Alexina Anatole's Sweet Tooth

Following the success of Bitter, what inspired you to explore sweetness in your second book? 

I had always planned to cover each of the five tastes (bitter, sweet, sour, salty, umami) and after starting with the most challenging of them, it felt like it might be nice to go with a taste that's universally loved! I also really love desserts but find many of them too sweet, so I was keen to share a different approach.

Many people assume that desserts are just about sugar, but you emphasised balance. Why is that so important, and how do you approach it in your recipes? 

Balance is important in desserts because it's what'll make you go back for seconds! Desserts have sugar in them by default so the focus needs to be on which elements are going to balance out that sweetness. Researchers at the University of Florida identified the 'salted caramel effect', explaining that the reason we're all so addicted to the stuff is because it's not just sugary, it's also salty, and a little bitter, and a little umami. This makes it more interesting to our palates and keeps us going back for more and more. This is the approach I like to apply to all my desserts, always keeping in mind which ingredients are offering some balance, or if there's a swap that can be made to bring that balance in. For example, could you replace the double cream in a butterscotch sauce with creme fraiche? Or could you swap stawberries with a sharper berry? Or use subtly bitter walnuts in place of pecans? 

Your Substack, Small Wins, is all about manageable ways to improve cooking and life. Are there any small wins you’d suggest for making better desserts at home? 

Yes, a few! If a recipe calls for melted butter, try browning that butter first for greater depth of flavour and toasty caramelised notes. Use demerara on top of rustic cakes (muffins, banana bread, fruit cakes) for added textural interest. 50/50 whip is also really useful if you don't like things too sweet: cut whipped cream with 50% something like creme fraiche, sour cream or Greek yoghurt for something with a little more tang to serve alongside a cake or tart. Or do as the French do and serve everything with straight-up creme fraiche!

Are there any wines you'd recommend for those who, like you, enjoy wine but aren't big drinkers? 

When it comes to enjoying a bottle over a few days, I find that reds can often soften and become more rounded as time goes on which means they're ideal if you're not a big drinker. It's also important to say that if you're only drinking wine from time to time you can afford to invest a bit more in the bottle that you buy and this will expose you to a wider range of wines. For example, white wine selections are often dominated by dry Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnays (especially at the less premium end) but venturing into the off-dry territory that you get with wines like Rieslings, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris can offer a different kind of balance in flavour -- one that you might appreciate if you find a lot of white wines too acidic or harsh.