Instant Pot Bread – Make it Fast in One Single Step
Instant pot is a handy equipment loaded with various functions to save time in the kitchen, but it also helps you to make homemade bread quick and effortlessly. Anything that shortens the time for bread making is automatically an advantageous gear. This smart tool does two things; it simplifies the complicated bread baking process by excluding most of the steps involved, and cuts down the time period for regular bread recipe by more than half.
Baking bread in an Instant Pot is more like preparing a cake rather than bread in terms of the method used. All you need is a pan, some basic bread dough ingredients, and the instant pot. Oh, and don’t forget the spatula! Mix the ingredients and you are done; instant pot does the rest. No kneading necessary; everything is done in one single step. You don’t have to wait 24 hours to ferment the bread dough in the fridge.
In addition, many home bakers use them for proofing their dough. You can get the same effects that professional bakers get from their large-size proofing boxes. These are special warming chambers used in most bakeries to control the fermentation process by temperature and humidity. Extremely useful to activate the yeast organisms in the bread dough. Low heat, and the moisture creates the perfect environment for developing a high-quality bread.
Put your dough in the instant pot, and select the Yogurt program in order to take advantage of this great feature. If you like, you can also bake your traditional sourdough breads this way. Before you put the dough into the fridge for overnight fermentation, put it in the ¨Yogurt¨ mode for 2 to 4 hours for extra quality bread. Final product will justify why the special proofing is necessary for exceptional crust characteristics.
Keep in mind that the quickly prepared instant pot bread is soft. It resembles the toast breads of the bread maker machines. So, do not expect an artisan style round sourdough or Italian ciabatta from this recipe. If you are after making such kind, then you definitely need a Dutch oven for that purpose. However, that process takes more than a day. In comparison, the Instant Pot bread is super quick, soft, and tastes delicious. It is a great alternative against making homemade bread with the long fermentation technique. You can always depend on this method when you are in a hurry.
Baking bread in Instant Pot is best achieved with no knead bread recipe. Put all the ingredients and blend with a spatula until everything is incorporated well. Transfer it to a cake pan that can easily fit into the Instant Pot, or use the inner pot of the Instant Pot and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Let it rest for 45 to 60 minutes in the Yogurt mode. That’s it; you can proceed to baking the bread.
Advantages of Baking Bread in An Instant Pot
- Quick and easy; it takes little effort. You just mix the ingredients with spatula, and put the dough into the Instant Pot. No kneading at all.
- Less fermentation; most Instant Pot bread dough recipes do not call for extra fermentation. In general, the bread dough is put into a pan right after its slightly mixed. An hour of fermentation is enough when baking bread with this method. This is a huge advantage when compared to regular wet dough technique where you have to keep the dough in the fridge overnight.
- Less preparation steps; you don’t have to degas the dough multiple times. No dividing is necessary; we make a single loaf. No banneton baskets needed either.
- Steam cooking; we use the Pressure Cooker function and the steam rack of the Instant Pot, and easily apply good quality steam while baking our breads.
Instant Pot Duo Nova 6 Quart
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Instant pot Duo Nova is a smart kitchen tool that comes with 7 functions and 14 programs. It is a very versatile equipment that you can use from baking bread to making stew. Duo Nova is actually seven appliances in one. You no longer have to worry about the question ¨What’s for dinner? ¨. This one comes with over 1000 recipes; enough to keep you busy for a few years!
The Yogurt function can be used as a proof box for your homemade breads. It shortens the fermentation process while significantly increasing the crust quality and overall size of the bread. The Pressure Cooker function is perfect for baking bread dough with steam. We use the stainless steam rack, and fill the bottom with warm water to take advantage of this technique.
Size wise it is super compact and lightweight. It does not take much space in your kitchen. However, the big size inner pot allows you to cook for 6 people. It is made from stainless steel, and dishwasher safe. You must clean the outer electronic parts with damp cloth while not plugged.
The easy to use controls and icons inform you continuously about the cooking status of your food. You are in full control of the whole process with the Instant Pot. Decide how you want your beef or pork; easy program controls can make it rare, medium, or well done. All you have to do is to press a button.
So, how fast is Instant Pot? Well, it is 70% than regular cookware. You can even throw in frozen food directly and start cooking right away. How about a tasty fish fillet under 3 minutes? Even fast food restaurants are not that fast sometimes.
