Another week, and I’m still sticking to my temporary ketogenic diet. Of everything I’ve been cutting out, I’ve really been missing bread. Sourdough is unfortunately, not an option. I’ve tried a couple of different recipes and am pretty happy with this keto coconut flour bread loaf.
Not only is it ketogenic, it’s gluten free as well if that’s the option you need. There’s very little flour in the recipe so the consistency is more a batter than a dough.
I’ve used xanthan gum as a gluten substitute to thicken and stabalise the mixture. The combination of the bicarbonate of soda and apple cider vinegar causes a ‘fizz’ that makes the bubbles and, along with the yeast, gives the rise. The uncooked loaf is pretty wobbly so be very, very careful when putting the tin in and out of the microwave and into the oven – the bubbles burst and the rise can collapse easily.
If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it
Instructions
Line a 1kg/2lb loaf tin loaf tin with parchment paper
Put the sugar and yeast into a measuring jug and pour over the warm water. Stir until there are no lumps left
Set aside and allow to proof for 10 minutes. (Ensure the yeast mixture is bubbling before you add it to the dry ingredients otherwise the loaf won't rise properly)
In a separate mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, xanthan gum, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir until well combined. Make a well in the centre
Pour the beaten eggs, apple cider vinegar, and proofed yeast mixture into the well in the dry ingredients
Combine with a spatula until everything is combined together and there are no lumps
Pour into the prepared loaf tin
Fill a microwave-safe mug with water and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes or until it boils
After the water is heated, add the loaf tin, uncovered, to the microwave with the mug of hot water
Leave the loaf tin in the microwave (with the microwave off) with the mug of water for ½ an hour
After ½ an hour carefully remove the loaf tin (you don't want the aerated batter to fall) and reheat the water for a minute
Carefully replace the loaf tin to the microwave with the mug of water for another ½ hour
Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350°F/Gas mark 4
Remove the tin from the microwave carefully, the bread should have risen nicely
Slide the tin carefully into the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes away clean
Remove the parchment-covered loaf from the tin and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving
Notes
Try it toasted with butter or for cheese on toast
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H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/
What do a bacon sandwich, fried bread, French toast, Croque Monsieur and Welsh rarebit all have in common? They’re all best made using a plain, white sliced loaf.
I’ve confessed in the past that I’m quite partial to the odd, soft slice of Warbie’s Toastie now and again. The French have a far more chic-sounding name for this kind of bread – pain de mie. I saw this recipe recently for a soft sourdough sandwich loaf and thought I’d give it a try. As I outlined earlier, you don’t always want a strong flavoured loaf with an open, uneven texture.
The knack to making a loaf with a soft, tearable texture is to knead, knead, knead until the gluten has developed fully. You can attempt to do this by hand, but my arm muscles aren’t up to the job! The other trick is to roll it out and roll it up… twice. Finally, a couple of long proving sessions with an overnight stint in the fridge in between.
Making a sourdough sandwich loaf is a long, drawn out process – the exact opposite to the mass produced, Chorleywood processed stuff. Don’t fret though, bread preparation can fit easily around the rest of your day and night.
The original recipe says you need to allow your loaf to have a final proof of 6 hours. I don’t know if it’s the ever-cool temperature of my kitchen, but this wasn’t anywhere near long enough for mine. I’ve made this loaf on two different occasions now, and I’ve needed at least 12 hours on both occasions. Rather than go by length of time, judge it ready when your dough has doubled in size.
I like the first few slices of my fresh, home-made bread plain & simply buttered. Justin preferred using it as an opportunity to make a bacon sandwich. Apparently, the sweetness of the bread worked perfectly with the saltiness of the bacon.
What’s your favourite sandwich to make with soft, white bread?
If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it
For the levain
Mix together the starter, milk and flour and allow to develop at room temperature (23ºC/73ºF) until mature (about 12 hours)
For the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour, milk powder, sugar, milk and egg white until it just comes together. Cover and autolyse in a warm place for half an hour
Add the levain and half of the butter mixing in completely. Add the rest of the butter and the salt
Knead until the dough is smooth, silky, stretchy and shiny and passes the windowpane test (this took me about 15 minutes in my stand mixer, on a slow-medium speed)
Cover and bulk rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Fold, cover with cling film (or plastic bag) and refrigerate overnight
Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal pieces (I made 4 x 160g/5⅔oz pieces), roll them into balls, cover with slightly oiled cling film and allow to rest at room temperature for an hour
Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out each piece into an oval. Roll up tightly and allow to rest for 10 minutes
Roll each piece along its seam into long oval again. Roll up tightly for a 2nd time.
