4/26/12

Awesome Pecan Bars From Our Friend Bob Haering

Pecan Bar Drizzled in Orange Passion
Bob Haering, a Wax Orchards customer from Michigan, recently contacted us in an email praising Fruit Sweet. He had an inspiring message and an incredible offer of service.

Bob’s been using Fruit Sweet for the past two years as a professional baker. He is a pastry chef at an exclusive country club that offers a low-fat, low-sugar dessert menu. It seems the president of the club was concerned about his own refined sugar intake and so he asked Bob to develop healthier dessert choices for the club. Bob discovered Wax Orchards Fruit Sweet almost by accident when he sent an assistant  to purchase some kind of natural, refined sugar substitute. Bob was expecting something granulated. But the assistant returned with a golden jar of Fruit Sweet. Realizing Fruit Sweet is all natural fruit sugar in its simplest, non-granulated form Bob started creating low-fat, lower calorie desserts with it.

One popular delicacy that Bob converted to a healthier choice alternative was his Pecan Bars. He reduced 1 ½ cups of Fruit Sweet, ¼ cup of honey and 2 TBS Molasses (for color) into a delicious caramel that glues the pecans together. He uses this Fruit Sweet Carmel as a layer in all the bars he makes. Bob is quick to point out that he uses all natural ingredients because the artificial and highly processed sweeteners like Stevia, Splenda and NutraSweet are ultimately not as healthful as their makers would have us believe.

“You generally are amping up the fats and salts to cover the funky taste,” explains Bob. So while certain sweeteners proclaim they contain no calories, professional chefs like Bob must increase the overall amount of salt and fat in recipes to mask their unpleasant residual flavors. While this may decrease sugars, ultimately this does not make for a truly low calorie or healthier food.

“As far as using Fruit Sweet for weight loss, I can attest to that,” adds Bob.  “I have a horrible sweet-tooth. I would sample all the pastries that I made with refined sugars. I weighted 238 pounds. Now I only eat the sweets I that I use Fruit Sweet in.  I do not feel guilty eating [it].  I have lost 37 pounds since Jan 4th this year.”

When Bob said that we were amazed. But we were also a bit skeptical of such profound results. Certainly Bob must’ve quit drinking and started jogging and given up carbs and gone onto an all kale diet, right?

“No,” he says. ”I home-brew beer so there’s no way I’m giving that up. I’m 37 pounds lighter due to cutting refined sugar out of my diet.”

Bob wants to share his experience with everyone. Because he’s a pastry chef he is continually innovating recipes. Bob has generously offered to provide us with the very recipes that he is using at home to maintain a healthy weight using Fruit Sweet. Below is the first of his delicious recipes. Thanks for your submission Bob!

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS


SHORTBREAD CRUST FOR BARS
12 oz (3 STICKS) Unsalted butter
1 cup Fruitsweet
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

Yield:  ½ sheet pan or a cookie sheet for home use.

1.      Cream butter and Fruit Sweet.  Slowly drizzle the Fruit Sweet into the butter.  Take your time adding the Fruit Sweet.  The butter and Fruit Sweet must be combined thoroughly.   Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
2.     Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Slowly add flour mixture to the butter and eggs.
3.     Line the pan with parchment paper.   Pat in the dough, pressing the dough up the side of the pan.  Prick the dough with a fork.  Place in freezer for 20 minutes to let the dough relax.
4.     Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes or till edges begin to brown.  Remove from oven and set aside while you prepare the pecan caramel.

PECAN CARAMEL
12 oz Unsalted butter
3 oz Honey
1 ½ cups Fruit Sweet
1 tablespoon molasses
4 cups pecan pieces
2 ½ oz heavy cream

1.     Place butter, honey, Fruit Sweet and molasses in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
2.     Bring to a boil.  Boil until firm ball stage (265 degrees on a candy thermometer)
3.     Remove from heat, add cream, (being careful, as the cream will cause the caramel to bubble up),  add pecans.
4.     Place another cookie sheet under the one containing the shortbread (double-panned).  This will prevent the crust from over-browning while it bakes.
5.     Fill with the pecan caramel
6.     Bake at 350 degrees until set and the edge of the caramel is bubbly; about 15 to 20 minutes.  Do not over-bake.
7.     When cool, drizzle with your favorite chocolate fudge sauce from Wax Orchards .   



4/11/12

Luscious Lemon Curd!

Whisk constantly- Never leave your curd unattended!

With summer's heat on its way, we crave cool and refreshing foods that will curb the soaring 68 degree temperatures here in Seattle.  Try this easy as pie recipe for fantastic and fool proof lemon curd.



3 oz. (6 Tbs.) butter, softened at room temperature
2/3 cup Wax Orchard Fruit Sweet (reduce Fruit Sweet if using Meyer's Lemons)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. grated lemon zest
small pinch salt

1.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 min. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 min. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.
2.  In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.) Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Don't let the mixture boil (or it may curdle).
3.  Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools.

Yum!!  Enjoy!!