Tag: sweet

Truffle Hunting

Truffles are as old as dirt, at least when referring to the prized fungus known worldwide for its heady umami aroma. Chocolate truffles, fashioned after this rare prize, are a relatively recent innovation. Legend has it that the rich confections we know and love were originally created by accident, sometime between 1890 and 1920. French chef Auguste Escoffier is often credited as the first to mistakenly pour hot cream over chocolate chunks instead of sugar and eggs, intending to make a classic pastry cream. Personally, I have my doubts about the veracity of this claim, but his renowned patisserie certainly did kick-start their astronomic rise in popularity.

The word “truffle” comes from a Latin word tūber or the Vulgar Latin tufera, meaning “swelling” or “lump.” Especially when rolled in cocoa powder, evoking a fresh coating of dirt, their striking likeness to mushrooms easily explains the name. While I’ve previously worked to bridge the gap between candy and spore, I now have a new secret ingredient in my arsenal: Sugimoto Shiitake Powder.

Foraging for Flavor

As autumn paints the world with its warm hues and Halloween approaches, it’s the perfect time to forage for mushrooms and indulge in sweet treats alike. Bringing together the richness of chocolate, the nuttiness of walnuts, the earthy sweetness of dates, and the unique umami notes of shiitake powder, these mushroom-shaped truffles are the epitome of fall charm, both in taste and presentation.

Sweet, Salt, and Savory

At the heart of these exquisite truffles lies Sugimoto Shiitake Powder, a secret ingredient that elevates the flavors to a new level. Made from carefully selected shiitake mushrooms, this powder infuses the truffles with a subtle umami taste, without inherent mushroom-y flavor, adding depth and complexity that’s both surprising and pleasing to the palate. It harmonizes with the delicate touch of miso paste, lending a subtly salty finish, punctuating the whole mouthful with a bold flourish.

Easy and Adaptable

While the novelty of having a mushroom-shaped chocolate truffle is a large part of the visual appeal, you could certainly keep it simple and make traditional, stemless rounds instead. What’s more, you can use this basic formula as your palate to paint with a wide range of complimentary flavors, such as:

  • Orange zest
  • Mint extract
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Instant coffee powder
  • Powdered raspberries

To infuse your truffles with a touch of fall and Halloween spirit, consider lightly dusting the mushroom caps with cinnamon or powdered sugar. These subtle additions evoke the essence of autumn leaves and festive celebrations.

Smarter Sweets for Halloween

These wholesome treats aren’t just a delicious indulgence; they’re also a healthier alternative to store-bought Halloween candy. Perfect for serving at parties, these truffles are bound to bewitch the taste buds while keeping sugar in check.

Each little bite packs in immense chocolate flavor, with the caramel-sweetness of dates for body. They’re easy to sink your teeth into thanks to their genuinely fudgy texture, set off by a satisfying crunch from your “stem” of choice. Both elegant and whimsical, decadent and wholesome, umami truffles are the best of all worlds, sweet, savory, and salty alike.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

The Inside Scoop On Umami Ice Cream

Have we reached peak summer yet? Living inside of a proverbial oven, it’s hard to tell where summer ends and all other seasons begin. Temperatures have hit record highs starting in May, carelessly bulldozing right over spring, with no sign of stopping for fall. Most of the US experiences the hottest day of the year in July, but I have a feeling we’ll still be sweating it out for months to come. Want my advice? Dip into a creamy frozen treat to fight fire with ice.

I’m still not done churning after two ice cream cookbooks and scores of bonus recipes. Before you think I’ve run out of ideas and gone back to bland basics, take a closer look. Those aren’t just flecks of vanilla beans you see right below the surface, but tiny particles of finely ground shiitake powder as well.

Mushroom Ice Cream?!

Though typically touted for their uniquely meaty flavor that enhances savory entrees and snacks, there’s so much more shiitake mushrooms are capable of. Using Sugimoto shiitake powder eliminates the more earthy flavors and textures that turn some people off, leaving only pure, natural umami essence at your disposal. When used with a deft hand, it serves to amplify the existing flavors already at play, just like salt or sugar.

Instead of drowning out the delicate floral, buttery, inherent richness of whole vanilla beans, a pinch of shiitake powder brings them to the fore, brighter and bolder than ever. Suddenly, more nuanced notes of marshmallow, whipped cream, light caramel, pound cake, buttercream frosting, and custard can emerge, uplifted by the strength of free glutamate.

Ideas and Adaptations

Like any good vanilla ice cream, you can enjoy every last lick as is, or use it as your jumping-off point for bolder taste sensations. Classic mix-ins include but are not limited to:

  • Cookie dough
  • Toasted or candied nuts
  • Chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or fudge sauce
  • Fruit preserves, jam, or pie filling
  • Sprinkles

Change the whole character of your scoops by adding to the base instead:

  • Cocoa powder
  • Peanut butter
  • Peppermint extract
  • Lemon or orange zest
  • Fresh ginger

Plus, there’s no limit to the possibilities for dressing it up in:

  • Sundaes
  • Floats
  • Sandwiches
  • Cakes
  • Baked Alaska
  • Pies

Umami Flavor Hack

Don’t have time, energy, or equipment to start from scratch? You’re still invited to this ice cream social! Take any store-bought pint and sprinkle a tiny pinch of shiitake powder on top. A little bit goes a long way; you’ll instantly taste the difference.

I’m not making this up! It’s been proven time and again that everything, including desserts, can benefit from the addition of guanylate, the compound responsible for creating umami taste. The drying and rehydrating process of shiitake produces guanylate, so you get a pure, potent source that doesn’t disrupt the overall flavor, preserving the subtle nuances of the vanilla bean.

