Baking Breads

[edye911]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what to add to the breads in order to have less crumbling? I have been using some of Bette Hadman's recipes that have a better taste than the store bought gluten-free, but they don't last long and are very crumbly. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Kaycee]

Edye,

I make my own bread with premixes, and I think Xanthan or guar gum is already in it. Gum holds bread together like gluten does. I think a teaspooon a loaf is probably all that is needed.

Also when I make bread, I add an egg to the recipe without altering the other ingredients, as protein holds it together as well. Or you could try a cup of grated cheese, like Edam which has less fat, or a mild cheese, they don't seem to alter the taste of the bread too much, and being protein holds the bread together. I have even put both ingredients together and it works too. But I try to cut out the extra fat and usually just put in an egg.

Once I have cooked my loaf, I let it cool down before slicing, as it seems to crumble when hot. I eat maybe a slice or two, and it is actually heaven, and then put the remaining sliced bread in the freezer for another day.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your bread making.

Catherine

[Nantzie]

I don't know the answer, but wanted to let you know that the bread I use is a premix called Pamela's Wheat Free Bread Mix. It's WONDERFUL. The texture is very good. Not gritty even in the slightest. It's pliable and lasts. It's actually bends and doesn't crumble. It's also very close in flavor to regular wheat bread. Even smells like wheat bread. Most gluten-free breads have an odd (not necessarily unpleasant) flavor that doesn't mix with some things. With Pamela's, I use it for PB&J, grilled cheese, BLTs, egg and toast, french toast. Anything I would have normally used bread for. I even make hamburger buns out of it.

I've never come across anyone who doesn't like it. Even non-celiacs like it. My best friend, my husband and my MIL all like it.

It's worth a shot if you are just looking for good bread, rather than wanting to find a recipe for good bread. By the time I tried Pamela's I was just looking for something so I could have a decent sandwich.

Nancy

[GFBetsy]

Are they crumbly when hot, or after they've cooled fora while? Gluten free breads keep best, I've found, if you slice them about 1 hour after they come out of the oven, and then refrigerate or freeze them in a ziplock bag. Then reheat the slices you want to eat in the microwave. If you reheat them until they are warm (20 - 30 seconds) they ought to be less crumbly. I hope

[seamaiden399]

Hi there! I make a lot of Bette Hagman breads, and I think they taste better than any mix, but they do require a little fiddling. The breads using bean flour tend to last longer than the lower protein breads, so I recommend the bean flour blends. Also adding xanthan gum is really important. I leave out the gelatin as I am vegetarian, but that might help as well. Like other posters stated, I let the bread completely cool before slicing into it, and then I slice about half of it, wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer in a labeled ziploc freezer bag. Then whenever I want fresh, yummy bread I can pull it out and toast it (my toaster has a frozen setting) or microwave it. (though I usually only microwave rolls) It allows me to have more variety in types I can choose from at a given time- I have quinoa, two sourdoughs, fake rye, multigrain buns, and teff rolls in the freezer right now, and I also escape the mold monster- or the dry air monster that attacked when I lived in Colorado. With letting the bread cool completely, I never have problems with crumbling.