Sandwich Bread?

[lonewolf]

I know that the bread question comes up constantly, so I'm sorry to ask again, but I am just totally frustrated trying to pack lunches for 4 kids. We have all the "sides" down and they would be happy with sandwiches, but they're starting to get picky about the bread. Two of them are gluten-free and I try to keep wheat bread out of the house to eliminate CC, so I need to make something that all 4 will like and actually eat.

I like to bake and seem to do well with everything except yeast bread. The frustrating thing is that I used to make all kinds of breads before going gluten-free and had a reputation for making delicious yeast breads in a variety of flavors, shapes and sizes.

Here's what I've tried:

Pamela's Wheat Free Bread Mix - turns out fine, but it's expensive and has a sweet taste. The kids love it hot but don't like it for meat sandwiches. A loaf usually gets eaten long before it's totally cooled.

The Gluten Free Pantry Country French bread - works great for holiday rolls when they're served hot out of the oven, but no one likes it cold.

Brazilian Cheese Rolls - everyone loves these fresh out of the oven and for pizza crust, but they're a bit dry for a sandwich.

Lorka's Flax bread - I could NOT get this to work, even though everyone on here raves about it. It's gooey in the middle just like all my other flops.

Quick Skillet Flax Bread (from Williams-Sonoma) - This turns out great, but the kids are already tired of it and it's also a bit on the sweet side so they don't like meat with it.

Several gluten-free bread recipes from the recipe section on celiac.com. Nothing has worked well enough to try a second time.

I've also tried packaged breads, but nothing works well for packed lunches and it's all too expensive.

Does anyone have a recipe that actually works, is fairly easy to make without a bread machine, and that kids will eat for sandwiches? (And I should add that is dairy and soy free.)

Thanks!

[missy'smom]

This is my standard sandwich bread now. I use Sorghum instead of the Millet and omit the flax seeds. I use Earthbalance for the butter. I don't have a large pan like she does so I use a reg. loaf pan and one mini loaf pan. I've use rapid rise and reg, yeast with good results. Pulse reg. oats in a blender or food processor. You can't really taste the molasses, it just helps offset any bitterness that's in the flours. I sometimes back off on the sugar just a bit.Open Original Shared Link

Maybe you are overworking the batter?

[purple]

We are not much of bread eaters so I haven't tried any but Lorka's once and the Quickie flax...have you tried different gluten-free flour mixes with it?. I use sorghum for most everything. I know the sorghum (Carol's) is sweeter and there is some sorghum in Bob's Red Mill.

See what you can find on here:

Open Original Shared Link

[celiac-mommy]

As a replacement, my dh has fallen in love with Corn Thins by Real Foods. I find them at Whole Foods and have occasionally seen them in the regular grocery store. They have a few different flavors, but they are really thin and he likes the crunch. I really like them with PB and apples!!

[lonewolf]

This is my standard sandwich bread now. I use Sorghum instead of the Millet and omit the flax seeds. I use Earthbalance for the butter. I don't have a large pan like she does so I use a reg. loaf pan and one mini loaf pan. I've use rapid rise and reg, yeast with good results. Pulse reg. oats in a blender or food processor. You can't really taste the molasses, it just helps offset any bitterness that's in the flours. I sometimes back off on the sugar just a bit.Open Original Shared Link

Maybe you are overworking the batter?

Thanks for the link. I think I'll try this one this weekend when I can get some quinoa flakes. (I can't do oats.)

And thanks Purple and Celiac-Mommy for responding! My kids don't really like the corn thins - too much like rice cakes. And I've tried several different flour blends for the Skillet bread - that's why I've been able to make it so much. The kiddos are just tired of it. Thanks!

[Darn210]

As far as flavour, I liked Annalise Robert's yeast bread . . . millet flour, sorghum flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch. It has milk but you can sub it out I'm sure. Don't know if I should post the recipe as it is "published". I could PM it if you like.

I know what you mean about the sweetness of the Pamela's . . . we still use it though. I buy it through Amazon's subscribe & save program and get if for about $3.30/bag including shipping. (You have to buy 6 at a time)

My daughter's current favourite is to take an extra pancake (Pamela's again) and spread it half with peanut butter and half with nutella. I tried to use a pancake as a hotdog bun but it totally didn't taste right . . . I'm thinking next time some sort of cornbread pancake thingy. I make a huge batch of pancakes and freeze them and use them one at a time for her lunch.

