NIX KITCHEN
THE SMALL-LOAF SERIES
29 OCTOBER 2026
The pecan, raisin & honey loaf
Pecan & raisin.
Proper comfort.
Buttery pecans. Sweet raisins. A little honey. My plan for a soft, small loaf that deserves a proper mug of tea.
By John “NIX” Nickolls · Panasonic SD-PN100 · Custom recipe design
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Small machine. A little indulgence.
The loaf I want beside the kettle.
This is the sort of loaf I want waiting beside the kettle: a soft white crumb, little pockets of raisin sweetness and enough pecan to give every few bites that lovely buttery, nutty character. A thick slice, a decent spread of butter and a mug of tea sounds like an excellent arrangement.
My plan starts with the Panasonic SD-PN100 and the rule I keep coming back to: 250 g of flour, maximum. Within that small loaf there is room for plenty of character. Honey, milk powder and butter form the enriched dough; the fruit and nuts provide the interesting bits.
I am keeping those additions measured: thirty grams of raisins and twenty grams of pecans, with softness taking priority. I want a loaf that slices neatly and makes the butter worth getting out of the fridge.
THE RECIPE · ONE SMALL LOAF
Pecan, raisin & honey.
For the Panasonic SD-PN100. Weigh the flour and additions carefully; keep the fruit and nuts aside until the machine asks for them.
Into the pan
| Cool water | 170 ml |
|---|---|
| Runny honey | 15 g |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 20 g |
| Strong white bread flour | 250 g |
| Skimmed milk powder | 10 g |
| Fine salt | 4 g |
| Instant dried yeast (such as Fermipan Red) | ¾ level tsp |
At the addition beep
| Soft raisins | 30 g |
|---|---|
| Pecans, finely chopped | 20 g |
250 g flour in total. 50 g additions in total. The flour allowance is my standing limit. Panasonic specifies a maximum of 50 g of extra ingredients, shared here between the raisins and pecans. [2]
Contains wheat, milk and pecans. Optional finishing butter is extra to the dough ingredients.
The good bits
Three flavours. Plenty of character.
Pecans
The mellow, buttery note. Small pieces should give the loaf a little texture without dominating every bite.
Raisins
Little pockets of sweetness. I would use soft raisins unsoaked for this first version, keeping the liquid balance easier to repeat.
Honey
A gentle sweetness through the dough. Fifteen grams is my starting point; the raisins bring their own character too.
I would leave cinnamon out of the first bake so the pecans and honey have their moment. For a warmer, teacake-style version later, I would try just ¼ teaspoon cinnamon with the flour. One small change at a time makes it easier to decide what earns a place in the recipe.
The method
Make it the NIX way.
Prepare the little bits of character.
Use soft, ready-to-eat raisins straight from the packet. Break apart any clumps and chop large raisins into small pieces. Finely chop the pecans to pieces smaller than about 5 mm. [1] For extra aroma, I would lightly toast the pecans in a dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes, stirring and watching closely, then cool completely before chopping. Keep both additions aside.
Load the pan, liquids first.
Fit the kneading blade, then add the 170 ml water and 15 g honey, followed by the butter pieces. Cover with all 250 g flour. Add the milk powder and salt towards the edges, then make a shallow, dry hollow in the flour for the yeast. Liquids first is my preferred loading order; Panasonic’s published method starts with yeast. [1]
Set it going.
Select Menu 3 — Basic Raisin, choose Light crust and press Start straight away. The programme takes about 4 hours to 4 hours 10 minutes. [1] Let the normal initial rest run: a quiet breadmaker at the beginning does not mean the bread has gone on strike.
Give the dough a quick look.
After about 5–10 minutes of actual kneading, I want a cohesive, soft dough that is slightly tacky. Give the flour time to absorb the water. If it remains clearly dry or ragged, add 1 teaspoon / 5 ml water and let it mix before judging again. Keep hands and utensils clear of the moving paddle.
Add the pecans and raisins at the beep.
When the ingredient signal sounds, add the prepared 30 g raisins and 20 g pecans. Close the lid and press Start again within three minutes. Follow the machine’s signal rather than a separate timer. [2] Then leave the lid closed during the later rise and bake.
Cool it properly. Then reach for the butter.
When baking finishes, use oven gloves to remove the hot pan and turn the loaf onto a wire rack. If you like, brush the hot top lightly with a little extra butter. Allow at least an hour and preferably until fully cool before slicing. Check that the kneading blade is out before cutting. A little patience earns a cleaner slice.
The serving plan
Butter first. Kettle on.
Butter is my first choice. The recipe already has sweetness from the raisins and honey, so I would begin with a simple slice and a proper mug of tea. For breakfast, lightly toasted with butter and a thin drizzle of honey sounds particularly promising.
A slice of mature Cheddar is another appealing direction: fruit, pecans and a proper savoury cheese belong comfortably on the same plate. I would keep the toppings simple enough to enjoy the loaf itself.
The sort of loaf that makes a perfectly ordinary tea break feel like a good decision.
Save a slice for tomorrow.
Once fully cold, keep the bread wrapped or in an airtight container. I would plan to enjoy it over the next couple of days and freeze spare slices early, separated so that one or two are easy to take out for toast. Letting the loaf cool before wrapping also keeps trapped steam from making the crust damp.
RECIPE REFERENCES
[1] Panasonic SD-PN100 operating instructions and recipes — programme, timing, loading order and preparation of fruit and nuts.
[2] Panasonic SD-PN100KXC UK operating guide — the 50 g addition limit and resuming after the addition signal.
NIX DRONES STORIES · NIX KITCHEN · HERE’S TO THE NEXT LOAF.