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

        First , I want to thank all of you who responded to my query.  I
  was pleased to find so many people who want to be helpful. :-)

        Most of you responded saying that Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum
are not used as leavening agents but as binding agents that hold  baked
goods together ,provide elasticity and keep them from falling apart .
Most indicated that the Gums are used in baked goods containing yeast,
such as bread, but some of you seem to think they will help in quickbreads
as well.

Some of you also suggested some techniques and recipes that I could try to
improve the quality of my baking.  Thank you  for all of your suggestions.
I will definitely try these out.

For those of you who were wondering,  I was making some plain  "Brown Rice
Flour Muffins". I needed some more vitamin B's in my diet and this was one
way to get them.  I had previously made some corn muffins with the same
result. ( Kind of dense)  I had noticed in both recipes that the Xanthan gum
was missing and so had mistakenly thought I needed it. (Not remembering
that both muffins are quick breads with no yeast in them) :-)



                                        Mac4004

P.S. For the sake of message length I have included only the replies
          that had comments in addition to those summarized above.

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Everyone has their own ways of doing things, but I prefer to use as
little of the gums as possible in baking.  I find that using a smaller
amount of flour than the recipe calls for, and more baking soda or baking
powder, I have no problems with quick breads.  I only use Xantham gum
when I make yeast bread.  My flour mix is one pound of rice flour, one
pound of glutinous rice flour, one pound of tapioca starch, and a 20 oz.
box of potato starch.  I get some odd shaped muffins, but they are
popular with the entire family, even the non-GF ones!  I bake cake,
cookies, brownies, muffins, and biscuits without xantham gum.

I only use Xantham gum when I make bread for my son.  I don't put it in
our pizza crust.  We have a nice crispy crust, which still tastes like a
yeast crust (since the yeast is in there.)

Beth in Virginia
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I don't like either of them....I use cornstarch in place of wheat
flour in my cake
and brownies.  Julia Child said you can sub. cup for cup in place of
flour or cake
flour.  The cornstarch cake is sooooo much better than the other
flours which are
often gritty and taste odd.
Give it a try....check the archives...Try my brownies....

Ann Sokolowski
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Xanthan gum and guar gum don't do anything for the rise of the baked
goods.  They are
more involved in stay togetherness and mouth feel.  Try reducing the
amount of flours/starches
  that you are using in your muffins.  The batter should be cake-like
(pours easily).  Amy, Idaho

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Don't get discouraged with gf baking. Yes, the GF products tend to be
denser, heavier, and drier...but only IF adjustments aren't made when
converting recipes.  There is no reason why a GF product cannot taste
and feel just as light and good as the wheat version.

The gums act as a "glue" to keep your muffins, etc., from crumbling when
you go to eat them.  They don't actually make the product denser, just
more adhesive.

I don't know what you are baking, but try adding an additional egg, 1 Tbsp.
of GF mayonnaise, additional liquid (just a little), and extra
flavoring.  I add
about twice the amount of vanilla, cinnamon (whatever flavorings are called
for in the original recipe).  This should help.  If you are making a cake or a
dessert that that is thick, try substituting some of the liquid in
the recipe with
carbonated soda; the bubbles help make your dessert lighter.  Also add
1 1/2 to 2 times the amount of baking powder of baking soda called for in
the wheat version;  the GF flours are heavier than wheat flour and need the
additional leavening.

Connie Sarros
http://www.glutenfree.homestead.com/homepage.html
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Xanthan or guar gum are pretty important to the making of GF baked goods.
Gluten is the stuff that holds regular baked goods together.  Without the
gums, GF muffins, breads, cakes, etc. would simply crumble.

Gluten is also the stuff that forms the pockets that trap the gases that
make baked goods rise and become properly fluffy.  We have to add extra
proteins (eggs, milk, etc.)  Using a GF carbonated liquid instead of the
water called for can help.  Also, try whipping them a bit longer to
incorporated extra air: this will help to make you muffins lighter.
Generally, one doesn't want to overbeat regular wheat based muffins, because
it "develops" the gluten and makes the muffin tough; we have no such worry.
Bobbie


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