7 Baking Ingredients That Can Be Store-Bought, According To Claire Saffitz
When it comes to professionally trained baker and chef Claire Saffitz, many things may come to mind. Perhaps it's her wildly popular YouTube series, Gourmet Makes, which was produced by Bon Appètit, where she dedicated hours to recreating beloved snack foods like Hot Pockets and Oreos. Maybe it's some of her delectable recipes, which can be found across the web and in her two cookbooks, "Dessert Person" and "What's For Dessert." More likely than not, you probably think of her incredible talent and precision that catapulted Saffitz to internet fame, culminating in over a million subscriptions to her personal YouTube channel, Claire Saffitz x Dessert Person, where she actively posts tutorials on everything from chocolate chip cookies to tiramisu icebox cakes.
Although Saffitz studied classic French cuisine and pastry in Paris (via Dessert Person) — which is apparent in her technique and knowledge — she's not against using everyday ingredients that can be found at your local grocery store. In fact, she's even vocalized her appetite and appreciation for some beloved store-bought items, like Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Oreo cookies (as stated by HuffPost). Read on to discover seven baking ingredients that can be store-bought, according to Saffitz herself.
1. Ice cream
According to an interview with HuffPost, Saffitz isn't against using an at-home ice cream maker to churn out your favorite flavor, but she hasn't always found that they produce the creamy texture she's craving. Even in her ice cream sundae bomb video, she uses store-bought ice cream from one of her favorite brands, Häagen-Dazs.
She doesn't insist that Häagen-Dazs is a total must-have — in many cases, similar grocery store brands will provide a comparable texture, like Ben & Jerry's or Bluebell. However, when you're baking with it, Saffitz reveals a handy trick: If you're using a pint in a paper container, you can simply cut it down the middle, splitting it in two. From there, you can cut the halves into fourths before dumping them into your ingredients. It's way easier and less time-consuming than using an ice cream scooper, which is especially nice in time-sensitive recipes like her sundae bomb.
2. Cookies
Despite Saffitz's viral video of remaking classic Oreo cookies (which includes the finicky step of creating your own silicone mold of the cookie logo), she advises using regular old store-bought cookies in recipes that are found in her cookbook. Crushed Oreos are used in the ice cream base of her Salty Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches, while crumbled Biscoff cookies (crisp cookies with a deep caramel flavor) can be found in her recipe for Malted and Salted Caramel Pudding (via HuffPost). She's also been known to use store-bought ladyfingers, a type of spongey biscuit, in bases for tiramisu and similar recipes.
Saffitz has curated plenty of recipes for delicious cookies, but when it comes to famed brands that are being folded into larger desserts, she finds that there's no need to use a fancy substitute or make your own. Sometimes it's hard to improve on a classic, and it's really not worth the effort if the cookies are being used as just one ingredient in a larger dish.
3. Jam
While jam isn't the toughest ingredient to whip up in your kitchen (her raspberry jam recipe contains a rather simple ingredient list of raspberries, sugar, orange zest, orange and lemon juices, and bitters), Saffitz notes that she has half a dozen different jars of jams in her fridge at all times (via HuffPost).
She doesn't specify which brands she's partial to, though she says that apricot and raspberry are some of the best for glazing tarts. Some of the most popular jam brands that can be found at most grocery stores include Bonne Maman, Welch's, and Smucker's.
Jams can be used in a myriad of desserts and baked goods, ranging from fruit-based bars to cakes, pies, and thumbprint cookies. It's also a great ingredient for getting the taste of fruit at all times of the year since different types of fruits are ripe at various times. Jam gives you access to the flavor of ripe summer strawberries even in the middle of winter.
4. Almond paste
Almond paste (a coarse, gritty combination of almonds and sugar, as explained by Bon Appétit) is a must-have in Saffitz's kitchen. She says that the almond flavor can add a lot of complexity and richness to desserts, including her Crunchy Almond Cake. She frequently uses it in pies, cakes, and pastries.
The smooth taste can be incorporated into Italian almond paste cookies and almond cakes. Saffitz has developed a ton of almond-based recipes like Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies and Almond Butter Banana Bread.
When it comes to finding the best brand at your local grocer, you're likely fine with whatever option is available. However, you just want to make sure you don't accidentally purchase marzipan which, despite popular belief, isn't the same thing. The primary difference is the sugar content, which is higher in the latter, resulting in a sweeter taste and smoother texture that's great for molding into ornamental shapes.
5. Dulce de leche
Dulce de leche is the base of some of Saffitz's most impressive recipes including her Banoffee Pudding, a more updated take on the classic British banoffee pie. According to Saffitz, whenever she buys a pre-made ingredient at the store, she's most likely trying to cut the sweetness but still make the most of it. In the case of dulce de leche, she balances out the caramel base with sour cream and salt for a clever flavor twist.
Originating from Latin America, dulce de leche is sugar and milk that's been slowly heated over a lengthy period of time. It differs from caramel, which is made from water and sugar, as stated by Southern Living. The former tends to have a nuttier flavor, more similar to confections like toffee.
Although dulce de leche can technically be eaten on its own, for a sugary sweet treat, it can also be the base for some super yummy bakes. Brownies, cakes, cookies, and flan can all have dulce de leche incorporated into their batter.
6. Cold brew
In an article for New York Magazine's The Strategist, Saffitz said that she's a huge fan of cold brew coffee. Finding that it's the most balanced type of coffee available, she adores Grady's New Orleans-Style Cold Brew Concentrate, an all-natural beverage that's brewed for 20 hours. Besides water and coffee, the coffee contains chicory, a woody herb, and a secret blend of spices.
Although she's most often drinking this with a splash of milk or half-and-half, cold brew can be the base of fun desserts like brownies or icebox pies. Similar to the addition of espresso powder, cold brew concentrate can provide a deep earthy flavor. Adding coffee to chocolate desserts actually makes them taste more chocolatey. Saffitz notes that Grady's cold brew has a rather spiced undertone to it, so it could be a great ingredient in chocolatey bakes and confections (think mousse, chocolate cakes, chocolate truffles, and, of course, classic tiramisu).
7. Mayonnaise
Saffitz dubs Kewpie mayonnaise (a Japanese brand of mayo made egg yolks as opposed to the whole eggs used by American brands) as her current favorite condiment (via The Strategist). She notes that she's particularly a fan of its smooth, silky texture, which goes well as a topper for sushi or Asian-inspired rice bowls.
Although it may seem odd at first thought, mayonnaise can actually be added to cakes to provide a more moist taste and feel. Mayo works especially well in chocolate cakes, where it can offset the existing sweetness of the sugar and cocoa. This is because of the vinegar found in mayo, which provides extra acidity. When combined, mayo compliments chocolate quite well. The oil content of mayonnaise can also lighten the texture of a dense chocolate cake. If you're too wary to add it to a recipe from scratch, you can also try the mayonnaise trick by adding a few tablespoons to a boxed cake mix to amplify the flavors.