Irish Cream Cheesecake Cake

This is lighter than a conventional cheesecake but richer than a regular cake. I flavored this like Irish cream in honor of St. Patrick's Day but I'm imagining all kinds of flavor combinations you could make with this. Blueberry cheesecake with lemon cake sounds especially good for my next try. 

 

Irish Cream Cheesecake Cake

White "Mocha" Cake

1/3 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance margarine (I used a mix)

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coffee

1/2 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a 9-inch round  or an 8-inch square pan.

Beat together the coconut oil or margarine and sugar with an electric mixer.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add half the flour mixture and the coffee and beat briefly on the lowest speed. Add the remaining flour mixture and almond milk. Beat on low until there are no more lumps in the batter. Don't over beat. Stir in vanilla.

Transfer batter to the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the top of the cake springs back when touched.  Turn cake out of the pan and allow to cool before putting the cheesecake together.

Cheesecake layer:

1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight

1 (8-ounce) tub Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

1 (12.3 ounce) carton extra-firm silken tofu

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (optional)

Open the can of coconut milk without shaking the can and spoon off the solid coconut layer from the top. (The water that remains can be frozen and used later in curry or bread.) Transfer the coconut to a food processor. Add cream "cheese", tofu, sugar, coffee granules, cocoa powder, and whiskey if using. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl once or twice.

Putting it together:

Crumble cake and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Spread the cheesecake layer evenly over the cake. Chill for several hours or overnight to firm the cheesecake layer.

To serve, take the ring off the pan and slice into 12 wedges.

My Recipes on Foodie.com

Foodie.com is a new social networking site for food lovers which launched a month ago. A few weeks before launch they contacted me and asked me to be one of their featured bloggers. Of course I said yes! I created and photographed three original recipes for the site. 

I made Cauliflower Rosemary Foccacia,

Linguini with Avocado, Spinach and Cilantro

and Masala Carrot Muffins.

Take a look at the recipes over there, and if you log in and follow me - you'll need a Facebook or Twitter account - I'll follow you back.

White Bean Waffles

I made a recent kitchen resolution to cook beans from scratch whenever possible, especially if I need more than one can. Using my slow cooker makes this ridiculously easy. I don't know why it took me so long to start doing this.

First I made black beans and used them in a double batch of burgers. Then I made some navy beans without much of a plan for them, so I put them in the freezer in can-sized batches.

When I came across Bryanna's recipe for bean waffles, I decided to make my own version. She puts raw, ground beans right into the waffle batter, whereas my beans were already cooked, thus mine are quite different. Like hers, though, you can't tell the beans are in there. In fact, someone who doesn't like whole wheat might find these more acceptable because of the beans. The flavor is quite neutral, making these great for savory dishes (I'm craving seitan and gravy over waffles right now) as well as delicious doused in syrup. The texture is what makes these a standout; cooked to a light crisp on the outside, they're fluffy and tender on the inside.  I suggest making a big batch and freezing some to toast up for another day. 


I am sending these waffles to Susan's My Legume Love Affair, hosted this month by Heather of Girlichef, and to Helen's Breakfast Club, hosted this month by Ruth of Makey-Cakey.

White Bean Waffles

I used navy beans in these, but they'd work with great northern beans, cannellinis, or even chickpeas. One 15.5-ounce can yields the right amount if you don't have cooked-from-scratch beans available.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup oat flour (or an additional cup wheat flour)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using canned beans)

1-3/4 cups white beans, drained and rinsed

1-3/4 cup plain soy or almond milk

2 tablespoons toasted walnut oil or cooking oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Whisk together the wheat flour, oat flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Puree the beans, soy or almond milk, walnut or cooking oil, and maple syrup in a blender. Stir into the dry ingredients.  Cook according to your waffle maker instructions.

Makes about 18 (4-inch) square waffles or 9 (8-inch) round ones for 4-6 servings. 

Cook.Eat.Delicious-Desserts Roundup

This month I asked you to send me dessert recipes that had spices in them, and you came through in a most delicious way.

First, I want to announce the winner of the book giveaway. Raven drew a random entry and chose Janet of The Taste Space. She wins a copy of The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs. Congratulations, Janet!

