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Bread Machine "Oven-Baked" Brown Bread

Skip the rubbery, square loaves typical of a bread maker. This recipe utilizes the machine's dough cycle to perfectly knead a rich, espresso and maple infused brown bread, which is then shaped by hand and oven baked for a traditional rustic crust. Finished with a warm swipe of butter, it delivers a signature glossy, tender steakhouse style loaf every single time.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Liquid Base
  • 1 cup Warm Water
  • 1 Shot Real Espresso
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 2 tbsp Margarine softened
The Dry Goods
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast

Method
 

The Bread Machine (Dough Cycle)
  1. Load Liquids: Add the water, espresso shot, honey, maple syrup, and margarine to the bread machine pan.
  2. Add Dry Ingredients: Layer the AP flour, King Arthur Whole Wheat, cocoa powder, and salt over the liquids.
  3. Yeast Well: Create a small indentation in the flour and add the yeast.
  4. The 5-Minute Audit: Start the Dough Cycle. After 5 minutes of kneading, check the dough. It should be a smooth, tacky ball that clears the sides of the pan. If it’s too sticky, add AP flour 1 tbsp at a time.
Shaping the Loaves
  1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into two equal portions and shape each into a long, uniform sub-style loaf.
  2. Place the loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a light towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 45–60 minutes (until doubled).
  3. Remove the loaves from the oven and immediately transfer them to a wire cooling rack. While piping hot, take a cold stick of butter and rub it generously over the top crusts until melted, glossy, and fully coated. Let cool completely before slicing.
The Oven Finish
  1. Heat: Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes. The loaves are done when the crust is firm and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
  3. Cool: Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before wrapping if storing for the next day

Notes

Tempo Chef’s Variation: Steakhouse Sub Rolls Have a perforated baguette or hoagie pan? You can easily convert this exact recipe into three spectacular, glossy sandwich rolls.
  • The 3-Way Split: Skip the oats. Divide the dough into three equal portions (approx. 275g each) instead of two.
  • The Pan Setup: Shape into long sub-style loaves and place them directly into the unlined channels of your perforated pan. Do not use parchment paper; the mesh provides the necessary airflow.
  • The Bake & Finish: Let rise for 45–60 minutes until doubled, then bake at 350°F for 22–27 minutes. The second they hit the cooling rack, swipe the hot top crusts with a stick of cold butter for that signature glossy sheen.

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