Summer is just around the corner! With this change in season, there is the arrival of beautiful fruits and vegetables. In Connecticut, we are very lucky to have an abundance of Community Support Agriculture (CSA) farms or co-op farms that we can belong to. Two examples are Holcomb Farm in Granby and Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain. Often at these farms, you can pick up specialty items. One particular favorite of mine is maple cream. Maple cream (also known as maple butter) is when maple syrup is heated, cooled and stirred to create an amazing and delectable spread.
Maple cream can be used for a myriad of things, but my all-time favorite is cake frosting. As the rise in food allergies and food sensitivities is upon us, being dairy-free is becoming more common. Because of my own children and their particular dairy sensitivities, I was forced to explore other options for birthday cake frosting (and of course frosting for other events!). Here is an incredibly rich and delicious dairy-free frosting that is naturally sweetened.
When you make the frosting, it is helpful to frost your cake right away before it thickens slightly and becomes more difficult to spread. If it does thicken before you are done frosting your cake, then just turn the mixer on again and you may choose to add a little more milk substitute also. Amazingly, this chocolate frosting does not impart an overt maple flavor which is what I have found as well when I have used maple syrup to sweeten my baked goods. Though it’s expensive, it has a lot of great health properties such as minerals. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces Maple Cream (if not available at your local CSA, you can order through amazon.com)
- ¼ + 1/8 cup raw unsweetened cacao powde
- 1 tbsp milk substitute (rice milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, other)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of sea salt (because everything is sweeter with a pinch of salt!)
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients into mixer.
2. Mix on low initially to incorporate ingredients.
3. Once gently mixed, scrape down mixer, and mix on high until fully incorporated and has glossy texture.
4. Can add more cacao powder or more milk substitute to attain optimal density.
Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMT,C is the President and Owner of Integrative Wellness and Physical Therapy in Bloomfield, CT, a wellness center specializing in holistic Physical Therapy, Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT), and nutritional wellness. Dr. Connell-Giammatteo is a Physical Therapist and Certified Integrative Manual Therapist. She has been practicing in the field of IMT for over 15 years. She has taught courses in Integrative Manual Therapy nationally and internationally for over 15 years. Dr. Connell-Giammatteo is also a local of this community and has been living in the Greater Hartford area for many years, where she integrates a healthy lifestyle at home with her wonderful family.