International Bread Machine Recipes

Here's how you can use your automatic breadmaker to produce breads from all around the world.

They have been tested using Canadian measures and ingredients: unless otherwise mentioned, white all purpose flour (13% protein), white sugar-cane sugar, large eggs, unsalted butter and 'active dried' yeast. Ingredients are added to the pan in the order given. For notes on ingredients and techniques, see my Canadian bread page. Many of them are properly made in special shapes or are cooked on a griddle, which of course a breadmaker doesn't do, but an authentic taste should be there.

If you are native to any of the countries whose bread is shown here, I welcome comments to make their taste more typical of your cuisine.

Basic White Bread
water12 fl.oz The staff of life around the globe. Here's where it all starts: the recipe that forms the mainstay of bakeries everywhere that make leavened breads. Get this recipe right for your ingredients, machine and methods, then use it as the base for the other recipes here.
sugar1-1/4 Tbsp
salt1/2 tsp
vegetable oil2 Tbsp
flour4 cup
yeast1 tsp
Arabia: Za'atar Bread (Manakeesh bi Za'atar)
za'atar mix1/3 cup To Basic White Bread add za'atar mix and chopped onion. Za'atar mixes (ground sesame, sumac, salt and herbs) are found in Mid-Eastern stores. Note that za'atar refers to a specific herb (Origanum syriacum) and also to a mix - you want a mix. Street vendors throughout the Mid-East sell pita bread that's dipped in olive oil then in a local za'atar mix, or breads with a za'atar topping or filling.
onion1/2 cup
Armenia: Easter Bread (Choereg)
sugar1/2 cup In Basic White Bread increase sugar, replace oil with butter, reduce liquid a bit. Toast the sesame. Mahleb is found in Mid-Eastern stores, it's the "bread spice" throughout south and east Mediterranean cultures, and must be ground fresh for proper flavour. Black sesame seeds have more oil and anti-oxidants than pale sesame, and are preferred throughout Asia.
butter1/2 cup
mahleb2 tsp
water11 fl.oz
caraway seed1 tsp
black sesame seed2 Tbsp
Austria: Fruit Bread (Kletzenbrot)
honey1/4 cup In Basic White Bread use honey as sweetener, replace 1 cup of wheat flour by rye and whole grain wheat flour, add cut up fruit and nuts when kneading is almost complete. The fruit mix can be any combination desired of raisins, dates and candied peels. This is traditionally baked on 21 December, originally St. Thomas the Apostle's feast day (and Christmas day as well as New Year, thanks to Roman errors in the Julian calendar).
rye flour1/2 cup
gluten flour2 Tbsp
whole wheat flour1/2 cup
white flour3 cup
dried pears1/2 cup
fruit mix1/2 cup
slivered almonds2 Tbsp
Azerbaijan: Spiced Yoghurt Bread (Ovma-sheki Fyatir)
yoghurt12 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use natural unsweeted yoghurt for the liquid, increase sugar, add spice mix, omit oil (it's in the yoghurt). A typical spice mix includes cardamon, ginger, coriander seed, cinnamon and nutmeg. Don't use more than 1 tsp cinnamon, it will set back the yeast.
sugar1/4 cup
spice mix2 Tbsp
egg white1 Tbsp Just before baking starts, brush the top of the loaf with egg white coloured with saffron, sprinkle with poppy seed.
saffronpinch
poppy seed2 Tbsp
Bavaria: Pumpernickel Bread
strong coffee6 fl.oz There are far too many ridiculous legends about the origin of the name of this traditional bread! Vinegar, although not traditional, helps a bread machine to knead the sticky dough; good yoghurt is also acidic. Caraway seed is the general favourite, but many local Bavarian cuisines use others such as toasted sunflower. Commercial bakeries often add blackened caramel to darken the colour instead of cocoa. Add the seeds right away, bread machines need the time to distribute them among the thick dough. If you prefer some seeds on top, use this method. If the dough ball doesn't glisten with moisture after 5 min kneading, add a bit more liquid.
natural yoghurt7 oz
vinegar1 Tbsp
molasses2 oz
brown sugar2 Tbsp
salt1/2 tsp
butter1 oz
white flour1-1/4 cup
dark rye flour2 cup
whole wheat flour1/2 cup
cocoa2 Tbsp
gluten flour2 Tbsp
caraway seeds1/4 cup
yeast1-1/2 tsp
Belize: Coconut Bread
coconut milk13 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use coconut milk for the liquid, increase sugar, increase yeast a bit. Several Central American cuisines have a similar bread. In Samoa, it's baked in a pan in coconut milk, like a dumpling.
