The Menu
VEGAN SPANIKOPITA ROLLS
ARTICHOKE STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARROTS
BASIC FRENCH, ITALIAN OR CRUSTY BREAD
INSALATE DI FINOCCHIO E ARANCE (SICILIAN-STYLE FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD)
VEGAN GENOISE CAKE
The Recipes
*******************************************
VEGAN SPANIKOPITA ROLLS
(LITTLE GREEK SPINACH-FILO PIES)
Makes about 48
The filling for these little pies is a bit unusual, containing such un-Greek ingredients as tofu, nutritional yeast and miso! But these unconventional ingredients give the filling a rich, feta-like taste, which is what you expect from spanikopita. (I took these to a potluck once, and they were gobbled up before the hostess even got to taste one--no one even suspected that they were dairy-free
If you use frozen chopped spinach, the filling takes only minutes to make, and can be made ahead (although you should make the rolls shortly before serving).
12 full sheets of filo pastry, thawed and kept covered
olive oil (can use a pump sprayer) or melted Earth Balance OR olive oil or “buttery-flavored” pan spray
FILLING:
3 (10 oz.) pckgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry OR 3 lbs. fresh spinach, cleaned, steamed, squeezed dry and chopped (you can substitute nettles, chard or other greens for all or part of the spinach)
1 and 1/2 lbs. medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, chopped and steam-fried until soft
1/4 c. light miso
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2 T. dry dill weed (or 1/2 c. fresh, chopped)
1 tsp. salt
Prepare the filling (you can do this a day or two ahead of time) by mixing the tofu, miso, salt and yeast together in a large bowl very well. Use your hands, a potato masher or a fork. Add the dill, the steam-fried green onions and the squeezed-dry cooked or frozen spinach and mix well.
To fill the rolls,
Stack 3 sheets of filo together , brushing or spraying each layer with oil or marge of choice, and cut the stack into four 6x5" rectangles with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining filo. You should have 48 rectangles. Keep the filo well-covered with plastic wrap while you work. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For each spanikopita, place about 3 T. filling in one corner of a rectangle of filo. Roll the filled corner toward the center, then fold in the left and right corners, like an envelope, then roll up again. Cover the filled spanikopita with plastic wrap while you finish.
Place the filled rolls, seam-side-down, on nonstick or lightly-oiled dark cookie sheets. Brush or spray the tops with oil or melted earth Balance. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
ARTICHOKE STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARROTS
Serves 8-10
This Greek-style vegetable stew, redolent of white wine, lemon and dill, can be made ahead of time and reheated.
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 9 oz. pckgs. frozen artichoke hearts OR 2 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts in water
8 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 lb. whole small mushrooms
2 c. chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 c. vegetable or soy broth
1 c. dry white wine
1 T. dry dill weed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 T. potato starch or cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. water
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. When it’s hot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms until the onions soften and the vegetables are beginning to brown a little. Add the artichokes, broth, wine and dill weed, bring to a boil, then cover, turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste (salt depends on the type of broth you use). Stir in the dissolved starch and stir briefly until it has thickened (cornstarch has to boil, potato starch does not). If it's still not thick enough for your taste, add another T. of potato starch, dissolved. Serve hot.
VARIATION:
For an everyday dish, omit the mushrooms and substitute 2 lbs. of small potatoes thin-skinned (unpeeled) (or chunks). You may not need as much thickening for this. Eat as a one dish meal with crusty bread.
BASIC FRENCH, ITALIAN OR CRUSTY BREAD,
AND VARIATIONS 2 loaves or 12-16 rolls
Adapted from “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
In some areas you can buy delicious crusty breads fresh from a bakery, but there is nothing like fresh breads from your own oven. This type of bread is actually a very simple one and easy to make. Just remember not to try and speed it up-- it needs time to develop flavor and texture. It also needs a hot oven and some moisture at the beginning of the baking, to develop "oven spring" (the last burst of rising) and to form a golden crust.
You will notice that this bread, like most European breads, contains no sweetener or oil. The yeast can feed off the natural sugars in the flour, so needs no sugar. The lack of oil gives the bread a crisp crust and chewy texture, as you expect with this type of bread, but makes it stale fast. So, if you aren't going to eat it within a day, freeze it. (The moist dough keeps this bread from being dry.)
