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| An Adaptation of Nigella's Vegan Chocolate Cake |
updated Oct 2018
67goingon50 also recommended replacing some products with others in order to reduce sugar and increase fibre to slow down sugar absorption.
This week's How to... gives a step-by-step guide to how 67 took a classic (sugar-laden) recipe for Oatmeal Cookies and altered it to make it less sweet and more healthy.
The original recipe came from Essentials of Baking by Williams-Sonoma, published by Oxmoor House (£34 new in hardcover, but apparently as low as £4 at you-know-where). The book is brilliant; it's one of the textbooks for chefs wanting to work in pastry (baking) kitchens. It's full of useful information about baking techniques and contains great recipes, though one suspects they were created for people enjoying them in commercial surroundings.
This post:
- shows the original recipe
- marks out the ingredients which will be changed
- gives reasons why the changes were made
- analyses the response
- details further changes
Original Recipe Ingredients, (potential changes in italics)
- 235gr/7.5oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 220gm/7oz firmly packed golden brown sugar
- 125gm/4oz granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 140gm/5
- 140gm/4.5oz rolled oats
- 375gm/12oz raisins
Changes
- replaced 2.5 oz of plain flour with wholemeal flour - that's about 1/3 of the total but 1/4 of the total is also ok. Because: wholemeal flour slows down the absorption of sugars. It also adds fibre, which is good for the digestion, and is heart friendly. Note: children under 6 years should not consume too much wholemeal flour; it's bad for their digestion
- reduced the amount of sugar by 75gm/2oz in each category. Because: sugar in many societies was a luxury but has become commonplace; many classic recipes contain a good deal more sugar than the recipe needs to satisfy people with a sweet craving
- replaced the missing sugar with ground almonds. Because the amount of sugar is calculated to balance the amount of butter; the almonds keep the proportions right. Ground almonds also add sweetness without sugar. Note: ground almonds can be replaced totally or 50-50 with dried unsweetened coconut, which sweetens when baked. The blogger did not do so because someone was allergic to coconut
- offered a replacement for two large eggs - 2.5 normal eggs or 3 small eggs - because not everyone wants to rush out to buy large eggs when there are normal eggs at home. Note: a bit of extra egg gives cookies a slightly more cake-like texture
- reduced the amount of raisins by 58gm/2oz. Because dried raisins contain a great deal of sugar, even if it's fruit sugar
- soaked the raisins in orange juice overnight. Because the fresh orange juice adds sweetness without sugar. And because soaking overnight plumped up the raisins, preventing the shrivelled bits of aching sweetness that catch in the teeth! Note: soaking in tea would add a different level of flavour but maybe not so much sweetness
- increased the amount of oatmeal. Because: to compensate for the lower volume of raisins
Response to initial changes
The Blogger still found the cookies overly sweet. Some testers strongly agreed; while others enjoyed them immensely. The chaps at my local butchers, who tested the product, pronounced them 'gorgeous' and unusual. One young female lawyer - a confessed cookie addict who may have been very hungry - ate four in one sitting.
Final changes
- sugar levels were cut even further, bearing in mind that the natural sweetness of the raisins was intensified by the fresh orange juice
- the amount of oatmeal was reduced slightly
Response to final changes
The Blogger: 'Very satisfied; hard to have just one. They had a good texture in and out and weren't too sweet. Some of the cookies had a pronounced dome but the oven, not the recipe, may be at fault'.
Launderette Manager, her family and friends: 'Nearly everyone really liked them, with a few definitely wanting more. For some, maybe a little less cinnamon would be an improvement.'
A 20-something Singleton: 'Great cookies; I liked these. They were crisp on the outside, lovely and soft in the middle and not too sweet.'
A 20-something Singleton: 'Great cookies; I liked these. They were crisp on the outside, lovely and soft in the middle and not too sweet.'
A classic recipe transformed, for the better
The many alterations to the original make the Oatmeal & Raisin cookies an original 67goingon50 product inspired by Essentials of Baking, rather than a recipe from Essentials of Baking.
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