Ingenuity needed

As a gluten-free baker, I have to use some odd things to make items. Gluten-free dough is softer and doesn't have the structure to maintain form well on its own. For hamburger buns, I use 4" round pans that have a removable bottom and are about 2.5 inches deep. Not even sure where I found them originally.

My current conundrum is hot dog buns. Commerical hot dog bun pans are not deep enough - so the bun flattens instead of rising in height. People have tried everything from reshaping lightweight round metal circles into rectangles (what I currently use) to twinkie pans (which are too short, but do provide the height support.

A few days ago I thought of the top to a butter dish - might be about perfect. But, this is harder than I thought. Little things on the lids prevent them from laying flat (it is being used upside down, after all).

My current flash of (potential) brilliance is . . . hot dog trays or baking cups - rectangular. But, I don't know if baking cups even come in an appropriate size nor if they make heavy-duty hot dog trays that would stay supportive. I might be able to use light or medium weight, just maybe. I could pipe the dough into the tray and then put them in a pan with sides. Given that the pan is close to exactly the width of the trays (3 or 4 of them, I imagine), they won't be able to spread and the buns won't be able to flatten.

I know some of you have access to commercial items. And some of you are just plain brilliantly creative. Or both . Have you seen anything else that might work? Where might I get a sample of hot dog trays - maybe I should just ask at a local hot dog place and see if they will give or sell me about ten of them - just to practice.

Need number two: has anyone used heating cores or heat V's when baking larger cakes? Gluten free cakes tend not to do well when sized over a 9" square or round. A 13x9 is just about guaranteed dry on the edges and still soggy in the middle. I was wondering if a product like these heat V's might work well. This would allow those making slightly large cakes to do so without a problem.
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Anyone with experience using anything like this?

What about making New England style split top buns? It's not going to be nearly the same as a rosen poppyseed bun, but it might work.

New England Hot Dog Bun Pan

Let me know if that link doesn't work. It's item #5658 on kingarthurflour.com.

It will have the depth you need.. it'll just give you a different product.

As for keeping the butter dish steady, try making balls of foil. Mold them around the knobby part of the butter dish and make the other end flat.

Two ideas: A Baguette loaf pan - you'd have to somehow make ends for your buns, but the depth might be ok. Mini loaf pans might work as well, if a little short and square.

The gluten-free thing is tough. Kudos to you for coming up with homemade versions - you should post the recipe you're using and update us with your successes.

Thanks for the ideas.

I've considered that New England pan before. . .had forgotten about it. It's a bit pricey for something we eat rarely, but it might be worth it. I need to order a Pullman pan from somewhere - so I'll look there to see if they have one. They also have a bread pan I've considered - it makes square loaves, but isn't a Pullman.

I've tried mini-loaf pans - too wide, though length is about right. You need a triple width dog to fit in it, lol. I've also made them in hand-made foil pans I have a baguette pan - and do use it, but it's too wide for a hot dog. Even the narrow ones are wider because they widen and don't keep the form all the way to the top.

I can't imagine anyone making my gluten-free recipes, lol. I am sheepishly admiting to an addiction to testing GF flours - I have about 15-20 kinds at my house, my own grain mill, etc. My pancakes are better than any pancake I've ever had anywhere. . .but they have 13 flours/starches in them and require a GF sourdough starter that you have to maintina. NO one in their right mind would make these except me.

In all seriousness, though, if anyone does want a gluten-free recipe for anything, I am sure I have it and would be happy to post an approximation of what I do (not all of them are as difficult as my sourdough pancakes). I've been baking and cooking GF for about 7 years and have adapted all my regular recipes and created many new ones. We do not go hungry or even miss most gluten foods. A true baguette is one that we do miss, alas.

ViewsAskew:

Speaking of ingenuity, you can't beat the Yankee ingenuity of the New England bun. You could probably create something similar for much less, but the idea behind it makes so much sense, even for gluten doughs. That the buns themselves provide support for their neighbors during proofing may just be what you need for your GF dough.

