How to Use Protein "Isolates." Advice, Anyone, Ple

[ThePrisoner]

I am new to low-carb cooking and have recently purchased whey protein isolate (I can't have soy, so I decided to try whey), and tried making a pie crust with it. The crust came out horrible. The recipe called for a mixture of different low-carb flours, with the highest proportion being whey protein isolate. I guess, before I try another shot at cooking with isolates, I'd like to get others' opinions and experiences in working with this protein powder.

My mental block with isolates, I guess, comes from the fact that isolates are "instant." They remind me of dry milk. The moment liquid comes in contact with it, it dissolves. Is that the nature of all isolates? Also, how does the batter of a crust, bread, cake, waffle, etc., work using something that immediately breaks down and does not give "body" or thickness to a batter? What does it add, becides protein, to a baked good? Do you use less liquid, in general in the recipe? Do you mix or blend ingredients for a shorter amount of time to prevent too much liquification? I have a low-carb cookbook that I recently purchased and most recipes call for using some form of isolate. Needless to say, I'm reluctate to try them.

Can anyone give me pointers on cooking with isolates? I would be forever grateful. :help

[not2late]

You need to add the isolate to something. Flax meal works well, giving the final product moisture (I've found that 100% isolate produces a very dry baked good).

For pie crust, you can add it to a nut flour. Then make the crust. It won't turn out like a flaky pie crust; it'll be more like a crumbly graham cracker type pie crust (at least the recipes I've tried are).


I mix the isolate with the nut flour or flax meal thoroughly first. If it's a pie crust, then I cut the butter into the isolate mixture, as you would do with a traditional pie crust. Then I add the water bit by bit until I get a solid mass.

For breads, I again, mix all the dry ingredients before adding the liquid, except when I'm using flaxmeal. In that case, I'll add the flaxmeal to the liquid ingredients and let that sit for awhile, allowing the flax to become gooey. Adding the isolate to the goo helps the dissolving problem alittle.

[2big4mysize]

I'm soy allergic so i understand your frustrations.

this is going to be a depends on what you are cooking reply. Isolates are just the protein part and real flour has carbs and protein with the protein acting as the stretchy matrix. the higher the % of protein in the recipe the more stretchy or rubbery your dough will be think pizza dough vs biscuit dough.

If you want a light cake like product you can mix the protein powder PP with a large amount of fat and egg as in the doughnut recipe and it will work fairly well.

If you want denser more cake brownie add flaxmeal to your PP. You can make very nice flax meal muffins using that too.

If you want pie crust most low carbers use almonds ground up or any nut for that matter.

If you mix ground nut flour with your PP you will get better baked products results about 1/3 PP 2/3 nut flour but you will get a denser product.
You can't use a PP to thicken like flour as it doesn't have the starch in it.
HTH