Paprika is probably best known for its juicy goulash, thick stews and casseroles, but the spice has more than just a savoury purpose. Unlike its most common use, it can also work fantastically well as a variety of sweet solutions.
The pepper in its basic form has a mild and mild flavour, with a sweetly peppery taste. It is fruity, depending on the variety, smoky or spicy flavour notes. Paprika can add a new depth to sweets, helping to balance out overly sweet flavours while adding a nice splash of colour.
The peppers can be directly sprinkled into the cakes and pastries into your dough or use it to improve your recipes for cream, ganache or glaze. But you can still get a stunning result if you sprinkle it lightly on your macarons. Which brings us to the next big question, which is which ingredients go best with peppers?
Pair it like this
There are several ingredients that can provide a super, neutral base for peppers, the first of which is dairy. Because of its versatility, paprika can add interest to otherwise simple desserts such as ice cream, panna cotta or butterscotch. It can also be a good idea to combine chocolate and paprika. The decadence of chocolate's sweet and bitter character makes it an excellent partner for everything from truffles to brownies, puddings and crust cakes. But the pepper pairings don't end there.
You can take advantage of the fruity notes of peppers by sweet paprika added to a berry compote or mango sauce. On the other hand, a livelier pepper can find its place alongside cloves in a sweet peach jam or pumpkin pie filling. Smoked paprika is a great accompaniment to roasted walnuts, which can be mixed into peanut butter cookies or sugary pecan desserts, for example. As any type of pepper can be used to spice up desserts, don't be afraid of flavours. However, remember to use peppers in moderation - start with just ½ teaspoon. True fans can add more, but experiment carefully so as not to upset the balance of sweetness.
