Naturally Sweet Baking: Healthier Recipes for a Guilt-Free Treat

Food writer Strothe and her husband, Keitel, present 70 baked goods that have “the most natural, original, and varied ingredients” in this lush cookbook. Avoiding refined sugars, the couple relies on natural sweeteners, such as dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and seasonal produce, coupled with whole-grain and ancient grain flours. As a result, several classics receive overhauls: spelt flour, raspberries, and rosewater intensify the flavor of the Victoria sponge cake; almond flour and blackberry and quark cream filling create a moist Swiss roll; and dried dates bring out the sweetness in mini chocolate cakes made with 70% dark chocolate. The authors thoughtfully label recipes that are suitable for readers with dietary restrictions: gluten-free readers will delight in the apple tart prepared with a crisp oat-buckwheat crust, while lactose-intolerant cooks will enjoy cherry-vanilla tartlets with almond milk custard. Strothe and Keitel’s original creations—a berry ice cream cake with an almond-coconut base, rosemary-grape calzones with honey and olive oil, and pear-walnut bundt cake—are appealing and exceptional. Health-conscious eaters will find some inspiration in this solid cookbook. (May)