When I first saw that there was a book about baking with agave nectar, I became intrigued. As like the majority of people in the US, I too need to lose weight. I do eat a healthful diet, but I am easily seduced by desserts! This, coupled with family members that need to minimize their simple carbohydrate consumption, I could not wait to see this book!
Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of New York. She is also the owner of her own catering and cooking school in Connecticut, Gourmet Whole Foods.
Maybe you have no idea what agave nectar is. Well, it is a natural unrefined sweetener that has a lower glycemic index. It comes in a syrup form and is sweeter than sugar. Safe for children and adults, it is allergen-free and vegan. Because it is high in fructose, it does not stimulate insulin secretion when consumed. Unlike honey, agave nectar will not crystallize and can be stored on your shelf for 2 years!
Catalano demonstrates a wide variety of ways to utilize agave nectar while still managing to keep flavor and texture of the final product. All of the recipes that I tried were extremely successful and no one was able to tell that sugar was not used.
Chapters in this book include: Muffins, Tea Breads and Breakfast Dishes; Cookies and Bars; Cakes and Cupcakes; Pies, Tarts and Crisps; Ice Creams, Frozen Yogurts and Sorbets; Special Treats; Frosting, Fillings and Sauces. She also includes a glossary, a list of sources, as well as information about agave nectar.
Each recipe will indicate whether that recipe is vegan, gluten-free, neither or both. This is helpful as I do have a friend that enjoys vegan baking, and yet another that is gluten-intolerant. Examples of the recipes that my family enjoyed were: Quinoa Corn Blueberry Muffins, Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mocha Hazelnut Cake (gluten-free), Chocolate Almond Silk Pie (vegan) and Chocolate Gelato.
I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, not giving it a full five stars due to limited photographs
Baking With Agave Nectar
Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Unltimate Sweetener
by Ania Catalano
Celestial Arts, copyright 2008
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 14
One of the issues I had with agave nectar is that it's a liquid and when I first began using it, I forgot to compensate for that. I'm getting better at working with it and had an opportunity to learn from a chef I met in Utah earlier this year. Now that I'm more confident, I'm using it more and more.
Travel / Food / Wine Book Reviews?