Life Tastes Good Again...bread Rises, But Falls...help

[MauiSpiritGirl]

I have been gluten free for about 4 months now. I am trying to do my own baking for certain products. I recently bought several gluten free baking cookbooks to help with this challenge. There were two bread recipes that looked very good to me in "Life Tastes Good Again" cookbook that I have tried. Both recipes did really well rising and then during the cooling off process they fell. UGGG...

The first recipe was the white sandwich bread. I thought what I did wrong was letting it rise too long. I was thinking regular baking double in size. (NOT) The recipe called for only 20 minutes rising time. I let it go for about an hour and then baked it. I looked in the oven and it looked fabulous, but then I took it out to cool and it sank down like a brick. I did remove it from the pan after 5 minutes to cool on racks.

Last night I tried the multi-grain brown bread recipe. I was extremely careful. I verified my water temp, measuring, used the four mixture that is called for in the recipe, beat it for 3 minutes, and only let it rise 20 minutes. I even set the timer and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes and the turned it upside down for 5 minutes. Once again it looked so good in the oven and then as it cooled it fell.

I am using quick rise yeast. I thought maybe the house was too cool the first time so when I removed it from the oven I opened the oven door so the air would be warmer where the bread was cooling. I was thinking that going from oven to cooler house was the shock factor.

I am an experienced cook and I cannot figure out what the problem is. I do have to say the multigrain bread has very good flavor and is moist. It reminds me of hearty, seeds and grain breads I used to eat.

I am determined to master this problem and be able to eat some of the things I like again. As a side note, the bread that fell I am making homemade bread crumbs with them. Chicken Parmesan here I come!

Calling on the experienced gluten free backers out there for some advise....HELP Has anyone else used the bread recipes from "Life Tastes Good Again" and mastered them? I am thinking about getting the smaller bread pans to see if that helps...I just don't know what to try next.

Many thanks for any help you can give me!!!!

[Skylark]

Welcome to the board.

I haven't used your specific cookbook. With breads, I've found that they fall after baking if there is too much liquid in the dough, or too little xanthan gum. Gluten-free bread dough is much moister than regular dough, but it shouldn't be more of a batter than a dough. It should be stickier and wetter than regular bread dough, to where you wouldn't really want to knead it, but not to where it's so thin it becomes easy to stir.

[MauiSpiritGirl]

Welcome to the board.

I haven't used your specific cookbook. With breads, I've found that they fall after baking if there is too much liquid in the dough, or too little xanthan gum. Gluten-free bread dough is much moister than regular dough, but it shouldn't be more of a batter than a dough. It should be stickier and wetter than regular bread dough, to where you wouldn't really want to knead it, but not to where it's so thin it becomes easy to stir.

Skylark, thanks for the welcome and tips! I will try reducing the liquid a little to see if that helps. I have been researching online and that seems to be one thing to try.

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this specific recipe for bread to learn what they did. There seems to be sooo many recipes out there and different things to try.

Going for round 3....BTY this recipe is more of a very thick batter than dough so reducing the liquid some might just work. I am determined to get this!

[Takala]

I made three loaves of bread today. A skillet, a loaf pan multi grain, and an attempt at yeast rise.... experimenting with my gumless recipes.

First two usual success, third one comical. Hyperactive fast rise yeast loved the agave syrup. Flooped over before baking, dough everywhere after 20 minutes in warm place. LMAO. Baked it anyway, laying a sheet of aluminum foil under it, about to do the autopsy after it comes out of the oven. I have a companion loaf raised with vinegar and soda that didn't do this at all.

Do you test your loaves to see if they are done before removing ? Stick a knife in them and see if it comes out clean or sticky. If not a dry knife, bake some more in 5 to 10 minute intervals. A lot of times you have to pull the bread out, remove from pan, and bake it on its side or upside down a few minutes to get the bottom crust crisped.

[Takala]

Okay, I think I found the recipes you may have been using

Open Original Shared Link

That online version isn't specifying whether it is fast rapid rise yeast or regular yeast. Regular yeast may act differently. There seems to be enough xanthan gum in it, a teaspoon per cup of flour. the Brown Bread has 3.25 cups of gluten-free flours total...... did you use 2 loaf pans, and what size pan was it ? Plus, this stuff is weird, you can't let it rise above the lip of the pan before baking, when using yeast, like with a regular wheat dough, or it goes Dr. Frankenstein on you.

[MauiSpiritGirl]

Okay, I think I found the recipes you may have been using

Open Original Shared Link

That online version isn't specifying whether it is fast rapid rise yeast or regular yeast. Regular yeast may act differently. There seems to be enough xanthan gum in it, a teaspoon per cup of flour. the Brown Bread has 3.25 cups of gluten-free flours total...... did you use 2 loaf pans, and what size pan was it ? Plus, this stuff is weird, you can't let it rise above the lip of the pan before baking, when using yeast, like with a regular wheat dough, or it goes Dr. Frankenstein on you.

Yes, this is the recipe I used. (Note recipe from "Life Tastes Good Again cookbook)

If you were a fan of whole wheat bread, you will like this! It tastes a lot like the gourmet grain bread you can buy from the store. From experience most kids do not like it as much as the white bread, but adults love it. It is also beautiful when baked.

