Cooling/Cool Down

Most bread machine models enter into a Cool Down period to remove the warm, moist air at the end of baking; some even have a steam-injected hour-long Keep Warm period. To avoid a gummy, soggy interior, remove a loaf as soon as the timer sounds that the baking is done. In some models, the kneading blade sticks in the bottom of the loaf; in others it stays in the pan due to its position. Sometimes a shake will dislodge the blade; other times it is lodged in the loaf rather tightly. (See step 12 of the Homestyle White Bread recipe, for information on dislodging the kneading blade.)