Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: aquafaba

Vegan Yellow Butter Cupcakes

Looking back at my Grandma’s old cookbooks that I inherited, yellow butter cake seemed to be all the rage back in the day. You can’t page through an old cookbook and not see photos of one, usually with some sort of rich chocolate frosting. I admit I drooled over them when I was younger paging through the books, telling myself, someday I would make one. Well, I never did. I have been baking since I was about 17, but never any yellow butter cake once. I made a classic marble cake for an old boyfriend’s Birthday one year and that was amazing, but he told me he liked the store bought ones better…needless to say he is not my boyfriend anymore. That was the closest I got to yellow butter cake since it was loaded with eggs and butter (I was not vegan at the time).

So I had some aquafaba butter in my fridge leftover from something I had made last week, and the thought popped into my head…yellow butter cupcakes! Yes, that sounded amazing and of course they would be vegan because I don’t bake any other way. I chose cupcakes instead of a full cake because they are easier to share, and I like to switch off between the two. I used the aquafaba butter in place of the usual oil in my vanilla cupcake recipe, and added coconut milk for the liquid. These are not diet cupcakes. They are rich, and fit for a celebration!

Which is why I decided to frost them with some colorful pink and green frosting. It was a coconut milk based “buttercream”. Well it tasted like buttercream at least, so delicious! When biting into one of these cupcakes, you would not know at all that they are vegan. They were moist, light, and buttery. Just as butter cake should be. And the frosting was light and fluffy as well, like traditional buttercream. I think these would be perfect for a Birthday celebration! If you wanted to tint the frosting other colors naturally you could use turmeric for yellow, or carrot juice for orange. Of course you need not wait for a Birthday to make these, one needs no excuse for cupcakes!

Vegan Yellow Butter Cupcakes

Makes 10 standard sized cupcakes

Cake:

1/2 cup aquafaba butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated xylitol
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup thin coconut milk
3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Frosting:
1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
1/4 cup maple syrup
pinch sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter

1/4 tsp beet powder
1/4 tsp spinach powder

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line 12 mini muffin tins with liners. Whisk together the xylitol and the sugar in a large bowl, then whisk in the milk, and vanilla. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, into the wet mixture until just blended. Transfer batter to prepared tins and until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 12-15 minutes. Cool cakes completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour.

To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until the consistency of whipped cream (whisking every 15 minutes). Divide between two bowls, and whisk the beet powder into one and the spinach powder into the other until uniform in color. Place in a pastry bag (spoon the two colors next to each other into the bag to create a duel color frosting) and pipe decoratively over the cupcakes.

*Xylitol is toxic to dogs, so please do not feed these to dogs. Coconut sugar may be used in place of the xylitol, just keep in mind the cupcakes will not be as green they will be more brown.

April 17, 2016
Vegan Peanut Butter S’mores Mousse Pie

I have been wanting to make a s’mores pie for quite some time now. Ever since I discovered aquafaba marshmallows a few months back. Pie making has become my Friday night thing to do lately, so last Friday I decided I needed to make this pie I had been dreaming about. Eric loved the idea since he loves s’mores or anything sweet and with chocolate included so I knew I would have someone to share it with that would appreciate it.

Although I could have bought graham crackers for the crust, I did not want to buy any, and I don’t like the refined ingredients that are in most commercial ones…so I substituted something I knew how to make fast. My usual raw “graham cracker” crust. Even though this was not going to be a raw pie, it is easy, and it tastes good and it did the trick! That said, if you are making this and you want to make a traditional crust with real graham crackers go right ahead I just did what was economical and easy for me at the time. So anyways, the crust was still crunchy and delicious like the traditional graham cracker crust and perfect for my chocolate filling.

I decided on a chocolate mousse filling. But not just chocolate mousse. Chocolate mousse with peanut butter included! Omg…it was so delicious! I tried a different method of making it than I usually do, pouring my home made melted chocolate into the chilled coconut milk, and it worked perfect! Normally I would use cacao powder and coconut butter, but I figured that the chocolate would firm it up and flavor it just the same. This was even better than I expected. You could even pour this into a little glass if you just wanted peanut butter mousse.

Once in the pie crust, I topped it off with my usual vegan marshmallow fluff made with aquafaba, and toasted it. So it would taste like a real marshmallow. You know, I never thought I would enjoy marshmallows again when I went vegan…but now that I can, I am pretty happy. The pie turned out wonderful! I would take a slice of this over real s’mores any day. I am a sucker for chocolate mousse, and peanut butter, and topping it off with the toasted marshmallows was simply heavenly!

