CLOUD☁ BREAD🍞

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What is TikTok cloud bread?

If you’re on TikTok and you’ve looked under #cloudbread you’ve probably seen the fluffiest, most impossible giant puffs of bread you’ve ever seen. All you need to make it is egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch. Cloud bread is essentially a softly baked meringue with some rebranding.

If you’re not sure what a meringue is: it’s a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. Sometimes a binder (in this case cornstarch) is added to give it a bit more structure. Meringues taste kind of marshmallow-y when gently baked and light and crispy when baked and dried out longer. If you’ve had pavlova or lemon meringue pie or macaron, you’ve had meringue and by extension, cloud bread.

 
 

Ingredients for cloud bread

  • Egg whites. Egg whites are what give your cloud bread fluffiness and loft. If you’re going to separate egg whites yourself, be sure to not get ANY yolks into the whites or they won’t whip up. It’s better to separate your eggs while they’re cold, but they will whip up better if they’re at room temp. You can also just buy egg whites in a carton at the store, which is what I did. You’ll need 3 large egg whites or about 6 tablespoons of egg whites from a carton.
  • Sugar. Just use regular white sugar. Sugar is what is going to stabilize your egg whites and let them fluff up even more. The sugar is also going to make your cloud bread just a little bit sweet.
  • Cornstarch. You just need a tiny bit of cornstarch in your cloud bread, to help soak up any extra liquid in your meringue. Cornstarch also helps make your meringue shiny.
  • Food coloring. This is optional, if you want to make your clouds colorful.

How to make cloud bread

  1. Whip the egg whites. Add your egg whites to a very clean, grease free bowl. Start to whip your egg whites on medium-low, until frothy and pale.
  2. Stir in sugar. Add the sugar, a little bit at a time on high, until the sugar dissolves and the egg whites start to foam up.
  3. Add the cornstarch. I like to sift the cornstarch in so that there are no lumps. Continue to whip on high until the egg whites become a glossy thick meringue that holds a peak. The egg whites are done when you lift the beater from the bowl and they hold a peak and look smooth and creamy like shaving cream If you tilt the bowl, the whites should not slide. Be careful not to over whip!
  4. Shape the cloud. Use a rubber spatula to scoop out the meringue and shape into a cloud on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  5. Bake. Bake in a low oven until golden and cooked through.

What does cloud bread taste like?

To be honest, this cloud bread is more looks than taste. Maybe just like TikTok? It’s beautifully fluffy and full of tiny air bubbles and very squishy and satisfying but it’s not the most delicious. It’s light and airy and reminiscent of a marshmallow. It kinda tastes like angel food cake texture wise, but not taste wise.

How can I make my egg whites whip up?

You can try adding a touch of cream of tartar (1/4 teaspoon), vinegar (1/4 teaspoon), or lemon juice (1/4 teaspoon) to help whip up your eggs. Cream of tartar, vinegar, and lemon juice are all acids that help stabilize the egg whites and encourage them to get extra whipped.

Why didn’t my cloud bread bake through?

If your cloud bread is golden brown on the outside but still under baked on the inside it might be because your oven is running too hot. Some ovens aren’t calibrated well or have hot spots. It probably means that the oven was too hot and that the outside of the bread cooked faster than the inside. Cloud bread bakes at a very low temperature. If the inside of your cloud bread is raw, you can just put your cloud bread back into the oven until it is baked through.

 

Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure your egg white whipping equipment is completely clean and free from fat or oil or your egg whites won’t whip up.
  • Similarly, make sure there are ZERO egg yolks in your egg whites.
  • Separate your eggs while they’re cold, but beat them up with they’re at room temp.
  • Don’t add all the sugar at once. Your meringue will be fluffier if you add it in gradually, 1 tablespoon at at a time.
  • Don’t over beat! If you meringue starts to look grainy or really wet, it means your egg whites have been over-beaten and your cloud bread won’t be fluffy.

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites about 6 tbsp
  • 2.5 tbsp sugar ~30g
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch ~10g
  • food coloring optional, see note

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 300°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whip attachment to whip the egg whites on medium high until frothy.

  • Add the sugar slowly, 1 tablespoon at at time and whip on high until small bubbles start to form.

  • Sift in the cornstarch and continue to whip on high until the whites are whipped up into a glossy thick meringue that holds a peak, about 5-6 minutes.

  • Scoop out the meringue on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and shape into a fluffy cloud or mound.

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes. The outside will be a light golden brown. Let cool and enjoy the fluff!
 
 
 

 

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