Bread Pudding

Stuck with half of a three pound loaf of homemade cinnamon bread, I decided to try to recreate a decadent treat we sampled in the gorgeous city of New Orleans. You can give this pudding a more authentic taste by dousing it with bourbon and flambé-ing it, but I prefer a morning-friendly version.

Ingredients:

4-5 cups stale bread, cubed
3 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup sucanat or 2/3 cup sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 tsp earth balance or non-dairy butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place bread in a 9" square baking dish. In a blender (I use a VitaMix), blend milk, sugar, cinnamon and dates. Pour over bread and stir to cover. Top with almonds and drop butter on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy hot!

Super Fruity Un-Cheese Cake with Lime Shortbread Crust

This is a three part recipe, so buckle up and come along for the ride.

Lime Shortbread Cookies:

1 C non-hydrogenated vegan margarine

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1/3 C natural sugar

1 to 1 1/2 C unbleached flour

Cream first three ingredients together and slowly add flour until mixture resembles workable cookie dough.  Spoon out by rounded teaspoons on a prepared baking stone (or use parchment) and press lightly with a fork.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cookies are very subtly golden on top.  Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

For crust:

When cookies are fully cooled, crush about 1 3/4 C of cookies and mix with one quarter to one third of a cup of margarine in a food processor.  Press into a prepared springform pan and set aside.

Un-Cheese Filling (to make while cookies are cooling):

1 package of silken tofu (soft) well-drained

4tbsp natural sugar or dry sweetener of choice

1tsp natural coconut extract

2tbsp corn starch

2tbsp flour

Cream first three ingredients together until smooth.  Slowly sift in flour and cornstarch.  Top cookie crust with this mixture and bake in a 350 oven for about 35 minutes.

Fruit Salad topping

I used

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1/2 pint blueberries washed

1/2 pint washed cherries,  pitted and halved

1 nectarine, peeled and chopped

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp simple syrup

mix all ingredients and chill.

You can leave this fruit as an optional topping, or place the fruit right on the cake and top with an agar-agar glaze such as this:

1 C pulp free fruit juice

2-3 tbsp agar flakes

Soak the flakes in the juice for 5 minutes.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  When agar is completely dissolves, spoon mixture over arranged fruit and chill until gel is set.  Serve chilled.

Mel's Chocolate-y Contribution!

Thank you, Melanie, for the beautiful birthday cake.  I give it 31 stars!

Chocolate Raspberry Mocha Cake with Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp vinegar dissolved in 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso

3/4 cup raspberry preserve

Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.Slowly incorporate oil and vanilla, and then vinegar in water, coffee and raspberry preserves. When batter is well mixed, it will be smooth and creamy.Pour into greased and battered cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until doneAllow to cool before frosting.

Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

In a double boiler or small, heavy saucepan over a medium flame, melt 1/3 cup raspberry jam with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and mix thoroughly. In another small saucepan mix 1/4 cup jam with 1 tablespoon water and warm over a low flame until the spread liquefies. Brush the water-fruit mixture over the top of cooled cake. Spread the chocolate mixture on top of that. Allow the glaze to cool before cutting the cake.

Mother's Day Dinner 2009

Tonight we had a gorgeous dinner of French Ragout (recipe courtesy of  Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd) and salad with fresh Belgian crusty bread.  We finished with the super easy and delicious Chocolate Almond Peanut Butter Pie from the Fresh at Home cookbook.  The only pic I have is of half-eaten pie, the meal was so good.  I'll do better next time!

Mandarin Mango Crumble Cake

This cake was sooo good and very easy to prepare.  We had leftover roasted rhubarb (I'll try to get the recipe from my mom!) which we reheated - it was more like a chunky coulis - and served on the side.  The non-vegans enjoyed in with vanilla Breyers - no soy ice cream to be found in Gananoque!

My best advice when it comes to baking is to invest in an oven thermometer.  My oven, though new, digital, and pretty fancy, is a few degrees cool.  I bought a clip in temperature gauge at HomeSense for about $5.  My baking results have been so much more consistent.  A must if you are baking bread.

Ingredients:

2 C All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 C fine cane sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon (or cardamom -

 yum!)

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 C Earth Balance Shortening

zest of 3 mandarins, juice reserved

3/4 C "milk" (I used the mandarin juice and added Silk coffee creamer to equal 3/4C)

1 tsp rum extract (vanilla, orange, or maple would work as well)

2 tbsp ground flax seed and 4tbsp water mixed (2 flax "eggs")

1 1/2 C mango, finely chopped

1 tbsp coarse cane sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175C).  Lightly oil a springform pan( I used coconut oil) and set aside.  In a bowl, combine mango and mandarin zest.  Set aside to allow flavors to mingle. In your mixing bowl, sift flo

ur, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in the shortening and combine with your pastry attachment until mixture is well mixed and resembles a coarse meal.  Set aside 1 C for later.  Add "milk", "eggs" and mangoes to the remaining mixture and stir gently until just mixed.  Spoon evenly into springform pan and spread the reserved mixture over top of cake.  Sprinkle top of cake with the coarse sugar and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nana's Wacky (chocolate) Cake

Hello again-

I adapted an old favorite of my Nana's (see right - she's so pretty!!) for a Valentine treat.  This is the easiest cake going.  Pictures will be posted soon.

