BREAD – OLD FASHIONED WHITE BREAD (Coconut Milk)
Recipe and photo by: Rick Beach
The taste of this bread is that of old fashioned white bread. There is no coconut taste in the finished bread. Organic Blue Agave is used since it is a low Hypoglycemic organic sweetener. A Dutch Oven cooking friend of mine (Kathleen LeBlanc) got me into using Agave syrup. I am so glad she did. I often bake this in a Dutch Oven. Free form loaves could be used. Or small loaf pans. Use a large, tall, Dutch Oven and coals for 375°. I prefer to use one standard bread loaf pan. I place a wire rack in the Dutch Oven to elevate the loaf pan slightly. This recipe can be used for Loaves of Bread, English Muffins, Pizza and more.
Servings
1Large Loaf
Servings
1Large Loaf
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. SET BREAD MACHINE to “Quick”, “Dough” Start so pre-heat is going.
  2. PLACE Mixed Flour and Salt in bread machine
  3. COMBINE in a separate bowl the combine the Warm Coconut Milk, warm Agave, and yeast. Whisk and allow to “grow” 5 to 15 minutes.
  4. COMBINE in yet another separate bowl whisk the warm raw egg,
  5. COMBINE the Milk/Yeast mixture to the whisked Egg mixture Slowly whisk in the melted butter (make sure butter is not hot) then whisk to combine all the liquids.
  6. POUR combined liquid mixture into bread machine with the flour/salt mixture. Let the bread machine starting running through Quick, Dough, cycle (Mix & First Rise 45 Minutes) This is normally a manual override setting on most bread machines.ADD the salt. Monitor the initial mixing stage until the dough just begins to clump together and form a ball. Then sprinkle the salt over the dough and allow the mixing to proceed.
  7. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease Bread Pans. The warmed stove top will become your warm place 45 minutes later to raise your dough the second time. The bread machine will provide the raise the first time. ( If you are using a mixer/dough hook or hand method to create your dough, both raises will need to occur on the stove top or other warm place)
  8. TURN DOUGH OUT (dough that has raised one time) on floured surface and roll out into a 12X8 inch rectangle. Roll as a jelly roll 8 inches wide. Pinch seam, tuck ends under and pinch seams, coat with light coat of oil, and place in greased bread pan, seam side down.
  9. COVER Dough AND let RAISE, on warm stove 30-45 minutes.
  10. BAKE at 375 for 25-30 minutes (Until golden Brown and sounds somewhat hollow when tapped.
  11. Remove from pan and rub all surfaces with butter for a softer crust. Cover with towel until cooled
  12. ———————————————————–
  13. Note: Liquids should be warm not hot. Rather than getting all technical and breaking out the thermometers. Test on inside of wrist as you would baby bottle milk. Proper temperature aids in the dough rising quickly. Overly hot will kill the yeast. Cold temperatures, and the yeast will not rise. On both Raise cycles the dough should double in volume. Your flour and other ingredients should all be at least room temperature. Make sure to oil the dough, and oil your rising bowl, or container. Cover and raise dough in a warm draft free location.
  14. We use a bread machine to speed mixing the dough and the first rise. The benefit of a bread machine is consistent results. When baking multiple loaves you can keep producing a ready batch every 45 minutes, ready for the second rise in your bread pan.
  15. This dough can be made using any traditional method including the old fashioned by hand method, or a mixer with a dough hook. By hand, the more you knead, the better the bread. Many people that get poor results when baking bread fail at the temperature, and or not enough kneading. Other yeast killers are combining your yeast and salt in the liquids. The salt will kill the yeast. Mix your yeast with warm liquids and allow it to “grow”. Combined ingredients as recipe indicates. With any tried and tested recipe you might be following pay particular attention to how and when the salt is added.
  16. Rising works best in a warm moist environment. I use (2) stainless steamer trays. The 6 inch deep, half size steamer tray 10×12 inch. Or full size if doing English muffins or multiple loaves. In the bottom tray, add a 1/2 inch of very hot tap water. A wire rack placed in that hot water (Rack should be slightly above the water level). Then place the bread pan with the oiled dough in it, on top of the rack. The second stainless tray placed inverted as a domed cover. This is placed on the top of the warm stove with the oven preheating. This warm, moist environment raises your dough quickly, usually in 30 minutes so. Standard size loaves have plenty of room to raise.
  17. Full size steamer tray shown with English Muffins being raised.
  18. Top inverted tray is removed to photograph the bottom
  19. There is wire rack under the muffins that is foiled covered for this English muffin technique
  20. Trays and properly sized racks are available at restaurant supply places
  21. Other options are foil type trays, Dutch Oven with a trivet inside, then set in the sun, etc. I have also used an ice chest with hot water and pans to lift the loaf pans above the water…no ice 🙂 Anything you have around the house that can trap the warmth and moisture. Also before starting the “raise” process, remember to coat the dough with vegetable oil or olive oil. Spray Pam works great and is easy to apply with no waste.
  22. After removing the baked bread from the oven, and still hot, rub all surfaces with butter for a soft crust.
  23. This dough is an excellent choice for making thick or thin pizza.
  24. Note: Dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. See the link below for more details.
  25. No…this bread does not taste like coconut.

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