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Bread Machine Secrets from the Pros

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by Donna Washburn, P.H.Ec. and Heather Butt, P.H.Ec.

Everyone delights in the flavour and aroma of fresh bread. And the chill of winter is the perfect incentive to discover the satisfaction of bread making. No need to spend time and effort kneading bread dough by hand. Just press a button after careful measuring of ingredients into a baking pan and come back when the machine indicates that your bread is baked. Homemade bread – it’s that easy!

Tips for Successful Bread Machine Baking

  • First, read recipe through completely. Gather and prepare ingredients and assemble extra equipment before beginning.
  • Select either metric or imperial measures and be consistent through entire recipe (never mix metric and imperial). Measure all the ingredients accurately.
  • Remove the baking pan from the bread machine when measuring and adding ingredients; do not measure over the bread machine.
  • Follow your bread machine manufacturer’s recommended order of adding recipe ingredients.
  • Consult operating manual for the best ingredient temperatures.
  • Keep dried fruits, grains and cereals away from the liquid in the pan.
  • Use the type of yeast and flour buy Propecia online specified in the recipe. Most recipes call for bread machine (instant) yeast and either all-purpose or bread flour.
  • Make a well in the top of the flour for the yeast. It should not touch the liquid.
  • Keep cinnamon and garlic away from the yeast as they inhibit the rising.
  • Measure the dried fruit for the “add ingredient signal” and place them beside the bread machine before starting the machine.
  • Do not use the timer for recipes containing eggs, fresh milk, cheese and other perishables.
  • Do not omit the salt even if you are on a low-sodium diet. Salt is essential in yeast action.
  • Do not make substitutions or omit any ingredients in the recipe.

Bread Machine Baking Pan Size

  • Determine the volume of your baking pan by filling it with water using a measuring cup.
  • Consult the chart below to verify the correct recipe size to use for your machine.

Bread Machine Sizes and Capacities

Capacity of baking pan Recipe size
6 to 9 cups

(1.5 to 2.25 L)

 1.5 lb (750 g)
9 to 12 cups

(2.25 to 3 L)

 1.5 lb (750 g) or

2 lb (1 kg)
12 to 16 cups

(3 to 4 L)

 2 lb (1 kg) or

2.5 lb (1.25 kg) or

3 lb (1.5 kg)

Triple-Seed Bread

This attractive loaf has lots of crunch! Consult the chart above for the correct size recipe for your own bread machine.

1.5 lb (750 g)

1-1/4 cups water 300 mL
1-1/4 tsp salt 6 mL
2 tbsp vegetable oil 25 mL
2 tbsp liquid honey 25 mL
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour 375 mL
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour 375 mL
1/4 cup buttermilk powder 50 mL
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 50 mL
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted 50 mL
1/4 cup sesame seeds 50 mL
3/4 tsp bread machine yeast 3 mL

2 lb (1 kg)

1-1/3 cups water 325 mL
1-1/2 tsp salt 7 mL
2 tbsp vegetable oil 25 mL
3 tbsp liquid honey 45 mL
1-2/3 cups whole wheat flour 400 mL
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour 400 mL
1/3 cup buttermilk powder 75 mL
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 75 mL
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted 75 mL
1/3 cup sesame seeds 75 mL
1 tsp bread machine yeast 5 mL

2.5 lb (1.25 kg)

1-3/4 cups water 425 mL
2 tsp salt 10 mL
3 tbsp vegetable oil 45 mL
3 tbsp liquid honey 45 mL
2 cups whole wheat flour 500 mL
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour 425 mL
1/2 cup buttermilk powder 125 mL
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 125 mL
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted 125 mL
1/2 cup sesame seeds 125 mL
1 tsp bread machine yeast 5 mL

Yes, you’re reading it correctly: The 2 lb (1 kg) and 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) recipes contain the same amount of yeast.

3 lb (1.5 kg)

2 cups water 500 mL
2-1/2 tsp salt 12 mL
1/4 cup vegetable oil 50 mL
1/4 cup liquid honey 50 mL
2-1/3 cups whole wheat flour 575 mL
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour 575 mL
2/3 cup buttermilk powder 150 mL
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds 150 mL
2/3 cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted 150 mL
2/3 cup sesame seeds 150 mL
1-1/2 tsp bread machine yeast 7 mL

Method

  1. Measure ingredients into bread machine baking pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer of your machine. Insert baking pan into oven chamber.
  2. Select Whole Wheat Cycle.

