Cut-Out the Frustration

Right up there with piping frosting roses or rolling fondant, cut-out cookies are the bane of many dessert enthusiasts’ existence- At least as much is true for myself. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to fuss over one dough, just to beat it into submission so that it looks like adorable miniature people, or animals, or whatever else those metal torture devices otherwise known as cookie cutters so desire. It would be a whole different story if we were talking about a rich, buttery croissant, but all this hassle purely for aesthetic purposes? No thanks, I’d rather make something ugly but delicious in most cases.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to one’s tastes, however, and with a holiday as cutesy as Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it suddenly hit me that the time was right to tackle those most irritating cut-out cookies yet again. Because there have been requests, and because I love you guys, consider it an early V-Day gift to share and eat alike. The name of the game is to just keep it super simple.

So simple, in fact, that I didn’t bother decorating them after they were baked. To save time and misery, I piled on the colored sugar and sprinkles before the cookies hit the oven, so once the kitchen timer went off, they were completely done, ready to be wrapped up and given away. It’s a small suggestion, but perhaps it can save a fellow baker an hour or two from an already jam-packed schedule. For that reason alone it seemed worth sharing.

100% frustration-free, there’s no chilling of the dough, and for someone working at a steady clip, they can be ready for sampling within a hour. Go ahead, pull out your most intricate cookie cutters, make your own crazy shapes, slice that dough to within an centimeter of it’s sugary life, because it won’t spread for anything. No more blobby, over-weight looking forest creatures here, as every line stays as sharp and crisp as you originally intended.

However, soft and chewy sugar cookies these are not; for all that ease and speed, there is a small textural trade off. Though I much prefer a delicate, pillowy cookie with the barest toothsome bite, these morsels are Crunchy, with a capital “C”. Think of them more as crisp tea cookies, much like biscotti, and you will not be disappointed.

An unintended bonus of that solid composition? They’re fantastic candidates for shipping to loved ones afar! (Just make sure they’re better wrapped and protected than those pictured above… It’s just for illustrative purposes. Don’t send cookies in plain envelopes, folks!)

Yield: Makes Approximately 30 Cookies (Yield Varies Depending on Size of Cookie Cutters)

Crunchy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Name: Crunchy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt; 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 1/4 Cup Vegan Butter; 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar; 1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup or Agave Nectar; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 1 – 2 Teaspoons Orange or Lemon Zest; Colored Sugar or Sprinkles (Optional)

100% frustration-free, there’s no chilling of the dough. Go ahead, pull out your most intricate cookie cutters, make your own crazy shapes, slice that dough to within an centimeter of it’s sugary life, because it won’t spread for anything.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Vegan Butter
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup or Agave Nectar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 – 2 Teaspoons Orange or Lemon Zest
Colored Sugar or Sprinkles (Optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350, and line two baking sheets either with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In either a large metal bowl or a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. While you can certainly bring this dough together by hand, it will require some vigorous stirring, so I would advise bringing out the big guns for this one if you’ve got ’em.
Meanwhile, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup or agave in a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Gently cook the mixture and stir occasionally, just until the butter has melted and the sugar granules have dissolved. Pour the hot liquid into the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix well. It will become very thick and hard to mix, but give it all you’ve got and make haste- It will become only stiffer as it cools.
Turn out the smooth dough onto a lightly floured surface, press it into a ball, and roll it out to about an 1/8-inch in thickness. Cut it into your desired shapes with cookie cutters and transfer the cookies over to your prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles as desired, and lightly press the decorations in with the palm of your hand.
Bake each sheet individually for 8 – 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. You should be looking for the barest amount of browning on the edges, but nothing that’s fully golden brown. Let the cookies sit for a minute before moving them over to a wire rack to cool.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

February 9, 2011December 10, 2021

Hannah (BitterSweet)40 Comments

The World is Flat

When it comes to pizza, flatter is simply better. Having been raised on nothing but thin and crispy New York-style crusts, it seems like sacrilege to even consider deviating from that delicious formula. Never has this household seen the likes of deep dish, an abomination of doughy flat bread and vast pools of sauce. Perish the thought! Quite the contrary, the pizzas my dad rolls out for special occasions are so ethereally thin, each slice can sometimes seem like no more than a delicate wafer cracker, brushed with just a whisper of the red stuff. Thus, it’s a scandalous, shameful thing I have done in the name of dough just recently… Forgoing the rolling pin and long waits for the dough to rise, I made a quick and dirty pan pizza.

