FAQ

Chebe Bread is based on the Brazilian-style cheese bread. The cheese and the tapioca flour give the product a texture that might be described as undercooked, or chewy, when compared to standard breads that we are accustomed to. If you have a perfectly done Chebe roll it would be crispy on the outside and if you pull apart a baked piece of Chebe Bread, you would see that the center will stretch together for one or two inches before the two pieces would separate.

If you prefer drier bread, simply roll the dough into a breadstick, or another shape that has less “middle” than a roll. This will reduce or eliminate the moist center.

The cheese is optional. You may try a non-dairy cheese substitute or just leave it out. You do not need to add anything in its place.

There are a few options to substituting egg with our mixes.

1. The egg substitute we like the best is aquafaba. Aquafaba is the liquid from the can of white beans, such as chickpeas/ garbanzo beans. Aquafaba can be used in many baking applications, including with Chebe!

2. You may use an egg replacer, such as Enger-G. Follow package instructions for replacing 2 eggs.

3. You may use 3 Tbs. liquid gelatin. If dough is too dry, add water by the tsp. until you reach correct consistency.

4.You may use flaxseed. Mix 2 tsp. flax seeds in 2/3 c. of water. Bring to a boil, simmer gently for 15 minutes, then cool. Use 3 Tbs. of the simmered flaxseed. If dough is too dry, add water by the tsp. until you reach correct consistency.

Using an egg substitute can be tricky. We suggest you roll the dough into smaller or thinner pieces so that the center of the product is more certain to bake thoroughly.

Yes. Adding a tsp. of baking powder to a package of Chebe mix will cause more expansion in the dough. It is more effective when the dough rests 15 to 20 minutes before baking. Note, the All-Purpose and the Focaccia mixes already contain baking powder ingredients.

1 ¾ cups of bulk mix are equivalent to one 7.5 oz. package.

Chebe is more moist and chewy in the middle because it is based on the Brazilian cheese bread and is made from tapioca starch. Therefore, it bakes up better in smaller bread products such as buns, rolls, tortillas, etc. If you try to make it into a full loaf, it will not get done in the middle. If you have a bread machine, see the next question.

Some customers have luck with Chebe in their bread maker and others do not. If you would like to try, you can use our bread machine recipes. The bread machine recipes requires several other ingredients other than the Chebe mix. It does not work to use only the Chebe mix in a bread machine.

General instructions for high altitude baking are to:

a) increase liquid (we caution against this as it may make the dough too sticky);
b) increase oven temp;
c) slightly shorten cooking time in oven.

The specific altitude will affect the degree of the above. We recommend that the consumer make adjustments that work best in his/her environment.

That said, we have a real experience from a customer who gave us her method:

"Ok, sounds crazy, but the first couple bags I did not get anything that I liked. the last couple bags made decent pizza crust!
here is what I did

I used one large egg, and ALMOST 2/3 cup water. I would use the 1/3 then add slowly until the right mixture. I also grate fresh asiago or Parmesan cheese into the mixture the amt you suggest. I then would roll out to very thin like 1/8 inch for the pizza. I would put it on a cookie sheet in the oven at your suggested time for rolls. I then would bake it until lightly browned and then place the toppings on it until melted.(Ragu traditional sauce with some fresh oregano and fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions and pepperonis) this is for a thin crusty type. the thick style never gets done enough. but I will keep trying!

For the rolls, I made them the same way as above, but I would roll them into quarter sized rolls, smaller than what you suggested. Otherwise the inside was way too undone. This way they are hard on the outside and cooked but gushy on the inside. My 3 year old loves them!

We live over 6000 feet, but when we have certain weather like in summer with high heat (high 90's) and low pressure we are equivalent to 10,000 feet or higher! This happens a lot in recent years in our city. Last year we had 90's from April to July! Freak weather. The density in the altitude increases with high heat and low pressure.” - Michele from Colorado

Chebe is “freezer friendly.” You can put the package in the freezer to extend the shelf life, you can make the dough and form it into breadsticks, etc. and freeze it before baking, and you can freeze items that have been baked and warm before serving.

Use equal amounts of butter or margarine. If you cannot have butter or margarine, other consumers have had luck substituting yogurt or applesauce, although we cannot guarantee these substitutions will work.

The expansion of the dough is primarily caused by the eggs.

Several things could have happened. It may be that the frozen dough was thawed and refrozen too often. This can cause problems in the oven. It may also be that the product is past its Better By date. Even though the product remains in the freezer the whole time, it still has a limited shelf life. These are two common reasons, though there are other variables that may play into such results.

The Better By date for our dry mixes is 18 months from the date of production. The Better By date for our frozen is 6 months from the date of production. These dates are printed on the bottom of each package’s back panel.

The dry ingredients generally do not go bad right at the expiration date. To ensure the product’s longevity, it is best to keep the product in its airtight package at room temperature. Keeping it in a refrigerator or freezer does not hurt and may help extend the shelf life. To test if the product has expired, you can smell the opened package. If it has a sour or stale odor, then it should not be used.

Manioc is a sub-tropical plant with a tuber-type root. The root is what is processed for the many food products that are derived from this plant. Manioc is also known as cassava, yucca, and tapioca. Yes, tapioca pudding comes from the manioc root!

The modification is a change to the chemical structure of the manioc/tapioca so it will bind to the wet and dry ingredients. In short, it alters the structure of the components of the starch. If the structure was not altered, you would have to heat everything to get it to bind, similar to cold milk and cold butter, which do not mix together unless you heat them. The modification is not adding or subtracting to the starch. In the end, it is still 100% manioc, just the structure is changed.

Yes!

Five of our dry mixes are OU Kosher Certified (status: pareve). These are: All-Purpose mix, Cinnamon Roll mix, Focaccia mix, Garlic-Onion Breadstick mix, and Pizza Crust mix.

Our Original Cheese Bread mix is not kosher certified nor is our line of frozen, oven-ready dough.

Gluten is the protein found in grains. The family of grain that causes most people problems is that of wheat, barley, and rye. If one has gluten intolerance or celiac disease, then all products with wheat, barley, and rye must be avoided.

Wheat is a grass. If one is allergic only to wheat and not to gluten in general, then only products with wheat need to be avoided.

Read more about Gluten-Intolerance, Wheat Allergies, and Celiac Disease here.

Stores that carry Chebe are listed here. Phone numbers are provided. Please call ahead as we do not know if the stores listed carry our dry mixes, our frozen dough, or both.

We find the very best way to get Chebe placed on local shelves is simply to talk to the store manager. Store managers want you to visit their stores and are very receptive to customer suggestions. Ask the manager if the store orders from one of our distributors. Here is a printable list to give to the store manager. Even if they have a concern about shelf space, the store manager may be receptive to bringing in a full case (8 packages) for you to purchase.

We are actively working on gaining distribution in Canada. Please email us with your request and the stores where you shop and we will forward your request to our Canadian sales broker. Chebe is also available at Meyers Gluten Free in Winnipeg. Meyers ships across the country, so check them out here.

From time to time, we will have coupons for online purchases. The announcement will be made through Facebook and Twitter. Please Friend Us/Follow Us if you would like notification of our coupon promos.

We do not ship free samples directly to individuals. However, individuals may receive free samples by requesting them through local celiac support group or through dietitians. The support group must be a nationally recognized group and the dietitians must be certified. These groups and dietitians may contact us directly for samples.

Please call us at 800-217.9510 if you tried our product and/or have any questions. Chebe has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We will discuss your problem and offer solutions. Chebe will send you replacement product or refund the purchase price, provided the product is used before the Better By date.