How sweet it is: The Skinny on Low Glycemic Sweeteners 73

The market for alternative sweeteners has started blossoming into quite the selection - no longer are consumers tied down to shopping at obscure health food stores or sending away bulk orders to specialty shops to find alternative ingredients, now super markets and even corner stores are following the trend which is shifting toward using natural whole ingredients.

While our quest for natural ingredients may have started as a trend, it may --- as a result of decades of digesting over processed, convenience type foods that saturate the market and whose establishments flood food courts and tend to cluster urban sprawl --- be a necessity to help reverse the ill-effects we have brought on ourselves through poor food choices.

There are many reasons to want an alternative sweetener, some include lifestyle choices - from Vegans who want to avoid bleached all-purpose sugar that may be processed using animal bones, to Raw Foodists who believe that all food they consume should be in the closest state to nature as possible (i.e minimally processed through heating), to those who are required to follow restricted diets such as those who suffer from Celiac Disease, or those who are diabetics^W. There is a great pdf document that you can download that touches on both Celiac Disease and Diabetes - outlining the connection between the two diseases and foods you consume.

In this post I want to concentrate on sweeteners that are suitable for diabetics. Those sweeteners that are low-glycemic. I will show some examples of each category of low glycemic sweeteners: unrefined, sugar alcohol, artificial, and herbal sweeteners.

There are many choices for alternative sweeteners. Natural, unrefined low-glycemic alternatives include:

• Brown Rice Syrup^W, which comes in different grades and gluten-free versions. It is normally used in cooking or baking ,by substituting a ratio of 1 1/4 times BRS to 1 amount of honey, molasses, or all-purpose (refined) sugar called for in a recipe [if using BRS to substitute for AP sugar - reduce liquids in your recipe by 1/4 cup for every cup of BRS used]. The main component of BRS is maltose and several complex carbohydrates - which are absorbed very slowly by our bodies, making it a good low glycemic ^W choice.
• Agave Nectar^W or Agave Syrup, is produced commercially in Mexico. Juice is expressed from the core of the agave, called the piña.^[1] The juice is filtered, then heated, to hydrolyze carbohydrates into sugars. Sources I have read say: "It is not manufactured from starch, but rather from fructans. ^[6] Due to its fructose content and the fact that the glycemic index only measures glucose levels, agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market. ^[5] When using Agave, substitute 25% less for sweeteners called for in a recipe (ratio of 3/4 Agave to 1 cup refined sugar or other sweeteners), you will need to reduce your liquids by as much as 1/3. If using for baking make sure to reduce your oven temp by 25 F°.

Other low-glycemic Sweeteners options consist of Sugar derived alcohols such as:

• Maltitol^W It has 75-90% of the sweetness of sucrose (table sugar) and nearly identical properties, except for browning.
• Xylitol^W . This sugar alcohol is used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in the fibres of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.^[2] It can be extracted from corn fibre,^[3] birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.

There are many more sugar alcohol alternatives. Most are great because they actually prevent tooth decay, and they can be used in producing hard candies and confections. (seen allot in dental offices) The downside to these sweeteners is after a certain amount is eaten - it produces a laxative effect.

Another option and maybe the most well known category of low-glycemic sweeteners are those that are artificial. These artificial sweeteners have been largely used in commercialized products.

• Splenda^W , a.k.a Sucralose is approximately 600 times as sweet as sucrose (table sugar),^[4] twice as sweet as saccharin, and four times as sweet as aspartame and can be found in 4,500 products. Unlike aspartame, it is stable under heat and over a broad range of pH conditions and can be used in baking or in products that require a longer shelf life.
• Aspartame^W This sweetener is marketed under a number of trademark names, including Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel, and is an ingredient of approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide. It is commonly used in diet soft drinks, and is provided as a table condiment in some countries. However, aspartame is not always suitable for baking because it often breaks down when heated and loses much of its sweetness.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding artificial sweeteners. and the safety of longterm ingesting. For those who cannot have sugar otherwise, these artificial sweeteners bring hope. Artificial sweeteners tend to have an unwanted aftertaste after ingested, and like Sugar Alcohol based sweeteners , they too have a laxative effect if eaten in large quantities.



The last category of low-glycemic sweeteners are herbal based. These sweeteners generally come from the parts of different herb families:

• Stevia^W The species Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar. With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives.

People have told me there is a learning curve with Stevia - you have to acclimate your tastebuds to the actual taste of stevia - it is sweet, but the ratio needs to be just right or you find a bitter after taste.


Recently the Food and Drug Administration (a.k.a FDA) approved 2 Stevia derived sweeteners, a first for the United States. One of the approved sweeteners Truvia, was developed by Cargil and The Coca-cola company.

Beverage brands such as Odwalla and Sprite's New "Green" line of sodas, all are planning to feature Truvia as the main sweetener in their products geared toward eco-friendly and diet soda buying consumers.







