BitterSweet

Do the Monster Mash

No need to be scared of things that go bump in the night, because around these parts, in all likelihood it’s nothing more than the midnight baker, bumbling about in the kitchen.  When the witching hour struck last night, however, the midnight baker was up to some devious plot, whipping up more spooky sweets that usual…

Topped with a monstrous green swirl of frosting and those ever-popular chocolate spiders, these cupcakes are by no means horrific Halloween eats, but still perfectly fun and festive. Who really wants to eat something so faux-gory that it makes your stomach turn in the first place?

Of course, there is still one hidden surprise that’s just a touch bloody…

Strawberry “blood” filling! No, you’re definitely not going to fool anyone, but for a last-minute Halloween dessert, this assemblage can’t be beat. Just bake your favorite vanilla (or any other light-colored) cupcakes, carve a little cone out of the center with a paring knife, and trim the bottom of the cone off. Fill the hollow with a teaspoon or two of strawberry jam, and replace the top. Save the scraps for cake truffles, or have yourself a little snack.

As for that green frosting, you won’t find any nasty food coloring here- That hue is all thanks to one little avocado, and you can’t taste it one bit. Feel free to take advantage of that color and flavor it with mint, or keep it more kid-friendly with a solid dose of vanilla.  Should you need a last-minute Halloween party treat, look no further- These are simple enough to please all palates, and easy enough to whip up in no time at all.

Monster (Green) Frosting

1 Ripe, Medium-Sized Avocado
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Margarine
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract (or more vanilla)
Pinch Salt
2 – 3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

Place your avocado and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, and thoroughly puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure that there are no chunks of avocado remaining. Transfer the puree into your stand mixer, and add in the margarine. Cream the two fats together until smooth and homogeneous, and add in your extracts of choice and salt. Stop the machine before adding in the sugar, and begin it again on a low speed so as not to fling powder everywhere. Once the sugar is mostly incorporated, turn up the speed to high, and whip for 2 – 3 minutes, until light and fluff. Apply to cupcakes as desired

Makes Enough to Frost about 1 Dozen Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Landing On My Feet

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

Daunted, excited, and intimidated, I responded in my typical fashion of completely ignoring the call to arms until the absolute last minute. Yes, it was a foolish act, but with so many side projects and deadlines to meet, it was easy to prioritize everything else above it, and effectively forget about the challenge until last night. Luckily, this wasn’t the first time I had contemplated the construction of that oh-so trendy sandwich cookie. Having previously done some serious legwork on recipe formulation, I had the framework all set, and all was left were a few tweaks, and more than a few prayers to the baking gods to be made.

Midnight came, and my stand mixer roared to life, while the oven coils slowly grew warmer. I whipped. I folded. I piped. I waited.

I slid the sheets into the oven.

I held my breath.

…And did a little dance when those smooth cocoa shells emerged from the oven. They had FEET! Deliriously happy, I didn’t stop smiling for a solid hour afterward. I still can’t believe that it worked, and worked so perfectly!

Sandwiching a generous dollop of matcha “buttercream” between two delicate, crisp cookies, they were everything I could have dreamed of. My only regret was that I hadn’t made a double batch.

Now, before the deluge of emails comes, I’m not ready to share the recipe yet. I will say that it’s related to my meringue method, but I’m hoping to release it in a future book or ebook. Besides, I want to play around with more flavors and colors before signing off on this beauty!

Itsy, Bitsy Cheesecake

Despite the prevalence of arachnophobia, and my own squeamishness about insects in general, I have absolutely no qualms with serving spiders for dessert.  Yes, you heard me right, spiders!

…Of the purely chocolate-variety, perched on top of a chocolate web embedded in a vegan cheesecake, that is.

Striking that delicate balance between creepy and cute, this Halloween delight is sure to impress even your most finicky and easily frightened guests. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make; If you can assemble a cheesecake, this version takes only a little bit of extra effort.

Starting with my Mini Ice Box Cheesecake (sans fruit topping, of course) from My Sweet Vegan, I merely scooped some chocolate ganache into a piping bag with a tiny round tip, and piped it in a spiral over the top. Then, a toothpick is used to drag out the points of the web, starting at the center, and radiating out in equal spacing to the outer edges. For really clean lines, make sure you wipe off the tooth pick between each stroke!

