Frosting as a Super Food? I think, yes!
When Ricki Heller “tweeted” about her new chocolate frosting creation, I was curious. You see, Ricki isn’t just another tweeting foodie, oh no. She is THE Ricki Heller of Diet, Desserts, and Dogs and author of several cookbooks. If you haven’t visited her site, you’ve been missing out, and after you read my post, you should click your way right over to check out all the goodies she has waiting for you! You’ll have a sugar-free, anti-candida, vegan good time – I promise!
But back to the frosting…
Ricki announced that she had “nailed” it – a “creamy, smooth, perfectly textured, ACD-friendly, grain-gluten-sugar-free” frosting. Then this little twitter convo transpired:
GFGigi: “is it nut free?”
RH: “Yep!”
GFGigi: “and soy-free?!?”
RH: “Um, yesssss!!!” :D
Then Ricki said she would post it in an upcoming blog on her website. I finally got around to trying it, which is why I’m just now telling you about it. Actually, I have now made the frosting twice with excellent results each time.
When I told her that I made it, Ricki asked what I was having it on...my response? "Um...a s-p-o-o-n". It's really that good. And here's a tasty tid-bit for you: if you refrigerate it, it's like fudge. FUDGE. Try it!
Of course, I got Ricki’s permission to share this with you, and to post her recipe with my modifications (due to nut allergy and a missing ingredient).
First off, if you’re not as adventurous and open about “unexpected” ingredients in some of your favorite foods, take a deep breath and clear your mind – this frosting has a sweet potato base. Don’t stop reading – you must trust me about this! (Neither of my kiddos detected the sweet potato - in my house you taste first, find out what's in it later!)
Here is Ricki’s recipe & commentary, copied directly from her site:
Sugar Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Soy Free Chocolate “Buttercream” Frosting (ACD Stage 3 and beyond)
Diet, Dessert and Dogs (http://dietdessertndogs.com)
This frosting can be used as soon as it’s mixed at room temperature as a dark, fudgy chocolate frosting that can be piped and will hold its shape. For a lighter frosting, refrigerate until firm and then whip into a “buttercream”. Either way, no one will believe what is–and isn’t–in this!
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp (150 ml) sweet potato purée (I always use homemade for this, so can’t vouch for the canned variety. I bake rather than boil my potatoes to bring out the natural sweetness as much as possible, then cool, peel and purée).
3 Tbsp (45 ml) coconut sugar
15-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste (I use NuNaturals)
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) carob powder**
2.5 ounces (65 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate (I use Cocoa Camino)
1/4 cup (60 ml) smooth natural cashew butter or sesame tahini (for nut-free)***
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
Place sweet potato, coconut sugar, stevia, vanilla and salt in food processor and process to blend. Add the carob powder and process until combined. Set aside.
In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, place the chocolate, cashew butter and coconut oil over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate melts; remove from heat. Turn the mixture into the food processor and blend everything until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as necessary.
Note: if the coconut oil begins to separate (the mixture will appear oily and a bit curdled), OR if you find that the mixture is too thick, add one tablespoon more of the sweet potato purée at a time and blend again; it should come together in a silky, spreadable frosting.
May be used immediately as a fudgy frosting; or else refrigerate until firm, then beat with electric beaters until fluffy and lighter in color for a “buttercream” frosting.
Makes about one cup (240 ml), enough for one layer or 12 mini cupcakes. Avoid the urge to eat most of it straight from the spoon. May be frozen; defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and beat with electric beaters before using. Great in these Whoopee Pies!
**I use carob powder because it adds a bit of sweetness that allows me to use less stevia. However, if you can use sweeteners, feel free to substitute cocoa instead of carob and add a bit more coconut sugar or some agave nectar to taste.
*** I’ve made this both with cashew butter and tahini (and one batch with cashini–a mix of the two) and I don’t taste the sesame in the finished product. Chocolate is great that way!
And now, my changes & notes:
Like Ricki, I made my own sweet potato puree using baked sweet potato.
Instead of coconut sugar, which I did not have on hand, I used the same amount of light brown sugar, loosely packed
I used Cocoa Camino coco powder instead of the carob powder.
I also used Coco Camino unsweetened baking chocolate (thanks to a giveaway on Ricki’s site before the holidays!)
Due to my nut allergy, I used sunflower seed butter, as I did not have tahini on hand.
I added 1 Tablespoon of rice milk to my frosting to achieve my desired consistency.
So, why do I call this frosting a Super Food? It’s the sweet potato, of course! These colorful roots are packed with vitamins A and C, calcium (yes, fellow dairy-free folk, calcium!!), and potassium. They are versatile and sweet, which makes them perfect for Ricki’s frosting. I made vanilla cupcakes and topped them with this chocolate frosting for a sweet and (somewhat) healthful indulgence! Stay tuned for that recipe…until then, make the frosting. You could even log on to Ricki’s site with a bowl of it while you browse through all the yummy offerings you’ll find there (not to mention those adorable poochies!!). Enjoy!
