I found a vintage late 80s bread machine recipe for “lean” white bread. That means no oil or fat was added. If we remember anything about dieting in the 80s-90s, it was all about being fat-free. It was/is a toxic lifestyle, for sure. My Aunt counted fat grams every day obsessively for years. It was not healthy for her at all.
However, even though I like a drizzle of fat in my bread recipes, I decided to try it out to see the texture. Fat is essential in bread, especially sandwich bread, because it helps keep it fresher for longer, and gives better texture – unless you are looking for a dryer, crusty bread.
And I was right for sure – this, while passable for bread, wasn’t one to celebrate. It has a bit of a gummy texture, though it slices well. But it is airy and dry all at once. Even a Tablespoon of oil makes a huge difference when baking in a bread machine.
It had the oddest crack in the center as if you could tear it into two loaves.
Fat-Free White Bread
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cups water
- 1½ Tbap granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 360 + 120 grams all-purpose flour*
- 1½ tsp dry active yeast
Directions:
If using a Zojirushi bread machine, add the listed ingredients, ensuring the yeast is nestled into the flour. Only add the first 270 grams of flour.
Set the machine for a basic loaf.
When the kneading cycle starts, check on the dough and add in enough extra flour* so the dough isn’t sticky, and it clears the bread pan while kneading. I used about 120 grams of extra flour.
Once baked, remove it promptly and knock it out. Let it cool on a wire rack before enjoying it.
Store in a plastic bread bag, and eat within 24 hours for the best taste. It will get stale faster than most bread recipes but would also work well cut into cubes for stuffing. Cut it up and let it stale on the counter first.
If using a regular bread machine, follow the method for adding the ingredients (including using warm water).
Makes a 1½ pound loaf.
Note:
I found this loaf particularly hard to remove from the bread pan. It fused onto the kneading paddles. I used a plastic spatula to work the loaf out. That tiny bit of fat I add to bread makes a difference.
~Sarah