PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
MAKES 8 servings (enough for 1 large pie or quiche)
Did you think pastry was off-limits on a low-carb plan? So did we, until we discovered mozzarella pastry dough: a combination of mozzarella cheese, almond flour, and eggs that, when baked, tastes amazingly close to the real thing. This versatile pastry dough can be used to replace traditional pastry in any recipe; the mozzarella flavor is so mild that you can add low-carb sweetener and use it in your favorite sweet dishes, too.
1½ cups (165 g) almond flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ sticks (¾ cup/165 g) unsalted butter
3 cups (335 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
2 large eggs
- Place the almond flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Place the butter and mozzarella cheese in a large saucepan over low heat. Stirring constantly, melt the butter and cheese (they may look separated at this point, but they will combine nicely when mixed with the other ingredients).
- Pour the melted cheese and butter mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the almond flour mixture and the eggs and turn the speed up to high. Continue to mix for 1 to 2 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. Alternatively, this can be done using an electric hand mixer or by hand, but a stand mixer works best.
- Allow the dough to cool slightly, then use in any recipe to replace flour-based pastry.
CHEF’S TIPS
image Roll the dough out on clean work surface. If you find the dough is sticking, lightly dust the work surface with almond flour.
image This pastry dough is easier to roll out when warm, so work quickly. If it becomes too stiff to roll out, heat the dough in the microwave for 20 seconds on high power to make it pliable again.
image If using for a sweet recipe, such as the Blueberry Custard Tart on here, a touch of sweetener is nice, but not required. If using, add up to 3 tablespoons of the granulated low-carb sweetener of your choice to the almond flour mixture in Step 1.
