There are tons of carnivore bread recipes out there. So why don’t I just use one of those? Well, for some of us the fun is in the creating. I have always cooked and baked using the SoMP (Seat of My Pants) method. Even with a recipe, I always make changes as I work – so why bother? Anyway, I used some methods from some recipes and some from others, plus a few of my own that have served me well in the past. This is what I came up with. This time :).
Dry Mix:
½c chicken flour
½c egg white protein powder
1Tbsp EACH beef gelatin, yeast (optional; for realism only), baking powder, xanthan gum
½tsp salt (if not using salted butter)
– Thoroughly combine all of the above; divide and use half now, saving the other half for the next loaf
1c egg white (use cream of tartar if you want to; I don’t)
¼c finely shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend)
2 eggs
2Tbsp butter, melted/cooled
– Whip egg white (I used carton) to stiff peaks
– With mixer on low, add the dry mix; scrape sides often
– Still on low, add eggs one at a time, then butter
– Put mixer on high BRIEFLY to make sure everything is well-mixed; scrapes sides one last time, folding in anything that didn’t get mixed
Pour mixture into a loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick spray
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes; let cool in the oven with the door open a crack. (I did mine in my Ninja air fryer oven on “bake”; worked fine.)
(I sure wish there was a way to get fluffier, lighter carnivore bread without the whole “stiff peaks” thing…you too?)
OK, NOW let’s talk about how this stuff turned out! First, the crust was beautifully brown and crusty as it came out of the oven. You know, like a bread crust. Second, remember how the Wonder bread of childhood was ever-so slightly chewy on the inside? (Remember balling it up in your little fist to make it into “dough”?) Yeah. This stuff has the same mouth feel. And now the taste: It’s made of eggs; there’s no getting around that. I was so enamored of the texture that I didn’t notice much eggy-ness…not until I toasted it, and then I got a hint of “fried eggs” in the taste. I’m not sensitive to an egg taste, it didn’t slap me upside the head or anything though. Maybe a little garlic in it would have eliminated all hints of egg but really, I’m not going to worry about it.
Toast. YEAH, toast! (Bonus points if you know that song!) If you know me at all, you know I love me some toast! And I’ve made bread that was nearly-perfect toast before too. But that loaf wasn’t great for eating plain with butter, or as a sandwich, not toasted. This? Well this is a different story. I hear angels singing! SO CRISPY!! Crispiest toast-fried-in-butter-like-I-like-it that I’ve ever had! Absorbed the additional butter too…lovely!
If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to know what you think! If you make and changes or subs, I’d love to know how that works too! And if you already have a favorite, that’s cool – what is it? Anyway, this one suits me just fine…thought you might like to know :).
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