In honor of the Labor Day weekend, it is important to remember the season and do as little as possible, particularly because the first hints of fall are a reminder that full-fledged holiday baking is not that far away (did I really say that? Ack - strike it from your mind, fast!)
With Labor Day also comes the return of school, which means that I am biologically preprogrammed to want to eat more peanut butter. I love peanut butter, but for some reason as a kid I never ate the stuff during summer. It was only when school started again that peanut butter would make its triumphant daily return to my lunch, and I absolutely could not be happier.
Mix this all in with weather that swings 25 degrees in a few hours (and my absolute refusal to turn on the air conditioning because of it), and the result is an old favorite: a no-bake cookie recipe that includes the world's best flavor combination, peanut butter and chocolate, and I've changed the recipe so it is vegan. As much as I love the other no-bake recipe I posted, this one is also delicious, with a slightly different flavor profile (think sweet and salty!), and it has the added bonus of having ingredients you probably already have in the house.
The recipe was adapted from a close friend of my mom's, Kate Collins, who is the author of the Flower Shop Mystery series. I'd definitely recommend whipping up a batch of these cookies and then curling up with one of her books - a well-deserved plug, I assure you! Her link is to the right under friends; I hope you'll check it out!
***Apologies that this recipe was inadvertently tagged as gluten free! You probably thought I was a weirdo since I said gluten free when there is clearly flour in the recipe, so I wanted to cop to my mistake.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Yields: 3-4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 c. non-dairy butter substitute (like Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. cocoa
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. natural peanut butter (recipe update: natural peanut butter works, smooth or chunky!)
2 1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. flour
1) Melt butter substitute, sugar, soy milk, and cocoa on the stove; bring to a boil, and boil for one minute.
2) Remove from heat and mix in remaining ingredients.
3) Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and cool in the fridge. Store covered in fridge.
a peek into one blogger's vegan lifestyle, from cooking and baking to parenthood and family life to making vegan choices as a working professional, and everything in between
Friday, September 4, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Veganizing Chocolate Chip Cookies: The Battle Goes On
I've previously written about my battle with veganizing chocolate chip cookies, and I am sad to report, the heartbreak continues. I am still eternally grateful to Anita E. for her awesome vegan chocolate chip coffee bars; I've made them a few times now, and they have been a huge hit wherever they've gone. My quest to turn the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe into a vegan dream that tastes identical to the original, though, soldiers forward, although the troops are pretty beat up at this point.
My latest endeavor was to try and take out the eggs. Although I often use bananas and applesauce to take out eggs, I'm not totally confident that would work in cookies. The banana flavor, though that has the potential to be yummy, would certainly not duplicate the flavor of the original Toll House cookie, and applesauce adds a moistness that works well in a dessert that is in bar or bread form, but I don't think it would provide enough structure for a cookie that needs to stand up on its own.
What did I do, then? I used soy flour. Greg very cleverly read the back of the soy flour bag and found instructions on how to use soy flour as an egg substitute in baking, so I decided to give it a try. I think this is definitely a trick I will use again. First, it is easy to do: you use one tablespoon of soy flour plus one tablespoon of water mixed together to replace one egg. The result is amazing; there is definitely the same quantity and texture as if you had cracked an egg. I think this is good news, because you can easily replace the volume that the egg would have taken up in the traditional recipe. Second, I was able to use something I already had in the house. As I think my other posts have revealed, I am often in a position where 1) I'm baking and realize I'm out of something so have to make a quick substitution, or 2) I'm just lazy and don't want to go to the store to buy one ingredient unless I really, REALLY need it. I always keep soy flour in the house to make Greg's goodies, so I have it on hand. I know there are great products out there, like Ener-G Egg Replacer, but I've never used them because I don't already have them and I never think to buy it. Although I do hope to try Ener-G one day, I'm really happy with the soy flour substitute for now and I think it works well.
Well, I should clarify: I think it has the potential to be a perfect substitute in other recipes, but not in the world of Nestle. Don't get me wrong - the final product was good, but it definitely didn't perfectly emulate the original Toll House cookie. Sigh. If you are a fan of cookies that have some crispness to them, then I strongly recommend you try the recipe below; it has great flavor, and the cookies were crispy without being burned. I assume this is because of soy's natural tendency to add a little brown color and crisp when baked...I probably should have thought of that before trying to make a soft cookie. Cue handsmack on forehead. But the cookies were still yummy and gobbled up.
