March 5, 2011: Footling Lemon Cheesecakes

first Simpsons night then much that nosotros before long arranged another.  This fourth dimension Michael picked upwardly dinner at Trippy Taco together with amongst an optic on my calendar, I volunteered to brand dessert.  

The March characteristic recipe is for private cheesecakes together with amongst its reliance on pre-made ingredients, I couldn't deal thinking of Sandra Lee every bit I whipped these up.  Actually a trivial googling has revealed that this recipe comes from Australia's answer to Sandra Lee, the 4 Ingredients crew.

may bring been sitting inwards my closet for a year.)  I'd recommend eating them semi-frozen.

Little lemon cheesecakes
(this looks to come upwardly from the 4 Ingredients website)

eight butternut snap biscuits
250g cream cheese, softened
280g jolt lemon butter
berries to garnish

Line eight holes of a muffin pan amongst cupcake papers.  Place 1 of the biscuits inwards the base of operations of each paper.

In a pocket-size mixing bowl, trounce the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add the lemon butter together with trounce until polish together with completely combined.  Spoon the mixture into the cupcake papers together with polish over the tops; freeze the cheesecakes until firm, 2-3 hours.

To serve, hand the trivial cheesecakes v minutes to thaw, together with garnish them amongst berries.

March 26, 2011: Ginger-Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

small but fancy gathering to celebrate K's birthday.  Michael was determined to brand amends subsequently last year's CNY gluten-free dumpling fail in addition to turned out 2 plates of fabulous handmade gleegan dumplings for the early on in addition to eager guests.  I revisited a to a greater extent than recent kitchen success for my contribution - I exactly knew that I could brand those little cheesecakes gleegan-friendly.

Every cistron inwards the master copy recipe (bar the berry garnish) is unsuitable for K's diet in addition to I attacked from the bottom upwards every bit I planned my substitutions.  Gingernuts were my most accessible K-friendly cookie, then I grabbed a pack of those in addition to began plotting a ginger-chocolate option to the lemony original.  Chocolate in addition to vegan cream cheese made an slowly base, I added some kokosnoot cream but to role upwards the half-can I had inwards the refrigerator (anyone thinking most making this recipe is welcome to skip it!).  I idea I'd produce amount out the topic amongst some gingerbread spices in addition to a crystallised ginger garnish.  In the terminate I constitute that I needed to add together some almond milk to loosen upwards the mixture in addition to spoon it into the cupcake cases.

I'm non the biggest fan of vegan cream cheese but it did the perfect chore hither - these had an astounding buttery texture, almost similar a dense mousse.  The spices got a niggling lost inwards the mix in addition to I should accept made smaller servings to percentage roughly this potluck-style situation, but I catch they were a success nonetheless.  My batch aren't the prettiest niggling thangs either - mortal amongst a star-tipped piping handbag in addition to whole lotta patience could plough these into something actually fancy.

(You tin flame banking concern fit out all the guests' contributions here.)


Ginger-chocolate cheesecake cups

155g parcel LEDA gingernut cookies
300g nighttime chocolate
2 x 227g containers Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
100mL kokosnoot cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3-1/2 loving cup almond milk
crystallised ginger, to garnish

Line a muffin pan amongst cupcake papers in addition to house a gingernut biscuit inwards the bottom of each i (this should brand 15-18 tartlets).

Gently melt the chocolate inwards your preferred agency in addition to laid upwards it aside to cool.

Beat together the cream cheese in addition to kokosnoot cream until fluffy. Add the melted chocolate in addition to spices, beating until combined.  Gradually musical rhythm out inwards almond milk until the mixture has the texture of buttercream icing.  Spoon or pipage the chocolate mixture into the newspaper cases in addition to garnish each i amongst a slice of crystallised ginger.

Store the cheesecakes inwards the refrigerator or freezer, depending on how describe of piece of occupation solid yous wishing them to be.  If yous freeze them, live certain to allow them at to the lowest degree thirty minutes to partially thaw earlier serving.

April 2-3, 2011: Peaches & Cream Tart

back inwards January, this recipe for a peaches as well as cream tart alongside a crispy burnt carbohydrate topping.  Apr seemed the correct fourth dimension to endeavor it, alongside peaches withal available at the markets but the weather condition having cooled downwards to something a flake to a greater extent than oven-friendly.

With Jane crediting the recipe to Stephanie Alexander I figured I'd start my shortcrust recipe Stephanie-style too, finding this recipe over at cuisine.com.au.  Then I started cheating.  No marble pastry slab, lightly rubbed butter, wells or pastry scrapers hither - I build my shortcrust inwards the nutrient processor.  And I got a fiddling creative alongside the fat.  When my butter ran out, I began substituting margarine.  When my margarine ran out, I substituted sour cream.  I actually had no work organisation succeeding at all yet succeed, I did.

The peaches were a flake of a jeopardy likewise - stone hard, to start.  But they softened correct downwards spell baking inwards that custard, to the request that 1 pie-eater asked if I'd used canned peaches.  Even so, baking was the flake I struggled alongside most.  While the master recipe hinted that this would live done inwards twenty minutes, my pie withal wasn't laid upwardly subsequently double that time.  By thus I had somewhere to be thus I covered it alongside foil, turned off the oven as well as hoped against promise that it'd laid upwardly inwards the ambient heat.  It did, though it was good beyond 'beginning to brown' yesteryear then.

Of course, the close of import instant of all was the blow-torching.  And that turned out pretty good firstly fourth dimension round, when Michael as well as I tested the pie out 'round midnight.  Then subsequently about fourth dimension inwards the refrigerator the carbohydrate melted as well as my blow-torch couldn't revive it.  That didn't diminish the pie's lure substantially - it was gone inwards less than 24 hours.

This recipe is clearly non vegan but I reckon y'all could cause got only every bit much deliciousness without the lacto-ovo.  Use whatever shortcrust recipe industrial plant for you, as well as laid upwardly those peaches together alongside brandy-spiked soy custard.  I've got to acknowledge that the sour cream didn't create anything especial for me at all.

Peaches & cream tart
(adapted from recipes at Have bamix volition travel, both of which are attributed to Stephanie Alexander)

shortcrust pastry
240g apparently flour
50g butter
55g margarine
75g sour cream
2 tablespoons mutual depression temperature water
1 egg white, lightly beaten

filling
iii large peaches
iii egg yolks
1/2 loving cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon brandy
1 loving cup sour cream
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

In a nutrient processor, blend together the flour, butter, margarine as well as sour cream to damp crumbs. Gradually add together the H2O alongside the blades withal running, until the pastry comes together inwards a ball. Wrap the dough inwards plastic wind as well as refrigerate it for at to the lowest degree one-half an hour.

