My Sweet Vegan

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging for this announcement:

I’m coming to Portland! The so-called “vegan mecca” of the US, there are so many reasons to be excited about busting out of my little east coast home for a week to see another corner of the country. And, if anyone in the area is so inclined, you can see me! This weekend, Sunday the 29th at noon, I’ll be at Herbivore signing books, chatting it up, and most importantly, handing out free samples of some goodies from the book!

As if that isn’t enough exciting news, you might notice a new column in the July/August issue of VegNews just hitting shelves, by yours truly. Not only was I honored by being named one of the top 21 vegan blogs of the year (although I still have trouble believing it), but I also had the incredible opportunity to see my words in print for this wonderful magazine. Did you like it? Enjoy the recipes? Have suggestions for the next one?

Since my photos didn’t make it to print for some reason, here are my pictures of what the FroYo really looks like, in all of its meltingly delicious glory:

The vanilla base, straight out of the machine.

After being frozen a bit more solid and scooped.

The chocolate variation!

So, with all of that craziness said, I hope to either see you soon, or hear about your thoughts on the article (or both)!

Comment on this post at Hannah’s Blog, Bittersweet.

A sea of cupcakes, that is.

Ever wonder what 12 dozen mini cupcakes would look like all together?

…Something like that. Plus, there’s a double batch of crumb-topped brownies to go with all of this, not pictured. Oh, the things I’ll do for love.

Speaking of which, if you come out to the Farmington, CT Borders today at 2:00 and show me some love, I’ll give you one of these little gems. See you there!

Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan, is continuing her book tour through Connecticut.  She will be greeting visitors to the Borders Book Store in Farmington, CT on  Saturday, June 21 from 2-4pm.  Stop by to meet this young baking and crafting prodigy, taste a sample of one of her desserts, and get your copy of My Sweet Vegan signed by the author!  If you haven’t yet had the chance to view My Sweet Vegan, several copies will be available in store to peruse and purchase.  If you are in the Hartford area, stop by.

What: Book Signing and Meet & Greet with Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan
When: Saturday, June 21, 2008 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Where: Borders Bookstore, 1600 South East Road, Farmington, CT 06032

Among the hundreds of cookbooks on the market, Vegan.com selected My Sweet Vegan as one of the top ten vegan titles for 2008.  When asked to share one of her favorite recipes for the Vegan.com top ten vegan recipes of 2008, Hannah selected the Root Beer Float Cupcakes from My Sweet Vegan.  Hannah said, “People usually try this recipe out of curiosity, wondering if the cupcakes will actually taste like a root beer float … but once they take that first bite, their hooked!”

Root Beer Float Cupcakes
From My Sweet Vegan

Batter:
1 Cup Root Beer Soda
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
⅓ Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Root Beer Extract
1⅓ Cups All-Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt

Chocolate Ganache:
5 Ounces Dark Chocolate, Chopped
¼ Cup Plain Soymilk
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

Vanilla Frosting:
1 Cup Vegetable Shortening
3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
2 Tablespoons Plain Soymilk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a dozen muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, combine the soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes. Add in the sugar and oil, whisking vigorously until slightly frothy. Integrate your extracts. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently introduce this dry mixture into your large bowl, being careful not to over mix. Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared tins, filling the cupcake liners approximately ¾ of the way to the top. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until evenly browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. After letting the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, remove them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before preparing the ganache. When the cupcakes are ready, combine all of the ingredients for the ganache in a microwave-safe container and microwave for about 60 seconds. Stir thoroughly to help incorporate the melting chocolate. If the chocolate is not yet entirely smooth, return the sauce to the microwave for 15 to 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating and watching carefully to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Drizzle the ganache in squiggles over the tops of the cupcakes. You will probably have plenty of leftover ganache, but I don’t see that as a particularly bad thing. Allow the ganache squiggles to fully cool and dry before preparing the frosting.

With your stand mixer, beat the shortening thoroughly, until creamed. Add in the confectioner’s sugar, and beat on a low speed, so as not to spray powder everywhere. Incorporate the soymilk and vanilla, and combine thoroughly, until the frosting is thick and creamy. Apply to your cupcakes and enjoy.

