Extreme Fudge Truffle Pie or Mounds Candy Bar Pie
(will make two tart pan sized pies or one large)
This is a simple pie that changes personality completely depending on the crust you choose. I'd lean a bit to the Oreo crust because as much as I like coconut the texture still can overwhelm me. However. A chef who happens to love a good Mounds bar told me to not change a thing. So pick your poison. It goes down nice and smooth and regardless of which crust you choose you will end up with a mouthful of delicious fudgy deliciousness.
The coconut crust is definitely a strong flavor addition to the fudge and makes for a delicious fudgy coconut Mounds experience.
Oreo crust for the pure chocolate lovers is going to get closet to
the European Truffle Pie I was hoping to recreate in my kitchen.
Simple Oreo Crust:
24 oreos (or other Vegan chocolate sandwich cookies) (if you use Jo-Jo's skip the coconut oil)
1 TBSP coconut oil
Toss cookies in food processor, with filling intact, powder. Add the
coconut oil. Press into a large pie pan or two tart pans. Place in refrigerator.
Mounds Candy Bar Crust:
2 Cups coconut
1 TBSP cocoa powder
16 ounces of pitted dates (less a few reserved because you don't want this to be over sticky, add them if needed)
You want to be able to form the crust into a ball and stick together but not to you.
Press the mixture into the pie or tart pans and place in fridge.
Fudge Filling:
1
and 2/3 cups of melted chocolate chips (use double boiler I bring water
to boil in lower pot first, turn off and then pour the chips in the
top, dry pan to sit over the hot water. Stirring as needed)
1 Pkge Mori-Nu silken tofu (firm)
3 TBSP cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP agave nectar
In food processor blend tofu, cocoa powder, agave and salt together until fully incorporated. Add melted chocolate.
Scoop this into the pie shells and place back into the fridge.
Ganache:
1 1/3 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup non-dairy milk (for fun, I used chocolate)
Heat milk over low. Add chocolate when milk is warm. Remove from heat and stir until all the chocolate melts.
Pour a layer of ganache over filling and return to refrigerator.
Chocolate Coconut Cream:
1
Can full fat coconut milk (gotta plan ahead and have this in the fridge
for a few days...the longer the better) (I've got at least two in mine
all the time now. Trader Joe's sells one that is terrific : ) Get the
full fat not light.)
2 TBSP agave nectar
2 TBSP cocoa
Scrape the thick, creamy
coconut into your mixer. (Not the water, I freeze the water for Thai
dishes or smoothies etc.) Begin whipping it. Add the agave and cocoa and
whip until creamy and incorporated and looking a lot like whipped
cream.
Place thick dollops of the chocolate coconut cream over the ganache
layer. Then drizzle remaining ganache over the pies.
Refrigerate for at least an hour. The longer it sets up the fudgier
and creamier it gets. Refrigerate until a few minutes before you are ready to
serve.
Tropical Supreme Pie
Pretzel Crust:
3 Cups pretzels
3 TBSP powdered sugar
4 TBSP coconut oil
In
food processor, grind pretzels into crumbs. Add sugar, whir. Add
coconut oil and combine. Press crust into a large pie pan and refrigerate.
Filling:
1 Banana
2 TBSP coconut oil
8 dates (small to medium)
1/3 Cup non-dairy cream cheese
1 Cup strawberries
Blend or process all ingredients until completely blended. Pour into crust and refrigerate. This is fairly soft and silky. If I wanted to stiffen it up a bit I'd add another TBSP coconut oil, 2 more dates and use 1/2 cup non-dairy cream cheese. I don't think that will mess with the flavor.
Topping:
1 can of full fat coconut milk (pre-chilled)
1/2 Cup crushed and drained/pressed dry canned pineapple
1 TBSP maple syrup
Whipped Cream:
(Plan ahead on this. One can of full fat coconut milk
which needs to be placed in the refrigerator and left for at least 48
hours. I've always got one can in mine, if not two.) When the can is
chilled, you open it, and skim off the thick layer of coconut cream
(this is not coconut oil, it's about the texture of sour cream or
whipped butter and there is a wetter milky layer underneath that you don't want. You want
just the thick solid stuff. You can keep the milky stuff for smoothies
etc. put in a freezer bag and toss it into the freezer if you don't want
to use it right away.) Now, use a mixer, or whisk to whip the coconut
cream into a whipped cream texture. Add the pineapple and maple syrup and mix well. Dollop or spread over strawberry layer.
Garnish: Toasted coconut. Spread 1/2 cup coconut out in a pan. Place
in a 350 oven for 6 minutes, check and stir, if not golden, place back
in the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes.
Additional pineapple and strawberry slices.
Return to the refrigerator and let the pie set up at least for an hour before serving. Overnight is better.
