23
Questions about ingredients and recipes
Question 14
How do I know when to add raisins, nuts, etc.
to the bread?
There is a beeper tone to signal that you may add
raisins, nuts, etc. during the second kneading cycle.
Note: See ‘Baking cycle times’ chart for ‘Add nuts &
raisins’ time.
In some cases, ingredients can be broken up during
the initial kneading cycle. Each recipe indicates the
best time to add fruit and nuts to the dough.
Question 15
How come my bread comes out too moist?
What can I do?
Humidity may affect the dough. Add an extra
tablespoon of flour. Also, high altitude may have the
same effect. Decrease the amount of yeast by
1/
4
teaspoon and decrease the sugar and/or water/milk
slightly.
Question 16
Why do I get air bubbles at the top of the
bread?
This can be caused by using too much yeast.
Decrease the yeast by
1/
4
tsp.
Question 17
Why does my bread rise and then collapse or
crater?
The bread may be rising too much. To reduce the
rate of rising, reduce the amount of yeast and/or
increase the amount of salt.
Question 18
Can I use my favourite bread recipes
(traditional yeast bread) in my bread machine?
Yes, but you will need to experiment to get the right
proportion of ingredients. Become familiar with the unit
and make several loaves of bread before you begin
experimenting. Never exceed a total amount of 5 cups
dry ingredients (that includes the total amount of flour,
oats, oatmeal, bran). Use the recipes in this book to
help determine the ratio of dry ingredients to liquid and
amounts of yeast, sugar, salt, and oil/butter/margarine
to use. We advise creating your own bread recipes
using the basic mode, then progress to the others,
using the Baking cycle times chart as a guide.
Question 19
Is it important for ingredients to be at room
temperature before adding them to the baking
pan?
Yes, even when the delay timer is being used.
(Water must be between 21°C and 28°C).
Question 20
Why do the loaves vary in height and weight?
The whole wheat/wholewheat breads are always
shorter. Am I doing something wrong?
No, it is normal for Whole Wheat and Wholemeal
breads to be shorter and denser than Basic or French
breads. Whole Wheat and Wholemeal flour are heavier
than white bread flour, therefore they don’t rise as
much during the bread making process. This is also
true for bread containing fruit, nuts, oats and bran.
Question 21
Can I premix the yeast with water?
No, the yeast must be kept dry and put into the
baking pan last, above the flour. this is especially
important when the delay timer is being used.
Question 22
Why is there a large hole in the base of the
bread?
This hole has been created by the kneading blade.
Sometimes this hole is larger than normal. This is
because the dough has rested to the side of the blade
after the second kneading cycle - normal with bread
makers. You could position the dough evenly in the
base of the pan.