Wild Sugar: Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West

Wild Sugar: Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West is a delightful cookbook that captures the essence of the rugged mountain region through its diverse and delicious dessert recipes. Written by chef and food writer, Lindsey Johnson, this book offers a unique take on traditional sweets by incorporating ingredients and flavors commonly found in the Mountain West.

The writing style of Wild Sugar is approachable and engaging, making it easy for home cooks of all skill levels to follow along. Johnson provides clear and concise instructions, as well as helpful tips and tricks to ensure success in the kitchen. Her passion for the Mountain West shines through in her writing, adding a personal touch to each recipe.

One of the standout features of this cookbook is the variety of recipes it offers. From classic favorites like Wild Huckleberry Pie and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Cake to more unconventional treats such as Sage Lemon Shortbread and Juniper Berry Cheesecake, there is something for everyone in this book. I've already earmarked the Vanilla Shortbread Cookies with Pressed Flowers for when my nasturtiums pop up again! Each recipe is thoughtfully curated to make use of seasonal ingredients, showcasing the freshness and abundance of the mountain region.

The photographs in this cookbook are stunning and truly bring the recipes to life. From vibrant photos of fresh berries and herbs to mouthwatering shots of decadent desserts, the imagery in Wild Sugar is sure to inspire cooks to get into the kitchen and start baking. The photography perfectly captures the rustic and natural beauty of the Mountain West, adding to the overall experience of the book.

Wild Sugar: Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West is a solid investment for any home baker. Currently available for $28.30 USD on Amazon, this cookbook offers a wealth of unique and delicious recipes that are sure to impress family and friends. With its beautiful photography and thoughtful writing, Wild Sugar is a valuable addition to any cookbook collection.

Overall, Wild Sugar: Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West is a must-have for anyone who enjoys baking and wants to explore new and exciting flavors. With its wide range of recipes, engaging writing style, beautiful photography, and reasonable price point, this cookbook is a standout in the world of dessert cookbooks. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a beginner looking to expand your skills, Wild Sugar has something for everyone. Pick up a copy today and bring a taste of the Mountain West into your kitchen.

Available on Amazon

Aquafabulous!

Aquafabulous!: 100+ Egg-Free Vegan Recipes Using Aquafaba

Author: Rebecca Coleman

Publisher: (2017)

Vegans and egg-free foodies are singing the praises of a new egg substitute. Aquafaba – also known as bean liquor or the brine found inside cans of legumes like chickpeas or cannellini beans – is versatile, low-calorie and found in almost every home. Instead of draining beans down the sink, aquafaba converts have turned the liquid into meringues, waffles, crepes and even mayonnaise. Rebecca Coleman has compiled a collection of vegan recipes using both aquafaba and the beans that make it in her book Aquafabulous!: 100+ Egg-Free Vegan Recipes Using Aquafaba.

As can be expected from any Robert Rose book, Aquafabulous! begins with a highly detailed introduction to the topic, including manufacturing and storing homemade aquafaba. Coleman also includes a “vegan pantry” listing of ingredients common in her recipes, including miso paste, nutritional yeast and tofu. While the book is exclusively vegan, even cooks new to the cuisine will be able to turn out flavourful and satisfying meals once they peruse the chapter. Each chapter has it’s own table of contents, making browsing through the book simple, and a well-referenced index helps users look up a specific recipe. The chapters are categorized by meal type (e.g. Breakfast, Baked Goods and Mains), although the author mentions her own three classifications of recipes in the introduction. Aquafabulous!, according to Coleman, can first be categorized into vegan “basics” – things like making your own aquafaba, non-dairy milks and other “recipes for recipes” that form components for meals later in the book. Second, there are recipes using the aquafaba itself – either in breading preparations (e.g. Grown-Up Tater Tots (p. 76)), as a binder (e.g. Vegetable Fritters (p. 60)) or for leavening (e.g. Chocolate Mousse (p. 173)). These recipes are what readers generally search for when they pick up a book on aquafaba – it’s one thing to loud the possibilities of this bean liquid, but quite another to put it to use practically. Lastly, Coleman provides recipes to use up the “by product” of aquafaba procurement: the beans themselves. Chickpea Curry (p. 100) is a bright, not-too-spicy main dish that uses exactly 1 (16 oz.) can of chickpeas – although those of us in Canada are more used to the 19 oz. cans, which work just fine.

