VEGAN MATCHA CACAO CAKE

Organic Vegan Matcha and Cacao Cake

Dabbling in the Dark Arts:  vegan baking! ;)

I'm detoxifying from my 8 days of over-indulgence in Cancun, Mexico at one of the best all-inclusive resorts I've visited.  The Club Med we stayed at had so many activities that there was something for everybody: archery, trapeze, sailing, SUP, tennis...

We did it all...and of course I spent the first 2 days sleeping on the beach just to catch up on missed relaxation time! The food was very good too!  I tried my best to eat healthy, gf & all that.  By the 4th day, I was pretty much sick of the buffet lines and was mostly eating from the salad area.  But hey, what's a vacation if you don't eat dessert right?  I had my fair share of flan and tiny portioned dainty cakes & desserts too.  Skip to the recipe on the bottom if you don't want to hear about my back woes! lol.

Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha is sifted over the cake after removal from the springform pan

I think I was pretty good with my workouts though!  I worked out every day except for the day we went to visit Tulum.  On the last day, I worked our for 2 1/2 hours in the morning and I was pretty much practicing IF.  I was doing fasted workouts:  weights, kettlebells and some cardio on the elliptical or treadmill to finish up. Then I would join my fam for lunch at the buffet for my first meal of the day.  I was down to 2 meals because frankly, I wasn't that hungry considering each meal was a buffet bonanza.  Unfortunately,  on the last day, I tweaked my back reaching for the two 25 lb dumbbells.  I felt a sort of a pop (ugh).  It was not great on the plane ride home and upon waking up in Vancouver on the first day back home, I could barely walk.  Yesterday I did some self-adjustments (lying on the ground, knees up, pushing/pulling on my knees alternately using my own musculature, mobility and strength to try to realign my spine & pelvis).  Today I visited my friend who is a chiropractor and I'm feeling a lot better but I've got to keep up those stretches.

Since my garden's frozen, I used dried rosebuds to decorate. The petals are crispy & add a floral scent

My GP's advice is to try low carbing it to lose more weight (it's dang difficult with Hashimoto's disease) despite my working out several hours every week consistently. Also, I have a feeling he's going to be putting me on iron supplements again.  I try to eat more protein because of this (I'm not vegan...sorry, it would compromise my health which is pretty wonky as it is).  My blood work I had done recently showed I was iron deficient :(   I told him I was losing lots of hair for the past year and bit and ya know, I used to have tons of hair before all my thyroid issues.   It sux.  Everything about Hashi's sux. Especially trying to figure out on my own what works and doesn't work with feeling optimally healthy.  I know for sure I've built up lots of muscle this past year.  The other day, I had to scratch my tricep area. Dang if I didn't feel surprised as I hit hard muscle! ya! No batwings for this English teacher.  One thing I'd like to avoid is having the waggling triceps I've witnessed in my youth as teachers wrote on the blackboard. *horrors!* lol

A hot sharp knife creates a clean cut with this frozen raw vegan cake

This raw vegan nice-cream cake is a good start to me re-igniting that low-carb lifestyle I used to lead. It's been so hard with trying to be gluten free that I didn't think I could take away even more from my diet.  My fave cruciferous veggies which was my primary diet prior to Hashi's have been put on the "moderation" list now because of all the goitrogens.  This cake has nuts, which my kid is allergic to...but I'll be working on another (better! new improved!) recipe to try to get rid of the nuts so that we can enjoy eating a cake together.  If it's not one thing it's another, eh?   So the holy grail of my life is a cake that is: low carb/ketogenic, nut free & gluten free.  It would be nice if it could be vegan too. But I am thinking it'll be difficult without the nuts.   Stay tuned for more experiments!  I have a ton of flavour variations planned and I'm going to get rid of the bananas and make this creamier like a cheesecake but without nuts! ya! no kidding! and pie! yes...for my pie-loving friends! gf, vegan, dairy free pie coming up next :)

A slice of zen. This little cake makes you feel all self-righteous and healthy. The tiny slice I had with my espresso is low  carb, paleo, ketogenic, gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free and dairy-free.  

