The BEST Vegan Carob Chip Cookies

I have a friend who is allergic to chocolate (poor guy), and so I googled "best vegan chocolate chip cookies," intending on making him a carob version.  Low and behold... this recipe popped up with that exact title, with the word "BEST" capitalized for emphasis.  Who could resist that?  

I am usually dubious of such a bold proclamation made on the internet, but always eager to actually make THE BEST anything, especially if it's as easy as following a simple recipe found in 3 seconds online!

Well, I must say- these did not disappoint.  They had a nice balance of crunchy and chewy, and that blissfully addictive sensation that only THE BEST Carob (or Chocolate) Chip Cookies could invoke.  The second time I made them, I made the mistake of halving the coconut oil, but they turned out even better.  So, I altered the recipe here- let me know if you get a different result...  And good luck keeping these in the house!

Makes @ 15-18 good sized cookies (I usually double this recipe)

Ingredients:
1/4 C. coconut oil (must be measured in liquid form)
1 C. loosely packed brown sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1/4 C. soy milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C. all purpose flour (I used all purpose spelt flour)
1 C. carob chips

Spinz:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Whisk together the coconut oil and brown sugar. Mix in vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: salt, baking powder & soda, and flour.  Add in about 1 cup of the dry ingredients to incorporate into the sugar oil mixture.  Add in the soy milk.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips.
The dough will be very stiff.  Roll into golf ball sized balls with your hands, pressing the dough together.  Important:  Only flatten these slightly (the dough will spread out quite a bit in the oven).  Space each cookie @ 2" apart.  Bake for @ 10 minutes.  

Vegan Apple French Toast A La Mode

A warm french toast, crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside, tastes a lot like a freshly made donut! When topped with apple pie filling, creamy soy vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle a little maple syrup, you will be transformed.
This was a good alternative to good old American apple pie, and it was easy and fun to make!  I used thick cut bread (Texas toast- found a vegan one!).  I made this for friends at a get together for dessert, and everyone gobbled them up.  This recipe is an adaptation of the "Fronch Toast" from VWAV.  I subbed the coconut milk for the soy creamer, because it was what I had on hand, but it doesn't have a strong coconutty flavor.  A lot of people asked me what was in the batter, since I didn't use eggs.  The "secret" ingredient is the chickpea flour- that is a must!

You can also top with a variety of toppings.  Toasted coconut was excellent!  Allow guests to assemble themselves, and offer more than one topping.

Makes 12-16 slices (you can halve the recipe if cooking for just a few people, but keep in mind that most will want more than one)

Ingredients:
12-16 slices Texas Toast bread
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup soy milk
3 Tbsp. corn starch
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chickpea flour
vegetable oil for pan frying

Spinz:
Whisk together all ingredients, with chickpea flour last.  Whisk until just combined.  A few clumps is ok.  Heat a non-stick skillet and add a few tablespoons of oil for frying.  Dip bread (fresh, no need to dry) into batter to thoroughly coat both sides, letting excess batter drip off before frying them for a couple minutes on each side. Turn down heat if it gets too dark too quick.

A Bun in the Oven

Yes, it's true.  I have one- in my oven, so to speak!  Surprise!  Although this baby was completely unplanned, and such a mystery as to how it happened, we are all thrilled.  Admittedly, the idea of a child did give my husband and I a freak-out moment or two when we first saw the plus sign on the, count 'em- THREE pregnancy tests, but I knew that this had to be destiny.  Only a month or so earlier, quite an unusual thought entered my mind, which I shared with Mike.  You see, I had never really longed for children like many women do- never felt the biological clock ticking or anything like that, and was perfectly content with the thought of being a childless couple.  But out of the blue, I told Mike that if we ever got pregnant, I would want to have it no matter what.  Although that statement was quickly followed by a don't-hold-your-breath-though disclaimer, it seems in hindsight a very interesting premonition.  


So here we are at the beginning of my 2nd trimester, and I have to tell you- my relationship with food has changed.  As expected, odd cravings and repulsions, along with feeling constantly and annoyingly... pukey, my motivations in the kitchen have been somewhat limited to eating foods that are quick to prepare, and (hopefully) easy to keep down.  One of my few wierd repulsions include anything with cinnamon.  This is undoubtedly a terrible time of the year to hate cinnamon, but there it is.  


