Microwave Bread???
Just hear me through on this. I know the idea of baking bread or I guess it would be "cooking" is never going to produce artisan loaves. But, here is the situation---
I recently sent a microwave oven to a family member that is doing his 4th tour in combat. He's in Afghanistan near Torra Borra where all the noise is being made at the moment. Normally he has been based in some remote location living in a tent far from civilization but now he is in a small FOB that has electricity. I also sent 60 boxes of MW popcorn so the guys could have a little snack between being shelled by rockets. I send him something every 3 or 4 weeks and I try to keep it interesting. His father sends toothbrushes and Twinkies which they love and things they know he will share with his buddies.
I started to think about things I could send that would work in the new oven and bread came to mind. I did a search on the net and only found old references to baking in a MW but it does seem like it should be possible to turn out something that would be passable for crumb. This is a small .8 cu ft dorm type model so no convection heater. I have a 3 cup batch in ferment now I plan to try later today as a first effort. They have water that gets trucked in with the ammo so if I can get this to somehow work I could send mixes with all the dry ingredients in the right proportions.
Does anyone have any experience baking anything in a MW oven? I was also thinking muffins might work in a silicone muffin pan. Ideas anyone?
I could just send a toaster oven I suppose but in a couple weeks he is going to get the MW and I'm trying to find creative things they can use it for.
Thanks for listening folks, I know this is a little weird.
Eric
I found this:
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/breads-yeast/microwave-ww-bread
and this:
http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Microwave%20bread
Thanks, those are the 2 I found and they look to be similar procedures.
I just cooked my 3 cup batch and it did rise 30% in the cooking process. I stopped the oven at 6 minutes as the top felt like it was springy and done? The internal temp was a little over 200 F and the loaf was steaming, the oven was exhausting a lot of moisture. When I dumped it out of the Pyrex bowl I cooked it in, the sides and bottom were sticky. It has become less sticky now that it has set for a few minutes.
It doesn't look bad as you can see below. The flour was rising and then steamed. It's a little chewy, like bagel crumb only maybe a little tough. I guess if you had been eating foil pack MRE's for the last 4 years it might seem pretty good. Ideas?
Eric
I don't have any more wisdom about making microwave bread, but if I were stuck out in the boonies, I'd devour anything that looked the least bit like homemade bread! I bet if you can come up with a decent recipe, you'll have created a lifetime baker or two when those guys come home.
Did you cook it in one step? Maybe a series of cook cycles with a rest in between will give some different results. Or maybe some adjustment in hydration. Would egg or milk help tenderize it? Let us know how it all comes out.
Sue
The only thing I can contribute is that if you plan on sending mixes, perhaps you could put them in oversized zipper bags, so they can just add water and mix and knead in the bag with their hands. That way, they won't need utensils, bowls, etc. and can keep their hands clean...
I wonder if lining the bowl with parchment would help with the sogginess? Or, just put it on the bottom of the MW and make free-form loaves.
Nancy
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Microwave-English-Muffin-Bread/Detail.aspx
Take a look at the recipe. They describe proofing at 50% for a minute, then a rest for 10 minutes or so and repeating that process a couple times. You could add some powdered milk ,would that help tenderize ? Of course then, you'll have to send a toaster and peanut butter!! I did look in a microwave cookbook I have. There are yeasted & quick breads, muffins, and cake, but they all need the addition of oil and/or eggs. Good luck!! and no I don't think it's weird, I think it's very cool that you're doing this!!
Thanks for that Paddyscake. The recipe calls for warm milk but as you say warm water and dry milk would probably substitute OK. I really wonder if it wouldn't be better to just send a toaster oven also. Then they could just bake a small loaf using normal means. Sending a couple small bottles of vegetable oil would be OK to use in the mix.
I need to make this as easy as possible, understanding that these folks are thinking about rockets first and baking maybe 10th on the list. A "just add water" approach. I plan on stopping by Penzeys Spices later this week to see what they have that might be helpful.
Eric
Oil could be added if needed using an additional small bag (no air pockets--expands in flight) inside the bread mix bag. Try low protein flour and see how that works, I know that protein can get tough in the Microwave. Brown sugar, roasted flour and toasted ingredients could also be an interesting way to add flavors. Nuts, chocolate sprinkles, spices? Chocolate chip micro muffins? Halloweeen candy corn, M & M's, Reeces pieces?