[MyMississippi]

Yes, the sandwhich bread thing is quite depressing. I have been baking my own from Lorka's recipe( I think)---- but am not happy with the taste or texture------ I think this is because I used to bake some great "real" breads before going gluten free=== and have found NOTHING to replace them.

If you find a recipe that you like--- please share !

[celiac-mommy]

My daughter's current favourite is to take an extra pancake (Pamela's again) and spread it half with peanut butter and half with nutella. I tried to use a pancake as a hotdog bun but it totally didn't taste right . . . I'm thinking next time some sort of cornbread pancake thingy. I make a huge batch of pancakes and freeze them and use them one at a time for her lunch.

I do this too. I will even make a "triple decker" --1 pancake, PB, 1 pancake, cut fruit (like bananas), 1 pancake. It packs really well for lunches and the other kids think it's so cool!

I wonder what the issue with the Lorka bread is. Unless it's just my oven, this is the only recipe I've found to be very forgiving no matter what different flours/starches I use, and I never use the bean flour. I let it rise in a turned off oven (turn on, bring to the lowest oven temp-mine is 170, then turn off and start mixing your bread) for 60-80 minutes and it usually rises over the edge of the pan and then rises even farther during the baking. I've never had it sink, have holes, be gooey in the middle, etc.. I've had that problem with every other bread I've tried to make though, including the Pamela's. We are nearly at sea level if that makes a difference. I think it is so interesting that there is such a varient of experiences!

[home-based-mom]

Just adding that I am following this thread because I would like to find a good sandwich bread as well. I tried Bob's Red Mill Yeast Free Sandwich Bread made with white rice flour instead of brown rice flour because rice bran doesn't work for me. Anyway I really didn't like the taste or the texture the first time around, so I made it again! I still don't like it.

Food For Life's white rice bread freezes so hard that even my electric knife won't cut between what has already been sliced!

Still looking . . . . . .

[dbmamaz]

As far as flavour, I liked Annalise Robert's yeast bread . .

I have Annalise Robert's Gluten Free Baking Classics and her sandwhich bread has been my biggest success. I had a total failure w lorka's bread as well, and we didnt even like the flavor. The first time I made Robert's sandwhich bread, it fell badly, but my son still ate 3 pieces while it was warm. I finally gave in and bought a smaller (8x4) pan and a thermometer, so I can be sure the bread is done in the middle before I take it out of the oven. I think I also tried putting a pan of water in the oven. I did use her variation w sweet rice flour to make it taste and feel more like white bread, and I had to sub soy flour for the garfava because my son is allergic to garbanzo.

Anyways, this has become his bread. He eats it as a treat w cinnamon sugar and takes it to school for sandwhiches. I also made her sub sandwhich bread in small mini-cake-pans i purchased at Target. The dough made 5 rolls and i put them on a pizza pan with the 6th pan half-full of water in the center - he said they beat the rolls I used to make w chebe hands down.

I made her pizza dough, and made my own nomato sauce (he's allergic to tomatos AND to beets, the most comon sub) and soy cheese . . .and he said it was the best pizza sub he's had so far.

btw, I did end up buying a breadman bread machine - the black one w the gluten-free setting - mostly becuase the yeast was making me sick every time i made bread. It works well except if you dont take the paddle out at the beginning of the rise cycle, it tears the bread pretty badly. But as I said before, putting a pan of water in the oven, using the right size pan, and using a thermometer to make sure the bread is really done, has given me a real success in sandwhich bread.

[allie h.]

I always liked gluten-free Pantry's sandwich bread mix. I use my bread machine and it works fine. It's great when it first comes out. Then I slice it and freeze it. When I want a piece I take it out, microwave it for a few seconds and toast it.

[allie h.]

I always liked gluten-free Pantry's sandwich bread mix. I use my bread machine and it works fine. It's great when it first comes out. Then I slice it and freeze it. When I want a piece I take it out, microwave it for a few seconds and toast it.