You finally got the best bread machine you’ve been wanting for so long. But what if you don’t know how to use a bread machine?
There is nothing to sweat about because you’re at the right place as we will discuss and explain everything you need to know.
Using a bread machine isn’t complicated, and once you get the basics and understand the features of your specific bread machine model – you will do great.
There’s just more than getting the ingredients and starting to bake your bread, especially if you’re using it for the first time. But don’t worry and just stay tuned.
Get to Know Your Bread Machine
Since it’s most likely that it’s your first time using or planning to use a bread machine, and if it is, the first thing I’d recommend you to do is to check out the user’s manual.
Just like there are many different cars and brands, the same thing applies to bread machines. Therefore, the user’s manual is the best place to start.
Learn how the lid opens and works, get to know the control panel and its buttons, find the bread pan or bucket inside the bread maker, learn how the handles work, and other things like that.
You’d want to learn these things first before even turning the bread machine on.
You don’t want to experiment and learn things on the go when the bread machine gets hot. Therefore, check whether you have all the parts and you understand all the parts you have that are necessary to make bread.
Find the Bread Bucket’s Capacity
Unfortunately, bread buckets usually don’t come with their capacity stated clearly. Have a look at the user’s manual, but if you can’t find it there, don’t sweat it.
Simply get a measuring cup and fill the bread bucket with water. When the bucket is full, write down how many measurement cups you needed to use. That way, you will get a total amount, but make sure you measure it properly since it’s important.
The last thing you want to do is make a 2 lb recipe in a 1 lb bread machine!
Learn the Settings
You will probably have a display and some buttons. Have a good look at them, the easiest way to learn what they do and how do they work is by following the user’s manual.
The most standard and common settings that bread makers of all brands have are a select button, stop/start button, crust control, timer, and arrow buttons.
Almost all of the settings are self-explanatory, however, to make sure you get it right, learn them first before using the bread machine.
Find some bread machine recipes
When you’re looking to make some fresh baked bread, you need to know not only some basic bread recipes but also what kind of bread flour and bread machine yeast you’ll use.
This will be especially important if you’re looking at making Gluten-Free bread.
Get the Ingredients
Now when you’re ready for baking, you will need the ingredients.
The ingredients you will need to make bread in your bread machine are
- Yeast
- Flour
- Salt
- Sugar
- Liquids
- Fats
Yeast should always be active dry yeast, and in some stores, you can specifically buy yeast for bread machines.
Bread flour will make your bread better since it’s made from hard wheat which consists of more wheat and gluten.
Salt is necessary, not only for taste but to regulate the rising process. It will make sure that the bread dough doesn’t spill over the bread bucket.
Sugar or any other sweeteners such as honey soften the texture of the dough and therefore finished loaf will be soft. Sugar also helps for the browning process of the bread.
Liquids you will need are mainly water. However, you shouldn’t use hot water for a bread machine. You should always use a room temperature water. Otherwise, hot water could kill the yeast.
Fats will help to make the finished loaf softer & richer. They will also keep the dough from sticking to the bread pan surface.
Add the Ingredients Following the Right Order
If you plan to bake the dough right away, the order doesn’t matter. However, if you’re going to put all the ingredients in a bread maker and program the machine to start with a delay cycle feature, it is important.
The order you should follow when you decide to mix dough with a delay feature is following:
- First, put the liquids
- Add flour making sure it is over the water and seals it
- Next, add dry ingredients such as salt, dry milk, sugar, and others
- The last thing that goes is the yeast. Center the flour and add it in the middle so it doesn’t get in touch with the liquid
Start Baking Using the Timer
The last and final step of mixing the ingredients is to finally start baking.
Make sure that you put the bread pan in place so it snaps in the bread machine. Then, you need to select the cycle you prefer, calculate how much time you will need to bake your loaf so you can set it on the timer.
Using the arrows that every bread machine has, you will be able to set the timer correctly on a display. It’s a very important step because you don’t want your bread to be overbaked or not baked well at all.
When everything is ready and you’re ready, press the start button so the bread maker can do its magic.
From there, all you have to do is sit back and relax.
Conclusion
Bread makers might seem confusing and make you feel overwhelmed at first, but everyone goes through an orientation period.
Once you use your bread machine for a few times, you will have the complete process in your head and it will go easily from there.
There are many different brands and models of bread machines, however, they all work in a very similar, if not the same, way.
Want a different point of view? See these tips on using a Bread Machine.
It might take you a few tries to get used to your model, and it will take you a few tries until you master your perfect bread loaf. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right from the beginning. Give it a few tries.
If you have any questions or you simply need some help, feel free to leave a comment!
