Vegan Chocolate Milkshake

This "milkshake" is so sweet and delicious that I honestly feel guilty having it during our annual sugar fast...even though it does not break our rule that fresh and dried fruits are the only sugar allowed.  Taste it and see for yourself!  (PS - I like to credit recipes when I get them, or the basis of them, from somewhere else, but this one is all me.)

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled

unsweetened plant-based milk, variable amount

cocoa powder

2 big spoonfuls of unsweetened peanut butter

3 dates

handful of frozen mango

Method:

24 hours in advance, cut one banana into 4 pieces and freeze it.

When ready to make the "milkshake", put about 1/2 c. plant-based milk in a blender with the other banana.  Add the cocoa powder and peanut butter.  Blend until the banana is puréed, then add the dates, frozen banana pieces, and the frozen mango.  Blend until completely puréed, adding more milk as necessary to  keep the blender going but not so much that the shake loses its thickness (stir first, then only add more liquid if truly necessary).  Pour it out and freak out on its amazingness.

The Best-Ever Vegan Chocolate Sorbet

I previously published the following recipe about 8 years ago, and it still is really too good to be true...dangerously delicious. I make it every summer!

I got the original recipe from Southern Living magazine, and I've been making it so long I don't even know or remember if I do anything differently than they suggested.  I can't find it online anymore, so maybe they didn't love it as much as I do.

 

Ingredients:

5 c. water
2 ¼ c. sugar
1 c. cocoa
1 bag vegan chocolate chips

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a stockpot. Boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved (about 1 minute). Whisk in cocoa until blended (no lumps). Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually add the chocolate chips, whisking until smooth after each addition. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a freezer-safe container (like popsicle molds!).
3. Move the ice cream to your kitchen freezer, and let it “cure” in the freezer for 24 hours.

Cherry and Peach Galette

This incredible dessert recipe came from Food Network Magazine.  Cherry season is short, and this is a delicious way to "spend" your cherries in that brief time.

Ingredients:

2 T. vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance.)

2 sheets vegan frozen puff pastry, thawed (one 17-oz. or 18-oz. package)

3 T. AP flour, plus more for dusting

1 large egg (ovo-vegetarians) or 2 T. plant-based milk (vegans)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 t. ground allspice

2 t. almond extract

1/2 t. finely grated lemon zest

2 t. fresh lemon juice

2.5 c. cherries (about 1 lb.), pitted and halved

2 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Method:

Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.  "Butter" a baking sheet with 1 T. vegan margarine.

Unfold 1 sheet puff pastry on a floured surface.  Beat the egg or plant-based milk with 1 T. water and brush over the dough.  Unfold the other sheet of puff pastry and lay it on top; press the sheets together with a rolling pin, then roll out a 14-inch square.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.  (Refrigerate the leftover egg wash/milk wash for brushing the galette later.)

Combine the sugar, allspice, almond, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.; transfer 2 T. of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside for sprinkling.  Add the cherries, peaches, and 3 T. flour to the remaining sugar mixture and toss.

Spoon the cherry mixture onto the pastry and spread, leaving a 2-inch border.  Cut the remaining 1 T. vegan margarine into small pieces and scatter on top.  Fold in the pastry edges over the filling, pleating as needed.

Bake the galette on the positioned rack until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Remove the galette from the oven, brush the crust with the reserved egg wash/milk wash, and sprinkle with the reserved sugar mixture.  Return the galette to the oven and bake until the juices thicken and the pastry is cooked through, 30 - 45 minutes more (depending on the juiciness of the cherries).  Transfer to a rack and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting to allow the filling time to set.

Serves 6.

Candy Cane Cookies

I don't know where my mom got this recipe, because we've been making and eating it since I was a child.  At that time, we shaped the cookies into candy canes.  That's how the recipe went.  As I've gotten, ahem, older, we changed them to pinwheels.  The candy cane hooks were ornery and often broke off, damaging the appearance - but not the taste! - of these cookies.  The pinwheels give the cookies an impressive, complicated look, but they're not at all difficult to form.

