BitterSweet

A sourdough starter is something of an elusive creature- At least to me, that is. A creature that creates unparalleled artisan breads, that one can store in the refrigerator for decades as long as it stays fed; it sounds more like a fairy tale than an actual ingredient used to raise loaves. Hoping to see the magic first-hand, I was thrilled when Bazu so kindly offered me some dried starter to work with about a month ago. While I couldn’t wait to get my wild yeast prepped and baking, the timing was not in my favor. It arrived just as we had begun to clear the chametz out of the house for Passover, and then I was trapped on campus for another couple of weeks. Storing the starter in the freezer with fingers crossed, it was only yesterday that I could “activate” the little beasties… Although I wouldn’t exactly call them active now…

I knew things had gone awry as soon as I unwrapped the plastic. What had once been a dry powder was now a wet, sticky dough. Hm, not so good… But maybe it still works! It was frozen, after all, I reasoned with myself. Dutifully mixing in fresh flour and water, letting it sit over night, and then pouring off what appeared to be hooch in the morning, I hoped for the best. Of course, it wasn’t actually bubbling at all… but then, what do I know about sour dough? Plans for my first batch of sour dough English muffins continued as scheduled.

Mmm, doesn’t that look good? “Look” being the keyword, because the last thing you would want to do with this pucks is actually taste them. Yes, they look so puffy and nicely risen, but trust me, it’s all a facade; Deep within each brick lies not airy bubbles, nooks and crannies, but instead a solid chunk of gooey dough. I should have taken the numerous hints tossed out before getting my hopes up, but alas, one bite of this disastrous dough makes it undeniable: The sourdough starter is dead.

Maybe sourdough and I were just never meant to be.

Having been on the culinary scene in one form or another for over 4,500 years, yogurt is a staple in many diets, and for good reason. All you have to do is watch tv for five minutes before being bombarded by the recent ads touting yogurt’s healthful bacteria and restorative properties. Beyond just the health benefits though, the uses and different varieties are endless, providing the backbone of many baked goods, cold soups, and even simple parfaits. The non-dairy version has been around for barely a fraction of the time as the original, but like a newborn modeling their older sibling, it has progressed rapidly to a more mature and delicious form.

The latest mutation of this vegan delight is made by Turtle Mountain, previously known solely for their decadent frozen desserts. Coming from such a sumptuous background, I naturally assumed that these newest offerings would share that level of luxury, a step above the standard cultured soy- And even with such high expectations, I wasn’t disappointed.

With five different flavors to choose from, this line is short but sweet.

Starting with Vanilla as a basic jumping-off point, I was impressed with this yogurt before the spoon ever reached my lips. A quick stir proved how thick and creamy the consistency was, far more substantial than any other brands I’ve encountered yet. This translated into a very rich mouth-feel, delivering a sophisticated bouquet of floral vanilla notes along with the faint, characteristic tang of yogurt. While some people may equate “vanilla” with “plain,” this concoction would prove them wrong! Good enough that I wasn’t tempted to add extra flavorings or toppings to it, this would undoubtedly be excellent to dip fresh fruit in as the warmer months progress.

Next up I chose Blueberry, my go-to variety when it comes to flavored yogurts. Lifting the lid, I discovered it was an alluring shade of purple/blue, concealing bits of berries scattered throughout. These chunks added some good texture, livening things up so that it didn’t become monotonous to shovel down. With an authentic blueberry flavor, albeit very sweet, it was breath of fresh air for my breakfast routine, and actually gave me a reason to be happy about waking up so early.

This was all just beating around the bush though, because the one flavor I was most interested in was the infamous Cinnamon Roll. After all, how could something be pastry-flavored? It sort of implies a certain texture and format, so I could only puzzle over how a baked good might be incarnated into a creamy soy product. Let me tell you, the answer (and taste) is surprisingly delicious. No kidding, this one blew my socks off! So sweet, creamy, and indulgent, with a strong overtone of cinnamon and almost buttery notes in the background, it’s hard to describe exactly how it all worked to create such a harmony of flavors, but it definitely does. Although it’s a bit over the top for a daily breakfast option, it’s a wonderful treat that I certainly would have trouble refusing.

Moving back into familiar territory, Raspberry was the next target on my hit list. A deep shade of pink that bordered on purple, it was an impressive reminder of how unnecessary synthetic coloring is when you use quality ingredients. Tart and tangy, the sweetness in this one was very nicely offset by the natural essence of raspberries. Turning up a few errant raspberry seeds every other spoonful or so, it was a nice reminder that it was the real deal in here, not some artificial chemical cocktail. Served with frozen berries on top, this is one unbeatable snack.

