maple syrup
WHAT: Pure maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of maple trees; it takes 20 to 50 gallons of sap to make a single gallon of maple syrup. Maple syrup is classified according to the intensity of its amber color, going from light (AA) to dark (C), and its maple flavor, although the grade is not a reflection of quality. Generally, the darker the syrup, the more robust the flavor. Grade B is preferred for most of the recipes in this book because of its robust flavor.
USES: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener. Because it lends a mild maple flavor to baked goods and desserts, it can sometimes be used in place of other liquid sweeteners, such as honey and corn syrup.
FIND: Grade B maple syrup can be found at the supermarket or specialty foods stores. If you can’t find Grade B, Grade A syrup can be used instead. Avoid syrups that are labeled “pancake syrup” but look like maple syrup—these less expensive imitators of maple syrup actually contain corn syrup and artificial flavors, but no maple syrup.
STORE: Once opened, maple syrup keeps in the refrigerator for up to a year.
mascarpone
WHAT: Although often referred to as cream cheese, Italian mascarpone is technically a very thick cream. It has an even richer, creamier flavor than heavy whipping cream and a thick, smooth, spreadable consistency. Its flavor is similar to cream cheese but has a sweeter, creamier taste compared to the tangy, salty flavor of cream cheese.
USES: Mascarpone’s creamy qualities make it a blank slate for showcasing other flavors. Mascarpone is the essential ingredient in tiramisù and is often used in cheesecakes, frostings, and mousses. It can also be served in lieu of butter atop waffles, crepes, and French toast or spread onto toast and topped with jam.
FIND: In small plastic containers in the cheese or dairy section of most supermarkets, Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and natural foods stores.
STORE: In the refrigerator for up to a month.
molasses
WHAT: A sweet, thick, dark brown syrup with a distinctive roasted, tangy flavor that is characteristic of gingerbread. Molasses is the by-product of processing sugarcane or sugar beets into table sugar. There are three basic types of molasses available: light, which comes from the first boiling of the sugar syrup; dark, from the second; and blackstrap molasses, from the third boiling. Dark molasses is more robust and less sweet than light molasses, and blackstrap molasses is even darker and more bittersweet.
USES: We recommend unsulphured molasses because it is the purest. The recipes in this book specify whether to use light or dark molasses; blackstrap should never be used because its flavor is too bitter.
FIND: Near the maple syrups in the supermarket and at specialty foods stores.
STORE: Airtight in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
nuts
WHAT: Most nuts are fruits or seeds, although peanuts are technically legumes.
USES: Nuts add flavor, texture, and richness to baked goods and desserts. They are sold shelled or unshelled, raw or roasted, salted or unsalted, or seasoned. Some, such as almonds, are available slivered, sliced, chopped, and blanched. Most desserts and baking recipes call for shelled raw or toasted nuts that are unsalted.
FIND: Because nuts are high in fat, they can easily become rancid. It is best to buy them from sources that have a high turnover rate to ensure freshness—such as natural foods stores, farmers’ markets, and online sources specializing in nuts. They’re also available at supermarkets.
STORE: To help keep them fresh, store shelled nuts airtight in the refrigerator for up to six months, and in the freezer for up to a year.
peanut butter
WHAT: Natural peanut butter, also known as old-fashioned peanut butter, is made by blending roasted peanuts with some salt into a paste that is either creamy or crunchy. Many major-brand regular peanut butters contain sugar, molasses, and other additives. In recent years, these brands have replaced partially hydrogenated oils with palm oil; the palm oil prevents the natural oils found in peanut butter from separating from the peanut butter.
USES: The separation of oil and peanut butter is a common occurrence in natural peanut butter, so it must be stirred to blend before it is measured. At room temperature, natural peanut butter tends to be thinner than regular peanut butter, yet firmer when cold. Since natural and regular peanut butter are quite different in texture and flavor, it is important to use the style called for in the recipe.
FIND: In the supermarket.
STORE: After opening, store in the refrigerator for up to six months.
phyllo dough & puff pastry
WHAT: Although they both create decadent, flaky crusts for desserts, phyllo dough and puff pastry are quite different. Phyllo dough is paper-thin sheets of dough (made of flour, water, and oil); in many recipes, each layer is brushed with melted butter and then stacked to create a crust. Puff pastry is made by wrapping chilled butter in dough and repeatedly rolling and folding. For each, it is this layering of pastry dough with butter that makes them puff. When baked, the butter releases its moisture as steam, which is trapped by the dough, causing the layers of dough to separate and puff. Baked phyllo dough is crisper than puff pastry.
USES: Phyllo dough and puff pastry dough are two indispensable ingredients for making some of the most prized desserts and pastries, ranging from baklava and apple strudel to napoleons and elegant tarts.
FIND: Making these doughs from scratch is very labor-intensive and time-consuming, but, fortunately, they can easily be purchased. Both are widely available in the freezer section of supermarkets and specialty foods stores, near the frozen fruits and desserts. Look for frozen puff pastry that lists butter as a main ingredient. Phyllo dough can also be purchased fresh at Middle Eastern markets.
STORE: In the freezer for up to a year. Thaw frozen phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator, puff pastry at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
salt
WHAT: Salt is a key ingredient in baked goods and desserts and comes in a variety of forms used in baking:
Table salt is inexpensive common white salt; it’s very fine grained and contains additives that help prevent it from clumping. Some bakers prefer this salt because its fine grains blend and dissolve easily in batters and dough. However, others avoid table salt because they feel it has a harsh, chemical flavor.
Kosher salt is coarse-grained salt that is free of additives and has a smoother flavor than table salt. If a recipe calls for kosher salt, don’t use table salt, as they are not interchangeable (table salt is far saltier).
Sea salt has a fresh, smooth flavor and is available in fine and coarse grains. The fine grains are used like table salt, and the coarse grains are often used as a “finishing salt,” sprinkled on food as a garnish just before serving. Some sea salts are rich in minerals, which gives them an off-white or gray color.
Fleur de sel (meaning “flower of salt” in French) is a sea salt that is hand-harvested off the coast of France. Because only the very top layer of salt is collected in a labor-intensive process, it is more expensive than table salt and kosher salt. It has large, damp grains and is available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores. It is used only as a finishing salt.