bread | anunrefinedvegan

May 30 2013

One Dough, Three Loaves

My head has been so full of other kinds of recipes that my breadmaking time has shrunk to nearly nothing, so when I make the time for kneading, rising and baking, I go for a recipe that maximizes the output. For the same amount of effort I put into making one loaf of whole wheat bread I can enjoy three – and get three totally different tastes, too: nutty whole wheat, savory olive tapenade and slightly sweet chocolate-apricot with crunchy pecans. I showcased the olive tapenade swirl version with my Fixings Sandwich.

(To achieve the fancy-dancy swirl as above and below, visit my recipe for Chocolate-Cinnamon Babka loaf.)

Whole Wheat Bread – Three Ways
Makes 3 loaves

3 cups warm nut milk
2 packages dry yeast
1 tbsp. agave nectar
3 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup water
4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
3 + cups whole wheat flour

1 recipe Oil-free Olive Tapenade, recipe below

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup chocolate chunks or chips
1/4 pecans, chopped

Oil-free Olive Tapenade
1 cup total kalamata and green olives
1 clove garlic
handful of basil and a few arugula leaves
1/4 cup walnuts

Make the tapenade:
In a food processor, pulse the walnuts a few times, then add the remaining ingredients and process until fairly smooth. Set aside.

Make the bread:
In a large bowl, mix the nut milk with the yeast and agave nectar. Add the 2 cups whole wheat flour and the bread flour, stir to combine and then let dough sit for about 30 minutes.

Stir in the water, applesauce, flaxseed meal, and salt and then add the whole wheat flour. Knead the dough, adding flour as necessary, for about 10 minutes. Depending on the moisture content, it could mean an additional 2 cups or more of flour. Place the dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl, cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly oil 3 8″ x 4″ loaf pans. Punch down the dough and divide into 3 pieces. Cover two pieces while you work with one section. Lightly roll the first piece into a rectangle, flatten and roll up jelly-roll style. Place in one of the baking pans. Take the second piece of dough and roll/flatten. Spread the tapenade almost to the edges, roll up and gently place in the second loaf pan. With the third piece, roll/flatten the dough and then sprinkle the apricots, pecans, and chocolate chips over the surface. Knead the dough a few times to incorporate. (You can also roll this up jelly roll style – it’s a lot easier.) Form the dough into a log and place in the third loaf pan. Cover the pans with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until the dough is about 1″ above the sides of the pans.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes. I turn the loaves out of the pans after about 20 minutes so that the bottoms can get nice and browned. When the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, the bread is done. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Tagged apricots, bread, chocolate, chocolate chips, olive tapenade, whole wheat bread, yeast, yeast bread

Apr 16 2013

45 Comments

Bread, Slow Food, Yeast Breads

Walnut Braid with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic

During my long stay in Utah I really missed bread. Not eating bread so much – it wasn’t hard to find excellent artisanal loaves – but baking it. As good as store-bought bread can be, there is nothing like making (and eating) your own. For one thing, I didn’t have the time or concentration needed, but the biggest thing holding me back was that my breads at high-altitude flopped. Instead of high and soft loaves with crunchy crusts, I ended up with lumpy bricks with unappealing interiors. It didn’t matter what methods I tried. So I just gave up and bought my bread at Harmon’s (oh, sweet, sweet Harmon’s, how I miss you).

Now that I’m back just a little bit above sea-level, my breads are behaving the way they should and I’m happy to be elbow-deep in dough once again. This is one of my favorite breads. If you don’t like sun-dried tomatoes or roasted garlic, leave them out or add in what you love.

A quick thank you to The Vegan Woman for selecting An Unrefined Vegan as a blog “to keep an eye out for.” It was really quite a terrific surprise to have appeared on their list (a total of 90 blogs) at all. You’ll see quite a few familiar blogs gracing this impressive list of plant-based lady bloggers. Congratulations to all!

I shared this recipe on Healthy Vegan Friday!

Walnut Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic
Makes two loaves

1 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups “buttermilk” (nut milk + 1 tbsp. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp. agave nectar
3 tbsp. walnut oil
2 tsp. salt
~4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), rehydrated in hot water, drained and chopped
1 head garlic, roasted and cloves squeezed out of skin

In a food processor, process oats until coarsely chopped. Place oats in a medium-sized bowl and pour hot water over them and let sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and let sit until frothy. Add the buttermilk to the oat mixture and stir; then add in the agave nectar and walnut oil. Add this mixture to the yeast in the large bowl.