The book is clear about where aquafaba’s strengths are: the baking world. The whipped foam was miraculously like beaten egg whites in cakes and muffins, adding lightness and a rather fine texture in most cases. Meringues (p. 144) were ethereally light – provided they were made on a dry day and not in the middle of a snowy winter day. Heavier batters, like the Lemon Rosemary Polenta Cake (p. 150), just weighed the foam down however, becoming a dense, somewhat oily but nevertheless tasty snack suitable for afternoon tea or as a sweet-savoury dessert after a heavy meal. However, I should note that with simple, relatively one-note flavours such as those in meringues, it is critical that a light, low-flavor bean is chosen. Cannellini and chickpea brine is ideal for most applications, as it adds neither colour nor any perceptible “bean” flavor. Black or kidney bean brine can be used, regardless of what mainstream aquafaba converts say, but they are best suited for richer flavours like chocolate (in Decadent Chocolate Brownies, p. 160) or spices (Carrot Cake, p. 152).

While there are certainly many aquafaba-containing recipes in this book, the star ingredient can be difficult to locate at times. Some recipes have the aforementioned “basic” components made from aquafaba as a condiment, others have no aquafaba or beans at all, which is highly confusing. If I am going to buy a book about a subject, I would expect a compilation of information and practical applications for the topic at hand. In this respect, Aquafabulous! is best described simply as a vegan cookbook, not one dedicated to the craft of cooking with the title ingredient.

Aquafabulous!: 100+ Egg-Free Vegan Recipes Using Aquafaba is definitely a good buy for those embracing a vegan diet, or who wish to find an innovative way to bake egg-free. There are enough aquafaba recipes to be useful for beginners, but those looking for a more in-depth manual will find the information and innovation lacking. Rebecca Coleman shows promise as a cookbook author and I look forward to seeing further cookbooks from her.

Available on Amazon

175 Best Small Batch Baking Recipes

175 Best Small Batch Baking Recipes

Author: Jill Snider

Publisher: (2017)

My family is not huge on sweet things. Sure, they’ll have the occasional cookie or slice of pie on a special occasion, but “dessert” most nights is a bowl of yogurt with honey, cocoa and berries. That said, I love to bake more than anything else – and finding a compromise between assuaging my desires and having the freezer overflow is tricky. That’s why I was excited to try out Jill Snider’s book 175 Best Small Batch Baking Recipes, which claims it makes “[t]reats for 1 or 2”.

Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Cake (p. 246)

Small Batch Baking has everything a “sweet kitchen” baker could ask for in a cookbook. Myriads of cookies, from biscotti to shortbread, no bake bars to brownies and fruit squares, muffins and loaves are all part and parcel here. There are also mini pies and crumbles, gluten free options, and even cheesecakes are presented in adorable miniature. For the most part, Snider does not ask for specialty baking pans (the cheesecakes, however, need a 6” springform) and the ingredients are common and generally inexpensive. I enjoyed the fact that brownies, bars and cakes here use loaf pans for form, making slicing even easier and making everything look like a “Bûche de Noël” when frosted. The ability to make just 6 or 8 cookies, instead of 40, was also greatly appreciated – and it allowed me to offer more than one variety in a gift basket!

The first treat I made from this book played highly to my love of cooking and baking for specialty diets. The last recipe in the book, Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Cake (p. 246), was easy to put together (even for my mom, a novice in allergy-free baking) and didn’t call for specific flour mixtures that can be tricky to find. Snider even gives a tip on substitution in the sidebar (and experienced gluten free bakers will be able to swap things in and out on their own). Many such sidebars are peppered throughout the book, and are always worth a read. The cake was, in a word, decadent – perfectly chocolatey, with a hint of banana flavour (if I wanted more of the fruit to shine I would roast the banana first) and a moisture that survived freezing, thawing and traveling for hours in the car. I opted not to frost the cake since I was transporting it, but the Banana Butter Frosting (p. 186) that was suggested (again in the sidebar) sounded divine. That frosting was just one of the six frostings and glazes offered in the book, again scaled down to practical use size.