When Ricki Heller “tweeted” about her new chocolate frosting creation, I was curious. You see, Ricki isn’t just another tweeting foodie, oh no. She is THE Ricki Heller of Diet, Desserts, and Dogs and author of several cookbooks. If you haven’t visited her site, you’ve been missing out, and after you read my post, you should click your way right over to check out all the goodies she has waiting for you! You’ll have a sugar-free, anti-candida, vegan good time – I promise!
But back to the frosting…
Ricki announced that she had “nailed” it – a “creamy, smooth, perfectly textured, ACD-friendly, grain-gluten-sugar-free” frosting. Then this little twitter convo transpired:
GFGigi: “is it nut free?”
RH: “Yep!”
GFGigi: “and soy-free?!?”
RH: “Um, yesssss!!!” :D
Then Ricki said she would post it in an upcoming blog on her website. I finally got around to trying it, which is why I’m just now telling you about it. Actually, I have now made the frosting twice with excellent results each time.
When I told her that I made it, Ricki asked what I was having it on...my response? "Um...a s-p-o-o-n". It's really that good. And here's a tasty tid-bit for you: if you refrigerate it, it's like fudge. FUDGE. Try it!
Of course, I got Ricki’s permission to share this with you, and to post her recipe with my modifications (due to nut allergy and a missing ingredient).
First off, if you’re not as adventurous and open about “unexpected” ingredients in some of your favorite foods, take a deep breath and clear your mind – this frosting has a sweet potato base. Don’t stop reading – you must trust me about this! (Neither of my kiddos detected the sweet potato - in my house you taste first, find out what's in it later!)
Here is Ricki’s recipe & commentary, copied directly from her site:
Sugar Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Soy Free Chocolate “Buttercream” Frosting (ACD Stage 3 and beyond)
Diet, Dessert and Dogs (http://dietdessertndogs.com)
This frosting can be used as soon as it’s mixed at room temperature as a dark, fudgy chocolate frosting that can be piped and will hold its shape. For a lighter frosting, refrigerate until firm and then whip into a “buttercream”. Either way, no one will believe what is–and isn’t–in this!
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp (150 ml) sweet potato purée (I always use homemade for this, so can’t vouch for the canned variety. I bake rather than boil my potatoes to bring out the natural sweetness as much as possible, then cool, peel and purée).
3 Tbsp (45 ml) coconut sugar
15-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste (I use NuNaturals)
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) carob powder**
2.5 ounces (65 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate (I use Cocoa Camino)
1/4 cup (60 ml) smooth natural cashew butter or sesame tahini (for nut-free)***
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
Place sweet potato, coconut sugar, stevia, vanilla and salt in food processor and process to blend. Add the carob powder and process until combined. Set aside.
In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, place the chocolate, cashew butter and coconut oil over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate melts; remove from heat. Turn the mixture into the food processor and blend everything until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as necessary.
Note: if the coconut oil begins to separate (the mixture will appear oily and a bit curdled), OR if you find that the mixture is too thick, add one tablespoon more of the sweet potato purée at a time and blend again; it should come together in a silky, spreadable frosting.
May be used immediately as a fudgy frosting; or else refrigerate until firm, then beat with electric beaters until fluffy and lighter in color for a “buttercream” frosting.
Makes about one cup (240 ml), enough for one layer or 12 mini cupcakes. Avoid the urge to eat most of it straight from the spoon. May be frozen; defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and beat with electric beaters before using. Great in these Whoopee Pies!
**I use carob powder because it adds a bit of sweetness that allows me to use less stevia. However, if you can use sweeteners, feel free to substitute cocoa instead of carob and add a bit more coconut sugar or some agave nectar to taste.
*** I’ve made this both with cashew butter and tahini (and one batch with cashini–a mix of the two) and I don’t taste the sesame in the finished product. Chocolate is great that way!
And now, my changes & notes:
Like Ricki, I made my own sweet potato puree using baked sweet potato.
Instead of coconut sugar, which I did not have on hand, I used the same amount of light brown sugar, loosely packed
I used Cocoa Camino coco powder instead of the carob powder.
I also used Coco Camino unsweetened baking chocolate (thanks to a giveaway on Ricki’s site before the holidays!)
Due to my nut allergy, I used sunflower seed butter, as I did not have tahini on hand.
I added 1 Tablespoon of rice milk to my frosting to achieve my desired consistency.
So, why do I call this frosting a Super Food? It’s the sweet potato, of course! These colorful roots are packed with vitamins A and C, calcium (yes, fellow dairy-free folk, calcium!!), and potassium. They are versatile and sweet, which makes them perfect for Ricki’s frosting. I made vanilla cupcakes and topped them with this chocolate frosting for a sweet and (somewhat) healthful indulgence! Stay tuned for that recipe…until then, make the frosting. You could even log on to Ricki’s site with a bowl of it while you browse through all the yummy offerings you’ll find there (not to mention those adorable poochies!!). Enjoy!
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