8.14.2008

fixing failures

I had a crepe failure a couple weekends ago. I thought I'd just whip some up for brunch, but my trusty crepe recipe (the really simple one from the voluptuous vegan) failed me. I think it was just too thick. Anyway the crepes were thick and clung to the pan like two-year-olds with separation anxiety.
A rather awful picture of me scraping rather awful crepes from the pan.

Ultimately I would've just given up and stormed off to pout in a corner, hungry, had my boyfriend not recommended adding some more flour and some baking powder and calling them pancakes. He fixed brunch!

Bu I still needed reminders of times I didn't fail at crepes! Fortunately I had these pictures saved from a little while ago to fix my mood...
Crepes with a sweet red-wine-and-pear filling, made just like my dried fruit compote, only with canned pears and raisins. Topped with soy yogurt!

Savory Collard crepes! Finely chopped collareds, sauteed in olive oil with pumpkin seeds, mushrooms and a lot of salt. Topped with tofutti sour cream and an olive.

And sticking with my "fixing failures" theme: a recipe! I tried veganizing and de-alcoholing (since we didn't have any) a Chocolate Kahlua Pie recipe. The recipe called for straight milk, not cream, so I thought I'd be okay, but the soymilk didn't thicken enough and it ended up being chocolate soup in a pie crust instead of a thick pudding. I'd even added used some of my vast stores of mimiccreme in place of some of the soymilk! but no. It was not even goopy, just liquid.. After refrigerating it a while and realizing it would not resemble anything cream-pie-esque, I stuck the whole thing in the freezer. And later that night, I discovered it was not a failure!

Fudgesicle Pie

1/3 Cups cocoa powder
1 C sugar (or 3/4 C agave nectar, but decrease the milk by 1/3)
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 Cups non-dairy milk
3 TBsp coffee (I used instant dissolved in water)
2 TBsp margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp chocolate extract (optional)

1 pie crust (graham cracker's good, especially if your mom has a natural food store and gives you 3 because the are past date)

In a saucepan, combine cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, salt. Stir in milk over medium heat. (If using agave, add it here instead of in the beginning). Continue to stir until the mixture boils. Reduce heat down to low, add coffee. Stir 1 minute more. Add margarine and extract(s), then pour into the pie crust. Freeze overnight, or 4-6 hours.
When you serve it, let each piece sit for a minute or two after removing it from the freezer, so it's not too hard. It goes great with berries, especially the berry sauce you had originally made for crepes that failed miserably (see above).

6 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said... Best Blogger Tips

The crepes and pie look STELLAR!

Rural Vegan said... Best Blogger Tips

Your crepes are stunning! They are one food I don't even try, they look far too delicate for someone like me with a total lack of patience. But I still like to oogle yours!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

We hate to hear anyone having a hard time improving a recipe using MimicCreme, so our founder went right into her kitchen and whipped up this recipe that works great and hopes you'll give a try. Here it is:
Vegan Crepes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Unsweetened MIMICCREME
3/4 cup Water (a bit more may be added if you want very thin crepes)
1/4 cup melted soy margarine
3 Tablespoons Organic (turbinado, whole, raw or unrefined) Sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or mixing bowl and blend until thoroughly smooth.
Cover and chill for 2 hours.
2. Heat saute pan or skillet over medium high until hot. Carefully lightly grease the bottom of the pan with some soy margarine. Pour approximately 3 Tbs batter into the skillet and quickly tilt and swirl the batter to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until golden brown, flip and cook on opposite side shortly.

Let us know how you make out. Vince at Green Rabbit, LLC (the makers of MimicCreme!)

Ruby Red said... Best Blogger Tips

I remember many a successful crepe that you have made in past posts... So I know in my heart that you are not a crepe failure!

And fudgesicle pie?! You rock -- fudgesicles are so good!

Judy's Nutrition said... Best Blogger Tips

It's never a failure as long as it's still edible!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said... Best Blogger Tips

Haha you and your crepes... I made crepes a while back (in April, I think) and dedicated the post to you :o).