Finally, all that remained was Peach… Which, I must admit, I had been avoiding for as long as possible. You see, I have a rather tenuous relationship with peach-flavored things. For some reason, they just don’t usually strike my taste buds as a good thing, even though I don’t usually have a problem with the fresh fruit. Swallowing my fears along with a mound of yogurt, I noticed that this one was a bit grainer in texture than the previous choices. The pieces of fruit in there exacerbated that fact a bit, and some of them were even downright crunchy. Not my idea of a pleasing consistency! Over all, it was pleasant enough, but I would have to say it was my least favorite of the bunch. Of course, if you’re a diehard peach lover, this may be just your thing, so I wouldn’t write it off altogether.

So if you’re still lusting over those thicker styles or decadent flavors of dairy-based yogurts, a cup of So Delicious soy yogurt could be just the thing to sooth your cravings!

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Another month, another Daring Baker Challenge. What I want to know is where the month of April went! Did I forget to set my alarm and sleep through a solid chunk of days? Or for that matter, did I even get to sleep once, since the longer days of sunshine have persuaded me to add in a few hours to my daily routine? Either way, I found myself scrambling to get this one done, and I’m almost embarrassed to present my haphazard results after browsing through so many other far more impressive and professional works of pastry art.

Right off the bat, this one didn’t sound too difficult; Cheesecake pops. We’re talking cheesecake, scooped into balls, skewered onto lollipop sticks, and dunked into chocolate. What could be bad about that? Modifications were pretty basic, and conversions from regular cream cheese to tofutti was a no-brainer. I happened to have vegan sour cream on hand, so that replaced the egg, and I also used potato starch instead of flour because I wanted to share these with family during Passover. Finally, there was little choice but to scaled down the recipe in a big way, because there was no way I could justify shelling out the cash for 5 tubs of tofutti cream cheese for this little side project. Adding in just a touch of peppermint oil for a refreshing flavor to contrast with the chocolate, I set up a miniature water bath in an 8-inch round cake pan- My small batch of cheesecake batter fit perfectly!

Patience became a thing of the past once the base was fully baked and out of the oven- Forget waiting 3 hours for it to “thoroughly chill;” I tossed the whole thing into the freezer straight away, anxious to finish up and get a taste! It was a very forgiving recipe and no harm came of my haste, so before long I had 18 lovely lollipops dipped in chocolate, and then rolled in either chopped pistachios or cacao nibs.  Just do me a favor and ignore their partial nudity, as I had just finished munching away on my chocolate chips when I realized that they would be needed for other applications… My remaining supply was a bit limited.

While unimpressive in appearance, these little morsels of creamy goodness were a wonderful treat, and were certainly easy enough to consider making again for a gathering or party. But until then, I beg you to go look at the other Daring Bakers’ creations, as their talent really puts me to shame this month.

Scrambling to whip up a dessert for the Passover Seder tonight, there was barely enough time to figure out what to make, let alone actually make it. While I can’t offer you any new recipes to this time around, I can share a picture of my creation; A gussied-up, single serve, plated version of my Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake, which can be found in my book.

In this variation, I used a pan that would give me individual little squares to make each serving a bit more special, and I put the “topping” on the plate to act as a sauce. Still wanting to keep the same sort of pattern on top, I made little domes out of caramelized sugar to finish them off instead.

For this version that’s kosher for Passover, I replaced the crushed cookies with 1 1/4 cups almond meal, 2 tablespoons potato starch, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Simple, and gluten-free, too!

Happy Passover!

When is a brownie not a brownie? Sounds like a stupid question, but I might argue that the color is generally the key, and perhaps the richest, darkest brownies of them all should actually be “blackies.” However, there’s a different reason entirely why I might suggest that these humble bar cookies above get a new name. You would never guess from looking at them, or even tasting them, but these are indeed the infamous black bean brownies that everyone was talking about ages ago.

Upon first seeing this creation, I reacted in the same way that I would imagine most of you are right now; shock and horror. Beans, in sweet baked goods?! What horror, what torture! Flicking quickly away from the recipe, I tried to cleanse my mind of the idea. How could it possibly be any good, after all? Those poor, misguided food bloggers…

And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. After turning the idea over and over in my head a million times, intense curiosity took hold and refused to let go. When I had an afternoon with a bit of free time, I decided that I would just try it out- Just to prove that they were no good, mind you- and put this concept to rest once and for all.