I should also note that these cookies, when baked...well, they look kind of odd. There's no nice way to say it. They rose, but in kind of funky shapes, and they sort of had a hill/valley thing going on. Greg was slightly weirded out when he saw them, but then he ate them and really liked them. So I guess the moral of the story here is 1) don't judge a book by its cover, and 2) if you insist on judging a book by its cover, just close your eyes when you eat these and you'll be just fine.
Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Attempt #1
(For lovers of crispy cookies with a face only a mother could love)
Yields: 4-5 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 c. non-dairy butter substitute softened, like Earth's Balance
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. soy flour + 2 Tbsp. water, mixed together
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. vegan chocolate chips, like Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1) Cream together butter substituted and sugars. Mix in soy flour mixture and vanilla, until well mixed.
2) On low speed, add soda, then slowly add flour 3/4 c. at a time, until just mixed. (If dough looks a little tight or dry, add 1-2 Tbsp. of water until it loosens up like traditional cookie dough.)
3) Mix in chocolate chips.
4) Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop out dough into little balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.
5) Place sheets on cooling racks for 1-2 minutes, then remove cookies and cool completely on the racks.
My latest endeavor was to try and take out the eggs. Although I often use bananas and applesauce to take out eggs, I'm not totally confident that would work in cookies. The banana flavor, though that has the potential to be yummy, would certainly not duplicate the flavor of the original Toll House cookie, and applesauce adds a moistness that works well in a dessert that is in bar or bread form, but I don't think it would provide enough structure for a cookie that needs to stand up on its own.
What did I do, then? I used soy flour. Greg very cleverly read the back of the soy flour bag and found instructions on how to use soy flour as an egg substitute in baking, so I decided to give it a try. I think this is definitely a trick I will use again. First, it is easy to do: you use one tablespoon of soy flour plus one tablespoon of water mixed together to replace one egg. The result is amazing; there is definitely the same quantity and texture as if you had cracked an egg. I think this is good news, because you can easily replace the volume that the egg would have taken up in the traditional recipe. Second, I was able to use something I already had in the house. As I think my other posts have revealed, I am often in a position where 1) I'm baking and realize I'm out of something so have to make a quick substitution, or 2) I'm just lazy and don't want to go to the store to buy one ingredient unless I really, REALLY need it. I always keep soy flour in the house to make Greg's goodies, so I have it on hand. I know there are great products out there, like Ener-G Egg Replacer, but I've never used them because I don't already have them and I never think to buy it. Although I do hope to try Ener-G one day, I'm really happy with the soy flour substitute for now and I think it works well.
Well, I should clarify: I think it has the potential to be a perfect substitute in other recipes, but not in the world of Nestle. Don't get me wrong - the final product was good, but it definitely didn't perfectly emulate the original Toll House cookie. Sigh. If you are a fan of cookies that have some crispness to them, then I strongly recommend you try the recipe below; it has great flavor, and the cookies were crispy without being burned. I assume this is because of soy's natural tendency to add a little brown color and crisp when baked...I probably should have thought of that before trying to make a soft cookie. Cue handsmack on forehead. But the cookies were still yummy and gobbled up.
I should also note that these cookies, when baked...well, they look kind of odd. There's no nice way to say it. They rose, but in kind of funky shapes, and they sort of had a hill/valley thing going on. Greg was slightly weirded out when he saw them, but then he ate them and really liked them. So I guess the moral of the story here is 1) don't judge a book by its cover, and 2) if you insist on judging a book by its cover, just close your eyes when you eat these and you'll be just fine.
Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Attempt #1
(For lovers of crispy cookies with a face only a mother could love)
Yields: 4-5 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 c. non-dairy butter substitute softened, like Earth's Balance
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. soy flour + 2 Tbsp. water, mixed together
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. vegan chocolate chips, like Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1) Cream together butter substituted and sugars. Mix in soy flour mixture and vanilla, until well mixed.
2) On low speed, add soda, then slowly add flour 3/4 c. at a time, until just mixed. (If dough looks a little tight or dry, add 1-2 Tbsp. of water until it loosens up like traditional cookie dough.)
3) Mix in chocolate chips.
4) Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop out dough into little balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.
5) Place sheets on cooling racks for 1-2 minutes, then remove cookies and cool completely on the racks.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Ask Veg Baker, J.D.
Recent inspiration has brought about a new segment on the blog: Ask Veg Baker, J.D. If you have a burning baking question, email it to me or post a comment, and once or twice a month, I'll post an answer and a recipe to go with it. Admittedly, I am not a trained pastry chef, so I definitely don't want to give the impression that I'm a baking know-it-all. I hope these monthly Q&A sessions take on more of the flavor of friendly banter where people can trade tips. In that vein, if you have anything to contribute to a question, please post in the comments. And if I don't know the answer, I'll happily research to figure it out.
