Bread Machine Woes
Andrew and I bought a bread machine about a month ago and have been having great fun making all sorts of delicious (and some not so delicious) loaves. The only problem I have with bread machine bread is that it never seems fluffy enough to me. It always turns out kind of dense. I decided to take a peek at Youtube to see if I could find any helpful videos. That’s when I found this terribly helpful nutritional advice:
I would have laughed myself silly if I hadn’t been sick! Instead I kind of coughed and wheezed myself silly…if that’s even possible.
So if any of you out there have any advice that’s actually helpful, I’d really appreciate it. None of the recipes I have call for any baking powder. Should I try throwing some in and if so, how much? Please help!
http://www.breadinfo.com/
http://www.westbend.com/westbend/support
http://busycooks.about.com/od/howtobake/
I don’t have an answer so maybe these sites will help you. Now if you asked me how to make the perfect Martini - - THAT I could help you with.
Feeling any better yet? * hands you a box of tissues and Halls *
Comment by Claudia — December 29, 2007 @ 7:44 am
Not helpful but funny.
No advice on bread makers; I only make mine from scratch a few times a year. Back when I had a bread maker, we ran into the same problem of denseness. Or maybe we were the ones who were dense. 
Comment by Amber — December 29, 2007 @ 8:59 am
Ask me how to make a perfect Martini and I’m your girl. As far as bread is concerned, I can’t help you. Just thought I’d let you know, you know, so you weren’t waiting for me to bestow some great bread mystery on you.
Comment by Claudia — December 29, 2007 @ 9:18 am
Hmm, I can help you with some quick-and-easy make-by-hand bread recipes, but the ways of the bread machine have always been mysterious to me… One thing I would advise, though: don’t put in baking powder. ‘Cuz that’s a whole different kind of rising mojo than the yeast-rising mystery that happens for bread. But I’ll ask my bread-machine-enabled pals and let you know if they have a solution…
Comment by Jen / domestika — December 29, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
well, I have the same complaint about bread machine bread and so I make it in the oven, by hand.
If you find out something that works let us all know.
Comment by txmommy — December 29, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
We take ours out of the machine about 20 minutes early … because if we don’t … well, you could stop bullets with the crust.
And that video … wow. Words cannot express … I … wow.
Comment by Allanna — December 29, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Morning sunshine!
BTW - the links you left? Didn’t work. And I want to see, I want to see!!!
Comment by Claudia — December 30, 2007 @ 8:09 am
Vital wheat gluten…you can find it at any health food store. It changed my bread machine life for the better.
Happy New Year!
Comment by Mrs. G. — December 30, 2007 @ 7:29 pm
I actually have never made BREAD in my bread machine. I set it on Dough and divide it into 2 loaves and let it rise for 30-45 min. Then bake it. I don’t know about your house, but our bread goes fast, so 2 loaves ARE better than 1. Also, I’d check what kind of bread flour you use. I’ve found that flour you get at the grocery store makes heavier bread than flour you get at a SAM’S club. It comes in a Huge Bag, but the flour is awesome and your bread is light and fluffy.
I hope this helps. I am no wizard in the kitchen. My mother in law taught me all I know. So, if I can do it, I’m certain you can too.
)
Comment by Jen — January 2, 2008 @ 6:38 am