Add the salt and about 3 cups of the all-purpose flour and all of the whole wheat pastry flour to the yeast mixture. Mix and knead until smooth – adding more flour as needed. When the dough is smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes), fold and knead in the walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.

Place the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Divide each half into three equal portions. Cover three of the pieces while you work with the other three. Roll each third into a rope that is about 14″ in length. Place the ropes lengthwise on one half of the baking sheet. Pinch one end together and then braid the ropes, pinching the end to seal. Repeat this procedure with the other half of the dough. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Spritz the dough with warm water and bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes. The top should be a deep brown and the loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let loaves cool on wire racks before slicing.

Tagged all-purpose flour, bread, dough, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, whole wheat pastry flour, yeast

Jan 09 2013

36 Comments

Bread, Chocolate, Muffins, Biscuits and Scones

Slightly Sourdough Almond Butter Biscuits with Cacao, Orange & Tart Cherries

This biscuit is truly a collaborative effort. I modified a recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau by replacing the vegan butter with almond butter, trading out the AP flour for whole wheat and kicking in some sourdough starter – which came from the kitchen of Amanda of Good Clean Food. The delicious spice blend comes from a sourdough pancake recipe that I veganized (and that failed miserably for me). I continued the team effort by accompanying the biscuits with some tasty finds from other blogs: a pumpkin version of Kristy’s Sweet Potato Pecan Butter and a steaming hot Pumpkin Spice Latte courtesy of Happy Healthy Life.

One year ago today: Smoky Apple-Sage Seitan Sausage & Red Onion Marmalade Sandwich
One year and one day ago: Yeasted Buckwheat Waffles with Cranberry-Date-Apricot Sauce

Slightly Sourdough Almond Butter Biscuits w/ Cacao, Orange & Tart Cherries
Makes 9 or so

1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
pinch salt, if desired
1/2 tsp. spice blend (or just sprinkle in some cinnamon, allspice and cardamom)
2 tbsp. maple sugar
1/3 cup sourdough starter (if you don’t have starter, use 2/3 cup almond milk, total)
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup almond butter
1/4 cup cacao nibs or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
zest from 1/2 an orange

Line a baking pan with parchment and preheat the oven to 475F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice blend and maple sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter and milk. Set aside.

Mix the almond butter into the flour mixture and then pour the sourdough mixture in and add the orange zest – stir or use your hand to bring the dough together. Add more milk if necessary. Add in the cacao nibs and the dried cherries.

On a floured surface, pat the dough into a square or circle and cut into pieces. Place on the prepared baking sheet leaving an inch or so between biscuits. Brush with almond milk, if desired. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until brown on the outside.

Tagged almond butter, biscuits, bread, cacao nibs, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, easy, Happy Healthy Life, Keepin It Kind, pecans, pumpkin, pumpkin pecan butter, pumpkin spice latte, quick, sourdough starter, tart cherries, The Joy of Vegan Baking, whole wheat pastry flour

Nov 16 2012

46 Comments

Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, cheez, Chocolate, Crackers and Flatbreads, Desserts, Fruit, Sandwiches

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Flatbread Sandwiches w/ Chocolate Cheez & Caramelized Bananas

These flatbreads are based on a recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Flatbreads that I shared earlier this month. It occurred to me that a cinnamony-sweet version would be just the thing for a brunch, lunch or snack sandwich. Caramelized bananas came to mind. And toasted pecans for crunch. But what would keep the sandwiches together?? A creamy, spreadable, tangy chocolate cheez, of course.

The chocolate cheez recipe is one that I submitted to One Green Planet not too ago. They graciously published it. You can read the post and snag the recipe here. (And thanks to Megan Rascal at SFWeekly for posting about it on the SFoodie Blog!)

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Flatbread Sandwiches w/ Chocolate Cheez & Caramelized Bananas
Serves 2

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Flatbreads
Makes 12 flatbreads

2 1/2 cups whole wheat white flour
1 tsp. salt
4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup almond milk or water
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and finely chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash cardamom powder
dash allspice
1 tbsp. maple sugar
3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted

Semi-soft Chocolate Dessert Cheez
several thick slabs

Caramelized Bananas
1 large banana, cut into thick slices
~1/4 cup prune puree (baby food works well)
dash cinnamon
splash orange juice

~2 tbsp. toasted pecans, chopped

Make the flatbreads:

In a small bowl, whisk together the applesauce and almond milk/water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and then add the applesauce mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Add more milk/water if dough seems dry; more flour if it is too wet and sticky. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes. Place dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the coconut oil, spices, maple sugar and raisins. Set aside.

