This article contains Amazon Affiliate Links. Should you purchase using these links, I may receive small compensation the will not effect the price you pay.
The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook – By Beth Hensperger is useful for ALL who enjoy bread baking – not just machine users. It answers about 90 percent of all questions ever asked – even some that are more or less machine specific
If you are new to Bread Machines (even those otherwise experienced in bread baking) you will benefit through taking the time at least read the Orientation section.
MBF – Models Specific NOTE: If recipe indicates “Dough” setting Use The KBS “Leaven Dough” Most, if not all, recipes follow the KBS Order of Ingredients
I came across this direct link to download KBS listing on Amazon to download directly But is has since changed – it was in the Product Information and referred to it as an “Application Guide”. I have used this book with 1/2 doz different machines since it publication and never had a recipe fail IF I FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS of both the Machine Order of adding Ingredients and the recipe.
Or, you purchase a hard copy – (sometimes there are often deal on used copies) thru my Affiliate Link, or download the PDF thru your Kindle Unlimited Link You can also use the links below to get a copy or just the ISBN to search for this book in your local library.
Or look thru the various KBS Amazon Listings to find a link to a “free” pdf copy of the older but still excellent general knowledge and rather dependable recipe resources. Go to the Product listing and then Scroll down until you see:
Looking forward to hearing you questions and opinions and comments about this article are welcome as always
originally posted 2023-June updated 2024-02-12 updated 2024-03-31
Briefly, This is an excellent book. As with any recipe, you may need to make adjustments to suit your choices of ingredients, etc. The above links are to my Amazon Affiliate Account If you are a Kindle Unlimited member it links to the “Read It For Free” Kindle Unlimited
KBS MBF-### Models: “Most if NOT All Recipes: Use the KBS recommended Order of Ingredients. When Ms Anderson says to use the Menu “Dough” – USE KBS “Leaven Dough” Includes measurements for 1 pound, 1.5 pound and 2 pound loaves
Tiplet: With any bread machine recipe, I usually hold back an ounce/tablespoon or two of the primary liquid. Adding it back if needed beginning about ten (10) minutes after first starting the machine is much easier (for me) than trying to get it right by adding flour.
KBS “Documents” – Caveat – Like all things offered in an Amazon listing – it could change or disappear. In fact the names of identical pdf documents are often not consistent across all KBS Bread Machine offerings and these may be Affiliate Links. These “worked” as of 2023-Aug-302024-03-11
It is also worth mentioning that KBS does not have the most easily used user manuals. That said, likely almost all the information you need it there – just not in the order you would expect and certainly not in a manner that would make most beginning bread machine users comfortable.
BUT NOT SO YOU WILL BUY SOMETHING. truthfully mostly so I can “find” the details and share the blog entry without having needing to retype it from time to time
IF you scroll down to “PRODUCT GUIDES AND DOCUMENTS” usually below Product Information
you will see links to download PDF that are useful for many of the KBS Bread Machines,
I am currently using and surprisingly happy with, The KBS MBF-041. and really just the more basic features = certainly NOT any of their recipes as written. Unhappily, it appears to be disco’d by KBS.
My major complaint with KBS continues to be the lack of consistent customer service. I have used the contact form on their website, emailed every address I have been able to find. Tried to get thru Amazon because of a warranty issue (no help as expected) Post in the Q&A Sections of their website. Others have had a more positive experience.
My suggestion is that if you think these PDFs will help you, download them from the sources. They could easily disappear tomorrow.
Draft started July 2023 – \updated a bit Jan 2024. STILL NEEDS WORK
First whether reading this article or writing to ask questions about my findings, ALWAYS USE THE WORDS*, Not The Number of the Menu Program. While not that many – there are differences and the Time Chart, sometimes called the Work Schedule, seems to have been intended as a “generic” helper – not a model (MBF-###) Specific chart. Added 2024-03-03Further it DOES NOT Include all menu functions listed on various KBS models in the MBF-### series – current or disco’d.
Second, with the exception of the 5th column headed “Total Work Time (hour)” the HH:MM;SS shown in the Time chart is the amount of time that “step” requires/uses. This can be confusing is you are trying to decide something like, when to add inclusions like fruit or nuts or when to remove the paddle to minimize its effect.
And, while I do plan to update if appropriate (as in to correct a mistake or typo or poor grammar or a true BFOTO-blinding flash of the obvious occurs) this article will not likely be changed all that much. Use at your own risk.
