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tastesoftamriel · 4 years ago

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What have the Tamrielic races got in terms of candy? I know the Khajiit have moon sugar brittle and the Nords got their honey sweets, but what else is there?

There are so many sweets in Tamriel it'll make your teeth hurt, and I'm lucky enough to have tried loads of them! These are some of my favourite treats...

Redguards

I adore going to Hammerfell sweetshops, which are packed to the rafters with fresh candies and pastries dripping in honey. The Redguards enjoy sweet cakes flavoured with exotic spices like cardamom and nutmeg, along with syrups of rose, coconut, and salty caramel soaking right through them. My favourite, however, is deep-fried sugar swirls, which are made from thick coconut sugar syrup that's fried in hot oil, fresh from the cauldron!

Bretons

The Bretons are known for their boozy filled candies, which are quite inventive and pack some punch (literally)! Aside from the famous brandy-filled chocolates, High Rock is home to some of Tamriel's best patisseries. From airy butter tarts filled with brandy jam, to jaw-dropping tiered fruit cakes with absinthe-filled fizzy lemon sweets, you'll be in heaven if you're a fan of desserts!

Argonians

The Argonians don't have much of a sweet tooth, but they do love tropical fruits and a curious nectar from a native Murkmire plant, scuttlebloom. Papaya and watermelon "cakes" are layered fruit wrapped into little rice paper parcels which are then soaked in scuttlebloom nectar and served slightly chilled. Another favourite is steamed sago pudding, served either hot or cold, with chopped yams, preserved palm fruit, barley pearls, and fresh fruits. Refreshingly different and totally moreish.

Khajiit

Now where do I even begin with the Khajiit? From pastries and biscuits to boiled sweets and airy spun moon sugar, sugar-tooth has a double meaning the second you cross the border to Elsweyr. My personal favourite are caramel tarts, which are a sweet biscuit shell filled with caramel pudding, topped with moon sugar, and blasted with a lick of fire (often spells) to grill the top to crackling perfection. And of course, you can try my Moon Sugar Brittle and Senchal Baklava for a taste of Southern Elsweyr too!

Bosmer

In addition to chewing or smoking sweetgnats, Green Pact followers have mastered to an art the creation of naturally sweetened animal meats and milks through generations of selective breeding and a staunch diet of moon sugar cane and fruits. Sugar mammoths are a smaller breed of timber mammoth that fall under the criteria, and their milk is pleasantly sweet and easy to caramelise. It makes it the perfect base for creamy desserts, and the meat of the sugar mammoth is prized for its sweet but meaty flavour. A typical Bosmer dessert would be a baked egg pudding topped with a flame-grilled scuttlecream meringue, which is perfectly sweet and balanced!

Nords

You're right about Nords having a slight addiction to honey, which is the basis of our sugar, though we also grow sugar beets to a smaller degree. Aside from Honey Nut Treats and taffy, we're also famous for our honey-based hard boiled sweets, which are delicious plain or flavoured with berries, juniper, and other herbs. Think of a little ball of mead, unless you dislike mead. I should probably have tried to sell this a little harder, but I do enjoy both mead and boiled honey sweets.

Dunmer

Traditional desserts from Vvardenfell are a bit confusing to mainland Tamrielic tastes, and are often sweet saltrice-based soups flavoured with ingredients like comberry, ginger and ash yams, served with glutinous saltrice dumplings stuffed with roasted gold kanet seeds or sweet ash yam paste. Cakes are common as an afternoon snack, and range from simple marshmerrow sponges to intricate scuttlecream chocolate sculptures.

Orsimer

Orcs aren't huge fans of desserts or candy in general (bad for the tusks), but there are a fair few stronghold staples that are understandably praiseworthy. My favourite is echatere cream cheese torte, which is made from a divinely light cheese creme that has the distinctive grassy scent of echatere milk, set deep in a buttery biscuit crust. It isn't overwhelmingly sweet and is perfect plain, though some variations also include berry compote, vanilla, and even ingredients like citrus and lemongrass among the Wood Orcs of Valenwood.

Altmer

Dessert isn't great for the Altmer figure, but you'll need to exercise serious control when you see the patisseries of Summerset! The High Elves are less prone to munching on sweets, preferring dried fruit such as blood orange peels, pomegranate "raisins", and candied ginger. In fact, candied ginger is the star of a famous Alinor cupcake, which is a little confection of vanilla sponge soaked in lemon syrup and orange blossom liqueur, filled with a fragrant ginger marzipan, and topped with a soft orange crème and candied ginger pieces.

Imperials

The Imperials are famous for their simple yet perfectly balanced cakes and pastries, which feature natural flavours from ingredients imported from around Tamriel. Everything from saffron from Taneth to almonds from Elsweyr can be found at the Imperial City markets, and there are cakes and candies galore you can sample. In terms of a classic Cyrodiilic dessert, I adore a good coffee liqueur cake, made from layers of coffee pudding and creamy rum jelly on a crisp coffee biscuit crust. It's best served cold, with a strong shot of espresso to wash it down!

