Apple Pie Yeast Braid

If I were Dr. Frankenstein then this bread would be my monster. It’s a mashup of a few of my absolute favorite recipes. The first is a yeast bread that my best friend, Shannon, introduced me to. She taught me how to make it almost a year ago and I’ve only just now got around to baking it again. If there’s one thing we love most about it, it’s how easy it is to customize. It originally calls for apricots and almonds but I have never actually made it that way. I had a hankering for my favorite Apple Pie Coffee Cake but I wanted something a bit different, so I decided to combine the two recipes into one great big masterpiece. (You might remember this cake from when I tweaked it to make my lemon blueberry version.) So with a little vegan science and some improvisation I was soon on my way to a potluck with the prettiest bread I’ve ever made!

Look how proud I am! If you think this recipe sounds good (then you’re right!) but you’re nervous about making bread, then all I can say is . . . DON’T BE! It’s not as intimidating as it sounds and this really is the perfect beginner recipe. (It just looks way fancier than it is!)

The dough is the exact same recipe as the original. But for the inside I used one can of apple pie filling and a little bit of a sugar + spice mixture I created. The mix is equal to:

1/2 tsp cardamom + 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 3 tablespoons turbinado cane sugar 

Just sprinkle a little bit on each 3rd of dough before you spread the apple pie filling. (You should have enough left to cover the top of the loaf.)

I accidentally  rolled my dough out a little too long which means I didn’t have much to “fold over” so I pinched it together instead.

The pinching technique proved to be a rather messy one that worked to my advantage since I wanted to coat the loaf with the remaining sugar + spice. I had some trouble with the strands coming open while braiding (since I shoved so much filling in them!) so I flipped the whole loaf over once I was done braiding, that way if they split open during baking then the top would remain intact and pretty. So after I braided the strands it was nice and gooey and I just sprinkled the mixture on top.

Just bake for 40 minutes and voila! A delicious (and rather impressive looking) loaf of my very own creation: Apple Pie Yeast Bread.  

If you can, wait for the loaf to cool before slicing. If not, then make sure to eat it with a huge scoop of your favorite vanilla bean ice cream! Because what’s better than dessert bread? Dessert bread a la mode, duh!

circle plate: vintage / aluminum ruffle platter: HandPicked, Inc.

Have you ever made bread before? I’m a beginner but it’s becoming one of my favorite things to bake. . . thanks to this recipe!

“The Best You Ever Made”

I don’t mean to brag, but these Banana Maple Cupcakes with Spun Sugar Hearts were deemed “the best you ever made” by my partner. I mean, he does have a thing for banana flavored foods, and I have been told that several of my other desserts were “the best I’ve ever had” by friends, but these cupcakes really might actually be the best. I think my favorite food conversation comment  of all time came from my Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes and went like this:

These are vegan?
Yes.
But they’re so good! Sooo goooood! They’re even moist!

You guys, I’m changing the world! Okay, so maybe just the opinions of those that get to try my vegan baking. But hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? And what better place to start spreading compassion than your own kitchen?
For the hearts, I used the caramel sauce from this croquembouche recipe. I promise they aren’t difficult, just messy. Put down lots of parchment and experiment. And remember to watch the sugar mixture closely so it doesn’t burn!

So here’s the breakdown: Banana cupcakes, topped with lightly flavored maple frosting + a pool of maple syrup in the center. I got the idea from this photo and decided to try it since I have had trouble with making the maple flavor strong enough in the past (and I didn’t feel like buying maple extract to remedy it).
Look how the syrup drips down the side of that front cupcake! Yum! These are definitely for those that like to indulge in dessert, not the kind of person that appreciates cupcakes because they feel they are “less messy” than cake. Pile on the syrup and top with your sugar creations, I made mine into hearts: 

Vegan! Banana Maple Cupcakes
adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed well
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup milk alternative (I used vanilla soymilk)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1. Prepare your muffin pan with liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the banana (mashed well with a fork, a few small lumps are okay), sugar, canola oil, vegan milk, vanilla, and almond extracts.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, folding everything together until just combined.

5. Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds of the way up. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick or knife comes out clean when testing. Cool completely before frosting.

Vegan Maple Frosting

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup vegan margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup*

1. With a mixer, beat together the shortening, margarine, and vanilla extract. Alternate adding powdered sugar one cup at a time and maple syrup one tablespoon at at time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat for 5-7 minutes until fluffy. Create a well in the center of your cupcakes and fill with additional syrup. Note: If you are going to pipe this frosting, try refrigerating it for about 30-45 minutes first because it is not very stiff.

*It’s okay if you only have breakfast syrup that is not technically Pure Maple Syrup. At least for me it is. . . I am not picky.

If you celebrate Valentine’s Day then these Banana Maple Cupcakes would be a great gift for someone special OR something fun to make together. They would also be sweet for an anniversary gift .Or just because you like hearts. Or bananas. Or trying new things. Or if you just need a go-to banana cupcake recipe. Now what are you waiting for?! Go forth and use those bananas you are never going to eat!

Update: These are best served same day. The spun sugar kind of dissolves and melts into the cupcakes. Also, my sugar hearts kind of tasted like coffe, but that could just be because of how long I cooked it for. (so I am saying if you don’t like that idea then be careful how long you leave them in the cupcakes or how long you cook the sugar for!) I am trying the spun sugar again this weekend so I might do another post/update about it!

Happy TOFUesday!

And what exactly is Tofuesday, you ask? I think this picture will sum it up:

And the birth of a legend was born! This “Tofuesday” idea happened before I decided to make a tofu recipe every other week, but I wanted to share that screenshot anyway. . my partner is ridiculously supportive of my terrible wordplays.

I decided to try these Tofu Balls from the PPK. I used extra firm tofu that was frozen and thawed. I also had some mushrooms that needed to be cooked so I threw them in the mix, too.

I somehow managed to completely forget a step, so I am not sure I can give a proper review of these Tofu Balls, but I would love to make them again. They were super easy and delicious, but I didn’t roll them in flour before frying them up, so I had quite a few fall apart on me. I like the ease of this recipe and it’s versatility. I almost didn’t post this because I messed up and didn’t get a knock-your-socks off result, but ya gotta start somewhere!

Anyone have a tofu recommendation for next time?

Vegan “Pigs” In A Blanket

As I was titling this post (super creative, huh?) I realized I have never actually had a “real” pig in a blanket. I never liked hot dogs, so I have steered clear of those babies since childhood. A few years ago, (after I discovered Pillsbury Crescent Rolls are vegan!) I came up with these Maple Sausages Crescent Rolls and they were so successful they have become a go-to item for potlucks and family gatherings. They are really simple to make and were a great addition to our thanksgiving plates this year!

Vegan “Pigs” In A Blanket

• A bit of canola oil & maple syrup for cooking
• 1 package Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage (or whatever you prefer!)
• 2 cans crescent rolls (I used the “off-brand” because I am cheap. Just don’t use whatever ones are “extra buttery” flavored, they are overwhelmingly similar to popcorn in flavor)

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll instructions. Cut your veggie sausage into 16 pieces and start rolling. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a saucepan on medium high while you finish the last few.

2. Once the oil is hot, carefully place your “pigs” in the pan. I used to carefully turn them all with a fork to make sure they cooked perfectly on every side, but these days I just sort of vigorously shake the pan every few minutes to make sure they aren’t sticking and so they roll around to cook pretty evenly.

3. Once they are nice and brown, pour a few tablespoons of syrup on top and let them simmer until they are coated evenly. (I don’t really measure this step, I just kind of go for it!)

4. Remove cooked veggie sausages from the pan and place on unrolled crescents. Roll them up and bake according to the package. Let cool a few minutes and enjoy! These babies will be perfect for your family gatherings the next few snowy months.