Baking with coconut flour. Information and uses of coconut flour in the keto and low carb cuisine.
Coconut Flour
Coconut is a fruit, the fruit of the coconut plant.
Coconut flour is produced from dehydrated coconut flesh and is a natural by-product of coconut milk production.
During this process, the producers press the flesh of the coconut to extract its milk.
The rest of the flesh is dehydrated at a low temperature, grounded, and the coconut flour we use for low carb cooking and confectionery is produced.
We can find coconut in three forms:
1. Fresh / raw coconut fruit
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Energy: 354 Kcal
Protein: 3.3 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fat: 33 g
2. Dried (shredded coconut, and coconut chips )
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Energy: 650 Kcal
Protein: 7.5 g
Carbohydrates: 7.5 g
Fat: 60 g
3. Reduced fat flour
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Energy: 337 Kcal
Protein: 21 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fat: 9.9 g
When I refer to coconut flour in my recipes, I always mean the third version, for savory and sweet low-carb preparations.
In some recipes I also use shredded coconut.
Coconut flour is a popular alternative for those following a grain-free diet because it is naturally gluten-free and rich in nutrients.
It's high in protein and has natural fiber content while being relatively low in carbohydrates.
2 tablespoons coconut flour contain:
5 grams of fiber,
3 grams of protein and
1,5 grams of fat.
These are the reasons that coconut flour is so beloved on a keto or low-carb diet.
This flour is rich in manganese, a key nutrient necessary for many body processes and functions.
In particular, manganese helps support bone health as well as the absorption of other nutrients such as choline and biotin.
In addition to manganese, it also contains iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and selenium.
Most importantly, it acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient.
With this flour we can easily make cakes, cookies, muffins, breads and bind sauces, creams and soups.
But if you are using this flour for the first time, you should pay attention to some things.
It is highly absorbent!
A small amount of coconut flour absorbs a large amount of liquid.
Mainly that's the reason your baked goods can become dry and crumbly.
What you need to do is to use a lot of eggs in combination with this flour.
The protein contained in the egg whites helps with the texture and the yolks provide the moisture needed.
If you are going to make a dough, you have to also combine other flours, for example flaxseed flour, to make the dough more elastic, not to be dry and crumbly during shaping, and baking.
It is also good to sift the flour before using.
I have noticed that when I separate the eggs and first beat the yolks with the coconut flour, then the whites into a stiff meringue and gently combine the two mixtures, I get a better result.
This technique improves the natural gravity of baked goods.
The ratio of eggs - liquids - flour is important!
For example if the liquids in a cake are less than they should be, the result can be, a dry cake that crumbles and lacks volume.
I therefore conclude that it's not possible to replace conventional wheat flour with coconut flour in a ratio of 1:1.
You need to reduce the amount to 1/4 of what you would normally use.
That means that the ratio is 1:4.
Also, per 30 g coconut flour you usually need to add: 1 egg and maybe you should increase the amount of the rest of the recipe liquids and adjust the baking time.
If you combine coconut flour with other flours, for example almond flour, flaxseed flour or sunflower seed flower, you usually have better results.
• Storage
Coconut flour can be stored for up to a year in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
However, once you get used of it and become familiar with its peculiarities, it will hardly stay in the kitchen for that long.
With a little practice you will love this flour and baking will become very easy.
• Disadvantages
While coconut flour is so rich in protein, fiber, fat and many nutrients it has one flaw.. it's rich in salicylates.
Salicylates are chemicals found in many healthy foods.
Some people can have headaches and hyperactivity worse, or create skin conditions like eczema.
If you are sensitive to salicylates it's better to avoid coconut and its derivatives.
The exotic aroma of coconut is also not desired by everyone in some recipes, although in others it's generally pleasant, for example cakes or muffins.
Before you start experimenting making recipes with this ingredient, it would be a good idea to start with some already tested recipes, so that you don't unnecessarily waste precious and expensive ingredients.
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