From: Bryanna (NewVeggies.vegsource.com)
Subject: EASTER YEAST BREADS, DESSERTS AND PIES
Date: March 20, 2005 at 10:43 am PST
EASTER YEAST BREADS, DESSERTS AND PIES
NOTES:
ON CORNSTARCH; Call me old-fashioned, but I really feel that cornstarch is the most reliable and easy-to-work-with starch. I’ve tried arrowroot, but it is just not as consistently reliable as cornstarch. To avoid GMOs, you can use organic cornstarch. Here’s where to get it if your HFS does not carry it;
ORGANIC CORNSTARCH;
http://www.herbalteasonline.com/shopping/spices.htm
ALCOHOL: SEE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FILE ON VEGAN ALCOHOL AND SUBSTITUTES FOR ALCOHOL.
VEGAN SUGAR SPRINKLES: A note from Kittee:
“Where I work, the bakery used spirulina with sugar to make green, blueberries (blackberries work too—BCG) with sugar to make purple, and turmeric with sugar to make yellow...you might have to play around a little..” (My note—use granulated light unbleached or white beet sugar)
ABOUT CHOCOLATE:
REMEMBER, it's important to use organic chocolate and avoid cheap chocolate (vegan or not) that is most likely produced with the use of child slave labor. Read John Robbins article on this at the link below (there are lots of alternatives):
http://www.foodrevolution.org/slavery_chocolate.htm
EASTER YEAST BREADS:
BRYANNA’S PANETTONE (ITALIAN SWEET CHRISTMAS BREAD) Makes 1 loaf
(This, and variations, is from my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.)
My father fondly recalled the Panettone his aunt Maria made in the brick oven in the central courtyard of his boyhood home in Lima. Because of his memories, I began making Panettone for Christmas many years ago, and my oldest daughter Bethany now continues this tradition.
Panettone is a yeast bread, slightly sweet, flavored with citrus rinds, dried fruit, anise and almonds. It is usually made rich with butter and eggs, but I now use soymilk (which acts as a "dough conditioner" to make a light bread) and a little good-tasting non-dairy margarine. Saffron gives the golden color of egg yolks. (This bread makes excellent toast, by the way.)
My great-aunt was probably making pandolce (pandöçe in Genoese dialect) or Panettone Genovese rather than the Panettone di Milano which most Italians simply call Panettone now. Pandolce is a bit more compact, not as rich as the Milan version, and flavored with orange flower water, fennel, pine nuts, and other spices, with a bay leaf placed on top. The original version was leavened only with an egg-- no yeast was used. (See the Variation below.)
This recipe includes a bread machine version, which is quite good.
1/2 c. warm water
2 tsp. regular baking yeast
1/4 tsp. real Spanish saffron
1/2 c. regular soymilk
1/4 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
3 T. good-tasting non-dairy margarine
grated zest of one orange (organic, if possible)
grated zest of one lemon (organic, if possible)
1/2 T. anise seed
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pure almond extract
3/4 tsp. salt
2 and 3/4 c. unbleached white flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
OPTIONAL: 1/3 c. chopped lightly toasted almonds or pine nuts
Add the yeast and saffron to the warm water in a cup and let sit 5 or 10 minutes, until bubbly.
In a small saucepan or a microwave, heat the soymilk until it is just hot, with bubbles around the edges. Add the sugar and margarine and stir to dissolve. When the soymilk has cooled down a bit, add it to the yeast and water. Pour this into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with a bread hook. Place the anise seed on a square of waxed paper and fold part of it over to cover the seeds. Crush the seeds with a heavy rolling pin.
Add the citrus zests (white only), crushed anise seed, vanilla, almond extract, and salt to the bowl. Stir in the wheat germ and 1 cup of the flour. Beat well for a minute or two, then gradually add the remaining flour. Knead with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface (adding as little flour as you can get away with-- oil your hands and the surface, if necessary) for 5-10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl and turn it over to coat the top. Place the bowl in a large plastic bag or cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.
Turn the risen dough out on a lightly-floured surface and pat it out into a flat rectangle. Sprinkle the surface with the dried fruits and optional nuts, if using. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style, then fold up the ends. Knead the dough gently by folding and rolling until the fruit, etc., are well-distributed throughout the dough.
Tuck under the edges of the dough to form a ball. Place this on a greased heavy cookie sheet or pizza pan (or even a large cake tan with low sides). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a razor blade, cut a cross in the top of the dough about 1/2" deep. Bake for 30 minutes in the center or upper half of the oven, or just until the loaf is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack before slicing.
FOOD PROCESSOR DOUGH:
You can make this dough in a food processor, following the directions given with your machine. DO NOT add the dried fruit and nuts to the machine-- knead them in by hand after the first rising as instructed in the recipe. Process the dough ("knead") for 30-60 seconds.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH OR BAKE THE BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE:
This is the only bread in this chapter that you can bake successfully in a bread baking machine. This recipe was developed so that it doesn't result in a typical bread machine overly-fluffy loaf. The bread should be light, but not like "wonder bread". If you prefer the mounded shape, you can knead and rise the bread in the machine, then bake as instructed in the recipe.
