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

GUAR/XANTHUM  is a binding agent, such that bread does not crumble apart so
  readily.  It will not help with rising or the density of the bread,
unfortunately.  This
  is a common problem with GF breads.  Personally, I add a bit more yeast than
recommended.  But mostly, I find that some recipes are better than others...

good luck
T
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All gf baked products need something to replace the gluten; commercially
  guar and xanthan gum are most commonly used. Guar gum is cheaper,
but it has a laxative affect in most people. I use xanthan gum.
Methylcellulose is also used commercially, but it is very tricky for ordinary
people to use. Whipped egg whites are useful in some products, especially
cakes. It takes about 1 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of Hagman GF flour for
bread and cakes, but more is OK.

Go to the websites of EnerG and Miss Robens to look at the ingredients of
their breads, cakes, and cookies; you might try Kinnikinnick Foods, too.
Gmaldridge

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here's a great link to check out about your question.
<http://www.wholefoods.com/products/glutenbaking.html>http://www.wholefoods.com/products/glutenbaking.html

Hope it's helpful for you.

Yehudit
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My husband can't tolerate xanthan gum or guar gum, so I bake without
them.  As far as I understand it, these two ingredients help keep the
baked products from being so crumbly.   I add Knox gelatine to blueberry
bread that I bake for him - it helps it from being as crumbly.
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Bette Hagman has a GF muffin Mix in her More from the Gluten Free
Gourmet cookbook that comes out like a regular muffin. Try that. Also
consider usinf a tsp of egg replacer in your recipe- might help it rise better.

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Guar Gum & Xanthan Gum are the "glue" for you baked goods.  Traditional
baking with wheat works so well because the gluten acts like glue and helps
hold everything together.  Since you have removed gluten, you need to
replace it with something.  Xanthan gum is a synthetic product, Guar gum is
natural and produces a slight laxative effect.  I use about 1 teaspoon of
xanthan gum or guar gum per cup of GF flour blend.

Let me also add that I got tired of trying to bake bread and muffins.  It's
a lot of work and the results are unpredictable.  Instead of making my own,
I order these products from www.pannerizo.com and the products are pretty
good (but kind of pricey).

Dave Pinney
Sr. Technician
JW Tel-Tronics
425-485-4739 x101

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