Instructions: F YOU LEAVE SOMETHING OUT: If you have left out one or more of the liquid ingredients-eggs, water, or milk-the dough will be hard and dry after you add the flour. To fix, simply cut and stir omitted liquid into the dough with a wooden spoon. The dough will look lumpy and messy, but will smooth out during kneading.

If you realize during kneading that you have left out butter, sugar, or salt, simply incorporate these ingredients into the dough as you knead. If you do not discover your mistake until after the dough had its first rise, pat dough into a 14-inch square, sprinkle with sugar and-or salt or smear with softened butter, and knead thoroughly (at least 3 minutes) to incorporate the omitted ingredients. Ideally, you should allow the dough to rise again but you may proceed to form the dough at this point.

IF THE DOUGH WONT RISE: The yeast may have been old and dead to start with, or may have been killed because it was dissolved in excessively hot water or because the dough was set to rise in too warm a place. To remedy the problem, stir 1 1/2 packages (3 3/4 tsp.) dry yeast (or 1 1/2 cakes compressed yeast) and 1 tsp. sugar into 1/4 c. warm water. Set mixture aside to dissolve and proof. Beat into the yeast mixture 1/2 to 2/3 c. all-purpose flour, or enough to make soft dough. Thoroughly knead (5 minutes at least) this yeast mixture into the bread dough, then let rise until doubled.

IF THE DOUGH IS RISING VERY SLOWLY: Either the room is cold or else too much salt, a yeast inhibitor, was added to the dough.

To get cold dough moving, set bowl in a sink filled with warm water (up to 110F). If you suspect that the salt is the problem, taste the dough. If it is not too salty as to be inedible, simply be patient; it will eventually rise to the desired bulk.

IF THE BAKED LOAF IS GLUEY, WET OR GRAYISH IN COLOR: It is possible that too little flour was added to the dough. Next time, keep careful track of how many cupfuls of flour you measure into the dough and, if it feels very sticky while you knead (a telltale sign that the flour-to-liquid proportions are askew), incorporate extra flour.

Under baking is a more likely cause of stickiness and wetness. Try the following rescue. Protect the cut end of the loaf with foul and return the bread to a 400 F. oven for 15 to 30 minutes-the more under baked and/or more thoroughly cooled the loaf is , the more time it will need the oven. If this does not produce acceptable results, turn the loaf into bread crumbs or use to make bread pudding.

IF THE BREAD HAS LITTLE FLAVOR: Part or all of the sugar or salt may have been left out, but more likely the first and second rises were terminated before the dough had fully doubled, and thus yeast did not have sufficient time to develop and to flavor the loaf.

IF THE BREAD TASTES SOUR, "ALCOHOLIC": This sometime happens when a bread recipes is held too long in the refrigerator (sweet breads seem to be especially susceptible).

IF THE BREAD IS DENSE AND DOUGHY: Either the dough was not kneaded enough, or the loaf was put into the oven before it had had a chance to double in the bread pan.

IF THE BREAD IS DRY: Most likely too much flour was incorporated during kneading.

IF THE CRUMB IS UNEVEN, WITH BIG HOLES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOAF AND UNDER THE TOP CRUST: There are two possible causes. First, the dough may not have become wholly integrated when it was formed. Next time, be sure to roll the dough into a tight cylinder and to slap, jab, squeeze, and press it into shape before setting it in the bread mold to rise. Second, the dough, may have over risen in the bread pan, causing large gas bubbles to form, especially beneath the top crust. Dont let the dough rise as much next time-or if does, punch it down, reshape the loaf, and let it rise again, keeping a careful eye on it.

IF THE LOAF COLLAPSED OR LEVELED IN THE CENTER DURING BAKING: This is always due to the breads having over risen before being put in the oven.

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