Recipe: Microwave Bread

Huh, microwave bread?!?!? The zany idea to use a microwave in the process of making this bread was inspired by Yakitate Japan! episode 36. This unusual bread has the texture of sponge cake. It is nice and soft and if baked correctly, has a crusty exterior. A microwave is used to speed up the dough's fermentation by heating the liquid molecules in the dough to warm the dough itself, and also acts as a proofer for the dough to rise in. This way, the dough is able to ferment quickly since the dough itself is warm and because it proofs in a humid environment (which the yeast love!). Thus, this bread takes very little time to make, approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour in total. Makes 1 small round loaf.

Ingredients:
1 tsp yeast
1/8 c water combined with 1/8 c milk
1 tsp sugar
1 c bread flour
1/4 c warm milk
1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, mollases or malt syrup (maltose)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp melted salted butter
Sesame seeds

Procedure: Add sugar to combined water and milk and bloom yeast. In a bowl, combine bloomed yeast with wet ingredients. Add flour in increments and mix until a moist dough is formed. Put a container with water together with an oven safe baking dish in the microwave. Microwave 5 minutes on high. In the meantime, knead dough then form into a ball. Quickly spray the oven safe baking dish with non-stick spray and put dough in it. Microwave 40 seconds on high. Let dough rise in the microwave for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 392 F. Quickly remove baking dish with dough then reheat container with water in the microwave. Spray risen dough lightly with water then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise again in microwave while waiting for oven to preheat. Place an oven safe container with hot water in the oven. Take dough out of the microwave then spray lightly again with water. Bake until crust is golden brown. Done!