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Attention Bread Lovers!!Jan 07 '02 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line If you like bread, buy a breadmaker TODAY. My husband bought me a breadmaker for Christmas. Now the only question that I have is, "Why did we wait so long to buy one?" A bread machine is a definite must for those who love bread. The only negative point is that the machine makes it too easy to add those extra carbohydrates to your diet! First of all, we are finding that a bread machine is very easy to utilize. The machine purchase included a user manual with bread recipes. For those who prefer even more convenience, grocery stores sell bread machine convenience packs which include the exact measurements of bread machine flour and yeast needed for each loaf. Getting started is simple. All you need is a wall outlet and counter space for the machine. It is also helpful to remember a few consistent rules for successful bread machine baking. The most important procedure is to use exact measurements. The second most important secret of making bread in a breadmaker is to add the ingredients in the EXACT order given in the recipe. First you put the liquid ingredients in the baking pan; secondly, the dry ingredients, and last, add the yeast. Before adding the yeast, make a well (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast. The yeast must never come into contact with a liquid when adding ingredients. Before purchasing a bread machine, determine approximately how many servings that you would like each loaf to accommodate. This information will help to decide what size machine that you would like to purchase. Bear in mind that bread is a good left-over. I recommend that you consider purchasing a machine with at least a two-pound capacity. Machines with less than a two-pound capacity produce very small loaves. When choosing your bread machine, I suggest looking for a breadmaker that lends at least eight different settings. The settings should include: basic, whole wheat, french, sweet, expressbake (58 minutes), expressbake (80 minutes), dough, and bake. Additionally, a crust color button allows you to make selections based on your preference. A display is very important. The display allows you to view your selections and the time remaining until your bread is complete. A breadmachine without a viewing window should be considered a crime. It is really neat to watch the machine doing your work. The timer set buttons allow you to delay the time for your breadmaker to start. This feature is wonderful. You can wake up to hot bread in the morning; or come home to hot bread after you have been away for the day. Earlier, I mentioned the different breadmaker settings. The 'basic setting' is probably used more than any other setting. The main reason this setting is used so often is because you get good results with just about any recipe. The 'whole wheat' setting offers a longer rise time for breads that contain more than fifty percent whole wheat flour. Use the 'french bread' setting because french bread takes longer to knead, rise, and bake. When baking bread with a high amount of sugar, fats, and proteins, you use the 'sweet setting.' The sugar, fats, and proteins tend to increase browning, so the sweet setting is utilized. Oh, and the 'expressbake' settings are wonderful when you need to make a loaf of bread in a hurry. You must not forget to buy a machine that includes a 'dough cycle.' The 'dough' setting allows you to prepare dough for rolls, specialty breads, pizza and so forth. You can then shape the dough by hand and allow it to rise, then use your conventional oven. (A tremendous amount of time, mess, and effort is saved compared to hand mixing and kneading.) Finally, your machine should include a 'bake' setting. Believe it or not, you can utilize this setting for making jams. A couple of my favorite features are the expressbake and delayed timer. In the hustle and bustle of daily living, sometimes I decide last minute that we need a loaf of bread. With the expressbake, it is simple. I can have a fresh, hot loaf of bread in as little as 58 minutes. The delayed timer is also fantastic. I first tried the delayed timer with an apple-cinnamon recipe. I simply input the time that we would be waking, and magically we awakened to the wonderful aroma of apples and cinnamon. What a grand way to enter the new day!! There are a couple of items you should remember when baking on the delayed cycle. You should use a fast rising yeast like Red Star or Quick Rise yeast. Do not use active dry yeast for expressbake settings because the loaves will be much shorter when baked. Additionally, use hot water in the range of 115 degrees to 125 degrees fahrenheit. Hotter water than specified can kill the yeast while cooler water may not activate the yeast. Expressbake settings also require less salt. All ingredients, with the exception of the water, should be at room temperature. The resulting delicious bread is well-worth these minor inconveniences. I absolutely love my bread maker. After you buy your machine. Choose your recipe (or convenience pack); add the liquid ingredients first, dry ingredients next, and finally the yeast. Next, choose the correct setting (depending on what type of bread you are making). Then, choose the crust color that you prefer-and push the start button. It is just that simple. With my Sunbeam breadmaker, most loaves (unless using expressbake) require approximately three hours. Indeed, some very tasty bread machine recipes exist. I do, however, highly suggest you try some of the boxed convenience packages. The bread is mouth-watering. All of these features, and luxurious bread in a breadmaker that cost less than $50. Good Luck and Happy Bread-Making  |
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