I also tried another unique recipe from Small Batch Baking – Judie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 63). The recipe called for lard, which I substituted for home-rendered tallow, giving the cookies a slightly “doughnutty” aroma. The author states that the cookies are “soft”, but I found that even at the minimum bake time they spread and became crispy, almost wafer-like. The recipe never called for chilling the dough, as most cookie recipes do these days, and in retrospect I should have given the oats that were also in the batter. The flavour, however, was delicious and rich, if a tad greasy, and they were a hit with both adults and kids alike.

Judie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 63)

I’m happy that a baking book exists for small families and people who (like me) just can’t stay out of the kitchen. 175 Best Small Batch Baking Recipes will definitely be put to use during the holiday gift-giving and potluck season, and I look forward to picking out some favourites for my household in the meantime.

Available on Amazon

The Essential Home-Ground Flour Book

The Essential Home-Ground Flour Book

Author: Sue Becker

Publisher: (2016)

As someone working off a teaching assistant (and soon to be university student)’s income, I don’t often go out of my way to purchase tools with only a single use or purpose. I grew up making bread at my mother’s hip, and since I was blessed with a high powered professional stand mixer as a gift, making bread (almost) every week has remained my passion. I’ve always loved artisan-crafted baked goods, and used to buy stone-ground flour from a local mill – which tasted fantastic but commanded a hefty price. When Sue Becker’s book The Essential Home-Ground Flour Book arrived on my doorstep, I was intrigued – although devoid of a mill. Luckily, this book managed to help solve that problem (and many others) along the way, all while offering inspirational recipes I couldn’t wait to try.

So, you’ve decided to mill your own flour. Why, what type of mill should you choose, and just how do you go about it? Part One of Home Ground Flour is 93 pages worth of information on the subject, from the benefits of doing it at all (read: cost, nutrition and flavour) to the history of milling, suitable grains and finally the actual devices themselves. It was Chapter 4 – Tools and Equipment for Home Flour Milling (p.37) – that intrigued me the most. I knew about burr mills for coffee and spice grinding, but never used micronizing ones. If I win the lottery, one of those super-powered, lightning fast beasts is definitely on my wishlist! Instead, I lucked out with a great deal on a Mockmill, a stone-grinder style of attachment for my mixer – and the purchase of a (relatively) high priced tool is something no cookbook, blog or cooking show has ever convinced me to consider.

Basic Whole Grain Pizza Dough (p. 174)

Once equipped, and having read the entire first part (including the incredibly beneficial tip boxes lining the margins), I armed myself with a kilo of barley grains and got to work. According to Becker, I had enough grain to mill 6 cups of flour – which was almost dead on. I also tried my hand at grinding farro, spelt, brown rice and even lentils (note: don’t grind anything not approved by your mill’s manufacturer!). I transformed a bunch of the barley flour into various loaves of bread that weren’t found in this book, but immediately noticed a difference in the way the dough behaved and tasted. Freshly milled flour, provided the grains aren’t stale, made for a slightly sweeter, more tender loaf in my experience, and with cookies you could really taste the nuttiness of the grain all the way through (perfect with oatmeal doughs!).

Finally, I got around to a few of my ear-marked choices in Home Ground Flour. The first was a batch of Apple Cinnamon Muffins (p. 182). I used a combination of locally milled sprouted wheat flour and home ground farro, which was a lovely complement to the flavours of the (again, local) honey that exclusively sweetens them. Each bite was peppered with bits of apple and the spice wasn’t overwhelming, which is always refreshing for a muffin recipe! Next, as a preparation for one of my upcoming Home Economics classes, I made a few batches of Basic Whole Grain Pizza Dough (p. 174). If you need convincing as to how much yeast loves freshly exposed endosperm, this is the recipe – the dough rises impressively fast, and doesn’t taste unpleasantly “yeasty”. Even though there’s no sugar in the dough, the baked crust had a hint of malty, almost honey-like flavour. Definitely a keeper in my book.

