It is no secret that I believe both of the first two steps in trouble shooting are related to hydration. Autolysing is just one method of helping you attain proper hydration in all your bread dough’s not just sourdough.
In addition, many of those experienced in the use of Fresh Milled Flour (FMF) often recommend the use of the Autolyse technique but it is useful to all machine baking.
By using the Raw Dough menu to Autolyse in your KBS/Keepeez (and likely other brands): note: for those who prefer to proof yeast before adding – this concept gets you there.
Here is what I do (YMMV – your results may vary) and one of the few times I even consider using delayed start subject for another time Remove your pan and add ONLY your liquids and flour(s). Replace/Secure pan in your KBS/Keepeez, Select Menu Raw Dough, Press Start Just as you would/should any other time, use that first stir to check if your hyrdration looks rigth. if you get called away, you may get another chance later but now is better.
Basically the process of Autolysing is mixing your liquid and flour and letting it sit for as little as 20 minutes and depending on whose information you trust, as much as an hour or longer.
The KBS\Keepez current (Feb-2026) models whose Model numbers begin with MBF-### have a menu operation known as “Raw Dough“. At approximately 23 minutes mixing and sitting, this functions well as an means to Autolyse not exactly, but close enough to be useful.
Once the Raw Dough menu has been completed, you can choose (or in my case remember to go deal with the next step because I was off reading cookbooks or some such) another menu, add your other ingredients as directed in your recipe
In my case, this means adding other ingredients (sugar, salt, yeast) and going to take a nap.
If you would like more general details about the Autolyse technique, here are some links to respected sources familiar to most Bread Machine Bakers. Linked articles they may contain affiliate links that do NOT benefit me –
In response to a question about how to get a darker top crust, in 2026/Jan/04 John DeFields wrote: (Thanks to John for permission to share )
“I’m not sure what model you have, but if it has a fruit/nut dispenser remove it unless you need it for a recipe. This allows for better air circulation at the top of the loaf.”
Note: Sample Loaves were egg-washed to enhance appearance
This post may contain Affiliate links, see full disclosure note Links in my entries usually open in a new tab.
in 2025 BJ’s “shipping” was unable to delivery correctly more than a dozen times which by the way is EVERY single order I was dumb enough to have shipped.
In 2025 Instacart correctly delivery – on time and usually in the first 10 minutes of the 2-hour window in 47 of 47 deliveries.
Yesterday, instead of spending useless time trying to get BJ’s and/or FedEx Ground to accept responsibility for misdelivered urgently needed items I did the math.
There are FIVE “bulk” items I buy every month from BJ’s. for years we have maintained a separate Same Day Delivery account.
TWO of the five are no longer available thru Same Day Delivery “in this area” . And no, free shipping is not free if the product never reaches you and you are forced to find it elsewhere at a higher price.
So I did the math. Instacart for the win, again. I use Instacart for several reasons.
Now added to those reasons is keeping my blood pressure lower. Given the competition, at this time (Jan-2026) the monthly cost to use Instcart for my BJ needs is approximately $5-$10 per month. – that means for $60 annually I am not aggravated by having to deal with repeated mis-delivery (for the records, BJ’s/FedEx-Redidential have not properly delivered any order in the past 18 months)
That means I can pay Instacart an additional $10-$120 and NOT use BJ’s delivery services. And yes, I do keep track of what we use and buy whenever possible locally when on sale so that takes care of another dozen products I might have purchased from BJ’s
In 2025 it cost me an additional $150 in “lost” misdelivery that no one accepts responsibility for and would have been more except for kind folks who saw the package and brought it to our door. Full disclosure – after one other missing shipment that was valued at more than $100, they agreed to refund the $55 – and yes, we supplied images of their supposed delivery.
Looking 2025, IF I had used Instacart instead of BJ’s either shipping or same day delivery, the TOTAL added cost would have been $111 to Instacart instead of $100. Yeah for $11 – less than $1 a month, this delivery dependent person will not be renewing any delivery, Same day or shipping, thru BJ’s.
OR: Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls, I plan to try cutting each in half to get more coated. you will need to allow time for defrost and first rise, longer time than making dough using Leaven Dough.
– Skip Pretzel Baking Soda Bath
will bake in either 6 inch tube or 6 inch bundt pan or maybe even the 8 in fluted pan with S/S cup in center to be use for dipping sauce when serving. need to think about that sauce.
TIPLET: Question: My machine shows size choices of 500g i 750g i 1000g how do I know which size to choose fro recipes choices of 1 lb, 1.5 lb, and 2 lb.
RULE OF THUMB: keep in mind that the amount of flour that best suits a particular size is a range, Use the machine size selection closest tot he amount suggested in your recipe of choice. I.E. 750 grams is approximately 1.65 lbs.
Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook for Beginners, The Brooks, Stewart (Kindle copyright 2004) https://amzn.to/3NNnIAZ Convert not necessary – All recipes contain Imperial & Metric