These cookies have a cakey cookie texture, and they are not as sweet as many modern cookies.  Maybe that's why I like them:  the mild sweetness, the texture, and definitely the almond flavoring, which is my favorite.  I hope you enjoy them, too.

Ingredients:
2 sticks vegan margarine, room temperature (I recommend Earth Balance or some other vegan margarine that has no hydrogenated oils in it.)
1 c. sifted confectioner's sugar (a.k.a. "powdered sugar")
1 egg (Vegans, feel free to try this with an egg replacer like Ener-G and let me me know how it turns out!)
2 - 2.5 t. almond extract (I go with the extra half teaspoon.)
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 t. plus 1/8 t. salt
1 T. plus 1.5 t. baking powder
red food coloring, to color
granulated sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the butter, confectioner's sugar, egg, and almond extract in a medium bowl.  In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture.

Divide the dough in half.  In a separate bowl, blend red food coloring into half of the dough.  I'd start with about 20 drops, then go from there until you have the color you want.

Now, on a lightly floured surface (Don't worry if the red dough gets white flour dust on it.  It won't show up after cooking.), roll a 6-inch strip of red dough and a 6-inch strip of non-colored dough so that it looks like, well, a worm!  (You can make longer strips, but keep in mind the cookies will be larger and take longer to bake.  I usually make mine bigger.)  Twist the red worm with the white worm so that you now have a single red-and-white twisted worm.

At this point, you decide if you want "candy canes" or "pinwheels.":
(1)  If you want a candy cane, just make the cane hook at the end and move to an ungreased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired.
(2)  If you want pinwheels, shown above, curl the twisted worm in a spiral, and you have your pinwheel.  Move to an ungreased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired.
Either way, repeat with remaining dough.

Bake about 12 - 15 minutes or until risen and set.  Remember that finished cookies look a little undercooked in the oven.  The moment you notice the non-colored dough just starting to brown, it's time to remove them from the oven.  Cool on a rack, then enjoy!

The amount this recipe makes will vary, depending on how large you make your cookies.  I made large pinwheels last year, and I got probably 20 cookies.

Uncle Ken's Banana Pudding

My Uncle Ken was known for his homemade banana pudding.  He brought it to every family gathering.  After losing Uncle Ken earlier this year, it's comforting to remember him by making - what else? - his banana pudding.  I modified his recipe slightly to make it non-dairy, but that only makes it even more popular at the Today Tomorrow household.  Miss you Uncle Ken!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. flour

1/2 c. plus 2 T. plus 2 t. sugar

2 T. plus 2 t. cornstarch (Try to get non-GMO cornstarch.  I use Rumford brand.)

2 c. plant-based milk

4 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract

vanilla wafers

2 - 3 bananas

Method:

In a large saucepan, mix the flour, sugar, and cornstarch with a whisk.  Whisk in the plant-based milk, then the egg yolks.

Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.  When the mixture is thickened to a pudding, whisk in the vanilla or almond extract and remove from heat.

In the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish, layer vanilla wafers to cover the bottom and create an edge with a row of wafers standing around the perimeter.  Cover the vanilla wafer layer with sliced bananas, then pour the pudding to cover both layers.  Refrigerate, then serve.

Serves 4 - 6.

Ice Cream Sandwich

A seriously yum snack from Dash magazine...

 

 

Ingredients:
1 pint Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream (or your ice cream of choice)
1 package Pepperidge Farms soft-baked Montauk chocolate chip cookies
1/2 of an 11- or 12-oz. pkg chocolate chips
1 T. canola oil

Method:
Allow the ice cream to soften slightly.  Lay 4 cookies upside down on your work surface.  Spread each cookie with a thick layer of softened ice cream (up to an inch thick).  Top the ice cream with another cookie, right-side up.  This should leave the "right side" of each cookie facing out.  Wrap each sandwich with plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 1 hour.

In a small bowl, mix the chocolate chips and canola oil.  Microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments until the chips are melted.  Use a fork to whisk out the lumps.

