Cloud bread

  • Side
  • Makes 6
  • 60 minutes
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Howard Middleton's super-simple, beautifully fluffy cloud bread recipe is naturally gluten-free, and makes a wonderful bun for all manner of fillings, be it a classic burger or an indulgent bacon butty.

First published in 2016

For those of us of a certain age, the idea of cloud bread may bring to mind a classic 1970s TV advert – a young woman ‘flying like a bird’ in a hot air balloon, silently extolling the virtues of a low calorie loaf. This recipe, however, is even more nimbus than Nimble.

It is ‘bread’ in a very fluffy interpretation of the word – more like an ethereal omelette – but it does the job of holding a filling without the support of any flour. Low-carb and naturally gluten-free, its eggy flavour works well with classic pals like bacon, mushrooms and maple syrup (not necessarily all together), and sprinkled with sesame seeds it delicately interprets the role of a burger bun.

Quark provides a low fat option, but almost any creamy cheese would work – Boursin with garlic and herbs produces a particularly heavenly cumulus.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Cloud bread

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3 and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment. Lightly grease by smearing a little oil over it
2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks
3
In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks with the quark (drain off any watery liquid on top) or creamy cheese of choice, vinegar, smoked paprika and pepper until pale and creamy
4
Using a large metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the yolky mixture, taking care not to destroy the fluffy volume of your egg whites
5
Spoon six blobs of mixture onto the baking sheet – roughly the same diameter as a burger. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds if you like
6
Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and firm on top
7
Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet before carefully easing off with a palette knife and transferring to a wire rack
8
When cool, store in an airtight container. I keep this in the fridge, where they’ll keep at least 2 or 3 days
First published in 2016

Howard is a food writer and presenter from Sheffield, who first caught the public’s attention on series four of The Great British Bake Off, going on to win their affection with his quirky style and love of unusual ingredients.

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