VEGAN MATCHA CACAO CAKE

Crust:

1/3 cup organic raw almonds

1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

2 medjool dates, pitted

a pinch of Pink Himalayan sea salt

Nice Cream Layers:

4 frozen bananas

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

optional: a bit of almond mylk, soy, coconut or regular milk, cream or water to get it going in the processor, if needed

Matcha Layer:

1 tsp organic ceremonial grade matcha; plus more for dusting the tops for serving

Cacao Layer:

1 tsp organic cacao powder

Special equipment:  

2 4-inch springform pans, lined with parchment circles

Crust:

1. Pulse the almonds, coconut oil and dates with a pinch of sea salt in a food processor [I used my Bullet] until the almonds are evenly ground and combined with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Divide the mixture between the two parchment-lined springform pans. Press the crust mixture into the bottoms of the two prepared springform pans. 
3. Place the pans into the freezer for 30 minutes, or until the crust is set.

Nice Cream Layers:

1. In a high-powered blender [I used my Vitamix] combine the frozen bananas, maple syrup and vanilla and pulse to combine.  If you find it difficult to get it going, add some liquid (any milk or water a teaspoon at a time) to get it going.  Increase speed and blend until smooth.
2. Divide the nice cream into 2 bowls
3. Matcha Layer: in a small bowl, mix a tiny bit of hot water with your matcha powder to make a runny paste and mix the paste into one of the nice cream bowls.  Thoroughly combine. Cover and reserve in refrigerator
4. Cacao Layer:  Mix the cacao powder with a tiny bit of hot water to make a runny paste and continue mixing until it's smooth.  Add this to the other bowl and combine thoroughly.
5. Pour the Cacao Layer onto the two prepared frozen almond/date crusts.  Place them back in freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until set.  I lightly touch the surface to ensure it has a solid surface before proceeding with the next step.
6. Take out the matcha layer bowl from the fridge and divide the contents equally amongst the two pans.  Place in the freezer for 4+ hours; freezing until firm
7. To serve:  Remove your springform rings from the bottoms and plate. Dust with the extra matcha powder (you can also dust with cacao powder).  Decorate with fresh berries or other fruit or flowers.  Allow the cakes to warm up for about 15 min at room temperature before serving.  If you want to cut the cakes, heat a sharp knife under hot water before slicing.  Keep uneaten cakes in freezer, covered until ready to serve.

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BRAIDED LATTICE APPLE PIE

Braided Lattice Apple Pie!

Humble Pie

Braided Lattice is insanely time-consuming.  

When my daughter walked by the kitchen and asked me "hey, are you making that pie for someone?" I was attempting to weave the braided lattice pie dough that was akin to wrangling cooked spaghettini. The delicate strands would stretch each time I moved them.  I was not feeling the pie love.

I replied "no, it's for you guys"

"Yay!  I can't wait! it doesn't matter what it looks like mommy...it'll taste great! I can't wait!"

Out of the mouth of my babe.

I stopped trying to weave the triplicate braid & lattice combinations.

And into the oven the pie went

Lots o' butter! 

I was eager to try a new recipe for a pie crust that could handle lattice-work.  I did my research and found a recipe on Serious Eats that sounded promising. It had a higher ratio of butter (how could that go wrong in any way?)

Cold cubed butter! 2 sticks!

I think I was too ambitious.  I even planned to do the Sous-Vide method for pre-cooking the apple pie filling.  What the heck was I thinking?  

Squash the butter cubes. 

Almost immediately into making the crust I nixed the sous-vide idea and decided to just do it on the stovetop.  It was wise as the actual sous vide part would add another hour to the prep time.

The huge chunks of squashed butter are very visible here.

Use the technique of making a quick puff pastry.  You're doing the laminated technique here next

Roll out the dough with plenty of flour.

This laminating technique looks harder than it actually is

Cut in half and wrap in plastic wrap.  Pop it in the fridge!

