APRICOT DELIGHTS...VEGAN FRUIT COOKIES/CAKES. ALL SEASONS RECIPE

These are fantastic and although they are Vegan, no one will judge you as being "a foodie trender" because they are SO good!
They are low sugar with intense, sweet fruit flavors!


This recipe makes 18-28 depending on size

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1stp ground cinnamon
1/2tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt (if using reg salt use 1/4tsp)
4 tbsp Vegan margarine (or reg margarine/butter)
3/4 cup cold ownmade apple sauce (I make mine in a slow cooker/crockpot with a little apple juice and no added sugar)

I also add ground cinnamon and cloves, This cooks the apples slowly and the flavors are intense.
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 cup sugar
2 cups apricot filling (recipe follows)


Preheat oven 375F middle shelf


In a medium bowl beat the sugar and margarine until light, then beat in the apple sauce and flavorings. Set Aside.
In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the wet mix to the dry, beating well.
Form into a stiff, but not dry, dough.
Set aside for 20 mins. (this produces lighter cookies)

With floured hands form the dough into 1 1/2 - 2 inch balls (I used a food scoop) and place on parchment lined cookies sheets.
Allow 2 inches between each cookie. ( I just did 6 cookies per cookie sheet)

Dip your thumb into sugar and press deep into the middle of each cookie, then add 1-1 /2 tsp apricot filling. ( by pressing deep it forms a sort of tart shell for more fruit filling).

Bake 15-20 mins until lightly golden, do not brown these cookies as they burn easy.

Cool on cookie sheet for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack, wait 20 mins then top with more apricot filling.
Serve cold/room temp.
The applesauce makes these cookies tender and moist, they ARE delicious.

Apricot Filling:
1 cup apricot jam/preserve
1 cup reconstituted dried apricots (soak dried apricots in a little cold water overnight, use 2-3 tbsp water for the mix)

In a small food processor/chopper, grind the apricots in the juice, then add the jam and mix well.

Variation these are fantastic with any jam/preserve and use reconstituted dried fruit or fresh (seasonal)fruit, chopped fine before adding to the preserve.

 

FROZEN AVOCADO MOUSSE WITH PECAN or HAZELNUT PRALINE Recipe..perfect for Valentine's Day or any time you want to feel special

"And now for something completely different and wonderful".
This is a chilled dessert & candy!!

Smooth and silky avocado ice cream-mousse with toasted nut caramel.

Nut praline:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1tsp honey or agave syrup
Bring to boil & simmer until sugar dissolves.
Add 3/4 cup raw nuts (if using hazelnuts, remove any skin).
Continue on high simmer and cook until color of molasses.
Pour into an oiled cookie sheet and allow to cool and set.
Break into pieces and place in a plastic bag and hammer or crush with a rolling pin or hammer.
Store in air tight container.

The frozen avocado mousse makes 6 servings
2 cups avocado flesh, mashed well ( 2-3 medium sized ripe avocados)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated lemon or lime zest
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup Curacao or Grande Marnier (orange liqueur)
4 egg whites
2 cups heavy cream, whipped

Combine the avocado puree, sugar, salt, juice and zest, well, set aside.
In another bowl whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry, fold in the whipped cream, then fold this into the avocado mix.
Add 1 cup of the nut praline, fold in well then pour into a 2 quart dish/mold. (at this point you may also add some of the raw nuts that are in the praline)
Freeze until firm.
To serve..remove from freezer 2 hours before serving and allow to defrost in fridge to half firmness.
Scrape and mash with a fork, to make serving with ice cream scoop easier.
Top the servings with 1 cup more of the nut praline shared over 6 dishes.

Happy Valentine's Day, Or "Making me feel more special", night!

 

FRUIT CRUMB COFFEE CAKE..GLOBALLY ADJUSTABLE RECIPE

This is a fantastic recipe and can be made with all kinds of seasonal fresh fruit.
It is an adapted recipe from the 1970's and you may use good frozen and defrosted fruit too.
Please avoid canned pie fillings as they are full or chemicals and too much liquid.

This makes a 13 x9 x 2inch pan/ovenproof glass dish  and the pieces are cut into squares served as a cake for coffee or pudding with ice cream, custard sauce or cream.

You may use, any combination of:

Cored and chopped apples or pears
Peeled and chopped bananas
Stoned and chopped stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, plums & etc.)
Peeled and chopped oranges, tangerines and grapefruit
Peeled and chopped pineapple, mango
Washed and sliced berries
Washed and pitted cherries
Peeled and chopped rhubarb

METHOD:
FRUIT FILLING:
4 cups chopped fresh fruit
1 cup water or apple juice
2tsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Bring the fruit to a boil and then simmer gently for 5 mins.
Add the lemon juice and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves.
Mix 2-3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour/arrowroot with  a little water and add to the fruit mix,stir to thicken and remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven 350F middle shelf

THE CAKE:
3 cups all purpose flour (or 50:50 mix with whole wheat*)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2-3 tsp any mixed spices of choice, cinnamon, nutmeg,ginger, cloves, allspice, cardamon
Mix well together then cut in
1 cup butter or margarine to form "crumbs".


In another bowl, beat together
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (nut milk is fine..if using 50:50 add an extra 1/2 cup milk)
1-2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Add this to the flour mix and blend in well.

Spread half the batter over a greased pan.
Cover this with the cooled fruit mix
Then top with spoonfuls of the remaining batter, covering as much of the topping without stirring it in.


Mix together
 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup any chopped nuts (optional)
again to form crumbs

Sprinkle this over the top of the dish.
Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 45-50 mins, or until cakes tests done.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire rack, cut into squares when cool/room temp

Chocolate-cranberry and almond, oatmeal cookies..basic recipe is in the book Gobsmacking Cookies and Other Treats, Recipes on Amazon Kindle

These are crisp and chewy, deep chocolate flavors and tangy dried unsweetened cranberries,and crunchy chopped almonds and cashews.

