May 22, 2021May 22, 2021 by betsy

Bourbon Pecan Pie Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars (vegan with gluten-free option)

These are just perfection: not too sweet with beautifully contrasting textures.

Yield: 16 bars

Shortbread Crust:
5 tablespoons vegan butter, softened (I love Miyoko’s)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour or King Arthur Gluten- Free Baking Mix
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup broken or chopped pecans

Spray an 8-inch square pan with nonstick spray, line with a strip of foil or parchment paper. And spray again. Cream together butter and sugar. With mixer on low speed, blend in flour, salt, and broken pecans until a dough forms. Press evenly into pan and bake 25 minutes.

Filling:
3 tablespoons vegan butter
6 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups broken or coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup vegan, gluten-free chocolate chips
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute. Pour evenly over crust, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and bake 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

October 18, 2020 by betsy

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 1-10″ bundt cake

This delicious and moist cake is a riff on those vintage chocolate cake recipes that use mayonnaise to replace oil and eggs. And it was my response to a growing mound of oranges from a week of Covid-necessitated bag lunches at the private school where I now teach. With the bountiful apples and oranges, wr joke that they must have an orchard.

As crazy as it sounds, this delicious and moist bundt cake can be completely oil-free if you use an oil-free mayo (and glaze it with something other than ganache). I use Walton Farms no-calorie accidentally vegan (yes, its true!) that I purchase at Harris Teeter.

But that is not the reason to make this recipe. No, its rich flavor and beautiful texture are the reasons why.

Chocolate-Orange Bundt Cake

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Optional: zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup concentrated coffee or more orange juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Walton Farms no calorie mayo)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10-cup bundt pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat or whisk together all ingredients for about 2 minutes or until smooth and completely combined. Spoon into prepared pan, gently smooth top, and bake 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack, cover with a dish towel, and cool completely. Glaze as desired.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #veganchocolatebundtcake #plantbasedchocolatebundtcake

July 26, 2020July 20, 2022 by betsy

Mini Rasberry-Chocolate Mousse Tarts with GF Crust (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 1 dozen

These right here are a little blast of summer!

If it is extra hot, as it is here in Southeastern Virginia this July, pop these babies in the freezer for a bit before serving. They will cool you right down and perk you right up.

A note about the garnish: I sprinkle my tarts with mini white chocolate chips, but if you don’t have any, just sprinkle with a little powdered sugar for a bit of color contrast. The little bites of white chocolate are nice, but probably not worth making a special purchase. If you use the powdered sugar, be sure to dust the tarts just before serving.

1/2 cup pecans, plain or toasted

1/2 cup shredded coconut (I like unsweetened)

1/4 to 1/2 cup dates or dry figs, stemmed (this may sound like a big difference, but it depends on how moist the fruit is)

Pinch sea salt

Vegan Chocolate Mousse (recipe follows)

Vegan Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

12 fresh raspberries, rinsed and patted very dry

Approximately 2 tablespoons mini vegan white chocolate chips or powdered sugar

Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Place 12 mini muffin cups liners in muffin tin. in food processor, a small one if you have it, process together pecans, coconut, and one quarter cup of figs or dates, and salt. Process until the mixture starts to hold together. If It holds together when pinched between your fingers, it is the right consistency. If not, keep adding figs or dates, one or two at a time. Divide mixture among lined muffin cups and press into bottoms. Fill each with chocolate mousse. (If there is any mousse left over, spoon into a carton and chill, covered, for another use.) Refrigerate for an hour or so and then prepare chocolate ganache, swirling about 1/12 of the mixture in the center of each tart. While ganache is still soft and pliable, press a raspberry gently into the center and garnish with white chocolate chips. Return to refrigerator until chilled through. If using powdered sugar, dust just prior to serving. Serve with mint sprigs if desired. For a quick cool-down treat, freeze the tarts for about a half hour before serving.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse (easily doubles):

8 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu (if you purchase blocks in 14 ounces rather than 16, use half or 7 ounces)

6 ounces vegan chocolate chips, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (it masks the slightly off-taste of silken tofu)

Pinch sea salt

Optional: 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur

Place tofu in bowl of large food processor and process until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth, creamy, and completely combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. This mousse sets up quickly and can also be served on its own or as a cake filling.