I got a chance to try Truvia. I was pretty interested because of what people had told me about Stevia, and that made it a challenge, plus the approval of this sweetener is pretty huge in the world of herbal ingredients.

Truvia comes in packets, much like Sweet 'n' Low, or regular table sugar you find at restaurants. Each packet is equal to 2 teaspoons of regular all purpose sugar. Truvia is also a Certified Kosher ingredient.

In the realm of eco-friendliness - The box and packets themselves are all recyclable paper and printed with Soy ink (big bonus there).

I tasted a few grains of Truvia by themselves, and noticed a very light vanilla note, and hints of tapioca. The aroma of Truvia is also similair to tapiocca custard. The look and texture is similair to fine sugar used in professional bakeries. I got a slight tingling, almost effervescence like sensation on my tongue once I tasted the Truvia grains.

Truvia did not pass my "coffee" test. I added it to my normal brewed coffee w/ half 'n' half and got a definite bitter aftertaste, similair to that of Dandelion greens. I would say that the ratio of one packet may be adjusted according to personal taste - I would use much less.

But maybe I need to acclimate my taste buds slowly to get used to the taste of Truvia in my coffee? I consider my morning coffee a sacred practice and I think I am not yet ready to change it. My favorite alternative to sugar in coffee is Agave Nectar - this stuff is great, I prefer the light colored agave syrup, as this has the least amount of flavor profile between Light Agave syrup and Amber Agave syrup varieties. If you taste the light agave syrup on your finger, it is very similair to normal sugar in taste.

Truvia preformed well however in my baking tests. I looked through the recipes found on the Truvia website. Some of the recipes include:

• Apple Berry Galette
• Pecan Pie
• Crunchy Apple Cinnamon & Pear Salad
• Zanna's Pumpkin Pancakes
• Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
• Shortbread Cookies
• Pumpkin Pie
• Cranberry Sauce
• Hot Cocoa Mix
• Classic Cheesecake
• Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Topping

I decided to try the Classic Cheesecake recipe. It was not that bad, the taste was not as different as I had expected - texture was slightly affected, not as firm as traditional cheesecake formulas, but overall if you were looking to cut out refined sugar and calories this version might be a good bet. This cheesecake recipe has 270 calories and 4 grams of sugar per serving as compared to regular cheesecake that has 310 calories and 20 grams of sugar per serving.

Overall I would say that Truvia is pretty pleasant to the palate when used in baking and is great when trying to use a natural low glycemic sugar substitute, similair to sugar in quality. The ratio of Truvia to sugar might need to be adjusted when substituting in recipes - but you can use a combination Truvia with Agave Syrup to cut the aftertaste of stevia, as they both are low-glycemic sweeteners.

You can visit the Truvia website for more info: http://truvia.com/index.html

Can Elephant Ears do Upscale? Remembering the Circus. 44

One of the highlights of my childhood was getting to ride on a huge pachyderm, a.k.a elephant. For my cousins and I, the circus was a frequent part of our childhood. On this occasion, the circus made it's home in the dusty dirt floored arena of a historic fairgrounds, whose fairway had seen many, many generations of eager carnival, concert or rodeo goers. The concessions had a looming presence between the main arena and the white washed wood, gray roofed exhibition out buildings who had welcomed 4-H livestock, various crafts and the eleclectic mix of gawkers whose ages were of a varied range.

This was all surrounded by a scenery of ancient Maple, Oak and Locust trees - whose gnarled appearances of lacy leafy canopies gave shade on the hot sultry summer nights and perfumed the air with an earthy sweetness, when these events were usually scheduled. A once proud chained link fence, now disheveled kept watch over the whole property, only the ticket booths and metal arms of the floor to head height turnstile gates allowed slowly for the pandemonium to spill outward and overflow into the street.

The circus was an adventure for my cousins and I, we delighted at the splendor and surprise of all that the circus offered. From the sugary sweet aroma of cotton candy and caramel corn and of course elephant ears, to the buttery unmistakable popcorn aroma and roasted peanuts that permeated the whole grounds.

Parking Lot Entertainment By M.Markus

To the magic feeling of the performers and smells and sounds of the trained animals. Through our child eyes, these routines did not seem rehearsed, they seemed as though they had been played out especially for us.

The circus has the power to touch a special part in all of us - to harness the child-like wonder and air of magic, as adults, we wished existed.

I think out of all the circus and carnival concessions, elephant ears might be my favorite. The kid in me loves all of there soft, warm and cinnamon-sugar goodness.

Elephant Ear By {ErinKphoto} aka redcargurl

The baker in me knows their is a more upscale, adult version. The Crispy. Crispies use puff dough as a base. You can find a formula for puff dough here in my previous post Formula: Scratch Italian Puff Pastry

Formula for Cinnamon Sugar (home use version) [commercial version should be increased by 8 times]

• 26 oz all purpose sugar
• 2 2/3 oz. cinnamon
• 1 oz. vegetable oil

Procedure:

Mix together cinnamon and sugar first with paddle attachment in kitchen aide (for commercial version use 20 QT), then add oil .