Form flatbreads:
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten a piece of dough and roll it out into a very thin disk – about 9″ round. Keep remaining dough balls covered. Spread about 1 tsp. of the coconut oil mixture onto the flattened dough and then roll it tightly into a long cylinder. Coil the cylinder into a tight spiral, gently press and then transfer to a large piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proceed with the remaining dough.

Cook the flatbreads:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet on medium-heat. Tape a large piece of parchment paper onto a work surface and roll out one of the spirals to a 6″ or so round. The dough will want to curl up and the raisins will want to escape, but persevere. It helps to roll them out a bit then to let the dough rest before rolling some more. Plop the round into the skillet and cook until puffy and brown, then flip and cook the other side. This takes only a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Continue with the remaining spirals.

Make the cheez:
You can find the recipe for my Semi-soft Chocolate Dessert Cheez by clicking this link to One Green Planet.

Make the caramelized bananas:
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bananas, prune puree, cinnamon and orange juice. Let the mixture bubble and the bananas get nice and soft. Add more orange juice if the bananas start to stick. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Assemble the sandwiches:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Smear copious quantities of chocolate cheez onto one side of two flatbreads. Divide the bananas between two flatbreads and layer on top of the cheez. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Top the flatbreads with the remaining two flatbreads. Lightly spray the skillet with cooking oil and gently warm the sandwiches, flipping after a few minutes to toast the other side. Remove from pan, slice and serve immediately.

Tagged bananas, bread, breakfast, brunch, chocolate cheez, cinnamon, cinnamon raisin bread, dessert, flatbread, Megan Rascal, One Green Planet, raisins, sandwich, SFoodie, SFWeekly, vegan cheese, white whole wheat flour

Nov 07 2012

50 Comments

Bread, Crackers and Flatbreads, Virtual Vegan Potluck

Spiced Pumpkin Flatbreads

This time of year I always seem to have dribs and drabs of pumpkin puree in my refrigerator. With the exception of pumpkin pie, most recipes call only for a portion of a can and certainly not a whole pumpkin’s worth. As a result, pumpkin puree finds its way into lots of things: smoothies, pancakes, cookies and the morning oatmeal.

For this recipe, I’m using the pumpkin not only to add a nice color to the bread, but to replace some of the oil. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of olive oil – some for the dough and the remaining amount for the spice blend. I’ve replaced the olive oil with the more fragrant and trendy coconut oil. The end result is toasty golden flatbreads run through with dashes of cumin, coriander, turmeric and paprika that have a crisp exterior and a nice chew. The technique creates very thin layers of bread and it smells wonderful while cooking. Perfect with Indian food.

If you haven’t done so, please take some time to email me your selections for the best recipes (one per course) from the Virtual Vegan Potluck. You can also now follow the VVP blog by visiting the News page and entering your email address.

One year ago today: Open-faced Sandwich: Curried Garbanzo Bean Spread w/ Tomato Chutney, Avocado & Sprouts
One year ago and one day ago: Noon Rogani (Cinnamon Turban Bread)

Spiced Pumpkin Flatbreads
Makes 12

2 1/2-3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. pumpkin puree
~1 1/4 cups water
3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. coriander

Make the dough:
In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and then add the pumpkin mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Add more water if dough seems dry; more flour if it is too wet and sticky. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes. Place dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the coconut oil and spices. Set aside.

Form the flatbreads:
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten a piece of dough and roll it out into a very thin disk – about 9″ round. Keep remaining dough balls covered. Spread about 1 tsp. of the coconut oil mixture onto the flattened dough and then roll it tightly into a long cylinder (much like in the Cuban cigar Seinfeld episode). Coil the cylinder into a tight spiral, gently press and then transfer to a large piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proceed with the remaining dough.

Cook the flatbreads:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet on medium-heat. Tape a large piece of parchment paper onto a work surface and roll out one of the spirals to a 6″ or so round. Plop into the skillet and cook until puffy and brown, then flip and cook the other side. This takes only a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Continue with the remaining spirals.

