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MILK enhances flavor and increases the nutritional value of bread. Any type of milk (whole, 2%, 1% skim, buttermilk or canned evaporated milk) can be used in making bread. Refrigerated milk must always be warmed to
WATER used in combination with dry milk is a good substitute for regular milk and must be used when using the timer feature of the bread maker as regular milk can spoil when left at room temperature for several hours. Use lukewarm water, about
Using too much liquid can cause the bread to collapse during the bake cycle. During humid weather, slightly less liquid may be needed as the flour will absorb moisture from the air. In dry weather, slightly more liquid may be needed as flour can lose moisture. When you experience a severe change in weather, it is best to check the condition of the dough during the knead cycle as noted in the FLOUR paragraph for any minor adjustment that may be needed. Water and milk are, for the most part, interchangeable in recipes. Eliminate dry milk in recipes when substituting milk for water. Watch the condition of the dough during the knead cycle for any minor adjustment that may be needed. Slightly more milk may be needed when substituting for water.
•BUTTER, MARGARINE, SHORTENING and OILS serve several purposes in bread making as they tenderize the bread, add flavor and richness and contribute to the storage life of bread by retaining moisture. An excess of fat, however, can inhibit rising, so measure accurately.
Butter, margarine and solid shortening are interchangeable in recipes. You may wish to cut butter and margarine into four (4) pieces for faster blending during the knead cycle. Do not use fat reduced margarines as they contain more water and can affect the size of the loaf.
If substituting oil for a solid fat, reduce the amount of liquid in recipe by ½ to 1 tablespoon, making any minor adjustment during the knead cycle to obtain the right dough consistency.
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EGGS add color, richness and leavening to bread. Use large eggs. No premixing is needed. Egg substitutes can be used in place of fresh eggs. One egg equals ¼ cup egg substitute. To reduce cholesterol, you can substitute two (2) egg whites for each large egg in the recipes without affecting the end result. Watch the dough during the knead cycle as some minor adjustment may be needed to get the dough to the right consistency.
A special tip when using eggs is to run them under warm water for about one minute before cracking, as this helps the egg slide out of the shell better.
SALT has several functions in making bread. It inhibits the yeast growth while strengthening the gluten structure to make the dough more elastic, plus it adds flavor. Use ordinary table salt in your bread maker. Using too little or eliminating the salt will cause the dough to over rise. Using too much can prevent the dough from rising as high as it should. “Light” salt can be used as a substitute for ordinary table salt, providing it contains both potassium chloride and sodium. Use the same amount as recommended for table salt. When adding salt to pan, add to one corner to keep it away from yeast, especially when using timer as the salt can retard its growth.
YEAST is a living organism, which through fermentation, feeds on carbohydrates in flour and sugar to produce carbon dioxide gas that makes the bread rise. Active dry, fast rising or bread machine yeast can be used in your bread maker. Use only the amount stated in the recipes. Using a little more can cause the dough to over rise and bake into the top of the bread maker. Fast rising yeast and bread machine yeast are virtually the same and interchangeable with one another and must be used at the one hour bread cycle for best results.
DO NOT USE COMPRESSED CAKE YEAST IN YOUR BREAD MAKER. RECIPES IN THE BOOK WERE TESTED USING ONLY ACTIVE DRY, FAST RISING AND BREAD MACHINE YEAST.
Keep yeast stored in the refrigerator. You may find it handy to purchase yeast in glass jars so you can measure the exact amount you can measure the exact amount you need without having to waste any. If using yeast packed in a
ALWAYS MAKE SURE YEAST IS FRESH AND HAS NOT EXPIRED THE “USE BY” DATE PRINTED ON THE JAR OR ENVELOPE.
•VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN is the gluten protein which has been rinsed from wheat flour and then dried. Vital gluten will increase the protein content in flour to produce a higher loaf of bread with lighter texture. About the only time you may wish to consider adding vital gluten to recipes is for 100% whole wheat bread or recipes containing a high percentage of whole wheat or other whole grain flours or cereals. As a guideline, add one (1) teaspoon vital gluten per cup of flour used in the recipe. Check the condition of the dough during kneading as you may need to add a little water as the vital gluten will absorb liquid. Vital gluten can be obtained at most health food stores. Do not use gluten flour, as this is not as effective as vital gluten as it contains less protein.
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