#Asks #Candy #Dessert #World building #Worldbuilding #TES #The Elder Scrolls #Lore #Long post #Text post #Desserts

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cutiecrates · 5 years ago

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Cutie Reviews: Tokyo Treat May 19

Hello, welcome to our next review :3 today we’ll be looking at the May Tokyo Treat. I’m going to point out now that i was a little disgruntled by some details in this specific box- but I will still fairly access everything as usual.

(You probably recognize the DIY item there, I won’t be reviewing it because I already have, and have gotten it numerous times since <_<)

“We’re so excited for you to try this month’s mixture of snacks. Doesn’t the crisp air and budding springtime flowers make you just want to devour some juicy fruit and enjoy their sweet flavors? You’re in luck, because this month we’ve got some yummy fruity flavors in a variety of sweet treats! We’ve also got some delicious savory snacks in store for you! Are you ready? We can’t wait for you to enjoy this months Tutti Fruity box!“

Lucky Treat

This month, the Lucky Treat is full of adorable Rilakkuma goods ranging from cuddly to practical school and kitchen items, many of which feature Rilakkuma hanging out with his friends and visiting various places.

May Prize

Meanwhile, the contest is all about Gudetama, featuring two plush for the grand prize winner, and Gudetama cookies for the runner-ups.

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Fanta Banana Yogurt Mix

Our first item (see pic on top) is the Banana Yogurt Fanta we were supposed to get in the previous box, but due to the “exciting release“ of the Sakura-flavored cola, it was pushed back to this box. Which isn’t bad since it still fits with the theme of this box. Made from healthy banana and nutrients, this is a carbonated drink at only 34kcal, making it a great choice for those seeking less-calorie intake.

Rating: ♥

Honestly I didn’t even want to give it that heart. I’ve said this several times but I’ll say it again if you might be new, I don’t like bananas, and I especially HATE the taste of artificial banana! I tasted no sort of creamy yogurtness or vanilla or anything else except banana. My parents loved the drink meanwhile, so I let them share it.

BUT in saying that, if you like bananas/artificial banana, you will probably really like this. Even though I disliked it, I never spit out the portion I tried and didn’t think I would throw up (like that takoyaki nightmare from a few boxes ago). So it earned 1 heart for at least not making me hate bananas even more.

Caramel Corn Puffs

I decided to start with this because I’ve had it numerous times and didn’t feel like I needed to entirely review it. The Tohato Caramel Corn is a popular brand that we’ve encountered many times, not only in the original/regular flavor, but in a variety of others.

This time we are receiving the original in “share pack“ form, each bag/10 grams being 56kcal.

These are delicious, lightly crisp caramel-flavored puffs. They are pretty sweet though so unless you have a sweet-tooth, you might find them cloying after a while. They make all sorts of unique sweet flavors, from fruity to desserts like tiramisu and ice cream. I would recommend them and they’re pretty easy to find online.

Curry-flavor Crispy Flakes & Salt and Wasabi Chips

Another item I won’t really be reviewing are these little ramen noodle crispy flakes flavored after curry. Besides snacking on them, they can also be used to top udon or other noodle dishes.

I’m not reviewing this because this is also another item I’ve had a few times- but in comparison to caramel corn, I don’t actually like this one. They have a nice crunchiness and the flavor is strong, but that was why I didn’t like them, I wasn’t into the flavor. This was another item I gave my mom.

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Meanwhile, we also have a bag of salt and wasabi chips by Calbee. Now, originally we were supposed to get the Pizza Mayo Mentaiko flavored chips, but due to regulations in meat substances being shipped, it had to be replaced last-second, so we either got the Wasabi chips or the lightly salted.

I was a little disappointed by the change, but at least they were giving us another Calbee brand chip to replace it. These chips (which I have no info on due to the late change not reflected in the book) have a total of 305kcal per-bag.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I usually love these chips, but this one I was a little mixed with opinions because I only like wasabi in extremely small doses sometimes. The flavor is pretty strong and bold, and they get spicy the more you eat, and if you love wasabi I’m sure you would really like these. I can’t say they’re my favorite of the brand, but the crunch is great and they still taste good. You also get a lot of foldy chips (the ones that resemble fortune cookies or wontons), which are my favorites~

Also, I discovered they go good with cream cheese :P my favorite sushi is a Philadelphia roll, which is what gave me the idea to try it.

