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I have previously discussed how flaxseed egg substitute (1 Tbsp 
ground golden flaxseed steeped in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of boiling water 
for 10-15 minutes per egg) seems to increase GF bread volume and 
height.  This appears to be at least partly due to the flaxseed 
gum content in the flaxseed mucilage which separates and becomes 
available for baking when the flaxseed is steeped in boiling 
water.  (Using dry ground flaxseed in recipes will likely not 
produce the same result.)  Flaxseed gum has properties similar to 
xanthan and guar gums and is a better water in oil emulsifier 
than gum arabic.  Brown and golden flaxseed have similar 
nutritional properties, but golden flaxseed is said to have a 
more pleasing nutty taste.

Having had great success with the Oat (or Millet) Sorghum Banana 
Yogurt Bread recipes and increasing bread volume and height using 
the flaxseed egg substitute, I thought I would try leaving out 
sorghum flour and replacing it with millet flour to bake an Oat 
Millet Banana Yogurt Bread.  The Oat Millet version of the bread 
came out misshapen with caved in sides.  I decided this would be a 
good test case recipe to see if increasing the amount of flaxseed 
egg substitute would correct the problem.

I again baked the identical Oat Millet Bread recipe, except this 
time using 4 tablespoons of ground golden flaxseed steeped in 1 
cup boiling water for 10-15 minutes instead of 2 tablespoons 
ground flaxseed in 2/3 cup boiling water.  The resulting bread 
rose high above the 4 1/2 inch deep loaf pan almost spilling over 
the edge, creating a "mushroom" topped bread that ended up a full 
5 inches high when done.  I could not believe how much the bread 
volume and height increased by adding just 2 tablespoons of ground 
flaxseed to the recipe!  You have to see the comparison photo to 
believe it.  The photo and recipe is shown at the bottom of "Tips 
& Recipes" at http://www.gfbakingpans.com .

The additional flaxseed resulted in a bread with a more open 
"crumb" with larger air pockets, desirable for toasting.  More 
importantly, the desired height for a sandwich loaf is 4 inches.  
Because the bread came out 5 inches high, that means, by 
increasing flaxseed egg substitute, the other recipe ingredients 
can be reduced by 20% to produce a 4 inch high bread, creating a 
"light" bread version weighing 20% less.  (2 cups of flour instead 
of 2 1/2 cups.)  That's fantastic!  I have been trying to figure 
out how to reduce the density and weight of most GF breads, and 
flaxseed is the solution!  Now I will have to go back and "retune" 
the Oat/Millet Sorghum Banana Yogurt Bread recipes to create 
"light" bread versions by increasing the amount flaxseed egg 
substitute and reducing the other ingredients.

There is so much on flaxseed and flaxseed gum available on the
internet.  Other than some mention of flaxseed gum, it seems 
strange that there is absolutely no mention of how ground 
flaxseed steeped in boiling water added to baked goods can 
result in such huge increases in volume and height.  This is
so cheap and easy to do, it makes one wonder.  Yet, I present 
to you the photographic proof, it works!  Is the commercial
food ingredient industry holding information back to sell more
expensive patented chemical baking additives?

As to the success of the Oat Millet Bread recipe, using sorghum 
flour seems to result in a better shaped bread loaf.  Oat and 
millet flours alone tend to produce breads with concave sides.

I'm having a blast experimenting with great tasting new GF bread 
recipes in these 4 1/2 inch deep loaf pans, trying things not 
possible in an ordinary shallow loaf pan.  I really wish you could 
all try it.  It's October.  Time for pumpkins.  And I am going to 
try substituting pumpkin puree for mashed bananas in my next 
bread.  Oat/Millet Sorghum Pumpkin Yogurt Bread... Yum!

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