French Pear Bread {Bread Machine}

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Easy Bread Machine Recipe: Just mash the canned pears and dump everything into the bread maker. Fresh bread is a push of a button away.
• Naturally Sweetened: Canned fruit and honey are used for a gentle sweetness without loads of sugar.
• Elegant for Every Day: This is one of those rare recipes that feels so fancy but is made from simple ingredients.

Ingredients

• Canned Pear Halves: I buy the ones in 100% juice.
• Honey
• Black Pepper: This unique addition highlights the pear flavor so nicely!
• Bread Flour
• Egg
• Active Dry Yeast: I use Red Star yeast, you do not need to buy “bread machine yeast” specifically, but if that’s what you already have it will definitely work in this recipe.
• Kosher Salt

Bread Machine Tips

As the author of The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, I’m very passionate about baking homemade bread with a bread maker.

If you’re curious and wondering if a bread maker is worth it, not only do I think the answer is yes but I’ve reviewed the most popular bread machine for beginners.

For this recipe, I used my Cuisinart bread machine because I love how easy it makes uniform loaves for slicing.

The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook

Is a Bread Maker Worth It?

Essential Bread Baking Tools and Equipment

50 Best Bread Maker Recipes

Mash the Pears

Use a fork to transfer the pear halves to a clean bowl draining off as much of the canning juice from them first.

Use the fork to mash the pears. You should get about 1 cup of pears from 1 can of pear halves.

Add the mashed pears to the bread machine pan fitted with the paddle attachment.

Then add the water, egg, and honey.

Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the bread flour right on top of the liquid ingredients.

Add the salt, pepper, and then dig a shallow well in the center and add the yeast there like this:

Baking Instructions

Place the bread pan back in the bread machine.

Select the 2-pound setting, the BASIC/WHITE program, and the crust color you desire. I used “Medium” for this loaf.

Press START.

Watch the dough as it mixes for the first 5 minutes. The dough should come together in a nice ball like this:

The full cycle will take about 3 hours and 45 minutes, depending on your bread maker.

Once the bread is finished baking, carefully remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Make Ahead Tips

I often bake my bread machine breads the day before I plan to slice them. I let them cool completely and then store in a plastic bread bag overnight.

This makes the loaf so easy to slice neatly the next day.

The bread will keep stored in a bread bag on the counter for 2 – 3 days.

If you’d like to freeze the loaf, I recommend slicing it completely and freezing it in a bread bag. This allows you to thaw just a slice or two at a time and enjoy them toasted.

Variations

• More Spices: You could add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a cozy flavor twist.
• Double the Pepper: For a more peppery accent, double the amount of pepper called for in the recipe. As it is written, you don’t really taste the pepper itself, though it helps highlight the pear.
• Add Nuts: Chopped walnuts would be delicious for a bit of crunch. Add them during the mix-in phase of your bread maker.

Serving Suggestions

Toasted French pear bread is a perfect tea party treat with a pot of tea. Slice it into toast points and serve it with mock clotted cream or brush it with melted butter and a drizzle of honey.

You could also spread it with whipped cream cheese and fresh berries for a brunch snack board.

Mock Clotted Cream

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