How can I veganise these French recipes? Also, a question about agar agar.

[briasoleil]

A number of years ago, I lived in France. And while I don't necessarily crave French food often, there are certain things I miss. Like brioche (such a perfect Sunday breakfast/brunch food). And I really want to make a galette des rois this January. Now, to only be able to find a porcelain fèvreOn Food Network Canada, there's a show called French

Comments

[briasoleil]

Oh, yes. Croissants aux amandes or or aux pêches (am I remembering right? or was it aux abricots?). Or simply, un pain au chocolat. But it just hit me today that I really wanted a piece of brioche and I doubt it's even remotely possible to make it vegan.

Maybe I'll make some madeleines instead. Now to only find a pan.

[briasoleil]

Now that I think about it, I'm certain it was a croissant aux abricots. So good.

Mostly, though, I miss easy access to French films, books and music. Well, some of the music.

[orphe_]

parsnip parsimony is a blog kept by a vegan food science major, and she has a brioche method. also, apparently, she's working on an egg replacer that can be used in all recipes, so i guess keep checking back there for when she puts it up.

[mabeval]

The author of Parsnip Parsimony is my roommate, and her brioche are really good!

She is going to start a new blog soon, but she is a major perfectionist so it might take a while.

[orphe_]

oh good! i've been getting more and more anxious every time i go back to that blog and it hasn't been updated yet.

[briasoleil]

Lucky you!

I can't wait to check out her new blog. And I'll definitely be trying the brioche recipe, when I have a really good scale and lots of time on my hands.

[mercuryhime]

There's some talk of vegan brioche here:
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2006/04/broccoli-brioche.html

and croissants:
http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2006/03/vegan-croissants.html

[mercuryhime]

Yeah, I suspect that crust would be too soft to be really authentic tasting. I find that most professional bakeries can't make authentic tasting croissants anyway, so this can't be any worse.

[briasoleil]

Oh, great links! I should follow her blog more frequently.

Re: agar agar

[briasoleil]

Awesome! Thank you!

[sohnyrin]

you can use a white dry bean for the "fève de porcelaine" :)

[briasoleil]

Yes, I know. But I like the quaintness of finding an actual porcelain figure. It's how I remember having the galette des rois. But the actual bean is the original way to make it.

[sohnyrin]

oh I thought it was just bean shaped ! I didn't have galette des rois often, i don't think I remember finding a porcelaine figure, only the traditional bean..

Good luck to find some, I'm sure there's a shop selling it somewhere.. maybe online ?

[briasoleil]

No, they come in all kinds of shapes and characters. I once got a "crown prince". Which is fitting, since it's a "Galette of Kings".

I'm certain there is. I should check with a local kitchen supply store or with some people I know that own a French restaurant.