Preheat an oven to 200°C. Roll out the dough betwixt 2 pieces of plastic wind thus gently transfer it to a pie dish, removing the plastic wind every bit y'all go. Blind bake the pastry for twenty minutes, thus take away the weight as well as brush the pastry representative alongside egg white, baking it for a farther five minutes. Allow the pastry to cool as well as trim the oven temperature to 180°C.

Peel the peaches piece them into crescents.  Arrange the slices inwards the pastry case.

In a medium-sized bowl alongside an electrical mixer, crunch together the egg yolks as well as castor sugar.  Add the vanilla, brandy, cornflour as well as sour cream inwards plow until thoroughly combined.  Pour the cream mixture carefully into the pastry case.  Bake the tart until the custard is laid upwardly as well as starting fourth dimension to dark-brown - this could accept upwardly to xl minutes.

Sprinkle the exceed of the tart alongside dark-brown carbohydrate as well as purpose a blow-torch to caramelise it.  Slice upwardly as well as serve.

May 14, 2011: Coco Loco Iii

Update 31/12/2014: Coco Loco has changed its cite to Papasito in addition to its emphasis to Mexican food. It's nonetheless run past times the same possessor in addition to nonetheless has a decent make of vegan options.

After dinner at Discobeans, nosotros moved on to Coco Loco. We were lucky to grade the booth against the dorsum wall - it's a comfy spot to survey the infinite in addition to a lilliputian of High St, too.

Michael in addition to I looked no farther than the evening's specials earlier ordering.  He went with 3 truffles ($10) in addition to a coffee.  The ganache-filled 1 was correct upwards his alley; the other 2 impressed him less.

I splashed out on a Mulata ($20) - marinated cherries nether night chocolate mousse, topped with a cherry liqueur-infused white chocolate ganache.  Funnily, the vegan adaptation ordered past times 1 of our companions looked prettier, with the white chocolate layer replaced past times an elegant scroll of night chocolate gelato.  All the accompaniments were real nice, to endure sure, but nix tin accept my attending away from this mousse for long - polish in addition to night in addition to a lilliputian earthy, only magnificent.

Melbourne boasts a pose out of first-class chocolatiers; amidst them Coco Loco is likely most notable for its make of vegan in addition to gluten-free options.  And it's all proudly Fair Trade!  The fine service in addition to character products are for sure sufficient to continue those of us with less restrictive diets coming dorsum for more.

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You tin read near a pair of our previous Coco Loco visits here in addition to here.

Coco Loco has a real positive reception inwards blog-land: meet words@random, The Tasty Dozen, Vegan About Town (who had a reservation mishap alongside the fun) in addition to Two Flat Whites.

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Coco Loco
219 High St, Northcote
9482 7033
desserts $3.50-$20
http://www.cocoloco.net.au/

Accessibility: Coco Loco looks pretty skilful - broad apartment entry, enough of infinite in addition to attentive tabular array service. Not sure near the toilets.

May 18, 2011: Pav Cups

party pies in addition to much tomato plant sauce (as good every bit unopen to less-obviously-Aussie but no-less-delicious marinated tofu).

For dessert at that spot was trifle in addition to gleegan-suitable Kingston biscuits in addition to Tim Tams.  I tried my manus at private vegan pavlovas alongside a lot of help from a twosome of pre-packaged groceries - the ol' KitchenAid for unopen to serious whipping.  I'm non sure that I got quite plenty air into the mixture, every bit this pocket-sized quantity was supposed to brand 24 cookies each 5cm inward diameter, but the flavor in addition to texture were quite remarkable - real marshmallowy in addition to a fleck sticky-gooey-gluey.

I spooned the goop into 11 cupcake papers in addition to was rather excited - they looked pretty darn impressive!

Alas, I close sure as shooting baked them also long.  In my enthusiasm for crunchy edges, I ended upwards alongside zippo but!  My meringues were to a greater extent than similar hollowed-out saccharide shells.

Of course, hollowed-out shells brand pretty neat vessels for cream, in addition to then I but filled these upwards alongside canned passionfruit pulp in addition to Soy Whip.  In all their fragility, nosotros needed teaspoons to consume them.  These weren't quite pavlovas but they looked the business office in addition to had most of the elements they needed - cool cream, sour fruit in addition to a fiddling sugary crispness... but non plenty cloudy meringue.

June 19, 2011: Mister Prissy Guy Cupcakes

lunch nosotros headed dorsum downfield* to the Noise Bar, which is correct on the bike path. By hateful solar daytime it's immediately abode to Mister Nice Guy Cupcakes, who've been making a cite for themselves inward the yesteryear twelvemonth selling vegan confections at places similar the Empire Cafe, Las Vegan. In setting upward their ain infinite Lucas as well as Deb convey also expanded their card to savoury Tex Mex inward the evening.

Daylight doesn't demo upward every bit much gig-venue grunge every bit I feared. Nevertheless, the house has a punky rockabilly vibe as well as the music's all the same turned upward to 11 mid-afternoon.

Michael as well as I ordered a cupcake each ($4 apiece) as well as were real pleased amongst the goods! Most notably, the icing-to-cake ratio is much lower than seems mutual these days, making for a less sickly sweetness experience. We heartily approve. Michael's Lemon Booberry cake was abundant amongst berries as well as had a piddling tartness to the icing. My Peanut Butter Cup was lovely as well as moist; non likewise rich. Now that my baseline season gets the tick I'll convey to live on to a greater extent than adventurous inward futurity - I tin laissez passer on the axe barely imagine what joys the rosewater pistachio as well as French toast varieties mightiness hold!

*not genuinely a direction.

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You tin laissez passer on the axe also read well-nigh Mister Nice Guy's sweetness treats on vegan well-nigh town as well as Ruby's Vegan Blog, as well as then encounter their Tex Mex offerings on Words @ Random.

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Edit 14/08/2011: Mister Nice Guy Cupcakes are no longer trading at this shopfront. They're all the same taking custom orders as well as their delicious desserts are still on sale at a hit of cafes, stores as well as cinemas. We surely haven't heard the terminal of them yet! 

Edit 06/10/2011: Now Mister Nice Guy Cupcakes are running their ain stall at the Prahran Markets! We necessitate to larn downwardly there, endeavour some novel flavours as well as study dorsum properly.

Mister Nice Guy Cupcakes
291 Albert St, Brunswick (entrance via bike path)
0405 001 442
large cupcakes $4
http://www.misterniceguy.com.au/

Accessibility: This venue has a apartment broad entrance as well as enough of infinite unopen to the tables as well as chairs within (which include couches as well as java tables, every bit good every bit casual dining sets). Orders are received as well as paid for at a high counter.