The first entry is from Nupur of UK Rasoi. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, these Almond Ginger Macaroons are sure to "wreck your diet plans."

 

Anjali of Spice n Sugar Tales was desperate for some Rose Marmalade and when she received some as a gift, she couldn't wait to use some to make Gulabi Badam Pista Kheer/ Rosy Almond Pistachio Milk Pudding. 

 

Janet at The Taste Space has been experimenting with her new dehydrator to make healthy snacks and desserts. Her Cinnamon Flax Crackers were a hit.

 

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Mcj of Turmeric n Spice made Oatmeal Applesauce Spice Cake, complete with homemade chocolate roses and chocolate sauce. 

Sravani of Srav's Culinary Concepts made two spiced-up desserts this month. First, she made Strawberry Bread, perfect for breakfast.

She also made healthy Oatmeal Choco Chip Muffins, a great way to "attract people who don’t like oats especially kids."

Raven, the creator of this event at Cook.Eat.Delicious made Sweet Potato Pie. Don't forget the scoop of vanilla ice cream!

 I made Orange Pumpkin Whole Wheat Monkey Bread.

I also made Black Bottom Banana Spice Pie.

This month Sensible Veg is hosting Cook.Eat.Delicious-Desserts. Send her your wholesome dessert recipes.

Black Bottom Banana Spice Pie

A couple of summers ago, I made the happy discovery that you can substitute bananas for pumpkin in a cake or muffins. Ever since then, I've been wondering if it would work with pie. It does! I took my basic pumpkin pie recipe, replaced the pumpkin with an equal volume of bananas, and it worked great. I even managed to make it a no-bake pie by using extra-firm tofu.

This is my second and last entry to Raven's Cook. Eat. Delicious - Desserts, hosted this month by me.

Black Bottom Banana Spice Pie

Crust:

24 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Newman-O's or Oreos

1/4 cup coconut oil or margarine, melted

Oil a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Add coconut oil or margarine and process until well combined. Transfer the crumbs to the pie pan. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the crumbs evenly in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate until ready to fill. Wipe out the food processor bowl and set aside for the filling.

Filling:

3 medium-sized ripe bananas (about a pound)

1 (12.3-ounce) box extra-firm silken tofu

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Slice one banana and place in a single layer over the crust. Cut the remaining bananas in chunks and puree in the food processor with the tofu, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt.

Spread the filling evenly in the crust and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to firm up the pie.

Serves 8.

Vegan Jamaican Meat Patties

 

 

I had a hard time getting these patties to the table. It was touch and go there for a while.

I started with some leftover cauliflower and walnut burger crumbles left over from Moussaka and this recipe from Emeril that has been in my recipe bookmarks forever.  I made the filling first and it was delicious. Then I tackled the pastry. It tackled me back and pinned me to the kitchen counter. My recipe notes read, "Used food processor… bad bad pastry. I will throw you away now. " I'm not sure what I did wrong, but I suspect I used too much water, too little fat, and overworked the pastry dough. It was impossible to work with at room temperature and turned hard as a rock in the refrigerator.  I threw out the pastry, put the filling in the freezer, and licked my metaphorical wounds. 

Pastry is just not my forte. I've only made one recipe that I can remember being happy with, the one I used for apple empanadas, so I turned to that one. I dropped the sugar, added curry powder, and finally, I had patties.  The quantities even matched - no leftover dough and no leftover filling.  So, this pastry dough recipe is going to be my go-to from now on.

I'm not sure how authentic these are, but they're savory, filling and I'll definitely make them again. If you didn't want to use Ricki's cauliflower and walnut burger crumbles in these, you could use a package of store bought burger crumbles or even cooked lentils (although if you choose lentils you'd want to adjust the seasonings). 

 

Vegan Jamaican Meat Patties

Cauliflower-Walnut Burger Crumbles

Adapted from Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed into florets, about 1-1/3 pounds after trimming

2-2/3 cups walnuts (I used 2 cups walnuts and the rest sunflower seeds

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon thyme

2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a large jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with sides.