So what's the story behind this idea? A phone call from my wonderful sister, Alison. If you don't know my sister, please go out of your way to do so. I'm one of her biggest fans, not only because she's a fabulous big sister, but she's just an incredible person. I always looked up to her as a kid, and I continue to look to her for support and guidance as an adult. I'm just super proud to be her little sister.
One of the many areas where Alison shines is her hostessing capabilities. She always throws these amazing parties, and she is a fantastic cook and baker to boot. Whereas I like to take recipes and modify them, Alison just pulls these ridiculously good ideas for food and parties out of the various recesses of her brain and, in true Tim Gunn style, she "makes it happen."
It is the topic of Alison and baking that brought about the Ask Veg Baker, J.D. segment. Alison gave me a call last week because she was in a predicament that I am in more than I care to admit: she was in the middle of baking and realized she was short on an ingredient. Here was her question: when you are baking and short on vegetable oil, is there anything you can substitute?
The answer is: yes! As a general rule, in baking, a solid fat can be substituted for another solid fat, and a liquid fat can be substituted for another liquid fat. If you think about it, we've been doing this for years already; people use butter, margarine, and shortening interchangeably all the time and don't think twice about it. For some reason, though, doing the same thing with liquid fats just didn't get the same amount of press. In Alison's case, she was short on vegetable oil, so my first recommendation was to use applesauce to make up the difference. Applesauce actually is a great substitute because it adds a lot of moisture without altering flavor and its fat-free. When she scoured her fridge and realized she was out, though, we went to Plan C: she melted some butter and added it to the oil and put it in. (This would work with Earth's Balance, too!) Alison added the butter and found success! (I can personally attest to the final product's yumminess.)
I should note, though, that when substituting liquid fats, it is important to use neutral fats, like vegetable/corn/canola oil, applesauce, and melted butter. For example, you should NEVER use something like olive oil. It has a tremendous taste that beefs up the flavor profile of savory foods, but put it in your cakes and cookies, and you've got yourself a big pile of yuck (unless, of course, the recipe calls for it, and then that's a different story).
In honor of my sister's idea to start Ask Veg Baker, J.D. (and her enthusiastic proclamation of "Thanks, Veg Baker, J.D.!" when she hung up the phone), I am going to post today's recipe in honor of Alison. When Alison was a teenager and starting to bake for the first time, she made the Hershey's Best Brownies recipe, and it was super delicious. It's a recipe I've turned to time and again. I've recently veganized it, and I'm still tinkering with it, but I definitely like the result below.
I should note, though, that when you make these brownies, because applesauce is used, they are going to look undercooked when they come out of the oven. I can't stress this enough - it is really important that you test the brownies and make sure a toothpick comes out clean, otherwise these are really easy to overbake. If you're like me, the toothpick will come out clean and you'll pull the brownies out of the oven, but then you'll pace and lament that you can't believe you stopped baking the brownies even though they look so raw and you spoiled this batch, and then 30 minutes will go by and you'll want some form of chocolate so you'll cut yourself a brownie, and you'll realize you have a warm, super soft (and fully baked) brownie, and you'll feel goofy for doubting yourself. Not like I've gone through this dance before or anything...
Anyway, these brownies are at their best still hot out of the oven in a brownie sundae as well as in traditional cooled down brownie form.
Best Brownies, Vegan-Style
Yields: 12 brownies
Ingredients:
1/2 c. melted non-dairy butter substitute, like Earth's Balance
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 -1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional; there will be a darker chocolate taste without it)
1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1) Mix together butter substitute and white sugar; add applesauce and vanilla until well mixed.
2) Mix flour, cocoa, and powder into wet ingredients until just mixed.
3) Pour into an 8x8 or 9x9 well-greased square pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out in the center (and in different spots of the pan) cleanly.
So what's the story behind this idea? A phone call from my wonderful sister, Alison. If you don't know my sister, please go out of your way to do so. I'm one of her biggest fans, not only because she's a fabulous big sister, but she's just an incredible person. I always looked up to her as a kid, and I continue to look to her for support and guidance as an adult. I'm just super proud to be her little sister.
One of the many areas where Alison shines is her hostessing capabilities. She always throws these amazing parties, and she is a fantastic cook and baker to boot. Whereas I like to take recipes and modify them, Alison just pulls these ridiculously good ideas for food and parties out of the various recesses of her brain and, in true Tim Gunn style, she "makes it happen."