Tips from the Pros

  • Do not use roasted, salted sunflower seeds for this recipe. The extra fat and salt will make the loaf short and heavy.
  • You can vary the kind of seeds you use, but keep the total amount the same.
  • If your machine tends to bake darker loaves, try the Light Crust setting first.

About the Authors

Donna Washburn, P.H.Ec. and Heather Butt, P.H.Ec are Professional Home Economists and co-authors of 300 Best Canadian Bread Machine Recipes (Robert Rose Inc. 2009). They have extensive recipe development expertise working with many bread machine manufacturers and yeast companies. Other cookbooks by the same authors are: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine Baking Recipes; 125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes; Best Gluten-Free Family Cookbook; Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook; 250 Gluten-Free Favorites; and 125 Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes – to be released April 2010. (All books published by Robert Rose Inc.). More information at www.bestbreadrecipes.com or contact bread@ripnet.com.

The Ontario Home Economics Association, a self-regulated body of Professional Home Economists, promotes high professional standards among its members so that they may assist families and individuals to achieve and maintain a desirable quality of life.

For further information contact:

Ontario Home Economics Association

Box 45, R.R. #5, Dundalk, ON N0C 1B0

Tel/Fax: (519) 925-9684

E-mail: meline.batten@sympatico.ca

or visit www.ohea.on.ca

Solving The 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes

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Whole Wheat Bread

Let’s face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even professional bakers make boo boo’s).

I’m going to list here, the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes that you’re probably making, or might make if you’re not forewarned, and what you can do about to stop them.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 1

By far the most common bread baking mistake is when the salt is forgotten to be added to the whole wheat bread dough.

This results in very bland bread, and even effects the rising of the dough. Making your whole wheat bread flat on top.

The best solution for this is to use a post it note as a reminder to yourself, to add the salt to the whole wheat bread dough.

You can stick the post it note where ever you’re most likely to see it (fridge, recipe book, etc..)

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 2

The second most common mistake is when the whole wheat bread dough is allowed to over rise, which leads to it falling.

This usually happens when the whole wheat bread dough is forgotten about. And with so much going on our lives, who doesn’t forget things like this now and then?

But don’t fret, there is a solution: If the whole wheat bread is already in the bread pans when it over rises simply use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the excess dough off the sides of the unbaked loaves.

Separate and roll this dough into a few medium balls of dough. Allow them to rise 20 minutes to 30 minutes on a medium oiled cookie sheet, and then bake them on 350 Fahrenheit, for 15 to 20 minutes as whole wheat rolls.

Also allow the whole wheat bread dough to rise for about 15 to 20 more minutes before baking if it is extremely flat on top.

Another solution to help you keep from forgetting about your bread, is to use a timer which will beep loudly after the selected time period is up.

Using a timer can also help stop other whole wheat bread baking catastrophes from happening.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 3

When you heat up your water to put your yeast in, it is easy to accidentally make the water a bit too hot. This mistake will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.

To correct this mistake I strongly recommend you invest in a cooking thermometer, to measure the temperature of the water with it.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 4

If the recipe you use makes too much dough for your family’s needs and you worry that the extra bread will grow stale before you use it, fear not.

It is perfectly safe to refrigerate unused dough for a few days and allow the whole wheat bread dough to finish it’s rising time once you get it out to use it.

You can place a ziploc bag or plastic wrap over bowls that contain your whole wheat bread dough, to store it in your fridge and prevent oxidation.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 5

Burned bread. Yup, nothing tastes worse than whole wheat bread which is black as charcoal.

To avoid this, be sure you follow baking times and temperatures strictly. And again use a timer to remind yourself when it’s time to remove your whole wheat bread from the oven.

Also remember that gas ovens and electric ovens vary in their temperatures. If you’re using an electric oven you should bake almost all pastries on 350 Fahrenheit.

