Vegan Christmas Cake

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”] My apologies Dear Readers for the lack of recipes appearing over the last months. For those of you who don’t know, I’m pregnant! So amidst the morning sickness and exhaustion and food aversions, I’ve been focusing on cooking up this Vegan Chicklet and not spending too much time in the kitchen.

The last few weeks though, I’ve been feeling that cooking urge more and more, so fingers crossed that it will translate into some vegan food inspiration for us all.

Some of you will remember our Christmas Feast from last year – yum! Well, during the planning of this years festive meal, it occurred to me that there was a noticeable lack of Christmas themed desserts last year – as delicious as my chocolate pie is, it’s not all that Christmassy is it? – so this year I’m bringing back all the favourites from last year, like the nut roast and vegan stuffing, but will be topping the meal off with a humble Christmas Cake.

Ideally you’ll start preparing this cake the day before you plan to bake it, so that the fruit has plenty of time to soak up the alcohol.

Vegan Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

400g currants
200g sultanas
200g raisins
150g red glace cherries (quartered)
50g green glace cherries (quartered)
50ml brandy
225g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
225g non-dairy butter
225g brown sugar
Egg replacement equiv. 4 eggs (the exact amount will depend on the brand you use, I use Orgran)
50g almonds (chopped)
50g walnuts (chopped)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
150g almonds (whole – to top the cake with before baking)

NB: You will also need baking paper.

Method:

The day before you plan on baking the cake, weigh out your dried fruit and place it in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the brandy in 3 lots, stirring well so that the fruit is well coated. Cover with a tea towel and let sit overnight (minimum 12 hours for best results).

The following day, preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Sift the flour, salt and spices into a mixing bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until well combined and fluffy. Prepare your ‘egg’ mixture as directed on the packaging and add it to the creamed mix one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each tablespoon is added.

Fold in the flour and spice mixture, using gentle folding movements to keep in as much air as possible – do not whisk or beat the mix. Fold in the fruit, mixed peel, chopped nuts and the lemon and orange zest.

Transfer the mixture to a greased non stick cake tin, spread the mixture evenly with the back of a spoon and gently place the whole almonds on the top of the mixture in any pattern you like. Cover the tin with a double layer of baking paper with a 3cm hole in the middle.

Bake the cake on the lowest shelf in your oven for 4 and a half hours (yes, you read that right!). After 4.5 hours test the cake to see if it is cooked by inserting a skewer through the middle, if the skewer comes out clean the cake is ready, if not bake for another 15 minutes and then try again. Once the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and leave it to cool for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to finish cooling, then store it in an airtight container.

Traditionally Christmas cakes are also ‘fed’ more brandy after the cooking is done but personally this cake was already boozy enough for me and since I’m pregnant and can’t drink, I left out this stage entirely. The feeding is supposedly to keep the cake as moist as possible but if you are planning on eating it within a few days I don’t think it’s required. If you would like to ‘feed’ your cake, put some small holes in the top with a skewer and spoon a few teaspoons of brandy over the top at intervals (whenever you like really) and store it in an airtight container.

Advertisement

Vanilla Choc-Chip Ice Cream

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”] I’ve avoiding making a plain vanilla ice cream up until now because I’ve been a little bit apprehensive about how well it would turn out, I’m not a huge fan of coconut and I was a bit worried about how coconut-y an ice cream would be without a good dose of chocolate (yum) or berries covering the flavour a bit. My concerns were unfounded though, the mixture tasted a lot like coconut when I put it in the ice cream maker but by the time it was ready to eat all but the faintest hint had disappeared, leaving lots of creamy, vanilla, choc-chip goodness in its wake.

Vegan Vanilla Choc-Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups soy milk
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbs arrowroot powder
2 400g cans coconut cream – kept in the fridge overnight
1 cup (or more!) non dairy chocolate chips

Method:

1. Heat the soy milk, in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Once the milk starts to steam, lower the temperature and stir in the vanilla paste, whisk until dissolved.