You can store this in an air tight container for future use with breads, cinnamon rolls etc.

Procedure For Making Crispies:

Roll out or sheet puff dough to 5 cm (you can use a yard stick to measure the dough thickness if rolling it out by hand).

You will need to have a dough width of 20 inches. (remember to roll out your dough a few inches wider , then using your hands push the sides in to get the 20 inches width on your yard stick. This is called "shrinking" which promises that your crispies will stay the size you originally made them and not shrink during bake off).

Egg wash (1 egg beaten), the dough rectangle. Spread the cinnamon sugar over the egg washed dough, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered for seem allowance.

Starting at the top of your dough triangles left side, tuck your first 4 fingers of each hand under the edge of the dough - keep your thumbs free, and start by tucking the edge under using the heal of your hand and thumbs until you have spanned the length of your rectangle to the right. Keep repeating until you have tucked all of your dough, creating a tight roll. (it is very important not to press the layers of puff dough to tightly, as this will effect the integrity of the puff dough it's self.)

Once you have a roll, slowly pull the length of the roll so that it is of a uniform length and width. Using a sharp chef knife cut in increments of 1 inch wide pieces using a rocking motion when cutting each piece - you may need to hold each piece while cutting - be careful in the position of your knife blade.

When you have cut all your pieces, using all purpose sugar, spread it out all over your work surface to form a thin layer. Place each piece spiral facing up and roll with rolling pin until paper thin and semi circular. Place crispies on a parchment covered sheet pan, in groups of six (arranged 2 by 2 by 2). Continue adding new parchment onto the finishes sets of six until your pieces are all done.

You can then bake off each parchment sheet containing six crispies until crisp and golden at 375 F °ree; The unfinished crispies can be refrigerated if encased in a plastic bag, knotted tightly (airtight), to bake off later.

These are a very crispy and sticky sweet version of the elephant ear. They make great garnish for custards or cheesecake - break into pieces and arrange by gently pushing into the center of each dessert portion.

Now back to the topic of circuses, I know there is a circus tour starting soon. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus have tour dates planned for all over the East Coast and South East corner of the US. There is one Stop in California on the West Coast. You can click on the picture below to see the tour stops below on the map.

To Get more info visit http://www.ringling.com/, where you can purchase tickets or view other fun things.

Children's Book Review: Sunny's Adventures 57

I love to find children's books with a baking tie-in. It gives me such joy to expose children to the wonderful warmth and quiet passion that is following a recipe. In todays world, not as much time is spent watching the skilled rhythms of well versed hands whipping up tasty baked goods in the well used kitchens of our homes, at least not as much as in my childhood or those before me.

...Kid Mystery?

Sunny's Adventures
will intrigue
your budding Sleuths...

Sunny's Adventures delivers that warmth that only
whispers of childhood could bring forth. The words
upon the page awaken the innocent ramblings and
romping we all shared with our neighborhood
friends on bright sunny days. When our back-
yards were jungles. And time spent with
family baking was a special treat.

Book Specs:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 52 pages
• Publisher: Jabberwocky Books (June 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980245605
• ISBN-13: 978-0980245608
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.2 inches
• Author : Leketha Marie Johnson
• Author website: http://www.sunnysadventures.com/
• Author's blog entry: New Book - Sunny's Adventures

Contents:

Sunny's Adventures has 5 chapters, or 5 mystery stories within the main story. Even though the reading level claims to be for 9-12 year olds, I was able to read this to my 5 yr old and it held her attention - with a bit of enthusiasm and voice play on my part.

The main character Sunny, is a young girl, determined to get to the bottom of every mystery that unfolds around her. From missing puppies, to turtles to diamond rings and dolls - she gets the clues and leads her friends to the scene of the crime. And once solved she finds herself a big helping of her grandmother's cake, a tribute to her grandmother's seeming tireless baking.

I especially liked the 3rd chapter "The Mystery of The Cooking Contest", where Sunny and her grandmother enter a pie contest, and the pie ends up missing!

My daughter loved the animals and the fact that this girl was solving mysteries by putting the clues together and baking too.

There are quizzes at the end of the 5 chapters to encourage critical thinking, and my 5 yr old was pretty excited to come up with the answers.

There are black and white illustrations throughout the book that are very whimsical and kid friendly. My daughter couldn't get enough viewing them and connecting them with the words being read in parts of the story.

Summary:

Sunny's Adventures is a wonderful children's mystery which celebrates the joys of baking with family and the value of friendships. Your children from ages 5yrs+ will delight in following Sunny on her journey to find clues and solve each mystery, all aided with whimsical illustrations, and chapter specific quizzes which will stimulate your child's critical thinking and problems solving abilities.

