CHAPTER 16: NUTS AND SEEDS Flashcards
Botanists differentiate nuts from ______, ______, and ________.
seeds, legumes, kernels
To a botanist, a nut is what?
A dry, one-seeded fruit that does not split open at a seam when mature.
While botanists classify ______, ______, and sometimes ______ as true nuts, other “nuts are ______.
chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, not
Name three “nuts” that are actually seeds within the fruit’s pit, or stone.
Almonds, coconuts, macadamias.
What are peanuts?
Seeds of a legume.
What are pine nuts?
Seeds of a pinecone.
In most bakeshops, and for our purposes, all are considered what?
Nuts
All nuts are, or contain, what?
The seed of a plant.
Seeds consist of three main parts.
An embryo that sprouts into seedling, and endosperm that provides adequate food for the young seedling, and a seed coat that protects the seed.
Where do most nuts grow?
On trees
Tree nuts include what?
Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts.
Where do peanuts grow?
Underground on the peanut plant.
Nuts are added to baked goods primarily for what?
Flavor, texture, and visual appeal.
Can nuts be used interchangeably in a formula? Will anything change?
Yes, but taste will change.
What’s the exception to nuts performing similarly in baking?
Chestnuts are very different from other nuts and generally cannot be used in place of them.
Nuts are a good source of what?
Protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
While nuts are high in fat, the fatty acids in nuts (except for ______) are mostly _______.
coconut, unsaturated
Do nuts contain a significant amount of polyphenolic compounds?
Yes
Are most nuts close to the fat content of butter? How much?
Yes, usually around 50-65% oil. Chestnuts and coconuts fall below this range.
Why should most nuts be used sparingly in low-fat baked goods?
Because of their high fat content.
What nuts are closest to butter in fat content?
Macadamia nuts at 75% oil.
What nuts are between 50 and 65% oil?
Pecan, hazelnut, walnut, pine nut, almond, peanut, pistachio, sunflower.
How much oil is in chestnuts and coconuts?
Chestnuts about 5%, coconuts about 32%.
Walnuts are particularly rich in what?
ALA (alpha linolenic acid), an omega-3 that may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Are omega-3 fatty acids low in the North American diet? What other common foods are high in ALA?
Yes, especially locations where oily fish, like salmon, are not regularly consumed. Besides walnuts and fatty fish, the only other common food that is high in ALA is flaxseed.
What is anaphylactic shock?
Severe and sometimes fatal allergic reaction that some individuals have to certain proteins, including those in tree nuts and peanuts.
How does the body react to the proteins in tree nuts and peanuts during anaphylactic shock?
Body releases massive doses of chemicals, which cause shock, the swelling of air passages, and sometimes death.
How much protein is needed to cause anaphylactic shock?
Often, only very small amounts are needed to trigger anaphylactic shock in hypertensive individuals.
How quick can death occur during anaphylactic shock?
Within minutes, which is why hypertensive individuals should carry an adrenaline kit.
One easy and attractive way to remind customers about the presence of nuts.
Garnish with whatever you’re using.
Are nuts expensive?
Yes, they can range in price from several dollars to ten or more dollars per pound.
What factors contribute to the price of nuts?
Type of nut, added processing or difficulty in processing, crop year, packaging, amount purchased at one time.
Why are pine nuts and macadamia nuts so expensive?
Certain nuts, like pine nuts and macadamia nuts, are significantly more expensive than peanuts or almonds, mainly because of difficulties handling.
Why are walnut half more expensive than broken pieces?
They are fragile and difficult to remove from their shells intact.
How could pecans become overly expensive?
They’re a agricultural product from Georgia. One year of heavy rains could wipe out an entire pecan crop.
Do walnuts packages in vacuum-packed cans cost more?
Yes
The two main types of almonds are what?
Bitter and sweet.
What are bitter almonds used for? Example.
Flavoring. Almond extract and amaretto liqueur can be made from the oil of bitter almonds.
What are sweet almonds used for?
