For my Dad: Answers to your Questions

What is demerara sugar? (And the differences between that and turbinado sugar and muscovado sugar.)

Turbinado sugar is a type of relatively unprocessed cane sugar, unrefined and crystallized through evaporation. The crystals tend to be large and have an off-white color. Sugar in the Raw is this type of sugar and you may have seen it at coffee shops, even if you haven’t noticed the name “turbinado” before. It works in place of plain sugar in just about all recipes.

Demerara sugar is similar to turbinado sugar in that it also has large, irregular grains and a light brown color. It is unrefined and produced in such a way as to turn out very large crystals, larger even than those of turbinado sugar. The sugar still has lots of natural molasses flavoring, which makes it a popular sweetener for teas. It works in most recipes that call for plain sugar, although the resulting cookies will sometimes have a slightly crunchier texture and cakes may have a less-fine crumb.

Muscovado sugar is another type of unrefined sugar, a dark brown sugar. Unlike many brown sugars that are white sugars with molasses added back, it is darkly flavored from sugarcane juice left in during the production process. It tends to be sticky and can be used just like brown sugar.  

(Explanations taken from BakingBites.com)

What is golden syrup?

Golden syrup is a pale treacle. It is a thick, amber-coloured form of inverted sugar syrup, made in the process of refining sugar cane or sugar beet juice into sugar, or by treatment of a sugar solution with acid. It is used in a variety of baking recipes and desserts. It has an appearance similar to honey, and is often used as a substitute for people who do not eat honey.

Molasses, or dark treacle, has a richer colour than golden syrup, and a stronger, slightly bitter flavour.

 

 

(Explanation taken from wikipedia)  

What is crème  fraiche?

Crème fraîche is produced by a process similar to that of sour cream, with the exception that no ingredients are added. Each processing step requires attention to producing and maintaining high viscosity. Commercially it is commonly fermented to an end pH of around 4.5.

Crème fraîche is particularly useful in finishing hot sauces in French cooking because it does not curdle when heated.

Crème fraîche can be made at home by adding a small amount of cultured buttermilk or sour cream to normal heavy cream, and allowing it to stand for several hours at room temperature until the bacterial cultures act on the cream.

(Explanation taken from wikipedia)

NOTE: Crème fraîche can be substituted for sour cream in any recipe. They taste very similar, however Crème fraiche is not as sour. It does not curdle. So go ahead and throw it in your slow cooker, go ahead and throw it in your hot sauce in the saucepan…no lumps! You can also sweeten it and serve it over fresh fruit. Since it is made from heavy cream, you can whisk it and sweeten it and make a nice thick whipped cream texture.

How to make crème fraîche at home:
8 oz Heavy Cream*
2 Tbsp Buttermilk

Pour the heavy cream in a jar with a lid add the buttermilk.

Stir, lightly cover and let it sit out on the counter for 8-24 hours. It is done when it is the consistency of sour cream. Stir. Cover tightly. Keeps in the fridge for 7-10 days.

*Ultra pasteurized heavy cream will usually take longer to set up.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Last year when Mr X and I were exploring the UK we were delighted to discover Sticky Toffee Pudding. After returning from that trip I kept meaning to research the recipes for this treat that were out there and then attempt to recreate this heavenly dessert. Ten months later I finally got around to it because we were invited to a dinner with some friends and I was asked to bring dessert. I knew it was a risk to make a recipe I'd never tried before but I went for it anyway. Luckily it turned out perfectly and our guests ate every last bite. I was thrilled. And after having some myself I've decided it would be a shame to go another 10 months without making this treat. If you'd like to try it, here's the recipe (based on David Lebovitz's recipe):

Photo couresty of the interweb.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Toffee Sauce:

2 cups heavy cream
½ cup demerara sugar
2½ tablespoons golden syrup
Pinch salt

For the Pudding:

6 ounces pitted dates, chopped
1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter an 8½-inch porcelain soufflé dish (or similar-sized baking dish.)

2. Make the toffee sauce by bringing the cream, demerara sugar, golden syrup and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring often to melt the sugar.

3. Lower heat and simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick and coats the spoon. Pour half the sauce into the prepared soufflé dish and place the dish in the freezer, and reserve the other half for serving.

4. To make the pudding, in a medium saucepan, heat the dates and water. Once the water begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Set aside, but keep it slightly warm.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then the vanilla.

7. Stir in half of the flour mixture, then the date mixture, then add the remaining flour mixture until just mixed. Don’t overbeat the batter.

8. Remove the soufflé dish from the freezer and scrape the batter into the soufflé dish and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.

9. Remove the pudding from the oven, and let cool slightly before serving. Spoon portions of the cake into serving bowls and douse with additional warm toffee sauce. I like a dollop of whipped cream or whipped creme fraiche alongside my pudding but vanilla ice cream is also good.

Same old, Same old...

Mr X and I have been up to the same old things lately. It just so happens that I love those things so I'm happy with that. We went up to Steamboat for a long weekend again this past weekend. We have a few free passes to the mountain which we are trying to use to the best of our abilities and schedules.

On the way home I was on eagle watch because the last time we saw a couple of beautiful Golden Eagles. We hit the jackpot this time because we saw six or seven different Bald Eagles. As far as I know I've never seen one in the wild before. While we got some fairly close views of these incredible birds, I still wish we'd had Mr X's binoculars with us. Next time...