These sticky buns would most likely make the most amazing cinnamon rolls, if you want to add a couple teaspoons of the stuff (yuck!)... but for my present state of pukeyness, I am omitting.


Side note:  leftover dough can also make a cute bear.  Can you tell that I feel like it's going to be a boy?
...We'll see...

Maple Pecan (Un-Cinnamon) Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

(Makes 12-18 buns)

Dough:

2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast (1 package)

1/3 C. + 1 tsp. sugar

1/2 C. lukewarm water

3/4 C. non-dairy milk (I used soymilk)

6 T. canola oil

1/4 C. Vegenaise

1/4 tsp. salt

31/2 - 4 C. white spelt flour (or all purpose)

Filling:

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/4 C. sugar

1/4 C. spelt (or all purpose) flour

1/2 C. crushed pecans

1/2 C. raisins

2 T. Earth Balance margarine (chilled)

Icing:

1 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. maple syrup

2 T. melted EB margarine

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Spinz:

In a large mixing bowl, add yeast to the lukewarm water and 1 tsp. of sugar.  Allow it to sit until frothy.  Add non dairy milk, canola oil, Vegenaise, and salt, and whisk together until combined.  Add flour a little at a time until a dough forms.  Add a little more if the dough is sticky- it should become a smooth elastic dough that doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl.  Knead for about 5 minutes.  Cover and set aside to double in size (about an hour).  

For the filling, mix all the ingredients except the margarine, until well combined.  Set aside.  After the dough has finished proofing, punch down and roll out onto a floured surface with a rolling pin until about 1/2" thick.  Sprinkle filling evenly over dough, then cut little pieces of margarine to dot the dough.  Roll carefully and as tightly as possible.  Press to close the end, and cut into 12 even buns.  

Arrange the buns in a prepared baking pan (they can be pretty snug, but remember that they will expand).  Cover, and let sit for another 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Keep an eye on them, as oven temps can vary.  You want the bottoms to be golden, and the tops firm to the touch.  

For the icing, whisk all ingredients together until combined.  Drizzle over warm buns. 

Best when served warm and fresh!


NOTE: You can also freeze the raw roll, thaw, and bake later or refrigerate and bake a few days later.

Ultrasound at 14 weeks... amazing how the little sucker was moving around!  Not so clear in the picture, but we could see the spine, arms and legs, and little heart beating.  We could've watched for hours.

Vegan Zucchini Bread

I made this moist, partially date-sweetened cake, when I woke up to find three extremely large zucchinis on my kitchen counter- freshly picked from the garden.  I think zucchinis are like magic beanstalks that grow into gigantic forms, overnight by the light of the moon.  

My cousin from Taiwan and her family have come to visit me and my dad, and they brought me a cute little, teeny tiny tea pot (in picture).  To thank them, and to make something for their road trip to visit my brother, I made a batch of zucchini muffins.

Although zucchinis are mild in flavor, they are a good source of potassium, vitamin A, B vitamins, and other nutrients.  And did you know that they are over 95% water?  This is why there is very little added liquids in this recipe.


Makes two loaves, or 2 dozen muffins


Ingredients:
Wet Mix
2 C. dried pitted dates + 1/4 C. water
1 C. unbleached sugar
1 C. canola oil
2 1/2 C. grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 T. ground flax seeds
----------------------------------
Dry Mix
3 1/2 C. white spelt flour (or all purpose wheat)*
1 T. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Optional:
1 C. raisins
1 C. nuts (I used pecans)


Spinz:
Split the dried dates to remove any stray pits and pack them into your measuring cup and dump them into a microwave safe bowl.  Add 1/4 cup of water, place a plate on top to act as a lid,  and microwave for 1-2 minutes on high.  Wait a minute or two before sliding the plate off with a kitchen towel or oven mit, as hot steam may come out!  Check to see that the dates are tender, then place into a food processor with 1 cup of oil.  Blend until it's a smooth paste.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and mix in the remaining wet ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until they are completely blended.  Add dry to wet, and mix until just combined.  The batter will be very thick and sticky.  Mix in raisins and nuts if desired.


*You could probably substitute half whole grain flour and half white flour, or even all whole grain... let me know how it turns out!


