December 11, 2011March 19, 2015 by betsy

Chocolate-Orange Mousse from The Blooming Platter Cookbook

Following is another gift of the season from The Blooming Platter Cookbook. While I can’t purchase locally-grown oranges, I did notice a sweet shipment from Florida in the grocery store last week, which made me think of this recipe.

It is a luscious marriage of rich chocolate and fresh oranges. Especially if you spike it with a tablespoon or two of orange liqueur, it is a wonderful dessert for a cold winter evening. The mousse sets up almost instantly, so it is ready and waiting as soon as you put your dinner fork down.

Yield: 8 servings

This is a luscious marriage of rich chocolate and fresh oranges. Spiked with orange liqueur, it is a wonderful dessert for a cold winter evening. The mousse sets up almost instantly, so it is ready and waiting as soon as you put your dinner fork down.

2 large oranges

12 ounces extra-firm silken tofu

1/2 cup natural sugar

9 ounces bittersweet vegan chocolate,melted (see note) and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Pinch sea salt

Optional garnishes: vegan whipped topping, orange slices, or candied violets

Arrange 8 (4-ounce) ramekins in a 9 x 13-inch pan and set aside. Zest and juice the oranges and transfer to a food processor along with the orange pulp, discarding the seeds and pith. Add the tofu and sugar to the food processor, and process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla and almond extracts, and a pinch of salt. Process for several minutes until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. Cover the top of the pan with foil. This method is faster than covering each individual ramekin and makes them easier to transport. Chill the mousse until set, about 30 minutes. Serve chilled, garnished as desired.

Note: melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for about a minute at 30 second intervals, whisking in between. Alternately, melt on the stove in the top of a double boiler.

For 150+ additional gifts of the season, please consider The Blooming Platter Cookbook for yourself or as a gift for a health- and taste-focused friend or loved one.

October 31, 2011October 31, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Pumpkin Shortcakes with Warm Spiced Apple Filling

I decided to end Vegan MoFo 2011 on a sweet note.

But, first, speaking of sweet…

A big thank you is in order to Isa and all the good folks who are the driving force behind Vegan MoFo. Thank you so much for continuing to feed this fire and for making it so easy, not to mention gratifying, for all of us vegan bloggers and many, many readers to participate. What a beautiful thing.

Though MoFo officially ends today, I will still be here offering new recipes several times a week to Blooming Platter readers and subscribers. So I invite you to subscribe if you haven’t already. It’s now easier than ever and you can do it via email, no rss feed necessary. Just look over at the top of the right-hand sidebar and follow the simple prompts.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — This version features a split pumpkin biscuit.

And now a sweet for the sweet, but, not so sweet that you couldn’t serve this warming dish for a fall breakfast or brunch, which is how I first enjoyed it.

I grew up loving my mother’s biscuit-style Strawberry Shortcake which, incidentally, she would sometimes allow my sister and me to enjoy for breakfast. So, my fall version of this treat is based on a sweetened pumpkin biscuit.

And it’s topped with a quick and spicy apple and walnut saute. Your kitchen will be perfumed with some of the best fragrances of fall.

Yield: 4 Servings

Note: the following is the Herbed Biscuit recipe from my new Blooming Platter vegan cookbook without the herbs, but with the addition of dehydrated pumpkin powder and a little natural sugar. Just click here to order the dehydrated pumpkin from Barry Farm. I am partial to it rather than pumpkin puree, as it adds lots of flavor and golden color, but no additional un-needed nor unwanted moisture which requires additional flour and, hence, a heavy biscuit. However, if you have a vegan pumpkin biscuit recipe you like, feel free to substitute. Just add about 2 tablespoons of natural sugar to a cup of flour.

My special biscuit method requires freezing the vegan butter and shortening, so don’t forget to pop it in the freezer the night before you plan to make them. And I highly encourage taking the tiny bit of extra time to employ my modified french puff pastry folding method. You won’t believe how buttery and flaky the two together will make your biscuit-shortcakes.

Pumpkin Shortcakes

Note: this recipe makes about 10 biscuit-shortcakes, more than you need, but they are delicious plain and reheat nicely, so I predict you’ll be glad to have them on hand.

