37 posts tagged “nuts”

This is the first time I've been late in posting the Daring Bakers' challenges.  We just moved into our new house, got our Internet connection back, and finally got a tiny breather in between busy projects.  So I'm three days late in posting this month's challenge.  I must be losing my mind.  I'm not late.  I'm exactly on time.  Thank God!

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

These are not the macaroons we usually think of.  These are the real thing - French macarons.  You can find the original recipe here.  I based my vegan version on David Lebovitz's recipe and instructions.  I used Ener-G egg replacers to substitute egg whites with great success.  The vegan macarons have a very similar texture to the original ones, and they are totally decadent.

I could just eat the macaron cookies by themselves.  I actually made two batches this time, chocolate flavor and original almond flavor.

I loved the Belgian chocolate ganache as the filling.  If you are in the mood for some serious sweet treats, make these macarons.

For more delicate and beautiful macarons, check out the Daring Bakers Blogroll.

God, how I wish I had more time!  I have been extremely busy and blogging has certainly been put on the back-burner.  I haven't been following my neighbors or fellow-bakers (and cooks) at all.  I do apologize and thank everyone for his or her kind comments.  I haven't been cooking much either.  Hubby has been feeding both of us every day, and I barely make my own greens to go along with the pasta nowadays.  Alas!  So quickly it is the reveal day for this month's Daring Bakers Challenge.  I sadly notice that my blog has been only about the Daring Kitchen (not that it is not an honor to be baking and cooking with such a wonderful group of passionate and talented people).  Without furthur ado...

August's Daring Bakers' Challenge has been chosen by Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella and Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar.  They have chosen the famous Dobos Torta, a Hungarian speciality.

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Equipment

    * 2 baking sheets
    * 9” (23cm) springform tin and 8” cake tin, for templates
    * mixing bowls (1 medium, 1 large)
    * a sieve
    * a double boiler (a large saucepan plus a large heat-proof mixing bowl which fits snugly over the top of the pan)
    * a small saucepan
    * a whisk (you could use a balloon whisk for the entire cake, but an electric hand whisk or stand mixer will make life much easier)
    * metal offset spatula
    * sharp knife
    * a 7 1/2” cardboard cake round, or just build cake on the base of a springform tin.
    * piping bag and tip, optional

Prep times

    * Sponge layers 20 mins prep, 40 mins cooking total if baking each layer individually.
    * Buttercream: 20 mins cooking. Cooling time for buttercream: about 1 hour plus 10 minutes after this to beat and divide.
    * Caramel layer: 10-15 minutes.
    * Assembly of whole cake: 20 minutes

The complete original recipe can be found here.  For the sponge cake layers, I used Bryanna's recipe, which involves whipping up Ener-G egg replacers in a stand mixer just like egg white (see the picture below).  The key to use this recipe is to be gentle with the batter.  You cannot stir or mix too hard or too fast.  Using a rubber spetula to carefully fold in the whipped "white egg" is the right way.

This is how the baked vegan sponge cake layer looks like.

I don't make multi-layer cakes at all at home.  It just always seems like too much trouble.  So this is actually the first time that I have assembled a multi-layer cake.  A big Thank-You to our ingenious hostesses Lorraine and Angela.  I did relatively OK, but of course the appearance of the torte could have been much better.  My caramel layer on top was a bit thin, but I liked it.  The texture is more chewy and spongy than a strictly hard toffee layer.  And I had a lot of fun making the caramel.  Boy, it hardens really fast (in seconds)!  For the chocolate buttercream, I simply used Isa's recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

The verdict: It was a fun project to work on.  Would I make it again?  Absolutely yes!  The sponge cake layers are really tasty.  The chocolate-hazelnut combo cannot be more decadent.  The citrus-flavored toffee layer on top rounds out the overall sweetness.  Even Hubby loved it and said it was the best cake yet.

For more gorgeous Dobos Tortes, check out the Daring Bakers blogroll.

I finally made the Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping from Veganomicon (page 194).  I mean, really, everybody has made it, and I finally caught the drift.

Needless to say, it was seriously good.  If you have Veganomicon, and have been waiting just like me, it is high time that you opened it and made this baked pasta dish.  The sage crumb topping mixed really well with the pumpkin flavor and you can never do wrong with the caramelized onions.