Transfer to a oiled loaf pan or cupcake liners (do not overfill, as they will puff up).  If making a loaf, bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  If making muffins, bake for 15-20 minutes.

Vegan New York Style Cheesecake

Disclaimer:  This WILL make you fat.  I think you might ingest some calories just by breathing the air around it.  Of course, it isn't as bad as the non-vegan version, that has six eggs, heavy cream, and full-fat sour cream added, but nevertheless... it's very good and very fatty.  AND... you won't miss any of those other ingredients- I promise!

New York style cheesecake is known to be very dense and very rich- the Donald Trump of cheesecakes, if you will.  My buddy Mark celebrated his birthday today, and had no problem requesting this utterly shameless display of decadence.  I was very glad this version passed his specifications with flying colors!

Ingredients:


~Crust~
10 oz. package of vegan vanilla snaps 
1/2 C. roasted plain almonds
1/4 C. organic brown sugar
1/2 C. melted Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (one stick)


~Filling~
32 oz. Tofutti cream cheese (four 8oz. tubs- yes, four)
12 oz. package of Mori Nu extra firm tofu
1 C. organic sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract


~Topping~
1 C. raspberry preserves- the kind that is gel-like and contains pectin (choose a good quality one that you'd eat straight out of the jar!)


~Chocolate Dipped Raspberries~
1 package fresh raspberries
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. coconut oil


Spinz:


Crust
Prepare a 9" springform pan by applying nonstick spray or greasing the surface.  Process the vanilla snaps and almonds to a fine crumb.  I'm sure you can sub in graham crackers, chocolate snaps, etc.  Transfer to a bowl and gradually mix in the melted Earth Balance margarine.  It should stick together when pressed.  Pour out into the springform pan, and press with spoon or fingers up the sides and evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Place in fridge to chill.


Filling
Process the tofu until smooth and set aside.  Cream the Tofutti and sugar until smooth.  Use the lowest speed on your mixer to incorporate the least amount of air bubbles (these will cause more cracking).  Add the tofu and other ingredients, and mix until smooth.  A few small lumps are ok.


Bake
Pour mixture into springform pan on top of crust.  Spread with a pastry knife to even it out.  Place pan on top of jelly roll pan or similar, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F, then 40-60 minutes at 250 degrees F, or until the center is set but still a little jiggly. To avoid cracks, make sure you don't over-bake, and you might want to add a water bath (a little water in the jelly roll pan, with the springform wrapped in foil on the bottom to avoid seepage).  NOTE:  you will probably have some melted margarine leak from the bottom, and that's ok.  OTHER NOTE:  If you do end up with some cracking- as I did, not to worry. That's what the topping is for!


Topping
To make the topping, just warm the preserves until melted.  While it's still liquid, pour on top and spread to make even.  Chill in fridge to set.


Chocolate Dipped Raspberries
To make the dipped raspberries, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler (indirect heat).  The coconut oil will give a softer, creamier texture- straight chocolate can sometimes be a bit hard, especially when chilled.  Dip the raspberry bottoms and place on parchment paper to cool.  Arrange on top of cake as desired.  I had quite a bit of chocolate left over, so I made chocolate dipped almonds to arrange around the base- a nice little touch!

Vegan Cheesecake Panna Cotta and Fruit Roses

This is in honor of our mothers.  Both my mother and mother-in-law have passed, but they will always be a part of who we are.  Our sensibilities, our tastes, and our quirks, have all been influenced to some degree by Mom.  Wherever they are currently, they are appreciating this post, because it includes some of their favorite things.  Roses for one.  Fruit another.  A light, yet creamy dessert that's not too sweet... I can see them smiling now!

Cheesecake Panna Cotta:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Mori Nu Extra Firm Silken Tofu (12 oz.)
1 pkg. Tofutti Cream Cheese (8oz.)
1/2 C. agave nectar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 C. soymilk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 1/2 tsp. agar powder


Spinz:
Put soymilk in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer.  Sprinkle agar powder in and whisk until dissolved.  In a high powered blender (I used my Vitamix), put in all the ingredients, including agar-soymilk mixutre, and blend until frothy and smooth.  Transfer to martini or margarita glasses (or whatever vessels you prefer).

Now comes the fun part!

