Last week I made a no-knead loaf and thought, why not separate out a bit of the batter and see if I could create some sort of sour dough starter. It had added yeast and was quite feisty, so I let it sit out on the counter and it grew quickly. I read that I could store it in the fridge, so I moved it in there and today gave it a feed.
When I fed the jar, I had scooped out some of the batter and spent some time thinking about what I wanted to create.
I decided to make a fake vegan chocolate babka.
Fake because I chose to just wing it. Vegan just because…
The dough:
⅓ cup sour dough starter ( flour, water, yeast from the no knead dough recipe)
2 cups sugar
⅓ cup olive oil
Enough water to make a nice bread dough- ¾ to 1 cup ish
Mix it, knead it( yes, this one I chose to knead), let it sit covered for 2 hours, because that’s how much time I had.
Preheat the oven to 375F
Roll out into a square or rectangle about 1 cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
The filling
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips – melt in microwave 30 second bursts
1 tablespoon peanut butter – stir into the melted chocolate
1 teaspoon cinnamon- sprinkled on the filling
Pour the filling onto the dough and roll it up into a log.
Cut through the centre of the log lengthwise, leaving 2 cm dough still attached at one end.
Braid the two pieces carefully, and gently place into a lined loaf pan or greased pan.
*probably could let this proof more now, I chose not to .*
Bake for 35 minutes or until an inserted tester comes out clean. Technically a babka would have a glaze, I’m going to skip that step and just try it as is for this time around…or maybe make a simple vanilla icing sugar glaze… but for now:
Sweet potato eggless cheesecakes
Ingredients For the homemade cookie crust:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter/ margarine, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon vanilla For the filling:
2- 250 gram packages cream cheese, room temperature or 1 blocks medium firm 454 grams- drained and pressed lightly
2⁄3 cup mashed sweet potato
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or combination cinnamon, cloves, ginger/allspice
1 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar 6 tablespoons milk (dairy or non dairy)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon salt Directions : For the homemade crust:
1. Grease a 9″ springform pan on the bottom and up the sides. Or fill 24 muffin cups with paper
2. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C).
3. Place the crust ingredients in a food processor. Process for about 30 seconds or until when pinched together, it easily holds together.
4. Pat over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan. It won’t make it all the way to the top. Or divide evenly amongst the 24 cups and tamp down with the bottom of a glass.
5. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until lightly brown (prepare the filling while the crust bakes).
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before pouring in the cheesecake filling.
To bake the cheesecake:
1. Poke and microwave your sweet potato for 3-4 minutes on high until baked through. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and mash/ puree.
2. Turn the oven down to 325°F(163°C).
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese < or drained soft tofu> and sugar using an electric hand mixer at medium speed. Beat just until well combined and creamy.
4. Mix together the milk and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add this, the mashed sweet potato and the remaining ingredients to the cream cheese mixture. Beat on low until well incorporated. Over beating will make cracks so don’t over mix.
5. Pour over the crust/ divide evenly amongst the muffin cups.
6. Bake for 45 minutes for the full cake, 15-20 minutes for the muffin cups. The middle will still be a little jiggly.
7. Remove to a rack to cool for 2 1/2 hours.
8. Use a knife to run around the inside of the pan to loosen the crust from the pan.
9. Chill for at least 4 hours before cutting.
10. If the homemade oat crust is very firm and too difficult to cut straight from the fridge, let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
11. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen whole or in pieces and thawed overnight in the fridge.
This gluten free cookie recipe was a variation on the recipe I found here. The change I made was to use half chick pea flour and half oat flour< I make my own by grinding oats in a coffee grinder>.
I would also recommend chilling the dough before baking- I did not, and the cookies spread out a lot!
Cherry shortbread
Based on the recipe I found here – and these shortbread cookies melt in your mouth… I used vegan butter replacement, and otherwise followed it.
The dough is super soft when mixed, so chill it for at least 30 minutes before creating these melt in your mouth cookies! And be sure to drain the cherries, if you buy them in syrup.
Oatmeal Coconut choc chip cookie
Here’s the recipe – I choose to add coconut “and” chocolate chips – or sometimes all three!
Oat cookies from no name oatmeal bag
and these chocolate cookies are a family tradition 🎉….but I’m changing things up a bit…
Vegan Chocolate cookie sandwiches
Vegan chocolate cookies and Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting…
So this is a variation on one of my families traditions….these are amazing frozen when in their sandwich form ( stolen from the giant Tupperware container in the chest freezer…)
½ cup vegan butter substitute
1 cup sugar
1 egg replacement*
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup cocoa
½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup oat milk
*egg replacement options : 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water or 1 tablespoon aqua faba < strained liquid from canned chick peas> or your own choice!
Cream the first 2 ingredients then add the next 2.
Mix the dry ingredients together and add, alternating with the oat milk, until you get your batter.
Drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet, flattening with wet fingers/ bottom of a glass, and bake for 7 minutes at 400Degrees F.
Cool completely and enjoy as is or fill with frosting to make sandwiches….
