by Wordy

Created on: January 23, 2009

A bread machine is a quick and efficient way to enjoy homemade bread every day of the week, needs no special skills and produces consistent results.

There are a number of reasons why people want to eat homemade bread; it tastes better than shop bought bread, is fresher, healthier and the recipe can be adapted to suit your tastes.

If you are considering investing in a bread machine, think about where you will keep it. It is well known that kitchen gadgets that are kept hidden in cupboards rarely get used, and since you'll probably want to use your bread maker several times a week, you'll need somewhere in your kitchen, on a counter top, to keep it. Think also about the size of loaf you wish to make. Many machines will produce two or even three different sizes, which is a very handy feature, but consider those sizes before you buy; if you're feeding a family you will probably want to produce larger loaves than if you live alone. The only other thing to think about is the shape of loaf; some machines have a deep, square tin and other have a more traditionally shaped tin. Machines with the deep square tin are typically a bit smaller, but the quality of bread produced is exactly the same.

Once you have chosen your bread machine, you will be eager to try out your first loaf. You will receive some recipes specifically written for your machine with the instruction booklet, and it is recommended that you start with these. Each make of machine is slightly different, and it is therefore a good idea to get to know your machine before you start experimenting. Choose a "basic" recipe to start with, such as a plain white or brown loaf, and once you've mastered that, move on to more complicated recipes.

The key to making bread is to very carefully measure the ingredients. Bread rises by the actions of yeast, sugar and salt; the sugar feeds the yeast, causing the dough to rise, and the salt "kills" it, halting the rising process. Too much, or too little, of any of these vital ingredients, therefore, will seriously affect the quality of bread you produce. Too much water will result in a dense loaf that fails to rise, and too much fat will result in a "sticky" texture. Measure the ingredients accurately, however, and you will not experience these problems.

Once you have mastered the basic loaves, move on to a whole host of speciality breads; wholemeal, Granary, rye, fruited, spiced... Once you have got to know your bread maker, you will know how to adapt recipes to suit your tastes. A traditional Granary loaf is delicious with the addition of sunflower, linseed and sesame seeds, a fruited loaf with cinnamon or nutmeg is fantastic at breakfast.

Your bread maker can also be used to make dough that you can then shape into rolls, flat breads etc. The process is the same, but rather than baking the dough in the machine, you take it out, shape it, leave it to "rest" and then bake. Garlic bread, hot cross buns, pizza dough and dinner rolls can all be made in this way.

Making bread by machine is very rewarding; fresh, homemade bread is available every day of the week with a minimum of effort and with guaranteed results.

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