Remember the days of grain-free bread?
These days Paleo and Keto-based diets are all the rage, but I don’t see many recipes for almond flour, grain-free, gluten-free bread anymore. It’s all about the simplicity of gluten-free (I have a lot to share on this topic, BTW, if anyone is ever interested).
All of that aside, rather than using almond meal for this delectable dairy-free bread recipe, I opted for hazelnut flour. It’s something different. It’s not quite as sweet as almond flour. But, it’s pretty darn amazing. DO IT!
Lemon Thyme Hazelnut Bread
4 Tbs. plant based vegan butter, melted
5 large eggs
3 cups hazelnut flour (if you are unable to find hazelnut flour, grind your own or use almond flour)
3 cups almond milk
juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped**
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk together the melted butter and eggs until fully incorporated. Stir in the nut flour and then add the nut milk.
Stir in the lemon, thyme, baking soda, and sea salt.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and pour into the pan.
Top with toasted hazelnuts.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool for several hours before removing from the pan and slicing to serve.
Warm, vegan lemon butter slathered on each slice is an outstanding addition!
**Toasted Hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Scatter about 3 cups of raw hazelnuts over a rimmed metal cookie sheet.
Toast, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Once you begin to smell the sweet, toasty, nutty aroma, you’re ready to roll.
Remove the nuts from the oven and pour into a kitchen towel.
Rub all surfaces of the nuts well, to peel off the bitter skins. Keep rubbing, rubbing, rubbing. The skins will come off.
Transfer (without the skins) to a cutting board and chop the nuts (or not).
These nuts are perfect over salads (I love you, PNW), in soups, and even in bread, of course!
