Cloud bread drifted into the landscape as a light, squat and faintly bun-shaped object hovering someplace between a souffle and certain pastries you may have seen in Chinatown. What it lacks in dense, breadlike quality it makes up for in fluffy, cloudlike texture. We decided to try a big rectangular focaccia version of this dish. It's puffy and light, and you can definitely top it with — or sandwich it around — other ingredients and eat it like bread, skipping over the carbs and the wheat.
Here are all of the ingredients you'll need to make the cloud bread. Measuring everything out, separating the eggs and grating the garlic before any mixing or baking begins makes everything easier.
To Start
Pour the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl.
Begin Mixing
Use an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until they become aerated and shiny. The mixture will become cloudy and air bubbles will start to form when you beat at high speed. This is a good sign that air is being incorporated into the egg whites and that you're on your way to achieving the right consistency.
Let It Double
After you've whisked the egg white mixture for about 2 minutes, it will almost double in size and hold stiff peaks when pulled away from the bowl. It's important to keep beating even once the mixture has almost doubled in size and becomes foamy. Remember, this bread has no flour or other leavening agents, so the consistency of the egg whites are crucial in making the final product as similar to traditional bread as possible.
Moving On to the Yolks
Add the egg yolks and garlic to a separate mixing bowl.
Add the Agave
Pour the agave nectar into the bowl with the yolks and garlic as well. Sweetness adds depth of flavor to this unique bread.
Add Cream Cheese
Beat the yolks and cream cheese with the electric mixer until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, as it will combine more quickly with the other ingredients.
Beat Until Smooth
Beat until the lumps of cream cheese are combined with the egg yolks so the mixture is completely smooth. This step is very important because if any lumps of cream cheese remain, they will weigh down the batter and the final cloud bread once baked.
Combine White and Yolk Mixtures
This is what folding looks like. Gently slicing your spatula through the mixture in the bowl, draw a blob of heavier yolks up and over the whites. This motion pops the fewest number of bubbles to retain maximum fluff. Overmixing or stirring aggressively will cause the air to escape and result in a loose, dense batter.
Incorporate Fully
Gently fold until all of the streaks are gone. The batter will be a pale yellow color, very light in texture and completely smooth.
Prepare for Baking
Prepare a quarter baking sheet by lining it with nonstick aluminum foil and greasing the bottom and sides with extra virgin olive oil. Pour the batter into the baking sheet and gently smooth the top with an offset spatula. Top the bread with six slices of tomato, then bake in a 350 degree F oven until the top is a deep golden brown and bounces back when pressed, about 20 minutes.
Ready for Munching
For gluten-free bread that is packed with protein and flavor, try this innovative recipe for cloud bread. This focaccia-like shape is topped with sliced tomato and fresh basil, but feel free to make it your own by using some of your favorite toppings already hanging out in your pantry.
