I just heat the liquid ingredents, until they are a little warmer than luke warm. The main thing to remember about bread machines, is just to make sure your ingredients are exact. Diana55 p.s...When you add the yeast do make sure it stays on top of the dry ingredients, and don't let it get wet. Diana55

Hey - yeast will die above 115°. So that's not it.

Have you tried adding Vital Wheat Gluten to your loaf?

I usually add about a tsp. of lemon juice to mine. It seems to make a higher lighter loaf.

Bread machine yeast is just active dry yeast. Don't buy the expensive little jar - just buy regular yeast - I buy it in 1 lb. bags from Sam's.

Pat -- yes, I do use the recommended amounts of vital wheat gluten as an additive to all my whole wheat, etc. breads. And yes, I'm careful that the yeast stays on top and does not get "wet" in advance of anything the machine does. Maybe I'm making my liquids too warm? I've tended to try to get them closer to 90 degrees than 80 (but not OVER 90). What do you think? MacThayer

Maybe you don't any advice from me. ;)

Bread Machine Yeast is a fast-rising (instant) yeast and a fast-rising yeast is necessary when using the QUICK (1-hour) cycle in the bread machine.

The "mixing yeast with dry ingredients" means using it outside of a bread machine - mixing by hand. When fast-rising yeast products are used in a recipe where the yeast is mixed with the flour (instead of proofing the yeast in a small amount of warm water), then a warmer temperature is required to activate the yeast in the mixture. The large amount of ingredients will quickly cool the water temperature to the normal temperature needed to activate the yeast.

For best results, I tend to respect the type of yeast called for in recipes; and you'll find different books/recipes call for different types of yeast. Therefore, I keep a fast-acting yeast (I use SAF Instant, but there is also Quick-Rise, Rapid-Rise, and Bread Machine Yeast available in this fast-acting category) AND an active dry yeast on hand.

If your recipe calls for active dry yeast, and all you have is Bread Machine Yeast, use 25% less of the Bread Machine Yeast.

pat_t - Yeast dies at 140°F.

-Grainlady

Thanks GL for the correction. Chef instructor probably told us 115° for the idiots that just turn on the hot water and pour it in and don't bother to test the temp.

I don't heat my liquids at all. I always have good results. I never use extra gluten or special yeast. I buy my yeast in bulk at my local health food store, and normally I use a tablespoon of yeast for a two pound loaf. I keep my yeast in the refrigerator, or, if I have bought a really large bag of it, I will keep most of it in the freezer.

If you're using whole wheat flour, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. You won't taste it and it helps the rise. If the recipe calls for white flour AND whole wheat, always make the white flour be bread flour.

If I don't use bread flour, I add about half a cup of mashed potatoes (or 1/4 cup of instant mashed potato flakes) into the mixture.

The problem might be your recipe, might be calling for too much or too little fat and sugar. If you have a failure with a recipe, try a different one next time.

Barnmom, it looks like you might've had a little too much liquid. If I'm trying a new recipe I will watch it while the machine kneads the dough. If the dough does not form up into a nice ball during the kneading process, cleaning the sides and bottom of the can, then it will rise up nicely but fall during baking.

Hope this helps! --Ilene

My manual says not to start with ingredients over 80 degrees or it may affect rising. I always have my liquid "luke warm" and all other ingredients at room temp. The ingredients heat up further during the 20 minutes the machine sits "on" before starting to knead.

If you are using all purpose flour instead of bread flour, I would try a bit of gluten in your white breads as well.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I do use bread flour in all of my bread recipes. I am wondering, since I used to make all of my own bread and am used to the "feel" of properly kneaded bread, if it would be a good idea to knead it a bit when the buzzer goes off to take that little "paddle" out of the bottom. This occurs right before the final rising. This will tell me if it's either too moist or too dry or not spongy enough. Technically, I can put the machine on a brief "hold" (up to 30 minutes) and still keep it running (so it would still be warm) and thus give it longer to rise. I think I may try that. That's the trouble with technology. You carefully measure everything -- and I do measure it EXACTLY -- but it takes experience and failures to develop a "feel" for what bread should feel like just before you start the final rising -- all that 'smooth and elastic' terminology doesn't mean much if you've never had raw dough in your hands. Maybe that's what's missing here, and I do have an opportunity to fix it, with or without extending the rise time. What do you think? MacThayer

I was just going to suggest you extend the rising time, although you may have already figured that out. You know how when a loaf is hand-made, you can't rush the rise? And that to improve the flavors, often a slow overnight rise in the fridge is helpful?

Good things come to those who wait.

I'm sorry this answer is late for you... but I just wrote a pretty decent article on how to use your bread machine. I've been making pretty good bread for several years and thought I'd share the experience with others -- maybe it will help?

http://www.ehow.com/how_4622259_use-bread-machine.html

Bryan

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Use a Bread Machine

I don't worry much about the exact temp of the water because the bread machine will heat the dough to the right point anyway. I just put in slightly warm filtered water.

Once the machine has been running long enough for the dough to be well mixed, I give the ball a pinch to check it and add more flour if needed.

I never bake in the machine (well I did once but that was an accident - I had the thing on the wrong cycle). I just use it for mixing, kneading and the first rise - then I take the dough out and form my loaves for baking in the oven.