Mini-Pizza with Basic Whole Grain Pizza Dough (p. 174)

I can’t wait to keep experimenting with Sue Becker’s The Essential Home-Ground Flour Book. It has not only provided a solid base of information to start me off on my home grinding journey, but also opened my eyes to the true differences between the bag from the store and right from the grain. If you appreciate bread (making and eating), want to support local grain farmers or simply have a desire to eat more nutritiously, check this book out. You will not be disappointed.

Available on Amazon

Apple Cinnamon Muffins (p. 182)

Bake Something Great! – 400 Bars, Squares & Cookies

Bake Something Great! – 400 Bars, Squares & Cookies

Author: Jill Snider

Publisher: (2011)

I’m a bona fide baker – not only is it my passion to whip up cookies and brownies on the weekends for friends, family, and sometimes complete strangers, but I bring that joy every week to my classroom when I teach Home Economics for grades 1-8. I even trained in baking at one of the renowned Toronto culinary colleges. Suffice it to say, sugar and flour live in my bones. So of course, the possibilities of a cookbook declaring it’s “great” recipes excited me – after all, for me the only thing better than eating baked goodies is actually making them! Jill Snider seems to agree with those of us who are baking-crazy, and penned Bake Something Great! – 400 Bars, Squares & Cookies to prove it.

Bake is packed front to back with recipes designed to suit almost everyone’s tastes. Chapters range from Brownies and Drop Cookies to Nut Bars and Squares and Shaped Cookies and Biscotti. There are even special sections for Cake Mix, Holiday, kid-friendly and “Good for You, Too” treats, and each recipe has a handy tip in the sidebar for success in baking. Many of the recipes also offer variations to try or suggestions for “jazzing up” a baked good as well. Truly novice bakers will appreciate the thorough introduction, including a 6-page primer on “Baking for Success” (p. 6) which covers everything from baking pan composition (shiny vs. dark vs. glass), small appliances like mixers and food processors and parchment paper (indispensable in my kitchen) to the methods of cooling, cutting, storing and freezing. My personal favourite area of this chapter is a chart that details just how many bars or squares you can get out of the most common pan sizes – the multiplication is done for you!

With such a strong introduction, and being packed with full-colour photographs, I couldn’t wait to see what I could make. I started with Classic Peanut Butter Cookies (p. 342) – which definitely had more ingredients than the classic, back-of-the-jar one I’m used to but also had the added interest of chopped peanuts in the dough. While I liked the flavour the cookies had, they were too sweet for my taste, spread a fair bit and also left a greasy mouthfeel. If I was to make these again, I would drastically reduce the butter and cut the granulated sugar in half, possibly cutting both sugars in half if I used honey-roasted nuts as well. The cinnamon seemed out-of-place here as well, but that could be personal preference. 

Fabulous Fig Bars (p. 200) - original on top, modified on bottom

Next, I went for one of my personal favourites from childhood – Fabulous Fig Bars (p. 200). Encouraged by the photo (featuring equal thicknesses of cookie and fig layers) I set out creating them. However, the ingredient amounts for the cookie component did not yield nearly enough dough for a bottom and top crust, even when I rolled it thinner than the photo showed. It was also very hard to work with – dry and crumbly, not so much a cookie dough as a crumb topping – and I needed to add milk to the recipe to get it to come together. Later, I made a second batch (doubling the crust mixture, reducing the total sugar to ¾ cup and adding about 3-4 tablespoons of milk) which fared much better. Again, the flavours were present, but overall the experience was disappointing.

Judie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 359)

Not to be completely deterred, I settled on making one of the basics found in every baking book – the chocolate chip cookie. Specifically, I tried to make Judie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 359), which looked promising and incorporated oatmeal for a hint of texture and flavour. I also liked this recipe because it utilized shortening – something my mom swears by in her chocolate chippers and an ingredient I partially use in mine. I figured the shortening, and lack of white sugar (it’s all brown) would keep a control on any potential over-spread. However my first batch – baked right away rather than chilled as I normally do for cookies – spread all over the cookie sheet into a crunchy, greasy mess. Frustrated, I chilled the second half of the batter, but it still gave me similar issues – crunchy, crumbly and greasy, with way too much spread.

