Are Pomegranates healthy?
Pomegranates are low in calories and sodium and a good source of potassium. Add in a little Vitamin C and the pomegranate is an interesting and very healthy fruit to add to your diet.
You can tell a ripe fruit by its distinctive color and when tapped it will produce a tinny sound. Do not let fruit over-mature or you'll risk them cracking open. Pomegranates have a lengthy storage life of up to 7 months if kept at a temperature of 32º to 41º with little humidity.
How are pomegranates used?
Pomegranate juice can be used to make jellies, sorbets and hot or cold sauces, as well as adding flavor to cakes and baked apples. Grenadine is the commercial name for pomegranate syrup. Two of the most popular non-alcoholic drinks made with grenadine are the Roy Rogers, which uses cola and grenadine, and ginger ale and grenadine, called the Shirley Temple. Pomegranates are very versatile.
How can I bake with pomegranates?
Here is a recipe to put your pomegranates to a tasty and surprising use.
Chocolate Devil's Food Pomegranate Cream Layer Cake
What You Need
Cake:
- 1 pkg. devil's food mix (do not use pudding in the mix)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups pomegranate juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Filling:
- 2 cups whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup raspberry fruit spread or preserves, divided
- ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Topping:
- 2/3 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 1 pound frozen pitted unsweetened dark sweetened cherries
Make It
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Generously grease 2 9-inch nonstick cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Prepare the Topping:
Combine 2/3 cup juice and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cherries and any juice. Stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Prepare the Cake Mix:
Combine cake mix, eggs, 1 1/3 cups juice and oil in medium bowl. Beat to package directions. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pans on wire racks. Remove from cake pan to wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Filling:
Beat whipping cream in large chilled bowl with electric mixer at high speed. Scrape bowl often until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the Cake:
Place a cake layer on serving platter. Top evenly with ¼ cup raspberry spread, spread with half of whipped cream. Add second cake layer, bottom side up, press down gently. Spread with remaining raspberry spread and whipped cream. Mark your cake slices with edge of knife. Spoon half of cherry topping over cake in dollops between slicing lines and sprinkle with almonds.
Cut slices with serrated knife. Spoon remaining cherry topping over cake slices. Refrigerate leftovers.
To Roast Almonds:
Spread single layer on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350ºF oven 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Cool completely.
Substitutes and Tips:
- Pomegranate-cherry juice or a pomegranate mix can be substituted.
- If cherries are thawed, reserve juice and add with cherries.
Sources:
- http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html
- http://www.pomegranatefruit.org/pomegranate-research/pomegranate-nutrition.html
Jane Mosley - Jane Mosley is a contributing writer for Suite101. She is a freelance writer and has many interests from muay thai to dogs to ...