Vegan Peanut Butter S’mores Mousse Pie

Makes one 6 inch pie

Crust:

3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut

3/4 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats (or you may use raw walnuts or oats)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup soft pitted medjool dates

1/4 tsp sea salt

Filling:

1 15 oz can chilled full fat coconut milk (chilled at least 2 days in the refrigerator is ideal)

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

pinch sea salt

8 oz melted vegan dark chocolate

Marshmallows:

1/2 cup aquafaba*

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup powdered xylitol, maple sugar or coconut sugar**

1/4 tsp sea salt (if your chickpea liquid has no salt)

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the crust, combine all ingredients in the food processor until finely chopped and starting to hold together when squeezed (if it doesn’t you may need a few more dates). Press the mixture into a 6 inch pie pan or spring form pan greased with coconut oil.

For the filling, combine the coconut milk, peanut butter and sea salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, then add the chocolate slowly through the feed tube with the motor running. Pour into the prepared crust and place in the freezer until firm, about 2 hours at least.

Meanwhile, In a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached pretty stiff peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor. Add the guar gum and cream of tartar and process until incorporated. Add the sea salt and sugar and with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick. Add the vanilla, and blend until uniform in color.

Spread the marshmallows over the top of the pie (spreading it all the way to the edges covering all the mousse filling), then place it under the broiler for about 2 minutes until the meringue is toasted and starting to brown on top (watch it closely, it could easily burn fast).

*Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. If you are using liquid from the cooked, you want to make sure it is thick, not watery.

**If using the coconut sugar or maple sugar, it will turn your marshmallow fluff light brown. Xylitol is toxic to dogs the same way chocolate is, so do not let your dog get ahold of this marshmallow fluff.

August 31, 2015
Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroons

I was given some hazelnut meal and the first thought I had was to pair it with chocolate. I was always a big fan of Nutella growing up, but I am an even bigger fan of home made hazelnut and chocolate butter. The flavor is just wonderful! Hence the hazelnut and chocolate choice for the hazelnut meal recipe. I decided to make simple macaroons. I had recently made some coconut almond ones and they were awesome, so I thought I would create a similar (yet different tasting) recipe with these.

I liked the texture the other ones I made had, and I had used a mixture similar to vegan marshmallow fluff to make them so I used that again as the base I added the chocolate and hazelnut meal to. I dehydrated the last batch though, because my oven was broken, but now it is fixed so I used that this time to bake the macaroons. Either way works, and I have included directions for both. Of course the plus side of the oven is they are done a lot faster. Once they were baked, I decided that they were not pretty enough looking so I drizzled them with dark chocolate and sprinkled them with hazelnuts. Man were these ever delicious. They taste like a macaroon and a hazelnut brownie had a baby together…simply heavenly!

Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroons

Makes 12

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp reduced aquafaba*

1 tsp guar gum

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups hazelnut meal

1 cup fine coconut sugar

1/3 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate, chopped

chopped hazelnuts for topping

In a food processor (you may also use a stand mixer for this, I just do not have one), whip the aquafaba to until thick, then add the guar gum and continue to whip or process to stiff peaks. Add the sea salt, and the sugar a little at a time through the feed tube until it is incorporated, then continue to whip until the mixture is shiny and the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla, and blend until incorporated. Add the hazelnut meal and the cacao powder a little at a time, pulsing until incorporated (you can fold it in by hand, but I didn’t and it still worked out. But if you are using a mixer with a whisk attachment you may want to so it doesn’t get all stuck in the whisk). Scoop out the dough by the rounded Tbsp, and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Heat the oven to 350F degrees and bake for 30 minutes in the center of the oven. (alternatively you may use a dehydrator instead. Place the cookies on a lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 155F degrees for about 13-14 hours or until firm on the outside but still soft in the middle). Let cool.

Melt the chocolate (I like to just pop mine in a bowl in the dehydrator, but if you prefer the double boiler, by all means, use that) in a bowl, and drizzle over the macaroons, then sprinkle them with chopped hazelnuts. Allow to set, and enjoy! These keep well for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

*Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. If you are using liquid from the cooked, you want to make sure it is thick (the consistency of egg whites), not watery.

