User manual TOASTMASTER 1195

[. . . ] Always use oven mitts when handling the hot bread pan or bread. • This appliance not for use by children. • Unplug the unit from outlet when not in use and before cleaning. Allow to cool before attaching or removing parts. [. . . ] Since honey is a liquid, decrease the water by the same amount as the honey added. Artificial sweeteners may not be used as the yeast cannot react with them. But yeast does ha ve the ability to convert the starch in flour to sugar. French bread is an example of yeast activity in a bread dough with little or no sugar. Although sugar is the favorite food of yeast, too much sugar will cause the yeast to dysfunction, especially within a bread machine program. The yeast will have a feeding frenzy and then become lethargic. The loaf of bread will be small and dense. Dried fruits also contribute sugar to the bread dough. Resist the temptation to add more than specified for in the recipe. FLOUR: BREAD FLOUR IS ESSENTIAL All types of flour are affected by a variety of factors, such as milling grades, moisture content, length of storage and manufacturing processes. Adjustments to the recipes may need to be made to compensate for climactic changes in each region to ensure an excellent loaf every time. Milled from hard winter or spring wheat, it has a higher protein content which makes it more durable than all-purpose flour. The protein, when mixed with liquid, becomes gluten. When kneaded, gluten becomes elastic and give the bread better structure. In contrast, all-purpose flour, milled from a combination of soft and hard wheat becomes elastic too easily for use in a bread machine and quickly loses its ability to stretch well. As a result, bread made from all-purpose flour will be small and dense. Whole grain wheat flours, which have a higher oil content, will become rancid much more quickly than white flour and should always be kept in the freezer regardless of the length of time you intend to store the flour. Be sure, however, to allow all flour to return to room temperature before placing in the machine. As a good rule of thumb, check the dough ball after the first 5 minutes of the initial kneading cycle. The ball should be round, smooth-textured, soft and slightly tacky to the touch. If it does not form a ball and is more like a batter, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the appropriate consistency is reached. If the mixture is too dry to form a ball or forms more than one ball, add 1 teaspoon of water and allow it to absorb into mixture. Add more water if necessar y. 18 LEMON JUICE: DOUGH ENHANCER Lemon juice contains acidic acid, a natural dough enhancer. The addition of lemon juice (or vinegar - which also contains acidic acid) may help improve the overall structure of your loaf of bread. SALT: REGULATES YEAST ACTIVITY Salt is necessary to control the activity of yeast, disciplining it to work slow and steady. Without salt yeast acts very rapidly and gives out too quickly. Salt also strengthens the structure of the dough. If too little or no salt is used, the bread will rise rapidly and then fall either before the baking or as soon as the baking begins; the texture will be coarse and uneven. Some salt substitutes will work effectively. FAT: DOUGH ENHANCER AND CONDITIONER Shortening is an American term for fat used in recipes. The recipes in this book use vegetable oil. [. . . ] Why is bread flour used in most of the recipes ?Bread flour is high in protein. When kneaded the protein produces gluten that gives bread a strong structure more tolerant of variations in the recipe, weather conditions, etc. , than allpurpose flour. Can I use all-purpose flour in my breadmaker ?You may use all-purpose flour, however, the bread may be lower in volume and the texture will be slightly different than bread made with bread flour. [. . . ]