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup plain or unsweetened soy milk

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (or 1 1/2 cups all purpose or white whole wheat flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder)

1/2 cup dehydrated pumpkin powder (I use Barry Farm brand–it’s like a fragrant golden powder)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder (add only if using the self-rising flour)

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or your own mix of ground cinnamon, clove and nutmeg to taste)

1/4 cup natural sugar

4 tablespoons frozen vegetable shortening

4 tablespoons frozen vegan butter + 2 tablespoons refrigerated vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

Warm Spiced Apple Filling (recipe below)

About 1/4 cup of your favorite vegan whipped topping, sweetened cashew cream, or even vegan sour cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar into the soy milk and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder (3/4 teaspoon if using the self-rising flour and 1 tablespoon if using all purpose or white whole wheat), pumpkin powder, pumpkin pie spice, and natural sugar, and stir with a fork to combine. Make a well in the center. Spray your box grater very lightly with nonstick spray for easier clean up and then grate the frozen shortening and frozen vegan butter into the well. Whisk the soy milk mixture and add it to the well.

2. Incorporate the wet into the dry ingredients by stirring with a fork so that the warmth of your hands doesn’t melt the shortening and butter. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch square pan and place it in the oven to melt the butter. Remove the pan as soon as the butter has melted.

3. On a lightly floured work surface, pat or roll the dough to about 1-inch thick (1/4-inch thicker than for my biscuits). Fold it like a business letter: fold one side two-thirds of the way across and fold the remaining 1/3 back across. Pat or gently roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness again, turn it a quarter turn and repeat about 4 more times. Do this fairly quickly so that the dough doesn’t warm up.

4. Lightly flour the work surface as necessary. The last time you pa the dough to a 1-inch, cut out biscuits wih a 2-inch biscuit, cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place each biscuit in the prepared pan and flip to coat both sides with melted butter. Bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. While biscuits bake, make filling (recipe below).

5. When cool enough to handle, either place a biscuit on each of 4 plates; top with 1/4th of the Warm Spiced Apple Filling; garnish each serving with a tablespoon of vegan whipped topping, sweetened cashew cream, or vegan sour cream and a light dusting of ground cinnamon; and serve warm. Or, split the biscuits and place 1/8th of the filling inside and another 1/8th of the filling on top, garnish, and serve. Save the remaining 6 biscuits in an airtight container for another use.

Warm Spiced Apple Filling

1 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts

2 medium apples (I like our local Winesaps), cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/4 cup natural sugar

1/4 cup ground cinnamon or to taste

1/4 cup ground ginger or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground clove or to taste

1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add walnuts and toast, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove nuts to a paper towel-lined saucer. Add apple, natural sugar, and spices. Saute for about 3 minutes or until apples soften. Add maple syrup and cook another minute or two until apples are very tender. Add all but 1 tablespoon of walnuts, stir, and heat through. Remove from heat and use as directed above.

October 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Pumpkin-Maple Ice Cream

Here in VA Beach, fall comes late so it can be quite warm this time of year. Therefore, when my “good” vegan gal pals on “Good Reads” suggested that we all post a recipe inspired by pumpkin to celebrate the mid-way point of Vegan MoFo 2011, I decided to make mine a quasi-warm weather recipe while featuring this quintessential cool weather ingredient.

I love pumpkin as much as I do sweet potatoes, which is to say ” a whole lot!” so I was all in. And I love it in both savory and sweet dishes. This one is a not-too-sweet, but plenty sweet enough (that one’s for you, Lee!), maple-infused pumpkin ice cream. I serve mine with sweetened Cashew Cream and a cinnamon stick. But it would be delicious, say, with my Pepita Caramel Syrup (which is equally good on my Vegan Pumpkin-Bourbon French Toast) or with Pepita Brittle.

True confession: I tried a new recipe I found online, experimenting with adding some additional flavors. The recipe was a bust–maybe it was the Tequila and lime juice I added (seriously!)–as it never hardened enough to make brittle, but it also wasn’t soft enough to serve as a sauce. Plus, I discovered a very important lesson: cinnamon and chipotle chili powder, when combined, taste like a Red Hot! I don’t know about you, but I’ve never cared for Red Hots, and certainly not on my beautiful pumpkin ice cream. So much for being creative. I did, however, discover that I LOVE lime zest sprinkled over the top of the not-so-brittle brittle. I’m going to keep experimenting and be back to you when the results are worthy of Blooming Platter readers!