August 3, 2015
Vegan Mini S’mores Bites

I have been making marshmallow fluff weekly since I first discovered aquafaba (chickpea liquid that creates vegan marshmallows and meringue) and how fun it is. I thought marshmallows were off limits to vegans, something I could only hold in my past memories as a child…boy was I wrong. I have been trying to create recipes to include it in, and all of the ones I have made have been awesome…like S’mores Brownies and Fluffernutter Cookies. But I have not stopped. I still quite enjoy being able to make an actual marshmallow for my s’more, so I made Vegan S’mores Bites.

These are kind of like mini vegan Mallowmars, but a little more character since I piped the marshmallow on top of the cookies like a high hat. For the cookies, I made a cinnamon scented shortbread so it had that graham cracker like flavor. They were perfect for holding the fluffy marshmallows! I then dipped them in vegan dark chocolate. They are like little candies/s’mores all in one! What’s not to love?!

I am brought back to the days when I actually toasted s’mores up at camp in the summer, or at fall bonfires in my Dad’s back yard. Good stuff. I think I these better though, because you can have more…because they are small. Don’t you agree?!

Vegan Mini S’mores Bites

Makes about 40 small bites

Shortbread “graham cracker”:

1 cup coconut oil, softened but still solid, at room temperature

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups gluten free all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup coconut sugar or granulated xylitol

Mix all shortbread ingredients together in a large bowl until well blended.

Place the dough on a sheet of parchment, and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with the rack set in the center.

Once the dough has chilled cut out small circles with a cookie cutter, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes until set. Cool on a wire rack completely.

Marshmallow Fluff:

1/2 cup reduced aquafba (you want it to be the consistency of egg whites when cooled)

1 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum

1/2 cup granulated xylitol or granulated coconut sugar*

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

Chocolate coating:

1 cup chopped vegan chocolate

For the marshmallow fluff, in a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor. Add the guar gum and process until incorporated. Add the sea salt and sugar and with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick. Add the vanilla, and blend until uniform in color.

Place the fluff in a pastry bag, and pipe onto the tops of the cookies.

Place the cookies on a parchment lined tray in the oven at a low heat (155F-200F) for 1/2 an hour (this makes them not sticky when you go to coat them in chocolate). Let cool completely.

Once the cookies are ready, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or I like to pop mine into the dehydrator and let it melt) or your preferred method. Then set the bowl next to the tray the cookies are on, and dip each cookie into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off (I set mine on a fork then dip them). Place them back on the tray. Once they have all been dipped, pop the tray into the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Enjoy! Store in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed container.

*If your xylitol or coconut sugar is large crystals, blend it in the food processor until smaller first so you do not deflate the meringue. Coconut sugar will turn the meringue brown if you use it. If you are making xylitol fluff do not feed it to dogs, it makes them sick like chocolate does.

August 2, 2015
Vegan Coconut Almond Macaroons

A few weeks ago, I was experimenting with making a fluffy almond cake with whipped aquafaba, and it was going pretty well. The batter tasted amazing, and I had popped it in the oven and it was smelling amazing…when suddenly my oven had a malfunction and I started to smell it burning. It had cranked itself up to high heat and burnt my cake, leaving it undercooked in the middle. My oven had broken, and I ruined my cake. I was so upset. I am one of those people who hates to waste ingredients, and yes sometimes I cry when things like this happen. I am still without an oven a couple weeks later, and I have been using Eric’s when I want to make something, but I don’t always want to go out…so my dehydrator has been getting a little more use.

That almond cake batter had tasted so good that I wanted to make something else with that flavor and similar ingredients. I thought about almond cookies which could be dehydrated, and I started playing around. I made an aquafaba mixture similar to my marshmallow fluff, mixed in almond meal, and it tasted amazing, like that cake. But…then decided shredded coconut would be even better! I tasted it and it was like coconut macaroons! So, I decided that these would be macaroons. Yes, I know crazy random ingredient adding process but bear with me here, they turned out better than I imagined!

I dehydrated them overnight, and in the morning what I was left with was delicious macaroons that tasted just like the ones with eggs and sweetened condensed milk that I had eaten before my non-vegan days! Definitely a win here. I decided to drizzle them with dark chocolate to make them even better, and they were wonderful! If you don’t have a dehydrator, I imagine they would work in the oven at a similar temp. (or take less time to bake at a little higher temp) but you might have to experiment with the time for the baking (since I have not tried it yet, being oven less for the time being).

