Bread Machines
Created | Updated Oct 4, 2002
Bread Machines-one of those items that sure, you could live without-but hey! they're fun
Bread Machines take the 'hard' work out of making breads, cakes and doughs. It's almost a case of opening the lid, opening the packet of mix, pouring in some water-and then switching on. In fact apart from the measuring of ingredients, there is nothing hard to do at all.
<star>The Basics<star>
One of the fundamental things about bread making is the yeast-which makes the loaf rise. Make sure your yeast is fresh-it's best to buy the individual use sachets. The recipes will always ask for 'tepid' or 'luke warm' water-to make sure you get the temperature right, make the water one part boiling water to two parts cold water-then it won't be too cold or too warm.
To use a bread machine you will need access to an electrical plug hole-preferably in the kitchen. You will also need a measuring jug and scales-but you may get a measuring cup and spoon with your machine when you buy it. You will also probably get a recipe/instruction book. You will need to read your instruction manual to find out the quantities required for your machine-and it will tell you what size your loaf will be.
<chef>The Ingredients<chef>
There are two routes to take when making anything in your bread machine. You can either follow the instructions and gather the various ingredients required-or you can buy a pre mixed pack. The Pre mixed pack will tell you how much of everything you need, like how much mix, water and sometimes oil. For instance, a mix for " Garlic and Rosemary Foccacia" will say:
to make a small 1lb loaf you need: 250g of mix, 155ml of water and 3 tbsp (tablespoons) of oil.
to make a medium (the most common size) 1 and 1/2 lb loaf use: 350g mix, 220ml water and 4 tbsps oil
for a large loaf of 2 lb (only the top of the range machines produce this monster) use:500g (the whole pack) of mix, 310ml water and 6 tbsps of oil.
to make this mix into bread, you simply remove the bowl from the machine and place on the worktop/table, dump in the amount of mix, pour in the water, add almost all the oil and then replace the bowl in the machine. Then switch it on. The machine will then do all the mixing and proving for you. After the final proving, poke deep holes in the puffy dough, and drizzle over the last of the oil. Then the baking begins. From start to finish, the entire process will take about 3 hours.
Then there's following a recipe. For instance a basic white loaf
using the provided measuring cup-if they gave you one-
tepid water (remember the temperature) 1 and 1/8th of a cup,
2 and 1/2 tbsps of skimmed milk powder,
2 tbsps of sugar,
1 and 1/4 tsps salt,
2 and 1/2 tbsps of Oil,
1 and 1/4 (or one sachet) of yeast.
put the ingredients in the bowl, switch the machine on-and away it goes.
<disco>Note<disco>
Some breads are better suited to being baked in a 'normal' oven-so use the machine on 'dough' setting to make the mixture up-then bake in the oven.
<scientist>Settings<scientist>
You will find that your machine has different settings/cycles-here is a rough guide to the running time;
Basic White=Three hours
Quick=2 hours 20 minutes
French bread= 3 hours 50 minutes (makes a crusty loaf)
Cake=1 hour 50 minutes
Wholemeal=3 hours 40 minutes
Dough-this setting only mixes and does NOT bake=1 hour 30 minutes
<donut>The Timer Setting<donut>
Your machine will probably come with a timer function, so that you can programme the thing to come on over night-which means you can wake up to freshly baked bread. The Timer, however should not be used if the mixture contains fresh milk, onions or fruit.
<porkpie>Some other thoughts<porkpie>
It's easy to get side tracked when making your bread-and there are some class mistakes that-ahem-One can make;
Opening the lid at the wrong time-don't open the lid late on-or you'll have flat bread.
Don't use old yeast-it won't rise
Don't forget to replace the mixing blade after cleaning <blush>
Don't add extra sugar/salt-your bread won't rise.
The machine gets hot-AS IT BAKES-don't get burned! <devil>
and make sure you've washed your hands before preparing food. <ill>
<puff> Recipes<puff>
a few pretty easy recipes:
Orange Bread-
The juice of three Oranges
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Honey
1 tsp salt
3 and 1/4 cups of strong white flour
grated rind of 3 oranges
1 and 1/2 tsps dry yeast
use the basic white setting.
cheddar bread
1 cup of tepid water
2 tbsps skimmed milk powder
2 tbsps of sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp dry mustard
half a cup of cheese
3 cups of strong white flour
1 and 1/2 tsp dry yeast
use the basic white setting
Peanut butter bread
1 and 1/8th cup of tepid water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup of peanut butter
3 and 1/4 cups of strong white flour
1 and 1/2 tsps dry yeast
and use basic white setting.
enjoy!