For now, I hope you enjoy my newest creation!

Yield: approximately 1 quart

1 cup unsweetened or plain soymilk, divided

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

3/4 cup soy creamer

2/3 cup natural sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1-15 ounce can pumpkin puree (feel free to substitute homemade)

3 cinnamon sticks

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Garnishes: sweetened Cashew Cream, cinnamon stick halves, and/or Pepita Caramel Syrup

In a small cup or bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soymilk with arrowroot until completely combined, and set aside. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine remaining soymilk, soy creamer, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, cinnamon sticks, and dry spices. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture just reaches a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in arrowroot mixture. The custard will thicken noticeably and quickly. Whisk in vanilla and maple extracts. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate until cold, approximately 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Remove cinnamon sticks, whisk again, and freeze according to your ice cream manufacturer’s directions. Store in freezer. Serve with a dollop of sweetened Cashew Cream, half of a cinnamon stick, and/or with Pepita Caramel Syrup.

For 150 fresh seasonal recipes, including some some fabulous fall fare, I invite you to check out The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

October 7, 2011October 7, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Peanut Butter-Chocolate Layer Bars AND Blooming Platter Cookbook Giveaway Reminder

Yea, I know, I’m a seasonal vegan cook, and this recipe hardly fits that description… unless, like me, you consider chocolate to be a perennial food.

This recipe was inspired by a pan of dessert bars I spied in our administrators’ kitchen at school about a week ago. Theirs had a thin chocolate crust topped by a thick peanut butter layer and another thin chocolate ganache layer. They looked so good that I thought I would absolutely perish if I didn’t figure out how to make a vegan version and fast.

However, I couldn’t get started on them as quickly as I’d hoped because, after I went to the store, I came home to put the groceries away and could not find my (honey-free) graham crackers anywhere. Figuring that I must have stuck them somewhere really odd, I looked in places like the freezer…and the washing machine. No luck. So, I went back a couple of days later, bought another box, and made them on Sunday for my students’ National Art Honor Society meeting last Monday. A hit!

After just a little research, I put a couple of recipes together and fell head over heels for the result. They are FAR better than my memory of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. And they are very well-behaved, slicing beautifully. They do need to stay refrigerated, but that’s a small price to pay for creamy perfection!

Yield: 24 bars

Crust:

1 3/4 cup finely crushed vegan graham crackers (Nabisco brand “original” are honey-free), that’s one wrapped package within the box

1/2 cup vegan butter, melted (I like Earth Balance)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Filling:

2 1/2 cups natural creamy peanut butter (crunchy is fine, but the mixture is processed and ends up creamy anyway)

3/4 cup vegan butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Ganache:

1/4 cup soy creamer

11 ounces vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together all crust ingredients. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13″ pan. I like to use the bottom of a glass to help with this task. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and cool completely. Once partially cool, I like to place the pan in the freezer for the crust to finish cooling. (Avoid placing a hot pan in the oven as it might raise the temperature of the compartment to a potentially dangerous level.)

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all filling ingredients and process just until smooth. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and process until combined, pulsing if necessary. Add the remaining cup of powdered sugar and do the same. Dollop the mixture over the cooled crust and pat evenly to cover. Cover the pan and refrigerate until the ganache is cool enough to use.

In a 1-quart saucepan, bring soy creamer to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, add chocolate chips, and stir or whisk until mixtures is smooth. Let it cool to room temperature and then spread thinly over the peanut butter layer. It will look like there might not be enough ganache, but there is the perfect amount (if you don’t eat too much of it while frosting the bars!). Cover and refrigerate for 2 more hours. Slice into bars and serve. Store any leftovers–leftovers, yea, right–in the refrigerator.

This recipe was adapted from Midwest Living (Eagle Ridge Inn and Resort).

Just 2 days left in my Blooming Platter Cookbook giveaway! Go here for the details and simple directions on how to enter and win!