Matcha Chocolate Corn Puffs & Strawberry Rusk

Following those are two more items I have tried before- so I won’t be reviewing them either (I’m sorry but I don’t see the point in writing the same thing, and essentially I’m still reviewing the item...). First are the Matcha Chocolate puffs by Ginbis, a brand known for their delicious star-shaped corn puffs with chocolate baked into them. This specific flavor is a limited edition, so it’s not always available. Each bag is 321kcal.

So... this is pretty much like the banana drink. I hate green tea and these have no sweetness at all. But the texture is a smooth crispiness which I do like, so I usually like this brands products. If you like green tea you’ll probably love these.

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Our other item is a strawberry chocolate coated rusk (rusk are baked bread pieces coated in glaze and/or sugar) from Ginza Rusk. These are sweet little biscuits embedded entirely with the strawberry flavor, and each pack is 208kcal; something I find a little unappealing about them when you compare the amount to some of the other items <3<

They’re a light crunch and taste pretty good, but I’m usually not a big fan of these rusk snacks. This one I found more tolerable then usual though; maybe they’re starting to grow on me.

Chobo Chobo Cookies & Sakura Japanese Sake KitKat.

These little baked, puffy cookies are made from a traditional recipe and are known for melting in ones mouth. Their bags feature all sorts of adorable little character variations, and each bag is 62kcal.

Rating: ♥ ♥

I don’t know what they put in these but they aren’t my most favorite thing. They remind me a lot of something I don’t like, but I haven’t had said thing in a really long time so I don’t remember what it was...

All things considered they do melt in your mouth though.

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Next is another unique KitKat, featuring the fresh sakura (cherries) and Japanese sake (alcohol). These are limited edition and out in time to celebrate Hanami (cherry blossom viewing). You get 12 mini-sets per usual, and each one is 63kcal.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

They have a lovely pink color (its my favorite shade in fact) and as soon as you eat them you taste the sake and a perfumey cherry- it reminds me of a fresh powdery bath product from Avon. But as strange as that is, I actually kinda like it. I’m not sure if they put alcohol in these, but I’m assuming they might soak the wafer in it or something.

New Mochitaro Puffs & Sugar Rusk Umaibo

These are our last crunchy snacks presented in this months box. First is the Mochitaro Puffs, which are small, bite-sized crispy snacks. I couldn’t find the calories on this, and these are basic salted.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

There isn’t too much flavor in these compared to the other snacks in the box, but the saltiness is noticeable, without being too intense. I kind of like how they aren’t as bold as the other snacks though, it’s a nice change of pace. They sort of remind me of the regular/plain Bugles.

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We also have our monthly Umaibo; this time in a sweet sugary rusk flavor. It has a buttery sweetness in scent, and each stick is 43kcal. If you’re interested in trying Umaibo, they’re super-easy to find online; I’d recommend them but they can become Addictive!

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

In terms of favorites, it doesn’t make my top 3- but it would probably make my top 10. It’s really good, it reminds me of buttery pretzel sticks, I would recommend it if you want something crispy and sweet.

Strawberry Lollipop & Strawberry Mochi

I love strawberries, so I was overall happy to see a few strawberry items in this box- even if I’m not hugely into rusk. First up we have a basic strawberry lollipop with a Hello Kitty package. There are multiple packages, each with a cute little game on the back, like for example mine has a “find the matching flower“ game. Each lollipop is 22.8kcal.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Tastes like typical Japanese strawberry candy, which is a little different than American strawberry candy in most cases. It’s not a realistic flavor, but I really like it. I swear I get a little hint of watermelon or peach in it too.

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Our next item is an actual Mochi :3 these are very rare in this box, I can’t recall if we ever had t before or not... but I do like mochi. It’s become pretty popular where I live as of late, especially ice cream ones, but I think I prefer the basic snacking ones more.

With this little pack you get two, adorable baby mochi~ I couldn’t find calories on them either. But as you can see in the pick, each one has a marshmallow-like inside with strawberry cream or jelly in the middle.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dissecting it, you don’t get much flavor or taste but its very soft, and just a little sweet. They’re also fun to squeeze and play with, and when you eat it entirely (careful so you don’t choke though >x<) you get a bit of flavor. I can’t say I strongly taste anything but I like it.

Cherry Mochi

If you’ve read my blog before then you might recognize this, this is an alternate Mochi treat and we have had these before- these ones are cherry flavored, and last time they were soda. These are by the brand Kyoshin. I couldn’t find calories.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Besides the cute and unique packaging, these also taste good. They’re very different from the other mochi, in that they’re little chewy candies. They taste like normal cherry-flavored candy.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content - 5 out of 5. Everything held up and it was all plenty tasty, with the exception of a few items I didn’t really like, but I know catered to those of you who do like the taste would love the items. Nothing tasted stale or old.

Quality - 2 out of 5. I was severely disappointed, not in the quality of the items but the box itself for being extremely repetitive; half of the box had repetitive items, the theme was very repetitive, and the DIY kit was disgracefully repetitive...

