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<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408</id><updated>2024-11-30T23:28:14.346+01:00</updated><category term="recipe"/><category term="dessert"/><category term="sweet"/><category term="baked"/><category term="bakery"/><category term="brunch"/><category term="baking"/><category term="chocolate"/><category term="homemade"/><category term="quick"/><category term="holidays"/><category term="breakfast"/><category term="comfort food"/><category term="vegan"/><category term="cake"/><category term="dark chocolate"/><category term="no-bake"/><category term="picnic"/><category term="savoury"/><category term="savory"/><category term="chocolate cake"/><category term="bread"/><category term="birthday"/><category term="pastry"/><category term="fruit"/><category term="vegetarian"/><category term="Christmas"/><category term="cookies"/><category term="coffee"/><category term="brownies"/><category term="cheese"/><category term="fudge"/><category term="jam"/><category term="canning"/><category term="main course"/><category term="valentine's day"/><category term="rolls"/><category term="biscuits"/><category term="honey"/><category term="dinner"/><category term="candy"/><category term="pastry development chef"/><category term="celebration"/><category term="ice cream"/><category term="rum"/><category term="white chocolate"/><category term="caramel"/><category term="rustic"/><category term="tea"/><category term="truffles"/><category term="lunch"/><category term="Halloween"/><category term="vanilla"/><category term="dip"/><category term="pie"/><category term="soups and stews"/><category term="beverage"/><category term="cheesecake"/><category term="preserves"/><category term="custard"/><category term="cupcakes"/><category term="Nutella"/><category term="easter"/><category term="muffins"/><category term="hot chocolate"/><category term="dinner rolls"/><category term="jaffa"/><category term="marmalade"/><category term="pancakes"/><category term="mocha"/><category term="pasta"/><category term="confectionery"/><category term="for two"/><category term="milk chocolate"/><category term="smoothies"/><category term="doughnuts"/><category term="healthy"/><category term="no-knead"/><category term="wine"/><category term="ruby chocolate"/><category term="PiDay"/><category term="sourdough"/><category term="spread"/><category term="Plazma"/><category term="biscoff"/><category term="entremet"/><category term="entremets"/><category term="marshmallows"/><category term="supper"/><category term="pizza"/><category term="brioche"/><category term="praline"/><category term="sitni kolači"/><category term="tiramisù"/><category term="Kindeer Bueno"/><category term="baileys"/><category term="blondies"/><category term="caramel milk"/><category term="champagne"/><category term="maple syrup"/><category term="teacakes"/><category term="tiramisu"/><title type='text'>Tina Vesić</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default?start-index=26&max-results=25'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>793</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-1220757003374697917</id><published>2024-11-29T00:57:00.000+01:00</published><updated>2024-11-29T00:57:03.789+01:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Christmas"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="coffee"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="confectionery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sitni kolači"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN COFFEE ALMOND HAZELNUT TRUFFLES</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The holiday season is almost here, and what better way to show love than with a platter of homemade truffles. Tiny and sweet, they are the perfect addition to any gathering, right down to the everyday seasonal brunch. And with the timeless combination of gorgeous toasted almonds and hazelnuts, intense espresso, and that little cheeky addition of cocoa powder, one can never go wrong, regardless of the occasion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As mentioned in the recipe itself, not every biscuit is the same, and some are inevitably drier in texture than others. Depending on the specific biscuit, you might actually have to add a bit more so the truffles hold their shape nicely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">It is best to add them in gradually, mixing and folding, so they don't end up dry. If that happens, however, all is not lost. Add in a splash of almond milk, and they will be perfectly soft once again. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">You can mix and match the nuts added, definitely, using all almonds or all hazelnuts, however you like. I like to add some of them chopped, for a nice little crunch, but roughly ground ones work just as well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">On a final note, if you want, you can coat them in vegan milk or dark chocolate instead of chopped nuts. You will need about 100-120 grams of chocolate and maybe a tablespoon of vegetable oil, depending how thick the chocolate is once melted. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan coffee almond hazelnut truffles recipe by food writer vegan pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EaRFfJD25ZliGSN33UsljQV2f-NxJXC5ep-OivVZF9OWCA_VngKlMm2LM2srUTuFzrQzj2TfSbVO7lvGaLp6_GADPFCPhUyaSHoYiPzhdVtGTl86p_r4X8CvaltKK3BQmNw8Hk-K8SmIyOJnFGMAadpsyvR-GPDW6P4uAxBcZxjt9DddScRwCgLRwkg/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20hazelnut%20coffee%20truffles%20domaci%20sitni%20kolaci%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> 75 grams vegan block butter<br /> 50 grams almond milk<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> 50 grams icing sugar, sifted<br /> 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted<br /> 2 heaping teaspoons instant espresso powder<br /> 80 grams plain vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground<br /> 40 grams toasted almonds, finely ground<br /> 60 grams toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped<br /> 100 grams toasted hazelnuts, for the decoration<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a medium saucepan and add in the vegan butter, almond milk, vanilla, icing sugar, and cocoa powder, and place it over medium heat. Let the mixture heat up slowly, without coming to a boiling point. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once everything is melted, add in the espresso powder, remove from the heat, and stir until combined. While the mix is still hot, add in the ground and chopped nuts, and start adding in the ground biscuits, mixing and folding as you add. Depending on the specific biscuit used, you may not use the whole quantity, or you might need a bit more. It is always handy to have a bit more biscuits when making this type of truffles. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once combined, let it cool down until you can shape it into truffles. You can either let it stand at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes, but not longer than that. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take out small portions, around 15 grams per one truffle, shape them into little spheres, and immediately roll in the chopped hazelnuts. That way, they will stick nicely. Arrange them on a plate or platter lined with baking parchment and place the platter in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Keep refrigerated until serving time. Yields 23-25 small truffles, 15 grams each. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/1220757003374697917'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/1220757003374697917'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/11/vegan-holiday-coffee-truffles.html' title='VEGAN COFFEE ALMOND HAZELNUT TRUFFLES'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EaRFfJD25ZliGSN33UsljQV2f-NxJXC5ep-OivVZF9OWCA_VngKlMm2LM2srUTuFzrQzj2TfSbVO7lvGaLp6_GADPFCPhUyaSHoYiPzhdVtGTl86p_r4X8CvaltKK3BQmNw8Hk-K8SmIyOJnFGMAadpsyvR-GPDW6P4uAxBcZxjt9DddScRwCgLRwkg/s72-c/vegan%20chocolate%20hazelnut%20coffee%20truffles%20domaci%20sitni%20kolaci%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2696806939228220716</id><published>2024-11-22T00:16:00.001+01:00</published><updated>2024-11-22T00:16:06.544+01:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="breakfast"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN BROWNIE CINNAMON ROLLS</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I simply love the texture dates give to any dessert, whether you use them in the batter or in the filling. That effortlessly fudgy texture, wonderfully reminiscent of fudge brownies…</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As it's already well-known, sweet dough desserts are one of my firm favourites, and if they are generously filled with soft brownie filling, even better. And these beauties, essentially being a glorious blend of cinnamon rolls and no-bake brownies - they were an instant favourite on the first bite. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The dough relies on high hydration for softness, so please don't add a lot more flour, even if it looks and feels sticky. It is better to let the dough rest a bit and then knead again, than to make it firmer by adding more flour. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As for the brownie filling, there is plenty of filling to make them lusciously most and soft, but not overwhelmingly sweet, which is something I appreciate. Dates are sweet on their own, so moderation is the key here. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Speaking of dates, Medjool are always a good choice, as they are so sweet and soft, but I found Mazafati to be equally amazing in desserts. They are smaller than Medjool, so you will need more of the individual dates for the quantity indicated in the recipe, but they will be perfect here. The third option would be Sayer dates, which you will definitely need to soak a bit longer, but they will also work well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And finally, the chocolate sauce is completely optional. It will add that special something to the rolls, as it is essentially a thin ganache enriched with Amaretto, so if you want to try it out, you can make it with half of the ingredients, for a modest pop of almond flavour. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan brownie cinnamon rolls recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9KPTqbTmix3gD3is7R0GqTITaPg_A5BfdgXPX3itix-fQe9DRIvXPtcuXg-CDl2DhGjPcbL_EXK28pIkBruJGa4C2-EFOyyo4eJcBQa4DkzbbSoTlr4tHUdVt_DMWTRG1Wcl716VxH1Iu3XybXBqJ_sBXsNWCMXP_bY5vYHwqD3Z82RBQcWJJ1oy/s1600/vegan%20brownie%20cinnamon%20rolls%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the dough</b><br /> 250 grams plain flour<br /> 150 grams strong bread flour<br /> 250 millilitres warm water<br /> 30 millilitres vegetable oil<br /> 20 grams fresh yeast<br /> 30 grams granulated sugar<br /> 10 grams salt<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the brownie filling</b><br /> 200 grams Medjool dates, pitted<br /> 75 grams vegan block butter, slightly softened<br /> 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder<br /> 20 grams finely ground almonds<br /> 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For serving</b><br /> 100 millilitres plant-based double cream<br /> 80 grams extra dark chocolate (85-90%)<br /> 20 millilitres Amaretto liqueur<br /> 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder<br /> 30 grams icing sugar, optional<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a medium bowl, crumble in the yeast, add in the sugar and the water, mix well, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes so the yeast can activate. Meanwhile, sift the flours into a large bowl, add in the salt, and blend well. Once the yeast is ready, make a little well in the centre of the flour, pour in the yeast, as well as the vanilla and the oil, and mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft dough forms. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes or so, until it becomes supple and smooth. If it is sticking too much to your hands or the surface, feel free to add another tablespoon of flour. Place the dough into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for about an hour in a warm spot. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">While the dough is rising, make the filling by placing the dates in hot water and letting them soften even more. Once soft, strain them and reserve the water. Blend the dates with the cocoa powder, almonds, and vanilla. Finally, add in the butter, and combine well. If the filling is too thick, add a splash of the reserved liquid and blend again. Set the filling aside. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the chocolate sauce, place all of the ingredients apart from the icing sugar into a small saucepan, place it over medium high heat, and let everything melt together. Remove from heat and let it cool down slightly, and then, while it's still warm, add the icing sugar, if needed. Set aside. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it gently, and then roll it out into a long rectangle. Spread the filling all over the dough, making sure you leave one edge free, to seal the roll. Roll the dough up, starting from the shorter side, so the rolls are nice and tall. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll into 9 large rolls, and arrange them in a rectangular baking pan (20x20 cm), lined with baking parchment. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rest and rise for about 30 minutes. Bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes, or until evenly browned. Serve immediately with the chocolate sauce, if desired. Yields 9 large rolls. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2696806939228220716'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2696806939228220716'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/11/vegan-brownie-cinnamon-rolls.html' title='VEGAN BROWNIE CINNAMON ROLLS'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9KPTqbTmix3gD3is7R0GqTITaPg_A5BfdgXPX3itix-fQe9DRIvXPtcuXg-CDl2DhGjPcbL_EXK28pIkBruJGa4C2-EFOyyo4eJcBQa4DkzbbSoTlr4tHUdVt_DMWTRG1Wcl716VxH1Iu3XybXBqJ_sBXsNWCMXP_bY5vYHwqD3Z82RBQcWJJ1oy/s72-c/vegan%20brownie%20cinnamon%20rolls%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-6867174002405883826</id><published>2024-11-15T01:19:00.001+01:00</published><updated>2024-11-15T01:19:11.149+01:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="birthday"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN SPICED APRICOT CHOCOLATE MINI CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">By now, it is almost my personal tradition to welcome in the coldest part of the year with spice cakes. And this one, full of vegan honey, cinnamon, and sweet apricot filling, really makes for a perfect sweet treat.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Growing up, I adored little honey cakes called Medeno srce, so any dessert that includes apricots and chocolate will forever be my favourite. Here, I paired the apricot filling with some ground Biscoff cookies, for some added texture and their signature spices, and it is a match made in dessert heaven.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The cake layers are exceptionally fudgy and soft; particularly the ones with vegan honey and mixed nuts, so handle them gently. If you are more comfortable that way, leave the baking paper on until you are ready to assemble the cake, as it makes it easier to move the layers about on your work surface.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">You can use fresh apricots if they're in season, defrosted ones if you have them in your freezer, or even tinned apricots from compote. The recipe works perfectly with all of those alternatives. Do keep in mind, though, that tinned ones might lack in flavour a bit, so you might want to consider adding a drop of two of apricot extract or flavouring to the filling.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As I usually do, I peeled the walnuts used for the white cake layers, just to make the contrast stand out even more when the cake is sliced and served. There is no need to peel the skins, and they can just be toasted and ground as they are, the cake will be equally delicious.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The Biscoff biscuits add a wonderfully spiced undertone to the filling, but I do recommend tasting it before assembling the cake, and if you find it perhaps a bit too sweet, add a small pinch of salt, and mix it through. That will balance it nicely.</div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan spiced apricot chocolate walnut cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9agzAULCsdkRU7s8GFIw-rRuQFYfhRyTV5vMbIJbzvY0KgxfIEbT-4M1oOY2EJlID2f3SEegg0iatJwAFnqqvAeODOEZl9dTXM_xPs9VZGo6Hk1DvAqcWbQmThyiOf6NrfMM8ZzKaj0y_qi5CxDzJM18whJjBEf2eHUCJCHUEHlNEV5yG1UfiKanDKEg/s1600/vegan%20spiced%20apricot%20chocolate%20walnut%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the chocolate fudge layers</b><br /> 130 grams plain flour<br /> 20 grams unsweetened cocoa<br /> ½ teaspoon baking soda<br /> ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon<br /> 130 grams light brown sugar<br /> 160 millilitres water<br /> 35 millilitres vegetable oil<br /> ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the soft almond walnut layers</b><br /> 150 millilitres warm water<br /> 50 grams granulated sugar<br /> 80 grams vegan honey<br /> 120 grams plain flour<br /> 90 grams toasted almonds and walnuts, ground<br /> ½ teaspoon baking soda<br /> ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar<br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the Biscoff apricot filling</b><br /> 250 grams apricots<br /> 50 grams apples, peeled and cored<br /> 75 grams light brown sugar<br /> 60 grams vegan block butter<br /> 20 grams cornflour<br /> 25 millilitres water<br /> 40 grams Biscoff (Lotus) biscuits, finely ground<br /> <b>For the rocher glaze</b><br /> 150 grams vegan milk chocolate<br /> 60 grams toasted almonds and walnuts, chopped<br /> 30 millilitres vegetable oil<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the filling. Place the fruit into a small blender and let it run until it is completely puréed. Add in the sugar and blend again. Pour the fruit purée into a heavy saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Let it come to a boil and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken slightly. Separately, whisk together the cold water with the cornflour, and add it to the fruit. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes more, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and add in the diced vegan butter. Stir and fold until combined. Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Let the filling cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. This can also be done one day in advance. