Plaited Challah Bread - Take 2

 

Since the first time I made this bread, I have been trying to simplify my recipes.

This version doesn't use a bread improver. If you want to see the original recipe and background, it is here. This has a much more acidy flavour, and the texture is like a cloud!

Ingredients

250gms Warm Soy Milk
95 gms Aquafaba
65 gms Sunflower Oil
1 tsp Salt
60 gms sugar
575gms Baker's Flour
40gms Vital Gluten Flour
25gms dry yeast
Pinch of turmeric (optional)

Method

1. Place the ingredients into the bread maker in the order listed above.
2. 
   Set your bread maker to dough setting and wait until completed.
3. Take the dough out of your bread maker and place on a well floured surface.
4. Divide the dough into even pieces. You can divide the dough in as many pieces as you want to braid. 3, 4 5, 6. I decided to try 6 for this one.
5. Place the finished plait on your tray and put in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F).
7. Make your glaze and brush your bread all over.
8. Place in the oven and lower your oven to 190 C (374 F) and bake for 30 minutes. If you find that your bread is browning too quickly, lower your oven to 180C (350F).
9. Remove from the oven and set aside on a cake rack to cool down.

Glaze

3 Tbs Sunflower Oil
2 Tbs caster sugar

Mix together until combined and use to brush on the bread.

Enjoy!

Short Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

240gms Self Raising flour
50gms Nuttelex (or other vegan butter/margarine that can be creamed)

65gms crunchy peanut butter
100gms raw caster sugar
4tbs (60gms) aqua faba

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with baking paper.
3. Sift flours together and set aside.
4. Cream the nuttelex and peanut butter with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, until light and fluffy.
5. Start adding sugar to the butters mix whilst mixing, ensuring that it stays light and creamy.
6. Add the aqua faba,  one tablespoon at a time, whilst you continue to mix. Ensure that each tablespoon is fully incorporated before adding the next. This will ensure that the nuttelex/sugar/aquafaba mix stays light and fluffy and doesn't separate.
7. Using a spoon add all the flour to the mix and then gently fold in.
8. Using a small scoop (i have a tiny one which is just like an ice cream scoop), scoop rounds onto the prepared baking sheet leaving about an inch of space in between each.
9. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until just slightly coloured.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
11. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie or in the microwave. 
12. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and allow to cool completely.

Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base

1 packet gluten free arrowroot biscuits (Woolworth's ones are vegan)

70 gms of nuttelex

50 gms instant oats

Filling

300 gms raw cashews (boiled for 20 minutes/drained/rinsed)

450 gms firm tofu

330 gms soy milk

200 gms sugar

1 tbs vanilla

2 tsp grated lemon rind

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

90 gms no egg

Method

1. Line a 23cm spring-form pan with baking paper.
2. Place base ingredients into a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Press firmly into prepared pan and place in the fridge whilst you prepare the base.
3. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
4. Boil 2-3 litres of water and place in the oven in a large pan (large enough to comfortably fit your cheesecake pan - this is your water bath).
5. Place boiled cashews into a powerful blender and process with milk, vanilla, lemon rind and lemon juice until smooth.
6. Slowly start adding the tofu in cubes and the sugar.
7. Once all incorporated and smooth, pour out into a bowl and fold in the no egg, and lemon rind.
8. Smooth the tofu/cashew mix over the biscuit base, and place in water bath in the oven.
9. Lower temperature to 100 degrees Celsius.
10. Bake for 2 hours (the top should not colour).
11. Once baked, allow to cool in the oven, then place in the fridge.

The top of this cake might end up cracked. Using a palette knife, gently scrape it over the top of the cake, which will fill in the cracks and leave you with a smooth cake.

Top with strawberries, coulis, passion fruit or other fruit or serve on it's own.