Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes
by Dennis Weaver
Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were
trying to help a customer whose bread did not
rise enough. It seemed that he did everything
right. Come to find out, he had an older model
and a brand that we were not familiar with.
(Bread machines are becoming more standardized
but there are still different requirements for
different machines.) So we tried to help him
fine tune his mix to work perfectly with his
machine.
Fine tuning may be required either because the
mix does not perfectly match the machine or
because of environmental conditions in your
kitchen—humidity, temperature, or altitude.
(Since temperature is a variable, make sure
that both the mix and machine are at room temperature
before beginning.)
Bread machines work on a timer. They mix, allow
time for the bread to rise, and then bake. If
the dough does not rise fast enough, then the
loaf is dense with poor volume. If the dough
rises too fast, it collapses with a depression
in the middle. To fine tune a mix, we want to
adjust the rising so that it is at peak height
when the baking cycle begins.
In fine tuning, there are two variables to work
with. The first is hydration, the ratio of water
to dry ingredients. A more hydrated dough is
softer and will rise easier. If it is too firm,
it won't rise enough and will be dense. If it
is too soft, it will rise too quickly and collapse
as baking begins. A little difference in the
amount of water added will change the loaf so
measure carefully with a reliable measuring
cup designed for liquids.
Check the dough ball at the end of the kneading
cycle. Poke it with your finger. It should be
soft but not too sticky. If you think it is
too soft or too firm, pull it out of the machine,
form a loaf, let it rise, and bake it in the
oven. Then next time, add or subtract water.
Usually a one tablespoon adjustment is all that
is needed.
The other method for fine tuning is adjusting
the temperature of the water. All of our bread
machine mixes are developed with water at 80
degrees and a specified water temperature range
of 75 to 85 degrees. As a rule of thumb, if
your kitchen is chilly, use water at 85 degrees.
If hot, use water at 75 degrees.
Increasing or decreasing the water temperature
will change the rate of the yeast growth substantially.
So if the dough ball indicates the right consistency,
then you can speed or retard the rising of the
bread quite handily by adjusting the water temperature--warmer
water will speed the rising and cooler water
will slow the rising. Usually an adjustment
of ten degrees is adequate.
We hope this helps you fine tune any mix for
your bread machine and the conditions in your
kitchen. What works for one mix, should work
for all mixes of that same brand. Once you find
what works, stick with it. Consistently turning
out perfect loaves is usually no more difficult
than carefully measuring the water and controlling
water temperature.
� 2004
The
Prepared Pantry
The Prepared Pantry produces bread, cookie and
dessert mixes. See their
Bread Machine Mixes.
