Stunning Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Bread

Published on 11th March 2013

It's one thing to create sensational tasting bread for you and your family, but when your friends are coming round for a visit, you want to make sure you can really impress. And I think I've found just the thing with Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Bread Mix from Wright's Bakery.

The Mix

The first thing that strikes you before you even open the packet is the sensational smell of parmesan that comes through so well. It actually inspires you to want to put on an accent and throw some pizza dough around.

Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Mix

It smells great even before baking!

And as I'm beginning to realise with Wright's bread mixes, the quality of the fine flour when pouring it into the pan is superb. This mix is full of little bits of sundried tomato which means that even those that don't have separate ingredients dispenser on their bread maker are going to achieve exceptional results.

The Bake

Using the Panasonic SD255 breadmaker, this mix created the perfect loaf of bread in under two hours. The smooth consistent crust gave way to a luxurious quality of bread that tasted just as good as it smelt. The depth of flavour was incredible and the essence of the parmesan permeated the entire loaf.

Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Loaf

It's a shame smell-o-vision hasn't been invented yet!

But after using my electric bread slicing machine to create symmetrical and beautifully formed slices, I realised that I was doing this fabulous loaf a complete disservice.

This is not bread to be sliced up and made into sandwiches (although it does a really good job, especially when you add a little Boursin in the middle!). This bread is crying out to be shown off, torn apart and shared with a little oil and probably a good glass of wine.

The Experiment

So after consuming the entire loaf in one day (it was that gorgeous) I set to work letting my creative juices flow.

Though the packet does say that you can create smooth dough in just 30 minutes, I (obviously) used the bread maker and the results were superb.

One 500g bag created a light fluffy dough that filled my 2lb bread pan to the very limit. Thanks to the vitamin C included in Wright's bread mixes, I didn't have to knock back the dough or wait for a second rise, I simply kneaded it into shape and created the most beautiful bread plait that I think I have ever made.

Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Plait

I got creative...

For anyone who doesn't use the dough setting on their bread machine, you should really think again. Handling this silky smooth mixture was so much fun and this gorgeous plait was so easy, anyone could do it.

The end results were amazing.

The little bumps of the plait were perfect bite sizes while the light fluffy middle has a texture you could die for and everyone thought I had spent hours tending to my baking rather than the two minutes it really took me.

Conclusion

If you want consistently high quality bread with a sophisticated flavour then the parmesan and sun dried tomato bread will be an instant hit.

I can imagine after a long hot day in the sun, bringing out my parmesan and sun dried tomato plait with some dips and a fresh salad to make the most exquisite addition to the barbeque.

If you don't want to go to the effort of making your own shapes, simply use the standard bake cycle on your breadmaker and then rip up the results into bite sized pieces, arrange them on a plate and they look sensational.

Verdict: Have a little bit of Italian flavour in your own garden this summer, and create food that will be the envy of all your friends.

Have you tried any of Wright's bread mixes yourself? Let me know by commenting below.