While I’m not sure my experiences mimic every recipe in the book, I can say that from my perspective Snider needs to go back to the testing kitchen and rework many of the formulae in Bake Something Great! – 400 Bars, Squares & Cookies. As a cookbook seemingly designed for all bakers, including beginners, the amount of modification necessary to make the recipes “work” seems to be a bit much. Regretfully, I will go back to baking up my own recipes and leave this book on the shelf.

Available on Amazon

The Gluten-Free Baking Book: 250 Small-Batch Recipes for Everything from Brownies to Cheesecake

The Gluten-Free Baking Book: 250 Small-Batch Recipes for Everything from Brownies to Cheesecake

Authors: Donna Washburn and Heather Butt

Publisher:  Robert Rose (2011)

Fewer than five years ago, a diagnosis of Celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder requiring a lifelong abstention from gluten) meant suffering through endless meals of rice, corn or potato side dishes and eschewing baked goods altogether. Bread, cookies and muffins did exist, but they were either hard as rocks, turned to sawdust upon handling or were worse than old kitchen sponges in both taste and texture. Thankfully, for those of us forced to live gluten free (or who love those who are), things have drastically improved in the baking world – hundreds of flours, mixes, starches, gums and recipes have become more or less commonplace in the market (especially on the internet). The science of those ingredients and how they work together has also grown by leaps and bounds, leading to a wealth of cookbooks. One of the books that caters exclusively to the bakers amongst us is The Gluten-Free Baking Book: 250 Small-Batch Recipes for Everything from Brownies to Cheesecake by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, and it strives to let the gluten-avoidant enjoy the craft again.

Chocolate Chip Muffins (p. 161)

Washburn and Butt know their baking well, both professional home economists who own and operate the site bestbreadrecipes.com as a companion to their company, Quality Professional Services. Based on reviews of their previous book The Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook: 150 Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free Recipes, Many with Egg-Free Variations they wrote the recipes in Gluten Free Baking to make smaller batches. This not only keeps costs down when experimenting with the new lifestyle (many gluten-free products are still more expensive than “standard” ones), but accounts for the fact that many gluten free recipes are only eaten by those living with the condition, as opposed to other family members and friends.

The recipes in this book are easy to understand, and contain nutritional information. They call for ingredients that people familiar with a gluten-free diet will recognize and likely stock in their pantries, and if not are available at many grocery and health food stores. The recipe pages are comprised of 250 bakes ranging from No-Knead Yeast Breads (p. 33) to Cakes & Cupcakes (p. 193) and even the conventionally challenging Pastry & Tarts (p. 233). A medley of recipes perfect for special occasions (yet don’t necessarily fit anywhere else) find a perfect home in Gluten Free Baking’s Holiday Baking section (p. 279) – readers will find items such as the decadent Individual Pavlovas (p. 286), which are a treat for the whole family and fun for kids to help make too. On the savoury side, bite-sized Broccoli Cheddar Mini Quiches (p. 295) are perfect for brunch buffets or as passed canapes at a cocktail party, and again will appeal to all ages as well as both gluten free and non.

Orange Millet Muffins (p. 156)

Many of the recipes lend themselves well to adaptation and substitution, though the authors don’t provide suggestions outright. I achieved delicious results making the Chocolate Chip Muffins (p. 161) both as written as well as switching the pricey amaranth flour out for millet and the tapioca starch for cornstarch, and the Orange Millet Muffins (p. 156) turned out just fine when using an egg replacer as well as switching the ratios of amaranth and millet flours. Unfortunately, unless readers already have some prior experience in the gluten free kitchen, they may fall victim to sticker shock when purchasing some of the flours!  I did appreciate the authors including “master mix” style recipes for things like Cupcakes (p. 212), Oatmeal Muffins (p. 135-138), Cornbread (p. 107-108) and Biscuits (p. 121-122), which are handy to keep in the pantry as cost-savers – especially if you buy the flours in bulk.

