Chebe Bread

[BeautifulDay]

Chebe bread -- I just cannot seem to figure this stuff out! Is the inside of the roll supposed to be gummy?? This happened when I used both the Cinnamon and Original mixes.

The only thing to blame could be that I used egg substitutes instead of real eggs (applesauce in the Cinnamon mix and a sub in the Original mix). But I wouldn't think that would alter the substance to be crusty on the outside and gummy on the inside...

Thoughts? Am I doing something wrong or am I just not used to this kind of product yet? Thank you!

[seashele2]

When I first made Chebe, I truly thought it was gross. I went away from it for a few years and someone mentioned to me at the store one day that it is only gummy if you add too much liquid. I bought some more and I think they were probably right. The dough always seemed too dry when I mixed it and I would add a few drops of water to make it more pliable and adhesive. Now when I don't do that, it bakes up much better.

Mind you, it still has a much different consistency that regular bread products. The tapioca starch makes a smooth not-real-airy cooked product, but we make it occasionally for hot dog buns or bread sticks. My picky teenage daughter, who liked it the least at the beginning, asked me to buy the cinnamon roll mix not too long ago. I haven't made it yet, but I was impressed that she asked for it.

Good luck experimenting!

Michelle

Western Washington State

[mommida]

I tried making it up twice with egg replacers. It turned out really gummy inside and was gross. I tried the Energie brand egg replacer and applesauce. Does anyone else have any ideas what is the best egg substitute?

[Lisa16]

I took a gluten-free baking class and the lady used chebe for everything. She was even selling it afterwards because if you order 16 cases from the company you get a price break. That's a lot of chebe.

The secret is to use a tablespoon of baking soda instead of the teaspoon on the package on al varieties. That will help a lot.

However, the ingredients are really not formulated for substitutions. And the cinnamon kind is particularly vulnerable. The instructor made it up in class without milk (because I was there) and her's had a gummy inside too. She was puzzled and said it never does that when she uses the milk.

Good luck!

[elonwy]

I've always found it to be a bit chewy inside, but I only use it for things that are really thin, like pigs in a blanket. Like the other poster said, getting the consistency right with the liquid is essential. I order it by the case as well, and you can also get it by the case from Amazon. I was thinking about using the sweeter one to make a mock-baklava, spreading it super thin and treating it like Filo. Has anyone tried anything like that yet?

[Lisa16]

Elonwy-- I once made a moderately successful baklava using those vietnamese tapioca wraps as filo. The only problem is it tends to get hard fast, so you have to eat them the first day.

I soaked them until they got soft, brushed them with butter, filled them with the honey-nut mixture and baked the whole she-bang. The first day it was great. The second day, you couldn't really cut it.

Let us know if the cinnamon chebe sub works out!

[lizard00]

I tried chebe once, and didn't much like it either. I used an egg sub, so maybe that was the issue. The taste though, to me, was kind of strange. Like you could taste the leavener... I don't know... just a bit off. I haven't found anywhere around here that carries it, so I haven't tried it again.

[heathen]

Chebe is definitely not like regular bread. I use the pre-made frozen dinner rolls to make mini-pizzas with gluten-free spaghetti sauce and cheese. They do tend to get crunchy on the outside and stick to the pan, so i flip them half way through the cooking time. If chewy texture is not for you, chebe is definitely not for you!