Sometimes a recipe will call for you to start baking a loaf of bread on a higher temperature, but will also usually tell you to turn the heat down after a certain amount of time.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 6

Mistakenly or purposefully using the wrong type of flour. If you are baking whole wheat bread, the only way to get good results is by using whole wheat flour to bake your bread.

There are different recipes for all the different types of bread and they all use one specific flour for each recipe.

So don’t try any substitution hoping that by adding rye flour for instance, you will actually turn a whole wheat bread recipe into rye bread. Because you won’t.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 7

Last but not least there is the problem of air bubbles (also called ”pockets”) which create large holes inside the whole wheat bread, after it’s done baking.

The best solution for this is to pinch any such bubbles whenever you see them in your whole wheat bread dough, before you bake it. This will immediately deflate the bubble.

Now you are armed with the knowledge of the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes (most of which also apply to all other rising breads) and how you should deal with them.

So don’t let the bread mistake blues get you down ever again.

- Beth Scott

Beth Scott is the author of The Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread Baking Guide. For more information visit her Easy Bread Baking website.

 

Whole Wheat Bread Making

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Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor

Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor

by Peter Reinhart (Author) & Ron Manville (Photographer)

Average Reader’s Score: four and half stars

Hardcover Edition: Best Deal

Review

Bread is back, Reinhart (The Bread Baker’s Apprentice) asserts, and it’s better than ever after being villainized during the anticarbohydrate diet fads; his manifesto of renewal, this enthusiastic tome featuring the kinds of whole grain breads he sees as the way forward, will be eagerly received by serious bakers. In three useful preliminary chapters, Reinhart describes how he developed the delayed fermentation process that makes these breads delicious as well as wholesome, dissects wheat’s route from stalk to loaf and patiently walks through the new technique’s theory and process, in order to arm bakers with every bit of information before they start kneading. The level of technical detail and demand for scientific precision may overwhelm amateurs, but anyone with some experience working with bread dough and starters, as well as a desire to get to the next level, will be gratified by Reinhart’s intense but friendly approach. In the more than 50 recipes, from a variety of breads including multigrain loaves, whole wheat cinnamon buns, brioche and crispy lavash, Reinhart builds on the first chapters with detailed commentary on ingredients and preparation, encouraging bakers to own the process but never leaving them in the lurch. Whether or not a home baker is looking for healthier recipes, Reinhart’s peerless way of writing about bread is sure to inspire a new respect for whole grains. Color photos not seen by PW. – (Oct.) Publishers Weekly. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains

by King Arthur Flour

Average Reader’s Score: four and half stars

Hardcover Edition: Best Deal

Description

Hang on to your pie plate—King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking will change the way every baker thinks about whole grains.

Forget what you know about whole grain baking. Instead, envision light, flaky croissants; airy cakes; moist brownies; dreamy piecrusts; and scrumptious cookies—all made with whole grains. This is what you get in King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, a revolutionary cookbook that breathes new life into breads, cakes, cookies, pastries, and more by transforming the dark and dense alchemy of whole grain baking into lively, flavorful, sweet, and savory treats of all types.

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking is a book that only the bakers at King Arthur Flour could successfully complete, opening up the home baker’s repertoire to new flours, new flavors, and new categories of whole grain baked goods. It spills over with helpful tips, how-to illustrations, sidebars on history and lore, and a friendly voice that says to readers, “Come into the kitchen with me and let’s bake.” Thousands of hours were spent testing these recipes, making sure that each one met their high standards. The final result is more than 400 delicious, inviting, and foolproof recipes that have earned a place in King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking—the next generation whole grain cookbook. 125 black & white illustrations, 16 color pages, index. – Amazon

 

Whole Grain Breads by Machine or Hand: 200 Delicious, Healthful, Simple Recipes

Whole Grain Breads by Machine or Hand: 200 Delicious, Healthful, Simple Recipes

by Beatrice Ojakangas

Average Reader’s Score: four and half stars

Paperback Edition: Best Deal

Description

“Possibly the best such bread book on the market… every recipe a winner.” – New York Times

This accessible book gives new and experienced bakers the freedom and flexibility they need to make excellent homemade loaves, with more than 190 recipes that range from a simple Sourdough Bread to a fancy Finnish Cardamom Coffee Braid. Celebrated as a “reliable and inventive recipe writer” by Publishers Weekly, Beatrice Ojakangas shares four ways to make each delicious whole-grain recipe step by step: by hand, mixer, food processor, and bread machine.