To satisfy your brain’s hunger, the authors included an in-depth, 20 page primer on the various ingredients, equipment and other jargon used in Gluten Free Baking. This is a must-read for complete gluten-free newbies, but is worth a scan even for the seasoned pro. A well-done index makes finding almost any baked good in the book a breeze as well, and most of the recipes have their own tips in the sidebar. Photos are encapsulated in two “blocks” within the book – a fairly common Robert Rose practice), and reflect the actual foods readers can make, rather than appearing as stock photos.

Overall, Donna Washburn and Heather Butt accomplished the goal of making The Gluten-Free Baking Book: 250 Small-Batch Recipes for Everything from Brownies to Cheesecake an accessible, approachable, and inspiring resource for every baker. Gluten free or not, preferring savoury or sweet, cookie-holic or cake star, you’ll be able to find a wealth of temptations between the covers.

Available on Amazon

150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes

150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes

Author: Camilla V. Saulsbury

Publisher:  (2012)

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t love a good muffin. The quintessential quickbread, they are portable, pre-portioned and infinitely variable treats – and depending on the recipe, they can invoke feelings of angelically healthy sainthood, decadent sin or devilish spice. Most common renditions of the classic muffin rely on eggs, milk, or both, but not all of them – as author Camilla V. Saulsbury points out in her book 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes.

Vegan Muffin is a great resource for any muffin man (or woman) to have in their collection, from those who have never set foot in the baker’s kitchen to those who can whip out a dozen with their eyes closed. The book begins with a 20-page primer on muffin baking in general, from tips for Muffin Mastery (p. 6) to the equipment and ingredients you’ll need to achieve your ideal results. While the ingredients section of the introduction is specified as “vegan”, anyone can – and should – glean the information should the need to reduce or eliminate animal products from cooking or baking arise. If you only choose to read one portion of the preamble, though, make it Muffin Mastery. It was in this section that I learned the tricks to adapting recipes for different tin sizes and freezing muffin batter for a-la-minute baking – two tips that have made me a veritable “muffin queen” at home. Not only are all the recipes in Vegan Muffin free of animal products (and thus, two major allergens – egg and milk), but Saulsbury shares so many interesting variations on the theme that it’s almost impossible to get bored. Not “preachy” or belabouring the vegan views, the focus of the book is to share tasty and generally nutritious options everyone can enjoy together.

The recipes in Vegan Muffin are generally divided by their intended time of enjoyment: Breakfast (43), Coffeehouse (85) (AKA breaktime), and Lunch and Supper (113). At the end of the book is a chapter on Global Muffins (155), which definitely brings into light just how variable the simple quickbread can be. Saulsbury also includes a chapter with her Top 20 Muffins (21), which includes the mother recipe for Best Basic Muffins (22).  In general, all the ingredients Saulsbury calls for are relatively inexpensive, easy to find in decently stocked supermarkets, and often already found in many a pantry these days, putting to rest the argument that veganism is too complex or expensive a lifestyle.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (p. 28)

I chose to make Saulsbury’s Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (p. 28) first, as my sister had returned from college with a taste for the cafeteria’s version. The recipe (which I made with white whole wheat flour) came together quickly, although we agreed that the lemon flavor needed a little more oomph and the poppy seeds could have been dialed back a bit. A subsequent batch with an added teaspoon of lemon extract and only two tablespoons of poppy seeds was a resounding success, and if you are baking for traditionally “non-vegan” clientele I would strongly suggest either unsweetened almond or rice milk for their mild flavours, since soy can bring a “beany” tone to the finished dish. To test out the “bake from frozen batter” guide in the Muffin Mastery chapter, I jumped at the chance to make Saulsbury’s version of one of my favourite combinations – Chocolate Avocado Muffins (p. 98). The recipe baked up splendidly both fresh and frozen, although I would suggest reducing the oil to ¼ cup from 1/3, as mine were a little greasy for my taste. The original recipe doesn’t call for chocolate chips, but a sprinkling on top gives them more of a “bakery” look and will convince anyone – even avocado-haters like myself – to have a bite.

