The 1960's Housewife Paradox

When I first became vegan, I discovered the 1960’s Housewife Paradox: processed foods, despite their implications of butter and cream, are often vegan. Take Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. The advertising copy is all about how buttery, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth tender they are. But, there’s no butter in them. Cool Whip is notorious for being vegan in a previous formulation. Movie theater popcorn is often doused in coconut and canola oil, and proffered as “butter.” Fortuitously, Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry is also one of these vegan secrets.

I am always delighted to discover a simple ingredient like puff pastry that can be a vehicle for a huge range of dishes, sweet and savory. In the past, puff pastry would have supported meat, cheese, and even seafood in my kitchen, but the richness of buttery puff pastry is balanced well by earthy vegetables and bright sauces. My first effort is this Harvest Vegetable Square. We enjoyed it on Christmas Day with wild rice pilaf, maple glazed carrots, and a simple herb mushroom gravy. I am already plotting ways to adorn the second package of puff pastry living in my freezer…maybe chocolate and caramel…maybe roasted tomatoes and cashew ricotta…mmm.

Last Christmas with mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts

Harvest Vegetable Squares

Adapted from Vegetarian Times, November 2012

1 large head cauliflower, small florets

1 head garlic

¼ cup vegetable stock

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ cup water

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

15 Brussels sprouts, halved

15 baby carrots, halved

15 button mushrooms, halved

2 shallots, peeled and sliced finely

1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 425º. Line a rimmed baking sheet or oven proof dish with foil. Spread cauliflower in a single layer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice off the top of the head of garlic, and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the pan with the cauliflower. Roast for 35-45 minutes until the cauliflower and garlic is tender. Remove and set aside to cool.

In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, carrots, shallots, thyme, and mushrooms. Sauté until fork tender, about 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the white wine, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and water. Add this to the sautéed vegetables, and continue cooking for 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats all the vegetables. Remove from heat, and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cauliflower, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and vegetable stock. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the cloves and add to the food processor. Pulse until relatively smooth and well-mixed. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 425º. On a well-floured surface, roll each sheet of puff pastry into a 12” x 12” square. Cut each square into 4 equal pieces. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and place four squares of puff pastry on each sheet. If the puff pastry feels very sticky, you can put it in the fridge for a few minutes. Spread 2 or 3 tablespoons of the cauliflower puree in the center of each square. Top this with ½ cup of the sautéed vegetables. Bring the two opposing corners together of the square into the middle, and press to seal. Repeat with the other two corners. Place the squares in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the trays front to back, and top to bottom, and bake for 10 more minutes. The squares are ready when the top and bottom is golden and crisp. Serve piping hot with a drizzle of herb and mushroom gravy. 

Chocolate Fondue

One of the secrets no one ever tells you about food blogs is that sometimes there is a serious time delay between the food and the post. Take today’s dish for example. I first mentioned Chocolate Fondue almost a month ago, and my family and I enjoyed it after our gorgeous Christmas dinner. And yet, I am only just now getting around to writing about it. I wondered whether I should even post it, because I know January is a time for abstinence and restraint, but once again, being vegan allows for indulgence without remorse. Light and nutritious almond milk gives dark, antioxidant-rich dark chocolate the perfect texture.

Chocolate Fondue is a holiday tradition in my household, but it needn’t be restricted to the decadent holiday season, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up! Traditional fondue recipes consist of chocolate and cream, melted into a thick, smooth consistency. But, for some reason, a lot of vegan fondue recipes called for strange things like non dairy cream cheese, or marshmallow fluff. My philosophy of vegan cooking is to keep things as simple and natural as possible. Just because we’re removing the animal products from our food doesn’t mean we have to reinvent the wheel. I serve my fondue with several kinds of fruit, and a homemade pound cake. So, make a trip to the farmer’s market this weekend, pick up an array of your favorite fruits, and make this extraordinary dessert for the people you love!

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Heat the almond milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add the chocolate stirring constantly, allowing the heat of the milk to melt the chocolate, take care not to let the chocolate burn. When the chocolate is smooth and melted, transfer to a fondue pot, or a small bowl. Serve immediately.

