Bread machine liquid sub (or Easter bread in machine recipe)

12 years ago

Hello,

I have a recipe for bread machine Easter bread, but it doesn't sound like the ones I'm used to. It calls for 1 cup milk but no orange juice or zest. I was wondering if I could substitute maybe half the milk for oj and add some zest just to give it that citrusy flavor that I like. Anyone have any first hand knowledge on if it would still come out ok or else a good citrusy Easter bread recipe for the bread machine?
I just made an Easter bread with a recipe that was not for the bread machine, but I figured if I just put all the liquid on the bottom and dry on top it would be ok. Wrong!! Thank goodness I only did the dough cycle! I was able to salvage it by adding almost another cup of flour to the wet mess I pulled out of the pan! :( It turned out a little on the dry side but thankfully it was edible! I just don't want to screw up another loaf!
Any help is greatly appreciated!

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Comments (2)

chas045
12 years ago
Like many here, I only use the bread machine for mixing and first rise. I don't have a recipe for you, but I have used bread machines for many years and suspect that either your regular recipe had a typo or you may have made a math error if you made a partial recipe. Bread machine recipes are generally just regular recipes that are proportioned for the size (and timing)of the machine. My practical approach is not to precisely measure ingredients, but to watch the beginning of the regular mixing cycle and then add either extra liquid or flour until the dough comes together with that flipping action that substitutes for kneading.

I would also guess that a specialized crust might not be appropriate for the bread machine, but the only Easter Bread I had heard of is Hot Cross Buns. They would require oven baking anyway.
grainlady_ks
12 years ago
Hot Cross Buns and Greek Easter Bread come to mind, and Greek Easter Bread is a basic enriched Danish dough with anise flavoring or aniseed, and formed in a braid in a circle.

#1. Find out how much the flour capacity is for your bread machine before using a non-bread machine recipe. For instance, my Zojirushi bread machines (V-20 and X-20) have a 5-cup capacity if I'm going to bake in it. The old Zojirushi S-15 had a 4-cup capacity. If I'm only use it to mix/knead the dough, I can use a larger amount of flour for a recipe - BUT - I take the dough out of the bread machine as soon as kneading is complete and proof it in a dough-rising bucket - NOT the bread machine.

2. As chas045 pointed out, check your dough. Check the condition of the dough during the first 5 minutes of kneading and adjust it for hydration at that time by adding more flour or adding more liquid - whatever is necessary - if the dough doesn't form a soft tacky ball.

The amount of flour necessary for any bread recipe is just a good (or bad) guess. If the recipe called for high-gluten bread flour, and you used all-purpose flour, it would take more all-purpose flour (or less liquid) because of the lower gluten (protein) content in all-purpose flour. Gluten soaks hydration like a sponge, so you have to adjust to those differences if you switch from one flour type to another.

3. Do a search on-line for a bread machine recipe for "Easter bread" and try to locate one that is similar to what you are wanting to make and one that will work in your bread machine.

Have a blessed Easter!

-Grainlady