Place the ingredients in the bread container in the order instructed for your machine. DO NOT add the dried fruit and nuts at the beginning. If your machine has a sweet bread cycle, it will beep when it's time to add these ingredients. Otherwise, you'll have to pay attention and add them toward the very end of the kneading cycle, so that they don't get pulverized. Let the bread go through the rising cycle.
If you are baking the bread in the machine, just let it go through the sweet bread cycle, or use the white bread cycle with a regular crust. If your machine has a glass "window" above the bread, cover it with foil (on the outside). This makes a browner top on the bread. Remove the bread from the container immediately to cool on a rack.
TO MAKE SOY-FREE: If you can't use soymilk, which helps make a light loaf, substitute 1 c. of commercial low-fat almond milk or other non-dairy milk for the soymilk and water and add 1 T. of instant mashed potato flakes (there is an organic variety available in health food stores) to the dough. The potato flakes are not necessary when you bake the bread in a bread machine.
MODERN PANDOLCE OR PANETTONE GENOVESE VARIATION:
Omit the almond extract and use 4 tsp. orange flower water (available in many Middle Eastern markets or gourmet stores) instead. Omit the lemon zest. For the dried fruit, use 1/3 c. EACH golden raisins, dried currants, and chopped dried apricot. Use the pine nuts. Omit the anise seed and use 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed, instead. Add 1/4 tsp. ground coriander.
Other than these changes, the remaining ingredients and instructions are the same. The loaf is traditionally served with a whole bay leaf resting on top and is cut first by the youngest member of the family.
VARIATION: PANE DI PASQUA (ITALIAN EASTER BREAD RING)
This bread is usually made with colored raw eggs baked in the twists of dough. To stay vegan but keep the ancient Spring Equinox/Easter egg-as-symbol-of-new-life-and-renewal theme, you can mound candy eggs in colored paper "straw" in the center of the ring (dairy-free, naturally-sweetened, organic chocolate eggs are available in many health food stores at Easter), or use polished colored egg-shaped rocks that are used for decoration or paperweights, or colored egg-shaped candles.
Cut the risen dough in half. Roll each half on a lightly-floured board into a 24"-long "rope". Twist the two ropes of dough together loosely (starting in the middle) and form them into a ring on a lightly-greased baking sheet, tucking the ends together neatly and evenly. Rise and bake as directed for Panettone. Place on a rack to cool.
Spread either the Soy-Sugar Glaze or White Maple Glaze (see recipes below in next bread section) this on the bread while it's still warm and sprinkle the top with colored candy sprinkles, if you like.
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The following recipe and variations is from my book "The Almost No-Fat Holiday Cookbook":
NOTE: If you want to have a richer dough, use only 3/4 c. mashed potatoes and add 1/4 c. softened Earth Balance.
BRYANNA'S FAT-FREE VEGAN SWEET YEAST BREAD DOUGH WITH VARIATIONS
Makes 2 loaves or 32 small rolls
This is a great basic dough for breads that usually call for eggs and butter-- it's light and moist and just slightly sweet. I'll give you a few variations , but please experiment by adapting your own favorite sweet breads to this dough.
2 c. warm water
1 pkg. or 2 and 1/2 tsp. regular baking yeast
1 c. leftover mashed potatoes (1/2 lb. russet potatoes, cooked and mashed)
OR 1 c. instant organic mashed potato flakes mixed with 2/3 c. boiling water
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. soymilk powder
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
5 c. unbleached white flour
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine the water and yeast. When the yeast has dissolved, add the mashed potatoes, wheat germ, soymilk powder, syrup, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and turmeric. Mix in the unbleached flour. Knead well for 5 to 10 minutes (using as little flour as possible if kneading by hand-- the dough should be soft and a bit sticky).
Place the dough in a greased bowl which will allow for doubling of the dough, turn it over to grease the top, and cover with plastic wrap, or place inside of a large plastic bag (to prevent the dough from drying out). Rise overnight or for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator (this dough handles best when cold).
Several hours before serving, shape the dough into two loaves, or 16 large loaves, or 32 small rolls, according to the variation recipe you are using. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-45 minutes, depending upon the size and shape of the loaves or rolls. (Solid round or pan loaves may take as long as 45 minutes; long, braided, or ring loaves about 30 minutes; small rolls 20 minutes.) Cool on racks and decorate as directed in the variation recipe.
BRYANNA’S EASTER CINNAMON ROLL LAMB
This is an Easter tradition in our home and the kids love it!
NOTE: You can use any favorite cinnamon roll dough to make this.)
Use half of the risen dough. Pinch off about 1/4 of the dough and set it aside, covered, for the head, legs and tail of the lamb.
