Bread Machine Bread From The Oven

I love my bread machine, but I have never cared for the way that it bakes bread. The bread is always over done, the crust too thick and to be honest I'm not crazy about the shape of the loaf once it's finished either. What I love about my bread machine is the dough cycle! Any bread machine recipe can be made on the dough cycle and shaped into dinner rolls, cinnamon buns or just a regular loaf of bread and then baked in the oven. The extra step of shaping and then baking the bread in the oven doesn't add very much time or mess and the end results are well worth it!

Basic White Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients into bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Select the dough cycle and press start.

10 minutes after your machine has started kneading the dough open the lid and check the consistency of the dough. The dough should be tacky to the touch (like the sticky part of a Post-It Note). If the bread is too dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time allowing a minute or two of kneading then check it again. If needed add another tablespoon of liquid. Repeat this until the dough reaches the proper consistency. If the dough is too dry apply the above steps but using flour instead of liquid.

Note... just because you had to make this adjustment doesn't mean there is something wrong with the recipe or your machine. The weather plays an important part in bread making and adjustments you make one time may not be the same adjustments you make next time. This is why it is important to check the dough consistency.

Once you have checked and if needed adjusted the dough close the lid of your machine allow the machine to complete the cycle.

When the machine beeps indicating the dough is finished remove it to a floured work surface and shape into a loaf (or in any shape you choose). Place dough in greased pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place 35-50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 30-40 minutes or until the top of loaf is deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped with a finger.