The fondest memory of my youth on a farm was coming home from a country school starving for something to eat and smelling the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread. My mother would cut off a thick heel, and I would slather it with homemade butter and jam. Talk about your comfort food!

My mother bought white flour in fifty-pound cotton bags, which she used in her sewing. She made two or three loaves of bread at a time, mixing and kneading them by hand, and baking them in the oven of a wood-burning range. This was in addition to all of the other things that farm wives did. I guess I should be able to bake all of the bread for two using an ABM (automatic bread machine).

Since I'm an old retired guy, I know the importance of having a good retirement hobby, and I would like to recommend bread baking for retired men. It's fun to seek out the best ingredients and make bread that is nutritious and delicious for family and friends.

I am not a bread making expert, but I would like to share with you a few things that I have learned from experience and from reading that I would have really liked to have known when I ventured into bread making.

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BREAD AND HEALTH

White bread doesn't contain the goodness of the bran and germ, but another problem is that it digests too rapidly tending to cause a spike in our blood glucose that triggers a big shot of insulin. This results in the quick depletion of glucose bringing on hunger. This results in overeating and over-working the pancreas. It also results in the storage of fat, which most people don't need. What we want is slow digestion with a steady insulin response instead of the roller-coaster effect. Incredible as it may seem, the starch in typical white bread, most types of rice, and most potatoes is converted to blood sugar (glucose) more rapidly than table sugar (sucrose). Consequently, these starches doesn't stick with us very long. For more on starches see Glycemic Index and Load.

I have seen recipes for white bread that say, "Kids love it!" Yeah, but why not make a more wholesome bread that they love? I eat some white French bread when I go to a restaurant, but it is wiser to ask that white bread and butter not be served. For every-day eating I want breads that are both toothsome and wholesome. Since there are good alternatives, we don't need to use any highly refined white flour for many yeast breads.

In making our own bread we can improve the nutritional quality in several ways. The first way is to use whole wheat flour instead of white. This adds critically important fiber and also minerals and vitamins present in the bran and germ. The fiber and germ dilute the starch so that we consume less starch. Secondly, we can use coarsely ground flour, which slows digestion. For that reason, if you buy your flour, buy stone-ground flour. If you grind it yourself, grind it as coarsely as you can without making the bread too heavy. Thirdly, we can improve the quality with nutritional supplements such as walnuts and flax, both of which contribute healthful omega-3 oils.

In eating bread we need to watch what we put on it. Avoid using butter and stick margarine at home. If you want to use margarine, use tub margarine that does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenation converts healthful unsaturated fats to saturated fats and to trans-fats that are worse than saturated fats.

So what should we put on our bread? Have you gone to an Italian or Mediteranian restaurant that provides olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of butter? Olive oil is a very good monounsaturated oil but keep it refrigerated, which makes it congeal. I spread garlic-flavored extra-virgin olive oil on my bread with a spoon. Also, adding balsamic vinegar is even better. Both the oil and the vinegar slow digestion. Since the vinegar doesn't mix with the oil, you need to pour the oil and vinegar on the bread plate and dip the bread so as to get both. Alternatively, eating your bread with a salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, which also slows digestion, is a good combination. Incidentally, our San Francisco sour dough bread digests more slowly because of the acid in it. There are other good spreads such as nut spreads and hummus.

If you are interested in nutrition, I invite you to go to my Web page entitled NUTRITION: What should we eat?

METHODS AND EQUIPMENT

There are two common bread making methods: 1) the straight dough method, which consists of mixing the ingredients, kneading the dough, letting the dough rise one, two, or three times, and baking, and 2) the sponge method, which starts with a batter of flour, liquid, and yeast and lets it ferment for minutes or hours before adding the rest of the ingredients. ABMs are programmed for the straight dough method, but we can also use the sponge method by using the dough cycle for the sponge and then one of the bread cycles.

Here are several ways to mix and knead dough:

• Mixing in a bowl with a wooden spoon and kneading the dough by hand as my mother did. This method gives one the full hands-on bread making experience and provides an upper body work-out.
  
