Comments on: Tips for Baking Better Gluten-Free Bread

By: Jules

Jules — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:28:51 +0000

Hi Deborah, my pre-blended all purpose flour contains Expandex, which helps to naturally extend the shelf life of your baked goods and also helps to give doughs more elasticity (something that GF flours typically lack). You can use my homemade blends from my cookbooks in my French Bread Recipe, but I find that the pre-made blend works a bit better for those reasons. I’m not sure if consumers can buy Expandex directly — check on their website to see. It is not a 1:1 for wheat flour, though — you’ll need to use it in a blend. Hope this information helps!

By: Deborah

Deborah — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:36:15 +0000

can you buy expandex?? and I have Your ” nearly normal cooking” book. But just looked at your french bread recipe on celieac.com. Can I use your all purpose flour blend mix from the book in that recipe with good results? OR do I need to buy your current APblend in a bag? thanks a bunch.
Deb

By: Jules

Jules — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:21:51 +0000

Hi Elizabeth – I’m not understanding your question, sorry! Are you asking if you should use my flour in place of Expandex in a recipe calling for Expandex?

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:57:19 +0000

I have a bread recipe from the Art of Gluten Free for Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Bread. It calls for a half cup of Expandex. Should I use that since your flour has it in it?

By: Jules

Jules — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 16:49:27 +0000

Cheryl that’s a wonderful work-around. My machine has been persnickety lately, and I’m still trying to get it to allow me to change course in the middle of a cycle. I’m going to try this method, rather than letting it go to the end of the bake and trying to add time (which, for some reason, it’s recently decided not to allow me to do!). Thanks for sharing your method! Oh, and I’m so glad you didn’t give up on baking GF Bread!!!

By: Cheryl Killion

Cheryl Killion — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:19:58 +0000

Hi again Jules,
I figured out what I need to do to use this bread machine after all. The express cycle was going to be too short of a baking time. Once the bread had risen and baking had just begun, I reset the machine to the bake-only cycle and baked it the full hour, checking the temperature before removing it from the machine. The bread turned out as good as it had in the oven. So, I either need to use both the dough and bake settings or start with the express setting and switch to the bake setting. Not quite “set it and forget it” that I was hoping for, but less of a mess compared to cleaning up the dust from flour and all the equipment. Also, I can use it in the summer to bake bread instead of heating up the whole kitchen with the oven. I had given up the idea of making GF bread until I tried your flour. What a difference! Thank You!!
Cheryl

By: Cheryl Killion

Cheryl Killion — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:56:49 +0000

Jules,
I have a Hamilton Beach Homebaker with a gluten-free setting. But the GF setting allows for 3 rises. I chose the express setting for a 2-pound loaf with dark crust for my first loaf in this machine because it allows for only one kneed and rise. I chose the dark crust so I could keep an eye on it and not have to extend the baking time. I was really disappointed to find that the GF setting was a 3-rise cycle. Would you have gone with the GF cycle anyway? I have baked your bread in the static oven with excellent results, both with your mixes and with your flour and recipe. So, I know one rise is all that is required. I may end up returning this machine in the end, but hopefully it will work since I got it on a sale. It was hard to fine a bread maker in town. Seems stores no longer carry them.
Thank you,
Cheryl

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:48:07 +0000

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By: Jules

Jules — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:39:09 +0000

Hi Samantha, thanks for writing. If your bread has large air pockets, it might not be rising long enough or may be that you’re using a touch too much yeast. Try both and see if either helps you. You might also try covering your bread loosely with foil (like a tent). Regarding lop-sided rising, the issue is definitely with your oven or oven light. Believe it or not, the light does throw heat, so turn your bread half-way during the rise so that it is more evenly exposed to the heat. Hope these ideas help!

By: Samantha

Samantha — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 23:36:55 +0000

Hi Jules
I’ve been making gluten free bread for a while now…and am having some issues.
I live at 3500ft so I do lengthen the baking time.
The top of the bread is rising away from the bottom portion leaving a huge pocket of air inside the bread. It tastes lovely but makes the slices smaller as the top part breaks free when sliced.
Any suggestions?
Also – sometimes the left side of the bread rises higher than the right…which also makes slicing difficult. Would the oven light affect the rise while baking?
Thanks,
Samantha