Baking
Largest producer of sweet almonds in the world?
California
Number one nut in America?
Sweet almonds.
Name 5 traditional uses for sweet almonds in the bakeshop.
Meringues, marzipan, biscotti, macaroons, and pastry doughs.
Why are sweet almonds best toasted before use?
They are mild flavored.
What two ways do almonds come?
Natural (brown skin still intact) or blanched.
The brown skin of natural almonds provides what?
Visual contrast. For example, it highlights the presence of almonds in biscotti. The skin also provides a slight astringency that contributes to overall flavor.
Do blanched almonds have a sweeter, more mild flavor than natural?
Yes
What is astringency?
A taste characteristic that results in a drying sensation from the presence of tannins.
What type of almond is more common in the bakeshop?
Blanched, they have a more refined, premium-quality image.
How do you blanch nuts?
Pour boiling water over the nuts, let them sit for several minutes, and remove the skin.
What forms can almonds be purchased in?
Whole, slivered, sliced, chopped, or ground into butter, flour, or paste. Almonds are thought of as a highly versatile nut.
What is almond paste?
Blanched almonds finely ground to a paste with sugar. It often contain binding and flavoring agents.
What is marzipan?
Almond paste and sugar mixed into pliable dough. Think of it as edible molding clay.
What is traditionally done with marzipan?
Colored and shaped into small fruits and whimsical animals. It can be rolled and used for covering cakes.
Cashews are native to where?
Central and South America.
Cashew flavor profile and appearance.
Sweet, mild flavor and an ivory white appearance.
How are cashews used?
Brittle and other confectionary, as well as cookies and other baked goods.
Do nut butters contain butter? Explain.
No, they are pastes made by finely grinding nuts. Any nut can be used.
Most common nut butters.
Peanut, almond, and hazelnut.
How do you make nut butter?
Grind roasted nuts in a food processor until smooth. If necessary, add a small amount of oil to help achieve a smooth consistency. Salt, honey, or syrup can be added for flavor.
How do you make nut flours?
Nuts and granulated sugar are combined in the food processor and pulsed repeatedly. The pulsing and presence of the sugar help keep the nuts from forming an oily paste.
Where are nut flours used?
Pastry doughs and cake batters.
How are cashews sometimes used as “dairy?”
Because of their bland flavor and pale color, cashews are sometimes soaked in water and blended into a smooth cream, which is used to replace dairy cream in frozen desserts and cheese in cheesecakes.
Why can cashews be expensive?
They are difficult to remove from their shells.
Why is removing a cashew shell so tough? How is the shell removed.
Part of the reason is the presence of a skin irritant in the shell that is similar to the irritant in poison ivy and poison oak. To remove the shell without contaminating the cashew meat with this irritant, the nuts are steamed, roasted, or cooked in oil. This opens the shell so the nutmeat can more easily be removed, which is often done manually by skilled workers.
Why are cashews that had their shells roasted labeled as raw?
While the shells were exposed to high heat, the nuts themselves were not roasted.
Largest producers of cashews today.
Brazil, India, and Vietnam, three countries with the tropical climate required for their growth.
Chestnuts are very high is what?
Moisture and carbohydrates.
Chestnuts are very low in what?
Oil, less than 5%.
Chestnuts are cooked before use, give them what?
A characteristic soft, mealy texture.
Are chestnuts interchangeable with other nuts?
No
When are chestnuts available fresh? What about the rest of the year?
Only in the fall and early winter months. During the rest of the year, they can be purchased already cooked, either frozen or canned, whole or pureed.
Once opened, how should canned chestnuts be stored?
Refrigerated or frozen to prevent mold growth.
Are chestnuts available dried and ground to a flour, or candied?
Yes
Name some products derived from coconut meat.
Coconut milk and desiccated, sweetened, or toasted coconut.
What does desiccated mean?
Thoroughly dried out.
Are desiccated, toasted, and sweetened coconut products cut to different sizes?
Yes, from large shreds to fine flakes.