FOOD PROCESSOR DOUGH:
You can make this dough in a large food processor, or in two batches in a medium food processor, following the directions given with your machine. Mix and rise the sponge in a bowl first. Process the final dough ("knead") for 30-60 seconds.
1 T. regular baking yeast
2 c. very warm water
3 c. unbleached or wholewheat flour (or you can use 2 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour with 1/2 c. wheat bran)
2 tsp. salt
3 c. unbleached flour
In a large bowl or bowl of a more heavy-duty mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water for about 5 minutes. Stir in the first 3 c. of flour and the salt. Beat well, cover with plastic wrap and let this "sponge" (batter) rise for 1 or 2 hours in a warm spot OR overnight in the refrigerator.
Stir in the last 3 c. flour a little at a times, adding only as much as necessary to make a knead able dough. Knead the dough with the dough hook of a heavy-duty mixer or by hand on a lightly-floured surface for about 10 minutes. Add a little more flour as needed, but be careful not to make the dough too dry-- it should be moist but not sticky, and very pliable.
Slam the dough down hard on the surface a few times after kneading (to get rid of air bubbles). Place the dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl, cover well and let rise at room temperature until doubled. Punch down. if you like, let it rise once again, but this isn't necessary.
Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Shape the dough into 2 long loaves, or rounds or braided loaves, or into 12-16 loaf-shaped rolls. Place on non-stick or lightly-oiled cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina cereal, or, if you are baking on stones or tiles, on greased and well-floured flat cookie sheets with no lip or rim, or on pieces of stiff cardboard covered with greased and well-floured baking parchment. Sprinkle the tops with flour, cover with slightly damp clean tea towels or place inside of large plastic bags, and let rise at room temperature until doubled.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (convection 400 degrees F).
If using tiles or baking stones, preheat them in the oven as well.
In order to generate steam in the oven, you can place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven, OR squirt the loaves and the walls of the oven two or three times in the first 10-15 minutes of baking with cold water in a plant mister.
Before baking, slash the loaves in several places with a razor blade. Slide the loaves or rolls onto the hot stones or tiles, or place the cookie sheets on the racks. Spray with water from a plant mister. Bake 5 minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. (If you are using a pan of water in the oven, remove it at this point.) Bake 15-20 minutes more, or until the bread is a rich golden brown. (Rolls will take less time and a convection oven will also probably take less time.) Remove bread from pans and cool on racks.
When the bread has cooled, you can freeze it wrapped in foil, then reheat it wrapped in the foil at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH IN A BREAD MACHINE:
Making sticky bread doughs in a modern bread machine is a wonderful time-saver, and certainly very clean (no messy hands or counter). But you must bake the bread in a regular or convection oven, or you will be disappointed, even if you have a "crusty bread" or "French bread" selection on your machine.
If your bread machine makes large (2 lb.) loaves, it can probably handle kneading the whole recipe. If it's an old one with a smaller capacity, you may have to knead half a recipe at a time.
Use cold water. Place the ingredients in the bread container in the order that is instructed for your machine. Select the dough cycle and let it go to work. You can remove it from the machine after it has kneaded and rise it in a bowl, or, if the your container is big enough for the dough to double, let it rise through the entire dough cycle, then remove for the final rising and proceed with the recipe as instructed above.
INSALATE DI FINOCCHIO E ARANCE
(SICILIAN-STYLE FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD)
Serves 6
This a very delicious, colorful, and unusual salad.
4 medium navel oranges, peeled and sliced
2 large bulbs of fennel, washed, trimmed, and sliced thinly
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and crisped
1 recipe Italian Wine Vinegar Dressing (see below), without garlic
freshly-ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: a few black Calamata or Sicilian olives
Arrange the crisp lettuce leaves on a cold platter. Arrange the orange and fennel slices artistically over the lettuce, alternating fennel with orange. Scatter the red onion slices over this, drizzle with the dressing and grind black pepper over it. Arrange the olives over the salad, if you like. Serve within 30 minutes.
ITALIAN WINE VINEGAR DRESSING
(BASIC VINAIGRETTE)
Makes a generous 1/3 c. (enough for a salad for 4)
This is a basic formula for an Italian-style salad dressing (forget those gloppy storebought messes made with stale herbs. Remember that you can leave out the garlic if you don't like it, and that freshly-ground pepper and chopped fresh herbs are optionals that you can sprinkle over the salad while dressing it. This method of mixing is easy and convenient for small amounts made just before dressing the salad.