Cut off the top of a small strawberry to use as your center.  Cut off tops of larger strawberries, then slice into thin rounds.  Cut the rounds in half so they look like semi-circles.  Then start arranging them in the still-warm panna cotta.  Stand them up around the center as shown above.

Next, add more "petals," arranging them so they resemble the way real rose petals grow outward (about three petals per layer).

Make your rose as large as you like.  The last outer layer can lay flat- just tuck them in around the base.

Both moms loved mangos, so I had to make a mango rose too.  The mangos are slippery, but stick together easily.

Creamy, light as air, fruity, and delicious!

To Moms Everywhere!  ...with Love!

Vegan Fruit Sweetened Banana Bread

Sometimes you just want your food to give you a nice warm hug. It's that familiar feeling of comfort, as you inhale that special aroma from your childhood, savor that distinctive combination of textures and flavors on your tongue. Perhaps it'll remind you of days spent in your grandmother's kitchen, or that old haunt of a diner that served up your favorite mid-term meals in college.


It's the reason why you love to eat.

This is one of those foods for me, and I think for a lot of people. It seems like everyone's mom made banana bread- warm and fragrant from the oven, with that toasty carmelized crust, tender moist cake with crunchy walnuts and sweet raisins inside. It does take me back, to that goofy little wide-eyed girl who found the simplest things interesting. Sometimes it's fun to feel like that again!


This version, which is made with spelt flour and sweetened with dates and bananas, never lasts very long in my household of five adults. I have a feeling we share similar memories.


This makes 2 large loaves


Ingredients:
1 C. soy milk
1 C. water
2 C. pitted dates (split in half to check for stray pits, and packed well into the measuring cup)
2 C. banana puree (about 2 large bananas, or 3 medium)
2-3 extra bananas for topping
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 T. ground flax seeds
1 C. canola oil
3 1/2 C. spelt flour (or all purpose flour)
1 T. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 C. chopped walnuts
1 C. raisins


Spinz:
In a sauce pan, heat water, soymilk, and dates until just boiling. Turn off heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. In a food processor, puree bananas, vanilla, vinegar, and flax seeds. Add the date mixture and puree until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, making sure they are well mixed. Add the wet mixture to the dry, and mix until just combined. Mix in walnuts and raisins. The batter will be thick and gooey. Pour it into two 5 x 9" loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Slice extra bananas and press halfway into the top of each loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

House of Cake

layered chocolate cake with vegan buttercream frosting in the shape of a house.

I took the month of December and part of January to clean, purge, and organize my entire house of 12 years worth of junk. It was tedious. It was draining. It was therapy. Old pots and pans, tupperware with missing lids, an assortment of clever kitchen gadgets that never worked as they're TV commercials had claimed- all to be remembered with varying degrees of fondness, before letting them go. It's amazing how much we hold on to things in our lives- some out of mere laziness, some with an alarming amount of dysfunctional sentiment. In the end, our home made it through it's month-long intervention with a rekindled energy, and a heck of a lot less dust!

A 4-yard dumpster, sore muscles, and 10 plus donation bags later, I decided to celebrate this experience by making a gift to the house. What better way to celebrate than with a house of cake? It's one whopping New Year's resolution down!

This cake was another of my attempts to also use spelt flour instead of wheat, and to minimize processed sugar. I adapted this recipe to make it, and also added a bit of coffee, as I read that it enhances chocolate flavor. It turned out super moist, not too sweet, and the perfect partner to the vegan buttercream frosting.
The roof was made with a triangle cake that was inspired by this post by Hannah over at Bittersweet.


Cake Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. whole pitted dates
3 C. water
1 T. instant coffee (I used decaf, but regular should be fine too)
1 C. soy milk
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 T. ground flaxseed
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. unrefined sugar
3 C. spelt flour
1 T. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 C. cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Makes two houses, depending on size

Spinz:
Cut open dates to check for pits. Place them in a sauce pan with the 3 C. of water. Let it come to a boil, then turn off heat, add instant coffee, and set aside.
Mix soy milk, apple cider vinegar, flaxseed, vegetable oil, and sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, sift together the spelt flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a food processor, transfer the date mixture and blend until smooth (if it's still hot, allow steam to escape or allow it to cool down first). Mix the date mixture into the prepared wet mix, then mix in the dry mix. Spread into two prepared jelly roll pans (try to spread evenly). Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow it to cool before cutting into four identical squares (to make the base layers). Cut 2 more squares into rectangles lengthwise (to make roof layers).


Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
1 C. Earth Balance buttery sticks
3 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 C. soy milk (adjust according to desired thickness)

Spinz:
Put everything in a food processor, and blend until very smooth and thick. Refrigerate.

Assembling the Cake:
To make the base, simply spread on a thin layer of frosting in between squares, making sure to frost all the way to the ends. For the roof, frost between the rectangle layers as you did previously. Then put in the freezer to set- this will help you keep the layers together when you cut your triangles. See the diagram below.

Vegan Spelt Date-Sweetened Apple Fritters

These are crisp on the outside, and moist and fluffy on the inside. Great smothered in maple syrup!

I've been gone a long time. No excuses, except that I've been working on a project, which will be revealed in my next post. In the meantime, I've been replacing a lot of my all-purpose flour with spelt flour, since we found out that my husband has a mild wheat intolerance. Did you know that a lot of people have this and don't know it? His symptoms included bloating, slight itch in the throat or mouth, constipation, and fatigue, but there are other symptoms that may arise and they don't always happen right after you eat wheat- which is why it's so hard to diagnose. The only way is to cut out the wheat and see if there's a difference in how you feel.

Spelt is an ancient grain, related to wheat but different. How? You can read an interesting article that explains it well here. Celiacs shouldn't eat it, but people with wheat intolerances have had success with it. It doesn't react exactly like wheat flour, but it can be manipulated to be a good substitute in some recipes.

We've also been cutting down on refined sugar, and I've found dates to be a good substitute. Now, these aren't exactly a health food, as they are deep fried to a golden fatty deliciousness, but I'm thinking you could probably pan fry them quickly, then finish them in the oven to reduce some of the oil.

This recipe makes a big batch- like 2 dozen or more. You can halve it, if you don't want so many.

Ingredients:

(Dry)

2 C. spelt flour (white)

1 tsp. salt

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

(Wet)

1 C. whole pitted dates

1 1/2 C. soy milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 C. chopped apples (about 2 large peeled apples)

Maple syrup for dipping

Spinz:

Heat soymilk and dates in a sauce pan until just boiling. Turn off heat and let soak for about 10 minutes until softened. Sift together spelt flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. Chop the apples in a food processor into small chunks, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Blend the date and soy milk mixture in the food processor until dates are finely minced (make sure to vent the processor if the mixture is still hot). Add the date mixture to the apples, then mix in vanilla. Add the dry mix to the wet until just combined. It should resemble a thick pancake mix- if it's too thick, add a little soy milk. Heat oil to 330 - 350 degrees F. Slide in the batter one heaping tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. If you put in too much, it won't cook on the inside. Brown (a couple of minutes each side), then remove and drain. Keep finished ones warm in the oven if desired. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Shortbread Jam Cookies

Reflecting on years past, I thought I'd do a repost. Enjoy, and here's to a wonderful 2011!
Warning: These must be eaten in moderation! I veganized a shortbread recipe from my old Mrs. Field's cookie book, which does not skimp on butter and sugar. Thus the warning. I am attempting to lower my blood pressure by losing 5 lbs. as my doctor suggested, so I baked these for my crew... honest! I did taste a bit to make sure they were good, though ;) Ok, back to the treadmill!

Ingredients:

2 sticks of vegan margarine (I told you!)
1/4 C. light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. all purpose flour
strawberry (or other) jam

Spinz:

Cream the margarine and sugar, then add the vanilla and flour and mix until you get a smooth dough. Arrange on a prepared cookie sheet (they won't spread, so you can fit a lot) for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Lightly golden when done.

For the "pinwheel" cookies, I rolled out the dough on a floured surface and cut it into squares. I then cut a line from each corner towards the center. Put some jam in the middle of the square, and folded every other corner to meet in the center. Got tired after a while, and made the rest into thumbprint cookies!

Do you remember the story of the polar bear that visited the huskies? I came across this picture, and it made me smile! If a wild bear can be loving towards a fellow animal, why can't we?

If you haven't already, read the full story - the other pics are SO cute!