The view expressed here are mine & mone alone. I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Parent Reviewers on behalf of Leketha Marie Johnson. In addition, I received copy of Sunny's Adventured in exchange for my honest feedback.Please read more about Renaissance Culinaire's Disclosure Policy

Commercial Baking Formulas 29

Here is a list of commercial baking formulas that have been featured on Renaissance Culinaire. These formulas are meant to be used in a professional kitchen or bakery. These formulas include step by step procedure notes with the aid of pictures. The formulas have instructions for reducing the volume for home use. This page will be updated as new formulas are featured.

Americanized Pumpernickel Bread

Croissant with a starter

Wussel Bread

Seven Grain Bread

Lemon curd /Lemon Tarts/ Authentic Scottish shortbread

Callebaut Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

Pumpkin Crunch coffee Cake

Pate A Choux , Éclairs & Cream Puffs revisited

Tuile Cookies Curls

Short Dough Cookies

Praline Paste

Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte

Scratch Italian Puff Pastry

Commercial Cinnamon & Sugar (for cinnamon rolls, breads etc.)

These formulas are not to be republished or distributed without my permission. All images are copyrighted.

Recipes for Cakes and Tortes 22

Here is a list of cake & torte recipes featured on Renaissance Culinaire. This page will continue to be updated as new recipes are featured.

Black Forest Cherry Gateau

Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte

Recipes for Quick Breads 5

Here is a list of quick bread recipes featured on Renaissance Culinaire

Pumpkin Crunch coffee Cake

Recipes for Frostings, Fillings and Icings 3

Here are variety of formulas for frostings, fillings or icings that have been featured on Renaissance Culinaire. This page will continue to be updated as recipes are added.

• Mocha Icing
• Vegan Mocha Icing
• Vegan Chocolate Ganache
• Banana Scented Marscapone
• Praline Paste
• orange white chocolate sauce
• Kirsch Scented Whipped Cream
• Spiced Brandy Caramel and Brandy Simple Syrup
• Vegan Spiced Brandy Caramel and Brandy Simple Syrup
• Meringue Mousseline buttercream.
• Heirloom Lemon curd
• Orange-Maple Butter

Vegan & Vegitarian Friendly Recipes 8

These recipes have either had vegan/vegetarian conversions or have notations on how to create vegan / vegetarian friendly versions from the recipe provided.

This page will continue to be updated as I add more recipes.

• Sassy Sunflower Cookies (Peanut Butter)
• Tomatillo - Avocado Salsa
• Pear Chocolate Belle - Helene
• Spiced Brandy Caramel and Brandy Simple Syrup
• Watermelon Gazpacho
• Mocha & Chocolate Cake
• Mocha Icing
• Vegan Chocolate Ganache
• Wasabi Asparagus Shitake Spring rolls
  
• Lime-Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce
  
• Green Tea Sesame Sauce
• Banana - Rum Napoleons
• Vegan Meatballs

Summer Bursting with Strawberries 20

Summer brings with it an array of many fruits ,vegetables and herbs - each plant basking and feeding off the warm glow of seemingly endless days. With such an abundance of life giving light - is it any wonder that strawberries thrive in these months?

‌
picture courtesy of Bahadorjn

The fleshy sweetness invokes heavenly sighs when coupled with special desserts. Biting into the firm, juicy flesh, your tongue first experiences a tang, but that is overcome by the beautiful sugary blast of flavors.

Strawberries hold a special place in my taste memory. To me they equal the unbridled innocence of childhood - memories of summers long ago , when the sun was ablaze. Summer days as a child with my friends, I would run out into the hills and forests, and creeks or ponds - never a tricky thought clouding my mind, only a determination to experience and cover as much ground as humanly possible - before the sun set below the purple hills. Strawberries were a staple in my house, and more often then not desserts like strawberry shortcake, or just the simple act of dipping a berry into fresh whipped cream, were enough to satisfy a craving for sweetness.


Below is a weight to volume ratio chart for strawberries in their different states:

weight to volume ratio changes if berries are halved, quartered, sliced etc.
(See below)

1 (16 oz.) clamshell package equals approximately:
Whole Unstemmed	18 each 17.2 ounces 3 to 3 1/4 rounded cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Whole Stemmed	15.5 ounces 3 to 3 1/4 rounded cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Halved	15.5 ounces 3 to 3 1/4 rounded cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Quartered	15.5 ounces 3 to 3 1/4 rounded cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Sliced	15.5 ounces 3 rounded cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Chopped	15.5 ounces 3 cups 1 cup = 6 or 7 strawberries
Pureed	15 ounces 1 3/4 cups

If you would like more info on strawberries, California Strawberry commission offers recipes, health and nutritional info.

They also have a really cute site just for kids aged 5-12 yrs , with lots of kid friendly recipes you and your children can make together, and fun activities on strawberry education, called Strawberryville.