1/4 tsp. salt
1 small clove garlic, crushed or minced
5 T. extra-virgin olive oil *
1 T. good-quality red wine vinegar (or white balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar (red or white)
* NOTE:
To reduce fat and calories: Use one of the oil substitutes on p. for up to 1/4 c. of the olive oil (I usually use chickpea cooking broth.). IMPORTANT! : Use at least 1 T. of olive oil.
With the back of a teaspoon in a small round-bottomed bowl (or use a medium-sized mortar and pestle), mash together the salt and garlic until it is like a paste. (The salt grains will help mash the garlic to a paste and the garlic juice will dissolve the salt.) Whisk in the oil (and any broth you are using), and vinegar with a fork or small wire whisk.
If you prefer to make a larger amount ahead of time, a good method of mixing larger amounts is to place all of the ingredients (using crushed garlic) in a Tupperware Quick Shake® container, or a jar with a tight cover, and shake until well mixed.
VEGAN GENOISE CAKE
Makes two 9" layers (5 c. batter)
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 (1/12th of the cake contains 1 and 1/2 tsp. 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 6 T. neutral cooking oil , if you prefer, but I don't think the flavor is as fine.) A good choice for vegan wedding cakes (see resources below).
2 and 1/2 c. plus 2 T. pastry or cake flour
(this should be white flour, organic if possible, for most occasions, but for an “everyday” cake you can use all or part wholewheat pastry flour)
NOTE: To measure the flour, stir the flour in the bag or container, then spoon it out into the cup measure and level off with a knife. Do not sift or pack down.
1 1/2 c. granulated vegan white sugar (organic, if possible)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. plus 2 T. Earth Balance
1 c. water
3/4 c. soy or rice milk
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. vanilla OR 1 and 1/2 tsp. pure almond or lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the pans by greasing with Pan Coating (see below).
Optional: Line the bottoms of the pans with cooking parchment cut to fit the bottom and grease the parchment paper with Pan Coating as well.
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 9" greased and floured round cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cakes test done.
Cool on racks for 10 minutes, then loosen cakes and remove from pans to finish cooling, otherwise it might crack and fall apart from being too warm. To remove from pans, first, run a thin knife to loosen the edge of the cake layer from the pan. Then, place a wire rack over the top of it and with a hand on each side of the baking pan and rack, quickly invert. Gently shake or tap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon handle to help remove the cake layer . Carefully peel off the liner and turn cake layer right-side-up to cool on a wire cake rack.
VARIATIONS:
CHOCOLATE GENOISE--
Substitute 1/2 c. of organic cocoa powder for 1/2 c. of the pastry flour. Use vanilla or almond extract.
LEMON GENOISE CAKE:
Use 2 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder and omit baking soda. Use 2 T. fresh lemon juice and grated zest of one organic lemon. Use only 1/2 T. vanilla.
GENERIC PAN COATING OR PROFESSIONAL OR BAKER'S GREASE:
Beat together equal parts shortening, oil, and unbleached flour. (I used a hand immersion blender.) NOTE: You can use organic ingredients, though not much of it is going to get into the cake itself. You can use palm oil shortening such as Spectrum, or a non-hydrogenated one like Smart Balance, if you like, though this coating will not contribute much in the way of trans fats to the cake itself.
You can also buy this in cake supply stores an specialty cooking shops. Store in a closed container in the refrigerator, but let come to room temperature before using.
Use a pastry brush to apply the coating on the inside of your pan and no need to flour after applying.
How to prepare baking pans:
http://baking911.com/howto_pans_prepare.htm
http://baking911.com/howto_pans_prepare.htm#Professional
FOR SPECIAL OCCASION CAKES:
From baking 911.com:
To bake even layers, my best fix for this is to wrap the outside of the cake pan with a damp towel strip and pin in place BEFORE filling with batter. This insulates the cake pan and allows the cake batter to bake evenly, resulting in a nice evenly baked cake. You can buy the Magic Cake Strips for wrapping your pan, but I find that a homemade one works just as well: Make a 2-inch wide strip from an old heavy bath towel, soaked in cold water and just wrung out and then wrap tightly around the pan, pin in place and bake as usual. Remove the wrap after the cake has rested in the pan 5 minutes and your cake layers should be even!