It also assumes you are willing to RTFM (Read the Fine Manual) that comes with your machine. It may not be organized the way you want, but the basic info is either there or the Quick Start Guide or
As important – the following (excluding the column headers) notes are based on the experience and observations of three people. So in tried and true Internet fashion,
Caveat Lechtor (Reader Beware) Not only may your mileage vary, but there are so many things that can affect your experience that the “Use at your own risk” absolutely applies.
There are a number of things in this chart that STILL need clarification (okay, maybe more than a few) but, perhaps, the most important is the time suggest for each column is NOT the same**.
(needs explanation of the difference in a Menu detail( times, temps, etc) within a Program (White, Whole Wheat, Sourdough, etc are Programs)
Menu* Start up default is Soft/White Bread settings for the recipe that is in most if not all KBS Quick Start Guides
Color Start up default is 2. Medium This is referring to Crust colour.
Loaf Size Start up default is 1.5 lb
Max Delay Start Time: HH:MM:SS A function we do not use, so won’t be talking about other than to say it is one that “counts down” once you start the machine. So if you set it for 15:00:00 and check 2 hours later, it should display as 13:00:00 Once it reaches the preset (by you) – CAVEAT LECHTOR: I do not use this function if for no other reasons that than if an electric outage occurs of more than 15 minutes, the results will not be what you expected or hope they might be. Could be raw dough, could be baked = you will have to work this out for yourself.
Total Work Time HH:MM:SS Default is 03:11 (3 hr : 11 min) and is the total time from the start of the processing based on the menu for Soft/White Bread, a 1.5 lb loaf with a color/crust setting of Medium. Through out the time the machine is engaged it will usually only display HH:MM (not sure what displays when end of delay and start of actual first stir begins at 3:11 – not of interest to me)
Preheat Default: HH:MM:SS 77F (25°C) cannot be changed. Still not sure if this effect any function other than Quick Bread (I suspect it may be part of the delay start menu but like I said No idea and not interested enough to figure it out) I generally use the Ninja Foodi to bake quick bread in cupcake sized portions.
Stir-01 HH:MM:SS (I call it gentle stir,) basic combining of ingredients – but not KNEADING. As you gain experience, towards end you may be able to see if the dough ball might need additional liquid or flour.
Rest HH:MM:SS Very brief – most menus only 0 to 3 minutes. (exceptions Sourdough & French programs) I have an unproven theory this is called a rest because it purpose is to allow for the liquid to fully hydrate the dry ingredients. Someday if KBS decides to share – I will update.
Stir-02 HH:MM:SS To me, this is more like a VIGOROUS Stir NOT a Kneading. Use this cycle to make adjustments of liquid or flour to achieve proper (damp baby butt) “touch” It is my practice to use about 5-10 percent LESS water than the recipe ingredients suggest. Keep a small bottle of room temp “aged” water and another large holed shaker container on your counter for bread making. Actually learned to do this in culinary school – really keeps the mess to a minimum both for flouring your board for any reason from kneading to shaping – whatever you need handy to add as necessary to get a proper dough.
If you don’t have a baby to practice on, use a wet towel to moisten the underside of most women’s forearm. pat it so not drippy, then let moisture sit a minute or two. now use “naked” fingers to practice what it should feel like. (I assume you know enough to have washed your hands thoroughly before beginning any food preparation process) This might work with a man’s arm, but none that I know.
Ferment-01 (95?(35°C )+/-41?(5°C) HH:MM:SS This part of the program is sometimes describe”the first rise” in some recipes.
Acid HH:MM:SS Someday I will have a blinding flash of the obvious and will know WTH this means.
Ferment-02 (95?(35°C )+/-41?(5°C) HH:MM:SS This part of the program is sometimes described as “the Second rise” in some recipes
Shape H:MM:SS Another of those still not quite clear columns. Next time I am in the kitchen when this part of the menu seems to be “working”, will make notes and update. I have some guesses, but they are less than educated so best left out for now.
Ferment-03 (95F(35°C )+/-41C(5°C) HH:MM:SS This part of the program is sometimes described as “the Second rise” in some recipes
BakeHH:MM NOT to be confused with the “MENU BAKE Program”. This the length of time that is dedicated wihtin the menu program to the “bake”. It is unclear if this can be adjusted within a specific menu or only when you the MENU Bake functions.