While the cake is setting up in the freezer, take some plain melted chocolate, and pipe it out with that same tiny tip onto a silpat, drawing out simple spider shapes. As you can see, I’m no artist here, but all you need is to start with a medium blob, and then draw out eight lines along the sides for legs. Make many more than you think you’ll need, as the legs can be a bit delicate and prone to breakage.

Let the chocolate rest until set, and then place them on the frozen cheesecake as desired. Hide any mistakes or imperfections with a plethora of little creepy crawlies, and make sure that each slice gets at least one spider when served.

Still don’t have a copy of my book?  Well, you’re in luck, because you have another chance to win it over at Dinner at Christina’s.  Hurry, the drawing ends soon!

Copycat, Copycat

The trouble with “recreating” classic candies that will strike a chord with both nostalgic adults and sweets-seeking kids, is that I was never really ate many of those original concoctions in the first place. After every Halloween conquest, my sister and I had a very specific ritual, painstakingly lining up our plunder on the living room floor, making what we would later call a “candy parade.” Sweets were grouped by type and content, in order of preference, of course. Once that was all done, and we both had time to admire each other’s take, the swapping would begin. Down to the end of the line we would both bound, eager to pawn off our least favorite treats in return for something a bit more palatable. Pretty much anything with nuts was out for me, as I had trouble with the concept of crunchy bits inside anything else at the time, so that severely limited the number of varieties I ever tried, to say the least.

And if there was a particular bar or patty that contained coconut? Well, you could just forget about it; Neither of us wanted anything to do with those distasteful nuggets, and would resort to trading with a less discriminating candy enthusiast, such as our mom or dad. Sure, they usually only had hard candies to barter, which fell very low on the scale of candy value, but anything was better than coconut.

Oh, how things change. The problem, it turned out, wasn’t the coconut itself, but that nauseatingly over-sweetened stuff, sticky with corn syrup and chemical perservatives. So I’ve never had a Mounds Bar, and definitely no Almond Joy‘s have ever passed my lips, but they still intrigue me enough that I set out to try making something similar. The sad two or three almonds in an Almond Joy confuse me to no end, and while I still think it would be more apt to call it a Coconut Joy, I decided to go with the flow, and make my own version, with cashews instead.

Definitely no copycat recipe, but one inspired by the classic, this chocolate bar is a delicious treat in its own right.

Cashew (Coconut) Joy

3 Tablespoons Full Fat Coconut Milk
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, Melted
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
8 Ounces (About 2 2/3 Cups) Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/2 Cup Chopped, Toasted Cashews
1/2 Cup Whole Toasted Cashews

12 Ounces Rice Milk Chocolate, or Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Finely Chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, coconut oil, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar. Once smooth, switch over to a spatula, and stir in the shredded coconut and chopped cashews, until fully incorporated and no dry patches in the mixture remain.

Transfer the mix into a lightly greased 8 x 8-inch square pan, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to press down and smooth out the top. Place the whole cashews at regular intervals in even lines down the pan, pressing them in gently. Move the pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours, until chilled and firm.

When you’re ready to enrobe your bars, melt down your chosen chocolate in the microwave, stirring thoroughly at 30 second intervals, until smooth. Set out a silpat or piece of parchment paper, and go retrieve the frozen coconut centers. Slice into bars, and then carefully dip them into the chocolate. A few flakes of coconut may come off, but just fish them out of the pool of chocolate and continue. You may wish to store the pieces in the freezer until the moment that you’re ready to dip them, if them seem particularly fragile.

Tap off the excess chocolate, and place the bars on your silpat or parchment paper, and let cool until set. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Printable Recipe

Beans, They’re What’s For Dessert

Since we’ve already seen that beans can very happily take a place on the dessert platter, why does it still seem like such a strange concept?  Even I cringed a bit at the first suggestion of a “dessert hummus,” fearful of a flat out beany, semi-sweet, muddle of a spread.  True, this is nothing you’d want to serve on cut veggies or smeared in the middle of a tofu sandwich, but it turns out that the idea isn’t completely crazy.  Merely serving as a base for flavor, providing more bulk than flavor, the chickpeas happily disappear into the background when properly masked with a more powerful taste sensation, like… Chocolate, perhaps?