It is the topic of Alison and baking that brought about the Ask Veg Baker, J.D. segment. Alison gave me a call last week because she was in a predicament that I am in more than I care to admit: she was in the middle of baking and realized she was short on an ingredient. Here was her question: when you are baking and short on vegetable oil, is there anything you can substitute?
The answer is: yes! As a general rule, in baking, a solid fat can be substituted for another solid fat, and a liquid fat can be substituted for another liquid fat. If you think about it, we've been doing this for years already; people use butter, margarine, and shortening interchangeably all the time and don't think twice about it. For some reason, though, doing the same thing with liquid fats just didn't get the same amount of press. In Alison's case, she was short on vegetable oil, so my first recommendation was to use applesauce to make up the difference. Applesauce actually is a great substitute because it adds a lot of moisture without altering flavor and its fat-free. When she scoured her fridge and realized she was out, though, we went to Plan C: she melted some butter and added it to the oil and put it in. (This would work with Earth's Balance, too!) Alison added the butter and found success! (I can personally attest to the final product's yumminess.)
I should note, though, that when substituting liquid fats, it is important to use neutral fats, like vegetable/corn/canola oil, applesauce, and melted butter. For example, you should NEVER use something like olive oil. It has a tremendous taste that beefs up the flavor profile of savory foods, but put it in your cakes and cookies, and you've got yourself a big pile of yuck (unless, of course, the recipe calls for it, and then that's a different story).
In honor of my sister's idea to start Ask Veg Baker, J.D. (and her enthusiastic proclamation of "Thanks, Veg Baker, J.D.!" when she hung up the phone), I am going to post today's recipe in honor of Alison. When Alison was a teenager and starting to bake for the first time, she made the Hershey's Best Brownies recipe, and it was super delicious. It's a recipe I've turned to time and again. I've recently veganized it, and I'm still tinkering with it, but I definitely like the result below.
I should note, though, that when you make these brownies, because applesauce is used, they are going to look undercooked when they come out of the oven. I can't stress this enough - it is really important that you test the brownies and make sure a toothpick comes out clean, otherwise these are really easy to overbake. If you're like me, the toothpick will come out clean and you'll pull the brownies out of the oven, but then you'll pace and lament that you can't believe you stopped baking the brownies even though they look so raw and you spoiled this batch, and then 30 minutes will go by and you'll want some form of chocolate so you'll cut yourself a brownie, and you'll realize you have a warm, super soft (and fully baked) brownie, and you'll feel goofy for doubting yourself. Not like I've gone through this dance before or anything...
Anyway, these brownies are at their best still hot out of the oven in a brownie sundae as well as in traditional cooled down brownie form.
Best Brownies, Vegan-Style
Yields: 12 brownies
Ingredients:
1/2 c. melted non-dairy butter substitute, like Earth's Balance
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 -1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional; there will be a darker chocolate taste without it)
1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1) Mix together butter substitute and white sugar; add applesauce and vanilla until well mixed.
2) Mix flour, cocoa, and powder into wet ingredients until just mixed.
3) Pour into an 8x8 or 9x9 well-greased square pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out in the center (and in different spots of the pan) cleanly.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Cookies = Superfood
Although Greg isn't a huge fan of sweets (a fact that still blows my mind, even as we enter our fifth year of knowing each other), he has an undeniable weakness for oatmeal raisin cookies. I always knew this about him, but I didn't realize the full extent of his passion for the stuff until my wonderful college roommate delivered us her version of Quaker's classic recipe. I think his excitement may have been comparable to our wedding day. Maybe I'm exaggerating...but maybe I'm not. Needless to say, that recipe safely made it into my baking repertoire.
When it comes to feeding my "Greg on the Go" then (as I described in an earlier post, of Greg's almost frightening cactus-like tendencies), I was thinking of his great love of the noble oatmeal raisin cookie both to change up his work day snacking and to entice him to take a few minutes to eat some actual food. This cookie works well as sweet brain food...or, at least I tell myself that, to alleviate the guilt from constantly trying to feed my husband cookies...
After some monkeying around and incorporating some favorite techniques, I came up with the recipe below, which has increased fiber and protein as well as being veganized. The other nice thing about this recipe is you can pretty easily change out the flavor profiles. Other dried fruits would work well as well as some nuts; or, you can use another favorite trick of my college roommate and toss in some white chocolate as well. I'm also a fan of this recipe because I used banana to take out the eggs, so, if you're in a position like Mrs. Smith in the comments from my last post, and you have a bunch of bananas and just can't stand banana bread anymore, these cookies really benefit from the slight sweetness of fruit.
