Vegan Diner (6 page)

Tip:
Don't be tempted to substitute ground flax for the soy flour called for in this recipe. The soy flour helps this rise into one gorgeous cake!

For years I have had people beg me for this recipe
(albeit the egg and dairy version), which had a sort of cult following back in my bakery days. I am still amazed that I was able to veganize it, and it's every bit as delicious as the original.

MAKES ONE 9 × 5-INCH LOAF

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soymilk, heated to steaming and kept warm

¼
cup finely ground espresso or French roast coffee

2 tablespoons instant coffee

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons soy flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼
teaspoon fine sea salt

1
½
cups granulated sugar

1 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

¾
cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper and grease well with vegetable shortening. This cake can have a tendency to stick if not greased and lined well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soymilk, espresso, and instant coffee until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, soy flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, canola oil, and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the bowl, alternating with the milk mixture, stirring just until mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top of cake is puffed with a crack down the center, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and remove to a rack to cool to room temperature.

This cake can
tend to crumble a little when sliced, so make sure to cut thick slices.

Granola is so easy to make at home,
and can be customized to your own personal tastes (don't like nuts? No worries!). It's also very economical, too. So put away your boxed breakfast cereals, and start your day with homemade cereal and your favorite non-dairy milk.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¼
cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons flaxseed meal, preferably golden

1
½
teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½
cup hazelnuts, skinned and coarsely chopped

⅓
cup dried cherries or raisins, or dried fruit of your choice, chopped

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flaxseed meal, and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, mix together the canola oil, agave, and vanilla extract. Add the oil mixture to the oat mixture, mixing well until the oats are evenly coated.

Spread the oat mixture out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the hazelnuts. Bake granola for another 10 minutes, or until evenly browned (but not too dark or else it can become bitter).

Remove the pan again from the oven and add the dried cherries or raisins. Cool the pan on a rack, stirring occasionally until granola reaches room temperature. Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I like to keep mine in a covered glass crock on the counter.

Variation:
Substitute chopped walnuts or pecans for the hazelnuts. If you prefer your granola a little less sweet, you can reduce the brown sugar as needed.

There's nothing like fresh donuts, still warm with a
sweet glaze. I worked for months to come up with the perfect yeast-raised donuts, which I was determined to do. I now present to you dear reader, the perfect vegan donut. These donuts can either be glazed or dipped in cinnamon sugar: the choice is yours.

MAKES 12 DONUTS

Dough

1 package (2
¼
teaspoons) active dry yeast

¼
cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

¼
cup hot water (110 to 115
^º
F)

About 4 to 4
¼
cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3 tablespoons soymilk powder (
see tip, next page
)

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½
teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup water, room temperature

¼
cup canola oil

4 cups vegetable or peanut oil, or more as needed for frying

Glaze

1
½
cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons soymilk, or more as needed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

¼
cup sugar

¼
teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the dough:
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and hot water. Set aside for 10 minutes, until foamy.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 cups of the flour, the remaining
¼
cup of sugar, soymilk powder, nutmeg, and salt, and mix until combined. Add the reserved yeast, water, and canola oil to the flour, beating until the dough forms a ball. Continue beating the dough until it's soft and silky, not sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, up to
¼
cup.

Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, covering with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

On a well-floured surface or on floured waxed paper, roll the dough out to ½-inch thick. Cut out the donuts using a 2
½
to 3-inch donut cutter. Alternately use a 2
½
to 3-inch biscuit cutter and a
⅞
-inch cutter for the center hole. Set on a floured silicone mat or baking sheet, cover lightly with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 30 minutes, or until slightly puffed.

Fill a deep fryer or Dutch oven with about 3 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 365°F. Test the oil to check the frying temperature: pinch off a small piece of dough and carefully drop it in the oil. If it sizzles immediately with vigorous bubbles, it's ready. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature; otherwise the oil will continue to heat. Once oil is hot, gently place the donuts into the oil in batches without crowding them. Cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Carefully turn donuts over, and cook until golden on the second side. Transfer donuts to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Allow donuts to cool for 15 minutes before glazing or rolling in cinnamon sugar.

For glazed donuts:
While donuts are cooling, in a medium bowl whisk together the confectioners' sugar, soymilk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts in the glaze and set on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes before serving.