Andersson Mariann - Low Carb High Fat Baking: Over 40 Gluten- and Sugar-Free Recipes for Pastries, Desserts, and Delicious Treats

Copyright 2012 by Mariann Andersson English Translation copyright 2013 by Skyhorse Publishing First published in 2012 as Baka med LCHF by Mariann Andersson, Bonnier Fakta, Sweden Photography by Martin Skredsvik Authors Assistant and Illustrations by Elisabeth Andersson Graphic Design by John Losciale All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. www.skyhorsepublishing.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. ISBN: 978-1-62873-506-2 Printed in China

Photography by Martin Skredsvik Translated by Malon Ficklmg

Mariann Andersson

Skyhorse Publishing I began following a low carbohydrate, high fat lifestyle (LCHF) almost four years ago, and it has made me feel great. Sugar cravings dont bother me anymorethey disappeared as soon as I made the LCHF switch in my diet. While I continued to bake in the usual way for family get-togethers and parties, I made a dessert of berries and cream for myself. However, when my husband and daughter decided to join me in eating LCHF foods, it became necessary to find alternative baked goods to serve at special occasions and weekend coffee klatches.

Its important that my LCHF lifestyle be inclusive and compatible with the rest of my life. Like many people, I have a family, and with family come festivities, along with a variety of occasions to indulge in treats and seasonal goodies. Being able to throw parties and birthday bashes, or just have a few friends over for coffee and a little cake is both lovely and gratifying; this is why I have gathered a collection of delicious LCHF recipes to share with you in this book. An early encounter with LCHF baking occurred when I placed my first order for coconut flour from a low-carb specialty store in January 2011, as I was planning to use it in a coconut cake instead of coconut flakes. As soon as the flour arrived, I set about baking the cake, and used the same amount of coconut flour as the recommended amount of ground coconut flakes in the original recipe. I thought the batter would end up runny as usual, but instead found myself dealing with an enormous lump of dough.

Well, I decided to go ahead and bake the dough anyway: I spread it out on a small, oblong sheet pan and placed it in the oven. Once the baking time was up and I pulled the dough out of the oven, what a surpriseit had turned into a piecrust! I realized that if you press the dough in a pie dish and thin it out along the edges, the end result is a piecrust that looks and tastes absolutely identical to a traditional crust made with wheat flour. Following this discovery, I combed through books and websites searching for Swedish recipes containing coconut flour, but came up empty. However, I did find a smattering of American recipes which I have subsequently used as a base for my culinary experiments and all my recipes. I hope that this book will inspire you to bake with LCHF, and above all, I wish to show you that you dont have to abstain from eating festive holiday-themed foods with family and friends in order to follow the LCHF way successfully. Imagine once again being able to properly celebrate Fat Tuesday, Waffle Day, or even indulge in a slice of pancake cake that you have baked with your kids! These occasions are the sweetest celebrations of life.

Enjoy! Mariann

INSTEAD OF FLOUR Coconut flour is one of the main, basic ingredients I use in LCHF baking, as it is both dense so a little goes a long wayand, more important, contains few carbohydrateson an average 3 grams carbohydrates per 14 grams of flour. When a cake calls for 11 cup of wheat flour you may only need to use to cup of coconut flour. Coconut flour differs slightly from other nut flours traditionally used in LCHF baking. In appearance and texture it is similar to all-purpose flour, yet it exhibits none of all-purpose flours downsides. Notably, baked goods with coconut flour as a base dont require long baking times, making them a quick treat to fix and serve, and perhaps also more environmentally friendly. Also, pastries made with coconut flour (and other LCHF flours) are suitable for diabetics, people suffering from gluten-intolerance, or those simply following a low-carbohydrate diet.

If you are lactose intolerant, recipes made with LCHF flours can easily be adapted: simply substitute the dairy ingredients with lactose-free alternatives, such as nut milks or gluten-free oat milk. Please be aware that coconut flour is not the same as ground coconut flakes, and that you cannot turn coconut flakes into flour by grinding them in a food processor. Ignoring this directive will doom your recipe to fail, and your dessert might more closely resemble an omelet than a cake. Coconut flour has a high fiber content (61%) and is a byproduct of coconut milk production. In its raw state it has a slightly sweet aroma and a faint taste of coconut, but it will not add a coconut flavor to your baked goods. If you are seeking a coconut flavor you must add coconut flakes to your recipe.

A convenient flour to use is Bobs Red Mill Coconut Flour as it can be found in the baking section of larger grocery chains. You can also find several brands online, and check out your local co-op food stores bulk bins. INSTEAD OF SUGAR With regards to sweeteners in LCHF baking, simply replace sugar with LCHF-approved sweeteners such as erythritol and Stevia. Zerose, Organic Zero, and Zsweet are some sugar-substitutes marketed under different names. They all consist of erythritol, a sugar alcohol that is naturally found in pears and melons, among other fruits. Erythritol is produced industrially from glucose through the process of fermentation, and thus this sweetener can be found in all foodstuffs that ferment.

Stevia is a sugar-substitute extracted from the plant Stevia rebaudiana. My family tends to suffer from sore throats from high doses of erythritol in baked goods, while others find that it calls up an assertively strong metallic taste; I find the best-tasting sweetness comes from a combination of erythritol and Stevia.