Roll the remaining portion into a 10x15" rectangle. Spread this with
2 T. Tofu Sour Creme, or margarine, or a low-fat spread and sprinkle with
1/4 c. Sucanat or sugar mixed with
1 and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.
Starting at one long edge, roll it up like a jelly roll. Seal the edge well. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 20 slices, each about 3/4” thick.
On a non-stick or lightly-oiled baking sheet, arrange the slices side by side in 4 rows-- 4 slices in the top row; 5 slices in the second; 6 in the third; and 5 in the bottom row. This forms the body of the lamb.
Use the reserved dough to make a round bun for the head, with a triangular-shaped nose, bits of dough rolled into little "snakes" for closed "eyes", two pointed ears, two hoofed feet, and a tail . Attach them, tucking under the “body”.
Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush head, feet and tail with Sweet Bread Glaze (see recipe below) . Spread the "body" with Sugar Glaze or White Maple Glaze, made with orange or almond extract.
BRYANNA’S VEGAN LAMBROPSOMO OR TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER BREAD) Makes 2 loaves
This lovely braided Easter bread is often made with dyed red baked into it, but instead you can surround the bread (after baking and cooling) with red egg-shaped candles or candies (the eggs are an ancient religious symbol and red stands for Christ’s blood.).
To the dough add
1 tsp. pure almond extract,
1 T. grated orange or lemon zest,
1/2 tsp. ground allspice,
1 tsp. anise seed (ground, if possible, and
1 T. thawed orange juice concentrate. You can also add some raisins or dried fruit to the dough, if you like.
Divide the risen dough into 2 equal parts, and divide each part into 3. Roll each part into a 24"-long "rope", and braid 3 "ropes" together to make two braids. On nonstick or lightly-oiled baking sheets, form the braids into ring or snail shapes. After baking as directed, brush the loaves with Sweet Bread Glaze (see recipe below) . If you like, sprinkle the top with roasted sesame seeds.
BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT VEGAN PANETTONE (ITALIAN SWEET BREAD)
3 loaves
Makes great toast!
To the dough add
2 tsp. pure almond extract,
1 T. anise seed (crushed or ground, if possible),
1 c. candied fruitcake mix or chopped mixed dried fruits, and
1/2 c. raisins.
Form the risen dough into 3 round loaves. Cut a cross 1/2"-deep across the top of each loaf, using a razor blade or sharp knife. Rise and brush the tops of the loaves with soymilk before baking as directed. You can serve Panettone plain, or iced with Sugar Glaze or White Maple Glaze and sprinkled with colored candy sprinkles.
BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT VEGAN ITALIAN EASTER BREAD Makes 2 loaves
This bread is usually made with colored eggs baked into it, but they can be omitted. To stay vegan but keep the ancient Spring Equinox/Easter egg-as-symbol-of-new-life-and-renewal theme, you can mound candy eggs in colored paper "straw" in the center of the ring (dairy-free, naturally-sweetened, organic chocolate eggs are available in many health food stores at Easter), or use polished colored egg-shaped rocks that are used for decoration or paperweights, or colored egg-shaped candles.
Make the same dough variation as for Panettone (above). Cut the risen dough in half. Form each half into two 24" long "ropes". Twist together loosely two ropes and form a ring on a non-stick or lightly-oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining two ropes. Rise and bake as directed. Ice the cool bread with Sugar Glaze or White Maple Glaze and sprinkle with colored candy sprinkles.
BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT VEGAN HOT CROSS BUNS Makes 32 buns
These little spicy buns are traditional in English-speaking countries on Good Friday, but they originated before Christianity. They are so much better than the squishy, sickly-sweet storebought buns.
To the dough add
1 c. dried currants or raisins,
2/3 c. candied fruitcake mix or chopped mixed dried fruit,
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla,
1 and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon,
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and
1/4 tsp. EACH ground ginger and allspice.
Form the risen dough into 32 balls and place them in two nonstick or lightly-oiled 9x13" baking pans, leaving a little space between the rolls. Let rise until doubled. Cut crosses in the tops of the buns with a razor blade just before baking as directed.
Brush the hot buns with Sweet Bread Glaze . Make crosses on the tops of the buns with a thick Soy-Sugar Glaze or White Maple Glaze , flavored with a few drops of pure almond extract. (see all these recipes below)
BRYANNA’S SWEET BREAD GLAZE
This is brushed onto hot baked breads for a sweet, shiny glaze.
Heat equal parts of non-dairy milk and maple syrup together in a small saucepan over medium heat. DO NOT BOIL, or it will curdle.
BRYANNA’S WHITE MAPLE GLAZE Makes 1/2 c. (can be soy-free)
This can be used on sweet yeasted breads, tea breads, cupcakes, etc..
1/2 c. good-tasting powdered soymilk (such as a light tofu beverage mix-- do not use bulk soymilk powder) OR rice milk powder
4 T. Grade A light maple syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla or other flavor extract
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl. For a thin glaze, spread it on the hot bread or cake. For a firmer glaze, spread it on the cooled bread or cake.
