DB Vegan Seed Crackers

My first Daring Bakers challenge! And can you believe it? I didn't have to make any substitutions thanks to this month's vegan recipe! For my toppings (from left to right) I used poppy seeds, sesame seeds, celery seeds, fennel seeds, lemon pepper, and a rosemary herb blend.

My sister's least favorite was the celery seed cracker, as it tasted like celery and was a bit bitter. My least favorite was the lemon pepper, which I felt was overpowering. As for favorites, my sister casts her vote for the poppy seed cracker. Although that one was delicious, I personally loved the rosemary herb blend, as it paired nicely with the sweetness provided by the agave nectar.

I also lack a rolling pin, so I rolled these out with a wine bottle. As a result, they were a bit thicker than was intended and took longer to cook. However, I preferred my chewy little crackers - excellent for dipping in Black Soy Bean Hummus (coming soon!).


Vegan Lavash Crackers
Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
• 1/2 tsp (.13 oz) salt
• 1/2 tsp (.055 oz) instant yeast
• 1 Tb (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar
• 1 Tb (.5 oz) vegetable oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
• Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.
2. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-Bread-Dough-Has-Been-Mixed-Long-Enough for a discription of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).
4. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).
7. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

Vegan Mango Curd

Curd. Vegan. Lowfat. Seriously.

This is part one of my future mango coconut cake. Doesn't it look scrrrrumptious?

Instead of using one recipe this time, I fused two different curd recipes: vegan grapefruit curd from Vegan Visitor and mango curd from smitten kitchen. The mango curd would have been perfectly fine, of course, but I found the egg yolks and butter unnecessary. I want to be able to enjoy the cake, instead of reaching my richness quota after a couple of bites.

Oh, and I am posting a doubled recipe, as I needed enough curd for at least two layers in the cake.


Vegan Mango Curd

INGREDIENTS

• 2 15oz. mangoes, peeled and pitted, cut in 1/2 inch cubes (or whatever)
• 1 cup sugar (I think you could get away with less, though)
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup soy milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Puree mangoes and sugar in a food processor until uniformly smooth.
2. Strain through a sieve into a saucepan. Discard solids.
3. Whisk lime juice, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.
4. Heat mango puree over medium heat until bubbly, whisking constantly.
5. Whisk in lime mixture. Continue whisking until thickened. (It does not take long.)
6. Take curd off heat and whisk in soy milk.
7. Cool and store in the fridge overnight.
8. Make coconut cake. Eat an absurd amount... almost guilt-free. (disclaimer: not really.)

Look at that Rolex spoon. Word.

Disclaimer 2: The Wire Season 5 arrived today. I've already watched four episodes. Prepare for some serious urban vernacular. Please refer to your urban dictionary.

Vegan Spinach Pesto

Most pestos, as a result of the generous olive oil drizzle administered while blending, are high in fat. Although olive oil is a source of healthy fats, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So how do you reduce the oil without sacrificing the smooth texture? Simple. Add lemon.

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Lemon juice not only adds the moisture needed for a smooth pesto, but it adds a vibrancy that can sometimes be lost in the earthy, warm flavor of basil. Not only that, but lemon juice helps to preserve the verdant green of this pesto, preventing unsavory discoloration.

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Anyway, this is a variation on the wonderful cheese-less recipe created by Vegan Visitor. Her blog is absolutely wonderful and, as many people including Oprah now acknowledge, veganism is an excellent way to live healthier and greener (no pun intended). Even if you just give up animal products for just one meal, the benefits can be significant.

On a separate note, I just watched Gone Baby Gone. It is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it! I think Ben Affleck finally found his calling as a director (sorry if you are a big fan of his acting work, but I am not as impressed) and his brother, Casey, is an exceptional leading man. If you love crime mysteries with twists and turns out the wazoo, this movie is for you.

But enough of my shameless pandering. Here is the altered recipe and a link to VV for the original...


Vegan Spinach Pesto
Adapted from Vegan Visitor


INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
• about 1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley
• 5 large basil leaves
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• juice of half a lemon
• 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Pile everything but the oil into a food processor and combine well.
2. Using a spatula, scrape the sides, then reattach the lid.
3. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil through the feed tube 1/2 tablespoon at a time until everything is smooth but not oily.
4. Yields about 1 cup.

Tomorrow: Homestyle bran bread with pepitas