Salty Sweets: Delectable Desserts and Tempting Treats With a Sublime Kiss of Salt - Hardcover

Matheson, Christie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1558324151 ISBN 13: 9781558324152

Publisher: Harvard Common Press, 2009

Synopsis

Do opposites really attract? In the case of salty and sweet, you bet they do! Like peanut butter and jelly - itself a classic salty-sweet duo - these tastes were made for each other. Salt helps balance and heighten sweets, transforming ordinary candies into truly special confections. It brings out the complexities of chocolate, highlights the subtleties of fruit, makes nuts really pop, and turns caramel and butterscotch into pure ambrosia. The salty-sweet combination has swept the nation, with chefs, candy makes, and retailers all offering tantalizing sweets complemented with salt. Salty Sweets is the first cookbook to bring the phenomenon home. Christie Matheson offers 75 delectable ways to enjoy this tasty twosome, proving along the way that salty sweets are not the sole province of fancy chefs and trendy chocolatiers. "Salty sweets don't have to be complicated to taste good," she writes, and the scrumptious but simple recipes bear her out. Seven recipe chapters cover every sort of treat, from little bites to cookies, bars, cakes, puddings, fruit desserts, and even ice creams. You can make your own version of those salted caramels found in upscale boutiques, along with such sophisticated fare as Maple Creme Brulee, Lavender Fleur du Sel Shortbread, Fig and Ricotta Pizza, and Nantucket Sea Salt Ice Cream. Or how about the honey goodness of Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn and Decadent Hot Cocoa? And who could resist Dark Chocolate-Covered Pretzels, Butterscotch Brownies, Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting, or Caramel-Fudge Sauce. Tempting color photos will send you straight to the kitchen to try these yourself. An introductory chapter outlines the basics - equipment, ingredients, and techniques - of successful sweet making. You'll learn all you need to know about salts - from fleur du sel to Maldon to Hawaiian pink to smoked and more. Each has its own distinctive flavor and texture, and Matheson encourages readers to sample the wealth of exotic and rare salts available today. Celebrate the happy marriage of sweet and salt with these irresistible creations. It's a match made in dessert heaven!

About this title

From the Back Cover

PRAISE for SALTY SWEETS   “Matheson adds an unforgettable new dimension to dessert. Each recipe offers a different and delicious combination of surprising flavors and textures. This book should be a staple in every kitchen.”—Elissa Strauss, proprietor of Confetti Cakes and co-author of The Confetti Cakes Cookbook and Confetti Cakes for Kids   “This book celebrates one of my secret palate pleasures: the combination of salt and sweet. I can’t wait to get in the kitchen with these recipes and start cooking!”—Gale Gand, executive pastry chef/partner of Tru restaurant, cookbook author, and host of Food Network’s "Sweet Dreams"   “Salty Sweets makes me want to run into the kitchen and try some of these delicious-sounding treats. With Matheson’s enthusiasm and careful guidance, anyone can make her amazing desserts, which range from quick and simple sweets to more sophisticated creations.”—Joanne Chang, pastry chef/owner, Flour Bakery + Café   “Christie Matheson has done us all a great favor by demonstrating how salt brings out the best in all kinds of sweets. Her recipes will not only excite your palate but make you wan to explore the world of salt as a superb flavor enhancer for desserts.”  —Carole Bloom, author of Bite-Size Desserts, The Essential Baker, and Truffles, Candies, & Confections   “Salty Sweets is full of mouthwatering recipes that highlight the delicious alchemy between sweet and savory flavors. One taste of Matheson’s homemade caramels with fleur-du-sel, truly addictive Sweet and Salty Pecans, or Nantucket Sea Salt Ice Cream, and you’ll be hooked.” —Jill O’Connor, author of Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth

About the Author

Christie Matheson is the author of Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style and the coauthor of Wine Mondays, The Confetti Cakes Cookbook, Confetti Cakes for Kids, Tea Party, and Vineyard Harvest. She is a regular contributor to publications including The Boston Globe Magazine, Cooking Light, Boston, Yankee, Body + Soul, Yoga Journal, Continental, San Francisco, and DailyCandy.com. For two years she hosted a weekly television segment called "Trend Tracker" on the UPN Morning Show, and she is a frequent guest on the television show Chronicle as well as on Martha Stewart Radio. Matheson lives in San Francisco, California, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harvard Common Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1558324151
• ISBN 13: 9781558324152
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 144