7 posts tagged “apples”
I love strudels, sweet and savory. There is something really fine about the dough and the combination of nuts and sweets and whatever filling you can come up with. I used to use phyllo dough as a shortcut, but this time I got to make my own strudel dough from scratch. How lucky for me to be able to expand my skills a little more! The strudel dough is naturally vegan, so I did not even have to think about subbing anything.
The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.
For this challenge, I was bold enough to make a savory version (Spinach, Artichoke and Potato Strudel) as well as a sweet version (the classic Apple Strudel). I had a lot of fun with the dough, rolling and hand-stretching. The delicate dough is not so hard to work with as long as you remain patient and give the dough enough time to rest before rolling and stretching. The ideal dough should be paper thin and you should be able to read newspaper underneath.
The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.
For this challenge, I was bold enough to make a savory version (Spinach, Artichoke and Potato Strudel) as well as a sweet version (the classic Apple Strudel). I had a lot of fun with the dough, rolling and hand-stretching. The delicate dough is not so hard to work with as long as you remain patient and give the dough enough time to rest before rolling and stretching. The ideal dough should be paper thin and you should be able to read newspaper underneath.
Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes
15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool
Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided (I used Earth Balance)
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)
1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.
Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.
Tips
- I did not make a double batch like our kind hosts suggested, but I did make a second batch later on. The first time might be a bit trying or scary; but, letting the dough rest at least 2 hours does all of the work for you. When the dough is ready, you will not find the dough pulling back at all while you roll out.
- I used parchment paper instead of table cloth (since I don't have any) with great success.
- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves.
- To make it easier to pull the dough, you need to use your whole body. And, the best way is to involve your spouse.
- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible. Even rather big ones can be ignored as the dough will be rolled around and around the filling.
- Cooling for 30 minutes before cutting is critical, if you can stand it.
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes
15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided (I used Earth Balance)
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.
Tips
- I did not make a double batch like our kind hosts suggested, but I did make a second batch later on. The first time might be a bit trying or scary; but, letting the dough rest at least 2 hours does all of the work for you. When the dough is ready, you will not find the dough pulling back at all while you roll out.
- I used parchment paper instead of table cloth (since I don't have any) with great success.
- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves.
- To make it easier to pull the dough, you need to use your whole body. And, the best way is to involve your spouse.
- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible. Even rather big ones can be ignored as the dough will be rolled around and around the filling.
- Cooling for 30 minutes before cutting is critical, if you can stand it.
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 10 oz. bag of spinach, chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 red-skinned potatoes, baked and mashed
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance butter
1 15 oz. can water-packed artichokes, well drained and chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
4 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Saute onion and garlic over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until onion gets translucent.
2. Add spinach by batches and cook just until spinach wilts.
3. Add oregano and mix well. Remove from heat.
4. Add all the other ingredients into the pan and thoroughly mix. Set aside.
5. Add the filling and roll the dough just as the apple strudel. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Verdict: This challenge definitely increased my confidence in making future strudels from scratch. In fact, I will probably never use phyllo dough again just for the convenience. The strudel dough is really easy to make once I have made it a couple of times, and it is far from being finicky like the phyllo dough sometimes.
To see more delicious strudels, check out the Daring Bakers blogroll.
To see more delicious strudels, check out the Daring Bakers blogroll.
I still cannot believe that I never thought of making a curry-flavored risotto before. I happen to be on a curry kick now, so I found my hands cooking a yellow curry risotto last night.
Yellow Curry Risotto
(Makes 5-6 servings)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
2/3 cup baby carrots, diced
3 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 1/3 cups white jasmine rice or arborio rice
1 16-oz can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 cup warm organic vegetable broth
3 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
1 1/2 cups snap peas, ends discarded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups hot water
A healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrots over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes until the carrots have softened a bit.
2. Add parsley and cook for another minute.
3. Add rice, and mix well until the rice is throughly coated with oil. Cook for a minute or two. Pour in the coconut milk and add curry powder, cumin powder, and garam masala. Mix well and cook until the liquid is pretty much absorbed.
4. Ladle in the warn vegetable broth. Mix well and make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook until most broth has been absorbed.
