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

Thanks to all of you for the great responses!  I expected to hear from a few
people, but the response was overwhelming!

The majority of people suggested I cut back on the liquid.  That could very
well be the problem because I have been going for the "cake batter"
consistency, and since it's been a long time since I've done a cake (!!!!!!)
I think I have definitely been making it too thin!

<In my experience, the most common reason GF breads fall is that they have
too much liquid in them.  I have found that I need to use just a little over
half the liquid called for in Bette's recipes; any more and my bread sinks.
I have also noted that the batter tends to thin as it beats, either with a
mixer or in a bread machine, so I make it a tad stiffer than cake batter to
begin with. >

One person had a great post about the consistancy:<<I describe the proper
consistency as being like marshmallow creme: smooth, sticky, not drippy, but
will slowly run if you tip a spoonful of it sideways. The right consistency
is recognizable once you are familiar with it, but a bit tough to describe!

    Most of the breads should rise an additional half of their volume,
although I have one recipe which will almost triple in volume and still
bake well without falling.  Generally, though, the breads will rise much
less than their normal wheaten counterparts.  Once the surface of the
rising dough gets dimpled it has usually risen too much, but if you're
sure that it has over-risen, just stir it down and allow the dough a
second rise.  Again the dimpling is difficult to describe too, as there
is some dimpling before the dough has risen too much, but basically you
want to start baking before the dough has reached its maximum expansion.
Also be sure to bake in a preheated oven.  Expect the bread to rise
generally another 25% once it gets into the oven, again depending on the
bread type.  I have been happy with all of Bette Hagman's recipes, BTW,
and have adapted many others to my preferences.>>

Another said:

<<I also have found the bread mixture needs to make swirls when beating in
the bread machine and I would think this is true using the oven method. If
you think the bread mixture is still too soupy add a little rice flour a
little at a time until you think it is right. Several other suggestions from
Beth Hillson from Gluten Free Pantry is that your bread dough should be
stiffer than cake batter and not as stiff as cookie dough. I've found this
works better.>>

Other suggestions:

***altitude plays a role as well.  Betty's are done at sea level--I live in
Utah, so that could contribute.  She suggested using less liquid and more
flour.

Another said:
***I live at high altitude in Colorado.  I add just a
little extra liquid to my bread, and lower the temp about 25 degrees.

***I was lucky enough to take one of Bette's classes in baking gf breads
here in the Seattle are where she and I live. A point that she stresses is
that atmospheric humidity is going to make a great difference in consistency
and moisture content. You may have too much liquid in your batter

*** try baking at a slightly lower temperature for a longer amount of time.
5-10 minutes.

***Another thing I did was to reduce the yeast from 2 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp,
because it was rising too fast

***The best GF bread I have found is Cornstarch Bread in Bette Hagman's The
Gluten-free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Easy.  I have had the fewest bread
failures with it and I really like the texture - not too moist, not too
crumbly.

*** I also don't think that I've been putting in enough guar/xantham gum.
Someone said one teaspoon of gum per cup of flour, and I hadn't been using
that much.

***I have been making magnificent loaves from Betty's book using her 4 bean
flour mix.  Oregon Bread is my favorite although Walnut bread is great too.
I just follow her instructions. I grease one of those foil bread pans you
can buy at Star Market, use the fast rise (rapid) yeast and mix to a cake
consistency.  I then put the mixture in the pan, cover it with a teatowel
and place is over my warming stove until it starts to rise.  The heat from
the stove helps it to rise.  Once it rises to near the top, I put it in the
oven - cover it with foil after 10 mins and after the standard time for
baking as per her book -always get super bread.

***Once it gets to over double in size, the gums are unable to hold it up
during the extra rising that happens during baking. Make sure the bread it
done by testing it w/ a long pick.  Also, cooling on it's side may help


*** I make the small loaf recipe (Four bean Mix).  I use more water than
she indicates in order to make it like you said, like thick cake batter.
(about 1-1/4 cups)  I make sure to beat it on high for 3 minutes.  Then,
instead of making a loaf,  I make it in rings, like hamburger bun rings.
I purchased biscuit cutters at my local corning outlet store (they are
about 4" in diameter and 1" tall.  I had my husband re-make some of them
into squares, about the size of a slice of bread.  I make 3 squares and
1 round for a bun whenever I bake the bread.

When I let it rise, I cover them with greased wax paper.  I try to elevate
it a little so that it does not stick to the batter.  I let it rise for
about 30-40 minutes and bake them for 20 minutes.  When I take them out of
the oven, I remove the rings immediately and spray each bread with oil. This
makes a really soft bun!  For sandwiches, I cut off the top and bottom
of the square and my 7 year old daughter has a sandwich that looks just like
every one else's and tastes great!

I know this sounds complicated but I do it every week and have it down to a
science.   Since I have to do this for many years to come, it seemed like it
was worth it.

Also, before I had my husband make the rings for me, I just took a sheet of
aluminum foil and folded it lengthwise to about 1" and then shaped it into a
square and stapled it.  This worked fine too.

PS   I did make loaves at first and they worked out fine with this same
recipe.  This is the BEST bread that I have baked in the 2 years that I have
been baking GF and I have tried many, many recipes before this one.


Another option some suggested was to order the mixes.  They seem to work
well.

***After 5 years of trying Bette's bread recipe and having it fall and be
sticky, I gave up and am now buying from Gluten-Free Pantry their favorite
Sandwich mix.  I have delicious light brown bread now without the sticky
center.  I think part of Bette's recipe problem is too much liquid.  With
Gluten-Free Pantry's mix you use 1 2/3 cup water and 2 eggs to 4 1/2 cups
mix!!!!  www.glutenfreepantry.com

It is comforting to know that I'm not the only one who finds gf baking a
challenge.  Even though my bread doesn't look so good, the taste is sooooo
much better than any breads I have j\purchased that I will keep trying.
Thanks for the encouragement everyone has given me..   I won't give up!!!
Several people said how much they like her Oregon Bread and one person
suggested adding Quinola flakes for a little texture and fiber. Yum.  I will
have to try this recipe!

Thanks again,
Sheri in Utah