Vegan Coconut Almond Macaroons

Makes 12 large macaroons

1 cup reduced aquafaba* (you want it the consistency of egg whites)

1 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup xylitol or coconut sugar, divided**

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups almond meal

1 1/2 cups finely shredded, unsweetened dried coconut

1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate, chopped

In a food processor (you may also use a stand mixer for this, I just do not have one), whip the aquafaba to until thick, then add the guar gum and continue to whip or process to stiff peaks. Add the sea salt, and the xylitol or sugar a little at a time through the feed tube until it is incorporated, then continue to whip until the mixture is shiny and the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla, and blend until incorporated. Add the almond meal and the coconut a little at a time, pulsing until incorporated (you can fold it in by hand, but I didn’t and it still worked out. But if you are using a mixer with a whisk attachment you may want to so it doesn’t get all stuck in the whisk). Scoop out the dough by the rounded Tbsp, and place on a dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 155F degrees for about 13-14 hours or until firm on the outside but still soft in the middle. Let cool.

Melt the chocolate (I like to just pop mine in a bowl in the dehydrator, but if you prefer the double boiler, by all means, use that) in a bowl, and drizzle over the macaroons. Allow to set, and enjoy! These keep well for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

*Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. If you are using liquid from the cooked, you want to make sure it is thick, not watery.

**You want the sugar to be fine so it dissolves faster and does not deflate the mixture. I buzz mine in the blender before using if it is a more coarse sugar. If using the coconut sugar or maple sugar, it will turn your cookies light brown. Xylitol is toxic to dogs the same way chocolate is, so if you use it as your sweetener, do not let your dog get ahold of these cookies.

July 26, 2015
Vegan Fluffernutter Sandwich Cookies

Ever since I discovered vegan marshmallow fluff made with aquafaba, I have wanted to make something fluffernutter. Mostly because I have never actually had anything fluffernutter…and it is a fun word to say, and the combination sounds delicious to someone craving salty and sweet. Also, I have had really good luck with my marshmallow fluff, since it is easier to make than something you would have to bake made with the meringue.

I decided last Monday that what sounded really good to make with it were Fluffernutter Sandwich Cookies with peanut butter cookies as the outer part. I was all excited about it, and unfortunately my oven was broken, so I had to go over to Eric’s to bake them. He didn’t mind though…any opportunity to be there and maybe get a taste of what I am baking in the process he is in. The dough was amazing by the way. I could have eaten that with a spoon.

Once the cookies were all baked and cooled and I had the fluffy sweet meringue made, I could not wait to try them. Let me tell you, they were heavenly. I admit I felt like a little kind eating one, because they seem like something I would have begged my parents for. Waaayyy healthier than any of the stuff I ate as a child though. This is an awesome use for vegan marshmallow fluff, and if you love peanut butter too, you must try these. They are really pretty simple to make besides the fact that there are two components.

Vegan Fluffernutter Sandwich Cookies

Makes 6 sandwich cookies

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed

3 Tbsp filtered water

1 cup coconut sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour or quinoa flour*

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Marshmallow fluff:

1/2 cup aquafaba**

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum

1/2 cup powdered xylitol, maple sugar or coconut sugar***

1/4 tsp sea salt (if your chickpea liquid has no salt)

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and water. Place the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes, this is your flax egg.

In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and flax egg, until smooth. Then mix in the flour, soda, baking powder, and sea salt in until the mixture is smooth.

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment.

Shape the cookie dough into 2 inch balls, place on your baking sheet a few inches apart and flatten with a fork, like you would with peanut butter cookies.

Place in the oven and bake at 375 for 12 minutes or so, until lightly browned and set. Allow to cool completely on a rack.

Meanwhile, In a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached pretty stiff peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor. Add the guar gum and process until incorporated. Add the sea salt and sugar and with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick. Add the vanilla, and blend until uniform in color.

Flip half the cookies upside down, and spread some of the marshmallow fluff onto each one. Top with another cookie.

*If you do not want to make these gluten free, you can use whole wheat pastry flour.

**Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. If you are using liquid from the cooked, you want to make sure it is thick, not watery.

***If using the coconut sugar or maple sugar, it will turn your marshmallow fluff light brown. Xylitol is toxic to dogs the same way chocolate is, so do not let your dog get ahold of this marshmallow fluff.