Before you go “Ewww!” and flick away to the next blog, hear me out: How different is this from tofu cheesecake?  Or lentil cookies?  Seriously, just give the combination of cocoa and chickpeas a chance.  This versatile legume can be dressed up as sweet as candy if you give it the benefit of the doubt!  Plus, with their oft praised protein and fiber, it’s perfectly reasonable to spread some chocolate on toast for breakfast, and call it a balanced meal.

Chocolate Chickpea Spread

1 15-Ounce Can Chickpeas
1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Instant Coffee Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 – 4 Tablespoons Water

As with all hummus, this spread couldn’t be easier; Just throw everything but the water into your food processor or blender, and thoroughly puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything incorporated as needed. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the water, until you reach your desired consistency. Spread at will!

Makes about 2 Cups

Printable Recipe

A Day Late and a Loaf Short

Leave it to me to get thoroughly sick right before World Bread Day, and no matter how long I planned my post, become unable to gather the strength to complete it! Luckily, it was just a bug, and the worst seems to have passed. Let’s just pretend that this is dated for the 16th of October and simply proceed, shall we?

Summer quickly fading from mind, it seems like ages since our little trip to Paris. In fact, it’s hard to believe we were even there at all, barely having begun to sink out teeth into the culture when we had to relinquish that grip and return home again. Regardless, those dreamy memories are still fresh, vibrant, and wholly inspiring.

So what is it that I think of first, and miss the most from that trip? Perhaps unsurprisingly, I can tell you in no uncertain terms, it’s the bread. Sure, we have our local bakeries in town that do wonderful things with flour and yeast, but it’s just not the same. No matter how many baguette I try, none compare to those that I had for breakfast while in Paris, sampling a new loaf from a new boulangerie every day. Oh, and the supermarket “french bread”? That stuff is just a sick joke, better suited as a doorstop than edible foodstuffs.

Short of having one of those lovely breads shipped halfway around the world, I was determined to find a suitable substitute. Starting from scratch, it was the baguette aux céréales, multigrain baguette, my absolute favorite pick from that vacation, that I craved the most, complete with its signature crispy crust and open crumb, plus the bonus of nutty, toothsome grains and seeds galore.

Now, I don’t profess to be a master baguette maker; far from it. I’m certain both my methods and results would be laughed right out of any self-respecting bakery, but I was proud of my skinny, nubbly loaves as the came out of the oven, hot and toasted to a golden brown. Although the bulk of my exterior seeds became casualties of rough handling, just enough hung on to get the point across- This isn’t your standard, plain old baguette. Imbued with spelt, oats, quinoa, sunflower, sesame, poppy, and chia seeds, it’s composed of a melange of ingredients that traditionalists would probably be horrified to find in their beloved daily bread. For me, however, the combination perfectly hit the spot.

Although it’s too much work to have these crusty beauties on hand for breakfast everyday, it’s comforting just to know that this treasure isn’t doomed to exist only in my memories now. Plus, in the comfort of my own home, I have the tools and time to make it into so much more than a stand-alone treat. I have a feeling that any true Parisian wouldn’t be caught dead snacking on a vegan cream cheese, tomato, and sprout sandwich on a multigrain baguette… But they’re the ones missing out this time.

