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Bread Machine Fast Loaf - 90-Minute Fresh Bread

Some weeknights you want fresh bread but the standard three-hour program is out of the question. Bread machine fast loaf is the combination of the Express cycle and a slightly smaller size — a 1.5 lb mini loaf that's ready in about 90 minutes. It's faster than the standard 2 lb quick bread because t
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 1 servings
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup warm water (about 40°C / 105°F — if the dough looks clearly sticky during kneading, reduce 1 tsp water each time, up to 2 tsp max)
  • 2.5 cups bread flour
  • 1.5 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1.25 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast (for the small-batch quick cycle)

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Load Liquids and Dry Ingredients in Order: Add the warm water and butter first, then the flour. Make a well in the flour and add the yeast, with salt and sugar in the corners away from it. Keep the yeast from touching the salt and water.
  2. Step 2: Seat the Pan in the Machine: Install the pan and paddle. With a small dough, double-check the paddle is locked — at low volume a loose paddle is even more likely to drop out early in mixing.
  3. Step 3: Express Cycle, 1.5 lb, Medium Crust: Choose the Quick / Express cycle and set the loaf weight to 1.5 lb (or "small"), with medium crust. The display should show about 1:30 (90 minutes).
  4. Step 4: About 90 Minutes, Fully Automatic: The machine kneads, does a short proof, and bakes on its own. The smaller dough proofs faster, moving into the bake phase in about 35 minutes. Through the window you'll see it rise to fill the pan and turn golden on top.
  5. Step 5: Unmold, Cool, and Slice: When the cycle ends, immediately lift the pan out and invert to release the loaf. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. The small loaf sheds heat faster, but the interior is still liquid structure when hot and will collapse if sliced too early. Once cool, slice to show the soft crumb.