Oh, and what a beautiful loaf of bread that is. I make bread daily in my bread machine. Yesterday, I made two. I have a cheese bread recipe also but haven't tried adding nuts or pine nuts to it. Sounds very good. Let us know how you like it, please.

MeMo

That looks wonderful! Do you think this recipe can also be made kneading the dough as if it were for a cake and then baking it in a normal oven? Since it uses active yeast, would that mean I would have to let the dough rise before baking? I don't have a bread machine, so I was wondering whether you could do that as if it were a cake. I love to cook and I think there's nothing more welcoming than walking into a home while some baking is in the oven.

Eduarda

Memo ~ I will let you know how this tastes, it sure smelled wonderful. I wanted to add garlic powder also, but forgot to. There's always next time. Got several recipes from this cookbook and I look forward to trying them all. ~ Wow, you make two loaves a day, your place must smell yummy all the time.

Eduarda ~ If you have active yeast, Yes you can do this like any other normal bread recipe that you hand knead and let rise, and bake in a normal oven. I think you knead it, let it rise, punch it down, put it into your pan and let it rise again then bake. I've not done much bread making by hand so maybe someone else out there can give you some pointers. If you could get a bread machine I think you would love it. I know your electric current is different over there, so don't know if they've made these for use in Europe or not. Our dear Aunt got me interested in the bread machine when we went to visit them years ago. I came home and bought one and have enjoyed using it ever since. If you get one, make sure you get one where the paddle comes out of the pan for easier cleaning.

FlowerLady

Eduarda, I have a couple of bread machine cookbooks. The Fleischmann's Yeast book says that bread machine dough is usually stickier than regular kneaded bread which would mean that you might need to add a few (up to 4) tsp. of flour to the mix to get a proper consistency.

In my MIL's bread machine book she has added a note to add 1-2 tsp. of water after kneading for a few minutes to make a regular loaf of bread by kneading.

So I would say that you'd need to make a mix of dough and then judge the elasticity to know if you need to make an adjustment. I would also think that you would want to warm the milk a bit and add the yeast to it to dissolve. A bread machine has a heating element that does this heating as it begins to stir the mixture. The bread will need to rise before baking.

You could also use a traditional white bread recipe and just add the cheese and pine nuts to it.

On yeast...FlowerLady's recipe calls for dry active yeast. If anyone is trying this in their bread machine and using bread machine yeast you would need 1/4 tsp. less than what is called for in this recipe. That is the difference listed in my breadbooks anyway. Your mileage may vary.

MeMo

Thank you both for your explanations. I have never tried baking bread, but I'm used to make our traditional sweet fried dough (filhós) for Christmas, which are not very different in terms of the technique (except that they are fried, not baked). I also make "folar" around Easter time, which is also a kind of bread that is traditional for Easter here. Hence my thoughts that maybe I could do this in the oven.

We do have bread machines here, but they're not popular for some reason that escapes me. Next time I'm at an appliance shop I'll be sure to look for one. I have no idea how much they cost, but surely they can't be that expensive. You have certainly opened my eyes for other possibilities, thank you very much. Always looking forward to some innovation in the kitchen and DH never complains about it :-)

Eduarda

Memo ~ The bread is delicious! Defnitely one to make again.

I wrote down the exchange info for bread machine yeast and regular active too, from Betty Crocker's Best Bread Machine Cookbook, because I didn't have a clue. Plus, I buy my regular active yeast in bulk from SAM's club and keep it in the freezer,except for a small container of it kept in the fridge.

Here is the exchange info.

Brd. Mach or Quick Yeast ~ ~ ~ ~ Active Dry Yeast

3/4 tsp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 tsp.
1 tsp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1/2 tsp.
1 1/2 tsp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 tsp.

Eduarda ~ My bread machine was around $60, about 8-9 years ago. I have an Oster 2 lb. Express machine. I've never used the express function though. I always make 1 1/2 lb. loaves also. If you get one, you won't be disappointed! It is so nice to be outside doing other things, or inside if the weather is miserable outside, and having the place slowly fill up with the wonderful scent of baking bread. I also use mine with the dough mode when I make homemade pizza. A great little kitchen appliance to me, right along with a crockpot.

FlowerLady

Here, here! I'll drink to that! I too love my bread machine and crockpot the best of all of my appliances. I'm going to town today and will pick up the cheese needed to make this wonderful bread. Thanks FlowerLady.

MeMo

FlowerLady,
My mom is always looking for a good bread recipe. I sent her yours this morning. THANKS!
PattiOh(who has sworn off bread but whose mouth is watering!)