Cover a small cookie sheet with waxed paper.  Unwrap each sandwich and dip half of it into the melted  chocolate.  Set on waxed paper, and freeze the sheet for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate is hardened.

Wrap in plastic wrap again, and freeze at least an hour.  Ready to eat!  Serves 4.

NOTE:  If the sandwiches have been freezing for several hours, they may need to soften slightly before eating.  Enjoy!

Peach Pie

Aaaaahhhhh, summer.  It's the only time of year I don't flat-out require my desserts to be chocolate (although I certainly don't turn down a delicious vegan chocolate sorbet).  For Independence Day this year, I made a peach pie, and it was completely gone two days later.  The recipe is from the seminal cookbook Joy of Cooking.

For the crust, use the same crust recipe previously posed with the cherry pie recipe (here), right up to the point where you put the 2 discs of dough into the fridge to rest for 20 - 30 minutes.  For the peach pie:

Ingredients:

3 lbs. peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/2 - 3/4 c. sugar (depending on how sweet the peaches are)

3 T. cornstarch

3 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 t. almond extract

1/8 t. salt

2 T. vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance brand.), cut into small pieces

2 T. sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix the peach slices, 1/2 - 3/4 c. sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt in a bowl.  Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, roll out one disc of pie dough to line a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.  Line the plate.  Pour the filling into the bottom crust, and dot the filling with the vegan margarine pieces.

Roll the other disc of pie dough into a circle large enough to cover the pie, and lay it over the filling.  Use your fingers to pinch the top and bottom crusts together.  Cut vents into the top crust, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 T. sugar.

Bake 55 - 65 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack.

Cherry Pie

Scott and I got it in our minds that we wanted cherry pie on Memorial Day.  Luckily, the essential cookbook Joy of Cooking (by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker) had an easy recipe, and success was ours!  We served it with vegan chocolate sorbet (recipe here) for an out-of-this-world dessert experience.

 

CRUST
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
6 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
1/4 c. chilled vegetable shortening (Again, I use Earth Balance.)
6 T. ICE-COLD water plus up to another 1 T.

Method:
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together.  Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut half of the margarine into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of cornmeal.  Cut in the remaining margarine and then the shortening until it is pea-sized.

Sprinkle the flour mixture with 6 T. ice-cold water.  Blend gently until it just holds together.  If necessary to hold the ingredients together, add up to 1 T. more ice-cold water.

Divid the dough into halves.  Form the dough halves into discs, wrap each with plastic wrap, and allow the discs to "rest" in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.  While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

FILLING
Ingredients:
5 cups pitted sour cherries or Bing cherries (about 2 - 2.5 lbs.)
sugar - use 1 1/4 c. if your cherries are sour, 3/4 c. sugar if your cherries are Bing
3 - 3 1/2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. almond extract
2 - 3 T. vegan margarine, cut into small chunks

Method:
Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and almond extract in a large bowl, and allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.

PUTTING THE PIE TOGETHER
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Roll out one disc of pie dough to line your 9- or 10-inch pie plate.  Line the pie plate.  Pour the cherry filling into the bottom crust, and dot the filling with the remaining 2 - 3 T. vegan margarine chunks.

Roll out the top crust to a circle large enough to cover the pie.  Brush water around the edges of the bottom crust, and lay the top crust over it.  Use your fingers to seal the 2 crusts together.  Prick the top crust with a fork or otherwise create vents.  (I used a very small star-shaped cookie cutter.)

Bake about 55 - 65 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack.

Peepaw's Peach Cobbler

A most excellent dessert!  I don't know where my grandfather - who we always called "Peepaw" (don't ask me the origin of that...I don't really know) - got this recipe, but thank goodness he did!  Easy, delicious, perfect.



Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder (try to find aluminum-free baking powder)

3/4 c. sugar (unless you're using FRESH peaches, then use 1 c. sugar)

3/4 c. plant-based milk (OK, I admit that Peepaw used cow's milk, but making it dairy-free with plant-based milk is even more awesome.)