• Mixing the initial batter with a light-duty electric mixer, which partly develops the gluten. (If you put yeast in the batter and let it ferment, you are using the sponge method of dough making.) Then you add the rest of the flour and mix and knead by hand.
  
• Using a food processor. This is a fast and effective way to make dough once you get the hang of it. Cuisinart now has a machine, DLC-2014, which has a bread button for a slower kneading speed.
  
• Using a heavy-duty mixer. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook or, better yet, a kitchen machine like the Dimension 2000 Kitchen Center.
  
• Using an ABM to do make the dough through the initial rise and then using a regular oven to bake the bread.
  
• Using the ABM for the whole job.
  
• Using the bake in a pot method. One option is to use the no-knead method (see Tips for No-Knead Bread Baked in a Pot). The second option is to make the dough in the bread machine in the usual manner and bake the dough in the hot pot (see below).

In selecting an ABM check the pan shape. Most of the latest machines are "horizontal," but some are more horizontal than others. With a horizontal pan and one paddle it may be necessary to flick the flour out of the corners of the pan. Since I only use my ABM to make the dough (see below), I really don't care what shape the pan is. I also wouldn't pay more than $100 for a machine.

Even a "supervising bread maker" should know how to knead dough by hand. You dust your hands and the kneading surface with flour, form the dough into a ball, push down and away with the heels of both hands, fold it over to the left, turn it a quarter turn clockwise, and keep repeating the push, fold, and turn routine in waltz time. The dough should become soft and pliable. If it is too sticky, you may need to put more flour on the kneading surface. If it is too stiff, you may need to knead in some warm water.

Regardless of what bread making method you use, you need these basic tools: a set of dry measure measuring cups, two-cup and four-cup glass measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a serrated bread knife. An 8x8 inch cake pan is needed if you make rolls. Unskilled bread slicers may like a bread slicing guide.

INGREDIENTS

People who are only interested in having fresh bread with a minimum of effort and with little interest in ingredients can choose to buy bread machine mixes, which cost about the same as bakery bread. However, other people will enjoy deciding for themselves which ingredients to use.

There are only four essential ingredients in yeast-leavened bread: flour, water, salt, and yeast. In fact, these are the only ingredients in classic French bread. (See Classic French Bread, Bread Machine.) Here are some choices for the four essential ingredients:

• Flour: Wheat flour provides the gluten framework for yeast breads, and there are many different choices with respect to the protein content and to the proportion of whole wheat to other flours. I use 100% whole grain flour, which may be all wheat or a mixture with rye or Kamut with some added vital gluten. (See Flour below)
  
• Liquid: We can use plain tap water if it is good enough to drink. A lot of people, including my mother, like to use the water in which potatoes have been cooked. We can also substitute fruit and vegetable juices including orange juice plus the zest (just the outer yellow part), milk, butter milk, yogurt, and flavorful beer. Instead of using liquid milk and butter milk we can use the powdered products. Other things that can be used that include liquid are applesauce (my favorite), cottage cheese, tofu, and eggs.
  
• Yeast: As you shall see below, there is a confusing array of yeasts available. Sourdough starters may provide some or all of the leavening and also add flavor. They contain wild or tame yeast plus friendly bacteria.
  
• Salt: Since it controls the action of the yeast, we need to use salt and yeast in the right proportion. Of course salt also enhances flavor. We can use common iodized table salt or sea salt but not rock salt.

Most yeast breads contain other ingredients including the following:

• Sweeteners, which stimulate yeast, enhance browning, and add to the flavor: sugar, light or dark brown sugar, mild or strong molasses, honey, maple syrup, and non-diastatic malt syrup. We may also try diastatic malt powder (contains enzymes that convert starch to sugar) in place of or along with other sweeteners.
  
• Fats, which help produce a soft, moist texture that delays staling: vegetable oils (canola, sesame, and olive) and butter. We can substitute lecithin (an emulsifier often used by professional bakers) for other fats. We can substitute apple sauce and also flax seed meal for some of the fat.
  
• Flavor, nutrition, and/or texture improvers: walnuts, sunflower seed, flax seed, raisins, onions or dried baking onions, garlic (not much), herbs, wheat sprouts, cooked or uncooked oatmeal, and cooked quinoa (a seed with good quality protein).
  
