It
is soft, flavorful and bread-like. It is not like a sweet loaf - it is more
bread-like. This would be a wonderful choice for Easter instead of high-carb
hot cross buns. I might try a version made in a muffin top pan. Cut the
raisins in half - you won't even notice but the delicious sweetness
and flavor will still be there. You don't need anything other than butter as a
result for the bread. You can make the cinnamon bread without raisins as
well, if you don't like them, or you are on a keto diet vs. low-carb.
In
addition, this lovely bread toasts well. If you decide to use the cheese,
keep in mind it simply adds to the texture and is not detectable in the bread.
I actually prefer using grated Mozzarella cheese these days (even the packaged
variety works). However, I think the mayonnaise option is fantastic too –
lovely soft bread that is great as bread as well as toast. We sometimes
buy a whole wheat bread (remember most of the time we are in maintenance mode
and do moderate low-carbing) and honestly it tastes like sawdust, I
think. We buy because we know we won't go crazy with it. We toast
one slice and sliver that toasted slice in half horizontally to make two thin
slices of toast. It works in a pinch, but this Cinnamon Raisin Bread
tastes much better than that bread.
Please
note: I love the cinnamon in the bread and
even if I don't decide to use snipped raisins, I add it and the sweetener
(maybe half the sweetener), as I prefer it to a very savory-tasting
bread. Folks, this is a bread I make frequently, and if you need low-carb
bread crumbs, this is a useful recipe for that as well. See below.
7 tbsp ground almonds (105 mL)
31/2 tsp coconut flour (17 mL)
31/2 tsp oat flour (17 mL)
1 tsp baking powder (5 mL)
1/2 tsp cinnamon, OR to taste (2 mL)
1/4 tsp salt (1 mL)
2 to 3 tbsp raisins, snipped (30 to 45 mL)
in half
3 eggs
41/2 tsp heavy cream, OR almond milk, OR coconut milk (22 mL)
11/2 tsp olive oil (7 mL)
2 tbsp mayonnaise, OR (30 mL)
3 tbsp shredded Monterey Jack cheese* (45 mL)
Spray an 8-inch (20 cm) square, glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine ground almonds, coconut flour, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon to taste and salt. Stir in raisins. In small bowl, with fork, whisk eggs, heavy cream, liquid sweetener, olive oil and mayonnaise (if using) together. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in egg mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, if using (skip mayonnaise if using cheese); mix everything together well until the mixture thickens slightly.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread out evenly. Microwave on high 2 minutes and 50 seconds (Your microwave might need different timing. Mine is a Panasonic Inverter, 1200 watts). Remove from microwave oven and immediately cut a cross in the bread, dividing it into 4 quadrants. Take each piece and flip it over to allow the undersides to dry out a bit. When cool, slice each piece in half horizontally so that you have 8 slices of bread that are more or less the size of a slice of store-bought raisin bread. Place in the toaster and toast until nice and brown. Spread with Cinnamon Butter, page 85 or peanut butter or low-sugar preserves.
Yield: 8 slices (with mayo)*
1 slice, 2 tbsp/3 tbsp raisins
114.0/117.8 calories
3.9/3.9 g protein
9.1/9.1 g fat
3.6/4.6 g net carbs
Variations: Jiffy Plain Bread (great for toast): Omit raisins, cinnamon, sweetener and salt. Instead use 1/4 tsp (1 mL) onion salt or I think plain salt will probably be better in hindsight. This recipe makes nice grilled cheese sandwiches in a grilled cheese sandwich maker. Preheat the appliance. Butter two slices of bread on the outsides and put lots of cheese in the middle. Yield: 8 slices, 1 slice: 103.6 cal; 5.2 g pro; 8.2 g fat; 1.7 g net carbs (this bread is not as nice as the raisin bread (to me a bit more of a low-carb type of result, whereas the cinnamon and bits of raisins disguise the low-carb flours) but it does make good grilled cheese sandwiches). Croutons: Cut only 4 thick slices (i.e. don’t slice them horizontally to make thinner slices) and cut each slice into 36 little squares (6 x 6). In skillet with 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, melted, add 2 slices, cut up and sprinkle 2 tsp (10 mL) Parmesan cheese over all. Stir fry quickly to soak up butter. Place on cookie sheet and bake in 300°F (150°C) 10 minutes, stir and bake another 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Keep in sealed tin at room temperature and use within 2 to 3 weeks. For 9 cubes: (0.9 g net carbs) Breadcrumbs: Toast 2 thin slices of plain bread version in a regular toaster and then blend finely in a food processor or blender. 2 slices, crumbed Dairy-Free Jiffy Bread Options: Use almond milk, OR coconut milk and mayonnaise options or skip the mayonnaise, although the bread is lovely and soft with it. I have, Esther (Rosethorns), from lowcarbfriends.com to thank for this version. She actually uses 3 tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise in the recipe. The carbs won’t be significantly different with almond milk or coconut milk versus heavy cream. French Toast: I used 2 thin slices for the French toast. I mixed up one egg, a splash of heavy cream and a drop of EZ Sweetz (liquid sucralose). Soaked each slice briefly and put in the greased pan. The bread really soaked up the egg but I had extra mix in the bowl, so I just poured it over the slices.
Helpful Hints: *Without cheese or mayonnaise, the calories drop to 89.9 and 93.7 respectively and the carbs remain the same. One can mound this batter by 1/4 cupfuls (60 mL) in a greased muffin top pan and make 4 bun shapes instead (double the carbs). Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 12 minutes.
*The nutritional analysis with Monterey Jack cheese: Yield: 8 slices (with cheese), 1 slice, 2 tbsp (30 mL)/3 tbsp (45 mL) raisins: 111.7/115.1 calories; 5.5/5.3 g protein; 8.2/8.2 g fat; 3.5/4.4 g net carbs
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