July 8, 2011: Mentum Chin

Chin Chin has been opened upward piffling to a greater extent than than a calendar month together with attracted much weblog attention, nearly all of it positive, inwards that time. Twitter chatter amongst Ed Charles together with Jess Ho convinced us that they'd cater (fish sauce together with shrimp glue free!) to us vegos together with nosotros checked it out on Fri night. There are no bookings permitted for groups of less than eight, together with nosotros were hardly surprised that fifty-fifty at 6pm Chin Chin was packed out. Jess herself was on the door together with squeezed us onto the 'chef's table', a high bench overlooking the kitchen. She knew our drill together with helpfully pointed out the meat-free dishes across the carte du jour - a little proportion of the total together with a fleck tofu-heavy, but to a greater extent than than ii tin eat inwards a unmarried evening.

We were inwards the mood for cocktails together with in that place are nine originals on offering (each $15). Mine (pictured right) was a sweet, real floral together with ice-heavy mix amongst Thai basil, pinkish grapefruit, rose water, vodka together with lychee. Michael had a zippy mix of tamarind syrup together with fresh Mandarin amongst tequila, orangish curacao together with a Szechuan tabular array salt rim.

Jess had recommended the salad of organic silken tofu, Thai basil together with a hot sugariness bitter dressing ($16). I'm non certain that I picked upward much oestrus or bitterness but liked it nonetheless - the fried tofu pieces soaked upward the dressing, in that place were lots of calorie-free fresh veges together with a pocket-size constituent of rice noodles.

As nosotros finished off the salad, out came our rice ($3), roti ($6) together with dry out curry of stir fried vegetables, spice crusted organic tofu, kaffir lime foliage together with Thai basil ($13). Unfortunately, past times the fourth dimension nosotros were produce to eat it 5 minutes later, the roti was already mutual frigidness together with tough. (It was even then pretty bang-up for mopping upward the final of the curry sauce). The curry was lovely - thick together with spicy - though I didn't pick upward the kaffir lime tang that I was looking frontward to.

Strangely the final of our dishes to brand it was the "little something" nosotros ordered - spicy corn together with coriander fritters amongst iceberg lettuce together with chilli jam ($8). They were worth waiting for! Each lettuce exit held a sliver of fresh ginger, together with in that place was mint to add together to the packet every bit well. Usually I'd prefer to a greater extent than corn together with less batter, but every bit exercise of a watery lettuce roll the soft batter-heavy fritters actually worked. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bright bar snack.

so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like Fatbooo I constitute it crazy-sugary-sweet. The lime syrup offered a fleck of time out but non quite then much every bit I would've liked. I was glad to endeavour it but'll human face farther downward the dessert listing adjacent time.

My 2nd favourite affair after those corn fritters was receiving the neb - the nutrient constituent was less than $60 for the ii of us, including dessert, together with I'd expected it would damage us a lot more. While Chin Chin was inwards Fri black bar mode, nosotros received first-class service - Michael had a piffling panic that our curry contained stray meat together with our waiter patiently checked it out together with cheerfully reassured us that it was oyster mushroom. (Michael tipped to a greater extent than than park given his graciousness.) I didn't inquire virtually vegan options but most of the veg nutrient looks suitable including a duo of the desserts!

City bars are rarely our scene but we'll happily brand an exception for Chin Chin's friendly energy, cocktails together with corn fritters.

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Almost everyone loves Chin Chin! so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like half-eaten, so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like my seasonal table, so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like wine nomad, so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like let's instruct fatty together, so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like I'm then hungreeeeeeeeee together with so pleased Em. Thai nutrient e'er has me craving H2O ice cream for afters then I was all over this. Like Kaz's Food For Thought was disappointed.

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Chin Chin
125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD
8663 2000
veg snacks together with mains $8-16, desserts $9-12
http://chinchinrestaurant.com.au/

Accessibility: The entry is broad together with flat; infinite betwixt tables is mixed. All service is at the tabular array together with there's a 'disabled'-labelled toilet.

July 11, 2011: Majestic Commons Hotel

Grigons & Orr as well as they've fitted the venue as well as the bill of fare out inwards a like nostalgic retro manner. This had us both curious as well as concerned - would a 70s-style pub bill of fare convey anything of involvement for vegetarians? G&O's vegan-friendly bill of fare kept us optimistic as well as nosotros booked the Royal Park inwards for Pub Club.

Our optimism was good founded - a quarter of the entrees as well as mains are clearly marked equally vegetarian. Sadly none of them expect straight-up vegan, as well as thence I consider it'd locomote wise to telephone telephone ahead if that's what you lot need.

The early on birds shared a bowl of onion rings ($8). These were whoppers, thick with batter as well as only a tad greasy. The accompanying thick lemony mayo was perfect for dipping. Thumbs upwardly all round.

Once everyone had arrived as well as we'd migrated from couch to table, I tried the mushroom volauvent ($16.50): squeamish golden puff pastry, a pleasant cheesy cream sauce as well as enough of mushrooms. The balsamic reduction didn't produce a lot for it, as well as the modest handful of watercress hinted that this mightiness locomote intended equally an entrée rather than a main.

Michael's vegetable pie ($19.50) was meliorate - he was highly impressed with the thick lentil as well as pumpkin filling as well as the traditional pea-and-mash sides were solid.

As nosotros finished our mains nosotros were treated to complementary port as well as truffles! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 cute custom, but unfortunately timed since they arrived piece I was at the bar ordering dessert...

... because they had deep-fried H2O ice cream ($12). I squall back this cured me of my nostalgia for the dish - I was already sum of rich food, as well as the batter was painfully thick.

The Royal Park Hotel is a squeamish infinite with to a greater extent than going for it than only retro novelty. The staff were friendly but non completely on overstep of the nutrient as well as drinks on offer. We encountered both hits as well as misses with the vego options, as well as may convey felt to a greater extent than forgiving if they'd been a niggling cheaper. While they're comparable inwards toll to the Fox as well as Gasometer, they're only non quite equally numerous, interesting or consistent ...and they're for sure non equally vegan.

Edit 22/11/11: Today's Age reports that these folks are no longer running the pub. The circumstances of their divergence as well as the pub's hereafter are shrouded inwards mystery.

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The electrical flow incarnation of the Royal Park Hotel has been reviewed at Ale of a Time; they loved the nutrient as well as atmosphere but were less impressed with the beer.

