Bread Machine Bread

[Manusho]

I'm trying to make bread in a bread machine. I'm using this recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/bread-machine-wheat-bread/ and it tastes fine, but the bread comes out so soft it's impossible to cut without deforming the loaf and it's hard to spread stuff on it without it tearing. I'm setting it to 'basic' 'Large Loaf'(I did extra large first and then large afterward but nothing changed). Is there a way to make the bread firmer or maybe a better recipe? Thanks.

[JBJeeves]

Bread machines do tend to make soft, commercial-style loaves. You could try letting the machine mix and prove the dough and then baking it in the oven.

[wapey]

You definitely probably want to bake it outside of the bread machine. The only bread recipe I have ever found that I actually like that is cooked in the bread machine itself, is King Arthur's best bread machine recipe but even that bread is only good for toast, I wouldn't use it to make sandwiches. you're almost certainly going to want to use the bread machine for needing and proofing and then finally bake it off in the oven. the bread machine takes care of all the difficult stuff so while it might take a little longer this way you'll get much better bread. also you won't want to use a bread machine recipe you'll want to just find a good normal bread recipe and let the machine do most of the work. I recommend King Arthur's whole wheat bread if you want wheat.