What Am I Doing Wrong

[buddhabelly]

Good day everyone.

Well I'm becoming very discouraged when it comes to making my own bread. I have made 4 loafs so far, all from different sources, using different gluten free flours and preparation methods. The issue I run into every time is that the bread is so dense, that come the next day it's basically un-edible. I know it probably will never turn out like the yummy bread that is now off limits to me, but there has to be a way to make it close. Now the flavor is delicious, but the texture is driving me crazy, I want a bread that I can use for sandwiches.

If anyone can help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[IrishHeart]

Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

(adapted from gluten-free Girl's recipe and tweaked to our liking )

Ingredients

2 cups white rice flour

*****NOTE: For variety and higher protein/fiber,

substitute 1 cup garbanzo bean flour

OR 1 cup brown rice flour for ONE of the cups of white rice flour. We use the brown rice flour and like the texture and the bread stays relatively "squishy" for a few days. Makes great toast, too).

1/3 cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup potato STARCH (NOT potato flour)

1 TBLS. xanthan gum

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

1 tablespoon fast rise yeast (Fleishmann's is gluten-free)

2 tablespoons butter (or 2 tablespoons Earth Balance soy-free spread)

3 egg whites, lightly beaten (OR 2 whole eggs is fine. The whites alone just give it a “white bread “ look )

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, place flours, xanthan gum, and salt. Blend with mixer on low.

2. In a small bowl , dissolve the sugar in the water, then add yeast.

3. Wait until the mixture foams slightly, then blend into the dry ingredients.

4. Add the butter, egg whites, and lemon juice. Beat on high for 3 minutes.

5. Spoon dough into greased 4X4X8 loaf pan. (Pam is ok) Use the HEAVY kind of bread pan.

6. Cover the dough with a paper towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45-60 minutes. (we heat the oven for one minute and shut it off or place it by the woodstove during the winter)

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 minutes and lower temperature to 365 degrees Bake for 42 more minutes for total of 60 minutes.

8. Remove from pan to cool on a rack. COOL completely before slicing.

Hope you like the result! We tried dozens of recipes and variations of this one before settling with this "tried and true" version. Even WE's (wheat-eaters) like it.

If you do not have a heavy-duty stand mixer, my Hubs (our bread maker) has used a hand-held electric mixer while away from home-- and it works just fine!

Best wishes, IH

[buddhabelly]

Thank you very much for the recipe, I'll give that one a try. I know it can be done, because I've bought some soft bread from the farmers market, but at $6.50 a loaf, it adds up.

Thanks again.

Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

(adapted from gluten-free Girl's recipe and tweaked to our liking )

Ingredients

2 cups white rice flour

*****NOTE: For variety and higher protein/fiber,

substitute 1 cup garbanzo bean flour

OR 1 cup brown rice flour for ONE of the cups of white rice flour. We use the brown rice flour and like the texture and the bread stays relatively "squishy" for a few days. Makes great toast, too).

1/3 cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup potato STARCH (NOT potato flour)

1 TBLS. xanthan gum

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

1 tablespoon fast rise yeast (Fleishmann's is gluten-free)

2 tablespoons butter (or 2 tablespoons Earth Balance soy-free spread)

3 egg whites, lightly beaten (OR 2 whole eggs is fine. The whites alone just give it a

[IrishHeart]

Thank you very much for the recipe, I'll give that one a try. I know it can be done, because I've bought some soft bread from the farmers market, but at $6.50 a loaf, it adds up.

Thanks again.

Yes, it is pricey to buy loaves of bread.

I hope it works out for you.

We like it.

Best wishes, IH

[Skylark]

I use the Bob's Red Mill wonderful bread mix. It comes out fine for sandwiches, though it's a little more crumbly than I would prefer.

With gluten-free bread, you know to only do a single rise, right? A second rise will weaken the gums and give you a much denser loaf.

[IrishHeart]

With gluten-free bread, you know to only do a single rise, right? A second rise will weaken the gums and give you a much denser loaf.

yes, indeed....and my hubs agrees with you, Skylark. (he's the bread maker, not I, thank goodness) although I bake everything else.

The recipe I posted yields a decent, "squishy" loaf --at least for the first 3 days, then I toast it or make grilled sammies or the ends become seasoned bread crumbs for meatballs or meatloaf.

[beachbirdie]

Bobs Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix is pretty good but the bread has a slight rubbery feel to the mouth. We also do something that is useful on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for the ones in my family that can't eat any sort of grain. They are made sort of like pancakes, but they make a wonderful sandwich holder. My daughter likes them better than the loaf breads we've tried.

I don't think there is really a great substitute for regular bread, just keep experimenting and you'll find one that's acceptable to your family.

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[buddhabelly]

Well IrishHeart I made your recipe and the texture is perfect, that's what I've been looking for. I do have one question, and this may have been something I did wrong, but the centre of the bread collapsed. I was wondering if you've ever run into this, and if so, how did you correct it. Besides that, the bread is perfect, thanks.

[IrishHeart]

Well IrishHeart I made your recipe and the texture is perfect, that's what I've been looking for. I do have one question, and this may have been something I did wrong, but the centre of the bread collapsed. I was wondering if you've ever run into this, and if so, how did you correct it. Besides that, the bread is perfect, thanks.

oh, bummer, so sorry that happened.

The "collapse" did occur when we first made bread but, that was

corrected after we tweaked the cooking time and followed these exact measurements and cooked it for the 18 minutes at the 400 temp and then 42 mins. at 365.

A gluten-free baker I met also suggested two things: turn the loaf as it cools....one side up, then the other, even upside down. Not really sure how much that affects the "collapse factor" as we do not do that anymore and it does not collapse.

And this is very important: let it cool for a VERY long time on a rack (like maybe 8 hours) before slicing into it.

Maybe the next one will cooperate better.

Every gluten-free baker has a bunch of clunkers, I'm afraid.