You are welcome.

Memo ~ That bread is so yummy! Let me know what you think.

Pattioh ~ Let me know what your mother thinks also.

I'll post more recipes as I try them, and would love to hear of other's favorite bread machine recipes.

FlowerLady

You are now all guilty of the fact that I'm scoring home appliances shops looking for bread machines, LOL! The one I went in yesterday said they were sold out, which is amazing, considering I have never seen one here! I'll try another one today. I believe you have a convert :-)

Eduarda

Good morning Eduarda ~ Did you find one yet? If so what kind did you get? We did some shopping at SAM's club here Monday, (a place you pay a yearly fee and buy quantity and get a better price). I got a 25 lb. bag of bread flour for around $5 or $7, I think, and 2-1 lb. pkgs. of instant yeast for around $3. I keep the yeast in the freezer, except for a small container in the fridge for dipping into to make bread or pizza crust. Made pizza dough yesterday afternoon for pizza last night and it is such a treat to make in the machine. This week I want to try a feta/dill bread. Got the feta cheese at SAM's also. I will post that recipe also when I make it.

Happy bread making. You are in for a treat!

FlowerLady

FlowerLady, as I type this I'm in the final stages of baking my first bread in my first bread machine! :-) I did find one today at Worten and DH and I bought it on the spot. That was the only model they had, so I don't know what other types there could be. As I said, they are not very popular here, have no idea why. I didn't try your recipe yet because I didn't have all the ingredients. I used a walnut and raisins sweet bread recipe from the instructions book. I will report back tomorrow on the outcome. So far the smell is filling the house - so far, so good :-)

Thank you both for your encouragement!
Eduarda

As promised, here is my report on last night's bread. I have to say success of the first bread was about 80%. The top crust wasn't brown enough, which I plan to correct next time by setting the parameter to dark (I used medium for this first test). Other than that, and the fact that the top piece of the bread was somewhat less baked, it was rather tasty and nice, which was a welcome surprise considering I had never tried anything similar before. I think the technique will be perfected in future sessions. I was excited with the results and plan to keep improving and trying new recipes. Thank you all for encouraging me, and BTW keep the recipes flowing, now that I'm a member of the club as well :-)

Eduarda

Congratulations Eduarda ~ I am proud of you my dear. Welcome to the club of bread machine bakers. Bread machines are different and I'm sure once you do this a few times you'll have the hang of it. I've had a few duddish kind of loaves baked in my machine so it's not just because you are a new baker. Things happen. Practice makes us better at what we do. Enjoy 'practicing and eating'. I will most defnitely post some more recipes for you and others here.

Hugs ~ FlowerLady

FlowerLady, here are a couple of pictures of the bread I made yesterday using your recipe. And how yummy it was! We had some for breakfast today and it was delicious! The day before I had also made pizza dough in the machine, which was also a hit. Thank you and MeMo for encouraging me to try this out and please share any recipes you may think a novice can benefit from. Patti, I expect your mouth is watering again ;-)

Eduarda

{{gwi:596775}}

{{gwi:596776}}

Way to go Eduarda! What a yummy looking loaf of bread! It's making me hungry just looking at it. I made pizza crust dough last night for a greek pizza. What kind of pizza did you make?

I'll post some more recipes. I am happy to have enabled you into making bread using a bread machine. You are more than welcome.

FlowerLady

I would be in serious trouble if I got one of those machines.... and there you guys are: tempting me with fabulous photos!! Is that kind?

Anne, you have the option to be tempted either with rose photos or with bread photos. Which one do you choose? ;-)

FlowerLady, the pizza I made had tomato sauce with lots of oregano, mushrooms, tuna, a type of chorizo, olives, bacon and emmental cheese. It's been a while since I had had pizza and ages since I had made one at home.

Thank you for your encouragement.
Eduarda

A very tempting loaf of bread, Eduarda. I tried to get pine nuts for this recipe but they don't sell them at my tiny home town grocery. I will try to remember to get them when I go to the city in April. I would really like to taste this delicious looking bread.

MeMo

YES, that is a BEAUTIFUL, LUCIOUS, TEMPTING, DIETWRECKINGLY-SCRUMPTIOUS looking loaf of bread Eduarda.

I do promise to investigate any reports of great bread recipes and will report back to FlowerLady and all her "students" and assorted bread-pretzel-pizza making folks.
Thank goodness I can't SMELL any of these posts! It would be the doom of my diet!

PattiOh