The pop overs might just put me over the top and get that popover pan in the store.  I saw a really good one the other day, but thought to myself I would have very little use of it.  Who knew that I came straight home and wanted to make breakfast popovers all of a sudden?  And I fell in love immediately (even though I had to use my muffin pan).  The recipe is by Susan of She's Becoming DoughMessTic.  Kudos to Susan!  The only change is that I used Ener-G egg replacers to replace eggs.

The Daring Cooks July challenge certainly managed to take me completely out of my comfort zone.  I have barely heard of Molecular Cuisine before this challenge, and now I was actually asked to produce something befitting the much-misunderstood-and-little-known art of cooking.  The biggest obstacle for me is to make a vegan fish dish that remains moist and will blend well with the powders.

Sketchy from Sketchy's Kitchen is the host for the Daring Cooks July challenge.  He hopped between a MC (Molecular Cuisine) dish and a classic rustic Italian dish, and opted to skip the 400 year old dish in favor of something that would be new and daring.

The Challenge: Skate, traditional flavors powdered (slightly altered)

This is a dish from Grant Achatz, found in the Alinea cookbook - page 230.  Our host picked a recipe that could be completed without having to order a bunch of specialized chemicals or powders. Just a little work and you can make this, the techniques are not very hard and only require a few tools.

  4 skate wings (I made Tofu Fish Sticks instead, see below)
  * Beurre monte
  * 300g fresh green beans
  sea salt/kosher salt
  1 banana
  454g butter - 4 sticks

  Powders - prepare ahead of time
  caper / onion (total failure on my part)
  lemon powder (skipped and subbed more tofu fish breading powder)
  cilantro/parsley powder
  'brown butter' powder (skipped the cream powder)
  (I also added paprika powder)
 
* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion will not break - this is your poaching liquid.

I made the Tofu Fish Sticks - a famous recipe from Vegan Lunch Box.  This was a huge success, and we really loved the flavors of the tofu fish sticks.  I even used the leftover breading powder as one of the powders to be served on the plate with the fish sticks.  Unfortunately, I found drying the herbs and other things in my microwave oven is very difficult.  I completely failed in making the onion powder because my microwave doesn't have high or low temperature settings.  When I left the onion in the microwave for 2 minutes each time, the onion wouldn't dry.  When I used 3-4 minutes each time, the onion started burning.  Drying in the oven would be better, I suppose, but I really couldn't find enough time to sit in front of the oven to watch.

The plating was fun to do, but obviously, I could have made some nice pattern of the powders to make it more presentable.  The whole challenge was a new thing to try, and I might study a little further on Molecular Cuisine, but overall, I really think having a dehydrator is rather critical in this case.

For more beautiful plates in this July challenge, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.

I have seen many bakewell tart recipes before, but somehow I have never made one myself.  All the bakewell tarts seem so good, looking really substantially satisfying.  This month I had a perfect excuse to make one to fulfill my Daring Bakers challenge.

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Recipe origins: Traditional (UK)
Inspirations and References: Allan Davidson, Tamasin Day Lewis, Anton Edelmann, Jane Grigson, Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver
Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.

When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks (I used 6 Tbsp. cold water)
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

My notes: For a better result, grate the butter before freezing it.  The pie crust can be frozen for 15 minutes before baking.

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs (I used three Ener-G 'eggs')
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

The Bakewell Tart is super easy to veganize, and it tastes, boy really great (I eagerly cut one piece off after cooling for only 5 minutes).  The frangipane is cake-like.  I used apricot jam which added a tangy flavor to balance the sweet almond flavor.  If you don't like almond extract much, you can omit it.

For more gorgeous bakewell tarts, check out the Daring Bakers blogroll.

We are huge dumpling/potsticker lovers.  You can eat dumplings/potstickers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  So when our June host Jen from use real butter chose this challenge, I was super excited.  I have always been fond of making Chinese dumplings/potstickers from scratch, but sadly I don't make them often enough.  This time I got my perfect excuse.

Jen from use real butter is our host for the Daring Cooks June 2009 challenge.  It's a basic concept: a filling inside a dough wrapper, sealed, and cooked.  This delicious theme runs through many cultures and is among the more popular bites at Chinese restaurants - especially dim sum.  The recipe she provided is based on her family recipe.  There is a lot of room for exploration and creativity.

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for worksurface

dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly by hand.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade.  Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated.  Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth.  The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.  [Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water.]

Make the dough, Method 2 (Jen's mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed.  Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.  We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.  [My note: I used a little more water than the 1/2 cup listed in the recipe.  The dough is not supposed to be soft, but not too stiff either.  Use your own judgement and you might have to just trust your instinct and see what happens.]

Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes.  Take the dough and form a flattened dome.  Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide.  Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders.  On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces.  Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers).  With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc.  Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch.  Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges.  Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in Jen's post for how to fold pleats).  Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot.  Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. It helps to rub the base of the dumpling in a little flour before setting on the baking sheet for ease of release. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.

To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.

I made dumplings in the soup, deep-fried dumplings, and the traditional potstickers.

My Filling (for 14-16 dumplings):

1 recipe Tofu Ricotta (PPK)
1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and sliced across to 1/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, sliced to 1/4-inch pieces
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
15 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup freeze-dried chives
1/2 tsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. black bean chili sauce
A dash of Hungarian paprika
3 water-packed baby artichokes, well drained and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
20 capers, drained and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Deep all vegetables from eggplant to tomatoes (one type of vegetable at one time).  When done, dry on paper towel very well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash deep-fried vegetables, tofu ricotta, all spices, and everything else together until creamy and well-combined.

Seaweed Soup:

10 cups water
1 cup dried konbu
3 large cabbage leaves
1/2 cup fresh scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. white miso
Salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in a large pot and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes before adding the boiled dumplings.

Verdict: Once you get the hang of making your own wrappers, you can make your dumplings in no time.  It's a fun way of eating and certainly a one-pot-meal.  Regarding the pleating part, I thoroughly had fun.  It may seem difficult at first, but if you are patient enough to try a couple more times, you will get the hang of it pretty quickly.  It's really not so hard.

For more dumpling/potsticker variations, check out the Daring Cooks blogroll.

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.

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.

Spinach, Artichoke and Potato Filling (For the Savory Version)

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.

I don't make cheesecakes often.  The reasons are simple: we don't love cheesecakes that much, and I don't get the same satisfaction from making a cheesecake as from a loaf of good bread.  When the Daring Bakers April challenge was revealed - a cheesecake, I wasn't too excited; however, having the total freedom of making whatever flavor and topping we want did seem very appealing, as well as challenging.  We happened to have several containers of Tofutti cream cheese laying around in the fridge.  So I actually found myself making the cheesecake right after I read through the challenge.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes.  She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I made a vegan lemon cheesecake with lavender-infused chocolate ganache and cashew butter sauce.  The recipe is a combination of several long-time favorites, so I totally loved the end result.  It was a very fun challenge to complete and it did make me appreciate cheesecakes more.

Vegan Lemon Cheesecake with Lavender-Infused Chocolate Ganache and Cashew Butter Sauce
(Makes one 9-inch round cheesecake)

CRUST (recipe from Vegetarian Times)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegan butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract

FILLING (recipe adapted from Nicole of Bakingsheet)

1 1/2 packages 8-oz Tofutti better than cream cheese
1 pacakge 12-oz nori-nu silken tofu
1/2 package 8-oz sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

LAVENDER-INFUSED CHOCOLATE GANACHE (half recipe from Vegan Chef)

3/4 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
1 1/2 Tbsp. lavender flowers (the original recipe doesn't call for this, but I thought it was a nice touch)
1/4 cup soy margarine
12 oz. vegan chocolate chips (or chopped vegan chocolate)

CASHEW BUTTER SAUCE (The Voluptuous Vegan, page 260) - half recipe

1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. arrowroot powder
1/2 cup original flavored soy milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter (used cashew butter instead)

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Coat 9-inch cake pan or springform pan with cooking spray.

2. To make Crust: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat butter, oil and sugar in second mixing bowl until smooth.  Add water and vanilla to butter mixture; beat until smooth.  Add dry ingredients, and mix with rubber spatula until dry ingredients are moist.  Transfer dough to baking dish, and use piece of plastic wrap to press it into even layer on bottom.

3. Bake about 20 minutes, or until puffed and brown around edges.

4. Meanwhile, to make Cream Cheese Filling: Using electric mixer or food processor, blend cream cheese, tofu, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch until smooth and creamy.  Add vanilla and almond extracts; beat or process until smooth.  Pour cream cheese batter over the crust, spreading evenly.  Gently tap the pan to let the air bubbles surface.

5. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling has set.  The surface should be light golden.  The edges should be firm but the center might still be jiggly.  Keep the oven door slightly ajar and let cool inside the oven for an hour to 90 minutes.  Then let cool completely on wire rack in room temperature.  When completely cooled, cover and transfer to the refrigerator and chill overnight before adding the topping.