BRYANNA’S SOY-SUGAR GLAZE Makes about 1/2 c.
For a sweeter glaze that gets a bit crusty, try this easy one. If you use unbleached sugar, it's more beige than white. It's good on baked doughnuts or muffins baked in miniature bundt pans .
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. soymilk
2 T. isolated soy protein powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla or other flavor extract
Melt the sugar and soymilk together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, or MICROWAVE in a microwave-safe small bowl for 1 minute. Beat in the soy protein powder and vanilla with a hand blender or electric mixer. Spread on hot cake, etc..
EASTERY DESSERTS:
HEAVENLY LEMON BARS
(This came from Vegetarian Times, March 1998 -- it's good!)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons fine sugar
1/3 cup margarine, cut into small pieces
egg replacer for one egg (1/2 T. EnerG egg replacer beaten with 2 T. water OR 2 T. tofu)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate (this is for color)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon peel
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 325. Have a 9-inch square baking pan ready.
In large bowl, mix 1/2 c. unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, confectioners' sugar and margarine until crumbly. Press mixture into greased pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven.
In small bowl using electric mixer, beat egg replacer, granulated sugar, orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice until pale and well blended. Beat in remaining 2 tbsp. all purpose flour, lemon peel and baking powder.
Pour lemon mixture over crust, return to oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 mins. Set pan on wire rack to cool completely. When cool cut into bars. Makes 16.
BRYANNA’S FRENCH STRAWBERRY PIE Serves 8
One 9" crust of your favorite pastry baked "blind" (see instructions below) and cooled
CREME FILLING:
Half a recipe Tofu-Cashew Creme Cheeze (see recipe below)
OR 1/2 c. Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese
1 and 1/2 T. grade A light maple syrup
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 (1 pint) baskets fresh ripe strawberries (nice-looking ones)
GLAZE:
1 c. red currant jelly or any other red jelly (homemade is fine)
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
TOPPING: your favorite non-dairy "whipped cream", such as RichWhip, or try one of the recipes below
Cool the prebaked pieshell on a rack. Mix together thoroughly the creme cheese, maple syrup, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and vanilla. A few hours before serving, spread the mixture carefully on the bottom of the pie shell. In a saucepan, melt the jelly with the lemon juice. Let it cool until almost ready to set again. Wash, pat dry and trim the berries. Choose the nicest ones (large, ripe, evenly red) and arrange them, pointed end-up, in the pie shell. If you have extras, you can slice them and arrange them under the whole berries.
Drizzle the almost-cooled jelly mixture over the berries, coating equally. Chill for a few hours before serving (but serve the same day), then garnish the pie decoratively with one of the suggested whipped toppings and serve.
PRE-BAKING PASTRY (OR BAKING "BLIND"): To pre-bake or bake "blind" an unfilled crust, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the dough to fit a 9" or 10" tart or pie pan. (If using a pie pan, just bring the pastry up to the inside top of the pan and flute it, to make a shallow shell-- not over the edge, like an American pie.) Trim the top edge neatly. Poke the bottom and sides with a fork. Place a square of foil over the dough and weight down with a layer of dried beans. Bake 6 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake 8 minutes more. Cool the pastry on a rack.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Use glass or ceramic pan, poke pastry all over, and microwave on HI 6-7 minutes, or until pastry is opaque and bottom is dry (will not brown). This was tested in a 900 watt oven. A more powerful oven may cook faster, a less powerful oven may require a little more time, so adjust accordingly. NOTE: DON'T use this option with a sweet crust, which burns easily.
BRYANNA’S TOFU-CASHEW CRÈME CHEEZE OR “MASCARPONE”
Makes about 2 c.
If you can’t buy Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese, or you prefer something lower in fat, try this easy and delicious recipe.
1 (12.3 oz.) box extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1/2 c.+ 2 T. raw cashew pieces, ground very fine in a coffee/spice mill or mini-chopper
2 T. fresh lemon juice
pinch salt
Whirl all of the ingredients in a food processor at high speed for several minutes. Be patient-- it has to be VERY smooth. You may have to stop the machine a couple of times and scrape the sides and push the ingredients that have accumulated under the blade towards the middle. When as smooth as possible, scoop into a covered container and refrigerate. It will firm up considerably.
BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT OIL PASTRY Makes one 9" crust
Although this crust does contain fat, it has about half that of ordinary pastry, and it uses oil rather than hard fat. Divided into 8 servings, each piece with either a bottom OR a top crust (not both) and a fat-free filling will contain 5 g of fat.
The pastry flour and soured soymilk make a tender crust that no one will guess is low-fat!