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the cakes, line two square (18x18 cm) baking pans with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set them aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">For the chocolate layer, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Make a well in the centre and add in the water, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and whisk until <u>just combined</u>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">For the almond and walnut layers, take a large bowl and pour in the vegan honey, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, and water, and whisk them vigorously until combined. Sift the plain flour and the baking soda into the honey mixture, add in the ground nuts, and whisk everything together until <u>just blended</u>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As soon as the batters are ready, pour them into the prepared pans, tap them a few times on the counter to pop any air bubbles, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes, checking for doneness early on. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down in the pans completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes, if necessary, and slice both of them in half, forming four long and narrow layers (9x18 cm each). Mix the filling to soften it slightly, add in the Biscoff crumbs, and blend together. Divide the filling into four equal parts. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Place the first chocolate cake layer on the serving platter, and spread one-fourth of the filling. Add an almond and walnut layer on top, and spread another fourth of the filling. Repeat this with the second almond layer, spread another fourth of the filling, and finally place the second chocolate layer on top. The cake is pretty firm, so it doesn’t require a cake form. Spread the rest of the filling all over the cake, and place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the cake is firm, make the chocolate glaze. Melt together the vegan milk chocolate and the oil, and if desired, blend them further with an immersion blender. Add in the chopped nuts, and wait for it to cool down and thicken up slightly. Glaze the cake generously and place it back into the refrigerator overnight. Serve in thin slices, with strong coffee. Yields 8-10 servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6867174002405883826'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6867174002405883826'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/11/vegan-apricot-chocolate-cake.html' title='VEGAN SPICED APRICOT CHOCOLATE MINI CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9agzAULCsdkRU7s8GFIw-rRuQFYfhRyTV5vMbIJbzvY0KgxfIEbT-4M1oOY2EJlID2f3SEegg0iatJwAFnqqvAeODOEZl9dTXM_xPs9VZGo6Hk1DvAqcWbQmThyiOf6NrfMM8ZzKaj0y_qi5CxDzJM18whJjBEf2eHUCJCHUEHlNEV5yG1UfiKanDKEg/s72-c/vegan%20spiced%20apricot%20chocolate%20walnut%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-7709773231877253820</id><published>2024-11-08T07:33:00.001+01:00</published><updated>2024-11-08T07:33:24.139+01:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pie"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN APPLE FIG TART</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">There is something so wonderful and comforting in the combination of apples and walnuts, especially during the colder months. The aroma and texture of this type of cooked filling is unmatched, as far as I am concerned. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Although this is not a very classic tart shell, it is actually my dearest, most favourite shell recipe. It has that old-fashioned feel to it, and I love it dearly. It comes together incredibly quickly, and it always works. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And this type of dessert is overall one of my favourites, because it keeps for a long time, it does not have to be refrigerated, and it is quite straightforward. The joy of simplicity on a dessert plate. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The vegan butter does not have to be cold, but I find it works better if it is. Straight out of the refrigerator into the bowl keeps the dough nice and cold and it reduces the time and planning needed for the tart itself. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to apples, definitely choose the variety you enjoy eating. I usually go for sweet cooking apples for this tart, but Granny Smith works perfectly, as well. You can also add a dash of cinnamon, for that wonderfully cosy flavour profile.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">On a final note, as I love walnuts and apples, I used toasted walnuts. If you prefer hazelnuts or almonds, do use them in the same quantity and fashion, keeping in mind that the overall taste of the tart will change. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple rustic Vegan apple, walnut, and dried fig tart recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwVvQ-F6Gh_lAnh7lBd4JYadQUGBICb8bb_ohF9Fekl4G6-bNamjnyhXpUPlxitC84fvBHLTLK9AM_432fsL2BRd9ZF8Y1471S9Y8I5q-GNJXh45frgtg7sWYt6WN8Au5nsiFJLhQNm3TcfqudswI0k0Bh9oXva9zhrQVvBhUs_JnVmuH7t1OoyiShA8/s1600/vegan%20apple%20fig%20pie%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the tart shell</b><br /> 100 grams vegan block butter, cold<br /> 50 grams icing sugar<br /> 170 grams plain flour<br /> 45 grams rye flour<br /> 45 grams fresh lemon juice<br /> ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the filling</b><br /> 450 grams sweet cooking apples, grated<br /> 75 grams brown sugar<br /> 100 grams dried figs<br /> 75 grams toasted walnuts, ground<br /> ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple rustic Vegan apple, walnut, and dried fig tart recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfDGKuovdE1IvnSTUE2j0rJeddmuNEr6KQemyTquUw8bpfQwx1-pXNjl0nANqI5BmS1JWM8GT0jUv5oH8PBZHjKz4QpPAk6oiAJaFdssbSa119HVlQwjtgNTl6rP29Y5eaSRGQJacSNYkUJ56dfe3K_dUU-e6GBu6E48ev2e7oEvh7RP2nWhjS_TnFIw/s1600/vegan%20apple%20fig%20pie%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the filling. Roughly chop the dried figs and pour some boiling water over them, so they can soften. Grind the walnuts as coarsely as you like, and set them aside. Grate the apples finely and directly into the large saucepan where the filling will be cooked. Add in the sugar and place the saucepan over medium-high heat, letting the apples soften and heat up slowly. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or so, until the apples cook down and start resembling jam. Meanwhile, blend the softened figs into a paste, along with the vanilla. Add the figs to the cooked apples and cook for a few more minutes, until blended and smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the walnuts, and set it aside to cool down. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple rustic Vegan apple, walnut, and dried fig tart recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrgRDNTUqv_GaRjddqFArEY-KgMrA7W8620E1dOWzoBEcMgwicMX-nw5G89Z2nDSTL_ZV1f0-AB1C-6d2pJgc-2Ue_3_hJQKGtXb-dOYCDM8SawpYuNwbGJcbdyEdhskGKsH71PsMOn5ys9QvKMV4qCmwmXyHRYhAoghSemyQVfCaM8ndJ-Z1kKJaEBg/s1600/vegan%20apple%20fig%20pie%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the shell, start by preheating the oven to 180°C and very lightly greasing a 20-cm tart tin. Place the cold vegan butter into a medium bowl, add in the icing sugar, and mash them together using a fork or a pastry blender. Keep mashing until it all blends together. Add in the lemon juice and vanilla, and combine everything. If it looks like it is splitting due to the lemon juice, it is fine, it will blend once the flours are added in. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Sift in both types of flour, and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form, and then briefly knead the dough with your hands, only until it comes together into a ball. Roll the dough into a circle, about 25 cm in diameter, and fit it into a lightly greased tin. Remove any excess dough, dock the entire surface with a fork, and bake it immediately in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once both the shell and the filling are cool, fill the tart shell gently with the filling, and let it sit overnight in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator, overnight. Serve with some additional toasted walnuts, if desired. Yields 10 servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/7709773231877253820'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/7709773231877253820'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/11/vegan-apple-fig-tart.html' title='VEGAN APPLE FIG TART'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwVvQ-F6Gh_lAnh7lBd4JYadQUGBICb8bb_ohF9Fekl4G6-bNamjnyhXpUPlxitC84fvBHLTLK9AM_432fsL2BRd9ZF8Y1471S9Y8I5q-GNJXh45frgtg7sWYt6WN8Au5nsiFJLhQNm3TcfqudswI0k0Bh9oXva9zhrQVvBhUs_JnVmuH7t1OoyiShA8/s72-c/vegan%20apple%20fig%20pie%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2841620523179733275</id><published>2024-11-01T07:08:00.001+01:00</published><updated>2024-11-01T07:08:52.600+01:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="Kindeer Bueno"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CREAM CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I spoke about classics earlier, and just like personal classics, there are some traditional flavour pairings that are universally loved, throughout many decades of pastry. The combination of chocolate and hazelnuts is undoubtedly one of them, and by just changing the type of chocolate used, a whole world of flavour emerges. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I find that this particular pairing, white chocolate and hazelnuts, alongside chocolate layers is the most reminiscent of the lovely Kinder Bueno chocolates, which I have dearly loved in the past. There is something so satisfying in a rich and creamy hazelnut filling that simply towers over other flavours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As always, my choice is soft and fudgy cake and plenty of filling. Such a delightful blend of the rich, velvety flavour of white chocolate with the buttery notes of toasted hazelnuts simply needs a cup of coffee and a dainty little dessert fork and nothing else. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Because every oven bakes slightly differently, keep an eye on the cakes as they bake. Watch them closely and always check even before the time indicated in the recipe, to make sure they stay as soft as possible without being raw in the middle, of course. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As far as the filling goes, you most certainly <b>can</b> make hazelnut butter from the toasted hazelnuts or simply use hazelnut butter to begin with, but the filling will be very, very soft. At that point, you will have to add either more icing sugar or more powdered soy milk to make it stable. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you do choose to use hazelnut butter, make sure it's not the runny kind, as that give an entirely different texture to the filling, more than likely way too soft to set; and make sure you have at least 50 grams more of soy milk powder and icing sugar. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan chocolate hazelnut cream cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYKaFPcJ_WjgmxbIu3QbTAZN6DO2-V88bpJQh82YvAHKl_4B3w0C9AcK84cIT077QVZvO_YQ7rijkJAFNDGXphMnYCrh4gEeqvOLuQuVZYXX-zm3Mw7hhu7XDkor1A4PW6wXJeC2L_lMuPRucB8Yver0UU9XDRzuhgSdwbC1pmNTE3rq4a5HruLCeoi9o/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20hazelnut%20cream%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the soft cake layers</b><br /> 220 grams plain flour<br /> 200 grams granulated sugar<br /> 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder<br /> 6 grams baking soda<br /> 300 grams water<br /> 50 grams sunflower oil<br /> 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste<br /> 20 millilitres apple cider vinegar<br /> <b>For the hazelnut cream filling</b><br /> 150 grams vegan block butter, softened<br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> 100 grams vegan white chocolate<br /> 200 grams icing sugar, sifted<br /> 50 grams soy milk powder, sifted<br /> 200 grams toasted hazelnuts<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan chocolate hazelnut cream cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMJAG0p9obGMAbNJRRgt4Vgnwr11zpMARtLW70I9vbCspA2mxsT2QJFGHCZJEopKw_KRVQ-8LwBZY1b0aI-kvvdjMQ9K81rgvXKezm8-sQCjg37MMzNUg9iVYluRPMYIjH2qkG-3tj1ogfu4Qcy7FxsVCnQ6DyCuK3hef9R9O9ODQti8NWkAa02xLPek/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20hazelnut%20cream%20cake%20recipe%20by%20tina%20vesic%20food%20writer.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> To make the chocolate cake layers, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Line two small (15 cm) round baking pans with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set them aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the water, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and whisk until <u>just combined</u>.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 18-20 minutes, or until done. Check them with a toothpick, making sure they stay soft and fudgy, and not dry. Let them cool in the pans completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> While the cakes are cooling, make the filling. Very finely grind the hazelnuts, but do not let them turn into butter. Melt the white chocolate, and set it aside to cool down slightly. Place the softened vegan butter into a large bowl, add in the vanilla, and whip it with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes. Add in the melted and cooled white chocolate, and whip until blended. Sift in the icing sugar and the soy milk powder, and blend. Finally, add in the hazelnuts, and whip until light and airy. Place the filling into the refrigerator to firm up a bit. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Once everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cake layers, if needed, and divide the filling into two equal parts. Place the first cake layer on the serving platter, line it with an acetate strip, and close a cake ring around it. Add one half of the filling and top with the second cake layer. Place the remaining filling into a container that seals nicely, and put everything into the refrigerator, the cake and the filing, for at least 4 hours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Once the cake is firm enough, remove the cake ring and the acetate, decorate as desired, and return to the refrigerator for at least 4 more hours. Serve well-chilled. Yields 12 generous servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2841620523179733275'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2841620523179733275'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/11/vegan-chocolate-hazelnut-cream-cake.html' title='VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CREAM CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYKaFPcJ_WjgmxbIu3QbTAZN6DO2-V88bpJQh82YvAHKl_4B3w0C9AcK84cIT077QVZvO_YQ7rijkJAFNDGXphMnYCrh4gEeqvOLuQuVZYXX-zm3Mw7hhu7XDkor1A4PW6wXJeC2L_lMuPRucB8Yver0UU9XDRzuhgSdwbC1pmNTE3rq4a5HruLCeoi9o/s72-c/vegan%20chocolate%20hazelnut%20cream%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-8372130317404753236</id><published>2024-10-25T07:52:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-10-25T07:52:23.102+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN PINEAPPLE LAYER CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> When someone bakes as much as I do, some cakes inevitably become personal classics. This is one of those cakes. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> It is not one of those show-stopping cakes that take a lot of time to prepare and assemble. It is also not something that makes people go out of their way to find the ingredients. It is a simple, flavourful, light cake that is suitable as an everyday treat and as a really pretty celebratory cake. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> It is actually my mother's favourite cake, and it is a staple when it comes to family celebrations. Rightfully so, as well. Soft vanilla cakes, plenty of creamy vanilla filling, and lots of fresh pineapple. A marvellous little cake, indeed. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> <b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Because semolina absorbs liquid quickly, it is quite important to work equally quickly once you mix it with the wet ingredients. That is why I advise preparing your pans in advance and having the oven nicely preheated. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> When choosing the milk, go for the one you enjoy drinking, always. You can even choose a barista-style milk, such as oat or rice milk, but do be careful of any vanilla added to it, and adjust the quantity of vanilla you add yourself, so it doesn't turn bitter. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> You can use all brown sugar in the filling, if you like; it will give a marvellous caramel undertone that pairs so well with vanilla and fresh pineapple. You can also add a dash of caramel flavouring, for the same purpose, of course. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Speaking of pineapple, I find that small dice works best, as it allows for the cleanest slices. However, you can even mince it and drain it well; it will be just as delicious. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple vegan pineapple layer cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4LonbQGQ2b-okSo2qBUp0wXi6G4kEyKy6EESWDsYMk1eSoNwoBP39wdMAiobUWunCjrxQNUsSx3ON_GyeZ9Z-Zucp9W_7Pa4d5gxjmPhbtpxAV2WLnSGYiX8BtexW7ETl-2Mc4N6XA5g9j_S4EGSVo9vK6R6TuIUrd4BespmA0dEhCSoHUQ08ouYS4M/s1600/vegan%20pineapple%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the vanilla cake layers</b><br /> 180 grams plain flour<br /> 40 grams semolina<br /> 100 grams granulated sugar<br /> 80 grams light brown sugar<br /> 2 teaspoons baking powder<br /> 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste<br /> 180 millilitres cold water<br /> 1 tablespoon vegetable oil<br /> <b>For the vanilla filling and frosting</b><br /> 400 millilitres soy or almond milk<br /> 40 grams plain flour<br /> 40 grams cornflour<br /> 50 grams granulated sugar<br /> 50 grams light brown sugar<br /> 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste<br /> 150 grams vegan block butter, at room temperature<br /> 300 grams fresh pineapple, diced<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple vegan pineapple layer cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WOQij17x7dClwqKABQJsYkZCkiJa6ONx1B0xehPlbEBNqRgfElO33GTGGC3Khd9r2tTrZUWVSPcd3wn_NmgKz6MLZ1tqcoRsBnGZBY-mlG2fmgfQXEBpbc0k86WW4NNdhC_wvuoQ2Y2Ye3F5YIgxEn1yL9sb9irZxg70PXSHMFpRe_l6sYN8nQRKnCs/s1600/vegan%20pineapple%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the vanilla cream filling, as it needs to cool down completely before whipping and assembling. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Pour the cold milk, soy or almond, into a heavy-bottomed pot, add in the flour and the cornflour, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk very well, place the pot over medium-high heat, and let it slowly heat up. As soon as it starts to steam, start whisking. Let it come to a gentle boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, until it thickens. Remove from the heat and immediately add 30 grams of vegan block butter. Whisk until melted and incorporated or emulsify using an immersion blender. Cover the top with cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the vanilla cake layers, sift together the plain flour and the baking powder into a large bowl, add in the semolina and the sugars, and whisk everything well. Set the bowl aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line three small round cake pans (15 cm) with baking parchment. Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Just before baking, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and quickly whisk until just blended. As soon as the batter is ready, divide it between the prepared pans and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove them from the oven and let cool down in the pans completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the filling is at room temperature and ready, place the remaining softened vegan butter into a large bowl, and whip it with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes, so it becomes light and airy. Separately whip the cooked custard until it becomes smooth, and without stopping the beaters, add a tablespoon of the custard at a time to the whipped butter, blending them together until smooth and creamy. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the filling is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes, if necessary, and divide the filling into three equal parts. Set one of them aside, as it will be used as frosting. Chop the pineapple into desired pieces, keeping in mind that smaller dice works best for serving. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter, put a tall sheet of acetate around it, and close the cake ring tightly. Spread one-third of the vanilla filling over the first layer and add half of the chopped pineapple. It is fine if it sinks into the whipped custard. Place the second cake layer on top, spread another third of the filling, and top with the rest of the pineapple. Top with the final layer, cover with a piece of cling film, to stop it from drying out, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once ready, take the cake out of the refrigerator, remove the cake ring and the acetate sheet, and decorate as desired. If using fresh pineapple for decoration, place it on the cake just before serving. Serve well chilled. Yields 16 generous servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/8372130317404753236'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/8372130317404753236'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/10/vegan-pineapple-cake.html' title='VEGAN PINEAPPLE LAYER CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4LonbQGQ2b-okSo2qBUp0wXi6G4kEyKy6EESWDsYMk1eSoNwoBP39wdMAiobUWunCjrxQNUsSx3ON_GyeZ9Z-Zucp9W_7Pa4d5gxjmPhbtpxAV2WLnSGYiX8BtexW7ETl-2Mc4N6XA5g9j_S4EGSVo9vK6R6TuIUrd4BespmA0dEhCSoHUQ08ouYS4M/s72-c/vegan%20pineapple%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-3796740017597709425</id><published>2024-10-18T11:22:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-10-18T11:22:27.279+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="biscuits"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Years and years ago, when I was taking my first pastry steps, no-bake cakes were my first choice. Effortless to make with readily-available ingredients, universally loved because of the sheer amount of chocolate, and very easily tailored. I love them even today, even though I don't make them as much as I once did. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This little beauty is made with chocolate, sweet and sticky maple and date syrup, and plenty of dried figs and almonds. Such a lovely treat that is perfect for any gathering or simply a cup of afternoon coffee. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When choosing the biscuits, go for thinner ones, as they will get softer due to the warmth of the syrup. If you do like firmer pieces of biscuits throughout the cake, then choose the ones you love the most. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">You <b>can </b>soak the dried fruit in some brandy or rum before adding it to the batter and you can also roughly chop it or blend it up coarsely, that is up to your preference. The texture will be smoother with blended dried fruit, definitely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If serving the cake to the little ones, or you want to avoid using rum, use rum flavouring and increase the amount of milk by 50 millilitres and it will be perfect. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="No-bake chocolate biscuit, fig, and almond cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggFTGEeULEVF3fOKfuu4ShbV3X3c8gs3H8V73nNbnoPnjpGXPqfYxf_t7LMhEQ4OcEBFK2h7sNVIhls1Oi3sjujznZI9RUFGGKw2uFtAxHUyGqIvKCNpEcfQPjzaN7-uhcLugdKoGP7XCDDHlxbDTQxCEWOrKr-HFgzwaBzkfCLVzL3HoWqNXjkm2/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20biscuit%20holiday%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the cake</b> <br /> 350 millilitres almond or soy milk <br /> 50 millilitres dark rum <br /> 50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder <br /> 50 millilitres maple syrup <br /> 50 millilitres date syrup <br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> 150 grams vegan block butter, cubed <br /> 80 grams extra dark chocolate (80%), chopped <br /> 400 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, roughly chopped <br /> 50 grams toasted almonds, chopped <br /> 75 grams dried figs <br /> 50 grams raisins <br /> <b>For the chocolate topping</b> <br /> 50 grams dark chocolate (75%), chopped <br /> 20 grams vegan block butter, cubed <br /> 15 millilitres almond or soy milk <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a serving platter, place a 15-cm cake ring in the middle, line it with a strip of acetate, and close it tightly. Set the platter aside briefly. Take a heavy saucepan, add in the milk, rum, cocoa powder, maple and date syrups, and vanilla, and place it over medium high heat. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Let it slowly come to a boil, and cook, stirring often, for about 5-6 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Remove it from the heat and add in the cubed butter and chocolate. Mix until everything is melted and combined. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Allow the syrup to cool down for a bit, until it's no longer piping hot. Meanwhile, combine the biscuits, dried fruit, and almonds in a large bowl. Pour in the syrup and mix thoroughly, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides regularly, so everything is combined. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Add the chocolate batter in layers to the prepared cake ring, pressing lightly as you go, so there are no air pockets once it cools down. Level the top and place it in the refrigerator for a moment. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">For the chocolate topping, melt everything together over low heat, let it cool down briefly, and pour it evenly over the cake. Gently shake the platter so everything settles, and place it in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably 8. Yields 16 servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3796740017597709425'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3796740017597709425'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/10/vegan-chocolate-biscuit-cake.html' title='VEGAN CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggFTGEeULEVF3fOKfuu4ShbV3X3c8gs3H8V73nNbnoPnjpGXPqfYxf_t7LMhEQ4OcEBFK2h7sNVIhls1Oi3sjujznZI9RUFGGKw2uFtAxHUyGqIvKCNpEcfQPjzaN7-uhcLugdKoGP7XCDDHlxbDTQxCEWOrKr-HFgzwaBzkfCLVzL3HoWqNXjkm2/s72-c/vegan%20chocolate%20biscuit%20holiday%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-6504378863629253779</id><published>2024-10-11T06:08:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-10-11T06:08:43.689+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremets"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="white chocolate"/><title type='text'>VEGAN PUMPKIN LEMON CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This type of dessert has been capturing my attention more and more. Effortlessly elegant and pretty straightforward to prepare, it has the perfect blend of visual appeal and flavour. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Marvellously soft and tender vanilla cake, gorgeously earthy pumpkin insert, and an airy layer of lemon ganache, whipped to perfection. Just a wonderful little symphony of flavours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once you cook the batter for the insert, depending on your texture preferences, you can use an immersion blender to make it perfectly smooth. It will be equally delicious in that form, as well. This can also be done prior to cooking, if that is easier for you. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to the lemon ganache, I find that it performs the best after chilling for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. That will, however, greatly depend on the chocolate and cream themselves. Some will whip up beautifully after barely 2-3 hours, and some will need the full 6, so do adjust the chilling time to your ingredients. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As for the decoration, I chose a bit of lemon gel and some gorgeous and vibrant pistachios for the colour and a bit of crunch, but you can decorate however you like. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan pumpkin lemon cake entremets recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTWKAATiyZRuOWvWPCta7nC-yMO1OnhcXVOkeOmMHsXrvzI4ebfNC7XS0tXl9mgowFshYKOB3BU5zfyHnDN397Rt_Atdn1xvqE0qZrjtuju8bRJODp-YwdcW9v_znzJur8cRP_7xmrPB8lF2XKv5oxzpvp3nVB3s6KEWpqQY2hDgK1XWyTrzxJvCgnGs/s1600/vegan%20pumpkin%20lemon%20entremet%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the delicate cake layer</b><br /> 60 grams flour<br /> 15 grams cornflour<br /> 75 grams sugar<br /> ½ teaspoon baking powder<br /> 65 millilitres water<br /> 15 millilitres oil<br /> 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the whipped vegan white chocolate ganache</b><br /> 100 grams white chocolate<br /> 50 grams butter<br /> 50 grams cream<br /> 1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> zest of two lemons<br /> pinch of salt<br /> <b>For the pumpkin lemon insert</b><br /> 150 grams grated pumpkin<br /> 50 grams fresh lemon juice<br /> 75 grams granulated sugar<br /> 30 grams cornflour<br /> 100 millilitres water<br /> 25 grams butter<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the pumpkin insert, as it needs to be frozen. Mix together all the ingredients for the insert apart from the butter, and add them to a saucepan. Place it over medium high heat and let it slowly come to a boil. Once it starts to bubble, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes, until very thick and fragrant. Remove from the heat and add in the butter. Mix until incorporated, using an immersion blender if desire. Pour it into a 12 cm cake or pastry ring and freeze it solid, preferably overnight. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the white chocolate ganache, start by zesting the lemons and heating up the cream and butter until it almost comes to a boil. While the cream is heating up, mix together the chopped chocolate, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Pour the cream over the chocolate and mix until everything is smooth and blended. Let it cool down to room temperature, stirring from time to time as it cools. Cover the top with cling film and let it cool completely in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the soft cake layer, take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cornflour, and the baking powder. Whisk them together very well, and add in the sugar. Combine and set aside. Turn on the oven to preheat to 180°C and line the bottom and sides of a small round cake pan (15 cm) with baking parchment. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and add in water, oil, and vanilla. Quickly whisk until blended, and as soon as the batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan, tap it lightly once or twice on the counter, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness early. Every oven bakes differently, so as soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down in the pan completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When everything is ready, whip the ganache with an electric mixer on high until very firm peaks form, and set it aside. Place the cake onto the serving platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a strip of acetate. Remove the pumpkin insert from the mould and place it on top of the cake layer. Gently spread the whipped filling on top and all around it, leaving a few tablespoons for the decoration. Tap the platter a few times on the counter so the filling settles, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Yields 12 generous servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6504378863629253779'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6504378863629253779'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/10/vegan-pumpkin-lemon-cake.html' title='VEGAN PUMPKIN LEMON CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTWKAATiyZRuOWvWPCta7nC-yMO1OnhcXVOkeOmMHsXrvzI4ebfNC7XS0tXl9mgowFshYKOB3BU5zfyHnDN397Rt_Atdn1xvqE0qZrjtuju8bRJODp-YwdcW9v_znzJur8cRP_7xmrPB8lF2XKv5oxzpvp3nVB3s6KEWpqQY2hDgK1XWyTrzxJvCgnGs/s72-c/vegan%20pumpkin%20lemon%20entremet%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-1471891479799173915</id><published>2024-10-04T05:54:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-10-04T05:54:11.592+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="picnic"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN APPLE PIE DOUGHNUTS</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">First time I baked my doughnuts instead of frying them, they resembled dinner rolls with a sweet glaze, but I was mighty proud of my creation. Being someone who does not enjoy deep-fried foods, that was a breakthrough moment for me. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Over the years, I've perfected my baked doughnuts, and I am very happy to say they are pillowy soft and supremely aromatic. Full of apple pie filling enriched with vanilla and rosewater, they are one of life's simple pleasures, especially served with a mug of hot tea on a chilly day. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">First and foremost, please don't be tempted to add a lot more flour. I know the dough is very soft and sticky, but have patience and let it rest during kneading, if needed, to keep it as soft as possible. This type of pastry depends on the dough hydration and baking time. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Second, please don't be tempted to sample them before they cool down, because they will be molten hot. Spoken from experience, it is much better to let them cool down so you don't burn yourself. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And lastly, if you like the flavour combination of apples and honey, feel free to add a big spoonful of honey, either vegan or bee honey, just before filling the doughnuts. That way, the flavour will remain prominent and wonderful. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Baked vegan apple pie doughnuts recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi712aZ-SEnk8FYqRJm00P7iFGslaIr05UsKJGjFU_hEG4_AQVPjyHqZQczzoRDg6JwGRQk4IOlrGT-xfUKLSoQP83DJXTCwONkesnroIC3X9jk2dCHWpEvopbG-uBRmcC57tcyqBWmtv4DD332hobHXoqp05ZjA2rZkaeN-ZZnkF5tPZMJGUMImnsxSfg/s1600/baked%20vegan%20apple%20pie%20doughnuts%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the soft dough</b><br /> 420 grams plain flour<br /> 120 millilitres apple juice, room temperature<br /> 120 millilitres warm water<br /> 40 millilitres vegetable oil<br /> 40 grams fresh yeast<br /> 25 grams light brown sugar<br /> 10 grams salt<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the apple pie filling</b><br /> 500 grams apples, peeled, cored, and diced<br /> 150 grams light brown sugar<br /> 15 grams cornflour<br /> 50 millilitres cold water<br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> ¼ teaspoon rosewater<br /> <b>For the crunchy topping</b><br /> 100 grams vegan block butter, melted<br /> 50 grams granulated sugar<br /> 50 grams dark brown sugar<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> To make the dough, take a large bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar, apple juice, and warm water. Mix it well so the yeast starts to dissolve, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes. Once ready, add in the oil and the vanilla, mix well, and then sift in the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until a <u>very</u> soft dough forms. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and smooth. It should not stick too much to your hands, but if it does, feel free to add a bit more flour. Place the dough back into the same bowl, cover, and let it rise for about an hour, or until doubled. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> While the dough is resting, make the filling. Combine the finely diced apples and sugar in a saucepan, and place it over medium high heat. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the apples soften. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cold water, cornflour, vanilla, and rosewater, and add it to the bubbling apples. Cook, mixing and folding constantly, until all the liquid evaporates and the filing becomes sticky and aromatic. Set aside to cool. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it very lightly by hand, just to knock some of the air out, and then divide it into 9 equal parts, by weight. Without any shaping, flatten them you’re your hand on the work surface, add a portion of the filling, and close it very well. Take your time with this step so the filling stays inside while baking. Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> As soon as they're ready, bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes. They need to remain as soft as possible, so watch them carefully. While they are baking, melt the vegan block butter, and mix the sugars in a separate bowl. As soon as they are done, take them out of the oven, let them cool slightly, and carefully, as they will be piping hot, dip them in the melted butter on all sides, and then immediately in the sugar. Place them on the serving platter and serve as soon as they are comfortably warm to your liking. Yields 9 very large doughnuts. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/1471891479799173915'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/1471891479799173915'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/10/vegan-apple-pie-doughnuts.html' title='VEGAN APPLE PIE DOUGHNUTS'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi712aZ-SEnk8FYqRJm00P7iFGslaIr05UsKJGjFU_hEG4_AQVPjyHqZQczzoRDg6JwGRQk4IOlrGT-xfUKLSoQP83DJXTCwONkesnroIC3X9jk2dCHWpEvopbG-uBRmcC57tcyqBWmtv4DD332hobHXoqp05ZjA2rZkaeN-ZZnkF5tPZMJGUMImnsxSfg/s72-c/baked%20vegan%20apple%20pie%20doughnuts%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2331050791702737604</id><published>2024-09-27T06:24:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-09-27T06:24:14.998+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="biscuits"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cookies"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="holidays"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN WALNUT COOKIES</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I don't really bake that many cookies these days, but they are always welcome as a quick little treat, especially on chilly days, with a cup of coffee. Not to mention the power they have to brighten up any dessert platter at any gathering or celebration. