I like making bread. It's therapeutic. However a busy lifestyle means I don't get to make it from scratch as many times as I'd like.

When the breadmaker I'd had for the last ten years broke its belt I was faced with getting it fixed (it turned out the parts were no longer available) or buying a new one. So I kept my eye out for a replacement. On a visit to the city a week ago I spied a breadmaker deal I couldn't go past.  

Now I'm revisiting all the recipes I found to be excellent in the old one. So far I haven't been disappointed with the results.

If you have a breadmaker you may like to try them, too.

PLEASE NOTE: Unless stated otherwise all these recipes make a 1kg size loaf.

NOTES:

• After the breadmaker has been going for about 5 minutes touch the dough with a tip of the finger. The dough should not be tacky but soft-ish and leave your fingertip clean or with a just a little dab of dough.
• If the dough is too moist add 1 - 2 Tbsp more flour.
• If the dough is too dry add 1 - 2 Tbsp warm water.
• If you cannot locate a dry yeast with bread improvers (IE:Surebake) use 2 tsp normal active yeast plus 1 tsp No-Egg.

SUE'S LIGHT WHOLEMEAL BREAD
1⅓ cups lukewarm water (+ 1 - 2 Tbsp warm water depending on the brand of wholemeal flour)
1 Tbsp sugar or ½ Tbsp golden syrup or honey
1½ Tbsp milk powder or soy milk powder
1½ Tbsp oil or soy lecithin granules
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups strong bread (high grade) flour
1 cup wholemeal (whole wheat) flour
3 tsp Surebake yeast (yeast with added improvers)

Bake on basic cycle.

OAT BRAN BREAD
1⅓ - ½ cups lukewarm water (use the greater amount of water if necessary)
1½ Tbsp honey/ golden syrup
1 tsp salt

2½ Tbsp dried skim milk/soy milk powder

2½ Tbsp oil

3 cups strong bread (high grade) flour
½ cup oat bran or oat meal
3 tsp Surebake yeast (yeast with added improvers)

Bake on basic cycle.

LIGHT RYE BREAD
1⅓ - ½ cups lukewarm water (plus 1 -2 Tbsp more depending on the brand of rye flour)
1½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp brown sugar
1½ Tbsp oil or soy lecithin granules
3 cups strong bread (high grade) flour
1 cup rye flour
3 tsp Surebake yeast (yeast with added improvers)

Bake on basic cycle.

VARIATION - BRUCE'S OAT BRAN BREAD

Exchange the rye flour for 3/4 cup oat bran.

BERMALINE BREAD
My parents often spoke of Bermaline Bread which was part of their childhood but no longer available. I went on a hunt through some old recipe books and found a couple of recipes and after a few experiments came up with one they said was just how they remembered it.

1½ cups lukewarm water
4 tsp malt (or 2 tsp malt and 2 tsp golden syrup or treacle)
1½ tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp skim milk/ soy milk powder
2 Tbsp oil or soy lecithin
2 cups strong bread flour (high grade flour)
1¾ cups wholemeal or whole wheat flour
3 tsp Surebake yeast

Basic or Wholemeal cycle with a light crust.

BRANFLAKE BREAD This makes a slightly smaller loaf than a 1 kg.

300 ml warm water
3 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp golden syrup or treacle
1½ Tbsp skim milk or soy milk powder
1 tsp salt
1½ cups strong bread (high grade) flour
1½ cups whole-wheat /wholemeal flour
1 cup bran flakes
3 tsp Surebake yeast

Basic cycle with medium crust.

1¼ cups warm water
1½ Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1½ cups strong bread flour (high grade)
1 cup rye flour
¾ cup wholemeal/ wholewheat flour
1½ Tbsp buttermilk powder
1 Tbsp gluten
1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
1 tsp salt
2½ tsp Surebake yeast

Wholemeal /whole wheat setting (3 hours 40 minutes) with medium crust.

Come back often as I'll keep adding to the list of recipes as I make them.

And I will post my favourite hand made ones as well.