• Dough enhancers: We can add gluten (see below), powdered vitamin C, ginger, and commercial dough enhancers or conditioners some of which include gluten and vitamin C.

Here are some good links concerning bread ingredients:

• For good descriptions of ingredients and wheats go to Bread Making Tips.
  
• For nice pictures of grains go to Ingredients: Descriptions and Photos.

FLOUR

Wheat is used for bread flour because two of its proteins, gliadin and glutenin, interact with water to form gluten that provides an elastic structure that traps gases during fermentation. When water is mixed with flour, the gluten chains start to unfold. By kneading we align the chains into sheets.

Most of the flour in our supermarkets is highly refined, finely milled white flour that is stripped of all of the bran and germ. The high protein white "bread flour" is used for white yeast breads. The most common white flour is "all-purpose" white flour, which varies a lot in protein content. Much of that sold in the South is low in protein and is commonly used for biscuits and other quick breads. However, some all-purpose flours sold in the North are in the 11% protein range and can be used for yeast breads. My mother used nothing but all-purpose flour. The question is whether or not we should use any kind of white flour for bread.

In bread making recipe books I have read comments such as this: "Whole wheat flour produces a heavy, compact, dark bread." Well, I have turned out some door stops, but usually I have no problem making 100% whole wheat bread that rises adequately when the flour has sufficient protein with or without the addition of vital gluten and the yeast is strong.

One problem with whole wheat flour is that the germ oil that is released in the grinding becomes rancid in short order at room temperature. We need to start with fresh flour and store it in a cool place, preferably in the freezer, or use it soon. If you buy bulk flour from a health food store, which I wouldn't, taste a pinch of flour to see that it doesn't have a bitter aftertaste. Most supermarkets also carry packaged whole wheat flour, but we can't taste it. (Once I purchased a bag of whole wheat flour that had a rancid taste and had to throw it out.) I prefer to mail-order fresh flour from a reputable company that offers stone-ground flour. I have been buying my wheat from Wheat Montana, which offers a wide variety of grains and flours and which has give me great service. Another source is Great Grains Milling Co. in Scobey, Montana, which grows organic Hard Red Spring wheat and sells attractively priced wheat berries (the whole grain), stone-ground whole wheat flour, and Golden wheat flour (most of the bran is sifted out). They flush their bags of flour with nitrogen to remove oxygen. A good West Coast source of a wide variety of flours including stone-ground whole wheat flour and grains is Bob's Red Mill in Milwaukie, Oregon. A good east coast source of flour, yeast, and other baking supplies is King Arhur Flour; see The Baker's Catalogue.

We also may mill our own flour with a hand-cranked (if we want some good aerobic exercise) or an electric stone or steel burr mill, or we can opt for a high-reving micronizing or impact mill. I have a micronizing mill that makes fine flour only, but I prefer coarse flour for health reasons. I have a Family Grain Mill with the hand base, motor base, and grain mill, $220 at Pleasant Hill Grain. The mill is advertised to able to make flour, meal, and cracked grain, but from my experience it does not do a good job in cracking wheat. To get your exercise, you can buy the grain mill and hand base combo ($110), which works very well. I also use the motor base with a flaker mill that does a great job in making rolled oats. The Nutrimill Grain Mill (which is an impact mill selling for $260 with free shipping at Pleasant Hill Grain) is advertised to make both fine and "coarse" flour.

If you mill your own wheat, you can choose the class of wheat (and sometimes the variety) you prefer. There are six market classes of wheat sold in the US, which includes many varieties. The classes used for bread are Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring (Bronze Chief is a popular variety), and Hard White, which includes winter and spring wheat (Prairie Gold variety is popular). Hard spring wheat usually has 1 to 2% higher protein (about 13-15%) and is preferred for bread.

If the flavor of the usual 100% whole wheat bread flour made from hard red wheat is too strong for your family's taste, try making bread from hard white wheat flour. It has a milder and sweeter taste. You can mail order 100% hard white whole wheat flour and wheat berries from Wheat Montana, Bob's Red Mill, and The Baker's catalogue. Another alternative is to buy Golden Wheat Flour from Great Grains Milling Co.

