How to Troubleshoot a West Bend Bread Machine
- 1). Remember to press the start/stop button on your West Bend bread machine after you program it to bake a loaf. If you forget this step, the kneading and baking process will not begin.
- 2). Check to see if the knead bar is installed in the bottom of the pan if your bread ingredients do not mix. The knead bar is the small paddle used to mix the ingredients and must be placed in the bottom of the pan before you add the ingredients.
- 3). Order a new loaf pan if your ingredients keep leaking out of the pan during the baking cycle. You will notice a burnt odor coming from your bread machine when the ingredients leak.
- 4). Coat the inside of your bread pan with a thin layer of vegetable oil or shortening before baking if your bread sticks to the pan.
- 5). Fill the bread pan halfway with warm water after you remove the loaf of bread. Leave the pan to soak for at least five minutes before you attempt to remove the knead bar and clean it. If the knead bar sticks, soak it a little longer and then twist it gently back and forth to remove it.
- 6). Adjust the crust setting on your bread machine if the crust of your bread is too dark or too light. If your bread burns often, the bread machine is malfunctioning and needs to be serviced.
- 7). Cool your bread for 15 to 30 minutes after removing it from the pan before you begin slicing and always use a bread knife or an electric knife. Using a different type of knife or slicing the bread while it's hot could result in sticky and uneven slices.
- 8). Reduce the liquid in your recipe by 1 tbsp. if your bread loaves are still doughy in the center after baking.
- 9). Check the expiration date on your package of yeast if your bread loaf is flat after baking. Other problems that can cause this are using liquid that is too hot, forgetting to add the yeast or omitting the sugar or other sweetener in the recipe. Yeast requires sweetener and warm liquid to make your bread rise properly so follow the instructions for these ingredients carefully.
- 10
Reduce the amount of yeast, sugar or flour used if your bread loaves have an unattractive inflated appearance. Try reducing one ingredient at a time until you perfect your recipe.
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