Monk Fruit in the Raw keeps sugar in check in this Holiday Nut Roll.
I don’t usually get in the mood for holiday baking when it’s 75 degrees outside. Yet, my desire to bake has gained momentum this week, thanks to the Recipe Reduxers’ creative recipes and festive photos posted in our final recipe contest for the year, Show us Your Sweets, sponsored by the makers of Monk Fruit in the Raw. In my opinion, these festive holiday pistachio cherry biscotti just say Jingle Bells. And how about visions of these cute chocolate chip cookie croutons dancing in your head or maybe a kransekake, for goodness sake!
I was rather enthusiatic with the outcome of my first attempt (Less is Better Pumpkin Spice Cake) at baking with the latest sweetening alternative, Monk Fruit in the Raw. Prior to this, I have shied away from using sugar substitutes in baking because of the pitfalls; you can’t get the same volume, moisture, texture or color without sugar. Well, until now. Let me reintroduce Monk Fruit In the Raw.
Monk Fruit in the Raw is a zero calorie sweetner made from monk fruit, a vine reipened fruit native to Asia. It’s 300 times sweeter than cane sugar
and sweetens without a bitter aftertaste. Because it is heat stable, you can substitute it for up to one-half of the sugar in your baked goods. For more information and cooking/baking tips click here.
Please excuse me if this sounds like bragging, but the performance of this sweetener in my pumpkin spice cake was so good, I’m experimenting with it in yet another one of my holiday favorites! This one is special (in a personal kinda way) and I haven’t had it in years. My Grandmother made it religiously around the holidays giving it nostalic meaning for me. I combined her recipe with other similar recipes and made substitutions for fat along with sugar. Most of the sweetness in this nut roll is in the filling; so this is where I substituted one-half of the sugar with Monk Fruit in the Raw. I don’t remember my grandmother icing her bread, but I finished mine with a simple icing, the base of which I made with nonfat Greek yogurt. I used 1/4 of the sugar as Monk Fruit in the Raw and the remainer as powdered sugar.
This bread is not overly sweet and can be served as a dessert, but I’d eat this bread with an omelet for breakfast, with a salad for lunch, before a run for quick energy, and after a run for recovery.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and please check out all of the other links at the bottom of the post for more holiday recipes that will convince you, cutting back on sugar never tasted so good!
What holiday treasures will you make with Monk Fruit in the Raw?
Holiday Nut Roll
makes 2 loaves
Ingredients
for the bread
- 1 packet (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm skim milk (110-115 degrees F)
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 1 1/2 eggs, lightly beaten (save other half for filling)
- 3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
for the filling
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon Monk Fruit in the Raw
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1/2 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups ground walnuts
- 1/2 honey crisp apple, peeled and grated
for the frosting
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons Monk Fruit In the Raw
- 6 Tablespooons powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
for the bread
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add sugar, salt, butter, applesauce, sour cream, eggs and half of flour. Beat in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.
for the filling
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, Monk Fruit, butter, egg and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and grated apple. Let cool completely.
to assemble nut roll
Punch dough down and place on a floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch by 10 inch rectangle. Spread filling to 1/2 inch of dough edges. Starting with the long side, roll each piece up jelly-roll style. Pinch seams to seal. Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on wire racks to cool.
for the frosting
In a medium bowl combine Greek yogurt, Monk Fruit, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Dizzle over warm loaves.
Recent Comments