Post from : http://www.mycookingblog.com/1-raventx1.php
Printed from : http://www.mycookingblog.com/1-raventx1.php?id=14453
VEGAN SPANIKOPITA ROLLS
ARTICHOKE STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARROTSBASIC FRENCH, ITALIAN OR CRUSTY BREAD
INSALATE DI FINOCCHIO E ARANCE (SICILIAN-STYLE FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD)
VEGAN GENOISE CAKE
The Recipes
*******************************************
VEGAN SPANIKOPITA ROLLS
(LITTLE GREEK SPINACH-FILO PIES)
Makes about 48
The filling for these little pies is a bit unusual, containing such un-Greek ingredients as tofu, nutritional yeast and miso! But these unconventional ingredients give the filling a rich, feta-like taste, which is what you expect from spanikopita. (I took these to a potluck once, and they were gobbled up before the hostess even got to taste one--no one even suspected that they were dairy-free
If you use frozen chopped spinach, the filling takes only minutes to make, and can be made ahead (although you should make the rolls shortly before serving).12 full sheets of filo pastry, thawed and kept covered
olive oil (can use a pump sprayer) or melted Earth Balance OR olive oil or “buttery-flavored” pan spray
FILLING:
3 (10 oz.) pckgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry OR 3 lbs. fresh spinach, cleaned, steamed, squeezed dry and chopped (you can substitute nettles, chard or other greens for all or part of the spinach)
1 and 1/2 lbs. medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, chopped and steam-fried until soft
1/4 c. light miso
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2 T. dry dill weed (or 1/2 c. fresh, chopped)
1 tsp. salt
Prepare the filling (you can do this a day or two ahead of time) by mixing the tofu, miso, salt and yeast together in a large bowl very well. Use your hands, a potato masher or a fork. Add the dill, the steam-fried green onions and the squeezed-dry cooked or frozen spinach and mix well.
To fill the rolls,
Stack 3 sheets of filo together , brushing or spraying each layer with oil or marge of choice, and cut the stack into four 6x5" rectangles with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining filo. You should have 48 rectangles. Keep the filo well-covered with plastic wrap while you work. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For each spanikopita, place about 3 T. filling in one corner of a rectangle of filo. Roll the filled corner toward the center, then fold in the left and right corners, like an envelope, then roll up again. Cover the filled spanikopita with plastic wrap while you finish.
Place the filled rolls, seam-side-down, on nonstick or lightly-oiled dark cookie sheets. Brush or spray the tops with oil or melted earth Balance. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
ARTICHOKE STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARROTSServes 8-10
This Greek-style vegetable stew, redolent of white wine, lemon and dill, can be made ahead of time and reheated.
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 9 oz. pckgs. frozen artichoke hearts OR 2 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts in water
8 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 lb. whole small mushrooms
2 c. chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 c. vegetable or soy broth
1 c. dry white wine
1 T. dry dill weed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 T. potato starch or cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. water
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. When it’s hot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms until the onions soften and the vegetables are beginning to brown a little. Add the artichokes, broth, wine and dill weed, bring to a boil, then cover, turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste (salt depends on the type of broth you use). Stir in the dissolved starch and stir briefly until it has thickened (cornstarch has to boil, potato starch does not). If it's still not thick enough for your taste, add another T. of potato starch, dissolved. Serve hot.
VARIATION:
For an everyday dish, omit the mushrooms and substitute 2 lbs. of small potatoes thin-skinned (unpeeled) (or chunks). You may not need as much thickening for this. Eat as a one dish meal with crusty bread.
BASIC FRENCH, ITALIAN OR CRUSTY BREAD,
AND VARIATIONS 2 loaves or 12-16 rolls
Adapted from “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
In some areas you can buy delicious crusty breads fresh from a bakery, but there is nothing like fresh breads from your own oven. This type of bread is actually a very simple one and easy to make. Just remember not to try and speed it up-- it needs time to develop flavor and texture. It also needs a hot oven and some moisture at the beginning of the baking, to develop "oven spring" (the last burst of rising) and to form a golden crust.
You will notice that this bread, like most European breads, contains no sweetener or oil. The yeast can feed off the natural sugars in the flour, so needs no sugar. The lack of oil gives the bread a crisp crust and chewy texture, as you expect with this type of bread, but makes it stale fast. So, if you aren't going to eat it within a day, freeze it. (The moist dough keeps this bread from being dry.)