Roll that out 

The dough is quite strong and stretchy...quite promising for lattice-work!

The pre-cooked apples I used consisted of granny smith and gala.  

After I realized my kids don't care about the weaving, I just gave up and popped that pie in the oven so we could get it in our pie-holes sooner!

Though I saved plenty of time forgoing the weaving...and I didn't do the sous-vide part, we still had to wait 4 hours for the pie to cool before cutting into it.  

Good things come to those who wait!

PIE CRUST RECIPE FROM SERIOUS EATS

Old Fashioned Flaky Pie Dough

• 8 ounces all-purpose flour (1 2/3 cups; 225g), plus more for dusting
• 1/2 ounce sugar (1 tablespoon; 15g)
• 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
• 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks; 225g), cold
• 4 ounces cold water (1/2 cup; 115g)

1. For the Dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes (this size is important, as smaller pieces will melt too fast) and toss with flour mixture to break up the pieces. With your fingertips, smash each cube flat—that's it! No rubbing or cutting. Stir in water, then knead dough against the sides of the bowl until it comes together in a shaggy ball. Dough temperature should register between 65 and 70°F (18 and 21°C); if not, refrigerate briefly before rolling and folding (see note above).
2. Make the Layers: On a generously floured work surface, roll dough into a roughly 10- by 15-inch rectangle. Fold the 10-inch sides to the center, then close the newly formed packet like a book. Fold in half once more, bringing the short sides together to create a thick block. Divide in half with a sharp knife or bench scraper. Dough temperature should still be somewhere between 65 and 70°F (18 and 21°C); if not, refrigerate briefly before proceeding (see note above)
3. For a Double-Crusted Pie: Using as much flour as needed, roll one piece into a 14-inch circle and drape across a 9-inch pie plate; it will be super easy to lift by hand. Dust off excess flour with a pastry brush, using it to nestle dough into the very corners of the pan. With scissors or kitchen shears, trim the edge so that it overhangs by 1 inch all around. For a solid top crust, roll remaining dough as before, or roll into a 9- by 15-inch rectangle for a lattice-top pie. Transfer the entire sheet, uncut, to a baking sheet or parchment-lined cutting board. (The parchment will prevent dough from absorbing any savory odors from the board.) Wrap both portions in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. 

GOOEY APPLE PIE RECIPE FROM SERIOUS EATS

• 5 pounds (2.25kg) apples (see note above), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup (100 to 150g) sugar (see note above), plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (1/2 ounce; 15g)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) fresh juice and 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lemon
• 1 recipe PIE DOUGH (ABOVE)
• 1 egg white

1. To Cook Filling on the Stovetop: Transfer apples and their juices to a large Dutch oven. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until lightly steaming. Cover and continue cooking over lowest heat setting, stirring frequently, using a thermometer to maintain temperature below 160°F (71°C). Do not allow liquid to come to a boil for first 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until juices thicken enough that a spatula dragged through the bottom of the pot leaves a trail that very slowly closes back up, about 10 minutes more. Transfer apples to a rimmed baking sheet, spread out into a single layer, and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
2. Roll 1 disk of pie dough into a circle roughly 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Add filling, piling it into the pie shell until it all fits. Roll remaining disk of pie dough into a rectangle, approximately 10" x 15". Cut dough into strips and weave in a lattice pattern on top of pie.
3. Using a pair of kitchen shears, trim edges of both pie crusts until they overhang the edge of the pie plate by 1/2 inch all the way around. Fold edges of both pie crusts down together, tucking them in between the bottom crust and the pie plate and working your way all the way around the pie plate until everything is well tucked. Use the forefinger on your left hand and the thumb and forefinger on your right hand to crimp the edges. 
4. Use a pastry brush to brush an even coat of lightly beaten egg white all over the top surface of the pie. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon (15g) of sugar. Transfer pie to baking sheet in oven and bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. [NB: I had to add a full 15 minutes of baking time to ensure a golden pie crust.] Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 4 hours before serving.

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