1 stick vegan margarine (ditto above)

1 large can sliced peaches in heavy syrup (or try it with an approximately equal amount of peeled, sliced fresh peaches)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt vegan margarine in a small casserole dish (I used a glass 8"x8" dish.) by putting the dish in the preheating oven.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.  Stir in the plant-based milk.

Pour the flour and milk mixture into the dish over the melted butter.  Pour the peaches AND their syrup (if using canned peaches) over the flour mixture.  Bake for about 45 minutes, and serve warm.  Serves 4-6.

Irish Chocolate Potato Cake

Here's a confection for your St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Scott made this yesterday with a caramel drizzle, and it's DEE-licious.  Since the cake contains dark chocolate, potatoes, and almonds, I like to think of it as sort of "healthy" for cake.  (Disregarding, of course, the 1/2 lb. of butter and 1 lb. of sugar!)

The cake recipe came from www.europeancuisines.com, and the icing came from a decade-old issue of Vegetarian Times.  We served it after a "St. Patrick's Eve" meal of vegetable and tofu pot pie (recipe here) and boiled cabbage for an Irish-feeling meal.

Ingredients:
1 c. cooked potato (see below for specific instructions on the potatoes)
1 1/2 T. AP flour
1 1/2 T. cocoa

2 1/2 c. AP flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 rounded t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 lb. butter or vegan margarine (I like to use Earth Balance vegan margarine.), at room temperature

2 1/3 c. (1 lb.) granulated sugar

4 eggs

9 rounded T. finely-grated chocolate

5 rounded T. ground almonds

2/3 c. plant-based milk

1 batch caramel icing (recipe below)

Method:
Be sure to prepare the potatoes in advance and allow them to cool COMPLETELY.  Do not add them to the batter if they are even slightly warm.  If you do, the result will be a heavy cake that may fail to rise or rise only partway.  To prepare the potatoes, peel and chunk 2 medium potatoes and boil until soft when pierced with a fork.  Drain them completely, and dry them briefly over low heat.  Remove from heat.  When completely cool, mash well with a potato masher or ricer.

Mix 1/2 T. flour with the cocoa in a small bowl.  Prepare a tube pan (like a Bundt pan) by spraying it well with non-stick spray.  Be sure to cover every crevice and fluting.  Now add the flour/cocoa mixture to the pan and shake it around until every surface is coated.  Failure to proper cover every crevice and surface may result in a cake that does not unmold properly, so take the time to do this part correctly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the 2.5 c. flour once by itself.  Sift it a second time with the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and set the yolks aside.  In a small mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Set the whites aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir the grated chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture.  Add the potatoes and stir again.  Add the flour, alternating with the plant-based milk, beating gently after each addition.

When the flour and milk are fully incorporated, fold the whipped egg whites carefully into the cake batter.  Spoon the completed batter into the prepared cake pan.  Tap gently once on the counter to settle.

Bake for 1.5 - 2 hours.  With a wooden skewer, start testing for doneness at 1.5 hours and periodically after that until the skewer inserted through the tallest part of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes in the pan.  Invert on a baking rack and remove from pan to cool completely.  Drizzle with caramel icing (or the icing of your choice), and serve.

Caramel Drizzle Icing

Ingredients:
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. plant-based milk
2 T. vegan margarine
1/4 t. salt
1 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Method:
Combine brown sugar, plant-based milk, margarine, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is slightly thick, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.  Stir in almond extract and gradually beat in powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth and creamy.  Let icing cool slightly, and pour over cake.  Icing sets as it cools.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Here's a great seasonal recipe I got from Country Living magazine's November 2012 issue. You can use mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed pumpkin, so it's a great way to use up leftovers if you have just a bit left after opening a can or making a recipe.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

non-stick baking spray OR vegan margarine for greasing the pan plus flour

1.5 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

1 stick vegan margarine (I prefer Earth Balance brand.), at room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. vanilla OR almond extract

1 c. leftover mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 large eggs, at room temperature (vegans can try substituting Ener-G Egg Replacer)

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together. (Use a fork to fluff them together if you don't have a sifter.)

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter, sugars, and flavoring extract until light and fluffy. Blend in sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree, then eggs one at a time. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds. Blend until just combined.

Spoon batter into the greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle with pecans, and bake until the cake tests clean when a wooden skewer is inserted into the middle, 65 - 75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Release cake from pan to cool completely.

Makes about 8 servings.

Black Forest Cookies

Here's a good recipe from waaaaayyyyyy back at the beginning of the blog:  Black Forest Cookies (recipe here).  You can consider them sort of "seasonal", because they have cranberries and nuts in them.  Hey, that makes them kind of healthy, too!

 

I'm taking these to take to my mom's house for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  Happy Thanksgiving from all the Today Tomorrows!

 

 

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Are you freaking out, because you have to go to a "big game" party today, but you don't have anything planned to take?  Personally, I'm taking a layered Mexican dip to my sister-in-law's house, but this candy-cookie that I usually make at Christmas is easy and quick, too, if you're looking for a sweet thing to take.  I got this recipe from my mom (Hi Mom!).  She's been making this at the holidays for decades.  The amounts are flexible...make as many or as few as you want.

Ingredients:

chocolate bark (This is the meltable chocolate that you can buy by the pound in the baking section of your grocer.)

waxed paper

Ritz crackers

peanut butter (I'm not sure if the truly natural kind will work.  It seems like it might be too wet.  I use the Jif natural, which is still creamy instead of wet somehow.)

optional:  white chocolate bark for garnish

Method:

Melt chocolate in the top pan of a double-boiler (or we usually use a slow-cooker on the lowest setting).  Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

While the chocolate is melting, spread a generous amount of peanut butter between 2 Ritz crackers to make a sandwich.  Make as many cracker-sandwiches as you want.  When the chocolate is fully melted, dip each peanut butter cracker sandwich into the melted chocolate to completely coat the sandwich.  Remove with a fork, scraping off the excess on the side of the pan.  Place the coated sandwich on the waxed paper to set.  Once you're done dipping, put the cookie sheet in the fridge to harden up the chocolate.

Once the chocolate is set, you're set, too!

Optional garnish:  To make the white zig-zags shown in the photo, melt some white chocolate bark in the microwave, zapping a few seconds, then stirring, then zapping, then stirring, until the chocolate is melted.  Pour the melted chocolate into a Ziploc bag and zip it up.  Using kitchen shears, snip a corner off the bottom of the bag.  Zig-zag the chocolate over the covered cookie sandwiches while they're on the waxed paper.  Put in the fridge to set as normal.

Scott would like to add:  Go Giants! 

Citrus Tart

Here's a beautiful ovo-vegetarian (in case you're avoiding dairy) tart for your next special occasion.  I got the recipe from Southern Living magazine, and I topped it with citrus sections as they suggested.  I liked the citrus, because contrary to popular belief, citrus is actually in season in the winter.  However, sectioning the citrus was a bit tedious, and this would be equally delicious topped with kaleidoscopic strawberry and kiwi slices or maybe some other fresh fruit topping...use your imagination!

Ingredients:

CRUST -

1/2 c. sweetend flaked coconut

2 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance.)

1/4 t. coconut extract

FILLING -

2/3 c. sugar

2.5 T. cornstarch

1 1/3 c. orange juice

1 large egg, beaten

3 T. vegan margarine

2 t. orange zest

pinch of salt

TOPPING -

6 or so cirtus large enough to easily section with a paring knife OR

fresh fruit like sliced strawberries and kiwi OR

fresh fruit of your choice

Method:

The reason I intro'd this as "for your next special occasion" is that it takes a bit of effort to pull it all together.  You have to make the crust, make the filling, and slice or section all the fruit to arrange on top.  Keep that in mind.  Also, you'll probably want to make this a day or so in advance, because the filling needs to chill for several hours.  Here goes!

First, prepare the crust.  It's pretty easy!  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the flaked coconut in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 - 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Allow coconut to cool completely (about 15 minutes).

