Rice cooker bread

Inspired by the pizza I made last time, I imagined if I let the crust to have some more time to rise, perhaps it will become like a bread? I start to google-ing up those bread recipe, and I came across this website, describing how to outsmart the rice cooker.

Surprising things you can make in a rice cooker

With the ingredients left, I decided to try on the rice cooker bread, and this is my recipe after some improvisation from other recipe and 2 trials.

Total time: approximately 4 hr 

Prep: 30 min

Inactive: 2 hr 30 min

Cooking time: 1 hr

Yield: 8 2 inches small buns

Serving: 2 to 3 person

Ingredient:

1 to 2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cups water

1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp milk powder (replace 1/2 cup of milk)

1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk powder and 1/2 tbsp of butter in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.

2. Mix the ingredients all together. Slowly add in water and start kneading (do not pour all water in once. This can control the moisture of the dough and no need to add in extra flour to adjust the moisture. If using milk, the amount of water shall be reduced.)

3. When all the flour has form a smooth, firm non- sticky ball, put inside a bowl and let it rest for 1 hour until it doubles it's size (first rise).

(*notice: almost same procedure as making pizza dough. The sugar content is higher to facilitate the yeast fermentation and produce a more spongy and soft bread.)

4. Knead the dough after the first rise.

5. Grease the rice cooker with butter or cooking oil. Shape the dough into desired shape and place inside the rice cooker pot. (I made them in bun shape because I don't have bread knife to slice the bread. It would be easier for me to handle)

6. Let it set for another 1 hour 30 min (more or less, until it rises to the desired size).

7. Start the rice cooker and let it cook for 30 minute (2 to 3 cook and warm setting cycle).

8. Flip over the dough and let the other side cook for another 20 minute (1 to 2 cook and warm setting cycle). Do not cook too long for the other side because it might cause the other side to become too dry and hard.

After that it will be ready to serve.

**About rising the bread

Rising is important to give a better texture for the bread. My first trial only involve one rising cycle.

First trial

 Second trial.

First trial is more compact and is tasted more like a scone than bread. Yeast will metabolize (eat up) the sugar and produce carbon dioxide which traps in the bread and make the bread spongy. The second kneading helps improve the texture by mixing the dough more thoroughly and helps the yeast in producing finer air bubbles in the bread. Make sure after the second kneading you shaped the dough into the desired shape and put into the greased pot (or pan or baking tray) you used to cook. Kneading will cause the air bubble to escape. So you wouldn't want to knead the dough again after the final raise.

You can try other variations too. Perhaps you can add in raisins, nuts, cheese, cinnamon powder and other ingredients.

Good luck and have fun trying =D