Apple Cup Pies

Pies to me are like the beauty queens of dessert, but at the same time supremely elegant. Pies intimidate me. Cupcakes don't. So when I saw these amazing little "cup pies" I thought, "Maybe I can do this." I declare my first venture into pie-making a success! Maybe not quite a visual one, but I can work on it. 

My father is truly a master pie baker and apple is his favorite, so these little cuties were his Father's Day present, and they were very well received. My sister was surprising wild for them (she usually hates pie) and since the recipe does leave some extra dough, I made more for her birthday breakfast, the very next day. As you can see, the first time they were rimless, the next with. I think I prefer the first look, but either way, adorable as hell! Tasty, too.

Oh, also, I'm leaving to spend 2 weeks in London, Berlin and Munich. I doubt I'll be cooking anything, but if I'm able to steal any internet, I'll be sure to post about my adventures! If not, see you in two weeks.

My wittle sister is 15! And taller than me... Grr...

Apple Cup Pies

Adapted from eggsonsunday.wordpress.com

Makes 6

Ingredients: 

Crust

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegan margarine, cubed and chilled

6 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons soy milk

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Filling 

2 large, tart apples

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

generous pinch of nutmeg 

Directions:

Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the chilled margarine into the flour mixture with a fork until it clumps together into a corse meal. Add the water and continue cutting with the fork until the dough holds together slightly, and add extra water if necessary. 

Split the dough into two equal parts. On a floured surface, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour (I left them in overnight, which was perfectly fine).

Dice the apples and then toss with the sugar, cinnamon, flour and nutmeg. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. 

Take one of the disks of dough and roll it out to about a 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3 1/2" biscuit cutter (for no edges) or a 4" one (for edges), cut out 6 circles. Repeat this with the second disk of dough. 

Grease 6 alternating cups in a cupcake pan (as in, so that none of the pies will be directly adjacent to one another). Press 6 of the rounds of dough into each greased cup, so that the bottoms and sides are completely covered and some of the dough overlaps over the sides, making sure there aren't any air bubbles under the dough. 

Divide the apples evenly into each pie crust. Take the remaining 6 dough rounds and cover each pie with a round. Press the edges of the bottom and the top together very well, to make a cohesive crust. If you choose to make an edge, design it how you choose (I used a fork to crimp it or whatever you call that). 

Cut 4 or 5 slits on the top of each pie. Brush the tops lightly with soymilk and then sprinkle with sugar, if desired. 

Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 15, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. 

Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes (or until cool enough for you to handle) and then take them out of the pan to fully cool on a cooling rack. 

Indian Feast

I've been posting sweet baked good after sweet baked good, so here's my first savory recipe(s)!

Spicy! These are just a few of the spices used in the amazing chana masala recipe from The Asian Vegan Kitchen. I've read a few reviews of the cookbook that didn't think it was worth it, because most of the recipes in the book are naturally vegan anyway. Honestly, that's ridiculous; tons of foods are naturally vegan, and this cookbook brings together some of the most delicious and traditional recipes from across Asia. It's one of my favorite, actually. 

Chana masala, chickpea curry, is one of my favorite Indian foods. Hema Parekh's version has a great spicing and it really benefits from a couple of days in the fridge, to develop the flavor. I also made the brown rice from her cookbook, I would really suggest it as the rice accompaniment of choice. 

I obviously can't post those two recipes, so buy the book! If you're a pan-Asian food lover, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I can post the third thing I made, rajma, red bean curry. The flavor of the red beans really shines through, which I loved. Be forewarned, my family can't deal with spice, so this isn't a very spicy curry. Change it up!

Red Bean Curry (Rajma)

Adapted from vegweb.com

Ingredients:

3 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2-inch square ginger, pealed and chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

fresh coriander

Directions:

Heat oil in a sauce pan on medium heat. Add onions and saute until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. 

Add garlic and ginger, and saute with onions until fragrant. Add the turmeric and garam masala, and continue sauteing the vegetables until they are coated with the spices and the mixture is fragrant. 

Turn the heat to low and add the tomatoes, followed by the beans. Mix well and simmer the curry, uncovered, mixing periodically, until most of the liquid has been dried up, leaving a thick curry.

For dessert: rice pudding, Indian style! It's a really unique version, with raisins, almonds and cardamom. I think a hint of cardamom really classes things up, but I would actually suggest one less pod than the recipe tells you to add. 

Indian Rice Pudding (Kheer)

 Adapted from vegweb.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup jasmine or basmati rice

4 cups almond milk

3 cardamom pods, crushed

2 tablespoons almonds, slivered

3 tablespoons raisins

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon pistachio nuts or almonds, chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Rinse the rice well. Put the rice, almond milk and cardamom into a sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until it comes to a boil. 

Once it comes to a rolling boil, turn the heat to low and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed (but not all of it, kheer is supposed to be more liquid-y than other rice puddings), and the rice easily falls apart. 

Add the raisins and slivered almonds, and simmer for 4 more minutes. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved and remove the pan from the heat. 

To serve, put equal portions of the pudding into individual bowls. If using, sprinkle the tops with almonds or pistachios and cinnamon. 

Orange Muffins

I've been pretty busy the past few days! One of my best friends and I had a great celebratory night out, my sister got an MRI and a brain scan, and I began an internship. Most importantly, my sister is completely healthy (turns out that sometimes a headache is just a headache). I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to intern in a political office this summer, so exciting! Definitely a good past few days.