Check back tomorrow for light and buttery pound cake!

Christmas Cannelloni, Part 4: Putting It All Together

Putting your cannelloni together is fairly simple once you’ve completed the crêpes, filling, and tomato sauce. Follow these steps and you will have a delicious and elegant holiday dinner!

Heat the oven to 375º. Spoon a small amount of sauce into the bottom of an oven proof dish. Place one crêpe on a clean plate.

Spoon 1/3 cup of filling onto half of the crêpe.

Fold the other half of the crêpe across the filling.

Place the stuffed crêpes in your prepared dish, slightly overlapping.

Once the dish is full, place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the inside of the crêpes reaches 160º on an instant read thermometer. Broil the dish on high for about 5 minutes, or until the top of the crêpes starts to brown. Place two crêpes on a plate and spoon some of the tomato sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh basil, and serve immediately. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cannelloni, Part 3: Simple Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes are an essential part of most Italian cooking. Because it is a cuisine that relies upon savory flavors like meat and cheese, tomatoes are often the perfect tart balance. That is definitely true in this cannelloni; stuffed with mushrooms and spinach in a creamy white sauce, it cries out for a little acid. This tomato sauce is bright and simple with a rustic texture and lots of flavor. It goes perfectly with this dish, but it would also be excellent in a variety of recipes.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion diced
1 carrot diced finely
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup red wine
2 32 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
2 bay leaves

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, and bay leaves and return to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for about an hour, until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Once the sauce is cooked, you can purée it in a blender or food processor, although I chose to keep mine chunky.

Christmas Cannelloni, Part 2: Filling your Crêpes

Cannelloni is traditionally stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs, and topped with tomato sauce. I have always enjoyed the addition of vegetables to my stuffed pasta dishes, and mushrooms and spinach are fairly common ingredients in Italian food. In this case, the spinach and mushrooms add volume as well as flavor, since this is a cheese-less cannelloni.

1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons non dairy butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
3 cups spinach
2 small onions halved and sliced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the garlic and cashews in the bowl of a food processor. Process into crumbs. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and mix until it forms a paste. With the processor on, add the hot water until it is smooth and creamy.

Heat oven to 375º. Place the onions in a shallow dish. Drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender and golden.

In a small pot, melt the butter until it begins to simmer. Add the flour and stir into a paste, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the milk into a microwave safe dish and heat until it is warm. I use a glass measuring cup for this. Slowly add the warm milk to the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Once all the milk is added, whisk until it begins to thicken. Add the cashew cream and stir to incorporate. Add the cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.

Place the mushrooms in a sauté pan and cook until brown and  tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the spinach in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 and 1/2 minutes, until wilted. Add the mushrooms, spinach, and onions to the béchamel sauce. Stir until everything is coated.

Check back tomorrow for simple tomato sauce and putting your cannelloni together!

Christmas Cannelloni, Part 1: Whole Wheat Crêpes

I know that Christmas dinner means a lot of different things to people, but I have never been especially invested in what we eat on Christmas day. We’ve tended to mix it up over the years with turkey or ham, lamb, or cornish game hens. Sometimes we have potatoes, we always have vegetables, but I don’t have one distinctive memory of Christmas dinner. 

When it came time to plan our holiday feast, I was continually drawn to Italian food. This might seem strange to some people, but it feels traditional to me. My great grandmother Adele was a first generation immigrant from Italy. Although she died when I was very small, I’ve grown up with stories of Adele rolling out sheets of pasta for lasagna and ravioli, cooking sauce on the stove for hours, and making meatballs the size of my head. Italian food is both vegan friendly and festive.

This dish is closest to a cannelloni, whole wheat crêpes stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and onions in a béchamel sauce, topped with a slow cooked tomato sauce. It was delicious, creamy, and special enough for Christmas dinner. It also opens the door to a lot of different interpretations including lasagna and manicotti. I’ll start with the crêpes, as a good crêpe recipe is very versatile, and can be used in a wide variety of dishes.

Whole Wheat Crêpes

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole wheat flour (you can also substitute whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour depending on your dish)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons non dairy butter melted

In a blender, whip the flaxseed and water until light and frothy. Add the milk, water, flour, salt, and butter and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.

