I am therefore I am a breadmachine

People always say "WHY!?" when they find out I have three bread machines.  I will tell you why I say! I then rationalize it by telling my story about how I fantasize that I have a maid in the kitchen mixing and kneading and baking fresh breads, when really the  reason I keep three is when I make a three braid loaf of wheat, pumpernickel & white flours it is an absolute breeze.  Making a three braid loaf by hand takes way too many steps and time...I did it one time, that was enough. Except for the times I get into one of those "I need some therapeutic hands on mixing, kneading and punching to get myself in balance again modes" I opt for the dough mode.  This fantastic little feature on a bread machine cuts so much time out of the fresh bread making process that it has been a long long long time since I have "needed to knead" by hand. Don't get me wrong, once in a great while I get into this space where I absolutely have to make the most complex half-a-day to complete recipe...but mostly I am all about the quality output with as few steps as possible. 

One of these saving time tricks is by using a bread machine...if you pick a good one, you will be happy with the results.  One of mine is even two decades old and it keeps on performing flawlessly...so much so that I went on E-bay and found a second one living in New York City that had minimal usage and so now I have two inexpensive work horses.  The third model makes two loaves at once.  Which can be handy when you want to present two types of bread at a special dinner party.  You can spend under twenty dollars for an older model or hundreds for the new fangled models.  So why all this bread machine banter on the first day of 2011?  Well with the economy as is...(it's state is still where it was last night in 2010 I believe)...it really is about cutting corners where you can.  I do a great deal of that in the kitchen.  Take sourdough bread for instance.  We love it!  But Sourdough seems to take the most bread (heh heh) out of your pocket no matter the brand.  Yes I have gone the sourdough starter route....its a novelty for a couple of weeks...then you forget and you feel guilty and before you know it your live culture is looking like something right out of a b-movie horror flick. 

I have this thing for "mock" recipes...when they are good I love to use em.  One of my favorites is my mock sourdough bread recipe.  I can simply place the ingredients into the bread machine on the dough mode...here is where the real trickery comes in.   I then form it into one of those rustic rounds like the ones at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf or Pike's Place Market in Seattle...close enough anyhow. For the Pièce de résistance there are a couple last things I do to really make it look scrumptious (see below)  I have taken this to parties and had people rave about my sourdough bread.   So go to your store and price a loaf of sourdough bread, then try this recipe and do the math on savings.  This is a bread machine recipe so if your a home-made bread maven in the kitchen feel free to adapt this accordingly.  oh and I am not against using the bread machine fully through all it's cycles when I am short on time.  I also will set up the two work horses making bread at the same time and then freeze the loaves.  Bread is just not cheap anymore.  Baking and freezing your own bread is. 

So unless your on one of those carbo-less diets, enjoy making this mock sourdough bread.

Mock Sourdough Bread Machine Bread

1/2 cup plain nonfat yoghurt (at room temperature)

2/3 cups water (at bread machine's required temperature)

2 tbsp lemon juice (at room temperature)

1 tbsp butter (softened)

3 1/2 cups bread machine flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp yeast

If you are in a real hurry, you can quickly microwave the yoghurt, lemon juice and butter to bring to room temperature.  You don't want the cold temperatures to keep the yeast from doing its thing

Add the water, yoghurt, butter & lemon juice to bread pan

Next add your dry ingredients

Turn on bread machine using the dough mode, which usually is one hour

Watch the dough, you may need to add more flour or more water.  You want the dough to be just beyond wet and sticky...but just barely - make sure that
the dough is moving around in a round ball, freely within the pan

Remove dough to a cookie sheet covered in a silicone non stick sheet

It will be sticking to your hands somewhat...do this process quickly for minimal mess on your fingers

Form a round loaf and allow to sit in your microwave (for warmth) for 15 minutes

Brush the top with a well beaten egg

Take a sharp knife and quickly score the center in a criss cross, going about 1/4 of an inch deep

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes
For best results, let this bread sit out for at least an hour before slicing.

hot buns to all!
robert