SWEET VEGAN BUTTER ROLLS

When I was in primary school, rolls quite similar to these were a breakfast staple. You could always get them in the school bakery, along with Danish braids filled with vanilla pastry cream. With a glass of chocolate milk, those were pretty amazing sweet breakfasts at the time, I must admit.

Although I am more of a savoury breakfast type of a person now, every now and then I like a sweet pastry with a cup of strong black coffee. And these gems are really what I want. Soft, fluffy, delightfully sweet, with the tiniest crunch from the flaked almonds. Simply perfect.

When it comes to butter, I add it cold, straight from the refrigerator, in one piece. I simply squeeze it with my fingers through the dough, as I knead, until all is absorbed, and it works perfectly. By all means, it can be added diced and slightly softened, but this is what I find works best for me.

And on a final note, to fill them with your favourite jam, use a nozzle that you would use to fill doughnuts or carefully insert a knife through each pastry and then fill them with just a piping bag with a tip cut off. Of course, they will be equally delicious split in half and filled with jam that way, it is up to your preference.

Ingredients
200 grams strong bread flour
225 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
270 millilitres warm water
30 millilitres sunflower oil
30 grams fresh yeast
25 grams granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
75 grams vegan block butter
45 grams vegan honey
50 grams flaked almonds
100 grams jam
icing sugar, for serving

Preparation

Take a large bowl, sift in both types of flour, add in the salt, and blend well. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the warm water, oil, sugar, and crumbled fresh yeast. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast activates and becomes bubbly. Make a well in the centre of the sifted flours, pour in the yeast and the vanilla, and mix with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.

Add the butter to the dough, either diced or simply squish it with your fingers, and knead it into the dough. It may take some time for the dough to absorb all the butter, but be patient, and it will. Knead the dough until it becomes soft, but not sticky, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour to an hour and a half, or until doubled. Keep in mind that the dough might resemble thick batter at this point, and that is fine.

Once risen and ready, turn the soft dough onto a nicely floured surface and make a long rope shape out of it, without any kneading. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 equal parts, and arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Generously mist the dough pieces with cold water, and let them rise until the oven preheats to 200˚C.

As soon as the oven is ready, brush them generously with vegan honey and sprinkle them with flaked almonds. Bake immediately in a nicely preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes, or until evenly golden. Let them cool down slightly, fill each one abundantly with your favourite jam, dust with some icing sugar, and serve. Yields 12 sweet butter rolls.

VEGAN SOURDOUGH DOUGHNUTS

Sourdough starter is a fantastic ingredient in so many ways, although golden, crusty loaves are still a pretty strong association many have with sourdough. And for a good reason, of course, not many things can compare to a slice of toasted homemade sourdough with a cup of tea in the morning.

The truth is, that humble starter can be added to a plethora of different recipes, including cakes and cookies. Adding a unique depth of flavour, beautifully balancing the sweetness, I find it simply perfect for dough desserts, such as doughnuts and pastries.

On an important note, I keep my starter at 100% hydration, which means it contains equal parts by weight of water and flour. If your starter is at a different hydration or uses a different type of flour, you might need slightly more or slightly less flour to shape these doughnuts. The secret is to add the flour gradually and stop once the dough takes form, because you can always add a bit more, if needed.

These little gems are beautifully light and filled with tangy fruit jam; a fantastic everyday dessert, particularly with a cup of coffee, and will stay wonderfully fresh even the next day. And if you don’t fill them, you can even toast them lightly for a tiny little crunch, and use them as a breakfast toast with a sweet topping of your choice.

Ingredients
700 grams plain flour
60 grams granulated sugar
10 grams salt
350 millilitres soy or almond milk
60 grams sunflower oil
60 grams apple sauce, at room temperature
90 grams sourdough starter (100% hydration)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
250-300 grams jam for filling
about 750 millilitres to 1 litre of oil, for frying

Preparation

Add the oil into a small saucepan, pour in the milk, and add in the sugar and salt. Place the pan over low to medium heat until completely melted and blended. Remove it from the heat and let it cool down slightly, and then add in the applesauce, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until completely combined, and then add in the starter.

Whisk vigorously with a wooden spoon or a wire whisk until it all comes together, and then start adding in the flour. If using a whisk, switch to a wooden spoon, and start stirring as you add. Depending on the type of flour you use and your starter, you may not need all of the flour, so add gradually.

Keep mixing and pressing the dough with the wooden spoon until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. Turn it out onto a nicely floured surface, and continue kneading with your hands, adding a bit more flour if needed, for about 5 minutes, or until a smooth and supple dough forms.

