Chocolate Coconut Caramel Birthday Cake

For Melissa’s birthday, I made her a fancy cake. Two layers of chocolate cake and two layers of caramel coconut cake with chocolate coconut caramel buttercream icing between each layer and on top of the whole thing. I covered it in toasted coconut, then drizzled it in caramel sauce. All made from scratch. All vegan. All rich and delicious. I feel lucky that Melissa was willing to share a piece of it with me. Think Girlscout Caramel Delight/Samoa cookie in cake form.  YUM!

My slice!

P.S.  Both pictures taken by Melissa.

Salad with Brown Rice

Yeah, whatever. I ripped this recipe right outta Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food. But only because I was obsessed with it. So obsessed, I tell you, that I made it about twice a week for three weeks straight. Just couldn’t get enough of its dilly-goodness. I subbed carrots for the tomatoes in the picture above. And one of the times, I got all eh-heh and pan-seared some seitan strips and threw them in. So I’ll give you the basics, and you have your way with them.

Salad with Brown Rice (from Everyday Food)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. red-wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. sugar
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
2 cups baby spinach
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, dill, garlic, and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add rice, cucumber, spinach, and tomatoes and toss to combine.

Chocolate-Caramel Sandwich Cookies

Going to a Halloween party and need to impress with your kitchen prowess? These look beautiful and taste wonderful, too.

Although Martha says they take about 40 minutes plus cooling time to make, I’d say it’s about 2 hours total. By the time you make the cookies, make the icing, let the cookies cool, ice them, yeah, about two hours. Most of that time is spent getting the cookies to be the right size and close to the same size, since you’re making little, bitty, teeny, cute-as-a-button sandwich cookies. Two hours that don’t even count getting your vegan butter to room temperature or making the caramel sauce. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you will DEFINITELY impress! And what’s two hours when everyone will oooo, aaahhhh, and love you forever afterwards? Worth it!

Martha’s Ingredients
Makes 40

Cookies:
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting:
1/4 c. caramel sauce, cooled
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Scrumpdilly’s Veganized Chocolate-Caramel Sandwich Cookies
(adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, October 2009)
Makes 35-40

Cookies:
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
3 Tbsp. water
10 Tbsp. vegan butter, room temperature
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:
1/4 c. caramel sauce, cooled
3/4 c. vegan butter
1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Combine flax seed and water in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds until gooey. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in flax seed mixture until fully combined.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until a dough forms (you may have to combine with your hands). Using a 1 tsp. measure, form level teaspoon-shaped half-balls and place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and smack the tops of each cookie with the back of a wooden spoon to flatten slightly. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Make the frosting by beating together caramel sauce and butter until smooth and creamy. gradually beat in confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Disclaimer: I prefer cooking to eating processed foods, but every once in a while, I’m in a hurry.

I’ve been saving up these products to tell you about and I need to be quick. Sleep-sleep is calling my name after too many nights in a row with only 4-5 hours worth. So we take a mini-break tonight from Veganizing Martha’s Muffin – Dessert Week. We’ll continue back tomorrow.

Purely Decadent Made with Coconut Milk

Turtle Mountain Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk:
Know what befuddles me? How can you release a new product and not update your website at the same time? I guess if you’re Turtle Mountain you can get away with that. The first two products I’d like to review come from them, yet I can’t find any info about these products on their website. Huh.

If you’ve read any other posts on my blog, you know I’m a fan of Turtle Mountain’s Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk ice-cream products. They’re creamy and satisfying, in fact, you’d have a hard time putting some of the flavors second to their dairy counterparts. Maybe this flavor isn’t so new, but it’s definitely new to me. I’ve never seen it in my own grocery store until earlier this week.

Introducing Cherry Amaretto. Pinkish in color with big chunks of cherry and creamy tasting ice-cream with an amaretto flavor that’s powerful enough to remind you of your partying days when you’d drink amaretto sours like you’d drink anything, but not so overwhelming to remind you of those nasty amaretto hangovers. Oh boy, I’m not giving this thing enough credit. It’s really, really tasty and delicious. Once again, Turtle Mountain makes one I can count on!

