ReadyMade is about making and food is the thing that most of us make most often. We like to think of every meal as a project, so consider this the first installment in a weekly recipe series that I’ll be posting each Thursday. I’m thinking of this as a way to share some of my favorite recipes from my favorite chefs, growers and producers. My food perspective can be summed up as this: I’m a sucker for good old-fashioned, real food, with a natural bent (think medium rare grass-fed cheeseburger with a pint of local wheat beer and homemade strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert). And whenever possible, I’ll include some backstory about the dish so we can all learn a little something about where it’s coming from. (But sometimes, it’s just going to be because the food rocks.) And if you have a favorite recipe that you want to see posted here, I’d love to hear about it so, send them my way!

Erin McKenna is the owner and baker at Babycakes, an all-natural, organic bakery located on New York City's Lower East Side, that's best known for their totally delicious dairy-free, wheat-free cupcakes. This recipe is from her latest cookbook, Babycakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery.

Apple-Cinnamon Toastie

Until the bagel made its way across the San Diego County border from the East Coast and nudged its way into our bread box in the early 1980s, my mother’s breakfast staple was a toasted slice of cinnamon-swirl bread, which she nibbled while sipping her morning coffee and skimming Dave Barry’s latest effort. It was the only personal time we allowed her, however begrudgingly, and the scene is indelibly etched in my mind. In tribute to Mom, I came up with the apple-cinnamon toastie, now and forever a must-have on the bakery menu. Because it has a great crumb and is not too sweet, it’s perfect for toasting and slathering with your favorite spread. 

 1 cup garbanzo–fava bean flour
1¼ cups evaporated cane juice, plus more for sprinkling
½ cup potato starch
¼ cup arrowroot
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
½ cup coconut oil, plus more for the pan and for brushing
¹⁄³ cup homemade applesauce or store‑bought unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups hot water
1 cup roasted apples (see recipe below)

 1.) Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan with oil.

2.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of the evaporated cane juice, and the potato starch, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon. Add the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and 1 cup of the hot water to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth, then fold in the roasted apples. Transfer ¼ cup of the batter to a small bowl, and add the remaining ¼ cup evaporated cane juice, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and ¼ cup hot water. Stir until creamy.

3.) Pour the apple batter into the prepared loaf pan. Carefully drizzle the batter from the small bowl down the center of the loaf. Use a teaspoon to swirl the topping into the loaf, moving the spoon up and down. Sprinkle the top with evaporated cane juice. Bake the toastie on the center rack for 25 minutes, remove from the oven, and brush the top with a generous amount of oil. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, until crunchy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4.) Let the toastie stand in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a board. Turn right side up and cut and serve warm. Cover the cooled uncut toastie with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Roasted Apples

1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 pound pink lady apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

 1.) Preheat the over to 325 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 2.) In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon, agave nectar, and lemon juice until the apples are completely coated. Spread the mixture over the prepared baking sheet.

 3.) Bake the apples on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the sheet 180 degrees after 20 minutes. The apples will be soft. Let the apples stand for 30 minutes, or until completely cool. (The roasted apples can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

0 Comments