Subscribe to this
An Artisan Baker Who Loves the Bread Machine
Me! Yes—I know I know—people are always shocked when I defend bread machines but here’s the full story behind it.
When I started writing about bread, many years ago, I wouldn’t even consider using anything but my hands. I remember writing something along the lines of “not for me a bread machine that would rob me of the pleasure of touching the bread.” But several years later, when I started working on “The Bread Bible,” I realized how limited my thinking had been. For one thing, when trying to create a bread such as ciabatta, with large holes, the dough needs to be so sticky it clings to your fingers. My temptation was always to add too much flour which closed up those large holes.
It was my friend Brinna Sands of King Arthur Flour, who encouraged me to try a mixer or bread machine, especially for these sticky doughs. She explained that the advantage of the bread machine over the stand mixer is that the gentle mixing action is most similar to that of the commercial spiral mixer preferred by artisan bread bakers. This is because it incorporates less oxygen into the dough, maintaining more flavor and keeping the dough more golden in color. She also shared the invaluable advice that she often uses the bread machine to raise the dough as well. For making single loaves or bread, the bread machine quickly became my first choice, but it is only recently that I have had the pleasure of using a Zojirushi bread machine.
I’ve ridden in a Rolls Royce on several occasions, but my dough never has—that is until now. The Zo, as it’s so fondly nicknamed (partly because people seem to find the full name a tongue twister—it’s pronounced: zo-juh-roo-sh) is often referred to as the Rolls Royce of bread machines. And now I know why. The slow, even whirling action of the two dough blades mixes the dough so gently during the first three minutes that nothing jumps out. After the first three minutes, the speed of the blades increases for kneading, alternating from clockwise to counter clockwise with such perfect motion, scraping the corners and sides becomes all but obsolete. And after kneading, the interior heats and maintains an even 83 to 84 ºF./28 to 29ºC. ideal for raising the bread.
The Zo is easily programmable, with three “homemade” settings making it possible to do an automatic degassing (stirring down of the raised bread) followed by a second rise after which I prefer to shape the bread by hand, the artisan way, letting it rise, and then baking it in a conventional oven. However, if I need some plain white bread for my meatballs, I’d sooner mix knead and bake in my new Zo on the quick setting, and have good tasting bread in 45 minutes than to run out to the supermarket and buy an inferior product in almost the same time!
Here’s how I program my personal settings for my soft white bread:
On Homemade setting 1, I program only a 3 minute knead. After mixing, I allow the dough to rest (autolyse) for 20 minutes. Then I switch to Homemade setting 2 which I’ve programmed for a 13 minute knead, a first rise of 1 1/2 hours, and a second rise of 1 hour. Of course you can adjust this based on which recipe you choose to bake. Simply watch the rise the first time you bake a new bread and if it seems to be ready early reduce the time or if it seems to need more time increase it.
Zo that’s the story!
Send to a Friend
Print
Post/Read Comments
Digg
de.licio.us
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Comments
On the mini Zo, which has a 1 lb bread capacity (small loaf), knead 850 grams of just fed stiff starter with 10 grams salt. The pan will be near 3/4 full. Cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap with olive oil (dough rises above the pan so the oil makes the plastic wrap detach easily, plus delicious olive oil flavor). Rise for 8 hours or until doubled in volume, the dough will rise well above the top of the pan.
Remove the pan with the dough from the mini-Zo. Punch down, slightly only till the dough is about 2 inches below the top of the pan, cover with the same oiled plastic wrap. Turn on the mini-Zo at fast bake cycle (1 hour knead and rise, plus 1 hour rise and bake). At the hour, the dough should have risen above the top of the pan. Remove the plastic wrap, insert in the Zo, and complete the second hour rise/bake.
Enjoy!!!!! This is the best texture I got, dense and feathery, never wet/spongy, great to eat without toasting.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Zo6-100PercentStiffStarterSalt.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | December 3, 2008 5:54 PM #
and here is the bread, it is a breakthrough for me that I needed to report this immediately!
