Do you want a bread machine that does not leave a hole in the bread loaf? I review the Breadman BK1050S and answer questions about its bread making settings, loaf sizes, power failure backup and accessories.
What programs are available on the Breadman BK1050S?
The 14 programs are listed on the lid of the BK1050S bread machine. Here are the programs and what they do.
White: make bread recipes with white bread flour.
Whole wheat: recipes that use whole wheat flour, rye flour. This bread program starts with a rest cycle to allow the flour to absorb the liquid properly. Keep in mind that whole wheat or rye bread does not rise as high as other lighter flours.
French: traditional French bread is made without butter, oil or milk, which makes the crust crispier than other bread types.
Sweet: this bread program has a slightly lower baking temperature so that it does not burn the sweet, sugary ingredients such as raisins, dried fruit, chocolate or juice.
Quick: this bread setting is specifically for bread recipes that use either baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast.
Low-Carb: use this setting for low-carb bread recipes.
Gluten-Free: make and bake gluten-free bread recipes.
Artisan Dough: this setting has a longer rising time at a lower temperature so that the dough develops more flavor. The artisan dough making program takes about 5 hours to complete. You may then take out the dough, shape it as you like, and bake it in an oven.
Jam: prepare your own jam or marmalade.
Bake Only: press the Bake Only button for baking dough that you prepared by hand. You might also use this program if a bread loaf needs a few extra minutes of baking. The maximum bake time you can set is 1 hour and 30 minutes. Use the up and down timer buttons to set the desired baking time.
Rapid: this setting decreases the total program time to about 60 minutes. Available for the White, French and Whole Wheat settings. It is preset to bake only 2-lb loaves.
How big is the bread loaf?
The Breadman BK1050S can prepare 1-lb, 1.5-lb and 2-lb bread loaves. The default loaf size is two pounds and the default crust color is set to medium. There are three crust color settings available: dark, medium or light.
Can you see through its lid?
The Breadman BK1050S has a square viewing window in its lid. You may remove the lid to make it easier to clean the baking chamber. However, do not immerse the lid in water or put it into the dishwasher. Just wipe it clean with a damp cloth or nonabrasive pad. Do not use abrasive pads because it might scratch the glass window. The BK1050S bread maker also has an automatic fruit and nut dispenser built into its lid.
What happens when the power goes out?
The Breadman BK1050S has a 10-minute power failure backup feature. This means that the bread machine remembers where it was in the bread making program and will continue from that point if the power is restored within ten minutes. After ten minutes, you will have to decide what to do with the dough. Throw it away if the recipe contained meat or dairy products. If the dough does not have perishable ingredients, then you might try to restart a new bread making cycle. It depends on where in the bread making process the power outage happened.
What is included with the Breadman BK1050S?
The bread machine comes with a kneading paddle removal hook, measuring spoon, measuring cup, bread pan and collapsible kneading paddle. It seems that a recipe book with over 80 recipes is also included, since the BK1050S instruction manual does not provide any recipes.
What to do when the paddle comes out with the loaf?
The paddle might sometimes stick to the underside of the bread loaf when it is removed from the baking pan. Just leave it there until the loaf has cooled down. Use the included kneading paddle removal tool to hook and remove the paddle from the bread loaf.
Why is there still flour stuck to the corners?
The bread pan has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. Nonetheless, small amounts of flour might collect in the corners instead of being kneaded into the dough. A good habit is to open the lid during the first kneading cycle and check the corners for flour. Use a rubber spatula to gently add unmixed flour to the rest of the dough ball.
Can I clean the pan in the dishwasher?
The bread pan is not dishwasher-safe. The kneading paddle is also not dishwasher-safe. Wash them in warm soapy water with a soft pad. Be careful not to scratch the nonstick surfaces. You may wipe the baking chamber clean with a damp cloth, but never put water or soap into the chamber because it contains the heating element and drive shaft.
Who wants the Breadman BK1050S?
The biggest reason to buy the BK1050S is the single collapsible kneading paddle. However, the collapsible kneading blade might also be its downfall. Why?
The collapsible paddle is designed to reverse direction and collapse down before the baking cycle starts baking the dough. Yet, it does not always manage to collapse and still bakes into the bottom of the loaf. A few unlucky customers have also experienced a paddle which scrapes the nonstick coating from the inside of the bread pan. Therefore, the collapsible paddle is not a perfect construction.
In brief, the collapsible kneading paddle of the Breadman BK1050S is not the most reliable part, but this bread maker is one of the most affordable bread machines with a folding kneading blade. Nonetheless, I still prefer a bread machine with an ordinary, non-collapsible kneading paddle, because it seems like less of a nuisance to me. For example, the Breadman BK1200SS has a normal kneading blade (read my BK1200SS review here).
Please note that the Breadman BK1050S is currently unavailable. I tried to find it on the Breadman website, but there is only have a webpage for the BK1060S model. It seems like the BK1050S has completely collapsed from view, and is no longer available.
In that case, if you want to buy a bread machine with a single collapsible kneading paddle and an automatic fruit and nut dispenser, then I guess that the Breville BBM800XL is the only option that might still be available (check price on Amazon – paid link).