Fantastic recipe and almost always foolproof.

Perfect for any occasion and fresh hot cookies are ready to eat in less than an hour, from start to finish.

Apple-Cardamon Cake Vegan and so very different, a very moist cake

I love the flavors of cardamon and apple, so needless to say I love this cake.
There is also a secret and very healthy ingredient in this recipe, cooked white bean or chickpeas, and no one will be able to tell!


This makes 1 x9 inch round cake pan

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1tbsp vegan margarine
2 cups peeled,cored & cut into 1/2 inch slices crisp apples ( 2-3 medium apples)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2tbsp lemon juice ( juice of 1 lemon)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats ( heat in a dry skillet and lightly toast them then allow them to cool)
1 cup cooked and drained white beans or chickpeas
2 tbsp neutral oil ( grape seed, safflower & etc.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves



Preheat oven 350F middle shelf

Lightly grease the cake pan and sprinkle with 1/2 the chopped nuts.
In a skillet melt the margarine  and add 1/2 cup sugar and the apple slices, also add the lemon juice and cook over medium heat until the apples release their juices and the sugar dissolves ( 3-4 mins).

Remove from heat.
Remove the apple slices and set aside.
Reserve the liquid from the pan.

When the apple slices are cool enough to handle..arrange over the chopped nuts in the pan in a nice design/concentric circles or overlapping slices.

Then top with remaining chopped nuts, and set aside.

In a food processor grind the toasted oats to a fine flour, remove and set aside.

In the processor bowl combine the drained beans, vanilla and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquor (adding apple juice as needed to make up the amount).
Blend until smooth.
Add the toasted oat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices and remaining 3/4 cup sugar and process until well blended and smooth.

Scrape the batter down and pour over the apple slices in cake pan.
Bake immediately for 35 mins or until top is golden brown.


Cool on wire rack in pan for 30 mins.

Run a knife carefully round the edges of the cake pan and invert onto serving plate.
Revealing the apple slices and juices which have caramelized.

Best served warm or at room temp.

SOFT & CHEWY, ARABIAN DELIGHT "COOKIES", refined sugar-free, gluten free, Vegan Recipe

These are  Popular in North Africa and Islamic Communities, here is a simple recipe that can be made with ANY dried fruit and ground raw nut.

The basic recipe makes 12-14 cookies depending on size and can easily be doubled.
These are very Moreish..so don't be skimpy with the ingredients and they will soon be eaten by even the most finicky eater



Preheat oven 350F

1 cup pitted dates/apricots/prunes/ raisins/cranberries & etc.
1 medium banana, very ripe (very ripe bananas have more sugar and juice and are easier to digest)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut or ground almonds (or other raw nut)

Soak the dried fruit in a little water to soften, for 20 mins. then drain. (throw the water away).

Process the banana, soaked fruit and vanilla, until smooth.
Stir in the coconut flakes or ground nuts, by hand, until very thick.

Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 - 12 mins or until done(firm).
Remove from oven, and allow to cool on cookie sheet then transfer to serving platter
Cookies will be soft and chewy.

RECIPES: Vegan Apple Cupcakes with Vanilla & Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I have some family members in Australia who  are Vegans so I am now trying out new recipes, and posting these for them and any other health conscious folks who love great tasting food.


Basic Vegan Cupcake Recipe makes 12-16 depending on size of cupcake pans

1/2 cup vegan margarine softened/room temp.
1 cup sugar (I prefer light brown sugar)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup nut milk plus 2 tbsp
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated fresh apple (leave skin on)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or cloves (optional)

Preheat oven 350F and grease cupcake pans ( I avoid using paper cases as the cakes stick)

Cream the sugar and margarine until very light.
Beat in the milk, and vanilla.
In another bowl sift all the dry ingredients together.
Gently combine the flour mix to the wet mix and mix well.
Fold in the freshly grated apple and then fill the cake pans  2/3 full.
bake immediately middle shelf, for 16-18 mins or until they are done ( surfaces is springy to touch).
Remove and cool slightly on pans and remove to cooling rack and frost when cold.


Vegan Vanilla Frosting  makes 3-31/2 cups
In a blender or processor:
1/4 cup nut milk
1/3 cup vegan margarine softened
2tsp vanilla extract
Blend or process until smooth, then add  a mixing bowl ( or process in the machine) .
Blend in 3 - 31/2 cups powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
The frosting will firm up as it settles, so only frost cakes that are cold or it will melt the frosting.

 
 Variations:
Try this frosting drizzled with  Vegan caramel syrup.
or cracked Vegan nut brittle

In place of apples you may add roasted nuts, finely chopped.
or berries again finely chopped.

This is a very good basic Vegan  cupcake/frosting recipe, with lots of variations possible.
If adding any pre-ground spices or cocoa (allow 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa for this recipe) to the frosting cook them for a little time in hot nut milk before adding to the sugar and margarine mix to avoid bacteria in the ground spices.

Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting (you may use any great roasted nut butter of choice)
Makes 3 1/2 cups

3 cups nut butter (creamy mixes better than chunky)
1 1/2 cups Vegan Margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract or almond
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar


This is made in a food processor, do not try this with a hand mixer as it is a stiff frosting to begin with.

Process the nut butter, margarine and flavoring, until smooth and incorporated, then beat in the powdered sugar.
This frosting should be smooth and creamy when completed.
Spread over cold cup cakes or even large cakes.
This is great with a chocolate-banana cupcake ( add 2/3 cup mashed very ripe banana, plus 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the basic cupcake recipe)