Watching the food processor pulverize those black legumes, it occurred to me that I was being unfairly critical. After all, I had been so bold as to put lentils in cookies, and those were thoroughly enjoyed by every last taster, of adventurous palates or not. Giving up my prejudice against the questionable recipe, I only altered it to reduce the amount of apple sauce, since it seemed that others had had trouble with them setting up. Doing so caused them to be a bit flat, but no less of a revelation.

No, I’m not going to lie, these are not the cookies you turn to when you’re looking for some serious chocolate indulgence, a mouthful of rich, sugary fudge; These are admittedly “healthy” tasty. But as some one who’s constantly stuffed with sweets, it really was a nice change of pace. The beans are really impossible to detect, and warmed for a few seconds in the microwave, they’re definitely a worthwhile treat that won’t have your conscience up in arms.

Even if you’re not prepared to take the leap and try making some blackies for yourself, just remember that bias has no place in the kitchen; It could prevent you from getting a bite of some seriously delicious dishes.

Browsing through aisles of snack food at the grocery store is like walking through a minefield for me. Nutritional bombs lay in wait everywhere the eye can see, but each one sounds even more delicious than the next. Tempting those unwitting consumers who don’t bother to check what goes into their snacks, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Even as an informed shopper, it’s becoming harder and harder to make wise purchases. With false advertising covering every inch of the labels and soaring food prices forcing many to go the cheaper route (despite the price that must be paid with one’s health), it’s enough to send anyone fleeing from the stores. But don’t give up hope - there are a few gems buried in amongst the dirt, and Grandpa Po’s Originals is one of them.

Hidden inside each unassuming re-sealable pouch is a mix of popcorn kernels and toasted soy beans, packing in a good helping of both protein and fiber, and providing a healthy answer to this snacking dilemma. Found in a total of three subtle variations, I was only lucky enough to try two, but I can imagine that if the last one follows suit, it would be a worthy purchase as well.

The natural place to start is with the most basic, and Slightly Unsalted appeared to be just that. What I couldn’t have guessed was just how much flavor this “basic” offering would have. From the first bite, I was completely blown away. It tasted just like movie theater popcorn! How could this be?! My mind was reeling for a minute, trying to make sense of how four straightforward and healthful ingredients could produce that familiar salty, indulgent taste. Not at all greasy like I had remembered the chemical- and dairy-laden original being, the tiny kernels were perfectly crisp and crunchy. Punctuated with a serious handful of nutty soybeans, the simple mix of textures and flavors was far better than I could have ever anticipated. Just short of being dangerously addictive, I wouldn’t imagine that a bag of this could ever last long in my home.

Munching on a handful of Slightly Spicy next, I wasn’t sure that I had picked up the right bag at first; not even a hint of spice tickled my tongue. A few moments passed, and then all of a sudden, the bells started ringing and there was fire going in the back of my throat! How sneakily the flavor had crept up on me! After that startling experience, I knew what to expect and found the remainder of the bag delightful, but it’s only terribly spicy after the first few mouthfuls. It doesn’t take long for your taste buds to adjust, so it’s an excellent method of encouraging portion control: To get that hot kick every time, you only need to eat a little bit in one sitting! Mostly peppery above anything else, it’s nothing too exotic for the spice-fearing among us.

Finally, a savory snack that’s appropriate for just about everyone, and tasty by any standards, too. This is one satisfying option that I don’t feel bad about grabbing when my energy levels dip between meals. Best of all, there are so few ingredients that it’s impossible to hide foreign additives or questionable content in there. The only thing unusual about the list is ‘a sense of humor,’ which is included in ample supply in every bag.

[Written for Godairyfree.org]

I swear, some of these new meat-analogs that are being developed are so similar to the original, it could fool even die-hard carnivores. Case in point…

While I’m not a fan of “fake meat,” these do come very close to the real thing, and could satisfy a craving in a pinch.  Just make sure you get enough to share around, because with much better nutrition than the original and without the animal flesh, this is a snack that everyone can appreciate, vegan or not!

It’s true, life has been much more bitter than sweet lately, and it’s been tough to continue posting as if all were right with the world. However, in an attempt to balance things out a bit, a plate full of hot french toast could certainly help tip the scales, at least for a little while.

Regular posts will return very soon, I promise- I just need to regroup a bit, and get some of that sweetness back into my life.

There’s just something in particular about layer cakes that I’m drawn to. The striated wedges that reveal neat rows of a myriad of fillings, flavors, and textures, just cutting into them is a suspenseful drama that you can’t look away from. Elaborate and beautiful any way you slice it, it’s no surprise that you’re most likely to find one of these striped confections at birthdays and celebrations. Thanks to Morven who chose this Daring Baker Challenge, it became a requirement to find something to celebrate this month- And truly, I was happy to have any excuse!

