Dare to Bake: Cooked Cream

First of all, let me apologize for what may already be obvious; I will not be posting as regularly (aiming for once a week) as usual until mid-April. I am training to teach yoga, and it is taking most of my available brain space and time. That said, I am still baking and staying connected with sustainable agriculture, so I might resort to shorter blog posts in order to maintain frequency. Stay tuned.

In other news, happy Daring Bakers February reveal day! The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

I have been meaning to make Panna Cotta for a while now, and this was finally the excuse I needed. Panna Cotta, an Italian classic literally translating to "cooked cream," is a light and pallet-cleansing dessert. The first and only time I've actually eaten the dessert was at Il Pirata in the Cinque Terre, Italy. It was smothered in chocolate and strawberries, and decidedly not vegan (see photo above). My creations this time are, however, and also represent yet another contribution to this month's SOS Kitchen Challenge on Stevia.

Oaty Almond Florentine Cookies

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 cups oats

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup)

10 drops liquid stevia

2 tbs almond milk

1 tbs ground flax seeds

pinch salt

melted dark chocolate

1. Combine oats, almond meal, and flax seeds. Mix in oil, agave, stevia, and almond milk. Let sit for a couple of minutes and then stir again.

2. Drop silver dollar size gobs of oat mixture onto a silpat on a baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes until just starting to brown.

3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before sandwiching melted chocolate between two cookies and refrigerating.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

1 cup soy milk (I used Westsoy nonfat plain)

15 drops liquid stevia

1/3 vanilla bean, scraped

1/2 packet vegan jello (can also use agar, but I haven't before ~1 tsp per cup milk)

1. Bring milk to a boil. Add stevia and vanilla bean. Pour into a bowl and add jello powder and whisk until dissolved.

2. Pour into whatever molds you are using and refrigerate until set. Bravo!

Pumpkin Pie Panna Cotta

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (I used kabocha squash, but butternut would also be lovely)

1/4 cup soy milk

15 drops liquid stevia

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1. Heat pumpkin and milk in the microwave for 1.5 minutes. Stir in spices (variation: 1/4 tsp ground cardamom) and stevia. Whisk in gum until fully incorporated.

2. Pour into molds and refrigerate until set, about an hour. Unmold and enjoy!

Your Daily Caffeine Fix

Many of us need a cup of coffee to get our days started (I'm actually more a tea person...), so much to the point that it really has become ingrained in our culture. Everyone knows the Folger's jingle; Starbucks sits on every corner; the default meet-up is grabbing coffee. In fact, 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day in the United States ... our population is 300 million.

Coffee has made an appearance before, when I blogged about the sustainability of the commodity. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight A month ago, the Nourishing the Planet blog showcased wild coffee in Ethiopia, the location of origin for this prized bean. In the highland forests of Southern Ethiopia, local people have harvested, roasted, ground, and brewed wild coffee for thousands of years. The post tells the story of a region under threat from deforestation, population growth, and climate change - and the efforts by organizations such as Slow Food International to preserve these rare varieties.

But such a geographically-specific bean is not going to satisfy the crowds clamouring for a Starbucks trenta. At the same time, we can't afford the deforestation and exploitation of low-wage labor associated with coffee production. In response to this, certification schemes and sustainable agriculture projects have been implemented, scaled up, and marketed as a niche product. With any eco-label, the actual impact on the ground is questionable. However, a study in 2007 in Latin America concluded that a combination of organic, fair-trade, and shade-grown certifications yield the broadest set of benefits. Finding such a coffee is not easy, but there are a few out there*...

So, once you've identified a preferred sustainable coffee, you can make some tasty goodies to go along with your morning java.

Jump-Start Cupcakes (8-10 cupcakes gf/vg)

1 cup almond meal

1 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 shots espresso (about 4oz coffee)

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. Mix together almond meal, rice flour, tapioca, xanthan gum, baking soda and powder, salt and sugar. Pour in coffee - it is fine if it's still hot. Also add the oil.

2. Combine only until all dry ingredients incorporated. Add the vinegar and mix one last time.

3. Slop into muffin tins. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, straight. Do Not Open Oven Door!!! I did this and they fell!

4. Remove when they past the clean knife test. All to cool before piping on some chocolate frosting.

I topped these babies with some of Ricki's Chocolate Buttercream! No one has yet been able to guess the key ingredient...

Anywho, you can see that coffee has its sinister side, and even a sweet side. Care to grab a cuppa coffee?

Coffee Shop Reading Material:

• Biodiversity, Yield, and Shade Coffee Certification
• Does Eco-Certification Have Environmental Benefits? Organic Coffee in Costa Rica
• Rainforest Alliance - Seal Your Cup Site

* Organic, Fair-Trade, Shade-Grown Coffees: there are a lot of small roasters out there certified in all three. Look for the organic, fair trade (such as TransFair or Fair Trade Federation), and Rainforest Alliance or Smithsonian Bird Friendly labels. Small cooperatives are starting to gain steam in both coffee and cocoa, and are considered more sustainable in some schools of thought.

