VEGAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE PRALINE CAKE

Maple syrup, one of my favourite liquid sweeteners, and one of the most popular ones, is an amazing replacement for traditionally used granulated sugar. In addition to its wonderful caramel aroma, it gives desserts an irresistible softness and fudginess, which definitely explains its popularity among sweeteners.

Combined with two types of vegan chocolate and a gorgeous peanut sesame praline, this little cake is reminiscent of good old ice cream cakes, and I wholeheartedly recommended serving it that way - very well chilled.

And if you happen to enjoy rum in desserts as much as I do, feel free to add a small splash to the cake layers or even serve the cake with dark rum. It will be absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
For the chocolate maple syrup cake layers
90 grams plain flour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
75 grams maple syrup
30 millilitres sunflower oil
100 millilitres hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 1/3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
For the chocolate almond crunch layer
120 grams vegan white chocolate
25 millilitres vegan double cream
50 grams toasted flaked almonds
For the peanut sesame praline
50 grams granulated sugar
60 grams roasted peanuts
20 grams roasted sesame seeds
35 grams vegan block butter
30 grams maple syrup
For the chocolate truffle cream filling
70 grams extra dark chocolate (85-90%)
200 millilitres vegan double cream

Preparation

Start by making the peanut sesame praline. Line a large metal sheet with a piece of baking parchment or a silicone mat, arrange the roasted peanuts and sesame seeds on it, and set aside. Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan, tip in the granulated sugar, and gently shake the pan to distribute the sugar.

Place it over medium-high heat, and let the sugar melt and then cook for about 7-8 minutes, until it becomes a deep amber colour. Once fragrant, remove it from the heat and carefully pour it over the peanuts and sesame seeds. Do not stir or touch, because it will be incredibly hot. Let it cool down completely. Once cool to the touch, break it into pieces, and place them in a blender.

Let it work until a smooth paste forms, then add in the vegan butter and maple syrup and let the blender run again until everything is blended thoroughly. It would be good to stop and scrape down the sides, to make sure everything is smooth. Take a small round cake frame or a mould and line it with baking parchment, bottom and sides, pour the prepared praline, and place it in the freezer for at least 4-6 hours.

For the dark chocolate truffle cream, finely chop the chocolate, add it to a small saucepan, add in the vegan double cream, and place it over medium-low heat. This could also be done in the microwave, being careful so the chocolate does not burn. Once melted, cover the surface with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, let it cool down to room temperature, and then place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Next, make the soft chocolate maple layers. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small round pan (15 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Sift the flour with the baking soda and cocoa powder, add the coffee granules and mix well. Pour in the maple syrup, oil, water, vanilla, and vinegar, and whisk to combine, making sure the batter is not overmixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately, in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 8-10 minutes. The cake is thin, so it is very important not to overbake it. Leave it to cool completely in the pan, and then very carefully slice it in half.

When everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake.

Place the first cake layer on platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a strip of acetate. Melt the vegan white chocolate and the vegan cream over low heat, then add in the flaked almonds, and mix everything well. Quickly pour it over the cake layer, level it and leave it to set.

Whip the chilled truffle cream with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Place the frozen praline insert on the crunchy almond layer, spread the dark chocolate truffle cream all around it and on top. When the cake frame is almost filled to the top, gently place the second thin layer, and decorate the cake with the rest of the filling as desired. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 8 hours and serve well-chilled. Yields 12 servings.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE ANISE SHEET CAKE

When it comes to small batch cakes, chocolate is always a good choice. Everyone loves a double chocolate cake with plenty of frosting. Especially if the cake is tiny, soft, and fudgy. And when I say tiny, I mean it, as it features only six slices. Or four if you like your generous.

To me, anise liqueur pairs perfectly with chocolate. A literal match made in desert heaven. Being milder than liquorice and so gorgeously aromatic, it goes well with both chocolate and coffee, making it the perfect addition to any cake.

However, if you haven't tried the combination before, I advise to start with a teaspoon of the liqueur, or even less, and then adjust the next time you make the cake. It is a wonderful flavour, but it is something that can be a bit unexpected, so start with a small amount, and adjust. Or simply add a drop of two to your coffee, as you enjoy it with the cake.

Ingredients
For the chocolate anise cake
125 grams plain flour
140 grams granulated sugar
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
160 millilitres water
30 millilitres sunflower oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-2 teaspoons anise liqueur, vegan
For the chocolate mousse frosting
80 grams dark chocolate (75%)
100 millilitres vegan double cream

Preparation

Start by making the cake. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small cake pan (12x16 cm or 14x14 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Basically any small pan will do, but be mindful of the baking time.

Sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in the sugar and whisk very well to combine. Pour in water, oil, vanilla, anise liqueur, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 30-35 minutes. Check it with a toothpick even before 30 minutes, making sure it stays soft and fudgy. Let it cool in the pan completely. Once cool to the touch, proceed to make the mousse frosting.

Melt the chocolate over low heat or in a double-boiler, and set it aside to cool down. Whip the chilled vegan double cream until soft peaks form, add in the melted chocolate, and whip for a few seconds more, until somewhat firm peaks form and the mousse is blended. As soon as you're happy with the mousse texture, stop the mixer. Slice the cake and serve with your favourite coffee. Yields 6 servings.

MINI VEGAN PEACH AND LINDEN FLOWER CAKE

The spring is finally here! I genuinely don't think I've ever been this eager for spring to arrive. I got tired of the winter half-way through, for some reason, and have spent many weeks waiting for the sunnier days. And what better way to celebrate spring than with a beautiful, fragrant little cake.

The smell of linden trees is something I have always associated with spring. Tiny white and yellow flowers, trees in full bloom, and that sweet, distinctive smell. And of course, the longer, sunnier days.

Delicate linden flowers, sweet peaches, and a dash of vanilla make for the perfect little tea-time treat. And when I say little, I do mean it literally, as this is a very small cake, fit for a very small gathering. But it is beautiful, bright, and aromatic, just like all spring cakes should be.

Ingredients
For the linden flower cake layers
70 grams flour
5 grams cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
60 grams granulated sugar
75 millilitres water
1 heaping tablespoon dried linden flower tea
15 millilitres vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the peach ice cream filling
250 grams peaches, fresh or from a compote
40 grams cornflour
75 grams light brown sugar
125 grams vegan block butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon fresh orange zest

Preparation

Start by making the filling, as it needs time to cool down. Place the peaches into a blender or a food processor, and let it run until the fruit is completely liquefied. Add in the cornflour and sugar, and let it blend up. Pour the fruit purée into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place it over medium high heat, and let it come to a boil. As soon as it starts to let out wisps of steam, start stirring. Cook and stir until it becomes thick and glossy, about 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat, cover the top with a piece of cling film, and let it cool down to room temperature.

Next, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat, add in the tea, cover, and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Let the oven preheat to 170°C and line two small round cake pans (10 cm) with baking parchment.

Take a medium bowl and sift in the flour, cornflour, baking powder, and the salt. Whisk to combine, add in sugar, and whisk once again. Strain the tea and add it to the dry ingredients, along with the vanilla and oil, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans evenly and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 170°C, for about 12-15 minutes. Check them with a toothpick to make sure they are baked, but not dry. Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool down completely in the pans.

When everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes if necessary, and then slice each one into two thinner layers. Whip the softened vegan butter with the vanilla and the fresh orange zest until light and fluffy, and then, using the same beaters, blend up the cooked peach custard. Blend them together, making sure to scrape down the sides at least a few times. Once the filing is airy and fragrant, reserve about half of the filling to frost the cake and divide the rest into three equal parts.

Place the first cake layer on the serving platter, and add a third of the prepared filling. Continue stacking the cake until everything is used up. The cake is small, but very firm, so you can use the reserved filling to frost it and decorate to your liking. Place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and then for 10-15 minutes in the freezer before serving, for the ice cream bar texture. Yields 4 rich servings or 6 pretty modest ones.

VEGAN WALNUT CAROB ORANGE BAKLAVA

Being someone who was never a great fan of overly sweet desserts, I have to say baklava was not among my top choices. That was until I started making my own.

Walnuts are naturally ever so slightly bitter, in the most pleasant way possible, so they balance the sweetness of the sugar syrup perfectly. With the addition of roasted almonds, some bright orange zest, and the aromatic carob powder, it is the perfect sweet treat for the afternoon coffee.

Like I said, I don't enjoy overly sweet desserts, so this baklava is moderately sweet. If you like your sweets really sweet, feel free to slightly increase the sugar in the syrup; that should work very well.

