Instructions

PREPERATION

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit (190 Degrees Celcius)
2. Grind up 50 grams of chia seeds. I find the best tool for this is a coffee grinder. You can also use already ground up chia seed if it makes things easier or you don’t have a coffee grinder.
3. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine room temperature cottage cheese and ground chia seeds. Mix well using clean hands until fully combined and set aside for 10-15 minutes. The chia seeds need to absorb some of the cheese moisture.
4. In another large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine almond flour, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients. It’s a great tool for getting any clumps out of the almond flour.
5. Combine both mixtures into one bowl. Work through the dough with both hands until fully combined. The dough will get sticky, and then start to bind together, and eventually become slightly shiny. The more you work the dough the better.
6. Shape the dough into a desired shape, oval or round works best. You can also shape the dough to fit in a standard 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan or divide the dough and make two half loafs.
7. OPTIONAL – You can score your bread with decorative cuts using a knife. Wetting the knife slightly prevents the dough from sticking to the knife.

BAKING – FEW OPTIONS

1. If using a non stick silicone bread baking mat, (It works wonderfully and it’s re-usable!) place it on an oven safe cooling rack and place your loaf directly on the mat. This is the best option to get a nice crust on the bottom of the bread.
2. If using a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper and place your loaf on the parchment paper.
3. If using a loaf pan, line the pan with parchment paper and place the loaf in the pan.
4. Reduce oven heat to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit (175 Degrees Celsius)
5. Place your bread in the oven.
6. Bake for 1 hour (60 Minutes)
7. DO NOT open the oven during baking. This may cause the bread to fall.
8. Turn oven off after 1 hour (60 minutes) of baking.
9. DO NOT remove the bread from the oven.

COOLING – USING SILICONE BREAD BAKING MAT AND OVEN SAFE COOLING RACK

1. Open the oven door a few inches, and let the bread cool slowly in the oven for 1 to 1.5 hours.
2. Transfer your bread onto the counter and continue cooling util bread reaches room temperature.

COOLING – USING BAKING SHEET OR BREAD PAN LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.

1. Open the oven door a few inches, and let the bread cool in the oven for an initial 30 minutes.
2. Gently transfer your bread onto an oven safe cooling rack, and continue cooling  in the oven for another 30-60 minutes. (This prevents the bottom of your bread from getting soggy, especially when using a bread pan) Total cooling time in the oven must be 60-90 minutes for optimal results.
3. Transfer your bread onto the counter, and continue cooling until bread reaches room temperature.

STORING YOUR BREAD

1. Wrapping the bread in parchment paper works best, but keep an eye out as depending on the humidity levels of where you live it might dry out quickly. If you find your bread is drying out, place the parchment paper wrapped bread in a plastic bag.
2. Store your bread on the counter for up to two days or in the fridge for up to a week.