Cracking the Coconut, among other things

Ever since Cupcake Hero died out, I've been on the hunt for any blog baking-related challenges. Finally I think I've found one! Vegan Mofo's Iron Chef Challenge.

There's just one problem.

I only got three days to do it!!!!!

Day 1: Ponder what to make
Day 2 Ponder some more, decide on what to make, then halfway through change your mind.
Day 3: Wait for your masterpiece to be at its peak of flavor and photo perfection and your mind at its best writing potential, then realize that the deadline is not 11 pm like most other Vegan Mofo deadlines, but 3 pm. What?

Well, might as well post it anyway. Because it's quite delicious, if I do say so myself. An quite unusual too. Part chocolate, part fruity, part creamy coconut and gelatinous panna cotta (side note; can someone please figure out a way to make agar agar more gelatinous and less grainy?), and with a slight hint of:

Curry!

Yes, I said curry. Now don't freak out! It's just a dusting. You put ginger on your mango, right? Well curry has that same kind of spicy kick, and we already know how friendly it is with coconut. So, here you have it: One great desert!

Curry Coconut Bombe

Beanie Brownie

85 g. bean puree
71 g. coconut oil
179 g. sugar
76 g, lite coconut milk
8 g. corn starch
1 tsp. instant espresso
1 tsp. vanilla
95 g. all purpose flour
32 g. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and grease lightly.
Puree beans in a food processor until smooth.
Add coconut oil and sugar and blend until smooth.
Blend in coconut milk, cornstarch, espresso and vanilla.
Gently blend in flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, just until combined (finish last bit of mixing by hand).
Spread evenly in prepared pan.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or just until set.
Cool completely.
Cut a 6" round of the brownie with a round cutter or the top edge of a 6" round pan. This will eventually be the bottom of your dessert.


Caramelized Mango

1 tbsp. oil
1 mango, peeled, removed from pit, and cut into 1/2" wide strips
about 2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fresh ginger

Heat a fry pan with the oil over medium high heat.
Add mango strips; they should sizzle as they hit the pan. Quickly add remaining ingredients and toss to coat.
Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until caramelized.
Remove from heat and let cool completely.


Coconut Panna Cotta

1/4 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tbsp. agar agar powder
100 g. sugar
1 1/4 cup coconut water
3 tbsp. corn starch

Line a tall 6" round pan with plastic wrap, leaving excess at the top so you can pick it up easily.
Arrange 5 of the best looking mango slices in a star-like pattern on the bottom of the lined pan.
Toast coconut in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Once toasted, add coconut milk and curry powder. Turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain the coconut out of the milk, reserving for later.
Add agar powder to the infused coconut milk, whisking as you add it. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat slightly, then simmer for another 5-10 minutes, or until agar is completely dissolved.
Add sugar and cook until dissolved.
Dissolve corn starch in the coconut water. Slowly add to boiling agar mixture, whisking constantly.
Bring mixture back to a boil.
Remove from heat and pour into prepared pan.
Working quickly, place the cut round of brownie on top of the custard. Cover and chill overnight, or until set.
When ready to serve, invert dessert onto a plate. Remove plastic wrap and garnish with reserved coconut.

Late Blooms

Ok, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you've given up on me- the spontaneous blogger who has way to many ideas choose form and can never choose one to write about. Okay, so that's all true- but I'm also a student with a busy life. But know one thing readers, you are on my mind.

So, amidst all the piles of homework, recipes awaiting conversion to be made for a soup-kitchen crowd, and endless ideas that are limited by my financial and experiential status- I am pausing my life for a few moments to share some culinary inspiration with you.

Since I've come back to Providence (very very, very sadly and begrudgingly), I've missed the variety of ways that Portland has to satisfy a vegan's palate. So, for better or worse, I've had to turn to my own culinary devices and creativity. Meanwhile, my sweet-mates are wondering what all the clatter is and why I can possibly be baking something new nearly every day. Oh and they are probably also wondering how I got peaches from a farmer's market in October. Yes, I said peaches. Sweet, juicy, overripe peaches. Blame my mother for that one. Alas, despite my sincere efforts to buy locally- the peaches for my latest creation did not come form a Providence farmer's market, but from Stew Leonards. Though I guess that's better than getting them frozen or even form Stop & Shop.

So, what did I do with a hankering for dessert, a basketful of bruised peaches, and a brain chock full of ideas? I made pie. Not cupcakes, not cookies, but pie. Well, ok, a tart, but close enough (and maybe next time I'll make a pie crust anyway- I think that might have a better texture). And, ok, I did make mini versions, in the form of cookies, afterwards. But the idea itself, purely pie.