Also good are orange muffins. Whenever we visit my grandparents down in Florida during the winter, my grandma always buys mini muffins. IGA must employ some masterful mini muffin bakers, with such muffin skills that I can only dream of (well, they may have been a little more like cupcakes...). My favorite was always orange. The day after returning from our winter break in Florida, I whipped up a batch of these orange muffins; they aren't IGA by a long shot, but they're pretty damn good. My search for the perfect orange muffin continues!

Orange Muffins

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes 12

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup orange juice

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

3 tablespoons water

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan or line it with cupcake wrappers. 

Whisk together the flaxseed and water with a fork until it becomes slightly gelatinous. Then whisk together the orange juice, canola oil and flaxseed mixture until well blended.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, zest and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. 

Fill the cupcake wrappers 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Mucho Margarita Cupcakes

Hope you all had a great 4th of July! We had a very non-vegan cookout of hamburgers, hotdogs, steak, sweet potatoes, corn, and a little salad (aka. iceberg lettuce). At least the weather was finally nice, got to see some great fireworks. My grandma can't eat raspberries, so I made another raspberry buttermilk cake, but with half with sliced peaches. It was great, definitely try it!

I didn't make these festive little cupcakes for 4th of July. My sister actually requested them for her 15th birthday party. They were a hit! They hardly rise, so I was a little freaked out a first, but that's exactly how they should be, so the frosting doesn't leak off. The colored sugar makes them super cute. I had bought some key limes on whim, and little slice on the sides of the cupcakes really brought it home, in my opinion.

I found the recipe online, but buy Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. Just do it.

Mucho Margarita Cupcakes

From Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World (or thewanderingfork.blogspot.com)

Makes 12 (I doubled the recipes and got 30)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest

1 cup soymilk

1/4 canola oil

2 tablespoons tequila

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing

1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened

1 tablespoon soymilk

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon tequila

half a drop of green food coloring (optional)

2 cups powdered sugar

large pinch of Kosher or coarse sea salt

colored sugar

slices of key limes

Directions:

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers. 

Beat together the lime juice, soymilk, tequila, canola oil, vanilla extract, and sugar. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the tequila mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth. 

Fill the cupcake wrappers 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before icing them.

Icing

Fluff the margarine with a fork, and then add the lime juice, tequila, soymilk, and food coloring. 

Mix in 1/2 a cup of powdered sugar at a time with an electric handheld mixer on low speed. Continue blending until all the powdered sugar has been used and the frosting is smooth. If the consistency is too liquid, mix in up to a 1/4 a cup of extra powdered sugar (it's supposed to be liquid-y, it does firm up in the fridge). Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Ice cupcakes slowly and place them each in the fridge directly after frosting. Allow all cupcakes to chill for at least an hour before decorating the edges with sugar and key limes.

Key limes!

Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Pretty much everyone loves cinnamon buns (except for my one friend, who shall not be mentioned here...). Before becoming vegan two years ago, I had never baked cinnamon buns homemade, unless you count the Pillsbury ones from a tube. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls from Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk (which I will definitely be posting about later) opened my eyes to the deliciousness of fresh, cinnamon-y pastry in the morning, so it's been my go-to recipe since, with much approval. 

But! My grandpa is Swedish and sometimes you just don't have a can of pumpkin. However, I did have Swedish pearl sugar that we picked up in Sweden a couple of years ago. These are everything you could ever ask of a cinnamon bun: easy, pretty and super tasty. The Swede approved. 

Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

From dieflaschenpost.blogspot.com

Makes 12 

Ingredients:

Dough

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2/3 cup soymilk

2 tablespoons soy yogurt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened

Filling (I would suggest doubling it, I think it would be way too dry otherwise.)

2 tablespoons vegan margarine, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

soymilk 

Swedish pearl sugar

Directions:

Warm the soymilk (about 30 seconds in the microwave) and gently whisk in the yeast until dissolved. Add all the remaining dough ingredients and knead together for 10 minutes, until a smooth ball of dough has formed. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Mix the filling ingredients together. After the dough has risen, roll it out into a 10 x 12 rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and, beginning with the long side, roll the dough up. Slice this into 12 even pieces.

Place 12 white cupcake wrappers on a baking sheet. Places one slice of cinnamon roll in each wrapper. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

After the rolls have risen completely, brush with soymilk and sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar (along with the cardamom in the dough and being baked in white cupcake wrappers, the pearl sugar is very important for the authenticity of the buns, and it adds a nice texture). Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown with bubbling tops.

And Happy 4th of July!

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

I've seen this cake a number of times, on different blogs, and since it was easy to "vegan-ize" and I had all the ingredients, I tried it out. This is now one of my family's all-time favorite desserts -- my vegan-wary sister ate half the cake herself. Plus, it looks really nice with little effort (this picture does it injustice). It's so good, it's my first food post! 

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake 

Adapted from amandalaird.wordpress.com

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened 

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup soymilk

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

egg replacer for 1 egg (Alternatively, you can use ground flaxseeds, but I think this looks nice without the flecks)

1 container raspberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and butter a 9-inch circular cake pan.

Mix the vinegar into the soymilk and let rest, to get curdled. 

Mix egg replacer together (or whisk together flaxseed and water). Cream the butter and sugar together (I just used the back of a spoon). Add the vanilla and egg replacer and mix well.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with half the soymilk, and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the cake pan. Scatter raspberries evenly on top. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least 30 minutes. 

A Brave New Post

A new vegan food blog! I know there are a lot of them out there, but I really love to cook and bake, so I figured blogging would give more legitimacy to my overstuffed fridge. I'm new to blogging (about anything), but I promise I have a huge backlog, and then some, to post. Thanks for reading!