The University of Florida also has a great page outlining different varieties of strawberries and where they can be grown, plus illustrations on strawberry shapes - very interesting.



Related Posts:

• Food Photography: Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry Sauce
• Dessert Costing: Banana Strawberry Torte
• Food Photography : Banana Strawberry Torte

Baking Theory Notes: Cake Baking and Ingredients 6

It all started as...
----->Bread dough enriched with butter and spices, leavened with yeast and air was whipped into the dough.

----->ca. 1837 : Baking Powder revolutionizes cake industry (allows for consistent leavening)

moist coconut cake by babe_kl

Characteristics of Cakes:

*Pound / White / Yellow

• Batter - high ratio cake (fats) , Chemical leavened.

*Angel Food

• Foam - Air leavened, uses whipped egg.

*Chiffon

• Combo of Batter & Foam - whipped eggs added to batter

Ingredients:

1. tenderizers
2. moisteners
3. flavorers

*Flours Used in Cake baking

• Mainly cake flour (7-9% protein, soft milled)
• Can use AP, Pastry,

Why Specific Protein Count needed, how it forms Gluten Structure:

1. Bleached flour (has carotenes taken out)
2. Flours are Made with Matured Wheat - if using a heavier protein percentage (i.e in bread flour etc, will cause cake structure to become dense, unstable and collapse into it's self.
3. Moisture content comes from the flour

*Sugars Used in Cake Baking

What sugar does for cakes:

1. Acts as a Sweetener
2. Extends the shelf life of the cake
3. Aides in creaming (process of whipping air into the batter)
4. Gives cake crust it's color
5. Spreading action (the process of melting during bake off)

Related Posts:

• Baking Theory Notes: Chemical Leavening, Dough Strengthener, Crumb Softeners
• Baking Theory Notes: Eggs
• Baking Theory Notes: Sweeteners
• Baking Theory Notes: Fats
• Baking Theory Notes: Wheat / Flours
• Baking Theory Notes: Salt & Yeast

Guest Post With Kate Jacobs : On Food Memories From Childhood 4

I got a chance to ask Kate Jacobs, author of The Friday Night Knitting Club; And her most recent foodie geared novel Comfort Food , a very personal question.

RC: How do you feel food memories from childhood shape us into adults?

Image © Kate Jacobs.

KJ: We all have wonderful memories of meals shared with families, sitting around the table with the Thanksgiving turkey and summer barbecues eating corn on the cob.

I love birthday cake,

just like the main character Gus in my new novel Comfort Food, and I remember my sister decorating a cake that looked like a pizza with all the toppings for my fifth grade sleepover party. That was the birthday I got a puppy, Pepsi, who was my first Springer Spaniel and one of my dearest friends ever.

It’s all connected for me: the cake, the friends, the puppy. That was one of the best days of my life!

And I love to recall having fresh fruit pie at my grandmother’s house

Made with cherries that my brothers and sisters had just picked off the trees in her yard. Amazing. Those are the meals you wish you could fly back in a time machine and savor again and again, and also enjoy the company of family who aren’t here anymore.


But sometimes food isn’t just about family. Sometimes it’s about culture and identity.

I remember how, growing up in Canada, I always thought of S’mores as being particularly American, and as such I was fascinated by them. Now, I was never a Girl Guide (that’s Canadian for a Girl Scout) and so I didn’t go camping and so on. Instead, I saw Archie & Betty talking about them in the comics: It was just this American cultural go-to that seemed so different to me. Well, this was something I had to get in on, you know?

I recall trying to make some in the microwave on July 4: I was always a very pro-American Canadian. (And now I’m American and Canadian, so it’s really worked out for me.) But, anyway, back to my little experiment, which even involved a trip biking to the corner store to use some allowance money to invest in some very American Hershey chocolate. I took some graham crackers from the cupboard, put on several squares of chocolate, little mini marshmallows because that’s what we had at home, and topped it off with another graham cracker. I wrapped up the whole thing tightly in waxed paper and cooked the hell out of it the microwave. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad. Definitely gooey, definitely sweet. Though a S’more lacks a certain something something when it doesn’t have the roasting from the open fire.

I must say my early culinary tastes were quite influenced by comic books

I read a lot of and all types of comic books as a kid. I also saw a Dennis the Menace that had an activity page that included a tip on pickling carrots. The whole gist was that if you put carrots in a jar of pickles and let them soak overnight, the carrots would taste pickled. Well, duh: That’s what my 34-year-old self says. My 8-year-old self was utterly entranced as though Julia Child herself had made the suggestion. I would get very upset if my mother did not save the juice when we finished a jar of pickles. After all, I needed that for my Dennis-the-Menace carrots! Making those pickles felt like a sign of independence and worldliness: I had my own special “thing.”

