Baking with Less Sugar (25 page)
Read Baking with Less Sugar Online
Authors: Joanne Chang
This tropical sorbet is about as easy and delicious a recipe as can be. All you need is an ice cream maker and you're moments away from diving into a naturally sweet and lusciously creamy dessert. For a grown-up variation, add 3 to 4 Tbsp dark rum and pretend you are soaking up rays on a sunny beach in the Caribbean. I've made this without the bananas as well when they haven't been ripe enough, and my husband, Christopher, actually prefers the banana-free version. Try both yourself and see which you like best.
MAKES ABOUT
1
1
/
2
QUARTS [1.4L]
- One 335-g/12-oz can frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
- One 380-g/13.5-oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 ripe bananas
- 120 g/
1
/
2
cup water - 1
/
2
tsp vanilla extract - 1
/
2
tsp kosher salt
1.
In a blender or a food processor, combine the pineapple concentrate, coconut milk, bananas, water, vanilla, and salt and blend until the bananas are totally mixed in. (Alternatively, mash up the bananas by hand and mix them into the remaining ingredients, whisking well to thoroughly combine.)
2.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. When the sorbet has finished churning, either enjoy right away or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 week. Remove from the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to soften it up for scooping.
I've always loved a frozen ripe banana as a quick and healthy pick-me-up for its natural sweetness and creaminess. Peel a ripe banana, put it in a resealable plastic bag, freeze until hard, and enjoy your sweet fruit Popsicle. It just takes a few extra steps to turn this simple treat into a more decadent creamy ice cream that rivals the finest premium stuff. As a bonus, you'll know that you're eating something that is good for you to boot. This ice cream is best served within a few hours of blending, at which point it has a lovely soft-serve consistency, but you can definitely make it in advance and store it in the freezer like regular ice cream as well.
MAKES ABOUT
1
QUART [960 ML]
- 6 ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
- 120 g/
1
/
2
cup heavy cream - 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1
/
4
tsp kosher salt - Pinch of ground cinnamon
Cut the bananas into
1
/
2
-in [1-cm] slices and place in a blender. Pour in the cream and vanilla and blend on high speed until smooth. Add the salt and cinnamon and blend again. The ice cream may be enjoyed immediately or stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Remove from the freezer and let soften for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
I'm so enamored with the flaky pie dough that we use for everything at Flour that I sometimes forget about all of the other amazing pastry doughs out there, like this biscuit dough. Who doesn't love biting into a warm, fluffy biscuit slathered with butter and jam? You'll love this even more: Start with ripe fragrant peaches, wrap them in buttery biscuit dough, and bake them with reduced apple juice to help add sweetness and tart flavor. The almonds not only highlight the peachy flavors but also add great crunch to the dumplings.
MAKES
6
DUMPLINGS
- One 335-g/12-oz can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
- 3 Tbsp softened unsalted butter, plus 55 g/4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1
/
8
tsp kosher salt, plus
1
/
4
tsp - 175 g/1
1
/
4
cups all-purpose flour - 50 g/
1
/
2
cup almond flour - 1 tsp baking powder
- 1
/
4
tsp baking soda - 120 g/
1
/
2
cup cold buttermilk - 1
/
4
tsp almond extract - 3 ripe medium peaches, peeled
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream plus
1
/
2
cup (120 ml) whipped to soft peaks, for garnish - 25 g/
1
/
4
cup sliced almonds
1.
In a small saucepan, bring the apple juice concentrate to a boil over medium-high heat, decrease the heat to medium-low, and simmer the juice for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it reduces to about 1 cup [240 ml]. To check to see if it is reduced enough, every now and then pour the juice into a measuring cup to measure it; if it is not 1 cup [240 ml], pour it back into the saucepan to continue to simmer and reduce until it measures out to 1 cup [240 ml]. Remove from the heat and whisk in 2 Tbsp of the softened butter and the
1
/
8
tsp salt. Set aside.
2.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with an electric hand mixer), briefly mix the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the
1
/
4
tsp salt on low speed until combined. Add the cold butter pieces and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or until the butter is mixed in and pea-sized and the dough looks like coarse meal. (Alternatively, use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients; proceed as directed. Use a wooden spoon to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.)
3.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and almond extract. With the mixer on low speed, pour the buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture and beat for 10 to 20 seconds, or until the dough comes together. It will be very soft. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes or up to 2 days.
4.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F [175°C].
5.
Halve and pit the peaches. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a well-floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 10 in [25 cm] by 15 in [38 cm]. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then in thirds widthwise, forming six 5-in [13-cm] squares. Place a peach half, cut-side down, in the center of a dough square; pinch off a bit of the remaining 1 Tbsp softened butter and smear it on top of the peach. Gently stretch the four corners of the dough upward and gather them together at the top of the peach, pinching the dough along the seams to seal into a dumpling. Repeat with the rest of the peaches and dough squares. Place the dumplings, seam-side up, in a 9-by-13-in [23-by-33-cm] baking pan and brush them with the 2 Tbsp cream. Sprinkle the dumplings evenly with the almonds.