Theme - 3 out of 5. A good portion of the box was fairly fruity in going with the theme, and I believe if you’re going to do a theme you should stick with it, and I noticed that the Classic edition of the box caters more towards the theme than the Premium, but this time I thought it was decent. However, as I said above it was pretty repetitive, so I can’t say I enjoyed the theme.

Total Rank: 5 out of 10. Not counting my preference in flavors, I feel like the items were great. Nothing was stale for having sat around a few months (which is a problem sometimes), no quality problems in terms of item damage or issues, but the fruity theme didn’t appeal to me at all because I feel like the box only half-tried in following it, and there was a lot of repetition. I even wanted to justify the DIY but you honestly can’t at this point. I think this is the 3rd time I’ve gotten it recently, and several kits have fruity tastes or themes, there was no excuse for them to give this same DIY kit to us this soon. They quit with the health snacks and everything else that made this box unique and fun, I don’t understand why obtaining equally priced DIY is suddenly so hard.

♥ Cutie’s Scale of Yummy ♥

I’m not doing it this time, I’m kind of in a bad mood now that I wrote that <3< sorry.

#cutie reviews #tokyotreat #umaibo #tohato #asian kitkats #mochi

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years ago

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The Ultimate Guide to Chinese Supermarket Snacks

17 must-grab snacks, from rice crackers to boba creamsicles

There are few greater pleasures than eating snacks from around the world, whether while traveling abroad or from the comfort of one’s own hometown. Growing up in the Midwest, it was always a weekend treat to stop by our local Chinese mart and leave with a haul of pantry staples, vegetables, and other products we couldn’t find in the international aisles of big box supermarkets — and, of course, the chips, crackers, and candy that, in my mind, are forever linked to that distinct childhood experience.

Informed by those collective years of snacking, here are 17 favorites that can be found in most Chinese marts. Many are classics; some are more recent. Not all of them are even “Chinese,” strictly speaking; in many locales, Chinese supermarkets also function as broader Pan-East Asian stores, stocking Japanese or Korean goods alongside those from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. But they are all, in my opinion, worth trying:

Want Want senbei

Rice crackers

Senbei is a type of Japanese rice cracker with roots in imperial China’s Tang dynasty. One of the main senbei brands you’ll find in Chinese supermarkets is Want Want, a Taiwanese manufacturer. The crunchy crackers come in multiple varieties, like sweet-salty (pictured on the left) and a mouth-smacking umami flavor (right).

Spring onion crackers

Another great cracker is the savory scallion or green onion kind, which tastes exactly how you’d imagine. One brand that’s worth trying is Pop-Pan, which makes a round, buttery cracker dotted with sesame seeds and green onion seasoning.

Sachima

Sachima are one of my childhood favorites. Traditionally made from flour, butter, and rock sugar in Manchu cuisine, the version you’ll find most often in stores nowadays combines a sweet, eggy taste with a soft, chewy texture. There are sachima with raisins, sesame seed-studded sachima, even chocolate-flavored sachima — but, above all, I would recommend the “original” kind for first-timers.

Cream wafers

At their best, cream wafers are a light snack for satisfying a sweet tooth. At their worst, they could be described as “like thin planks of styrofoam sandwiching layers of cream that taste faintly of strawberry.” Ah well, either way, I could house half a packet of these.

Sesame egg roll cookies, complete with a tin container

Egg roll cookies

Not to be confused with the egg rolls you might get from takeout, these crispy cookies known in Chinese as 蛋卷 are crisp and flaky. They sometimes skew a bit dry, so best enjoyed with a nice beveragino. While there are multiple brands on the market, you might consider the kind sold in classic red tins so you’ll have a new container to store sewing supplies for years afterward.

Pocky

Yes fine, Pocky is a Japanese snack, but it has long been a staple of Chinese and other Asian supermarkets, even before big box retailers like Costco started selling them. The popular confectionery-coated biscuit stick is available in a huge variety of flavors. I’d recommend starting out with the classic chocolate before leveling up to strawberry, matcha, and less widely attainable flavors like cookies and cream, mint chocolate, and sakura.

Yan Yan

Another Japanese treat turned Asian snacking symbol, Yan Yan predates Dunkaroos, its closest American equivalent. Each cup comes with crisp biscuit sticks — which, in the 15 or so years since I last regularly bought them, have become inscribed with quotes and cartoon animals? — that are dipped in slightly-too-sweet frosting. Delicious.

Hello Panda (strawberry) and Koala’s March (chocolate)

You might already be familiar with these cute filled biscuits, which are often mistaken for each other but are made by different brands (Meiji Seika and Lotte). Listen very carefully when I instruct you to try the strawberry flavor of pandas and the chocolate flavor of koalas, not the other way around. Can be microwaved briefly or refrigerated for different eating experiences.