Don’t just take my word for it. This is an edible experiment that anyone can try with no risks, only sweet rewards.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

A Star is Born

Get Your Glow On

Shining brightly as a beacon of hope and guiding light, stars hold a heavy symbolic weight with their ethereal luminescence. When it comes to Christmas specifically, it’s the crowning jewel on top of a majestic evergreen tree, the pinnacle of the holiday spirit itself. Why not add a little bit more star power to the whole season, starting with your plate.

Gold Star Bread

What Is Star Bread?

Gold Star Bread is a glorious, glowing ode to brioche, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, and coffee cake all wrapped up in tender outstretched rays. The dough itself is soft and buttery, rich and warmly spiced, infused with the flaxen hue of ground turmeric. That alone could be turned into a luscious loaf. For a special occasion, though, we might as well go all out. Mocha infuses each twist and turn as a sweet wake up call. Ease into a festive day ahead with your very own golden star leading the way.

Sharing pull-apart bread with loved ones is a whole different experience from whacking off a simple slice. You eat with your hands, drop all pretenses, and can surrender yourself to the tactile sensation of the warm, freshly baked dough. While it makes for a showstopping breakfast or dessert, the assembly is no more complicated than any other yeasted treat.

Gold Star Bread

Filling Ideas for Star Bread

If you’re not a coffee person, you’ve got plenty of flavorful options.

  • Easiest of all, simply omit the coffee powder and keep it cocoa.
  • Swap the coffee and cocoa for ground cinnamon.
  • Use brown sugar and chai spices.
  • Add roughly chopped pecans, walnuts, and/or crystallized ginger.

The sun may hide away on some winter days, but the stars will still come out to guide your way. Hold on to that golden glow through the holidays and beyond.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

Tough Cookies

Christmas isn’t for everyone. The forced merriment and artificial optimism, sour memories that fall short of Hollywood-produced nostalgia, stressful family gatherings topped off by unnecessary expenses; it’s enough to make the most joyful person into a real Scrooge. Even the most committed holiday reveler would struggle to maintain the same level of enthusiasm in this harsh reality. You know what is for everyone, though?

Cookies.

Chocolate cut-out cookies, to be precise, will never disappoint. With a batch of homemade cookies, you can express how you really feel about the holiday season without coming off as a miserly curmudgeon. No one ever said they had to be decked out in colorful sprinkles or intricate icing, so why not keep it simple, classic, and versatile?

This particular recipe may just be a new staple in your repertoire. You’d never know that they’re gluten-free or vegan by their soft, toothsome texture or rich cocoa flavor. The dough comes together quickly, rolls out like a dream, and never judges you for your low spirits.

Like any good cookie dough, this one is as versatile as Christmas carols are grating.

Easily change up the flavor by switching out the extract.

A few tried-and-true additions include:

  • Peppermint extract
  • Almond extract
  • Orange zest or extract
  • Instant coffee powder
  • Coarse or flaky sea salt

No cookie cutters? No problem!

You may need to cut back on the snark without such clear messaging, but you don’t need to forgo a sweet treat altogether. Simply roll out the dough as instructed, then use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or fluted pastry cutter to slice squares or rectangles of any size. Think of this approach as the dessert equivalent of making crackers, if that procedural reference helps you visualize the steps.

Don’t succumb to the Christmas crazies. Celebrate at your own speed, even if that means staying home and keeping holiday content completely off the program. Just don’t forget to treat yourself while you’re at it. Holidays come and go, but a good recipe for chocolate cut-out cookies is forever.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Ube On My Mind

If pumpkin is for autumn, ube is for winter. Replacing subdued, smokey orange with bold shades of purple, there’s no denying that the vibrant hue alone is a huge attraction. Naturally sweet with subtle hints of vanilla and toasted nuts, ube is the clear winner when it comes to dessert. Start your annual holiday cookie platter with Ube Thumbprint Cookies, glistening like jewels in a sea of browns and whites, for a stand-out homemade gift that no one can refuse.

What is ube?

Let’s start by clarifying what ube isn’t. Ube are different from taro and purple sweet potatoes, despite the common misconception. Ube are yams, most commonly found in Filipino cuisine and particularly popular in desserts. Their vivid magenta pigmentation creates brilliantly colored treats, and as such, can be found as powdered and liquid extracts. Fresh ube can still be tricky to find in the US, which is why ube extract comes in handy for all your essential baking needs.

While most commercial ube extract does have added artificial flavoring, it’s the easiest, most accessible way to add that unmistakable essence whenever and where ever you crave it. When it comes to recipes with a delicate balance of dry and liquid ingredients, it’s the best way to infuse the goodness of ube without throwing off the texture.

What else is ube extract good for?

Once you have a bottle, the potential for ube extract is endless. It’s particularly well-suited for use in:

  • Ice cream
  • Frosting and icing
  • Candy
  • Lattes
  • Cheesecake
  • Pudding and custard
  • And of course, cookies!

When it comes to cut-out cookies, these are the GOAT. Easy to make, shape, and bake, this dough is a dream to work with. More importantly, the soft, tender bite and balanced sweetness makes an ideal base for any festive flavors. Beyond the ube base, put your own personalized finishing touch on each batch with any jam, marmalade, or fruit preserves you fancy. Mix and match to make every bite a little bit different!

A few fruit flavors that pair particularly well with ube are:

  • Mango
  • Apricot
  • Guava
  • Orange
  • Pear

Put a flavorful twist on tradition this year and invite ube to your cookie swap. It won’t take long before it becomes the life of the party.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments