Miyoko Schinner is a magician. This talented and extraordinary cookbook author, restauranteur and cheese-monger waves her magic wand and produces some of the best food (and cheese) you’ve EVER tasted! Oh, she also dances, sings and bakes…see below. It’s an honor to have the Great Miyoko with us!
A LITTLE SUMTHIN’ ABOUT OUR FRIEND: Miyoko’s been around the vegan block more than several times. A serial entrepreneur, she has had a bakery, restaurant, vegan food company called Now and Zen, and most recently, Miyoko’s Kitchen, maker of artisan vegan cheese. As a cookbook author, her 2012 book, Artisan Vegan Cheese, showed people around the world how to unlock the secrets of culturing and aging their own plant-based substitutes at home. She co-hosts Vegan Mashup, a cooking show on PBS, and speaks around the country about veganism and cooking.
MIYOKO’S HOLIDAY WISH: “That you will celebrate the holidays without consuming animal products!”
A CHARITY MIYOKO SUPPORTS: For over 50 years, Friends of Animals has worked tirelessly to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world. You may be familiar with their recent #FlipOffFur campaign and Times Square (NYC) billboard which bring attention to the cruelty in the fur trade.
To give support or get more info about Friends of Animals, visit friendsofanimals.org.
Bûche de Noël, aka the Yule Log, is a winter holiday tradition from France! If any of you are French or grew up speaking & studying the language, like Macaroon did, then you know the joy of this cake. Sponge cake rolled with chocolate filling and icing to look like a log. COME ON! Miyoko, thank you for this recipe! SOMEONE in our home is set to make this soon!
- 1/2 cup Energ Egg Replacer
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 can coconut milk, chilled in refrigerator for 24 hours or more
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar or 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 can coconut milk (unchilled)
- 10 dates, soaked in water for 8 hours or more, pitted
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg replacer and water. Using an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, whip together on high for 8 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to whip for another 7 to 8 minutes until it doubles in volume. Altogether, it will increase about ten-fold.
- Prepare a half-sheet pan by lining with parchment and oiling or spraying the sides with non-stick spray. Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add to the bowl of the whipped egg replacer, and using the electric mixer on a low setting, combine well. It will deflate some; do not overmix and deflate it completely. Stop when the flour looks incorporated, but do not keep mixing. Spread the mixture in the prepared sheet pan, and bake for about 25 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, and the edges of the cake have pulled away slightly from the sides. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Open the bottom of the chilled can of coconut milk, and pour out any liquid (you can reserve this to use for soups, curries, salad dressings, cooking rice, etc.). Scrape out the solids into a bowl, and whip on high using an electric mixer. When stiff peaks form, add the sweetener and vanilla, and beat for another few seconds to combine. Remove from the bowl and chill until ready to use (this can be done a day ahead).
- In a blender, combine the coconut milk (the entire content of the can, not just the solids), the pitted, soaked dates, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Process until creamy and smooth, then transfer to a bowl or container and refrigerate for several hours until mostly firm (the middle can still be soft). Transfer to a large bowl, and using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip on high until light, fluffy, and doubled in quantity. It is best to decorate with this right away, but it can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days if necessary (it will become a little harder).
- Remove the cake from the pan by flipping it out onto a clean sheet of parchment. The parchment used for baking will now be on the top; peel it off and discard. Spread the cake with the Fluffy Coconut Crème. Roll tightly from one end to the other, using the parchment as a guide to help lift and roll if necessary. Put the roll on your chosen platter – a rectangular one is great if you have one. Slice off a diagonal slice off of one end, and attach the slice to the log to look like a stump or branch. Frost the cake with the Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream, and decorate with meringue or marzipan mushrooms. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to look like snow (or use crumbled meringues).
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