How is desiccated coconut made?
Drying coconut from about 50% water down to less than 5%.
Desiccated coconut is also called what?
Dried coconut.
Desiccated coconut is a concentrated source of what?
Coconut il and coconut flavor.
How is sweetened coconut made?
Cooking coconut with sugar before drying.
Often, sweetened coconut contains what?
Additives to keep it soft and flexible (glycerin, for example) and to keep it white (sulfating agent).
Form of coconut most familiar to North American customers?
Sweetened coconut.
Toasted coconut is used primarily as what?
Garnish on cakes and doughnuts.
What is coconut water?
The clear liquid in the center of a mature coconut, sometimes consumed as a refreshing beverage.
Coconut water is often mistaken for what?
Coconut milk.
Are coconut cream and cream of coconut the same product? Explain.
No, coconut cream is the oil-rich layer that rises to the top of coconut milk. Like coconut milk, coconut cream is unsweetened. Cream of coconut is a thick, sweet liquid made from coconut milk and sugar.
Cream of coconut is primarily used for what?
Mixed drinks, such as piña coladas.
Are coconut cream and cream of coconut interchangeable?
No
How is coconut milk made?
By combining grated coconut meat with hot water and squeezing the liquid through a filter.
Coconut milk is unsweetened and can be purchased _______ or _______.
canned, frozen
If a can of coconut oil if opened and the top layer, which is rich in coconut oil, is skimmed off, the skimmed-off layer is called _____ ______.
coconut cream
Hazelnuts are also called what?
Filberts
Hazelnuts are primarily grown where?
Mediterranean region, but in the US, small amounts are grown in Oregon.
Hazelnuts have only recently become popular where?
North America
Where have hazelnuts been popular for years?
Europe, especially paired with chocolate in desserts and confections.
What is gianduja?
The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate ground smooth.
How can hazelnuts be purchased?
Whole, diced or sliced. As with almonds, they come with or without skins, and toasting greatly enhances the distinct flavor of hazelnuts, as it does with almonds.
Of all the nuts, which benefits the most from toasting?
Hazelnuts.
Macadamia nuts are native to where?
Australia, but today are more widely grown in Australia.
Macadamia nuts are highest in ____ of all the common nuts, which gives them a rich, creamy, flavor and texture.
oil
Why are shelled macadamia nuts expensive?
Because the shell is hard to crack.
When should macadamia nut be used?
Baked goods with an upscale image and price to match.
Pecans are native to where?
North America and in the US, they are grown in the South and Southwest.
As with walnuts, fancy pecan _______ are expensive compared with the cost of _______.
halves, pieces
Three traditional uses for pecans.
Pecan pie, southern pralines, and butter pecan ice cream.
Are peanuts a legume?
Yes, so they are higher in protein than tree nuts.
Where are peanuts are native?
South America and, while very popular in North America, are rarely used in Europe.
Two most common varieties of peanut.
Virginia peanut and smaller Spanish peanut.
Peanuts are plentiful and _________.
inexpensive
Raw, untoasted peanuts have what type of flavor?
Beany flavor, so peanuts are typically toasted before use.
How are peanuts sold?
Whole, halved, diced, and ground into peanut butter.
As with most nuts, peanuts pair nicely with _______.
chocolate
Pine nuts are also called what?
Pignoli or piñon nuts.
Pine nuts are seeds from the cone of a what?
Piñon tree, a type of large growing pine.
Describe flavor of fresh pine nuts.
Mild, sweet flavor that is characteristic of certain Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Mexican specialties.
Why are one nuts expensive?
Difficult to remove from the pine cone.
Where are pistachios native?
Middle East, but in recent years a large amount have been cultivated in CA.
Pistachios were traditionally used as what?
A snack nut, but expect to see greater use in the bakeshop given the recent availability.
How are pistachio nuts best used?
Untested or lightly toasted to preserve their bright green color and distinctive flavor.
Pistachios are the traditional garnish for what?
Cannoli, they are also used in ice creams, biscotti, and baklava.
