Vegan Cupcakes: Banana with Plant Based Chocolate Buttercream

Hello Bakers!

You may have caught some of my vegan baking stories on my IG page @bakingwcolette. Recently I completed an extensive vegan pastry class. This was part of my getting recertified through the American Culinary Federation - so serious stuff. it was so much fun and really opened my eyes to the possibilities of vegan baking. You all know how I love to create recipes so now I have more confidence creating vegan recipes.

Butter will not be abandoned but I will be sprinkling in some vegan recipes from time to time and i promise you will not know the difference.

Today’s recipe is a luscious banana cupcake. As with any baking recipe we want the bananas to be super ripe - black or spotted and soft.

There is no video today these are very straight forward please let me know if you have any questions.

Vegan Banana Cupcakes
Yield 11-12

Equipment: 2 medium sized bowls, scale, whisk, spatula, measuring cup (for pouring batter into cupcake pan) cupcake pan lined with paper liners.

Ingredients:
232g all purpose flour
200g sugar
5g (1 scant teaspoon) baking soda
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
240g almond milk
15g cider vinegar (1 Tablespoon)
80g vegetable oil
4g vanilla (1 teaspoon)
150g mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the rack on slot above the center - having the cupcakes slightly higher than center helps them dome. Line the cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. Sift the dry ingredients in a medium large bowl and combine all the wet ingredients in another bowl - make sure the bananas are well mashed.

3. Combine the wet into the dry and mix until smooth - a whisk or a spatula can be used - do not overmix,

4. Fill the cupcake pan 3/4 full - either with a scoop or pouring the batter - there should be 1/4” of the paper liner showing.

5. Bake at 375 until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. They take about 25-27 minutes to fully bake. I do my first check at 22 minutes and then add 5 minutes more until they are done.

6. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes and then move cupcakes to a wire rack to completely cool before decorating.

Vegan Chocolate Buttercream

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scale, spatula
2 sticks (8 ounces, 227g) - softened but not too soft
567g sifted powdered sugar (about 5 cups)
8g vanilla extract
28g almond milk (unsweetened)

3 ounces dark chocolate - melted and cooled

1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it is softened.

2. Add the sugar in 3 increments starting at low speed, then increasing to high until the butter and sugar are combined, scrape down and add the next increment of sugar.

3. Once all this sugar is incorporated, add the almond milk. Stop the mixer, scrape down.

4. Add the melted chocolate and then mix on medium high speed for a timed 3-4 minutes.

5. The buttercream will be smooth and fluffy.

   It will keep in the refrigerator fro up to one week and frozen for up to one month. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and re paddle or soften with a spatula.

   Assembly: Place the cupcakes on a piece of parchment paper. Fill a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip with the chocolate buttercream and decorate as desired.

   Cocoa nibs make a nice garnish - they are 100% vegan and have antioxidants packed in them.

Meringue -mastering the Pavlova Base....

Hello Bakers!

On Saturday’s DoughDr Episode, I demoed how to make the Pavlova base - once the base is done then the Pav can be filled with a delicious fruit curd and Chantilly cream and lovely fresh fruit.

This dessert is so great for Summer - it’s light - the components can be completed over a few days and it showcases berries and tropical fruit. And it is the national dessert of both New Zealand and Australia - so adding a little kiwi fruit is very appropriate.

Next Saturday we will finish the Pav with a delicious curd - I have a great hack to get a nice thick curd without gelatin and Chantilly cream - heavy cream whipped to perfection, sweetened and kissed with vanilla.

This may be one of the romantic desserts ever created - unlike other romantic desserts - this one was unrequited.

A pastry chef in new Zealand fell in love with this famous ballerina as she was touring New Zealand.

A pastry chef working in New Zealand, fell in love with the beautiful ballerina, Anna Pavlova, when she toured the country during the 1920s
As a hopeless romantic, I could go on about this all day.
Please turn into the DoughDr next Saturday - it will be live at noon PST on Instagram @bakingwcolette
Happy Baking! Colette

Equipment: Stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, whisk, medium bowl, spatula, scale, 1/2 sheet tray (13”X 18”) lined with parchment paper. 16-22” piping bag fitted with an 806 open star tip, 2 1/2 - 3” cutter

Ingredients:
Yield -
120g Egg whites (about 4 large egg whites)
2g (1/4 tsp) Cream of tartar
120g Granulated sugar
5g (1 teas) Cornstarch
2g (1/2 (teas ) Vinegar (I used raspberry)

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

2. Fold the parchment parchment in half lengthwise and then in thirds widthwise - you should have 6 even squares. Using the cutter as a guide, draw a circle in the center of each square with pencil and flip it over before lining the pan.

3. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.

4. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together and set aside.