Mocha Tiramisu
This is my second attempt at tiramisu. The first was a fail. I tried to make ladyfingers and they were doughy and just weren't cutting it. So I tried to come up with something else that might get the whole deliciousness of tiramisu across without trying to remake the classic recipe and find that it failed again. This crust is amazing. Like smash-it-into-balls-and-eat-them-for-the-heck-of-it-good. The texture of the dessert is pudding creamy. I wanted to give lucuma a shot because it's got a caramelly underlying taste. But I don't think it's needed so feel free to sub equal amounts of powdered sugar for the lucuma. Also, if you want a firmer texture more like traditional tiramisu try adding two more tablespoons of "cream cheese" to the mixture.
Crust:
1 Cup almonds (or hazelnuts)
approx 20 normal sized dates (add more if you need to make the crust stickier)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee (or 6 or so beans)
Process
this until it sticks together but is not gummy. If too crumbly add 2-3
dates and try again. If too sticky add a few more nuts. Press into
individual ramekins, 8 x 11 or a 9x13 pan.
Ganache:
1 Cup chocolate chips
7 TBSP brewed coffee
1/3 Cup non-dairy milk of choice
Heat liquid, add chocolate and stir until melted.
Pour
a thin layer of ganache over crust. You should have quite a bit left.
You will need it. Set it aside and put the pan/pans in the refrigerator
while you make the filling.
Filling:
2 TBSP non-dairy cream cheese
1 and 1/2 packages silken tofu
1 and 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
5 TBSP brewed coffee
3 TBSP cocoa powder
3 TBSP of lucuma powder (or additional powdered sugar)
1/2 Cup of the ganache
Blend thoroughly. Spoon this layer into
the pan/pans. Drizzle remaining ganache over dessert. Refrigerate at
least one hour before serving, overnight is ideal. The longer it sets
the better the texture is.
Shoot. These are pretty tasty.
I do not recommend carrying several small glass jars filled with deliciousness over to a corner with good lighting if you have a clumsy gene like I have.
However, bright side. Even though one dessert (and cute little glass container) was destroyed...I did get to do a thorough cleaning of the entire counter, cabinet trim and shelves. That was on my too do list but now it's crossed off. Win. Win.
Anyhoo. Here's the recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake Dyno-Mites
This will make 12-16 individual servings depending on the size of container you use.
I used clear glass candle holders as cups.
Pretzel Crust:
3 Cups pretzels
3 TBSP powdered sugar
4 TBSP coconut oil
In
food processor, grind pretzels into crumbs. Add sugar, whir. Add
coconut oil and combine. Press crust into individual serving jars, cups or glasses and refrigerate.
Slice one strawberry per cup onto the crust.
Cream Cheese Layer:
1/3 Cup (slightly mounded) of non-dairy cream cheese
1 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 Pkge firm silken tofu
1/4 Cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Blend thoroughly.
Spoon approx 1 and 1/2 TBSP into each serving dish over the strawberries and crust.
Strawberry Layer:
There will be remaining cream. To this add
12 strawberries and 2 TBSP maple syrup. Blend thoroughly and layer this
over the white cream layer.
Strawberry Syrup:
Process 1 cup frozen strawberries and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Pour this over the strawberry layer.
Whipped Topping:
1 can of full fat coconut milk (pre-chilled)
2 TBSP powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
(Plan ahead on this. One can of full fat coconut milk
which needs to be placed in the refrigerator and left for at least 48
hours. I've always got one can in mine, if not two.) When the can is
chilled, you open it, and skim off the thick layer of coconut cream
(this is not coconut oil, it's about the texture of sour cream or
whipped butter and there is a wetter milky layer underneath that you don't want. You want
just the thick solid stuff. You can keep the milky stuff for smoothies
etc. put in a freezer bag and toss it into the freezer if you don't want
to use it right away.) Now, use a mixer, or whisk to whip the coconut
cream into a whipped cream texture. Add the pineapple and maple syrup and mix well. Dollop or spread over strawberry layer.
Garnish with strawberry slices.
This is a very tasty dessert and was perfect for a grown up birthday cake. As far as cake density goes it's moderate, I could definitely tell the flour I used was whole wheat pastry and the
egg replacer was flax (I'll try it with Ener-G or ground chia to see if
they lighten it up a bit.) The texture was nice and it packed great
taste and didn't fall apart while I worked with it. I did chill the
layers overnight because of time issues and so that may have helped with
stability. Moist but not mushy, it sliced like a dream. However, if you
want the mouth feel of angel food cake, this isn't it.
Strawberry Cream Cake
Cake
1 Cup sugar
1 3/4 Cup coconut or almond milk
2 tsp vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP egg replacer, ground flax or ground chia
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 Cup coconut oil
2 Cups flour
Mix
milk with vinegar and let curdle (three minutes or so) add egg replacer
powder/flax/chia) while this gels a bit mix oil and sugar add baking
powder, soda, mix well. Add the coconut milk mixture and vanilla.
Finally add flour and mix until completely incorporated.
Pour batter equally into two greased, floured cake pans. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes. Cake will bounce back when touched.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/3 Cup vegan cream cheese
4 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Cup coconut cream frosting
Mix this together.
