- Fruit juices, beer and purees can be used in place of the liquid called for in a recipe.
- Measure liquid ingredients into a liquid measuring cup.
- Let your bread cool completely before putting it in a storage bag or container.
- Breads made with oatmeal tend to stay fresher longer.
- Oat Bran can be substituted for up to 1/4 cup of oatmeal called for in a recipe.
- Quick Cook Oats or Old Fashioned Oats work best in the bread machine.
- Too much garlic in a recipe can cause the bread not to rise. Add garlic with the liquid to limit any contact with the yeast.
- Too much cinnamon in a recipe can cause the bread not to rise. Use only 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour in a recipe.
- Using room-temperature ingredients speeds up rising and baking times. Bring milk, juices or other liquids to room-temperature before adding to other ingredients.
- Dry ingredients that have been refrigerated or frozen should also be brought to room temperature before using, for best results.
- Measure accurately - using too little or too much yeast can have negative effects on bread baking. Too little yeast causes a heavy, dense loaf of bread, but too much yeast produces a loaf with a porous texture and overly yeasty flavor.
- Dough rich in sugar (or other sweeteners), fruits or nuts often requires more yeast.
- Dense, low-gluten dough like those made with rye flour will rise better and faster if you increase the amount of yeast slightly.
- A dough that is mixed properly, that develops the gluten in the flour, will yield a lighter loaf of bread; too much flour results in bread that it is dry and dense.
- Baking breads at a lower temperature (350º-375º F) creates a thicker, chewier crust, while baking breads at a higher temperature (400º-425º F) produces thinner, crisper crusts.
- Correct liquid temperature is the most critical variable when baking bread. The ideal liquid temperature is 90° to 120° F.
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