I got this recipe from Sue Ford, which she claims is her favorite; it's delicious. Since Sue uses a Toastmaster breadmaker, she gave me the recipe in that format. If you make bread the old-fashioned way, by hand, like I do, you'll find the modified recipe following the TM version. Hope you like it as much as we do. Be sure to read the whole recipe before proceeding, including Sue's notes between the two versions.

Welsh Bread


(From The Best Bread machine Cookbook Ever: Ethnic Breads, M. Rosenberg, HarperCollins Books, 1994)

Bread Machine Version 

Ingredient         small loaf           large loaf      TM* 
 
distilled white vinegar 1 tsp           1.5 tsp         1 tsp 
milk                    2/3 c           1 c             2/3 cup 
brown sugar             2 T             3 T             3 T 
whole egg               1               1               1 
egg white               0               1               0 
unsalted butter         4 T             6 T             6 T 
salt                    1/2 tsp         3/4 tsp         3/4 tsp 
molasses                2 T             3 T             3 T 
bread flour             2 c             3 c             3 c 
baking soda             pinch           1/8 tsp         1/8 tsp 
caraway seeds           1 tsp           1.5 tsp         1.5 tsp 
active dry yeast        1.5 tsp         2-1/4 tsp       2-1/4 tsp 
raisins                 3/4 c           1 c             1 c 
  1. Stir the vinegar into the milk.
  2. Let stand about 30 min, until the mixture thickens.
  3. Add ingredients (except raisins) but including the vinegar and milk, in the order suggested by your bread machine manual and process on the bread cycle according to the manufacturer's directions.
  4. At the beeper (or at the end of the first kneading in the Panasonic, Sanyo, and National, or after 40 min from "start" for Toastmaster) add the raisins.


=== Sue's Notes ===

*TM indicates amounts I used for the Toastmaster, which typically takes less liquids than other machines.

I soften/partially melt the butter (or margarine, which is what I really use) in the microwave before adding.

This bread rises more slowly than other breads in the machine. The surface seems to dry out during the rising. Slashing the top before baking seems to help.
 
  

Manual Version



Ingredient              small loaf      large loaf

milk                    2/3 c           1 c     
brown sugar             2 T             3 T     
active dry yeast        1.5 tsp         2-1/4 tsp
whole egg               1               1
egg white               0               1 
unsalted butter         4 T             6 T
distilled white vinegar 1 tsp           1.5 tsp
salt                    1/2 tsp         3/4 tsp
molasses                2 T             3 T
bread flour             2 c             3 c
baking soda             pinch           1/8 tsp
caraway seeds           1 tsp           1.5 tsp
raisins                 3/4 c           1 c
  1. Heat milk to 105-115F.
  2. Stir in brown sugar and yeast; let stand about five minutes, till foamy.
  3. Add egg and, if using, egg white.
  4. Beat on medium about two minutes.
  5. Melt butter; add to milk with vinegar, salt, and molasses.
  6. Beat about 5 minutes, till thick.
  7. Add 2 cups of flour, baking soda, and caraway seeds.
  8. Beat on low one minute; then beat on medium with dough hook for 7 minutes.
  9. Add the rest of the flour, 1/4 cup at a time.
  10. Beat another 5 minutes.
  11. While this is beating, plump raisins in enough boiling water to cover.
  12. Drain raisins well.
  13. Add raisins to dough, with mixer on low, just long enough to incorporate them.
  14. Remove dough to floured board and knead till smooth, incorporating only enough flour to make the dough lose its stickiness.
  15. Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl.
  16. Cover and set the bowl in a warm place to rise, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
  17. When dough has doubled in size, turn out on floured board and knead again, about two minutes.
  18. Form into loaf and place in loaf pan (or pans).
  19. Cover and let rise again, about 45 minutes to an hour.
  20. When dough has doubled, bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 40 minutes.

    21. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on top.