Ah, the holidays: Time to recoup that big bread-machine investment by baking bread for everyone you know.
Your trusty machine can turn out a loaf every three or four hours, practically around the clock. All it requires is a cool-down between loaves. Or you can make optimum use of the dough cycle and bake your creations in a regular oven, cutting the time even more.
Ada L. Lai of Moss Beach, Calif., tests machines and recipes for the Magic Bread Letter, a newsletter she produces. Her first machine gave out last year after baking some 500 loaves in less than three years.
When she has serious baking to do, she follows a reader's tip, setting up an assembly line.
"If you intend to bake the same bread for more than one person, measure out the ingredients for all the loaves at one time," she says.
For example, if you want to make four loaves, set up six containers; one each for moist and dry ingredients for the three extra loaves. As you measure each item into the bread pan, also measure it into the containers for the extra loaves. Seal and store until you're ready to bake.
"By the time you have finished the set-up for your current loaf, you will also have done the set-up for the other loaves," she says.
"You can't believe how fast it is."
Seal the dry ingredients well -- a zip-top bag is ideal for this -- and refrigerate the liquid ingredients. Remove the liquid ingredients from the refrigerator so they can come to room temperature while the first loaf is cooling.
Lorelle Del Matto, spokeswoman for Fleischmann's Yeast, has an efficient set-up for her bread machine: "I keep all the basic ingredients on one shelf, together, and I always load my pan in that area. You can get stuff in and out really fast."
She maximizes the machine by using it to make dough only.
"There's some fun things you can do with the dough cycle," she says.
Because the dough cycle is shorter than bake, you can shape things such as sweet rolls and bread sticks and bake them in the oven -- in the meantime starting another batch of dough in the machine.
"You can execute it pretty fast, even in a day, if you wanted to have a bread-baking day," she says. "You get the messy part done, then you get to do the fun part, the shaping."
Don't skimp on the cool-down. Most machines recommend waiting anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour between loaves. Some won't start again if they're too warm.
"It's possible that a warmed-up machine can give you slightly different bread in the afternoon than it does in the morning," Ms. Del Matto says.
The true beauty of the bread machine is that it works while you sleep. Or while you work.
"The timer, especially when you're doing a lot baking during the holidays, can be a tremendous help, because it gets your work done overnight," Ms. Lai says.
The only caution here is to avoid recipes containing eggs, milk or other perishables.
Use this simple test: Would you leave the ingredient on the counter all night and then eat or drink it in morning?
Even when a recipe calls for powdered milk, Ms. Lai is careful to layer ingredients to that the liquid doesn't come into contact with the dry milk.
She uses an egg replacer powder in overnight baking. Designed for people who are allergic to eggs, it's sold at health-food stores.
Remove bread from the pan as soon as it's ready, and cool it on a rack for at least an hour to keep it from sweating. "There should be no moisture," Ms. Lai says. "It will condense and make it soggy."
Ms. Del Matto dresses up basic loaves with a glaze of confectioners' sugar and liquid (water, lemon juice or milk). Sprinkles or crushed candy or nuts add a final touch on top.
Wrap the loaf tightly in foil and then in a zip-top bag to keep it fresh. This doesn't make for the prettiest package, but what's more important -- looks or flavor?
Present the loaf as is or with a jar of jam or some flavored cream cheese. Linda's Lemon Bread, for example, is made with lemon curd. Pair it with a fresh jar for sweet teatime nibbling.
Linda's Lemon Bread
Makes a 1-pound loaf (amounts in parentheses are for 1 1/2 -pound loaf)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats ( 2/3 cup)
7/8 cup milk; add 1 tablespoon more for Welbilt (1 1/8 cups, 4 more tablespoons for Welbilt and Zojirushi)
1/3 cup lemon curd ( 1/2 cup)
2 1/8 cups bread flour (3 cups)
1 teaspoon salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
Place the ingredients in bread pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Bake on Light Crust cycle. After baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan and cool on rack for 1 hour.
Cheddar Cayenne Twists
Makes 24 bread sticks
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups bread flour
3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons paprika
Place all ingredients except paprika in machine in order specified in owner's manual. Set machine on Dough/Manual setting. At the end of the program, press Clear/Stop. To punch dough down, press Start and let knead for 60 seconds. Press Clear/Stop again. Remove dough and let rest 5 minutes before hand-shaping.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 1/4 -inch thick rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 1/4 -inch strips, 6 inches long. Carefully place on lightly greased baking pans. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Makes about 24 bread sticks.
If machine does not have Dough setting: Follow normal bread-making procedure, but let dough knead only once. At the end of kneading cycle, press Clear/Stop. Let dough rise for 60 minutes, checking after the first 30 minutes to make sure it doesn't rise too much and touch the lid. Press Start and let the machine run for 60 seconds to punch dough down. Press Clear/Stop. Remove dough and let rest for 5 minutes before hand-shaping.
Jalapeno Cheese Bread
Makes a 1-pound loaf (amounts in parentheses are for a 1 1/2 pound loaf)
1/2 cup sour cream ( 3/4 cup)
1/8 cup water; add 1 tablespoon more for Welbilt ( 1/8 cup, add 2 tablespoons more for Welbilt and Zojirushi)
1 egg (both sizes)
2 cups all-purpose flour (3 cups)
1 teaspoon salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (1 cup)
2 tablespoons seeded and chopped fresh or canned jalapeno (3 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
Place ingredients in pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Bake on Light Crust setting. After baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan and cool on cake rack for 1 hour.