I was on the computer this morning and learned that today is national Apricot Day.  Who knew that there was a holiday especially for the apricot?  It made me think about a great recipe that I have for apricot bread in the bread machine.  This bread is yummy!!!  Here it is again in a slightly updated format:

Apricot Bread

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.  Use the white bread setting with the crust set to light.  I used the medium setting on the below loaf and you can see that it came out a little too dark.

Because different preserves have different consistencies, it’s a good idea to check on this bread after five or ten  minutes of kneading.  Just pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing.  It should be a smooth, round ball.  If it’s too dry add liquid a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.  If it looks too wet,  add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks OK.  Most of the time though, the above amounts should be just right.

Share this:

Related posts:

1. Apricot Bread
2. Happy Thanksgiving

Pepper Jack Cheese Bread in the Bread Machine

• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese firmly packed
• 1/4 cup King Arthur Flour Vermont cheese powder or grated Parmesan cheese,
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)

Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.

Make sure you check on the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading.  Pop open the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing.  It should be a round ball.  If it’s too dry add milk a tablespoon at a time until the dough balls up.  If it looks too wet,  add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks as expected.

Here’s how the bread looked as it came out of the bread machine:

And here’s how it looked as it was being sliced:

We used the bread in sandwiches.  It added a hint of cheesy flavor without being overwhelming.  The crust was especially tasty.

Share this:

Related posts:

1. Cheese and Onion Bread for the Bread Machine
2. Leftover Corned Beef?

You can substitute raisins for the cranberries if you’d like, but the cranberries give the bread a little zing.  Plus they’re really pretty in the finished product.

Egg Nog Bread – Two Pound Loaf

1 cup egg nog
½ cup milk
4 cups bread flour
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoons oil or butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ¾ teaspoons yeast

Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first. Use the light crust setting. 

Make sure you check on the dough after five or ten  minutes of kneading.  Pop open the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing.  It should be a round ball.  If it’s too dry add liquid a tablespoon at a time until the dough balls up.  If it looks too wet,  add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks as expected.

Here’s the loaf as it came out of the bread machine . . .

And here’s how it looked when it was sliced . . .

See how pretty those cranberries are?  And how does it taste?  It’s really, really good.  The bread has a cake-like texture.  There’s a slight nutmeg, egg nog flavor.  The cranberries give it a little bit of contrast.

So far I’ve had it plain and toasted with butter.  This weekend I want to try it as French toast.  Yum!

Share this:

No related posts.

I took used the jam in this great rhubarb bread recipe for the bread machine. 

Rhubarb Bread

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rhubarb jam
1/4 butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.  Use the “light” crust setting.

Because different jams have different consistencies, check on this bread after five or ten minutes of kneading.  Just pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing.  It should be a smooth, round ball.  If it’s too dry add liquid a tablespoon at a time until the dough is the right consistency.  If it looks too wet,  add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.

And the results?  It was yummy!  The bread had a cake-like texture.  The bread was sweet and tasted great.  There was no rhubarb taste, but it was vaguely fruity.

Share this:

No related posts.

As I wrote yesterday, we were looking for a rye bread recipe to use with our post Saint Patrick’s Day corned beef.  I found two recipes to try.  This is the second one.  (Here’s the first light rye bread recipe.)  During the next few days I’ll share the taste-off results.   The first taste-off involves toast with cream cheese.  The second test features pastrami sandwiches.

Extra Light Rye Bread

1 1/2 Cups water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 ¼ Cups white bread flour
2/3 Cup light rye flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons yeast

This makes a two pound loaf.  Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.

This bread is lighter in color than the other loaf.  The bread is less firm and a more cake-like texture.

Both light breads are good, but which did we like best?  Watch for the taste-offs and find out.

Share this:

Related posts:

1. For Saint Patrick’s Day – Light Rye Bread in the Bread Machine

This year we wanted to do something special with the sandwiches.  We’re going to go for mock Reuben sandwiches made with light rye bread.  The problem was that I had never made rye bread.  It was time to do some research!

I found two recipes that looked good.  The first appears below.  I’ll post the second recipe soon.  And then, because how could we know which one we liked best without testing, there will be two taste-offs.  The first taste-off will compare the two breads for breakfast.  We’ll toast ‘em, cover them with cream cheese and see which one tastes best.  The second test will be very important.   We’ll make pastrami sandwiches from the two types of bread.  Then we’ll compare them and the winner will be used for our post Saint Paddy’s Day sandwiches.

Light Rye Bread

1 1/2 Cups water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 Cups white bread flour
1 1/2 Cups light rye flour
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon yeast

This makes a two pound loaf.  Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.

Share this:

No related posts.

I love this bread for breakfast.  Slice it up.  Top with butter and honey.  Heaven!

1 ½ cups milk
4 cups bread flour
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons sugar
the zest from one orange
1 ½ Tablespoons oil
1 ¾ teaspoons yeast

Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the bread machine first.  Make sure you check on the dough after five or ten  minutes of kneading.  Pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing.  It should be a smooth, round ball.  If it’s too dry add liquid a tablespoon at a time until it looks OK.  If it looks too wet,  add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks OK.

This makes a two pound loaf.

Share this:

Related posts:

1. Sour Milk Bread
2. Sour Milk Bread – Two Pound Loaf
3. Orange Bread