Help - my linseed bread is too moist?
Hi - I'm on a very restrictive 'paleo-ketogenic' diet for medical reasons - no sugars, very low carbs, gluten free, high fat but no 'real' dairy. Dairy substitutes, eggs and salt are allowed. The only grains I can bake with are those whose carbohydrate content is nearly all fibre, rather than sugars. So, I've been baking bread which comprises just ground linseed, water and salt - 250gm linseed to 270gm water, mix till it will form a loaf then 1 hr @ 200C. That worked OK with golden linseed. However I changed to bronze linseed which tastes much better, and now the loaf comes out too moist inside, with a thicker crust than I'd like. So:
1) Any suggestions please as to how I might experiment in modifying the recipe for a drier loaf, possibly with a thinner crust? Less water at the mixing stage seems to mean the dough has voids and doesn't hold together.
2) Any suggestions for other grains, or other bread recipes I can use within these restrictions?
Thanks, Max
but have you tried mixing the two seeds? So you get the best of both.
I was also trying to think of Seeds that are mostly fibre and chia popped into my mind. Since it absorbs so much water though, it might not be a good addition but you won’t know unless you try.
I am not very clear on your restrictions but here are a few ideas.
When you make wheat-free, low carb baked goods, they need structure and gel. As it bakes, the water evaporates and leaves (hopefully) a matrix of dried bubbles held in place by the heat set structure/gel that isn't too moist. So something has to form the structure/gel and it is usually a high carb starch, a protein, or a gum (non-digestible starch). If you make something with just ground flax, you can get the some structure and gel but I think you need something that will absorb some more of the water and release it when baked so it forms a dried bubble. Flax can't do it alone. You didn't mention a leavener-that is also essential to forming bubbles. An acid and baking soda can work, or just baking powder. Yeast won't have enough to feed on.
Some suggestions are:
Almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium husk (whole-powder is too fine). You need a little sugar (whey protein?) for browning. Baking soda will also promote browning! (I almost forgot that).
Are any of the seed flours low enough in carbs for you? Amaranth, buckwheat, teff, millet, soy, garbanzo,or sorghum? Soy is readily available and cheap. Bean flours are available in Asian markets- it is amazing how many different flours are used in Asian cooking.
Here is a link to another post on making a keto flax bread. It left off with a question about the recipe the original poster left but may be worth trying the recipe I developed listed in the middle of the postings. It actually was quite flavorful and my recipe was only for a few buns so it wasn't too costly to experiment.
Have fun! Develop a few basic recipes like a bun, wrap or pancake. It can be quite a lifestyle change.
Thanks clazar123 - I found a useful GF flour chart comparison here that show carbs, calories, and protein content for a bunch of different GF grains. It shows nothing beats flax flour for 'net' carbs, i.e. the sugar content left once you ignore the fiber carbs. Almond flour is pretty good for net carbs (but expensive?), and for taste I could add some of that to the flax - although I read it tend sto make baking more moist.
Starch sugar and yeast are on my forbidden list for the moment, but bronze flax bakes dark brown without help. Sounds like I should add some baking powder to start with and experiment from there.