What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Sweetfudge]

Ok, so I've been dealing with this celiac thing for 3 months now, and I think I'm okay with it. But I love bread, and I don't want to live without it. I also haven't found a storebought product that I love, and that reminds me of "real" bread. I have been attempting to make some bread on my own, and so far haven't had much luck. I was a pretty good cook before dx, but now I just want to SCREAM! Every time I try and bake a loaf of bread, it sucks. Well, actually it doesn't cook in the middle. The outside will get nice and hard, then dark, then very close to black, but the inside is still gooey. I'm following the recipes to the letter. Iv'e tried several different recipes, Bette Hagmans, people online, etc, but nothing works. WHY does this happen? And what do I need to do in order to fix it so I can stop feeding the birds my expensive failures?#@@!@$#$

Thanks

[AndreaB]

In the annalise roberts cookbook she says to bake for 10 minutes, cover with foil and bake for another 40-45 minutes. I forget the temp....between 350-400. Do you cover yours with foil? That will allow you to cook it without it burning.

[Sweetfudge]

Yeah, bette hagman says that too. I did, I let it cook for 15 min, then foiled for 45 minutes. Baked at 400, i think...can't quite remember. But it said to bake for an hour, after an hour the dough was still very gooey.

[AndreaB]

Try cutting back on the liquid or adding more flour. You want it to be thick.

I'll look up annalise's recipe if you'd like and see what her liquid/dry works out to. I make 4 loaves at a time......it's 8 cups flour mix with 3 1/2 cups milk, 8 eggs and 3/4 cup oil for four loaves. Of course you also have the rest of the ingredients.

[grantschoep]

One thing I found, was that making loaves of bread never seemed to work that great for me. I would basically make buns, I just got about 20 emtpy tuna cants, the larger ones(like 5'' diameter, ~2.5 deep) And tried a number of my bread recipes in each. They generally held up a lot better, and would bake through. I'd just then slice them all and throw in the freezer. 30 second thaw, and maybe toast them. I use them for lunch sandwhiches and burger buns and so on.

[Guest ~jules~]

I stink at baking bread! I can bake the best cookies, pies, cakes, I don't know what it is about bread but I can't seem to get it down. So, I bought a breadmaker, and its a godsend! I make 3 loaves a week, and they taste wonderful. I don't know about you, but I don't "literally" have the time to perfect my bread baking. I just follow the recipe, throw it in the breadmaker and walla, yummy bread....

[Ruth52]

I cook my bread in steel bread tins rather than aluminium ones. Apparently the aluminium tins will cook the outside too quickly and leave the inside undercooked.

[Kaycee]

I just got about 20 emtpy tuna cants, the larger ones(like 5'' diameter, ~2.5 deep) And tried a number of my bread recipes in each. They generally held up a lot better, and would bake through. I'd just then slice them all and throw in the freezer. 30 second thaw, and maybe toast them. I use them for lunch sandwhiches and burger buns and so on.

I love the idea of the tuna cans. It sounds quite unique and I'm thinking, I still have most of a loaf in the freezer, when can I try this tuna can business?

I also add an egg to my bread mixture, as it tends to hold it all together better.

Cathy

[Guest nini]

I use a breadmachine and Pamela's Amazing Wheat Free/gluten-free bread mix... it is (to me anyway) by far the best tasting gluten-free bread. I love it fresh from the bread maker or warmed in the microwave... It's the only gluten-free bread that I like without anything on it. Although it tastes even better with melted butter and honey on it

[TERESE]

I stink at baking bread! I can bake the best cookies, pies, cakes, I don't know what it is about bread but I can't seem to get it down. So, I bought a breadmaker, and its a godsend! I make 3 loaves a week, and they taste wonderful. I don't know about you, but I don't "literally" have the time to perfect my bread baking. I just follow the recipe, throw it in the breadmaker and walla, yummy bread....

Julie, what recipe do you use? I sound like you . I just got a bread machine and I can't get the Pamela's brand mix around here so will be using another mix or maybe trying it from scratch.

[flagbabyds]

we have a bread maker and it is MUCH better than using the oven!

It only took my mom about 4 years to find the best recipe and now i have it for toast every morning.

I will post the recipe when I am not on my way to school right now .

[GFBetsy]

Sweetfudge -

I'm here in the Provo/Orem area. PM me and lets get together and bake bread . . . sometimes watching someone do it helps you figure out what's going on when you do it yourself. Or just look for me at the GIG meeting tomorrow night - we can set up a time then.

In the meantime, here's a big list of Open Original Shared Link.

And for those who don't eat enough tuna to obtain bread baking rings: most specialty kitchen stores carry (or will order for you) English Muffin Tins. They are about the same size/shape as tuna cans with the top and bottom removed. Tuna cans are cheaper (if you are a tuna eater), but you can buy a dozen English muffin rings at a time, without having to eat all that fish (if you aren't a tuna eater)!

[Sweetfudge]

Thanks for all the tips. I think I may have to invest in a breadmaker...once my husband starts making money again (stupid sales jobs!). Betsy, I would love to get together and see how you do it! I'll be at the meeting, we can hook up there. Thanks all