2. Stir in the brown sugar and whisk in the arrowroot powder one half tablespoon at a time, making sure that each half tablespoon is completely dissolved before adding the next one.

3. Open the cans of coconut cream and separate the liquid from the cream, discard the liquid and whisk the chilled cream into the saucepan until the mixture is glossy. Remove from the heat and once mixture has cooled slightly, transfer to a container and refrigerate until completely cooled (preferably overnight).

4. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, stir in the chocolate chips, and then add the mixture to your ice cream maker, following the directions that came with the machine.

For best results, once completed, transfer the mixture to a container and freeze overnight before consuming.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”] I have two Joyous Mamas to thank for inspiring this recipe. WhiteOwl, for mentioning that she had made Peanut Butter cookies which instantly had me in baking mode, and Starzia for posting the recipe in the first place. The Joyous version was a cookie recipe and included such delights as rapadura and light spelt flour, but since I had neither of those things on hand I created my own version of the recipe and made mini-muffins instead. The results were super cute – as only mini things can be – and super delicious too.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup plain soymilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbs non dairy butter
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup sultanas
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, agave, soymilk, vanilla, and butter. Mix with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and has no lumps (except for the bits of peanut). Stir in the chocolate chips and sultanas.

3. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine.

4. Spoon the mixture into a non-stick mini muffin tray and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the tray.

*Makes 24 mini muffins

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Vegan Baklava

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”] This was my first ever attempt at baklava so it isn’t very pretty but I promise that it’s very delicious!! I found the original recipe here and veganised it accordingly, it was a pretty straightforward conversion and I’m really happy with how it all turned out. I ended up doing the cooking after the sun went down and the lighting in my house is pretty dark so I didn’t take photos of the process, just of the end result.

Vegan Baklava

Ingredients:

1 pkg filo pastry
1 cup non dairy butter
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tbs ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
5ml vanilla extract
2 tbs agave nectar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a small bowl mix nuts and cinnamon. If required cut the filo pastry so that it is the correct size and shape for the pan. Cover filo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, add butter, top with nuts and then repeat, continue layering, until all ingredients are used up. The top pastry layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep.

3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and agave. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Raw Vegan Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]This is our last post in the Sepia inspired raw vegan desserts week. A huge thank you to our Joyous friend Sepia for sharing her recipes and photos with us. Our last recipe is Ani Phyo’s Raw Foods Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake and I have to say, I’ve been drooling about this cake ever since I saw the photo. With my birthday coming up this month (the big 3-oh!! Agh!) I might send some little hints bare-chested-chef’s way, in the hope of getting a Raspberry Ganache Fudge Birthday Cake!

Raw Vegan Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake
(Ani Phyo)

Ingredients:

Fudge Cake:
3 cups dry walnuts
2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pitted Medjool dates

Frosting:
1/3 cup semi-soft pitted Medjool dates
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup ripe avocado flesh
1/3 cup cacao powder

Filling:
1/2 cup raspberries

Method:

1. To make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder, and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Avoid over-processing.

2. Add the dates and pulse until mixed well. Shape into 2 stackable cakes of desired shape and set aside.

3. To make the frosting, combine the dates and agave syrup in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until smooth. Add the cacao powder and process until smooth.

4. To serve, frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with the raspberries. Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and sides. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for a couple hours to firm up. 

The cake on its own will keep in the fridge for many weeks. The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week. The assembled cake with raspberries will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Raw Vegan Lemon Coconut Bars

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]Today is day 5 of our Sepia inspired raw vegan desserts week. As with yesterday’s post, today I will be including information about some of the benefits of using raw ingredients in cooking. So for those of you who are interested in learning more about some of the ingredients you have seen appearing in these raw food recipes, please have a look at the end of this post for more information. Today’s recipe is: Lemon Coconut Bars. Also pictured below are Sepia’s Coconut Ice treats, which were featured earlier this week.

