Instructions: First of all everyone is a novice sometime. The best thing about bread is that its probably the most forgiving thing you can make. As I tell my classes, theres no absolute success or failure - the most important thing is that the bread tastes good (to you) - looks come second - after, all you can always serve it sliced!

Whether you are using the bread machine to make dough or using it to bake as well it is essential to check the dough during the beginning of the first knead cycle and to correct for liquid/flour as necessary to create a supple ball of dough. Flour is hydroscopic, so the amount of moisture in it at any given time varies - so you have to make up for that. There isnt a bread machine on earth that can do that for you. Id venture to guess that any failed loaves youve had are as a result of not checking the dough.

The great thing about using the machine to make the dough and then baking it i n the oven it that you get to make a much wetter dough which makes a much more interesting, better tasting loaf of bread with a better texture. Bear in mind that wetter loaves wont rise a high as dry loaves because the dough can only sustain so much weigh/vs/height before it collapses, so I like to form low, round hand built loaves especially when making wet dough. Programming the machine for dough cycle will, in most cases gives you a knead cycle, a long rise cycle, another short knead cycle and a final rise (different machines have different versions of this, but ultimately the result is the same). After that final rise cycle the dough should be about twice the bulk of when you started. If not just leave the dough in the machine until it has risen.

At this point you have a few options: you can deflate the dough and form it into a loaf (by the way, if you do this right away dont start kneading the dough or it will become hard to shape because youve reactivated the gluten which is the protein in the flour - think of it in terms of bubble gum - the more you chew the harder it gets). The other option is to stick the dough into a heavy duty gallon sized Ziplock baggie and refrigerate it for 12-24 hours. This long, slow cool rise further develops the texture, flavor and personality of the finished loaf. This step isnt essential, but if you have the time - its a great thing to do. You also have the option of freezing the dough at this point. I use the same heavy duty baggie - make sure you mark the bag -all doughs look alike when frozen.

To form the bread you can use a loaf pan, or make a free form loaf. A dough made from three cups of flour makes a large loaf, so if you want to put it in a bread pan youre going to need one that is at least 12 cups - the bread may not fill come up to or over the rim, but you want that much room so the interior of the bread will bake through. You can also divide the dough and use 2 6-8 cup cans. Make sure to spray or grease the pans very well. Pat the dough into a flat oval, bring the long sides up to meet on top. Pinch together, then and tuck it into the pan, seam side down. If you want a free-form loaf, oil a heavy duty baking sheet and sprinkle it with a little corn meal. Pat the dough into a dome about 9" across and 3" high in the center with the sides sloping to about 2" high at the edges.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray and put it in a warm place to rise. A turned off gas oven is good for this, or place a 4 cup glass measuring cup full of hot water in the microwave. Microwave until the water boils. Carefully remove the hot water and put the bread pan in and close the door - youve created a proofing box - a warm, moist place for the dough to rise. Again, for the flavor and texture to develop you dont want to rush this step. When the dough has risen abut half way preheat the oven to 425 with the rack in the center position.

its better to underrise, then overrise the dough - it will continue to rise in the oven (its called oven spring) until the yeast dies from the heat - if the dough is overrisen the bread will sink - not fatal, just not as pretty - remember what I said slicing the bread. The bread should bake for about 35-40 minutes. Not everyone bakes bread a such a high temperature-but this is what works for me. If you wish to glaze the bread to make the surface shinny, this is the time to do it - use either an egg white that has been beaten with 2 tablespoons water and a pinch of salt, or an egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons milk or cream. The second glaze makes the surface of the dread softer than the first one.

The easiest way to tell if the bread is cooked is to use an instant-read thermometer. Insert it in the center of the bread after 30 minutes of baking. When it reads 190 the bread is baked. I let my breads cool in the turned off oven with the door opened.Hope this helps - Lora

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