A Sugar “Freek” Holiday
When my refined-sugar-free diet* comes to light, I am often asked about birthdays and holidays. The answer that comes to mind (no, I don’t actually nail them with this) is, “Why celebrate life with poison?” Aloud, I just remind them of fruit, honey, and maple syrup (no, not Aunt Jemima), and also explain rapadura (evaporated cane juice). I ordinarily forgo dessert, as even these “whole sweets” can burden the body in excess; but a few treats enliven the festive seasons without making me sick and hyper!
*What to say? “Refined-sugar-free” is a phrase necessary but cumbersome. And I don’t like to call it a diet or a lifestyle, as though I was centering my meals or my life on the absence of something. I don’t miss refined sweeteners, or even really think about “the choice” I’m making.—not anymore than I think about my choice to brush my teeth before going to bed. That really is a choice—just not one I would describe as a “mint-toothpaste diet“ or “brush-before-bed lifestyle.”
Um, anyway....
Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions has not one but three sections devoted to satisfying the human sweet tooth in a healthier way. This holiday season I tried these three recipes for the first time. Here are my personal notes for each.
Pecan Tart, Nourishing Traditions, p. 563. (sweetened with Rapadura)—This was the best pie crust I have ever made—rich and flaky. Move over, Betty Crocker! (I omitted the pinch of stevia powder.) When I opened the oven, I was very surprised to find the pecan filling had bubbled up hugely one one side (no spills or burning, though). It quickly settled back down when cooling on the counter. The pecan filling was sweet but not cloying; the nuts (with just the right bite) lay on a bed of dense, creamy, maple-caramel sweetness. The hint of lemon zest was lovely, too. I think I want pecan tart for my birthday!
Orange Cake, Nourishing Traditions, p. 567. (sweetened with Rapadura and honey)—I was excited about making this cake, and nervous too. The cake undergoes two soaking processes—the flour is soaked before mixing and baking, and the baked cake is soaked in a honey-whey-citrus juice mixture. When the cake finally slipped from the bundt pan, I found there was a yummy crust on the top. There were also quite a few air-holes, presumably from the fermentation. The cake was very moist and very sweet. Now and then I detected the distinctive flavor of the whey, which is definitely not to everyone’s taste. The oranges were a bit anemic, so this was a “lemon cake.” Note: Next time, strain the pulp from the fresh-squeezed citrus juices! Also, this cake requires refrigeration after the final soaking process—it is prone to mold.
Meringue, Nourishing Traditions, p. 556 (sweetened with maple syrup)—These had a delightful crunch, melted in the mouth, and were not too sweet, with a hint of maple and vanilla. Maple syrup pooled a little at the edges of some of the meringues as they baked. This stuck to the parchment paper, but it was easy to chip off the hardened syrup along with the paper. (I did break bits off a few meringues as I did this.) Spooning the meringue on the paper was a bit messy (the results were “rustic”), but the meringue seemed too soft for piping. That might have been my fault; the egg white wasn’t stiff enough from the start.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012