5. Add in Brussels sprouts and snap peas, as well as one cup of hot water. Again, keep stirring from time to time and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat the same process until all the water has been used up.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper and thoroughly mix. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
I also made my first simple strudel - an apple strudel. Since I have been very fond of phyllo dough recently, I used six sheets of phyllo dough for each strudel. The filling is easy: cored and chopped apples, cinnamon and nutmeg, cooked in butter with brown sugar. Baked for 40 minutes in the oven under 375F degrees. I didn't dust the strudels with powdered sugar on top. I was too eager to dig in. :)
Yellow Curry Risotto
(Makes 5-6 servings)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
2/3 cup baby carrots, diced
3 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 1/3 cups white jasmine rice or arborio rice
1 16-oz can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 cup warm organic vegetable broth
3 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
1 1/2 cups snap peas, ends discarded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups hot water
A healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrots over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes until the carrots have softened a bit.
2. Add parsley and cook for another minute.
3. Add rice, and mix well until the rice is throughly coated with oil. Cook for a minute or two. Pour in the coconut milk and add curry powder, cumin powder, and garam masala. Mix well and cook until the liquid is pretty much absorbed.
4. Ladle in the warn vegetable broth. Mix well and make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook until most broth has been absorbed.
5. Add in Brussels sprouts and snap peas, as well as one cup of hot water. Again, keep stirring from time to time and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat the same process until all the water has been used up.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper and thoroughly mix. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Oh, where did I go? I don't know how I just don't seem to have enough time to blog more often nowadays. I gotta quit the fast lane, as soon as possible, for my sanity. The good news is that we will have our long vacation very soon, in August. I didn't cook much, but I did conjure up a new vegetable stew for myself. It's really effective for losing a few pounds since summer is more or less here.
Spring Detox Vegetable Stew
(makes 7-8 servings)
1 large yellow onion, cut into half moons
3 green bell peppers, julienned
8 garlic bulbs, pressed
2 Russet potatoes, cubed
4 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped and juice reserved
1/2 hot water
1 large zucchini, halved and then sliced thinly
2 bunches of asparagus, tips reserved and the rest cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup fresh edamame, rinsed
1/2 cup (tightly packed) fresh basil, torn into pieces
6-7 fresh sage leaves, torn into pieces
3 green bell peppers, julienned
8 garlic bulbs, pressed
2 Russet potatoes, cubed
4 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped and juice reserved
1/2 hot water
1 large zucchini, halved and then sliced thinly
2 bunches of asparagus, tips reserved and the rest cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup fresh edamame, rinsed
1/2 cup (tightly packed) fresh basil, torn into pieces
6-7 fresh sage leaves, torn into pieces
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Sauté onions, peppers and garlic for about 10 minutes until softened.
2. Add potatoes and cook covered for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and hot water. Mix well and cook covered for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add zucchini, asparagus and edamame and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes on low-medium heat.
5. Add herbs, mix and heat through. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Sauté onions, peppers and garlic for about 10 minutes until softened.
2. Add potatoes and cook covered for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and hot water. Mix well and cook covered for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add zucchini, asparagus and edamame and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes on low-medium heat.
5. Add herbs, mix and heat through. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
I had this veggie stew in the beginning of a difficult diet. It helped quite a bit because it was very satisfying but pretty light. Of course, I haven't been all that disciplined. I wish I had just stayed with vegetables alone. But making Lolo's Easy Tarte aux Pommes is a great pleasure, before, during, and after the process. It was really easy to make, and it smelled good and tasted good. If you want a little treat for your weariness after a long day, make this and you will have a smile on the face when you dig your fork into it.
And I'm ashamed to report that I also made the vegan English muffins again. I ate them with a lot of vegan margarine and apricot preserves. This was obviously for a fattening diet.
Until then, you all take care! I hope I won't disappear for long again.
Yay! I finally got the time and courage to make the "official" ratatouille (recipe by Thomas Keller) in the movie Ratatouille. Boy, it was worth hours of roasting vegetables in heat. It was the most tasty ratatouille I've had so far! And it looked so darn pretty!
This is the vegan version of Ann Brettingen's Swedish apple cake. The recipe I used is adapted from Dorie Greenspan by Gretchen Noelle of "Canela & Comino". It was a very soothing and mild-flavored fruity cake. Perfect for the afternoon tea.
My sweet tooth kicked in hard, so I made chômeur pudding - a traditional dessert from Quebec, Canada. The recipe is from Andrée of PPK. This is how it looked right after baking. Obviously my six portions of the dough all melted together and turned into one beautiful cake.
The tempting warm pudding on the plate now. I loved it very much after I made it. But I guess for the sake of my diet, I'll have to wait a long time before I can make it again. It's a little too dangerous for me.
One vegan cookbook is essential. Two vegan cookbooks are fun. Three vegan cookbooks are definitely the charm. You've got a whole world to enjoy now. I actually made three things out of three different cookcooks. Well, be warned first: my sweet tooth kicked in when I was cooking.
