A mix for delicious homemade bread is a thoughtful gift.
Image via lindaruthless/Flickr
Homemade bread is a wonderful gift in itself but giving the gift of a bread mix allows the recipient to make the bread fresh and enjoy it hot. Putting together a mix that can be used in a bread machine gives a thoughtful, homemade touch to any gift. It’s as simple as mixing the dry ingredients yourself and finding an attractive, creative container to place them in. Make a few kits in advance and keep them on the pantry shelf for last-minute gifts.
Skill
- Easy
Things You’ll Need
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 envelope (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Mason jar or decorative jar with a lid
- Recipe card
- Twine or ribbon
Step 1
Place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl and mix them together well using a wire whisk.
Step 2
Put the flour mixture into the jar and secure the lid.
Step 3
Write or print the instructions on a recipe card as follows: Heat 1/4 cup of milk until very warm — 120 to 130 degrees. Pour milk, 3/4 cup of very warm water (not hot), and 2 tablespoons butter into a bread machine pan. Pour the bread mix ingredients over the wet ingredients. Close the bread machine lid and set the machine controls for white bread.
Step 4
Wrap the twine or ribbon around the lid or neck of the jar and attach the instruction card by punching a hole through one corner of the card and threading the twine through the hole before tying a knot or bow.
Tips
- Almost any type of bread recipe can be used to make a gift in a jar. Just mix together all of the dry ingredients and be sure to list the wet ingredients along with the measurements in the instructions.
- You can dress up a basic bread recipe by including herbs or spices. Throw in a couple of teaspoons of dried rosemary or thyme to this basic white bread recipe for a gourmet herb bread.
- When making a bread kit, you can use rapid rising yeast if you wish, but be sure to note that in the instructions as some bread machines have special settings for using fast-rise leavening.
Keywords
- bread machine kits
- homemade bread mix
- bread machine mix
Reference
- com: Beginner’s White Bread [http://www.breadworld.com/Recipe.aspx?id=235]
- net: Gifts In a Jar Bread Mixes [http://www.fitsmybudget.net/category/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/gifts-in-a-jar-dry-mixes/gifts-in-a-jar-bread-breakfast-mixes/]
- Erma Monson, bakery cook; Martha’s; Blackfoot, Idaho
Resource
- Gifts in a Jar: Muffins and Breads; G & R Publishing; July 2001