There's something uniquely special about baking a fresh loaf of bread from scratch.

It's not just a tried-and-true tradition and wonderful culinary ritual, but also a magical transformation of simple ingredients into the golden loaves we know and love. 

But unlike traditional baking, the journey to an authentic-tasting loaf  made without grains and gluten can be... well, quite deflating. 

After over a decade of trial and error,  we've cracked the code on creating authentic rise, old-world taste and perfect texture in our grain-free and keto-friendly loaves. 

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How to use yeast for lofty loaves with old-world flavor
• The "egg-white trick"  that boosts rise, structure and protein 
• The culinary acids that boost lift in two unique ways
• The dairy protein that mimics gluten and maximizes rise
• The spicy root that puts yeast-rising activity on overdrive

If you're an experienced baker, you already know the role eggs play in cakes, cookies, breads and more.

Whole eggs create structure and stability in batters. They thicken and emulsify custards and ice creams. They also add moisture and binding properties to hold baked goods together.

Because of their protein-rich structure, egg whites help create stability in a batter. When whipped, millions of microscopic air bubbles are incorporated into the whites, creating a "scaffolding" that results in beautiful rise and a lighter texture.

Even when they're not whipped, egg whites can help boost lift in baked goods!

In our mission for a taller, lighter loaf, we discovered that swapping out the three eggs called for in the preparation of Miracle Bread.... with three egg whites plus one whole egg can help to enhance rise.

This easy swap also boosts the protein content, creating a stronger scaffolding that allows the bread to climb the sides of the pan.

You may recall from chemistry that low pH is acidic, while higher pH is alkaline.

There’s a lot of chemistry in baking and mastering the acid-base reaction can improve rise.

Here’s why…

When a leavening acid – like citric or malic acid – is dissolved in water it releases hydrogen ions, reducing the pH of the solution. We already have baking soda (a base) in Miracle Bread Mix as well as an acid (in the form of vinegar, aka acetic acid) in the preparation. So the chemistry magic that already happens in the dough looks like this:

Leavening acid (vinegar, malic acid, citric acid) + baking soda + moisture + heat = neutral salt + water + carbon dioxide

Perhaps you remember the vinegar + baking soda “volcano”reactions from middle school? When you combine a weak acid with a weak base, carbon dioxide is produced.

In baking, boosting carbon dioxide results gas that causes bread to rise.

But that’s not all: Acids in sufficient amounts also boost the yeast fermentation rate – the rate at which yeast produces carbon dioxide. So, using this method along with yeast gives you an additional rising boost.