So Tuesday was my final baking class at Hongdae, and it was a blast. First, here's a 'Blueberry Vinegar' concentrate that she showed us how to make. You actually have to leave it in a jar for about a month, stored in a cool place, before you can open it up and mix it with some sparkling water, syrup and ice.
We got to try some that was pre-made, and it was totally refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day. And don't let the 'vinegar' part turn you off, because you could barely taste the vinegar- it just added a nice tang to the drink. Can you see the blueberries at the bottom?
So now onto the baking part of the class. First up, Carrot Cake with Tofu Cream! This carrot cake is meant to be pretty squat, and it's also fairly oily, which is probably why it tastes so dayam good. The instructor said that originally, she had planned to use eggs, but since I was vegan, she changed it up, even for her other baking class! So that means everyone ended up making egg-free carrot cake, all because of me. That's a little activism tactic I like to call 'Guerrilla Vegan Baking .' (*evil grin*)
Then we made tofu cream for the topping. The other chick added cream cheese in with her tofu, but the instructor helped me make mine without. Even though mine didn't have the strong cheesy flavor, I think it totally worked with the carrot cake. It made the cake so much more decadent and moist.
For our final project, we made 8 mini Banana Coconut Cakes. This is probably the most indulgent, rich banana cake I have ever had. In addition to the banana and coconut flakes, we also put in granola (oats, sunflower seeds, whole flax seeds, etc...), chocolate chips, walnuts, and almonds- a vegan orgy in your mouth. Oh, and that's not all. The amount of sugar we used was so dangerous, it's sure to ruin all the hard running I've been doing! But I guess it's nice to know that vegan baking isn't always crunchy and 'healthy'. And believe me, it was geeuuuuud~
So that's it. We baked so much in this last class that carrying the takeout bag home was an arm workout. I'm actually sad that it has come to an end. I had such a great time, and met some very nice peeps in the process. It was definitely a great experience and I will be stopping by her studio from time to time. I highly recommend her baking classes to anyone who is interested in healthy, whole foods, semi-vegan baking. She can speak English, so give her a call if you're interested! Check out her website too.
A slice of my carrot cake the next day