Romina Coppola is the author of the book "Rawlicius! - 100 really tasty raw vegan desserts.". The volume is also a study tool in the graduate course of vegan pastry by Italian Food Academy.
The Course aims to train professional pastry chefs to meet the new demands of the food market, which are increasingly linked to healthy and nonviolent lifestyle choices towards the animal world. The in-depth study of this branch of the Italian and international pastries goes through the study of theory and practical preparation techniques, as well as the choice of ingredients.
The program of the vegan pastry specialization course
Topics covered in the course are:
- Introduction to natural pastry
- Merchandise and choice of raw materials
- Knowing the ingredients
- Identifying substitutions for our health
- Various types of flour and how to choose them
- How to sweeten by eliminating sugar
- Baked desserts
- Spoon desserts
- Cereal desserts
In this article, we want to provide you with some valuable insights into cruelty-free.
For crudism - as stated in Coppola's book-is intended to feed with every edible food In its natural, uncooked state: "still alive." The foods most commonly used in the crudism are: fruits, vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, and seaweed. The most common foods in raw desserts are nuts, an excellent source of fat, protein and vitamin E.
A key ingredient in vegan pastry: nuts.
Cashews
They are an excellent source of iron, potassium and phosphorus. They are used in most raw recipes, both savory and sweet, for the preparation of creams, cheeses, yogurt and need only a few hours of soaking to be used.
In the vegan pastry, cashews should be raw, not roasted or salted.
Macadamia nuts
They are another species of nuts, very nutritious and possess a high concentration of minerals and vitamins. They are used for their distinctive flavor and are well suited for making emulsions, milks and creams.
Pecans
They are rich in oleic acids useful for lowering cholesterol levels and rich in antioxidants. Used for their delicate flavor, they are very versatile in all preparations.
Brazil nuts, rich in thiamine and high in selenium. Very useful in fighting free radicals, they are used to add thickness to cake bases or to make tasty plant-based milks.
Walnuts
Classic walnuts are rich in omega 3 and minerals, zinc, calcium, and magnesium; they have a particularly pronounced flavor and are not often used in sweet recipes. They are most used in the preparation of pestos.
Fats in vegan pastries: coconut oil, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin
Coconut oil
Among the fats used in the vegan pastry we find coconut oil: this is a vegetable oil obtained from the dried pulp of the coconut. Cholesterol-free, it is, among oils of vegetable origin, the one that has the least amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Because it is liquid at room temperature and solidifies when it is refrigerated, it is used in many sweet preparations to give body to cakes and parfaits. It is therefore an irreplaceable ingredient for making creams, puddings, icings, cheeses and various types of butter.
Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is a fat that is extracted from raw, unroasted cocoa beans. It is obtained by cold pressing, which is why it is rich in vitamins and resembles the aroma of chocolate. It melts at 40° and solidifies when cold, in the refrigerator.
Soy lecithin
It comes in the form of granules or powder and is the perfect ally for emulsifying and making compounds frothy. It is rich in omega-3, omega-6, choline, inositol and minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus.
The thickeners: agar agar, psyllium seeds and chia seeds.
The agar agar
It is a polysaccharide that in no way alters the flavor of the dishes in which it is used, is completely plant-based, and so obtained through a complex processing and drying of red seaweed. This vegetable gelling agent is thermo-reversible, that is, the gelled mixture can be re-dissolved and then firmed again.
To activate its gelling action, it must be mixed with a liquid that is subsequently brought to a boil. Using it in raw cooking is possible, without going to harm
the nutrients of the foods to which it is added by allowing the liquid in which it has been dissolved and boiled to cool to a temperature of 40°. The use of agar agar, because of its characteristic thickener which is activated only at high temperatures, is quite controversial and finds several opinions in disagreement between those who maintain an uncompromising attitude toward the raw cuisine.
Psyllium seeds
They are harvested from the small yellow flowers of Plantago Psyllium and are naturally enveloped in a coating formed by mucilage. They are considered a "superfood" and can be found commercially whole or reduced to a powder. They can be added to breakfast yogurt or in oatmeal. You can also use the gel you get from soaking them as a vegetable gelling agent, so perfect for many vegan and raw recipes.
Chia seeds
They are rich in omega-3, fiber, calcium and protein. They are used for their gelling properties. Excellent when used for puddings and puddings, they are great for giving crunch to dried preparations.
Sweeteners: agave juice, coconut sugar, maple syrup, apple syrup, dates.
The agave juice
It is the sweetener with the lowest glycemic index. It is widely used in sweet recipes because of its mild flavor and high sweetening power.
Coconut sugar
It is a sugar that is obtained naturally from the nectar of the coconut palm-the sugary fluid that circulates in the coconut plant. It is made in a two-step process: a cut is made on the flower of the coconut palm and the nectar is collected in special containers, then the liquid is heated flax until most of the water evaporates. The final product is coconut sugar: crystalline, golden in color, very similar to cane sugar.
Maple syrup
Important for metabolism, it has magnesium, potassium and folic acid, as well as antioxidants. It is used a lot in vegan desserts, partly for its caramel flavor.
Apple syrup
Extracted from organic apples, it is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Dates
They are an excellent source of vitamins, potassium, phosphorus and minerals and are a natural multipurpose sweetener. They have anti-inflammatory properties and the medijoul, mazafati and sukkari varieties are mainly used in cooking.
Do you want to learn about the world of vegan pastry, read Romina Coppola's book and make her desserts? Sign up for the course by Italian Food Academy. In the meantime, here is a video of an easy recipe to make again:
Vegan Chocolate Custard Cake from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
