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.

July 8, 2011July 8, 2011 by betsy

VegNewsletter Features a Recipe from The Blooming Platter Cookbook

Hi everyone~

I just signed up for VegNews Magazine’s free online VegNewsletter and wanted to encourage you to do the same!

While you’re at it, you might want to subscribe to the actual magazine; it’s a great deal at only $20 per year with discounts for 2 and 3 year subscriptions.

The range of content is amazing. Vegan food and wine is just the start. There is travel and fashion and, well, news on a host of topics as the title suggests.

Speaking of food and wine, the current issue features a recipe from The Blooming Platter Cookbook! It’s my Mango Coconut Sorbet, a summertime favorite.

Thanks to all the folks at VegNews for including The Blooming Platter in VegNewsletter; it’s such an honor! I can’t wait to meet all of you on my trip to San Francisco next week!

July 3, 2011September 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Plum Tarts or Hand Pies with Basil Caramel Sauce

Yield: 4 tarts

My annual gift of fresh plums from Mike Grover via Diane O’Neal partially inspired these new treats. Mike’s tree is prolific and, each year, he harvests more than he knows what to do with, so he generously shares. Last year I created a favorite Vegan Thai Rice Noodle, Plum, and Shitake Salad published in my new cookbook (see below) and Vegan Rice Cakes with Fresh Plum and Sake Maple Syrup; Mike created a beautiful-looking plum bread.

This year, with July 4 tomorrow, I created glistening red plum tarts and hand pies. The jewel-tooned filling is encased in scrumptious dough from The Blooming Platter Cookbook. I prepared enough dough and filling for four, so I shaped two as tarts and two as hand pies. Though both require equal amounts of my tasty dough, I decided that I prefer the tarts because the beautiful filling shows more. If you really want to serve hand pies, though, you could cut sluts in the top surface to reveal some of the colorful interior.

The filling is based on a recipe in the July 2011 issue of Bon Appetit for Cherry Hand Pies. It was the result of combining both fresh and dried cherries. That sounded like it would deepen the flavor, yet still taste fresh. The best of both worlds! So, since I happened to have both fresh and dried plums, that’s what I used.

After sampling one, it seemed to need just a little something to take it over the top. So I did what I always do: closed my eyes while taking a bite and mentally pairing the tart with other flavors until I hit on the right combination. In this case it was caramel sauce and basil whipped cashew cream! However, since I didn’t have any cashews and didn’t want to purchase some and then have to wait while they soaked over night, I decided to make a quick Basil Caramel Sauce. Yowza! Just perfect.

The sauce only takes about 5 1/2 minutes to make, and 5 minutes of that time is simmering. Adding the basil at the end, allows it to stay fresh and green, but opens its flavor up. It would be good with a spoon! Note that it thickens as it cools.

Filling:

1 cup fresh chopped pitted plums (my plums were only about the size of a walnut, so I simply pitted and halved them)

1/3 cup dried chopped plums

1/2 cup natural sugar (adjust as necessary, depending on the tartness of your plums)

pinch of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or try a liqueur like Chambord)

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

2 teaspoons cold water

In a quart saucepan, combine both kinds of plums, sugar and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. While mixture simmers, stir together arrowroot powder or cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Stir vanilla into the plum mixture, followed by the slurry. If using arrowroot powder, remove the mixture from the heat immediately after adding or it could “break.” If using cornstarch, return the mixture to a simmer and then remove it from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. While mixture cools, make dough.

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

Note: this dough is the worlds 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

Place one-fourth of the cooled filling in the center of each circle of dough. If making tarts, fold up about an inch border of dough around the edges, gently pleating it to form a circle, but leaving a nice circle of filling showing in the center. If making hand pies, fold one half of the dough over the filling, matching the edges of the dough circle to create a half-circle, crimping with a fork to seal. (You may use a tiny bit of water rubbed on the edges with your finger to help seal, but I didn’t find it necessary.) Make a couple or three slits in the top surface if desired to allow a little of the pretty filling to show through.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, but check periodically to avoid over-browning. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, as soon as the tarts/ hand pies are easy enough to handle, use a metal spatula remove them to a wire rack to cool slightly.