Coconut Cream Frosting
2
Cans coconut cream (thick coconut cream scraped off, liquid used for
another purpose. The can of full fat coconut milk needs to be chilled
for at least two days before it can be used for this recipe)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
Mix
the coconut cream, vanilla and powdered sugar together until whipped
and the consistency to whipped cream. Scoop out a cup for the cream
cheese frosting and put the rest in the fridge until you are ready to
put the cake together.
A dozen or so thinly sliced strawberries.
Putting it all together.
When
the cakes are cool, remove one layer from the pan. Cover that layer
with the cream cheese frosting. Add sliced strawberries. Place second
layer. Cover the whole cake with cream cheese icing. Then with a ziploc
bag pipe the coconut cream frosting onto the top of the cake and around
the base. Add the sliced strawberries and serve.
No recipe today. Just the promise of a really good cake...fingers crossed...tomorrow.
My daughter's, known here as &, birthday is today. Happy Birthday, Kid &! She asked for a layer cake. A special one with sweet coconut whip frosting.
And since she made me a delicious chocolate peanut butter cake for my birthday I needed to come through big time.
There is a local restaurant that puts out this amazing strawberry cream-covered concoction of deliciousness. And in my usual Martha Stewart wannabe (without the Martha gene) enthusiasm this is the cake I've decided to try to make for her. How else to celebrate a birthday - either grand success or an epic fail. Both are memorable. Right?
The picture is of the cake layers as they cooled. I found four recipes for cake and ran them through my filters...always scary. Once I figured out the ratios and details to make the cake I Veganized the ingredients. Good sign, so far, that the layers are puffy and intact and the crumbs taste pretty fine. The frosting is whipped and waiting. What could go wrong?
And if they do, well, she also asked me to come up with a Maple Pumpkin Monkey Bread sometime. Today is that day, or actually last night. It is currently baking and smells divine.
Tomorrow, if all goes well, you will have a Strawberry Cream Cake recipe.
Village Inn makes a peppermint pie around Christmas that I became addicted to pre-Vegan. Seriously addicted. It was creamy pepperminty goodness with chocolate. My youngest daughter worked there for a short time and she brought some home every once in awhile...until I begged her to stop (not really). And then we went Vegan.
And that pie is one thing I've missed. A hankering to find a replacement jumps on my back now and again and demands I find a Vegan replacement. I've shaken it off and stomped on it forcing it back into submission but during this little project I let myself dream. And dream. And this is what happened. And it scratches my itch. Sigh.
4 medium or 2 large vegan candy canes or several peppermint candies, crushed. Approx 1/2 a cup. If you are less of a mint lover you may want to use less.
Oreo crust:
24 oreos (or other Vegan chocolate sandwich cookies)
1 TBSP coconut oil (Cut to 1/2 TBSP if using Jo-Jo's)
Toss cookies in food processor, with filling intact, powder. Add the
coconut oil. Press into a large pie pan. Place in refrigerator. (This will make two tart pans as well which is how I made it, but the filling is shallower and I recommend using a normal sized pie plate. Still tasty as can be, but...)
Filling:
1 - 12.3 ounce MoriNu firm silken tofu.
1 3/4 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 TBSP vanilla.
2 TBSP arrowroot
Place tofu, arrowroot and vanilla in food processor and blend. Add powdered sugar.
Blend until completely incorporated. Add approx 1/3 cup of crushed candy cane
pieces to the filling (save a dusting of candy for the top of the pie).
Pour filling into the crust and return to refrigerator.
Ganache:
1/2 cup on non-dairy milk
1 Cup vegan chocolate chips
Heat milk in double boiler. When warm, add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Let cool to room temperature.
When cooled, pour over pie filling. Refrigerate until set.
Whipped Cream: (Plan ahead on this. One can of full fat coconut milk
which needs to be placed in the refrigerator and left for at least 48
hours. I've always got one can in mine, if not two.) When the can is
chilled, you open it, and skim off the thick layer of coconut cream
(this is not coconut oil, it's about the texture of thick sour cream or
whipped butter and there is a wetter milky layer underneath that you don't want. You want
just the thick solid stuff. You can keep the milky stuff for smoothies
etc. put in a freezer bag and toss it into the freezer if you don't want
to use it right away.) Now, use a mixer, or whisk to whip the coconut
cream into a whipped cream texture. Add powdered sugar to taste, I used 3
TBSP. Place the cream into a pastry bag or large zipper bag. Put in
fridge if not ready for it. When ready, and when the chocolate ganache
is set cut the tip off the plastic bag and dot dollops around the pie or
pipe a large ring around the pie, or fill the pie top with dollops of
cream. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy over the cream. (You will get more cream than is pictured. I went skimpy in my experimentation, you will probably not want to do that.) (If you want chocolate whip, add 2 TBSP cocoa to the cream).
Return to the refrigerator and let the pie set up for an hour or more before serving. The longer it sets up the creamier it gets.