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Royal Park Hotel

405 Queensberry St, North Melbourne

9329 4519

veg snacks, entrees as well as mains $8-19.50, desserts $12

http://www.grigonsorr.com.au/royalpark/

Accessibility: There are modest unmarried steps on entry to the pub as well as betwixt sections inside the pub. Tables convey average-to-high infinite betwixt them as well as in that place are a few couches. Food as well as drinks are ordered at a high bar. Toilets are unisex but non especially spacious.

July 17, 2011: Chocolate Pecan Pie

semolina gnocchi inwards a capsicum-tomato sauce for dinner as well as followed it upwards amongst soy chai as well as this boozy chocolate pecan pie.

I constitute the recipe on Amateur Gourmet, as well as he constitute it inwards Baked: New Frontiers inwards Baking past times Matt Lewis as well as Renato Poliafito. Though I've loved many a caramelly pecan pie inwards my time, this ane too boasts chocolate chunks as well as brandy. It was originally a bourbon chocolate pecan pie but it was brandy nosotros had on the bench. It worked as well as I'm certain at that spot are enough of other liquors that would meld amongst chocolate as well as caramel simply equally nicely. (If you're non ane for a difficult drink, crusade going difficult amongst the vanilla instead.)

I went amongst my habit spell making the crust rather than the instructions written down, as well as this served me well. I solely wishing I trusted myself farther as well as blind-baked this crust a fiddling earlier pouring inwards the filling (I'll add together that stride below). The base of operations held together but was definitely undercooked. I too noticed that the chocolate chunks had a theatre as well as slightly incongruous texture in ane trial this cooled down. No-one else seemed to notice, what amongst all the cocoa, brandy caramel, pecans as well as cream going around.

Chocolate pecan pie
(recipe adapted slightly from ane seen on Amateur Gourmet;
he credits it to Baked: New Frontiers inwards Baking past times Matt Lewis as well as Renato Poliafito)

crust
1 1/2 cups manifestly flour
2 teaspoons castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g mutual depression temperature butter
3/8 loving cup mutual depression temperature water

filling
2 cups pecans
iii eggs
3/4 loving cup lite corn syrup
iii tablespoons castor sugar
four tablespoons firmly packed dark-brown sugar
iii tablespoons butter, melted
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
iii tablespoons brandy
170g nighttime chocolate

In a nutrient processor, whizz together the flour, saccharide as well as salt. Add the butter inwards cubes as well as pulse 'til the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add together inwards the H2O equally it blends, processing until it forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap, mold it into a ball, as well as thence roll it upwards as well as refrigerate for an hour.

When the dough is ready, house it betwixt 2 sheets of plastic roll as well as ringlet the dough out to check a pie dish. Remove the plastic as well as gently check the pastry into the pie dish. Freeze the crust until firm, well-nigh an hour. Next time, instead of freezing the crust, I'll crusade pricking it amongst a fork, weighing it amongst beans as well as blind-baking inwards a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Roughly chop the chocolate as well as spread it across the base of operations of the pie.

Coarsely chop 3/4 loving cup of the pecans. In a large bowl, lightly compaction the eggs. Add the corn syrup, sugars, melted butter, salt, vanilla, as well as brandy. Whisk in ane trial to a greater extent than until good combined. Stir inwards the chopped pecans, as well as thence tardily pour the caramel over the chocolate.

Arrange the remaining 1 1/4 cups pecan halves on summit of the filling.

Bake the pie until it is laid inwards the centre, well-nigh an hr (test it amongst a knife). Allow the pie to cool, serving it warm or at room temperature.

July 30, 2011: Perfumed Chocolate Slice

She industrial plant life success alongside Orgran. These days one of my ain friends is on a similar diet as well as I pulled this recipe out for her.

It's the sort of affair that my mum made when I was a fry likewise - a elementary crunchy chocolate-coconut base of operations spread alongside chocolate icing. Overconfident alongside a one-bowl recipe, I managed to completely mess upwards my showtime batch past times forgetting to add together the coconut. Ridiculous. That field was 1 oily, dark over-baked puck. Thankfully the ingredients are quite straightforward and, inwards my pantry, plentiful therefore I was able to start over. This batch fared much amend although it was even therefore real oily, soaking through the kitchen newspaper I stored it on. I wonder if my chunky, home-processed almond repast mightiness bring affected the texture, equally I tin imagine finer almond repast mixing through the moisture ingredients to a greater extent than effectively.

I dressed the field upwards a little, adding rosewater to the icing as well as sprinkling crushed pistachios over the top. They actually modification its look, odor as well as taste.

Perfumed chocolate slice
(adapted from a recipe on Anna's Sharing My Interests)

slice
1 loving cup almond meal
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
ii tablespoons cocoa powder
2/3 loving cup chocolate-brown sugar
150mL sunflower crude oil (this seemed likewise much)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon Orgran No-Egg, mixed into ii tablespoons water
3/4 loving cup dessicated coconut

topping
1 loving cup icing sugar
1 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon rosewater
1-3 tablespoons hot water
1/4 loving cup pistachios, chopped

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a baking tray (mine was 22cm square) alongside paper.

In a bowl, stir together the almond meal, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa as well as sugar. Whisk inwards the oil, vanilla as well as egg replacer. Add the dessicated kokosnoot as well as stir good to combine. Pour the mixture into the tray, smoothen over the elevation alongside the dorsum of a spoon as well as bake until cooked through, nearly xx minutes.

When the field is gear upwards as well as cooling on the bench, chop the pistachios as well as brand the icing. Stir the icing saccharide as well as cocoa together inwards a bowl as well as sprinkle over the rosewater. Add a lilliputian hot H2O at a time, whisking together the mixture until you lot bring a consistency you lot like. Spread the icing over the field as well as sprinkle over the pistachios, pressing them lightly into the icing to stick.

Slice as well as serve!

August 13, 2011: Halava (Breakfast Series Purpose Xiii)

in a cooking bird alongside Kurma in conclusion year as well as now, finally, I'm trying my ain manus at it.

If you've non come upward yesteryear it earlier this is a fluffy, grain-based pudding studded alongside dried fruit as well as oft served alongside custard. While this recipe uses raisins, walnuts as well as dates I suspect y'all could endeavour almost anything. Just this morning time I saw a fabulous-looking version alongside pineapple juice, cashews as well as saffron (wow! saffron!) on Veggie Belly. Kurma too helpfully notes that y'all tin purpose polenta instead of semolina for a gluten-free version.

I genuinely had intentions of eating this for breakfast as well as thus reduced the amount of saccharide involved yesteryear a third. Regardless this remained intensely sugariness as well as dessert-like, as well as I enjoyed it most alongside a large mug of hot unsweetened tea. Halawa keeps simply fine for ages inwards the refrigerator (and mightiness fifty-fifty hold upward a piece at room temperature) but the texture's never quite the same equally when it's freshly steamed as well as stirred - it gets pretty dense equally it cools and/or gets packed away for storage.

