Veganacious

Archive for the ‘Desserts’ Category

There is an art to forming fortune cookies, but once you catch onto it, the process is very easy.  The cookies must be formed while warm, so you may need to just cook two or three cookies at a time. Luckily, they are simple to make and don’t take long to form, either.  I would heartily recommend that, once formed, they are put into a muffin tin  or tiny tea cup to keep their shape until they are fully cooled.

History of Fortune Cookies

Fortune cookies are actually an American invention, created by either a Cantonese or Japanese man in the early 1920s, probably in California, but they have become a standard post-meal offering in Chinese restaurants in the U.S.

Have strips of fortunes prepared before you begin making the cookie dough.  Type them on the computer or write them by hand, but be sure they are ready before the cookies are begun.  Once the fortune cookies come out of the oven, you will need to move quickly, so the fortunes must be handy and ready to insert. Have gloves ready if possible, too, because the fortune cookie shape needs to be formed while the cookies are hot.

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The thought of luscious red cherries and the almond flavoring reminiscent of marzipan were beckoning to me. Thus was the inspiration for this recipe.  I added some cherry frosting and a big cherry on top (not shown in this photo) and was all set to give to my favorite Valentine in the junior set – you can see by the photo below it was well received.

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

• 1/2 C. cherry pie filling
• 1/3 C. vegan buttery spread (or oil)
• 1-1/4 C. soymilk or almond milk
• 1 tsp. almond flavoring

Blend the above ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

In another medium large bowl, mix:

• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 C. unbleached flour
• 1/2 C. vegan sugar

Stir to mix well.

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This was a favorite recipe of my grandmother, Martha Antoinetta Sophia Andreasen Christensen.  My grandmother immigrated to this country via Ellis Island with my mother many decades ago, from Randers, Denmark. She had been an indentured servant since she was very small, as her mother died when she was very young; my grandmother was left all alone. But she survived and maintained a love of the recipes of her childhood, which came with her across the seas. Wienerbrod (Danish pastries) meant company was coming. I used to get a bit tired of Danish Applecake – we had it every holiday for all of my early memories.  It was always served with a big dollop of pure whipping cream. When I recently tried a vegan version, it was a big hit with the little ones who had not tried it before.  In fact, asking for thirds had only happened once before, and that was for ice cream!  This is a simple recipe and a nice light treat – once in awhile.

Use 1-1/2 cups fined crushed vegan graham crackers (try Keebler); crush in your blender, or put in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to break down the bits and pieces.  About two internal packages of commercially prepared grahams are about right.

Melt 1/4 C. of Earth Balance.  Add to the graham cracker crumbs, along with 3 Tb. brown sugar.  Mix well, then brown lightly in a frying pan before placing in the pan.  Place half the crumbs in a large glass pan, pressing down firmly.

Pour 2 C. applesaurce on top of the crumb mixture.  Spread evenly, and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.

Top the applesauce with the remaining graham cracker mixture.  Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

Serve with a vegan cream topping in small dessert dishes.  Try with cashew cream:

Place a few handfuls of raw cashews in your blender. Cover with soymilk or soy cream.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1-2 TB. vegan sugar. Blend for a few minutes, stopping to allow your blender to cool down if necessary.  Mixture should be completely smooth; it will be somewhat liquid. Allow it to rest in the refrigerator for several hours (at least one) before serving.

1/12 recipe

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Following two successful (based on the enthusiasm of the children) forays into making homemade ice cream, I decided to follow up with ice cream sandwiches.  The trick, I soon learned, was twofold: 1) finding a recipe for the cookies that was firm enough to absorb the ice cream without falling apart and 2) getting the ice cream firm enough to hold shape between the two cookies.  For the second, save two or three empty frozen juice concentrate cans.  To make the cookies fit perfectly, use one of the cans for the cookie cutter.

First, the cookies

For the cookies, I started with a recipe I found for making chocolate cookies but it was far too moist to be rolled out and cut.  Then I looked at a sugar cookie recipe designed just for rolling and cutting, and started experimenting with the best of both types.  My first attempt was pretty good: it gave me a brownie-like cookie that was just right as far as texture, but needed a bit more oomph in the taste department.  Here is the final result:

Mix the following in a bowl and set aside:

• 1-1/2 C. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 C. cocoa
• 1 tsp. salt

In another bowl, mix

• 1/2 C. vegan spread (Earth Balance)
• 3/4 C. sugar

Beat together with electric beater or by hand for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved into the oils.  Add:

• 1/2 C. soymilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Stir until smooth.  Add the mixed flour-cocoa ingredients and mix until a good consistency. Mix should be soft enough to easily mold but stiff enough to roll and cut.  Place 1/3 mixture on floured cutting board and cut about 12 cookies out of each batch. Cook at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Cookies should be slightly soft but done. They will become firmer as they cool.

Then, the ice cream

For the ice cream, I developed this basic vanilla recipe that turned out very white, fluffy and creamy.  I used an electric stick beater to really get the texture frothy, hoping it would help the ice cream maintain its shape. While the texture was great, it still required freezing the results in empty frozen juice containers to get it just right.  Allow the ice cream to get firm, then push it out one end and cut with a sharp knife. Immediately put it between two of the chocolate cookies, and wrapped it for freezing.  Since the homemade ice cream tends to be more soft-serve style than is typical for commercial ice cream, this extra trick really helps it to hold its shape.