July 19, 2015
Vegan Salted Caramel Maple Meringues

The first meringues I ever tried to make had coconut sugar in them. The ones that fell flat as I popped them into the oven making my heart sink. I had so much hope for them! The problem was that the aquafaba (chickpea liquid used to make vegan meringue) had not been whipped long enough and the sugar was not added carefully causing them to deflate. Plus they had nothing to stabilize them. Which I figured out after trying a few times to make them. I figured out how to make xylitol meringues in the dehydrator (my Matcha Raspberry Meringues), my only success for crunchy ones so far because the others I tried never dried out in the oven or they fell flat. So…anyways, this is my success with using coconut sugar, the recipe I am sharing today.

What I did differently was to buzz it to powder first before adding it to the whipped chickpea liquid, and using stabilizers. I am calling them salted caramel maple, because the nature of the coconut sugar is caramel flavored, I added a touch of maple extract, and a pinch extra of sea salt. Hence the salted caramel which is what these taste exactly like! If you would like these to be maple through and through, you can use maple sugar in place of the coconut sugar (I just use that more sparingly because it costs more) it works, I tested that out as well. These are delicious little bites of goodness, which are simple which is just what some of us need when venturing into the art of vegan meringue. Now to experiment with more meringue! I have loads of chickpea liquid from work just begging to be made into something fabulous!

Vegan Salted Caramel Maple Meringues

Makes 12

1/2 cup aquafaba*

1/2 tsp guar gum or xanthin gum

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup powdered maple sugar or coconut sugar**

1/4 tsp sea salt (if your chickpea liquid has no salt)

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1/4 tsp maple extract

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached pretty stiff peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor. Add the guar gum and cream of tartar and process until incorporated. Add the sea salt, sugar and arrowroot with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick. Add the vanilla and maple extract, and blend until uniform in color.

Carefully place the meringue mixture into a pastry bag with a large tip, and pipe into meringues on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate at 155F for 16-20 hours, or until crisp (the time may vary according to your dehydrator and the moisture in the air). Remove from the dehydrator and store in an airtight container.

*Aquafaba is the liquid from chickpeas. You may either use the liquid from canned chickpeas, or liquid from chickpeas you have cooked yourself (if it is thick enough).

**I buzzed the sugar in the blender until fine before using in the recipe, this makes it less likely to deflate the meringue.

July 10, 2015
Vegan Mocha Walnut Brownies

On at least one of my days off every week I need to spend time with just myself. Maybe it is the introvert in me, but that is something I look forward to and it is very important. I do things like go for a walk, bike ride, or run (sometimes all three if I feel the need) my favorite time to think about the past week, think about the coming week and just think in general about things like what kind of recipes I want to make and what not. I find my best inspiration there, when I am outdoors in my own little world, but still present enough to hear the birds chirping and wind whistling through the trees around me. Last week I got to enjoy some time to go for a walk, and I decided that I wanted to make brownies, and I also harvested some wild mulberries while I was out. I finally remembered to bring a container. I walk there often, and I usually just grab a few. But this time I figured bring some home for later. I figured they would make a perfect garnish for my brownies!

Who doesn’t like to do things like brownies on their day off?! Crazy people if you don’t. Just kidding. I know not everyone is a baker but that is what I am here for, to make them and share with you. Anyways, I decided that I wanted mocha walnut brownies. I wanted them to be fudgy and moist. That is the way I like my brownies.

I have been experimenting with aquafaba lately (which is liquid from canned chickpeas if you are not familiar with the term). Trying to make vegan meringues and marshmallow fluff because that is what it is good for surprisingly. There have been a lot of some flops and some successes. But I wanted to try something with the aquafaba besides the meringue type stuff…so I decided to try making some brownies with it (which is where I am going with this whole aquafaba thing) because I heard it is wonderful in baked goods. Luckilly this one ended up being a win!

You can use it as a substitute for eggs, so that is what I did! The brownies turned out fabulous. Fudgy and delicious, rich and dark studded with crunchy walnuts. I topped them off with more fudgy goodness in the form of frosting. Trust me, you need these babies in your life. Don’t discard that chickpea liquid next time, make some brownies!