We were assigned to tackle Dorie Greenspan’s “Perfect Party Cake,” to be exact, but there were many more allowances for creativity than most challenges. Any flavors could be used to please the baker’s palate, any filling, any decoration, and either a buttercream frosting or simply whipped cream; Basically, we were pretty much set loose for this one.

Happily, the biggest obstacle that I faced was figuring about what occasion to celebrate with this fantastic cake. Since my grandma was due to return home after a winter in Hawaii mid-month, that seemed that the perfect opportunity, so I took that idea and ran with it. Soon enough, I had concocted an intricate scheme to incorporate tropical flavors in a decadent, over-the-top, but completely approachable sort of way.

It all started with a lightly pineapple-flavored cake, by way of replacing most of the liquid with pineapple juice, and then since I had drained off a can of pineapple chunks to get the juice, I tossed the solids into a pot and made a quick jam. On top of that, I spread a thin layer of lemon curd (same recipe from my book again), and then repeated the sequence until I ran out of cake. Seizing my “get out of jail free” card with the buttercream, I went the easier route of making a whipped coconut creme, which I gelled with just a touch of agar so that it would melt at room temperature. After my most recent shopping spree in NYC, I had lots of shiny dragees to play around with, so naturally they topped off the stack.

Finally, a challenge that turned out exactly as I had intended! The layers could have been a bit better defined I suppose, but there’s always room for improvement, right? But more importantly, my grandmother seemed to genuinely enjoy it (I hope!) and it was met with rave reviews from everyone else who managed to snag a piece as well. Seriously, I was floored at how enthusiastic the assessments were, and it seems as though there is considerable demand for the recipe as well! Perhaps I’ll make this same assemblage again, but with a slightly different structure to get those clear-cut layers I crave… Who knows, you may just see this one again soon.

Left to my own devices, solo meals are hardly even noteworthy. Hummus and chips, or hummus and veggies show up on my personal menu almost very single day, an easy favorite by far. Couscous or rice served up with simple combinations of veg, beans, and spices always makes for a comforting dish, and it can practically cook itself, unattended. In times of stress and exhaustion though, it’s not such an uncommon event to eat cold cereal for dinner, or even just chips, hold the hummus. Satisfying in its own right but at the same time vaguely shameful, I almost never go through any great lengths preparing food if it’s only for myself.

Don’t get me wrong- Simplicity is the key to my daily chow and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The thing is, sometimes I’ll start craving something special, but without an occasion and no one to share it with, I’ll reason that it can wait for another day, because the hassle just isn’t worth it. But you know what? I decided the other day that maybe, just maybe, I’m worth it, and after a particularly draining week, I knew exactly what would cheer me up. So I went for it- I made pancakes.

Yes, pancakes. Simple enough that a 5 year old could make them no doubt, but just the act of heating up that pan, mixing together ingredients, and flipping the small cakes over as the sun beams down over the stove can be even more nurturing than the act of eat. Going out of your way to make yourself happy, make something you want… Well, that’s what I’d call comfort food. These particular pancakes are very straightforward, to the point of being plain, but that’s really the beauty of them. Versatility is the name of the game, and a myriad of fruits, nuts, flours, and fruit purees could call these pancakes home, so it’s impossible to get bored. You could even make them every day with no guilt; How’s that for a pick-me-up?

An impulsive decision lead me to make these, and thus there was no maple syrup to be found. A handful of frozen wild blueberries remedied that problem easily, and likewise, any sort of cut fruit or jam would also be delicious to top it all off.

Although I would have still prefer to have someone to share these gems with, it certainly was nice to treat myself for once.

Pancakes for One

1/2 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1-2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice (Or any mixture you enjoy)
Pinch salt
1/2 Cup Soymilk
2 Tablespoons Fruit Puree (Apple sauce, mashed bananas, pumpkin…)
1 Teaspoon Canola Oil

Stir together all dry ingredients together in one bowl, and all wet in another. Add the wet into the dry and stir just enough to combine the two.

Lightly grease a skillet and turn up the heat to medium, making sure it has time to get hot before adding you batter. When ready, ladle dollops of the batter into your skillet and allow them to sit, undisturbed for 2 or 3 minutes, until bubbles erupt along the top and the edges seem to have firmed up a bit. Flip, and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes on the other side. Move to a plate, eat, and watch your mood miraculously improve.

(Makes about 4 small pancakes)