I especially like the idea behind the bun in which the outside is toasted so that the crust retains it's thin crispy layer regardless of what you stuff inside the bun (e.g. lobster salad). We had sausages on buns for lunch today. Here are some photos:









Bill/SFNM

Thanks for the photos, Bill. That is the pan that Gleam posted. I'd looked at it, but wasn't sure it would be tall enought - the sides - to allow structure to the rise. BUT, if I had a full pan it would. I just couldn't bake a partial batch.

I just may go with that. Your pics helped me see what it looks like. As you noted, I could try it in a regular pan. If I piped in the dough for the first one, I could use a piece of parchment paper to make a space between the two (since I wouldn't have an indent). Or, I could just buy the pan, lol.

Now, just need to see if anyone has used those baking V thingees I posted a link to. . .

ViewsAskew,
A good hot dog bun is one of a few types of bread that I haven't had any success with in making it gluten free. Like you I've tried to form my own molds using aluminum foil. I even tried to make a form using heavy duty aluminum normally used for crafts. I just haven't gotten a result that I like so I continue to eat my occasional hot dog sans bun. I think I might have to try one of those New England Hot Dog buns. I wonder if smaller New England style pans can be purchased.

I have a http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-OLD-CAST-IRON-CORN-MUFFIN-CORN-COB-PAN_W0QQitemZ110118964960QQcmdZViewItemcast iron corn cob pan[/url] that seems as if it might have potential if the dough is stiff enough. One would have to overlook the corn kernel design baked on the bottom.

If I buy those, I'll let you know how they work out.

Buns are one of the harder GF breads. Well, not that any of them are easy, lol. It's that fluffy texture that is so hard to mimic. They get too heavy and bready.

I made a new recipe a few weeks ago and it was much lighter and softer (and more wet, I think) than the doughs I normally make. Since I try to work in some nutrition, I don't normally use all white rice and tapioca starch for example. But, this one I did. I actually was able to pipe the dough into bun length shapes and let them rise. They did remarkably well at rising, but still went sideways a bit too much. I think I need just a bit more support. That's why I was thinking that the paper hot dog bun supports you get might be all we need. We could pipe the dough in and then put them inside a pan with sides and put them against each other.

I'll let you know if I have any successes of any kind. Glad to know someone else here is GF besides me.

Veloute,

Just wanted to pass on that I've finally managed a darn good GF bun - hambuger and hot dog. If you are interested in any ingredients I used, let me know.

I used an oblong glass pan - the sides are as long as a hot dog bun. I piped the dough in it with each one not quite touching the next. I tried five in the pan, but they ended up too narrow. Four works perfect. They force each other to rise rather then spread and they break apart easily when done.

I'd forgotten to egg wash them this last time (after yet another recipe tweak). So, I took one of each out of the freezer today, thawed them, then threw them in the toaster oven with a little egg wash on them.

We're not sure if that act of reheating them in the oven helped, or if the recipe is just finally perfected. But, he had a mile-high hamburger and a large knackwurst - both buns completely stayed together. He must have mentioned at least three times about how wonderful they were.

ViewsAskew wrote:Veloute,

Just wanted to pass on that I've finally managed a darn good GF bun - hambuger and hot dog. If you are interested in any ingredients I used, let me know.

Hi ViewsAskew,
Thanks for reporting back on your bun success! It never occurred to me to pipe the dough mixture into a regular pan. Sometimes the simplest things are the least obvious!

If you're willing to share the recipe I would be eager to give it a try. The thought of a mile high hamburger made my mouth water.

As an aside I'm interested in going to the LTH picnic, but hesitant. Are you going to go?

Veloute

Gluten Free cooking instruction at:

Gluten Free Kitchen Therapy

Thanks for the find, Cathy2. I can imagine how helpful she must be for people who either don't cook or are new to the GF diet. It's truly overwhelming in the beginning.