of Day 3.
It doesn't look to bubbly right now so we'll let it rest a little while longer.

 

After we fed it on Day 3, the starter came alive.
See how bubbly it is now!

Once you have a lively homemade grape starter, strain out and discard the grapes. Then, transfer the starter to a clean glass jar, cover, and refrigerate.

Here is the starter after the grapes have been strained out.
It's very bubbly although it’s hard to see in this photo.

We'll put the starter in the refrigerator for a day or so until we're ready to make bread.

To use the refrigerated starter, bring it to room temperature and give it a little feeding of 2 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons water. Let it stand in your warm kitchen overnight, then use it in your recipe.

Here is the grape starter after sitting overnight.
It's really bubbly and ready to go!

Day 4: Now, we're ready to make some yummy sourdough bread with the grape starter. Since we put all that effort into making the starter, let's use an easy recipe and make the sourdough bread in the bread machine. I'm also going to experiment a little this time since the bread machine will do most of the work from here.

Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread

We'll be making a Classic Bread Machine Sourdough Bread. The recipe is also from Rustic European Breads from your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt and Diana Collingwood Butts.

Since we used their starter recipe, it's only fitting we should use one of their bread recipes. For my experiment, I'm going to do one loaf without adding extra yeast like the recipe calls for and the other loaf with the extra yeast. We'll see how it goes.

Ingredients:

1-Pound Loaf

• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup starter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1 1/2-Pound Loaf

• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in the bread machine pan and process on basic bread setting.

For the first loaf, I decided to make the 1-pound loaf. I didn't add the extra yeast to see if the starter would be enough to make the bread rise. Watch the machine for the first 10 minutes. If the dough seems dry, or if the machine lugs, add water, a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, add flour by the tablespoon until you have a soft dough ball.  Remove the bread promptly from the bread machine at the end of the baking cycle and cool it on a rack. Store in a paper bag.


Here are the photos of the 1st loaf of bread. As you can see, it didn't rise very well. The texture looked good, but I tasted it and let my son taste it and it was rather flat. Oh well! I guess that experiment didn't work very well. But that's the fun part of baking bread...you just try again next time.

Day 5: Ok, now for the 2nd part of the experiment. This time, we're making the bread according to the exact instructions on the recipe.

For this loaf, I decided to make the 1 1/2-pound loaf. I put all the ingredients, including the extra yeast, into the bread machine and set it on the basic bread setting. In a few hours, we'll have some bread.

It's been a few hours and the bread machine just beeped. I've been checking on it every once and a while to make sure it was rising properly. It looks good.

2nd loaf of bread right out of the bread machine.

Now here are the comparison photos. The 2nd loaf rose much better. However, keep in mind that I made a 1-pound loaf for the first loaf and a 1 1/2-pound loaf for the second loaf.

Comparison photos of 1oaf #1 and loaf #2

The 2nd loaf looks better and it tastes better too!

My oldest son doesn't really like sourdough but he liked this bread. It's actually very mild for a sourdough. The starter probably needs a little more time to develop it's flavor. We'll keep the starter going for a little while to see if it develops a more sour flavor. Even though the starter isn't very sour, it did live up to it's reputation of creating a bread that is chewy and crusty. Yummy!

Guess what? Although my family didn't like the 1st loaf, the squirrels and birds did. I always let them try my bread creations. They haven't complained yet.

Thanks for indulging me in this bread-baking experiment! I had fun. I hope you did as well.

Happy Baking!
Cathy

Sourdough Bread Machine Bread

This post focuses on making sourdough bread in a bread machine. 

I used the starter I created from a recipe from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco. It took me awhile to get the flavor of the starter right. I had to throw it away a couple of weeks after I started it because it turned pink. I started it again in September and it's been just fine ever since.

