How to successfully make gluten free bread

After being on the gluten-free diet for nearly 8 months, I have not yet given up on making gluten-free bread. Bread, that is, that couldn't possibly be mistaken for hockey pucks. Thanks to Elise Harris for the recipe! Here's her link that I started with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1G94nh9gio Her recipe came out pretty good, but the consistency of the bread is still a bit dense, as gluten free breads tend to come out that way. I just purchased a variety of gluten-free flours and I finally splurged for xantham gum, which is said to be a good substitute for gluten. But it's expensive! I admit this recipe requires more ingredients, more steps and more preparation time...but I think it's worth it! ...And it makes for *excellent* french toast! At any rate, here's Elise's recipe, modified...

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 2 large eggs
• 3 T sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup ground flax seed or ground nuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit (optional)
• 2 cups of gluten free flour (mixture of different kinds for optimal nutrition)
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of fast-acting dry yeast (or 1 packet)
• 2 teaspoons of xantham gum
• 1 cup of milk
• cooking thermometer
• Large pot of near-boiling water. (This is for the rising yeast stage later.)

1. Mix these ingredients first:
   2 large eggs
   3 T sugar
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   1/3 cup ground flax seed or ground nuts (optional)
   3/4 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit (optional)
   
   Start to heat water in a large pot. (This is for the rising yeast stage later.)
2. In a (large) separate bowl, mix dry ingredients:
   2 cups of gluten free flour (mixture of different kinds for optimal nutrition)
   2 teaspoons of baking powder
   2 1/4 teaspoons of fast-acting dry yeast (or 1 packet)
   2 teaspoons of xantham gum
3. 1 cup of milk heated to temperature between 120 to 140 degrees, Fahrenheit. 120 degrees is ideal.
   
   Use thermometer to "mix" milk to test temperature. Thermometer should never touch the cup, as the temperature of the cup differs from the liquid you need to test.
4. Add warm milk to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir until all dry ingredients are moist.
   
   Consistency will resemble Play-Doh.
5. Add egg/sugar/salt/(flax)/(cranberry) mixture and stir well.
   Let ingredients sit for 10 minutes.
   Grease bread pan.
6. Remove hot water from stove; should be just under the boiling stage. (I put a towel under pot to protect counter top.)
   Pour bread mixture into bread pan.
   Place cooling rack over pot of hot water.
   Put bread pan on cooling rack.
   Cover it all with a towel. (I put another plastic container over bread pan so bread doesn't actually touch towel when it rises.)
   
   Give yeast an hour to work on bread mixture.
7. Set timer for 40 minutes, then pre-heat oven to 375, fahrenheit.
   Set timer for another 20 minutes.
   
   When I removed the towel from the bread mixture, I was amazed at how well the yeast was working!
   
   When oven is pre-heated, bake bread for approximately 30-35 minutes. Check after 25-30 minutes, just to be sure bread isn't "over-cooked."
   
   To tell if bread is ready:
   Knock on bottom of loaf tin. If hollow sound is heard, bread is done.

Tips & Warnings

• It is best to wait for your bread to cool off before slicing it. I find it's easiest to slice when it hasn't been refrigerated. I find the ideal time to slice my bread is at room temperature, before it gets refrigerated.
• Remove bread from loaf tin before slicing to preserve non-stick surface of your cookware. (My boyfriend makes fun of me in this area, because I also have a paranoia for ingesting toxins, and I don't want to risk eating my cookware along with my bread!)
• Did you know...? HEAT (remember, 120 degrees is ideal) AND SUGAR help the yeast to do its job! I didn't know that either, but I called up the yeast company for helpful hints on how to bake bread. The nice lady on the phone walked me through this step and I'm glad I learned about this!
• Always use caution when handling hot items on the stove and in the oven as well as hot water and hot bread tin!