On the flip-side Turtle Mountain, I have a bone to pick with you. Why in the world would you make me pee my pants with excitement over Coconut Milk Creamer only to let me down so hard when I actually used the stuff? I mean, what a great idea! Coconut Milk Creamer! Sadly, it was like adding bright, white-colored, tasteless liquid to my coffee. Oh, it looked rich and creamy, but tasted like there was nothing there. I actually had to pour out my coffee. It was that disappointing! There isn’t any fat in the creamer! How can that be? It’s COCONUT MILK! It’s CREAMER! Add some taste to it, and I’ll give it another shot. Okay? Please?

Veggie Crab Cakes Taste Crabby

Taste Above Veggie Crab Cakes:
You know the routine. You start talking about your veganity and someone asks what you miss most about your lifestyle choice. In the food world, for me, it’s seafood. Hands down. It’s difficult to recreate the taste of seafood, and being from south Louisiana, seafood is such an important part of Cajun cooking.

La-de-da-de-da, I’m moseying through the grocery store, and hark! What is that calling my name? Why it’s VEGAN crab cakes. Shut the eff up! I buy and the minute I get home, I try. First bite, shock! They do really taste crabby!

The fake meat is seitan that somehow replicates the stringy texture of crab meat. And the flavor is fairly close to spot-on. Probably as close as you’d ever get without actually putting crab meat in there. The most noticeable spice is dill, which definitely imparts part of the crab taste, but it’s more than that and so is my love for this new processed find. I love ‘em. Sue me.

Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Caramel Sauce

I guess it’s just as well that my camera’s battery ran out, and I had to take this picture with my phone, and it’s whacked out of focus. Because this picture ultimately represents your googley-eyes after taking one bite of this moist, rich, decadent, pudding-like, moist, rich cake. Googley eyes all rollin’ in the back of your head, I tell you!

When I saw two eggs, plus two egg yolks, I thought I was in deep, puddin’ trouble, but I went with my instincts, and googley-eyes!

It’s best to use ramekins for this, but I don’t own any (yet), so I just used my LARGE muffin tin. Worked just fine.

Martha’s Ingredients
Serves 4

6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more room temperature for ramekins
1/3 c. sugar, plus more for ramekins
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Caramel Sauce
Whipped Cream, for serving

Scrumpdilly’s Veganized Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Caramel Sauce
(adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, October 2009)

6 Tbsp. vegan butter, plus more for ramekins
1/3 c. sugar, plus more for ramekins
1 c. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. silken tofu (in tetrapak, firm)
1/4 c. plain, sweetened almond milk
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Caramel Sauce
Vegan Whipped Cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter four ramekins (or large muffin tins), then coat lightly with sugar, tapping out excess. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine vegan butter and chocolate. Microwave until melted, about 1 minute. Stir until smooth.

In a blender, food processor, or in a large bowl, combine tofu and almond milk. Blend, process, or beat until combined and smooth, (about 3 minutes using a hand mixer). Add sugar, flour, and baking powder. Beat to combine. Fill each ramekin or muffin tin three-quarters full with batter and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Bake until center of cake is soft, but not wet when pressed, and edges look cracked, 27-30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. If using muffin tin, cool 10-15 minutes, then loosen edges and turn out of pan. Serve cakes warm topped with caramel sauce and whipped cream.

Caramel Sauce

Hee Hee. Veganizing Martha’s Muffin – Dessert Week has gotten off to a winning start! What I made tonight is a two-parter. Part One was super-easy to veganize – Caramel Sauce. I’ll be using this sauce in another dessert recipe later this week, so it’s a good thing it makes plenty. Even so, I bet you can think of a kajillion ways to use up some caramel sauce (over ice-cream, fruit, baked potatoes, just kidding).

Let’s get started, shall we?

Martha’s Ingredients
Makes 2 cups

1 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into large cubes
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. heavy cream

Scrumpdilly’s Veganized Caramel Sauce
(adapted from Everyday Food, October 2009)

1 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. vegan butter, cut into large cubes
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. soy creamer

In medium saucepan over medium-high, heat sugar until melted and brown at edges, about 3 minutes. With a heat-resistant spatula, pull melted sugar toward center until all sugar is melted and caramel is deep amber in color, roughly 3 minutes more. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in vegan butter and vanilla taking care that mixture is extremely hot and will bubble. Whisk in soy creamer. Transfer to a heatproof container and let cool. Once completely cool, whisk again, then transfer to an airtight container, stir, and cover to store. Refrigerate.

