Green apple with salted bourbon, chai caramel and peanuts

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A traditional favourite rearranged and accented with a number of rich, complementary flavours.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups bourbon whiskey (1)
1/2 cup cane sugar (2)
1t black strap molasses
2T plant-only vegetable shortening
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 chai tea bags
1/4 cup cashew butter
1 green apple (e.g., granny smith) cored and sliced in 1/8″ slices
2T peanuts, chopped

Directions

Bring the whiskey to a simmer in a small sauce pan on medium.
Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
Add the molasses, shortening and sea salt.
Stirring frequently, reduce the whiskey to about 1/4 cup.
Add the soy milk and the chai tea bags.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the tea bags.
Reduce, stirring frequently, on medium to a heaping 1/2 cup.
Using an immersion blender, puree the cashew butter with the reduction until emulsified.
Return to heat and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
The caramel should be a rich brown at this point. If not, continue cooking on medium-low (it will darken). Don’t reduce beyond 1/2 cup.
Remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes to cool.
Puree again if necessary.
Core and slice the apple and chop the peanuts.
Plate the apples, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with peanuts.

  1. It’s very rare, but some whiskey is produced using animal products.

  2. A growing number of white cane sugars are bleached without using animal bone charcoal. Beet sugar, organic sugar, and other unbleached sugars should be fine.

Sweet potato pie with walnut, pistachio and date crust

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A seasonal and traditional favourite, this version is sweetened with a little bourbon and trades the traditional baked wheat crust for dates and nuts.

For the pie filling
1/4 cup bourbon (1)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar, or to taste (2)
1/4t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
A pinch dried ground cloves
1 1/2T agar-agar flakes
2 cups cooked sweet potato

For the crust
1 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1 cup scant soft dates, pitted and chopped
A pinch coarse sea salt

Directions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring the bourbon to a simmer on medium and reduce to by half.
Add the soy milk, sugar, spices and agar flakes and return to a simmer.
Reduce to medium low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring
frequently.
Add the sweet potato and stir until combined.
Cover loosely and simmer on low for 20 minutes to reduce, stirring frequently.
While the sweet potatoes finish, make the crust.
Using a food processor, chop the nuts until you achieve a buttery consistency.
Add the dates and sea salt, and grind until consistent.
Spread the crust by hand evenly in a 9″ pie plate.
When the sweet potatoes are done, let stand to cool 10
minutes.
Pour into the pie crust, and chill for 20 minutes uncovered.
Cover with plastic wrap, chill for at least 4 hours to setup, slice and serve.

1. It’s rare, but some manufacturers use animal products in the making of bourbon.

2. Some cane sugar is still manufactured using animal
bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and other unrefined sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Blueberry buckle with cashew ginger streusel

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A traditional coffee cake similar to bublanina and other desserts. Trade the cashews for walnuts for something more traditional.

Ingredients

For the buckle
2 cups wheat flour (1)
2t baking powder
1/4t coarse sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar (2)
1T ground flax meal
1/4 cup, 1/2T and 1 1/2T plant-only shortening, divided
2 1/2 cups blueberries, 1/2 cup reserved

For the streusel
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup sugar (2)
1 1/2T wheat flour
1/2t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
1 1/2T plant-only shortening
1/4t coarse sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt.
Cream the sugar, soy milk, 1/4 cup shortening and flax seed.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.
Add 2 cups blueberries until well mixed throughout the batter.
Grease a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with 1/2T shortening.
Add the batter to the pan and add the remaining blueberries over the top.
Mix the streusel ingredients until well-combined and crumble over the top.
Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes until a fork comes out clean. Ovens vary; use the color, texture, and a fork test as a guide.
Turn off the heat and let cool in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool another 10 minutes, slice and serve warm, or let cool 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

1. The harder the flour, the more rustic the texture. Use cake flour for something light and airy.

2. A growing number of cane sugars are bleached without the use of animal bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unbleached sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Single-serve bread pudding with chocolate, walnuts and cranberries

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A simple, seasonal dessert that easily doubles.