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

If Pumpkin Pie, loud-mouthed and full of sass married Cheesecake, narcissistic and demure, the result would be Pumpkin Cheesecake- but only if their relationship was dysfunctionally co-dependent. Now if they had a healthy complimentary relationship (Dr. Phil would be so proud), I'm thinking the result might be more like this.

Each having its own individuality, yet harmoniously coexisting.

Each supporting each other beautifully, and not having to compromise (you can have your crust, and I can have mine!)

And each savoring every moment together... awwww!

Ingredients:
1 Prepared pie crust, and cookie cutters
2 prepared graham cracker crusts, room temperature
Pumpkin Pie Filling:
3 C. pumpkin puree
2 1/2 C. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. dried ground ginger
1 T. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. soymilk
1 C. soy creamer
2 tsp. agar powder
Cheesecake:
2 packages tofutti cream cheese
2 packages mori nu extra firm tofu
1/4 C. cornstarch
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
4 tsp. vanilla extract

Spinz:
In a 9" spring form pan, line the bottom with parchment by tracing and cutting out a circle. Press the graham cracker crusts into the bottom and up the sides, making a 1/4" thick crust all the way around. Put it in the fridge until ready to fill.

Prepare the pumpkin filling: heat the soymilk and agar in a saucepan until agar dissolves. Put all other ingredients into a large blender (I used my vitamix), add the soymilk agar mixture, and blend until very smooth.

Prepare the cheesecake filling: I put everything into my food processor and blended until smooth.

Layering the pie: Start with pouring in half the cheesecake filling, then half the pumpkin, and repeat. Make sure to spread the layers to the edges.

Pie crust topping: Roll out the dough until it's about 1/4" thick. Cut out cookie cutter shapes and place on top of pie.

Bake: 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Let cool and chill before releasing from the pan. Before releasing, cut around the edges with a knife. If you don't want to serve it from the pan (bottom), add a piece of parchment on the bottom before adding the graham cracker crust.

Vegan Creme Brulee, and a Free Torch

Yes, rich delicious vegan creme brulee, without the heavy cream and egg yolks! Of course, the best part is the crunchy sugary top- and what better way to make that than to pull out the heavy artillery and TORCH IT (evil laughter)!

That's why I'm GIVING AWAY one of these babies, courtesy of CSN Stores and Cookware.com. Just leave a comment about how you'll use your torch, and the most creative one wins! You must live in the US to win. Good luck.

I had fun making these, and they were pretty easy too. Excellent reviews on them, although I prefer not to burn the sugar too much (like I did on my first one), but I've been told that's how some people like it. The torch worked beautifully, and I can't wait to set fire to something else!

These small annatto seeds add color

To make the custard part a lovely shade of yellow, I used annatto seeds for the first time. They don't add much to the flavor, but the color is much better than the neon yellow of tumeric. You can find them at most health food stores in bulk or Asian stores. They were expensive, but I only bought a couple of tablespoons and that should last me a while.

Vegan Almond Creme Brulee (Makes 2-3 servings)
If you don't have a good high-powered blender for this recipe, use powdered annatto.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. vanilla soy milk (or almond milk)
1 T. agar flakes
2 tsp. arrowroot (cornstarch should work too)
2 oz. (roughly) marzipan (almond paste)
5-6 annatto seeds (or 1/4 tsp. powdered)
1 T. sugar + 1-2 T. for topping

Spinz:

Whisk together everything except marzipan and the sugar for the topping in a small sauce pan. Heat until low simmer, whisking until agar appears to be dissolved. Cut marzipan into cubes and put into the blender. Add hot mixture and blend until very smooth. Pour into ramekin(s) and bake at 325 degrees in a water bath for about 10 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then pour sugar in a even layer on top of the custard. Torch in a circular pattern until desired darkness is achieved.

Note: This custard held up, but was very soft. If you like your custard more stiff, add another tsp. of agar.

Vegan Coconut Creme Brulee (Makes 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:

About 2 C. coconut milk (one 13.5 oz. can- I hate to use part of a can)
1 T. + 1 tsp. agar flakes
2 tsp. arrowroot
6-8 annatto seeds
3 T. sugar + about 2 T. for topping
Spinz:

This was made similar to the one above, except I chilled it instead of baking. Then I added the sugar topping and torched away!

Note: This custard was a bit stiffer than the almond, and more like flan (first picture above).