Or, Visiting Friends – What We’re Drinking.

Blushing White Russian

Vegan Blushing White Russian
adapted from The Intoxicologist; prepared by Kristine

1/2 part Kahlua
3/4 parts Heering Cherry Liqueur
1 1/2 parts vodka
Sweetened vanilla soy milk to taste

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Shake to blend. Strain into a large rocks glass over fresh ice.

Cocoa-Banana Shake with Almonds (Thanks Chicago Diner!)

I’m visiting friends this weekend. We’re eating quite well, thank you!

Late Lunch @ The Chicago Diner
Seitan Reuben
Mashed potatoes with gravy, plus a side of gravy to add
Shared side of Mac & Cheeze
Cocoa-Banana with Almonds Shake eaten with a spoon
Waitperson Aaron got a 30% tip, because he was AWESOME!

Dark and gloomy. Naps for everyone.

Spanish-esque Late Night Dinner @ Friends’ house
Baked Tofu with Braised Peppers and Onions
Dill Rice
Red wine
Laughs and Good Conversation

Baked Tofu with Braised Peppers and Onions and Dill Rice (Thanks Kris!)

Leek, Fakin, and Pea Risotto

This week was supposed to be Veganizing Martha’s Muffin – Side Dish/Salad week. But you know what, I decided to keep going with entrees. I had plans and I wasn’t finished with them. Now, I’m off to visit friends, so the rest of my posts this week will be about what I eat during my visit. No side dishes. No salads. No regrets.

My final Martha entree to veganize turned out meh. Yep, just meh, despite what seemed to have so much potential from the title. I have ideas to improve the recipe, but I haven’t tried them out yet, and I doubt I will. Let me know if you do and how it turns out.

Fail #1: The fakin lost all its flavor when put to cook with the risotto. With the light flavor of leeks and the fakin return to regular tofu taste, this risotto wasn’t as flavorful as it should’ve been.
Remedy Idea: Add fakin at the very end. Almost as a crumbly topping when serving. I think that’ll help maintain its fakin-y flavor.

Fail #2: 12 cups of broth! Seriously? Can you tell I am now storing way too much unused broth in my fridge?
Remedy Idea: Start with 6 cups vegetable broth and use more if you need it.

Let’s cycle!

Martha’s Ingredients
Serves 8

2 leeks, white and light green parts only
12 c. low-sodium chicken broth
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into strips
2 1/2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine
3/4 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
coarse salt and ground pepper

Scrumpdilly’s Veganized Leek, Fakin, and Pea Risotto
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s, Everyday Food, October 2009

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only
6 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
2 1/2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine
3/4 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 batch fakin’ (already made up into bits) or 4 slices pre-packaged fakin cooked and crumbled

Halve leeks lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and thinly slice. In a saucepan bring broth to a simmer over medium. Meanwhile in a large pot, heat olive oil on medium. Add leeks and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 1 minute.

Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until broth is absorbed. Repeat process gradually adding broth until rice is al dente and risotto is creamy. Stir in peas after the final addition of broth.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in nutritional yeast. Cover and let stand 2 minutes. Season risotto with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve covered in fakin bits.

Fakin' It (or Bits)

Martha wanted me to use bacon for my next entree recipe, but I says to Martha, I says, “No way, Marth, we’re fakin’ it!” I’ve always wanted to cook fakin, but I never had a reason to, as I’m not a huge fan of smoked anything. Especially on its own, as in having a slice with breakfast. But I’ll be, if this stuff doesn’t taste just like the real deal. Crazy how that can happen!

I used Irreverent Vegan’s recipe and suggestion for slicing that ‘fu real thin. Problem was my tofu was crumbly, so I ended up with Fakin Bits. But they’ll work just fine in tomorrow’s recipe. Want to make some fakin of your own? Follow these extremely simple directions and fry it up in a pan.

Fakin (thanks to Irreverent Vegan)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 lb. tofu, sliced thinly using vegetable peeler
1/2 Tbsp. peanut oil

In a 6×9 inch container, add soy, liquid smoke, and nutritional yeast. Swish around to combine. Add tofu slices and swish more to coat slices. Allow to marinade for at least 10 minutes.

Heat peanut oil in skillet on the low medium setting. Add tofu slices and pan fry on each side until evenly brown and crispy.