Knowledge Base › Fran Costigan - The Great Thanksgiving Dessert Debate

When substituting cashew cream in a dessert, are we doing a dis-service to our guests if we don’t tell them how much more highly caloric it is than whipped cream?

The Great Thanksgiving Dessert Debate

Fran Costigan - The Great Thanksgiving Dessert Debate

Recorded

This event was on November 19, 2024

Are Thanksgiving desserts best when they stick to tradition, or is it time to shake things up with some trendy twists? Join Chef Fran Costigan, Rouxbe Director of Vegan Pastry for a lively discussion where exploring the timeless classics and the modern spins on your favorite Thanksgiving sweets. Of course, in Fran’s kitchen, whether traditional or less so, all her desserts will be vegan-- that is dairy, egg and white sugar free and satisfying to all. Sign up and send in your questions.

View Event Details

Question

Anne Erdfelt

When substituting cashew cream in a dessert, are we doing a dis-service to our guests if we don’t tell them how much more highly caloric it is than whipped cream?

Answer

I don't serve a cake or a pie or a cream and say, oh my god, this has so many calories in it, you know, it's dessert and desserts are treats. What I would do is serve a smaller portion instead of a larger portion. And one, you know, I haven't done the math to know that cashew cream is more caloric than whipped cream. I don't know about that. It seems like you may. Um, but of course how much, but what cashew cream has is it has nutrients, it has fiber. Whipped cream is all fat, you know, it's heavy cream, it's fat and cashew cream has is there's fat in nuts, there's fat in cashews, but we're talking about healthier. So, and there, there is, you know, there are reliable sources saying that the fiber in nuts is going to help you digest your food differently, help the fat hit your system differently. So I don't know, you have to decide. I would serve the cashew cream smaller portion of it and not worry about it. Or maybe you have someone sitting around your table who doesn't want any.

Fran Costigan

Director of Vegan Pastry

FranCostigan.com

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue. Her previous cookbook, More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. For more information, www.francostigan.com.