Food is so much more than just calories and nutrition.
It’s also captures a moment, an emotion, with taste and aroma. And feel. Think of the sensation of a melting Popsicle running down your fingers on a hot summer day and try not to smile. Food can be good times, you know? And that’s what I wanted to capture in Comfort Food. This feeling of laughter and celebration and happiness.










Related Posts From Renaissance Culinaire:

• Hot Pepper Gingerbread Muffins with Orange-Maple Butter
• Blurb on Big Small Plates : Recipe for Tomatillo - Avocado Salsa
• Recipe: Italian Turdilli
• The things that shape us - Grade school incidents
• Bread or Dead
• Tommorow is my birthday...At 4:10 A.M Feb. 8 th

Soul Search : Saturday Food Poetry 15

In an effort to reawaken my poetry writing, I will be featuring a food photo that inspires me, then let the words that stem from that image fall onto the page. Enjoy! Comments welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks ericmcgregor for use of this photo.

Muscular and artistic hands -
weaving the magic we call presentation.

I see the art,
fashioned of edible sculpture.

Your formulations
are
the
holy scripture.

you are profit of the palate,
to
your
unwavering congregation.

cutouts of cake, bases;
the pulpit
from
which
you preach
your decadent wisdom.

Dripping, oozing
thinning sauces.

Prepping, squeezing;
till heavenly visions
are realized.

Tuiles, chocolate decorations;
An offering
of snap,
of crispy symmetry;
Oh lovely visual revelations.

Is it enough to paint those lines,
to chase perfection
to gain
culinary
holy ground?

© All Rights Reserved. 2008

Review: Sweet Melissa Baking Book 2

On first glance, this book is a slightly smaller than the average
glossy cookbook, you know the kind - almost ready to feature as
a coffee table book, rather than a cookbook that goes on your shelf.
That kind of cookbook has really become a standard trend.

Unlike allot of other cookbooks, The Sweet Melissa Baking Book gets right to the point. There is no lengthy forward, just a few pages mentioning Melissa
Murphy's schooling and where she has gotten her restruant experience.
She explains her love of baking and why she bakes certain items at her bake shop - Sweet Melissa Patissarie in New York, which has been going strong for 10 yrs .

Reading the forward is enough to make you love this cookbook even more. The forward really sets the tone, and you began to see Melissa's thoughtfulness shine through in each and every recipe she features in this book. The recipes are all easy to follow and have detailed instructions from the procedure, through baking of the final product.

When it comes to cookbooks the trend is to have a glossy full size picture on every other page. This sometimes can deter the purpose of a cookbook - to showcase the recipe it's self. The Sweet Melissa Baking Book is mainly recipes, with a short insert of assorted glossy pictures, but the pictures in noway detract from the main purpose of this cookbook.

As for skill level, I would say that this book is great for all skill levels --- just pack a love of baking and an attention to details, so your recipes will come out just as yummy as they sound in this book.

As you start to delve into the contents, you will notice throughout the book Melissa offers her commentary with personal antidotes on how she feels about the baked goods, she features in each chapter. Also throughout the book there are special notations with instructions to "do it like the pros".


Highlights of this cookbook by Chapter:

01 The first section offers a fine selection of Quick breads, muffins, scones and other breakfast fare.

"...I've realized that it may seem odd to some of you to to eat dessert for breakfast...so I disguised it. But who are we kidding? You love sticky buns first thing in the morning just as much as I do!" - Melissa Murphy on Dessert for Breakfast.

My favorite recipes from this section include: Hot Pepper Muffins with Orange Maple Butter ; Guinness Gingerbread; and Raised Waffles with warm brown sugar bananas.

01a Prefaced with a story of her childhood involving her older brothers tricking her into eating creme donuts that had the least amount of creme, and her disappointment in the lack there of . She devoted this section to creme filled sweet buns - spawned from her love of donuts, but lack of equipment in her bake shop to fry them, she ingeniously created a great formula to bake in the oven.

" I Love the resulting compromise - sweet tender brioche style buns filled with pastry cream then dipped in honey caramel...Mm-mm-mm-yummy!" - Melissa Murphy on Bee Stings.

She outlines the formula for both the sweet buns and the pastry creme.

02 Devoted to yummy after school treats cookies and brownies - such as Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies, Black Bottom Brownies, and Pistachio Linzer Thumbprints.

"..The highlight of my day I remember was ...just baked batch of my favorite cookies. "- Melissa Murphy on After School Snack

03 Features a Step by step guide to assemble, crumb coat and frost a layer cake. Filled with tantalizing layer cakes , complete with lovely frostings and the fillings to accompany them.

"..one thing is for sure: You have to start with a great cake. This is essential, and to me, the best part." - Melissa Murphy on Special Layer Cakes

These recipes can all be used for wedding cakes, without any special formulation, just double or triple the recipes for more layers.

04 This section has many crust recipes. Your mouth will water when you read the titles of these recipes for various pies, tarts and and a master recipe for preserves. Examples are: Pear Cranberry Pie with Ginger Snap Crust, Strawberry-Ruby Grapefruit preserves.