Vegan Chocolate Ganache:

2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, half-and-half or creamer

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Heat non-dairy milk in small cup in microwave or until very warm. Whisk in chocolate chips and let cool until very spreadable, but not warm enough to melt mousse.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn #vegantarts #plantbasedtarts #veganchocolate #plantbasedchocolate

June 13, 2020June 13, 2020 by betsy

Blooming Black Forest Cake (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 1 6-inch layer cake (double recipe for an 8-in layer cake)

I finally created a plant-based Black Forest Cake with which I am completely delighted!

Unless you are a recipe developer–professional or amateur counts–you cannot imagine the research, the brainstorming, and the trial and error–mental and actual–to arrive here. I spent many wee hours on Pinterest obsessing.

There were certain things that I wanted from this special cake and certain things I didn’t. For instance, I didn’t want a buttercream frosting, but I also didn’t want pure whipped cream. A favorite dessert from childhood that combined cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped cream topped with a layer of cherry pie filling proved to be the inspiration. My recent discovery of Silk brand whipping cream made this luscious filling and frosting possible.

Wanting a deeply chocolate, very moist, and somewhat subtly complex flavored cake, I experimented quite a bit. I wanted the rich fudgyness of a brownie, but more of a cake like consistency. And ultimately, though I love cherry liqueur, I didn’t want the cake to taste too boozy. You can certainly brush the layers with cherry liqueur if you choose But I put a small amount in the batter along with some concentrated coffee and “buttermilk” because cakes made only with coffee, water or other thin liquids, line soda, don’t quite have the structure that I desired. The cake is sturdy, yet moist.

For decoration, I love chocolate shavings and chocolate curls, which are traditional on Black Forest Cake, but I didn’t want this to be fussy, so I used simple chocolate-dipped fresh cherries and toasted slivered almonds.

What can I obsess about now In the wee hours of the morning?

Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup non-dairy milk curdled with 1 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons concentrated coffee
2 tablespoons cherry liqueur or more concentrated coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Whipped Cream & Cream Cheese Filling/ Frosting (recipe follows)
Approximately 3/4 cup canned cherry pie filling
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
6 fresh cherries, pitted and halved
4 cherries with stems intact, dipped in about 2 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips melted for 1 minute in microwave

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 6-inch cake pan or spray with baking spray. Place metal mixing bowl and whip attachment in freezer for preparing filling.

In large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in center, add wet ingredients, and whisk together for about 50 strokes until smooth. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake approximately 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack and then invert. Cool completely covered with a dish towel. Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer on serving platter, spread with half of filling, and top with half of cherry pie filling. Place second layer on top and repeat. Decorate with cherry halves, toasted slivered almonds, and chocolate dipped cherries. Store in refrigerator.

Whipped Cream & Cream Cheese Filling/Frosting
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, softened at room temperature for an hour or so
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Silk brand whipping cream

Place cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla and well-chilled mixing bowl and cream together until smooth. With mixer on medium-high, slowly drizzle in whipping cream. Filling should be sick, but it will likely not be stiff enough to pipe through a pastry bag.

#veganblackforestcake #plantbasedblackforestcake

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

December 22, 2019December 5, 2021 by betsy

Red Wine-Chocolate Bundt Cake (plant-based)

Yield: 1-10-inch Bundt cake or 24-2 inch mini Bundt cakes

Red wine is not just for drinking anymore!

My latest creation–whipped up in one bowl (and one for the gorgeous glaze)–can easily and quickly be yours: Red Wine-Chocolate Bundt Cake with Red Wine Glaze (and chocolate and coconut chip garnish)!

I made the large version as a gift given in a cake box tied with a gorgeous ribbon and the minis for my annual Christmas, Chanukah, Curry and Cakes Party.

Merry, Merry, everyone!

Red Wine-Chocolate Bundt Cake

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups natural sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg substitutes (I used 3 tablespoon Neat Egg– it is flaxseed meal and tapioca starch; I used just flaxseed meal for mini Bundts)
1 1/2 cups red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Red Wine Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a regular or mini Bundt pan with baking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in center, and pour in all wet ingredients. Whisk together until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes for large/30 for minis or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack, cool completely, and then glaze.

Red Wine Glaze

2 to 3 tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut chips or shaved coconut

In a medium bowl, whisk together red wine, vanilla, and powdered sugar, adding more red wine or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Place cake on wire rack in shallow pan to catch drips and pour glaze over. Decorate with chocolate and coconut chips.

#Vegancake #plantbasedcake #veganholidaycake #plantbasedholidaycake #redwine #vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

June 18, 2018 by betsy

Vegan 4-Ingredient Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream
(its base is frozen bananas!)