Beatrice Ojakangas (Duluth, MN) is a well-known food writer, author, and consultant whose articles have appeared in Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Redbook, and other magazines. Her many books include the James Beard Award—winning Light and Easy Baking. She has been a guest on radio and television, including CNN, Martha Stewart Living, and Baking with Julia. – Amazon

 

Great Whole Grain Breads

Great Whole Grain Breads

by Beatrice Ojakangas

Average Reader’s Score: four and half stars

Paperback Edition: Best Deal

Hardcover Edition: Best Deal

Description

The crust, the texture, the aroma, the taste-a hearty whole grain bread makes the meal or, in the case of the cheese breads, blinis, or calzone that Beatrice Ojakangas serves up, becomes the meal. The seasoned baker and the passionate amateur, the connoisseur and the simply famished will find plenty to celebrate in Ojakangas’s classic bread-making book.

Whether it’s traditional Finnish rye, old-fashioned corn bread, scones, croissants, pretzels, or popovers, the perfect bread for any occasion can be found in this book, along with companionable advice for making it perfectly every time. For the baker with no time to spare, Ojakangas includes a large assortment of fast and easy breads.

With more than 250 sweet-and-savory recipes, easy-to-follow, step-by-step techniques for mixing and kneading, and special hints for working with whole grains, Great Whole Grain Breads should find a place in every baker’s kitchen.

Beatrice Ojakangas is the author of dozens of cookbooks, including The Great Scandinavian Baking Book (1999), Scandinavian Feasts (2001), and The Great Holiday Baking Book (2001), all published by Minnesota. She has appeared on television’s Baking with Julia Child and Martha Stewart’s Living, and has written articles for many newspapers and magazines, including Cooking Light, Family Circle, and Bon Appetit. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota. – Amazon

 

The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking

The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking

by Laurel Robertson

Average Reader’s Score: four and half stars

Paperback Edition: Best Deal

Description

The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book is the classic bestselling cookbook devoted to baking light, healthful, delicious bread entirely from whole grains. This specially updated edition includes an entirely new chapter on making excellent whole-grain loaves in a bread machine. Now even the busiest among us can bake the delectable loaves for which Laurel’s Kitchen is famous.

New research proves what we’ve known all along: Eating whole grains really is better for your health! Here, the switch from “white” is made fun and easy.

Like a good friend, the “Loaf for Learning” tutorial guides you step-by-step through the baking process. You’ll make perfect loaves every time, right from the start.

Here you’ll find recipes for everything—from chewy Flemish Desem Bread and mouthwatering Hot Cross Buns to tender Buttermilk Rolls, foolproof Pita Pockets, tangy Cheese Muffins, and luscious Banana Bread—all with clear explanations and helpful woodcut illustrations.

The brand-new chapter on bread machines teaches you to make light “electric” loaves from whole-grain flour. No matter what your schedule, you can come home to the wonderful smell of baking bread, fresh, hot, and ready to enjoy. – Amazon

 

Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe's Best Artisan Bakers

Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe’s Best Artisan Bakers

by Daniel Leader & Lauren Chattman (Contributor)

Average Reader’s Score: four stars

Hardcover Edition: Best Deal

Description

Recipes from the back rooms and basement bakeries that produce Europe’s best breads. When Daniel Leader opened his Catskills bakery, Bread Alone, twenty years ago, he was determined to duplicate the whole-grain and sourdough breads he had learned to make in the bakeries of Paris. The bakery was an instant success, and his first book, Bread Alone, brought Leader’s breads to home kitchens. In this, his second book, Leader shares his experiences traveling throughout Europe in search of the best artisan breads. He learned how to make new-wave sourdough baguettes with spelt, flaxseed, and soy at an organic bakery in Alsace; and in Genzano, outside of Rome, he worked with the bakers who make the enormous country loaves so unique that they have earned the Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP), a government mark reserved for the most prized foods and wines. Leader’s detailed recipes describe every step that it takes to reproduce these rare loaves, which until now were available strictly locally. 32 pages of color illustrations. – Amazon