Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Raspberry Orange Scones


These will taste delicious, but they will probably look like a big raspberry mess before you bake them.  I had been waiting for berry season to arrive to try out this scone recipe.  I got some big juicy raspberries just for the occasion.  Well, they may have been a little too big and too juicy, but live and learn.  I would recommend small to medium sized fresh raspberries for this recipe so that they are not crushed too much when you shape the dough.  



1 ¾ c flour
3 tbs sugar
2 tbs wheat germ
2 tsp b powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 c cold soybutter cut into chunks                                                 
¼ c soy vanilla or plain yogurt
6 - 7 tbs soy milk
zest of 1 small orange
2 tbs orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

1 c fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Measure the dry ingredients and pour into a medium sized bowl.  Stir to combine.  Add the cold soy butter and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 butter knives until the mixture forms fine crumbs.  Next, add the remaining ingredients and stir with a large spoon until just blended.  Gently fold in the raspberries.  Kneed on a floured board 5 - 6 times.  The dough will be slightly sticky and the berries may burst and bleed into the dough.  Don't worry, they will taste fine.  Place the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Shape the dough into a circle 8 inches in diameter.  Cut the dough into 8 equal slices with a greased knife.  Brush with canola oil and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. 

Monday, June 27, 2011

Diary, Egg, and Nut Free Maple Sticky Buns



This recipe looks long and complicated, but don't let that hold you back.  It is not so bad.  I really used to enjoy a sweet sticky bun covered in syrup and nuts in the days pre-food allergies.  But I started experimenting with different recipes once my daughter was diagnosed with food allergies.  Visiting bakeries is a rarity for us.  Luckily, eating baked goods is not.

I often make these around the holidays and put them in the freezer because they take about 2 1/2 hours to make.  But they are a special treat to have any time of the year.  The whole wheat flour in these buns adds depth without making them too heavy and the maple syrup is a delicate natural sweetener.


Dough
½ c warm water
½  c soymilk plus 1 tsp vinegar heated in the microwave for 1 minute
1 ¼  c flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tbs wheat germ
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
2 tsp soy butter melted                                                     
2 tbs maple syrup
1 ½ tsp bread machine yeast

Sticky Bun Syrup                                                          
1/2 c soy milk
1/4  c soy butter
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c maple syrup                                                                 

Filling
1 tbs melted soybutter
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ c raisins

Put the ingredients into you bread machine according to the directions for a dough cycle and run the machine.  Mine goes as follows: water, soymilk with vinegar, melted soy butter, 2 tbs maple syrup, flours, wheat germ, nutmeg and salt.  Make a little well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast.  Run the machine on a dough only cycle.  

You can also make this dough in the food processor.  Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tbs brown sugar; let stand for 10 minutes.  Place flours, brown sugar, wheat germ, nutmeg and salt in food processor.  Cover and pulse a few times to mix.  Combine soymilk, water and yeast mixture, melted soy butter and 2 tbs maple syrup and pour through the food chute with the food processor running.  Run until mixture forms a dough.  Process for 1 minute more.  Knead for 8 minutes on a floured board.   Place dough in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. 

Combine the soymilk, soy butter, brown sugar, remaining maple syrup, and in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour into the greased 9 x 9 baking pan. 

When the dough is ready, turn it onto a well floured board.  The dough will be quite sticky and soft.  Roll it out to a rectangular shape approximately 10 x 12 inches. 

Dot with 1 tbs of melted soybutter.  Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins.  Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough going close to the long side edges. 

Roll up the dough beginning with a long side.  Cut 9 sections that are 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide with a piece of dental floss.  Run the floss under the dough log and pull up the ends of the floss around either side of the log and pull them to each opposite side until it cuts through the dough.  Place the rounds each with the cut side down into the cake pans.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 to 45 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes and invert onto a dinner plate.  Wrap leftovers with plastic wrap and store for up to 3 days.  Heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.    



This recipe can also be made the night before and refrigerated for 8 to 24 hours.  It is a great breakfast item to have on hand around the holidays.  It can be wrapped well with plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.  Take the dough out at least 24 hours before you plan on baking so that it has a chance to rise. It can be defrosted in the refrigerator.  

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberries are a perfect fruit for snacking on fresh and for baking with to make many varieties of treats.  Blueberry muffins are a classic favorite that everyone loves.  Well, everyone except for my kids.  They think the blueberries get too mushy when they are cooked!  So I make these for myself anyway, or divide the batter and add chocolate chips to their 6 muffins and blueberries to mine. 

Ingredients
2 c flour
½ c sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs wheat germ
¾ c soy milk or rice milk
½  c canola oil
¼ c soy vanilla yogurt
1 c blueberries washed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tin well with shortening.  Measure all of the dry ingredients and place in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center and add the soy milk, canola oil and soy yogurt.  Stir with a large spoon until just moistened.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 20 – 22 minutes and serve warm.  Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.  You may also freeze these for up to 3 months when they are completely cooled and put in an airtight container. 

* variation
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Use all of the same ingredients, but reduce the canola oil to ¼ c, and add in 2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice and1 tsp fresh grated lemon.  Mix and bake the same as directed above.