Eat the flatbreads.
No instructions necessary.

Tagged bread, coriander, cumin, flatbreads, paprkia, pumpkin puree, turmeric, virtual vegan potluck

Oct 18 2012

39 Comments

Bread, cheez, Herbs, Pizza, Slow Food, Tofu, VeganMoFo, Yeast Breads

VeganMoFo: Khatchapuri Day 2, The Bread

May I present to you the finished product, those little Georgian cheez pies that made life so much easier while living in Russia!

Now, I’d like to draw your attention to the small wine glasses pictured here. Actually, they are not wine glasses at all, but vodka glasses and they hold a high sentimental value for me. As some of you know, my brother passed away from brain cancer in July of this year. In 2005, my dad, brother and I went to Russia together. It was a chance to spend time together and an opportunity for me to share with them what I’d seen while living there. The trip had its highlights and low lights, but those stories are for another place and time – accompanied by a few snorts of vodka, perhaps. The glasses came from the various overnight train rides we took while there. When you travel First Class on a Russian train, a couple of these small glasses, filled to the brim with vodka, are waiting for you in your cabin. Talk about hospitality. This fact delighted my brother. There’s no doubt it made the train travel that much more enjoyable for him.

I am now in the process of going through my brother’s belongings, sorting through the material things that made up his 51 years of life. It is a strange, sad, funny and enlightening task. These glasses were tucked away in a curio cabinet along with other mementos. My brother saved not only the vodka glasses, but everything else from our trip to Russia: ticket stubs, metro maps, menus, coins and store receipts. And now the glasses have come to live with me – along with all of those memories from our crazy trip together to Russia.

Khatchapuri
Makes 8 little “pies”

1 cup almond milk, scalded
2 tbsp. unsweetened coconut yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. regular yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Tofu Farmer Cheez (about 1/2 the recipe)

Fresh cilantro, for garnish, if desired

In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, agave nectar and 1/4 cup water. Set aside to bubble.

In a large bowl, pour the hot milk over the coriander, salt and coconut yogurt. Add the yeast mixture and the flours and stir just to create a very rough dough. It will be in chunks and pieces. Do not be alarmed. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

You probably won’t need flour to knead the dough – but if for some reason it’s too sticky – add sparingly. Conversely, if the dough is dry, sprinkle water on it as you knead. Knead for about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in it to rise for about 1 hour – cover the bowl with plastic wrap. The dough should nearly double in size.

Punch down the dough and divide into 8 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

Using your hands, a rolling pin or a combination of both, flatten the dough balls into ovals. Mine were about 6-8″ in length. Right in the center of the ovals (leaving an inch or so all around), spoon on a generous scoop of the farmer cheez. Fold in the two long sides and then pinch the ends. Set the dough on a baking sheet and proceed with the remaining dough balls.

Cover the baking sheets with clean kitchen towels and let rise for about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375F. They’ll get fat and puffy and sometimes the pinched ends come loose. Just gently press them back together.

Bake at 375F for 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350F, rotate the pans and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheez is firm and the khatchapuri are nicely browned. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes or so before digging in.

Tagged bread, cheez, cilantro, coriander, dough, farmer cheez, Georgian cheese bread, pizza, Russia, tofu, Vegan Month of Food 2012, VeganMoFo, whole wheat pastry flour, yeast

Aug 09 2012

39 Comments

Bread, Crackers and Flatbreads, No-Knead Bread

Sage & Kalamata Olive Focaccia (with roasted grapes)

It all came about because of the grapes. During my brief pit stop in Oklahoma recently, I strolled up to the grape vines we have growing along trellises in the middle of the garden to see how they were fairing. When we first planted them, we encouraged them to grow up and over a large arbor made from old oil pipe and goat fencing. The grapes refused to comply with our wishes – though a few adventurous vines reached the top, peeked over and realized they suffered from acrophobia. So we pruned the plants back, built trellises and crossed our fingers. Amazingly, the vines did much better with their new growing and clinging environment and we now had bunches of plump grapes to prove it.

I harvested a big batch of purple and green grapes and wondered what to do with them other than eat them straight up. Then I remembered seeing a recipe for grape pie. Well, grape pie wasn’t going to happen, but the idea inspired me to try roasting the grapes. Roasting the grapes led to thinking about using them for a kind of bruschetta which in turn led to baking up a quick and easy foccacia with fresh sage and olives – both of which I thought would nicely complement the sweet, juicy grapes. One note of caution: be sure to use seedless grapes. I discovered this the hard way, after I’d already roasted the grapes and took my first bite. Crunch.

