Hageman's Featherlight Bread Recipe

[Spartans1960]

Any solutions for preventing Hageman's Featherlight bread recipe from sagging in the middle, followed the recipe precisely? Used rapid rise yeast. Thanks Doug

[sa1937]

Any solutions for preventing Hageman's Featherlight bread recipe from sagging in the middle, followed the recipe precisely? Used rapid rise yeast. Thanks Doug

I've been wanting to try that recipe but haven't yet. I have, however, baked a few loaves of bread that have either collapsed or were bricks.

The first thing that comes to mind is too much liquid...even though you used what the recipe called for. Or did you allow it to rise above the top of the pan?

I had a problem with one of Jules Shepard's recipes where the sides collapsed somewhat. I finally added some flaxseed meal to it and then flipped the loaf side-to-side several times while it was cooling.

Hopefully someone will respond who has used the Featherlight bread recipe as I'd like to know their results, too.

[Spartans1960]

Sylvia, this bread really TASTES good, I'm just trying to refine the baking, so I can come up with a full loaf.

This is my second try and maybe I should have used the active yeast and let the bread dough rise longer, trial & error, in the meantime, good tasting, light, and great toasted with fresh frozen strawberry jam, sound like it's worth trying, got the recipe out of Hageman's gluten-free Gourmet bakes bread.(title is close)

[love2travel]

Sylvia, this bread really TASTES good, I'm just trying to refine the baking, so I can come up with a full loaf.

This is my second try and maybe I should have used the active yeast and let the bread dough rise longer, trial & error, in the meantime, good tasting, light, and great toasted with fresh frozen strawberry jam, sound like it's worth trying, got the recipe out of Hageman's gluten-free Gourmet bakes bread.(title is close)

To help prevent gluten-free bread from sagging in the middle you must add protein and/or decrease the water a touch. I use active yeast and let it rise longer - it seems more stable than allowing it to rise quickly, putting it in the oven then having it collapse. I also find that in many cases I bake bread longer than the recipe specifies. If the crust threatens to brown too quickly I place a loose sheet of tinfoil (that has been greased) on top to prevent it from sticking to the bread.

I always bring my ingredients to room temperature and measure by volume. When baking gluten-free, aerate your flour first. Then spoon it from the bag into a cup rather than just using the cup because the amount of flour difference can be as high as 20%!

[sa1937]

Sylvia, this bread really TASTES good, I'm just trying to refine the baking, so I can come up with a full loaf.

This is my second try and maybe I should have used the active yeast and let the bread dough rise longer, trial & error, in the meantime, good tasting, light, and great toasted with fresh frozen strawberry jam, sound like it's worth trying, got the recipe out of Hageman's gluten-free Gourmet bakes bread.(title is close)

Glad to know it tastes good!!! I've been diddling around with a lot of recipes, too. I do have that cookbook (The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread) but haven't tried any of the recipes yet. It seems everything in gluten-free baking is trial and error. Also we have to remember the effect of humidity, how warm the house is (or not), your oven...so many variable that always seem to affect the outcome.

I just quickly glanced at the Featherlight flour mix...did you use the small amount of potato flour (not potato starch)? Many times I will throw in some flaxseed meal, too, which definitely gives bread more stability...plus I love it! lol There are just so many variables and no question, bread is my biggest challenge.

[sa1937]

love2travel, I do the same things although I usually use the yeast the author specifies. It's still a crap-shoot. But the breads I make now are usually edible. So I guess that's the progress I've made in the past year. LOL

[lpellegr]

I have worked with a lot of Bette Hagman's recipes, and had to modify quite a bit to get good results. These seem to help:

Reduce the water from 1 cup to 3/4 or even less. You can always add more if needed.

Reduce the oven temp from 400 to 350 and bake a little longer if need be. The crusts don't get as dark and I think it bakes more evenly.

Knock on the top at the end of the baking time, and if it seems at all soft, give it 5 more minutes, and then 5 more and 5 more until it seems firm.

Don't let the bread rise any higher than the sides of the pan before putting it in the oven.

This still doesn't guarantee that the loaf won't fall in the middle. The bread made with the lightest, least protein-y flours seem very susceptible to falling. I find some recipes from newer cookbooks using sturdier flours like millet and sorghum make sturdier breads than Bette's, but she still has some good recipes. She was working out her recipes at the beginning of the gluten-free awakening, and didn't have all the new flours to work with. Don't be afraid to substitute regular yeast for rapid-rise, either. I have even found some recipes work better when I use half of the yeast she specifies.

[sa1937]

I have worked with a lot of Bette Hagman's recipes, and had to modify quite a bit to get good results. These seem to help:

Reduce the water from 1 cup to 3/4 or even less. You can always add more if needed.

Reduce the oven temp from 400 to 350 and bake a little longer if need be. The crusts don't get as dark and I think it bakes more evenly.

Knock on the top at the end of the baking time, and if it seems at all soft, give it 5 more minutes, and then 5 more and 5 more until it seems firm.

Don't let the bread rise any higher than the sides of the pan before putting it in the oven.

This still doesn't guarantee that the loaf won't fall in the middle. The bread made with the lightest, least protein-y flours seem very susceptible to falling. I find some recipes from newer cookbooks using sturdier flours like millet and sorghum make sturdier breads than Bette's, but she still has some good recipes. She was working out her recipes at the beginning of the gluten-free awakening, and didn't have all the new flours to work with. Don't be afraid to substitute regular yeast for rapid-rise, either. I have even found some recipes work better when I use half of the yeast she specifies.

Thanks for the suggestions! I made one of Jules Shepard's recipes and the sides collapsed. Determined, I tried again the same day, cut the liquid and added 1/4 cup flaxseed meal. I am always diddling around with recipes. And then some work right out of the book like Annalise Roberts' recipes that I've tried...but then she uses more whole grain flours.