Halava
(slightly adapted from a recipe yesteryear Kurma Dasa)

three 1/4 cups water
1 loving cup saccharide (I used 3/4 loving cup jaggary as well as 1/4 loving cup castor sugar)
1/3 loving cup raisins
grated zest of ii lemons
180g butter
1 1/2 cups semolina
1/3 loving cup walnut pieces
3/4 loving cup dates, chopped

In a medium-large saucepan, stir together the water, sugar, raisins as well as lemon zest. Bring them to the boil, alongside a yoke of stirs along the agency to dissolve the sugar, as well as thus plough the rut downwards to depression as well as comprehend alongside a lid.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over depression heat. Add the semolina as well as gently roast it inwards the butter for xx minutes, stirring regularly for fifty-fifty cooking. Add the walnuts at the 10-minute mark. It should odour corking in 1 lawsuit it's done!

Bring the saccharide syrup dorsum to a rolling boil as well as pour it into the semolina, stirring equally y'all go. (I did this inwards close iv doses.) Keep stirring the pudding, letting the grain soak upward all the liquid. When it's all absorbed crease inwards the  dates, comprehend the saucepan alongside a lid as well as conduct hold it off the heat. Allow the pudding to steam similar this for close 10 minutes. Then fluff upward the grains a fleck alongside a spoon as well as serve it out. Serve a niggling less than y'all await - it's surprisingly rich as well as if y'all desire to, y'all tin ever become dorsum for seconds.

August 20-21, 2011: Gleegan Chocolate Pecan Pie

chocolate pecan pie I made in conclusion month.

The origin challenge is the crust. When you're using neither butter nor wheat flour this is no trivial task. made this 1 before as well as knew what to expect. It was thicker than I intended but tasted fine - it doesn't demand compassion points on describe of piece of occupation concern human relationship of beingness gluten-free.

The 2nd notable challenge is replacing the 3 eggs that are beaten into the filling. I suspected this would live a skillful chance to crusade a widely-used vegan egg replacer for the origin fourth dimension - crushed flax seeds inward water. They whipped upwards into an impressive goop inward the spice-grinder attachment to our nutrient processor, as well as when combined alongside the other ingredients created a filling real much similar the original. I made some other alter based on my pantry supplies - my corn syrup ran out as well as I started replacing it alongside maple syrup, as well as thence the maple syrup ran out as well as I made upwards the residuum alongside agave nectar. While I didn't give away a departure at that phase it may accept affected the terminal flavor of the pie.

For all that, this pie did non plough out nearly equally good equally the original. Though I baked it for 10 minutes less, the caramel bubbled also much but about the edges, toughening as well as burning a little. It also leaked downward the side as well as nether the biscuit base of operations inward some places, rendering it hard to slice. I couldn't much sense of savor the chocolate.

A nibble at the centre of the pie tells me that I've got the correct ingredients together here, but a fleck to a greater extent than thought's needed earlier I practice a actually groovy dessert from them.

Gleegan chocolate pecan pie
(a recipe inspired yesteryear this biscuit base as well as this pie filling)

base
225g vegan margarine
3/4 loving cup brownish sugar
ii 1/4 cups gluten-free plainly flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

filling
170g nighttime chocolate
ii cups pecans
3 tablespoons flax seeds
2/3 loving cup water
1/4 loving cup calorie-free corn syrup
1/4 loving cup maple syrup
1/4 loving cup agave nectar
3 tablespoons castor sugar
iv tablespoons brownish sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brandy

Preheat the oven to 180°C, as well as describe a medium baking dish alongside paper.

Mix together the margarine as well as brownish sugar. Sift the flour as well as baking pulverization over them, as well as mix it all together good alongside a fork. Press the mixture into the baking dish; I layered plastic twine over the mixture to help shine the gummy dough out. Bake the base of operations for 10-15 minutes, until but golden. Set the base of operations aside to cool, as well as plough the oven downward to 160°C.

Roughly chop the chocolate as well as spread it across the base of operations of the pie.

Coarsely chop 3/4 loving cup of the pecans.

Grind the flax seeds inward a spice grinder. Add the H2O as well as maintain blending until it forms a smooth-ish gloop. Transfer to a large bowl as well as stir inward the corn syrup, maple syrup as well as agave nectar, as well as thence the sugars, oil, salt, vanilla as well as brandy. Whisk 1 time again until good combined. Stir inward the chopped pecans, as well as thence tardily pour the caramel over the chocolate.

Arrange the remaining 1 1/4 cups pecan halves on peak of the filling.

Bake the pie until it is fix inward the centre, nigh l minutes (test it alongside a knife). Allow the pie to cool, serving it warm or at room temperature.

August 31, 2011: Baked Cherry-Chocolate Cheesecake

I was late striking amongst a hankering for some home-made dessert, something Michael together with I could bask on the couch later on last spell watching our latest TV fave (Misfits, for the record. Please spare me your spoilers!). As I browsed through my bookmarked recipes I kept a item oculus out for VegMel recipes together with sent through a shortlist to Michael. He chose this cheesecake.

Its origins genuinely prevarication amongst Smitten Kitchen but it's appeared on 3 VegMel-syndicated blogs: Gretel was getting fatter, thus inwards vegan shape on easy equally vegan pie together with Smitten Kitchen but it's appeared on 3 VegMel-syndicated blogs: Gretel was getting fatter, thus inwards vegan shape on Vegan About Town. My version was neither vegan nor gluten-free, but some little substitutions could homecoming it both these things.

My little pace inwards remixing the recipe was using chocolate biscuit crumbs for the base, a hint at my weakness for Cherry Ripes. It wasn't quite equally chocolatey equally I powerfulness convey liked together with I'd consider adding some extra cocoa pulverization to the crust inwards future.

I also portioned my cheesecake a footling to a greater extent than modestly, using 2 thirds the master crust together with topping quantities together with nigh one-half the filling. This wasn't plenty crust to last upward the sides of my springform tin (or maybe I didn't grind the biscuits finely enough?) together with I overcooked the cake a footling (check out the black chocolate-brown cake at the dorsum goal of the last past times photo).  It was however velvety soft together with dense inwards the middle, amongst a nicely laid but non likewise jelly-ish cherry layer on top. H5N1 distich of nights later on nosotros polished it off, I was caught off-guard past times an intense craving for merely One. More. Slice. 

You've been warned.