Vegan Swiss Buttercream frosting…
So I hybridized the original family recipe, which uses Marshmallow creme < I wasn’t going out to buy this>, and this Aqaufaba Swiss Buttercream I found online which called for WAY TOO MUCH FAT – as in I had used all my vegan butter by this point in the day
1 ¾ cup aquafaba ( strain the liquid from 1 or 2 cans of chick peas- measure it )
1 cup white sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
2 cups of icing sugar
½ cup vegetable shortening ( I used Crisco) softened/at room temperature.
1 ½ tsp vanilla
Mix aquafaba and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil for 5 minutes…stirring occasionally.
Take off heat, pour into mixing bowl and cool completely ( I put the bowl into the fridge for about 20 minutes.)
Once cool, start whipping the mixture at high speed. You can use a whisk attachment, I suggest not trying to do this by hand unless you have strong arms. It can take up to 15-20 minutes to get it to firm peaks with the machine doing the hard work…
Once you reach that stage, mix together the cream of tartar and icing sugar, and gradually add that in, whipping it- whip it good…
Add the softened vegetable shortening ( I used Crisco) that is at room temperature, keep whipping to incorporate it fully and finally, add the vanilla.
You will have leftover frosting- so feel free to halve the recipe…and it will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a. tightly sealed container…
Who has been rewatching baking shows while sewing up TAVMasks? Yes. Me.
One of the challenges was a Mille crepe cake, so that looked intriguing.
I had made some Bison chili last week and had kept the aqua fava (?) from the can of chick peas, so that needed to be used.
And the apples we have been getting lately are going grainy super quick, so they needed to be used up…
A quick internet search for recipes using chick pea juice yielded a super easy crepe recipe and off I went!
TAValonia’s Gingerbread crepes:
The liquid from 1 can of chick peas
1 cup flour (whole wheat, oat, whatever you like)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup Oat milk -or more- to make the batter thin enough.
Whisk it all together until smooth.
Oil a crepe pan or skillet and cook the crepes using about ¼ cup batter at a time. Made 8 6 inch crepes.
Simple apple filling:
3 to 4 apples
2 tablespoons coconut oil or margarine ( butter if not vegan)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Mix together in the skillet and let cook covered for 10-15 minutes over medium low heat- until the apples are tender.
Assembling:
Layer the crepes and apple filling in individual bowls starting with a crepe on the bottom.
Serve warm or chill to serve later.
Top with whipped topping ( can be made from more aqua fava whipped to soft peaks and flavoured with a bit of sugar) or vegan ice cream ( purée of frozen banana would go well)
Options to try:
-Add a white chocolate genache between the crepes ( heat non dairy milk and pour over chopped while chocolate to melt it)…
I’m using that recipe as inspiration…I don’t have all the spices, nor vegetable broth.
Crockpot Sweet Potato Lentils ( my version)
INGREDIENTS
• 3 large sweet potatoes, diced (about 6 cups)
• 3 cups water
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 teaspoon each ground coriander, curry powder and chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked red lentils (masoor dal)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the sweet potatoes, water, onion, and spices in a crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours, until vegetables are soft.
2. Add the lentils and stir once. Replace the lid and cook on high for an additional 1 1/2 hours.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and as much water as needed to get the right consistency.
Today is this week’s Domestic Day/ Zero People Day/ 0CommitmentDay / Do Whatever I want Day.
So when I am not sewing, seeing clients for sewing, dancing, teaching dance, teaching sewing, and planning for either upcoming sewing or dance events, I like to cook and bake. Oh, I know – you know that already… Ok – here’s the Roasted Pepper Tomato Soup recipe. Roast a pile of peppers:
Lightly oil 2 cookies sheets for about 10 medium size peppers.
Oven = 400 degrees Farenheit
Wash the peppers, split in half, take out the seeds and toss them all in a huge bowl with a bit of olive oil.
Spread them out on the cookie sheets and get them roasting while you take care of the rest of the soup. Maybe 20 minutes… check ’em – see when they start to char. them take them out.
I leave them on the cookie sheet until I’m ready for them, then take them off and peel away any really burnt skin/ section.
In a large saucepan, start cooking the onion, and tomatoes: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.Chop an onion – I used red and it was large so I only used half. toss it in and saute until it smells awesome. Add in one can of whole tomatoes, and cover and let simmer. < Purists are welcome to peel and seed fresh tomatoes, if that’s your prerogative.> If your peppers are ready, toss them into the pot and let it all continue to cook.
Add spices to your liking – salt and pepper, basil, oregano, I went italianesque for this batch.
I happened to have roasted a small pumpkin while roasting the peppers and could not fit all of it into my 2 cup container, so I added the remaining pumpkin to the soup too. Once the peppers are tender, or you are bored, do what you do to puree soup. I toss it into a big stainless bowl and use an immersion blender – as you can see. Jar it/ serve it/ find a friend who makes homemade bread and barter some in exchange for a fresh loaf…
Enjoy.
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cups carob powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup coconut oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup molasses
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup water [ you can use coffee if you like]
Method
Cream together the coconut oil [looks more like shortening to me than oil], honey, molasses, and cider vinegar.
Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl until well blended.
Alternately add the dry ingredients and the water to the coconut mixture, mixing well in between additions.
Make 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes and bake at 375 degree for about 10 minutes. Check with a toothpick to confirm done,but they are vegan so they can be gooey inside too!
Sprinkle the top with coconut, nuts, seeds or whatever you like.
I had a great time – congrats to the organizers for a very successful day!