Ingredients
For the baklava
500 grams filo sheets
500 grams ground walnuts
200 grams ground almonds
50 grams roasted carob powder
100 grams granulated sugar
1 heaping tablespoon fresh orange zest
150 grams vegan block butter, melted
100 millilitres vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the syrup
600 millilitres water
250 grams granulated sugar
50 grams vegan honey, apple or dandelion
1 large lemon

Preparation

Start by cooking the sugar syrup. Place all the ingredients in a large pot, place it over medium heat, and let it heat up slowly. Once boiling, add in one whole lemon, sliced in thin slices, and let it cook for about 15 minutes or so, until thickened and slightly darker in colour. Remove from the heat and let it cool down.

Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl, adding in the fresh orange zest, and mixing it through with your fingers. Add in the ground walnuts and almonds, along with the carob powder, and mix everything together thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted vegan butter, oil, and vanilla.

Count your filo sheets and cut the whole stack in half, to fit snugly in a 20x30 cm baking pan. If there is a bit of excess filo, do not cut it off, you will simply fold it in during assembly. Let the oven preheat to 200˚C.

Using a pastry brush, add a generous layer of the butter and oil mixture on the bottom and sides of the pan. Add in the first two layers of filo dough. If there is any overhang, simply fold it in. Brush it with the butter mix and top with a generous portion of the filling, about two tablespoons. Top with one filo sheet, lightly brushing it with a bit of butter, and topping with the ground nuts and carob powder.

Continue stacking filo sheets and filling until you use it all up. If towards the end you see that you miscalculated and you are running out of filling, simply start stacking two filo sheets instead of one, and it will be fine.

Once everything is used up, take a very sharp knife and slice the baklava all the way through, into 18 equal pieces. You can also slice it into smaller pieces, if you wish. Place it in the hot oven, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until beautifully golden and baked through.

As soon as the baklava is done, take it out of the oven, and using a ladle, pour the syrup all over, making sure that all the pieces have a bit of syrup in and around them. You can also use a thin knife to move the pieces a bit so the syrup can to between them nicely. You do not have to use up all of the syrup if it looks like your baklava does not need it or if you prefer it les sweet. Let it stand overnight in a cool place, and serve with strong coffee. Yields 18 generous servings.

VEGAN CHERRY STRUDEL

Strudels and all vegan pastries of this type are an absolute dream when it comes to quick sweet treats. I generally love sweet dough desserts, and that includes even filo pastry, especially when baked to a perfect, golden crisp. Paired with an abundant sour cherry and Kirsch filling, it is marvellous for afternoon coffee, a sweet snack after lunch, or even as a part of a sweet platter for gatherings.

My tips for making the best strudel.

Always count your filo sheets beforehand. Some packs have up to 25 sheets, some have only 16. However many there are, simply divide by four and layer away. Keep in mind that if you have fewer than 20 sheets, you may have some water and oil mixture leftover.

If you don't want to use Kirsch, you can omit it and use the same quantity of cold water, it will be fine either way. And, of course, if you prefer your pastries on the sweeter side, feel free to increase the amount of sugar in the filling.

When it comes to slicing the strudel, if you slice it when it's still hot, the top layer will shatter and potentially break off. My advice is to wait for the strudel rolls to cool down and then slice with a thin, serrated knife. All that is left after that is to dust them with some icing sugar, and enjoy.

Ingredients
For the strudel rolls
500 grams filo sheets (20 pieces)
120 millilitres tepid water
100 millilitres vegetable oil
75 grams coconut sugar or Turbinado sugar
For the cherry filling
400 grams sour cherries, fresh or defrosted
80 millilitres cold water
20 millilitres Kirsch
60 grams semolina
50 grams Turbinado sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Start by making the sour cherry filling, as it needs to cool down before filling the pastry. Add the cherries, water, Kirsch, semolina, sugar, and vanilla to a heavy saucepan, and place over medium-high heat. Mix gently until it starts to boil, and once it comes to a boil, cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat, and let it cool down to room temperature, stirring from time to time as it cools.

Once the filling is ready, count the filo sheets and divide them into four stacks, five sheets in each. Mix together the water and oil in a medium bowl and have it ready. Let the oven preheat to 200˚C.

Take one sheet, lay it flat on your work surface, brush it liberally with the water and oil mixture, and sprinkle on the coarse sugar. Take another sheet, lay it on top, and repeat. Once you place the final, fifth, sheet, add a portion of the cherry filling along one side, and roll it up into a somewhat tight roll. Repeat with the rest of the stacks of filo.

Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, brush them with any remaining water and oil mixture, and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 25-30 minutes. Once baked, take them out of the oven, let them cool down to your preference, and serve. Yields 24 individual pieces or 12 generous servings.