Rye is grown in drier and colder regions. Perhaps it is the hard life that gives it so much flavor. Rye flour is available in some supermarkets, health food stores, and The Baker's Catalogue, or, if we have a mill, we can grind our own. Wheat Montana and Bob's Red Mill sell both rye berries and rye flour. It develops a little gluten but not much, so try using 1/3 rye flour and 2/3 wheat flour and add additional vital gluten.

Kamut is a close relative of common wheat, and can substitute for regular wheat flour in whole or in part. It is lower in gluten but about 30% higher in total protein than common wheat. Some gluten intolerant people have better experience with Kamut than wheat. I have used about 2/3 wheat and 1/3 Kamut with added gluten. For more information on Kamut go to Kamut. You can obtain Kamut from Bob's Red Mill or Wheat Montana.

VITAL GLUTEN

In recipes the word "gluten" in used in different ways, which is very confusing. If a recipe calls for "x" cups of "high gluten flour" or "strong gluten flour" this means a high protein bread wheat flour. If it specifies only "y" tsp or Tbs of "gluten," "wheat gluten," "vital gluten," or even "gluten flour," it means the gluten component of wheat that has been extracted, dried, and milled into a powder that looks like gray flour. (See The Baker's Catalogue for Vital Wheat Gluten.) Note that "gluten flour" can mean a mixture of gluten powder and wheat flour resulting in product that may only be about 50% protein. If you want to buy vital wheat gluten and the only thing available is called "gluten flour," don't buy it unless it is labeled to have 75% or more protein. Buying "vital gluten" is generally a safe bet.

Wheat grain consists of bran (the outer protective layer amounting to about 13% of the weight), the wheat germ (amounting to 2% of the weight), and the endosperm (the starchy interior of the kernel amounting to about 85% of the weight). If whole wheat flour and white bread flour are made from the same lot of wheat, the latter will be higher in the gluten proteins by weight than the whole wheat flour because it isn't diluted with the bran and germ. So, we need to experiment with a new whole wheat flour to see how much vital gluten we need to add. For sandwich bread you need a little more gluten than with other breads because you may want thin slices that hold together without tearing. Too much gluten can make the bread rubbery and too little makes it crumbly. With whole wheat flour I usually use a tablespoon or a bit more of vital wheat gluten per cup of flour. If I use 1/3 rye, I add an additional Tbs.

YEAST

The first thing you should know about yeast is avoid buying it in a supermarket because of the high prices. I buy SAF Gold Instant Yeast ($6.95/lb.) or SAF Red Instant Yeast ($5.50/lb.) from The Baker's Catalogue (See Yeasts, Starters, and Leaveners). This is an exceptionally economical way to buy yeast if you bake all of your bread. (Four oz jars of bread machine yeast sell for about $8 or $9 in the supermarket.) Buy yeast from a vendor that sells a lot to insure freshness and keep it in the freezer.

My mother used Fleischmann's fresh compressed cake yeast, which is still sold. It is a good yeast, but it doesn't keep very long. This problem was solved when the large particle active dry yeast was introduced. This yeast works best when hydrated. Put 1 tsp of sugar in 1/4 cup of water (100 to 110F) and add the yeast (a packet holds 2-1/4 tsp). After 10 minutes foam should reach the 1/2 cup mark if the yeast is strong. Then you can add this mixture to additional warm liquid for your bread.

Instant yeast, which is a small-particle yeast, should go in with the dry ingredients without proofing. It is dried at a cooler temperature than active dry yeast, so it doesn't have as many dead cells. It is equivalent to "bread machine yeast" and most suitable for ABMs. My ABM instruction manual says to place the yeast on top of the flour, which you must do if you use the timer.

Other types of dry yeast came along to make things more complicated and confusing. Fleischmann now sells active dry yeast and RapidRise yeast in strips of three 1/4 oz (2-1/4 tsp) packets. They also sell Bread Machine Yeast in 4 oz bottles that they describe as "highly active instant yeast." (Go to Baking Ingredients.) Red Star sells Bread Machine Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Quick Rise Yeast, that shortens the rising time by 50%, and Compressed Yeast.