Your loaf looks really good for the Microwave, maybe the sticky surface could be dusted with something while it sets, like toasted oat flakes or a mixture of toasted rolled "quick" grains with a pinch of salt and/or butter flavored oil.
Don't forget a pair of oven mitts & measure cup.
Mini O
Thank you all of you who are chiming in on this strange idea. I will tell you that the bread pictured above was edible in a humorous sort of way while it was warm. 30 min later it was still soft enough but shoe leather is easier to eat! I know there are dry versions of some things we normally use in liquid form, like honey for example. I have friends in the honey products business who make a delicious honey flavored pancake batter mix, all dry, just add water.
I suspect oil would soften up the crumb and lubricate the gluten. Mini's mention of low protein flour might be a good test. This trial was 100% Harvest King which is fairly strong flour. Another thing, this entire process only took 2 hours, start to finish and that's with 1-1/2 hours proof time. A longer ferment would soften the dough as the acid level rises.
In this particular case, the oven will live in an unheated concrete bunker and once warmed, will provide a semi stable temperature environment and the ability to ferment and proof. Boiling water will warm the oven and hold heat while being operated at the lowest power.
More experiments today.
Eric
It's been 20 years, but I used to bake gingerbread and other quick breads in the microwave. I had a ring pan which helped, though you can also just stick a glass in the middle of the pan to keep batter out of the center.
Anyway, with powdered eggs and powdered milk, you might be able to make up pretty good quickbread mixes. As mentioned earler, the oil for each mix could go in a separate small bag in the mix. Normally I hate to store oil in plastic, but sometimes I have to make exceptions.
Microwave bread instructions
Hi Eric,
I'm not sure this will be of any help but it's the only info I have - but I didn't ever try it myself but maybe some part of it will be of use. I hope the picture is clear enough...
L_M
Thanks L_M the picture is fine. I think small sweet breads are possible in a MW. Unfortunately they don't have eggs or butter available in the field. I appreciate the thought.
If my cousin goes back to the same base after leave I've decided to send him a toaster oven and some bread kits that will be sized for the oven.
Eric
Eric, I wish him the best of luck. It sounds like the conditions over there are quite a bit rougher than they are here. Our whole country is geared towards the army, so in general, during their regular army service the soldiers are well taken care of, but in the field it's always tough.
L_M
Hi,
I know you asked about using a MW to make bread, but with him moving around a lot I thought I'd let you in on the best kept backpackers secret.
First off, I'm an avid backpacker who likes to do long 1-2 week trips through the mountains. When I first started off, I was happy enough to use those freeze dried mixes and be done with it. However, as I grew as a backpacker, and as a cook, I realized that I could expand my culinary ability not just in the kitchen, but also on the trail.
From this growth came probably the best discovery/purchase I ever made: the "Outback Oven." If your family member has access to a small portable stove (which may or may not be the case in Iraq), then you may want to consider picking one of these up for him. I've made a variety of wonderful things on the trail in this little beauty on "water only" recipies, including: Bread, cake, brownies, cookies, and pizza.
The Outback Oven:
http://www.backpackerspantry.com/prodinfo.asp?number=167000
I use a small coleman gas stove similar to this (mine is a white fuel, looks similar):
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Exponent-Multi-Fuel-Backpacker-Stove/dp/B0009VC7QK
So if he has a small gas stove as part of his tack, then he'd be all set.
If he doesn't have the stove, then this probably won't be much use. Otherwise, most non-oil recipes are really easy to convert to water only dry packs with the use of dried milk and dried eggs.
Cheers,
Taco
Confusion is a state of mind... or is it?
I got a used one drying out now - washed it- didn't want all the added salt. As the moisture seems to be a problem, maybe I should open both ends of the bag. Now... heating element down or up?
Never tried this but it might work if the loaf isn't very tall. If you put the dough in a paper baking pan there would be some energy drawn to the paper so I'd try putting the heat side up. You culd also try cutting the heating side out of another bag and putting that on the bottom. That way you would get heat from both sides.
Please Mini, do share the results!
