Well here we go! My name is Shannon Hurst and I am the owner, baker, recipe creator at the Keto Cache bakery in Calgary Alberta.
I delved into the world of Keto baking 7 years ago and to say it was a rough go at first...
would be a drastic understatement.
Knowing that the learning curve is steep when one starts down this road, I thought maybe I could help a few of you out.
I will try and answer frequently asked questions we get at the bakery, provide a few tips, hacks and suggestions as we go down the world of gluten-free, sugar free, low carb living!
After trying a few keto recipes and products, I decided my number one goal was I didn't want our food to taste healthy!
I want my taste buds to think I am eating something full of sugar and carbs!
The more recipes I tried, the more I realized that it was time to step outside the Pinterest box and start experimenting.
Now I'm not saying there aren't good recipes out there, there are.
However, I am suggesting that with a few tweaks, a couple little hacks and a solid understanding of the science behind cooking you can take an okay keto recipe and make it awesome.
I have met a few people over the years that enjoy cloud bread but it's not for me. I don't want my food to taste extremely eggy or have that gosh awful aftertaste that too much almond flour creates! Like you know the one where you feel like there is cardboard in your mouth and your tongue is arguing with your tastebuds trying to decipher what just happened?
Yet don't fear! There is always a solution! Unfortunately though, it may cost a little more... or even a lot more.
I wish North America would charge more for junk food and less for healthier foods but alas, that's a whole other discussion for another post!
Keto baking isn't cheap
Starting to make your own keto baked goods is a double edged sword.
On one side, it's definitely a steep learning curve figuring out what you can have and what to avoid and adapting to reading the ingredients labels on everything!
For months I had to carry my reading glasses with me every time I went to the store!
The sharpest cut though, is the cost of ingredients so here's a few suggestions.
Tip #1, start off slow and pick a few recipes that call for the same ingredients!
Tip #2, don't make a huge pan of squares! Until you fine tune it, go with smaller recipes.
Tip #3, bulk options are cheaper to start and a great idea. Yet you are going to find you compromise on quality sometimes.
Tip #4, shop around before you purchase! For years, there were only speciality stores that carried many products but now, every grocery store has health food isles with lots of options.
It all starts with ingredients
In the beginning I tried every type of almond flour I could find. The lighter and fluffier ones were the best. Sunco makes a great one.
I have found the fancier options that are certified organic are pretty heavy. Yet, everyone has different preferences.
The reason I like the lighter options is keto baking can be very dense. However, there are other ways to combat this!
That brings me to eggs and hack #1
It is my experience that when you are baking breads or things like cakes, you need to separate your eggs. For our almond bread we sell at the bakery, I beat the egg whites till they are stiff before I fold them into the remaining ingredients.
This simple hack has been key to making sure our baked goods are light and fluffy and moist!
Back to ingredients and hack #2
Many recipes will call for either almond or coconut flour and a few will call for both. Now I want to add there is a science to this for sure and every recipe is different. It may take a little bit of adjusting on your end to get the desired consistency and outcome but here's a few tips.
Coconut flour is dense and heavy but in many situations like making muffins, adding 1/4 cup of coconut flour to your almond flour will help give you the right texture and stop muffins from falling in the middle or being flat. You can use xanthum gum instead but a little coconut flour works wonders.
Almond flour is the lighter of the two so when a recipe calls for only coconut flour, sometimes I will add 1/2 cup of either almond flour or a couple tablespoons of physillium husk to help fluff it up.
Don't be scared to add ingredients. If I find a batter is still too dense, I will add another egg, double the baking powder or add a little olive oil. Trust your gut!
My latest creation... donut holes. It took 2 attempts to get it right even after doing this for 7 years! We have three regular flavours and a weekly special flavour!
Don't give up!
I think the most important advice I give my customers is don't give up, keep trying recipes and it will get better! Oh and drink a lot of water and electrolytes are your friends!
There is a ton of information available when it comes to the do's and don'ts of the ketogenic lifestyle but different things work for different people. So find what works for you and keep on baking!
An excerpt from the KC book of WOW
I think it's important to find humour anywhere we can and to be able to laugh at ourselves. On that note, I am going to end each blog post with real questions and statements from some our amazing customers!
Phone rings...
My son answers. "Good afternoon, Keto Cache" and this is what he hears...
"Hi! Oh my gosh I just drove past your store and I am so excited to have found you! Can you tell me where you are located?"
Yes... we all have those days!
Comentários