Sweet Potato Challah

I've been meaning to post this recipe for ages. Sweet potato is my new favourite way to replace eggs in enriched bread dough recipes. It makes the final loaf nice and soft, and adds colour to the dough that     mimics the many egg yolks of non-vegan challah. This is a version of Peter Reinhart's recipe from Artisan Breads Everyday, but I use a blender to incorporate the potato into the liquid ingredients. You can let the dough rise in the fridge, then shape and bake the next day as he calls for, but I usually just do everything in the same day because I don't have the time or the fridge space to follow his method. The recipe produces reliable results every time. Trust me: I make at least two recipes a week so the kids have buns for school lunches.

Makes 2 loaves, or 16 buns

INGREDIENTS
All measurements are weight, not volume

- 17oz warm water

- 2.5 oz oil

- 4 oz cooked sweet potato (see note* way below)

- 3 oz sugar

- 14 g instant yeast

- 19 g salt

- 2 lb 3 oz bread flour

- soy milk for brushing

METHOD

1. Place water, oil, sweet potato, sugar, yeast, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Add liquid to flour in a large bowl and bring into a dough. Knead until smooth. 

3. Shape into a ball and let rise, covered, in a large oiled bowl until doubled in size. 

4. From here, YouTube is your friend. Determine how many braids you want in your loaf (the pic above is a 6 braid) and find a video for how to braid it. Remember that the recipe makes two loaves.

5. Place braided loaves on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (ideally both loaves on one big sheet). Brush with soy milk.

6. Leave to rise, uncovered, in a warm place until almost doubled in size (about 1 hour). Keep brushing with soy milk every 15 mins or so, to keep the dough from drying out and to build up layers of soy milk (this will give the loaf that glossy finish when baked). 

7. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350. 

8. Bake for 20 mins, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15-20 mins, until the loaves are evenly browned and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. A convection oven really helps get an evenly browned loaf. 

A NOTE ON BUNS

This is also my go to recipe for buns--it makes 16 buns that I do as a 4x 4 batch bake on a large sheet pan. Brush them with soy milk like the loaves, but bake at 400 for 15-17 mins, rotating the pan half way through. Or, space them apart, slash the tops before baking, and sprinkle with sesame seeds after the last brushing with soy milk (as pictured below).

Or do hot dog/sausage buns. 

*Note: I prick the skin of a sweet potato a few times with a fork, then cook it in the microwave on the potato setting. It's fast and makes for a sweet potato that is not too wet. 

Crispy Fried Cauliflower Wingz

This recipe is perfect for your upcoming holiday party! Or tuck it away until the Super Bowl. An indulgence, to be sure, but you deserve it. I've been meaning to work up a recipe like this since the cauliflower "wings" craze hit the interwebs a while ago, but I never got around to it. These are crispy and flavourful, and remain so even when they are no longer hot. The boys doused theirs in Buffalo hot sauce, while the rest of us stuck to a sweet BBQ sauce. Delicious! 

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets

Brine
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked or seasoned salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp poultry spice

Batter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
- 1 tbsp each: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups plain soy milk (more if needed)

METHOD

1. The day before: mix together the brine ingredients (I use a blender). Pour into a large freezer bag, then add the cauliflower florets. If your cauliflower is very large, you can make a 1.5 recipe of the brine. 

2. Remove as much air a possible so the brine is making maximum contact with the brine. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, rotating the bag as needed for even brining. 

3. The Day of: drain cauliflower in a colander. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.

4. While cauliflower is draining, whisk together the dry ingredients for the batter (i.e. flour to white pepper). 

5. Dredge the cauliflower in the flour mixture in batches until coated. Shake off all excess and place on a baking sheet.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together vinegar and soy milk. Add enough of the soy mixture to the remaining flour mixture to make a thickish batter. Add more soy milk if needed.

7. Add some pieces of cauliflower to the batter. Turn to coat. Leave the cauliflower in the batter for a few minutes to allow the batter to soak into the dredging flour.

8. Shake off excess batter and transfer to a cooking tray or plate. 

9. Fry in oil, 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Make sure your oil is not too hot or the outside will burn before the cauliflower is cooked.

10. Drain on paper towels and serve while still hot.

NOTE 1: while one batch is frying, add another to the batter so it can soak. Repeat.

NOTE 2: add more soy milk to the batter, if needed. The dredging flour will thicken the batter a bit, so just thin it down again.