Contrary to popular perception, being a vegan does not limit my food choices, but opens up a whole new culinary experience & taste. Having to bake without eggs or butter requires one to be creative & slightly innovative!
I'm always into new food adventures! Sometime ago, I picked up a book published by the Vegan Society of Australia which inspired me to create my 'eggless' fudgy brownies. The book gave suggestions on how to substitute eggs with other ingredients - guess what they are! -- banana, icing sugar, cashew nuts, protein powder, etc.
So, I ventured to create my own version of the brownies shown in the book. Actually, I forgot to bring the book home -- so, 'necessity' being the mother of invention, I devised my own recipe based on logic, feel, look, taste & smell (will explain as I go along).
LOGIC - I started by blending a few minutes (pulsing - ie. push the on button only for a few seconds, off it, & repeat until you get the consistency you want):
100 gm dates (remember to check for seeds/pitts or you are going to break your blade!)
1 small (11cm) banana (peeled, of course!)
30 gm raw cashew nuts
3 tablespoons protein powder (whey & soya based)
50 gm icing sugar (its a mix of refined sugar & corn flour)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (Van Houten, is dark & good) dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water
LOOK - It should come out slightly thick & gooey. Its okay if the cashews or dates are a bit coarse.
Heat up your oven to 180 degrees.
Pour mixture into a large bowl. Sift parts of 100 gm of self-raising flour and slowly fold in the mixture. Alternate with tablespoons of olive oil (total 5 tablespoons) and mix well.
FEEL - If the mixture feels heavy, slowly add a little boiled water & lightly stir. Do not over mix or your brownie will be too dense. It should be shiny & smooth & not too thick.
Line a long 8"x5" cake tin with baking paper slightly oiled. Spoon mixture into the tin. Lightly tap the pan on the table to remove large bubbles in the mixture. Top with pieces of dates & cashew halves.
SMELL - Bake for 20-30 mins. @20 mins or when the cashews look slightly browned, open the oven door & stick a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, stop the oven. If not, continue for another5 mins. You should also have a fragrant smell when it's cooked. Too strong a smell means the cocoa is burnt.
When cooked, remove and let it sit for 10 mins. Then remove to a wired rack until its cooled.
I'm always into new food adventures! Sometime ago, I picked up a book published by the Vegan Society of Australia which inspired me to create my 'eggless' fudgy brownies. The book gave suggestions on how to substitute eggs with other ingredients - guess what they are! -- banana, icing sugar, cashew nuts, protein powder, etc.
So, I ventured to create my own version of the brownies shown in the book. Actually, I forgot to bring the book home -- so, 'necessity' being the mother of invention, I devised my own recipe based on logic, feel, look, taste & smell (will explain as I go along).
LOGIC - I started by blending a few minutes (pulsing - ie. push the on button only for a few seconds, off it, & repeat until you get the consistency you want):
100 gm dates (remember to check for seeds/pitts or you are going to break your blade!)
1 small (11cm) banana (peeled, of course!)
30 gm raw cashew nuts
3 tablespoons protein powder (whey & soya based)
50 gm icing sugar (its a mix of refined sugar & corn flour)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (Van Houten, is dark & good) dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water
LOOK - It should come out slightly thick & gooey. Its okay if the cashews or dates are a bit coarse.
Heat up your oven to 180 degrees.
Pour mixture into a large bowl. Sift parts of 100 gm of self-raising flour and slowly fold in the mixture. Alternate with tablespoons of olive oil (total 5 tablespoons) and mix well.
FEEL - If the mixture feels heavy, slowly add a little boiled water & lightly stir. Do not over mix or your brownie will be too dense. It should be shiny & smooth & not too thick.
Line a long 8"x5" cake tin with baking paper slightly oiled. Spoon mixture into the tin. Lightly tap the pan on the table to remove large bubbles in the mixture. Top with pieces of dates & cashew halves.
SMELL - Bake for 20-30 mins. @20 mins or when the cashews look slightly browned, open the oven door & stick a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, stop the oven. If not, continue for another5 mins. You should also have a fragrant smell when it's cooked. Too strong a smell means the cocoa is burnt.
When cooked, remove and let it sit for 10 mins. Then remove to a wired rack until its cooled.
No comments:
Post a Comment