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: app. 130/serving (however, you can eat the whole recipe for only 520 calories which is equal to or less than a small meal!)

This recipe was inspired by one making the rounds via video on Facebook. A while back, lying in bed very early one morning, I watched how it was made with the sound off–Bob was asleep–and then just went for it last night, propelled by this oppressive heat and humidity. Around here, we call the heat index the “misery index.”

The original recipe called for 4 bananas and what appeared to be 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 of cocoa powder. I’m not a big peanut butter and chocolate fan. My aversion dates from a childhood incident that resulted from eating way too many peanut butter-and-chocolate eggs out of my Easter basket on the heels of blueberry shortcake. I nonetheless added one tablespoon thinking it might be necessary for texture. It wasn’t. For the chocolate, I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, but if you prefer a more reddish-brown color, then just use regular cocoa powder.

But whatever you do, peel your bananas before freezing them. I don’t know what I was thinking, but when I pulled four banana-shaped ice cubes out of my freezer, I realized my mistake. So, I thawed them, peeled them, cut them into chunks and refroze them. The texture was still silky and glorious.

My two additions to the recipe are quick, easy, and absolutely necessary in my opinion. After I tasted the ice cream, I felt it seemed a little flat or one-note. I tend to like more complex flavors,though not fussy ones. So, I added a hint of both almond and vanilla extracts and that did the trick. However, I look forward to experimenting with other extracts like mint, orange, and perhaps rum or brandy.

If your summer promises to be as hot and humid as ours in Eastern, VA, this recipe is likely to become a staple. A friend said that his daughter used to make a version and eat it for breakfast. It is certainly more nutritious than most of what I see folks eating for breakfast.

Whenever you decided to enjoy a couple of scoops, I hope you will enjoy it as we do.

4 large bananas, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks and frozen

2 tablespoons regular or Special Dark cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional garnishes: walnut halves and mint sprigs

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Enjoy right away or freeze in an airtight container. Thaw for two 30-second intervals in the microwave before trying to scoop. Top, if desired with walnut halves and mint sprigs.

January 28, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Hazelnut-Orange Sandwich Cookies
with Chocolate Ganache Filling
a gorgeous gourmet gift from your kitchen

These stunning cookies are simple to make but will impress the most serious gourmand in both flavor and appearance.

I like to package them two to a cellophane bag, tied with raffia through a hole punched in my cute (if I do say so) business cards.

Vegan Hazelnut-Orange Sandwich Cookies

3/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (I purchase them already chopped in a bag)

3/4 cup sugar (I use demerara)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

3 tablespoons orange liqueur (like Triple Sec) or 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

6 ounces vegan semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat. Spread 1/4 cup hazelnuts in a skillet or pie plate and toast for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

In a food processor, pulse the remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts with 2 tablespoons sugar intil finely ground. Add the flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and pulse to combine well. Add 1 cup butter, broken into hunks, and orange liqueur and pulse until the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, working with half of dough at a time, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2- to 2-inch cookie cutter, cut cookies out as closely together as possible. Place cookies on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining half of dough, gently kneading in scraps from first half. Gather scraps from second half, gently knead, and reroll scraps from second half.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly colored but the tops are still fairky light, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and allow to cool.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, whisking until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Turn half the cookies over and spoon a small dollop of the chocolate in the center of each of those. Dip the remaining cookies halfway into the chocolate and position over the filled bottoms, pressing gently to seal. Sprinkle the remaining chopped toasted hazelnuts onto the chocolate, pressing gently if necessary, and let the sandwich cookies stand for about 30 minutes until the chocolate is set. Chill if packaging or transporting.

December 24, 2017 by betsy

Vegan Nutella and Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

I can’t see Santa’s Forest for these adorable trees.

Apparently they are all the rage this year, but I was evidently a little late to the pastry tree party. Make yours with pizza dough or puff pastry and spread with the sweet or savory filling you most crave. Just be sure to include a creamy base to adhere the layers together.

My version is sweet–but not too–uses only three ingredients and, after the pastry thaws, is ready to devour in under 30 minutes. I left a Middle Eastern dinner and this tree last night for our dog sitters (yes, we are those dog owners) while we joined friends for their Christmas Eve Eve tradition: a salad and sip of wine followed by a Christmas light-lit walk over to the Naro, an independent film house, to see “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The twins left some of the tabouli salad but not a crumb of the pastry. It was a huge hit with these 19 year olds.