Fruit jelly

Sweet, fruity, and colorful, these little cups of jelly — often sold in big ol’ buckets — are as delightful to look at as they are to eat. Consuming them basically involves peeling off the top wrapper, affixing one’s mouth to the edges of the cup like a vacuum seal, and inhaling in one swift, unflinching slurp (but don’t go too fast, lest the jelly shooter become a choking hazard). Other jelly varieties to try include ones in straws and ones in pouches.

Fruit gummies

Chinese and other Asian supermarkets offer a plethora of fruit gummy candy. I would recommend the lychee flavor in particular, most commonly sold by Japanese brand Kasugai.

Haw candy, with 山楂卷 on the left, haw flakes on the right

Haw candy

Chinese hawthorn is such a good fruit!!!! I wish for everyone the joy of tasting this sweet, tart flavor. One such way is through haw flakes, which are essentially flat, dry, candy discs packaged in short rolls. A lesser-known — although, in my opinion, better tasting — form of haw candy is 果丹皮 or 山楂卷, sort of like a stickier, more intensely flavored fruit leather or rollup.

White Rabbit candy

So iconic that there are White Rabbit pop-ups and merch, this milk candy is creamy, chewy, and pretty much a national candy of China. Each one is wrapped in a layer of edible rice paper, which dissolves on the tongue.

Peanut and sesame candy

Sesame and peanut candy

These candies — which bear some resemblance to brittle or nougat — typically boast a satisfying crunch and a nutty, aromatic taste.

Flavored peanuts

Shelled or unshelled, savory or sweet, peanuts are a common fixture in Chinese households, especially when guests come over for cards, drinks, or a long chat. Some flavors that are commonly available include garlic, five spice, and fermented soybean curd. Go for shelled when you’re in the mood to work for your food, unshelled when you don’t mind shoveling nuts down by the handful.

Bread, buns, and other baked goods

Not all stores have a fresh bakery section, but if yours does, grab a couple of treats, like a pineapple bun or a sponge cake.

Milk tea

You should always take a supermarket run as an opportunity to stockpile as many Asian drinks as you can. My go-to is milk tea; I’m partial to Japanese brands like Kirin, which I personally find to be smoother and less sweet, but there are usually at least a few different options, including Chinese and Taiwanese brands.

Brown sugar boba ice cream bar

Hot off the brown sugar bubble milk tea craze that has spread from Taiwan to overseas these past couple years, there is now a creamsicle that tastes remarkably similar to the drink, complete with chewy tapioca pearls. If you like brown sugar boba, you’ll probably like this.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3ke97uv https://ift.tt/3hxAz4y

17 must-grab snacks, from rice crackers to boba creamsicles

Want Want senbei

Rice crackers

Spring onion crackers

Sachima

Cream wafers

Sesame egg roll cookies, complete with a tin container

Egg roll cookies

Pocky

Yan Yan

Hello Panda (strawberry) and Koala’s March (chocolate)

Fruit jelly

Fruit gummies

Chinese and other Asian supermarkets offer a plethora of fruit gummy candy. I would recommend the lychee flavor in particular, most commonly sold by Japanese brand Kasugai.

Haw candy, with 山楂卷 on the left, haw flakes on the right

Haw candy

White Rabbit candy

Peanut and sesame candy

Sesame and peanut candy

These candies — which bear some resemblance to brittle or nougat — typically boast a satisfying crunch and a nutty, aromatic taste.

Flavored peanuts

Bread, buns, and other baked goods

Not all stores have a fresh bakery section, but if yours does, grab a couple of treats, like a pineapple bun or a sponge cake.

Milk tea

Brown sugar boba ice cream bar

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brushwish3-blog · 6 years ago

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25 Low-Sugar Baking Projects for Not-Too-Sweet Treats

I love sugar as much as anyone; it's the backbone of most everything I do, since it provides desserts with volume, structure, body, flavor, and, oh yeah, sweetness (its least important job as far as I'm concerned). Sugar's at the top of the food pyramid for a reason, a sweet cap to an otherwise balanced diet, something to be consumed in moderation.

For the most part, I accomplish that with portion control: thinner slices of cake, smaller scoops of ice cream, one cookie instead of two. But a number of my favorite recipes have a relatively low amount of added sugar, around eight grams or less per serving. For those who love baking, but feel like cutting back on sugar for one reason or another, these recipes should fit the bill.

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Like the original, my homemade Fig Newtons feel pretty virtuous. The cakey cookie is lightly sweetened with honey and brown sugar, while the filling itself is made from nothing more than dried figs, plain applesauce, and a squeeze of fresh orange juice. It's a chewy, fruity snack that's not too sweet or rich and easy to customize with the variations in my cookbook (including apricot-strawberry, blueberry-lime, cherry-banana, and...bacon!).

