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I recently made chocolate chip cookies using a stevia-sweetened 70% chocolate nib—the flavor was a little off. How could the flavor have tasted better (add vanilla or cinnamon?)

Vegan Holiday Showstopper Desserts for Everyone

Fran Costigan - Vegan Holiday Showstopper Desserts for Everyone

Recorded

This event was on December 6, 2022

Join Vegan Pastry Master Fran Costigan for an exploration of Holiday Showstopper desserts! Learn how to make the spectacular holiday log known as Buche de Noel complete with mushrooms and forest ‘dirt’ and how to make Baked Jelly Donut (Sufganiyot) for Chanukah. The Chef Fran way means making components ahead, a simpler shaped cake and variations for dietary considerations. Bring your questions and an appetite for some amazing holiday desserts. You won’t want to miss this event!

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Question

Char Nolan

I recently made chocolate chip cookies using a stevia-sweetened 70% chocolate nib—the flavor was a little off. How could the flavor have tasted better (add vanilla or cinnamon?)

Answer

The off flavor most likely had to do with the stevia. I personally find that it does have an off taste as do some of the other -sugar let's just call it non-sugar sweetened chocolates and that would include all you lose or erythritol. They all have to me a taste. So in order to mask that flavor vanilla isn't going to do it. It's too subtle but cinnamon or some of the stronger. spices Will absolutely do that and that's really interesting. Excuse my phone I was sure that I had. The do not disturb on so that's what I would say Char go ahead and add some of the stronger spices and I'm looking forward to seeing you in a couple of days when you do your demo in Philadelphia Char and I share a love of prunes and prune puree as a sweetener and fat replacer. I just want to put that out there.

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.