People are making bread in slow cookers in wake of the coronavirus shortage – and it couldn’t be easier
WITH supermarket shelves completely bare and online shopping slots booked up for weeks, you will be hard pressed to get hold of a loaf of bread.
However, savvy homecooks have figured out a way to produce their own bread at home using a slow cooker.
Taking to the Facebook group one cook shared their recipe for the “best bread ever.”
Captioning their post they wrote: “Last night I made.. Bread!!
“I've wanted a bread machine for years but couldn't justify the extra counter space and another appliance in the kitchen.
“This works perfect and tastes so good - one less thing to buy on my weekly shop!
“Literally The Best Bread Recipe Ever.”
To make the bread the bread they combined water, milk, butter, yeast, flour, salt and baking powder before cooking on high for two to two and a half hours (see full recipe below.)
Best of all you can leave it to cook, meaning that you can look forward to deliciously baked bread with minimal effort.
Slow cooker bread recipes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 cups of warm milk
- 2 Tbsp melted UNSALTED butter
- 1-3 tablespoons of sugar (add more if you like sweeter bread)
- 3 tablespoons of active dry yeast (conservative side)
- 6 cups of whole wheat flour (or 3 cups whole wheat & 3 cups all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
Method
Grab a big bowl, and stir the 1/2 cup of warm water, 1 (or more) tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of yeast.
Wait for 5 minutes (no longer - mine went all over the place the first time!) – it should be frothy on the top. While your waiting warm 2 cups of milk and 2 Tbsp of butter in microwave.
Next, add milk and butter to yeast mixture. Using a standing mixer slowly add the 6 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Mix and knead the dough. (I used dough hook once I had incorporated most of the flour for about 5 minutes then kneaded by hand for another 5-7 minutes.)
Line your slow cooker with cooking (baking) paper and place in your round ball of dough. I will rise in the slow cooker as it heats through. Cook on High power for 2- 2.5 hours.
Start checking at every 7-10 minutes until top is sponge-y but springs back and no moisture on the top. The bottom should be a nice brown colour as well as sides. I put mine (just the loaf) in the oven on broil/grill for less than 5 minutes to get a nice crusty top too!
NOTE: You can use a tea towel on top if you want to avoid condensation dripping in down on the loaf. I haven't tried this myself - let me know how you go!
*Use UNSALTED butter or adjust extra salt added!
*Add MORE sugar if you want a sweet bread like in the shops.
*If you can't or are not skilled/practiced at kneading try the 50:50 ratio with whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, otherwise you will end up with a very dense loaf.
*Make sure it is completely cooked through - my loaf took 2 1/2 hours!!
Slice and enjoy as whole grain toast or sandwich bread!
And fellow group members seemed seriously impressed with the post receiving over 62,000 shares with many keen to add the recipe to their repertoire.
Commenting on the post, one wrote: “Thanks for the recipe. Sounds wonderful and I can't wait to try it.”
Another agreed adding: “Wow looks yummy. I've owned a slow cooker for years but didn't know ya could make bread!”
“Looks yummy! I would have that eaten in 1 sitting!” added a third.
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