Here are some tips for Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints. (I
strongly recommend this book for anyone with a bread machine. It has
wonderful hints for all kind of problems & some recipes. It's a paperback
& is only about $11).
Check the freshness of your yeast. In a 1 cup glass measuring cup,
dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup warm water (110 -115). Sprinkle 1 scant
tbsp yeast slowly over the surface. Stir; allow mixture to sit 10 min.
Within 5 minutes, the yeast should begin rising to the surface. At the
end of 10 min., the yeast should have doubled & reached the 1 cup mark &
have a rounded crown of foam. If it hasn't done this, discard the yeast
& buy new. Test the new before using.
Make sure you are using bread flour & not all-purpose.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temp. If the ingredients are
too cold, the yeast won't activate.
Liquids too hot will kill the yeast. Use liquids at approx. 80 degrees F.
Don't put the yeast on top of the salt. The salt can kill the yeast if
they come in contact with one another.
Make sure your machine isn't near a cold exterior wall, chilly windows
or in a draft. If so, move it to a warm location.
Make sure there isn't any soap residue left in the machine after washing
it. Soap will interfere with the yeast. Rinse very thoroughly.
There are other suggestions but I tried to pick the ones that applied
to your situation, Ben. If none of these work, e-mail me & I'll look
through the book again. Lavon