How to check the doughball
One of the most important
secrets to making good bread is having the correct consistency of the dough.
During the second kneading cycle, check the consistency of the doughball.
If the doughball appears sticky or wet, sprinkle in flour a tablespoon at a time
until the doughball appears smooth, round and dry, and circles nicely in the
pan. If the doughball appears flaky, or you hear your breadmaker begin to
make knocking sounds, the dough ball is too dry, and you need to sprinkle in
water a teaspoon at a time until the doughball appears smooth, round and dry,
and circles nicely in the pan. Be careful not to add too much water.
How to test for the freshness of your yeast.
You can assess how fresh your yeast is by filling a cup with warm water and stirring in 2 teaspoons of sugar. Next sprinkle a few teaspoons of yeast on the surface of the water. After 15 minutes, the yeast should foam and have a distinct odor. If neither reaction happens, the yeast is too old and should be thrown away.
Add ingredients in the right order
Add the ingredients into the bread pan in the exact order given in the recipe: first, liquid ingredients; second, dry ingredients; last, yeast. Also, make sure the ingredients are at room temperature, unless otherwise noted. Last, it’s a good idea to start with fresh ingredients (especially fresh flour and yeast).
Get to know your bread maker and your
favorite type of bread maker recipe.
The first time you use your new bread maker and/or bread
maker recipe, watch the machine, keeping track of the dough to be sure that the
ingredients are mixed thoroughly and that the dough is neither too dry nor too
sticky. If the recipe needs liquid or dry ingredients added, carefully measure
whatever you add and make meticulous notation on the recipe for future use. Near
the end of the baking cycle, keep track of the bread to see what is happening
with the crust, whether it is too dark, too hard, etc., and turn the bread maker
off early if necessary, noting on your recipe the crust setting you need to use
next time.
No More By Guess and By Gosh!
“Measure ingredients exactly” must become your
motto when using a bread maker. When measuring liquids, place a see-through
measuring cup on the counter and read the measurement at eye level. Be very
fussy so that it is exact. When using measuring spoons, be exact.
When measuring dry ingredients, use a straight edge to
scrape off the excess until it is level. For flour measurement, spoon it
lightly into a dry ingredient measuring cup and level it with a straight edge
such as a knife. By doing this you will get an accurate measurement. If you
scoop the flour in with the measuring cup, tap it on the counter, or shake the
cup, you are likely to get more flour than the recipe calls for, resulting in
inferior baked goods.
For Baking at High Altitudes
To compensate for high altitude baking, we have these recommendations: If the
dough is too dry, increase the amount of water to the recipe, sometimes as much
as 2-4 tablespoons per cup. If the bread rises too high, use less yeast and
sugar. For each teaspoon of yeast, try reducing the yeast by 1/8 to 1/4
teaspoon. For each tablespoon of sugar, use 1-2 teaspoons less sugar.
