Fran's Organic Gourmet Vegan Twinkie

March 29, 2007 — -- This is Fran Costigan's recipe for an organic gourmet vegan twinkie, from her book "More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally."

I am committed to making desserts that taste utterly delicious using organic, wholesome ingredients. The recipe for my Twinkie is adapted from The Vanilla Cupcake recipe in my book. If you can't find a Twinkie kit, use the more readily available cream canoe cake kits.

Yield: 16 Twinkies (2 pans.) Halve the recipe if you have just 1 pan.

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray the pan with canola or other nonstick spray.

2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the pastry flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the strainer. Tap the strainer against the palm of your hand to sift the ingredients into the bowl. Stir with a wire whisk to distribute the ingredients.

3. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, soymilk, vanilla, and vinegar in a separate bowl until well blended. Pour into the dry mixture and stir with a whisk until the batter is smooth.

4. Fill each cup about 1/3 full (about 3 tablespoons of batter each). Bake for 16 to 17 minutes, until the cakes are golden and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

5. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife between the cakes and the inside of the cup and lift each onto the rack to cool completely. Chill before filling.

The Cream Filling: IngredientsYield: 1 ½ cups

Directions:You will need a food processor. Remember this tip: Tofu based creams must be pureed until absolutely smooth and creamy. If properly made, there will be absolutely no taste of tofu.

1. Crumble the tofu into a food processor and process for 1 minute. Add the oil and process 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients except the arrowroot, and process 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Stop the processor a few times and clean the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Taste and add more sugar for a sweeter whip. Stir the dissolved arrowroot to release any starch that has settled to the bottom. Pour into a small saucepan and cook, whisking frequently over medium heat until the mixture reaches a full boil. It will be very thick and gummy. Immediately remove the saucepan from the stove. Add to the cream and pulse to incorporate. Process until the cream is smooth. Spoon the cream into a container. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or longer to allow the flavors to blend. The cream will thicken slightly as it chills but it is not a stiff cream. Assemble the cakes. Use a pastry tip, large straw, or chopstick to poke 3 holes into the bottom of each cake. Remove a plug of cake, but don't go all the way through the cake. 4. Fit a12-inch pastry bag with a star or round (¼ inch opening) tip and fill with cream. Slowly squeeze about one tablespoon into each hole. The cakes will seem to expand. Don't worry if the other side of the cake cracks a little. Refrigerate the filled cakes in a covered container. Serve at room temperature.