September 10, 2011September 11, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Fig (or Other Fresh Fruit) and Cashew Cream Crostada with Rosemary Caramel Sauce

Yield: 4 tarts

Until now, I’ve always used sweetened cashew cream as a topping. But something made me wonder what would happen if I baked it as a filling in a darling little tart that I call a crostada because they seem a little Italian, especially when bathed in my glistening Rosemary Caramel Sauce, inspired by my love of my vegan cheese spreads, fresh figs, and rosemary. So what did happen? The emergence of one of my favorite desserts of summer! But when figs aren’t in season, top them with any soft or lightly sauteed fruit. And feel free to mix and match the herb you add to the sauce to best complement your choice of fruit.

1/2 cup Cashew Cream (recipe follows; must begin making the day before you plan to use, as cashews soak over night)

2 tablespoons natural sugar or confectioners’ sugar (the former will lend a hint of crunch, while the latter will yield a smoother product)

approximately 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Crostada Dough (recipe follows)

2 fresh figs (or other soft fruit, such as banana slices, lightly sauteed in vegan butter and a pinch of sugar)

Rosemary Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)

Cashew Cream (this recipe entitled “Chantilly Whipped Cream” is from The Blooming Platter Cookbook, page 153):

Note: this recipe will yield approximately 2 cups, more than you need for the crostada, but you’ll enjoy having it on hand.

2 cups raw, unsalted cashew pieces, divided

2 cups water, divided

6 tablespoons confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place 1 cup of the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with 1 cup of the water. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews in a colander. Transfer the cashews to a food processor, add the remaining one cup of water and process until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining cup of cashews and process another few minutes , or until thick and creamy, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The mixture should have enough body to hold a peak. Add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and process until combined. Taste and adjust flavoring if necessary. Transfer the cream into an airtight container and chill for at least an hour before using. Remove 1/2 cup of the cream to a small bowl, and return the remainder to the refrigerator. Into the 1/2 cup of cream, stir the 2 tablespoons of natural sugar and optional lemon zest. Set aside.

Crostada Dough (this recipe is from The Blooming Platter Cookbook, page 168):

Note: this dough is the world’s easiest and best-behaved around. I’m just sayin’…I thought I had added too much ice water, but I just pulsed it a couple more times, lifted out the ball, and placed it on my very lightly floured surface, turning it over once to coat both sides, and it was perfect.

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all purpose flour)

pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated coconut oil (semi-solid at room temperature; now considered part of a healthy diet!)

Scant 1/3 cup ice water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper, or use a seasoned baking stone, and set aside. Combine the flour, salt, and coconut oil in a food processor, and pulse a few times until the coconut oil is evenly distributed and the dough looks like coarse sand. Begin adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing a few times after each, just until the dough comes together. It should be slightly moist, but not sticky, very easy to handle, and formed into somewhat of a ball. Lift it out of the processor, gathering up any loose bits, and divide the dough into fourths.

On a very lightly floured surface, shape each into a small disk and then roll out, using a lightly floured rolling pin, to about 5 inches in diameter. The dough should be quite thin, but not so much so that it will tear. Gently lift each dough circle and place on prepared baking sheet, gently reshaping if necessary. (I like to use the tried-and-true method of rolling the circle of dough around the pin, transferring it to the baking sheet, and then unrolling in place)

Assembly:

Place 2 tablespoons of cashew cream in the center of each circle of dough, gently shaping it into a disk with a generous border of dough. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the outer edge of the filling, pleating the dough as you go. Be sure to leave an opening in the center in which to place the fig half. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, but check periodically to avoid over-browning. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, as soon as the crostada are easy enough to handle, use a metal spatula remove them to a wire rack. With the back of a spoon, make a depression in the filling of each tart and nestle a fig half, cut side up, inside. Place each tart on a serving plate and drizzle withe the Rosemary Caramel Sauce. Serve immediately and pass extra sauce. These crostada are best served just after baking or, stored, covered, in the refrigerator and allowed to come to room temperature.