Heat a small skillet or crepe pan over medium high heat. Spray the pan lightly with a canola cooking spray. You will need to do this before every crêpe. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan and rotate the pan to evenly distribute the batter. Cook until the crêpe begins to loosen and the edges begin to brown. Flip the crêpe and cook for 15 more seconds. Transfer to a clean dish towel. Repeat.

Blueberry Muffins with Almond Crumb Topping

Obviously, I am a person who cares a lot about food; otherwise, I would not write about every meal I eat on this blog. So, on special occasions, it is particularly important to me to eat really good food. For the past several years, we’ve started Christmas day with a coffee cake; blueberry lemon, cranberry orange, or cherry. So, this year I attempted to make a cherry coffee cake. Note the word “attempted.” I made it, baked it, got it out of the oven, and wrapped it up for the next morning. However, when I actually cut into it, it was a big soggy mess. But, sometimes things that look bad taste great, so I forked a bite and...threw the rest away. My coffee cake definitely needs work, but Christmas morning is not the time for food experimenting. Instead, I looked to my archive, and chose a simple muffin recipe. Instead of chocolate, this time I used blueberries, and finished it with an almond meal crumb topping. Served with freshly squeezed tangerine juice and an almond milk mocha for an elegant, yet simple holiday breakfast.

For the muffins, I used this recipe, simply replacing the chocolate chunks with 1 cup of frozen blueberries.

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
2 tablespoons non dairy butter softened
3 tablespoons ground almond meal

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mash together with a fork. After spooning the batter into the muffin cups, top with the crumb mixture.

Mushroom Bourguignon for Christmas Eve

I don’t know how Christmas Eve is in your family, but in mine it is thick with tradition. We’ve eaten the same dinner since before I was born, cheese fondue with crusty bread and juicy ham, followed by a decadent chocolate fondue with fruit, pound cake, and designer marshmallows. This was the only day of the year that we ate cheese fondue, so the mere mention of the word meant Christmas Eve to me. As with many things, becoming vegan necessitates reassessing the food traditions in my life. I thought about the experience of fondue, and what it represents to me as a way of recreating a similar food memory. Fondue is savory, cozy, and wintry. It’s about good bread, and the perfect glass of wine. Most of all it’s about flavors that warm you from within.

For my first vegan Christmas Eve, I decided upon Mushroom Bourguignon atop a bed of smooth and creamy mashed potatoes. I first made this dish last March, in the very beginning of my vegan experiment, and I was immediately in heaven. I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen who claims that the best part of Boeuf Bourguignon is the sauce. I couldn’t agree more, and this dish is a testament to that fact. It has all the heartiness and balanced flavors of the original, but it takes a fraction of the time to prepare. It is also very flexible in its timing. While preparing dinner, some of my neighbors stopped by for a glass of wine, and I just left the stew bubbling on the stove, building flavor, while I spent time with my loved ones. Eating a plate of this Mushroom Bourguignon by the fire, with a glass of Prosecco, it could not have felt more like Christmas Eve.

I served my Bourguignon on mashed potatoes, but I’ve also served it on creamy polenta, or just with a side of bread to soak up the sauce, so feel free to get creative!

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon non dairy butter
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed, slice in 1/4” strips
1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
1/2 carrot diced finely
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups red wine
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup frozen pearl onions thawed*
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley for a garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook briefly, about  3 minutes, until they begin to color but before they release their liquid. Place the mushrooms in a bowl, and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan on medium high heat, and add the onions, carrots, thyme, garlic, and a good helping of salt and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine to the pot and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the heat to high, and simmer until the wine has reduced by a third. Add the tomato paste and the vegetable stock, and stir until combined. Add the mushrooms along with any juices, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are very tender. Add the onions, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour and mash together with a fork. Add this mixture to the pot and stir until incorporated. This should thicken the broth a bit. Simmer for 10 more minutes, or until the stew is thick and creamy. Taste for salt and pepper.

Spoon over mashed potatoes, top with a sprinkle of parsley, and enjoy immediately!

