Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [173]
1¾ cups fresh brewed coffee
⅔ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup canola oil
⅓ cup applesauce
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
PREHEAT THE oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8- or 10-inch Bundt pan.
Bring the coffee to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it is simmering, turn down the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until it has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to bring to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, canola oil, applesauce, and cornstarch until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved, about 2 minutes. Mix in the extracts. Once the chocolate has cooled a bit, mix that in as well.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until relatively smooth, about 1 minute with a hand mixer or 2 minutes with a whisk.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick or butter knife inserted through its center comes out clean. If your pan is on the smaller side, it could take up to 55 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to cool completely. Once cool, sift confectioners’ sugar over the top and enjoy.
SMLOVE PIE
SERVES 8
TIME: 1 HOUR PLUS 3 HOURS FOR CHILLING
This pie was inspired by the question “What would Paula Deen bake if she were vegan?” It’s a rich yet airy chocolate pie, smothered in peanut butter caramel, studded with maple candied pecans, and finished off with a chocolate drizzle for good measure. We use a graham cracker crust but a chocolate cookie crust would be nice and decadent, too. The pie filling is gluten free, so if you have a recipe for a gluten-free crust, you celiacs are good to go. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of making the toppings, the pie by itself is pretty yummy, too! Top it with soy whipped cream if you’ve got it.
Graham cracker crust: 12 graham crackers, or 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon soy milk
Chocolate pie filling: 1 pound silken tofu (not the vacuum-packed kind), drained
¼ cup hazelnut liqueur (other liqueurs would work, too, such as coffee or chocolate, or just use rice or soy milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
12 ounces bittersweet vegan chocolate, melted (see tip on page 243 for melting chocolate)
Maple candied pecans: 1 cup pecans
2 teaspoons canola oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Peanut butter caramel: ⅓ cup natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky, at room temperature
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
Chocolate drizzle: 4 ounces bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
¼ cup soy or rice milk
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
Prepare the crust:
Process the grahams into fine crumbs. Place them in a bowl and drizzle the oil on them. Use your fingertips or a fork to mix in the oil until all crumbs are moistened; sprinkle in the soy milk and mix again. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate and firmly press them to the bottom and sides of the plate. Set aside.
Prepare the filling:
First, melt your chocolate. Crumble the tofu into a blender or food processor. Add the liqueur, vanilla, and arrowroot to the tofu and blend until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides to make sure you get everything. Add the melted chocolate and blend again until completely mixed. Pour the filling