FOOD PROCESSOR DOUGH:
You can make this dough in a large food processor, or in two batches in a medium food processor, following the directions given with your machine. Mix and rise the sponge in a bowl first. Process the final dough ("knead") for 30-60 seconds.
1 T. regular baking yeast
2 c. very warm water
3 c. unbleached or wholewheat flour (or you can use 2 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour with 1/2 c. wheat bran)
2 tsp. salt
3 c. unbleached flour
In a large bowl or bowl of a more heavy-duty mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water for about 5 minutes. Stir in the first 3 c. of flour and the salt. Beat well, cover with plastic wrap and let this "sponge" (batter) rise for 1 or 2 hours in a warm spot OR overnight in the refrigerator.
Stir in the last 3 c. flour a little at a times, adding only as much as necessary to make a knead able dough. Knead the dough with the dough hook of a heavy-duty mixer or by hand on a lightly-floured surface for about 10 minutes. Add a little more flour as needed, but be careful not to make the dough too dry-- it should be moist but not sticky, and very pliable.
Slam the dough down hard on the surface a few times after kneading (to get rid of air bubbles). Place the dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl, cover well and let rise at room temperature until doubled. Punch down. if you like, let it rise once again, but this isn't necessary.
Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Shape the dough into 2 long loaves, or rounds or braided loaves, or into 12-16 loaf-shaped rolls. Place on non-stick or lightly-oiled cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina cereal, or, if you are baking on stones or tiles, on greased and well-floured flat cookie sheets with no lip or rim, or on pieces of stiff cardboard covered with greased and well-floured baking parchment. Sprinkle the tops with flour, cover with slightly damp clean tea towels or place inside of large plastic bags, and let rise at room temperature until doubled.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (convection 400 degrees F).
If using tiles or baking stones, preheat them in the oven as well.
In order to generate steam in the oven, you can place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven, OR squirt the loaves and the walls of the oven two or three times in the first 10-15 minutes of baking with cold water in a plant mister.
Before baking, slash the loaves in several places with a razor blade. Slide the loaves or rolls onto the hot stones or tiles, or place the cookie sheets on the racks. Spray with water from a plant mister. Bake 5 minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. (If you are using a pan of water in the oven, remove it at this point.) Bake 15-20 minutes more, or until the bread is a rich golden brown. (Rolls will take less time and a convection oven will also probably take less time.) Remove bread from pans and cool on racks.
When the bread has cooled, you can freeze it wrapped in foil, then reheat it wrapped in the foil at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH IN A BREAD MACHINE:
Making sticky bread doughs in a modern bread machine is a wonderful time-saver, and certainly very clean (no messy hands or counter). But you must bake the bread in a regular or convection oven, or you will be disappointed, even if you have a "crusty bread" or "French bread" selection on your machine.
If your bread machine makes large (2 lb.) loaves, it can probably handle kneading the whole recipe. If it's an old one with a smaller capacity, you may have to knead half a recipe at a time.
Use cold water. Place the ingredients in the bread container in the order that is instructed for your machine. Select the dough cycle and let it go to work. You can remove it from the machine after it has kneaded and rise it in a bowl, or, if the your container is big enough for the dough to double, let it rise through the entire dough cycle, then remove for the final rising and proceed with the recipe as instructed above.
INSALATE DI FINOCCHIO E ARANCE
(SICILIAN-STYLE FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD)
Serves 6
This a very delicious, colorful, and unusual salad.
4 medium navel oranges, peeled and sliced
2 large bulbs of fennel, washed, trimmed, and sliced thinly
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and crisped
1 recipe Italian Wine Vinegar Dressing (see below), without garlic
freshly-ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: a few black Calamata or Sicilian olives
Arrange the crisp lettuce leaves on a cold platter. Arrange the orange and fennel slices artistically over the lettuce, alternating fennel with orange. Scatter the red onion slices over this, drizzle with the dressing and grind black pepper over it. Arrange the olives over the salad, if you like. Serve within 30 minutes.