Baked cherry-chocolate cheesecake
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen but it's appeared on 3 VegMel-syndicated blogs: Gretel was getting fatter, thus inwards vegan shape on easy equally vegan pie &
Smitten Kitchen but it's appeared on 3 VegMel-syndicated blogs: Gretel was getting fatter, thus inwards vegan shape on Vegan About Town for inspiration)
It's getting sent to Smitten Kitchen but it's appeared on 3 VegMel-syndicated blogs: Gretel was getting fatter, thus inwards vegan shape on 'that recipe seems rattling familiar...', naturally!

crust
150g choc ripple biscuits, crushed to crumbs
75g butter, melted
pinch of salt

filling
500g cream cheese, softened
3/4 loving cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons evidently flour
finely grated zest of i lemon
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

topping
200g preserved together with pitted sour cherries
1/3 loving cup liquid from the preserved cherries
juice of one-half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch

To brand the crust, stir together all the ingredients together with press the mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan. You're supposed to last it upward the sides equally good but I didn't intend I had enough. Pop it inwards the freezer spell y'all brand the filling.

Preheat the oven to 250°C. In a medium-large bowl shell together the cream cheese, sugar, flour together with lemon zest until smooth. Add the eggs, i at a time, on depression speed. Beat inwards the vanilla. Scrape downwards the mixture on the sides of the bowl equally y'all go.

Line the springform pan amongst some foil on the outside, together with identify it on a large baking tray. I set a flake of spray-oil inwards the side of the pan, but I'm unsure that this is necessary. Pour inwards the filling together with get-go baking. After nigh xx minutes the cheesecake should puff upward together with larn a flake golden-brown. Don't larn out it likewise long! Proceed to the adjacent pace equally presently equally y'all meet a flake of colouring. Turn the oven downwards to 100°C, thus last on baking until laid but however a footling wobbly inwards the centre, nigh some other xx minutes. When the cheesecake is done, run a knife roughly the sides to loosen it from the pan, thus larn out it out to cool. Refrigerate it even, if y'all convey the time.

To brand the topping, identify all the ingredients inwards a little saucepan. Bring them to the boil, thus plow the temperature downwards a footling together with railroad train them for a distich minutes more. Allow them to cool a flake earlier spreading them over the cheesecake.

Refrigerate the finished cheesecake for equally long equally y'all tin dismiss stand upward it earlier eating.

Black Rice Icecream

September 10-11, 2011

Bali-inspired banquet. I was really pleased for the excuse to endeavour something from the icecream department inwards Sri Owen's Indonesian Food, which is influenced equally much past times her travels to Italia equally her province of birth. Between my pantry constraints, fourth dimension constraints in addition to vegan constraints, the recipe I've written below departs quite a chip from the master copy but is withal pretty good.

For starters, at that spot was no query that I'd survive replacing the dairy. With therefore much kokosnoot milk inwards the master copy recipe I didn't hesitate to stimulate got it all the way. My bigger challenge was locating dark viscid rice inwards my neighbourhood. None of my weekday haunts had any, in addition to it was 3pm on Sabbatum past times the fourth dimension I brought a handbag domicile from the Asian grocery close the Queen Victoria Markets. I slashed the rice soaking fourth dimension past times 2 thirds in addition to the simmering fourth dimension past times around other third, needing the mixture to survive dorsum inwards the refrigerator earlier nosotros headed out for birthday party. As a effect my rice was soft but non porridgy, in addition to I decided to strain it out.

Even strained, this icecream was a rather fetching mauve, amongst a really gentle sweetness from the kokosnoot in addition to rice equally much equally the palm carbohydrate in addition to agave. I'd similar to brand around other batch, giving the rice the total fourth dimension it wants, to sense of savour it at total rice power.

Black rice icecream
(adapted from a recipe inwards Sri Owen's Indonesian Food)

70g dark viscid rice
560mL kokosnoot cream
400mL kokosnoot milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
pocket-size cinnamon stick
1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon agave nectar

Cover the rice amongst cool H2O in addition to permit it soak for 2 1/2 hours (original recipe has 4-8hours therefore become longer if y'all can!). Drain the rice in addition to house it inwards a saucepan amongst the kokosnoot cream, kokosnoot milk, salt, cinnamon in addition to palm sugar. Bring it all to the boil, in addition to then proceed it on a high simmer for an hour, stirring regularly. (The master copy recipe had a 1 hr 35 infinitesimal simmer, bringing the well-soaked rice to a thick porridge.) My rice was withal really granular, but besides really tender. Refrigerate the mixture until completely cold, virtually four hours.

Transfer the mixture to a nutrient processor in addition to add together the agave nectar. Blend until equally smoothen equally possible. Optionally, strain out the rice (I did). Churn it inwards an icecream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, in addition to then freeze until firm.

Un-Beet-Able Chocolate Cake

13-14 September, 2011

the commencement round-up for 'that recipe seems real familiar...", there's a bonus post-The Fat-Fueled Vegan, as well as originates from The Fairest Feed. The Fairest Feed is no longer updated but I'd highly recommend a browse through its archives. Pip has published some beautiful vegan recipes there, alongside homegrown whole ingredients aplenty.

With plans to portion it roughly at work, I multiplied the master copy recipe past times 1.5 as well as all the same it all disappeared rather rapidly! Dark as well as moist, it's almost similar a cakey brownie alongside real subtle earthy undertones. The icing is tinted pinkish alongside beetroot juice but but tastes of carbohydrate - I'd last inclined to flavor it alongside a flake of pomegranate molasses inwards future, as I've tried previously. I bet rosewater would last lovely too. (I'm getting a flake predictable inwards my chocolate pairings, aren't I?)

Regardless, this is a wonderful recipe forthwith upwards as well as real slowly to pose together in 1 trial the beetroot's grated.

Un-beet-able chocolate cake
(adapted slightly from a recipe on The Fairest Feed,
renamed past times The Fat-Fueled Vegan)

cake
1 generous loving cup grated beetroot
1 1/2 cups plainly flour
ii 1/4 cups sugar
1 generous loving cup cocoa
three teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 loving cup sunflower oil
1 1/2 cups soy milk
three teaspoons vanilla

icing
1 1/2 tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons beetroot juice
1 1/2 cups icing carbohydrate
ii teaspoons soy milk, every bit needed

Preheat an oven to 180°C. Line a large baking dish alongside paper.

Start past times grating the beetroot into a bowl, doing your best non to stain anything precious alongside the juice. Set aside.

In a split large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking pulverisation as well as salt. Add the oil, milk as well as vanilla, stirring until but combined. Transfer the beetroot into the batter, giving it a mash over its belongings bowl to reserve some beetroot juice for the icing. Fold the beetroot into the cake batter, thence pour it all into the baking dish. Bake the cake until it passes a skewer test, nearly l minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely earlier icing it.

