Some months ago, I was introduced to a company called Condimaniacs, who make some interesting seasonings. They make a Bagel seasoning, which is lovely. To make best use of postage, I bought their bagel seasoning, their bagel seasoning with chilli, their pizza seasoning, their Ranch seasoning, and some other bits I can't remember now.
The Bagel seasoning has been great, as has their pizza seasoning. I've used the Ranch and one of their Dirty seasonings to make acceptable dips.
I also bought their 'low sugar' Pumpkin Spice Coffee mixer, which I started using a little while ago on my mid morning cold cold-brew coffee with cold foamed milk. It's interesting. I realised when I reached for the jar on the second day, that it must have sugar in, and that was probably what I was almost craving. I don't have sugar in my coffee.
After a few days, I found myself craving my cold cold-brew coffee, and I realised that I was addicted to the sweetness of the sprinkles.
This morning, I thought I'd try and make my own sugary chocolate topping. I had some expensive Cacao powder in the cupboard, and I checked online to see how much sugar vs cocoa the commercial ones have. I was surprised to find that sugar was the biggest ingredient, cocoa was only about 20% and there were loads of other additives (like soy). Sugar probably made up 75 percent of the product.
I had a go at making it, with just cacao powder (20%) and caster sugar (80%), which I blitzed together to make a fine powder. I slathered it on my foamed cold milk, and attempted to drink. I hadn't got the dusting all the way to the edge so I did a thing where I extended my upper lip and sort of sucked. It worked really well - I managed to hoover a large amount into my mouth in one blast, but it was so powdery that it went down my throat and I started to cough. And then choke. the Brokenwood episde where the chap choked and inhaled petrol while syphoning. He died. I didn't,).
I realised that I needed it to be a bit more crystalline so it wouldn't do that again.
As I spooned out cacao for batch number two, my eye landed on a jar of French Four Spice Blend, which I'd decanted from a packet a couple of days ago. This smells lovely, it's made up of Black Peppercorns, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves, and I bought it to make a honey cake (french recipe). [ I haven't made the cake yet because: day 1, I needed to order the spice mix; Day 3, I realised I only had expensive honey in the cupboard and I didn't want to use it in a cake, so I had to go and buy cheap honey.; Day Four I started makig it, step 1 zest 6 oranges, and after I'd zested 4 I realised that one of them was off and it had ruined all the zest; Day 6, the orange extract arrived, but the bottle was slightly open so that was no good. Do you think the Universe is trying to tell me something?] Anyway. I digress..
My eye landed on the Four Spice Blend, and I thought that would make a lovely topping, so I added that in with my cacoa, whizzed it, and then stirred in some caster sugar. I tried a tiny bit on a spoon. and it killed my tastebuds stone dead. Too much 4 Spice Blend. I went and did somwething else for a while.
Some time later, it occurred to me that Aldi Sugar Puffs might make a lovely coffee topping. I put some in my little spice blender, and whizzed them to a powder. I stirred in a small amount of caster sugar for crunch,. it tasted OK. Not brilliant, but OK. I made another cold cold-brew coffee with cold foamed milk, and put a load of topping on, making sure I got it all the way to the edge.
Of course I'd completely ignored what happens to Sugar Puffs when you add milk.
I tried to drink, but there was this...this... puffberg on the top of my coffee. The powder had sucked up moisture, and set. When I went to empty out the rest from my blender, it had already absorbed noisture from the air, and was set in concretesque lumps under the blades. There was another bit of puffcrete in the little bowl I'd poured some in to test.
It wasn't a success.
It seems there is good reason why the commercial stuff has loads of additives after all.
I might just give in and buy cadburys drinking chocolate to sprinkle.
Or I might just try and break the habit before it becomes an addiction.
I can give it up anytime.
Can't I?