My take on this new classic was inspired by its key ingredient: Rigoni di Asiago’s Nocciolata Oraganic Dairy-Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread, generously sent to me for product review purposes. With a deeply nutty and chocolatey flavor–its richness undiluted by dairy–and a thick and creamy–but spreadable–texture, this product is tops in my pantry (it needs no refrigeration). It is also gluten- and palm oil-free.

Recipe

1 box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (2 sheets), thawed according to package directions

4.5 to 5 ounces vegan Hazelnut-Cocoa spread (1/2 jar Nocciolata)

1 to 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On baking stone or parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheet, stack the two pastry sheets. With a sharp knife, cut into a triangular tree shape with a 1-inch or so wide trunk at the bottom. Remove top sheet, spread bottom sheet with hazelnut-cocoa spread, replace top sheet, lining up edges, and press down gently.

Cut 1 star from scraps and whatever other shapes you like fir nibbling or to serve as croutons on salads. Place pastry shapes on a separate stone or lined baking sheet.

Make 3/4-inch wide horizontal cuts from outer edges of triangle toward the center, stopping even with outer edges of trunk leaving a 1-inch or so wide trunk up the center. Twist each long cut strip twice and the shorter ones once, pressing tips firmly against baking stone or sheet. Brush very lightly with non-dairy milk, press star onto top point, and brush star with a tiny bit more non-dairy milk. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown, but remove shapes cut from scraps after 10 or 15 minutes or they will burn. Remove baking sheet with pastry tree from oven, cool slightly, and slide tree onto serving platter. Serve warm or room temperature.

December 4, 2016April 11, 2017 by betsy

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate-Chocolate Chip,
White Chocolate Chip, & Dried Cranberry Cookies

gluten-free-chocolate-chocolate-chip-white-chocolate-chip-and-dried-cranberry-cookies

Yield: approximately 2 dozen cookies

Just in time for the holidays are these handsome and festive cookies appropriate for even the most gluten intolerant on your guest list.

I am not a gluten-free baker but, occasionally, I make treats for my high school art students. And, in my large Advanced and AP Studio class of 31 students, I learned that I have one girl with a gluten sensitivity. So, feeling badly about her not being able to indulge in the treats I shared with them, I decided to experiment.

A few years back, I created a recipe for gluten-free cookies made with white bean puree and chickpea flour. They were delicious, but not as handy to make as if they didn’t call for the white beans. And, I recently learned that my small neighborhood Kroger no longer carries chickpea flour, though they seem to stock every other kind of flour imaginable. So, I chose one that was less expensive than most and that I thought might have a similar texture to the chickpea flour, namely brown rice flour. Good decision.

Whie some gluten-free baked goods call for special flour blends, xantham gum, egg substitutes, and the like, I wanted mine to be straightforward and absent of ingredients that most bakers wouldn’t have on hand. As a result, these absolutely delicious and beautifully-textured cookies were born.

I had found, through previous experiments with gluten-free cookies, that adding almond extract, in addition to vanilla extract, helps mellow any “off” taste that results from using flours that are stronger tasting than all purpose white or white whole wheat. But, it occurred to me that a teaspoon of espresso powder might further counteract those sharper flavors of some of the alternative flours without lending a pronounced coffee flavor. And I was right.

As for texture, these are a little crispy and ever-so-slightly sandy–like the commercial “Pecan Sandies” of my youth–which everyone who has tasted has found very appealing. And I hope you do.

I served these with Prosecco to guests who stopped by after a concert. It was a lovely pairing and a special way to end the evening.

1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup demerera sugar (or 1/2 cup granulated and 1/2 cup brown sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon espresso powder (or coffee/instant coffee ground to a powder in a spice grinder)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown rice flour (I use white whole wheat when not baking gluten-free)

1/4 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (or up to 4)

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/2 cup vegan white chocolate chips (I ordered these online) + 1/4 cup additional (optional)

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries (I found a bag of pre-chopped ones) + 2 tablespoons additional (optional)

Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in sugar and continue beating until well creamed. Add extracts, espresso pwder, salt, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix on medium-low speed just until well-combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Mix in the non-dairy milk, adding an additional tablespoon or two if necessary, as the brown rice flour is very absorbant. On lowest speed, mix in both typs of chips and dried cranberries. Using a tablespoon or small scoop, arrange mounds of dough about 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Flatten with your middle three fingers to about 1/2-inch thick. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Remove baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely before removing to a serving platter. If desired, drizzle with 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted; I use a pastry bag for this task. If more color is desired, press a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries into drizzled white chocolate, distributing among cookies.