Wicked Treats

Halloween sure can be one scary time of year, and I’m not talking about ghouls or goblins; It’s the horrific candy being distributed that’s really frightful. Between the artificial colors, unpronounceable preservatives, and downright undigestable chemicals, it’s hard to imagine wanting to eat these things, even if they were vegan! Possibly one of the most notoriously deceptive areas of the food market, it may surprise even the most hardened omnivore to discover gelatin in something so innocent as Neccos, and milk hiding in chocolate that professes to be “extra-dark.” By no means does that mean that Halloween candy is a no-go, however…

Because it’s easy to make it yourself, with Wicked Treats! Now you can hand out treats to your friends and family that are truly special, thanks to their vastly greater quality and taste. In addition to being vegan, this mini ebook is completely gluten-free, with suggestions on making your candies soy-free, too. A quick and simple guide to a few of my favorite confections, the recipes included are:

Ghostly Vanilla Fudge
Jelly Bites
Licorice
Peanut Butter Fingers
Rice Crackle Bars
Tootsie Chews

…And a tempting color photo accompanies each recipe, as always.  For just $3 to download your copy instantly, save yourself the heartache and the stomach ache, and have a sweeter, more homemade Halloween this year!

PS, for a sweet sample of what to expect, try my recipe for peanut butter cups / peppermint patties!

Sweet and Sour

After quickly discovering that the Original Coconut Kefir wasn’t something I would be quick to drink on it’s own, I wasted no time in brainstorming other uses for it. Thinking along the “buttermilk” route first, I immediately thought of that classic breakfast staple, buttermilk pancakes.

And as one could imagine, they were perfectly tasty pancakes. Exciting, innovative, or creative…? Not so much. Such a simple interpretation of this ingredient just wouldn’t be enough to do it justice in my eyes.

Going back to the drawing board, it was a challenge to brainstorm some dessert that would still highlight the unique flavor of the kefir, without being entirely sour itself. Quickly realizing that a baked good would only detract from its bright tartness, off went the oven, and on went the stove. Dreaming up a creamy, tangy concoction, in no time at all, I had exactly what I had been craving all along; Cheesecake.

But not just any cheesecake, of course, and not even any vegan cheesecake this time. Not a speck of soy, be it in the form of tofu or faux “cream cheese” enters the picture here, and coconut kefir fills out the bulk of the dessert. Sweetened just enough so as not to overwhelm the delicate nuances of the kefir, this is a sophisticated but simple treat that would be the perfect ending to just about any meal. You could certainly dress it up with a vibrant fresh fruit sauce or decadent drizzle of ganache, but I’m happy enough with a light border of whipped coconut creme and some toasted coconut flakes on top.

Like all no-bake cheesecakes, the texture is perhaps not what you would first expect from such a treat, but I find that it’s instead much lighter and more refreshing than the traditional version.

No-Bake Coconut Kefir Cheesecake

Cookie Crust:

10 Ounces Vegan Wafer Cookies*, to Make About 2 Cup Crumbs
6 Tablespoons Margarine or Coconut Oil, Melted
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (Optional)

Kefir Cheesecake Filling:

1 6-Ounce Container Vanilla Coconut Milk Yogurt
2 Cups Original Coconut Kefir
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Agar Agar Powder
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Arrowroot
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

*I used ginger cookies, but pretty much any wafer cookies (or even sandwich cookies) will work.

First, finely crush your cookies so that they’re about the texture of almond meal, and mixing in the cinnamon if using. I find that a food processor helps to get a better texture, but you can also smash them in a sealed plastic bag with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, and stir in the melted margarine or coconut oil, making sure that you moisten all of the crumbs and leave no dry patches in the mixture. Lightly grease a 10-inch round springform pan, and press the crumb mixture into the bottom, smoothing it out evenly with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Place it in the refrigerator for the time being.

In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut yogurt, coconut kefir, and coconut milk. Separately, mix together the agar, sugar, and arrowroot in a small dish, being careful to evenly distribute all of the dry ingredients. This will help to prevent lumps from forming. Slowly sprinkle this dry mixture into the saucepan while vigorously whisking, until you’re certain that it’s all been incorporated, and there are no clumps lurking on the bottom of the pan, too.

Turn on the stove to medium heat, and whisk occasionally (but don’t walk away!) as it comes up to temperature, until bubbles break on the surface and it feels significantly thickened. Turn off the heat, whisk in the vanilla, and retrieve your chilled crust. Pour the cooked filling into your springform pan, and tap it a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles and to even out the top.

Let cool COMPLETELY at room temperature before moving the cheesecake into your fridge to chill; Hastening this process will weaken the gel, and lead to syneresis. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Serves 10 – 14

Printable Recipe