While tarts bake make sauce:

Rosemary Caramel Sauce

4 tablespoons vegan butter

1 cup natural sugar

1/2 cup soy creamer

Pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon minced rosemary

Dash of vanilla extract (optional)

Place butter, natural sugary, soy creamer and salt in a one quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir or whisk frequently for about 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in rosemary. Allow to cool slightly and then taste to determine if you want to add the vanilla. I prefer it without as it dulls the lovely flavor of the rosemary. Use right away or pour into a bowl or jar and allow to cool. Refrigerate any leftovers tightly covered. Reheat to use.

August 14, 2011August 14, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Peaches-and-Cream Cupcakes/Cake with Peach Butter Whip Frosting

Yield: 12 regular size cupcakes (or a single 8-inch layer; double the recipe to make an 8-inch layer cake)

This cake has quite a provenance. When I baked the vegetarian version in 1997 for my friend Yvette’s birthday, she and her husband, Randy, both sophisticated foodies, pronounced it , “the best cake we’ve ever eaten.”

The next year, another good friend, Sonya Harmon, and I made it for our director at the Contemporary Art Center of VA, Barbara Bloemink’s, wedding. It was a huge hit, as guests weren’t taking dainty slices but hefty slabs.

And, finally, Sonya’s mother, Sandy, entered it in a church baking contest and won top honors. (We suspect the contest is a thinly-veiled excuse for the men of the church to eat lots of scrumptious cakes.) The cake is definitely a winner, but I don’t even remember from whence the original recipe hailed. I want to say Southern Living Magazine.

Why I haven’t made it in over a decade, I can’t imagine. And why I picked now, I’m not sure, except that I was watching “Cupcake Wars,” got excited about slightly out of the ordinary flavors, remembered this cake, and decided it was high time I veganize it. My dairy-free version is at least as good–and I think better–than the original. And, though I made it as cupcakes, feel free to double the recipe and make it as a layer cake.

When I made the vegetarian original, I “cheated” and used a Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe “French Vanilla” cake mix. The main difference between garden-variety “vanilla” and “French vanilla,” is a rich “eggy” taste, as well as a caramel-like depth of flavor with “floral notes.” So, I caramelized the sugar and used a real vanilla bean for this vegan rendition. Wow!

I suppose that making a cake with a dried peach filling at the height of peach season is almost blasphemous, so try it with fresh if you like; you just might need to “tighten up” the filling with a little cornstarch. Regardless of how you decide to fill it, it will quickly become a favorite.

Note: Make and chill the Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream for the Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting the day before you plan to use it.

Vegan French Vanilla Cupcakes/Cake:

1 cup soymilk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons soymilk

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (if you want them to be more delicate, use unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1 vanilla bean, split, and seeds scraped out with the sharp tip of a knife

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Dried Peach Filling (recipe follows)

Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting (recipe follows)

Optional Garnishes: a tiny slice of fresh peach and a mint leaf; a dot of Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream and a lemon verbena or mint leaf; etc.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of soymilk with vinegar and set aside to curdle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a regular-size 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake papers. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, stir sugar for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to look moist. Add the 2 tablespoons of soymilk and cook, stirring constantly, until creamy, heated through, and slightly more golden in color, about 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Add oil, vanilla bean seeds, and both extracts to the curdled soymilk and pour into the well. Whisk wet and dry ingredients together just until well-combined and no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly among cupcake papers; they should be about 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove cupcake tin to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove cupcakes from the tin and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack. When cupcakes are cool, top each with about 1/12 of the filling and frost with 1/12 of the frosting. I like to pipe it on in a spiral using a large star tip. Garnish as desired. If not serving immediately, or if there are leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers? What leftovers?

Dried Peach Filling:

1 3/4 cup dried peaches or peach pieces

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup natural sugar

2 tablespoons agave nectar or light corn syrup

Combine peaches and water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand 30 minutes or until peaches are soft. Add sugar and nectar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated (not all of the liquid or it will be too stiff). Remove from the heat and process the mixture until smooth. Cool.

Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

1 pound powdered sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup cashew Chantilly Whipped “Cream” (recipe follows)

4 tablespoons peach filling

Beat together at medium speed vegan butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla and almond extracts until fluffy. Then add remaining powdered sugar alternately with Chantilly Whipped Cream, beating after each addition to combine well. Add peach puree and beat an addition minute and a half on high speed until the frosting is smooth, very fluffy and holds peaks.

Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream

2 cups raw cashews, divided

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups water, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons natural sugar or, for a lighter color, granulated or powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup raw cashews and water. Cover, and let sit for 8 hours or over night. (I like to begin the soaking process in the morning so that I can make the Cream in the evening and let it chill overnight before using.) Rinse and drain well. In the bowl of a food processor, combine soaked cashews, cashews, 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla. Process until very smooth, thick and creamy. Chill. Reserve remaining Chantilly Whipped Cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another purpose.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

July 28, 2011July 28, 2011 by betsy

San Francisco’s Spectacular Vegan “Millennium Restaurant” was Location of Blooming Platter Cookbook Book Signing Dinner

The Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco was the first vegan restaurant in which I ever dined. It was many years ago while at an art conference with my good friend, Anne Wolcott, who had heard about it. (If you live in San Fran or ever visit the area, do yourself a favor, and put this restaurant on the top of your list!)

I thought my initial experience was spectacular and I would hazard a guess that many, if not most, of this gourmet restaurant’s patrons are not necessarily vegetarian or vegan, just lovers of delicious, beautiful and creative food. I was so enchanted by it that I purchased one of their cookbooks and it has remains a source of inpiration.

So, when my dear San Francisco friend, Yvette Hetrick, suggested a private West Coast book-signing dinner for The Blooming Platter Cookbook in combination with a trip to the West Coast to celebrate one of my “milestone” birthdays, the Millennium leaped immediately to mind. Planning the party for 30 in the restaurant’s private “Millennium Wine Room” with the help of general manager, Alison Bagby, was a delight.

Now in a new location on Geary Street, but still connected to a hotel, the food and atmosphere are as appealing as ever. For a very affordable price of $50 per person, not including wine (more on this soon!), the chef offered three appetizers (including corn flour-dusted fried oyster mushrooms to die for–reminiscent of fried calamari–and everyone’s favorite); a delightfully fresh salad with a lemony dressing; 3 different entrees with beautiful sides and sauces (an Asian crusted tofu, a tamale, and a beet-and-barely cake); and either sorbet or my choice: Chocolate Almond Midnight, the restaurant’s signature dessert.

One of the guests, who were almost entirely meat-eaters (but very generous in their embrace of The Blooming Platter), said after tasting the Chocolate Almond Midnight, “I would become vegan for the desserts alone!”

July 25, 2011July 25, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Cheesecake Stuffed Fresh Peach Halves

Yield: 8 servings

Okay, I admit it, I shamelessly “lifted” this idea straight out of a recent culinary magazine. I don’t even know which one. And I didn’t even read the recipe–which was non-vegan–I just saw the title and the picture, and then raced as fast as I could to our local farmer’s market for the biggest, juiciest, ripest local peaches I could find.

The concept is so simple, yet so brilliant; I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it by now, epecially since I live in the land of peach perfection. Little dollops of vegan cheesecake batter–so little you don’t even need to feel guilty–are baked inside the depression left by removing the stone. That’s it. I simply garnished mine with sprigs of fresh mint, but you could drizzle with a sauce or liqueur, add a dollop of vegan whipped cream, or sprinkle with berries and/or nuts.

To my way of thinking, though, all of that is just guilding the lily. Trust me, it just doesn’t get much better than this dessert in its purest form. Two friends who popped by yesterday, separately, for impromptu visits swooned. Hope you do too!

Note: you will have extra batter, probably enough for 8 more peach halves which, short of a large gathering, is too many to have on hand. However, unless you have a petite food processor, it’s a little difficult to work with half this amount of cheesecake ingredients. So I would just get creative with the leftovers. You can use it as a sauce or bake it up in a couple of little tart shells.