While they bake, make Basil Caramel Sauce.

Basil Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup natural sugar

1/4 cup cold water

2 tablespoons vegan soy creamer

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil

Garnish: for each tart/hand pie, a dab of vegan sour cream or whipped cream and a sprig of fresh basil

In a one-quart saucepan or small cast-iron skillet, combine sugar and water. Heat over medium-high until simmering. It will froth up liberally. Stir frequently for about 2-2 1/2 minutes. Add creamer and continue stirring and simmering for another 2- 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Cool a minute or so to thicken every-so-slightly and serve immediately over tarts/hand pies and garnish them as desired. Store any leftover tarts/hand pies or sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before using.

June 29, 2011June 29, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Bourbon-Broiled Peaches with Peaches-n-Cream Ice Cream

With summer in full swing, and Independence Day in the USA just days away, the time seemed right to post a tasty teaser from The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

Driving past a farm market yesterday, I noticed that our long-awaited local peaches are in! Hopefully, the same is true where your live because this cooling treat might come in handy for your July 4 celebration. Or, if you don’t observe this holiday, this dessert is sure to provide a welcome respite on any meltingly hot day.

Where we live in coastal Virginia, peaches are one of the glories of summer. It is hard to beat fresh peaches when eaten at the height of summer, fuzz and all, juice dripping down one’s chin. This preparation pays homage to the essence of the peach with the distinctive flavor of bourbon. It’s irresistible with the Peaches-n-Cream Ice Cream, or to save time, a store-bought vegan vanilla ice cream may be substituted.

If this recipe makes your mouth water, I hope you’ll consider purchasing a book so more than 150 others will be right at your finger tips!

Bourbon-Broiled Peaches
Yield: 4 servings

2 peaches, rinsed, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons bourbon
4 teaspoons natural sugar
Pinch sea salt
4 scoops Peaches-n-Cream Ice Cream (recipe follows), or your favorite vegan vanilla (optional but encouraged)

1. Position the oven rack on the top shelf of your oven and preheat the broiler. Place the peach halves, cut side up, in a small, shallow heat-proof dish. Brush them with the bourbon. Sprinkle each half with a teaspoon of sugar and a tiny pinch of salt. Broil for about 5 minutes to heat them through and melt the sugar. Watch them carefully to prevent scorching.
2. To serve, arrange broiled peach halves in shallow dessert bowls and top each with one scoop of the ice cream, if using.

Peaches-n-Cream Ice Cream
Yield: 1 quart

Make this delicious ice cream the day before you plan to serve it.

1 very large ripe peach, halved, pitted, skin left on
Juice of one small lemon
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk, divided
1 cup plain soy creamer
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 large vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise, and seeds scraped out with the tip of a paring knife
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
3 tablespoons pure peach preserves, optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or more to taste)
1 1/2 cups vegan sour cream

1. Cut the peach into chunks and add to a food processor with the lemon juice. Process until it is a smooth puree. Set aside.
2. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine 1/4 cup soy milk, soy creamer, sugar, and vanilla seeds over medium heat and bring just to a boil.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup soy milk with the arrowroot powder until smooth. When the soy creamer mixture just reaches a boil, remove the pan quickly from the heat and whisk in the soy milk-arrowroot mixture until very smooth and thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract followed by the reserved peach mixture, peach preserves, if using, and vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Whisk if lumps remain and/or press the mixture through a sieve. Cover the mixture and refrigerate it at least three hours or overnight; then whisk in the sour cream.
4. Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s directions. Scrape the finished ice cream into an airtight container and store in the freezer. Allow the ice cream to “ripen” and further set up before serving, if desired.