Bread Machine?

[estelita]

Have you found that it's a necessity? I live in the middle of nowhere and my grocery store has one choice of gluten free bread. So do you have one? What brand?

[tom]

Have you found that it's a necessity? I live in the middle of nowhere and my grocery store has one choice of gluten free bread. So do you have one? What brand?

3 or 4 yrs ago it sure seemed like the only way to get bread I could enjoy. And it was well beyond 'enjoy'. It was fantastic and friends' kids thought so too.

I'd never baked before, so I went w/ a machine. Many ppl make great bread w/out one tho.

Unfortunately I found out yeast was a problem for me a couple yrs ago, so haven't been able to have the bread for a while.

I think I remember something about it being much better to have a machine that has a choice for 2 rises - knead#1, rise, knead#2, rise, then cook maybe?

Mine is called Breadman Ultimate, made by Salton.

[JennyC]

I make my own bread and it is wonderful. For some reason I could not get it to turn out quite right before I got my bread machine. I think maybe because the bread machine heats the dough while it mixes and kneads, but I have also learned the right texture to look for when making my recipe. I have the Breadman Ultimate Plus, which has gluten free and low carb settings. There are many bread mixes out there that you can buy or there is a great recipe at recipezaar.com for gluten free flax bread.

[zkat]

I have a breadman ultimate and love it. If you choose to buy one, make sure it has gluten free or custom settings. I use the custom.

Now, to high jack the thread-Tom-is that Picasso's Pizza in AZ on your avatar? You are making my mouth water and turning me green with envy. I haven't had any since Jan. and oh I miss it!

Kat.

[tom]

Now, to high jack the thread-Tom-is that Picasso's Pizza in AZ on your avatar? You are making my mouth water and turning me green with envy. I haven't had any since Jan. and oh I miss it!

Why YES Kat, it most certainly is!

Did you live in AZ before or just visiting?

[Juliebove]

I have one. Don't remember the brand. It's out in the garage after having not been used in about a year. I tried using it a lot at first, but few loaves came out right. Worse yet, I'd get a loaf that would come out right and then try that same recipe or mix again, only to have disaster. My main problems were loaves rising up then falling flat, or bread being raw inside when seeming done outside. Then I paid over $5 for a loaf of bread from a local gluten free restaurant/bakery and discovred that it was raw inside!!! I figured if the bakery couldn't get it right, there was no point in my trying.

Another part of my problem is daughter is allergic to soy, eggs and dairy. So in all recipes I have to make substitutions and I think these don't always work.

One bread that has always worked for me, aside from the time I didn't actually measure and threw in too much leavening, is zucchini bread. I use the recipe from this site and I don't need the bread machine for it.

But there is another problem I have. Daughter is the only one who eats bread. So even when I do get a loaf that comes out right, most of it goes to waste before she can eat it all.

I can get assorted gluten free breads here at several stores. Some has things she is allergic to. Of the remaining breads, some she sort of likes. There is only one she really likes and it's a pain. It comes frozen and the slices are very sticky because it is sweetened with fruit juice. It has gotten to the point where I buy this only as a treat because I get tired of fighting with the loaf in an attempt to get more than two intact slices of the stuff. Most of the time I get only 4 slices and have to throw the rest away because it has crumbled. I can get some of the Ener-G products in the stores but the ones they carry are not her favorite. I will get those if we are going to someone's house for dinner and need a burger bun or some such thing. And I know they will always be there to buy in a pinch.

So what do I do for bread? I order the 2 slice packs from Ener-G. She likes the Rice Starch Loaf. It's a bit odd in that it is like toast straight from the pack. Because of the way it is packaged, it keeps for a very long time. Like months to years, depending on the pull date. It is more expensive to buy it this way and I do pay postage. But I figure I am making up for it in the end because I am not wasting any bread or wasting my time trying to get an edible loaf. I order about 3 cases of the stuff at a time. She also likes their egg free raisin bread so I get a small amount of that too just so she has some variety.

[Ginsou]

I purchased a Chefman bread machine....never used....from a thrift store for $15.00. The first loaf, Pam's Amazing Bread Mix came out very moist....denser and heavier than I would like it, but I was able to have some very satisfying sandwiches for 4 days. The second loaf did not come out too well...another brand, French Bread style. The third loaf was very gummy and not thoroughly cooked...ate it anyway with jam. Gluten free bread must be taken out of the machine immediately after baking, and I was not home at the time to remove it. Today while taking some things to a thrift shop, I found a Zojirushi for $9.00....also almost new and I couldn't resist it. I tested the basic bread cycle on it, and it works. Tomorrow I will try a "from scratch" recipe.

I'm still trying to perfect a hamburg bun.....I have found that the Ener-G brand of Tapioca Hamburger Bun is palatable only if you slice it in half, butter it, grill it in a heated pan on the stove, and cover the pan to keep the heat in. The top of the bun will also be soft because the heat has been kept in the pan.

[Kristin2]

I use a Cuisinart and Pamela's Amazing Bread Mix. If it isn't done inside, or too doughy, cut down on the water. The Cuisinart has a gluten-free setting, which is nice. I switched to using a bread machine because I just load it up, scrape down the sides a few minutes into the cycle, then come back a couple of hours later and it's done. For several years I made bread with loaf pans in the oven...that works well, too. I just like the machine because it doesn't tie me up in the kitchen all morning. I can also set it up in the garage and not heat up my kitchen.