Recipes

[SydneyH]

My breadmaker is on it's last legs so in desperation I used the bread dough for this wonderful creation.  Slab with butter and serrve with homemade soup.

• 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar or honey
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 5 ½ cups all-purpose OR bread flour
• 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped herbs (optional)

1. Pour the warm water (make sure the water is warm to the touch) into the bowl of a standing mixer or large mixing bowl; sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let this mixture stand for approximately 5 minutes, or until the yeast has dissolved.
2. Add the milk, sugar, salt, melted butter and 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until combined.
3. Add the remaining 4½ cups of flour. Stir the entire mixture for a few minutes.
4. Using the dough hook attachment on a standing mixer, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. Or knead the dough by hand on a flat surface that has been sprinkled with flour. If the dough is sticky, add extra flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it is no longer sticky. The dough has been thoroughly kneaded when it is smooth, feels slightly tacky, forms a ball without sagging, and springs back when poked. There is no need to let the bread rise. It will rise and bake all at once, during the slow cooking process.
5. Place dough in a greased 4 Qt slow cooker or one that's lined with parchment paper.  Score dough with knife, if desired press some more herbs into the dough, brush with milk or melted butter.
6. Cook on High, depending on your cooker check approximately after 1 hour and 15 minutes, up to 2 hours.  The top will be soft and light.  Remove from cooker, place on rack to cool.

[sandraskates]

This bread sounds fabulous! Going to check the flour supply and make it. :-)

I'm thinking there are many garnishment besides herbs that could be easily added with your method.

[Sooner]

Never saw this before!  Please report back if you make it!  

[sfnative]

@SydneyH

Sydney,

A question:  How did the dough spread in the slow cooker?  Was the end result a slightly flat loaf?  Am curious.  What are your thoughts on using a Pyrex loaf pan with the dough in it placed in the slow cooker?  Would it simply rise or actually bake?

[SydneyH]

This was surprisingly good but a few things that spring to mind, the loaf was a tad on the dense side, it's possible to improve the texture by popping it in a hot oven but Martha Stewart wasn't coming for dinner so I skipped that step. @sfnative  I made sure I shaped the ball as high and round as possible, I baked it in an oval 6Qt slow cooker that runs kind of high and though the ball flattened slightly, I was very satisfied with the final shape so I  believe a loaf pan in future bakings will not be necessary.  If you are not using an additional pan, greased parchment paper makes removal a breeze.  Also, depending on your flour, you may only need 4.5 cups, use your intuition.  I didn't need to brown either, I brushed the top with some melted butter mixed with milk and more herbs. I will post a picture soon.  This might be something to pass on to someone with a small kitchen who is just starting to cook and bake for themselves.  

[sfnative]

@SydneyH

Thanks for posting your results.  Sounds quite nice.  I really must try your bread quite soon.  Just need the weather to get out of the 90s once and for all (we have no trees to relieve our house of the day's heat).