8 very large ripe, but still firm, peaches, cut in half lengthwise and pitted

1/2 of a 12-ounce block of Silken firm tofu

4 ounces of vegan cream cheese

1/4 cup natural sugar or to taste

1/2 cup soymilk (unsweetened or plain)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + more for brushing on cut peaches (if you want a more pronounced lemon flavor, add the zest of half a lemon rather than more juice)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Pinch sea salt

Garnish: fresh sprigs of mint or lemon verbena

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large glass or ceramic baking dish with non-stick spray. Using a small scoop, hollow out a tiny bit more of the center of each peach half to make a large enough depression to hold a generous tablespoon or so of cheesecake batter. (Just nibble on what you scoop out; it won’t be enough to save.) Brush cut/scooped surfaces of peaches with lemon juice. Set aside. Make filling: place all remaining ingredients except garnishes in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Fill each peach depression with a generous tablespoon or so of cheesecake batter and bake for 30 minutes or until set and slightly less shiny. (Check after 20.) Do not overbake. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully transfer the peaches to individual serving bowls. Allow them to cool to room temperature, cover, and chill for an hour or so in the refrigerator before serving. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve. (I was in a rush to try them, so I transferred them straight from the oven to uncovered bowls to the refrigerator and chilled them for about 30 minutes before serving.)

July 10, 2011July 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Whoopie Pies with a Secret Ingredient

Yield: 12 Whoopie Pies

I’m a southern gal and we didn’t grow up knowing what Whoopie Pies were. But now I know I missed out! These New England comfort snacks are all the rage and it’s easy to see why: what’s not to like about a fluffy white filling sandwiched between two cake layers that look more like cookies?

So, seduced into trying my hand by the appealing-looking version that Starbucks sells, I set about yesterday to create vegan Red Velvet Whoppie Pies but without all of that red dye. My plan was to use a can of beets that has been in our pantry for I don’t know how long. Why this seasonal cook had canned beets in her possession can only be explained by something like hurricane preparedness!

It turns out that the color is just not intense enough to turn the batter red. The puree and juice look ruby red, but they become much more subdued in the batter, which is okay, as it just makes these chocolately Whoopie Pies a warmer brown color. I think beet powder would do the trick, so I plan to experiment.

The trouble with canned beets as a food item is that they are virtually devoid of nutrition except a tiny bit of protein. I suppose they contain micro-nutrients, but those aren’t listed on the label. However, they do contain carbohydrate, a wonderful texture, sweet flavor, and the previously mentioned bit of protein, so they seemed perfect for adding body to my Whoppie Pies, red color or not…and they were! Hope you agree!

Pies:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup unsweetened or plain soymilk

1-15 ounce can beets, drained, 2 tablespoons of juice reserved (if you want to use fresh beets, trim about 2-3 of them, place them in a 1-quart saucepan covered with water, cover, bring to a simmer over medium-high, and cook until fork-tender, about 20-30 minutes; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of liquid, and peel)

1 1/2 cups canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all purpose)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper. Make soy “buttermilk” by whisking apple cider vinegar into soymilk and setting it aside to curdle. Whisk again before using. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree beets until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Remove 1/2 cup puree; if there are any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Place puree, 2 tablespoons of juice, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat about 1-2 minutes or until completely combined and sugar starts to dissolve. Then add flour, in three parts, alternating with “buttermilk,” beating only enough after each addition to incorporate ingredients.

Using heaping tablespoons (I like to use the traditional fairly shallow measuring spoon, as the shape is perfect) make 24 “patty” shapes, 12 per baking sheet. Avoid crowding them and bake in two batches if necessary, though they won’t spread much. Bake about 12 minutes until the “cookies” are firm, but not crisp. They should be about the consistency of a cupcake top. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, covered with a dish towel.

Filling:

6 ounces vegan cream cheese

4 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter at medium to medium-high speed, until smooth and fluffy. Beat in extracts followed by powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, starting the speed on low and gradually increasing. Keep beating until the mixture is very smooth and somewhat fluffy.

Turn half of pies upside down and, using a tablespoon, dollop frosting evenly among them. You can coax the frosting to the edge with a spoon or spatula or, do as I do, and just gently press the top half of the pie down to squeeze the frosting to the edges. I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap, store them in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Note 1: If you want to dress them up a bit, as in the photo, just melt some vegan chocolate chips in the microwave (about 1 minute at 20 second intervals) and, using a small spoon, just drizzle the melted chocolate over the tops and allow to harden before wrapping/storing.

Note 2: These stack nicely in a wine sack for gift-giving.