05 Luscious recipes for puddings, Specialty Pies, Cheesecakes and more. Just read some of the titles : Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake with Cornmeal Crumble Crust, Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Blackberry Glaze, Pumkin Bread Pudding with Caramel-Rum Glaze.

"My mom made dessert to end our meal, but she always made it on Sundays...you could smell it at the end of the driveway...she knew how to get her children to the..table" - Melissa Murphy on Sunday Suppers Grand Finale

06 The Last section deals with gifting of homemade candies, brittles and truffles.

" ..recipes in this chapter are even more special for gift giving because these are things people rarely make themselves. Honey Cream Caramels, Butterscotch Pralines, Peanut butter Truffles, Chocolate Peppermint Meringues---You can't buy these presents." - Melissa Murphy on Favorite Gifts

I think that The Sweet Melissa Baking Book is a purchase well spent. It will become a favorite addition to any cookbook or baking library.



Related Posts:

• Hot Pepper Muffins with Orange Maple Butter
• Contest : Cookbook For 5 Lucky Random Winners

Recipe Carnival : Popular Recipes Revisited 1

These are some of the most visited recipes this blog has to offer:

Click on any of the links to read the original blog post.

1.)Recipe & Procedure : Tuile Cookies Curls 2.)Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte 3.)Blogosphere blurb / Recipe: Pear Chocolate Belle - Helene 4.)My Recipe : Curried Asparagus 5.)Recipe : Gulab Jamun | Indian Sweets 6.)Oregon Hazelnuts + Recipe : Praline Paste 7.)Recipe: Italian Turdilli 8.)Formula :Lemon curd , Lemon Tarts , Authentic Scottish shortbread. 9.)Seduction by Savory souffle... 10.)Formula : Chocolate Souffles w/ orange white chocolate sauce 11.)Recipe: Orange marinated Fish Fillets w/ Carrots 12.)Formula : Pumpkin Crunch coffee Cake 13.)Recipe: Green Tea Sesame Sauce 14.)Recipe: Mango-Ginger Salsa 15.)Formula : Americanized Pumpernickle Bread 16.)Formula: Short Dough Cookies 17.)Formula : Pate A Choux , Éclairs & Cream Puffs revisited 18.)Giddy Over Oregon Crab...| Recipe : Fresh Mango - Crab Spring Rolls 19.)Formula : Black Forest Cherry Gateau 20.)Recipe: Watermelon Gazpacho 21.)Formula : Callebaut Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 22.)Cake Recipe: EDITED Mocha & Chocolate - Vegan Style. 23.)Formula/recipe: Croissant with a starter 24.)Blurb on Big Small Plates : Recipe for Tomatillo - Avocado Salsa

Recipe & Procedure : Tuile Cookies Curls 7

This is a formula adapted from Le Cordon Blue Professional Baking 3rd Edition. It bakes up to 90 cookies, so you may want to divide this recipe in half or maybe even thirds if making for your self. You can also make this formula ahead of time and store the batter in the fridge for up to a week before use.

TUILE COOKIE / Stencil Paste BATTER
I did mine in a kitchen aide mixer. Preheat oven for 350 F.

• 3 oz Butter
• 4 oz confectioners sugar (a.k.a powdered)
• 3 oz of egg whites
• 3.5 oz cake flour

Total batter weight equals 13 oz

To make the batter: Cream the butter and sugar until creamy, add sugar until mixed thoroughly. Whip in the egg whites. Sift in the flour, mix until blended. *Let the tuile batter set up for a few minutes before using.

I suggest baking the tuile on a sheet pan with parchment, or use a silipat (if you don't have one yet -- GET ONE. They rock).

You can use any sized or shaped stencil you want, just make sure the material of your stencil will hold up to the moisture from the batter.

To use your stencil : Position the stencil on the area of your sheet pan you want the cookie to bake. Use a small offset spatula, take a small tsp sized lump of batter, lay this at the foot of your stencil. Hold the stencil onto the pan - with the other hand use a forward motion - slide the side of your offset spatula the length of your stencil, use the stencil as a guide. What you are trying to achieve is a thin level layer of batter that fills up your stencil, as the excess is removed.

Once your stencil is full: Gently lift the stencil with an upward motion to release the stencil from the batter that will stick to the pan and form your specific stencil shape. What you want to achieve is a cookie that holds the stencil shape and forms equal and very evident sides once the stencil is removed - this will tell you whether you did the above procedure correctly.

Don't feel bad if your first tries end up with terrible results. Most people aren't used to stenciled cookies. Just keep reminding your self you are trying to create something yummy too. Make sure you work quickly, and if you need to halt baking for a period of time, refrigerate your batter.

Alternate method: You can spread the batter directly on the silipat and once baked you can cut into shapes. Let the shapes cool and harden, garnish away.