1/2 c. unbleached white flour
1/2 c. MINUS 1 T. wholewheat pastry flour
3 T. oil
3 T. soymilk with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice added
3/8 tsp. salt
3/8 tsp. baking powder
3/8 tsp. sugar
Mix the flours in a medium bowl with the salt, baking powder and sugar. Whisk together the soured soymilk and oil in a cup until well blended. Pour this into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork until it holds together in a ball. (If it's too dry, sprinkle with a TINY bit of water.) If you have time, place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for an hour before rolling out. Roll out and bake as you would an ordinary crust.
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BRYANNA’S VEGAN LEMON PIES, WITH AND WITHOUT “MERINGUE”
The first recipe is a very simple tofu-lemon pie that is creamy and pale yellow, rather than the clear bright yellow of the usual lemon meringue pie, but it’s delicious, nutritious and VERY easy. You can use the vegan “meringue” topping that I mention in the next paragraph with this, serve it plain or use a vegan “whipped crème” topping (see above).
The second recipe is a vegan version of the more traditional American lemon meringue pie. With it is a vegan “meringue” topping, which is made with EnerG egg replacer and agar. It cannot be baked, so it won’t be quite the same as an egg meringue.
You can decorate the top of either pie with grated lemon zest, toasted coconut, or graham cracker crumbs, if you wish.
BRYANNA’S EASY LEMON-TOFU PIE Makes 1/ 9” pie
1/ 9" crumb or pastry crust, your favorite recipe, pre-baked for 5 minutes
FILLING:
1 lb. extra-firm SILKEN tofu (1 and 1/3 12.3 oz. boxes) OR medium-firm tofu
3/4 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice (preferably fresh)
2 T. cornstarch
grated zest of 1 large lemon OR 2 tsp. lemon extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Blend the Filling ingredients together in the blender or food processor until VERY smooth. Pour this into the crust and bake for 35 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack, then refrigerate. Serve plain, with vegan “whipped crème” (see recipe above), or use the “meringue” topping in the next pie recipe.
If you wish to have a “meringue” topping,
make it according to the recipe below and pile the mixture around the edge of the pie, leaving the edge of the crust and the center showing. Make little peaks in the "meringue" with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
BRYANNA’S LOW-FAT CRUMB CRUST:
1 c. low-fat dairy-free graham cracker crumbs
4 T. light corn syrup or brown rice syrup or fruit concentrate syrup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the corn syrup and press onto the bottom and sides of a lightly-oiled 8" pie pan. Bake the crust until golden brown— about 15 minutes.
BRYANNA’S VEGAN LEMON MERINGUE PIE Makes 1/ 9” pie
Make your favorite 9” pastry crust. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
TO PRE-BAKE OR BAKE "BLIND" AN UNFILLED CRUST,
preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the dough to fit a 9" or 10" tart or pie pan. (If using a pie pan, just bring the pastry up to the inside top of the pan and flute it, to make a shallow shell-- not over the edge, like an American pie.) Trim the top edge neatly. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Place a square of foil over the dough and weight down with a layer of dried beans. Bake 6 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake 8 minutes more. Cool the pastry on a rack.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Use glass or ceramic pan, prick pastry all over, and microwave on HI 6-7 minutes, or until pastry is opaque and bottom is dry (will not brown). This was tested in a 900 watt oven. A more powerful oven may cook faster, a less powerful oven may require a little more time, so adjust accordingly. NOTE: DON'T use this option with a sweet crust, which burns easily.
FILLING:
Whisk in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom:
1 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
2/3 c. soymilk (or other non dairy milk))
7 T. orange juice (for color)
6 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
Stir over high heat until it thickens and boils. Let boil 1 minute. Whisk in:
1/2 c. lemon juice (fresh, if possible--2 large lemons, probably)
2 tsp. lemon extract (or 2 T. grated lemon zest, yellow part only)
1 to 4 T. Earth Balance (vegan “buttery spread”), depending on how rich you want it
Cool this for 5 minutes. Pour it into cooled pie shell, smooth down and cover with waxed paper, parchment, oiled brown paper, or plastic wrap cut to fit just the filling. Chill.
BRYANNA’S VEGAN “MERINGUE” TOPPING:
1 and 1/3 tsp. agar powder (or 2 T. + 2 tsp. agar flakes) mixed with 1/4 c. cold water
3/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. EnerG egg replacer powder (only this one will whip up sufficiently)
1/2 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Mix the agar and water in a small saucepan and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir over medium heat until it simmers, then allow to simmer 1 minute.
In a deep medium bowl, beat the egg replacer and 3/4 c. water in a small, deep bowl, with electric mixer on HI. Use a small or large stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer or egg beater, or a beater attachment (wire whip type) for a food processor or immersion blender. You have to beat it for 12 minutes (yes, 12!!), or until thick, white, and forms peaks. Beat in the sugar, vanilla and lemon extract, then the cooked agar mixture. Beat well to distribute the agar evenly. When smooth and glossy, cool it in the refrigerate. It will firm up. Beat it again briefly, then pile the mixture around the edge of the cooled pie (remove any paper or plastic covering ), leaving the edge of the crust and the center showing. Make little “peaks” in the "meringue" with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.(This will keep only a day.)