Homemade Fig Newtons »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

This simple galette is primarily sweetened by the pears, with just a few spoonfuls of added sugar to draw out their juices. Cardamom, Chinese five spice, and vanilla bean amplify the natural flavor of the pear, which stands in creamy contrast to the crispy crust below. It's the ideal dessert to conclude a night of tapas or wine and cheese, but to be honest, I'm all about having it for brunch.

Vanilla Pear Galette »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

The bulk of sugar in these lemony scones comes from a sprinkle of turbinado on top, an entirely optional (though delightfully crunchy) addition. The dough itself leans on fresh blueberries for sweetness, with just 2 teaspoons of sugar to help with flavor and browning.

Lemon-Blueberry Scones »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

My buttermilk granola has less added sugar than its commercial counterparts, just enough to help it brown and crisp in the oven. With toasted sugar, that sweetness is even milder, tempered by a hint of caramel complexity. Serve it for breakfast with Greek yogurt, or grab a handful whenever you need a light and crunchy snack.

Buttermilk Granola »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

In most recipes, sugar serves some key structural role, but in these grainy English muffins, I use honey in an entirely optional way—to serve as a sweet counterpoint to the graham-y flavor of whole wheat. You can dial it back to taste, but I'd use at least an ounce, so the yeast has a snack during its long, overnight rise.

English Muffins »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Few things are as satisfying as homemade bagels that turn out just as blistered, chewy, and flavorful as if they'd come from an old-school bakery. There's just a pinch of sugar to help fuel the dough's slow, overnight rise and a bit of malt syrup in the boiling water for a glossy brown and aromatic crust, but the total amount is still well below our 8 gram threshold—even if you opt to make cinnamon raisin bagels instead.

Bagels »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Look, it's not my fault if you wind up drowning these in maple syrup, but the waffles themselves have only a pinch of sugar in the batter. Instead of doing an overnight rise, I often make these brown-butter waffles first thing in the morning. Then I let them rise all day, so I can griddle them up to serve along with soups and stews or (my fave) fried chicken.

Brown-Butter Yeast-Raised Waffles »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

I learned to make biscuits when I was about two years old, less a reflection of my skill than a testament to the truly foolproof technique—smushing butter into flour with reckless abandon. Biscuits are a fast and simple breakfast or the foundation of a breakfast sandwich, but they're also an easy side for just about any meal (well, any Southern meal).

Light and Fluffy Biscuits Recipe »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

As with my lemon-blueberry scones, the dough here is just barely sweetened, with most of the sugar coming from the chocolate itself. So instead of a sweet milk chocolate, choose something bitter and dark for a bold take on chocolate scones.

Chocolate Scones »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Thanks to whole wheat flour, digestive biscuits have an amazing, graham cracker–like flavor and crunch. Paired with a shiny coat of dark chocolate, these crisp but tender digestives are immensely satisfying with a cup of tea (and when sugar is of no concern, they're the perfect size to sandwich around a toasted marshmallow for s'mores).

Chocolate Digestive Biscuits »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

They may be showered in powdered sugar, but that's only because Mexican wedding cookies (a.k.a., Russian tea cakes; a.k.a., snowballs; a.k.a., Danish wedding cookies) start with an almost savory dough. And, of the sugar that's sprinkled on top, a good deal is lost along the way, scattered across your baking sheet and (real talk) down the front of your shirt.

Mexican Wedding Cookies »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Though lightly glazed in barley malt syrup, homemade Wheat Thins don't require much added sugar, so you can grab a handful of crispy crackers without overdoing it (whatever that means to you). Plus, there's a little more glaze than strictly necessary, so a good deal of the sugar that's present on paper won't ever make it to the crackers themselves. With a sprinkling of coarse salt and the grainy crunch of wheat germ, these savory-sweet crackers are as hearty as they are crisp.

Homemade Wheat Thins »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Unlike the epic crunch of homemade Wheat Thins, these whole wheat crackers are thick and tender with a gentle snap (like the Carr's ones you buy). They're fun and easy to make (the dough comes together super fast in a food processor), and they will keep up to a month in an airtight container. Pull them out as a homemade addition to cheese plates, or smear one with peanut butter for a simple snack.

Whole Wheat Crackers »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Out of everything on this list, these are my all-time favorite for snacking; they're unambiguously salty, cheesy, and crisp. Like any other cracker, these have a great shelf life, so I like to make a big batch to enjoy over a few weeks. Plus, when I'm feeling creative, homemade Cheez-Its are easy to customize with additional herbs and spices or alternative types of cheese.

Homemade Cheez-Its »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

With a cheesy crust, chunks of salty ham, slivers of scallion, and shredded Gruyère scattered throughout the dough, savory scones make a hearty breakfast, or they can be cut small to serve alongside bowls of creamy tomato soup.

