Ingredients
Q: Why do I keep the dry/liquid ingredients separated in the bread pan before I place the pan into the baking chamber?
A: The main reason is to keep the yeast separated from the liquid ingredients. As a live substance, yeast will start to react with any liquid ingredient as soon as it comes into contact with it. You want to keep the yeast away from the liquids until it’s ready to be mixed by your bread maker to provide the best taste, texture and consistency in your finished bread. This is especially true if you’re using the delay bake timer.
Q: Can ingredients be halved or doubled?
A: No. If there is too small an amount of ingredients in the bread pan, the kneading paddle cannot knead as it’s designed to work. If there is too large an amount, the bread rises out of bread pan and spills over the sides.
Q: Can fresh milk be used in place of dry milk?
A: Yes, but you will need to make some adjustments to keep the volume of ingredients the same. Decrease the amount of water used equal to the amount of milk being added to ensure the volume is the same. Also note that fresh milk is not recommended when using the delay bake timer, because it may spoil while sitting in bread pan.
Q: Can I substitute butter for oil?
A: Yes. Simply melt the butter (cool to room temperature before adding) and add it in place of the oil. Since both of these are liquid ingredients, the volume will be the same and no adjustments need to be made.
Q: Can I use prepackaged bread and cake mixes in my bread maker?
A: Yes. When using a prepackaged bread mix, simply select the bread making cycle that best fits the type of bread you’re making (e.g. WHITE cycle for white bread). For cake mixes, use the QUICK BREADS baking cycle.
Q: What is the difference between regular types of bread and low-carb or gluten-free?
A: Low-carb breads are designed to substitute lower-carbohydrate alternatives for high-carbohydrate flours. In most cases, regular flours typically used in bread making are reduced or eliminated completely from the recipe using alternative ingredients like flax and whey powder. These breads are typically used to support a low-carb diet, so the dieter can continue to eat bread products.
Gluten-free breads are those that completely eliminate any ingredients that contain gluten. Common sources of gluten in baking include wheat, barley and rye. As such, alternative types of flour, such as rice flour, potato starch flour and soy flour are used as substitutes. To learn more about Gluten-Free Baking click the link to read a full article in our Baking Tips section.