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BRYANNA’S VEGAN ENGLISH SHERRY TRIFLE Serves at least 12
An English friend declared this “absolutely authentic”!
Assemble the trifle the morning of the day it is to be served.
You have to make several components for this recipe, but the cake, whipped topping, and “amaretti crumbs” can be made several days ahead of time.
Here they are;
MAKE THIS FIRST:
BRYANNA'S VEGAN GENOISE CAKE
Makes two 8" layers
This is the basic vegan layer cake, pretty low in fat. It can also take the place of sponge cakes. I wanted to make a cake that was light and "buttery", but fairly low in fat and easy to make. This one won't disappoint, if you use a good-quality dairy-free margarine (like Earth Balance). (You can substitute 3 T. neutral cooking oil and 1 T. expeller-pressed corn oil, if you prefer, but I don't think the flavor is as fine.)
1 and 3/4 c. white or wholewheat pastry or cake flour
1 c. light unbleached sugar, ground fine in a dry blender
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. good-tasting dairy-free margarine
2/3 c. water
1/2 c. soy or rice milk
2 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
OR 1 tsp. pure almond or lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk in a large mixing bowl. Add the margarine and the water and beat with an electric mixer for a minute. Add the remaining ingredients and beat one more minute. Divide equally between two 8" greased and floured round cake pans. Bake 25 minutes, or until cakes test done. Cool on racks for 5 minutes, then loosen cakes and remove from pans to finish cooling.
VARIATION:
Chocolate Genoise-- Substitute 1/3 c. of Dutch cocoa powder for 1/3 c. of the pastry flour. Use vanilla or almond extract.
THEN THESE:
BRYANNA’S "AMARETTI" CRUMBS (SOY-FREE) Makes 2 and 2/3 c.
This is from my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
Italians use crumbled amaretti cookies (almond macaroons) in many desserts (and even in a few savory dishes with Renaissance roots). Since macaroons are made with eggs, we can't use packaged cookies for this purpose. You can use this easy recipe when you need amaretti crumbs, and do away with the need to have baked amaretti on hand all the time.
Nuts and breadcrumbs can be quickly toasted in your microwave, if you like.. You can grind them easily and quickly in a small electric spice or coffee grinder, or mini-chopper.
1 c. lightly toasted ground almonds
1 c. toasted white or sweet bread crumbs
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. pure almond extract
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix all of the ingredients together well. Spread the mixture on 2 cookie sheets and place in the heated oven. Toast the mixture for about 15 minutes or until it has dried out a bit, but is still slightly chewy. Cool the mixture, then freeze in rigid plastic containers.
Then ONE of the whipped topping recipes (see recipes at the end of this recipe file);
THEN MAKE:
BRYANNA'S POURED CUSTARD Makes about 3 c.
This tastes much richer than just using soymilk.
NOTE: Custard powder is a common item in Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia, but if you can't find it in the USA (try a gourmet food store that sells foreign foods), use an equal amount of cornstarch and add a pinch of Spanish saffron to the water.
In blender mix:
1/2 (12.3 oz.) box firm or extra-firm SILKEN tofu OR 3/4 c. medium-firm regular tofu
2 c. water
4 and 3/4 T. Bird’s custard powder (see NOTE above)
1/2 c. light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
1/2-1 tsp. vanilla or other extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Pour into a heavy saucepan and stir over high heat til thickened. Or micro 3 min. Whisk. 2 min. Whisk. Chill.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED :
About 1 c. raspberry jam (I used an ultra-low-sugar type)
2 sliced bananas (toss with a T. of rum or sherry) or other fruit
1/2 c. dry sherry
1/2 c. toasted chopped or slivered almonds
TO ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE:
Cut the cooled cake layers in quarters. Cut each quarter in half horizontally. Spread raspberry jam thickly on the bottom half of each quarter and top with the other half, like a sandwich. Cut the quarters into wedges and fit them into the bottom of a 2” deep (at least) 10” glass dish. I had a piece or two left over. Spread the top of the cake wedges with the remaining raspberry jam. If you have any cake left over, crumble it over top of this. Sprinkle evenly with the sherry. Top with 1/2 c. or so of the “Amaretti crumbs”, and then add a layer of banana or other fruit. Pour the custard over this. If it’s hot, refrigerate this until it’s almost cool. Now, spread the top evenly with the Whipped Topping of your choice, which you have made at least four hours ahead. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Refrigerate until serving time.
Now you can make your own variations with different types of cake, different types of jam, different, fruits, different nuts, different liquors, etc.