sugar1/4 cup
yeast1-1/4 tsp
Bulgaria: Bird of Paradise Bread (Khliab Raiska Ptitsa)
egg white1 Tbsp Khliab Raiska Ptitsa This bread gets its name from the decorative placement of cheese, olives and red pepper, mimicking the colourful flower. Cut cheese pieces thin so they won't sink into the dough. Just before baking starts, brush top of loaf with egg white, arrange yellow cheese rectangles to form a cross, white cheese triangles between the rectangles, a half olive on top of each of the white triangles, a star shaped piece of red pepper in the center. Sometime thin slices of ham are used for the rectangles.
white cheese4 pieces
yellow cheese4 pieces
black olives2
sweet red pepper1 piece
Cree: Winter Bread
fresh berries13 oz In Basic White Bread use berries for the liquid, lard for the fat. This is inspired by the bread made by the Cree who live around Hudson's Bay, which since time immemorial was made of equal parts animal fat, corn meal and berries, moulded around a stick and baked over an open fire. (Today, they add baking powder and sugar.) True winter fare for anyone who spends all day outdoors, combining energy and vitamin C. If you use dried berries, such as currants, use 1 cup and add water to total 13 fl.oz.
lard3 oz
Denmark: Rye Bread (Sigtebrod)
water10 fl.oz Boil the molasses, salt, grated peel and seed mix in the water so their flavour spreads evenly throughout the dough, let cool. A common Scandinavian seed mix is equal parts of anise, caraway and fennel seeds. An alternate treatment for the seeds is to grind them finely with the peel. If the dough is too sticky for your machine to handle easily, a Tbsp cider vinegar will help.
molasses1/4 cup
salt1/2 tsp
orange peel1 Tbsp
seed mix 1 Tbsp
cardamom1 tsp
vegetable oil2 Tbsp Use the autolyse method. To above mix, add rest of ingredients; it will rise about 3/4 the height of Basic White Bread.
dark rye flour2 cup
bread flour2 cup
gluten flour2 Tbsp
dried buttermilk1/4 cup
yeast1-1/4 tsp
Egypt: Sesame Onion Bread (Eesh Baladi)
onion1/4 cup To Basic White Bread add chopped onion and toasted sesame.
sesame seed1/4 cup
Eritrea: Spiced Bread (Hembesha)
fenugreek seed1 tsp To Basic White Bread add ground seeds and crushed garlic. If you use pre-ground spices, their flavour will be duller and heavier than if fresh ground, so increase pepper a bit to compensate.
coriander seed1/2 tsp
cardamom seed1/2 tsp
white pepperpinch
garlic1 clove
Ethiopia: Honey Bread (Dabo)
milk10 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use goat milk for the liquid if you can get it, honey for the sweetener, sesame oil, add spices. Dabo is baked for special events in huge loaves. Set breadmaker for light crust, and sweet bread cycle if you have one.
honey1/2 cup
sesame oil2 Tbsp
coriander1 Tbsp
cinnamon1/2 tsp
clovespinch
Fiji: Sweet Potato Bread
sweet potato10 oz In Basic White Bread replace liquid by cooked mashed sweet potato and coconut milk, add ginger and lemon zest, increase yeast a bit. A Hawaiian would use pineapple juice instead of coconut milk. The Maori of New Zealand make a sourdough bread based on sweet potato (Kumara Paraoa), but of course without tropical coconut or spices.
coconut milk5 fl.oz
ginger1 tsp
lemon zest1 Tbsp
yeast1-1/4 tsp
Georgia: Cheese Filled Bread (Khachapuri)
egg1 Whisk egg with vinegar, mix in finely chopped or grated cheeses, fill Basic White Bread (method here). Georgians use their salty pickled suluguni cheese, replaced here with mozzarella, vinegar and feta available in Canada, and bake it on a griddle as a cross between a cheese pie and pizza.
vinegar1 Tbsp
feta cheese2 oz
mozzarella cheese4 oz
Germany: Chocolate Cranberry Filled Bread (Gugelhupf)
chocolate4 oz A German will use grated bittersweet chocolate, but 3 oz. semisweet chips will do. Mix everything together, moisten enough so it sticks together, fill Basic White Bread (method here). Finely chopped walnuts are traditional, as is baking in a bundt pan.