This is 100% stiff starter, about a lb, freshly fed, half tsp of non-iodized salt, and 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Let the Zo knead as you see on the video below, 8 minutes on the cookie/pasta setting. Rise, covered, until it has doubled in volume, forming a beautiful dome. Now, remove the pan (holding the dough) from the Zo. Set the Zo to the 'quick bake' cycle which is 1 hour of kneading and risings, and the second hour of final rising and baking. After the 1st hour has passed, reinsert the pan (holding the dough), and there is bread.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Zo5-100PercentStiffStarterSaltAndOliveOil.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | December 2, 2008 9:50 PM #
another Zo video, this is the second part of the dough/cookie function. My bread dough is getting a treatment no hands can match!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6324235096719544438&hl=en
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | December 2, 2008 4:02 PM #
Of course, I only meant a recipe to mix in a breadmaker. I never heard of one that bakes.
Reply to this Posted by: Margaret Freligh | November 24, 2008 11:02 AM #
I am on loaf #10 making bread at my office with the mini-Zojirushi. It has been fun.
Here is what it looks, and please don't mind the ethnic items around the table!
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Zo10BakeOnlyKneadWithKitchenAid300grStarter300grFlour200grWater10grSalt.html
This is the best texture I've obtained so far. Flavor has always been great and consistent, but texture has been very variable depending on hydration %, kneading amount, and rising times.
The mini-Zo "does-not" have a manual cycle, so I had to be a bit creative to make it manual. This time I wanted it to knead all ingredients once, then do a 12 hour rise, then bake (without kneading again).
To do so:
1- Use the Bread Dough Cycle to knead.
2- Turn off the machine for 12 hours.
3- Remove the bread pan (and bread dough).
4- Start the Quick Bread Cycle. After the kneading schedule was completed (about 60 minutes), reinsert the bread pan (and bread dough) and it will bake.
And presto! I am known to be the King of Hand Made, but really, it doesn't get any better than this to make bread at work. I take pride that I can still make bread without any commercial yeast, nor dough additives (sugar, milk, etc) thanks to Rose's fantastic sourdough starter. Soon I will look for a way to automate feeding and maintaining my starter!
Bread baking is like growing plants, there are some specific factors that you can see and manipulate for specific results.
bread your life away... /H
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 20, 2008 5:42 PM #
hector definitely try the la cloche. convection is only good for the last 10 minutes of bread baking when you WANT to dry out the crust. la cloche will keep the moisture in--don't soak it--just preheat it and it will retain the moisture in the bread just perfectly. of course take it off to finish setting the crust.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 12, 2008 10:05 PM #
wait till Luca hears you can make bread in 1 1/2 minutes!!!!!!
He is still telling the UNIVERSE about your 5 plus page Basic Sourdough Bread. We are trying to use our Cadco convection oven but the crust doesn't come out the right color and texture, do you think a La Cloche will help? I think so!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 12, 2008 5:31 PM #
hector that video is hilarious which reminds me that we've been having a problem with an overhead leak in our shower, in fact it is leaking through the light at the top which is quite scary! anyway, i thought it was fixed but was standing in the next room talking to my husband when i heard that rhythmic drip drip drip or so i though until i went into the living room and realized it was the zo mixing the bread! whew!
i almost always use the bread machine though i adore the food processor for beer bread. under 1 1/2 minutes and perfecto!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 12, 2008 5:06 PM #
Seldom do I entrust machinery in my kitchen, you know I am the KING OF HAND MADE!!!
But, after 6 Kitchen Aid mixers, a couple of food processors, and a few strained muscles, I am endorsing the Zojirushi Bread Machine. There is just NO OTHER better way to mix/knead bread at the home of an artisan bread maker. The Zojirushi is so gentle and so perfectly designed to knead dough the best way flour can be touched. It is also mess free. Enjoy this video:
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Zo4StiffStarterRefresh.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 12, 2008 5:00 PM #
i'm sorry, i can't help as i don't use the bread machine to bake in--only to mix. my recipe for whole wheat bread is on this blog.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 9, 2008 6:08 PM #
I meant, unevenly browned.
Reply to this Posted by: Guen | November 9, 2008 6:04 PM #
I meant, unevenly browned.
Reply to this Posted by: Guen | November 9, 2008 6:03 PM #
I have a question. Just bought Zojirushi but am having a very difficult time turning out a good 100% wheat [home milled] and the loaf is uneven. Any recipe suggestions?
Reply to this Posted by: Guen | November 9, 2008 6:02 PM #
I've just got the mini-Zo bread machine, hoping it will be a good fit for my office. It doesn't have a manual mode, but I think I can do by with one-or-a-combination from the many pre-programmed settings.
