Infused maple syrup nets surprising tastes

Infusions have been a common theme this spring. First there were Runamok Maple syrups infused with such flavors as hibiscus, elderberry, cardamom and ginger.

Before you protest

“but maple is for fall.”

Yes, we do tend to eat more maple flavored foods in autumn, but sugaring season actually happens in late winter to early spring. February through March, and sometimes April, is when New England’s maple trees are tapped for their sweet sap.

My first thought when I read about Runamok Maple syrups was why? Pure maple syrup is so good on its own, why would you want to mess with it by adding other flavors. But I’ll admit the promise of a sample of rum barrel-aged maple syrup lured me in.

Runamok Maple sent me three bottles — rum barrel-aged, hibiscus infused and elderberry infused.

All three are delicious and different. The sweet-tart flavor of the hibiscus-infused maple syrup was perfect for mixing in cocktails — 2 parts rye whiskey, 1 part sweet vermouth, ½ part maple syrup, 2 dashes bitters, shaken with ice, strained and garnished with a cherry or two. The rum barrel-aged was delightful on pancakes and drizzled on Gooey Maple Butter Cake. The elderberry, a new flavor for me, was by far my favorite. It tastes, surprisingly, like figs and would be an excellent addition to a cheese platter, in sauces for grilled or roasted meats, in cocktails and of course, on pancakes or waffles.

For more information about Runamok Maple, visit runamokmaple.com.

Then came Ink Gourmet Flavored Soy Sauces available in Lemongrass, Sesame Garlic, Ginger Sesame, Orange Chili, Wasabi and Thai Chili.

The soy sauces were just as flavorful and intriguing. I sampled the Lemongrass, Orange Chili and Sesame Garlic flavors. They made excellent dipping sauces on their own and were great incorporated into my favorite Asian-inspired recipes. The Lemongrass imparted enough flavor that if I were unable to find fresh lemongrass to use in a recipe, it would make a decent substitute if the recipe also called for soy sauce.

Ink Soy Sauces are available at select Walmart stores around the state and online. For more information or for a store locator, visit inksoysauce.com.

Any maple syrup will work in this maple infused take on gooey butter cake.

Gooey Maple Butter Cake

For the crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut

into small pieces

For the cake:

¾ cup butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2/ cup pure maple syrup PLUS

3

more for drizzling (I drizzled with Runamok Rum Barrel-Aged Maple syrup)

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup half-and-half Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch Springform cake pan with parchment paper.

For the crust layer:

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon and mix well. Cut or rub in the cold butter until mixture resembles coarse meal and holds together with squeezed tightly. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 5 minutes; set aside. Leave oven on.

For the cake layer:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the ¾ cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and maple syrup. It’s OK if mixture looks curdled. Alternating, add the flour and half-and-half in two additions, mixing until no white streaks remain. Pour batter over crust and return to the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

When ready to serve, gently cut around the edges of the cake to loosen, then remove bottom of pan. Place cake on a platter or cake stand. If using a cake stand be sure it has a rim to collect any puddles of excess syrup. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar, then drizzle with maple syrup.

Nutrition information: Each serving — without confectioners’ sugar or maple drizzle — contains approximately 350 calories,

3 g protein, 18 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate (27 g sugar), 3 mg cholesterol, 147 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.