dried cranberries1/3 cup
nut meal1/2 cup
cinnamon1/2 tsp
Greece: Olive Bread (Eliopsomo)
water11 fl.oz With Basic White Bread decrease liquid a bit (the olives release some), add oregano, chopped garlic and chopped onion. Pit and cut olives in half, add near end of kneading. A Greek bakery would use lots of an olive oil handcrafted by a local village and selected for maximum fresh olive taste, and work in as many olives as the dough can support.
oregano1 tsp
garlic2 cloves
green onion1
black olives3/4 cup
Guatemala: Mango Lime Bread
lime juice1 With Basic White Bread grate the zest and squeeze the juice from one lime, mash the mango, add water to total 12 fl.oz.; use brown sugar, add cinnamon and allspice. Sliced mango tossed in salt and lime juice or vinegar (mango y vinagre) is a common street food in Guatemala.
lime zest1
mango6 oz
waterto make 12 fl.oz
brown sugar1/4 cup
cinnamon1/2 tsp
allspice1/2 tsp
Haiti: Sweet Bread
coffee11 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use coffee for the liquid, replace sugar by honey, add allspice. Allspice is native to Haiti, coffee to the Haitian homeland in Africa.
honey1/4 cup
allspice1/2 tsp
Hungary: Poppy Seed Filled Bread (Beigli)
sugar1/4 cup To Basic White Bread increase sugar, add cinnamon. In Croatia these are known as makovnjaca, in Poland, makowiec.
cinnamon1/2 tsp
poppy seed1 cup Filling: Grate rind from an orange, combine with other ingredients in saucepan, bring to boil, cover and let cool, stir firmly so everything sticks to the softened raisins. (Filling directions here.)
sugar1/4 cup
orange rind1
raisins1/2 cup
water1/4 cup
Iran: Soda-Glazed Bread (Barbari)
baking soda1 tsp Mix soda, flour and water, bring to boil, let cool. Just before baking starts, dimple top of Basic White Bread with fingers, brush generously with soda mixture, sprinkle with black sesame seed.
flour1 tsp
water1/3 cup
black sesame seed2 Tbsp
Italy: Herbed Cheese Bread
hard cheese4 oz To Basic White Bread add cheese, herb mix and crushed garlic, omit oil (it's in the cheese). In the north of Italy, Parmesan cheese would be used, in central regions Romano, in the south a Pecorino. Every Italian cook has their own special herb mix, equal amounts of fresh-crushed rosemary, marjoram, basil and thyme is a good start. Reduce cheese to 3 oz with vertical pans to ensure good rise.
herb mix1-1/2 Tbsp
garlic1 clove
Italy: Squash Seed & Pancetta Bread
squash seed3/4 cup To Basic White Bread add squash seed and sage, omit oil, add pancetta near the end of kneading. Pancetta is Italian bacon; sliced thin as parchment, it crisps quickly. Cool it and chop finely, chop the sage leaves, toast hulled squash seed until light brown. The bacon and seed contain all the oil needed.
pancetta2 oz
sage2 leaves
Latvia: Rye Bread (Saldskaaba Maize)
apple juice11 fl.oz Use the autolyse method, and natural or pasteurized apple juice without preservatives. Rye grows further north than wheat, so is traditional in northern countries. Moisture is more critical for rye flour than for wheat, even a Tbsp too much makes the loaf flat. This is a dense bread, rising about 1/2 the height of Basic White Bread, and won't rise significantly more with longer rise time or more kneading. It properly uses a rye sourdough and is mixed up in a wooden container with a strong wooden spoon made for the task. The unauthentic vinegar and gluten here are necessary additions for a bread machine. Finns make a similar bread, using water instead of apple juice, in flat loaves that they dry for long term storage. Russian Borodinski bread is also similar, using water and adding coriander seed to the caraway, as is German Vollkornbrot which adds pre-soaked whole and cracked rye.
cider vinegar2 Tbsp
sugar2 Tbsp
salt1/2 tsp
vegetable oil2 Tbsp
dark rye flour4 cup
gluten flour1/3 cup
caraway seed1 Tbsp
yeast1-1/2 tsp
Lithuania: Potato Bread (Bulvinis Ragaisis)
raw potato6 oz In Basic White Bread replace water by grated raw potato, milk and sour cream. Use organically grown potatos; standard P.E.I. potatos will kill the yeast. Norwegians have a similar bread.