Pulse the coconut, flour, and powedered sugar in a food processor 3 or 4 times or until combined.  Add vegan margarine and extract, then pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly.  With the food processor running, gradually add 3 T. water, and process until the dough forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll it into a 10-in circle if using a 9-inch round tart pan or into a 12.5 x 10-inch rectangle if using a 12 x 9-inch rectangle tart pan.  Either way, the tart pan needs to have a removable bottom.  The rolled dough should be about 1/4-inch thick.  Press the rolled dough into the tart pan, onto the bottom and up the sides.  Trim the excess dough and either discard (gasp!) or save for another purpose.  (I used my excess to make 2 tiny crusts in ramekins for another use.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, and cool completely on a wire rack.

While the tart is cooling, make the filling.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a 3-qt. saucepan.  Gradually whisk in the orange juice.  Whisk in the egg.  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.  Boil (still whisking) 3 - 4 minutes.

Remove the filling from heat.  Whisk in the vegan margarine, orange zest, and salt.  Spread the filling evenly into the cooled crust.  Place heavy-duty plastic wrap over the tart, directly touching the filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Chill the tart 8 hours.

Lastly, arrange your pretty citrus sections in a spiral or in rows on the tart.  I used Cara Cara oranges (which have a nice salmon color), Rio Star grapefruit (one of the reddest grapefruits), and white grapefruit (nearly colorless).  I think blood oranges would have been beautiful in the mix, but they were not available yet when I made the tart.  You could also choose to use all the same citrus for a monochrome effect.  To make your sections attractive, cut about 1/4 inch from the stem and blossom end of the citrus so that it can sit flat.  Then use a sharp knife to cut away every trace of the peel and pith around the sides.  Next use a sharp paring knife to cut the sections away from the membranes.  I found that very seedy or smallish citrus are nearly impossible to do....Alternatively, use the strawberry and kiwi slices or the fresh fruit of your choice.

It's kind of a lot of work, but the results are so pretty!  And no dairy!

Strawberry Sorbet

A big thank-you to P. Allen Smith, whose television show featured this recipe.  It's simple, it's healthy, it's vegan.  What more can I ask for in a summer dessert?  Although I only made it as sorbet, I think it would make a boss popsicle for those of you who have popsicle molds.


This is best made the day before, because although P. Allen says it only takes 4 hours to freeze up properly, mine took much longer.

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. frozen apple juice concentrate


Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and purée completely.  Pour the purée into a freezer-safe bowl, cover, and put in the freezer.  Wait 45 minutes, remove, and purée again.  Return to freezer.  Wait 45 minutes, remove, and purée again.  The multiple purées ensure a nice, smooth texture.  Return to freezer and allow to freeze completely.


Remove from freezer 25 minutes prior to serving to soften.  Scoop like ice cream.


Serving suggestion:  serve along side a home-baked brownie for a decadent dessert.  Brownies can be made with Ener-G Egg Replacer so that the entire naughty dessert can be vegan!

Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

Here's a recipe you can use for a Christmas get-together. It came from my friend, Pam, who said she got it from a "Southern Living" magazine. It's deceptively easy for how delicious and addictive it is!

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
3 (4-oz.) bars semi-sweet chocolate baking bars (Pam recommends using Ghiradelli brand, and I can confirm that I have used it with excellent results.)
3 (4-oz.) bars white chocolate baking bars (again with the Ghiradelli)
1 t. coarse salt

Roast the pecans. You can do this in a skillet over medium-low heat. Just shake the pecans around in the pan so that they don't burn. When they become fragrant, they're done. It takes maybe 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Break each chocolate bar into 8 equal pieces. (Ghiradelli comes pre-sectioned into 8 square pieces, making this quite simple.) Arrange your 48 pieces in a checkerboard pattern of brown and white on the cookie sheet with the pieces touching.

