I'm giving this a 4-Star because the kneading part does not yield ideal results. Everything else works fine. Here's the method and recipe I use and the results are outstanding:
250gms maida
3.5 gms Urban Platter Baker's Active Dry Yeast (available on Amazon) I also recommend you buy a set of measuring spoons if you don't have them. Use 3 x 1.25gm spoons of yeast.
50 ml very warm water
1 Egg white (optional but it gives nice texture to the inside of the bread, makes it white and helps the bread rise because of the protein). If you leave the egg out, increase the water to 75ml.
1 tsp oil or butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp non-iodized sea salt. (The iodized variety will kill the yeast and the bread will not rise).
Mix everything expect water. Next add the water a little bit at a time and knead the dough. If you have never made bread dough before, you might want to Google "how to knead bread dough".
Once the dough is kneaded, put in a bowl and cover with cling film. Check after 1 hour the dough would have doubled in size. Punch it down and shape it into a rectangular cake and put into the bread machine (apply some butter to the blade first). Don't start the machine. Wait for one more hour at the end of which, the dough would have double again. Use this time to read up the bread machine manual that came with the machine.
Now power on the machine, select 10-Bake, Colour = Dark, Time = 60 minutes. Press start. Go for a 1 hour walk. On your return, switch off machine, remove vessel, allow it to cool, make it upside down and tap. Amazing bread with 1/2 thick crust guaranteed!
You can use this to bake cake too. Bake time is about thrice longer on account of the lower temperature.
