This recipe is gooey and chocolatey like a brownie should be, but it contains no sugar and very little fat. Perfect for folks watching their sugar or caloric intake, but still able to pass the test with non-vegan, glutiful sweet-tooths (trust me, I checked!). The secret to the moist, fudgy texture is date paste which also adds sweetness.
Brownies (makes about 18 mini-muffin bites):
1 c pitted dates
¾ c agave nectar
1 TBSP vanilla
1 tsp salt
½ c cocoa powder
2 TBSP vegetable oil
¼ c hemp milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sorghum flour
⅓ c tapioca flour/starch
Few TBSPs margarine or vegetable shortening and flour to grease muffin tin
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Blend the dates for several minutes in a food processor.
3. Add agave nectar, vanilla, oil and milk and mix until very smooth and paste-like.
4. Add cocoa powder and salt and mix again.
5. Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, mix flours, salt, baking soda and xantham gum.
7. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet.
8. Grease and flour muffin tin.
9. Use a TBSP to scoop batter into a non-stick mini-muffin tin.
10. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
11. Let cool for 5 or 10 minutes and remove from pan. Brownie bites will be gooey; for more well-done brownies, bake 3-4 minutes longer.
As is, these brownie bites are low-fat and sugar-free. If you’re in the market for an extra rich treat and have no qualms about upping the sugar and fat, try them with this chocolate frosting:
Chocolate frosting:
½ c Earth Balance Original Whipped
½ c cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
¾ c confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp vanilla (for mocha frosting, use 2 tsp coffee extract)
12. Mix on high-speed until the frosting is free of lumps and fluffy.
13. Frost cooled brownies or refrigerate frosting to use later.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Gluten-free Vegan Pecan Pie
My father’s family is from Kentucky and each year at our family reunion Aunt Juanita’s pecan pies are the #1 item in-demand. I mean people are lined up for a piece of her pie before they’ve even made it through the fried chicken line! Here’s my best attempt at recreating her genius in vegan, gluten-free fashion. Maybe this year I’ll be brave enough to try to trick them...
Follow the instructions for a standard gf/v pie crust (same used in Pear Apple Pie recipe), repeated here for convenience. Filling ingredients and instructions follow.
Crust (makes 2 crusts, one may be saved):
1 c rice flour
½ c sorghum flour
¼ c potato starch/flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ c vegan shortening
3 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tbsp white vinegar
½ - ⅔ c cold water
Saran Wrap and Wax Paper
The easiest way to make this dough is in a food processor with a dough blade, but it can also be done by hand.
1. Mix the 3 flours, xantham gum, salt and sugar in a separate bowl.
2. Prepare a glass of ice water for later. Place in fridge or freezer in the meantime.
3. Cut vegan shortening and margarine into flour until it looks like coarse meal. You can do this using a pastry cutter or two knives if you’re working by hand, or if you have a food processor, simply blend with a dough blade until you see the desired consistency.
4. Now slowly add water and vinegar. You may not need a full ⅔ c water. As you add more water, the dough will begin to stick together in larger and larger clumps. When the dough has formed into one large ball, stop and remove it from the food processor. If you are working by hand, mix dough with your fingertips while gradually adding water. Again, the dough should be wet enough to be incorporated into one large ball, but not so sticky that it clings to the sides of the bowl.
5. Divide dough into two balls, press down until flatter and an inch thick.
6. When you are ready to roll the dough, tear off 3 pieces of wax paper larger than your pie pan. Place 2 of them in a t-shape like a cross on the counter. Sprinkle them with a bit of sorghum or rice flour and place dough in the middle. Next, sprinkle dough with flour and place the 3rd sheet of wax paper on top of it. Now, use the palm of your hand and a rolling pin to flatten and roll out the dough. The rolled dough should be large enough to cover your pie pan and form a crust and about ⅛ in thick.
7. Slowly peel off the top layer of wax paper. Use the 2 bottom pieces of wax paper to pick up the rolled crust and carefully flip it over into the pie pan. Now peel off the last two pieces of wax paper and press crust into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Trim off the excess edges with a sharp knife.
8. Since the pecan pie recipe only requires one crust, the other can be rolled out according to step 6 and then rolled up in the wax paper and saved in an airtight contained in the fridge for a few days. You may also place the dough in a pie pan, wrap it tightly in saran wrap and freeze it for a few weeks. To finish the crust you’ll use today, use small cookie cutters or a knife to cut out some shapes for decoration. Dunk them in water and stick them to the crust, arranging as you please. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.