Place it into an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it stand at room temperature until doubled in size. Depending on the room temperature and how active your starter was, it can take up to 6-8 hours, so it is good to make it in the evening, and proceed with making the doughnuts in the morning.

Once risen and ready, place the dough onto a floured surface without any kneading, and roll it out to about 1.5 centimetre thickness. Using a pastry cutter or just a regular glass, cut out doughnuts of desired size, and place them onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Keep kneading and rolling out the dough scraps until everything is used up. However, if the dough starts to feel tight or it will not roll out, let it rest for about 10 minutes, and roll it out again.

Cover the doughnuts with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise once again for about an hour. Meanwhile, towards the end of rising time, pour the oil into a large pot and let it heat up to about 185-190°C, being mindful while working with hot oil.

Pick up the doughnuts gently and place them into the hot oil, bottom-side up, and let them cook through, about a minute or so per side. Do not overcrowd the pot, otherwise the temperature will drop and they will not fry as nicely.

Set the cooked doughnuts onto paper towels to absorb any oil excess, fill them with your favourite jam, dust with some icing sugar, and serve immediately. Yields 16 large doughnuts.

VEGAN CARROT LAYER CAKE

When it comes to spring classics, Carrot cake is the first choice of many. Paired with a wonderfully bright and tangy combination of dried apricots and mandarin oranges, together with a wonderfully smooth white chocolate mousse filling, it is simply perfect for gatherings of all types.

One of my favourite ingredients for delightfully moist cakes is applesauce. Simple and straightforward, yet amazing in pretty much all layer cakes. However, just like the apples are puréed, other fruits and even vegetables can be. It is quite easy to make a carrot purée; simply boil or steam the carrots, let them cool down slightly, and add them to a blender.

The result is a lovely little cake, soft and moist, even slightly sticky, full of aromatic fruit, as well as that signature carrot cake undertones. If desired, you can add some roughly chopped walnuts to the cake batter, for an additional layer of texture.

Ingredients
For the carrot cake layers
150 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
180 grams granulated sugar
60 millilitres vegetable oil
250 grams carrots, peeled and chopped
30 grams dandelion or apple honey
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
75 millilitres boiling water
For the dried apricot and mandarin orange filling
100 grams dried apricots
300 grams mandarin oranges
50 grams granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon cold water
For the white chocolate mousse filling
200 grams vegan white chocolate
200 grams plant-based double cream
120 grams vegan block butter, cubed
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
small pinch of flaky salt

Preparation

Start by making the fillings. Soak the dried apricots in boiling water for about 10-15 minutes, or until they become soft. This will make the blending much easier.

Melt together the white chocolate, plant double cream, and vegan block butter, either over low heat or in the microwave. Gently stir until blended, remove from the heat, and add in vanilla and a bit of salt, mix well, and cover with a piece of plastic wrap or baking parchment. Let it cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Drain the apricots well, and add them to a blender, along with the mandarin orange segments. Blend on high until a smooth purée forms, and tip it into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add in the sugar, place it over medium heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. While the mixture is simmering, whisk together the cold water and the cornflour and set it aside.

After boiling for 10 minutes, the orange and apricot puree should be thickened, so add the cornflour and water, and cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring constantly, until a thick and glossy custard forms. Remove it from the heat, cover the top with plastic wrap or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.

To make the cake layers, start by boiling or steaming the carrots until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Set them aside to cool down, turn the oven to preheat to 180°C and line a rectangular cake pan (20x30 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides.

Strain the cooked carrots well and weigh 200 grams. Place them into a blender along with the dandelion honey, vanilla, oil, and water, and let it run until a completely smooth purée forms. Sift the flour with the baking powder into a large bowl, add in the flour, and whisk very well. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add in the carrot purée, and whisk until just combined, to make sure the cake is soft and tender. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15-18 minutes. Check the cake for doneness after about 15 minutes in the oven, to make sure it does not dry out. Take it out of the oven, let it cool down in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then invert it onto a wire rack to cool down completely.

Once both fillings are ready and the cake is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake.

Take the white chocolate filling out of the refrigerator and whip it with an electric mixer on the highest setting until very stiff peaks form. This may take a bit of time, so do have patience for it. Stir the cooked apricot and mandarin jam with a spoon or a spatula until it becomes smooth and easily spreadable, and transfer it to a piping bag with the tip snipped off. Level the cake, if needed, and slice it in half crosswise and lengthwise, to create four thin square layers. They will not be perfectly square, but that is fine.

Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter. Close a small cake form around it, and add a tall sheet of acetate. Add a heaping tablespoon of the white chocolate filling on top, spread it nicely, and pipe one-third of the jam. Add another heaping tablespoon of the mousse, covering the jam completely, and top it with another cake layer. Continue stacking in this fashion two more times, and then top with the final cake layer. Cover it with a piece of baking parchment to prevent drying out, and place the cake into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, along with the remaining white chocolate mousse.

Once the cake is firm and ready, remove it from the refrigerator, take off the cake form, and decorate with the remaining mousse. Keep it refrigerated until serving time, as it tastes the best when it's nicely chilled. Yields 12 servings.

VEGAN NEAPOLITAN LAYER CAKE

I believe I have spoken about this before, but one of my earliest memories is of me, just sitting on my bedroom floor, putting torn paper pieces into a tiny pink bowl, making lunch. I've always loved being in the kitchen or around it, so it really is no wonder that baking truly is my greatest love. It is a channel for my creativity and a beautiful way to express myself, and I am truly grateful for persisting in what makes me happy.

This cake is something I have thought about making for a long time, but somehow always got pushed further down the "to make" list; until now. Three striking layers of cake, and two gorgeous fudgy layers of frosting, all in the signature Neapolitan flavours; vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate.

It is as stunning as it is delicious. It does require a bit of planning and it is a touch more complicated than a regular cake, but everyone should indulge in a creative challenge now and then.

It is best kept refrigerated until serving, because that way the frosting magically transforms into an ice cream like layer. So serve it well chilled, with a cup of espresso or freshly brewed coffee, and in good company.

Ingredients
For the vanilla cake layers
60 grams plain flour
15 grams cornflour
1 teaspoon baking powder
60 grams granulated sugar
75 grams carbonated water
15 grams vegetable oil
5 grams vanilla bean paste
For the chocolate cake layers
60 grams plain flour
15 grams cornflour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
75 grams light brown sugar
100 grams warm water
20 grams vegetable oil
5 grams vanilla bean paste
For the strawberry cake layers
60 grams plain flour
15 grams cornflour
1 teaspoon baking powder
60 grams granulated sugar
50 grams strawberry purée
25 grams carbonated water
15 grams vegetable oil
5 grams vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon strawberry essence or extract, optional
For the filling and frosting
550 grams soy milk
100 grams granulated sugar
80 grams cornflour
200 grams vegan block butter, at room temperature
250 grams strawberries, fresh or defrosted
50 grams dark chocolate (75% cocoa solids), melted and cooled
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Start by making the filling and frosting. Pour the cold soy milk into a large pot or a deep saucepan, add in the sugar and the sifted cornflour, and place it over medium heat. Let it slowly heat up and come to a boil. As soon as it starts to simmer, start stirring occasionally, so it does not catch on the bottom. Once it starts to boil, switch to a whisk, and whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes, until it thickens into a smooth and shiny custard. Remove from the heat, cover with a piece of plastic wrap or baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.

While the filling cools, make the strawberry reduction. Purée 250 grams of strawberries and add them to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Place it over medium heat, and let it simmer until reduced to one-fifth of the quantity, roughly 50 grams. This is best done by weight, but estimation will work fine, as well. Make sure to stir it constantly, scraping the bottom and sides with a rubber spatula, so the fruit does not burn. Once all the liquid has evaporated, remove from the heat, transfer to a small bowl, and let it cool down completely.

Next, make the cake layers. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line three small round cake pans (15 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Set them aside for the time being.

For the vanilla cake layers, sift together the plain flour, cornflour, and baking powder, and tip them into a medium bowl. Add in the sugar, and whisk it well. Finally, pour in the carbonated water, vegetable oil, and the vanilla, and whisk everything together until just combined. Pour it into one of the prepared pans.

For the chocolate cake, the preparation method is quite similar. Sift together the flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, and add them to a medium bowl. Add in the brown sugar, and whisk to combine. Pour in the warm water, oil, and the vanilla, and gently mix until just combined. Just as before, pour the batter into one of the prepared cake pans.

And finally, for the strawberry cake, sift together the flour, cornflour, and baking powder, and add them to a medium bowl. Add in the sugar, and whisk together. Next, add in the blended strawberries, carbonated water, oil, vanilla, and the strawberry essence, if using, and mix to combine. Pour into the remaining cake pan, and place all three of them into the nicely preheated oven. Bake, at 180°C, for about 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the very centre of each of them comes out clean. Take them out of the oven, and let them cool completely in their pans.