Ham and Cheese Scones »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

With fresh parsley, a dash of onion powder, garlic, paprika, and cayenne, these cheddar biscuits have a bold flavor that can stand up to even the heartiest bowl of chili or chowder. So grab a spoon, dollop the dough onto a half-sheet pan, and start baking!

Garlic-Cheddar Biscuits »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

It breaks my heart to see Irish soda bread relegated to a bit of St. Patrick's Day kitsch, especially when recipes treat it like some sort of fruity scone. In reality, Irish soda bread is a crusty loaf that's chewy and satisfying enough to pair with any meal or even just a charcuterie plate. It has an almost pretzel-like flavor that goes with any sort of stew or braise.

Irish Soda Bread »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Like bagels, my favorite dinner rolls are briefly boiled before baking, producing a crackly crust that's glossy and eggshell thin. Inside, they're fluffy and light—perfect for mopping up sauces and stews. Thanks to a long overnight rise these rolls can be a make-ahead element for family dinners and holiday gatherings, letting you knock out the work of making and shaping the rolls a day in advance.

Crisp and Fluffy Dinner Rolls »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

I've always thought of chicken pot pie as a secret pastry since the best part is the crust, whether you opt for drop biscuits or a flaky lid (I'm partial to hearty whole wheat). But even if the crust is the star, the filling has to do its part, which means the chicken has to be juicy and the sauce has to be thick and full of flavor.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

These biscuits get their sweetness from thick and mellow sweet potato purée. The sweet potatoes also lend a bright orange hue and wonderfully buttery flavor. Serve the biscuits alongside hearty soups and stews or with a spoonful of jam.

The Best Sweet Potato Biscuits »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Angel biscuits are buttery and tender, but their flavor and texture is more similar to a Parker House roll than a traditional biscuit. After proofing overnight, they're ready to bake in the morning, so you can enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner.

Yeast-Raised Angel Biscuits »

[Video: Serious Eats Video]

Pumpkin purée transforms a regular white sandwich loaf into a beautiful and flavorful bread. The pumpkin purée imparts the bread with a subtle earthiness and seasonal flair. It's a versatile loaf perfect for toasting, sandwiching cold cuts, cubing for bread pudding, or whipping up a grilled cheese sandwich.

Yeasted Pumpkin Bread »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

It's true that these are technically cookies, but their almost-savory flavor gives them balance and depth. With biscotti, the exact amount of sugar per serving depends on how you slice it, so aim for 30 12 millimeter pieces to keep the sugar in check. Lean and crunchy with a refreshing anise flavor, they're perfect for dunking in fortified wine or snacking on with a cup of coffee.

Almond Biscotti With Anise »

Toning down the sweetness in these gingerbread cookies allows the rich flavors of freshly ground ginger, orange zest, and warm spices to shine through. Despite the addition of both brown sugar and molasses, these cookies are rolled so thin the yield is quite high, leaving only 3 grams of sugar per 2 1/2-inch cookie. Serve them plain or with a thin layer of royal icing. Either way, they'll be gone in a snap.

Gingerbread Cookies »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

This banana bread is classic, but it's certainly not plain. While it's an optional step, toasting the sugar will bring the bread an added layer of depth. Ripe bananas give the loaf structure, while replacing some of the all-purpose flour with oat flour makes for a moister bread. Baked as two 8-inch loaves, cut into 10 slices each, our classic banana bread technically qualifies for the list—so just keep an eye on the serving size. However you cut it, our take on this recipe will be a hit.

Classic Banana Bread »

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Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/roundups/low-sugar-baking-recipes

