Bread Machines

I am always surprised when people tell me that they own a bread machine, but rarely use it. Yes, it is a bit easier to pick up a loaf or two of bread at the grocery store, but nothing compares to freshly baked bread. Although bread machines are probably most widely used to bake loaves of bread, we use ours most often to make bread dough. It takes me only a few minutes to add the ingredients and switch the machine on. Then, after a few hours, the dough is ready. My machine will keep the dough at the perfect temperature until I am ready to use it - or alternatively, you can put bread dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bring it out and mold it. Just be sure to let cold dough to come to room temperature and rise again before using it.

So, what do I do with the bread dough, you ask? Most often we make pizza, but also rolls. Sometimes I shape the dough into two round loaves, brush the dough with some egg whites and sprinkle on sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or sunflower seeds - everybody thinks I am quite the baker, when really the machine did all the work.

The history of the bread machine is actually quite interesting. Automatic bread machines were originally developed in Japan for the Japanese consumer. Bread was hardly ever eaten in Japan until the nineteenth century. Even so, bread was not popular and certainly not a staple of the Japanese diet. Then, after World War II, the U.S. Forces in Japan were trying to figure out a way to feed the Japanese population in the midst of major food shortages. Using an American-type cafeteria system, Japanese school children began eating bread for the first time. A few decades later, European like bakeries became all the rage in Japan, and very soon an electrical engineer named Shin Ojima developed a fully automatic bread machine which made its appearance in Japan in 1987. The bread machines, though wildly popular at first (despite their high price tags), soon became a problem in the small Japanese homes - many of which housed extended families whose bedrooms were in the same room with the rather noisy machines. The United States offered a far better market place for the original noisy bread machines.

Currently, you can find small bread machines, in all different shapes, sizes and colors. They also range in price. The quality of these machines has come along way too. If you have a bread machine but have not used it in awhile, why not haul it out, dust it off, and try some of these recipes! There is nothing quite like a slice of hot, buttered freshly baked bread.

O.K. maybe you have a bread machine but you are still not convinced you want to "mess" with it. Have you tried using the already made frozen bread dough in the frozen food section of your grocery store? I always keep some of this on hand - as well as the frozen roll dough. Try using the bread dough to make these delicious soft pretzels. Kids love to make these.

1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed (recommended: Bridgford)
Flour, for dusting surface
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup coarse salt

Divide dough into 14 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 16-inch rope, and then form into a pretzel shape. Transfer dough to the refrigerator until ready to boil.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pretzels, 3 at a time, and cook until pretzels rise to the surface, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Arrange pretzels 3 inches apart on buttered sheet pans. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with coarse salt or with choice of toppings. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.

Topping Options: For garlic cheese pretzels:

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Roll out dough into ropes, form into pretzels, and poach as directed above. Arrange on buttered sheet pans, brush with beaten egg, as directed above. Sprinkle with Parmesan and garlic powder. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.
For cinnamon pretzels:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and cinnamon with 1 to 2 tablespoons water (enough water to make a glaze). Set aside. Roll out dough into ropes, form into pretzels, and poach as directed above. Just before baking, brush pretzels with honey. Remove pretzels from oven, and while still warm, brush with cinnamon-sugar glaze.

Adlen Robinson's Food column is published in every Friday's Forsyth newspaper. Her "Home Matters" column is published in every Sunday's newspaper. She welcomes reader tips, suggestions and comments. Please email her at [email protected] or write to her at the newspaper.