By the way...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I miss you, Mom- I know you're smiling down on me.

Vegan Creme Eggs

...without the yolk! Come on, even before I was vegan I thought the "creamy yolk center" was gross. It made me think of raw egg encased in chocolate (gag reflex).

Anyway, I was at my neighborhood Safeway when I saw this egg plate amongst all their usual pastel bunny fare. And, after being holed up for almost a month with this scary flu that's been going around in my family, I was itchin' to play in the kitchin!'





























(In hindsight, I wouldn't use this egg plate to make chocolates, as it was hard to release them without breaking them. I would recommend your average crafty egg molds.)

Instead of the sickly-sweet fondant of the original, I made the creamy centers more healthy and not as sweet- almost like a custard or pudding. The agar helps it set up when cooled, but allows it to stay creamy in texture. These turned out to be half-eggs, but they're still very cute and get the Easter-y message across.

I froze some of them, and my friends liked them even better. They taste like frozen bon-bons.

Note: I made 12 chocolates, but had about twice as much filling left over. So if I would do it again, I'd either halve the filling or double the chocolate (probably double the chocolate) -!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. vegan chocolate chips, melted
(filling)
2 T. agar flakes
1 C. water
1 14oz. block of extra firm tofu
1/4 C. raw cashews
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 C. confectioner's sugar

Spinz:

In a small sauce pan, heat the water and dissolve the agar flakes in it, stirring often. In a blender, put the tofu, cashews, lemon juice, and confectioner's sugar, and blend with the agar mixture until very smooth and creamy. Set aside. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or as directed in the microwave). Spread chocolate into your mold and make sure you get an even thickness on the sides (about 1/8"). Spoon in the filling (no heaping). Then cover with another layer of chocolate, spreading carefully to cover all the edges and not to mix with the filling. Put into the fridge or freezer to cool and harden. Release chocolates. If difficult to release, you can try dipping the outside of the molds in warm water briefly. Enjoy!

Happy Spring!

Coconut Pumpkin Pie ?!!

Yes! Coconut milk gives this pumpkin pie the richness and creaminess that is so lacking in those awful store-bought frozen vegan pies. Yeah, I had to throw mine out- don't even bother! At first, I was afraid that the coconut flavor would be weird with the pumpkin, but it's rather subtle, even more subtle if you use canned pumpkin, which has a stronger flavor than fresh. The texture is creamy, flavorful, and stands up to slicing (thanks to cornstarch and agar). If you don't like coconut at all, you should be able to substitute soy creamer.

Try it out, and let me know what you think!

I roasted my own pumpkin, using a sugar pumpkin which is a smaller version of the typical jack-o-lantern pumpkins used on Halloween. I simply cut the top off, halved it, scooped out the seeds (which I saved to roast), and put it in a 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until a knife goes in easily.

Sugar Pumpkin, left over from Halloween :)

After roasting, the skin peels off easily.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. fresh roasted pumpkin
2 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I used freshly ground)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 C. unrefined sugar
pinch of salt
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1/2 C. water
2 T. agar flakes

Spinz:
In a food processor or blender, add the pumpkin puree, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and salt. Blend until smooth. Heat the coconut milk and water in a sauce pan until just simmering (do not allow it to boil). Dissolve agar flakes in the coconut milk, stirring often (5-10 minutes). Add the coconut mixture to the pumpkin mixture in the blender, and blend until smooth. Add to your pie shell and bake for 20-25 minutes until set in the center. Remove and let cool before cutting.

Pumpkin seeds tossed in a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt, ready to roast.

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate

I'm adding pomegranate to the long list of things that are good covered in chocolate. After receiving a case full of them from Dad's tree, I decided to juice them, and save some (ok, a lot) to make chocolates. They're very easy to make. The hard part is getting the seeds out without pom juice squirting in your face. But once you got the hang of that, easier than pie!

Just place 3 or 4 cups of the seeds (called arils) on a towel to make sure they're dry on the outside. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (I used a bag of semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips), fold in the seeds and place spoonfuls onto parchment paper to cool. Put them in the fridge or freezer until hardened, and enjoy!

When you bite into them, you get a burst of the tart pomegranate juice mixed with the rich sweet dark chocolate. SO GOOD!