Chocolate Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting - Vegan

ad-hoc recipe. this is my basic chocolate cake - light, not too sweet and chocolatey. The fudge frosting is a delicious mixture of right (tasty agave!) and wrong (corn syrup and shortening!) that is a dense counterpoint to the texture of the cake.




Chocolate Cupcakes
makes 1 dozen standard cupcakes

1 C + 2 T AP flour
1.5 t baking powder

.25 C canola oil
.5 C + 1/3 C sugar
.25 t salt

1 C boiling water
3/8 C cocoa powder (6 T)(use Hershey's Special Dark for a really dark, black chocolate)
.5 t instant coffee powder
1 t vanilla extract
.5 t vinegar


Preheat the oven to 350 and line one standard muffin tin.

Use a fork to whisk together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, set aside.

Pour boiling water over cocoa powder in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add remaining wet ingredients and set aside to cool briefly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the oil and sugar until lighter in color and texture, scraping the bowl once or twice. With the mixer running on low speed, incorporate the flour mixture; process until well combined, scraping the bowl once. Incorporate the chocolate mixture with the mixer on low, scraping the bowl as needed.

Portion into tin and bake 22-26 minutes. The cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 5 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely before frosting.


Fudge Frosting
makes enough to top 1 dozen cupcakes

.25 C non-hydrogenated shortening
.25 C non-hydrogenated margarine
.25 C corn syrup
.25 C agave nectar

.5 C cocoa powder

With an eelctric mixer, cream the shortening and margarine until well combined. Beat in corn syrup and agave until smooth. Sift in cocoa powder and beat on low until combined - the frosting will the thick and glossy.

Chill briefly, as needed, to firm up frosting before topping cupcakes. Pipe onto cakes or dollop and smooth with a hot offset metal spatula to create a lovely sheen.





note: if you've ever eaten a Berger cookie, this is more or less the fudge that tops those confectionary wonders.

Raspberry Swirl and Coconut-Chocolate Chip Muffins - Vegan

delicious modifications of this recipe.

Raspberry Swirl - Prepare the basic muffin recipe omitting mixed berries and portion into greased muffin cups. Dot the top of each muffin with 1 t of seeded or seedless raspberry preserves, swirl just a bit with a butterknife. Bake as directed.




Coconut-Chocolate Chip - Pepare basic muffin recipe, omitting mixed berries and using unsweetened coconut milk for the non-dairy milk measurement. Mix in 1 C dark chocolate chips and .5 C unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted. Bake as directed.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Vegan

modified from Vegan with a Vengeance.

Substantial, peanut-buttery and not overwhelming, these cookies are an excellent afternoon snack. The dough itself is easy to prepare by hand - no mixer necessary.




Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies
makes about 2 dozen

2C AP flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt

2 C sugar
.75 C smooth, all-natural peanut butter (Crazy Richards)
.5 C non-dairy milk
.5 C canola oil
2 t molasses
2 t vanilla

2 C old fashioned "rolled" oats


Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients until well mixed. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined before incorporating the oats.

By hand, form into walnut-sized lumps and round between your palms. Place on lined baking sheet and flatten to 1/4" thick. Bake 12-15 minutes, until edges just begin to brown.

Cool on wire rack completely before consuming or storing.

Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookies - Vegan

This recipe is modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, veganized and tweaked just slightly. These cookies are soft and chewy at the center, slightly crispy at the edge and full of sweet jewel-like dried fruit.




Oatmeal Cranberry Raisin Cookies
makes 2 dozen

1 C whole wheat white flour
.5 C AP flour
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon

1 C sugar
2/3 C canola oil
1/3 C agave nectar
1 t molasses
1 t kosher salt

2 T flaxseed meal
3 T hot water

3 C rolled oats
.5 C raisins
.5 C dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Stir together flaxseed meal and water and let stand 5 minutes.

Cream together oil, sugar, agave, molasses and salt, by hand or on a stand mixer. Incorporate flax mixture and stir in dry ingredients. Mix in oats and fruit.

Scoop generously with a tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake 8-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Seat of the Pants Spiced Strawberry Jam - Vegan, Gluten Free

This jam can be prepared with myriad variations - drop the puree if you don't have it on hand, play with the spices, adjust the sweetness to your liking. Provided you keep the sugar content above four cups, the preserves ought to gel just fine thanks to the pectin provided by the apple.



Seat of the Pants Spiced Strawberry Jam
fills 5 halfpint jars or 10 quarterpints

5 C strawberries, hulled and halved (from about 1.5 pounds of fruit)
4-5 C sugar
1 C strawberry puree
3 T lemon juice
1/3 tart apple, with skin, cut into several large pieces
1 large piece lemon rind - roughly 3 x 1.5-inches, including yellow zest and some white pith
5 whole cloves
1 whole cinnamon stick, about 3 inches
.5 t vanilla extract

Use a paring knife to knick 4 small cuts in the lemon rind. Insert a clove into each hole. In a large pot, mash strawberries with sugar until only a few large chunks of fruit remain. Add lemon juice, apple and spices in a large pot and let stand one hour to macerate.

