My second cup of coffee is on its way, only the milk left to froth. Soon. Very soon.
I am bringing a dessert to a family friend’s, and it has to be dairy free. I never bake dairy free, butter is like the beating heart of all baked goods. I tried a shortening frosting but I did not enjoy it at all. I don’t know if it was because the vanilla didn’t add enough flavor, if the organic shortening doesn’t have the same lift as something like Crisco or what.
There’s a vegan ganache I make all the time, though it’s not vegan when I make since I use semisweet chips, and I figured I could make it with the vegan chips. But I was concerned it would be too dark with the vegan chocolate cake, which isn’t overly sweet. The cake itself, despite having no eggs or milk turned out really well.
But finally I found a vegan butter, made from cashews, I can actually eat. So I’m going to try to make a vegan buttercream.
This dessert didn’t have to be vegan. It only had to avoid dairy, and I’m sure I could have substituted just for the butter; I use almond milk mostly anyway. Only I saw it as an opportunity to stretch my baking legs.
So now if the occasion does arise that someone needs a dessert to be vegan, I have something I can use. I’m also glad I tried it out ahead of time, so I know. Better now than later.
It’s OK to experiment.
Sometimes we’re really stuck on doing things right the first time, on knowing how to do something even when it’s the first time we’ve tried it. Why?
We don’t have to be.
Instead, give things a shot. Maybe you’ll enjoy them. Maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll decide somethings are best left to the professionals. Or maybe, like I did in this instance, you’ll marvel at the chemistry that creates a moist, flavorful chocolate cake without eggs or milk.
Failures are fine. As my mom used to say, “trashcans tell no tales.” Mine better keep its mouth shut about that shortening frosting.
Have a great Wednesdsay.
A Bit to Read 