Bread Machine (143 page)
Bread Machine Baker’s Hint: How to Tell if a Loaf Is Done
A nicely baked loaf of bread has a golden color to its crust and sounds hollow when it is tapped with the fingers. When your loaf comes out of the pan, you can test to see if it is thoroughly baked inside with the help of an instant-read thermometer. This method is especially useful for rich doughs, which do not sound hollow when tapped. To test a loaf for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the bottom or side of the bread. Breads are thoroughly baked at 190° to 200°F. But remember that a loaf has not technically finished baking until it is has cooled completely outside of the oven.
HOT JALAPEÑO BREAD WITH LONGHORN CHEESE
T
he jalapeños here are added at the beginning of the bread cycle so that they get incorporated into the entire dough. Even so, be prepared for the little burst of heat on your tongue after each bite. The canned jalapeños called for are convenient to use and easily found in the supermarket. Pat them with a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture before chopping them. Long-horn is an orange Wisconsin cheddar known for its excellent melting quality and nice melding with Tex-Mex flavors. This loaf bakes up into a beautiful, earthy color. It is great with bean salads.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1 cup water
3 cups bread flour
1 cup shredded longhorn cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
3 canned jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast
or 2
1
/
2
tablespoon bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
3
cups water
4 cups bread flour
1
1
/
4
cups shredded longhorn cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
4 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
4 canned jalapeño chiles, seeded and diced
1
1
/
2
tablespoons sugar
1
1
/
2
teaspoons salt
2
1
/
2
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
W
henever I spoke of the beer bread in this recipe collection, the immediate response of any listener was always, “Does it have cheese in it?” So for all those lovers of beer and cheese, here it is, and it is rich—like a pound cake. Cheddar cheese, a cheese with lots of tang and often densely colored with annatto, used to be a product of the Midwest dairy states, but quickly became the most popular cheese from the Southwest to New England. Use a young, mild Colby (they are sometimes sold just three days old, and usually not older than three months), a cheese known for its firm texture, to complement the strong flavor of the beer.
1
1
/
2
-POUND LOAF
1 cup (8 ounces) beer
3
1
/
2
cups bread flour
3
/
4
cup shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
1
/
4
cup sugar
3
/
4
teaspoon salt
1
3
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 2
1
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
1
1
/
3
cups (11 ounces) beer
4
1
/
2
cups bread flour
1
1
/
4
cups shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
1
/
3
cup sugar
1
1
/
4
teaspoons salt
2
1
/
4
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
Open the container of beer and let stand at room temperature for a few hours to go flat.
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)
When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
(Stuffed Cheese Breads)
Makes 8 individual stuffed cheese breads
K
hachapuri,
a word meaning “filled bread,” is a popular street and restaurant food in Georgian Russia, but also a homemade specialty. There are many versions and types of cheese fillings, but the filling usually includes
suluguni,
a stringy cheese that is not available in this country. Here the
khachapuri
are stuffed with a filling of mild melting cheese and fresh herbs popular in the area around Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia—mint and coriander. Originally these breads were baked on clay griddles over open fires. In this version from food writer and cooking instructor Lynn Alley, the breads are made in individual portions, great as appetizers with red or white wine, or as an accompaniment to soup.
