Tag: Monk Fruit Sweetener

  • Before the Pumpkin Spice Takes Over, Apple Pie

    Before the Pumpkin Spice Takes Over, Apple Pie

    Fall has arrived, which means we are only days away from pumpkin spice taking over everything.

    I like pumpkin. I do.

    But I wanted apple pie.

    For a while, I thought I might go to the store and buy one of those half pies. A few slices, no dishes to wash, craving handled. Then I started asking questions. What kind of flour did they use? What else was in it?

    Cooking more of my own food has done this to me. A quick trip to the store becomes a conversation with myself in the bakery aisle.

    Eventually, I checked what I had at home. Butter. Flour. Lemon juice. Everything I needed except the apples.

    And the pie gave me a reason to bring down the apple peeler and corer that had been sitting on top of my cabinets. I bought it for a reason. It was time to remind us both what that reason was.

    I made the crust, cooked the apples, and decided to try a lattice top. It looked lovely. My hand had a different opinion.

    Next time, the pie is getting a plain top.

    This one was worth the effort, though. The kitchen smelled like fall before the pie was even finished. I had the apple pie I’d been thinking about, made with ingredients I chose.

    Pumpkin spice can have its turn later.

    Apple Pie

    Pie dish: 21 cm (about 8¼ inches)

    Oven: 200°C (about 400°F)

    Pie dough

    The amounts below make one dough. Make the recipe twice: once for the bottom crust and once for the top.

    • 200 g all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur unbleached, unfortified flour)
    • 3 g salt (about ½ teaspoon)
    • 30 g monk fruit sweetener
    • 130 g cold unsalted butter
    • 35 g cold water

    Filling

    • 8–9 apples, yielding about 1.35 kg of peeled, cored slices
    • 75 g unsalted butter
    • 180 g monk fruit sweetener
    • 20–25 g lemon juice

    I use bottled lemon juice for an easy, consistent measure. Check that it is real lemon juice.

    Egg wash

    • 1 egg yolk
    • 15 g milk

    Method

    1. Make the dough. Put the flour, Salt, monk fruit sweetener, and cold butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks sandy. Add the cold water and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Bring it together by hand, fold it, and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling. Repeat for the second dough.
    2. Cook the apples. Melt the butter in a pot. Add the apple slices, lemon juice, and monk fruit sweetener. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
    3. Reduce the filling. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring often, until the extra liquid cooks off. This matters: a wet filling can leave the bottom crust soggy. Let the apples cool before filling the pie.
    4. Assemble the pie. Roll out one dough and fit it into the 21 cm pie dish. Add the cooled apples. Roll out the second dough and use it for a lattice or a plain top. Fold and seal the edges. If you use a plain top, cut a few small vents so steam can escape.
    5. Bake. Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush it over the top crust. Bake on the bottom oven rack at 200°C (about 400°F) for 60–65 minutes, until the crust is golden. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

    Let the pie cool before slicing. The apples have waited all fall for this. A little longer won’t hurt.

    Kyle J. Hayes

    kylehayesblog.com

    Please like, comment, and share

    Resources for Hard Times

    If you’re looking for practical help, food support, or community resources, you can visit the Salt, Ink & Soul Resources Page.

    👉 Resources for Hard Times

  • Chocolate Chip Pancakes and the Gift of a Slow Morning

    Chocolate Chip Pancakes and the Gift of a Slow Morning

    Most mornings are negotiations.

    The alarm goes off. The clock starts ticking. Coffee becomes less of a pleasure and more of a survival tool. Breakfast is whatever can be eaten with one hand while searching for keys with the other.

    I understand that. Most of us do.

    There is nothing wrong with convenience. Some mornings require it. Life asks enough of us already.

    But every once in a while, a different kind of morning arrives. A morning without urgency. A morning that gives you an extra hour. A morning that reminds you that living and merely getting through the day are not the same thing.

    Those mornings deserve something better.

    Not a home version of fast food.

    Something made slowly enough that you can hear the batter sizzle when it hits the pan. Something that fills the kitchen with the smell of vanilla and butter. Something that reminds you that food is more than fuel.

    Today, that something is a stack of chocolate chip pancakes.

    Not because they are fancy.

    Because they are kind.

    Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    Serves: 4

    Ingredients

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Wet Ingredients

    • 2 large eggs
    • 1¾ cups (420ml) milk
    • 4 tablespoons (57g) melted butter
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Add-In

    • 1 cup (170g) Lily’s semi-sweet chocolate chips

    For Serving

    • Butter
    • Sugar-free maple syrup
    • Fresh strawberries or blueberries
    • Good-quality turkey sausage

    Instructions

    1. Make the Batter

    In a large bowl, whisk together:

    • Flour
    • Monk fruit sweetener
    • Baking powder
    • Salt

    In a separate bowl, whisk together:

    • Eggs
    • Milk
    • Melted butter
    • Vanilla extract

    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine.

    Fold in the Lily’s chocolate chips.

    2. Cook the Pancakes

    Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat.

    Lightly butter the cooking surface.

    Pour approximately ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.

    Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges begin to set, about 2 to 3 minutes.

    Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.

    Repeat until all batter has been used.

    3. Cook the Turkey Sausage

    While the pancakes are cooking, prepare your favorite turkey sausage according to the package directions.

    Whenever possible, choose a quality organic brand with ingredients you recognize. Not every meal needs to be made entirely from scratch. Good cooking is often about knowing where to spend your time. If buying a well-made turkey sausage gives you more time to enjoy a slow breakfast with your family, that sounds like a good trade to me.

    4. Serve

    Stack the pancakes high.

    Add a pat of butter.

    Drizzle with your favorite sugar-free maple syrup. Look for one sweetened with monk fruit or other modern sweeteners rather than one loaded with artificial ingredients.

    Add a few turkey sausage links or patties on the side.

    Scatter fresh berries around the plate.

    Take your time.

    The dishes can wait a little longer.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve with:

    • Fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
    • Hot coffee
    • A glass of cold milk
    • A quiet kitchen
    • A slow morning

    The last two are optional, but they help.

    Cook’s Note

    One of the things I’ve learned is that eating well and eating joyfully do not have to be opposites.

    For years, many of us were told that healthier food had to feel like punishment. Less flavor. Less comfort. Less satisfaction.

    Thankfully, that’s no longer true.

    A few thoughtful ingredient choices—a quality sweetener, good chocolate, fresh fruit, and a little restraint—can create something that feels like a treat without turning Breakfast into dessert.

    The goal is not perfection.

    The goal is balance.

    Something delicious enough to look forward to and sensible enough to enjoy without regret.

    A Brief Word About Cast Iron

    If you cooked these pancakes in a cast-iron skillet, you’ve used one of the most reliable tools a kitchen can have.

    Cast iron does not ask for much, but it does ask for consistency.

    After cooking, wash the skillet with hot water and a brush or sponge. Dry it completely—water is the enemy of cast iron. Once dry, place it over low heat for a minute or two to ensure all moisture is gone.

    While the skillet is still warm, rub a very thin layer of oil over the cooking surface. Not enough to make it shiny or sticky. Just enough to protect it until the next meal.

    A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is not bought. It is built.

    Meal after meal. Year after year.

    In a world that often encourages us to replace things, cast iron teaches a different lesson. Take care of something long enough, and it becomes better with age.

    The same is true of good tools, good friendships, and often ourselves.

    Kyle J. Hayes

    kylehayesblog.com

    Please like, comment, and share

    Resources for Hard Times

    If you’re looking for practical help, food support, or community resources, you can visit the Salt, Ink & Soul Resources Page.

    👉 Resources for Hard Times