*The first time I made Bouef Bourguignon, I used fresh pearl onions. I could not, for the life of me, get them to cook. I simmered that dish for hours, and at the end of it, my pearl onions were still crisp. Now, I always go for frozen pearl onions, which cook perfectly every time.

Chocolate Toffee Bars

This may actually be my last Christmas cookie post, although not my last cookie post by  a long shot. I already have a queue of cookie posts waiting for after the holiday season. But this officially marks the last batch of cookies I baked and sent to the people I love. Everything else is for my own selfish enjoyment.

This is another recipe from Alice Medrich. For a few years now, my mom has made these fantastic blondie brownies with chunks of dark chocolate and toffee pieces. Unfortunately, pre-made toffee has cow’s milk and butter among its initial ingredients, and is therefore no longer a resident of my baking cabinet. But, I was longing for a similar flavor, and happened upon these Chocolate Toffee bars. These treats hit the perfect balance of chocolate, toffee, and almonds, three ingredients that seem destined for each other. And again, this recipe is a snap to put together, making it exceptionally appropriate for this busy time of year. Happy Holidays everyone!

8 tablespoons non dairy butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup almonds chopped and toasted

Heat oven to 350ºF. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until combined. Bake on a rack in the lower third of the oven, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center is golden, and the edges are browned.

Remove the pan from the oven, and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the hot crust. Return to the oven if the chocolate is not melting. When the chocolate is melted, spread it smoothly over the top of the crust. Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the chocolate. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.

Chocolate Shortbread

One of my favorite indulgences is shortbread. I practically subsisted on it while traveling through Scotland; I said no thank you to haggis even before I was vegan. I even purchased a few packages of shortbread to give out as gifts and shamefully ate them myself. I have always had a predilection for sweet and salty together: chocolate covered pretzels, salt caramels, world peace cookies, and salted brown butter rice krispy treats. Shortbread is buttery, crumbly, and in this case dark chocolatey, with a perfect salty finish that lingers on your tongue. This recipe also happens to be incredibly easy, so I’ve made it three times already this Christmas season. Whip up a batch for your friends and family this week!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
12 tablespoons non dairy butter softened
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar for sprinkling

Line a 9” round pan, or an 8” square pan with foil, and grease with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix the flour and cocoa thoroughly.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix until combined. Add the flour and cocoa mixture, and beat until just combined. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 300ºF. Place the pan on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 65 minutes, or until firm. Sprinkle with sugar while it’s hot. Let cool for five minutes, then cut into pieces using a sharp knife. Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Are there people out there who only make one kind of Christmas cookie? Obviously I am not one of those people, what with the three and a half cookie recipes I’ve already shared and more to come. If you’re a one batch of cookies kind of household, then just consider this a plethora of choices for this festive season. One thing I should mention though; I haven’t eaten 13 batches of cookies. That’s something I do not recommend, and fortunately, cookies make the perfect holiday gift!

These cookies are fun because they are almost like candy, except they’re cookies! They are also full of rich chocolate flavor, and a little decadent. The chocolate provides a nice balance to all of the butter cookies I’ve written about so far, and cherries go very well with the season. These cookies also happen to be beautiful. Whomever you serve them to will be very impressed!

48 maraschino cherries with stems
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon reserved maraschino cherry liquid
1/2 cup non dairy butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsweetened non dairy milk

In a large bowl beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder, and beat until combined. In a blender, mix the water and ground flaxseed until thick and frothy. Add to the butter mixture with 1 teaspoon of the cherry liquid and combine. Add the flour and mix until combined.

Heat the oven to 350º. Form 1 teaspoon of dough around each maraschino cherry and place in a paper candy cup. Place the candy cups on a baking sheet. Bake for 14 minutes, or until the top of the balls is dry and slightly firm to the touch. Remove from the oven.

While the cookies are in the oven, melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the cherry liquid, and 2 tablespoons of non dairy milk and stir. Spoon the chocolate mixture onto the warm cookies. Allow to cool before eating.

Chocolate Dipped Cookies

I know I just wrote about the Orange Sablés a couple of days ago, but I have infinitely improved them, and I didn’t want anyone to make these cookies without the benefit of this amendment.