When the base of the filling is at room temperature, take an electric mixer on high, and blend it for a few minutes, until smooth and creamy. Place the softened vegan block butter into another bowl, and whip it on the highest setting until lighter in colour, about 4-5 minutes. Once light and fluffy, add half of the custard to the butter, and blend well. Repeat this once more, whipping on the highest setting until everything is combined and smooth.

Once the base of the filling is blended nicely with the butter, divide it into three parts, by weight. Put 300 grams of it in a medium bowl, and add in the additional vanilla bean paste. Put 200 grams of the filling in another bowl, and add in the melted chocolate and the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder. And finally, add 265 grams of the filling into a third bowl, and add in the strawberry reduction. Fill three large pastry bags with each of the fillings separately, and cut off the tips, as there is no need for a piping nozzle. There is plenty of filling for all the layers and for decorating the cake.

Take the cake layers out of the pans and, using a set of cake or pastry rings, cookie cutters, or a round template, cut each of them into three concentric circles. There should be one 15-centimetre outer ring, an inner, 10-centimetre, ring, and a small, 5-centimetre circle in the very centre. Take your time with this step, as the cakes can, and will break, if not handled gently. Once all three layers have been cut into circles, it is time to assemble.

Place the strawberry outer cake ring on a cake platter, fit a white cake inner ring inside of it, and add in the chocolate cake centre. This is the first full cake layer. Pipe a thick layer of chocolate frosting on the strawberry pink part, strawberry frosting on the white cake layer, and vanilla bean frosting on the chocolate centre.

For the next cake layer, gently lift a white cake outer ring and place it on top of the frosting. Fit a chocolate inner circle, and the strawberry centre in the middle. Using the pastry bag, pipe a thick layer of strawberry frosting on the white outer layer, vanilla bean frosting on the inner chocolate circle, and chocolate frosting on the strawberry pink centre.

And finally, very carefully place the chocolate outer layer on top, fit a strawberry pink inner circle, and the white cake layer centre. Here is the illustration of the came assembly, if you want a visual guide while you work. With this, the cake is assembled, and you can safely decorate with the remaining frosting, as you desire. The cake is firm, so it can be decorated immediately.

Once happy with your decoration, place the cake into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and keep it refrigerated until serving, as it is more delicious served that way. Yields 16 rich servings. © Tina Vesić 2024

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD TRUFFLES

Truffles and bonbons are one of my favourite types of sweet treats. Growing up, there wasn't a single gathering or celebration that didn’t include at least one type of them, and they were always the first ones to disappear from the desserts' platter. And rightfully so; because they are tiny, cute, and loved by all.

The wonderfully fragrant combination of bananas, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and walnuts is highlighted by the gloriously crunchy rocher glaze. A true dessert heaven in a tiny form that can be further embellished by more of the toasted walnuts or a small banana chip.

One thing I always like to point out is the choice of biscuits. Recipes such as this one rely in great part on the type of biscuit used, mainly on how dry it is. If your biscuits are on the drier side and they absorb more liquid, you may want to use slightly less than what the recipe calls for.

That is valid for all recipes using ground or crushed biscuits; always use your judgment and as soon as you feel the truffle will hold its shape well, stop adding the biscuits, regardless if all the quantity is used up or not. And finally, as always, choose the biscuit you would enjoy on its own or with a cup of tea or coffee. Its flavour will always be noticeable in the truffle, so choose the ones you love.

Ingredients
For the vegan banana bread truffles
150 grams ripe bananas
100 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, ground
60 grams toasted walnuts, ground
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon dark rum
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
For the dark chocolate rocher glaze
150 grams dark chocolate (or vegan cooking chocolate of your choice)
30 millilitres vegetable oil
50 grams toasted walnuts, chopped finely

Preparation

Mash the bananas with a fork until a purée forms, then add in the vanilla, cinnamon, rum, and cocoa powder. Mix, stirring with a fork or a spatula, until well combined. Add in the walnuts, and stir them through. Finally, start adding in the ground biscuits, mixing with a fork until a soft, but pliable batter forms. Depending on your biscuits, you may need a bit more or a bit less of them. It is important for the truffles to stay soft.

Place the batter in the refrigerator for up to one hour. After the batter has firmed up, take out portions and form them into truffles. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and place them back into the refrigerator while you prepare the glaze.

Melt the chocolate of your choice, either over low heat or in the microwave, add in the vegetable oil, and mix very well. Tip in the chopped walnuts, and keep mixing until you no longer see streaks of oil throughout the chocolate. Take the chilled truffles out of the refrigerator, glaze each one, and place them back on the baking sheet. Serve as soon as the glaze sets or refrigerate until serving. Yields 16 small truffles.