INGREDIENTS
- 4 bananas
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp sugar, brown
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add bananas, sugar, and cocoa into blender.
- Puree till smooth.
- Line a food dehydrator rack with parchment paper or use the fruit leather screen.
- Pour the mixture into the tray 1/4-in thick.
- Dry at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 10 hours. Dry until no moist spots are left so you may want to flip the leather half way through.
Notes: You can also use the puree between cake layers or as a spread on a peanut sandwich.
INGREDIENTS
- ~ cranberries, fresh
- ~ sugar, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Fill a large pot with water.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Place cranberries in a large bowl.
- Pour the water over cranberries after it boils.
- Set the timer for 2 min.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries to a colander to strain when the timer goes off.
- Repeat this process if you’re working in batches.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar per 1 cup of cranberries in the colander. Adjust to your taste preference as necessary.
- Mix well.
- Lay the cranberries on a single layer on the dehydrating tray.
- Set the dehydrator to 135-deg F.
- Check on the cranberries at the 8 hour mark. Every machine is different and can take up to 12 hours.
Notes: Cranberries usage extends far beyond the sauce (or chutney or jello mold, depending on where you’re from) you typically find on Thanksgiving tables. Use them in scones, in salads and homemade trail mix or in granola bars, in Biscotti and even in potpourri. 1 cup of fresh cranberries = 1/4 cup dried cranberries.
You don’t have to boil the cranberries first before dehydrating, but it makes the dehydrating time much faster. Rogue cranberries that don’t “pop” in the boiling water barely change in size by the 12 hour mark in the dehydrator.
Unlike most things, it’s cheaper to buy dried cranberries than make them yourself. But commercially dried cranberries are usually heavily sweetened. When you make them at home yourself, you control the amount of sugar you add – from plenty of sweet to none at all. So, It’s kind of a toss up for me really on buying versus making.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 marshmallows, mini, bag
INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread marshmallows on the trays of the dehydrator.
- Turn the machine on.
- Dry for about 4 hours.
Notes: The inside is still a little bit gummy when taken out of the dehydrator, but they are hard when cooled. You want them like the ones you find in Lucky Charm Cereal. But put them on any cereal you want. Exact cook time depends on your dehydrator.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp vinegar apple cider or lemon
- 1 cup grease, liquid bacon
- 1 tsp mustard, Dijon
- 1 pinch salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add yolk and apple cider vinegar to a food processor.
- Pulse to combine.
- Very, very slowly drizzle in the liquid bacon grease with the food processor on.
- Continue slowly adding all the bacon grease.
- Add mustard and salt.
- Mix to combine.
Notes: A recipe for bacon mayonnaise is one food everyone on the keto diet should learn how to make. Also called Baconnaise, this spread is easy to make and full of bacon flavor. Especially good on a BLT.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cup milk
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1 Pinch salt
- 2-1/2 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste / extract / 1 vanilla bean pod
- 3 large egg yolk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp butter, unsalted
INSTRUCTIONS
- Split the bean and scrape the vanilla seeds/caviar out of the beans if using vanilla bean pods.
- Add the bean and caviar with the milk into a saucepan.
- Heat the milk over medium high heat bringing it to a simmer, almost to a boil.
- Place the sugar, egg, yolk, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl while the milk is being heated. Add vanilla bean paste or extract to the egg mix if you are using, too.
- Place the bowl with the egg mix on a towel or napkin to prevent the bowl from slipping while whisking.
- Whisk until you have a smooth thick mixture.
- Set aside until the milk comes to a boil.
- Remove the milk from the heat as soon as it starts to bubble.
- Slowly pour about a half of the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream WHILE WHISKING CONSTANTLY to temper the egg mixture.
- Add the egg mix back into the hot milk in the saucepan after the egg mixture has been tempered.
- Heat the custard base about 1 to 2 min over medium heat while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken.
- Let the custard come to a boil while whisking. The custard will release bubbles.
- Lower the heat.
- Cook for a further 1 to 2 min after you see the first bubbles break the surface to get rid of any starchy taste.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add the butter.
- Whisk until the butter is thoroughly combined.
- Pour the custard into a bowl.
- Immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap.
- Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the whole surface of the pastry cream to prevent a custard skin from forming on top.
- Let the custard cool down to room temperature.
- Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours until it’s completely chilled.
- Use as needed after the pastry cream has been chilled.
Notes: Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille. It will keep several days in the fridge, in a closed jar. It’s possible to flavor confectioner’s custard with other things rather than vanilla: coffee, alcohols, etc… You can also make a chocolate custard by folding about 3.5 oz of chocolate, broken in small pieces into the custard with the whisk while it is still hot. For a richer vanilla creme patisserie, you can substitute the whole egg with 3 egg yolk (6 egg yolk in total). Use 3 tbsp of cornstarch for a stiffer pastry cream.