My first trial started last night at home with Basic Sourdough Bread. I tossed all the ingredients in the Zo, water first, then starter, then flour and salt. Then I turned on the Zo with the Basic Bread Setting (Regular). After the first kneading completed, the most beautiful dough I've ever seen was done: a most perfect stretchy ball, so feathery, so round, and so clean.
Then, I started the same Basic Bread Setting (Regular), but with a 7 hour delay timer which is the time the dough would take to reach first rise. I woke up this morning greeted by the most beautiful round and well formed rise.
Unfortunately the mini-Zo does not have a battery backup, so when I unplugged it and took it to my office, the cycle reset. Out of desperation, I started the Zo's Quick Baking Setting. The results were as expected: the bread turned sunken on the top due to the over rise and over mixing. Also, the dough was spongy.
Oh, well, we are having the most wonderful crostini toasts for lunch, at the office!
Here is the Zo, and the many pre-programmed Settings.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Zo.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 5, 2008 3:41 PM #
but don't forget the bread machine does a beautiful job mixing the dough!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 24, 2008 2:55 PM #
I have thought about that indeed. I will certainly think about it more. I have a great Kitchenaid so I can mix in that instead of having a very expensive mixer for bread dough.
Thank you for your very quick reply. Greatly appreciated.
Reply to this Posted by: reagan | September 24, 2008 2:16 PM #
my suggestion is to mix in the machine and bake in the oven but perhaps there are other people out there who like baking in the bread machine and can give you some tips.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 24, 2008 2:13 PM #
I just bought the Zo breadmachine. While my first loaf of 100% whole wheat bread w/ gluten added turned out wonderfully perfect, I have yet to turn out another good loaf. From all of my testing, I now have enough bread cubes, from slicing the defunct bread, for 10 Thanksgiving stuffings! I need HELP!
I have tried recipes other friends have used in their machines, no good. Then I moved on to using only the recipes in the Zo manual, no good. I tried replacing all of my gluten and yeast, just in case they were bad - no good! Now what? I feel as though I am throwing good money and wheat flour out the window "experimenting" w/ a machine I was hoping would give me many, many 1,000s of loaves of bread.
Please send me suggestions, I am going insane. I prefer to bake on 100% WW bread, it would be terrific if you had any tips for me. Oh yeah, I went back and made the first loaf, hoping to replicate the wonderfullness of it and again - no good!
UGH!
Thanks.
Reply to this Posted by: reagan | September 24, 2008 2:08 PM #
She uses unbleached in the video--I imagine if you used bleached, then you would have to wait the normal resting period. They certainly didn't work for me using the bleached immediately, but the unbleached did.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | February 20, 2008 2:51 PM #
Matthew, I just looked through my Baking with Julia book and the recipe states 1 cup all-purpose flour. Doesn't say if she used bleached or unbleached. So I guess it's not really helpful but thought I'd post it anyway so you know for sure what the recipe states.
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | February 20, 2008 2:48 PM #
i have popovers right in the bread bible--two versions.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 20, 2008 2:40 PM #
Matthew, I can't wait for Rose's Heavenly Wondra Cakes to publish!
I feel that bleached flour would gelatinize more, thus sticking.
I remember reading that popovers uses baking powder, so resting times must do something or undo something.
My dearest friend Kathy gave me the book Baking with Julia, and there is a popover recipe. Let me find this book as I probably have it buried under Rose's Bibles!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | February 20, 2008 2:13 PM #
I think this is the link to the popover video:
http://www.pbs.org/perl/media.cgir?t=w&f=virage/juliachild/pbsbwja207_220k.asf&s=1278733&e=1485566
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | February 20, 2008 2:08 PM #
Hector, your post reminded me of a popover experiment I tried last month. I watched a baking with Julia clip and saw Marion Cunningham make popovers using a blender and baking them immediately in individual custard cups set on a 1/2 sheet pan. They popped up amazingly. What I found surprising was that she didn't let them stand for at least an hour like normal (except if you're using Rose's Wondra recipe). She also just sprayed the cups with spray--not hot bubbling butter. Unfortunately, she didn't specify the type of flour she used.
I tried them first with bleached all purpose, and they barely puffed and stuck mercilessly to the cups. I went back to another recipe in the episode and saw that she was in fact using unbleached flour. When I tried it with unbleached, they popped up dramatically and also popped right out of the cups. What I couldn't figure out is why one stuck to the cups and one didn't. Perhaps an issue with gelatanization and bleaching again?
