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.
The game plan:
Make the cream and let it chill for a few hours.
Make the cakes, cool and chill.
Fill the cakes.
The Cakes: Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
6 tablespoons light organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup expeller pressed canola oil
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, Grade A, dark amber
¾ cup vanilla soymilk or rice milk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Directions:
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
7 ounces firm tofu, drained (simmer in water for 5 minutes) 4 teaspoons expeller pressed canola oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup, Grade A amber
3 tablespoons raw light agave syrup
6 tablespoons light organic cane sugar
3/4 teaspoon very finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 ounces of vegan white chocolate melted
2 tablespoons arrowroot dissolved in 6 tablespoons soy creamer
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.