Chocolate Avocado Muffins (p. 98)

Enjoying a freshly baked muffin was never an experience solely for the omnivorous crowd, although traditional bakeries and cookbooks can make it seem that way. A delicious variety of tastes and textures await anyone who picks up a copy of Camilla V. Saulsbury ‘s 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes – you need only pick one and get into the kitchen!

Available on Amazon

125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes: Quick, Easy, Fun Ideas

125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes: Quick, Easy, Fun Ideas

Author: Julie Hasson

Publisher: (2014)

Chocolate chips are a staple in almost every Western pantry. Whether you’re baking cookies every weekend for soccer practice or bake sale, adding a decadent topping to porridge or pancakes, decorating cupcakes or simply grabbing a handful for a sweet pick-me-up mid-afternoon, the irresistible bits of semisweet goodness make any day better. While some bakers shy away from using chocolate chips in anything but the quintessential cookie – reasons usually tying into the stabilizer content of chocolate drops preventing them from melting properly – high quality chocolate chips are versatile and more convenient than chopping up a solid block. This versatility sparked Julie Hasson to write 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes, filled with everything you could dream of enhancing with a bite of cacao richness.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake (p. 65)

Best Chocolate Chip Recipes is subtitled “Quick, Easy, Fun Ideas”, and Hasson does everything possible to fulfill that statement. The book begins with a thorough documentation of Tools & Equipment (p. 8), Common Ingredients (p. 12) and Tips for Better Results (p. 18), which is worth a perusal even for the most seasoned home bakers. Each chapter has a title page which lists each recipe within that category, including page numbers, and the Index is cross referenced as well, making the search for your next treat truly as simple as opening a bag of chocolate chips! The hardest part about using this book will be deciding what to make first – Hasson includes an array of items, such as cakes, cookies, muffins and puddings (all more or less “common” chocolate-chipped fare), but also finds innovative ways to incorporate the morsels into drinks (Strawberry Chip “Moothie” (p. 28) anyone?), spreads (Warm Raspberry Chocolate Chip Spread (p.44), please!) and even a Chocolate Tiramisu (p. 163)!

I personally opted for a few more “traditional” recipes to break in this book and test it’s mettle. I wanted to appreciate the taste of the higher-cocoa percentage morsels I usually buy as they were, without melting and/or reforming them into purees, cocktails or flavoured candy. I was still trying to power through shredded zucchini left over from last year’s garden harvest, so Hasson’s Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake (p. 65) was an obvious first choice. I was able to reduce the oil (replacing half the volume with prune puree) and sugar (replacing one of the cups with ½ cup of a stevia baking blend) and still be rewarded with two loaves of moist, rich and perfectly chocolate-studded decadence. I’m sure the loaves would freeze well too for last-minute snacking – but ours never got that far! For a little “lighter” take on a chocolate chip cookie, I chose Hasson’s Chocolate Chip Orange Biscotti (p. 94), which plays the richness of semisweet chocolate against the fresh, fruity notes of orange zest and extract. With the biscotti, I found that I needed to use the juice of the orange as well as the zest for the proper consistency, but that modification rewarded me with even more flavourful, crunchy treats for the staff room. This recipe even lent itself well to whole grain baking, spelt flour adding a slight nuttiness that almonds would in the traditional Italian cookie. I still have a host of “chipped” treats on my list to make – as long as the waistlines of my family agree!

Chocolate Chip Orange Biscotti (p. 94)

While they may not hold the elite status of couverture or single-origin chocolate bars, chocolate chips are undeniably a pantry workhorse. From the classic cookie to the craveable cocktail, something from Julie Hasson’s 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes is sure to provide a semisweet moment of bliss to your day.

Available on Amazon

Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts

Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts

Author: Fran Costigan

Publisher: Running Press (2013)

Milk, dark or riddled with nuts – it’s hard to find a single person who’s day isn’t made better with a little chocolate! With hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to enjoy the gift of the cacao tree, chocolate is arguably one of the most versatile foods in nature. What would the world be like without a chocolate chip cookie, a chunk of chocolate fudge birthday cake, a bowl of spicy-sweet mole or the occasional melt-in-your-mouth truffle? For those ascribing to a vegan lifestyle, be it for economical, health or ethical reasons, a lot of those decadent chocolate treats are off limits. Yes, vegan chocolate chip cookies existed in the 1960’s “hippie” era, but if you’ve ever had one of those “traditional” vegan concoctions you know they were anything but decadent! Fran Costigan is out to bring the indulgence of chocolate back to everybody’s table with her new book: Vegan Chocolate.