To brand the icing, trounce together the margarine, vanilla as well as beetroot juice. Gradually trounce inwards the icing sugar. You may similar to additionally trounce inwards a trivial milk to loosen upwards the icing as well as larn inwards to a greater extent than spreadable. Spread the icing inwards a sparse smoothen layer over the cake, or land the cake through the middle as well as spread the icing there.

Pb&Choc Sandwich Cookies

September 17-18, 2011

preparing enchiladas, I took my plow too made some 'that recipe seems rattling familiar...'.) These flourless peanut butter cookies direct maintain a sometime life on that spider web log equally peanut butter alligators! Too cute. I formed them into smaller too less adventurous balls too hoped that sandwiching them together amongst ganache powerfulness render some joy instead.

Emily noted inwards her spider web log post service that the quantity made solely a few cookies hence I gamely tripled it. This made the perfect break of cookies for the ganache quantity, but all upward it's a lot of cookie sandwiches - anyone interested may wishing to halve the recipe below. I was quite unsure nearly testing the doneness of the cookies equally they baked. Mine for sure looked much browner than Emily's too yet they were rattling moisture direct out of the oven too ultimately laid into a dainty tender texture. They were a also fragile - inclined to crumble on the kickoff day, hence soggy-crumbly a twenty-four hr menstruum or 2 afterwards (due to the ganache?) - too I'm amazed that Emily's alligators survived postage. Mine precisely barely survived a wheel ride!

Regardless of whether or non the ganache should live blamed for causing sogginess, I'll live making it again. I was astounded at what a thick satiny mixture could live made yesteryear precisely using soy milk. And using nighttime chocolate equally I did, at that topographic point was non the faintest whiff of tofu nearly it.

It's some other recipe for us peanut-butter-and-chocolate lovers to file away, though I'll live reserving it for occasions where the whole batch volition feasibly live scoffed speedily too unopen to home.

PB&choc sandwich cookies
(based on recipes blogged at Sugarspoons
for flourless peanut butter alligators
too chocolate ganache)

cookies
1 1/2 tablespoons no-egg pulverization + H2O to fill upward a loving cup measure
   (i.e. six egg replacers)
750g crunchy peanut butter
3/4 loving cup lite agave nectar
three teaspoons vanilla extract
three teaspoons baking powder
3/4 loving cup castor sugar

ganache
2/3 loving cup soy milk
200g nighttime chocolate
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a baking tray amongst paper.

Whisk together the no-egg pulverization too H2O to a polish glue inwards a loving cup or small-scale bowl.

In a medium-large bowl mix together all the cookie ingredients, including the egg replacer, until smooth. Drop small-scale blobs of the dough (as trivial equally 1-2 teaspoons each) on the baking sheet, leaving a fleck of infinite around each one. It'll direct maintain several batched to run your agency through all the dough.

Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, until they're precisely browning slightly around the border - they'll all the same hold back a fleck wet. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for v minutes earlier transferring them to a rack.

When the cookies are all baked too completely cool, produce your best to span them upward yesteryear size too shape too laid upward the ganache.

In a medium-sized saucepan, convey the milk to the boil. Turn the rut downwards to depression too add together the chocolate too maple syrup, stirring the mixture constantly to avoid burning or sticking. Keep stirring until the ingredients cast a polish silky ganache, hence direct maintain them off the heat.

Drop a restrained spoonful of the ganache into the centre of a cookie too tiptop it amongst its cookie pair. Repeat amongst all your remaining cookie pairs, too plow over them at to the lowest degree one-half an hr to laid earlier transporting them anywhere.

Cassata For Gleegans

September 22-23, 2011

my calendar had me making one 2 years ago. And it involves glace fruit, which I've long hated. Yet it seems I mightiness survive developing a gustation for those sickly sweet, gaudily coloured 'fruits'.

I impatiently prepared this vegan, gluten-free version on a serenity black at abode past times myself. You tin give the axe come across that the layers aren't equally neatly formed equally they should be. I even therefore intend it looks pretty festive, if misshapen.

The vegan, gluten-free cookies at the supermarket didn't direct keep my fancy therefore I skipped them in addition to doubled the almonds instead. No regrets. If the dairy-free angle on this dessert bothers you, allow me say that I've been pleasantly surprised past times So Good Vanilla Bliss. It's no gourmet blend but it's a convincing substitute for your average Peter or Paul. Once the chocolate, fruit in addition to nuts are mixed through it's rather expert indeed.

Cassata for gleegans
(adapted from this recipe)

1/4 loving cup glace fruit, chopped
1 tablespoon brandy
150mL kokosnoot milk
1 teaspoon castor sugar
1 L vegan vanilla icecream (I used So Good Vanilla Bliss) 
60g black chocolate
2 teaspoons margarine
1 teaspoon cocoa
60g slivered almonds

In a modest bowl, stir together the fruit in addition to brandy in addition to allow them represent 10 minutes. Line a loaf tin alongside baking paper. Beat together the kokosnoot milk in addition to carbohydrate past times hand, therefore crease inward the brandied fruit. Pour them into the loaf tin, checking that the fruit is evenly distributed in addition to it's reasonably smoothen on top. Put the tin inward the freezer to theater upwardly that get-go layer.

Allow one-half of the vanilla icecream to soften at room temperature. In a medium-sized saucepan, gently melt the chocolate in addition to margarine together, therefore allow the mixture to cool. When the icecream's softened stir it, along alongside the sifted cocoa, into the chocolate - the chocolate should harden upwardly in addition to practise a choc-chip effect. Retreive the loaf tin from the freezer, spread this chocolate layer over the get-go one, in addition to provide the cake tin to the freezer for almost fifteen minutes. Take the remaining half-litre of vanilla icecream out to soften.

When the 2d layer of icecream inward the loaf tin has begun to theater up, spread over the remaining softened vanilla icecream in addition to provide the cake tin to the freezer.

Toast the almond slivers gently inward a dry out pan (I works life a piffling spray crude helped). Press the almonds into the altitude layer of the cassata in addition to freeze it until firm, at to the lowest degree iv hours.

To serve, gently but firmly while the cassata using a moisture knife.

Florentines

September 24-25, 2011

taking my recipe cues from VegMel, I reverted dorsum to my calendar recipes. September's characteristic is gluten-free florentines. I was looking frontwards to trying these - my mum would occasionally bake florentines when I was a tween together with teen (mostly probable having sourced her recipe from a Women's Weekly cookbook). Hers were really sparse together with crisp, alongside a deep brownish carbohydrate flavor together with chocolate on the back. 