Most popular variety of walnut in the bakeshop.
English walnut.
Why isn’t the black walnut popular?
It has a very strong flavor and a hard shell that is difficult to crack cleanly.
Black walnuts are native to where?
North America
Can black walnuts be purchased as a specialty item?
Yes, but they are high-priced and have a strong flavor that is not appreciated by all.
How are shelled English walnuts sold?
As fancy halves and in various size pieces. They come in a variety of colors, from extra light to amber.
The outside color of a walnut is an indication of what?
How much sun it received. The more sunlight, the darker the color, and stronger the flavor.
The characteristic flavor of a walnut is somewhat ________.
astringent
Why are walnuts typically not toasted before use?
Their flavor is much stronger than that of almonds.
About 2/3 of the world’s supply of walnuts comes from where?
CA
Are walnuts common in North American baked goods?
Yes, such as brownies, quick breads, coffee cakes, cookies and muffins. They are also used in pastries throughout Europe and the Middle East, where they originated.
Nuts are toasted to develop flavor by allowing what?
Chemical reactions, including Maillard browning, to occur.
Does toasting improve the flavor of slightly stale nuts?
Yes, but it also crisps the texture and darken the color.
How should you toast nuts?
Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place in an oven at 325-350ºF (160º-175ºC) for 5-10 minutes or longer.
Properly toasted nuts have what?
A uniform, light brown color and sweet nutty taste.
Do different nut varieties require different toasting times?
Yes, based off of oil content and size.
Does toasting nuts allow them to compete with stronger flavors?
Yes, they won’t fade into the background.
What happens if you toast nuts on stovetop or at too high a temperature?
The exterior can easily burn while the inside stays raw and flavorless.
How quickly should toasted nuts be used?
Within a few days; they oxidize quickly. Be sure to store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Do nuts undergo oxidative rancidity when not handled properly?
Yes
What oxidizes in nuts?
It is the oil in nuts that oxidizes, developing stale or rancid off flavors as it breaks down.
Are aged nuts more bitter and less sweet than fresh ones?
Yes
What 4 things contribute to oxidative rancidity in fats?
Oxygen, heat, light, and metal catalysts.
Why should you keep nuts whole until ready to use?
Chopped nuts have more surface area exposed to air and therefore oxidize faster.
Why should you toast nuts until ready to use?
Toasting initiates the oxidation of the nut oils.
Why store nuts at low temperatures, especially if toasted?
Heat accelerates rancidity; refrigerate at 35º-40ºF (2-4ºC), or freeze.
Why should you keep nuts away from sunlight?
Sunlight, like heat, is a form of energy that speeds up oxidative rancidity.
Should you purchase nuts in vacuum packaging?
Yes, to exclude oxygen.
Why should you purchase nuts with added antioxidants, like BHA, BHT, or vitamin E?
Antioxidants interfere with the process of oxidative rancidity, greatly slowing it down.
If antioxidants have been added to nuts, how will you know?
It should be labeled.
Why should you always cover nuts if not using?
It keeps out odors from strong smelling foods, rodents, and insects. It will also keep moisture away which makes nuts soggy, moldy, and likely to oxidize.
Are some nuts more easily oxidized than others? Why?
Yes, it has more to do with the type of oil rather than how much is in the nuts.
Why do walnuts oxidize faster than hazelnuts?
Even though they have close to the same oil content, walnuts are highest in ALA, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Like all polyunsaturated fatty acids, ALA oxidizes at an extremely fast rate.
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of walnuts.
13 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of pine nuts.
9 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of pecans.
6 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of peanuts.
4 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of pistachios.
4 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of almonds.
3 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of hazelnuts.
2 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of cashews.
2 grams
Average amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in 1 ounce (30 grams) of macadamias.
1 gram
Rule of thumb food scientists use to predict how much longer food will stay fresh when it is stored at low temperatures.
For every 15ºF (10ºC) decrease in temperature, product will last about twice as long. Th reverse is also true.