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BRYANNA’S VEGAN TIRAMÍSU (the easiest possible, the lowest-fat possible, while still tasting rich and decadent!) Serves 6-8
Tiramísu means “pick me up” in Italian, and is a very popular North American dessert now, usually full of fat-laden mascarpone or cream cheese and whipped cream. The original Italian version was like a trifle, with a custard mixture folded into the mascarpone (rich Italian cream cheese). Now, most North American recipes skip the custard part. I skipped it in this recipe too, to make it easier.
The recipe looks complicated because there are various components, but many of them can be storebought, or easily made (even several days before). You can use leftover cake, or a storebought one (if you can get vegan cakes).
The components:
#1 VEGAN WHIPPED TOPPING: Use your favorite non-dairy whipped topping (such as RichWhip), OR make one of the recipes below(make it first of all and refrigerate while you ready all the other components), stabilized with kosher gelatin:
#2 VEGAN CAKE BASE: You can use 1/ 8 or 9” layer of any light, plain vegan white or yellow cake (slightly stale is okay), sliced in half horizontally. You can use the vegan Genoise cake in the Trifle recipe above.
Or, if you prefer a “ladyfinger” base, try this fat-free recipe:
BRYANNA'S “LADYFINGER” CAKE : (this is made specifically for tiramísu)
2 T. Ener G egg replacer powder (no substitutes)
6 T. water
1/2 c. light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
1/4 c. non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp. EACH pure vanilla and almond extracts
1 c. white or wholewheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl beat together the water and egg replacer powder with an electric mixer for abpout 10 minutes, or like egg whites beaten to “soft peak” stage. Add the sugar and beat again til dissolved. Beat in the “milk”. Sift together the dry ingredients and fold into the beaten mixture, mixting and folding gently. The batter should be foamy and light. Divide between two greased round 8 or 9” cake pans. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or til cake is lightly golden, coming away from the sides of the pan, and starting to split a little. Cool on racks.
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#3 VEGAN “MASCARPONE “ FILLING As the base for the filling, use: 2 c. Tofutti’s “Better Than Cream Cheese” (soften it by whirling in food processor for a few minutes), OR BRYANNA’S TOFU-CASHEW CREME CHEESE OR “MASCARPONE” above in the French strawberry Pie recipe.
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#5 ESPRESSO-LIQUOR MIXTURE:
Mix together: 1/3 c. freshly brewed espresso, or espresso made from 1/3 c. boiling water and 1 packet instant espresso powder*(see note below) 3 T. rum, brandy, amaretto, Kahlua, etc.**(see note below)
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TO ASSEMBLE:
Place one half of the horizontally sliced cake layer or one of the “Ladyfinger Cake’” layers (component #2) in the bottom of a shallow 8-9” glass baking or serving dish.
Sprinkle with 1/2 of the Espresso-Liquor Mixture (component #5). Top with 1/2 of the Vegan “Mascarpone” Filling (component #3), smoothing over evenly.
Sprinkle with some of the Cocoa-Sucanat/Sugar Sprinkle (component #4).
Lay the remaining cake on top of that.
Sprinkle the remaining Espresso-Liquor mix over that.
Top with the remaining “Mascarpone” Filling, and more of the cocoa sprinkle.
Decorate with the “Whipped Topping” (component #1) and sprinkle with more of the cocoa sprinkle.
Cover carefully and refrigerate for AT LEAST 4 hours before serving; use within three days.
NOTES:
*if you don’t like caffeine, use the best quality decaffeinated dark Italian roast to make the espresso, or a strong coffee substitute.
**If you object to liquor, use a flavored Italian syrup, like the kind they use for flavored coffee in place of the liquor. They have nice nut-flavored ones, such as almond and hazelnut.
HOMEMADE VEGAN WHIPPED TOPPINGS
BRYANNA’S BEST TOFU WHIPPED CRÈME makes about 1and 3/4 c.
This is so simple and good! Be sure to let it refrigerate for AT LEAST four hours before serving, so that it “sets up” nicely. This is like a softly-whipped cream and doesn’t separate!
NOTE ON TOFU: The measurement for the tofu was determined by the size (actually, 300 g) that soft tub tofu comes in my area. DO NOT use silken tofu for this recipe. Use the freshest available soft tub tofu (and be careful that it’s not “dessert” tofu, which has sugar added).
NOTE ON CALORIES AND FAT: cashews give a rich flavor, have some thickening qualities, and save about 280 calories for the whole recipe. (1/4 c. cashews contains about 200 calories; 1/4 c. oil contains about 480 calories.)
1 and 1/3 c. soft tub tofu [in plastic tub]
1/4 melted Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
OR 1/4 c. oil OR 1/2 oil and 1/2 melted Earth Balance
OR 1/4 c. raw cashews, ground very fine in a food processor or coffee grinder
3 T. very light granulated unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
OR 3 T. maple syrup (this will make it a little softer)
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
OPTIONAL: (if not using Earth Balance) pinch salt
OPTIONAL: 1 T. of your favorite liqueur
Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for several minutes, or until VERY smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a small bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate for AT LEAST four hours before serving. This will keep for several days refrigerated.
