bake - March/April 2024 - 7

technical corner
Add Some 'Swicy' Heat
Everyone loves hot honey, and muffins are the perfect platform
to add some " swicy " heat and create a more savory product with
the perfect amount of sweetness, explains Catherine Barry, vice
president of marketing for the National Honey Board, Erie, Colo.
" Honey is the ideal ingredient in clean label muffin development
by the very nature of what the ingredient is. This all-natural
sweetener comes straight from nature. From the bee to the hive
to the bakery, " Barry shares. " Honey is simply honey. A 100%
pure ingredient. On ingredient listings, honey also is simply labeled
as honey. It doesn't get more clean label than that. "
Other new menu ideas include savory honey muffins. Honey,
chives and gruyere cheese provide a clean label spin on a classic.
Blueberry muffins with salted honey crumble combine clover
honey, fresh blueberries, butter and vanilla remix a sweet take
on a fan favorite.
The National Honey Board has been tracking the clean label
trend since the term first entered the food and beverage lexicon.
As an all-natural sweetener derived from honeybees, the board
has a vested interest in the success of bakery product developers
seeking to streamline their ingredient listings with all-natural
ingredients that consumers can feel good about eating.
" Luckily, clean label is no longer a trend. It has transcended
the next big thing status and firmly established itself as a formulation
goal, " Barry shares. " In fact, clean label formulation has
even spawned new trends, such as bakers only using ingredients
that consumers can find in their pantry. We're glad to see clean
RETAIL EXPANSION
Emily Kate's features a new look as
it expands its gluten-free business
across the central U.S. This custom
bakery supplies cafes and grocery
stores across the Kansas City, Mo.,
area and beyond.
The business bakes product for
birthdays, showers, weddings, family
gatherings, other events big and
small and offers convenient ordering
at order@emilykatesbakery.com.
Tragically, the bakery's founder
and owner Robin Knight passed away
last year, but the business continues
label development and marketing now established as a core tenet
of bakery product development. "
A C&R Research study showed that many consumers will say
no to baked goods with ingredients that are hard to pronounce
(37%), perceived to be unhealthy or not " good for you " (29%),
or unnatural (22%). Consumers tend to interpret " clean " descriptors
as having to do with ingredients. Consumers said they
prefer products made with recognizable ingredients (56%) and
short ingredient lists (65%).
Bakers making clean label muffins with honey should position
the products for their simplicity, familiarity, natural ingredients,
transparency and sustainability.
Honey is most known for its sweetness, and for good reason.
The first leavened breads were sweetened with honey. In fact,
there are more than 3,000 varietals of honey, creating endless
flavor combination opportunities.
" However, honey is more than a sweetener, " Barry explains.
" The ingredient's flavor profile also helps bakers use a clean label
ingredient to mask or smooth the off-flavors of some ingredients.
For example, the increased use of whole grains in muffins
has been an excellent addition to the overall healthfulness of
many products. However, wholegrains sometimes carry a bitter
flavor profile not accepted by consumers who are used to the
sweeter flavor profile of white flour. Honey has played a starring
role in whole grain muffins, helping to mask specific off-flavors
and smoothing out a product's overall flavor profile. "
to grow its sales. " We are so grieved,
shocked, and utterly heartbroken to
share that our founder and owner,
Robin Knight, passed away on Sept.
8, " the company shared in a social
media post. " Her ingenuity, tenacity,
creativity, and mentorship will be
sorely missed. What a lasting mark
she has made on us all. "
Emily Kate's baked goods are available
for daily, walk-in purchase at
a variety of shops and cafes around
town. The products are available at all
Kansas City Whole Foods stores and
at Whole Foods in Wichita. Customers
can also have them delivered right to
their door with Shatto Home Delivery.
Customers can also find the products
at Dierberg's Grocery Stores in
St. Louis, as well as at Whole Foods
stores throughout the Rockies across
Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico.
bakemag.com | MAR-APR 2024 > 07
JOHN UNREIN
http://www.bakemag.com
bake - March/April 2024

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