Cheers,
Eric
bread machine. Instructions, well, forget the instructions, can't read them if I tried. I made a sponge with some water on the upper side of 100% hydration to peak and plan on mixing that with some more of the flour mix to make a dough. So far smells pretty darn good. I've tucked the sponge in the fridge to cool down. I am assuming this is a rapid rise mixture and planning a siesta, so mixing final dough with cold water to slow down the fermentation.
I don't have an oven, just a small fry pan with a lid (plan on making buns English muffin style) and was thinking about the microwave popcorn bag. Maybe flip them over half way thru the bake. I could also just nuke buns and toss into a hot pan to brown or do you think they would deflate?
Mini
Haha, I think I would start to love flat breads you can cook on the stove top. Roti, pita maybe with a cover you could heat on another burner first. Crumpets or English Muffins. I never had much luck baking in a MW. Quick breads have the best chance but it's really a steamed bread in the end.
You might get yourself a few bricks and make a small WFO if you have room and permission. Just a small thing you could dismantle when you leave.
Eric
I decided to cut all the paper away from the popcorn bag so I could see what's going on when I commenced nuking. I set a small risen bun on the popcorn heat pad still covered with the original paper and set this on a small plate for easy removal. Set the timer for 3 minutes with full power (850W) and sat back to watch. It rose well, and after about one minute, flipped it over -- no brown bottom. I continued the bake and removed the bread to cool. It cooled quickly and soon I was starring at a hockey puck. Hard as a little brick. I could only cut into it while warm with my scissors and discovered it was completely dried out but very nice bubble structure. Dried out it is possible to eat, crispy like rye crisp bread but way too thick! Aha moment.
So with the next bun I flattened it out but too impatient to wait and nuked it before it had recovered from my degassing. So naturally it was dense. ... next time. The other little buns I had already fried, English muffin style but the first 3 were too brown, so I nuked them each 10 seconds to bake the insides. The last buns (3, there were 8 total) in the pan got a good steaming when they first went in and a lower dry fry temperature. Removed the lid when I flipped them over.
Comparing the height of the buns, the tallest is the first dried nuked one with almost a burnt inside, next were those that were fried and then nuked. The poperly fried Muffins came in third. All rose, they all tasted pretty good. Two are already gone, oops. (4 left for lunch)
The sponge had stood in the refrigerator overnight, hadn't gone stringy so it was in good shape. I stirred it up with equal amounts of water and added more flour mix with a fork until a nice shaggy sticky dough formed. Covered it and went out to the markets to buy some meat for lunch. I just love these little towns! Never know what's around the corner!
I tipped the dough out after an hour onto a floured surface and did a fold and rest. Divided the dough into 8 pieces and covered with a wet heavy duty table napkin to rise a second time. Meanwhile made a salad for two using most of one zucchini, half an avocado, a little Spanish orange zest, cider vinegar, fresh garlic and a tad of olive oil, black pepper, salt. I have a whole chicken breast and I think I'll whack it with a tea cup into a chicken steak. Getting close to 2 pm (lunch time here) so gotta run... :)
Mini
Mini you have to show us a tour of your diggs. Those little towns are so interesting. I'm sure I am not alone in wanting to see where you are and what you are dealing with, and the breads. It sounds like you are making progress and may arrive at a combination process.
Cheers,
Eric
http://www.squidoo.com/reinosa
Yesterday, I photographed the convent with a stork nest on top of the convent bell tower. I'm right in the center of town.
I've mentioned this before, cooking with vehicles, I'd bet the soldiers could find a spot in the engine bay of a tank, Humvee etc where they could bake bread in some kind of a covered dish. Put the dough in the pan, tape the lid on and strap it or tape it to a flat spot inside the engine bay. I would imagine the engine bay of an Abrams Tank gets pretty darn hot.
Quite interesting thoughts. How about a camouflage republication or an army version of "Manifold Destiny?" (also see TFL "X files")
Special chapters and diagrams for tankoven, humvoven, jeepoven (how to pronounce them) and reconnaissance baking tips with below-radar non-reflective alu-foil. Also a special chapter on how to hide your mission by smelling like a local bakery/pastry shop. (Just stretching the imagination here.)
I was hoping the popcorn bag would brown the dough more. Rather disappointed in that. How many miles to brown a loaf of bread?