Bread Machines take the 'hard' work out of making breads, cakes and doughs. It's almost a case of opening the lid, opening the packet of mix, pouring in some water-and then switching on. In fact apart from the measuring of ingredients, there is nothing hard to do at all.
<star>The Basics<star>
One of the fundamental things about bread making is the yeast-which makes the loaf rise. Make sure your yeast is fresh-it's best to buy the individual use sachets. The recipes will always ask for 'tepid' or 'luke warm' water-to make sure you get the temperature right, make the water one part boiling water to two parts cold water-then it won't be too cold or too warm.
To use a bread machine you will need access to an electrical plug hole-preferably in the kitchen. You will also need a measuring jug and scales-but you may get a measuring cup and spoon with your machine when you buy it. You will also probably get a recipe/instruction book. You will need to read your instruction manual to find out the quantities required for your machine-and it will tell you what size your loaf will be.
<chef>The Ingredients<chef>
There are two routes to take when making anything in your bread machine. You can either follow the instructions and gather the various ingredients required-or you can buy a pre mixed pack. The Pre mixed pack will tell you how much of everything you need, like how much mix, water and sometimes oil. For instance, a mix for " Garlic and Rosemary Foccacia" will say:
to make a small 1lb loaf you need: 250g of mix, 155ml of water and 3 tbsp (tablespoons) of oil.
to make a medium (the most common size) 1 and 1/2 lb loaf use: 350g mix, 220ml water and 4 tbsps oil
for a large loaf of 2 lb (only the top of the range machines produce this monster) use:500g (the whole pack) of mix, 310ml water and 6 tbsps of oil.
to make this mix into bread, you simply remove the bowl from the machine and place on the worktop/table, dump in the amount of mix, pour in the water, add almost all the oil and then replace the bowl in the machine. Then switch it on. The machine will then do all the mixing and proving for you. After the final proving, poke deep holes in the puffy dough, and drizzle over the last of the oil. Then the baking begins. From start to finish, the entire process will take about 3 hours.
Then there's following a recipe. For instance a basic white loaf
using the provided measuring cup-if they gave you one-
tepid water (remember the temperature) 1 and 1/8th of a cup,
2 and 1/2 tbsps of skimmed milk powder,
2 tbsps of sugar,
1 and 1/4 tsps salt,
2 and 1/2 tbsps of Oil,
1 and 1/4 (or one sachet) of yeast.
put the ingredients in the bowl, switch the machine on-and away it goes.
<disco>Note<disco>
Some breads are better suited to being baked in a 'normal' oven-so use the machine on 'dough' setting to make the mixture up-then bake in the oven.
<scientist>Settings<scientist>
You will find that your machine has different settings/cycles-here is a rough guide to the running time;
Basic White=Three hours
Quick=2 hours 20 minutes
French bread= 3 hours 50 minutes (makes a crusty loaf)
Cake=1 hour 50 minutes
Wholemeal=3 hours 40 minutes
Dough-this setting only mixes and does NOT bake=1 hour 30 minutes
<donut>The Timer Setting<donut>
Your machine will probably come with a timer function, so that you can programme the thing to come on over night-which means you can wake up to freshly baked bread. The Timer, however should not be used if the mixture contains fresh milk, onions or fruit.
<porkpie>Some other thoughts<porkpie>
It's easy to get side tracked when making your bread-and there are some class mistakes that-ahem-One can make;
Opening the lid at the wrong time-don't open the lid late on-or you'll have flat bread.
Don't use old yeast-it won't rise
Don't forget to replace the mixing blade after cleaning <blush>
Don't add extra sugar/salt-your bread won't rise.
The machine gets hot-AS IT BAKES-don't get burned! <devil>
and make sure you've washed your hands before preparing food. <ill>
<puff> Recipes<puff>
a few pretty easy recipes:
Orange Bread-
The juice of three Oranges
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Honey
1 tsp salt
3 and 1/4 cups of strong white flour
grated rind of 3 oranges
1 and 1/2 tsps dry yeast
use the basic white setting.
cheddar bread
1 cup of tepid water
2 tbsps skimmed milk powder
2 tbsps of sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp dry mustard
half a cup of cheese
3 cups of strong white flour
1 and 1/2 tsp dry yeast
use the basic white setting
Peanut butter bread
1 and 1/8th cup of tepid water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup of peanut butter
3 and 1/4 cups of strong white flour
1 and 1/2 tsps dry yeast
and use basic white setting.
enjoy!