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | February 20, 2008 1:56 PM #
if you can find the lékué individual ones they're great.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 20, 2008 1:48 PM #
I don't have pop over baking pans. Should I get the Lekue ones? I do have some giant muffin tins.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | February 20, 2008 1:22 PM #
yes--quick bread--no yeast. actually no it's really a batter bread--it's more in the cream puff family.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 20, 2008 12:49 PM #
We love bread! My dearest friend Craig just handed me the recipe for Neiman Marcus Restaurant Lunch Popovers. I think the recipe is free distribution if you ask when at the restaurant.
This is a quick bread right? I've read the recipe rather quick and stashed the sheet of paper in my carry on luggage. Yes, I got it in the airplane, as I was traveling with him and a few others all the way to Palm Dessert, and with a 14 lb cake!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | February 20, 2008 12:40 PM #
adele, in the words of my wonderful blog master: "you have to watch the blog like a child"! i never heard of a name mixup happening so this is a first. let's hope it is an isolated incident.
i quite agree with you and prefer to use machines dedicated to one important purpose. (although i will admit to having washed 50 pounds of spinache in a clothes washer many years ago. it was an act of desperation and fortunately i had the presence of mind to run the machine empty first with vinegar to avoid any detergent residue! it worked like a charm by the way).
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 20, 2008 11:25 AM #
Hi, Rose,
As usual, your page is such fun to read.
I was looking through some posts, and wonder if two might have been mistakenly identified. Glenna and I both posted on July 10, 2007, but my message had her name, and her message has my name. I've had my Zo V-20 ten years today, still use it for doughmaking -I'm an oven baker. I was lucky to find the new Zo BB HAC-10 "baby" machine at Christmastime,which makes an adorable loaf or small dough. There is no question that this brand makes a fine product. It's almost silent in operation, has one blade, but it's all that's "kneaded". It's not inexpensive, but it IS a quality product. With all my kids away from home, I don't really make 2 lb. doughs anymore, so this is perfect. To another post: Years ago I loved using Sir Lancelot high gluten flour...it's fantastic. However, my infrequent breadmaking works out well with most available bread flours.
Note: I don't see the point of "jam" in
a breadmachine. I see that as a hazard
and messy, awkward to manage. It's pretty simple to make a small batch the traditional method.
Note: Quick breads -NEVER use a machine.These are batters, best made with as little 'beating' as possible.
I use a wooden spoon and bowl.
Hope you all have a great Spring.
Reply to this Posted by: Adele | February 20, 2008 11:19 AM #
in about 3 weeks i'll be posting a new favorite from maggie glezer's book with her kind permission. i tried it one time in the bread machine and though the final bread was excellent the dough had little lumps which concerned me. so not ALL breads work best in the bread machine after all! (just most!)
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 19, 2008 9:22 PM #
Thanks, Rose and Matthew, for your prompt replies.
Rose, even though you may try to convert us all to bread machines for mixing/rising, that still feels too sacriligious! I'll have to try Matthew's tactic for now...
Thanks again for enriching my life...
Reply to this Posted by: Lena | February 19, 2008 6:26 PM #
One more thing--wearing disposable unpowdered latex gloves makes this a lot more tolerable.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | February 17, 2008 3:02 PM #
Yes it can be made by hand. Read the technique for focaccia with herbs and do something similar (more squeezing than traditional kneading). I also just do it in a large bowl instead of on the counter. As the dough chills, it will get easier to handle, and all of the folding and setting around for two days further develops the gluten, so by baking time you have a nice bread.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | February 17, 2008 3:00 PM #
my heart really goes out to you. some years ago i saved and saved and finally got my first stand mixer. then my apt. was broken into and i lost all my childhood jewelry given by aunts and great aunts but wasn't unhappy bc they didn't think to take my mixer!
there are bread machines such as the bread man that are a lot more affordable than stand mixers and i do give the technique for using them. i'm sure in france years back and perhaps even today they make brioche by hand. it's a very sticky dough so it makes it more difficult but it can be done.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 17, 2008 2:39 PM #
Hello,
This is the most appropriate place I found to post my question...
I'm on a tight budget and thus have rediscovered the library! After checking out the Bread Bible five times and telling my mother all about it I decided to get it for her for her birthday. I was very sad that she was going to own a copy, but I would still have to go from one library branch to another. Then a small windfall of gift cards allowed me to buy two: one for me and one for my mom. I was so happy that I inscribed my copy to myself!
Anyway, to my question: I've been aware of the need for a stand mixer for a long time,