Converting Bread Recipes For Breadmaker

1. Calculate the number of “loaves” in a non-ABM recipe by allowing 3
cups of flour per “loaf” (or 2 cups flour for a 1-lb machine).
Rounding off is fine; if a recipe calls for 5 cups flour, I figure
that’s close enough to 2 loaves for government work. Remember to add
in ALL the flours, if there’s bread flour plus WW flour plus rye
flour plus … you get the idea. Most handmade bread recipes seem to
make 2 loaves.

2. Have MM resize it to 1 loaf.

3. Manually change the yeast and sugar amounts to whatever suits your
machine. In my R2D2, 1/2 tb yeast and 1/2 tb sugar are optimum. (If
you don’t know what works best in your machine, don’t try altering
recipes yet! Try a number of different ABM recipes and start looking
for a pattern. What amounts give the best results?) If the amount the
resized recipe calls for is dramatically different from what you know
works in your machine, don’t worry. Stick with what works in your
machine. (This does not apply to sweet breads; since my R2D2 doesn’t
produce usable sweet breads, I’ve not tried to convert sweet bread
recipes and have no guidelines to suggest.)

4. Add the dry ingredients and oil/butter/eggs to the machine.
Measure out the liquid and pour in HALF of the measured amount. (If
your machine calls for putting in the liquid first, and you’re
terrified to use a different ingredient order, put only HALF the
measured amount of liquid in.) Start the machine and let knead a few
minutes. Add remaining liquid, a little at a time, until the dough is
the right consistency. (Again, if you haven’t used your ABM enough to
recognize the right consistency when you see/feel it, don’t start
adapting recipes yet.) You may need to add more liquid, or you may
have liquid left over. Make a note of how much liquid you actually
used.

5. When the bread is done, evaluate. Didn’t rise enough? Add another
1/8 cup liquid next time. Overflowed? Reduce the liquid by 1/8 cup. I
don’t remember the last time I had to adjust anything except the
liquid.