ITALIAN WINE VINEGAR DRESSING
(BASIC VINAIGRETTE)
Makes a generous 1/3 c. (enough for a salad for 4)
This is a basic formula for an Italian-style salad dressing (forget those gloppy storebought messes made with stale herbs
. Remember that you can leave out the garlic if you don't like it, and that freshly-ground pepper and chopped fresh herbs are optionals that you can sprinkle over the salad while dressing it. This method of mixing is easy and convenient for small amounts made just before dressing the salad.1/4 tsp. salt
1 small clove garlic, crushed or minced
5 T. extra-virgin olive oil *
1 T. good-quality red wine vinegar (or white balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar (red or white)
* NOTE:
To reduce fat and calories: Use one of the oil substitutes on p. for up to 1/4 c. of the olive oil (I usually use chickpea cooking broth.). IMPORTANT! : Use at least 1 T. of olive oil.
With the back of a teaspoon in a small round-bottomed bowl (or use a medium-sized mortar and pestle), mash together the salt and garlic until it is like a paste. (The salt grains will help mash the garlic to a paste and the garlic juice will dissolve the salt.) Whisk in the oil (and any broth you are using), and vinegar with a fork or small wire whisk.
If you prefer to make a larger amount ahead of time, a good method of mixing larger amounts is to place all of the ingredients (using crushed garlic) in a Tupperware Quick Shake® container, or a jar with a tight cover, and shake until well mixed.
VEGAN GENOISE CAKE
Makes two 9" layers (5 c. batter)
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 (1/12th of the cake contains 1 and 1/2 tsp. 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 6 T. neutral cooking oil , if you prefer, but I don't think the flavor is as fine.) A good choice for vegan wedding cakes (see resources below).
2 and 1/2 c. plus 2 T. pastry or cake flour
(this should be white flour, organic if possible, for most occasions, but for an “everyday” cake you can use all or part wholewheat pastry flour)
NOTE: To measure the flour, stir the flour in the bag or container, then spoon it out into the cup measure and level off with a knife. Do not sift or pack down.
1 1/2 c. granulated vegan white sugar (organic, if possible)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. plus 2 T. Earth Balance
1 c. water
3/4 c. soy or rice milk
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. vanilla OR 1 and 1/2 tsp. pure almond or lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the pans by greasing with Pan Coating (see below).
Optional: Line the bottoms of the pans with cooking parchment cut to fit the bottom and grease the parchment paper with Pan Coating as well.
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 9" greased and floured round cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cakes test done.
Cool on racks for 10 minutes, then loosen cakes and remove from pans to finish cooling, otherwise it might crack and fall apart from being too warm. To remove from pans, first, run a thin knife to loosen the edge of the cake layer from the pan. Then, place a wire rack over the top of it and with a hand on each side of the baking pan and rack, quickly invert. Gently shake or tap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon handle to help remove the cake layer . Carefully peel off the liner and turn cake layer right-side-up to cool on a wire cake rack.
VARIATIONS:
CHOCOLATE GENOISE--
Substitute 1/2 c. of organic cocoa powder for 1/2 c. of the pastry flour. Use vanilla or almond extract.
LEMON GENOISE CAKE:
Use 2 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder and omit baking soda. Use 2 T. fresh lemon juice and grated zest of one organic lemon. Use only 1/2 T. vanilla.
GENERIC PAN COATING OR PROFESSIONAL OR BAKER'S GREASE:
Beat together equal parts shortening, oil, and unbleached flour. (I used a hand immersion blender.) NOTE: You can use organic ingredients, though not much of it is going to get into the cake itself. You can use palm oil shortening such as Spectrum, or a non-hydrogenated one like Smart Balance, if you like, though this coating will not contribute much in the way of trans fats to the cake itself.
You can also buy this in cake supply stores an specialty cooking shops. Store in a closed container in the refrigerator, but let come to room temperature before using.
Use a pastry brush to apply the coating on the inside of your pan and no need to flour after applying.
How to prepare baking pans:
http://baking911.com/howto_pans_prepare.htm
http://baking911.com/howto_pans_prepare.htm#Professional
FOR SPECIAL OCCASION CAKES:
From baking 911.com:
To bake even layers, my best fix for this is to wrap the outside of the cake pan with a damp towel strip and pin in place BEFORE filling with batter. This insulates the cake pan and allows the cake batter to bake evenly, resulting in a nice evenly baked cake. You can buy the Magic Cake Strips for wrapping your pan, but I find that a homemade one works just as well: Make a 2-inch wide strip from an old heavy bath towel, soaked in cold water and just wrung out and then wrap tightly around the pan, pin in place and bake as usual. Remove the wrap after the cake has rested in the pan 5 minutes and your cake layers should be even!
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