Goodbye, chocolate-covered bacon; hello, chocolate-dipped cauliflower! While you may normally think of veggies as something to choke down before moving onto dessert, a new trend of veggie-inspired desserts may change that, according to a report in the latest issue of Food Technology magazine. Classic sweet treats such as carrot cake and sweet potato pie have long been fan favorites, but now pastry chefs are going above and beyond to include flavorful picks such as cucumbers, eggplants, beets, squash, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes in baked goods.
From indie vegan bakeries to fine dining establishments, bakers and chefs are using a wide range of chopped, puréed, and shredded veggies in exciting new culinary creations. In some cases, veggies with similar textures can be used in place of fruits, such as replacing apples or pears with eggplant. Other ideas come from cultural influences like serving up desserts like Vietnamese bean pudding and Japanese adzuki bean ice cream, and others from long-held traditions. For example, food historians say that for decades home cooks have relied on naturally sweet readily available veggies, like beets, when sugar was scarce.
With the explosion of interest in nutrition, local and in-season food, and plant-based diets, I predict that this red-hot veg trend will keep on growing (no pun intended). I wish I was this creative!
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