Scraps and Snippets ~ Maple Pear Galette with Almond Biscotti Crumble ~ Vegan MoFo #15

Maple Pear Galette with Almond Biscotti Crumble 

(This dessert was nick-named "More" by an omnivore friend because that's what she wanted - more.)

First make the Biscotti (or find your favorite Vegan biscotti and crush them to save this step...however, these are tasty.)

Almond Biscotti

Preheat oven 350 makes 16-24 biscotti depending on size etc.

2  Cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup applesauce
3 TBSP coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 Cup chopped, toasted almonds (chop and then place in 350 oven for approx 10 minutes)

Combine sugar, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond extract. Add salt, baking powder, mix well. Add flour and incorporate. Add the toasted almonds.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Form two long loafs with the batter (like small bread loaf size). To make it easier (Oh She Glows, thanks for the tip) to cut your biscotti after baking, score the loaves. Cut through the dough every half inch or so.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Turn oven down to 300 and cool your biscotti dough for 15 minutes. Slice along the hash marks you cut into the dough and lay the biscotti on their sides. Bake at 300 for 12 minutes. Remove and turn the biscotti. Bake another 12 then shut oven off but leave the cookies in the oven until they cool. Enjoy the batch but save 5-6 smaller biscotti to crush and mix with your remaining crust to top your galette.


Crust:  (This is not a roll out crust, it's a press in the pan one, you can sub out a favorite crust recipe if you'd like).

3/4 cup coconut oil
3 c flour (plus 1 TBSP)
4 Tablespoons coconut milk
1 tsp salt
4 Tablespoons sugar

Mix all dry ingredients, working coconut oil into dry until mixture is uniform. Add liquid then mix with a fork just until it comes together.

Press crust dough into pie pan. (reserve some crust for crumbles on top, 3/4 cup or so.) And sprinkle a TBSP of flour into bottom of crust. Or make 10-12 individual ramekins (depending on their size). 

 Filling:

(Individually/ramekins you will use approximately a heaping half cup of diced pears and 1/3 cup of caramel).

Peel and slice approximately 5-6 pears to get 3-4  cups of fruit (depending on how big your pie plate is and how heapy you like your pies). Place in a bowl and sprinkle just a bit of sugar over them. (I did make another one of these using apples. I don't know if pears are a drier fruit or I had extra juicy apples but my pie turned out a little wet when I used apples. So if you want to make that substitution try really draining the bowl of fruit before adding to the caramel or adding another TBSP of flour over the fruit and under the topping)

Maple Caramel Sauce:

1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup maple syrup
3/4 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk
2  teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan melt coconut oil then add brown sugar and maple syrup. Combine and cook until mixture melts and begins to bubble. Add milk, stirring constantly bring to a low rolling boil. Boil I minute. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Stir well.

Add the pears to the crust and pour caramel over them. Crumble remaining crust dough mixed with 5 of the biscotti crushed into chunks over the top. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for 45-55 mins. If you are using ramekins 25 minutes or so should do it.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Extreme Fudge Truffle Pie/Mounds Candy Bar Pie ~ Vegan MoFo #14

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.

Scraps and Snippets - Tropical Supreme Pie - Vegan MoFo #13

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.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Mocha Tiramusu ~ Vegan MoFo #12

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.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Strawberry Cheesecake Dyno-Mites ~Vegan MoFo #11

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.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Strawberry Cream Cake ~ Vegan MoFo #10

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.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Recipe Trial ~ Winner/Loser Find Out Tomorrow ~ Vegan MoFo# 9

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.