It is my understanding that "Rapid or quick-rise yeast" is a pepped-up yeast of a different strain that is the fastest rising yeast, but it has a short life in the dough. I would only use it for the ABM rapid cycle of about an hour.

All of these yeasts are "baker's yeast" as opposed to the yellowish "nutritional yeast."

ABM recipe books should specify which of the yeasts they call for because they have different characteristics. We can use about 25% less instant yeast than traditional active dry yeast.

To avoid making "hockey pucks," use adequate yeast, preferably instant or bread machine yeast, that is still vigorous and use adequate liquid. The amount of yeast needed depends upon the type of yeast, the condition of the yeast, size of loaf, amount of salt used, and the time for the rise, which you can control as suggested in my tips.

Go to this link for a Yeast Conversion Table.

Sour dough starters contain wild yeasts for leavening and bacteria for imparting flavor. Go to Breadtopia, Bread Baking Supplies and see the video on sourdough use.

MEASUREMENT OF INGREDIENTS

Since the flour/liquid ratio is critical, accurate measurement is important when you use the timer. When I measure liquid, I place the measurement cup on the counter and squat down so that my eye is at the level of the top of the liquid. As we were taught in chemistry, read the bottom of the meniscus (the little ring of liquid climbing up the side of the cup).

There are two ways to measure flour by volume. One is the "spoon and sweep" method, which is to spoon the flour into your dry-measure metal cup and scrape across the top to remove the excess. The second method, which crams in a little more flour, is the "scoop and sweep" method in which the flour is scooped up in the measuring cup and the excess is scraped off. A recipe book should specify which method should be used.

A much more accurate method of measuring flour is by weight. I know how many grams of flour I need in my recipes, so I weigh the wheat needed on a digital scale, which gives me the net or tare weight. As I pour it into the weighing bowl, I look for trash (especially pebbles) and weed seed. (I don't bother to remove barley even though it has a husk.) Then I grind the wheat. My home milled flour weighs about 130 grams per cup by the "spoon and sweep" method. To get a very low-priced digital scale ($35 with free shipping) go to Breadtopia, Bread Baking Supplies. This is also a good place to get your SAF Instant Yeast and sourdough starter.

In case you have forgotten 1 lb = 454 grams and 1 oz = 28.4 grams. One cup = 236 ml = 16 Tbs. One Tbs = 15 ml = 3 tsp. For much more go to Cooking Weights and Measures.

Brown sugar should be packed tightly into the measuring cup. When measuring honey or molasses, first measure the oil needed. This coats the spoon or cup with oil so that the liquid sweeteners flow out completely.

BREAD MACHINE BAKING TIPS

There are loads of ABM tips on the Web. For diagnosing problems go to Baking Tips.

Here are my tips:

• I warm my liquid ingredients to nearly body temperature in the microwave or by adding hot tap water in the mix. My freshly ground flour is still warm when I use it. If I use cold flour, I warm it in the microwave. Warming is especially important if your machine doesn't have a pre-heating cycle.
  
• When I bake, I should line the ingredients up on the counter in the order in which they go into the pan to insure that I won't forget something.
  
• I take the pan out of the machine, check to see that the paddle is properly seated on the shaft, rinse the pan with some hot tap water, and add the ingredients in the specified order.
  
• When I put my bread pan in the machine, I look at the turnable thing at the bottom of the paddle shaft to see that it is turned so that it comes down between rather than on the lugs that turn it. Then I position the pan seeing that the guides on the side of the pan line up with the springy things on the sides of the cavity, and then I push it down very firmly until it snaps solidly into place. If the kneading starts with an alarming clanking sound, the pan wasn't pushed all the way down to engage the "gears." With some bread machine models the pan is twisted into place.
  
• Although they are called "automatic" bread machines, they do require some monitoring. The most tricky thing in making bread is to get the dough consistency right. When I measure in the flour, I like to hold back about 1/4 cup (more with a new recipe) to be used to adjust the consistency later. There are three reasons for this: 1) I get a more accurate consistency by gradually adjusting from a sticky dough. 2) The initial excess liquid results in better mixing. 3) The initial measurements don't have to be so accurate unless you use the timer.
  
