We don't recommend using a bread machine to bake your loaves. You can, however, use a mixer like a KitchenAid to do the kneading. We'll include kneading times using either your hands, or a tabletop mixer in the steps below.

Ingredients:

Wet:

  • 1 to 1 + 1/8 cup lukewarm water (no hotter than 110°F!). It should be comfortably warm, not hot
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp sugar, maple syrup, or inulin (not insulin!) These are to feed the yeast only. You can lessen or try omitting this but the bread may rise very slowly, or not at all
Dry:
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp active dry or instant yeast
  • 1 bag of SOKneady Bread Loaf Mix

Instructions:

  1. Add the loaf mix to a large mixing bowl

  2. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix well to combine

  3. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: water, oil if using, and sugar/maple syrup/inulin

  4. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes by hand until smooth. If using a stand mixer, run the mixer using the paddle attachment for around 1 minute or so or until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the mixer bowl, then switch to the dough hook for around 7 minutes. The dough should come together in a cohesive mass — even though it will likely not be very smooth. If you need to because your machine is struggling, switch to the dough hook attachment sooner than a minute. The paddle attachment just helps the dough come together more quickly, early on

  5. Remove the dough from your mixer and continue kneading by hand for around 20 turns. It will smoothen out considerably. (Take a break if you need to because this is a very firm dough. It is not as soft as traditional bread dough!) Once the dough is kneaded and smooth, shape into a ball and let rest for around 10 minutes

  6. Once your dough is rested, oil or grease a 9" x 5" loaf tin. Shape your dough into a loaf and place in the bread tin

  7. Allow the loaf to rise for approx 80 minutes or until the dough is roughly 1/2" over the rim of the pan

  8. When you believe you have about 10 minutes left in the rising time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

  9. Flour the top of you loaf and, with a lame or a sharp blade, carefully score the top of your loaf. Please be sure to score your loaf 3-4 times, about 1/4" deep, or you could end up with caverns and bubbles below the top crust

  10. Bake your loaf for 35 minutes. If you have a thermometer, make sure the interior temperature is at least 205 degrees Fahrenheit

  11. Carefully remove your loaf from the oven and bread tin. It's easiest to remove the loaf by tipping the loaf tin on its side and edging the loaf out from one side, then the other. The loaf will be very soft when it initially comes out of the oven, but will set as it cools

  12. We recommend you allow the loaf to cool at least 3 hours or until the loaf is completely cooled (overnight or 8 hours) before slicing

  13. Enjoy!