I had garlic bread on the menu for today but forgot to buy the large loaf of bread that I wanted at the bakery. Instead of driving out again, I pulled out the bread maker and decided to make a more garlic-intense bread recipe instead of adding a butter-garlic spread to a prepared loaf and re-heating – will save that for another time. For this, I took my plain bread recipe and added 3 large cloves of crushed garlic to the wet ingredients. Also, I had some oat flour that I wanted to use up, so that made its way into the recipe.
At one point in the bread-baking process, I realized the lid wasn’t closed all the way on the bread maker, and that will affect how well the bread rises. Also, I made a silly mistake that I haven’t done in a while; I had the pan out of the bread maker and started pouring the water in the bread maker itself instead of into the pan. Before I had a chance to dump the water out, it leaked out the bottom of the bread maker onto the counter, floor, and my shoes. From now on, the pan has to go into the bread maker first. The bread still came out well, more of a rectangular block than loaf-shape but tasted great. Everyone enjoyed it, especially the warm, crunchy heels.
Garlic Bread
1 1/4 C warm water
2 T olive oil
2 T honey
3 cloves crushed garlic
3 C bread flour
3/4 C oat flour
1/2 t salt
2 ½ t active dry yeast
Make sure the kneading blade is in the bread maker pan and put the pan into the bread maker. Run the water until it feels hot. Add first four ingredients to pan. Add the dry ingredients forming a mound over the water. Make a well in the center of the flour mound and put the yeast in the well. Set the bread maker: I chose ‘basic’ which is 3 hours, and medium for crust color. Press Start.
About half way through the first kneading period (about ten minutes) I check and make sure the dough is all incorporated. If it’s not picking up all the flour, I add a few drops of milk or water in the dry spots. If it’s a gooey blob, I add a bit of flour where it looks the stickiest. After that, do not open the bread maker again until it’s done.