• A few minutes after the rapid kneading starts (Knead 2), I open the lid while the machine is running and look at the dough. By holding back some flour, the dough should be sticky enough to stick to the sides of the baking pan. Now I add 1 Tbs at a time until the dough just pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan. The dough should feel tacky (slightly sticky). It should be springy, and to test it, I grab the dough and squeeze it being careful to stay away from the paddle. If the dough is too dry (not tacky, not springy or too rough and dry looking or if the machine is struggling), you should add 1 Tbs of warm water at a time to get it right. If it is too sticky, sprinkle on flour 1 Tbs at a time. I would rather have my dough a tad too moist than too dry.
  
• While I am checking the dough, I scrape down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula and pull flour out of the bottom corners. If the machine is running, carefully avoid the turning paddle.
  
• If your dough does not rise enough during the last rise and does not rise a little more when the baking starts and if the bread is bumpy on top, the dough was probably too dry. Poor rising can also be due to weak or insufficient yeast, too much salt, or not having the ingredients at the proper initial temperature. During the last rise just before baking, you can press the Pause button one or more times to give more time for the rise. If you don't have a Pause button, stop the machine to give sufficient rising time and then press the Bake button.
  
• If on the last rise, the dough rises too high, poke it a few times with a toothpick to "let some of the air out." This will help avoid the loaf's top from caving in or contacting the lid.
  
• If the loaf caves in on top during baking, the problem is probably too much liquid.
  
• I usually pause the machine after the last knead and at the beginning of the last rise, take out the dough, remove the paddle (when it is easy to remove from the shaft), put vegetable oil on the paddle shaft, gently shape the loaf, return the dough to the pan, and perhaps wet the top and sprinkle on some sesame seed. This is a particularly good idea if you want to give a loaf as a present. It will have only a neat little hole in the bottom rather than also being torn by removing the paddle.
  
• Do not use the delay timer until you have made the recipe recently with the flour and other ingredients you intend to use and have determined the exact amount of each to use. Also, do not include any perishable ingredients such as milk and eggs when using the timer for delaying the baking.
  
• If a loaf doesn't turn out well, to correct it, change one thing at a time so that you will know which thing worked.

MAKING DOUGH FOR OVEN BREAD OR ROLLS

Some people, including me, prefer to make bread dough and let it rise the first time in the ABM and bake it in the oven. To do so, use the dough cycle, deflate the dough, shape the loaf, put it in a greased loaf pan, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place (such as the oven warmed to about 90 degrees) and bake it. I make 2-lbs plus of dough in my machine and split it and put it in two 1-lb 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2" loaf pans, let the dough rise (double in size) and bake in the oven at 350 degrees. At 40 minutes I remove the pans from the oven and from the loaf pans and "thump" them. If they don't have a somewhat hollow sound (and they normally don't), I return the loaves without the pans (to make it crustier) to the oven for another 5 minutes. If you test the bread for doneness with a thermometer, it should read about 200 degrees. (I bought two good anti-stick pans from Bob's Red Mill for only $12.50 each. See Loaf Pans.) The smaller loaves are easier to slice, and I can put one loaf in the fridge.

You might also want to use your oven in order to make a special shaped loaf. For example, I like panettone baked in a round loaf. I use a 4-cup pyrex measuring cup.

Instead of using pans I also like to use a cast iron stew pot, which captures the steam. See Tips for No-Knead Bread Baked in a Pot. By making the dough in your ABM you don't have to wait for 24 hours for your bread. Use a tad more water so that the dough tends to stick to the ABM pan and doesn't quite make a neat round ball. Pat the finished dough with a little flour on your hand and punch it down, shape it into a ball, prepare the foil liner as instructed, and place the dough in the liner for the second rise. When the dough has risen enough, spray the top of the loaf with water, sprinkle on some sesame seed if you like, and follow the instructions for transferring the dough to the hot pot and for baking. If you want to make a crusty European type loaf, limit your ingredients to white flour or 2/3 white and 1/3 whole wheat, yeast, salt, and water (no fat which means it will stale rapidly).