Pumped Up Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Yields: 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 c. non-dairy butter substitute (like Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar (I use vegan)
2-3 bananas, mashed
1-1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. soy flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 -1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
3 c. oats
1 1/2 c. raisins
1) Cream together butter substitute and sugars. Add bananas and vanilla; mix well.
2) Gradually add flours, soda, and cinnamon; mix until just combined.
3) Stir in oats and raisins.
4) Drop by rounded tablespoons or using a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
5) Cool slightly on cooling racks for 1-2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and cool completely.
Freezes well.
When it comes to feeding my "Greg on the Go" then (as I described in an earlier post, of Greg's almost frightening cactus-like tendencies), I was thinking of his great love of the noble oatmeal raisin cookie both to change up his work day snacking and to entice him to take a few minutes to eat some actual food. This cookie works well as sweet brain food...or, at least I tell myself that, to alleviate the guilt from constantly trying to feed my husband cookies...
After some monkeying around and incorporating some favorite techniques, I came up with the recipe below, which has increased fiber and protein as well as being veganized. The other nice thing about this recipe is you can pretty easily change out the flavor profiles. Other dried fruits would work well as well as some nuts; or, you can use another favorite trick of my college roommate and toss in some white chocolate as well. I'm also a fan of this recipe because I used banana to take out the eggs, so, if you're in a position like Mrs. Smith in the comments from my last post, and you have a bunch of bananas and just can't stand banana bread anymore, these cookies really benefit from the slight sweetness of fruit.
Pumped Up Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Yields: 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 c. non-dairy butter substitute (like Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar (I use vegan)
2-3 bananas, mashed
1-1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. soy flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 -1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
3 c. oats
1 1/2 c. raisins
1) Cream together butter substitute and sugars. Add bananas and vanilla; mix well.
2) Gradually add flours, soda, and cinnamon; mix until just combined.
3) Stir in oats and raisins.
4) Drop by rounded tablespoons or using a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
5) Cool slightly on cooling racks for 1-2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and cool completely.
Freezes well.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Having an Open and Honest Relationship with Boxed Cake Mix
I have had a long and sordid relationship with boxed mixes, and cake mix in particular. When I first starting baking in junior high, it's not too surprising that cake-making from scratch was not my strong suit. After a couple of tremendous flops, I decided, in true dramatic, adolescent form, that I simply was not cut out to make cakes from scratch and that I could never be taught. I discovered Pillsbury and Betty Crocker and gained the confidence to make all kinds of cakes and cupcakes all through high school and college.
After college, I decided that, perhaps, I should try this whole making cakes from scratch thing again. Lo and behold, I discovered that my skills as a baker had improved over the 10+ years I had limited myself to cookies, brownies, and banana bread, turning me into a cocky 20-something who began to foresake the very boxes that had helped hone her baking skills.
I soon began to realize how much of a baking snob I had become and wanted to give the boxes another try, but I soon ran into other food-related dilemmas. In addition to the trans fat and high fructose corn syrup problems that mixes create, I also faced some economic realities as a consistently broke adult; I couldn't really justify buying the box mix because I already had the flour, sugar, and other ingredients in my house to make a cake from scratch. In addition, I rarely needed the full 24-30 cupcakes a box would yield. By making something from scratch, I could control the final quantity, without having spares around the house for me to snack on and get me into trouble. Add in the snob element that was still lurking underneath, and I thought boxed mixes had retired for good.
Finally, though, I think I've struck the balance that was missing. As I've been going through favorite recipes from childhood, I'm finding that more and more recipes relied upon on boxed mixes than I realized. The difference is that the recipes rarely used straight mixes; instead, the boxes were gussied up to take the best of the mix and bump it up into a delicious new product. It's true that the baking purist in me rarely relies on a box anymore, but now that I know I can transform a box into something unexpected, some recipes that use the stuff will occasionally make it into my repertoire. This recipe below is definitely a winner; I got it from a friend of my sister's at a bridal shower. It travels really well and has made an easy dessert at outdoor concerts, or else it can be easily turned into fun cupcakes. I recommend topping with chocolate frosting. I haven't had a chance to fully veganize it, so I hope to update this post soon, but a quick glance tells me that removing the egg shouldn't be too tough. I'll keep you posted!
