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Interior and Cover Designer: Brieanna Hattey Felschow
Art Producer: Tom Hood
Editor: Van Van Cleave
Production Manager: Riley Hoffman
Production Editor: Melissa Edeburn
Photography by Andrew Purcell
Food styling by Carrie Purcell, 2020
Illustrations by Tom Bingham, 2020
by Allison Daniell Moix, Stellar Propeller Studio, 2018
Cover: )
ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-366-3 | eBook 978-1-64739-367-0
R0
I write vegan cookbooks for one reason: the animals. As more people choose to cook, bake, and eat with compassion, may there be justice for all.
CONTENTS
Hello, my name is JL, and Im an unlikely baker.
My grandmothers were the bakers in my family, which meant I just got to sit back, eat, and enjoy. As a young adult, I wasnt particularly into cooking, and my baking was pretty much limited to boxed cake mixes (which I admittedly loved). I bought a bread machine in my early thirties, and when I couldnt get a single loaf to come out right, I thought, Forget it, some people just cant bake.
And I didnt for many years.
Along the way, I found myself going vegan and suddenly learning how to cook. Baking was still an afterthought because, um, what about the eggs? I began writing cookbooks and teaching cooking classes and was often asked if I would be teaching a baking class soon. Nope, Id say. Im not a baker.
I was scared because baking seemed a lot like science and, as an English major, that was terrifying. And it looked like those who baked well just knew how to do it. They instinctively knew how dough was supposed to feel. It seemed like they could practically eyeball measurements. I didnt have that gene.
And then one day I discovered a random sourdough starter packet in my freezer. It was February, I was trapped inside due to heavy snow, and I was bored. I read up on sourdough starters, watched YouTube videos, and got the nerve to feed it. A week later, I was the proud mother of Sandy the Sourdough Starter. Sandy helped me bake my first homemade loaf of bread. It looked pretty awful, but, oh, it was soft, savory, and so much fun to bake that I tried again. And it worked!
Youd think that accomplishment would have made me feel like a baker, but it didnt. That moment came when I made pie crust and nailed it on the first try. Now that I know how to make it from scratch, I realize I should have made that gateway baked goodie long ago. Its pretty easyjust flour, salt, shortening, and water!
Thats what opened the door wide for me. Soon, I started baking all the things: hot dog buns, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes, scones, muffins, and, yes, more pies!
I share this rocky baking background for one simple reason: If I can bake, you can bake.
Perhaps youre recently vegan and have no idea how to cook or bake with alternatives to eggs, milk, cheese, and butter. Or maybe youre a pro at the vegan thing but your relationship to baking is similar to what mine was. In this book, youll learn simple ways to use plant-based versions of traditional baking ingredients and bake some easy recipes that will leave you feeling like a culinary rock star. Together we will create delicious vegan goodies, and, while were at it, Ill share some of my experiences and tons of helpful tips that will have you baking with vegan ingredients confidently and happily.
So, lets get started! I cant wait to share this wonderful, wacky world of vegan baking with you.
1
My favorite T-shirt is emblazoned with one of my personal mottos: Anything you can eat, I can eat vegan. The times have changed, and now there seems to be a vegan version of just about anything. You know what that means? Anything they can bake, we can bake vegan!
For the Love of Baking
Baking is experiencing a renaissance: Books dedicated to cupcakes, pies, cakes, and bread are everywhere. Television shows focus on home bakers, seasoned chefs, and, heck, even baking with Girl Scout cookies. I admit itwatching the Great British Bake Off television series led to my own desire to be more than a spectator. Perhaps baking is having such a cultural moment because baked goods are delicious and comforting, and they are often associated with memories of a lovingly prepared cake or cookie. Im here to tell you that if you love to eat baked goods, youre going to love making them just as much. Were going to simplify and demystify the process so your inner baker can emerge. Its time to join the revolution!