6. (Continue when the cheesecake has been chilled overnight and ready to be topped.)  To make the chocolate ganache, in the top part of a double boiler, place the soy milk and lavender flowers, and heat together until lukewarm.  Let lavender flowers steep in the soy milk for 10 minutes and then strain the flowers out.  Add the margaine, and heat until the margarine melts completely.  Add the vegan chocolate chips, continue to cook while stirring constantly until the vegan chocolate chips have melted completely and the mixture is very smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.

7. While the chocolate ganache cools in the room temperature, make the cashew butter sauce.  Heat up the maple syrup in a small sauce pan until slightly bubbly.  Add arrowroot powder and soy milk.  Mix well and cook on medium heat.  When it boils, lower the heat a bit to a simmer.  Stir constantly until the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and cashew butter right away and mix well until the whole mixture is smooth.

8. Pour the chocolate ganache on top of the chillded cheesecake.  Smooth out evenly.  Pour the cashew butter sauce across the surface gently.  Use a toothpick or a small knife to swirl across the surface to create whatever pattern you feel like.  I simply did an abstract version.  Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours before serving.

* Cooling the cheesecake after baking is critical.  The key is to let the temperature fall gradually, therefore, leaving the cake in the oven and then cool in room temperature completely is the only way to prevent cracks if you don't want to attempt the water bath (which is rather difficult, and unnecessary, in my humble opinion).

I have never used phyllo dough until three days ago.  I have always heard and seen people use it.  I have often heard the horror stories of tearing and ripping the finiky phyllo dough.  I have also seen dozens of exquisitely beautiful photos of food with intact phyllo dough (golden, complying, and docile).  Three days ago, my wonderful husband bought our first few packages of frozen phyllo dough.  I was therefore put in a position where I could no longer refuse to jump into the phyllo world.  My first try is an excellent recipe I saw long time ago on Fatfree Vegan Kitchen - Spinach and Artichoke Pie.  We absolutely adored this pie.  My husband said that he could live on this pie till he is 100, and I believe it is true.

Guess what, the phyllo dough is not so hard to handle after all.  The secret is to thaw out the phyllo dough really well in the refrigerator only overnight before using.  It took at least 10 hours in my experience.  There is no shortcut.  Patience is really the virtue in this case.  Once the phyllo dough is thawed out, you have to prepare all the fillings and everything else before taking the phyllo dough out from the fridge.  And act as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from drying out.  Any unused phyllo dough should be rolled up and put back into the package (sealed) immediately.  Cover the exposed phyllo dough completely with plastic wrap or a damp towel on the counter for later use if you need more than five minutes before brushing each sheet with oil.  Time is the essence.  Be quick and gentle.  And you will be completely fine.

I also gave in to another temptation - making Chinese dumplings.  I followed the recipe by Vegan Dad, but for the filling I used Vegan Dad's Lemon Parsley Potatoes.  So the dumplings are more like homemade pierogi.

These dumplings are easy to make, and they have certainly become another all-time favorite in our family.

Hubby made a really great pasta today, just in time for the Presto Pasta Nights #104.  Our pasta dishes are extremely healthy in that the vegetables are never over-cooked (only par-boiled for 30 seconds to 1 minute).  The pasta sauce is more or less fresh because we mix everything in including olive oil and sea salt without cooking it.  The pasta comes out with a freshness from the garden and a richness that comes from each ingredient shining through the whole dish.  And, you only need to spend 10 minutes before you can savor some real yummy and creamy food.

If you can find a good brand of guacamole in your local supermarket, like the Wholly Guacamole we used, then you don't even have to make your own.  But it's a small affair to puree some avocado with peppers and onions in any case.  Feel free to use your own version and add your own twist.

Guacamole Spelt Ziti with Walnuts and Artichokes
(Makes 2 servings)

1/3 cup guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
2 long-stem artichokes, well-drained and chopped
1/3 cup freeze-dried chives
1 to 2 tsp. dried parsley
2 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes.
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
3 to 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
1/5 to 1/4 cup halved walnuts
6 oz. spelt ziti
3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup carrot matchsticks

1. Mix everything from guacamole to walnuts in a large mixing bowl until well combined.  Set aside.
2. Cook spelt ziti according to the package instructions, al dante.  In the last minute, throw in broccoli and carrots.  Strain.
3. Mix the ziti, broccoli and carrots with the above "sauce" in the large mixing bowl to incorporate everything well.  Serve immediately.

I am sending this pasta dish to Presto Pasta Nights, a great event started by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.  This week's host will be Ben of What's Cooking.