Bake the chocolate at 225 degrees until the chocolate is melty. Remove the pan to a wire rack. Using a wooden toothpick or skewer, swirl the melted chocolate into a marbled pattern. While the chocolate is still melty, sprinkle it evenly with the coarse salt and toasted pecans. Press the pecans into the chocolate slightly to ensure they adhere in the final product.

Chill the pan in the refrigerator 1 hour or until firm. Break the sheet of chocolate into pieces. You can store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Apple Crumble

I tried this recipe twice recently, and it's really good. It's not mine, so I'm just including the link. The first time I made it, I did it almost according to Martha's instructions. I substituted vegan Earth Balance margarine for the butter, and it worked fine. Also, I did not chop up my cranberries, and I liked it that way.



The 2nd time, I doubled the recipe, but I didn't double the recommended size of the dish. I squeezed it all into a pan that was smaller and, although it fit, it wasn't as good. The crumble topping really does need to spread out over that area. Also, don't cut down the amount of butter (or, in my case, margarine). I thought it called for a lot of butter/margarine when I made it the first time (only because the quantity seemed like a lot, not because it tasted like too much), so I cut some out the 2nd time, and it wasn't as good. Use the full amount!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/apple-cranberry-crumble

Follow this advice, and you'll have a delicious autumn dessert (or breakfast! Why not?!).

Cherry Turnovers

These are super easy, but messy to make. You will not be disappointed in the results, though, as they look and taste quite impressive! You could serve them for breakfast or at a party or shower. I used Williams-Sonoma's cherry pocket pies recipe as a jumping point for this.

2 cups fresh cherries, washed and pitted
1/2 c. sugar
1.5 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pinch salt
1 sheet puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farms's puff pastry, which had no animal-derived ingredients. You have to thaw it 40 minutes before using.)
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tsp. water (omit if preparing for vegan diners)
granulated sugar for sprinkling, optional

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add cherries and almond extract, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Although it starts off looking dry, it will quickly get gooey and gelatinous, and this is a good thing.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Once the cherries are cooked, set them aside to cool slightly. Roll the puff pastry sheet to a 12x12 square, and cut into 9 4-inch squares. Put a spoonful of cherries in the center of each square. Brush the egg wash (or just water for vegan preparation) around the edges of the square. Fold over into a triangle and crimp the edges with fork tines to seal. Move the turnover to the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Brush the top of the turnover with the egg wash (or just water for vegan preparation) and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake 20 minutes or until the pastry is browned. (It will brown less without the egg wash and more golden with the egg wash.) Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie

Happy Independence Day! This recipe comes from an acquaintance named Ginger, and I am not sure where she got it. I didn't change a thing about it, because it's so good already.

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. golden brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted vegan butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pinch salt
3 large eggs, beaten (I have used medium eggs with perfectly fine results.)
3/4 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
3/4 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. whole pecans
1 frozen pie crust

Place a large baking sheet on the oven rack (middle of the oven), and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a fork, mix the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, almond extract, and salt in a 1.5-quart or larger bowl to blend. Mix in the beaten eggs. With a spoon, stir in the shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans. Pour the filling into the frozen pie crust. Place the pie on the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set in the center (about 40 minutes). Transfer pie to rack, and cool before serving.

Chocolate Sorbet

The following recipe is really too good to be true. Delicious vegan ice cream! And no “weird” ingredients! I got the original recipe from Southern Living magazine.

5 c. water
2 ¼ c. sugar
1 c. cocoa
1 bag vegan chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips with great results. The bag says it “may contain trace amounts of milk,” but milk is not a listed ingredient. I assume the disclaimer is just due to processing on machinery used for other, non-vegan products. If that doesn’t work for you, just pick a chocolate chip that does.)
about 15 lbs. ice for the ice cream freezer
rock salt

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved (about 1 minute). Whisk in cocoa until blended (no lumps). Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually add the chocolate chips, whisking until smooth after each addition. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into the freezer container of a 4-quart ice cream freezer. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 45 minutes.
3. Move the ice cream to your kitchen freezer, and let it “cure” in the freezer overnight.

This makes about 5 cups of unbelievably delicious ice-cream-like sorbet.