The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking - Donna Diegel [63]
6. Transfer logs to a cutting board, and with a serrated knife, cut logs into diagonal ¾-inch-thick slices. Place slices cut side down on the baking sheet, and return them to a 350°F oven.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until biscotti are golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool biscotti completely on wire racks before storing in an airtight container or in zipper-lock bags.
VEGAN VOCAB
To pulse in a food processor means to start and stop the motor multiple times, pausing for 1 or 2 seconds between processing. Most processors have a pulse button, so you don’t have to push it on and off. Pulsing in this recipe is better than leaving the machine running because it doesn’t overwork or overprocess the dough.
Chapter 12
Best-Ever Brownies and Bars
In This Chapter
• Chocolate fudgy brownies
• Unbelievable blondies
• Fantastic fruit bars
• Sweet nut and rice treats
A cookbook just isn’t a cookbook without brownies and lemon bars! This chapter is full of chocolaty and fudgy brownies, cakey brownies, brownies topped with cream cheese, black bean brownies, and for the chocolate challenged—brownies made with carob, and blond brownies without chocolate. Some recipes are easy-peasy, and some are a little more involved, but all are definitely worth trying. However, not everyone likes chocolate, so ….
The next stop is the bar—the fruit bar, that is. Some of these snacks are made with a bottom crust, fruit filling, and a topping. The Luscious Lemon Bars are tangy and sweet, the Raspberry Shortbread Bars sit on a tender shortbread crust and are topped with coconut streusel, while the Date Nut Squares have a homemade date filling you’ll be surprised is so delicious and easy to prepare. Finally, we come to the Crispy Rice Treats, because no matter how old you are, everyone should have these childhood delights in their recipe collection.
For vegans and nonvegans alike, the recipes in this chapter will have you scrambling to the kitchen to get your apron on!
Carob Peanut Butter Brownies
Can’t have chocolate? These rich carob brownies with a good dose of peanut butter will make any brownie lover forget chocolate.
Yield:
1 (8×8-inch) pan
Prep time:
20 to 30 minutes
Bake time:
38 to 42 minutes
Serving size:
1 brownie
¼ cup soft silken tofu
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 TB. ground flaxseed
6 TB. water
1⅓ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
½ tsp. aluminum-free baking
powder
⅓ cup carob powder
1 TB. cornstarch
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
½ cup creamy or chunky peanut
butter
1½ cups brown rice, agave, or pure
maple syrup
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonhydrogenated shortening, tapping out any excess flour.
2. In a blender, add soft silken tofu, vanilla extract, ground flaxseed, and water, and blend on high speed for 1 minute or until mixture is smooth and thick.
3. Into a large bowl, sift whole-wheat pastry flour, aluminum-free baking powder, carob powder, and cornstarch, or blend with a whisk.
4. In a separate large bowl, and using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine canola oil, peanut butter, and brown rice syrup. Reduce speed to low, add ½ of dry ingredients, alternating with tofu mixture, and mix well, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Add remaining dry ingredients, and mix only until batter is incorporated. Do not overmix.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 38 to 42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. Store the pan of brownies at room temperature covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 2 days. These brownies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
BAKER’S BONUS
The standard 8×8-inch and 9×9-inch square baking pans are used for most