For some reason, I have been craving a vegan lemon meringue pie lately. But I had several problems:
1) I don't have enough lemons to make an extra lemony lemon filling for said pie
2) I haven't been able to successfully make a vegan lemon curd that is rich enough to taste like the real thing
3) I wanted something unique
4) I had 5 peaches that got a little too bumped around and needed to be used fast
5) Ever since I'd had a taste of one great peach pie made by a certain sweet-mate (not vegan by the way)- I've been craving it (and yes, I did consider that the few pies I've made in my life are pretty much limited to Pie & Tarts lab freshman year).

Oh, and I did have one more nagging reason.... I wanted to satisfy another spot in the "State Cookie Lineup" that I could post on my new and growing Etsy page (please check it out!!!!!) - I'm trying to post the most unique, fresh, flavorful products first. Ok, so I guess there were ulterior motives....

Anyway, I set about constructing this pie. I knew I wanted something a bit risky... hence the vegan meringue topping instead of a second pie crust (I've had ups and down getting good quality vegan meringue- this time I succeeded!) I also knew I wanted to keep the filling simple- peaches, brown sugar, some sort of starch... maybe a flavoring or two, and that's it.

The last piece of the puzzle was the crust. I wasn't quite in the mood for waiting for pie dough to chill (because then I'd have to wait all the way until tomorrow to roll it out- who wants that?)... and the sugar addict that I am didn't want to savory quality of a traditional pie crust. And then there's my conscience, which wanted some sort of excuse to think this dessert was healthy.

So, I opted for a simple, press-in pie/tart crust, with a blend of almond flour, whole wheat flour, and a hint of sugar for just the right flavor balance.

Put all the components together, add some heat, a bit of broiling to give the camp-fire, "toasted marshmallow" appeal, and you have one great dessert everyone, vegan or not will be raving about. Just be sure not to forget you pie is under the broiler!

Vegan Peach Meringue Pie (and Alabama Cookies)

Yield: 1 9” tart or pie (for pie, make twice as much peach filling)

Crust

(Based off “Samoa Tart” recipe from Vegan Desserts: Scrumptious Sweets for Every Season by Hannah Kaminsky)

140 g. whole-wheat flour

40 g. almond meal

10 g, granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

50 g. (¼ cup) canola oil

57 g. (¼ cup) non-dairy milk (preferably almond milk)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9” tart shell with removable bottom of a heavily grease a 9” pie plate.

2.  Sift dry ingredients.

3.  Add wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Knead gently if necessary to help dough come together.

4.  Press dough into greased pan, starting by making an even layer of crust on the bottom, then working it about an inch up the side.

5.  Poke the bottom of the crust several times with a fork to prevent puffing. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until set. Meanwhile, prepare peach filling.

Peach Filling

5 medium peaches, sliced thinly (peeled or unpeeled - your choice)

100 g. (1/2 cup) brown sugar

48 g. (6 tbsp.) tapioca starch or cornstarch

1 tbsp. fresh lemon or orange juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6.    Toss the peaches gently with all other filling ingredients, coating evenly.

7.    Dump filling into baked crust, evening out the top.

8.    Bake 30-40 minutes, or until filling is reduced and thickened. Cool to room temperature.

“Meringue”

(Based off “Meringue Kisses” recipe from Vegan Desserts: Scrumptious Sweets for Every Season by Hannah Kaminski

¼ cup EnerG Egg Replacer

½ cup plus 1 tbsp. hot water

75 g. (6 tbsp.) granulated sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. almond extract or 1/4 tsp. amaretto flavoring

9.    Combine EnerG Egg and water in the bowl of an electric mixer (make sure it’s clean!), fitted with a whip attachment. Once incorporated, increase speed to high, and beat for 5 minutes, or until tripled in volume and peaks have formed.

10.With mixer still on high speed, slowly stream in the sugar, letting it incorporate fully. The entire process of adding sugar will take about 5 additional minutes.

11.Remove form mixer and fold in extracts.

12.Pipe or mound meringue on top of peach filling, covering all of the filling but only the inner edge of the crust (otherwise the meringue may droop over the edge of the tart).

13.Broil the pie for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Be careful, the meringue burns fast! (I had mine in for 2.5 minutes the first time and the entire top burned. I was able to peel it off and add a little more meringue and broil again. That time I only did it 1.5 minutes and it was slightly droopy, so I would go another 15-20 seconds next time).

14.Cool back to room temperature and then serve. Can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days. I don’t think the refrigerator would be kind to this dessert.