Into an ungreased 9x9 cake pan, combine:

1 1/2 C flour

3/4 C sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp cocoa powder

Dig three holes into the dry mixture and add:

1st hole - 5 tbsp melted Earth Balance or other vegan margarine

2nd hole - 1 tbsp vanilla extract

3rd hole - 1 tbsp white vinegar

Pour one cup lukewarm water over ingredients (I used lukewarm coffee for a mocha flavour)

and mix well.  Bake in 375 F oven for 25-30 minutes.  Any glaze will do, but I just sprinkled some icing sugar for garnish and served with fresh fruit.  Very tasty and extra easy.  Enjoy!

Eggless Oatmeal Cookies

Mmmm. . . hot off the cookie press.  These cookies combine the chewiness of oatmeal, the crunch of bran and the romance of vanilla!  All without the labour of our feathered (albeit fowl) friends.

Ingredients:

1 C vegan shortening - I loves me some Earth Balance!

1C brown sugar

2 tsp high-quality vanilla extract

1tsp baking soda dissolved in

1/4C boiling water

1 1/2 C oatmeal

1/2 C bran of your choice, I used wheat

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in soda mixture.  Add oatmeal  & bran, making sure to mix thoroughly.  Add flour and salt, mixing completely.  

Drop by rounded spoonfuls (I use a small Pampered Chef ice-cream scoop) onto an ungreased baking stone and press with a fork dipped in water.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops have turned golden.  Makes 27 generous cookies.

Red White & Blue Vegan Cheesecake

What a yummy dessert!  Although we call this a cheesecake, it is much lighter than its New York style counterpart.  The consistency of the filling is more ricotta like - very light and tasty!

Ingredients:

10 oz vegan chocolate cookies (or vanilla, graham)

1/4 Cup non-hydrogenated shortening (I used Earth Balance)

2lb extra-firm tofu

1/2 Cup plus 2 tbsp unbleached granulated sugar

1/2 Cup simple syrup (home-made)

vanilla from 3 beans

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

Zest of 2 limes

1/3 Cup tofu sour cream (I made mine)

12 oz fresh berries (I used halved strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  In a food processor, process cookies for 1 minute to crush to fine crumbs.  Reserve about 1/8 of crumbs for topping.  Add shortening and process for an additional  minute.  Using olive oil, lightly oil a 9" springform pan, and transfer crumb mixture to pan.  Using your hands, firmly press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and set aside.

Wipe out food processor with a clean, lint-free towel.  Cut the tofu blocks in half, pressing out as much of the liquid as possible.  Break blocks into smaller chunks and add to food processor.  Add 1/2 C sugar, syrup, vanilla, lime juice and zest; process mixture for 3 minutes.  Scrape down sides of the container, and process an additional 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.  Pour filling over crust and smooth with a spatula.  Bake for 30 minutes.  

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together tofu sour cream and remaining sugar and set aside.  After cheesecake has baked for 30 minutes, remove it form the oven.  Spread sour cream mixture over top of the cheesecake, leaving a 1" border around the edges and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Do not allow top to brown.

Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Place strawberries on top in a spiral pattern, starting from the center.  Sprinkle raspberries and blueberries over the visible cheesecake top.  Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.  Chill.  

When ready to serve, scrape edges of the springform pan to loosen cake.  Open pan over a serving dish.  Enjoy!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I modified my favorite cookie recipe to fit my vegan way of life and behold; a revolution!!! These little gems are so tasty they make Grandma’s pale in comparison. (Sorry Nana!)

Ingredients:
1 C soy flour
1 C millet flour
¼ C corn flour
1t baking soda
1t sea salt
1 C non-dairy shortening*
¾ C Sucanat
¾ C coarse natural sugar
Vanilla from 1 bean
Egg replacer for 2 eggs**
2 C vegan chocolate chips***

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

3. Beat shortening, sugars and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add prepared egg replacer (follow directions on package) one at a time; gradually beat in flour mixture.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking stone/sheet.

7. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden-brown.

8. Cool and try to share!

*I use Spectrum’s Tender Bake

** In Canada, CeliMix Brand is great

*** Tropical Choice Chocolate Chips are 100% vegan-friendly