Ingredients

1 slice, stale whole wheat bread
1T plant only margarine
2T sugar (1)
1T brown sugar (1)
A pinch of cinnamon
1/2t baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1T packed sweetened dried cranberries (1)
1T chopped walnuts, divided and a few pieces for garnish
20g bittersweet chocolate, divided (1)

Directions

Once the bread is stale, preheat the oven to 375F.
Spread the margarine evenly on the bread.
Tear the bread into even pieces and pack about half in the bottom of a ramekin.
Mix the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking powder.
Sprinkle the cranberries onto the first layer of bread.
Add half the sugar mixture.
Chop coarsely and add half the chocolate.
Sprinkle with 1/2T walnuts.
Add the remaining bread.
Add the rest of the sugar mixture.
Sprinkle with 1/2T walnuts.
Pour the soy milk evenly over the bread.
Push the bread down a little so that it’s well-soaked in the soy milk.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake covered on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
Remove the foil.
Bake 10-15 minutes until the bread is starting to brown. Ovens vary; use the colour as a guide.
Add the remaining chocolate in squares or chop if you like.
Bake 5 minutes, then remove from heat and add a couple of walnut pieces for garnish.
Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

  1. A growing number of cane sugars do not use animal bone charcoal during the manufacturing process. Organic, beet, or otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine. Organic or fruit-sweetened cranberries and organic, free-trade chocolate are good choices.

Lime cashew panna cotta with bittersweet chocolate lace

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A simple, flavourful dessert with some sophisticated looking presentation. Add a little lime zest for extract colour and richer flavour.

Ingredients

2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup of sugar (1)
1T heaping agar-agar flakes
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted cashew butter
A pinch of sea salt
50g bittersweet chocolate (2)

Directions

Puree the soy milk, sugar, agar-gar, peanut butter and sea salt until smooth.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.
Pour into two ramekins and chill uncovered for 20 minutes.
Cover with saran wrap and chill further for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to melt the chocolate, turn the panna cotta out carefully onto a plate.
Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler, or two pans in a makeshift double boiler). Don’t add water, soy milk or other things that may cause the chocolate to seize.
Once the chocolate has melted, either transfer to a piping bag and draw lace on a cool, dry surface (e.g., parchment paper or plastic wrap over a baking sheet) or drizzle with a rubber spoon to the same effect.
Let the chocolate lace setup at room temperature (expect about an hour or two).
Carefully peel off the chocolate off the surface in pieces.
Arrange the lace in thin slices on top of the panna cotta and serve.

  1. Production methods are changing, but some white cane sugars are still bleached using animal bone charcoal. Beet sugar, organic sugar and other
    unbleached sugars are typically fine.

  2. I use a nice fairly traded bar with organic beans and organic sugar.

Single-serve salted peanut butter and bourbon pudding with bittersweet chocolate shell

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A rich, nuanced and hearty dessert that you get to set on fire.

Ingredients

1/2 water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1t apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, divided
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2T unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter
1T tapioca flour dissolved with 2T water
20g bittersweet chocolate (1)
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil with 1/4t sea salt.
Add the oats, cover and simmer on low until most of the water has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).
Puree the cooked oats with 1/2 cup plant milk, peanut butter, and apple cider vinegar and set aside.

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring 3T bourbon to a rolling boil and reduce to about 1T on medium.
Add the coconut sugar and reduce heat to low.
Swirl the sugar in the pan until it melts with the whiskey.
Add the remaining 1T bourbon and — very carefully — light the pan to burn off remaining alcohol.
Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes to further caramelize the sugar.
Add the oat mixture to the pan and stir to combine.
Simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Slowly add the tapioca mixture to the pan and stir continuously until thickened.
Let stand 2 minutes to cool, and pour into a martini glass.
Sprinkle the top of the pudding with a pinch or two of coarse sea salt.
Shave the chocolate using a box grater, and sprinkle in a thin but continuous layer over the warm pudding.
Let stand to cool uncovered 15 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and let chill at least 2 hours to setup before serving.
Freeze for 10 minutes before serving for a crisper chocolate shell.

