<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hope that these few tips/hints will help you to achieve a much lighter
loaf of gluten-free bread.

Gluten-free breads will never been as light and taste like breads
containing wheat flours.  The object is to take heavy gluten-free
flours and make the best possible product with them.  There isn't
any one tip/hint that does it all.  Put on a smiley face, do an
attitude check and don't be afraid to experiment with your particular
bread machine.    Don't get discouraged, sometimes the end product
doesn't come out great....it may not be a thing you are doing wrong
but just because it is ....GLUTEN-FREE!

- First off - read the manual that came with the machine.  It will
help you to understand just what your particular bread machine can
do.  It will let you know the capacity of your machine (1 lb., 1 1/2
lb. or 3 lb. loaf.)

- Keep machine away from any drafts (open windows or air/heat sources).
I personally put the bread machine in the garage during the summer
as house has central air and is too cool for good bread.  During the
winter it is placed in a nice warm utility room for bread making. These
two areas work best in our home.  Room temperature does count!

- All ingredients should be at room temperature before even starting
to make bread.

- Mix xanthan or guar  gums together with the rest of the dry ingredients
used in the recipe.  These gums tend to climp and form a gummy mass
when not mixed well with dry ingredients.  Xanthan gum is the 'glue'
that holds gluten-free bread dough together.

- Salt regulates and inhibits the growth of yeast.  By slightly de-
creasing the salt in a recipe, the rising process can be speeded up.
Salt also enhances the flavor of the bread.  When adding ingredients
to the baking container, keep the salt and yeast separated.
Concentrated amounts of salt are harmful to yeast.

- Yeast feeds on sugar so the amount of sugar or other sweetener used
can also affect the size of the loaf.

- The more heavy ingredients used, such as fruit/nuts the slower the
bread will rise.

- Try using one of the following when using your favorite bread
recipe to see what works the best.
        1 teaspoon dry Knox gelatin - more rise
        1 Tablespoon Sure-gel - more rise
        1 teaspoon ascorbic powder - more rise
        1 -2 teaspoons of a dough enhancer

- Check the bread dough during the kneading cycle. If you hear/see
that the bread machine is having difficulty mixing the dough, use
a rubber spatula to carefully assist it if needed.  A samll amount
of liquid may be added if too dry, or a samll amount of rice flour
may be added if too wet.  Gluten-free bread dough does not always
mix up well in a bread machine and may need assistance with a
spatula.

- Gluten-free breads do better with just one kneading and one rising
before being baked.  Unless you have a programmable bread machine,
bread machines are set by the manufacturer to have 1 knead, 1 rise,
2 knead, 2 rise before baking. To compensate for this, try starting
the machine with nothing in it, adding the ingredients after the
first kneading. Now the bread machine's second kneading will be the
gluten-free bread's first kneading.   Step by step directions
are as follows:
        1. You will need to know the exact time your bread machine
takes from start through the first knead and first rise cycles. Make
a note of the exact timethe second knead starts.

        2. Set the bread machine for a basic white bread setting,
push start and allow the machine to run EMPTY for the proper
number of minutes, until the second kneading. Set a timer to give
you warning when the second kneading will start.

        3. Add the dry/wet ingredients at this time.  This will
now be the machine's second kneading & rising cycles but the gluten-
free bread's first kneading & rising.  It will go right into the
baking cycle at the end of the second rising.

Hope that one or more of these tip/hints will help you to make a
lighter, better tasting loaf of gluten-free bread.

Happy baking!

Sandra J Leonard  [log in to unmask]
GF Baker  Fairborn, OH USA