Ever since we got back to Syracuse, Daiku and I have been trying to get back into our normal routine- cooking, eating, working, etc. I have to admit, though, when it comes to eating, we are still a little bit discombobulated, relying a lot on pantry foods and quick meals, most of them not blog-worthy. However, we have eaten a few sweet goodies that are definitely blog-worthy.
First, Daiku made these gorgeous cinnamon rolls. For anyone hanging out in the vegan blogosphere, or on the PPK, Evan's cinnamon rolls are old news, but we haven't had a chance to make them until now. And I'm so sorry we waited so long, these babies are magnificent! Daiku used half white and half spelt flour, and the infusion of whole grain didn't have a bit of negative effect- these were fluffy, soft, sweet and gooey- everything a cinnamon roll should be. Instead of making all the icing the recipe called for, we made a small batch and put them on individual rolls as we ate them - this way, we could warm them up without worrying about runny icing, and we used much less icing.
On a slightly less virtuous note, Daiku also made these raspberry chocolate chip blondies from Vegan with a Vengeance. I was always intrigued by the beautiful combination of blood-red raspberries, dark chocolate chips and fluffy white cake in this recipe.
Unfortunately, it appears that we under-baked it a little, it was gooey in the center. But we ate around the gooey parts while it was still warm and it was still satisfying.
On the freak produce front, here's a slightly x-rated specimen, from a package of freeze-dried mangosteens from Trader Joe's. I've never tasted fresh mangosteen, and like durians, I'm saving myself for them until I have a chance to take a trip to their home base of Southeast Asia. The freeze-dried ones are pretty good snacks, though!
I was looking through old photos and found this one, which I think you guys will like. My friend Natalie manages to be a genius cake-decorator in addition to teaching art history and working on her dissertation. When one of our favorite professors was leaving to teach at another school, she baked this cake in the shape of a film reel for his good-bye party, since he teaches film courses. Pretty cool, eh?
Finally, when gooey vegan baked goods aren't enough, you need really warm slippers to survive the Syracuse winter! I've been looking for ages, and finally managed to find these warm, soft, lined booties. Vegan fluffy booties on clearance, $10. Coziness and warmth on a freezing night, priceless.
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25 comments:
Cute booties!! One of my favorite parts about winter :-)
Oh and those cinnamon rolls!! I am only a browser of the ppk forums (I really need to start commenting) so I was in the dark this whole time! Next week I am in charge of bringing breakfast to work and I think cinnamon rolls are the perfect vegan treat to share. And too bad about the blondies.... I hate it when that happens :-(
those booties are great! i need to get some. i always complain all winter about not having booties or slippers, then spring comes and i forget again. it's a painful cycle.
my blondies were undercooked too when i made them... but i think i may have done something weird to the oven temperature on accident while cleaning knobs. i haven't made them again in order to see if that was the problem.
Mmm, cinnamon rolls... They look and sound incredible!
Cute boots!
We were late to the cinnamon rolls too, but I think the smell of warm and sticky cinnamon has something timeless about it.
omg...those blondies look so perfect, I need to make those again very soon.
Those boots look so cozy and snuggly, perfect for this time of year!
You guys have been BAAAAD, but it all looks so GOOOD. Nice buns, Daiku. (I'm sure Bazu will agree.)
Freeze-dried mangosteen? I had a fresh one once in China, believe it or not (improted, I'm sure, from SE Asia), and it was magnificent.
ADorable cake and even cuter slippers. Gotta' keep those tootsies warm and cozy.
OK, those cinnamon rolls are way, way too delicious looking. And with spelt flour? That has to count for some kind of nutritional value!
And that cake is awesome. I am forever in awe of people so talented - I wouldn't even know where to begin!
oh my goodness, you weren't kidding when you said you had some blog-worthy treats to share - so much decadence and deliciousness!! yum!!
oh, that cake is spectacular - your friend has lots of talent with the cake-decorating, for sure!!
ahh, those booties are too fun!! perfect for warming your toes in the dead of winter :0)
Love your slippers...
and I really want daikus buns!!
Oh cinnamon rolls. Perfect for a snowed-in day! Well, yes, it's evening now but maybe for tomorrow... the storm's supposed to get worse.
I made those blondies last week (with a few minor changes) and had the same problem. They were gooey in the middle, so I left them in the oven for a while after I'd turned off the heat... and they got so hard around the edge! They softened up a bit when they were in the fridge overnight, though, and they were delish.
And mangosteen is so good. In thailand they call it 'the queen of fruit'. Sometimes they sell it in grocery stores here, imported, but they are usually hard and un-appetising. And the few short weeks they are available at the market, they are generally sold out before we get there!
Oooh, SO much yumminess! I seriously need to make cinnamon rolls.
I could use those booties around here, my toes are COLD!
Oh my. A post about vegan baked goods and clearance products. I swear it's a post after my own heart. LOL
Hope you and Daiku are well!!!
Those baked goods look awesome. You don't have any plans to bring a suitcase full of cinnamon buns to Chicagoland anytime soon do you? Just thought I would ask ;)
*HUGS*
Love the booties. They would be great even in African winter where my feet go blue when surfing on cold night.
Love the look of the cinnamon buns. Bet they tasted great too. Daiku is very handy to have around LOL
too bad about those blondies, since they look so amazing. I was considering that recipe for a v-day treat but i think i'll look elsewhere since other people seem to be having problems. Those cinnamon buns, though...i so rarely bake and usually not sweet stuff since I end up eating far too much but I keep meaning to find some reason to make those...Glad to have you back in gross snowy central new york!
hot damn yr treats look wonderful! what a great way to stay warm!
that cake IS pretty awesome.
The rolls look like something I need to make soon! I can't believe the blondies didn't turn out. Your photo of them is so nice. Love the film cake and cheap booties!
oh yum, I love your description of the blood-red raspberries, it really does look like an intense piece of crimson blondie, ooh.
your booties are the CUTEST!
Can you send Daiku over to my place to bake those amazing looking vegan desserts? Please?!
Oh, those raspberry chocolate chip blondies look divine. Of course, as far as I am concerned, you could pour raspberries over asphalt and I'd eat it. But this looks nicer. And easier on the teeth!
Cheers.
The rolls and the cake look, so, so good. The page is filled to the brim with sweetness! Not to mention, the booties are adorable. ;)
I would love to make fun cakes shaped like different things but first I must learn the art of fondant!
Aren't those cinnamon rolls to die for!?! I was thinking of trying to make teeny mini ones the next time thinking it will help the guilt? Nah!
Cute booties!
mangosteens! i love them. they are the queen of fruits. durian, they say in se asia, is the king of fruits, but that is a king i'd prefer not to get to close to. there's a reason tj's has freeze dried mangosteen and not durian. STINKY!
hope your feetz is warm in the syracuse snow.
absolutely love those booties!!
yum, this is a yummy post :)
those cinnamon rolls look so good. i have never made cinnamon rolls before (vegan or otherwise) but i keep seeing them on people's blogs and feeling really tempted... and man, that film reel cake? amazing!
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