You can use a recipe for a 1-1/2 lb loaf of bread to make a dozen rolls. This will fill a 8 x 8 inch cake pan, or you can put the pieces of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Then put the pan or sheet in your oven after it has been warmed to about 90F and leave the oven light on to maintain the temperature. After the dough doubles in volume, bake at 400F for about 20 minutes or until they sound hollow when rapped on the bottom.

BREAD MAKING LINKS

• Bread Machine Digest
  
• Recipe Source is a fabulous large searchable archive of all kinds of recipes.
  
• Our Daily Bread is an extensive source of bread information including 400 recipes.
• Free Internet Bread Recipe Archive
  
• Chef Norm's Recipe Collection
  

ABOUT RECIPES

Bread making gives us a great opportunity to use our imagination and make our own recipes. A beginner needs recipes, and there are dozens of bread machine recipe books. However, you don't need to buy one because there are zillions of recipes on line. (See some links above.) Many are for ABMs and most others can be easily adapted for an ABM. I print those that interest me and put them in a loose leaf notebook.

Since I like to use whole grain flours, I do have Smart Bread Machine Recipes, Healthy, Whole Grain & Delicious, by Sandra L. Woodruff, a dietitian, who is as concerned with nutrition as she is with taste. Beth Hensperger's The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook contains a lot of useful information as well as 300 recipes.

After we have made a basic loaf that we like, we can start experimenting with changes. For example, we might change the liquid from water to orange juice. When substituting liquids we need to consider how much water they contain. Milk, buttermilk, yogurt, and silken tofu are all about 90% water, so we need to add about 1-1/2 Tbs of water per cup of each to make the equivalent of 1 cup of water. Cottage cheese is about 78% water, so we need to add about 3 Tbs of water to a cup of it. Eggs are 74% water. One large egg has a volume of 3 Tbs and is equivalent to about 2 Tbs of water.

Recipes typically call for 2 cups of flour (or dry ingredients including flour, gluten, soy flour, flax meal, etc.) for a 1 lb loaf, 3 cups for a 1-1/2 lb loaf, and 4 cups for a 2 lb loaf. Some older ABMs do the best job with 1-1/2 lb loaves even though they are rated for 2 lb. The amount of liquid depends a little on the amount of sweeteners and oil used.

The amount of yeast to use depends on the size of loaf, the type of yeast, and how much salt we want to restrict ourselves to. When I use 1 tsp of salt, I usually use 2-1/2 tsp of SAF-Instant yeast for a 2 lb loaf of whole wheat bread.

After choosing the basic ingredients, we can consider supplements such as sweeteners and fats. We may also add something for nutrition and flavoring. Finally, we might add dough enhancers including gluten.

After you have some experience, check out the proportions in recipes, especially the wet/dry ratio, the salt/yeast ratio. Don't be afraid to change them if they look out of line.

A STARTER RECIPE

Although I usually add a lot of stuff, here is a basic recipe for whole wheat bread:

3-1/2 cups (or one pound or 454 grams) of whole wheat flour
4 Tbs of vital gluten
1/8 cup of flax seed ground in a coffee mill (optional)
1/2 cup of apple sauce (optional), 1 Tb oil, 2 Tbs of honey, 2 Tbs molasses, and enough warm water to make a total of 1-7/8 cups of liquid
1 tsp of salt mixed into the liquid
2-1/2 tsp of instant yeast
(If apple sauce and flax meal are not used, increase oil to 2 Tbs.)

I use the 2 pound WW setting on my Breadman Ultimate. (This recipe makes a 2-1/2 pound loaf, which is about the limit for this machine.) I hold back a little flour and adjust the consistency of the dough. If I bake in the machine, the loaf is usually about 6-1/2 inches tall.

I use this recipe for cinnamon bread. I have been using Prairie Gold Hard White wheat, and I use 5 Tbs of gluten, 4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 c raisins, 1/4 c sunflower seed, 1/4 c pumpkin seed, and 1/8 c flax seed. I use the dough setting and split the dough into two 1-1/4 lb. loaves as explained above. I like to spread olive oil on the bread and toast in the toaster oven. Mmmm! Here is a picture of the loaves:

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Copyright (c) 2003 and 2007, Robert G. Parvin.