Showing posts with label ganache. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ganache. Show all posts
Sunday, November 28, 2010
VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER/CHOCOLATE MOLTEN LAVA CAKES!
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| Peanut Butter Lava Cake (with chocolate ganache filling) |
(I also made a vanilla gelato, but my freezer seems to be sluggish and the gelato didn't freeze it sufficiently, so we used it as a sauce!)
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER/CHOCOLATE MOLTEN LAVA CAKES
Serves 8-16
These individual peanutty cakes have a soft center of chocolate ganache that erupts in a rich, dark puddle from the cakes. They are best served right out of the oven, but they can be quickly reheated in a microwave oven just before serving. NOTE: The molten lava filling has to be frozen for at least 4 hours first, though, so you can’t make these on short notice unless you have the filling in the freezer already.
Originally, this type of cake was a flourless cake based on eggs that formed a molten center when the batter was baked, or, rather, under-baked. These days, more often than not, a rich cake batter containing flour is used and a frozen chocolate mixture is placed between layers of batter before baking. This is the version that I started with to make a vegan version of this cake.
**These cakes are baked individually. Use ramekins
, little soufflé dishes
, giant (1 cup) muffin tins
, ceramic coffee cups, 8 oz. custard or pudding dishes
or custard cups
—anything that holds 1 cup (8 oz.). They should be generously greased with vegan margarine and placed on cookie sheets, not touching.
, little soufflé dishes, giant (1 cup) muffin tins, ceramic coffee cups, 8 oz. custard or pudding dishes or custard cups—anything that holds 1 cup (8 oz.). They should be generously greased with vegan margarine and placed on cookie sheets, not touching.
Chocolate Molten Lava filling:
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet organic dark dairy-free chocolate (eating chocolate or chocolate chips are fine)
1/2 cup plus 7 teaspoons vegan creamer OR rich soymilk or nut milk
4 teaspoons agave nectar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup,or organic corn syrup
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Cake:
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth natural
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup organic light granulated sugar
1/2 cup medium-firm tofu OR firm to extra-firm silken tofu, mashed
1 tablespoon egg replacer powder 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 and 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup nondairy milk
To Make the Chocolate Molten Lava Filling (make at least 4 hours ahead of baking time):
Melt the chocolate gently with the creamer or milk and syrup in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla and let cool until tepid. (This will seem runny, but don’t worry!)
Spray an ice cube tray with oil from a pump sprayer
. Fill 8 of the ice cube cups with the chocolate mixture, distributing it evenly. Freeze for 4 hours, or cover and freeze for up to a month.
. Fill 8 of the ice cube cups with the chocolate mixture, distributing it evenly. Freeze for 4 hours, or cover and freeze for up to a month.
To make the cake (make this just before baking): Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Have the cups or ramekins for the cakes prepared as noted above**.
Cream together the peanut butter and vegan butter, using a stand mixer, electric beaters or a food processor. When smooth, add the sugars and beat well again. Add the tofu, egg replacer and vanilla and beat again until very smooth.
If using a food processor, scoop the mixture into a mixing bowl.
Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt well in a smaller mixing bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture, and beating just enough so that you don't see the flour or milk anymore between additions. Divide the batter in half by scraping the batter into a 2-qt. measuring pitcher/batter bowl
. Level it off, figure out exactly what half of the batter amounts to and scoop that top half back into the original bowl.
. Level it off, figure out exactly what half of the batter amounts to and scoop that top half back into the original bowl.
Divide the half of the batter evenly into the prepared cups or ramekins. Gently place one of the frozen chocolate cubes in the center of each (on top—don’t force down) and then top evenly with the remaining half of the batter.
Bake in the center of the oven until puffy and set, and slightly cracked on top, about 40 minutes. Test on the side of one of the cakes with a cake tester or toothpick.
Serve hot with topping of your choice— a vanilla nondairy “ice cream", is particularly good, but a vegan whipped topping is also a good choice.
The cakes cans be reheated by microwaving them for 30 to 40 seconds.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
LUSCIOUS VEGAN PECAN MOCHA LATTE CAKE!
Yes, it was my birthday yesterday! Here I am blowing out my candle with two grandaughters looking on.
I took some time of work for an extended weekend and DH and I went over to Hornby Island on Sunday morning to walk the trail through the Mt. Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial park, which goes from the ferry landing to picturesque Ford's Cove. It was a vigorous 45-minute walk, with alot of uphill and downhill, and very beautiful.
An interesting tree rootWhen we arrived in Ford's Cove, we walked out on the dock and sat down on a very comfy bench to enjoy the scenery, the sun and the quiet while eating the lunch we had packed.
The view of Denman Island, where we live, from Ford's Cove:
Some of the boats docked at Ford's Cove:
My daughter, Bethany, met us on the dock and we also met briefly with my oldest granddaughter, Savannah, who was just coming off a dive boat she helps out on. We had tea and coffee with Beth at the "Circle" near the Hornby Co-op Store, in the outdoor "Vorizo Cafe", then she drove us to the ferry and we went home. A lovely spring outing!
I insisted on making my own birthday cake, over some mild protests from family members, because I have really had the urge to bake in the last little while. But DH and I have been on the Weight Watchers' Core plan (still are-- almost 15 lbs. gone--each!), so, as you might have noticed, I haven't been making desserts! So, I controlled myself and waited for my birthday! I decided to make a version of my Vegan Almond Mocha Latte Cake, which I had devised for my son's birthday a few years ago, and which was featured in one of my newsletters. I had no almonds this time, so I used pecans (my favorite nut, anyway).
(UPDATE: The recipe for this cake is in my newest book, World Vegan Feast.)
We took it over to my son's house to share with his family (leaving some behind, so we wouldn't indulge further!). The quarter of the cake that is left is going with us to some friends' house tonight to finish off. I will not have anymore, since it is 10.5 points per slice (1/12th of the cake-- a good size, actually), but I really, really enjoyed my birthday slice, I can tell you!
Mmmmmmmm!
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