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years ago

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17 must-grab snacks, from rice crackers to boba creamsicles There are few greater pleasures than eating snacks from around the world, whether while traveling abroad or from the comfort of one’s own hometown. Growing up in the Midwest, it was always a weekend treat to stop by our local Chinese mart and leave with a haul of pantry staples, vegetables, and other products we couldn’t find in the international aisles of big box supermarkets — and, of course, the chips, crackers, and candy that, in my mind, are forever linked to that distinct childhood experience. Informed by those collective years of snacking, here are 17 favorites that can be found in most Chinese marts. Many are classics; some are more recent. Not all of them are even “Chinese,” strictly speaking; in many locales, Chinese supermarkets also function as broader Pan-East Asian stores, stocking Japanese or Korean goods alongside those from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. But they are all, in my opinion, worth trying: Want Want senbei Rice crackers Senbei is a type of Japanese rice cracker with roots in imperial China’s Tang dynasty. One of the main senbei brands you’ll find in Chinese supermarkets is Want Want, a Taiwanese manufacturer. The crunchy crackers come in multiple varieties, like sweet-salty (pictured on the left) and a mouth-smacking umami flavor (right). Spring onion crackers Another great cracker is the savory scallion or green onion kind, which tastes exactly how you’d imagine. One brand that’s worth trying is Pop-Pan, which makes a round, buttery cracker dotted with sesame seeds and green onion seasoning. Sachima Sachima Sachima are one of my childhood favorites. Traditionally made from flour, butter, and rock sugar in Manchu cuisine, the version you’ll find most often in stores nowadays combines a sweet, eggy taste with a soft, chewy texture. There are sachima with raisins, sesame seed-studded sachima, even chocolate-flavored sachima — but, above all, I would recommend the “original” kind for first-timers. Cream wafers At their best, cream wafers are a light snack for satisfying a sweet tooth. At their worst, they could be described as “like thin planks of styrofoam sandwiching layers of cream that taste faintly of strawberry.” Ah well, either way, I could house half a packet of these. Sesame egg roll cookies, complete with a tin container Egg roll cookies Not to be confused with the egg rolls you might get from takeout, these crispy cookies known in Chinese as 蛋卷 are crisp and flaky. They sometimes skew a bit dry, so best enjoyed with a nice beveragino. While there are multiple brands on the market, you might consider the kind sold in classic red tins so you’ll have a new container to store sewing supplies for years afterward. Pocky Yes fine, Pocky is a Japanese snack, but it has long been a staple of Chinese and other Asian supermarkets, even before big box retailers like Costco started selling them. The popular confectionery-coated biscuit stick is available in a huge variety of flavors. I’d recommend starting out with the classic chocolate before leveling up to strawberry, matcha, and less widely attainable flavors like cookies and cream, mint chocolate, and sakura. Yan Yan Yan Yan Another Japanese treat turned Asian snacking symbol, Yan Yan predates Dunkaroos, its closest American equivalent. Each cup comes with crisp biscuit sticks — which, in the 15 or so years since I last regularly bought them, have become inscribed with quotes and cartoon animals? — that are dipped in slightly-too-sweet frosting. Delicious. Hello Panda (strawberry) and Koala’s March (chocolate) You might already be familiar with these cute filled biscuits, which are often mistaken for each other but are made by different brands (Meiji Seika and Lotte). Listen very carefully when I instruct you to try the strawberry flavor of pandas and the chocolate flavor of koalas, not the other way around. Can be microwaved briefly or refrigerated for different eating experiences. Fruit jelly Sweet, fruity, and colorful, these little cups of jelly — often sold in big ol’ buckets — are as delightful to look at as they are to eat. Consuming them basically involves peeling off the top wrapper, affixing one’s mouth to the edges of the cup like a vacuum seal, and inhaling in one swift, unflinching slurp (but don’t go too fast, lest the jelly shooter become a choking hazard). Other jelly varieties to try include ones in straws and ones in pouches. Fruit gummies Chinese and other Asian supermarkets offer a plethora of fruit gummy candy. I would recommend the lychee flavor in particular, most commonly sold by Japanese brand Kasugai. Haw candy, with 山楂卷 on the left, haw flakes on the right Haw candy Chinese hawthorn is such a good fruit!!!! I wish for everyone the joy of tasting this sweet, tart flavor. One such way is through haw flakes, which are essentially flat, dry, candy discs packaged in short rolls. A lesser-known — although, in my opinion, better tasting — form of haw candy is 果丹皮 or 山楂卷, sort of like a stickier, more intensely flavored fruit leather or rollup. White Rabbit candy So iconic that there are White Rabbit pop-ups and merch, this milk candy is creamy, chewy, and pretty much a national candy of China. Each one is wrapped in a layer of edible rice paper, which dissolves on the tongue. Peanut and sesame candy Sesame and peanut candy These candies — which bear some resemblance to brittle or nougat — typically boast a satisfying crunch and a nutty, aromatic taste. Flavored peanuts Shelled or unshelled, savory or sweet, peanuts are a common fixture in Chinese households, especially when guests come over for cards, drinks, or a long chat. Some flavors that are commonly available include garlic, five spice, and fermented soybean curd. Go for shelled when you’re in the mood to work for your food, unshelled when you don’t mind shoveling nuts down by the handful. Bread, buns, and other baked goods Not all stores have a fresh bakery section, but if yours does, grab a couple of treats, like a pineapple bun or a sponge cake. Milk tea You should always take a supermarket run as an opportunity to stockpile as many Asian drinks as you can. My go-to is milk tea; I’m partial to Japanese brands like Kirin, which I personally find to be smoother and less sweet, but there are usually at least a few different options, including Chinese and Taiwanese brands. Brown sugar boba ice cream bar Brown sugar boba ice cream bar Hot off the brown sugar bubble milk tea craze that has spread from Taiwan to overseas these past couple years, there is now a creamsicle that tastes remarkably similar to the drink, complete with chewy tapioca pearls. If you like brown sugar boba, you’ll probably like this. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3ke97uv

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