As a final note, there is still the very legitimate concern of finding a vegan baking mix that does not have trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, and all of the other scary things that make mixes taste so good. Enter Cherrybrook Kitchen (http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com); not only are the mixes vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free, but a young child can read all of the ingredients off the side of a box, which I think is the noblest test any foodstuff can pass. I find it is consistently stocked at Whole Foods. And did I mention the final product is delicious?
Banana Cake
Yields: one cake that easily feeds 6-8 people
Ingredients
1 package of plain yellow cake mix (I prefer Cherrybrook Kitchen)
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2-3 ripe medium mashed bananas (about one cup)
1 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1) Combine cake mix, sugar, and cinnamon. Blend in bananas, water, oil, and eggs until well mixed.
2) Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
3) When cooled, frost with your favorite icing (my favorite is the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting).
After college, I decided that, perhaps, I should try this whole making cakes from scratch thing again. Lo and behold, I discovered that my skills as a baker had improved over the 10+ years I had limited myself to cookies, brownies, and banana bread, turning me into a cocky 20-something who began to foresake the very boxes that had helped hone her baking skills.
I soon began to realize how much of a baking snob I had become and wanted to give the boxes another try, but I soon ran into other food-related dilemmas. In addition to the trans fat and high fructose corn syrup problems that mixes create, I also faced some economic realities as a consistently broke adult; I couldn't really justify buying the box mix because I already had the flour, sugar, and other ingredients in my house to make a cake from scratch. In addition, I rarely needed the full 24-30 cupcakes a box would yield. By making something from scratch, I could control the final quantity, without having spares around the house for me to snack on and get me into trouble. Add in the snob element that was still lurking underneath, and I thought boxed mixes had retired for good.
Finally, though, I think I've struck the balance that was missing. As I've been going through favorite recipes from childhood, I'm finding that more and more recipes relied upon on boxed mixes than I realized. The difference is that the recipes rarely used straight mixes; instead, the boxes were gussied up to take the best of the mix and bump it up into a delicious new product. It's true that the baking purist in me rarely relies on a box anymore, but now that I know I can transform a box into something unexpected, some recipes that use the stuff will occasionally make it into my repertoire. This recipe below is definitely a winner; I got it from a friend of my sister's at a bridal shower. It travels really well and has made an easy dessert at outdoor concerts, or else it can be easily turned into fun cupcakes. I recommend topping with chocolate frosting. I haven't had a chance to fully veganize it, so I hope to update this post soon, but a quick glance tells me that removing the egg shouldn't be too tough. I'll keep you posted!
As a final note, there is still the very legitimate concern of finding a vegan baking mix that does not have trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, and all of the other scary things that make mixes taste so good. Enter Cherrybrook Kitchen (http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com); not only are the mixes vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free, but a young child can read all of the ingredients off the side of a box, which I think is the noblest test any foodstuff can pass. I find it is consistently stocked at Whole Foods. And did I mention the final product is delicious?
Banana Cake
Yields: one cake that easily feeds 6-8 people
Ingredients
1 package of plain yellow cake mix (I prefer Cherrybrook Kitchen)
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2-3 ripe medium mashed bananas (about one cup)
1 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1) Combine cake mix, sugar, and cinnamon. Blend in bananas, water, oil, and eggs until well mixed.
2) Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
3) When cooled, frost with your favorite icing (my favorite is the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting).
Monday, August 24, 2009
Taking the Sour Cream Out of Coffeecake
Before I got married, my sister had a wonderful idea. She made recipe cards and collected recipes from family and friends and then put them in a recipe box for me. That recipe box, with all of the recipes inside, has become one of my most cherished keepsakes. Not only do I have fabulous recipes that I have literally turned to time and time again, but I feel connected to all the different women in my life who supported me and played different roles in helping me become me.
One of these special recipes is from a childhood friend, who shared a recipe with me that she said has been passed down through multiple generations on her mother's side, and I feel touched that she shared the recipe with me. And - it's delicious, too! It is sour cream coffeecake, with a cinnamon sugar ribbon. It is truly amazing! It is great to bring as a hostess gift. It freezes incredibly well, so I can make it ahead of time and have a special breakfast treat for overnight guests. It also makes a great gift around the holidays as well.
When I started gravitating towards veganism, one of the recipes I thought about experimenting with first was the coffeecake. Not surprisingly, Earth's Balance, with a little extra kick of vanilla, worked well. Even the eggs didn't cause a huge ruckus; after some research, I learned that unsweetened applesauce actually works well in quick breads, and in this recipe, applesauce creates a moist, tasty result.