1 3/4 C. gluten-free flour mix

1/2 c. quinoa flakes

1 c. teff flour

1/4 c. sugar

3 1/2 tsp. Xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 Tbs. yeast

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1 3/4 c. warm water

1 tsp. Rice vinegar

3 eggs

Turn oven to 400

[lizard00]

I agree, too much liquid. Between the eggs and the water... too much.

My bread recipe is 3 C of flour with 2 eggs and 1 C water + 1-2 tablespoons. And it's good. (I have a baking business...)

And I wonder if you might need lighter flours? ie the starches... tapioca is excellent for bread. I love teff, but too much grain flour in a bread makes it dense. I have found that a 50/50 ratio of flour to starch works best.

[Skylark]

That online version isn't specifying whether it is fast rapid rise yeast or regular yeast. Regular yeast may act differently. There seems to be enough xanthan gum in it, a teaspoon per cup of flour. the Brown Bread has 3.25 cups of gluten-free flours total...... did you use 2 loaf pans, and what size pan was it ? Plus, this stuff is weird, you can't let it rise above the lip of the pan before baking, when using yeast, like with a regular wheat dough, or it goes Dr. Frankenstein on you.

I don't know about that. The last mix gluten-free bread I made rose a little above the top of the pan in the middle of the loaf, just like a wheat bread, and it turned out beautifully. I think it was the Glutino French bread mix.

That recipe does look like a lot of liquid. "Spoon the batter" sounds like it's way too thin to rise properly in a loaf pan. Is the dough stiff enough that it's kind of uncomfortable to stir by hand? Gluten-free dough won't ball up the way gluten dough does, but you can't "spoon" it anywhere. You turn it out of the bowl into the pan scraping with a cake spatula, trying to keep it from sticking to everything. I bet it was only tested in English muffin rings.

[Bubba's Mom]

First..welcome!

I've only tried baking bread once, and it turned out pretty good. I used the King Arthur flour recipe posted on this site. I was simmering a pot of soup as I had the dough rising so it was warm in the kitchen, and it turned out very good. Some others are having some trouble with it rising the way it should. I'm told that most of us bake a few bricks and doorstops along the way in our attempts at baking a good bread.

I'm thinking maybe the stars aligned just right the day I tried baking bread? LOL

I just wanted to add..maybe make a few notes as you try/experiment so if it works out right for you, you can duplicate it later?

[Skylark]

Heck, I made a couple bricks and doorstops along the way learning wheat bread.

[MauiSpiritGirl]

I agree, too much liquid. Between the eggs and the water... too much.

My bread recipe is 3 C of flour with 2 eggs and 1 C water + 1-2 tablespoons. And it's good. (I have a baking business...)

And I wonder if you might need lighter flours? ie the starches... tapioca is excellent for bread. I love teff, but too much grain flour in a bread makes it dense. I have found that a 50/50 ratio of flour to starch works best.

WOW...I am glad I signed up to get some help on here. You guys are great!!!!

Okay I have been thinking over the weekend about this situation and here is what I came up with. I bought a little smaller bread pans, because looking at mine they looked ginormous. I also am going to take the recommendations to cut the liquid in the recipe.

If it turns out like a brick or door stop at least I can get that part out of the way. I am thinking it can only happen for so long (right?).

From your comments here at least I know I am not alone and thank you all for some good suggestions to try. I will get this.... Hopefully it will rise in the oven like it has in the past (looking beautiful) and STAY that way.

Have a great day!

[Bubba's Mom]

I hope your bread works better for you.

I noticed a lot of the bread recipes ask for a little smaller bread pan. I had to get a new one, because the ones I had were bigger.

That could make a big difference in the rising?

[bauerpratt]

Heck, I made a couple bricks and doorstops along the way learning wheat bread.

LOL This is what I am afraif of. My mom never taught me to cook as she never cooked. I learned everything I know from Betty Crocker lol and now most of my own after I married.

I have NEVER made bread or dough so I am horrified.

I am trying to find a good white and wheat bread. Just the basics for now

[sa1937]

LOL This is what I am afraif of. My mom never taught me to cook as she never cooked. I learned everything I know from Betty Crocker lol and now most of my own after I married.

I have NEVER made bread or dough so I am horrified.

I am trying to find a good white and wheat bread. Just the basics for now

Even if your Mom never taught you to cook, baking gluten-free yeast breads is a whole new ballgame so basically we've had to forget everything we've ever learned about baking bread. I'm still searching for that *perfect* elusive recipe.

We've all baked a few bricks and doorstops. But think...bread crumbs, toast, French toast, croutons, etc. Many times those bricks might be salvaged even though you may not want to make a sandwich from them.

If your family likes quick breads, muffins, pancakes, etc., you'll have some successes right off the bat.

Welcome to the forum!!!

ETA: Don't discount starting with mixes...maybe you can find something you like right away.

[Katrala]

Let it cook longer can help sometimes.

If I cook mine until the knIfe comes out clean, it falls.