milk7 fl.oz
sour cream2 Tbsp
Lithuania: Poppy Seed Bread (Kaledu Pyragas)
water11 fl.oz In Basic White Bread reduce water, use honey for sweetener, add poppy seed. Muscat raisins are oven-dried white grapes; add them when kneading is almost complete. Just before baking starts, top with more poppy seed. Lithuanians associate poppy seed with celebration; they are served at most auspicious occasions and holidays such as Christmas and New Year's.
honey1/4 cup
poppy seed1/4 cup
Muscat raisins1 cup
Mexico: Savoury Bread (Mochos)
onion2 oz Finely chop onion and garlic, sauté with pepper and allspice in the oil of Basic White Bread until completely soft, cool and add to liquid. The onion and garlic flavour should almost disappear leaving a light savoury flavour with a hint of bite from the pepper.
garlic1 clove
pepper1/2 tsp
allspice1/2 tsp
Netherlands: Spice Bread (Ontbijtkoek)
milk10 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use milk for liquid (reduced due to molasses), molasses as sweetener, add spices, omit oil, increase yeast (the spices depress it a bit).
molasses1/2 cup
cloves1/2 tsp
nutmeg1/2 tsp
ginger1 tsp
yeast1-1/4 tsp
Norway: Ginger Rye Bread (Verterkake)
dark beer10 fl.oz Use the autolyse method. The original uses a malt ginger soda called vørterøl; this substitutes beer available in Canada and ginger. Add currants near end of kneading. It will rise about 3/4 the height of Basic White Bread. The beer makes the mix a bit acid, reducing the gummy effect of the natural pentosans in rye.
corn syrup2 fl.oz
salt1/2 tsp
black pepper1/2 tsp
ginger1 tsp
cloves1/4 tsp
vegetable oil2 Tbsp
dark rye flour2 cup
wheat flour1-3/4 cup
gluten flour1/4 cup
yeast1-1/4 tsp
currants1/4 cup
Poland: Egg Bread (Babka)
egg yolks6 or more In Basic White Bread use egg yolks for part or all of liquid, increase sugar, replace oil by butter, add lemon zest and almond flour; add raisins when kneading is almost complete. Poles make this bread to celebrate the return of eggs to food after Lent - authentic recipes use egg yolks for all the liquid required. It's properly made in a bell-shaped mould.
waterto make 10 fl.oz
sugar1/2 cup
lemon zest1 Tbsp
butter4 oz
almond flour1/4 cup
raisins1/3 cup
Portugal: Sweet Bread
sugar1/3 cup In Basic White Bread increase sugar, add buttermilk, juices and vanilla.
dried buttermilk1/4 cup
lemon juice1 tsp
orange juice1 tsp
vanilla extract1/2 tsp
Romania: Corn and Feta Cheese Bread
yoghurt12 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use yoghurt for liquid, add crumbled feta cheese and corn meal, increase yeast a bit, omit oil (it's in the yoghurt). Corn, that provides so many calories per acre of farmland, is very common in today's Romania.
feta cheese3 oz
corn meal1/2 cup
yeast1-1/4 tsp
Russia: Nut Filled Bread (Kolachi)
ground nuts1-1/2 cup Cream nuts, sugar and lemon zest with sour cream, fill Basic White Bread (method here). Romanians make a similar bread that they braid after filling (Cozonac).
sugar1/4 cup
lemon zestpinch
sour cream1/2 cup
Serbia: Sour Cream Bread (Pogacha)
milk4 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use sour cream and milk for liquid, omit oil (it's in the sour cream). This bread is common throughout the region, including neighbouring Croatia and Macedonia.
sour cream8 fl.oz
Sweden: Christmas Bread
milk12 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use milk for liquid, increase sugar, replace oil by butter, add cardamom. The Swedish-Canadian original used local sun-dried berries and fruit - currants and citron or mixed fruit peel are modern supermarket substitutes. Add them when kneading is almost complete. The original had twice the butter and sugar - I'm sure it tasted great in a prairie sod house at 40 below, but is a bit much in a modern centrally-heated house, even at Christmas. Just about every European cuisine has a similar bread for Christmas, loaded with as much butter, sugar, spices and dried fruits as the dough can support, Norwegians call their's Julekake.
