I asked for your input, readers and friends, and you have provided me with a terrific list. You’ve challenged me with ingredients I have never heard of, ingredients I’ve tasted but never baked with, ingredients I already love but will use in a new way and few that intimidate me.
My hope is to use each of these ingredients in a way that they shine in the Sweet Treat. It would be easy to slip the ingredient into an already-tasty treat, disguising it, or not using it to the fullest benefit. But I want to avoid gratuitous use. For some of these ingredients, that will be tricky. I’ve got much to learn and plenty of recipe development ahead of me. I’m ready!
Here’s the list:
1. Jagermeister, suggested by Laurie
2. Frangelico, suggested by Allison
3. Any Vosges Chocolate product, suggested by Allison
4. Anise, suggested by Jacob
5. Mayonnaise, suggested by Mark (mentioned Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake)
6. Malt Extract, suggested by Tim (has gluten, but will try something else from the homebrewer’s store)
7. Prunes, suggested by MV (suggested King’s Ruins cake, prunes being the ingredient I’ve not used)
8. Parsnips, suggested by Eileen(she has a recipe I may de-gluten)
9. Oregano, suggested in a roundabout way by Tina (she joked about brownies…)
10. Wild Rice, suggested by Sheena
11. Leftover Mashed Potatoes, suggested by Karen
12. Olives, suggested by Keri
13. Chicory, suggested by John
14. Corn, suggested by John, mentioning Glace’s Sweet Corn Ice Cream
15. Chai, suggested by Christina, used in Sugar Cookies
16. Bitter Gourd or Melon, suggested by Sarah
17. Rancho de Chimayo chili powder, red or green, suggested by Robert B.
18. Hatch Chiles, suggested by Robert B.
19. Pistachio Oil and Seeds, suggested by Robert B.
20. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, suggested by Robert B.
And then came a terrific list of possible ingredients from Deanne:
21. Durian (scared of this one!)
22. Mangosteen
23. Paw Paw
24. Kale
25. Avocado
26. Pistachios
27. Dulce de Leche
28. Aleppo Pepper from Penzey’s
29. Persimmons
30. Miso
31. Cotton Candy
32. Macadamia Nut Paste
33. Quince Paste
34. Flax Seed
35. Dried Mango
36. Absinthe
37. Marzipan
38. Sake
39. Nori
40. Lychee
41. Red Bean Paste
42. Curry
43. Kumquats
44. Garlic
45. Black Garlic
46. Potato Chips
And rounding out the list, a few ingredients I would like to try:
47. Shatto Root Beer Milk with Soda Vie’s Root Beer
48. Chyavanprash
49. Kaniwa
50. Prickly Pear Cactus
51. Fresh Sheep’s Milk Cheese
52. Velvet Creme Popcorn
This list turned out to be much more challenging than any I could have compiled on my own. Thanks to all of you who shared suggestions for this year’s project. Your suggestions have motivated me to keep moving with my 52 Sweets project, adding just a little twist this year. Stay tuned…
UPDATE: I have received a couple of additional ingredient suggestions. I thought I would add them in case I get ambitious…or perhaps can use more than one ingredient in a creation.
53. Vegemite, suggested by John
54. Peanut Flour, suggested by John
55. Jam made with Princess Di’s Hair, suggested by Tarra
56. Onions & Oatmeal, not necessarily together, suggested by Mandy in the last month of pregnancy
57. Pomegranate, suggested by reader Harmonious1
58. Lingonberry jam from IKEA
I would like to suggest Pomegranate (thank goodness for spell check). In my opinion the Empress Of All Fruits.
Isn't malt extract a barley product?
Harmonious1–I'll add pomegranate. I like it very much, too!
Asp–Yes, malt extract is a sugar derived from barley and contains gluten. I mention that in my list. As an alternative, I am going to use something from the homebrewer's store that does not contain gluten. I haven't been there to find out just what that will be yet. It's going to be a fun challenge!
I love baking with black beans and am just starting to bake with white beans. When I first became gluten-free, it sounded crazy. But the most delicious dessert recipes I've had are flourless and made with black beans!