Same-Day Ice Cream Dex#

Ice cream is such a wonderful spontaneous treat, it's hard to say "no" when heading home from a special family event. Then, more and more events are "special", and next thing you know, it's a habit. I can make it healthier, but most recipes have you prepping the "mix" the day before, and then there's the ice to deal with, or the canister-thing to manage in the freezer. To really be what I need, it must compete with the convenience of an ice cream shop.
The requirements for pulling this off:
- No cooking, so the mix doesn't need chilling.
- Flavor and texture that can compete with Baskin Robbins.
- Spontaneous; zero to ice cream in about an hour.

I've held this recipe back for a while though. Firstly because it seemed too amazing to just give away. Got over that; there's no way I'm quitting my day job and opening an ice cream parlor.
Secondly, because it has raw egg yolks in it. That doesn't really bother me or my family, but if I share it with other people, that's different. Now that I've worked out how to pasteurize eggs, there are no more excuses!

Neutral Buoyancy Cheesecake (Sous Vide) Dex#

With cherry topping, left, and apricot jam, right.

This was a fun one! I got a huge kick out of the Lifehacker post called Will It Sous Vide? Creamy Cheesecake Edition. I love cheesecake, and have sous vide capability. Also, cheesecake does not rely on sugar for its structure, and the fiber just disappears into the batter like it isn't even there. I found a good starting recipe, replaced 4/5'ths of the sugar with dextrose (to reduce the amount of fructose in it), and added enough fiber to make the fiber:carb ratio match that in blueberries. Turned out fabulous!

I also had sous vide adventures of my own. Tried putting the cheesecake mix into a vacuum bag to cook, then sprinkling it with toasted crumbled graham cracker crust.

Lovell Reunion Pecan Pie Dex+

This is THE pie for our Thanksgiving table. My husband gave me the recipe, which was written down by his mom during a family reunion, where they had discussed their pie baking strategies. I made a more detailed instruction list, added the salt quantity (it had been left off), and added the best pie crust I have ever had. We used to use a store-bought crust, but I never will again.

Happily, it was very easy to Dex+. The pecans already have a good deal of fiber in them, and the pie already used corn syrup. Substituting dextrose for sugar tends to make softer versions of a recipe; chia seeds tend to thicken. In this case, the two offset perfectly, and this pie is just as magnificent as the original recipe! Honestly, this is our new traditional pie.

Better Than Twix Dex+

These are quite a bit of work to make, and are worth every minute to make a special treat. Happily, even our party guests who knew nothing about Dex+ really loved them!

After dipping them in chocolate, I put them into the freezer for a few minutes to set the chocolate. The caramel oozed out some, and my dipping job was far from perfect. Funny though, no one said a word about how they looked. They were too busy eating! :)

Ganache Dex+: It's fondue, it's icing, it's fudge sauce; it's tasty!

This is some seriously good and easy-to-make stuff, if the ingredients are in the pantry. We served this at our Halloween fest, with shortbread cookies, strawberries, and other tasty things to dip in it. Two quarts of strawberries disappeared pretty quickly! 

It takes a long time to set, giving plenty of time to use it as cake icing, like Julia Child did with her "Mocha Brownie Cake". Mmmm, must make a Dex+ version of that soon. Ganache is also the best fudge sauce ever. You know what else could be done with it? Truffles! I may try that for my Thanksgiving guests. Let it set completely, then scoop it with a melon baller, and roll in cocoa powder, maybe with cinnamon, or maybe dip in chocolate. Good thing I'm too full to eat anything right now....

Shortbread Cookies Dex+

This is a nice, plain, crumbly, not-too-sweet Dex+ shortbread cookie. I used these on Halloween to dip in caramel and chocolate fondue. They also work well for making a home-made version of Twix. To get the crispest, "short-est" cookie, the dextrose (technically dextrose monohydrate) is baked first to drive off the water, changing it to anhydrous dextrose. 

Because most of the flavor comes from the browning of butter, consider using a high-quality imported butter.

