Sweet Christmas | Reconciling with our sweet affinities

“I wanted a book that was forgiving,” says Geneviève O’Gleman of her most recent work, Sweet tooth. Released this fall, this latest opus brings together recipes entirely devoted to desserts. To treat yourself, but also to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way – which is passed down from generation to generation, we learn!

Published at 11:00 a.m.

But what exactly does a forgiving book mean? “Desserts can be very technical, very complex, and I didn’t want that,” explains the nutritionist, reached by telephone.

The one that made its mark with simple and accessible recipes – which don’t dirty too many dishes! – was looking for flexibility for this project: she wanted the desserts to work even when we modified ingredients or took some liberties.

PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE

Genevieve O’Gleman

Pastry, by definition, is something rigid where you have to weigh, measure, and follow the steps to the letter. Rather, I wanted a book of desserts that would meet the needs of busy families who want to have little sweet pleasures, but without spending the afternoon making a cake.

Geneviève O’Gleman, nutritionist and author

In the same spirit, none of the recipes in the book require state-of-the-art equipment and they have all been tested with alternative ingredients to include versions free of gluten, nuts, dairy, etc. “I wanted the recipes to pass the reality check and ensuring that all families, regardless of their level of equipment or cooking experience, can successfully make my desserts. »

There’s something for everyone on the colorful pages, which feature cakes, cookies, frozen delights, but also sweet dips or even a daring tiramisu milkshake. While some sweet dishes can be prepared quickly on a weeknight, others are designed for special occasions. “There are several more elaborate desserts, whether for celebrating or for entertaining. » And we won’t spend the day there, assures Geneviève O’Gleman.

To end the guilt

With Sweet tooththe nutritionist also hopes – and perhaps above all – to encourage a healthy, guilt-free relationship with desserts. She also devotes a text to this subject, inserted between the section of biscuits and that of treats for busy evenings.

“We are not going to eat a dessert for its nutritional values, that is not its primary function,” she explains straight away. There is an emotional side linked to it, it’s the moment we share with the people we love, the break we give ourselves… If we really take the time to stop and enjoy each bite, we don’t need the whole cake, the tip will satisfy us. »

If we stop depriving ourselves, we will perhaps realize that we cultivate all kinds of desires, and not just that of triple chocolate cake, believes Geneviève O’Gleman.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHING HOUSE
A healthy relationship with desserts? It’s possible, according to Geneviève O’Gleman.

We can have fruity desires, freshness, crunchiness, softness… For me, it’s a super important process to put our finger on our desire, then to satisfy it. And it won’t always be the big decadent thing.

Geneviève O’Gleman, nutritionist and author

Plus, it should come as no surprise that many people had a penchant for carbohydrates, since for our descendants, it was a non-negotiable need, writes Genevieve O’Gleman in the book. “Did you know that we are all born with a sweet tooth? For our ancestors, it was a question of survival. The sweet taste tells our taste buds that the food is rich in energy, perfect for stocking up until the next mammoth hunt! »

Even if we don’t need desserts to survive in our modern lives, this theory can nevertheless explain our innate attraction to sweet sins, insists Geneviève O’Gleman. “Knowing that we naturally have a sweet tooth, we don’t have to resist this love for sugar; we just have to learn to live with this desire,” she concludes.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Dip

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Repos : 30 minutes
Yield: 625 ml (2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1 bar of 100 g or 160 ml (2/3 cup) milk chocolate
60 ml (1/4 cup) icing sugar
60 ml (1/4 cup) natural almond and hazelnut butter (see note)
60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
1 container of 237 ml of 35% whipping cream
15 ml (1 tbsp.) hazelnuts (optional)

Preparation

Using your hands, over a small saucepan, break the chocolate into pieces.
Add the sugar, almond and hazelnut butter and milk.
Heat over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate is melted, stirring continuously. Remove from heat.
Reserve 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the chocolate-hazelnut mixture at room temperature for the garnish. Refrigerate the remaining mixture for at least 30 minutes to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream for 1 to 2 minutes at maximum speed, until it forms soft peaks. Reserve 15 ml (1 tbsp.) for garnish.
Incorporate the cooled chocolate-hazelnut mixture into the rest of the cream, beating for 1 minute at maximum speed or until the mixture forms firm peaks. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Spread the reserved chocolate-hazelnut mixture and whipped cream by spoonfuls over half of the dip. With the handle of the spoon, mix partially to create a marbled effect.
Chop the hazelnuts and garnish the dip, if desired.
Serve with fresh fruit and biscuits of your choice.

From the book Sweet toothby Genevieve O’Gleman

This recipe is best prepared the same day, but will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Note: In addition to being a little cheaper, almond and hazelnut butter is much easier to find than pure hazelnut butter. In this recipe, either one works just as well.

If you have an allergy, replace the almond and hazelnut butter with soy or pea butter, and omit the hazelnuts as a garnish.