While bread machines offer freshly baked bread at the push of a button, some people have baked more "hockey pucks" or "mushroom loaves" than they'd care to admit. Below are some tips you might find helpful when baking with the bread machine.

• Carefully read your manufacturer's directions and follow instructions for adding and layering ingredients.

• Use 80°F water or liquids

• Always use fresh ingredients, and dry ingredients are at room temperature.

• Use bread flour - it is stronger that the other wheat flours and will tolerate the actions of the bread machine better, giving better volume and texture to your bread.

• Active Dry yeast - use 3/4 tsp for each cup of flour in your recipe for regular cycle bread machines; Active dry yeast is not recommended for one-hour or express bread machine cycles.

• Instant Yeast - use 1/2 tsp for each cup of flour in your recipe for regular cycle bread machines; if using a one-hour or express bread machine cycles - yeast amounts must be doubled or tripled; suggested liquid temperatures vary with machines - follow your manufacturer's instructions.

• If you are unsure of the freshness of your yeast, you can test it to check its activity before using.  See our Yeast Freshness Test section for directions.

• Never place the yeast in direct contact with salt or sugar, as this will decrease the activity of the yeast. Use the back of a spoon to create a shallow pocket in the top of the flour and place the yeast there.

• Humidity, the way flour is measured and the moisture content of the flour affects dough consistency. Open the bread machine's lid after 5-10 minutes into the KNEAD cycle. By this time, the dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add liquid (80°F), 1/2 to 1 tablespoon at a time; if too wet and sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

• Flour is sifted many times before being packaged. During shipping, it settles and becomes compact. First, aerate the flour in the bag or container by using a whisk. It is important not to dip the measuring cup into the flour; instead, scoop the flour lightly into a dry measuring cup. Do not tap or shake the cup to put more flour into it. Using a flat edge, scrape off the excess to make the flour even with the rim of the measuring cup. This method will assure an accurate measurement.

• When using margarine or butter, cut it into small pieces to ensure that it is properly blended with the other ingredients.

• Use a plastic spatula to help a loaf out of the pan.

• Use the handle of a wooden spoon to remove the kneading paddle from the hot loaf of bread.