Ann, I haven't found a single recipe that I can't make in my bread machine. I put the liquid ingredients in the bottom, dry on top, push the button that says "dough cycle".

I've made everything from Ann T's Italian Bread to Sol's Honey Rolls to Terri's Honey Wheat and Grandma's Farmhouse White Bread, all in the bread machine and all successfully.

I do check the bread during the kneading portion to see if it needs more liquid, more flour, etc. That's not because of the machine, it's because of the flour, the atmosphere, the humidity, the position of the stars, whatever. Sometimes I need more liquid, sometimes less, but I do that with regular bread that's not in the bread machine too.

Happy baking, and take pictures!

Annie

My Zo has a flour capacity of 5-cups (according to the manufacturer), so I keep that amount of flour in mind when choosing non-bread machine recipes. I've used recipes with more than the recommended amount to make dough only - BUT - I don't leave the dough in the BM to proof OR bake. I take the dough out after it has stopped kneading and put it in a dough-rising bucket. That way you are assured you don't have a dome/lid with dough trying to crawl out because you've over-filled the capacity.

Another thing to consider - does your bread machine have restrictions concerning use of whole wheat flour (freshly-milled or commercial). Not all bread machines are recommended for 100% whole wheat bread doughs, so keep that in mind.

If adding "chunky" stuff, be sure to save it for the add-in beep. If you add some ingredients early in the mixing/kneading, like raisins, they'll purvarize during the extended kneading time, so save it for the add-in beep. Sharp ingredients (multi-grain cereal blends, nuts, etc.), when added early in the mixing/kneading will actually cut the gluten strands. So add those ingredients during the add-in beep.

And ALWAYS check the dough for the correct hydration after about 5 minutes, and correct it accordingly for the bread type you are making.

-Grainlady

Mostly you need to know the size of loaf that your machine makes. Is it a smaller one pound loaf or larger 1 1/2 pound loaf? Do they make machines that make 2 lb. loaves of bread? I would think that some recipes would make the resulting dough too much for your machine.

Perhaps you could look at the flour amounts in the recipe book that came with your machine to best determine if the recipe you want to try would be suitable?

Teresa

I have a 2 lb bread machine for years and I love it. It will take up to 4 cups flour. I just take other recipes and convert them to 4 c, or less. Sometimes I just cut a recipe in half or by 2/3rds. I usually just use the dough setting. I love to make bread but the kneading is hard on my old hands. Today I made a loaf of french bread. After the 1st rise, I laid it out on my counter patted it out and spread on some garlic spread before I rolled it up to rise again. I baked it at 400 on a bread stone. It smelled so good while it was baking. I could hardly wait for it to cool enough to sample.
Donna

FYI -

Jumbo - 10x4-1/2" pan - 4-5 c. flour = 2-plus# dough

Quick Bread Pan - 9x5" pan - 4 c. flour = 2# dough

Standard/Lg. - 8-1/2x4-1/2" pan - 3 c. flour = 1.5# dough

Medium - 7-1/2x3-1/2" pan - 2-1/2 c. flour = 1#

(Source: Beth Hensperger's "BREAD MADE EASY" A Baker's First Bread Book)

-Grainlady

I have a new bread machine too. I think what others have said about flour amounts is probably the most important thing to keep in mind. Teresa's suggestion about looking at the recipes that came with your machine is a good idea. That way you'd know how much flour total your machine can handle.

Beyond that, the other most important thing would be checking the dough during the kneading process to see if it needs a bit more liquid or a bit more flour (add teaspoon at a time). You can correct overly wet or dry dough outside the machine if you're going to shape & bake the bread yourself. But if you're planning on actually baking the dough in the machine, you need to be more careful.

When my husband bought the bread machine for me, he also got me a copy of Beth Hesperger's "Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook." It's full of wonderful recipes and great tips on using bread machines. I highly recommend it. I used a few recipes from the cookbook that came with my machine, but now I use Beth's cookbook exclusively. I've baked several loaves of different kinds of bread and never had one fail (I always check the dough during the kneading process). I've also made several rolls and sandwich buns.

I've been keeping a detailed notebook of every recipe I try for future reference. I note any slight changes I may have made in the original recipe, if I needed to add more flour or liquid, what the end result was like, and any suggestions for future use. This has helped me become more confident about baking in the machine itself.

I think you get better control over the finished product when you shape & bake the dough yourself. But during the summer or when you're tired or whatever, being able to use the baking function is a boon. Because of the variable mentioned by others regarding flour & humidity, I'm not sure if I'll ever become comfortable with using the delay feature during the night to make fresh bread for breakfast. I'd hate to waste all the ingredients, smell that wonderful fresh bread aroma all through the night, and then open the machine to discover a disaster.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook

Thank you all for the suggestions. I believe my bread machine holds 4 C, but I almost always do 3 as it is only the two of us to eat it. I'm glad to know that standard recipes can be so easily used in the machine.

Grainlady, mine has no restrictions on whole wheat or on chunky stuff. Thankfully!

I will also look at the books recommended.

thanks!
Ann

I do as others describe . Use the machine for kneading and the first rise but generally form and bake conventionally.

Grainlady thanks for the chart, great help!