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• BUTTER, MARGARINE, SHORTENING and OILS serve several purposes as they tenderize the bread, add flavor and
richness and contribute to the storage life of bread by retaining moisture. An excess of fat, however, can inhibit rising, so
accuracy is critical.
Butter, margarine and solid shortening are interchangeable in recipes. You may wish to cut butter and margarine into four (4)
pieces for faster blending during the knead cycle. Do not use reduced fat margarines as they contain more water and can affect
the size of the loaf.
If substituting oil for a solid fat, reduce the amount of liquid in recipe by ½ to 1 tablespoon, making any minor adjustment during
the knead cycle to obtain the right dough consistency.
Low-fat or fat-free bread can be made by substituting equal amounts of unsweetened applesauce or plain nonfat yogurt for the
amount of fat in the recipe. Watch dough as it kneads for any minor adjustment.
• EGGS add color, richness and leavening to bread. Use large eggs. No premixing is needed. Egg substitutes can be used in
place of fresh eggs. One egg equals ¼ cup of egg substitute. To reduce cholesterol, you can substitute two (2) egg whites for each
large egg in the recipes without affecting the end result. Watch the dough during the knead cycle for any needed adjustments. A
special tip when using eggs is to run them under warm water for about one minute before cracking, as this helps the egg slide out
of the shell better.
• SALT has several functions in making bread. It inhibits the yeast growth while strengthening the gluten structure to make
the dough more elastic, plus it adds flavor. Use ordinary table salt in your bread maker. Using too little or eliminating the salt
will cause the dough to over-rise. Using too much can prevent the dough from rising as high as it should. “Light” salt can be
used as a substitute for ordinary table salt, providing it contains both potassium chloride and sodium. Use same amount as
recommended for table salt. When adding salt to pan, add to one corner to keep it away from yeast, especially when using timer
as the salt can retard its growth.
• YEAST is a living organism, which, through fermentation, feeds on carbohydrates in flour and sugar to produce carbon
dioxide gas that makes the bread rise. Active dry, fast rising or bread machine yeast can be used in your bread maker. Use only
the amount stated in the recipe. Using a little more can cause the dough to over-rise and bake into the top of bread maker. Fast
rising yeast and bread machine yeast are virtually the same and interchangeable. DO NOT USE COMPRESSED CAKE
YEAST. Recipes in this book were tested using only active dry, fast rising and bread machine yeast.
Keep yeast stored in the refrigerator. You may find it handy to purchase yeast in glass jars so as to measure the exact amount
without having to waste any. If using yeast packed in a ¼-ounce foil envelope, it is best to open a fresh envelope every time you
bake. If you save the unused amount from the open envelope, store in a dry, airtight container in the refrigerator. Date the
container and use promptly. Do not mix old and new yeast in a recipe. A ¼-ounce foil envelope of yeast contains 2¼ teaspoons.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE YEAST IS FRESH AND HAS NOT EXPIRED THE “USE BY “ DATE PRINTED ON THE
JAR OR ENVELOPE.
• VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN is the gluten protein, which has been rinsed from wheat flour and then dried. Vital gluten will
increase the protein content in flour to produce a higher loaf of bread with lighter texture. About the only time you may wish to
consider adding vital gluten is for 100% whole wheat bread or recipes containing a high percentage of whole wheat or other
whole grain flours or cereals. As a guideline, add one (1) teaspoon vital gluten per cup of flour used in the recipe. Check the
dough during kneading; you may need to add a little water as the vital gluten absorbs liquid. Vital gluten can be obtained at
most health food stores. Do not use gluten flour, as this contains less protein and is less effective.
Or, to increase the protein content, you can use a large egg as a substitute for vital gluten. Just add it to the liquid in the
bottom of pan and reduce the recommended amount of liquid in recipe by two (2) ounces (¼ cup). Again, check the
condition of the dough during the knead cycle.
• CINNAMON AND GARLIC: Adding too much cinnamon or garlic can affect the texture and size of the loaf. Cinnamon
can break down the structure of the dough, affecting height and texture, and garlic can inhibit the yeast activity. Use only the
amount of cinnamon and garlic recommended in the recipe; don’t be generous.
MEASURING INGREDIENTS: THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL BREAD MAKING - The most important
part of bread making is to MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS PRECISELY AND ACCURATELY. You may need to adjust your
measuring habits, but the rewards for doing so will be great. Follow these very important tips:
• READ the recipe first and organize the ingredients in the order in which they are added to the pan. Many bread disasters
occur because an ingredient was left out or added twice.