The Power of Chocolate

First of all, happy Valentine's Day! While this Hallmark holiday has never really figured prominently in my life (though I will accept any amusing or delicious v-day goodies), I have always appreciated the prevalence of chocolate around this time of year. Well, chocolate - rather cacao - made an appearance in my activities this weekend. The Museum of the American Indian held a festival in celebration of this "food of the gods."

Sponsored in part by the Mars Corporation, the weekend show-cased their "American Heritage Chocolate" in addition to cultural presentations and performances. I attended a lecture entitled: Cacao History and Science, in which Mars plant science researcher Howard Shapiro discussed the history, culture, and genetic aspects of chocolate.

A quick debrief on cacao - this tree native to the Americas is found at latitudes between 18 degrees north and south of the equator. The center of origin for cacao is in Ecuador, however somehow seedlings were transported up to the Olmec region of Mexico where the tree was first domesticated. For most of this ancient history, really up until modern times, the drink produced from cacao beans was restricted to important political and religious figures. The Maya used beans as currency; legends and holidays centred around the crop; it even has a long tradition of medicinal use.

But today we consume chocolate by the barload - yes, of this I too am guilty. Did you ever stop to think, though, that one cacao tree may yield 50 pods per year ... enough to produce just four dark chocolate bars (let's say 3.5 oz apiece). I think I will avoid admitting how many cacao trees I go through in a year, then. The process, too, consists of many steps - fermenting, drying, roasting, and grinding the beans - even prior to it resembling chocolate as we know it.

Believe me; I have no desire to give up my chocolate fixes any time soon. That said, I think we all need to give our chocolate a thought as we consume it - as with any of our food. Savour the flavors, appreciate the origin and process, and support companies trying to promote social and environmental sustainability. Cocoa production is still at the small-holder farmer level; it continues to be part of agroforestry systems; and there is great potential for breeding in increased yields and building rural livelihoods on a global market.

So, what did I do with all this information? I chewed it over, went home, and made the Spunky Coconut's chocolate lava cakes. I may have substituted a few ingredients, such as tapioca for arrowroot, turbinado sugar for the coconut sugar, and cocoa for some of the melted chocolate. My version also had a hint of kahlua and molasses, which adds a nice depth of flavor. Let's all give a little of love and appreciation to that aphrodisiac/dessert/medicine/tropical fruit that makes Valentine's Day.

She came, she saw...

...and she stayed up way too late making delicious, gluten-free goodies for staff meeting today (which, were forgotten on the kitchen counter). This is going to be short, sweet, and consist primarily of a revamped recipe that I finally made.

I came across these Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars (um, yeah, I know) and almost died. This is food porn, if I've ever seen any. Sadly, they had eggs, and lots of them. However, that didn't stop me ...

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Walnut

Crust

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 tapioca flour

1/2 powdered sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix all flour and sugar together until evenly combined. Add vegetable oil and any extra water needs to create a dough that sticks together but is not sticky.

2. Press into a very well-greased or parchment paper-lined 9x13" pan and bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until just starting to brown. Cool while concocting the filling.

Filling

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup kahlua

1 tbs melted coconut oil

1 tbs molasses

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1. Melt chocolate chips in microwave at 30-second interval. In a separate bowl, combine flax and water and let sit for five minutes. Whisk in salt, baking soda and powder with a fork until very thick and color lightens (although, I use golden flax seeds).

2. Whisk in brown sugar, then add kahlua, chocolate, molasses, tapioca, and coconut oil. Fold in walnut and coconut.

3. Top cooled crust with chocolatey goodness. Stick back in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Make sure it doesn't overflow!

4. Remove once top is set. It will still be gooey (that's the point!), but let it cool completely, then refrigerate for another 30 minutes - you can do it - before slicing and consuming.

Ok, kids, I'm out. Enjoy your sugar high. I plan on providing you with something substantive to think about later this week, so get the sugar in while you can!

So you want a natural no-calorie sweetener, eh?

The very first time I ever came across stevia was while wandering the supplements aisles of Whole Foods and saw packets of Sweetleaf. I wrote it off immediately until revisiting the subject years later in a college sustainable agriculture course. Two representatives came in to present on their new natural no-calorie sweetener, Truvia, which consists of xylitol and a compound found within stevia that doesn't leave a bitter aftertaste. While I was very skeptical of the overall sustainability of growing immense quantities of the plant in order to produce tiny amounts of product, it did make me question the health for consumers (if not the efficiency in production) of no-calorie sweeteners concocted in a lab.

