To have a bread machine is almost as good as having a best friend. Buying one is as easy as driving to Kohl’s or other department stores, and noting the features, the size of the machine, and size of loaf. Best to check that out online first, then you’ll know what you are looking for. Immediately after purchasing the bread machine, I went to the kitchen supply store and purchased a second blade. Blades can easily be thrown away, or lost.

I’ve had my bread machine for over two years. It is an Oster with these features: basic, white, wheat, dough, French bread, quick and express, and three crust finishes. I’ve made countless of recipes from some very bland, to some rather good. Preferring to make bread or rolls from scratch, I’ve never enjoyed making bread from a mix. While the box is easy, it often falls, doesn’t rise, the dough is the wrong consistency, and the contents of the box are incomplete. It happens. I’ve had to call Kruteaz at least once, due to lack of yeast.
The trick to perfect bread machine dough is to make sure each and every ingredient is at room temperature, and watch the dough, don’t just sit and think, “The dough is mixed, and I can go shopping.” It doesn’t work that way. The dough, while being mixed in the bread machine, must be monitored for the correct consistency of the dough ball. If the ball is sticky, there might be a problem with too little flour. This can be rectified, by monitoring the dough in the machine at all times. Monitor the temperature of the room, and to be on the safe side, make sure the bread machine is also at room temperature before mixing.

This is a recipe I use, almost every other week. My family does not get tired of it, and it is always a hit at dinner parties, and other places. I’ve made the dough, and used it for cinnamon rolls as well. Before making this, please make sure the water and water are at around 108 degrees. Also, warm up the milk, but take the time to warm each ingredient separately. Microwaving for about 15 second intervals work well. The extra expense of a digital food thermometer works for monitoring the degree of the liquids. Make sure to use bread flour, not all purpose flour. And, how can I stress this? Butter. Not margarine. Butter has the correct fat, consistency, and taste. This is not a time to worry about cholesterol.

After the dough is done in the bread machine, preheat the oven. Have a prepared pan, 9 x 13 x 2, and roll the dough into a log on Caphalon’s silicone surface 16x 24 nonstick mat. I stress this mat. It is easy thrown in the dishwasher when you are done. Cut the dough evenly, into 16-18 slices, and roll each slice into a ball, placing the together, as close as possible in the pan. Put the pan on the stove, warmed from the oven. This is important: Wet a t-towel with very warm, almost hot water, and squeeze out the extra water. Cover the pan with the warm t-towel. It is going to take almost an hour for the rolls to rise. Make sure they stay warm, and free of drafts. Cook them as it says.

When the pan is out of the oven, immediately removing them from the pan, allow them to cool, and if they last that long, put them into a large Zip-loc bag, free from air, so they stay fresh. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them hanging around the kitchen for very long, but in case you do, they freeze well.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.

When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.