Put into medium large saucepan:

• 2 Tb. arrowroot powder,
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 3 C. soy creamer (may be part soymilk).

Beat until very light and frothy with a stick beater right in the pan.  Cut over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture gets very hot and starts to simmer slightly. Immediately remove from heat and allow to cool.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla and stir.  (To hasten cooling, pour it into another bowl.)  Once the mixture is room temperature or cooler (you may put the mix in the fridge if you are not ready to go to the next step yet), you are ready to put it into the ice cream maker.  Start up the ice cream maker, getting the paddle going before you put in the mix.  The freezing process should take about 20-30 minutes.

Once the ice cream is thickened, remove it from the maker and put it into the juice cans. (To reuse the cans, I rinse them out and then put foil over the bottom, placing the juice cans on a dish to freeze.) Once the ice cream is solidly frozen, take the containers out of the freezer and rinse under cool water, taking care not to get the ice cream wet!  Push the ice cream out one end and slice to desired thickness. Immediately place between two waiting cookies, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a bag for freezing.  When the munchies come looking for you, pop one out of the freezer, put it in the microwave for 15 seconds, and you have a great treat.

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After the huge hit (for the boys) that was made by the fresh strawberry ice cream, I had to really think hard about what would be a good second act.  I knew they both loved chocolate chip ice cream and it is hard to argue with that kind of devotion.  So I began with a basic vanilla ice cream recipe, but between the turbinado sugar and vanilla, it obtained a brownish color that was not too reminiscent of vanilla ice cream.  The fair trade dark chocolate was already choppped and ready to add; I just needed something palatable that would be kid-pleasing to blend with the light tan ice cream (which tasted great, by the way). The ice cream mixture was cooked but still cooling, so I knew I still had time to make some creative changes.

Peanut butter is usually a hit with most kids (if you are allergic, you might try adding blended bananas to the mix, also a good combo with chocolate).  I put in 1/2 cup, and it blended well, giving just the right hint of creamy goodness to the basic vanilla.

I used soy creamer with just a touch of soymilk.

• 3 cups soy creamer (may be part soymilk)
• 1/2 C. turbinado sugar (regular okay too)

Mix the above in a medium saucepan.  Pull out about 1/4 C of the mixture for mixing with the arrowroot. Begin heating over medium heat, stirring regularly.

• 2 TB. arrowroot starch

Add the peanut butter

Mix the arrowroot starch with with the reserved soymilk until completely smooth.  When the soy creamer mix is bubbly and hot, remove from the heat and add the arrowroot.  You may put it back on the burner and stir briefly, but do not leave it on the heat too long or the thickening will not work.

• 1 TB. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter

Add the vanilla and creamy peanut butter once the mixture has cooled slightly.  When it has been blended (leave a few bits of pure peanut butter for a taste treat) and paritially cooled, put it in a bowl to facilitate further cooling. Once it reaches room temperature or therabouts, put it in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours.

And now, add the chocolate

When the ice cream mixture is chilled, it is time to get out the ice cream maker. Set it up and get the paddles going before you add the mixture. Add the mixture slowly and carefully. Once the mixture begins to set and obtain a more solid consistency, add the chunks or shavings of chocolate. I made mine chunky but fairly fine, so there was a variety of sizes just to keep the eating adventurous.

The response from the boys was predictably pretty positive.  Nicholas still likes the strawberry best, but he admitted this was a very close second. He also had to be stopped from eating too much by his parent; he was ready to eat a third bowl, truth be told. Little brother ate his bowl quickly, which is the best statement he could make, although a silent one!

I think for my third act, I might try homemade ice cream sandwiches. The boys love Tofutti Cuties, so that should be something they will enjoy as well. I will keep you posted– pardon the pun.

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I am half Danish; when it comes to food, that half is stretching to veganize some old, traditional family recipes.  I recently came across this Raspberry Pudding recipe and test-drove it within the family.  It received raves!  Admittedly, it is right on the border of my healthy recipes boundary, but I will confess right now: I think it is fine to have an occasional treat.  (I am half Danish, after all.)

• 3 TB cornstarch
• 1/3 C. sugar, turbinado or other
• 1-10 oz. package frozen raspberries
• 2 C. cranberry juice cocktail

Mix the cornstarch and the sugar in a saucepan.  Defrost the berries and press them through a strainer by pressing a wooden spoon against the berries.  This should give you everything but the seeds.  Mix the liquid with the cranberry juice cocktail and add to the sugar/cornstarch mix.  Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture begins to thicken. (It will thicken more as it cools, so do not panic if it is not quite the texture of puddings to which you are accustomed.)  Pour into eight heat-resistant dishes.  When cooled off a bit, place in refrigerator until well-chilled.

Serve with soy creamer. You may add 1/3 C. blanched chopped almonds mixed with 2 TB sugar which is the traditional topping, but it will increase the fat and sugar content, so I omitted those. (To blanch almonds,drop the whole almonds into boiling water.  Let them boil a few minutes, then drain.  As they cool, the brown skin will easily come off and voila – blanched almonds. Chop finely and mix with sugar.)

Almonds with Sugar

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