I am new to bread making machines, and have a Zojirushi BBCCX20. So far my bread has all been very heavy. What can I do to make lighter, more fluffy white bread?
To make it light and fluffy you need to add more water or milk so that the dough is sticky, also add a little more yeast. You will have to experiment to get the right quantitys but as a rule if the recpie adds 2 tsp of yeast i add 1 more, with the water if it aske for 10ml extra for every 100gm of flour.
Many new to baking will use liquid measuring cups instead of weighing the flour. Too much flour will lead to heavy loaves/tops caving in. In fact, using a measuring cup by dipping and/or not weighing will weigh your loaf down. Get a cheap scale. A cup of white flour weighs approx 125 grams. 1 cup of wheat flour weighs about 120 grams. Also, try using a tad more salt, the salt assists the yeast in many ways for a lighter, fluffier loaf. And yes, make sure the yeast is fresh too.
Check to see if your yeast has expired. If you do not know, add a tablespoon of sugar to warm water, then add a teaspoon of yeast. Mix. It should start to foam. You may also try adding more yeast to your mixture, and make sure your salt and yeast are not touching before mixing.
Your flour:liquid ratio may be off. A cup of flour can weigh from 3 to 6 ounces depending on how it's measured. The Zo manual says to spoon the flour into the cup until overflowing, then level with a knife without packing down. This is the same method Cooking Light uses; Cooking Light also offers that the weight conversion they use is 4.5 ounces per cup. I would weigh the flour and use that.
As you gain experience you should be able to look at the dough partway through the first knead and know from its appearance whether to add more flour or liquid. That can depend not just on the original measurement, but on humidity in your kitchen.
To achieve a better sandwich bread texture, you can buy or make a dough enhancer. King Arthur flour is one source. They're advertised for use with whole grain breads, but white breads can be enhanced as well - especially if you intend the bread for sandwiches.
It's cheaper to make your own enhancer, generally. You can Google up some recipes, and they'll range from few to many ingredients. The ingredients make your yeast happy and make the bread more able to hold the air bubbles the yeast produces; the crumb texture becomes more pliable, so slices hold their shape well.
If you weigh your flour, add some enhancer, and check and adjust the texture early in the first knead, your bread will be brilliant.
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