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

On Friday, May 30^th, the new Southbury Borders Concept Store will kick off its grand opening event with a meet and greet book signing by Hannah Kaminsky, the author of My Sweet Vegan. Beginning at 4pm, Hannah Kaminsky will be on hand to answer questions, sign copies of her new cookbook, and share samples of her delicious desserts with shoppers. 

Event: Meet & Greet with Hannah Kaminsky, the author of My Sweet Vegan

When: Grand Opening Event, from 4pm on Friday May 30, 2008

Where: Borders Bookstore, Southbury Plaza

Store Address: 100 Main Street North, Southbury, CT 06488

Store Phone: (203) 262-9419

For more information on the new Southbury Concept Store, visit http://www.bordersmedia.com/seenewbordersstore/southbury.asp. 

Jess of Let’s Get Sconed gives My Sweet Vegan a test run ~ “I was honestly already a fan of Hannah’s, so I knew I was in for a treat, ba dum! I’ve been reading her Bittersweet Blog for awhile and was even more impressed with her projects upon interviewing her for the online edition of Herbivore Magazine last year (full article for subscribers here, snippet here).

An adorable, enthusiastic and attentive personality shines in Hannah’s writing online, and that extends into her cookbook. Each recipe not only showcases her top-notch photography and food presentation skills, but again, her writing shines. Every recipe has an introduction - whether it describes why Hannah created it, what to serve alongside, when to make - it’s inspiring.

My Sweet Vegan features more sweets than you think you can handle, but you want to. This book is one I’d recommend for vegan bakers with an appreciation for style - whether you’re a passionate beginner or accomplished home baker. Even Hannah’s more basic recipes put a neat spin on things. You’ll find yourself realizing you NEED a heart shaped pan, for example, because it makes life that much cuter.”

(Triple) Chocolate Cheesecake ~ “My most recent creation was the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. I did skip the chocolate crust and opted for a storebought graham cracker one. So, let’s call it double chocolate. It was very easy to make, and obviously freaking delicious. I added some peanut butter caramel on top, because I can never things alone.”

Peanut Butter Bombs  ~ “These were eaten very quickly by my coworkers, and with good reason. They are surprisingly moist, and the peanut butter filling is a excellent incentive for biting into one!”

Crumb-topped Cranberry Muffins turned Mini Loaves ~ “My boyfriend’s favorite from the book. The cranberry flavor was SO good, and I liked how the citrus added to it. The crumb topping was more sweet coating than ‘crumby’ but it was still good!”

Photography and review from Jess of Let’s Get Sconed

The popular vegetarian magazine, VegNews, featured a review of My Sweet Vegan in their hot off the presses, June 2008 issue.  According to writer Ellen Sarbone, “Anyone with a sweet tooth, especially those who adhere to the “Life is unpredictable: eat dessert first!” philosophy will love the original, easy-to-follow, mouth-watering recipes in My Sweet Vegan.

Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan, is continuing her book tour through Connecticut.  Following on the heels of her successful signing at the Wilton, CT Borders earlier this month, Hannah will be greeting visitors to the Borders Book Store in Stamford, CT on  Saturday, April 26 from 2-4pm. 

Stop by to meet this young baking and crafting prodigy and get your copy of My Sweet Vegan signed by the author!  If you haven’t yet had the chance to view My Sweet Vegan, several copies will be available in store to peruse and purchase.

What: Book Signing and Meet & Greet with Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan
When: Saturday, April 26, 2008 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Where: Borders Bookstore, 1041 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT

Scrambling to whip up a dessert for the Passover Seder tonight, there was barely enough time to figure out what to make, let alone actually make it. The solution came to me in the form of a gussied-up, single serve, plated version of my Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake, which can be found in my book, My Sweet Vegan.

In this variation, I used a pan that would give me individual little squares to make each serving a bit more special, and I put the “topping” on the plate to act as a sauce. Still wanting to keep the same sort of pattern on top, I made little domes out of caramelized sugar to finish them off instead.

For this version that’s kosher for Passover, I replaced the crushed cookies with 1 1/4 cups almond meal, 2 tablespoons potato starch, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Simple, and gluten-free, too!

Happy Passover!