Lacking the grace of a paper-thin pie, it however makes up for this shortcoming in ease of preparation. Practically instant, there’s no down time waiting for the dough to rise, and you can go from zero to dinner in just about 30 minutes. Pleasantly chewy and sturdy enough to support whatever toppings are piled on, I think there’s room in my heart for this thicker, heftier crust, too.

Inspired by Vegalicious, I found the idea of a super-speedy white sauce completely irresistible, and with a container of plain, unsweetened soy yogurt sitting patiently in the fridge, it was clearly meant to be. Laughably simple yet complex in flavor, it’s subtly cheesy, almost gooey, and all too perfect to keep to myself. Who needs tomatoes on pizza anyway? You’ll forget all about that red spread with this gem of a sauce.

Yield: Makes 2 (9-Inch Round) Pan Pizzas

White Pan Pizza with Mushrooms

Subtly cheesy, gooey, and rich with umami flavor, you'll never believe how quickly homemade pizza can come together.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza Crust:

1/4 Cup Oil, Divided
1 Cup Warm Water
2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast, or 1 1/4-Ounce Package Rapid Rise Yeast
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

White Sauce:

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Plain Vegan Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Tiny Pinch Ground Nutmeg

Toppings:

1/2 Pound Button Mushrooms
1/4 Pound Shiitake Mushrooms
Fresh Parsley or Basil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and use 1 tablespoon in each of 2 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Place all of the ingredients for the crust into your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or food processor, and start on a low speed or pulse to combine. Once everything is more or less incorporated, allow the machine to run and “knead” the dough for about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce and toppings.
In a medium bowl, stir together the soy yogurt and spices so that you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Slice the mushrooms and chop your herbs, and then set both aside.
Pull the dough out of the machine, and cut it into two equal pieces. Roll them briefly between the counter and your hands to round out the lumps, and then place one in each of the oiled cake pans. Use your finger tips to smooth the crusts into the bottom of the pans, so that they’re evenly covering the entire bottom. If the dough resists and pulls back, just leave it alone for 5 or 10 minutes and then try shaping it again. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil cross the top of each round of dough, and slide the pans into the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes and pull them back out. Distribute the white sauce equally between the two pizzas, and smooth it evenly across the surface, leaving just a small edge bare so that you can pick up the slices later. Sprinkle your sliced mushrooms on top, and return the two pies to the oven. Bake for 8 more minutes, and then switch to the broiler. Broil for 5 – 8 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before sprinkling your fresh herbs on top, slicing, and digging in.

Good to Go

Pardon the cliche, but it’s true- When it rains, it pours. Though equally applicable to the unprecedented amounts of snow endlessly falling on the New England area, in this case I was thinking about deadlines, school work, and freelance jobs. To be utterly booked and maddeningly busy in the industry that I love is the best problem possible, but it does wear one quite thin. Never before have I had any sort of job that had me out of the house for 13 hours at a time, or – heaven forbid – force me to work through lunch. It was always difficult to understand how someone could lack the time to sit down for even a 15-minute meal, but now I get it. Sucked into the dizzying pace and fully absorbed in the task at hand, it can be difficult to break away.

I’m not the type of person who can painlessly forgo a meal though. Prepared for such situations, there’s always some sort of snack secreted away in my bag, mixed amongst the knitting needles and scratch paper. Larabars are standard fare, but like just so many other fans of this natural food bar, I felt compelled to take a crack at a homemade version. Having lamented that their main failing is a lack of protein, this was finally my opportunity to take matters into my own hand and pump up the nutritional stats.

With so much goodness crammed into such a small package, these svelte morsels positively glow with green energy! Instead of using just nuts and fruit as a base, I deviated from the traditional formula to include a generous helping of protein powder, infused with greens no less. Shockingly sweet and tasty for something that looks so grassy, it may not be particularly original, but this is what’s been keeping me going for the past couple of days.