9. Pre-bake crust for 5 minutes at 400°F. Remove and set aside until filling is ready.
Filling (makes 1 9-in pie, double this for two 9-in pies):
1 ⅓ c water
¼ c cornstarch
¼ c rum or Bourbon
1TBSP vanilla
¾ c brown sugar
½ c white sugar (beet or cane sugar)
¼ tsp salt
10. Combine water, rum, vanilla, and margarine in a saucepan. Heat until margarine is dissolved.
11. Stir in salt, sugars and cornstarch, whisking to get rid of cornstarch clumps.
12. Turn heat up to medium or until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, being careful to stir constantly to prevent the sugar from burning. Allow mixture to boil until it becomes clear and thickens considerable (more like pie filling that liquid). Remove from heat.
13. Pour filling into prepared pie crust.
14. Spread 1-2 cups pecans over the pie filling, pressing them into the filling, but not covering them with filling.
15. Bake in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes.
16. Allow to cool and set. For an extra firm pie, refrigerate overnight.
17. Serve warm with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream. Tempt is my favorite.
Follow the instructions for a standard gf/v pie crust (same used in Pear Apple Pie recipe), repeated here for convenience. Filling ingredients and instructions follow.
Crust (makes 2 crusts, one may be saved):
1 c rice flour
½ c sorghum flour
¼ c potato starch/flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ c vegan shortening
3 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tbsp white vinegar
½ - ⅔ c cold water
Saran Wrap and Wax Paper
The easiest way to make this dough is in a food processor with a dough blade, but it can also be done by hand.
1. Mix the 3 flours, xantham gum, salt and sugar in a separate bowl.
2. Prepare a glass of ice water for later. Place in fridge or freezer in the meantime.
3. Cut vegan shortening and margarine into flour until it looks like coarse meal. You can do this using a pastry cutter or two knives if you’re working by hand, or if you have a food processor, simply blend with a dough blade until you see the desired consistency.
4. Now slowly add water and vinegar. You may not need a full ⅔ c water. As you add more water, the dough will begin to stick together in larger and larger clumps. When the dough has formed into one large ball, stop and remove it from the food processor. If you are working by hand, mix dough with your fingertips while gradually adding water. Again, the dough should be wet enough to be incorporated into one large ball, but not so sticky that it clings to the sides of the bowl.
5. Divide dough into two balls, press down until flatter and an inch thick.
6. When you are ready to roll the dough, tear off 3 pieces of wax paper larger than your pie pan. Place 2 of them in a t-shape like a cross on the counter. Sprinkle them with a bit of sorghum or rice flour and place dough in the middle. Next, sprinkle dough with flour and place the 3rd sheet of wax paper on top of it. Now, use the palm of your hand and a rolling pin to flatten and roll out the dough. The rolled dough should be large enough to cover your pie pan and form a crust and about ⅛ in thick.
7. Slowly peel off the top layer of wax paper. Use the 2 bottom pieces of wax paper to pick up the rolled crust and carefully flip it over into the pie pan. Now peel off the last two pieces of wax paper and press crust into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Trim off the excess edges with a sharp knife.
8. Since the pecan pie recipe only requires one crust, the other can be rolled out according to step 6 and then rolled up in the wax paper and saved in an airtight contained in the fridge for a few days. You may also place the dough in a pie pan, wrap it tightly in saran wrap and freeze it for a few weeks. To finish the crust you’ll use today, use small cookie cutters or a knife to cut out some shapes for decoration. Dunk them in water and stick them to the crust, arranging as you please. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.
9. Pre-bake crust for 5 minutes at 400°F. Remove and set aside until filling is ready.
Filling (makes 1 9-in pie, double this for two 9-in pies):
1 ⅓ c water
¼ c cornstarch
¼ c rum or Bourbon
1TBSP vanilla
¾ c brown sugar
½ c white sugar (beet or cane sugar)
¼ tsp salt
10. Combine water, rum, vanilla, and margarine in a saucepan. Heat until margarine is dissolved.
11. Stir in salt, sugars and cornstarch, whisking to get rid of cornstarch clumps.
12. Turn heat up to medium or until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, being careful to stir constantly to prevent the sugar from burning. Allow mixture to boil until it becomes clear and thickens considerable (more like pie filling that liquid). Remove from heat.
13. Pour filling into prepared pie crust.
14. Spread 1-2 cups pecans over the pie filling, pressing them into the filling, but not covering them with filling.
15. Bake in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes.
16. Allow to cool and set. For an extra firm pie, refrigerate overnight.
17. Serve warm with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream. Tempt is my favorite.
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