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Full of walnuts and almonds, with just a touch of vegan milk chocolate, they are a fantastic sweet snack done fairly quickly, making them perfect for weekdays. They are truly the best the same day they are baked, but if you have some leftovers, store them in a tightly sealed container, and they will be good for a couple of more days. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Even though many of my cookies do not require chilling, these do, so please chill them in the freezer or refrigerator, depending on how much time you have, until firm. They will spread out regardless, but this will make for a more controlled spread. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I usually decorate half of the cookies generously, and leave the other half plain, so everyone can pick the cookie they like, but if you want, you can use the whole chocolate bar and decorate all of the cookies, of course. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">My cookies are usually done after barely 8 minutes, but my oven does run a bit hot, so pay really close attention to them, and take them out as soon as they get some colour. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Soft vegan walnut cookies recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsWxm8SWTFhG5mqBoSE7E7mqLv0Su0JRI_aCRATtoqDlygCFd2VygwnyY9zeCzNWOv8Qzqy885wn7REX_Ti95kYG8l_JlSKY2bPjSCYLiLa-M_P3favREP00_xY_kVj-YT6CX3_0Jex7exA3DWQQKcE07lNZcJ8Cl1pX_cmx4XEL2-oKp0XlUMdKvOj8/s1600/vegan%20walnut%20cookies%20recipe%20by%20tina%20vesic%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> 100 grams vegan block butter, softened<br /> 60 grams icing sugar, sifted<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> 1/8 teaspoon baking powder<br /> 100 grams plain flour<br /> 50 grams toasted walnuts, ground<br /> 30 grams toasted almonds, ground<br /> 25 grams cornflour<br /> 50 grams vegan milk chocolate, for the decoration<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a large bowl, add in the softened butter, icing sugar, and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer on high until blended. Add in the walnuts, almonds, and cornflour, and blend well. Finally, add in the flour and baking powder, switch to a wooden spoon and mix them through, forming a dough. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Roll the dough out immediately between two sheets of baking paper, to about 5mm thickness, and place them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. Let the oven preheat to 180°C, and line two large baking sheets with baking paper. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Place the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface, and use a 5 cm round cookie cutter to get as many cookies as possible, and then arrange them on the baking sheets. Bring together the scraps of the dough, knead briefly, roll it out, and cut out cookies in the same fashion until all of the dough is used up. If it starts to get warm and sticky, place it back into the freezer for about 10 minutes. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Bake them in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they will spread out, and can burn easily. As soon as they get some colour, they are done. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool down and firm up on the baking sheets. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Meanwhile, melt the vegan milk chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and decorate the cooled cookies to your liking. There is enough chocolate for a moderate decoration, so do adjust the quantity to your preference. As soon as the chocolate sets, they are ready to serve. Yields 24 cookies. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2331050791702737604'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2331050791702737604'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/09/vegan-walnut-cookies.html' title='VEGAN WALNUT COOKIES'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsWxm8SWTFhG5mqBoSE7E7mqLv0Su0JRI_aCRATtoqDlygCFd2VygwnyY9zeCzNWOv8Qzqy885wn7REX_Ti95kYG8l_JlSKY2bPjSCYLiLa-M_P3favREP00_xY_kVj-YT6CX3_0Jex7exA3DWQQKcE07lNZcJ8Cl1pX_cmx4XEL2-oKp0XlUMdKvOj8/s72-c/vegan%20walnut%20cookies%20recipe%20by%20tina%20vesic%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-4656817900896064280</id><published>2024-09-20T10:02:00.002+02:00</published><updated>2024-09-20T10:02:47.433+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="tea"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN MINT CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">With colder weather approaching, there is nothing quite like a piece of homemade cake and a cup of freshly brewed coffee. An equally heartwarming and delicious treat. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Mint and chocolate are a delectable, timeless pairing, and when combined with a crumbly topping, it is a match made in dessert heaven. And the best thing is - it can be served both warm and cold, either with a generous scoop of ice cream, or a simple mug of tea. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I found this to be the quickest way of preparing the batter, but you can definitely use a hand mixer and blend the ingredients in the same order. Fat carries flavour, so always start with butter and vanilla, and mint, in this case. The rest is just adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As far as fresh mint goes, you can definitely add more fresh leaves, but do keep in mind that it can get overwhelming after baking. For some additional mint flavour, you can serve it with more fresh mint leaves, especially the really tiny ones, they look the prettiest. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Please check the cake often and check it with at toothpick even before the time indicated in the recipe, so the cake stays nice and moist. The crumb topping can get a touch dry if overbaked, as well. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan mint chocolate coffee cake with a crumb topping by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa7i8ahyphenhyphenHaUo0zZkPihHGcm6FIjE1u19o0XbCLSrWzOtyYx75JnVKAkSErsI4hcZojvtDiTUMQ9npA1BLFnHv0o2afD32UrwC5id04UDYYM3ARHhcuElfgd8wfnSvEV6vgE5vVav8eZhYZM8lMYh36qvOAs6r9zX0IxoW78sUj0NiF9LRA0AQBKY4Q8k/s1600/vegan%20mint%20chocolate%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the coffee cake</b> <br /> 80 grams plain flour <br /> 75 grams light brown sugar <br /> 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder <br /> 1/2 teaspoon baking powder <br /> 1/8 teaspoon baking soda <br /> 45 grams vegan block butter, slightly softened <br /> 70 grams unsweetened apple sauce <br /> 1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> 100 grams water <br /> 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar <br /> 4-5 fresh mint leaves, or more to taste <br /> <b>For the crumb topping</b> <br /> 40 grams plain flour <br /> 20 grams toasted walnuts, ground <br /> 30 grams light brown sugar <br /> 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder <br /> 45 grams vegan block butter <br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a small, round cake pan (13 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Take the softened butter, mint leaves, and vanilla, add them to a small blender, and let it run until it forms a nice, silky paste. Add in the sifted cocoa powder, and blend again. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To this, add the applesauce, water, vinegar, and sugar, and let it run again. If it looks like the batter is splitting at this point, that is fine. Pour the batter into a medium bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk them together, making sure you do not overmix the batter. Pour it in the prepared cake pan and briefly set aside. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the crumb topping, mash together the butter and sugar until somewhat combined, then add in the flour, walnuts, and cocoa powder. Mix and mash with a fork until nice and crumbly, then add in the vanilla and combine. Top the cake and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 35-40 minutes. Check it with a toothpick to make sure it does not overbake. Let it cool in the pan completely, and then serve. Yields 6-8 servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4656817900896064280'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4656817900896064280'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/09/vegan-chocolate-coffee-cake.html' title='VEGAN MINT CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa7i8ahyphenhyphenHaUo0zZkPihHGcm6FIjE1u19o0XbCLSrWzOtyYx75JnVKAkSErsI4hcZojvtDiTUMQ9npA1BLFnHv0o2afD32UrwC5id04UDYYM3ARHhcuElfgd8wfnSvEV6vgE5vVav8eZhYZM8lMYh36qvOAs6r9zX0IxoW78sUj0NiF9LRA0AQBKY4Q8k/s72-c/vegan%20mint%20chocolate%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2445140231047344417</id><published>2024-09-13T12:57:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-09-13T12:59:00.474+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN FIG COFFEE CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Figs are my absolute favourite fruit. And this summer was glorious for them, they had such a good season and I got to enjoy them every day. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This little cake is one of many ways to enjoy those sweet little gems; combined with walnuts and cinnamon, it is a dream with a cup of coffee. Especially with the dark chocolate glaze. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Slightly sticky, aromatic cake, wonderfully creamy filling, and an almost shell-like chocolate glaze make for a perfect coffee time dessert. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Please, <u>do not overbake the cake</u>. It is supposed to be soft, moist, and slightly sticky from the vegan honey or maple syrup. Check it with a toothpick to make sure it is done even before the time I indicated in the recipe. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to the filling, it is truly best to make it either by hand, which is slightly messier, but allows for a better texture, or with a hand-held mixer, which will make it smoother. I would avoid blenders for this, as it can indeed make the filling almost gummy. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And as for the chocolate, I always go for my favourite one, the 72% dark chocolate, simply because I enjoy the flavour, but you can choose the chocolate you love to eat. Just, please, do not use milk chocolate as it will be way too sweet. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">In case you have some leftover cooked jam, enjoy it on toast or as a sweet snack rather than adding it all to the filling, as it can become too soft. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan coffee cake with a fig jam filling and chocolate topping by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvDdSIAzTr_UZWe6dxepVTjGWTZLJFrLmPUgWw_h8M0Id9ACapI8uGCl8iBxvonCYc9uqZSoUG59N_EtAen9JtykUzx2QN-mjIsgVNz_6FZ6c3wVHkJY1w0EIAN4ILqezT-nQIGpx5B4Pz_g6zUA1ome4oZCWtsQ_w7Y7-NGVzO_tHD4E1QvThxYvTPQ/s1600/vegan%20fig%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the cake</b><br /> 100 grams plain flour<br /> 50 grams walnuts, ground<br /> 100 grams granulated sugar<br /> 1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br /> 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br /> 150 grams carbonated water<br /> 25 millilitres vegetable oil<br /> 50 grams dandelion honey or maple syrup<br /> 5 grams apple cider vinegar<br /> <b>For the filling</b><br /> 500 grams fresh figs<br /> 120 grams granulated sugar<br /> 30 grams vegan block butter, melted<br /> <b>For the glaze</b> <br /> 100 grams chocolate<br /> 30 millilitres oil<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan coffee cake with a fig jam filling and chocolate topping by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsipvMsFgEdc3JE2fvIcssjrJ5dG1VlCOQWbwu5jFfewCmhTPaorK38KcNbDomIuXgXG-f5pb2WYfx2lwQAc-XDGfEJxqLKGcfImfig7x4nlhTV2sA8T9I11-KJ0xh0L-e8R-VBw5YqtIkB77gJ3tOIYfAYtuy0a-ZSE6pjIkaVRKBBPNyslTPwKPdg4/s1600/vegan%20fig%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20development%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the jam for the filling. Purée the figs and sugar until completely smooth, pour it into a heavy-bottomed pot, and place it over medium heat. Let it slowly come to a boil and cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring almost constantly. This is a tiny batch of jam, so it should really be done after 30 minutes or so. You do not have to check intensely for the setting point, as long as it has cooked down to half of the original volume, it will be fine. Remove it from the heat and let it cool down completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the cake, start by preheating the oven to 180°C. Next, sift the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add in the walnuts and the sugar, and whisk everything together very well. Take a medium bowl and add in the dandelion honey, carbonated water, oil, and apple cider vinegar, and whisk to combine. Once the wet ingredients are blended nicely, pour them over the flour. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan coffee cake with a fig jam filling and chocolate topping by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5WvZQYCE6FkA-xuym5yn17jsgqs3zuNOh-si-SxSLoO6aE2CHBhV_72E3C6KZqIi6w6VF71jTeLr0fLK7JTpc7CVLX71iBICqH4ycal3FBhgcLeeI4IAUw6uL3zi-NUrHnAv09R48Pu2PZyF0T8-CiydwnAg-F4MgxtQeYcL8juyJ2YurqADJupG4Vc/s1600/vegan%20fig%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a small round cake pan (16 cm), and line it with baking parchment, pour in the batter, tap it lightly on the counter, and bake immediately, at 180°C, for about 15-20 minutes. Let the cool completely in the cake pan. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the cake and jam are cool to the touch, split the cake into two equal horizontal layers and place the first one on the cake plate. Add a strip of acetate around it and close a cake right tightly. Set it aside briefly. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Place the second cake layer into a bowl and crumble it well with your hands. Add in 200 grams of the cooked jam and the melted butter and mix with your hands or blend it briefly with an immersion blender. It should look like a very thick frosting. Spread it evenly over the cake, and place it into the refrigerator for about an hour or two. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When ready to decorate, melt together the chocolate and the oil, either over low heat or in the microwave, glaze the top of the cake, and return it to the refrigerator overnight. The cake gets better the longer it chills. Serve it with some additional figs and enjoy! Yields 12-16 servings. <span style="color: white;">© Tina Vesić 2024</span></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2445140231047344417'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2445140231047344417'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/09/vegan-fig-coffee-cake.html' title='VEGAN FIG COFFEE CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvDdSIAzTr_UZWe6dxepVTjGWTZLJFrLmPUgWw_h8M0Id9ACapI8uGCl8iBxvonCYc9uqZSoUG59N_EtAen9JtykUzx2QN-mjIsgVNz_6FZ6c3wVHkJY1w0EIAN4ILqezT-nQIGpx5B4Pz_g6zUA1ome4oZCWtsQ_w7Y7-NGVzO_tHD4E1QvThxYvTPQ/s72-c/vegan%20fig%20coffee%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-4042583282156331881</id><published>2024-09-06T10:02:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-09-06T10:02:46.461+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="confectionery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pie"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CHOCOLATE PLUM CRUMB PIE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Plums are in abundance now, it is their season, and I am using every chance I get to bake with them. They are glorious for all kinds of desserts in all forms, and they pair so amazingly well with walnuts. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This is the type of pie that would be my first choice when it comes to coffee desserts. The wonderful combination of textures is what makes it so appealing, as well as that wonderfully rich plum and chocolate filling. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Wonderfully soft base, fantastic filling, and a delightfully crunchy crumb topping make this the true epitome of late summer and early autumn. Especially served with a mug of tea, I have to admit. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The base layer needs to be baked enough to be able to hold the filling without it sinking, so if you feel that 10 minutes is not enough, do extend the baking time to 12 or even 15 minutes, adjusting the overall baking time based on that. The pie bakes relatively quickly, so the chances to overbake it are slim. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you have plum jam that needs to be used up, feel free to use that instead of cooking the filling. Heat it up gently so it loosens up, add the chocolate and the walnuts, mix, and then simply spread it on the base layer. It will work perfectly! </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan dark chocolate sweet plum crumb pie recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63Rpg_8q0Sx4x56z01SDJZ_3PMfdIKqdQL2d0rB-JYt1uj27OR9qb-Ig0IH3eWFt-46d_dP7RODcOD2pF93U-FFGf9J4CpefE82Uz6oSbd1ADNvGwEIpJlTGtORIZIH8d00nB9KBCoYzbKJO0R4fzMRafZM9c46oXnGbkZSQODrx4_smgLsi4v3JI46c/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20plum%20crumb%20pie%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the base</b><br /> 120 grams plain flour<br /> ½ teaspoon baking soda<br /> 100 grams granulated sugar<br /> 40 millilitres vegetable oil<br /> 100 grams carbonated water<br /> 1 teaspoon lemon juice<br /> <b>For the chocolate plum filling</b><br /> 400 grams plums, stones removed<br /> 120 grams granulated sugar<br /> 30 grams cornflour<br /> 30 grams cold water<br /> 30 grams toasted walnuts, ground<br /> 50 grams extra dark chocolate (80%), chopped<br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> <b>For the crumb topping</b><br /> 60 grams vegan block butter, cold<br /> 80 grams granulated sugar<br /> 60 grams plain flour<br /> 40 grams toasted walnuts, ground<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan dark chocolate sweet plum crumb pie recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRMKi1gt4yiFP9KlZYInaIb4HLZ91qt57KubZIGVe6L3ks6riZ-5SqW6lAks5JX4gzYOOZBh11j5wSsJHKhoFV5sinaGQn-2bPUc6Va7wrCYxYsz6b9EvEOhIP5iCbmKsyqhlHfVwVVgLXkfE3Mxtdp7T2BupJxfoVNSCg9chCW7w0m02lLZawqIUrvA/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20plum%20crumb%20pie%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20development%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the filling, as it needs time to cool down. Either chop up or blend the plums, add in the sugar and combine. Pour the fruit into a heavy saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Let it slowly come to a boil, and cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, or until thickened and fragrant. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cornflour with the cold water, add it to the plums, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the filling becomes thick. Remove from the heat; add in the walnuts, vanilla, and the chocolate, and mix to combine. Set it aside to cool down. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Turn on the oven to preheat to 180°C. For the crumb topping, whisk together the flour, sugar, and the walnuts, add in the very cold cubed butter, and create a rough crumb topping, either with a pastry cutter or simply with your fingers, because it's such a small quantity. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">For the base layer, mix together the flour with the baking soda and sugar, and add in all of the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Line a small square baking pan (18x18 cm) with baking parchment, pour in the base batter, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 10 minutes, until it starts to firm up. Remove it from the oven, <u>gently</u> add the plum filling and the crumb topping, and return to bake for another 25-30 minutes. It should be delightfully fragrant and slightly crispy on the edges. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Let the pie cool down completely in the pan, then slice up and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 16 pieces. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4042583282156331881'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4042583282156331881'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/09/vegan-chocolate-plum-pie.html' title='VEGAN CHOCOLATE PLUM CRUMB PIE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63Rpg_8q0Sx4x56z01SDJZ_3PMfdIKqdQL2d0rB-JYt1uj27OR9qb-Ig0IH3eWFt-46d_dP7RODcOD2pF93U-FFGf9J4CpefE82Uz6oSbd1ADNvGwEIpJlTGtORIZIH8d00nB9KBCoYzbKJO0R4fzMRafZM9c46oXnGbkZSQODrx4_smgLsi4v3JI46c/s72-c/vegan%20chocolate%20plum%20crumb%20pie%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-5370905638082296360</id><published>2024-08-30T05:41:00.002+02:00</published><updated>2024-09-11T10:51:34.049+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="biscoff"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brownies"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE BISCOFF LAYER CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to foolproof desserts, nothing beats chocolate cake. It is universally loved and the texture can be fine-tuned to be fudgy or airy, or even brownie-like. And with that tiny bit of espresso added, it is a chocolate dream come true.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And Biscoff cookies, with their rich and deep caramel and cinnamon flavour, pair perfectly with both chocolate cake and apricot brandy. In general, apricots compliment caramel very nicely, and brighten up those deep, earthy cinnamon tones. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Whenever you make this type of filling, it is always a good idea to add the ground biscuits gradually, stirring with a spatula or a wooden spoon, so the filling stays nice and soft, but workable. It is also good to have a few extra biscuits on the side, in case the filling is too soft. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The reason behind this is quite simple - some vegan soured cream alternatives have more liquid than others, and that affects the filling consistency greatly. Combined with the additional liquid from the apricot brandy, it is a great idea to have a bit more cookies on hand. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you do not want to use the apricot brandy, do add a few drops of apricot extract, and adjust the amount of ground biscuits added to the filling. In general, these quantities cannot make the filling too crumbly, but if that does happen, add a tablespoon of plain yoghurt and stir it through, and it will be perfect. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">However, if you wish to add more of the apricot brandy to this little cake, do not add it to the filling, because it will get way to soft to set, but instead sprinkle it on the cake layers. You can use it as it is, or mix it with a bit of simple syrup, to dilute it, I leave that to you.</div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan chocolate fudge biscoff layer cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4ryRUROn2WKje4BKxF1WxoHqkqy-H3POKfaRJn_G7PN6T5SBu6c8HvaXWKC4-UTeiHAOHImrHA15V8fBizQXKPCR18DialrHKraCzU_xcnhEJPJSm5eIc_4vs5YwYrBudo397FsWE-uqfJbxFkygll3L1D3nXa9ie9NRxiDr3EYMrUeLEvVWVehx/s1600/vegan%20chocolate%20fudge%20layer%20cake%20with%20biscoff%20cheesecake%20filling%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the chocolate fudge cake layers</b> <br /> 250 grams plain flour <br /> 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder <br /> 300 grams icing sugar <br /> 10 grams baking powder <br /> 425 millilitres boiling water <br /> 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder <br /> 100 grams applesauce <br /> 45 millilitres vegetable oil <br /> 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the Biscoff filling</b> <br /> 250 grams Biscoff cookies, finely ground <br /> 350 grams vegan soured cream alternative or thick vegan Skyr <br /> 150 grams icing sugar, sifted <br /> 30 millilitres apricot brandy<br /> 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For serving</b> <br /> 100 grams dark chocolate (80%) <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Start by making the chocolate cake layers. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix it through. Line a rectangular cake pan (20x30 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; add in the warm water, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and fresh lemon juice, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Make sure the cake is soft and fudgy, and not dry. Let it cool in the pan completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Once the cake is cool to the touch, make the filling. Place the vegan soured cream alternative (or vegan Skyr) into a medium bowl, add in the apricot brandy, vanilla, and the icing sugar, and fold them together using a spatula. Add in the ground Biscoff cookies, and fold them through until combined. The filling will be soft, but manageable. If you feel it is too soft to work with, add a bit more of ground Biscoff cookies. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> As soon as everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cake, if necessary, and slice it in half crosswise and lengthwise, to create four thin rectangular layers. Take a few big spoonfuls of the filling to use as frosting, and divide the rest into three equal parts. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter, close a cake form around it, line it with a strip of acetate, and spread on a portion of the filling. Continue stacking until everything is used up, and spread the reserved filling on the very top of the cake. Place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove the cake from and the acetate strip, abundantly top with dark chocolate shavings and serve. Yields 9 rich servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/5370905638082296360'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/5370905638082296360'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/08/vegan-chocolate-biscoff-cake.html' title='VEGAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE BISCOFF LAYER CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4ryRUROn2WKje4BKxF1WxoHqkqy-H3POKfaRJn_G7PN6T5SBu6c8HvaXWKC4-UTeiHAOHImrHA15V8fBizQXKPCR18DialrHKraCzU_xcnhEJPJSm5eIc_4vs5YwYrBudo397FsWE-uqfJbxFkygll3L1D3nXa9ie9NRxiDr3EYMrUeLEvVWVehx/s72-c/vegan%20chocolate%20fudge%20layer%20cake%20with%20biscoff%20cheesecake%20filling%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-3446877606001207261</id><published>2024-08-23T10:18:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-08-23T10:18:33.755+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="confectionery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="ice cream"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN NOUGAT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Although I believe ice cream can and should be eaten year-round, its prime time is undoubtedly during the summer months. However, many traditional ice cream recipes require egg yolks, making them unsuitable for anyone who cannot or does not want to have eggs. That is one of the reasons why I hold no-churn ice creams so dear. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">No-churn ice creams are generally easier to make because they do not require an ice cream maker or prolonged cooking during the heat. Mixing and freezing is all that is needed, and that makes them much more accessible, which is something that is quite important to me. And speaking of that, they often require fewer steps and less preparation in general, which is great if you are including your little ones in the process. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">That is why this little frozen gem is simply perfect for summer; full of chocolate and hazelnuts, and with a delightfully creamy texture. It is essentially Viennese nougat in a beautifully frozen form. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you cannot find sweetened condensed oat milk, any plant-based condensed milk will work just as well, although some might alter the flavour slightly, like coconut milk. You can also make your own sweetened condensed milk using powdered milk of choice, which will work perfectly, as well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Do not fret that additional icing sugar in the recipe; cold decreases sweetness, and the ice cream will not taste as good if the sugar is omitted, even with the sweetened condensed oat milk. However, if you like, you can add actual melted vegan nougat instead of the hazelnut butter, but do omit the sugar in that case, as nougat is usually quite sweet on its own. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan nougat chocolate ice cream by Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgcDWP33nUxS-SGfJQmXhdjVPTufOLxhhWT2Ock5HmY-IbJyGjrgw3nOro8Tkt947ZCQOKagwl7nROcISeg7aC4mEIWB1hIWkI1N03PcNwrhqtqPCBEOgDm5MzE41rNqtA8wBh2j-wc_Ew6LdVZZx4bzVAx-Ndnoy08UYdE9JsgnfyhoZAULbigBtczc/s1600/vegan%20nougat%20chocolate%20ice%20cream%20recipe%20tina%20vesic%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> 200 grams sweetened condensed oat milk, cold<br /> 200 ml plant-based double cream<br /> 100 grams hazelnut butter<br /> 80 grams extra dark chocolate (at least 85%)<br /> 50 grams icing sugar, sifted<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> a couple of big pinches of salt<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by melting the dark chocolate over low heat or in the microwave, and set it aside so it can cool down slightly. Place the hazelnut butter into a large bowl, add in the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt, and blend briefly. You can also whisk it with a wire whisk at this point. Take a separate large bowl, preferably a metal one, and whip the plant cream until stiff peaks form. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take the cooled chocolate and whisk it well with the hazelnut butter. Using a rubber spatula and gentle motions, fold the whipped cream into the hazelnut and chocolate in two or three additions, whichever one you are more comfortable with. Do not use a whisk or a hand mixer, so the batter does not deflate. It is also fine if there are streaks of cream visible throughout the ice cream. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Gently pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Serve the ice cream with some additional vegan chocolate sauce or chopped toasted hazelnuts. Yields around 700 ml of ice cream or 6 servings.</div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3446877606001207261'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3446877606001207261'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/08/vegan-nougat-chocolate-ice-cream.html' title='VEGAN NOUGAT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgcDWP33nUxS-SGfJQmXhdjVPTufOLxhhWT2Ock5HmY-IbJyGjrgw3nOro8Tkt947ZCQOKagwl7nROcISeg7aC4mEIWB1hIWkI1N03PcNwrhqtqPCBEOgDm5MzE41rNqtA8wBh2j-wc_Ew6LdVZZx4bzVAx-Ndnoy08UYdE9JsgnfyhoZAULbigBtczc/s72-c/vegan%20nougat%20chocolate%20ice%20cream%20recipe%20tina%20vesic%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-3575340370852865958</id><published>2024-08-16T05:38:00.002+02:00</published><updated>2024-08-16T16:13:42.422+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="breakfast"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="honey"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN POPPY SEED PASTRIES</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">These lovely pastries combine irresistible charm of the subtle crunch of poppy seeds with the deep aroma of vanilla beans and vegan honey, making them simply perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat. I find them incredibly indulgent and fantastic for picnics, as well, because they transport really well and stay soft for quite a long time. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Not too sweet, yet utterly aromatic and flavourful, they are a wonderful reminder of why homemade is always the best. They are also very straightforward to make and with easily accessible ingredients, which makes them suitable for bakers of all levels. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success.</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">They are absolutely delicious even the next day, but they do not toast that well due to the honey centres. However, they can be broiled quickly, for a similarly satisfying crunchy effect. They can also be topped with some vegan butter before broiling or split in half and used for a lovely version of French toast. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to shaping, you can shape them the way that it is described in the recipe, giving them a more laminated texture, or you can simply form a little dough ball, flatten it on your palm, drizzle some vegan honey in the centre, close it well, and place it on the baking sheet. The texture will be slightly different, but it is easier to shape, and the crumb will be equally soft. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And if you have some leftover vegan honey, you can either brush them with it before baking or right after they come out of the oven. Either way, it will add a touch more of sweetness and a delightful aroma. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan poppy seed pastries recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RePAGuquQ5kcy3DNd7lz3jHhnqusxnG-tZ0x5M6hGsENHl3GQhQc0pbniCRw578dQOSMwFN2xTM54t3ppYZhZMiI-TChhPypYYeilcZFew8mt36g1Hz8_7Yi2YN_6FhK-Y2Wd44DTCEmartb5WgHUwlhv2NWrvlQCGq4Xzobb5YhR-D4LIQTK6ZXRv8/s1600/vegan%20poppy%20seed%20vanilla%20bean%20pastries%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> 450 grams plain flour <br /> 50 grams ground poppy seeds <br /> 30 grams granulated sugar <br /> 150 grams vegan vanilla yoghurt <br /> 120 millilitres warm water <br /> 60 millilitres vegetable oil, divided <br /> 25 grams fresh yeast <br /> 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar <br /> 1 ½ teaspoon salt <br /> ½ of a medium vanilla bean or 1 heaped teaspoon of vanilla bean paste <br /> 100 grams vegan honey or maple syrup <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan poppy seed pastries recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmPUV39Z5Efa8ANCz5rlBDKpczkMSMps77iBkP9H0IWPGDR_sPv8aIGSwbHdJBEFPW3Hoy-S1VJHhpjZa5ACGPxGruICsutUq0H3Omu4XsSjNi9S-ypvxjYrX7HsO_wsxkcMRvM8F-W2YTos8fBTXNiGv3ZLz5hyphenhyphenuVKjPapSTJ05AEQzOUUjcOhOeUhA/s1600/vegan%20poppy%20seed%20vanilla%20bean%20pastries%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20development%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt and the poppy seeds, whisk very well, and set aside. Take a separate medium bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar, scraped seeds from the vanilla bean, and the warm water, mix well, and set aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once ready, make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the activated yeast, vegan vanilla yoghurt, half of the oil, and vinegar, and mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft and slightly sticky dough forms. It should not stick to your hands, but if it does, add another teaspoon or two of flour, but not more than that, as the dough needs to be as soft as possible. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise, at room temperature, for about an hour, or until doubled in size. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, knead it briefly, and then divide it into 16 equal pieces by weight. Roll each of them into a large circle, as large as you can get it, and drizzle a generous spoonful of vegan honey all over it. Roll it up into a long rope shape, pinching the seam so it stays tightly rolled. Coil the dough into a swirl, and place it on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Continue shaping until the dough is used up, and then let the pastries sit in a warm spot for another 30 minutes, to rise again. Just before baking, brush them with the reserved vegetable oil, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes. If desired, mist them with cold water as soon as they are out of the oven, for a softer crust. Serve warm, with a cup of strong coffee. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3575340370852865958'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3575340370852865958'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/08/vegan-poppy-seed-pastries.html' title='VEGAN POPPY SEED PASTRIES'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RePAGuquQ5kcy3DNd7lz3jHhnqusxnG-tZ0x5M6hGsENHl3GQhQc0pbniCRw578dQOSMwFN2xTM54t3ppYZhZMiI-TChhPypYYeilcZFew8mt36g1Hz8_7Yi2YN_6FhK-Y2Wd44DTCEmartb5WgHUwlhv2NWrvlQCGq4Xzobb5YhR-D4LIQTK6ZXRv8/s72-c/vegan%20poppy%20seed%20vanilla%20bean%20pastries%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-4218229890441474103</id><published>2024-08-09T06:17:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-08-09T06:17:16.267+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremets"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="fruit"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN NO-BAKE BLACKBERRY COCONUT CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Although the summer heat is starting to mellow down, there is always room for no-bake desserts. The combination of ease of preparation, no need for an oven, and simple, wholesome ingredients guarantees a fantastic experience on every bite. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> The wonderful blend of fresh blackberries and coconut makes for a perfect pairing, with the delightful burst of tanginess combined with the smooth sweetness of coconut. With its straightforward preparation and easily obtainable ingredients, this little no-bake beauty indeed shows that simplicity and deliciousness are achievable in this form, as well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b> My tips for success. </b><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> When it comes to straining blackberries to remove the pips, I leave that to your choice. I do not mind them at all in desserts, but if you want a completely smooth filling, purée the blackberries first, and strain them through a fine mesh sieve, and then proceed with the recipe. Do keep in mind that you will need more blackberries than the recipe calls for, as some of the pulp will inevitably be removed alongside the pips. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Any plant-based milk will work for the base of the cake, although I prefer the coconut milk, as it is a coconut layer. Soy milk also works well, because it's neutral and gives a nice texture to the custard. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> On a final note, do adjust the sweetness level of the blackberry cream filling to your preferences. Some blackberries can be very tart, and if you don’t like that, it is better to increase the amount of sugar and fully enjoy the dessert. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Keep in mind that other than granulated sugar, you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, as well as maple syrup, agave syrup, or even date syrup. Some of these will slightly change the colour of the filling, but that is not a problem, as it will still be fantastic. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan no-bake blackberry coconut cake recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBziAZpLH9TXWhT772aUFH6NOEJtimT4bfnLyEmb0InC5iL8tNhKn2EnbBs1wu7z_ai08O8NJqsKuc4xvUvhHNqhJhx2vKbKYGJ_1zxw84RInEwq1jk38LVoSwu4kcPnf2Z7GUg1HQrfteNUvqW2jho2B0koCoPOwHm0ObpjwqKxPV-7xLqjdh6J7DoY0/s1600/vegan%20no-bake%20blackberry%20coconut%20entremet%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the coconut base</b> <br /> 120 millilitres soy or coconut milk <br /> 20 grams cornflour <br /> 75 grams granulated sugar <br /> 60 grams vegan block butter, cubed <br /> 80 grams desiccated coconut <br /> 50 grams vegan white chocolate, chopped <br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the blackberry filling</b> <br /> 250 grams blackberries <br /> 40 grams cornflour <br /> 100 grams granulated sugar <br /> 50 millilitres cold water <br /> 125 grams vegan block butter <br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the blackberry jelly insert</b> <br /> 100 grams blackberries <br /> 25 grams cornflour <br /> 25 millilitres cold water <br /> 50 grams granulated sugar <br /> 10 grams vegan block butter <br /> ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the chocolate glaze</b> <br /> 100 grams dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids) <br /> 30 millilitres vegetable oil <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the blackberry jelly insert, as it needs to be frozen. Place the berries into a blender jar, along with the sugar, water, and cornflour, and blend until completely smooth. Pour this mix into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, either with a rubber spatula or a whisk. Once it starts to boil, cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes, stirring vigorously and constantly. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As soon as it is done, remove it from the heat and add in the vanilla and the vegan block butter. Mix well, either by using a wire whisk or an immersion blender, and transfer it to a 12-cm round cake pan or a pastry ring, lined with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Level the top and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap or a round of baking parchment, and place it into the freezer for at least 4-6 hours, or until frozen solid. This can also be done the night before. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Next, make the blackberry filling. Similarly to the jelly insert, place the berries into a blender, add in the sugar, water, and cornflour, and blend until completely smooth. Pour it into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. As soon as it starts to boil, whisk vigorously, and cook until glossy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove it from the heat, and add in the diced vegan block butter and vanilla. It can be cold or at room temperature, it makes no difference. Blend the butter well into the cooked custard, either with a hand mixer or an immersion blender, cover the top with a piece of cling film, and let it cool down to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Finally, make the coconut base layer. Prepare a 15-centimetre cake or pastry ring by placing it onto the serving platter and lining it with a strip of acetate, at least 5 centimetres tall. This will make the assembly easier. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Pour the milk of choice into a heavy-bottomed pot or a saucepan, and add in the cornflour and sugar. Place the pan over medium heat, and let it come to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, cook until thickened, stirring often. This should take no longer than 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in the vegan white chocolate, vegan block butter, and vanilla, and let it stand for a minute or so, so everything starts to melt. Take a hand mixer and blend this batter carefully, on low speed, as it can splatter, and once blended, add in the desiccated coconut, and continue mixing, increasing the speed as you go, until smooth. Add this to the lined cake ring and level it as much as possible. Let cool to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once everything is cool and ready, proceed to assemble. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take the blackberry filling and whip it with an electric mixer on high, to make it smooth and easily spreadable. Remove the blackberry insert from the mould and place it on top of the coconut layer. Gently spread the whipped filling on top and all around it, leaving a few tablespoons for decoration. Tap the platter a few times on the counter so the cream filling settles, and place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the cake is chilled and somewhat firm, make the chocolate glaze. Melt together the chopped chocolate and the vegetable oil, stirring until all of the visible oil streaks are gone. This can also be done with an immersion blender. Pour the glaze on top of the cake, shake and tap the platter to level it, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Yields 12 generous servings. <span style="color: white;">© Tina Vesić 2024 </span></div></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4218229890441474103'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/4218229890441474103'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/08/vegan-blackberry-coconut-cake.html' title='VEGAN NO-BAKE BLACKBERRY COCONUT CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBziAZpLH9TXWhT772aUFH6NOEJtimT4bfnLyEmb0InC5iL8tNhKn2EnbBs1wu7z_ai08O8NJqsKuc4xvUvhHNqhJhx2vKbKYGJ_1zxw84RInEwq1jk38LVoSwu4kcPnf2Z7GUg1HQrfteNUvqW2jho2B0koCoPOwHm0ObpjwqKxPV-7xLqjdh6J7DoY0/s72-c/vegan%20no-bake%20blackberry%20coconut%20entremet%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-3934892792142463555</id><published>2024-08-02T05:31:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-08-02T05:31:57.101+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN BLACKBERRY ORANGE STRUDEL</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> These tiny little strudels or hand pies might be one of my favourite things to make. So effortlessly simple, yet so amazingly delicious. Fresh blackberries, fresh oranges, a dash of dark rum, and plenty of vanilla and almonds, make these a real treat, especially with the afternoon coffee. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Blackberries are amazing in desserts; beautifully sweet, with just a touch of tartness. Their deep flavour pairs well the bright and sunny oranges, as well as the delightfully warm notes of rum. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> <b>My tips for success.</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> When it comes to these mini strudels, always count the filo sheets first. You need an even number of them, so you can use that one leftover sheet to cover them while baking, if they are browning too quickly. Or you can always make a slightly larger strudel with three sheets instead of two, of course. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> The filling should resemble a soft custard, hence why I cook it down with cornflour. Arrowroot powder also works well in this, of course. I would not use flour as it creates a texture I am not too happy with in this context. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> The reason why I use two pastry sheets for each strudel instead of one is the abundant filling. There is a lot of it, and it can get heavy for just one sheet, making the pies fold over or break once picked up. So two filo sheets work perfectly. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> And finally, goes without saying, if your filo sheets came frozen, do defrost them according to the package directions before use. The same can be said about the berries; you can definitely use frozen and defrosted blackberries, just strain them well and use that liquid instead of water when thickening the filling. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZsARD8TL7RJgP0EBYe94UWVuhyphenhyphen2p37Jj1Ut58pMoVnuIKcNeVIe3uggMl2IxykqRbGvPH7Vj9TSWiTA5dIOUv5rzLMSBJ4mJAorXNliiN4aXm5Z3SCMsgStIb39K4qqJztpdxc8Pxr4/s0/blackberry+orange+soft+vegan+strudel+recipe+food+writer+tina+vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the strudels</b> <br /> 500 grams filo pastry (16 sheets) <br /> 400 grams fresh blackberries <br /> 100 grams orange segments <br /> 100 grams light brown sugar <br /> 1 teaspoon dark rum <br /> 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest <br /> 50 millilitres cold water <br /> 30 grams cornflour <br /> 100 grams almonds, toasted and slivered <br /> <b>For the glaze</b> <br /> 100 millilitres water <br /> 120 grams vegan block butter, melted <br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Wash and clean the berries, zest and segment the oranges, and place the fruit into a large saucepan. Add in the sugar, rum, and the freshly grated orange zest, and mix briefly. Set it aside for about 30 minutes or so. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornflour. After the fruit has released a bit of liquid, mash it very lightly with a spatula, add in the cornflour, and mix well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Let this come to a gentle boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, or until thickened and glossy with plenty of fruit pieces throughout. Set it aside for about 20 minutes to cool down so it does not tear the pastry sheets. Once the fruit is lukewarm, add in the almonds, and stir them through well. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Take a medium saucepan, add in the butter, vanilla, and water, and melt everything together. Once melted, proceed to assemble the pies. Place one filo sheet flat on the work surface, brush it generously with the butter mixture, and top it with another pastry sheet. Place a portion of the filling in one of the corners and fold it into a parcel whichever way is easiest for you. Place it, seam side down, on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Repeat with the rest of the filo sheets and fruit, arranging them on the baking sheet as you go. Finally, use whatever glaze you have left to brush the tops of the strudels, and bake them immediately in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 20-25 minutes. Once they are golden brown and baked, remove them from the oven, let them cool down on the baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes, and serve. Yields 8 servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3934892792142463555'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3934892792142463555'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/08/vegan-blackberry-orange-strudel.html' title='VEGAN BLACKBERRY ORANGE STRUDEL'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZsARD8TL7RJgP0EBYe94UWVuhyphenhyphen2p37Jj1Ut58pMoVnuIKcNeVIe3uggMl2IxykqRbGvPH7Vj9TSWiTA5dIOUv5rzLMSBJ4mJAorXNliiN4aXm5Z3SCMsgStIb39K4qqJztpdxc8Pxr4/s72-c/blackberry+orange+soft+vegan+strudel+recipe+food+writer+tina+vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-5639550219091369085</id><published>2024-07-26T00:08:00.000+02:00</published><updated>2024-07-26T00:08:01.385+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="biscuits"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="celebration"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="confectionery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sitni kolači"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN HONEY SESAME CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This is a type of dessert that I loved the most as a child, and I still love them to this day, to be completely honest. They are miniature desserts that are typically served during holidays and celebrations, and they are quite literally the very first thing that gets eaten at any gathering. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Understandably so, too, as they are an absolutely delicious, one-bite sweet little treat that is often either made out of chocolate or glazed in chocolate. They are often made with traditional ingredients like walnuts or hazelnuts, honey, jam, and various types of ground biscuits. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I actually like to weigh each truffle so they are all the same, but you can most definitely just use a teaspoon and take out batter like that, especially if you will be enjoying them at home. This will definitely save time. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Use whichever vegan honey you prefer, and if you wish, you can add a few drops of honey flavouring, if it is available to you. That way the flavour will shine through more intensely and blend really well with sesame. Using maple syrup is also an option, although it will alter the flavour slightly. Do keep in mind that some vegan honeys and maple syrup are a bit runny, so you might need a bit more biscuit crumbs to make them hold their shape. Always have more than the recipe calls for, in case they absorb more liquid, or you decide to roll them in those same crumbs after shaping. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I used a mix of white and black sesame seeds, but you can use all white sesame seeds, the truffles will still be absolutely delicious. You can, if you wish, additionally dip them in chocolate instead of rolling them in sesame seeds, but do use a thin layer of chocolate, so it does not end up overpowering. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vegan honey sesame chocolate truffles posni sitni kolači recipe by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeu6tSWMq4gnCtSPdo4hbW2q3JcTqat1vT5waTSg1_rOpyOOFuREDzl2nMcEQpZU062OcDnUtpCte_1zsPRTsRXzRo7Jj07jJtD4UcI_ObabjIQHmwB6CccMigBUG39T7_OlsWYNEzyDKJMNel0ADgzkBvSLWITRm9mpUInNKQ_NSyBoHLB5atSxJfIk/s1600/vegan%20honey%20sesame%20chocolate%20truffles%20domaci%20sitni%20kolaci%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> 75 grams vegan block butter <br /> 25 grams soy milk <br /> 50 grams vegan honey <br /> 50 grams dark chocolate (at least 75% cocoa solids) <br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla <br /> 150 grams sesame seeds, white and black, divided <br /> 125 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by toasting the sesame seeds over medium heat. Place a large pan over medium heat and add the sesame seeds in an even layer. Toast them, while stirring, for about 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant, but make sure they do not burn, as they will taste quite bitter. Once done, take out 50 grams of the mixed sesame seeds to use as topping, and put the rest into a separate bowl. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a medium saucepan and add in the soy milk, vegan honey, vegan block butter, and vanilla, and place it over medium heat. Let it heat up slowly and meld together without coming to a boiling point. Once everything is melted, add in the chocolate, remove from the heat, and stir until combined. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Pour this mixture over the larger portion of the toasted sesame seeds, and mix well. Finally, start adding in the biscuit crumbs. Depending on your specific biscuit, you may not use the whole quantity, or you might need a bit more. It is always handy to have a bit more biscuits when making this type of truffles. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once everything is nicely mixed, let it cool down slightly, so you can shape it into truffles. This can be done by letting it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or if your kitchen is really warm, by placing the bowl in the refrigerator for not longer than 10 minutes. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take out small portions of the batter, around 15 grams per truffle, shape them into a nice little sphere, and immediately roll in the reserved sesame seeds. That way, the topping will stick to them nicely. Keep rolling until you use up all of the batter, arrange them in a single layer on a large serving platter, and let them firm up in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Yields 25 small truffles. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/5639550219091369085'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/5639550219091369085'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/07/vegan-honey-sesame-chocolate-truffles.html' title='VEGAN HONEY SESAME CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeu6tSWMq4gnCtSPdo4hbW2q3JcTqat1vT5waTSg1_rOpyOOFuREDzl2nMcEQpZU062OcDnUtpCte_1zsPRTsRXzRo7Jj07jJtD4UcI_ObabjIQHmwB6CccMigBUG39T7_OlsWYNEzyDKJMNel0ADgzkBvSLWITRm9mpUInNKQ_NSyBoHLB5atSxJfIk/s72-c/vegan%20honey%20sesame%20chocolate%20truffles%20domaci%20sitni%20kolaci%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-6415390012532072800</id><published>2024-07-19T06:05:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-07-19T06:05:39.924+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bread"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="breakfast"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dinner rolls"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="homemade"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="rolls"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="savory"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="savoury"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>MINI VEGAN SLIDER BUNS</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to baking during summer, especially in the warmest part of it, I like to bake early in the morning, bake in batches, and freeze everything I can for later use. That is why I find bread rolls so handy, as they freeze very well, and are perfect for hot days. Especially this tiny, slider buns and other bread rolls bake incredibly quickly, and a lot of them can fit on one baking tray, which is good for saving time and energy. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Depending on how warm your kitchen is, they can be ready in less than 2 hours, including baking, but if they take longer to rise, that is fine, too. I like to split them open and serve with homemade jam and coffee, for a sweet breakfast, but they are also quite lovely for picnics, once the weather allows it, or lunchboxes. Pillowy soft, with a beautiful chewy crust, they are gorgeous on their own, as well as with any filling of your choice, including sweet ones. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">The quantity of sugar and salt is balanced to keep them neutral and flavourful, but if you like your slider buns on the saltier side, rather than increasing the salt in the dough, feel free to sprinkle some salt, coarse or regular, on them before baking. You can also use salted pumpkin seeds, for the same effect, and an added crunch. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">They are truly best served very warm, but they do not slice very well at that point, so keep that in mind. If you want clean slices, it is best to wait until they have cooled down a bit. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Other than granulated sugar, you can use maple syrup or vegan honey as the sweetener, only use a bit less water in the dough, as liquid sweeteners have around 20% of water or more. The alternative is to add a bit more flour if the dough feels sticky once formed. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9ZggVGxm0gEcBubhpE-EPOYJV-WyPeZfbSK530BUhlvHS1ee4GwnTUatWMo5LBXrnoDMkdYUp-AzAthROhcGQguQW1PW7RlJ0yMWwgAT4Qufb-fK2p5ECFInGi2sNJBRDGYhJTSycq8vFAj8Tr0h1Sb_jzWzkxWPXCMQjEtVUA3LPSY9sc9izJVJA4o/s1600/mini%20vegan%20slider%20buns%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the slider buns</b> <br /> 350 grams plain flour <br /> 200 millilitres warm water <br /> 40 millilitres vegetable oil <br /> 20 grams fresh yeast <br /> 25 grams granulated sugar <br /> 7 grams salt <br /> <b>For the glaze and topping</b> <br /> 1 tablespoon cornflour <br /> 1 teaspoons icing sugar <br /> 30 millilitres cold water <br /> black and white sesame seeds, salted pumpkin seeds, etc. <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEzgbDQeGzCWcVsMYhnlOhJ-rmDL0UaipRgeqOTGmXFestZGDUvmmHM4jwJkiTnMnUfJ1pltEHDIBevUydhVHs6eztR2QhKHrg8kNif_kvUeNDFuTO3onVrV5s0ldnmU9Ls-16IlP4EHDmLj-TR5zzSFz1uNvXecLw3dTPQr9k_AWO3gxb10FwaE5HnI/s1600/mini%20vegan%20slider%20buns%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20development%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Take a large bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar and warm water, mix well, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once ready, pour in the oil, mix well, and then sift in the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until a very soft dough forms. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Turn the dough out onto a nicely floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and smooth. It should not stick too much, but if it does, feel free to add a bit more flour. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it into that same large bowl you formed it in, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for about an hour, in a warm spot. Depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is, it may take a bit longer, but that is fine. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZgBjlyRpfetIBmywr4rOvzKlQgunyyO2mXgtAc00kwsGLCevXS7aq8JbpVAdxQ_rC-4MtaBbwDZzbJG516O0AewtFT8XCSK7Rz5hnXBUF3aLrJVMd_YqNl1QJisPdMAFmnHWKO87HCIsNugUmP8g4-IZTtJRfXlafKsRrMn4WGVucqtZqRUhHDNxUpk/s1600/mini%20vegan%20slider%20buns%20recipe%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Line a medium baking tin (18x18 cm) with baking parchment and very lightly mist it with cold water. Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it gently by hand, and divide into 16 equal parts, by weight. Shape each of them into a smooth bun, and arrange them snugly in the baking tin. Generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Mix all the ingredients for the glaze, apart from the seeds, and brush each slider bun generously. Top them equally abundantly with the seeds of your choice, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes, or until evenly browned. Serve immediately. Yields 16 buns. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>Author's note</b>: If freezing these buns, let them cool completely after baking, wrap tightly in cling film, and then place inside a storage bag, tightly sealing it, as well. To reheat, let them thaw completely in the refrigerator, and then reheat for about 20 minutes in a 180°C oven, until heated through and hot. Use within one month, for the best taste and quality.</div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6415390012532072800'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6415390012532072800'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/07/mini-vegan-slider-buns.html' title='MINI VEGAN SLIDER BUNS'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9ZggVGxm0gEcBubhpE-EPOYJV-WyPeZfbSK530BUhlvHS1ee4GwnTUatWMo5LBXrnoDMkdYUp-AzAthROhcGQguQW1PW7RlJ0yMWwgAT4Qufb-fK2p5ECFInGi2sNJBRDGYhJTSycq8vFAj8Tr0h1Sb_jzWzkxWPXCMQjEtVUA3LPSY9sc9izJVJA4o/s72-c/mini%20vegan%20slider%20buns%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-3225495172733079898</id><published>2024-07-12T05:27:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-07-12T05:27:48.785+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="breakfast"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="canning"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="fruit"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="homemade"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="preserves"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="quick"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>HOMEMADE MANGO APRICOT JAM</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Jams are among my favourite things to make and enjoy for many reasons, mainly because they use the whole fruit, wasting nearly nothing, and they are simply perfect on a piece of toast, as a cake filling or frosting, as well as pancake and waffle topping. There is no wrong way of enjoying homemade jam. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This is a lovely and bright flavour combination, especially with just a touch of white rum, just to brighten it up a bit further. It does not use a lot of sugar, as the fruit is in its prime now, ripe and delightfully sweet, and the tiny addition of vanilla makes it taste like candy. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success</b> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This is a small batch of jam, one of the smallest I make. Because of that, it cooks down very quickly, so it is best to keep it on medium to medium-low heat, depending on how hot your stove runs, and stir it constantly. That way, it cooks evenly and does not burn on the bottom. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Now, I chose to purée the jam so it spreads nicely onto toast, but you can most definitely leave it as is, leaving some of the fruit pieces intact. That is also a wonderful jam texture, without a doubt, and equally useful for cakes and pastries. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">On a final note, you can remove the skins off the peaches if you wish, but I did not. If you remove it, the jam will be somewhat lighter in colour than mine, but the flavour will not be affected in any way. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Homemade vegan mango, apricot, and peach jam by food writer pastry development chef Tina Vesić" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2Y4jhxlhG721kC4RPdG2f1SERsTC_2PYsVyJSURXkmAxWUvzJh3CVT7MY83ETZ6R4yDtQX4DayPwTbaNwqueION8jrXtq0BPSmhvNzWXccR_3Nz_etPPPwmzkkIi4-W1MoXhxgN54D3BLKa4hi8mOx1UFIcClvSkefbQLekZ2koTuMgqELCdJkEmwWg/s1600/homemade%20vegan%20mango%20apricot%20peach%20jam%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> 200 grams ripe mango pieces <br /> 100 grams ripe peaches <br /> 200 grams ripe apricots <br /> 200 grams granulated sugar <br /> 1 small lemon, juice only <br /> ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> ½ teaspoon white rum <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Remove all the stones from the fruit, dice and weigh it, and place it into a large non-reactive pot. Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Stir very well, so the sugar is evenly distributed, and let the fruit macerate for about an hour or so. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once it has released its liquid, the pot over medium heat, and let it very slowly come to a boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, start the timer, and cook for about 35-40 minutes, stirring almost constantly, removing any foam that appears on the surface. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As this is a tiny batch of jam, the cooking process is quick. After about 30 minutes or so, purée the jam completely with an immersion blender, and check if it has reached its setting point, either by dropping a teaspoon of it onto a chilled plate, and seeing if it sets after about a minute, or by inserting a candy thermometer and making sure it has reached 105°C. If not, continue cooking and checking in 5-minute intervals until set. The longer you cook it, the deeper the colour and flavour will get. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the jam reaches its setting point, remove it from the heat, add in the vanilla and rum, and stir very well. Let it cool down for about 10 and pour it into a sterilised jar, closing the lid tightly. Keep it in a dark and cool place, or in the refrigerator, for the best possible taste. Yields 350 grams of jam. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3225495172733079898'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/3225495172733079898'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/07/mango-apricot-jam.html' title='HOMEMADE MANGO APRICOT JAM'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2Y4jhxlhG721kC4RPdG2f1SERsTC_2PYsVyJSURXkmAxWUvzJh3CVT7MY83ETZ6R4yDtQX4DayPwTbaNwqueION8jrXtq0BPSmhvNzWXccR_3Nz_etPPPwmzkkIi4-W1MoXhxgN54D3BLKa4hi8mOx1UFIcClvSkefbQLekZ2koTuMgqELCdJkEmwWg/s72-c/homemade%20vegan%20mango%20apricot%20peach%20jam%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2746086976012525101</id><published>2024-07-05T05:52:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-07-05T05:52:45.959+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="caramel"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="coffee"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="entremets"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CARAMEL CAPPUCCINO CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I take my coffee black, without any sweeteners or cream, and that is how I've loved it for years, but when it comes to desserts, any combination with caramel is an instant winner for me. The perfect blend of rich coffee and sweet caramel delight. A wonderful, robust espresso cookie base, gorgeous caramel layers, and plenty of velvety caramel frosting make for the perfect after-dinner or brunch treat. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">I love serving it with a cup of coffee, as I find it pairs amazingly well with this type of cake, but a tall glass of cold milk of your choice is a good option, as well. It is also a marvellous however you choose to serve it - straight out of the refrigerator, with a texture of an ice cream bar, or slightly softened, after being at room temperature for about 15 minutes. There really is no wrong way of serving it.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you have a tiny sheet pan that fits into your oven alongside the cake pan with the batter, you can bake the cookie and the cake layers simultaneously, only taking the cookie out earlier. This saves time and energy, of course. But if you do not have a tiny sheet pan, simply invert a cake pan and bake the cookie that way. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">If you enjoy a stronger coffee flavour, add up to ½ teaspoon of instant espresso more to the cookie, but not more than that, because it will turn out bitter and almost overpowering. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And finally, if you add caramel sauce to the filling and frosting, like I did, be prepared that there will be pieces of chewy and thick caramel throughout the frosting. If you are fine with that, perfect; if not, and you want it completely smooth, add the caramel sauce to the butter and cream them together before blending in the custard. </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNX-17NHdOpyZAKtRE-6FYKLssx869i4oNqjheMSjHekn4AQ-6z09USqYDjx6wGMgk8ZfRJJQIu6fvb_f-9gM7OSuk69bJ0T_z0QY-324uyLfPIE_KW4KPt7jAb5nLDti-mT1T4NaFOLJ_U2hbDLB1hTAN9wiXGg-YTdHz55zAMhG-2n3UkFvwx69bZwQ/s1600/vegan%20caramel%20cappuccino%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the vegan caramel cake layers</b><br /> 85 grams plain flour<br /> 70 grams coconut sugar<br /> ½ teaspoon baking powder<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> 90 millilitres tepid water<br /> <b>For the vegan cappuccino cookie</b><br /> 20 grams coconut sugar<br /> 20 grams vegan block butter, slightly softened<br /> 25 millilitres soy milk<br /> 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder<br /> 45 grams plain flour<br /> ¼ teaspoon baking powder<br /> <b>For the caramel cream filling</b><br /> 300 millilitres soy milk, cold<br /> 100 grams granulated sugar<br /> 50 grams cornflour<br /> 100 grams vegan block butter, softened<br /> 50 grams vegan caramel sauce, optional<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYaaJyypfv5IeqCf2urAmo0zrcN-xTwWuRAxTMbk67jQ10abeF5J5zQuAnbEqgQ_B2ZkwzGgmc7JsRjms4ufTO-huUN7V-eHNkS3JNUdl_XwTENDbhDb7bCGUE_f9JoxOlSndfVc_IRLi2Mkv4ytrl2JmxuBa_PqymrDXjgwk17XJeb3eVutA0tdZYW8/s1600/vegan%20caramel%20cappuccino%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20pastry%20development%20chef%20food%20writer%20tina%20vesic.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the caramel custard, as it takes time to cool down. Take away about 100 millilitres of soy milk, and whisk it <b>very well</b> with sifted cornflour. Set it aside, and whisk it gently from time to time. Add the sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place it over medium heat, and let the sugar melt slowly. Once it starts to brown around the edges, slowly move the melted parts towards the centre. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Keep cooking on medium heat until it starts to turn dark in colour and become very fragrant. As soon as it becomes a deep amber colour, very carefully pour in the larger portion of the soy milk, 200 millilitres, and let it come to a boil. The cooked caramel will harden, and that is fine, as it will completely melt into the milk by the time it starts boiling. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once all the caramel is melted, whisk in the cornflour mixture, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove it from the heat and immediately strain it through a mesh strainer, in case there are still pieces of hardened caramel. Cover the top cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the caramel cake layers, take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour and the baking powder. Whisk them together, and then add in the coconut sugar. Set it aside for just a minute, and prepare the pan by lining the bottom and sides of a small round baking pan (12 cm) with baking parchment. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Pour the water and vanilla over the dry ingredients and quickly whisk until blended. As soon as the batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan, tap it once or twice on the counter, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness early on. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove it from the oven and let the cake cool down in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then invert it on a wire rack, and let it cool down completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">To make the vegan espresso cookie base, place the vegan block butter into a small bowl and mash it with a fork until somewhat smooth. Add in the coconut sugar and the espresso powder, and blend and mash them together. Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix as much as you can, and add in the soy milk. Blend everything together using a fork or a tiny whisk, and scrape all the batter onto a tiny baking sheet, forming a single cookie that is roughly 12-13 cm in diameter. Bake it in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 8-10 minutes. Let the baked cookie cool down completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a large bowl, add in the softened vegan block butter, and mix it with an electric mixer on high, until very light and creamy, almost resembling a buttercream, about 3-4 minutes. Do the same with the cooled custard, to make it easier to blend. Without stopping the mixer, start adding the cooled custard, a spoonful at a time, to the vegan butter, until completely combined. Add in the vegan caramel sauce, if using, and briefly blend again. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Level the cake, if needed, and slice it into two layers horizontally. Place the cookie onto the serving platter and top it with a portion of the filling. It does not have to be precise, just make sure you have enough filling to use as frosting. Add one cake layer and top it with another portion of the filling. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Finally, add the second cake layer and frost the entire cake with the remaining custard filling. There is plenty of custard, so the decoration can be as intricate as you like. Place the cake into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and serve with freshly brewed espresso. Yields 6 servings. <span style="color: white;">© Tina Vesić 2024</span></div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2746086976012525101'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2746086976012525101'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/07/vegan-caramel-cappuccino-cake.html' title='VEGAN CARAMEL CAPPUCCINO CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNX-17NHdOpyZAKtRE-6FYKLssx869i4oNqjheMSjHekn4AQ-6z09USqYDjx6wGMgk8ZfRJJQIu6fvb_f-9gM7OSuk69bJ0T_z0QY-324uyLfPIE_KW4KPt7jAb5nLDti-mT1T4NaFOLJ_U2hbDLB1hTAN9wiXGg-YTdHz55zAMhG-2n3UkFvwx69bZwQ/s72-c/vegan%20caramel%20cappuccino%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-2090277714150777141</id><published>2024-06-28T07:08:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-06-28T07:08:16.789+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="chocolate cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="custard"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dark chocolate"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FUDGE CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Summer is officially here in the Northern hemisphere, and late evening gatherings simply call for indulging in delightful cakes such as this one. The toasted hazelnuts embellish the cake with a delightful, warm, earthy flavour that complements perfectly the deep, intense flavours of dark chocolate. Truffle-like chocolate cake, rich and smooth hazelnut fudge frosting, and a shiny chocolate glaze make this wonderful little cake a true velvety treat. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"><b>My tips for success</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">It truly is best to use toasted hazelnuts for this type of cakes, because they have the most flavour, but even blanched will work well, even though the cake will be milder in flavour and somewhat lighter in colour. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When it comes to baking, always use the written instructions as a guideline, honouring your baking equipment first and foremost. You know your oven best, and if it runs a bit hotter, the cake will be done sooner. Always check with a toothpick to make sure it is done, but not dry. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This cake is really meant to be served straight out of the pan, but if you want to transfer it to a nice cake platter and decorate it further, it is absolutely possible. After chilling overnight, simply remove it with the parchment, gently and carefully remove the parchment, and place it on the platter. Alternatively, if you are certain that that is how you want to serve it, you can remove the parchment once the cake is cool, and simply place it on the cake platter, closing a square cake form around it, and then proceeding with the recipe. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCry3DzAHB6qKRaiIGHqCyhV_HECvJj9nWq9z7Lh0OIxzbOkbUOSsGDRD36zNMc1rHL8Cu-pCK1br5zpGZa0tHdpdgmNwHnWa-5uAgi7F3B3Tsi2wnywOzluFGz2LsjdKpNhowt2RsvVw/s0/vegan+chocolate+hazelnut+fudge+cake+recipe+tina+vesic+food+writer.jpg" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the vegan chocolate cake</b> <br /> 200 grams plain flour <br /> 50 grams toasted hazelnuts, ground <br /> 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder <br /> 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder <br /> ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder <br /> 120 grams light brown sugar <br /> 65 millilitres vegetable oil <br /> 200 millilitres boiling water <br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the rich vegan hazelnut frosting</b> <br /> 350 millilitres soy milk, cold <br /> 40 grams cornflour <br /> 30 grams plain flour <br /> 50 grams dark brown sugar <br /> 100 grams vegan block butter, cubed <br /> 60 grams hazelnut butter <br /> ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the dark chocolate glaze</b> <br /> 100 grams dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) <br /> 40 grams vegan block butter <br /> 30 millilitres soy milk <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the hazelnut fudge filling, as it needs a bit of time to cool down and set. Sift together the flour and cornflour into a heavy saucepan, add in the sugar, and mix very well. Pour in the cold soy milk and the vanilla, whisk well, and place the pan over medium heat. Let it heat up slowly, and as soon as it starts to simmer, start stirring. Cook, stirring <u>constantly</u> for about 2-3 minutes, or until thickened and glossy. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Remove from heat, add in the vegan block butter, vanilla, and the hazelnut butter, and whisk until incorporated. At this point, you can use a hand mixer or an immersion blender if you find it easier. Once blended, cover the top with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, and set it aside to cool down to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Next, make the fudge cake. Set the oven to preheat to 180°C. Sift the cocoa powder into a small bowl, add in the espresso powder, and pour in about 50 millilitres of boiling water over it. Mix briefly, and let it bloom. Take a large bowl, add in the sugar and the rest of the hot water, mix well, and set it aside so the sugar starts to melt. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Add in the oil, vanilla, and the cocoa powder, and mix very well. Tip in the plain flour, ground hazelnuts, and the baking powder, and whisk until just blended. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Take a medium rectangle baking pan (18x18 cm), and line it with baking parchment. Pour in the batter and tap it very lightly on the counter to remove any large bubbles. Bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes or so. Once a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove it from the oven, and let it cool down to room temperature in the pan. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the cake and the filling are cool to the touch, mix the filling with an electric mixer on high for a minute or so, until smooth and creamy. Spread it all over the top of the cake, levelling it as much as possible. Place the whole pan in the refrigerator for at least an hour, preferably two. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">When the filling is somewhat firm to the touch, make the chocolate glaze by melting together the dark chocolate, vegan block butter, and soy milk over low heat. Once melted, let it cool down for a few moments, glaze the top of the cake, and return it to the refrigerator for at least 6 more hours, preferably overnight. Yields 9 <b>rich</b> servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2090277714150777141'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/2090277714150777141'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/06/vegan-chocolate-hazelnut-fudge-cake.html' title='VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FUDGE CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCry3DzAHB6qKRaiIGHqCyhV_HECvJj9nWq9z7Lh0OIxzbOkbUOSsGDRD36zNMc1rHL8Cu-pCK1br5zpGZa0tHdpdgmNwHnWa-5uAgi7F3B3Tsi2wnywOzluFGz2LsjdKpNhowt2RsvVw/s72-c/vegan+chocolate+hazelnut+fudge+cake+recipe+tina+vesic+food+writer.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-6463346046082630378</id><published>2024-06-21T00:02:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-06-21T00:02:40.659+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baked"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="baking"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bread"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="breakfast"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brioche"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>SWEET CHERRY RED WINE VEGAN SWIRL BREAD</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Cherries, both sweet and sour, are one of my favourite fruits. Gloriously aromatic and full of flavour, they are the perfect pairing for many desserts. And this luxurious little loaf combines the richness of sweet cherries with beautiful tanginess of the red wine, creating a luscious treat that's perfect for breakfast or brunch. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">With its subtle hints of vanilla and a perfectly balanced sweetness, this wonderful egg-free and dairy-free loaf is a fantastic way to start the day. Whether enjoyed with a cup of strong coffee or a glass of cold almond milk, each slice is bursting with flavour and gorgeous aromas. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Some of my tips for success: <u>Use the red wine you enjoy drinking</u>. That goes for any recipe that calls for wine, as a matter of fact, because the flavour can be prominent, and you want something you enjoy on its own. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">This loaf is not that great for toasting, due to the sticky filling, but it broils perfectly, especially slathered with vegan butter beforehand. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">And finally, my heartfelt advice about the filling - cook it until thickened, so there are no juices running, and it will be fine. If cooked thicker, it will be firmer and stay in place, allowing for a tidier slice. And if cooked thinner, it will almost meld into the dough itself, making it moister and stickier. No wrong way to do it! </div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvCO-dBM2tXeGAGio0a3s8JZxjPwb94I-YVAkdVHEE0csm8GT-2eXnOb6zjFAfWaJt-kf0_DslP1kpX08yafasdRoc4TU1udaC0qgjkD1am1Bd9bLz_OeXO-z5VYditpF8knmd5Fa3F7M75Qs9CJjAmCNt1KIRetoMCwuAX4wt653gg6dmoGUxUMLo" /></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i><br /> <b>For the vegan enriched dough</b><br /> 250 grams plain flour<br /> 100 grams strong bread flour<br /> 120 millilitres warm water<br /> 30 grams light brown sugar<br /> 25 grams fresh yeast<br /> 100 grams apple sauce<br /> 20 millilitres sunflower oil<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste<br /> 10 grams salt<br /> 60 grams vegan block butter, cold<br /> <b>For the sweet cherry red wine swirl</b><br /> 300 grams fresh sweet cherries, weighed without stems or pits<br /> 75 millilitres <u>unfined</u> red wine, such as Merlot or Pinot Noir<br /> 100 grams granulated sugar<br /> ¼ vanilla bean<br /><br /> <i>Preparation</i><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Start by making the vegan enriched dough. Pour the warm water into a large bowl, add in the sugar and crumbled fresh yeast, mix lightly, and let it dissolve and bubble up. When the yeast becomes fragrant, add in the apple sauce, vanilla, and oil, and mix well. Sift in both types of flour and salt, and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until a very soft dough forms. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not stick too much to the spoon, but if it does, add another tablespoon of plain flour and mix it well. Once a shaggy dough forms, add in the vegan block butter, and knead it into the dough. Be patient in with this step, as it will take a bit of time for the dough to absorb the butter. Place the formed dough into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rise, at room temperature, for about an hour to an hour and a half, or until doubled in size. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Next, make the sweet cherry swirl. Halve the cherries and add them to a heavy-bottomed pot. Slice the vanilla bean in half, scrape out all the seeds into the pot, add in the vanilla pods themselves, and add in the wine and sugar. Mix briefly, and let it come to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until it thickens up to the consistency of thick jam, about 15-20 minutes. Ty not to stir too much, swirling the pot frequently, so the cherries stay whole as much as possible. Remove from the heat, remove the vanilla pods, and discard them. Let the filling cool down. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into three equal parts. Roll each part into a large rectangle, and spread on a third of the fruit filling. Roll each dough piece into a roll, and seal the edges well. Make a three-strand plait out of the dough pieces, tuck the ends underneath, and then place it into a loaf pan that has been lined with baking parchment. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for a second time, for about 30 minutes. Let the oven preheat to 200˚C. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;">As soon as the oven is ready, generously mist the loaf with cold water, and bake immediately, at 200˚C, for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden. Once baked to your liking, take it out of the oven, mist it with cold water for a softer crust, and let it cool down enough to be handled; about 10 minutes in the loaf pan, and then for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack. Yields 8 rich servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6463346046082630378'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/6463346046082630378'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/06/cherry-red-wine-vegan-bread.html' title='SWEET CHERRY RED WINE VEGAN SWIRL BREAD'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvCO-dBM2tXeGAGio0a3s8JZxjPwb94I-YVAkdVHEE0csm8GT-2eXnOb6zjFAfWaJt-kf0_DslP1kpX08yafasdRoc4TU1udaC0qgjkD1am1Bd9bLz_OeXO-z5VYditpF8knmd5Fa3F7M75Qs9CJjAmCNt1KIRetoMCwuAX4wt653gg6dmoGUxUMLo=s72-c" height="72" width="72"/></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6703534581203449408.post-452123439805048899</id><published>2024-06-14T06:27:00.001+02:00</published><updated>2024-06-14T06:27:53.367+02:00</updated><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="bakery"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="brunch"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="cake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="comfort food"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="custard"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="dessert"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="fruit"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="no-bake"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="pastry development chef"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="recipe"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="sweet"/><category scheme="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#" term="vegan"/><title type='text'>VEGAN STRAWBERRY COCONUT CRÊPE CAKE</title><content type='html'><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Although I do love all seasons, this warmer part of the year is my favourite, I have to admit. Abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, abundance of sunshine, early mornings and late sunsets really make me fall in love with it every year. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> While fresh strawberries are in season, I indulge in them in any way I can; smoothies, cakes, cookies, breads, and just as they are, sweet as honey. And as someone who loves the strawberries and coconut combination, I find this cake just delightful; incredibly rich in taste and texture, yet very light, as it is a fruit cake, after all. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Such a wonderful pairing of the sweetness of coconut and natural tanginess of the strawberries, enhanced by a touch of lemon juice. Just perfect for summer gatherings. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> On a final note, a few of my tips for success. If you want the outside of the cake to be picture-perfect, you can use a cake ring to trim the outer, crispy edges of the crêpes, but I do not mind the imperfections, so I left them as they were. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> I like to divide the filling by weight, so there is enough for each layer, and I do it with a digital scale, but it is absolutely fine if you wish to simply estimate, it will certainly go much quicker. The only thing I do have to point out is that if you also get 14 crêpes, like I did, you need to divide the filling into 13 parts. If you get fewer crêpes, divide the filling into fewer parts, so there is enough for all of them. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1v8MbyiWOWwOWEKER824TRpPvbI5g9xr90zzUT30gQO4-vNZLbRfSpXYLa-nKSAhYTgA1W0RMGrlm6lniGRs8tlqZC4qNTELJ7FIHHKfw30zJUFtlWGMK1iCkxeZngbJZFu95zo331nn6Hj4eNuukLxTtVPKWMK9mIWaUGUqD8sP6w1MpO3GmCBVqVQ/s1600/vegan%20strawberry%20coconut%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg"/></div><br /> <i>Ingredients</i> <br /> <b>For the vanilla crêpes</b> <br /> 300 grams plain flour <br /> 650 millilitres carbonated water <br /> 10 grams baking powder <br /> 20 grams light brown sugar <br /> 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste <br /> <b>For the strawberry coconut filling</b> <br /> 400 grams fresh strawberries, hulled <br /> 50 millilitres fresh lemon juice <br /> 50 grams cornflour <br /> 120 grams light brown sugar <br /> 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste <br /> 50 grams vegan block butter, diced <br /> 100 grams desiccated coconut <br /> 500 millilitres plant-based double cream <br /> <br /> <i>Preparation</i> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Start by making the strawberry cream filling, as it needs to cool down completely. Place the fresh strawberries into a blender, along with the lemon juice, cornflour, and sugar, and let it run until a completely smooth batter forms. Pour it into a heavy saucepan or a pot, and place it over medium high heat. Let it slowly heat up, and once it starts to simmer, whisk vigorously for a minute or two, until it thickens up and starts to resemble fruit custard. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Remove from the heat, add in the vanilla and the vegan block butter, and stir until it all melts and blends together. At this point you can use an immersion blender, if you wish. Once everything is ready and smooth, cover the top with some cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> To make the crêpes, take a large bowl, and add in the carbonated water, sugar, and the vanilla, and mix well so everything starts to dissolve. Sift in the flour and the baking powder, and whisk to form a thick batter. The batter will be quite runny, and that is fine, that will help it spread in the pan. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Take a large crêpe pan, 20-22 cm in diameter, and lightly oil it or spray it with a cooking spray just once. Place the pan over medium high heat, and let it heat up. Once ready, take a small ladle (about 80 millilitres), and pour it onto the centre of the heated pan, quickly swirling it around so the batter covers the whole surface. This will make sure the crêpes are thin, which is what is needed for the cake. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Cook each one on medium high heat until the surface looks set, flip it over gently, and cook for 15-20 seconds more. Repeat with the rest of the batter, until all of it is used up. You should have 13 or 14 super thin crêpes. Set them aside to cool down completely. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Once the filling and the crêpes are cool, proceed to assemble the cake. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Take a large bowl and pour in the chilled plant double cream. Using a hand mixer on high, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Without changing the beaters, whip the cooled fruit custard on high, for at least a minute, so it becomes smooth and spreadable. Add in the desiccated coconut, and blend really well. Add the filling to the bowl with the cream, and fold everything through until almost completely blended. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Finally, use the hand mixer on the highest speed for barely 5 seconds, to firm it up additionally. Reserve about one-fifth of the filling to use as frosting for the cake, and divide the remaining filling into 13 equal parts. This is best done by weight, as there are many layers, and it is preferable they are all evenly stacked. </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 30pt;"> Place the first crepe on a serving platter, top it with a portion of the filling, spread it all the way out to the edges, top with another crêpe, then filling, and continue stacking until all of the crêpes are used up. Frost the entire cake with the reserved filling and place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Serve with fresh seasonal fruit and strong coffee. Yields 16 rich servings. </div></content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/452123439805048899'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/6703534581203449408/posts/default/452123439805048899'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://www.tinavesic.com/2024/06/vegan-strawberry-coconut-cake.html' title='VEGAN STRAWBERRY COCONUT CRÊPE CAKE'/><author><name>Unknown</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1v8MbyiWOWwOWEKER824TRpPvbI5g9xr90zzUT30gQO4-vNZLbRfSpXYLa-nKSAhYTgA1W0RMGrlm6lniGRs8tlqZC4qNTELJ7FIHHKfw30zJUFtlWGMK1iCkxeZngbJZFu95zo331nn6Hj4eNuukLxTtVPKWMK9mIWaUGUqD8sP6w1MpO3GmCBVqVQ/s72-c/vegan%20strawberry%20coconut%20layer%20cake%20recipe%20by%20food%20writer%20pastry%20development%20chef%20tina%20vesic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/></entry></feed>