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz raspberries, frozen, completely thawed
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar, granulated or evaporated cane juice
- 2 tbsp lemon juice grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
- 6 large egg yolk
- 1 pinch salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Have ready a fine-mesh sieve placed over a heat-proof bowl.
- Melt the butter in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the berries and juices, sugar, citrus juice, egg yolk and salt.
- Cook about 5 to 10 min over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Mash the berries, until thickened.
- Strain through the prepared sieve.
- Mash the berries with a spoon.
- Discard the seeds and other solids.
- Give the curd in the bowl a stir.
- Let cool slightly.
- Press plastic wrap onto the surface.
- Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
Notes: A lovely red curd that’s slightly tangy – perfect for spreading on scones or toast.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large papaya or 2 small, soft/perfectly ripe
- 1/2 lime, Juice
- 4 tbsp of sugar, cane
- 3 egg yolk
- 3-1/2 tbsp butter, room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the papaya.
- Remove the seed.
- Puree the pulp using a food processor.
- Add the sugar.
- Heat over low heat to melt the sugar.
- Add the lemon juice and melted butter off the heat.
- Stir.
- Put the mixture in a double-boiler.
- Add egg yolks when the mixture starts quivering. Do this without ceasing to stir and prevent the container from touching the water bath.
- Curd is ready when the mixture coats the spoon.
- Put into a sterilized jar.
- Keep in the refrigerator.
Notes: This version is flavored with fresh papaya for an exotic flavor, but still has fragrant citrus-y taste. Serve this improved version as a spread for your breakfast toast or English muffins. You can proceed the same way with mangoes and replace lime juice with passion fruit juice.
INGREDIENTS
- 1.75 liter bottles of vodka
- 16 oz bag of cinnamon stick
- 60 4-oz glass bottles with corks
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place 3 cinnamon sticks in each bottle.
- Cover with vodka.
- Steep for 6-8 weeks.
- Give the bottles a shake to keep things mixed every few days.
Notes: Christmas is coming up, and these are the best gifts! Simple, creative, and thoughtful. Just a little over $3/bottle, very cost effective. Makes about 60 bottles.
- Stir it into applesauce for a cinnamon flavor.
- Use it in baked goods to add a whole new dimension of cinnamon taste.
- Add a splash to your coffee, hot cocoa, or tea for a cinnamon-y surprise.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup crushed raw cacao nibs
- 8 oz vodka, bourbon, or rum
INSTRUCTIONS
- Gently crush cacao nibs to help release their flavor. This step is optional, but it speeds up the ripening process of the extract.
- Pour vodka/bourbon/rum over the nibs.
- Seal jar tightly.
- Give the jar a good shake.
- Store in a dark cabinet for at least three months, shaking occasionally.
- When the extract has reached the depth of flavor you prefer. A process that can take up to six month.
- Strain out the cacao beans.
- Place extract in the freezer overnight in a freezer-safe container.
- Remove extract the next morning.
- Scrape off any fat that has risen to the top.
- Store in either a dark container/dark cabinet.
Notes: You can use it to replace vanilla in baked goods or use both.
INGREDIENTS
- 10 cup flour, all-purpose
- 6-1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 5 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2-1/2 cup vegetable shortening.
- 1-1/2 to 2 cup cocoa powder, For a whole batch of Chocolate Cake Mix, Optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix together dry ingredient in large mixing bowl.
- Blend in the shortening using a pastry blender or stand mixer until mix resembles cornmeal in texture.
- Store mix in one large air tight container or divide by putting 5 cup each into gallon sized storage bags.
USAGE (2 LAYERS)
- 5 cup master cake mix
- 1-1/4 cup milk
- 3 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pre-heat oven to 350-deg F.
- Grease baking pan (9x 13, two 8 inch rounds, bundt, or line cupcake pans with paper liners)
- Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.
- mix well till very well blended and very creamy.
- Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake 35 to 40 min until done and tests clean.
- Cool.
- Frost as desired.
For all white cake: Use only egg whites, no yolks
follow remaining directions above.
For Chocolate Cake: If you made a yellow master mix (if did not already add cocoa powder to the master mix )
Mix 1/2 cup cocoa powder to cake mix.
Notes: This Master Cake Mix makes about enough to equal about 4 store bought boxes of cake mix. Use within 3 months.
Easy Everyday Sauces, Seasonings, Gravies, Dressings, Frostings, Syrups, Condiments, and Marinades (along with homemade extras) 