Vickys Tips on Baking Wheat Bread & Converting Bread Machine Recipes to Manual Oven Recipes

You can easily convert bread machine recipes to manual oven recipes by reading the ingredients, then combining them the way you usually do. Dissolve the yeast in the liquid, add other wet ingredients e.g., eggs, honey, butter, add the flour and other dry ingredients, knead, then knead in any extras such as raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. Let the bread rise once in the bowl then transfer it to a pan and let it rise again. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated gas 4 / 180C / 350°F oven. A bread machine recipe for a large machine calling for 4 cups of all-purpose or bread flour will make a 2lb loaf. A bread machine recipe for a small loaf, calling for 2 cups of all-purpose or bread flour will make a 1lb loaf

Making sure the liquid is at around 21C / 70F will ensure the yeast activates. Too cold and it won't rise. Too hot and it will kill the yeast

In high humidity areas bake during the coolest time of the day and add an extra tbsp of flour. In high altitude areas, reduce the amount of yeast by 1/4tsp and decrease sugar and milk slightly

To prevent the crust becoming too hard brush it with some melted butter. Using milk will give a shiny soft glaze

Measuring the ingredients is very important and for both bread and cakes the best way to measure is by weight

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