Rolls
Since I started eating low carb a couple of years ago, I've been searching for a recipe that resulted in something that could be used for sandwiches. All have failed miserably, but I stumbled on one this weekend I tried - and was shocked! I'll be making more this week and seeing how they do once they've been frozen.
A couple of comments:
1. The recipe author calls these "bagels". As a Jewish lady with family born and bred (no pun intended) in New York City, I can tell you these in NO WAY resemble bagels, other than their shape. Real bagels are shiny crisp on the outside and delectably chewy on the inside, because they are boiled and then baked. Most bagel shops in the States - even those that claim to be "New York" bagels are really just bread rolls. Having made that disclaimer, these held their shape, really, really well and taste very good.
2. I don't like when a bread recipe tastes eggy, which is very common with low carb breads, so I increased the almond flour to 2 cups and the amount of baking powder by another other half teaspoon. They came out a bit heavy, so I'll continue to experiment with the amount of baking powder.
3. This recipe is very easy and based on the "fathead pizza" recipe using shredded mozzarella cheese, cubed brick cream cheese, egg, almond flour and baking powder. Be sure to use almond "flour" and not almond "meal" - which is almonds ground with the skins on. The meal is a completely different texture - it might work, but actual almond flour is much easier to work with.
4. Basically mix the almond flour and the baking powder together with a whisk. Don't skip this step and whisk well because the baking powder clumps when it mixes with the almond flour.
5. Separately, melt the mozzarella and cream cheese in the microwave. Then mix well, add the dry ingredients and then the egg. The cheese mixture will be hot out of the microwave and if you add the egg first you could cook it and you don't want that.
6. This is the hardest part of the recipe (the same goes for any fathead based dough - but very much worth the effort): When you first incorporate the dry ingredients and the egg, the mixture will be very very sticky. Start by mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon, mixing as best as you can. Then get your hands in there mix and knead as if you were making any other bread dough. It will be very obvious that the flour is not fully incorporated but after a few minutes (I didn't time it, but it took maybe 3-4 min) a miracle will occur. As the cheese mixture cools it starts to get pliable and less sticky and low and behold you will have a workable bread dough. If it seems like the mixture is too stiff, simply put the entire mixture in the microwave for 5-10 seconds at a time until the cheese melts again.
7. The rest of the recipe is easy - pull the dough into 6 lumps; roll each in your hands to make "logs" and then form into circles, pinching the ends together. As you can see, I didn't bother to be too particular about the shape. I brushed mine with a little butter and sprinkled with Kosher salt before baking.
8. Almond flour goes from done to BURNT very quickly, so be sure to watch them. Mine needed the full 14 minutes, but any longer and they would literally have been toast. LOL.
9. I had one warm from the oven the day I made them; the next morning, sliced and toasted; and tonite I made a ham and swiss sandwich. Outstanding! Almond flour is very filling and I was totally full, even tho the "bagels" are rather small.
I'd love to hear what you think if you try them. I'm pretty confident in saying this is the best low carb "bread" recipe I've ever found. As the recipe is written, there are 5 net carbs in each.
The recipe is
here.