Use a food processor to mince the cauliflower, nuts and garlic. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in paprika, salt, sage, thyme, olive oil and soy sauce. Spread mixture evenly on the pan. (This is easiest using two forks held in both hands upside-down.)

Bake for 30 minutes, then turn mixture over using a spatula and spread back out evenly. Bake for another 15 minutes and turn. Continue baking and turning each 15 minutes until mixture is evenly brown and mostly dry (this took me an hour total). Be careful not to over cook.

Makes about 4 cups; recipe uses 2 cups. The rest can be frozen.

Dough:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon curry powder

7 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 - 1/3 cup water

Whisk together flour, salt and curry powder in a medium bowl. Melt coconut oil and add to flour. Blend well with a fork. Add a couple of tablespoons of water, then continue blending in water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is no longer crumbly.  Knead the dough by hand for three to five minutes until it's smooth.

Cover the dough and allow it to rest at room temperature for about an hour. (You can also refrigerate the dough overnight.)

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced

1/2 to 1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced (I used 3 red finger peppers, seeds and all)

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/8 teaspoon thyme

2 cups burger crumbles

2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced

8 ounces diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon rum

1 tablespoon water, or as needed

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and peppers and cook for a minutes. Add curry powder and thyme and cook for a minute.

Stir in burger crumbles, green onions, and tomatoes. Add salt, pepper and rum; taste and adjust seasonings. Pinch some of the filling between your fingers; if it does not hold together, add a tablespoon or two of water.

Putting the patties together:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Oil a baking sheet. Divide the pastry dough into eight pieces. Roll a piece into a ball with your hands and then use a rolling pin to roll the ball into a 6 to 7-inch circle. Place a rounded 1/4 cup filling in the center of the circle. Fold over and crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown.

Makes 8.

Orange-Pumpkin Whole Wheat Monkey Bread

Monkey bread as it's usually made is something I'd never eat. It's made from canned biscuits coated with loads and loads of butter and sugar. If I ate something like that, I'd feel bad later from the sugar crash and too much butter.
 

My mom used to make a savory "monkey bread" from a yeasted dough that was completely different, though. I loved hers, and when I came across a sweet yeasted version in Cooking Light, I knew I wanted to make my own. The magazine reduced the fat and sugar a good bit from the original, and I reduced it more. I also used all whole wheat flour and a good bit more orange juice. The magazine version had icing on top, but I thought it was sweet enough without it. Finally, I had some peeled, roasted pumpkin in my freezer, so I mashed that up and threw it in the dough. To bring the orange and pumpkin flavors together I added cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Delicious, and I feel better after eating some, not worse.

Theoretically this is a breakfast dish, but we couldn't resist having it for dessert. Thus, I'm entering it in Raven's Cook. Eat. Delicious - Desserts, which I am hosting this month. We are headed to the Florida Keys for a week, so I won't be posting in the meantime, but I'll be able to read and comment on your delicious entries to the event, so send them my way! 

 

Orange-Pumpkin Whole Wheat Monkey Bread

Dough:

1 cup almond milk, warm

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine

1 cup mashed pumpkin (mine was roasted but canned would work)

1/4 brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

2 teaspoons yeast (or 1(1/4-oz.) packet)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Heat almond milk, orange juice and eb over medium low heat until the eb melts and the mixture is warm (don't get it above 110 F; 105 F is ideal.)

Transfer the almond milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, flax seed, yeast and salt.  Mix well with regular beaters (or a whisk if mixing by hand.) Stir in the flour, and knead with dough hooks on the lowest setting for 5 minutes, or knead by hand for 10 minutes. Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside for an hour or until doubled in size.

Make sugar coating. Oil a 9-inch springform or cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sugar coating:

1/3 cup orange juice

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Have orange juice at hand in a medium bowl. In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.

Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and then slice each into 8 chunks. Dip a chunk into the orange juice and roll in the sugar coating. Place in the pan. Repeat with remaining chunks of dough; you'll end up with two layers of dough pieces. If you have any leftover sugar mixture, pour it over the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until firm in the center. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then pop the ring off the springform pan, or if using a cake pan, turn upside-down over a plate.

Serves a crowd.