Raw Vegan Lemon Coconut Bars
(adapted from Ani Phyo’s recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
1 1/2 cups pitted dates (Medjool, khadrawhi, or other semi-soft date)
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup dried shredded coconut

Method:

1. In your food processor, chop almonds into small pieces. Use some of this nut powder to “flour” the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan.

2. Add remaining ingredients and process until well mixed.

 Press into baking pan.

 Chill for a couple hours until firm. Then cut into squares and serve. 

Will keep for six days in the fridge. Makes 12 bars

********************

Health Benefits of some Raw dessert ingredients

Agave Syrup
“What makes agave superior to sugar? Sugar is a processed sweetener that has no nutritive value, other than calories. And agave, as compared to other sweeteners, has a desirable low-glycaemic index. This means that when consumed, it won’t cause a sharp rise or fall in blood sugar. Agave contains saponins and fructans. According to Dr. Sahelian, saponins, which are found on quinoa and many plant roots, including ginseng, have anti-inflammatory and immune system-boosting properties, including antimicrobial capability. In fact, the Aztecs used agave syrup to treat wounds because of its antibacterial properties. 

Inulin is a type of fructan or fiber that has many health benefits. Studies suggest that inulin can be effective in weight loss because of its low impact on blood sugar and its ability to increase satiety and decrease appetite. Inulin is also associated with lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of certain cancers, and increasing the absorption of nutrients, such as isoflavones, calcium and magnesium.” More Information HERE.

Nuts – Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews
“Nuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium.  Nuts are also high in plant sterols and fat – but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 -) which have all been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.” More Information HERE.

Cacao Powder
“Raw cacao powder contains many rare key nutrients that enhance physical and mental well-being. Raw cacao powder also contains more antioxidant flavonoids than any other food tested including Red Wine, Green Tea and Blueberries. Other essential minerals present in Cacao are Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Copper, Sulphur, and Potassium. Cacao also contains many chemicals that enhance physical and mental well-being, including alkaloids, proteins, magnesium, beta-carotene, leucine, linoleic acid, lipase, lysine, and some neurotransmitters such as dopamine and anandamine.” More Information HERE.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Raw Vegan Rum Balls

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]Today is day four of our Sepia inspired raw vegan desserts week. Today and tomorrow I will also be including some information about some of the benefits of using raw ingredients in cooking, so for those of you who are interested in learning more about some of the ingredients you have seen appearing in these raw food recipes – agave, coconut oil etc – please have a look at the end of this post (and tomorrow’s) for more information.

Raw Vegan Rum Balls

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup dates
1 cup almonds
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbs Cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp rum essence

Method:

1. Process almonds until powdered. Add dates and pulse to combine. Mix other ingredients in either in the processor or by hand.

2. Form balls and roll in coconut. Refrigerate.

What could be easier??

*****************

Health Benefits of some Raw dessert ingredients (continued tomorrow)..

Coconut oil and coconut products:
“The healthy fat in coconut oil plays an essential role in regulating blood sugar: it slows the digestive process to ensure a steady, even stream of energy from your food by lowering the overall glycaemic index of your meal. When you include coconut oil in a meal with carbohydrates, the carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly, so blood sugar levels remain steady even after you eat.

Coconut oil consists of medium-chain fatty acids, unlike modern vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, and safflower oils, which are made of long-chain fatty acids. Medium-chain fatty acids are more suited for energy use rather than fat storage – and the opposite is true of long-chain fatty acids. Oils that consist mainly of long-chain fatty acids may actually decrease cellular ability to absorb blood sugar, which could cause or exacerbate insulin resistance and diabetes.” More information HERE.

Dates
“A serving of power-packed dates contains 31 grams of carbohydrates, making them a powerhouse of energy. Carbohydrates include 3 grams of dietary fiber and 29 grams of naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose to provide quick energy and are readily used by the body. Dates are a perfect energy boosting snack. 

Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral your body needs to maintain muscle contractions including the vital heart muscle. Potassium is needed to maintain a healthy nervous system and to balance the body’s metabolism as well. 

