Mmm Toast! 4 Great Bread Ideas for Perfect Toast

Published on 24th May 2013

There's nothing better to start the day, than a lovely piece of toast fresh from your bread machine. Hot off the grill, crispy on the outside and soft in the centre, with oodles of butter. To get the holy grail of toast you need to start with the ideal bread. Here are some ways to get the perfect toasting loaf from your bread machine.

Perfect toast

Fancy a bite? Thought so! (image source: Wikipedia)

Sour Creme Bread

To turn out great toast, your bread needs to be a little coarser and moist. You need a tender damp crumb that won't fall apart too easily. I have adapted this first recipe from the master baker, Dan Lepard, and is one you can always rely on to deliver.

Sour creme makes the bread wonderfully moist whilst heavy enough for toast. This recipe is one that comes out particularly well using a bread machine. Add 4 tablespoons water, 1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature, 3 3/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (any kind), 1 teaspoon salt and 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast. Rapid cook on light crust setting.

Cinnamon Currant Toasting Bread

For something a little sweeter, this rich hearty loaf produces beautiful toast. It is light and fruity like a toasted teacake with a soft chewy centre and delicate crunch. This also makes amazing cheese on toast.

You will need, 1 cup of hot mineral water plus 2 more tbsp water, 3 tablespoons of dry buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of margarine, 2 cups of white bread flour, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast, 1 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 cup dried currants.

Add all the ingredients into your bread machine except the currants as per manufacturers instructions. Select a regular, rapid or delayed bake cycle and set to light crust. At the addition beep add the currants. Use your instructions for raisin bread for further guidance.

Semolina Bread

For bread machine bread that has that professional speciality bakery feel, you can't go wrong with this recipe. This loaf lends itself perfectly to toast because it has a texture that holds itself together well. The semolina gives it a lovely yellow colour and nutty taste. Add to your bread machine in the order shown in your instructions, 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 3 cups Unbleached White Flour, 1 cup Semolina Pasta Flour, 1 tsp Sea Salt, 2 tsp Sugar, 1-1/2 tbsp Olive Oil and 1-1/3 cups Water (room temperature). Set to your basic bread cycle.

Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

This recipe comes from Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce and it makes for totally heavenly toast. The oatmeal gives it a distinct sweetness that tastes best when the bread is toasted. You'll find yourself reaching for just one more round with this hearty warming bread. Add to your bread maker as per manufacturing instructions, 1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast, 3 Tbsp. molasses, 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups bread flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly and 2 1/4 tsp. table salt. Set your machine to cook on light crust setting.