How to make the most of your bread machine: some pointers toward healthier, nuttier and raisin-packed bread

The instructions that came with my wonderful Japanese bread machine turned out to be overly cautious, though basically helpful in determining hackable parameters. Here are a few time-saving pointers that might help others make even better bread with confidence. They are arranged from simple to risky and nuanced.

1) Is your bread too dry? add extra water, about 10cc more than recommended to start with. Adjust after a vote. (If it is unbaked, too much was added; if it doesn't make you want to tear a piece off and lay it across your tongue, try adding more.)

2) Add extra yeast when the weather is colder or you add exotic low-gluten ingredients (such as soy flour, whole wheat flour, oats, anything). (You may also use high-gluten bread flour to offset the difficulty in using whole wheat flour, though I know I'm not swimming with the tide on this one. In Taiwan, we actually each pickled gluten with peanuts. Try it, if you are allergy-free on this one.)

3) Is your bread texture or taste too boring, too bland? Or do you want to sweeten it up? Add one or more of the following ingredients, or mix and match (heck, add them all, to taste: go for it--it won't be the end of the world--you might be pleasantly surprised!):

Bland-busting options:

• finely shredded coconut (not too coarse, not coconut flour)
• really makes it more filling (stick to your ribs) as well as offer a second texture
• cinnamon (at least a tablespoon and you won't regret it)
• nutmeg (be more cautious with this one)
• I destroyed a pie once by adding the recipe's standard dosage. It all boils down to respecting freshly ground nutmeg, whether slivered off the nut or spooned out of a tin.
• chopped or slivered almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
• dried fruit/raisins: grape or cranberry raisins; chopped figs 

The sweetening subset:

• vanilla
• cocoa powder (to taste: two tablespoons to a quarter cup)
• extra butter (double or triple your bread machine's recommended amount)
• If you go too far with the butter, hold back on adding extra water will help keep the dough from becoming dense and uncooperative with the yeast. 
• extra sugar (cane sugar recommended) (double, triple, or quadruple bread machine's recommended amount)

4) When to add the extras like nuts and raisins? While coconuts flakes, soy flour, cocoa powder goes in with the mix from the get-go, the big stuff comes later. My machine beeps and gives me a couple minutes to dump in a measly 50g of it--intolerable and defeating the purpose of having a bread machine! Instead, in order to make as healthy, moist, and nutritious as one dreams, I suggest adding the extra big stuff about 10 or 15 minutes after pressing start--the ball of dough should already have been formed and smooth. Dump it all in, and before it rattles around too much, with a sturdy spatula press down on the ball so that it is torn from below by the moving blade (be careful and use judgement). Repeat this until most of the dry extra big stuff is on its way to being integrated in the ball of dough. Don't worry; it will still rise (fingers crossed).

5) Don't forget salt! I'm not a fan myself, but you need it for bread to stay tasty, and the yeast needs it (for whatever yeast do with it when they aren't gorging on the sugar).

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Disclaimer: Though I've used the above techniques dozens of times, I don't know your bread machine, so I can only offer a few ideas about what makes for great bread for me and my family. What works for me might tank in your machine for all I know. Use your own judgement as I take no responsibility for mishaps or damaged teflon.