For anyone that has made bread by hand before, they probably can agree that aside from waiting for the bread to rise, the worst part of the process is the kneading. Not only does it take quite a bit of muscle, but it can take quite a bit of time to reach the desired consistency. In addition to this, store-bought bread can often contain chemicals and preservatives, and the taste never quite matches that of fresh, homemade bread. Lucky for them, new technology has been invented to throw kneading problems away. Bread machines are great options for a variety of bakers for a variety of reasons, and may be the solution for those wanting to eat fresh bread without all the work.
Debatably the most important question regarding making bread with a bread machine at home: How exactly does it work? To begin, there are a variety of parts that make the bread machine work so well. There is the base/body of the machine which usually has the settings and electronic commands to choose from. This menu will allow bakers to select the correct program for the type of bread you would like to make. In addition to this, there is a tin which is where all of your ingredients to make the bread will go in. Most recipes require little or no mixing, so bread making with a machine is essentially dumping ingredients in the tin to prepare it for the cycle selected. Finally, the most important part of the entire machine: the kneading paddle. This little paddle looks similar to a blender's blades, except it is used for mixing instead of cutting. The kneading paddle's job is to mix and properly knead your bread to prepare it for baking. Because of this paddle, breadmakers can avoid hands-on kneading and allow the bread machine to do all the work. Many bread machines contain a baking feature that actually bakes the bread in the machine with the push of a button. Often the whole process is included when selected on the settings, so leaving the machine to work its cycle is as easy as dumping the ingredients and waiting for the smell of bread.
Although each person has a specific taste, there are a variety of types of bread to make in a bread machine. Since the bread machine type doesn't usually affect what kind of recipes one can make, the sky is truly the limit. Some fan favorites are classic white bread, cracked wheat bread, honey whole wheat, ciabatta bread, and cinnamon raisin bread. However, many bread machines include a variety of recipes that range far and wide, suggesting recipes for bagels, pretzels, or even meatloaf using a bread machine. Choosing a recipe that works for the baker is important to ensure that the bread machine doesn't become overfilled with too large a recipe or isn't equipped for specific instructions the bread machine is unable to complete.
While there are a variety of brands and models to choose from for a bread machine, there are a few popular ones that get the job done. One thing to keep in mind is that different machines may have different benefits, such as cost, baking time, or rising cycles. It's important for each baker to find the perfect fit for their needs and the type of baking they're going to be doing. One popular machine is the Cuisinart CBK-200 2lb Convection Bread Maker, which is known for its ability to evenly bake bread thanks to a fan to distribute heat. This results in even, professional-looking bread. Another popular machine is the Oster Ckstbrtw20 Expressbake Breadmaker, which is perfect for those looking for a fast machine. This machine can make a complete 1.5 to 2.0 lb loaf in a single hour. The last popular bread machine is the Sunbeam 2-Pound Programmable Bread Maker, which allows bakers to add ingredients throughout the baking process, which could be perfect for spices or toppings added that won't burn.
Overall, a bread machine can be useful for bakers that don't have hours to work on one loaf of bread, but still want great results. Bread machines save money on not buying store-bought bread, time for the baker, and the muscles of the baker. Without kneading or waiting for the loaf to rise, bread machines can often make the process of baking bread easy as pie!