Since potassium is not stored in the body, and much is lost in perspiration, it must be continually replenished. As you consume potassium you excrete sodium, helping to keep blood pressure down. As people age, their kidneys become less efficient at eliminating sodium. About a 400 mg increase in potassium intake has been associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of stroke. This roughly amounts to one additional serving daily of Dates.” More Information HERE.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Raw Vegan Coconut Ice

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]Today is day three of our Sepia inspired raw desserts week and our featured recipe today is Raw Vegan Coconut Ice. This recipe is so quick and easy and absolutely delicious to boot! Also pictured in the photo below are Sepia’s Lemon Coconut Bars (an Ani Phyo recipe) which will be featured later on in the week.

Raw Vegan Coconut Ice

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup cashews blitz to powder
1 1/2 cup coconut
1tsp vanilla
1/4 cup agave
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp fresh beetroot juice

Method:

1. Mix all together except beet juice. Divide in half; press half of the mixture into a lined small loaf tin.

2. Mix beet juice into other half and press on top. Put into fridge 1 hr or freeze 10-20mins.

Looks pretty and tastes yummy!
 NOTE: Consistency of mixture should be doughy enough to mould into balls, so above quantities may need varying a little.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Raw Vegan Apple Pie

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]Today is day two of our Sepia inspired raw food week here at Vegan Chickie. Today’s recipe is a raw vegan apple pie. This recipe is one of Ani Phyo‘s creations and looks amazing. For those of you who are interested in the specifics behind a raw food, or raw vegan diet, I have included some links at the end of this post to give you some more information about all things raw.

Raw Vegan Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Almond Pie Crust:
2 cups almonds, dry
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups pitted dates

Syrup:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1 orange, peeled and seeded
water, as needed

Filling:
5 cups apples, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced, about 5-6 apples
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Method:

1. To make crust, pulse almonds and salt in food processor until nuts are in small pieces. You want your crust to have chunks of almonds in it, so don’t over process. Use some of the finer powder to “flour” the bottom of your pie dish.

2. Slowly add dates into processor in small batches to mix with almond bits. The dates will bind the almonds to form a dough. Press dough into the bottom of “floured” pie pan. Set aside (and try not to eat all your crust while you’re preparing everything else!).

3. To make syrup, place orange into your blender first. Then add dates and blend. If needed, add small amounts of water to help everything mix well (I haven’t “needed” this, but like to add the water to make more volume of the syrup). Set aside.

4. To make filling, place sliced apples in a large bowl with raisins. Toss with cinnamon and syrup. Spoon filling into pie crust, and it’s ready to serve!

This dish will keep for two days in the fridge (Sepia says: I’ve kept it longer, but I have low standards).

*****************

For more information on a Raw Food diet, visit the following links:

HOW TO: Raw Food Diet – Eat Yourself Healthy

Nov55: Raw Food Diet

About.com: Raw Food Overview

Raw Food Recipe Database

Gone Raw – A great collection of recipes

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook

Raw Vegan Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

[tweetmeme source=”VeganChickie”]Over the next week I will be showcasing the raw food stylings of my Joyous friend, Sepia, who put together a mouthwatering selection of raw vegan treats for her birthday party last weekend and has been kind enough to share the recipes and photos with me to post on Vegan Chickie. Some of the recipes are her own and some are the work of the wonderful Ani Phyo, chef, author and all round raw food wonder woman.

Raw Vegan Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
2 cups raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dates, pitted (medjools)
1/4 cup dried coconut

For the Cheese:
3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional)

For the Raspberry Sauce:
1 bag frozen raspberries (or whatever berries you prefer)
1/2 cup dates

Method:

1. To make the crust, process the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent it from sticking.

2. To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, agave, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt (if using), and 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and adjust to taste.

 Pour the mixture onto the crust. Remove air bubbles by tapping the pan on a table.

 Place into the freezer until firm and then top with Raspberry Sauce.

3. Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen, and place onto a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator.

________________

Become a fan of Vegan Chickie on Facebook