Graham crackers revisited

Not the type to let a kitchen mishap get me down, I had to try my hand again at graham crackers. I scoured the web for tips and info but settled with two of the highest ranking of recipes, one vegan and one not. There were elements of each that I liked but neither seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. What I came up with was a strange amalgamation of the two, with a hint of my own laziness thrown in there.

Surprisingly, they came out really well. They’re a little more cookie-like than store bought grahams but in the best of ways. The molasses in the sugar gives them a rich flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. They have a great crispy crunch but aren’t hard. Though the whole thing was a bit intimidating, it was well worth it.

Vegan Graham Crackers

2 1/2 cup graham flour

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 1/2 Tbsp Earth Balance chopped into small cubes and frozen

1/4 cup soy milk

1/4 cup agave or simple syrup

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1. Chop your Earth Balance and put it in the freezer. It is easiest to use the Earth Balance sticks.

2. I did not have dark brown sugar so I just took 1 cup of regular sugar and added 2 Tbsp of molasses and combined thoroughly with a fork.

3. Mix the sugar, flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon in a mixer on low. You could also do this by hand. Mix until just combined.

4. Next add the frozen Earth Balance. Mix the ingredients until it starts to resemble a coarse meal. It is ok if the Earth Balance is not 100% incorporated. It is more important to not over-mix.

5. Mix the soy milk, agave and vanilla in a separate bowl. I used a mixture of agave maple syrup and simple syrup (sugar water) because that’s what I had in the fridge. Mix into the flour mixture until you have a rough dough.

6. Shape the dough roughly into a rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

7. Preheat the oven to 325°

8. Remove the chilled dough and cut in half. Put the remaining portion back into the fridge. The dough will be very sticky so flour generously. I recommend rolling it out between two pieces of parchment paper. You will still have to flour it though. Roll out to approximately 1/4″ thickness. Using a pizza cutter or similar tool, cut into even(ish) squares. Poke holes in the tops with a fork or skewer and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

9. Here is where you should chill your dough for an additional 20-30 minutes. I didn’t. I got impatient. I’m sure it would be better if you did, but it didn’t make a huge difference. My graham crackers spread out a bit more and had to be recut after baking.

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray about 15 minutes in.

11. Remove and let cool. Eat till your hearts content.

Perfect snack:Onion Naan & Hummus

Strictly speaking, these aren’t supposed to go together, but yesterday when arriving home hungry with little time to spare and a nearly empty fridge, this combo was the best I could do. And it wasn’t a bad idea either. Granted, the onion naan and the garlicy hummus did leave me with some awesome breath afterward, but it was well worth it. Both of these recipes were from the Native Foods cookbook. This is one of those cookbooks that has really great recipes in it but I tend to steer clear of because many of them can be overly complicated and impractical. On the other hand, these two recipes were super simple.

The onion naan was pretty much perfect. We ate it all and nearly spoiled dinner. I could still eat more if there were some left. It was soft and flavorful, chewy and had those nice little burnt bubbly bits. The only thing that didn’t quite work with the recipe is how small each piece was. Although I’m a fan of individual servings, it just took WAY too long to cook this way. You’re supposed to cook each piece in the center of a skillet 3-4 minutes on each side…now multiply that times the 16 pieces of dough. Yeah, like I said, way too long. I recommend going with larger pieces of naan just to save time. Unless of course you have a huge grill where you can cook more pieces at a time, then go for it. Also, definitely don’t roll out the pieces as thin as it says. I mean you could, but they are way better when they’re a little doughy, rather than crackery.

I wasn’t as excited about the hummus, although it was a nice compliment for the naan. It was a bit too tangy for my taste, and not quite thick enough. I added tahini to my recipe but the lemon and garlic were both very distinct. This isn’t necessarily bad, but just not my thing I guess. Mostly I think it should have been thicker. Perhaps next time, less lemon juice and more chickpeas. I’m still interested in trying a hummus recipe using chickpea flour. This seems strange and yet logical at the same time.

In any case, you could probably whip these up and have something to eat in less than half an hour (although you probably won’t be done cooking all of the naan, but some anyway). It was also a good reminder for me that I should not abandon the poor Native Foods cookbook that has some great easy treats in it just because the entrees are way too involved.

Breakfast in bed

You know what is awesome? Breakfast in bed. Saturday is a perfect day for such indulgences. So today I bring you kamut flour pancakes, made from a mix, because it’s easier that way. Topped with some maple agave syrup. Of course, a nice shot of espresso to go along with it all. Happy weekend!

One week of VeganMoFo and graham crackers

Dear Alton Brown,

You have let me down. I hate to say it but it’s true. I have always loved your clever mix of science and culinary adventures. I love learning the history of carrots and the chemistry of preserves. I guess graham crackers just aren’t your thing though. I followed your recipe with as much accuracy as possible. Do you know how difficult it is to measure 3/8 oz of graham flour? It’s not easy. I diligently followed your instructions but things just weren’t adding up. When my dough should have been forming a ball, it was still a slushy paste. I gave in and added a bit more flour. Instead of getting closer to this ball of dough you promised, my food processor started to smoke. Moving on. Soon enough my apartment smelled of baking cinnamon and I thought all was not lost. Right as the timer went off I opened the oven to discover…

…my graham crackers burnt to a crisp. How could you lead me so astray? I put my faith in your exactness and I expect simple perfection in return.  Is that too much to ask? Apparently it is. Next time, I’ll trust my graham recipe needs to the vegan bloggers.

Sincerely,

Alix

Mushroom & garlic tofu ravioli

It’s official. Making ravioli makes me feel like a real cook. A chef even! I’ve made pies and crepes and hundreds of cupcakes, but this did it. Ok, so I did make one mistake in the process which made the end result not as pretty as I would have liked, but they still tasted amazing.

I started out using this homemade pasta recipe. I got a little excited at the market and got a few different flours so I’m going to try a semolina flour version as well. For the filling, I sauteed some chopped baby bella mushrooms in olive oil and some white wine, with just some salt and pepper and a touch of basil.

I wanted to add some tofu ricotta, but I realized I didn’t have all the necessary ingredients. Then I got a little carried away with the minced garlic (as usual). So it’s more like garlic tofu ricotta. That is not at all a bad thing.

Garlic Tofu Ricotta

7 oz firm tofu (about half a container) drained and crumbled

3 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp tahini

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp onion powder

Put all ingredients in a bowl and combine using a fork.

After rolling out two sheets of the pasta dough, spoon on a little of both the mushrooms and tofu, trying to stay in a grid pattern as much as possible. Cover with the second sheet and seal in the filling with your fingers, starting in the middle as to not make air pockets. Cut each square with a pie cutter or sharp knife.

Cook in a medium pot of boiling water for approximately three minutes, being careful not to split any holes in them. Definitely don’t put them in a bowl before you put them in a pot and let them get all stuck together. Who would do something like that? Definitely not me! I’m a pro! Oh wait….