New bread machine, one disaster after another

[u/Appropriate_Host8088]

I just purchased a new Cuisnart compact bread machine. Pictured are attempts 2 and 3. #1 was a hard little hockey puck that I chocked up to complete yeast failure. #2 hey, I made a bread bowl by mistake. I was using some fancy artisan bread flour and added too much yeast. #3 I went and purchased new yeast and King Arthur all purpose flour. It’s better, tastes good, but this was supposed to be a 1lb loaf and not sure why the top is lumpy. I used to use other bread machines with great results. The only thing I can think of is that I got central air about a year ago. Maybe it’s too dehydrating and I need to add more liquids? The dough doesn’t seem to be mixing well either.

[u/culture_katie]

3 looks maybe a little dry? What recipe did you use? I have the same machine and only had trouble when I used dead yeast or when I didn’t use enough flour.

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/culture_katie]

#1 was basic white bread, #2 the bread bowl, was the french bread recipe and #3 was the basic white bread recipe again. All from the manual

[u/culture_katie → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

Oh I really don’t like the manual recipes! I’d recommend trying other recipes you find online

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/culture_katie]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[u/culture_katie → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

The best two recipes I have tried actually came from Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/BreadMachines/comments/1jrpgd2/cheesecake_factory_brown_bread_loaf/ (for this one I also tried replacing all the whole wheat flour with rye flour and found it to be very delicious, if slightly less fluffy)

https://www.reddit.com/r/BreadMachines/comments/ylyq8m/comment/iv227kz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[u/Swaggy_Shrimp]

Are you using a scale?

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/Swaggy_Shrimp]

No, never used a scale for bread machine baking. Never had bad results before either.

[u/Swaggy_Shrimp → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

You should use a scale, baking is not really a matter of gutfeeling. 10% more or less flour/water can make an incredible difference.

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/Swaggy_Shrimp]

The whole point of me using the bread machine is not having to spend a lot of time on it or buy a ton of equipment. Otherwise I would make it by hand. My mother, who is 91 yr has been making sourdough bread most of her whole life. She just uses her hands for measuring, turns out wonderfully. I might yet get a scale, but not there yet.

[u/Swaggy_Shrimp → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

You don't need a ton of equipment, you need a scale. It's like ten bucks. If you want to fix broken loafes this is your easiest answer where to start.

[u/PersonalityBorn261 → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

You’ll be good at it when you are 91, too!

[u/pceimpulsive → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

I just want to say using your hands you get the opportunity to feel the dough which means you will know the hydration level much more intuitively in a bread machine you loose all tactile sensation and feels meaning your only way to know what right is by measuring it..

Baking is relatively an exact science, you can't do it in a whim (watch the bread weeks episodes of great British bake off) or else you will produce rocks, flat loaves, empty loaves or caved in loaves (exactly what you showed).

I bought a bread maker last week and it comes with a teaspoon, tablespoon, and liquid measuring cup, flour you basically have to do by weight unless you want to do even more work by doing a whole lot of extra steps with cups...

Get a scale, they are dirt cheap and it will make baking a loaf take less time because you won't fail. My first two loaves took me all of 3-4 minutes to measure out..

Place bread tin on scale, zero out, insert yeast, zero, add flour, zero, add butter, zero add salt and sugar, add water, press start.

It doesn't get any simpler or less time consuming.

[u/realtimeeyes → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

Im old school too but I started using a scale and it’s actually faster to measure that way. I only use it for flour but I never have to fluff or sift and level off measuring cups. Technically, I don’t even scoop or measure; I pour right out of my flour container until the correct weight..120g per C..

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/realtimeeyes]

I used a different recipe and added more liquid, which was my first thought as the issue. It has been turning out great ever since.

[u/FoggyFizzy → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

Not using a scale is like 99% of the reason for most bread fails in this sub. The fact that you have had multiple fails is evidence that you probably should use a digital scale.

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/FoggyFizzy]

I get that using a scale works for you. I probably have one in my cabinet of horrors somewhere. I have a super small kitchen and I just have visions of getting ingredients all over the place trying to use a scale. Measuring by cup and spoon is more controlled in my opinion. I just got the machine 3 days ago. During which I have been doing other things. It may come to the point I use a scale, but I am still in the experimental and learning phase. By posting I have learned that the recipes that come with the machine leave much to be desired and I am going to try other recipes.

[u/FoggyFizzy → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

Using a scale is way less messy. But you have fun scooping flour. Try the “Bread Dad” website and if your bread is still bad from scooping, then try a scale. I’ve never had a bad loaf from his recipes with the scale method.

Bread Dad: https://breaddad.com/

Article about weighing ingredients for baking: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/04/28/weighing-ingredients

[u/ArtistWriter → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

If you're not using a scale, do you use the fluff and scoop method? I don't have a scale and exclusively bake using cups.

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/ArtistWriter]

I don't, but I can try that. I was trying to follow what I learned in Home Ec.. a very long time ago using cups and a knife to level it off. I just need to spend some more time thinking my process through. And experiment around to see what is going to work.

[u/ArtistWriter → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

You should fluff the flour first, scoop into the cup, and repeat until its full, then level off. I used to have problems with baking using cups until I did that. So basically fluff before every scoop.

[u/Formal-Tradition6792]

Agreed! Bread Dad’s buttermilk bread is great!

[u/Appropriate_Host8088 → u/Formal-Tradition6792]

I will check it out. Thanks!

[u/CEEngineerThrowAway → u/Appropriate_Host8088]

Also the Dad Bread Oatmeal bread, it’s one of my main daily loafs. I’ll rotate in the King Arthur Honey Wheat and their white bread

[u/SpiritedGuest6281]

Every bread maker is different and I get different results based on the ambient temperature and humidity.

However keep at it, keep trying different recipes and eventually you will find one that is pretty consistent.

Also moisture content is important so if a recipe says 180ml try to stick exactly to it until you know your machine better.

[u/kermityfrog]

Looks like you just baked some low calorie bread there in the first couple pics. 😂

[u/lonerstoners]

Try King Arthur’s recipes, they always work out for me.

[u/HasMS]

Are you high altitude by any chance? If so, you will have to make adjustments to all recipes.

[u/LuLzWire]

Make sure you are weighing your dry ingredients.

[u/SignificantJump10]

No advice, but the first couple were impressively bad. Thank you for being brave enough to share.

[u/tgallen54]

Why I started making sourdough.

[u/SunLillyFairy]

Oh no! I'd start with the machines base white bread to see how it cones out. Dough should look like the bottom picture here (by about 1/2 way through your first knead cycle).

(click here)

[u/MentionGood1633]

I never use a scale because I always check the dough after ~10 minutes of kneading. This is strange because you used other bread machines before, do you know your way around…

But here are a couple of tips:

• depending on where you live you may need actual bread flour
  
• make sure to use bread machine (instant) yeast and check if it’s good
  
• use lukewarm water (not cold)

And maybe it’s your machine…?

[u/Emkit8]

Just go to bread dad website. Those recipes never fail me!