Sage & Kalamata Olive Focaccia
Makes ~12 big chunks

Sponge:
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. regular yeast
3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. regular yeast
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
~3 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olive, sliced

fresh sage, chopped, for topping
1 tsp. kosher salt, for topping

Make the sponge:
In a large bowl, pour the water and stir in the yeast. Let stand until bubbly and cloudy. Stir in the flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.

Make the focaccia:
In a small bowl, combine the water and yeast and let sit until bubbly and cloudy. Pour into the large bowl with the sponge and add the olive oil. Stir in one cup of flour and then the sage, salt and sliced olives. Add the remaining flour and mix well – make sure there are no dry, floury lumps. The batter will be wet, sticky and heavy. Do not add more flour – you are not going to be kneading this dough.

Lightly oil another large bowl and using a bowl scraper, pour the dough into the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an hour or so.

Lightly oil an 11″ x 17″ baking sheet. Transfer the dough onto the baking sheet and using oiled hands, press the dough to cover the pan. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes, then press the dough again – it tends to want to shrink and bounce back – until the pan is completely covered. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 425F. Position an oven rack to the center.

When dough has risen, gently press fingertips into dough to create indents. Sprinkle the dough with the chopped sage and kosher salt, spritz lightly with olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes. Focaccia should be browned on the top and sound hollow when tapped. Let cool slightly before cutting. Serve with Sweet & Savory Roasted Grapes, if desired (see below for recipe).

Sweet & Savory Roasted Grapes
Mix of purple or red and green (seedless…) grapes, about 4 cups
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. vegetable broth
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt & ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix everything together on a big baking sheet and roast the grapes for 20-25 minutes or until soft, fragrant and juicy. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Tagged bread, easy, focaccia, grapes, kosher salt, no-knead bread, olives, roasted grapes, sage

May 01 2012

54 Comments

Sandwiches, Tofu, Vegetables

Build It and They Will Come: Muffuletta with Smoky Tofu & Olive Salad

I love baked tofu sandwiches. But one thing that has always kind of nagged at me is that the baked tofu that I remove from the oven (dark brown, crisped edges) is not the same baked tofu that I remove from the refrigerator the next day. It’s still delicious and perfect for stuffing sandwiches, adorning salads, or filling out stir-fries, but the texture has reverted back to its soft, cushy beginnings. I decided to see what I could do about that.

I started by freezing the tofu because this easy process apparently changes the texture of the tofu and makes it firmer, chewier. For added moisture reduction, I pressed the tofu prior to freezing it – then sliced it very thinly. Once it had been frozen and thawed, I gently pressed it again, just using paper towels and the pressure from my hands. The final step in creating a crispier tofu, was to broil it briefly after baking. I’m very happy with results: a bit chewy, and bit crispy, but still tender. The marinade is packed with flavor and combined with the olive salad this sandwich will do all kinds of good things to your taste buds.

A note on the bread that I made for these sandwiches. It’s a pane Siciliano from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. I upped the whole wheat, but otherwise stuck to his 3-day process. This loaf reminds me of the sesame seed-encrusted Italian bread from my childhood which makes perfect sense. What does muffuletta mean? Round, Sicilian sesame bread.

Muffuletta with Smoky Tofu & Olive Salad
Makes enough for several sandwiches

Tofu Marinade:
1 tbsp. vegetable broth
1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tbsp soy sauce/tamari
3 tbsp. red miso paste
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
pinch ground black pepper
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
1 tbsp. water

Olive Salad:
1 16 oz. jar of Italian Mix Giardianera
1 cup Kalamata olives
1 cup green olives
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
salt & pepper to taste

Prepare the tofu:
A day or two before making the sandwiches, freeze the tofu. Before I did this, I pressed the tofu for about a half an hour, drained it and sliced it very thinly. You can see that I got 17 slices out of it. I placed the slices on a parchment-lined half halfsheet baking pan, covered it with plastic wrap and popped it into the freezer. After a day, it got a slight yellow color which disappeared after I thawed it. Once it’s thawed, press down lightly on the tofu to extract moisture. Now you’re ready to marinate and bake.

