BREAD MAKING IS FUN
When I was working in Lesotho, I had an apartment with good kitchen facilities, which allowed me to pursue my cooking interests. Buying bread from the local super market became a bit boring and the breads also did not look very healthy. One day, as I was strolling through a department store, I noticed bread machines for sale. I immediately purchased one and went back to the supermarket to buy basic ingredients for baking bread. This was a new beginning, as I had never baked any thing before in my life.

My experimentation with bread baking turned out to be an enjoyable trials and errors experience. In a few weeks, I was beginning to enjoy my bread and was very satisfied with my decision to include baking in my culinary interests. Since then, now over five years, I have never bought a loaf of bread and have become a bit of an expert in bread baking. The bread machine has also turned out to be practical for baking cakes and my favorites are carrot and chocolate cakes. 

I guess the same method could be used to make bread in a conventional oven apart from required manual kneading, which is anyway good for your health!
My simple bread recipe for bread machine

INGREDIENTS (basic)
  1. Water             1 and a half cup
  2. Oil                   2 tablespoons
  3. Bread Flour   3 and a half cups
  4. Sugar             2 tablespoons
  5. Salt                1 teaspoon
  6. Dry Yeast      1 teaspoon
  7. Dry fruit/seeds (not more than half a cup)

DIRECTIONS
Pour ingredients in bread pan in the order stated:
  1. Set bread machine to your choice for crust and size (500g for this recipe);
  2. Put seeds etc. when machine beeps;
  3. Remove the bread from the pan once cycle completed;
  4. Wrap it in a kitchen towel and let it cool on rack.
NB: In general bread machine recipes, it is advised to put salt and sugar separately on either side of the flour in the bread pan!

​
Conventional Bread making in an Oven (Updated November 2, 2020)
​
  1. Take half a cup of lukewarm water (alternatively skimmed or diluted milk, soy milk, coconut water etc) add a table spoon of sugar or honey, and add one and a half teaspoon of dry yeast. Mix and let it stand for few minutes (if bubbling, the yeast is functional);
  2. In a separate bowl take bread flour (alternative - whole wheat flour 1 parts and 2 part bread flour (corrected 14 Jan 21)), add 1 tsp of salt and mix;
  3. Add 2 tbsp of oil (or any fat), add the yeast mixture from step one and knead for 10 minutes, adding another cup of water or more or yogurt and knead until nice and wet for a minute or so;
  4. Cover the dough and let it stand in warm place for 30 minutes until the dough has risen to twice the volume;
  5. Take it out on a flat surface sprinkled with dry flour and deflate the dough for 30 seconds. Make it into the shape of the baking tray and put in it (greased tray or place baking paper in the tray); or sprinkle some water to wet the surface and flatten the dough and make it into a ball, place it in the tray and let it stand for another 30 minutes.
  6. Bake 30-40 minutes until the bread top is nicely brown;
  7. Take it out from the tray and wrap the loaf in a kitchen towel and let it cool on a rack; and
  8. Enjoy a warm slice with topping of your choice.

VARIATIONS TO STANDARD INGREDIENTS (This is the interesting part of bread baking)
  1. Water: Total fluid amount should not exceed one and a half cup.
    1. Skimmed milk and/or yogurt. Sour cream is also a possibility. An egg could also be added; 
    2. Unsweetened soy milk is a healthy substitute for any other fluids for baking bread;
    3. Flat beer is a good alternative for water and makes a tasty bread (add mustard seeds to enhance flavour);
    4. Green coconut water can also be tried to have different flavour.
  2. Oil: Any oil or fat can be used:
    1. I prefer olive oil, but any other edible oil would do;
    2. Butter, lard or Ghee are other alternatives;
  3. Bread Flour: A number of options are available to change the taste of the bread so that one does not get bored with the same. Two third of bread/white flour is essential. One third can be substituted by a number of things:
    1. I often use, semolina, oats, okara (soy pulp) and whole wheat flour;
    2. For healthy bite, at times I add 2-3 tablespoons of ground flex seeds to make up the volume;
    3. Rye flour, buck wheat, corn flour, rice or ragi flour; each one can give interesting texture and flavor to the bread (do not use too much as the bread will not rise well);
    4. Three fourth cup of cheddar (or any other cheese) adds to the flavour;
  4. Sugars: White or brown sugar. Honey is a healthy option. Treacle (molasses), golden syrup or the likes can also be used;
  5. Salt: No substitute and it seems salt is essential for dough rising;
  6. Dry Yeast: I use locally available dry yeast from the market;
  7. Seeds and dry fruits:
    1. My favorite is roasted sesame seeds and I mix black and white seeds to give it a contrast;
    2. Roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds are a good choice;
    3. Chopped or ground dry nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashew, raisins etc) not more than a three fourth cup;
    4. Spiced bread: Fried garlic, onion, chilies and ginger all add to make a spicy bread; 
    5. Basil, spinach, spring onions are also good ingredients to try. 
 