Place pot over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until sugar is fully dissolved. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and crushing berries with back of spoon.

Meanwhile, Set 8 clean half-pint canning jars in a water bath along with 8 rings and any canning equipment that has not yet been sterilised. Bring to a boil; keep at a boil 10 minutes before reducing heat to low until preserves are ready. Set dome lids in rack for dunking or have at the ready with tongs.

Attach a candy thermometer to the preserve pot, taking care that the probe be at middle-depth and neither touching the pot or sitting above the preserves. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 215ºF. It will take some time for the mixture to reduce sufficiently to reach this temperature. The preserves will foam as they cook - simply stir them down if they reach too high. Increase heat to medium-high if necessary.

Once the preserves have reached 215ºF, remove from heat and let stand in the pot 2 minutes. Skim off any foam that has accumulated and remove spices, rinds, etc. Add vanilla extract and stir preserves once to distribute fruit pieces.

Meanwhile, sterilise dome lids by dunking in water bath.

Portion preserves into hot sterilised jars, leaving .5-inch headspace. Place dome lid on lip of jar and screw on ring until finger-tight. Process in boiling water bath 5-6 minutes. Remove from bath and let cool, undisturbed for 24 hours.

Label and store up to 9 months in a cool, dark location.



Eat them on a gluten-free roll and you're set for breakfast.

Fried Avocado Ice Cream with Chipotle Chocolate Sauce - Vegan, Gluten-Free

Fried Avocado Ice Cream with Chipotle Chocolate Sauce
serves 6 or more




For the Ice Cream
3 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and scooped
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt

For the Coating
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
2/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup white rice flour
3 Tbsp agave nectar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Chocolate Sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch kosher salt

Additional Ingredients and Unusual Equipment
Ice Cream Churn
Food Processor or Blender
Deep Fry Thermometer
Oil for Frying


Method:
Combine all ice cream ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. Chill several hours before churning according to ice cream maker manufacturer instructions. Remove from churn into container and freeze ice cream until hard.

Scoop ice cream into 6 large balls using a disher or ice cream scoop; roll in crushed corn flakes and freeze 20 minutes. Combine water, rice flour, agave, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Dip ice cream balls in batter and roll once more in corn flakes. Freeze at least 3 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, prepare chocolate sauce. Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl. Combine hot water and agave and whisk into dry ingredients until smooth. Strain and pour into sauce bottle or a small container.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot to 400°F. While the oil is heating, line a plate or platter with brown paper or paper towels to catch oil after frying. Also, have plates or bowls for serving ice cream at the ready, drizzled with chocolate sauce as desired.

Remove ice cream balls from the freezer 2-3 at time and place directly in oil. Fry for 15-20 seconds, until coating is well browned and ice cream just begins to soften – do not overfry, the ice cream will melt. Use a slotted spoon to remove ice cream and rest briefly on paper-lined plate before moving to serving dishes.

Serve immediately, with additional chocolate sauce as desired.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread - Vegan, Refined-Sugar-Free

Soft, slightly sweet bread with a hint of cinnamon and a bit of raisiny goodness. Almost half whole wheat and sweetened with maple syrup and brown rice syrup, so not so terrible for you.



Cinnamon Raisin Boule
makes one 7-inch round loaf

1 C white whole wheat flour
.75 C water
1 t active dry yeast

1.5 C all-purpose flour
3 T canola oil
2 T maple syrup
2 T brown rice syrup
1 t ground cinnamon
.5 t kosher salt
1-3 T almond milk

.5 C raisins


Combine .5 C water and the WWW flour with the yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and let stand, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Fit bowl into mixer and attach dough hook. Add flour, oil, syrups, salt and cinnamon and mix on medium-low until combined, adding almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, as needed to create soft dough. Incorporate raisins. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a springy, slightly tacky dough forms, about 10-15 minutes, adding more flour to the dough and surface as needed. Form dough into a round and turn to coat lightly in flour. Place the round on a clean plate or sheet pan and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press evenly with knuckles to disrupt and evenly distribute air pockets. Knead briefly before folding the dough onto itself and rounding once more. Place on a lightly oils pie plate or sheet pan and cover round with plastic wrap or damp tea towel; let proof until almost doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.

Remove cover from dough and bake 30-40 minutes, until the internal temeprature reaches 190F. Let cool at least 20 mintues before slicing. Store at room temperature up to two days or freeze up to a month.