The bread machine is one of the best small appliances to become part of our kitchen routine in the last few decades. Having one opens the door to many different recipes, some very basic and others more complicated in nature. Depending on the type of bread machine you have, you can bake bread, knead doughs, create pasta, and make jams in no time.
Bread machine bread is tasty and easy to make in just a few hours without a lot of fuss and muss and whole wheat bread is one of those recipes that you make in a short time with very little effort. It has simple ingredients and straight-forward directions for a tasty finished product. That said, there are some tips for baking good bread machine wheat bread. First, you need to get a quality basic recipe to start with. Then, make sure you follow these 13 tips to make sure you bake the best loaf possible.
Best Loaf of Whole Wheat Bread
This particular recipe is easy and offers a tasty nutty flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp. honey
- 3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ bread machine yeast
- Add wet ingredients first and then the dry, leaving the yeast until last. Poke a hole in the dry ingredients for the yeast. Do not let the yeast touch the wet ingredients.
- Choose the appropriate cycle. Usually, there will be a specific one for heavier bread such as whole wheat.
- Once the cycle is set, choose a medium-normal crust setting.
- Press start and your whole wheat bread is on its way. Your machine will:
1
Warm the ingredients2
Knead the dough two times3
Time to let the dough to rise4
Remix dough5
A second rise time6
Bake dough (if you do rapid rise, it will only knead the dough once)7
Once the baking is done, remove the pan carefully as it will be hot, remove bread from pan and let it cool on a rack.
*Note that different bread makers have different settings and labels for those settings. You will have to figure out the appropriate settings on your machine that are closest to those named in the recipe.
Tips for Great Bread Machine Wheat Bread
A bread machine makes bread-baking easy and a good recipe makes all the difference, but there are some tips to make your bread even better.
- Always follow the recipe closely. Unplanned deviations or guessing can lead to poor bread results. This is especially true when it comes to flour. Too much flour causes dry dough that will not rise properly and may lead to crumbly bread. Too little flour and you may get bread that is too doughy and seems undercooked.
- Always use fresh products. Stale or old ingredients lead to a flavor that is weak or just off. Old yeast may not rise properly.
- Remember that regular oven-cooked whole wheat bread recipes do not translate into bread machine recipes. Make sure the bread machine wheat bread recipe is the right one for your machine.
- Make sure to remove the bread pan before putting the ingredients into it. This is important because if you spill anything, the ingredients fall on the counter rather than into the machine itself. You do not want the moving or electrical parts of the machine affected by food bits that inadvertently get lodged inside. Place the pan inside the machine when everything is ready to go.
- Make sure the mixing/kneading arms are in place before you put the ingredients in. By trying to do it afterward, you can also get ingredients in the areas where the arm should be causing further issues with it working properly. It’s almost impossible to do it afterward without creating issues with the arms and the ingredients.
- Follow the proper order for ingredients. Never put yeast with wet ingredients because it will activate it and your bread won’t turn out correctly.
- If your bread machine does not have a cycle for whole wheat or whole grain bread, you can add 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten. Make sure to read directions closely if you choose to do this.
- Plan ahead. If you want fresh bread for dinner, get the ingredients ready to go ahead of time. Use a delay timer if available when you are out for the day or want it ready for breakfast.
- Always keep the following on hand for baking to save you the hassle of having to run out at the last minute for the basics.
1
Bread machine flour/whole wheat flour2
Butter3
Sugar/honey4
Eggs5
Salt6
Bread machine yeast
- Add ½ tsp of dried herbs to the flour before baking your wheat bread for added flavor.
- Remember the bread machine is hot. When it’s done baking, don’t just grab the bread pan. Be cautious. This also applies the mixer or stirring arm that will be baked in the bottom of the bread. Everything can burn you so be careful.
- Try to take your whole wheat bread out of the pan as soon as you can. If it is left in the machine, it can become moist and end up soggy on the bottom.
- Take care of your bread machine. Make sure not to scratch the basket when cleaning it as your wheat bread will stick. Also, make sure to keep the mixing arms safe as, without them, your machine won’t work.
Final Thoughts
Bread machine wheat bread is a delicious, basic recipe that can be made even more enjoyable with a few baking tips. Good organization, bread machine care, and careful storage and use of ingredients can make a good loaf of wheat bread into a great loaf.