Caramelised onion and garlic, spring onion and chia seeds (posted on December 28, 2020.)

Ingredients:
  1. Bread Flour 3 cups
  2. Okara (Soy pulp) 1 cup (saved after soymilk straining)
  3. Onion one large and 1 cup of chopped fresh spring onions 
  4. Garlic 3 cloves
  5. Chia seeds 2-3 tbsp
  6. Non-fat canned milk 140 ml., soy milk or fresh milk (even plain water)
  7. Salt 1tsp
  8. Honey 1 tbsp
  9. Dry yeast 1½ tsp
  10. Total amount of all fluids should not accede 1¾ cup (in this case milk, chia in water and extra milk or water. However, you can always adjust the dough with extra fluid or dry flour)

Instructions:
  1. In a small pan fry chopped onions in 2 tbsp of olive oil (any fat) just before they are browned add chopped three cloves of garlic and fry for another 30 secs.
  2. In a small bowl take warm milk or water. Mix 1tsp of honey (or any sugar) and add dry yeast and give it a good stir and keep it aside
  3. In a large bowl take three cups of bread flour. Add 1tsp of salt and mix
  4. Add okara and mix well
  5. Add fried onions and garlic, chopped spring onions and mix well. Also add pre-soaked chia seeds in water and mix well.
  6. Add yeast mixture to the bowl and mix and knead well till one round ball is formed (it will be sticky but don’t let that bother you)
  7. Cover the bowl with a thick cloth and put in a warm place for 30 mins. (I use microwave oven)
  8. When the dough has doubled, take it out on a dry surface sprinkled with dry flour and knead it for just 30 secs. Just flatten the dough and turn it on itself a few times. Make it into a smooth ball and place it in the tray you want to bake the bread for another 30 mins. in a warm place
  9. When the dough has risen about an inch above the tin it is ready to go into the preheated oven (190C)
  10. Bake it for 30 mins. and remove from the oven. Rub a dab of butter on the browned top of the bread and after a short time take it out of the tin and wrap it in a kitchen towel and let is rest for 15 mins. You are ready to enjoy still warm bread.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
  • Eggs                        2
  • Oil/Fat                    1 cup
  • Sugar                      1 cup
  • Bread Flour            1 cup
  • Vanilla essence     1 tsp
  • Sour Cream            1 cup
  • Baking Powder      1 tsp
  • Baking Soda          1 tsp   
  • Salt                          ¼ tsp
  • Cinnamon              1/2 tsp
  • Carrot grated         1.5-2 cups
  • Chopped nuts        1 cup

Method:
  1. Mix sugar and oil/butter well, add eggs and mix well (not too much), add vanilla and sour cream or yogurt and mix;
  2. Mix flour with baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl and add to the fluid mixture and mix well;
  3. Add grated carrot and nuts; or layer nuts in between barter
  4. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 C (check with a skewer for readiness).
  5. In bread machine, if you can, remove the kneader before adding cake mixture.
  6. Set machine at bake.
Bake in oven on cake setting and temperature at 180 C
Bread maker takes one hour plus on bake mode.
​Check readiness of cake by inserting skewer, it should come out without any barter sticking to it!

NB: Mindful of my calorie intake, I do not cover cakes with icing etc.

Chocolate Banana Cake
Ingredients:
  • Eggs                        2
  • Oil/Fat                    Three fourth cup
  • Sugar                      Three fourth cup
  • Chocolate Powder Three fourth cup
  • ​Bananas small       3-4 over-ripe (or 2 big ones)
  • Milk                         120 ml
  • Bread Flour            1 cup
  • Vanilla essence     1 tsp
  • Sour Cream            120 ml
  • Coffee brewed       1 cup
  • Baking Powder      1 tsp
  • Baking Soda          1 tsp   
  • Salt                          ¼ tsp

Method:
  1. In a  bowl, beat two eggs and add mashed bananas and mix well. Add milk, oil, sour cream or yogurt, vanilla and coffee and mix;
  2. Mix flour and chocolate powder (sieve it) in a separate bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and add fluid mixture to it and mix well;
  3. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 C (check with a skewer for readiness).
  4. In bread machine, if you can, remove the kneader before adding cake mixture.
  5. Set machine at bake.
After the cake is ready, cool it and cover it with sweet chocolate paste.
Bread maker takes one hour plus on bake mode.
​Check readiness of cake by inserting skewer, it should come out without any barter sticking to it!