Chocolate Bars and Coating Dex+

Chocolate. King of candy, vital for candy bars, and has a magical snap and sheen. How, then, does a mere mortal sweeten an unsweetened chocolate bar, without ruining the magic? Very carefully. :)

This Dex+ chocolate has a great snap, and is shiny, with a deep dark chocolate taste. It is very thick, even when melted. When using it as a coating, I use a knife or the edge of the pot to swipe off part of the chocolate, otherwise the coat is too thick.

Mix in Rice Krispies and peanuts for a tasty treat!

I tried several methods before finding what really works, including using cocoa powder instead of chocolate bars, and adding cream and sugar. Adding any liquids tends to produce tootsie rolls instead of chocolate. The best way I found was to use Ghirardelli 60% and 100% chocolate bars.

Hot Cinnamon Jelly Beans Dex+

Halloween is almost here, and my son really wants Hot Tamales. I've been thinking about that, and they are basically a hot cinnamon jelly bean, so I picked up some of this Cinnamon Oil at a local cake supply shop. After making caramel, cookies, and syrups, how hard could a jelly bean be?

Declared "As good as Hot Tamales" by an expert taster.

It only took an entire day, complete with one wholesale change of recipes and five failed attempts, resulting in three very strange bowls of gloppy gluey but fun-to-play-with "stuff", one batch of super-hard candy, and one just a little too hard. I achieved a candy that was declared "Pretty much the same as Hot Tamales, I love you Mom." :) :)

To compensate for the softness of candy made with most of the sugar replaced with dextrose, I had an ace up my sleeve.

Soft Buttery Vanilla Caramel Dex+

Caramel. Gooey, buttery, amazing caramel. What is fall, or Halloween, without it? Dex+ is all about removing fructose and adding fiber, but caramel's primary ingredient, sugar, is half fructose. I wasn't sure what I'd end up with after replacing most of the sugar with dextrose, but clearly the only option was to give it a try.

Soft, buttery vanilla caramel, Dex+

Here's what I got: a soft, sticky, buttery, amazingly delicious caramel! It is less sweet than regular caramels, which I very much prefer. What do other people think? My work friends think I should open a candy store! :)

Chocolate Malt Nougat Dex+

Halloween. The father of all sugary holidays. We also have a family birthday on that day. I've been working on how to save this special tradition without giving up on my low-fructose efforts. Sure, it's just one day, but that bag of candy that each child brings home can last over a week, and we also buy bags to pass out, usually nibbling and there are leftovers. I had a plan though. I asked the kids, what is your favorite candy? If I make that Dex+, will you trade me all your fructose-filled candy for what I make instead?

They agreed! The favorites? Twix, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Hot Tamales, and Gummy Worms. With a lot of uncertainty, I started trying my hand at the caramel, chocolate, and nougat. Is it possible to Dex+ a candy recipe? Yes, yes it is!

For several months, I've been rotating through the list, and now the experts (kids) have declared that I am done, and should move on to the gummy candies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Dex+

Today, I hit a home run! This is perhaps my eighth try at a Dex+ chocolate chip cookie. We have high standards for this, our favorite cookie. To be right, the cookie needs to have the signature buttery, caramel flavor. The texture is not cakey; rather it is crisp at the edges while lightly chewy in the center.

Chocolate Ice Cream Dex+

Honestly, we don't always eat sweets. A pan of oiled and salted veggies roasted until tender are really good, as are many other naturally low fructose and higher fiber foods that don't require any adjustments to be Dex+.

When you want chocolate ice cream (left), this pan of delicious vegetables (right) just doesn't satisfy.

However, when on the way home from a football game with a hot, tired, triumphant marching band member, a potato just doesn't do the trick. The request is "Please, please, can't we have ice cream? There's a shop right there on the way home..." Last year I was ready; with an ice cream cylinder in the freezer, and Greek yogurt in the fridge, frozen yogurt was just a few minutes away at home. 

Then here it comes, "Mom, I want chocolate this time, and tangy yogurt doesn't go with chocolate....."

