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continued from "Summary: Need more bread advice (Part #1)"

***
could be it needs a little more baking time...sounds like it's not
finished cooking.
***
You don't mention where you live, but the humidity could play a factor,
meaning you will need less liquid.  I always add about half the liquid at
first, and add the rest as needed to make a batter the consistency of cake
batter.  Once I started doing that, my bread stopped falling.
***
do you just want to torture yourself ? why not just go to a store and buy
some "Food for Life" rice/pecan or rice/almond bread and be done with it.
all
of it has to be toasted anyway to make it palatable...... WHole Foods
carries
it and Kroger can get it for you.
***
I've bake a lot of bread in my time (mind you, it's mostly the wheat
variety prior to gluten-free days) and this has happened to me, too.

I think the problem is that your initial oven temp. is too high.  I'd
suggest trying 400 or 425 for 10 mins., followed by 375.  That should solve
the problem of burning.

Regarding the collapsing... First, make sure you cool the bread away from
cool drafts and out of the pan -- that keeps the bread from shrinking.
Second, the collapsing is an indication that the loaf rose too quickly in
the baking process.  By lowering the temps., this might keep the bread from
rising too quickly.

What kind of rising agent are you using?  Sometimes when I use baking soda
and baking powder (with some yeast), I find if I put in a generous measure
of baking powder, I get the collapsing effect.

Hope this helps.
***
Here's what I do now - mix it BY HAND for three minutes.....Spray the
pan (and a seperate aluminum pan with PAM ) SLAM the pan on the counter
after you fill it and smooth the top, Let it rise, covered with an
aluminum pan with holes cut in the top in a warm place JUST until it
reaches the top of the pan. Then slice through the dough with a knife to
cut through any air bubbles that may have formed.  Put it in the pre
heated oven and bake (with the pan still on it) for 65 -70 minutes. I
also cut the amount of liquid by a bit....Another thing that works is to
spoon out some of the dough and make hot dog or hamburger rolls and bake
the bread in a smaller glass pan, using the same techniques...I think
trying to make a big loaf is part of the problem...so I bought english
muffin rings, reshaped them for hot dog buns, and make 2 or 3 hot dog
buns in a separate pan, and then bake the bread in the glass pan...works
pretty good and Jerry says it TASTES good, which is the whole
deal..right?
***
Please post your replies! I'm also curious as to what to do!
***
I had those problems too.  How far up is the rack in the oven?  It might be
too close to the burner.  From what I've read, the collapsing might be from
too much liquid or yeast.  You might try reducing each little by little to
see if it helps.  I gave up and just do it in my bread machine now, it still
collapses a little, but I only lose about one slice.
***
 I don't have any advice on the particular bread you are using.  I would
suggest trying the "sandwich bread" mix from the gluten free pantry.  It
comes out great every time.  I also cook it in the oven and I freeze two
pieces together in a ziplock baggie.  It comes out almost like fresh baked
if you microwave it for a few seconds.
Another idea,  Ener-g Seattle Brown bread loaf is soft and tastes like wheat
bread and does not have to be frozen...it you want an alternative to baking
all of the time.  It even has a shelf life if unopened...then you store it
in the frig.
***
I use this bread mix too.  I would reduce the oven by about 25 degrees and
bake the bread longer.  Does the bread have a hollow sound when you knock on
it?

My bread rises above the pan and does not collapse.  I usually let it rise
about 45 minutes.  I also do not use a bread machine as I get better results
mixing it by hand.
***
I would guess that your oven thermostat is off.  If that is the right word,
whatever the thingy is that controls the temperature in you oven..You can
buy a thermometer that hangs from a shelf.
You might try reducing the liquid a little that you add to your bread mix.
I do not use a mix.  I use the Red Star yeast recipe  and a bread
machine.and have found that in summer when it is more humid I have to reduce
the liquid by a tablespoon.  Using a bread machine does not take baking
skill, just measuring skills but sometimes you have to adjust the recipe.
***
I hope I can offer a bit of help with your bread.
First, your post noted that you bake it at 475 degrees
- did you mean to type "375?" The instructions on the
package say to bake at 375...unless they've changed
and I haven't noticed (?) If it is 375, that may take
care of your over-browning problem.

Secondly, I don't have difficulty with the bread
falling, but it is inconsistent rising. I can't seem
to get the bread to rise much more than an inch or
less above the sides of the bread pan - this probably
90 percent of the time. At other times, the bread
rises beautifully tall and full.

So, perhaps your baking temperature is too high and
lowering it will solve both of your problems. Just out
of curiosity, how high does your bread rise when you
bake it? Maybe I need to bake mine at a higher temp.

Good luck, and if you have time, I'd be interested to
know how high your bread rises.
***
Hello. I am located at a fairly high elevation. I'm still experimenting, but
I think the trick, for me, may be to add more flour -- lots more. For
instance, I changed a recipe that used 1-1/2 cups flour and used 2 cups
instead. I baked it in jumbo muffin tins and it didn't sink and the texture
and wetness was perfect.
***
I wish I had a suggestion for the collapsing problem -- looking forward
to the summary there.

Re. over browning -- 475 sounds extremely hot!  Have you tried reducing
the temp. at least 25 degrees?  I bake my bread at 400 degrees, ten
minutes uncovered, and 50 minutes covered, and do not have this problem.
Another thought-- if you're using glass pans, reduce the temp. by about
50 degrees, esp. if you're over-browning.
***
Make a tent of aluminum foil to cover the bread, in it's pan, during the
first half of your baking.  When it is done baking, leave in the turned off
oven with door ajar to release the temperature slowly.  You may have to
experiment to see if it over cooks and decrease your baking time
accordingly.  These two methods will cure the hard/burnt crust and the
collapsing.

Oh yea, reduce the heat in the second half of cooking to 375.
***
I had a similar problem with a bread machine.  I corrected it by reducing
the liquid (water or milk) by two tablespoons.  Doesn't seem like much byt
it worked.  My recipe has some of the same ingredients as your mix so I hope
this helps.
***
First, you oven must be hotter than it really shows on your dial.  Decrease
its temperature from 25 F.
Second, let it rise half of the time.  It usually fall back when it has been
too much rise.
Hope this helps,
And go to this site:
http://forums.prospero.com/celiac/messages
I have posted thousands of GF recipes.
***

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