Want to eat delicious warm bread but don't have an oven? Do not worry! In fact, you can also bake bread with the help of a microwave, you know! Of course, you'll need to use slightly different ingredients and methods than conventional bread recipes (the recipes below are similar to the no-sugar cake recipe). Best of all, it only takes you about 5 minutes (including mixing time) to make a delicious plate of bread! Interested in making it? Read this article carefully!
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2-3 tbsp. oil
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2-3 tbsp. milk
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Step
Note that the methods in this article are not suitable for making bread containing yeast (leavened bread is best baked in an oven or bread maker). If using the microwave, replace the use of yeast with another developer such as baking powder. Another thing you need to understand, the surface of the bread baked in the microwave will not be as crispy textured as baked in the oven. In addition, the bread will also expand more so that it has the potential to make the texture less balanced; Specifically, the problem is caused by the bursting of gas bubbles that form when the bread rises. For the same reason, microwave bread recipes should also not be practiced for conventional bread.
Part 1 of 2: Mixing Ingredients
Step 1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
First of all, add 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour into a bowl. If you want, you can also mix it with other types of flour such as almond flour, wheat flour, whole wheat flour, etc.; however, understand that each type of flour has its own moisture content and character. Thus, changing the type of flour has the potential to change your recipe.
If possible, use wheat flour that has gone through a bleaching process (contains additional chemicals to produce a whiter flour with a softer, gritty texture). This type of flour contains less protein so it is easier to cook; because the process of making bread with the microwave does not take too long, you are recommended to use this type of flour
Step 2. Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and vanilla extract
Baking powder serves to increase the volume of bread so it must be used in the dough. However, don't add too much baking powder to keep the bread volume under control! Basically, the use of vanilla is completely optional; Although it won't affect the baking process, vanilla extract can make the bread taste a little sweeter.
Step 3. Add 1 egg
Crack the eggs and stir until they are well combined into the dry mixture. Although the size of the eggs used is not very important, actually larger eggs are effective in making the texture of the bread a little softer. Make sure there aren't any eggshells mixed into the batter!
Step 4. Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk
You can use cow's milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, or other types of milk according to taste. Basically, thicker, more fat-rich milk will result in slightly creamier bread. However, the main function of milk is actually to soften the dough so that the flour can be mixed perfectly in it.
Step 5. Add 2 spoons of water
Like milk, the function of water is to soften the dough so that the flour can be perfectly mixed in it; if you don't use water, your dough will be too dry. Put the water in a bowl and mix well with the other ingredients.
Step 6. Add 2-3 spoons of oil
You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or any other oil of your choice. The main function of oil is to thicken the dough and make the texture of the bread softer. Also, different oils will likely result in slightly different flavors of bread.
Part 2 of 2: Baking Bread
Step 1. Knead the dough
Wash your hands, then knead the dough until all the ingredients are mixed and the texture of the dough is softer. Massage the dough with your hands; Make sure the liquid in the dough is evenly distributed. Knead the dough for 2-5 minutes or until the dough can stretch without breaking.
Step 2. Form the dough
Wash your hands, then gently shape the dough into a ball or oval. Remember, this is a common form of bread; You are free to change it if you want to make bread with a specific shape. Slice the surface of the bread a little so that it forms an X so that the bread dough does not crack when it expands.
Step 3. Place the dough in a microwave-safe heat-resistant container
Make sure you don't use metal containers for any reason: instead, use ceramic or glass containers that are usually microwave safe. If you want to be more secure, make sure you only use containers that are labeled “microwave-safe (microwave-safe containers or similar). Also make sure the container is shallow with a flat bottom.
Try using a large ceramic cup. The ceramic cups are microwave safe, have the ideal size, and are easy to remove from the microwave without risking hurting your hands. In addition, bread baked in ceramic cups will also produce 1 serving, making it suitable for those of you who want to finish it in one meal
Step 4. Bake the bread for 5 minutes in the microwave on high heat
After 5 minutes, the bread should be cooked and ready to eat. If your microwave has a glass door, check the condition of the bread periodically to make sure the dough isn't overcooked or puffy. If the dough starts to look dry, crumbly, or even wrinkled, it means that all the liquid in your bread has evaporated! Immediately remove it from the microwave and serve it.
Step 5. Delicious bread is ready to be served
Tips
- Use a knife to check the doneness of the bread. Pierce the dough with a knife. If there is no dough sticking to the blade, then your bread is done. However, if it's the other way around, it means that the inside of the bread isn't cooked through and should take longer to bake in the microwave.
- Modify the recipe for making chocolate donuts. Add 2 tbsp. cocoa powder and 1 tbsp. sugar into the dough and then change the shape to resemble a ring. Bake the dough according to the time indicated in the recipe.
Warning
- Do not mix too much milk or water so that the texture of the bread dough is not too soft. If you have mixed too much liquid, compensate by adding a little flour to the mixture.
- Bread will not form a brown crust if baked in the microwave. Microwave-baked bread will also not expand too much, so the texture will change. The texture of the bread may be uneven because the gas bubbles are deflated.
- Be aware that bread with yeast is best baked in the oven or in a bread maker. For this reason, microwave bread recipes generally use chemical developers such as baking powder instead of yeast.