I had mentioned in my initial post that I thought these cookies would improve with the addition of a little dark chocolate, and I took the opportunity to drizzle some of the cookies with dark chocolate. This turned out so well, that when I made the next batch, I decided to dip them.

Dipping chocolate is more complicated than simply melting chocolate and dipping your cookies in it. However, don’t be intimidated, because it is altogether fairly simple. The important thing to remember is that working with chocolate is about science, and it is necessary to be precise.

When you buy a bar of chocolate in a store, what you are purchasing is tempered chocolate. When the chocolate is made, it is kept at a lower temperature causing a dense crystalline structure to form, resulting in a hard and shiny bar of chocolate. When you are creating chocolate for dipping, the end result should also be a hard and shiny layer. What this means is that you must melt the chocolate at a low temperature in order to maintain the same dense crystalline structure.

Enough theory, now practice. Chop 6 ounces of chocolate very finely. Place in a bowl, preferably a metal bowl which is more conducive to heat transfer. Fill a larger bowl half full with hot water, between 110º and 115º using an instant read thermometer. Place the metal bowl in the bowl of water and begin slowly stirring the chocolate, pressing it up against the sides of the bowl to enable melting. Be very careful not to get ANY water in the chocolate as this will cause seizing and entirely disrupt the crystal structure. If the water cools too much, and the melting slows, microwave the bowl of water until it is once again 110º to 115º. Once the chocolate has melted, begin dipping your cookies in the chocolate. Once dipped, place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Allow to set by placing the cookies in a cool, dry place. Setting should not take more than 30 minutes. Allow to set completely before packing the cookies.

Christmas Cookies Part 3: Orange Sablés

As I’ve said in my previous posts on Christmas cookies, we are always adding new baked goods to our yearly rotation. We tend to draw a lot from Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies cookbook, as she has a wide array of delicious cookies and bars that lend themselves well to vegan substitutions. Another excellent resource for Christmas cookies is Martha Stewart. Say what you will about her, but anyone who publishes an entire issue of their magazine devoted to exquisitely beautiful and delicious Christmas cookies is fine with me. My particular copy comes from 2001, but I still haven’t run out of fantastic cookie recipes that I can’t wait to make.

When you’re making a variety of cookies to give to friends and family, it’s important to strike a good balance. I knew I wanted to make Russian Tea Cakes and Cut Out cookies. This pair calls out for chocolate. I have more than enough chocolate recipes to choose from, so that wouldn’t be a problem. I knew the final choice needed to be something a little different, citrus maybe, and after a thorough perusal of Martha’s Holiday Cookies, I settled upon these Orange Sablés. Orange is a classic holiday flavor, and combined with almonds and coarse sugar, it makes the perfect holiday treat.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies

1 1/4 cups whole raw almonds
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
12 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sanding or coarse sugar

Process the almonds and the confectioner’s sugar in a food processor until the almonds are finely ground. Set aside.

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth and fluffy. Add the orange zest and mix thoroughly. Add the almond and sugar mixture and beat until combined. In a blender, combine the flaxseed and water until it is thick and frothy. Add to the dough mixture along with the orange juice, and mix to combine. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated.

Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a clean surface. Mold half of the dough into a long, thin, roll, about the size of a paper towel roll. Wrap in the parchment paper and refrigerate overnight. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Heat the oven to 350º. Spread the sanding sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the dough rolls from the refrigerator. Roll one dough log in the sugar until it is evenly coated in sugar. Then, slice the roll in 1/4” to 1/2” inch pieces, and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet 1” apart. Repeat with the second dough log. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie are golden brown.

*Feeling a little adventurous, I drizzled some of these cookies with tempered chocolate., however I think the pinnacle of deliciousness would be to dip these cookies in dark chocolate.

Christmas Cookies Part 2: Russian Tea Cakes

My Christmas fever has been escalating slowly but surely. After attending a glowy holiday cocktail party, I have started listening to my Christmas music on a loop. There’s no turning back now. I’ve also been wondering how I ever lived without online shopping. In any case, back to more traditional seasonal concerns: more Christmas cookies!

