Always check dough consistancy during the kneading cycle; add water or flour a little at a time, if necessary. It's easier to start with a little less water in a recipe, then adjust by adding about a teaspoon at a time while it's kneading.Keep yeast refrigerated. If you buy in bulk, yeast will keep in the freezer for years. 2 teaspoons active dry yeast = 1 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise, instant, or bread machine yeast.Moist ingredients, such as vegetables, fruit, mashed potatoes or cottage cheese, count as about half liquid. For instance, if you add 1/2 cup of mashed bananas, reduce liquid by 1/4 cup.Applesauce can be used to replace the butter or oil in most recipes.If you substitute honey or maple syrup for granulated sugar, reduce the liquid by an equal amount.Dough blades often stay in the loaf; always check for the blade when removing the loaf.Whole grain breads will not rise as high as white breads. Add vital wheat gluten (found in the flour section of most grocery stores) to give whole grain flour a boost.Toss dried fruits with a little flour before adding. They'll blend into the dough more evenly.To create a warm environment for dough that must rise out of the machine, turn the oven on its lowest setting for about 1 minute, then turn it off.Take notes! If your bread is comes out great, you'll want to make it the same way again, and you might want to share the recipe.Basic ratio of ingredients for each cup of bread flour:
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon fat
- approximately 3/8 cup liquid (1 large egg = scant 1/4 cup)
A great resource for problem solving:
Converting Bread Recipes for Use in Machines:
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, Best Bread Machine Recipes, 1997
Bread machines make either 1, 1-1/2 or 2 pound loaves. Here's a guide for determining which bread recipe will fit your machine (from kitchenlink.com): |
| IF RECIPE CALLS FOR: | USES A: |
| maximum of 2 cups flour | 1 lb machine |
| maximum 3 cups flour | 1-1/2 lb machine |
| maximum 4 cups flour | 2 lb machine |
Bread Machine Baking Problems:
adapted from fleishmanns.com and allrecipes.com Click to Go to Bread Machine Baking 101 |
| Short, small loaf | Dough too dry - added too much flour. Correct with a teaspoon of water at a time during the kneading cycle. Check expiration date on yeast package and test for freshness. |
| No rise | Use fresh yeast only. Check expiration date on yeast package and test for freshness. Add ingredients in recommended order |
| Underbaked, gummy core | Dough too wet. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour in the kneading cycle. |
| Collapsed loaf | Sometimes bread will over rise or rise too fast - adjust amount of yeast by 1/4 teaspoon or add in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour |
| Open texture / raw on top | Sometimes bread will over rise or rise too fast - adjust amount of yeast by 1/4 teaspoon or add in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour |
| Mushroom Shape | Water used to dissolve the yeast was too warm. Dough too wet. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour in the kneading cycle. |
| Heavy, dense texture | Too much flour or add-ins such as bran or oatmeal. Watch dough as it mixes and add extra water 1 teaspoon at a time, until a soft, but elastic, dough is formed. |
| Full of holes, or the texture is coarse. | Too much yeast or too much liquid in the dough. Measure carefully. |
| Underdone or burned. | Try adjusting the temperature control. Breads with a lot of sugar and milk or dairy will brown faster than those without. |
| Lumpy | Try adding a little more liquid. Watch the dough during the kneading process to make sure there's enough moisture to form a ball. |
| Sticky and won't form a ball when kneaded | Try adding more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until a ball is formed. |
| Rose to the top of the machine or overflowed. | Not enough salt - add in full amount, but no more or less. Sometimes bread will over rise or rise too fast - adjust amount of yeast by 1/4 teaspoon or add in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour |
| Top of your loaf is soft. | Remove the bread from the machine as soon as it is finished baking because moisture will quickly condense on top. |
| Crumbly and dry and doesn't form a ball when kneaded. | Try adding more liquid, a teaspoon at a time, until a ball is formed. |
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