After health woes, Tech grad writes paleo cookbook
About five years ago, Jenni Hulet was in pain. She compares the experience to a charley horse, but in all her muscles.
The search for answers was long, but Hulet eventually found out she has autoimmune sensitivities. Through the help of a natural doctor and nutritionist, Hulet started to feel better when she cut gluten, dairy and grains from her diet.
But Hulet, 41, grew up in a St. Cloud household that celebrated baking, and the idea of letting go of related traditions was painful. She decided to take control through her blog, The Urban Poser, which focuses on her new lifestyle (she originally had it for her yoga instruction, but her health troubles halted that).
The blog connected Hulet to people with similar health and diet issues.
"In many ways, it was just this huge community of people who lived this way," she said. "I began to post the recipes that I was making for my family. I was getting passionate about cooking again."
The Technical High School graduate's efforts to adapt are on full display in her first cookbook, "My Paleo Patisserie: An Artisan Approach to Grain-Free Baking."
Hulet lives in Dallas but will be in Minnesota on Friday for a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Edina.
Proud family
"It was really, really exciting to see" the arrival of the cookbook, said Jenni's father, Harold Wiehoff, who still lives in St. Cloud with Jenni's mother, Diana. "We know how much she's gone through health-wise." She turned those problems into something positive, he said.
People who interacted with Hulet on The Urban Poser pointed out that her way of eating could be considered paleo, a diet that has become fashionable (and controversial).
Paleo refers to the Paleolithic era (early Stone Age), or the way that primitive people may have eaten — yes to meats, fruits and vegetables; no to grains, dairy, legumes and processed foods in general. (Hulet is quick to point out that people adapt paleo diets differently; one person's definition may not match another's.)
Hulet adopted the diet because it was necessary for her health, not because it was trendy. Many people are in the same situation, she said.
Choose your own dessert
For the cookbook, she focused on sweets because of their universal nature — they're in every culture. The book begins with ingredient definitions (ghee, or clarified butter, is often used), then goes to recipes with lush photos of the dishes. (Even people not interested in the paleo diet might feel their stomachs rumble when looking at creations such as her tiramisu or opera cake.)
Hulet also uses a "choose your own adventure" type of method in which she lists a variety of pastries, fillings, glazes and more so bakers can craft their own treats.
The cookbook was a family affair; her husband, Ben, and their two teenage sons helped.
And she's got at least one convert: her father. Harold Wiehoff said he's been buying ingredients to make the treats.
"It's such a different kind of perspective on how you approach cooking that I'm reading through all her instructional stuff to get my head wrapped around how to do it," he said. "But we are extremely excited about it."
Follow Kate Kompas on Twitter @copygirlkate, or call her at 259-3620.
If you go ...
What: Book signing for Jenni Hulet's "My Paleo Patisserie."
When: 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 17.
Where: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3225- 69th St. W, Edina.
More online
Check out information about Hulet and "My Paleo Patisserie" at http://urbanposer.blogspot.com. The book can be purchased there or on Amazon or barnesandnoble.com.
Sacher torte
Sacher torte is a classic Austrian chocolate cake layered with apricot preserves. It is traditionally served with a side of whipped cream, but is delicious on its own.
Cake ingredients
1/4 cup (45 g) palm shortening or ghee
1/2 cup (60 g) coconut flour
1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Filling and glaze
1 cup (240 ml) apricot jam (for the filling)
5 ounces (140 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon rum or water
Special equipment
6-inch cake pan
Yield
One 6-inch round torte
One Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Grease and line a 6-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper circle cut to fit the pan.
Two In a small saucepan, melt the shortening over gentle heat, then set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, cocoa, arrowroot flour, and salt till blended.
Three Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the yolks in another bowl along with the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar and melted shortening. Whisk to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk till the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
Four Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment for your stand mixer, beat the egg whites till they look like softly whipped cream (soft peaks). Stir the baking soda into the batter and then, using a rubber spatula, immediately beat in one-third of the whipped egg whites to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites till only a few streaks of egg white are left.
Five Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or till a wooden skewer poked into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and turn out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Six When ready to assemble the torte, slice the cake in half. Place the bottom layer on a wire rack. Soften ½ cup (120 ml) of the jam in a small bowl by stirring and pressing with a spoon. Spread the jam over the cake layer. You may not need all of it. Place the other cake layer on top, pressing down slightly to secure it.
Seven In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) of jam to a simmer, stirring every once in a while. Once it becomes liquid, press it through a fine-mesh sieve.
Eight Place the rack with the cake on it over a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Starting at the center of the cake, pour on the apricot glaze, letting it move outward. Again, you may not need all of it. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the glaze in a thin layer over the entire surface of the cake. You don't want the glaze to be too thick. Leave till the glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
Nine To prepare the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup, water, and rum, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the hot mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes or till melted. Whisk till smooth. If the glaze is too thick to pour, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon of hot water. Let cool till lukewarm.
Ten With the cake still set over the baking sheet, start at the center of the cake and pour on the chocolate glaze. Pick up and tilt the cake as needed to help the chocolate cover the entire surface of the cake. Add more chocolate on the edges as needed. Chill the cake in the fridge for about 20 minutes to quick-set the glaze. This will make it easier to transfer it to a plate for serving.
Eleven Transfer the cake to a 7-inch (18-cm) or larger plate or cake stand. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
Reprinted with permission of Jenni Hulet