Yield: Makes Approximately 6 Bars

Green Protein Bar

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Raw Cashews
1/2 Cup Vegan Protein Powder with Greens*
12 Medjool Dates, Pitted (About 1 cup, packed)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt
4 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Dark Chocolate or Mini Chocolate Chips, Divided

Instructions

Start by placing just the cashews into your blender or food processor, and pulse until they’re pulverized into a coarse meal. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that there are no large pieces hiding in the corners, add in the protein powder, and pulse a few more times to combine. For the final addition, toss in the dates, vanilla, and salt, and let the machine run until the contents become a mostly smooth, slightly sticky dough. Depending on your equipment, this could take anywhere between 2 – 6 minutes.
Scrape out the dough onto a silpat, and knead in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate by hand. If it’s too sticky to handle, lightly oil your hands before proceeding. Once the chips or chunks are well-distributed throughout, shape the dough into a fairly flat rectangle, approximately 4 x 6 inches. Take the remaining 1 tablespoon of chocolate, sprinkle it over the top of the block, and gently press it in so that it all sticks.
Stash it in the fridge to solidify a bit more, as it’s likely somewhat warm and soft at this point. After it has chilled for about 2 hours, slice it into 1-inch wide bars. Wrap each bar individually in plastic, and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

*I used Peaceful Planet’s Supreme Meal in these, but I also highly recommend Amazing Grass’s Amazing Meal.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 30gProtein: 11g

February 1, 2011March 10, 2019

Hannah (BitterSweet)37 Comments

The Secret is Out!

…And despite the fact that this is the first official announcement, it has long been out, since it’s near impossible to hide an Amazon.com listing.

Well, there’s no turning back now- My second cookbook, Vegan Desserts, will soon be on its way to a bookstore near you! Get your sweet tooth in gear, because this one will be jam-packed with well over 100 brand new, never before seen recipes, each and every one accompanied by a full-color photo. Arranged by season and drawing inspiration from fresh ingredients, holidays, and innovative flavor combinations, this is not just another classic baking book.

As if that all wasn’t exciting enough yet, brace yourself, because the much sought-after recipes for vegan meringues and macarons will be included!

Three years in the making, this book came precipitously close to being tossed out altogether. Sitting on my computer, growing older and less attractive by the day, I eventually realized that a final decision was necessary: Forget the whole mess ever existed and move on, or painstakingly fix all of the blemishes, large and small. This meant rephotographing everything, rewriting everything, and revamping the recipes. It was the equivalent of ripping 250 pages out of their binding, shredding 200, and starting again from there. But for that precise reason, because I couldn’t just speed this text along to the printer without a second thought, I am truly grateful. That initial rejection gave me time to grow as a baker and photographer, to vastly improve this final collection of recipes and images as a whole. Vegan Desserts is so much more than just another cookbook to me; it’s my baby, and I couldn’t be more proud of how it’s grown up. Now, I can only hope that everyone else feels the same way, too.

January 28, 2011January 28, 2011

Hannah (BitterSweet)97 Comments

WholeSoy Story

Plagued by a bad reputation and image issues for years, it’s safe to say that vegan yogurt has finally moved out of the dark corner of specialty health food store and into mainstream markets. Once viewed as a sad substitute, more akin to radioactive sludge than cultured dairy products, this basic staple has come a long way in a very short time.

My favorite flavors tend to skew towards citrus; orange, lemon, key lime, or grapefruit if you’ve got it. Tart, brightly acidic, intense but in a good, “wake you up” sort of way, the best options are just lightly sweetened. Bright and punchy, but still well balanced by a moderate amount of sugar. Thick, rich, and almost like custard, it’s been hard to find anything quite like it since WholeSoy & Co went under.

Unexciting as it may sound, unsweetened plain yogurt is my mainstay these days. This blank canvas can open the door to all sorts of cooking and baking applications, from sweet to savory and all things in between. Without the vaguest hint of sweetness and a very tangy finish, it has almost a cheesy flavor. Thoroughly drained and pressed, I can easily see it becoming a delicious farmer’s cheese type of spread! I couldn’t wait long enough to find out, but after two days sitting in cheesecloth, it did thicken up nicely to create…

Frozen yogurt. Blood orange frozen yogurt, to be precise. I must have caught the ice cream bug again because all of a sudden, I just can’t stop churning! With a few more gorgeous blood oranges languishing in the fridge, I felt compelled to do something special with them, and this easily fit the bill.