sugar1/3 cup
butter3 oz
cardamom1/2 tsp
currants1/2 cup
citron peel1/2 cup
Switzerland: Alpine Baguettes
rye flour1/2 cup In Basic White Bread replace 1/2 cup wheat flour by rye flour, omit oil, add rolled oats and a rustic seed mix such as equal parts of toasted whole sunflower, squash and sesame seeds.
white flour3-1/2 cup
gluten flour2 Tbsp
rolled oats1/3 cup
seed mix4 oz
Tunisia: Semolina Bread (Khubz Mbassis)
water14 fl.oz In Basic White Bread replace half flour by semolina meal and gluten flour, omit oil, increaseliquid, add seed. An alternative to the grain of paradise seed is a tsp ground mahleb and a Tbsp anise seed. Grain of paradise (Amomum melegueta, melegueta pepper) and mahleb can be found in Mid-East food stores.
semolina meal2 cup
white flour2 cup
gluten flour1/3 cup
grain of paradise2 Tbsp
Ukraine: Cabbage Filled Bread (Pagach)
cabbage8 oz In Basic White Bread omit oil; this is a Lenten bread. Shred cabbage, sprinkle with salt, toss and press under heel of hand until no crunch is left, fill (method here).
salt1/4 tsp
Turkey: Cornbread (Misir Ekmegi)
egg1 In Basic White Bread add egg, replace some flour by corn meal and gluten, add lemon zest, increase yeast. The egg is essential for proper rise. Corn is available ground fine (flour, particle size less than 0.3 mm), medium (meal, 0.3-0.6 mm) and coarse (grits, greater than 0.6 mm). Look for bright yellow stone ground meal for the most authentic texture and flavour. In some regions of Turkey this bread is made with water, cornmeal and nothing else, essentially a baked porridge, in other regions leavening is used as here. Spread it with yoghurt or hot butter, or dip in soup.
waterto make 12 fl.oz
corn meal2 cup
white flour1-1/2 cup
gluten flour1/2 cup
lemon zestpinch
yeast1-1/2 tsp
Turkey: Feta Cheese Bread (Peynirli Ekmek)
yoghurt11 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use yoghurt as liquid, add crumbled feta cheese, chopped dill, parsley & onion, omit oil (the cheese and yoghurt have plenty). With a vertical pan, reduce cheese to 3 oz. to ensure good rise.
feta cheese4 oz
dill weed2 Tbsp
parsley2 Tbsp
green onion1
Tuscany: Grape Harvest Bread (Schiacciata con l'Uva)
fresh grapes13 oz In Basic White Bread use grapes instead of water, add crushed rosemary. When I was young, grape harvest in the Niagara Peninsula was celebrated by a parade the whole length of town, with harvesters throwing bunches of grapes to onlookers. I prefer grapes with seeds, the way they were when I was young - they turn crunchy when baked. Crush the grapes between your fingers to make it easier for the kneader to incorporate their liquid with the flour. Most Tuscans would keep a branch of rosemary in a bottle of olive oil to get the rosemary essence for cooking.
rosemary1 Tbsp
Uganda: Pineapple Peanut Bread
crushed pineapple10 fl.oz Although both pineapple and peanut are native to South America, they've been grown in sub-Saharan Africa and been part of its cuisine for over a century. In Basic White Bread replace liquid with drained crushed pineapple and juice, increase sugar and yeast (pineapple slows down yeast a bit), add chopped well-roasted peanuts. The dough will look dry for the first few minutes of kneading until the moisture is pressed out of the pineapple.
pineapple juice 3 fl.oz
sugar2 Tbsp
yeast1-1/4 tsp
peanuts1 cup
United States: Anadama Bread
corn grits1 cup The original was made with cooked corn grits, but autolysing brings out the natural sugars of the corn better. Mix corn and water, cover, let stand at room temperature overnight.
water1 cup
water5 fl.oz To Basic White Bread add soaked corn grits, reduce water to allow for water in the corn, use molasses instead of sugar.
molasses1/4 cup
Uruguay: Sweet Anise Bread
corn syrup3 fl.oz In Basic White Bread use corn syrup for sweetener, add whole anise seed, reduce liquid, omit oil (to improve the taste of the anise). This is a traditional breakfast bread.
water11 fl.oz
anise seed1 Tbsp
Wales: Bara Brith
cinnamonpinch To Basic White Bread add cinnamon and buttermilk powder. Add currants near the end of kneading. This is made either with baking soda (similar to Irish Spotted Dog) or this way, with yeast.
buttermilk powder1/3 cup
currants4 oz

John Sankey
other notes on food