BRYANNA’S WHIPPED TOPPING MADE WITH SILKEN TOFU
makes about 2 c.
If you can’t find soft tub tofu, try this recipe—it’s also very good.
1 (12.3 oz.) box extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1/3 c. oil OR melted Earth Balance, or a combination
1/4 c. maple syrup OR very light granulated unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
1 T. soymilk
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
OPTIONAL (if not using Earth Balance): pinch of salt
OPTIONAL: 1-2 T. of your favorite liqueur
Whip ingredients together in food processor until VERY smooth. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
VEGAN ALCOHOL AND SUBSTITUTES FOR ALCOHOL:
SPARKLING WINES FOR CELEBRATIONS;
According to The Vegetarian Network of Victoria (Australia), Dom Perignon Champagne is vegan. Also Moet & Chandon, and Mumm.
sparkling wines;
Cuvee Napa Brut, Mumm (sparkling wine)
Cuvee Napa Rose, Mumm (sparkling wine)
http://www.ecowine.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi
has a sparkling wine at the end of this list of 6 vegan, organic wines
NON-ALCOHOLIC:
http://www.arielvineyards.com/Wines/Sparkling/
has “Brut Cuvée”, a non-acholic sparkling wine. Ariel Vineyards produce non-alcoholic wines endorsed by chef Graham Kerr.
WHY ISN’T ALCOHOL NECESSARILY VEGAN?
Wine is clarified, or cleared, after fermentation. Some of the ingredients used include:
- edible gelatins (made from bones)
- isinglass (made from the swim bladders of fish)
- casein and potassium caseinate (milk proteins)
- animal albumin (egg albumin and dried blood powder)
In the UK beer (bitter) is also commonly fined using isinglass. Many bottled bitters and most lagers are vegan. Guinness is not suitable for vegans. Most spirits are vegan except for Campari (contains cochineal) and some Vodkas (passed through bone charcoal).
Vegetarian Society of UK information sheet on alcohol:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/alcohol.html
Their approved list of wines and spirits;
http://www.vegsoc.org/business/products/wines-beers.html
http://www.ecowine.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi
section on vegan wines
http://www.greenculture.com/ps/pp_wine.html
http://www.organickitchen.com/vineyards.html
many of the vinyards listed in the two sites above have vegan wines, beers, etc.
Organic Grapes into Wine Alliance (they may be able to give you info on vegan wines)
http://www.isgnet.com/ogwa/
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/info/info28.html
Article from the UK Vegan Society on how different alcoholic beverages are made and vegan brands
http://sbvdesigns.com/veg/veganwine.htm
vegan wines, with two aparkling ones and a link to a few online vegan wine retailers
http://www.freywine.com/freywine/index.html
Frey Vinyards make vegan wines in California
Australian site with list of alcoholic beverages suitable for vegans;
http://www.vnv.org.au/AlcoholByName.htm
ALCOHOL ALTERNATIVES IN COOKING AND BAKING
In cooking, try using verjus (or verjuice), which is the unfermented juice of sour grapes. Without the alcohol, it’s not as complex as wine, but is a good substitute. Try Oakville Grocery at www.oakvillegrocery.com or 1-800-973-6324 for 32 oz. Bottles of both red and white Napa Fusion Verjus for $12.75 US. A substitute for verjus is 1/2 cider vinegar and 1/2 white grape juice!
Ariel Vineyards produce non-alcoholic wines (white, red and sparkling) endorsed by chef Graham Kerr.
http://www.arielvineyards.com/
2 T. Grand marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur=
2 T. orange juice plus 1/2 tsp. orange extract OR 2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
2 T. rum or brandy= 1/2 to 1 tsp. rum or brandy extract and 2 T. white grape juice or apple juice
2 T. amaretto or other almond-flavored liqueur= 1/4 to 2 tsp. almond extract (use only pure extract)
(I guess you could do the same with other nut-flavored liqueurs if you can find other nut extracts)
2 T. bourbon= 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract (obviously only for baking)
2 T. sherry= 1 tsp- 2 tsp. vanilla (in baking) OR 2 T. orange or pineapple juice
2 T. Kahlua or other coffee or chocolate-flavored liqueur= 1/2 to 1 tsp. chocolate extract plus 1/2 to 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso (or coffee sub) with 2 T. water
1/4 c. port, sweet sherry, rum, brandy or fruit-flavored liqueur= equal measure unsweetened orange juice or apple juice plus 1 tsp. of corresponding flavored extract or vanilla
1/4 c. white wine= equal measure broth (in savory dishes), light juice or nonalcoholic wine
1/4 c. red wine= equal measure cranberry juice, apple cider or nonalcoholic wine (or broth in savory dishes) OR you can also add a splash of balsamic vinegar to any of these, as well
NOTE: Add either white grape juice, apple juice or broth to the flavoring substitute, if necessary, to get the volume of liquid specified in your recipe.