Bold and tangy, the citrus sings a pitch-perfect harmony with the yogurt base. Crunchy shards of caramelized peel add in bursts of intense orange flavor, accompanied by deep, burnt sugar notes to round it all out. This recipe takes a bit more patience than your standard frozen dessert, but it is absolutely worth the wait.

Yield: Makes About 1 Quart

Blood Orange Frozen Yogurt

Blood orange juice colors and flavors this frozen treat with a rich citrus infusion. Crunchy shards of caramelized orange peel add in bursts of intense flavor, accompanied by deep, burnt sugar notes to round it all out.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 2 days 6 hours

Total Time 2 days 7 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 (24-Ounce) Container Unsweetened, Plain Vegan Yogurt
2 Blood Oranges
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Light Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier, Limoncello, or Vodka
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions

line a strainer with two layers of cheesecloth, place over a large bowl to catch the drips, and pour all of the soy yogurt in. Cover the top with another sheet of cheesecloth, and place the plastic yogurt container lid on top of that. Use a can of beans or tomatoes (anything you’ve got) as a weight by putting it squarely on top of the plastic lid. The lid is there to disperse the weight a bit, and prevent yogurt from squeezing out around the sides of the can. Let sit in a cool place (but not the fridge) for approximately 48 hours, until 1/2 cup of “whey” has drained out.
Meanwhile, take your oranges and remove the peel in long, thin strips. Cut away as much pith as possible, and reserve the oranges’ flesh for later. Place the peels in a small sauce pan and add water to cover. Bring it to a boil, turn off the heat, and thoroughly drain away the liquid. Cover again with fresh water, and repeat this process for a total of 3 times. This will help to remove excess bitterness.
Next, add in the the sugar and 1/2 cup of water, turn on the heat to medium, and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat slightly so that it’s stays at a gentle but energetic simmer. Swirl the pan every few minutes, until the sugar begins to take on a golden amber color. At the point that the mixture is fully golden brown and caramelized, quickly pour everything out on a silpat or piece of
parchment paper, and do you best to separate the peels. Let cool completely before breaking into small shards. Save them in an air-tight container to prevent the sugar from melting or softening.
With both of the most difficult elements ready to go, transfer the drained yogurt into your blender or food processor, along with the agave, alcohol of choice, and vanilla. Trim away any remaining white pith from the reserved orange flesh, remove pips if you spot any, and toss the whole oranges in as well. Blend thoroughly, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until completely combined and perfectly smooth. Be patient, and don’t worry if the mixture becomes rather warm in the process.
Chill thoroughly for at least 2 hours before churning in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you transfer the soft, fresh frozen yogurt into an air-tight container, fold in your caramelized orange peel shards.
Stash the containers in your freezer for at least 4 hours before scooping and serving. The peels will eventually soften over time, so this is best served within a week, though it can certainly be stored longer.

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

With the holidays safely behind us and packed away in storage boxes for another year, I’m ready to out myself as a bad little culinary enthusiast. [No, not “foodie,” that’s a dirty word in this household.] Yes, I admit it, I took many shameless shortcuts. While I continued to bake and cook like mad, it was mostly at work for our endless catering requests and special orders, not at home. That’s why I was lucky enough to be gifted a main celebratory dish from my favorite local restaurant and place of employment, Health in a Hurry.

A seasonal specialty offered for a limited window of time during the winter, our stuffed miniature pumpkins are both a delight to look at and to devour. Filled to bursting with a hearty melange of brown rice, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, and herbs, this simple yet satisfying dish is excellent as either a main or a side, depending on the rest of the festive feast. Personally, one of these babies on a plate smothered in a sea of chickpea gravy is all I need for a happy holiday, thank you very much.

Then, come Christmas day, I found myself at a loss. Typically celebrated with a yule log of some fashion, I woke up that morning empty handed. However, a few cheap tricks later, and I had a reasonable substitute to present… A savory sushi yule log!

Keeping the theme with red and green fillings of avocado, red pepper, cucumber, and scallion, it was far more simple than my favorites, but it certainly fit the bill. Though truthfully no more than an uncut maki roll, dressed up with parsley “moss” on top and enoki mushrooms for that “authentic” forest-floor look, it was every bit as merry as many simpler bouches de noel.

Alright, so I’ve aired my edible sins… Now fess up, what culinary shortcuts did you take this past holiday season?

January 21, 2011January 21, 2011

Hannah (BitterSweet)29 Comments