~To store baked bread, cool it completely; it will take several hours. Wrap
it in foil or plastic wrap, or place it in a plastic bag. Store it in a
cool, dry place up to 3 days. To freeze yeast bread, place bread in a
freezer bag or container, or tightly wrap it in heavy foil. Freeze it up to
3 months. Bread can be thawed in the
package for 1 hour or wrapped in foil and reheated in a 300* oven about 20
minutes.

~Flour: the best flour to use for breads machines is
bread or high gluten flour. This flour contains the
proper amount of protein and gluten to allow for
lengthy kneading, stretching and rising times without
producing a small or collaspsed loaf.The loaf should
be a good risier with a fine grain texture.

~Additional flour such as rye, oats, soy, cornmeal,
wholewheat, rice etc. may be added to any recipe
without increasing the size of the breads. These
flours are deficient in gluten.( Except for whole
wheat which ironically has sufficient gluten but has a
sharp gluten structure which punctures and deflates
the risen yeast cells ) You can sucessfully add 1 or 2
cups of these flours to recipes which use 3 cups of
bread flour.

~The lightest and highest loaves are ones made with
white bread flour, eggs, and liquids such as milk or
water. The smaller denser loaves are made with rye and whole wheat flour
etc. These breads can even be made lighter if the flour is blenderized
before using.
Blenderized oatmeal also makes a lighter textured
bread.

~The best bread machine cycle for denser loaves is the standard mode. the
turbo or quick mode is excellent for for basic white, french, italian or
light weight breads.Become familiar with cycles on your own machine.

~Humidity and temperature affect flour and the dough
consistency may never be the same in repeated recipes. Let your eyes be
your guide to know when to add more flour or water to the dough in the
kneading cycle. the dough should be a smooth somewhat tacky dough when
touched. However no dough should cling to your fingers when touched.Add
flour or water if needed in small amounts gradually to get the proper
consisitency.

~All ingredients should be lukewarm ( not hot ) when
added to the recipe.People have the tendency to make the water much to hot
for the bread machine.This
activates the yeast too quickly, causing a poor
textured loaf which may often collapse. Too hot water
also may rupture the yeast cells and render them
ineffective.Follow your machines instructions. If in
doubt, 80 to 100 degrees may be sufficient.
Temperatures over 110 F may be too hot.

~There are many bakers yeasts on the market. Red Star is reputed to make
breads rise higher than Fleischmans yeast. SAF instant yeast ( French
imported yeast ) produces higher better textured bread using less yeast than
called for in recipes. Judge for your self by experimenting.

~Ingredients which help improve texture , rising and
character of bread:

GLUTEN FLOUR or powder: very high in protein and
helps breads rise higher.You dont need this if using a
good brand of bread or high gluten flour.The protein
adds a nutritional boost to breads. Available in
health food stores

PURE BARLEY MALT SYRUP: A tablespoon or so also helps breads rise higher
as the sugars feed the yeast.Found in health food stores

LIQUID LECITHIN: improves the textures of the breads, making it stay
fresh longer. found in health food stores.

VITAMIN C ( ascorbic acid ) crush a tablet or use it
in powder form to help breads have a better texture
and mellow gluten.

FRESH LEMON JUICE: a few teaspoons also mellows the gluten and helps the
texture of the bread making for a good keeper and riser.

Other Miscellaneous tips for the breadmaker:

~Use bakers spray to spray the globe tops of bread
machines in case your breads over rise and stick. This aids in cleanup!

~Use a small pastry or paint brush to sweep away the
bread crumbs inside your machine and use a damp paper towel to pick them
up. If your paddle sticks inside the bread, try using a bakers spray on the
paddle next time.

~Low fat products such as skim milk, egg beaters, light
margarine low or non fat sour cream etc. work well,
but the texture of the bread may not be the same as
for higher fat products.Bread may be denser and
smaller.

~Bread that does not come out satisfactory may be use for breadcrumbs, bread
pudding, bread dumplings or for the birds!

~A general safe ratio for breadmaking is: 3 cups bread
flour, 1 1/4 cups liquid, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar
and 2 tsp yeast. Experiment from there. Decrease the
total amount of liquids if added oil and eggs are used

~It pays to buy yeast and flour in large quantities if
making a lot of bread. Store flour in a cool dry
place. Yeast may be refrigerated.

~Cool breads at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before
slicing.

~Any breads that dont seem quite baked, place them in a conventional 35O
oven for 10 minutes to finish
baking,

~Eggs: when directions call for 1/2 of egg etc. just
use one small egg.Normally in all baking large eggs
are used.

~Too much garlic and cinnamon also decreases the power of yeast in a bread
recipe.A small amount is okay when added directly with ingredients but dont
go overboard if you are a garlic or cinnamon lover. Add the extras in the
last kneading cycle.