  1. I use a nice fairly traded bar with organic beans and organic sugar.

Peanut butter and chocolate millet mousse

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Millet provides a light, airy texture to this very simple, rich dessert, garnished here with a few blueberries.

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup millet
1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter
A pinch coarse sea salt (or to taste)

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil.
Add the millet, cover, reduce to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to fluff.
Puree the cooked millet with 1/2 cup soy milk until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
Refrigerate cover for 2 – 4 hours to setup (the millet will continue to become lighter while it does).
Spoon out and serve.

Single-serve blueberry lime sorbet with walnut banana frozen dessert

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Icy, tart blueberries and lime combine with smooth and creamy frozen bananas for a quick, simple, but elegant dessert.

Ingredients

2T agave nectar, divided
1 1/4 cup heaping frozen blueberries
1T lime juice
1 cup bananas, peeled and frozen
1T chopped walnuts

Directions

For the blueberries, combine 1T agave nectar, lime juice and blueberries.
Puree until smooth.
Freeze for at least 30 minutes to setup.
For the bananas, combine 1/2T agave nectar, bananas and walnuts.
Puree until the bananas are smooth.
Add additional agave to taste depending on the ripeness of the bananas.
Add the blueberries to a cup.
Spoon the bananas over top.
Serve immediately.

Blueberry sorbet with salted vanilla walnut fudge sauce

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A rich dessert built on contrasts in colour, flavour and texture. If you replace the blueberries with raspberries or strawberries, just adjust the amount of agave to suit.

Ingredients

For the sorbet
2 cups frozen blueberries
2T agave nectar (or to taste)
1T lemon juice

For the walnuts
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4t vanilla extract
1/2T lemon juice
1T agave nectar (or to taste)
1T cold water
1T warm water
A pinch of coarse sea salt (or to taste)

Directions

Puree the sorbet ingredients and return to the freezer.
Puree the walnuts, vanilla, lemon juice and cold water
until smooth.
Add the warm water and puree.
Add the sea salt and stir to combine.
Season to taste.
Spoon out the sorbet and the top with the walnut sauce as desired.

Flourless chocolate cake brownie with blueberry, almond frozen dessert

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If you’ve had Ethiopian injera, chances are good you’ve had teff in its flour form. Full of flavor and nutrition, the consistency of whole grain teff is very much like polenta. Along with the flax in this recipe, it takes on a lovely cake brownie texture that provides a rich mouth feel. Topped here with a blueberry and almond sorbet, and garnished with smokey, toasted slivered almonds.

Ingredients

For the brownie
1/2 cup teff
2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup agave nectar
1T milled flax seed
Sea salt to taste

For the blueberries
2 cup blueberries
2T slivered almonds
1T lemon juice
2T agave nectar
1T milled flax seed

Directions

Make the brownie, then the blueberries.
Add the teff to a small sauce pan with a lid and toast for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Add the water, bring to a light boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the water has been asorbed and the teff is pulling away from the sides.
Add the cocoa and agave.
Stirring frequently, cooking another 3 minutes uncovered on low.
Remove from heat and add the flax seed.
Stir to combine. You should have something similar in consistency to brownie batter.
Pour the batter into a 3″x9″ baking dish.
Let stand to cool uncovered for 15 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for another 15 minutes in the refrigerator to setup.
Puree all of the blueberry ingredients except the flax seed.
Add the flax seed, stir to combine and return to the freezer for 15 minutes to setup.
Remove the brownie from the fridge, carefully turn out and cut in half width-wise.
Spoon out the blueberries over the top.