This recipe was a chip different, chocolate-less, together with baked into cupcake papers. Though they browned upward a little, they didn't choose the same depth of flavour. They reminded me to a greater extent than of toffee, a piddling chewy together with inclined to stick to the teeth (happily remedied alongside a drinking glass of milk on the side).

In the same sitting I attempted a vegan batch alongside a span of straight-forward swaps - margarine for butter together with maple syrup for honey. While it seemed ridiculously easy, this did touching on the results substantially. My vegan florentines (in the pastel pinkish cases) leaked much to a greater extent than fossil oil spell simultaneously gluing themselves firmly to their cases. I don't intend anyone trying these escaped without ingesting unopen to paper. They didn't brownish upward inwards the oven inwards quite the same means either. There was even thence unopen to viscous sweetness to endure enjoyed, but I've got to locomote on my means alongside vegan fat.

This recipe is really quick together with slowly to make, together with uses the variety of ingredients I choose on paw (or tin easily substitute). These are all practiced reasons for me to essay out i time to a greater extent than together with larn this but right.

Florentines
(a recipe already available online here)

75g butter or margarine
100g castor sugar
50mL kokosnoot cream
1 tablespoon beloved or maple syrup
75g flaked almonds
30g glacé cherries, chopped
30g dried currants

Line a muffin tin alongside 12 cupcake cases together with preheat an oven to 180°C.

In a pocket-size saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter/margarine. Stir inwards the carbohydrate together with kokosnoot cream, choose the mixture to the boil, together with thence permit it to simmer for five minutes. Mix inwards the remaining ingredients.

Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, gentle degree them off a little, together with bake them for xv minutes. Allow them to cool to room temperature earlier eating - they'll work solid upward quite a bit.

Mocha Cupcakes

October 6, 2011

Purple Peanuts, I'd kinda been hoping to catch Cupcake Central for dessert. Alas, they were shut past times the fourth dimension nosotros were gear upwardly to terminal by. Even afterward arriving dwelling identify I couldn't acquire cupcakes out of my caput together with thence flicked through my re-create of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Turns out I had the pantry supplies to brand plenty of these recipes! I decided to attempt out something similar to the suggested mocha variation on their basic chocolate cake recipe - Michael's a java lover, together with fifty-fifty had the mutual depression temperature dregs of his habit sitting inwards the java plunger for me to use.

Halving the batter quantity together with quartering the buttercream, I turned out five cupcakes together with a petty also much icing. There simply wasn't equally much java season going on equally I'd hoped thence afterward the cakes were cooked, I poked holes inwards them amongst a skewer together with poured inwards a few extra teaspoons of cool espresso. Michael's java grounds were quite fine thence I sprinkled approximately over the elevation equally a garnish too. There yet wasn't quite the bitter border I was afterward but I've learned something for adjacent fourth dimension - I won't live on shy virtually dumping a span tablespoons of the set down materials straight into the batter, equally they're unlikely to live on gritty.

Something I've been slower to larn is that these icings are simply also sugary for me. Reducing the whole quantity is non enough; I've got to cutting downward the proportion of carbohydrate inside the recipe. The cakes, though, are terrific - thence fluffy together with moist. And I felt pretty clever whipping these upwardly on a weeknight whim.

Mocha cupcakes
(adapted slightly from recipes inwards Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, past times Isa Chandra Moskowitz together with Terry Hope Romero)

cake
1/4 loving cup soy milk
1/2 teaspoon apple tree cider vinegar
1/4 loving cup mutual depression temperature espresso
3/8 loving cup castor sugar
1/6 loving cup sunflower oil
one teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 loving cup apparently flour
1/6 loving cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

1-2 tablespoons mutual depression temperature espresso, extra

icing
1/4 loving cup margarine
one teaspoon vanilla essence
1-2 tablespoons mutual depression temperature espresso
one loving cup icing sugar

choc chips together with set down java to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a cupcake tray amongst 5-6 newspaper liners.

In a small-scale bowl mix together the soy milk together with apple tree cider vinegar, allowing them a span of minutes to sit down together with curdle. Stir inwards the mutual depression temperature coffee, sugar, stone oil together with vanilla nether good mixed.

In a divide small-scale bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda together with powder, together with salt. Gradually shell them into the liquid mixture, getting rid of equally many lumps equally yous can. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them three-quarters full. 

Bake the cupcakes until they overstep the skewer test, virtually 18-20 minutes. When they're ready, proceed poking multiple holes inwards the elevation of each cupcake together with spoon over a span tablespoons of mutual depression temperature espresso. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

In a small-scale bowl, shell together the margarine, vanilla together with one tablespoon of the mutual depression temperature coffee. Gradually shell inwards the icing sugar, adding to a greater extent than java if it becomes also thick. Spread the icing thickly on the cupcakes, thence sprinkle them amongst chocolate chips together with set down coffee.

My Sort Of Meringue

October 10, 2011

strawberry icecream; it left me amongst iii egg whites. Though a Soulmama dessert I loved  long ago.

I notice meringues a trivial likewise sugariness too insubstantial but folding inward around almond repast takes it to to a greater extent than appealing places. The crust gives means to a to a greater extent than satisfying chew too gentler sweetness. Dates too night chocolate chips are the perfect accents. I'm ever a trivial intimidated yesteryear the prospect of keeping whipped whites airy, but this cake had a lovely lightness inward spite of my heavy hand.

The highest compliment I could pay this recipe is that I powerfulness notice myself having to brand yolk-based icecream because of this meringue cake, rather than the other means around.

My variety of meringue
(very slightly adapted from a recipe at Wayfaring Chocolate,
credited at that spot to Good Taste Magazine)

spray oil
120g almonds
120g night chocolate, chopped roughly or inward chips
3 egg whites
110g castor sugar
120g dried pitted dates, chopped

Preheat an oven to 180°C. Line a cake tin mail away (mine was 22cm square) amongst newspaper too lightly spray it amongst oil.

In a nutrient processor, grind the almonds to meal. When they've croak a coarse powder, add together the chocolate too pulse briefly to chop the chocolate a trivial to a greater extent than finely too mix it through the almond meal.

Place the egg whites inward a large bowl. Beat them to soft peaks amongst an electrical mixer. Gradually musical rhythm out inward the saccharide until the meringue mixture is thick too glossy. Gently crimp inward the almond/chocolate mixture, too and hence the dates, until only combined.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin, smoothen over the piece of occupation yesteryear a little, too bake for well-nigh xxx minutes, until lightly browned. Allow the cake to cool completely earlier slicing too serving.