Fran Costigan fran@francostigan.

com Recipes for Pastry Arts Magazine’s Virtual Baking Summit 1

Recipes reprinted with permission from Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent
Dairy-Free Desserts, by Fran Costigan, (Running Press)

Bittersweet Ganache Glazed Chocolate Torte to Live For

My breakthrough vegan cake over 25 years ago and still my most requested recipe, moist and chocolatey,
easy to make, it’s the chocolate cake for everyone.
Yield: 9-inch (23 x 5cm) or 8-inch (20 x 5cm) layer; 8 to 10 Servings

Recipe notes:
• I prefer organic flours; that is your choice. All AP flour can be used.
• Lightly grind vegan organic cane sugar in a food processor; store airtight.
• Cake freezes well. Defrost unwrapped.
• 60ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 70g whole wheat organic pastry flour or other neutral oil
• 64g all-purpose flour, unbleached, • 120ml pure maple syrup, grade A dark
organic • 210ml nondairy milk, oat, soy, almond
• 50g organic cane sugar, lightly ground • 7.5ml pure vanilla extract
in a food processor • 2.5ml chocolate extract
• 31g Dutch-process cocoa powder • 5ml apple cider vinegar
• 5g aluminum-free baking powder • 1 recipe Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
• 5g baking soda Glaze (recipe follows)
• 2.5g fine sea salt

Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350°F/180°C. Oil sides and bottom of cake pan and
line bottom with parchment round. Do not oil the paper.

Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Whisk the pastry flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt through the strainer. If any small bits remain in the strainer, add to
the mixture in the bowl. Whisk to aerate.

Whisk oil, maple syrup, nondairy milk, extracts and vinegar in a separate medium bowl until emulsified.
Pour into dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into pan. Rotate pan to level
the batter and tap it lightly on the counter to pop some air bubbles.

Bake the cake on center rack for 28 to 32 minutes (longer for 8in/20 x 5cm), or until the top of the cake is
set, the sides have started to pull away from the pan, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes
out clean or with just a few crumbs.

Cool the pan on a wire rack 6-7 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the sides of pan to release cake. Invert
layer onto the rack, remove pan, and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Invert again, top side up on
the rack, to cool completely. When the cake is completely cool, slide a cake board underneath and
refrigerate until cold before glazing.
Fran Costigan fran@francostigan.com Recipes for Pastry Arts Magazine’s Virtual Baking Summit 2
Recipes reprinted with permission from Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent
Dairy-Free Desserts, by Fran Costigan, (Running Press)

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Glaze

The success of this versatile glaze is all about the quality and flavor of the chocolate and following recipe
details. As long as you stay within the percentages listed, any premium chocolate you like is the one to
use.
Yield: 2C/480ml
• 227g quality dairy-free chocolate (70 to 72%), finely chopped
• 300ml oat, soy or almond milk (more as needed to adjust consistency)
• 18g organic granulated sugar
• Pinch or 2 fine sea salt
• 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 15ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil

Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl.

Combine milk, sugar, salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking a few times to dissolve
sugar and scald milk.

Pour the hot milk over the chocolate all at once. Rotate the bowl so the chocolate is completely
submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and let stand undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.

Whisk slowly from the center out only until ganache is smooth and glossy.

To test the final consistency:

Refrigerate a small amount of glaze 10 to 15 minutes. After chilling, the glaze should be smooth and firm
but still taste creamy. It is unlikely, but if the glaze is too firm, add a tablespoon of room temperature milk
and repeat the test. If too thin, melt and add more chocolate.

Stir the vanilla and olive oil into the ganache.

Allow the glaze to thicken at room temperature for 15 to 25 minutes, or until it coats a spoon thickly with
minimal dripping but remains pourable. Stir a few times from the outside into the center before glazing.

The glaze can be refrigerated in a tightly closed container for up to five days or frozen for up to one
month. The glaze hardens when it is cold; reheat over a water bath.

Glaze the Cake

Place the cake on an icing rack set over a parchment-lined baking pan.

Pour the glaze into a measuring cup with a spout. Pour the glaze onto the center of the cake. Coax the
glaze to the edges and down the sides by tilting the baking sheet or using an icing spatula. Use the spatula
to spread the glaze onto the side as necessary.

Allow the glaze to set undisturbed for 15 minutes, then refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes and repeat with
more glaze if desired.

Don’t touch the glaze with a spatula after it has been applied. Doing so will mar the finish. Extra glaze
drizzled freeform on the cake looks great and hides any problems. Refrigerate to set the glaze.
Serving For the neatest slices, cut the cake while it is cold but serve at room temperature.
Fran Costigan fran@francostigan.com Recipes for Pastry Arts Magazine’s Virtual Baking Summit 3
Recipes reprinted with permission from Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent
Dairy-Free Desserts, by Fran Costigan, (Running Press)

Basic Bittersweet Vegan Chocolate Truffles

After serving hundreds of truffles made with nondairy milk, I am convinced that they taste more
chocolatey than their heavy cream–based counterparts.
Makes About 30 (1-inch/2.5-cm) Truffles

• 227g quality vegan chocolate, (70 to 72%), finely chopped

• 210ml unsweetened oat, soy, or almond milk
• 20g organic cane sugar
• pinch fine sea salt
• 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 15ml extra-virgin olive oil
• Coating: Dutch-process cocoa powder, nuts, seeds, coconut, spices, flaked sea salt

Combine milk, sugar, salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking a few times to dissolve
sugar and scald milk.

Pour hot milk over the chocolate all at once. Rotate the bowl so the chocolate is completely submerged.
Cover the bowl with a plate and let stand, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.

Whisk slowly from the center out only until ganache is smooth and glossy. If the chocolate is not
completely melted, place the bowl over a water bath; stir until melted.

To test the final consistency: A properly made truffle ganache is firm enough to shape and still taste
creamy. Refrigerate a small amount of ganache 10 to 15 minutes. After chilling, the ganache should be
firm. Adjust as necessary with more liquid or melted chocolate.

Stir the vanilla and olive oil into the ganache. Pour ganache into a shallow dish at room temperature for
30 minutes to firm. The ganache sets evenly in a 9-inch/23-cm glass pie pan or similar.

Refrigerate uncovered until the surface is no longer soft, then place a piece of parchment paper or plastic
wrap directly onto the surface of the ganache, covering it completely Refrigerate 4 hours or until very
firm. At this point, the ganache can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container or frozen for a
month.

Make the Truffle Centers

• Line a shallow container with parchment. Remove ganache from refrigerator. Use a spoon to scoop
out 1-inch/2.5-cm pieces of ganache, and another to push the ganache off the spoon into the container.
If you prefer more uniform truffles, use a 1⁄2-tbsp scoop. When a half dozen or so are made, roll and
press the pieces into irregularly shaped rounds. Repeat until all the ganache has been used. If at any
time the ganache becomes too soft to shape, refrigerate until cold and proceed. Cover and refrigerate
the truffle centers in layers separated by parchment paper for 20 to 30 minutes before finishing with
the cocoa coating. Alternatively, cut the truffle ganache into squares.
Finish the Truffles
• Roll in cocoa powder with sea salt, ginger, or other spice, nuts, seeds, coconut.
• Refrigerate to set, 15 to 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with a few grains of flaked
sea salt.