Vegan Baking Boot Camp

Hi "All" -- I'm back after five days of Vegan Boot Camp: exhausted and with a nasty cold.  But, very happy.  I'm glad I took on the challenge and learned quite a few basic tips.  It was the first time baking with other people (which felt overwhelming at first), in a really glorious industrial kitchen (not mine and where I don't know where everything is), and under time contraints (you can find me baking straight through midnight sometimes).  A total of 14 people in the class, where I was in a group of three.  Here's some of the day-to-day baking ventures that either I made myself (like the Power Breakfast Muffins) or participated in as a group.  Except for the gluten-free chocolate cupcakes, all were made vegan with the most natural/organic ingredients you could find:

Day 1: Introductions, kitchen basics then...Silken Cashew Cream; Maple Tofu Cream; Soft Orange Cream

Day 2: Blueberry Gel; Spiced Pumpkin Rice Pudding; Chocolate Pudding; Chocolate Chip Cookies

Day 3: Pumpkin Muffins; Power Breakfast Muffins; Chocolate Ganache

Day 4: Grape Tart; Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pecans; Pecan Sweet Potato Pie; Chocolate Gluten-Free Cupcakes

Day 5: Chocolate Cream Filling and Frosting; Chocolate Layer Cake; Cinnamon Streusel UnCoffee Cake

As you can imagine the kitchen was quite busy, but I managed to take a few photos of various desserts including some of the above mentioned.  If you have any questions or want a recipe, let me know.  Enjoy!

Off To Vegan Land I Go

Today I sent my penpal a card with some of my butterscotch/peanut cookies Valentines Day.  Hope she's enjoying them right now...well actually, hope she's sound asleep -- it's a school night.

It's a short week for me at work, and I'm grateful.  Starting Thursday, I'll be in New York taking a course for five days; it's a certificate program all about the basics of vegan baking.  I can't wait to indulge in some new recipes and techniques.  Until next week, when I'll post some photographs and my personal experience of both the school and the program.

My personal challenge is going well, giving me lots of insight: sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle.  I've decided to keep the details of it personal, and in doing so it's helped my focus tremendously.  In fact, it's changing my perspective on different things.  The baking I did this past week was more relaxed and confident.  I'm going to keep it going while I'm away, especially at the school working with other bakers.  Until then!

Yellow Cake Mini-Cupcakes w/Coffee Cream Topping

Here they are.  The topping is butter creamcheese, which I added both a touch of vanilla extract and coffee extract.  The sprinkles on top, dried orange peel.

Yellow Cake recipe:

½ cup butter, softened

1 ½ cup sugar

3 eggs, medium

2 - tsp vanilla

2 ¼ cup of gluten free flour (my blend has tapioca)

1 - tsp xanthan gum

1 - tsp baking soda

1 - tsp baking powder

½ - tsp salt

1 cup milk (almond milk works well)

I also added a touch of the orange peel in the batter.

The Challenge

Hey there!

Oh I know, it's been a month since my last post, but if you read my post (which most times I don't think anyone has since I think I'm still out here flying solo in this black whole called Blog), you'll remember that I was done with my job.  Sort of.  I mean I've been working hard in the last month looking for other employment.  And not just any employment, something that I can really feel proud of and I can grow and be creative...and all the things that are missing in my current position.  So that's why I've been so absent.  Forgive me?

You'll be happy to know I spent most of the morning on my feet...where else?  In the kitchen.  Baking some mini yellow cake cupcakes, topped with butter-creamcheese frosting flavored with coffee, and sprinkled with orange zest.  I have to say they are quite tasty.  I thought perhaps the coffee/orange combination would be off-putting, but it actually worked.  I know chocolate/orange is a favorite of many but I didn't have what I needed for chocolate frosting.  And anyway, I had to satisfy my coffee craving.  Funny thing is I don't drink coffee or do anything caffeine.  But on occasion, I'll add some coffee extract because it just highlights other flavors.

I promise to post some pics and the cupcake recipe tomorrow...promise.  Also, I've taken on a personal challenge, I'm on day 4 of it.  I'll talk more about it soon, especially since I think it will influence my baking process and perhaps even my photography.

Till tomorrow...