Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe for Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies is from Vive le Vegan!, p.131

Any vegans missing that classic home-made chocolate chip cookie indulgence? Well, now you can indulge without need for the dairy, eggs, white sugar, or even refined flour if you choose. One other bonus - these are super-easy to make!

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (see note below for wheat-free version)
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 cup unrefined sugar
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄4 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 - 1 1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup organic canola oil (a little generous 1/4 cup)
1⁄3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). In a bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with the molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the chocolate chips, and stir through until just well combined (do not overmix). Place large spoonfuls of the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten a little. Bake for 11 minutes, until just golden (if you bake for much longer, they will dry out). Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 8-10 large cookies.

Note: Unbleached all-purpose flour produces a cookie with a very classic taste and texture, but you can use whole-wheat pastry flour and still have delicious cookies! For a wheat-free version, use barley or spelt flour. With spelt flour, you may need to add an extra 2-4 TB of flour, if it is a refined spelt flour. Also, if using all-purpose flour, if the batter is heavy and dense when mixing in the wet ingredients, add another 1-2 tsp each of maple syrup and canol oil and work through.

Idea: Make a really special dessert treat... ice cream cookie sandwiches! Using two cookies that have been completely cooled in the refrigerator, spread some softened soy ice cream on the underside of one cookie, then place the other cookie on top. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm!

Recipe for Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies is from Vive le Vegan!, p.131

Moist and Tender Chocolate Cake

Moist and Tender Chocolate Cake

Combine the following in a medium bowl:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the following in a large mixer bowl:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs
1 cup water
Chocolate Lover's Frosting (recipe follows)

* Preheat oven to 350°F.
* Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
* Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
* Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
* Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
* Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with water.
* Spread into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan(s) for 15 minutes.
Invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
Frost with Chocolate Lover's Frosting.

Chocolate Lover's Frosting (this makes a wonderfully creamy (but not too sweet) frosting)

3 cups sifted powdered, sugar, divided (divide into 1 cup & 2 cups)
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
5 to 6 tablespoons milk, divided (divide into 2 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa butter, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and milk until smooth or desired consistency.

You could even make this without the frosting and use the single rounds to serve with confectioner's sugar sprinkled on top.


Tip: If you have a recipe that calls for 1 square (1 ounce) of unsweetened baking chocolate...you can use 3 level tablespoons of baking cocoa + 1 tablespoon of oil (or shortening) to equal that 1 square of unsweetened baking chocolate.

"Buttermilk" Biscuits

(Makes 16 biscuits)
These biscuits are best eaten straight from the oven. They will keep, tightly wrapped, about a day.
2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Sucanat or other granulated sweetener
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rice milk or soy milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine rice or soy milk and lemon juice.
Using two forks or a pastry cutter, add oil to dry mixture and mix until well combined. Slowly add rice milk mixture until dough just clings together. Do not overmix.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 strokes. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into biscuits. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 450-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
Total calories per biscuit: 105
Fat: 3 grams

Cinabon-ish

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 eggs, room temperature
* 1/3 cup margarine, melted
* 4 1/2 cups bread flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
*
* 1 cup brown sugar, packed
* 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
*
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Side notes:
You DON'T NEED A BREAD MACHINE to make them. Just use an 8 gram pack of dry active yeast instead of the bread machine yeast and knead the dough with your hands and a rolling pin. Then heat the oven to 200 degrees and then TURN IT OFF.
COVER the dough with a moist paper towel over the bowl, and put in the oven for around 1 hour (the dough will almost double in size) then roll out and fill. Use dental floss to cut buns into 12 pieces (1 and 3/4 inch thick).
You can double the amount of icing!!
When you bake them, line your pan with wax paper that has been greased with butter or margarine, and remove them immediately after baking, or they will stick. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and they will turn out perfect.