I came across this from Pillsbury and thought other folks might find it
useful. In addition, Pillsbury offers to answer bread maching baking
questions at 1-800-767-4466, weekdays from 8-6 p.m. Central Time.
Bread Machine Troubleshooting Guide
Problem Possible Cause Solution
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1. Top Inflated, * Too much yeast * Decrease yeast or sugar
Mushroom-like * Too much sugar in recipe
Appearance * Not enough salt * Try adding a little more
* Substituted fast- salt
acting yeast for * If substituting fast-acting
active dry yeast yeast for active dry,
* Yeast was not added decrease amount by 1/4 to
according to manu- 1/2 teaspoon.
facturer's directions
2. Top and Sides * Too much liquid * Try reducing liquids 1
Cave In * Used canned fruit tablespoon at a time.
but did not drain * If using too much coarse
well flour, try increasing
* Liquid off balanced yeast slightly or reducing
by addition of cheese coarse flours and increasing
* Used coarser flours bread flour
such as whole wheat
or rye
3. Soggy Sides * Did not remove bread * If possible, remove bread
from pan soon enough immediately when baking
is finished.
4. Center of Loaf is * Used coarse flours * For coarse flours, try
Raw or Not Cooked or rye adding an extra knead
Through * Used moist ingredients cycle. To do this, after
such as yogurt or the first knead, let dough
applesauce rise, then restart machine
at the beginning of a cycle
as for a new loaf.
* If too many moist ingred-
ients are used, try
reducing liquids 1
tablespoon at a time.
5. Gnarly, knotted * Not enough liquid * Increase liquid 1 table-
Loaves * Too much flour. spoon at a time or
reduce flour 1/8 cup at
a time.
6. Didn't Rise or * Yeast was omitted. * Make sure yeast is fresh.
Flat Loaves * Yeast was old. * Make sure to use room
* Liquid used was temperature water.
too hot or too cold * Taste the bread to see
* Too much salt was if it is too salty, then
used. reduce by 1/4 teaspoon
at a time.
7. Lower Volume or * Used stone ground * Try substituting bread
Shorter Loaves and whole wheat flour for part of the
flours. stone ground or whole
* Not enough liquid. wheat flour.
* Not enough sugar or * Try adding more liquid,
no sugar added. sugar or yeast.
* Wrong type of flour * Check to make sure bread
used. flour, not all-purpose
* Wrong type of yeast flour, was used.
used. * Check to make sure yeast
* Not enough yeast used amount suggested
was for the type of yeast
you were using.
8. Collapsed While * May be caused from * Try reducing yeast by
Baking baking at a high 1/4 teaspoon or reducing
altitude water by 1/8 cup.