These are not so much a typical holiday treat for everyone as they are in my family. Growing up, we made cut out cookies and Russian Tea Cakes, and that was it. Over the years, we’ve started incorporating chocolate truffles, fudge, toffee bars, chocolate cherry balls, and more. But, when it comes to Christmas those are the only two non-negotiables. Russian Tea Cakes are my favorite, especially fresh from the oven when they practically fall apart in your mouth, accompanied by a cold glass of egg nog (or soy nog as the present case may be - don’t hate; it’s delicious). Whereas our cut out cookies may get co-opted by Valentine’s Day, or even Halloween, we only make Russian Tea Cakes once a year, and they are so the better for it.

This dough is very similar to the butter cookie dough, except it has nuts in it. This recipe calls for walnuts which gives the perfect bitter edge to all that buttery goodness. You can substitute other kinds of nuts, but if you do, they will no longer be Russian. Pecans make them Mexican Wedding Cakes, almonds become Viennese crescents or Greek kourabiedes, and any other kind of nut veers entirely from tradition. I really do recommend using walnuts, but I will understand if you feel compelled otherwise.

This recipe also comes from Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies. As I said before, she is the master.

1 1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons non dairy butter cut into chunks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until they are fairly finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl, and wipe the food processor clean.

Blend the sugar in the food processor until it is superfine. Add the flour and salt and just combine. Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture forms a dough. Add the nuts and process until combined. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 325º. Scoop about one heaping tablespoon of dough and shape into a ball. Place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 23-25 minutes, rotating and exchanging racks halfway through. The balls should have a slight color on the top, and be golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Sieve powdered sugar over the top of all the cookies. I have yet to find a way to do this without making a huge mess. Cool completely before storing, but they are at their best just out of the oven.

Classic Christmas Cookie

I spent the past weekend doing some Christmas shopping, and I am not only feeling like an incredibly organized person, I am full of the holiday spirit. Embracing rampant consumerism to a soundtrack of Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald is my favorite winter activity, hands down. All jokes aside, they don’t call this the most wonderful time of the year for nothing. But more than presents and shopping, this holiday is defined for me by food. And Christmas cookies are the centerpiece of my holiday food traditions.

Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and I have been making cut-out cookies. Christmas and these cookies are inextricably entwined in my memory. We’ve been using the same cookie cutters for 20 years, and their precious, and occasionally indiscernible shapes (a bear with a top hat?) are like old friends.

The recipe itself comes from the original goddess of dessert, Alice Medrich. Medrich is responsible for bringing the chocolate truffle to America. Her Berkeley shop Cocolat is deservingly renowned. When the Joy of Cooking published their revised edition, they asked Medrich to be their baking expert. I had the immeasurable joy of getting to attend a cooking demonstration by Alice Medrich a couple of years ago, where she cooked, and we ate, several amazing desserts. Her recipes are the gold standard of classic cookies guaranteed to taste “as good as you remember them tasting.” Thin, crisp, and impossibly buttery, coated in a thin layer of sugary icing and sprinkles, these are the epitome of the Christmas cookie, and incredibly easy to adapt to a vegan diet.

Basic Butter Cookie

Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies

16 tablespoons non-dairy butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour

Icing

1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons water
Food coloring

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated. Collect into a ball and knead a couple of times until smooth. flatten into 2 round patties, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 350º. Remove one circle of dough from the refrigerator and allow to soften slightly. The dough will become softer as you work. If it becomes too sticky or difficult to work with, return to the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper until it is 1/4” thick. Peel the top sheet of wax paper from the dough. Replace and flip the dough over and peel the wax paper from the top of the dough. Cut out the cookies from the dough, using the space as efficiently as possible. Using a spatula, transfer the shapes to a cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden at the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow to cool thoroughly before icing. Repeat this process until you have used all the dough.

In a medium bowl, combine the water and confectioner’s sugar. Add more water or sugar as necessary, until the icing is thin enough to spread, but not drippy. Divide the icing evenly among a number of bowls. Add the food coloring and stir thoroughly. Decorate according to your whim!