Finding Cassava Flour

In the beginning of my health journey, way before my Autoimmune diagnosis I explored the idea of going Paleo. With any major diet change there comes challenges and mine was bread.

Finding a bread recipe that didn’t taste like rubbish and that didn’t use almond meal. I then discovered Cassava flour. So cutting a long story short my husband and I became the sole importers of Ottos Cassava flour. During that time with that business (we no longer import as covid destroyed our business) I was obsessed with developing a bread recipe.

I read as much information online as I could about Cassava flour and how it worked and I was absolutely thrilled when I nailed it! We developed a product that we sold as a Paleo bread mix which soon became a best seller.

Now we dont’ have that business so I really wanted to share this bread recipe with you. Truely it is the best Paleo bread you will make.

Now I don’t know if you can buy Ottos Cassava flour in Australia, we are unsure if they found a new importer but I do know we now can buy an organic Australian grown cassava flour from Three Spades, find it here. You can also buy AKN Organics Cassava Flour and you can find it here. AKN buys flour from Tanzania and Queensland Australia.

Now I will mention I have never tried my bread with either of these flours, I still have a stash of Ottos Cassava flour, so I am unsure of how it will turn out and if it behaves the same way.

I will try it once my Ottos Cassava flour is gone, which isn’t too far away.

Thing you need to know about Cassava flour:

It absorbs more water
It has a high resistant starch content, which is great from your gut
It’s gluten free, grain free, nut free and vegan.
Cassava is a root from a vegetable, healthy right?
It contains potassium, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, folate, magnesium and iron.
It’s high in fibre and a healthy carbohydrate

Is Tapioca and Cassava the same?

No, but they do come from the same plant. Cassava is the whole root that has been ground and dried. Tapioca goes through a process where the nutrients and fibre are removed and you are essentially left with a starch.

They have different textures and behave differently in a recipe. My bread recipe actually contains both Cassava and tapioca. Tapioca acts as a binder in this recipe.

How to use Cassava in your baking

When adapting a recipe that calls for wheat flour you will always use less. 1 cup of wheat flour is approximately 1/2 - 3/4 of a cup of cassava. I always start with 1/2 and adjust the recipe as I go.

Cassava has an earthy flavour but as you bake with it you really cant taste it. This is for Ottos Cassva Flour so I’m not sure on the other two.

The great thing about Cassava flour is it has a long shelf life and is resistant to bugs.

So now you have a little more of an understanding of Cassava flour let’s get on to the baking.

EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED

Scale

Bowls

Measuring spoons

Thermomix or Mix Master, something to whip egg whites

Bread tin

Baking paper

Whisk

Spatula

INGREDIENTS

140 grams Cassava Flour

105 grams tapioca flour

70 grams ground sunflower seed

30 grams of ground flaxseed/linseed

1 tsp salt

4 medium eggs (approx. 205grams without shells)

2 tsp of active yeast

1 tsp of organic honey

1 cup warm water

4 tbl of olive oil or butter (use oil of your choice)

2 tbl sesame seeds (optional)

2 tbl pumpkin seeds (optional)

METHOD

Heat oven to 180 degrees
Line a bread tin (20cm x 10.5 x 7, this is a smaller loaf than the standard size) with baking paper.
In a small bowl place warm water, yeast and honey. Stir and let sit till bubbles appear. Set aside.
In another bowl add cassava flour, tapioca flour, sunflower seed, flaxseed and salt. Mix with a whisk to aerate.
Separate egg yolks from the whites. Place the egg whites In a Thermomix or mixer and beat till whites are stiff (Thermomix mix, 2 minutes, speed 4).
Add the activated yeast mix to the dry ingredients with the oil and egg yolks and mix together well. Add the egg whites and the extra seeds if using and fold gentle till all the whites are incorporated.
Pour mixture into prepared bread loaf.
Bake for 30 – 45 minutes (depends on your oven) till a skewer comes out clean.

Take out of oven and lift out of tin straight away for a crusty crust. Let cool completely before slicing. If you can wait that long. Tastes amazing hot out of the oven with butter.

Enjoy, Jennie

Paleo Bread