Place the rolls, seam side down, into a 23cm x 13cm / 9" x 5" loaf tin or Pullman pan if you have one. Cover the tin loosely with cling film and allow to proveat room temperature for about 6 hours
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6. Bake the loaf for 20 minutes
Turn the temperature down to 175ºC/350ºF/Gas mark and bake for a further 15-20 minutes. If the top of loaf is browning too quickly, cover over the top with a piece of aluminium foil to prevent it from burning
Take the loaf out of the oven and immediately turn the loaf out on to a wire cooling rack
While the loaf is still warm, brush the top and sides with a little melted butter
Wild garlic loves this damp, shady corner of our garden. We keep the majority of it contained within an old galvanised wash tub, but if you look closely, you can see that it’s managed to escape and grow in the cracks of the flags!
I harvested a few of the leaves to go in a wild garlic sourdough focaccia; wild garlic and wild yeast!
In less than a minute, I blitzed the leaves with some olive oil into a liquid about the consistency of a vinaigrette.
The dough took a little longer to be ready… about 12 hours in a cool cloakroom.
Depending on the size of your baking tray(s), the recipe makes 2 small or one large loaf. I used a large tray – 39cm x 27cm (15″ x 10½”).
It’s absolutely delicious – moist yet airy – and full of intense flavour. Perfect for accompanying pasta dishes, salads, antipasti and cheeses.
If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the starter with the water, olive oil and honey
With the dough hook attached and on a low speed, slowly add the flour and knead for around 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Leave to rest for 10 minutes
Add the salt, kneading until it's fully combined
Allow to prove until doubled in size (depending on the temperature, this could be anywhere from 2 hours in a warm kitchen to overnight in the fridge. Make it fit in with your plans and schedule)
Once sufficiently proved, preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6. If you have one, put your baking stone on a shelf in the bottom ⅓rd of your oven
Coat a baking tray(s) liberally with olive oil, making sure you include up the sides
Gently pour the dough into the centre of the oiled tray and carefully ease it towards the corners. You don't want to deflate the air pockets
Cover with greased clingfilm and allow to prove again in a warm place for about an hour
Make rows of indentations across and down into the dough, drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with the coarse salt and bake for 15 minutes
Remove from the oven and spread the wild garlic oil over the top.
Turn the tray 180º (to ensure even browning) and return it to the oven for a further 15 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown
Remove from the oven, take the loaf off the baking tray(s) and allow to cool on a wire rack for a couple of minutes
Slice and serve
Notes
This bread is perfect for mopping up tomatoey or cheesy pasta sauces!
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H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/
I’ve been wanting to treat myself to some mini bannetons since I saw them on Amazon a while ago. They’re the perfect size for making bread rolls or sourdough burger buns. I came across a seller offering a set of ten for £48.50 with free P&P which I thought was good value.
They’re 13cm/5″ in diameter and can hold around 225g/8oz of sourdough – enough to make an extra-small boule. On this occasion, I only put 140g/5oz of dough in each – a perfect amount for sourdough burger buns.
Prior to use, give each a wipe with a clean, dry cloth or tea towel and sprinkle with flour to stop the dough from sticking. For this, I’ve used plain flour and semolina; however, I’ve found that rice flour is by far the most successful option.
If you don’t have Buy Me a Pie! app installed you’ll see the list with ingredients right after downloading it
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the warm water and starter and mix well
Add the flour and, using the dough hook, mix until all the ingredients just about come together into a ragged ball shape. Cover with a damp tea towel or large plastic bag/cling film and allow the dough to rest in a warm place for an hour
Sprinkle over the salt and knead until it is evenly distributed. Cover again with a damp tea towel or large plastic bag/cling film and allow the dough to rest in a warm place for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size
Dust each bun banneton generously with rice flour
Lightly sprinkle a work surface with bread flour, pour out the dough and divide it into 6 equal portions (you can weigh them out) - each piece should be about 140g/5oz)
Carefully form each piece of dough into a ball and place them into the bun bannetons
Sprinkle with rice flour and cover the bannetons with a damp tea towel. Allow to prove in a warm place for an hour or two, or until the dough has doubled in size
Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas mark 7 (put your baking stone in now, if you have one)
Once the oven (and baking stone) has reached the correct temperature, dust a peel with rice flour, turn the buns out on to it and slide them onto the baking stone. If you don't have a peel, dust the baking tray with the rice flour before turning the buns out on to it
Using a spray bottle on the fine mist setting, dampen the tops of the buns and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Carefully slide the buns off the peel (if using) on to the baking stone (if using) or slide the baking tray into the hot oven
Bake for 5 minutes before turning the heat down to 200ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the tops are golden brown and they sound hollow when knocked on the bottom
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H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/
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