No one says "Easy as Brownies"

How is it that most things are better home-made from scratch, except brownies? I've had a hard time ever finding a recipe that really beats a good box mix; equal, yes, but not really better. Maybe I'm alone in this, I don't know. Well, sometimes you just need a brownie, so I've been trying to make a Dex+ version. I think this is about try #7. While these have not met my standards of brownie perfection, they definitely satisfy that "I really need a brownie" feeling.

Mousse au Chocolat Dex+, in progress

This is my third attempt at a Dex+ version of my mom's Mousse au Chocolat recipe. It came out very rich, thick, and tasty. The chocolate and egg yolk mixture was a bit too thick though; I had to stopped folding to prevent deflating the egg whites before the mixture was smooth. That left soft chocolate pockets that were actually enjoyable, if not true to the recipe standard.

I topped it with whipped cream, flavored with a little dextrose, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. They looked elegant in the Margarita glasses. After a steak dinner, the portion size was actually a bit large. Next time I'll reduce the size, and adjust the thickness to get a smoother mousse. But, we sure did enjoy it.

Berries and Vanilla Yogurt Dex+

We wanted some dessert, so I added a little Simple Syrup Dex+ and vanilla to some yogurt, and poured it over some fresh blueberries. Perfect! I love it when berries are in season.

Blueberry or Strawberry Jam Dex++

Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, these are very nutritious and healthy to eat. What a shame that all the jars of jam at the grocery are sweetened with extra doses of fructose without the fiber to balance. It's not hard to do, especially with a bread machine that has a "jam" cycle. That's right, my Zojirushi bread machine. For more on fructose and Dex+, see the tabs, above.

I'm sure this could be made on the stove; I tried once, and was disappointed. Apparently they mean it when they warn about not over-stirring tapioca. If I didn't have the Zo, I'd probably try different thickeners that are easier to handle, but keep the rest of the recipe.

How does it taste? Well, like intense blueberries. Nice, clean, bold solid flavor. Same for strawberries. My daughter says it's way better than regular jam. It's a little less thick than store-bought jam, which makes it easier to spread, and it can also be used as a topping.

 

Blueberry preserves, left, and strawberry jam, right. Blackberries would be good too, or maybe a blend.

Sugar and Cinnamon Sugar Dex+

This sugar blend is a good replacement for white sugar on your morning bowl of cereal, or on a tart pink grapefruit. You won't notice the fiber, and the sweetness is very similar.

You may also like a jar of cinnamon sugar. It's great for making cinnamon toast, and we like it on the Frozen Yogurt Dex+ too.

I have tried a variety of cinnamons, from Penzeys Spices: Korintje, China Cassia, Vietnamese, and Ceylon. Whichever kind you get, fresher cinnamon has a stronger, better flavor. Korintje is the "grocery" variety. Vietnamese has the same taste but is much stronger and better. Ceylon is the only "true" cinnamon, and reminds me of red-hots candy; not that it is hot, it's just a different note. I actually like a blend of Vietnamese and Ceylon.

Frozen Yogurt Dex+

 I really want some ice cream that isn't filled with fructose. No, actually, what I really want is an easy ice cream that I can whip up when my kids are begging for milk shakes or ice cream out somewhere. Like tonight. So, how about frozen yogurt?

Turns out all it takes is some Simple Syrup Dex+, some whole-milk Greek yogurt, and an ice cream maker cylinder in your freezer. It's really a breeze to freeze some up! It fills my two quart ice cream maker about half way, and makes the perfect amount for five bowls of yum. (More about Dex+)

And YUM it is! The kids love it, and so do we. It has a nice tangy taste, which makes me think of cheesecake ice cream.

Simple Syrup Dex+

Traditional simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, combined and boiled long enough to dissolve the sugar completely. It can be used to sweeten tea, coffee, and to make your own Soda Stream syrups. My version of simple syrup tastes about the same as the traditional, and yet has a lot less fructose. Mine also has fiber added to create a fructose to fiber ratio like that found naturally in blueberries. I have added "Dex+" to the names of my "fiber balanced" recipes. It's been very useful in my personal campaign against fructose.