As you can imagine from the name, though, there is an additional ingredient apart from the butter and eggs that created a vegan hurdle: sour cream. I wasn't entirely sure if I could just substitute vegan sour cream. First, I've never eaten it before, so I wasn't sure if tasted good. Second, even if good, I have no idea if vegan sour cream can go in the oven. Then, thanks to the internet, I learned that, when baking, soy yogurt can replace sour cream. Who knew? To be perfectly frank, the concept of soy yogurt kind of weirds me out to eat by itself, for no good reason. But then I decided that, since the soy yogurt is actually going into something and I don't have to see it directly that maybe I could be brave and try it.
I am pleased to report that using soy yogurt is one of the best vegan baking tips I've picked up. The final result of the coffeecake was just as delicious as the original - and maybe now I'll start eating soy yogurt by itself? Well, one step at a time, people.
Cinnamon-Sugar Coffeecake
Yields: One coffeecake, which easily feeds 6-8 people
1/2 c. non-dairy butter substitute (I vote for Earth's Balance)
1 c. granulated white sugar (I recommend vegan, if you can find it)
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
6 oz. plain (not vanilla!) soy yogurt (RECIPE UPDATE: I tested vanilla, and it's great - I use that now! So either plain or vanilla is fine.)
Cinnamon sugar (2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. white sugar, and optional 1/2 c. chopped nuts)
1) Cream butter substitute and sugar; add applesauce and vanilla. Beat until light.
2) Alternate dry ingredients (flour, soda, and powder) and soy yogurt (start and end with dry ingredients) until just mixed; don't overmix!
3) Pour half the batter into a well-greased springform or bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/2-2/3 cinnamon sugar on top. Pour other half of batter on top and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar on top.
4) Put cake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5) If using bundt pan, immediately remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
One of these special recipes is from a childhood friend, who shared a recipe with me that she said has been passed down through multiple generations on her mother's side, and I feel touched that she shared the recipe with me. And - it's delicious, too! It is sour cream coffeecake, with a cinnamon sugar ribbon. It is truly amazing! It is great to bring as a hostess gift. It freezes incredibly well, so I can make it ahead of time and have a special breakfast treat for overnight guests. It also makes a great gift around the holidays as well.
When I started gravitating towards veganism, one of the recipes I thought about experimenting with first was the coffeecake. Not surprisingly, Earth's Balance, with a little extra kick of vanilla, worked well. Even the eggs didn't cause a huge ruckus; after some research, I learned that unsweetened applesauce actually works well in quick breads, and in this recipe, applesauce creates a moist, tasty result.
As you can imagine from the name, though, there is an additional ingredient apart from the butter and eggs that created a vegan hurdle: sour cream. I wasn't entirely sure if I could just substitute vegan sour cream. First, I've never eaten it before, so I wasn't sure if tasted good. Second, even if good, I have no idea if vegan sour cream can go in the oven. Then, thanks to the internet, I learned that, when baking, soy yogurt can replace sour cream. Who knew? To be perfectly frank, the concept of soy yogurt kind of weirds me out to eat by itself, for no good reason. But then I decided that, since the soy yogurt is actually going into something and I don't have to see it directly that maybe I could be brave and try it.
I am pleased to report that using soy yogurt is one of the best vegan baking tips I've picked up. The final result of the coffeecake was just as delicious as the original - and maybe now I'll start eating soy yogurt by itself? Well, one step at a time, people.
Cinnamon-Sugar Coffeecake
Yields: One coffeecake, which easily feeds 6-8 people
1/2 c. non-dairy butter substitute (I vote for Earth's Balance)
1 c. granulated white sugar (I recommend vegan, if you can find it)
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
6 oz. plain (not vanilla!) soy yogurt (RECIPE UPDATE: I tested vanilla, and it's great - I use that now! So either plain or vanilla is fine.)
Cinnamon sugar (2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. white sugar, and optional 1/2 c. chopped nuts)
1) Cream butter substitute and sugar; add applesauce and vanilla. Beat until light.
2) Alternate dry ingredients (flour, soda, and powder) and soy yogurt (start and end with dry ingredients) until just mixed; don't overmix!
3) Pour half the batter into a well-greased springform or bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/2-2/3 cinnamon sugar on top. Pour other half of batter on top and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar on top.
4) Put cake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5) If using bundt pan, immediately remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Friday, August 21, 2009
When You Eat Ice Cream, It's Always Summer
Apparently, sometime around Memorial Day weekend, I blinked, it became August, and summer was almost over. Applause to me for not paying attention at all. I am firm believer, though, that the time is always right for ice cream. So that said, let's dedicate this Friday post to the end of summer and using ice cream to make any day feel like a lazy July.
