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ExpressBake
Experienced cooks consider bread making to
be as much of an art as a science. Keep in
mind that some recipes may require a little
experimentation before they are exactly the
way you want them. Just don't give up. Still,
there are special hints to ensuring quality
bread almost every time.
Use Exact Measurements
It is extremely important to use exact
measurements when baking bread. Level off
all dry ingredients and make sure that all
liquid ingredients are measured in a cup with
the markings clearly labeled on the side.
Use Fresh Ingredients
You should always use fresh ingredients. The
reasons are:
• Flour - If you have stored your flour for
a long time, it may have become wet
from absorbing moisture, or dry,
depending on the area of the country
in which you live. We recommend
using fresh bread flour.
• Yeast - Fresh yeast is probably the
most important ingredient in baking
bread. If the yeast is not fresh, your
bread may not rise. It is better to buy
new yeast than to take a chance on
yeast that has been stored for a long
time.
You can test the freshness of your yeast.
Simply fill a cup with warm water, then add
and stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar. Sprinkle a
few teaspoons of yeast on the surface of the
water and wait. After 15 minutes, the yeast
should foam and there should be distinct
odor. If neither reaction happens, the yeast is
old and should be thrown away.
Hints & Tips
TM
Add Ingredients in the Correct Order
Read all recipes from top to bottom, and
remember:
- FIRST, liquid ingredients
- SECOND, dry ingredients
- LAST, yeast
For Baking at High Altitudes
If you live above 3000 feet, you probably
already know how to adjust other recipes like
cakes and muffins. Higher altitudes tend to
make dough rise faster and make flour drier.
To compensate for high altitude baking, we
recommend the following:
If the dough is too dry
• Increase the amount of water to the recipe,
sometimes as much as 2–4 tablespoons per
cup.
If the bread rises too high
• Reduce the amount of yeast. For each
teaspoon of yeast, try reducing the yeast by
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Reduce the amount of sugar. For each
tablespoon of sugar, reduce the amount by
1 to 2 teaspoons.
8
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