Mama Bear 'Roll'

This is a humble, sturdy bread machine loaf that knows exactly what it’s for: toast. The crumb bakes up dense and substantial, with milk and a touch of shortening lending richness and structure, so slices hold their shape and crisp golden under the heat without falling apart.

It’s about as simple as bread gets, with just flour, milk, a little sugar and salt, shortening and yeast. Everything goes into the machine, which means no hand-kneading and no guesswork.

As the original baker notes, this is a heavy bread, and that’s the appeal, not a flaw. It makes thick, hearty toast that stands up to butter, jam or a fried egg. And as they also say, don’t be afraid to experiment, since this plain base takes well to add-ins.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the ingredients to the machine in the order your manufacturer recommends, usually liquids first and yeast last, away from the salt.
• Warm the milk slightly so it doesn’t slow the yeast, but not hot enough to kill it.
• This bakes dense by design. For a lighter loaf, try a little more sugar or a touch of extra yeast.
• Let it cool fully before slicing so the crumb sets and cuts cleanly for toast.

Variations

• Stir in oats, seeds or a little whole wheat flour for a heartier, nuttier loaf.
• Add cinnamon and raisins for a sweet breakfast toast bread.
• Shape the dough into rolls or buns and bake in the oven instead.