The Sweet Life

“Salt is the new black,” or so declares Christie Matheson in her new cookbook, Salty Sweets. In the 75 recipes she takes some familiar sweets – chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake, and even ice cream – and turns them up a notch with “a sublime kiss of salt.”

That’s fine by me. Salt seems to add a bit of sophistication to sweets. Salt in sweets isn’t new, of course, since it has a chemical function in most baked goods, but in Matheson’s recipes the taste of salt is noticeable without being overwhelming. Think chocolate-covered pretzels. Or in Matheson’s hands, peanut butter ice cream with a hint of salt to complement the nuttiness. Or toffee cookies with dark chocolate glaze with a sprinkle of salt.

The 144-page hardback book is divided into seven chapters with recipes plus a couple of  prelude chapters on baking tips and an overview of the types of salt used in the recipes, most of which are now available in any decent grocery store. However some salts, like fleur de sel, are a bit harder to find – and a bit more expensive. But like everything else, you can always buy it online. (Search Amazon.com for fleur de sel.) Since you asked, fleur de sel is French for “flower of salt,” and it’s slightly sweeter than sea salt.

The chapters with recipes cover little treats, cookies and bars, cakes and cupcakes, puddings, fruits, ice cream, and sauces. I wish the author had not spread herself thin over so many chapters – there are only eight recipes in the cakes and cupcakes chapter – and instead offered more recipes on a smaller range of topics.

Most of what I’ve made has been wonderful. Matheson’s directions are clear and concise, and her ingredients – with the exception of some of the fancier salts – are probably in your pantry now. Some of the recipes are accompanied by beautiful photographs by Joyce Oudkerk Pool.

The one exception I had was her recipe for almond brittle, which failed miserably. Candies are tricky to make and in some of the other “little treats” recipes Matheson advises the use of a candy thermometer, but not in this one. Following her directions for the temp, the cooking time, and the color the melted sugar should turn, I ended up with a gritty and crumbly lump that was far from brittle. Obviously the sugar hadn’t melted and the directions for the use of a candy thermometer would have been a huge help.

I do like the fact that Matheson encourages readers to cook with organic products, especially chocolate. (It’s good to know that eating chocolate can help save the rainforest, because I needed one more reason to eat chocolate.) She also recommends buying locally produced honey and supporting local beekeepers. More bees mean better local crops all around.

There are more recipes flagged for me to try so I’ll definitely be back to satisfy my salty sweet tooth.

Salty Sweets: Delectable Desserts and Tempting Treats with a Sublime Kiss of Salt
By Christie Matheson
(The Harvard Common Press, Boston, 2009)