The Perfect Loaf

MP) After a few days of being stranded at home, without mail delivery due to the snow, MP made it into the office to pick up the package with the Bread Machine parts for the CBK-100.  The new pan and paddle, ready to make the bread machine almost new again.  MP talked big and promised the crew at work that she would be bringing banana bread into the office the next day.  MP decided to have a banana bread dual and make the same banana bread recipe in both bread machines.  CBK-100 has a rapid cycle, on it which was indicated in the recipe.   So,  MP cranked that one up and added the same ingredients to the back up bread machine on the rapid bread setting.  The CBK-100 had a 1 hour cycle setting and backup bread machine has a 2 hour cycle.  After the 1 hour, MP took the CBK-100 pan out of the bread machine and noticed, it clearly was not done.  So, back into the machine it went.  MP checked the CBK-100 a few times and it appeared to still be baking, so she left it in the machine.  At the 2 hour mark, the beeps started and MP thought for sure it was the backup machine. However when checking on it, the backup machine still had 1 minute left and the beeping commenced for the backup machine after the minute passed.  Apparently the CBK-100 has a rapid “pysch” cycle,   where it tells you it’s done,  but  “Psych” not really.  Dumping the bread out of the pans, it was discovered that the CBK-100 bread fell apart and a portion of the bread remained in the pan.  The backup machine,  clearly won the dual of banana breads.  Even though it’s a silo loaf instead of a long loaf pan.  MP brought the backup machine bread into the office and received many thumbs up from the team.  JL indicated that possibly, MP needs to bake a few more things in the CBK-100 to season the pan before we can say the CBK-100 failed.   

CL & JL)  As discussed in last week’s update, CL can make a perfect loaf of bread, that rises consistently, while JL can not bake a ‘Perfect Loaf’.  So, it’s clear that they are using the same ingredients, flour, water, and yeast, what is the secret to the ‘Perfect Loaf’.  Why can CL always make a ‘Perfect Loaf’ every time,  but JL cannot.  The investigation was on.   Are they using the same recipe?  After some research it was discovered, yes,  they are using the same recipe.  They passed the recipe over to MP to attempt to make a Perfect Loaf.  MP, put the ingredients in and left her daughter in charge of the retrieval of the bread from the machine after the beeps.  The daughter was anxiously awaiting and ended up pulling the bread from the machine 6 minutes early.  The loaf was almost a ‘Perfect Loaf’,  but did have a dent in the top of the loaf.  After sharing the pictures of the loaf with CL and JL,  CL asked if he needed to go over to MP’s house to make a ‘Perfect Loaf’ for MP’s daughter.  MP’s daughter said, “YES!”  

MJ)  MJ returns from vacation this week and was able to attend the Bread Machine meeting.  After hearing about the Perfect Loaf, and the struggle of dented loaves of bread, MJ indicates that she has been told, when her loaves of bread do not come out perfectly, it’s because she didn’t bake the bread with ‘LOVE’.  MP and JL, both can envision MJ’s 92 year old mother making that statement, even though they’ve never met MJ’s mom.  JL also is very sure that she indeed is baking with love,  just as MJ is also baking with love.  This cannot be the reason for the lack of ‘perfect loaves’.    

MP, JL ,and CL)  After further discussion it’s discovered, that MP and JL are not measuring out exactly the salt in the bread recipes.  Where CL is measuring out exactly the called for ingredients including the salt.  There now is a theory, although it has not been completely tested yet.  Stay tuned for more ‘Perfect Loaf’ discussions in coming weeks. 

Recipes this week

Banana bread in the bread machine

https://www.thespruceeats.com/banana-bread-machine-recipe-304378

The Perfect Loaf Recipe.   Also known as ‘Classic White’  from the CBK-100 recipe book.