Beginner Baker

[yearinbaking]

Pain de Campagne Rustique

Used my own starter (see my note below) - 1 cup, and followed the recipe below:

1 Cup starter/ levain

¾ Cup lukewarm water

3 Cups unbleached flour

2 tsp salt

Preparation: 

Gradually mix the wanter into the starter/levain; then, gradually mix the flour, then the salt

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic

Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled clear film and leave to rise in a warm place, for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the dough has almost doubled in bulk.

Knock back (punch down) the dough and cut off ½ cup, setting it aside to make the next loaf (see note below). Shape the remaining dough into a ball. Round a large bowl or basket with a dishtowel and dust with flower. 

Place the dough ball with the seam side up in the basket/bowl. Cover with a lightly oiled clear film (I used the same one from before) and leave to rise in a warm place, for 2-3 hours or until almost doubled in size. 

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F; invert the loaf on to a lightly floured baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Slash the top of the loaf using a sharp knife, four times to form a square pattern.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the loaf has browned and sounds hollow with tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Note: for the starter I worked around 1 week with organic flour (1 cup) plus 7 tablespoons of spring water every day, leaving it to grow 24 hs. Discarded 1/3 to half of the fermented dough and repeated the process. After separating ½ cup of the mixed dough, I restarted the process with water and flour.  

[kitchentowel]

Onion and Smoked Paprika Bread (Bread Machine)

Very easy to make and very, very delicious! You may notice that the top is uneven, but it didn’t affect its deliciousness. 

I cup of water (70-80 degrees F)

2 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp organic crystal sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp smoked paprika

3 cups what flour

1 (1/4 ounce package active dry yeast)

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Select medium or dark crust color. Bake according to bread machine instructions (check dough after 5 min of mixing and add 1-2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). 

[kitchentowel]

Banana Apple Cinnamon Vegan Bread Pudding

The taste of apple and cinnamon  almost takes over the banana, but the result is a moist bread pudding, which I am enjoying very much. 

Ingredients:

1 cup white wheat flour

3/4 cup almond flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp organic crystal sugar (use less if banana very ripe)

1/2 cup soymilk

2 large ripe bananas

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 cup apple puree

Chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 365 degrees F. In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients well. Use blender and mix until smooth the bananas, soymilk, vegan butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add to bowl with dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Add apple puree and mix until blended. Bake for 45 min at 365 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 15-20 min or until toothpick  comes almost clean. Remove from pan and let it cool completely before slicing it. 

[kitchentowel]

Mini Marble Cake

This mini cake yields 4-6 portions; although I used only one mini-loaf pan, I’d recommend baking in two mini-loaf pans for a quicker baking time

1cup all-purpose flour

1tsp baking powder

1/3 cup Eden Original Soy Milk

1tsp organic vanilla extract

¼ cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)

¾ cup organic crystalized sugar

1/3 cup of plain non-fat greek yogurt (may also use coconut milk)

1 tbs cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease two mini-loaf pans.

Mix together the flour and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, mix together the soy milk and vanilla.

In a separate large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the yogurt and mix until all combined. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the vanilla soy milk, mixing after each addition until ingredients are just combined.

Remove 1/3 cup of the batter to another bowl and mix the cocoa powder into it to make a small amount of chocolate batter.

Pour the vanilla batter into the prepared pan. Scoop the chocolate batter on top of the vanilla, and marble the chocolate into the vanilla using a chopstick or knife.

Bake for 30-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

[kitchentowel]

Chocolate Avocado Vegan Cake

This cake is moist and soft and is not very sweet. It has a consistency between a pudding and a cake. You can still see the tiny little pieces of avocado, but I couldn’t taste it in my first bite/slice. It goes well with a sweeter frosting, cream, or ice cream.

Ingredients 

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/ tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tbs olive oil

1/3 cup soft avocado, very well mashed, about 1 small avocado

1 cup water

1tbs white vinegar

1tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-in round pan. 

Combine sifted dry ingredients together in a bowl, except the sugar. Set aside. Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl, including the mashed avocado. Add sugar to the wet mix and stir. Add dry ingredients to wet mix all at once, and beat with a whisk until smooth. Pour batter into greased cake pan. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack to cool completely.  

[kitchentowel]

Vegan Chocolate Quick Bread

It is very moist and delicious; eats more like a cake