The new 2019 edition is extra safe which is essential for any pressure cooker. It comes with smart steam release option, overheat protection, safety lock, progress indicator, and more. Another new feature is the easy-seal lid which enables the Instant Pot to keep nutrients and flavors completely sealed inside.
Features:
- 4 x 12.2 x 12.5 inches
- Weighs 14.5 pounds
- Capacity; 6 Quart
- Includes 2 sealing rings and a measuring cup
- Stainless steel steam rack
- Dishwasher safe inner pot
Functions:
- Pressure cooker
- Slow cooker
- Rice cooker
- Steamer
- Sauté
- Yogurt maker
- Warmer
Instant Pot Bread Recipe
Wet dough method is the best recipe when baking quick bread in the Instant Pot. You don’t have to fold or knead the dough, just blend well to enable all ingredients to get incorporated.
Here is the best Instant Pot bread recipe that you can make quickly at home.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups of bread flour (high protein)
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1 package instant yeast or 1 ¼ package active dry yeast
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Preferably Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup of lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil (you can substitute with any oil type such as canola, avocado, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (If you prefer sea salt, then replace with 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt).
Directions:
- Add the yeast into ½ cup of lukewarm water, stir and wait for 2 to 3 minutes. You will know that it is ready when the yeast gets foamy.
- Get your spatula and blend all the dry ingredients in the bowl that you will use for preparing the bread dough.
- Add the yeast and the olive oil into the bowl. Blend them well.
- Again, use the spatula to stir and blend, continue till everything is well incorporated.
- Fold with the spatula only a few times.
- Cover up with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Get some parchment paper big enough to cover the inner pot. Spray the center of the parchment sheet with water and drop the dough right on it. Then transfer the dough along with the parchment paper into the Instant Pot. Let the dough rest and proof in the Yogurt mode for 75 minutes.
- Open the lid, and hold the parchment sheet from the sides, and then transfer it together with the bread dough onto counter.
- Place the stainless-steel steamer rack into the inner pot upside down.
- Add 3 cups of hot water into the inner pot.
- Put the fermented dough into a cake pan along with the parchment paper.
- Cover the cake pan with aluminum foil loosely.
- Put the cake pan on the steamer rack, and turn the valve to Sealing.
- Close the lid securely, and set the Pressure Cook to 45 minutes.
- Release pressure as noted in the Instant Pot’s manual.
Tips:
You might have to adjust the water amount depending on the humidity level in your kitchen and the water absorbing quality of the flour you use for making the bread dough. Feel free to add fresh herbs to your Instant Pot bread recipe to enhance the flavors.
Do not slice your bread until it is completely cooled down, and released the extra heat and moisture. Wait at least 20 minutes before slicing.
If you don’t wait then you would ruin the fresh bread and squish it. Use a serrated knife and a wood cutting board to obtain perfect slices when the bread is cooled down.
How to clean the instant pot after baking?
Cleaning the instant pot Is really easy. The inner pot is dishwasher safe. If there are any food residues that got stuck, then put a little dish soap and fill the container with warm water. Close the lid, and bring the instant pot to medium on the sauté function. Leave it on for about 5 minutes or so. Grab a silicone or wooden spatula and start scraping off the residues. You will be amazed that they come out so easily. Rinse well afterwards, or put it in the dishwasher. Clean the outer electronic parts with damp cloth when not plugged in.
Why is my homemade bread so dense?
This usually happens when you add to much flour to your dough. It gets stiff, and the water level drops which yields a heavy bread with extra thick crust. Other reasons might include adding too much salt, or using weak flour. Avoid adding extra flour when you initially start blending the ingredients. The bread dough has a way to fool the novice bakers by absorbing the fluids gradually. It takes a few minutes into the mixing to be able to decide if the water level is adequate or not.
In Conclusion
Baking bread in an instant pot is indeed a smart way to shorten the bread baking process time. All you need to do is to mix the ingredients as if you were making a cake. Use a pan, and throw it in to the instant pot; you get your homemade bread almost instantly as the name implies.
Regular bread making requires many steps including folding, degassing, and long fermentation hours. Instant pot bread formula skips most of them and gives you a fresh tasty homemade bread painlessly. You can use this method when you have to bake within a few hours, and can’t wait a day to have your bread.
