http://www.veganbaking.net/ http://www.veganbaking.net/breads/enriched-breads/muffins/93-blueberry-muffins-or-bread http://www.veganbaking.net/breads/enriched-breads/muffins/93-blueberry-muffins-or-bread These vegan Blueberry Muffins feature a buttery flavor and smooth texture thanks to the combined efforts of non-dairy milk, lemon juice and lemon extract. This compliments the tartness of the blueberries, making a delectable snack for breakfast or any other occasion. The combination of lemon juice and lemon extract in this recipe is so the lemon flavor can be brought up to tasty levels without excessive acidity, which in large amounts can negatively affect gluten's ability to bind. ]]> Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:39:32 -0500 93 2008-03-03 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/cakes/sponge-cakes/71-carrot-cake-9-by-13-inch http://www.veganbaking.net/cakes/sponge-cakes/71-carrot-cake-9-by-13-inch When I was little, I noticed my Mom eating cake. When I asked what kind of cake it was she replied, “you won't like it, it has carrots in it”. Later in life I realized that she said that so she could horde the best type of cake in the world all for herself! Just to make sure that doesn't happen again, I designed this vegan carrot cake recipe which features carrot enhancing ingredients such as pineapple, molasses, cinnamon, cardamom with just the right amount of raisins and walnuts for optimal flavor contrast. It's great slathered with Cream Cheese Frosting. I also have a vegan carrot cake recipe for 8 inch cake pans.
]]> Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:00:44 -0500 71 2008-03-03 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/cookies/729-chewy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies http://www.veganbaking.net/cookies/729-chewy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies My grandmother used to make the best cookies I've ever tasted. They were oatmeal raisin cookies that had a barely crisp exterior that gave way to a chewy, rich center that would release the most amazing oatmeal flavor. I asked her for the recipe once and she said she just made them by heart. How did people ever do that? It's amazing to me when something as exact as baking can be done without a recipe and be consistently amazing every time. ]]> Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:19:14 -0400 729 2011-04-02 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/other-vegan-eats/769-garlic-tarragon-bread-spread http://www.veganbaking.net/other-vegan-eats/769-garlic-tarragon-bread-spread Holiday dinners at my Godparent's house was always a special occasion. The food was inspriational but the the one dish that my brother and I looked forward to all year was the simple but perfect implementation of garlic bread. This consisted of a store-bought flute of San Fancisco sourdough, sliced but leaving the bottom crust intact so the slices could be torn off as the loaf worked its way around the table. This loaf was buttered between the slices, wrapped in tin foil and warmed in the oven. Buttering the slices while leaving the loaf intact had the advantage of ensuring both sides of each slice was buttered. Wrapping the loaf in tin foil had the benefit of allowing the entire loaf to be saturated with buttery aromas and flavors during its time in the oven and the tin foil could be folded back over the loaf in between servings to keep the bread warm while it was on the table. Brilliant!

My brother and I eventually begged my parents to adopt this bread tradition for holiday feasts at our house. When I adopted a vegan diet we switched from butter to margarine and although the results were satisfactory, there seemed to be somthing lacking; substituting margarine doesn't always work as well as butter 100% of the time. 

Several years later I was having a dinner with friends and everyone at the table was falling over themselves in anticipation for Vlad's famous garlic bread spread. What was in this bread spread? I never found out but it was thick, dairy-based, rich, spreadable and smelled what a bread spread would probably smell like if you took the best elments of butter and sharp cheddar. Without even tasting it I was mesmerized by it. What if I combined these two garlic bread methods to make a vegan rich, buttery bread spread that could take garlic bread to another level? 

This bread spread recipe features extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, fresh tarragon and just a touch of white wine vinegar to envoke a complex buttery flavor with a sharp cheese inspired finish. ]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:17:54 -0500 769 2011-12-12 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/breads/enriched-breads/yeasted-enriched-breads/667-no-knead-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread http://www.veganbaking.net/breads/enriched-breads/yeasted-enriched-breads/667-no-knead-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread This No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread is now my go-to vegan bread recipe because it's simple to make and is a great example of how wet doughs can create wonderfully light and spongy breads. The higher water content allows the gliadin and glutenin in the flour to align into tight gluten bonds over time so you can forget about all the kneading drama. The result is a fluffy, chewy loaf that's perfect for sandwiches. Feel free to use this bread as a starting point and substitute a ½ cup of the flour for things like wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran. It's important to note that due to the wetness of this dough it's only suitable for baking in a loaf pan. ]]> Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:20:44 -0400 667 2010-10-05 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/cakes/sponge-cakes/456-parsnip-cake http://www.veganbaking.net/cakes/sponge-cakes/456-parsnip-cake This Parsnip Cake recipe is carrot cake's long lost brother, featuring parsnips which are slightly spicy and astringent. Parsnips are teamed up with pineapple, golden raisins, non-diary yogurt and a touch of cardamom to make a vegan cake that's lighter and spicier than carrot cake but every bit as tasty. Like carrot cake, Parsnip Cake should be liberally frosted with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting or a variant thereof for best results.
]]> Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:12:18 -0500 456 2009-12-04 5 http://www.veganbaking.net/brownies-and-bars/brownies/616-ultimate-brownies http://www.veganbaking.net/brownies-and-bars/brownies/616-ultimate-brownies Ultimate is not something that I throw around lightly, especially for vegan brownies. I've had my share of vegan and regular brownies and been baffled by how lacking vegan versions are. Growning up on my Grandmother's brownies, I learned that a good brownie should be dense, fudgy and soft; not light, cakey and dry. Why is it so hard to emulate a traditional brownie recipe that simply consists of a few simple ingredients? Hint: it's due to the egg, which emulsifies, binds, slightly leavens then bakes up as part of the actual base of the brownie itself. To emulate this takes an expedition deep into the innards of brownie science. ]]> Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:10:44 -0400 616 2010-06-07 5