Temperature(°C ) C=Centigrade or Celsius The temperature in Centigrade or Celsius that is used for the BAKE portion of the program for this menu
Temperature(?) F=Fahrenheit The temperature in Fahrenheit that is used for the BAKE portion of the program for this menu
“Warming to Dispense/Add Fruit Nuts”. I really think this column should be “warNing to dispense” because the machine does beep at this point. The HH:MM mentioned in the chart is confusing as it is different than how the rest of the chart seems to “explain”.
Obviously the “intended” function is for those whose machine does not include the little box that explodes open to scatter your inclusions (fruit – nuts – whatever). or, who have learned that this little feature does not always disperse the inclusions evenly.
What IS important, no matter what creative use you choose to include this moment, is to understand what the HH:MM really mean.
With most of the columns, the timing is the duration of the cycle. With the dispense beep, it is the time displayed on your machine screen as it counts down from the HH;MM started.
For example, if the total time displayed when you press start is 3:11 which represents a total time excluding the keep warm hour as the – approximate Displayed time of 2:38 (2 hrs:38-48 mins). It is NOT the ELAPSED time (only about 23-25 minutes) It is the Time REMAINING until the Keep Warm Cycle begins. So, the time displayed is approximately between 2:38 and 2:48 even as much as 6:12 in certain menus.
Tiplet: Just one creative use of this function is if you are among those who want to stop the machine at the appropriate time to remove the paddle and then continue on.
Tiplet: It also allows you 15 mins (I do not trust the timer, so practice so you can do it faster) to remove the dough, shape and then return to dough to the machine for baking.
To help you know when to do that, you can (link tested 2024-03-12) use the KBS Time Chart
Added: 2024-03-12: You may also find the links in my article “USEFUL KBS PDF Reference” helpful “so far” it is my opinion the MBF-011 has the most easily used manual that is an officially a KBS publication.
I welcome your civil written input either by comment here or email.
If anyone happens to know how to show the “degree” tiny superscript o please let me know- obviously I do not. Links Checked: 2024-04-09.
The “Memory Function To Occasional Electricity Disconnection” took more than one read through and some thought and of course a reason to think it through. In the manual for the KBS Model MBF-041 it really is explained reasonably well If you are “conversant” in less than perfect translations from Pacific Rim countries to English. Caveat is that you must parse it out to one sentence at at time.
So I may not have paid proper attention when reading the manual long enough to understand how the Memory Function To Occasional Electricity Disconnection worked “exactly” KBS has a “feature” related to power interruption – something of a concern in many areas.
Memory Function To Occasional Electricity Disconnection also qualifies as “learned the hard way” based on something dumb I did – keep in mind the KBS machines all share the feature of what I call power blip memory save.
The Memory Function To Occasional Electricity Disconnection is supposed to work is that IF you have say a brief power interruption if the power resumes within less than 15 minutes, the machine “knows’ where it left off and resumes process without,
This means IF you have some reason to stop the machine (ie you forgot to add yeast) stopping the machine with the intent of changing something will not work (I wanted to start over so the now properly included yeast would be well mixed into the dough) UNLESS you wait at least 15 minutes.
Tiplet: Just one creative use of this function is if you are among those who want to stop the machine at the appropriate time to remove the paddle and then continue on. To help you know when to do that, you can (link tested 2024-03-12) use the KBS Time Chart
Understanding the Memory Function To Occasional Electricity Disconnection function also means that it could be used to remove the pan to remove the paddle prior to baking or to add a bit of artwork to the top of the loaf. So once again , something I did not know needed to be on my list of “features to consider for future purchases if needed”.
Below is the text “as written” but parsed out for easier “translating” – note: I have made repeated efforts to contact KBS and Aicok for permission to quote this text with no response after also trying for support questions to be answered – and as an exception to my usual rule because it is a limited quote and hope they don’t sue me.
Usual Caveat Lechtor – This post is based what has been my understanding/experience thus far with the KBS Model MBF-041. YMMV – Your mileage may vary – Use at your own risk, etc etc etc .
Your thoughts and questions for clarifications, letting me know of typos and such are always welcome.
As presented in the manual – only change is the parsing into single sentences:
…Memory Function to Occasional Electricity Disconnection (1) This unit holds a 15minutes Memory-keeping to after starting bread maker, if an occasional electricity disconnection happened and its duration is not more than 15minutes,
re-connecting electricity would make bread maker continue to work.
(2) After re-connecting electricity, the time of working could be changed and not equal to the original time set before:
Actual Working Time = Time of Disconnecting Electricity + Original Working Time Set Before If the duration of electricity disconnection is more than 15minutes, the bread maker can’t continue before work time…