Make the tofu marinade:
Combine all of the marinade ingredients and whisk together.

Bake the tofu:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment (if using parchment, remove before broiling – no one wants to see their tofu go up in flames). Brush both sides of the tofu slices with marinade. Really slather it on there. When the oven is ready, get the tofu in there and bake – taking it out now and again to baste the slices and turn them. I kept doing this until the marinade was gone and the tofu had started to brown and crisp. Because I was going for a really firm, crispy texture, I finished off the tofu by popping it under the broiler for a few minutes.

Either use the tofu immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make the olive salad:
In a food processor, combine all of the olive salad ingredients. Process until the desired consistency. I like it evenly pulverized, but if you like bigger chunks, have at it. Set aside or store in the refrigerator until ready to use. You will have more than you need for a couple of sandwiches, but it makes a tasty spread or dip, too. You’ll think of something.

Build your sandwich:
Grab some hearty wheat rolls or thick slices of crusty bread and start layering. Add what you love – tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, red onion…

Tagged basil, Bragg Liquid Aminos, bread, frozen tofu, green olives, greens, kalamata olives, Liquid Smoke, olives, pane Siciliano, parsley, pickled vegetables, postaday, pressed tofu, sandwich, tofu, tomatoes, vegetables

Apr 17 2012

43 Comments

Building Block Recipe, Chocolate, Dips and Spreads, General, Miscellaneous

Cocoa-Coconut Butter

This post demonstrates the part of my personality which can become obsessive. When I find something I’m interested in, I beat it to death. Then inevitably I lose interest and move on to the next thing. Right now, I’m obsessed with making vegan butters. Since I really try to limit my intake of “added” fats, this is not a good obsession. However, so far Kel and I have been able to restrain ourselves to slivers of this amazing stuff, so I don’t feel too badly about straying. Let’s hope something comes along that takes my mind off of butter. Something that is a whole lot healthier. Something like seven days of celery sticks.

The basic recipe for this comes from the site mentioned in an earlier post. All I did was blend in a little cocoa and a little sweetener. Chocolate coconut butter is available commercially (I have a jar of it in my pantry called Cocoa Bliss by Artisana), but what fun is that?

Using a silicone ice cube tray or silicone mini muffin pan makes freezing and removing the butter very easy. I got the ice cube trays from Amazon.com, then remembered that my mom had given me a mini muffin tray many years ago so I dug that out of the cupboard as well and gave it a go. Obviously this butter can be used directly on toast or pancakes or waffles (upcoming post…) – but I think it could also work deliciously when making chocolate-based cookies, muffins or breads – instead of regular vegan butter.

Before I share the recipe, I want to thank Dudette Here!!! (the Dudette abides…) and Gabby at The Veggie Nook for giving my blog Versatile Blogger Awards. Just…awesome! Thank you, thank you!

Cocoa-Coconut Butter

1/4 cup + 2 tsp. soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/8-1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. soy lecithin granules
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tsp. agave nectar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. refined coconut oil
1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil

In a small measuring cup, whisk together the soy milk and cocoa powder until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the salt and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.

Melt the coconut oil in a small measuring cup. It’s not necessary to completely melt it down – some small solid bits are okay. In the bowl of a food processor, add the melted coconut oil, canola oil, soy milk mixture, soy lecithin granules, xanthan gum, agave nectar and vanilla extract.

Process for 1 minute, then scrap down the sides and bottom – sometimes the soy lecithin granules get stuck near the blade. Process for an additional minute, then carefully pour the mixture into the molds.

Chill in the freezer for at least one hour before removing from molds. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Tagged agave nectar, bread, cocoa powder, coconut oil, easy, pancakes, quick, silicone ice cube trays, silicone muffin trays, soy lecithin, toast, vanilla extract, vegan, vegan butter, waffles, xanthum gum

Mar 22 2012

36 Comments

Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Holiday, Yeast Breads

A Doughnut with No Holes

“A flute with no holes is not a flute. A doughnut with no holes is a danish.”
- Ty Webb, Caddyshack

I’d have to delve deep into my awkward pre-teens to explain my connection with the movie Caddyshack. At one time in my life I could quote it from beginning to end – a testament less to stellar intellectual or memorization skills and more to the vast number of hours I spent saturating myself with the movie. Hours I will never be able to retrieve. However, it must be said: there are some damn funny moments in that movie. What does all this have to do with pastries? Save for the nonsensical (my favorite type of humor) quote above, absolutely nothing.