6.
Pour the apple juiceâbutter mixture into the bottom of the baking pan around the dumplings. Bake the dumplings for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. When the dumplings are cool enough to handle, use a spatula to place them on serving plates with dollops of whipped cream and any extra syrup from the baking pan. The dumplings are best served warm the day you make them.
One of the goals of this book was to see if, with the right recipes, I could train your palate to enjoyâfully enjoyâdesserts made with less to no sugar. I made two versions of this cobbler for some good friends who came over for dinner in the middle of my testing. They had been willing guinea pigs for this book many times over already, offering their honest opinions with each recipe (and sending me back into the kitchen more times than I can count). In this version, there is no sugar at allâjust the sugar from the grape juice and the fruits. In the second variation, I decided to use sugar in all of its sweet glory and make a traditional berry cobbler. I was thrilled when everyone picked the fruit-sweetened version as their favorite! Was it because their palates had gotten used to desserts that are less sweet, or was it because the following recipe gets the balance of fruit and cobbler topping and juice sweetener just right? It's win-win either way. Don't omit the crème fraîche to serve alongsideâits nutty creaminess goes perfectly with the tart sweetness of the berries.
SERVES
8
TO
10
- 175 g/1
1
/
4
cups all-purpose flour, plus 45 g/5 Tbsp - 1 tsp baking powder
- 1
/
4
tsp baking soda - Kosher salt
- 2
1
/
4
tsp ground cinnamon - 115 g/
1
/
2
cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 to 10 pieces, plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature - 2 egg yolks
- 360 g/1
1
/
2
cups crème fraîche
(see page 24) - 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- One 335-g/12-oz can frozen grape juice concentrate, thawed
- 260 g/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 260 g/2 cups fresh raspberries
- 260 g/2 cups fresh blackberries
- 260 g/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 60 g/
1
/
4
cup heavy cream
1.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F [175°C].
2.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with an electric hand mixer), briefly mix the 175 g/1
1
/
4
cups flour, baking powder, baking soda,
1
/
4
tsp salt, and 2 tsp of the cinnamon on low speed until combined. Add the cold butter and beat on low speed for 30 to 45 seconds, or until the butter is broken down into pea-sized pieces or smaller. (Alternatively, use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients; proceed as directed.)
3.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 120 g/
1
/
2
cup of the crème fraîche, and the vanilla until thoroughly mixed. With the mixer on low speed, pour the crème fraîche mixture into the flour-butter mixture and beat for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the dough comes together. (Or add the liquid all at once to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.) It will be a bit shaggy like a biscuit dough. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling.
4.
In a small saucepan, bring the grape juice concentrate to a boil over medium-high heat, decrease the heat to medium-low, and simmer the juice for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it reduces to about 1 cup [240 ml]. It will get very thick and syrupy so be careful not to let it over-boil. To check to see if it is reduced enough, every now and then pour the juice into a measuring cup to measure it; if it is not 1 cup [240 ml], pour it back into the saucepan to continue to simmer and reduce until it measures out to 1 cup [240 ml]. Whisk in the room-temperature butter.
5.
In a large bowl, toss the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries with the 45 g/5 Tbsp flour, remaining
1
/
4
tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until well coated. Add the juice syrup and lemon juice and mix gently to coat the fruit. Pour the fruit mixture into a 9-by-13-in [23-by-33-cm] baking pan. Remove the cobbler dough from the refrigerator and, using your hands, pinch off small, marble-sized pieces of dough and evenly distribute them on top of the berries. You won't be able to cover all of the berries, but that is okay. Brush the tops of the dough with the cream, allowing the extra cream to drip into the berries.
6.
Bake the cobbler for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the cobbler dough is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve the cobbler warm or at room temperature with generous dollops of the remaining crème fraîche. The cobbler can be stored, well wrapped with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving, or warm in a 300°F [150°C] oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
We live in apple country here in New England, and as soon as you start to feel a bit of chill in the morning air, thoughts go to apple picking and orchards and all of the marvelous things you can do with apples. We planned a Flour outing one year and everyone was instructed to fillâmake that
over
-fillâtheir bag with apples, and we'd make something fun out of them all. By the end of the afternoon, we had each eaten at least three or four apples (okay, maybe I had five), and the thought of eating anything apple-y again made my stomach turn. Thankfully, by the next day my stomach rejuvenated, and I created this apple tart sweetened only by some reduced apple juice and a heaping pile of apples and almonds. It's quickly become my go-to recipe when I'm happily overrun with apples.