Spanakopita In A Pie (VwaV, page 91). I still didn't get any phyllo dough. I made the pastry crusts (Veganomicon, so a 4th cookbook?) better this time and used a little less lemon juice. My husband was very pleased with the result. He said it was better than the first time I made it.
Hot Apple Turnovers (Cozy Inside, page 75). This is the first time I have tried any recipe from this cookbook though I bought it like two months ago. This is an excellent dessert choice after a hard day. The turnover wasn't overly sweet or heavy. A very gentle touch on your whole body. I was really glad I tried it.
Mom's Chocolate Pudding (La Dolce Vegan!, page 207). I didn't like this pudding as much as I thought I would. It was very easy to make so I didn't mind it. It's probably just not my type of chocolate pudding. I was expecting something closer to the 75% dark chocolate, rich and velvety. But it wasn't quite there. A little too timid for my liking but it was still good enough to satisfy a chocolate craving.
Today is the first day of my thing-a-day challenge. I first saw this interesting challenge on Emily's blog. The whole theme is to create something every day and share it online in February, which means I will have to create 29 things this month. It sounds very interesting and challenging. Unfortunately, my first creative endeavor is a little lame, just a dish I created out of my pantry and fridge, out of necessity. It was a very yummy and comforting casserole but I had wanted to write something about a favorite book or author, but I was too busy to sit down for a couple of hours organizing my thoughts. I will have to try harder next time.
The Really Everything Casserole
(serves 2-3)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups chopped celery
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 stale roll with sunflower seeds, cubed
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup English peas (pea pods), ends discarded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup quinoa
2/3 (14 ounce) can butter beans
1 tsp. sage
3/4 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1. Over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil for a minute, then sauté garlic, onion, celery, and apple until everything is lightly caramelized. Add zucchini and pea pods and sauté for a minute or two.
2. Add bread cubes, sage, rosemary, cinnamon and black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bread gets toasty. Add quinoa and mix well. You should see most vegetables and bread get coated with quinoa. Cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir well. Bring to a boil and then cover to simmer for 20 minutes. When the quinoa is mostly cooked, add butter beans. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste.
5. Bake in a deep casserole dish for 40-45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.
If you happen to have some leftover Mexican rice and beans, feel free to mix it with this casserole. It will be a very nice combo. My ingenious husband did this and thoroughly enjoyed it.
By the way, you can find my thing-a-day blog here.
(serves 2-3)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups chopped celery
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 stale roll with sunflower seeds, cubed
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup English peas (pea pods), ends discarded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup quinoa
2/3 (14 ounce) can butter beans
1 tsp. sage
3/4 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1. Over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil for a minute, then sauté garlic, onion, celery, and apple until everything is lightly caramelized. Add zucchini and pea pods and sauté for a minute or two.
2. Add bread cubes, sage, rosemary, cinnamon and black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bread gets toasty. Add quinoa and mix well. You should see most vegetables and bread get coated with quinoa. Cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir well. Bring to a boil and then cover to simmer for 20 minutes. When the quinoa is mostly cooked, add butter beans. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste.
5. Bake in a deep casserole dish for 40-45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.
If you happen to have some leftover Mexican rice and beans, feel free to mix it with this casserole. It will be a very nice combo. My ingenious husband did this and thoroughly enjoyed it.
By the way, you can find my thing-a-day blog here.
I made only half a batch of Chocolate Chunk Spice Cookies (Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, page 184). Yes, I only make half a batch of everything sweet now, since I will be the only one eating them for the next few days. The new Swiss dark chocolate bars I bought were really good. They contain 85% cocoa, which makes them taste quite bitter. I love bitter chocolate bars. I guess I will be baking some chocolate cupcakes and chocolate cakes. OMG, it's almost like everything starts with "choco". Enough digression. The spice cookies were GOOD! I ate two right out of the oven. The melty chocolate chunks were oozing out. Ultimate yumminess! By the way, I used oat flour instead of barley flour (1:1). You can also use all-purpose flour (less 2 tablespoons). I will be making more wheat-free baked goods from now on because they taste better and have a better texture somehow.
I also made the first vegan Stuffing in my life. The original recipe is by Veglicious. I followed it strictly so you will have to check out the blog yourself. It's really worth your time though. I found a few great vegan recipes there.
Personally, I don't think it's quite fair that stuffing is only a side dish. Just because stuffing is typically used to stuff a dead turkey's body afte its innards are taken out, it's only called stuffing? We call it Beyond Stuffing in our household. It's perfectly fit to be an entrée.
