PREHEAT THE oven to 350F and lightly grease a 12-cup nonstick m.u.f.fin tin.
In a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar; allow it to rest for 1 minute to curdle. Add the applesauce, canola oil, and brown sugar, and whisk to completely incorporate them.
In a separate, smaller bowl, sift together the flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet; stir only to moisten and don"t overmix. Fold in the raisins. Use an ice-cream scoop or measuring cup to scoop the batter into the m.u.f.fin cups.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a m.u.f.fin comes out clean. Allow the m.u.f.fins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling.
MAPLE AND BROWN SUGAR PINWHEELS.
MAKES 12 TO 14 ROLLS.
TIME: ABOUT 2 HOURS.
Brown sugar swirls with a touch of spice and orange zest are sure to please for brunch or an afternoon snack. We think these are sweet enough on their own, but we"ve included an orange icing for fancy occasions. Make these rolls with white whole wheat flour and feel virtuous when you"re going for seconds.
If you like, flip over the buns when hot, right out of the oven, so that the gooey stuff on the bottom is transferred to the top.
Dough: 1 cups soy milk
cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
cup warm water
1(-ounce) package active dry yeast
4-4 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat white flour or a combo of the two
cup granulated sugar
teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (about 1 large orange)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
teaspoon ground allspice
Filling: 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine, melted
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons grated orange rind (about 2 large oranges)
cup raisins, coa.r.s.ely chopped (optional)
Orange icing: 1 cup confectioners" sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon soy milk
Prepare the dough: Heat the soy milk and margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the margarine is just about melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until tepid (don"t add the hot soy milk to the dough or it could kill the yeast cells).
In a measuring cup, mix together the warm water and the yeast, setting aside for a few minutes until the yeast begins to foam. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, cardamom, and allspice, and form a well in the center. Pour in the soy milk mixture and the yeast, then stir until a firm dough forms. If it"s sticky, add extra flour a few tablespoons at a time.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 6 to 8 minutes, and form into a ball. Pour less than a teaspoon of any light-flavored oil into the mixing bowl; add the kneaded dough, and turn the dough in bowl to coat the surface with oil. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap, cover with a clean dish towel, and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about an hour. The dough should double in size. When you press its surface and the indentation fills in slowly, it"s ready to shape.
While is the dough rises, line two large baking sheets with lightly greased baking parchment.
When the dough is ready, punch it down and knead it a few times on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough and roll it into a 11 18-inch rectangle inch thick. It helps to use your hands to very gently stretch and pull the dough to shape.
Fill the dough: Combine the melted margarine and maple syrup in a small bowl or measuring cup. Brush the mixture over the dough, leaving about 2 inches unbrushed unbrushed along one of the long edges. In another small bowl, combine the brown sugar, orange zest, and raisins; sprinkle this on top of the area that"s been brushed with the maple mixture.
Grease two baking sheets. Roll the dough fairly tightly, starting from the filled long edge to other bare edge (like rolling sushi or a jelly roll). If desired, seal the seam of the roll with a little soy milk and place roll seam side down on a cutting board. With a sharp, thin, ser- rated knife, slice the roll into 1-inch pieces and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cover the slices loosely with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel, and let rise another 30 to 40 minutes.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350F. If desired, brush the tops of the rolls with a little soy milk just before baking. Bake rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
Prepare the icing: In a medium-size bowl, cut the confectioners" sugar into the margarine to form crumbs. Whisk in the soy milk, orange rind, and orange juice. Ice the cooled buns.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper to avoid any sticking issues.
COOKIES AND BARS.
EVEN THE MOST jaded vegan can get behind (and into his or her mouth) a perfectly chewy, crunchy, sweet, nutty, chocolaty, or spicy cookie without the addition of dairy products.
We use flaxseeds and starches to create chewy or crispy textures, and sometimes both, so you can toss out that dusty old box of "egg replacing powder." Instead, invest in the best-quality flours, oils, chocolate, and spices you can buy. Go organic if you can. Of key importance is to get your hands on high-budget, real vanilla extract. Without b.u.t.ter or eggs to get in the way, you"ll really taste every glorious note in these wholesome confections. On that note, why not replace some all-purpose flour with a little whole wheat pastry and boost the fiber content? We love the rich color; light, nutty flavor; and delicate texture that whole-grain flours add to cookies and other baked goods. But if you"d rather keep things traditional, we won"t hold it against you either.
And who can resist the charm of a plateful of bar cookies? This chapter also includes our famous fudgy wudgy blueberry brownies, which is surely the taste combination to usher us into the next decade. We"ve also finally created the perfect lemon bar that shines like a citrus-colored jewel. Meanwhile, apple lovers and peanut b.u.t.ter lovers can finally come to an agreement and end their thousand years" war once and for all, with our apple bars topped with peanut b.u.t.ter caramel.
COOKIE TIPS.
Cooling racks are great for perfectly textured cookies; this way they won"t brown too much on the bottom. But if, for whatever reason, you refuse to get cooling racks, you can turn the cookies upside down on a plate to cool completely.
Store completely cooled cookies in a tightly covered container and they should last for 3 to 5 days.
Silpat is a silicone baking surface that you can place over your cookie sheet, making greasing the sheet or baking parchment obsolete.
When we direct you to lightly grease the cookie sheet, you can spread a very thin layer of shortening on it or spray with a light coating of cooking spray.
PISTACHIO-ROSE WATER COOKIES.
MAKES 32 COOKIES.