Sourdough Starter Recipe 

From Boudin Bakery http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread/recipe-sourdough.html

Ingredients

• 1 small handful (1/4 to 1/3 cup) white (all-purpose) flour
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of water
  

Tools & equipment

• a small bowl
• a towel, napkin, or other piece of cloth (not terry)
• a large spoon

Directions:

1. In a mound of flour, make a small well and add the water.
2. Slowly mix the flour and the water, bringing more flour into the center of the well. The mixture will gradually transform from a paste into a small piece of dough.
3. Knead this small piece of dough with your fingers for about 5-8 minutes, until it becomes springy.
4. Place the dough in a small bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 or 3 days.
5. When it's ready, the dough will be moist, wrinkled, and crusty. If you pull off a piece of the crust, you'll find tiny bubbles and smell a sweet aroma.
6. Throw away any hardened crust. "Refresh" the remaining piece by mixing it with twice the original amount of flour and enough water to make a firm dough. Set aside as before.
7. After 1 or 2 days the starter will have a new, fresh look. Remove any dried dough and mix with about 1 cup of flour.
8. Once again, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave it in a warm place for another 18-12 hours.
9. When the starter is ready, it will appear fully risen, and a small indentation made with a finger won't spring back.

Now the starter is ready to be used in virtually any sourdough recipe.

Remember to save a small piece of the starter: You can put it in the refrigerator for several days, then refresh it again as above and use it to make another loaf. A good starter will serve you for years to come!


Now, let's get started making the sourdough bread...

Step 1: Up to 12 hours before beginning the recipe, stir the starter and discard 1 cup. Feed the remaining starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let it sit for 4 to 12 hours before using in a recipe.

I completed the first step last night so the starter would be ready this morning. The starter has been resting on my counter all night. You get better flavor if you let it sit for a long time.

Step 2: Use however much "fed starter" the recipe calls for, and feed the remainder with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let this remaining starter sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until bubbly, then cover and refrigerate.

• Tip: If you're not planning to use your starter for over a week, take it out and feed it once a week with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Start by discarding (or using) 1 cup of the starter. After mixing in more flour and water, you can return the starter to the refrigerator without waiting for it to get bubbly first. (I usually let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours even if I plan on returning it to the refrigerator because it gives it better flavor for the next batch of bread).

Look for more tips on maintaining a sourdough starter.


Now we're ready to make some basic sourdough bread in our bread machine.

I'm using a basic sourdough bread recipe courtesy of Fleischmann Yeast. It is listed below. This is the first time I've made this particular recipe so we'll see how it goes. They also have a sourdough starter recipe you can use if you like, but I'm using the "wild starter" I created without the use of commercial yeast.

Basic Sourdough Bread (with homemade starter)*

Ingredients:

1-Pound Loaf

• 3/4 cup Sourdough Starter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1-1/2 Pound Loaf

• 1-1/4 cups Sourdough Starter
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

*Note: This version makes a mild sourdough bread. I like the bread machine sourdough that way because I use it for sandwich bread. If you prefer a more sour flavor, do the following before you mix the ingredients in the machine:

For the sourest Sourdough:

In a medium bowl, combine the water, starter, and half the flour. Cover and let the mixture stand for 24 hours until very sour and bubbly. Then combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients in the bread pan, use the recommended cycle (listed below) and press start.

Directions:
Use the 1-pound recipe if your machine pan holds 10 cups or less of water. Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. (If dough is too dry or stiff or too soft or slack, adjust dough consistency - see tips below.)

I used the recipe for the 1-1/2 pound loaf since my bread machine can handle that capacity. Here are the ingredients in the pan in the appropriate order for my bread machine.


I made well in the center for the yeast so it doesn't make contact with the liquid ingredients.



Recommended cycle:
Basic/white bread cycle; medium/normal color setting. Timed-bake feature can be used.

Adjusting Dough Consistency: After mixing for a few minutes, the ingredients should turn into a smooth ball around the kneading blade. If the dough appears too stiff or too soft, add more liquid or flour in 1 teaspoon increments, until the proper consistency is reached. Do not add more than 3 to 4 teaspoons liquid or flour. The machine can not compensate for wide variations and may not bake the larger amount of dough thoroughly.
 

The bread rising period is a little longer in this bread machine than other models I've used. So the bread starts cooking before the machine is finished processing the dough. That's why the crust looks a little funny.

I've been looking for a good sandwich bread to make in the bread machine. This one is easy and doesn't take much prep time.  It also tastes really good with tuna salad.

This bread actually tastes more sour the next day so unless you're in a big hurry to eat it, let it rest in a bread bag on the counter overnight. If you want a more sour flavor, then follow the directions above for the sourest of sourdoughs.

Happy Baking!
Cathy