To Bake : You will need to stand and watch these cookies. Even more so the more batches you bake-off, as the oven temperature will increase the baking of your tuile cookies the further along you are. Bake your cookies for 5 minutes. Take them out when you just notice the very edges browning.


To Make "curls": After you have pulled the tuile cookies out of the oven, When they have been out of the oven for 30 seconds, quickly slide a spatula under them (while still warm) use a rounded stick (such as a dowel or even a thick wooden spoon handle) and wrap each softened cookie around the stick to your liking. Let it cool, and then remove the hardened cookie from the stick.

You can also bend them over a rolling pin or other round objects to achieve a special look.

Tuile Batter & Stencil

I made a simple stencil by cutting shapes out of sturdy cardboard (in this case a cake box) with an exacto knife.

Here is the finished product.

Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte 3

This post is referencing a previous post dated Feb. 11 2008 : Food Photography : Strawberry Banana Torte

So David here are those details, as promised. I created this post using Google Docs. Google Docs rocks my blogger socks off! I can just click a button and post a nicely formatted post. I plan to use this tool more in the future.

The purpose of this post is to show you readers how to find a base cost for a plated dessert and what goes into those calculations


Costing Formulas:

☆ Ingredient weight (divided by ingredient unit cost) = ingredient cost per lb/oz
☆ Ingredient cost per lb ( divided by number of oz) = cost per oz
☆ Ingredient cost per oz/lb multiplied by formula ingredient weight = final ingredient cost. ☆ Final ingredient costs added together = total dessert cost
☆ Total dessert cost ( divided by dessert serving number / weight) = per serving cost
☆ Per plate cost added to garnish/decoration cost = total per plate cost

# = lb

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lb	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used in
Milk	4# = $1.59	0.40	.03	1.5 oz	.05	French sponge
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	6 oz	.24	sponge
Egg	18# = $16.80	.93	.06	2.5 oz	.15	sponge
Cake Flour	50# = $9.99	.20	.01	4 oz	.04	sponge
AP Flour	50# = $11.94	0.24	.02	2 oz	.04	sponge
Vanilla ext.	8# = $65.40	$8.16	.51	.125 oz	.06	sponge
B. Powder	10# = $12.90	$1.29	.08	.17 oz	.01	sponge
salt	25# = $7.30	.29	.02	.05 oz	.01	sponge
Butter	36# = $52.56	$1.46	.09	1 oz	.09	sponge

Banana Scented Marscapone

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Marscapone	#3 = $7.76	$2.59	.16	8 oz	$1.28	frost
Banana Compound	38.8 oz = $13.50	$5.60	.35	1.5 oz	.53	frost
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	.04	4 oz	frost
Vanilla Ext.	8# = $65.40	$8.16	.51	.25 oz	.13	frost

Total

------

-----

$1.58

.10

--------

Dessert

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Strawberry Puree	2.2# = $10.51	$4.96	.31	8 oz	$2,48	sauce
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.32	sauce
Water	--------	------	-----	12 oz	-----	sauce

Total

------

$1.60

.10

-----

-------

garnish

Midori Simple Syrup

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.96	syrup
Midori liqueur	24 oz = $20.95	$13.92	.87	4 oz	$3.48	syrup
Water	--------	--------	-----	4oz	----	syrup

Total

-----

$2.74

.17

------

garnish

Honeydew - Midori Sauce

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Honeydew puree	.62 per melon	------	------	¼ melon	.16	sauce
Midori liqueur	24 oz = $20.95	$13.92	.87	2 oz	$1.74	sauce
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.32	sauce
Midori simple syrup	-----	$5.92	.37	6 oz	$2.22	sauce
Cornstarch	25# = $14.98	.60	.04	.75 oz	.03	sauce

Total

-----

$4.48

.28

----

-----

garnish

Dessert Garnishes

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Choc. Plate Design	11# = $36.19	$3.59	.22	¼ oz	.06	garnish
Strawberry Sauce	-----	$1.60	.10	¼ oz	.03	sauce
Honeydew-Midori sauce	-------	$4.48	.28	.5 oz	.14	sauce
Fresh strawberry	1# = $1.99	$1.99	.12	2 oz	.06	garnish
Fresh Kiwi	.33 each	-----	----	1/5 kiwi	.07	garnish
Choco. Decoration	11# = $36.19	$3.59	.22	¼ oz	.06	garnish
Strawberry puree	2.2# = $10.51	$4.96	.31	.5	.16	Dec.fill

Dessert Cost

Total Cost	No. Servings	Per Plate Cost	Garnish cost	Final Plate Cost
$1.24	8	.16	.58	.74

These prices reflect the cost of making the dessert alone by ingredients involved and do not reflect the menu cost delivered to the restaurant customer. There are many ways to calculate the menu cost of an item, which includes using specifc formulations to calculating labor cost and a variety of other factors.

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