Now. This delicious gem of a recipe came – totally free! – in the March 2012 King Arthur Flour catalog. Yes, there is some labor involved. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from giving it a try, and some of the steps can be done ahead of time. It is so, so very tasty and absolutely beautiful. It would be a real stunner at a brunch for guests or on a special Sunday (Mother’s Day, I’m looking at you!). Or to paraphrase Bill Murray’s character in Caddyshack – Carl Spackler – you don’t even need a reason to make this. The original recipe calls for a cream cheese and lemon curd filling. Obviously I messed with the “cream” part of cream and though lemon curd is awesome, I really thought blueberries would be perfect in this. So – change up the filling to what you like. Raspberries would taste really yummy in this. Maybe next time. As ever, I veganized and used unrefined sugars instead of the white stuff.

Blueberry Cream Braid
Makes 2 generous loaves

For the bread:
Sponge:
3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp. agave nectar
1 tbsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup AP flour

Dough:
all of the sponge (above)
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened soy yogurt
1/2 cup vegan “butter”
2 tbsp. egg replacer + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together until frothy, then set aside)
1/2 cup maple sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
3+ cups AP flour

Tofu “cream” (see below)
Blueberry sauce (see below)

1 tbsp. vegan “butter,” melted (for brushing braids)
Demerara sugar, for dusting braids

Make the sponge and dough:
In a large bowl, combine the sponge ingredients, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.

When the sponge is ready, add the dough ingredients and knead until smooth and elastic. You may need to add more AP flour to prevent dough from sticking to your hands. Place the dough in a large bowl that’s been sprayed with cooking oil, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Make the tofu “cream”:
6 oz. silken tofu
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4-1/2 tsp. liquid stevia or maple syrup, to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
lemon zest

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the tofu “cream” ingredients and process until very smooth. Set aside until ready to assemble the braid. Make a few days ahead and store in the refrigerator to speed up the braid process.

Make the blueberry sauce:
1/2 lb. fresh blueberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tbsp. orange juice or water

You might recognize this sauce from the Orange Poppyseed Waffle recipe a while back. I knew it would be perfect in this recipe! In a small saucepan combine the blueberries through the maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the 1/2 tbsp. orange juice or water and add to the blueberry mixture. Stir until mixture thickens. Set aside until ready to assemble the braid. You can make this several days ahead – just store in the refrigerator.

Below are photos that break down the way to create this “braid.” It looks complicated, but really isn’t. You and your family will be so impressed with the results, that the time and effort will have been totally worth it!

Assemble and bake:
One: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375F. Divide the risen dough in two pieces. Working with one piece at a time (cover the remaining piece), flatten and roll it into a 10″ x 15″ rectangle. Lightly “draw” lines on the dough dividing it into thirds. You aren’t cutting the dough at this point, just marking it so you know where to put the filling and where to later cut the braid strips.

Tip: Roll the dough directly on parchment paper rather than on the counter. This will make moving the dough much easier than trying to pry up the braided product – as I had to do – with Kel’s help and 3 spatulas. Hence the funny curve in one of the braids. So: roll the dough into a rectangle, then gently transfer it to a baking sheet. Complete the assembly right on the baking sheet.

Two: Spread some of the tofu “cream” down the center of the dough. I eyeballed the amount. You’ll probably have “cream” left over – don’t worry, you’ll find some delicious use for it.

Three: Spread some of the blueberry filling over the “cream.” Again, I eyeballed it. Save the leftovers for your pancakes and waffles.

Four: Make cuts along the edges of the dough to within 1/2″ of the filling, every 3/4″ to 1″ all the way down the length of the dough. Cut out the little piece of dough from each corner so that you can fold the top and bottom ends of the dough over the filling.

Five: Starting at one end, pull the cut strips up and over the filling, alternating sides.

Six: Cover the braid and repeat the whole process with the other portion of dough. Allow the braids to rise for 45-90 minutes – or until nice and puffy. Don’t forget to preheat the oven to 375F towards the end of the rise.

Brush the braids with a little bit of melted “butter,” and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. The tops should be a beautiful brown.

Tagged all-purpose flour, blueberries, braid, bread, brunch, Caddyshack, danish, King Arthur Flour, Mother's Day, pastry, silken tofu, special occasion, tofu cream, whole wheat

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