Baking Questions

[momothree]

Good morning everyone. I have a couple of baking related questions that I'm hoping the more experienced gluten-free baker can help me with. First of all, I found a great banana loaf recipe (Incredible Edible), and my kids love it. It is so easy that I thought perhaps I could make a savoury variety for them as well for school lunches. So, could I replace the banana with cheese, and if so, how do I make up for the lost qualities of the banana (moisture etc.). Can it be done??? Also, I have a bread recipe (same book), but my poor hand mixer could not handle the dough (ugh!), so, could I somehow have my bread machine do the mixing part, or ??? The dough is soooo sticky, that I don't know if it would come out of my bread pan after the fact. I suppose that the teflon coating may make it easier. Anyone have any experience with this?? Any input would be very helpful.

Raegan

[2Boys4Me]

My son just takes the banana bread for his lunch (and some side dishes). When I was growing up, we put icing on it and called it banana cake, so it was a bit horrifying to me to send "cake" every day for lunch. Then I decided, that he loves it, it's pretty easy to make, so I'll put butter on it and call it "bread". I have not tried to modify it at all, except sometimes I put in a bit of plain yogurt or applesauce (1/4 cup) to keep it moist, that might work and the plain yogurt wouldn't really change the taste.

As far as the bread recipe is concerned, I've always done it with a stand mixer and then baked it in the oven. I guess if it's a bread pan/paddle that are not used for gluten bread then you could give it a try. Doesn't she have a couple of bread machine recipes in there? I can't remember. I think with a good spatula you could get it out of the pan and bake it in the oven, or if you bake it in the bread machine try sliding a knife down between the bread and the pan to loosen it.

When you have perfected your modified cheese w/o banana bread let us know what you did.

[dionnek]

could you give me those recipes for banana bread? I love banana bread and really miss it!

[momothree]

The banana bread recipe (as found in the Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids book) is as follows:

Ingredients:

1/2 c br. rice flour

1/2 c. rice flour

1/2 c tapioca flour

1/4 c potato starch flour

2/3 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c shortening

2 Tbsp milk

2 eggs

1 c mashed bananas (2-3 med.)

1/3 c chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl. combine brown rice flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.

2. In another bowl, combine the milk and eggs, beating slightly.

3. Add half of the milk mixture. With an electric mixer, beat to combine. Add half the mashed banana and beat to combine. Repeat with remaining milk mixture and banana, beating between additions.

4. Beat the batter on med. speed for 3 minutes. Add nuts, if desired, and combine.

5. Pour into a greased loaf pan or three greased mini-loaf pans. Bake at 375 for 55-6- min. for a large loaf or 40-50 min. for mini-loaves or until toothpick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean.

6. Cool for 10 min. on wire rack. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

7. Slice and store in an air-tight container or zip style bag in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.

Enjoy.

If I manage to figure out how to modify it for a savoury loaf I'll let you know.

[Guhlia]

This banana bread recipe is AWESOME!!! For best results, use small loaf pans. Larger loaf pans allow it to burn on the sides while being undercooked in the middle.