If you do not have an ice cream maker, I highly recommend that you get one. They come in all variety of price points (or for you Kitchen Aid stand mixer owners, you can get the handy dandy attachment), but the results are always delicious. I did not fully appreciate how much better homemade ice cream tastes until I made a batch myself, and it's fun to make to boot. Plus, when you make ice cream yourself, the results are really intense (in that good way), so you tend to eat less. See? Make ice cream for your health.
Greg is actually not a huge fan of sweets and baked goods. Once I picked myself up from the floor from learning this, we found a middle ground - ice cream. Greg is an ice cream fiend. So, for Valentine's Day a few years ago, I bought him an ice cream maker, so we could be cute and couple-y and make our own ice cream. It was such a great plan, the ice cream maker sat in the box for two and a half years before we busted it out.
So what finally convinced us to bring out the ice cream maker, only to fall in love with it all over again? The Vegan Scoop by Wheeler Del Torro. I read a recommendation on the VegCooking blog (http://blog.vegcooking.org) and promptly ordered the book. It has been life changing to say the least. Exaggerating much? I don't think so. Our first foray, admittedly, fell a bit flat, because our first recipe, Mint Chocolate Chip, apparently had a fateful misprint. (In related news, if you pick up this cookbook, only use 1/2-1 tsp. peppermint extract...or you will end up with frozen Listerine like we did). Every recipe since then, however, has been magical. The one below is my favorite so far.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream (adapted from The Vegan Scoop)
Yields: 1 quart
1 c. soymilk, divided
2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (you can find this on the spice aisle)
1 c. soy creamer
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. chocolate chips (my vegan fave is Ghirardelli)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 - 1 1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1) In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. soymilk with 2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder. Set aside.
2) Mix soy creamer, remaining soymilk, sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips in a saucepan and cook over low heat, for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly. When the mixture begins to boil, immediately remove from heat and add the arrowroot mixture and vanilla. This will cause the ingredients to thicken.
3) Chill mixture for 3 hours in the fridge.
4) Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. In the last few minutes of freezing, swirl in the peanut butter. The original recipe calls for 3/4 c. of peanut butter...but if you're like me and can't get enough peanut butter and chocolate, you may need to double the peanut butter...
all.
If you do not have an ice cream maker, I highly recommend that you get one. They come in all variety of price points (or for you Kitchen Aid stand mixer owners, you can get the handy dandy attachment), but the results are always delicious. I did not fully appreciate how much better homemade ice cream tastes until I made a batch myself, and it's fun to make to boot. Plus, when you make ice cream yourself, the results are really intense (in that good way), so you tend to eat less. See? Make ice cream for your health.
Greg is actually not a huge fan of sweets and baked goods. Once I picked myself up from the floor from learning this, we found a middle ground - ice cream. Greg is an ice cream fiend. So, for Valentine's Day a few years ago, I bought him an ice cream maker, so we could be cute and couple-y and make our own ice cream. It was such a great plan, the ice cream maker sat in the box for two and a half years before we busted it out.
So what finally convinced us to bring out the ice cream maker, only to fall in love with it all over again? The Vegan Scoop by Wheeler Del Torro. I read a recommendation on the VegCooking blog (http://blog.vegcooking.org) and promptly ordered the book. It has been life changing to say the least. Exaggerating much? I don't think so. Our first foray, admittedly, fell a bit flat, because our first recipe, Mint Chocolate Chip, apparently had a fateful misprint. (In related news, if you pick up this cookbook, only use 1/2-1 tsp. peppermint extract...or you will end up with frozen Listerine like we did). Every recipe since then, however, has been magical. The one below is my favorite so far.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream (adapted from The Vegan Scoop)
Yields: 1 quart
1 c. soymilk, divided
2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (you can find this on the spice aisle)
1 c. soy creamer
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. chocolate chips (my vegan fave is Ghirardelli)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 - 1 1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1) In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. soymilk with 2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder. Set aside.
2) Mix soy creamer, remaining soymilk, sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips in a saucepan and cook over low heat, for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly. When the mixture begins to boil, immediately remove from heat and add the arrowroot mixture and vanilla. This will cause the ingredients to thicken.
3) Chill mixture for 3 hours in the fridge.
4) Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. In the last few minutes of freezing, swirl in the peanut butter. The original recipe calls for 3/4 c. of peanut butter...but if you're like me and can't get enough peanut butter and chocolate, you may need to double the peanut butter...
all.
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