Chocolate Orange Sesame Truffles (p. 58)

Aptly titled, Vegan Chocolate makes no mystery as to the treats within its pages. As if the title wasn’t enough to sway you, the front cover displays a to-die-for looking chocolate cake (sadly, that recipe is not indicated in the book, but I believe it’s Sachertorte (p. 105)) and almost every page is laced with Kate Lewis’ stunning photography. A full index caps the almost 300-page book off, and is a great resource for that “I-need-chocolate-now” moment, and each recipe section also has a listing of its offerings at the beginning for more leisurely browsing. Along with the wealth of recipes, Costigan also includes an indispensable guide to “Ingredients, Sweeteners, Chocolates and Equipment” (p.12), a well-stocked “Resource” (p.290) list, a suggested “Reading List” (p. 296) and even a Rolodex-worthy compilation of relevant “Organizations and Publications” (p.297). Costigan proves time and time again her worth as a culinary artist – vegan or no – and definitely erases any notion of vegan food as stuff for health gurus only. Recipes range from a simple Chocolate Sorbet (p. 209) to gourmet Lemon Olive Oil Truffles (p. 44) and an extravagant Raspberry Chocolate Silk Tart (p.165), and it’s truly hard to believe that absolutely no dairy, eggs or even refined sugar are components! As fancy and complicated as the recipes seem to be, rest assured that Costigan has done her due diligence in this respect too and makes replicating her creations as easy as possible.

Chocolate, Orange and Almond Olive Oil Cake (p. 72)

Of course, I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and bake up something lusciously chocolate – the problem was what to choose! I eventually settled on the Chocolate, Orange and Almond Olive Oil Cake (p. 72) to start off. The dessert is extraordinary, and wouldn’t be out of place in an elegant bistro or trattoria, but if you can measure, pour and mix it is remarkably simple. To me, unfortunately, it doesn’t really belong in a “chocolate” book – the only element of chocolate is in the glaze (which is a separate recipe). That said, when I made the cake I added a touch of cocoa powder for a bit of “back-up” flavour. Continuing on my “chocolate and orange” kick, I knew I had to try the Chocolate Orange Sesame Truffles (p. 58), which looked spectacular in their photo and definitely involved a kick of chocolate. These, too, were extremely simple to make and relied on an unorthodox melting medium – orange juice – rather than heavy cream or milk. A dab of tahini helped re-solidify everything and they shaped nicely, even after being in the fridge for a day. The balance of fruit, chocolate and sesame was spot on to my palate and I wouldn’t hesitate to make a plate of these for a Christmas party. Lastly, I whipped up a pan of one of my favourites: Blondies (p. 130). Granted, blondies really have no place in a “chocolate” book either, as their whole mandate is “chocolate-free brownies”, but I have a soft spot for those bars and wanted to see how Costigan’s recipe stacked up. I had to make a few minor changes based on what I had available, and I opted to add some chocolate-covered cacao nibs along with the chocolate chips for extra pizzazz, but I have to say I was pleased by the final result and would make them again. In fact, I did make them again, for a school function, and they were thoroughly enjoyed without a word as to the lack of eggs or dairy.

Blondies (p. 130)

It is very hard to go wrong with a food as perfect as chocolate, but many people find it too difficult or time consuming to tackle in any great quantity. Not only does Fran Costigan’s Vegan Chocolate convince you that chocolate is a boon, not a burden, to the kitchen, but shows that elegant, decadent desserts are within every home cook’s reach. Furthermore, Vegan Chocolate truly erases any doubts as to the “cardboard” nature of vegan, refined sugar-free food and just may tempt more than one diner over to enjoying more meat-, dairy- and egg-free fare overall.

Available on Amazon