The Other Sandwich Bread

 Not long ago I thought I'd like to have a bread machine.  I bought one, and was mesmerized by all the kneading cycles and the magic of how it just seemed to know how long to cook the loaf.  However, I was quickly disenchanted and missing my favorite parts of making bread: kneading by hand, waiting between rises, and using my other senses to let me know when all things were working in perfect harmony.  I'm a bread geek - I like to touch dough and be the one responsible for its outcome.  


I made this realization after I had ordered some bread machine cookbooks and found several recipes on line that looked good.  Since then, I've been making adjustments to these recipes and making bread with my own two little kneading machines!


Although my husband's weekly sandwich bread has been "Love Bread" (previous post) I changed things up a bit and now we have another new favorite -


Bruce's Honey Sesame Bread 
(I don't know who Bruce is, but this recipe came from allrecipes.com)



I've adjusted to make it by hand, but if you have a machine, I'll include those directions at the end.


• 1 1/4 cups warm water 
• 2 2/4 tsps. yeast


Dissolve the yeast in the water.


Add -
• 1 TB powdered milk 
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 cups bread flour
• 3 TB wheat germ, or wheat bran 
• 1 1/2 tsps. salt
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (toasted, or not - depends on lazy you feel!)


To toast the sesame seeds - just put them in a dry, non-stick frying pan and stir them frequently until they are lightly browned.  I have skipped this step as I can't taste too much difference in the bread. Baking brings out just as much sesame flavor.

                            

It just takes a few minutes!

Not too dark, just a light toast!

Stir all ingredients together, working in the last of the flour, and a little more if needed to make a soft, but not sticky, dough.  Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled.


Punch down dough and shape into a loaf.  Let rise until it raises well above the edge of the bread pan.


Bake at 350º for approximately 20-25 minutes, OR half as long if you have a convection speed bake option.  I like to speed bake breads as I feel the airflow of the convection fans gives more even cooking.  Bread is done when it's well browned and it sounds like a ripe watermelon when you thump it.

(For Bread Machine: place ingredients in bread machine, and select Basic Bread Cycle.)


We love this bread as toast, or sandwich bread.  I think it's a tad sweet for sandwiches, but Brian likes it this way.  For my own preference, I think I'd cut the honey in half. 


Enjoy!!