New Bread Maker Woes - (Failure after failure).

[Omega-TI]

I'm an old man who recently bought a new bread maker...
I'm new to all this... I got everything, yeast, different types of flour. I've tried butter, corn oil, egg, the exact amounts of salt and sugar ... well everything... but I've yet to get an edible load of bread. It's either...

Too dense,
Too brittle,
Too dry, to the point of cracking.
It ALWAYS flops in the middle.

Can someone please take pity of on a senior citizen? I'm in need of a bullet proof recipe for a BASIC load of bread, the one that came with the bread maker is the bane of my existence.

THANK YOU!

 

[TSun]

I have an easy recipe for bread that I got from Kroger when they still handed out recipe cards. It is actually for a cranberry walnut yeast bread.

 

[TSun]

Cranberry Walnut Yeast Bread





4 to 4 1/4 cups flour.


1/4 cup sugar


2 tblsp non fat dry milk


2 envelopes of rapid rise yeast


2 tsp salt


2 Tblsp butter


1 1/4 cup plus 2 tblsp hot water ( 120 -130 degree's)


4 oz dried cranberries


1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans





In a large mixing bowl combine 1 cup flour, all the sugar, dry milk, yeast and salt.


Heat the water and the butter until very warm ( 120 to 130 degree's .(If too hot it will kill the yeast).


Gradually add the water to the dry ingredient in the mixing bowl.


Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed of the electric mixer scraping the sides occasionally.


Stir in the cranberries and the nuts. Add enough of the remaining 3 cups of flour to make a soft dough. Knead by hand or by mixer with dough hook for 8 to 10 min. (if using mixer it doesn't take that long ) You can add more flour if to sticky.


Cover bowl with towel and let it rest for 10 - 12 min.


Prepare pan by misting it with PAM spray or grease the pan. Use a 9x5 loaf pan.


After resting it roll out the dough into a 12x 8 inch rectangle.


Beginning from the short end start rolling the dough up tightly like a jelly roll.


Pinch the seams on the bottom and then ends ( I pinch the ends and tuck them under). Place the dough in the pan and cover with a clean cloth. Let the dough rise until doubled in a warm draft free place.


Bake at 375 degree's for 35 to 40 min. Remove from pan and cool.


I usually butter the top right out of the oven and sprinkle the top with some sugar.





FOR CINNAMON BREAD . ( DO NOT ADD THE CRANBERRIES OR WALNUTS).


1/4 CUP OF GRANULATED SUGAR


1 1/2 TSP CINNAMON


2 TSP FLOUR.





MIX ALL ALL TOGETHER


MIX 1 EGG WITH 1 TBLSP WATER IN SEPARATE BOWL.


ROLL OUT OR PAT OUR DOUGH TO A RECTANGLE APPROX 10X18 .


BRUSH EGG MIXTURE OVER DOUGH


SPRINKLE CINNAMON SUGAR EVENLY OVER DOUGH.


START ROLLING TIGHTLY FROM SHORT END PINCHING SIDES AS YOU GO.


PINCH THE BOTTOM TOGETHER THEN PINCH SIDES AND FOLD UNDER.


PLACE IN 9X5 GREASE PAN.


COVER WITH CLEAN TEA TOWEL AND PLACE IN WARM PLACE


LET RAISE UNTIL IT IS 1 INCH ABOVE THE PAN. USUALLY 1 HOUR OR MORE.


PLACE IN OVEN AND BAKE AT 375º. BAKE FOR 35-40 MIN. INTERNAL TEMP SHOULD BE 190º BY INSTANT READ THERMOMETER.

 

[TSun]

Sorry this is so long. I could not figure out how to attach the file.
I usually let my dough rest for 15-18 minutes because it helps it to roll out easier. Put the dough in a warm place once in the pan to help it rise. I have never used a bread machine so I don't know if this will work in it or not. Good luck.

 

[retired baker]

I'm an old man who recently bought a new bread maker...
I'm new to all this... I got everything, yeast, different types of flour. I've tried butter, corn oil, egg, the exact amounts of salt and sugar ... well everything... but I've yet to get an edible load of bread. It's either...

Too dense,
Too brittle,
Too dry, to the point of cracking.
It ALWAYS flops in the middle.

Can someone please take pity of on a senior citizen? I'm in need of a bullet proof recipe for a BASIC load of bread, the one that came with the bread maker is the bane of my existence.

THANK YOU!

bread machines come with bulletproof recipes, something you aren't telling.?
really need the machine mfger and the recipe, otherwise try this.

 

[Omega-TI]

Sorry this is so long. I could not figure out how to attach the file.
I usually let my dough rest for 15-18 minutes because it helps it to roll out easier. Put the dough in a warm place once in the pan to help it rise. I have never used a bread machine so I don't know if this will work in it or not. Good luck.

Thank you. I'm not sure how well this will translate to the bread machine, but I'm going to go over it and see if it looks doable.

 

[letmepicyou]

Why bread in your bread machine collapses:
Insufficient gluten which leads to an internal structure that rises beyond its ability to support itself.
There are 2 solutions for this problem. The first is to add additional gluten, or choose flour with a higher gluten rating (such as bread flour vs all-purpose flour). Not everyone has gluten in their cupboard, and some folks just want to use all-purpose flour so they don't have to keep 2 different bags of flour around, so most will go with the second option.

The second option is to increase the salt by 1/4 tsp until the collapse stops. The reason this works is because salt in a bread recipe performs 2 functions - the first is to enhance flavor (obviously), and the second function is to control the rise generated by the yeast. The saltier the environment, the slower and more lethargic yeast gets. Thus, increasing the salt a bit at a time (1/4 tsp) until you find the "sweet spot" will result in bread that no longer rises beyond its ability to support itself.

Bread recipes are designed for "sea level". As you go up in altitude, you have to increase the salt in the recipe to compensate, as well as compensating for insufficient gluten as previously stated. Lower air pressure outside the loaf results in a higher pressure delta between the inside and outside of the loaf, which causes the collapse.

I've been making bread for a long time, so trust me, I'm not guessing here. Boost your salt a bit at a time and you'll find the collapse stops and your bread starts to come out properly. Good luck, and have fun!