Then, my host on the farm in Italia pointed out to me that she grew stevia! Granted, the leaves really do have a slightly bitter flavor, but they were fun to munch or add a few to my tea. I was sold. It was easy to grow, not concocted exclusively in a lab from chemical components, and could be used to sweeten my favorite foods. I have dabbled a bit, and like Sun Crystals (if you can still consume raw sugar) and NuNaturals liquid, but can't really afford it and have opted for a greatly inferior Whole Foods brand. Trader Joe's powdered stevia concentrate is also rather pleasant, but still has a slight aftertaste.

Stevia rebaudiana, the sweet species with origins in the South America, can be found in semi-arid habitats of tropical and semi-tropical zones. While traditionally used for medicinal purposes or steeped as a sweet tea, we have now proceeded to extract the sweet bits out of the leaves to use, helping to avoid the distinct bitter aftertaste. The SOS Kitchen Challenge for February is to use stevia, I definitely have embraced this one wholeheartedly. Visit the webpage for more info on health benefits and types of stevia products.

In a burst of creativity, I bring you...

Meyer Lemon Polenta Slices (serves 4 - gf/vg)

Polenta

1/2 cup medium ground cornmeal/polenta

3/4 cup almond or soy milk (plain or vanilla unsweetened)

1/2 cup water

25 drops liquid stevia

1 tbs raw agave nectar

juice and zest of one meyer lemon

1. Bring water and milk to boil. Add cornmeal, stir, and bring back to a boil. Lower heat to med-lo and stir every now and then. Cook until thick and polenta is soft (and not too gritty).

2. Add agave, stevia, and lemon and cook just a couple of more minutes.

3. Pour into a small greased baking dish. Refrigerate an hour. Make coulis while waiting.

4. Cut into eight triangles. Heat a little nut oil in a skillet on slightly-above-medium heat. Pan fry each triangle, flipping after a few minutes on one side. Put two triangles on each plate.

Strawberry Coulis

1 cup frozen whole strawberries

2 tbs water

10 drops liquid stevia

1 tbs agave (optional; my strawberries were very tart)

1. Heat all ingredients over medium heat until mix boils. Reduce to low and simmer until condenses slightly and strawberries are essentially mush.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When cool, food process until smooth.

3. Drizzle over plated polenta. Add a scoop of fruit-sweetened vanilla Soy Delicious and Enjoy!

A Thoughtful Chocoholic

We have already firmly established my preoccupation, bordering on obsession, with chocolate - not just the rich decadence of flavors, but also the ecology and social responsibility aspects (not to mention the proximity of cacao to lemurs...). It should come as no surprise to you, then, that I was thinking about chocolate again.

In one of many article I read over the course of a day, I recently happened across this one on the Royal African Society. It reveals how despite the presence of a large fair-trade cooperative (source of Divine cacao, see below) operations, growers in Ghana, the world's second largest cocoa producer, still face substandard living conditions. Even still, Ghana is unique in that it places a price floor for farmers that is 2/3 of the world market price (a rare occurrence for commodity crop producers). Unfortunately, this article provides no tangible actions for a consumer to take if interested in the dirt behind the label!

So I was curious; what other efforts in sustainable cocoa production had occurred in Ghana? Being a large producer of the beans, Ghana is reasonable at the center of several large confectionaries' corporate responsibility plans. Mars, Corp. (that's your Snickers...) is working to improve rural livelihoods and production practices in partnership with several big name foundations and NGOs. Cadbury and UN Development Programme teamed up to reinvest in local cacao growing communities. And Cargill is partnering with CARE, International to support rural livelihoods in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. This still doesn't solve our previous problem of what looks good on paper (or the internet, for that matter), doesn't necessarily yield results on the ground. But alas, this is just a start, and obviously calls for further investigation.

In the meantime, I am trying to make chocolate more of a high-quality, in small doses food. Chocolate should not be consumed with abandon, as it is both a delicacy of the past and a treat of the present. Here is a recipe for my healthier take on a chocolate pudding recipe that has satisfied all but the strongest chocolatey cravings.

Serve a Single Some Puddin'

1.5 heaping tbs organic corn starch (or arrowroot powder*)

1 heaping tbs fair trade cocoa (I used Equal Exchange, which sources from the CONACADO in Dominican Republic)

1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk

1 block dark chocolate (I used Divine's 70%, sources from Kuapo Kokoo in Ghana)

10 drops liquid stevia (Whole Food's brand, a little bitter, but a cheaper option that the superior flavored NuNatural)

1. Stir together cocoa and starch in a small saucepan until uniform. Add half of milk and stir until as well-incorporated as possible. Add stevia and rest of milk and stir.

2. Heat over a medium flame until warm and add the block of chocolate. Stir continuously until it starts to bubble. Pour into a bowl. Let cool slightly or refrigerate, depending on your preferences.

3. Consume!

*Arrowroot acts differently than corn starch. See 101 cookbooks for methodology and another recipe.

One final and exciting development in my life ... I'm going to the Vegan Food Blogger Conference in Portland in August!!! Potential panels/classes about which I am super-excited: veganism and special diets, photography, and travel. Not to mention meeting countless other awesome food bloggers!