Caroline Schiff is aware of a factor or two about balancing flavors. In spite of everything, her debut cookbook, The Sweet Side of Sourdough, is all about placing an equilibrium between the tartness of fermented dough and honey, sugar, or different sweeteners. So it solely is smart that she’s additionally masterful within the observe of taming the customarily abrasive flavors of alcohol in desserts.
For this yr’sg Kentucky Derby (Could 7), Schiff is partnering with Pinhook Bourbon to create a well-balanced pecan caramel good for watching the race. “I am keen on caramel, however it may be a little bit of sugar bomb and by itself there’s no differentiations in texture,” Schiff explains. “I really like including one thing crunchy and one thing assertive. That’s the place the pecans and the bourbon come into play—they add some dimension to all of the sugar.”
Working with any spirit, together with bourbon, is a bit intimidating. The flavour will be extraordinarily potent—one thing that must be tamed or tampered down. However Schiff has wonderful recommendation for anybody wanting so as to add booze into their cooking and baking in a method that shall be balanced and delectable.
For starters, scent the spirit. “What do you decide up?” Schiff needs you to ask. If it’s vanilla, pair it with chocolate. Citrus companions with citrus.
From there, style the spirit. “Is it spicy, candy, clean? Search for a complement,” Schiff advises. “One thing with quite a lot of spice would pair nice with one thing extra mellow, like creamy cool dairy. Easy can work with one thing that has a bit extra kick, like gingerbread.”
Lastly, modify every little thing to your individual style buds. Some choose boozier desserts whereas others simply desire a kiss of alcohol. Bourbon works notably nicely with caramel as a result of its candy undertones.
“Mellowing the alcohol out with clean, wealthy substances like milk chocolate, cream, and butter is essential,” Schiff says. “Then you’ll be able to play up the undertones by including vanilla, maple, or a little bit of orange zest. Additionally, a bit goes a great distance. In lots of instances, all you want is a tablespoon or two for an actual kick in a dessert.”
