BREAD MACHINE TIPS

Known as the Bread Machine Maven, cookbook author Lora Brody has written a number of books on the subject including her most recent, Plugged In, The Definitive Guide to the 20 Best Kitchen Appliances (William Morrow, 1998). Below are a few of Lora's most helpful tips when using a bread machine.

• Use top, fresh quality ingredients such as unbleached, nonchemically treated flour made from hard wheat that contains at least 12 grams of protein per cup. Check the nutritional panel on the bag. (Remember this is given in 1/4 cups, so multiply by 4.)
• Use instant active dry yeast, the rapid rising variety is not recommended. Brody notes both SafInstant and Red Star are excellent brands.
• If you're using a delayed cycle, don't use fresh eggs or any other perishable ingredient that will sit for hours in the bread machine. Instead use powdered eggs and milk or save those recipes for when you don't have to use the delayed cycle.
• For the very best results open the machine and check the dough during the first 5 to 10 minutes of the first kneading cycle. Flour acts like a sponge and will absorb moisture to varying degrees, depending on the humidity and barometric pressure, so you may need to add more flour to liquid to achieve a smooth, supple, soft ball of dough. If the dough in the machine is either a wet, messy glob or a dry desert and it hasn't yet begun the bake cycle, press Stop and add a small amount of liquid or flour and press Start. Or cancel the cycle and restart from the beginning. This will not affect the bread.
• Sweet doughs will also benefit from an extra rise in a cool place. Place the dough in a gallon-size heavy-duty zippered plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

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