Vegan Mocha Walnut Brownies

Makes 20 small brownies

1 1/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour

2/3 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

1 TBsp espresso powder

1 cup coconut sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 cup aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts

frosting:

1/3 cup raw walnut butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup cacao powder

1 tsp espresso powder

pinch sea salt

1 Tbsp coconut oil, warmed to liquid

filtered water as needed

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder, espresso powder, sugar and salt until well combined. Add the coconut oil, aquafaba, and vanilla and whisk until smooth and well combined. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter into a lined and oiled 8×8 inch square baking pan and place in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just set (you do not want to over bake). Let cool.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until smooth adding a little bit of filtered water if necessary. You want the consistency of a spreadable fudgy frosting. Spread over the cooled brownies, and cut into squares.

July 5, 2015
Vegan Matcha Raspberry Meringues

With all of the vegan meringues that have been popping up lately on social media I had to try my hand at making some. I admit that these types of things have always intimidated me a bit, especially macarons which I used to love before I stopped eating animal products. Funny because I like to make lots of different desserts, but I tend to make what I know well. Time for me to step outside the box though. I need that every once in a while, keeps life interesting. So, I figured I would start off with something simple. I used the aquafaba method for meringue making which in case you haven’t heard is using the brine from canned chickpeas. It whips up into a beautiful meringue! I do not have a stand mixer, so I used my food processor to whip the liquid up. It worked so much faster than everyone says a stand mixer does. I admit I had a few fails, about 4. The first time, I added the sugar too fast, and it was not fine enough, and it turned into liquid. The second, it whipped up into a beautiful marshmallow fluff, but I had no stabilizers in it so when I put it in the oven it ran to flat pancakes. The third, they didn’t get hard enough in the oven even after 3 hours they were like marshmallows. Luckilly I have a lot of access to chickpea liquid since I make loads of them at my work in the deli. I am sure if I were using the usual refined sugar in my recipes like everyone else, they would have turned out. But that is not something I keep in my home, or want to eat. So…I have been working with coconut sugar and xylitol. I saw a post on the FB group Vegan Meringue- Hits and Misses about someone dehydrating xylitol meringues so I figured I would try my own version of that.

Every time I have used the xylitol it whipped up nicely. So, the question was would it stay nice in the dehydrator since I did not have success with the oven the first time I tried that. The meringue was lovely, shiny and perfect. I decided to add in a little matcha powder with the vanilla just to make it more interesting. I can never leave things plain…my brain just doesn’t work that way. I also folded in tart freeze dried raspberries because I love berries with green tea, and I thought the red and the pale green would be lovely.

I popped them in the dehydrator, and crossed my fingers, and prayed they would turn out. 24 hours later, I ended up with delicious little meringues! I was so happy they actually turned out you have no idea. The earthy sweet green tea base was perfect with the flecks of tart raspberry. I have included the recipe if you have a dehydrator and want to try this too. I am not done experimenting yet with my meringues, and I have another experiment baking as I type this. Stay tuned.

Vegan Matcha Raspberry Meringues

Makes 12

1/2 cup aquafaba*

1/2 tsp guar gum

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup powdered xylitol sugar**

pinch sea salt (if your chickpea liquid has no salt)

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1 Tbsp matcha powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, crushed up into smaller pieces

In a food processor (which is what I used, or you may use a stand mixer with a whisk attatchment), whip up the chickpea liquid until it has reached pretty stiff peaks. This will take about 2 minutes in the food processor. Add the guar gum and cream of tartar and process until incorporated. Add the sea , sugar and arrowroot with the motor running, a little at a time through the feed tube (so you do not deflate it), then allow to process until the sugar is completely dissolved and the meringue is smooth, shiny and thick. Add the vanilla and matcha, and blend until uniform in color. fold in the raspberries.

Carefully place the meringue mixture into a pastry bag with a large tip, and pipe into meringues on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate at 155F for 24 hours, until crisp. Remove from the dehydrator and store in an airtight container.

*Aquafaba is the liquid from chickpeas. You may either use the liquid from canned chickpeas, or liquid from chickpeas you have cooked yourself (if it is thick enough).

**I buzzed the xylitol in the blender until fine before using in the recipe, this makes it less likely to deflate the meringue. Xylitol is toxic to dogs the same way chocolate is, so do not let your dog get ahold of this marshmallow fluff.

***Please note, if it is very humid where you are and your meringues get a little soft, just place them in the fridge in the container you store them in and they will become more crunchy.

July 3, 2015