5. Whip in medium speed until the mixture looks like foamy and is no longer greenish in color.

6. Rain in the sugar and cornstarch mixture.

7. Add the vinegar and whip on med/high to high speed for about 8 minutes.

8. The mixture will be super thick and has a firm peak.

9. Load the mixture into the prepared piping bag and pipe circles 1 1/4 - 1 1/2” thick with no hollows.

10. Bake at 275 for 45 minutes. Turn off oven. Open and close oven door quickly to vent.

11. Leave Pavlova bases in the oven for a minimum of 4 hours.

12. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days.

Gougeres - the original cheese puffs - recipe from Saturday's DoughDr Episode

Here is the recipe from Saturday’s DoughDr Episode - The demo was gougeres (pate a choux with cheese) - quick and easy and a fast bake - the oven isn’t on for too long. This is a great place to start with pate a choux. It’s one of pastries most versatile doughs. If you have never made pate a choux or it’s been a while - whip up a batch of these. They are sweet cheesy goodness - the original cheese puff.

Finished gougeres - ready to serve

Gougeres Mise en Place

Equipment:
Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Measuring spoons
Scale
Piping bag
#806 piping tip
Pastry bag
2-3 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
*fold paper in 4ths lengthwise and fold the strip into thirds - the squares are a great guide for piping

Ingredients
6 oz (170g) water
3 ounces (85g) butter
1/2 ounce (14g) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
107g bread flour (all purpose can be used)

1 ounce grated parmesan, asiago or grana padana
6-8 grinds of fresh ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/gas 5).
In a saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and
salt to a rolling boil.
Add the flour all at once. Stir over heat with a Ingredients wooden spoon or spatula, and cook until there
is a film of starch on the bottom of the pan. This
takes 2 to 3 minutes, keep stirring vigorously.

Transfer the flour mixture to a stand mixer, and beat on low speed until the steam dissipates and the bottom of the bowl is no longer hot.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated.
Stir in grated cheese and pepper
Pipe a small amount of pate a choux into the corner of the baking trays to secure the parchment

Pipe into the desired shapes onto parchment- lined baking sheets.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes - they will be a light golden brown - they will be light, airy, cheesy and delicious.
Leftover gougeres can be frozen for up to 2 weeks - thaw and refresh in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.

Baklava Recipe from Saturdays' DoughDr. Episode, June 25

Hello Bakers,

As promised here is the recipe from Saturday’s demo - Baklava. My version used walnuts but you can use any combination of nuts. If you have a collection of leftover nuts in your freezer this is a great way to use them all up. Personally, I love freeing up space in the freezer.

Ok here we go - as I said in the demo (excerpted below) make sure all your ingredients and equipment are organized and making this will be a breeze. It’s a winner. And it’s perfect to bring to a gathering.

If you post photos of your beautiful baklavas - please tag me! I love to see your beautiful work.

Happy Baking! Colette

Baklava: - Step by Step

1. Thaw filo dough in the refrigerator overnight - do not unwrap

2. Clarify 3 sticks of butter (370g) of butter or use ghee. 340g is how much butter or ghee is needed for the baklava. Vegan butter can also be used - vegan butter just needs to be melted.

Then make the syrup: It needs to chill

Equipment: Whisk, medium sauce, container

350g granulated sugar
263g water
133g honey
1/2 lemon or orange zested
25g of lemon or orange juice

Aromatics: cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pod - 1-2 pieces mix - use all or chose a favorite
1. Combine all ingredients except honey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add honey. Set aside to cool to room temperature and then chill in refrigerator until cold.

Make the filling:

Equipment: scale, food processor

400g Nuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans and they can be used in combination
40g sugar
4g cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
1g cloves (1/4 teaspoon)
pinch allspice
pinch salt
1. Place the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor - grind until fine but not powdery.
Set aside.

Assembling the Baklava
Equipment: 113x9” pan glass or metal, knife to trim baklava, pastry brush, damp cloth or paper towel to keep filo dough from drying out.
1. Brush the pan well with the melted butter.
2. Cut the filo to fit the bottom of the pan - keep the dough covered when not building the baklava.
3. Layer the first sheet in the pan and brush with melted butter - repeat with 7 more layers.
4. Top with 1/3rd of the filling - make sure it evenly covers the dough.
5. Repeat with 4 more layers of buttered filo.
6. Top with another 1/3rd of filling.
7. Repeat with 4 more layers of buttered filo.
8. Top with the last 1/3 of filling.
9. Finish with 8 more layers of buttered filo. Make sure top layer is well buttered.
10. Chill baklava for 2 hours - it can chill overnight as well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees 20 minutes before baking.

11. Score the baklava before baking - see demo below.

12. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes - check at the 50 minute mark but it normally takes an hour. The baklava should be a beautiful deep golden brown.
13. When hot right out of the oven pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava. Let cool and set for at least 2 hours before serving.
14. Store leftover baklava, well wrapped at room temperature. it will be at it’s best for 2-3 days.

Hot hot baklava and very cold syrup…