VEGAN CHOCOLATE PLUM CRUMB PIE

Plums are in abundance now, it is their season, and I am using every chance I get to bake with them. They are glorious for all kinds of desserts in all forms, and they pair so amazingly well with walnuts.

This is the type of pie that would be my first choice when it comes to coffee desserts. The wonderful combination of textures is what makes it so appealing, as well as that wonderfully rich plum and chocolate filling.

Wonderfully soft base, fantastic filling, and a delightfully crunchy crumb topping make this the true epitome of late summer and early autumn. Especially served with a mug of tea, I have to admit.

My tips for success.

The base layer needs to be baked enough to be able to hold the filling without it sinking, so if you feel that 10 minutes is not enough, do extend the baking time to 12 or even 15 minutes, adjusting the overall baking time based on that. The pie bakes relatively quickly, so the chances to overbake it are slim.

If you have plum jam that needs to be used up, feel free to use that instead of cooking the filling. Heat it up gently so it loosens up, add the chocolate and the walnuts, mix, and then simply spread it on the base layer. It will work perfectly!

Ingredients
For the base
120 grams plain flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
100 grams granulated sugar
40 millilitres vegetable oil
100 grams carbonated water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the chocolate plum filling
400 grams plums, stones removed
120 grams granulated sugar
30 grams cornflour
30 grams cold water
30 grams toasted walnuts, ground
50 grams extra dark chocolate (80%), chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the crumb topping
60 grams vegan block butter, cold
80 grams granulated sugar
60 grams plain flour
40 grams toasted walnuts, ground

Preparation

Start by making the filling, as it needs time to cool down. Either chop up or blend the plums, add in the sugar and combine. Pour the fruit into a heavy saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Let it slowly come to a boil, and cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, or until thickened and fragrant.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cornflour with the cold water, add it to the plums, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the filling becomes thick. Remove from the heat; add in the walnuts, vanilla, and the chocolate, and mix to combine. Set it aside to cool down.

Turn on the oven to preheat to 180°C. For the crumb topping, whisk together the flour, sugar, and the walnuts, add in the very cold cubed butter, and create a rough crumb topping, either with a pastry cutter or simply with your fingers, because it's such a small quantity.

For the base layer, mix together the flour with the baking soda and sugar, and add in all of the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Line a small square baking pan (18x18 cm) with baking parchment, pour in the base batter, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 10 minutes, until it starts to firm up. Remove it from the oven, gently add the plum filling and the crumb topping, and return to bake for another 25-30 minutes. It should be delightfully fragrant and slightly crispy on the edges.

Let the pie cool down completely in the pan, then slice up and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 16 pieces.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE BISCOFF LAYER CAKE

When it comes to foolproof desserts, nothing beats chocolate cake. It is universally loved and the texture can be fine-tuned to be fudgy or airy, or even brownie-like. And with that tiny bit of espresso added, it is a chocolate dream come true.

And Biscoff cookies, with their rich and deep caramel and cinnamon flavour, pair perfectly with both chocolate cake and apricot brandy. In general, apricots compliment caramel very nicely, and brighten up those deep, earthy cinnamon tones.

My tips for success.

Whenever you make this type of filling, it is always a good idea to add the ground biscuits gradually, stirring with a spatula or a wooden spoon, so the filling stays nice and soft, but workable. It is also good to have a few extra biscuits on the side, in case the filling is too soft.

The reason behind this is quite simple - some vegan soured cream alternatives have more liquid than others, and that affects the filling consistency greatly. Combined with the additional liquid from the apricot brandy, it is a great idea to have a bit more cookies on hand.

If you do not want to use the apricot brandy, do add a few drops of apricot extract, and adjust the amount of ground biscuits added to the filling. In general, these quantities cannot make the filling too crumbly, but if that does happen, add a tablespoon of plain yoghurt and stir it through, and it will be perfect.

However, if you wish to add more of the apricot brandy to this little cake, do not add it to the filling, because it will get way to soft to set, but instead sprinkle it on the cake layers. You can use it as it is, or mix it with a bit of simple syrup, to dilute it, I leave that to you.

Ingredients
For the chocolate fudge cake layers
250 grams plain flour
40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
300 grams icing sugar
10 grams baking powder
425 millilitres boiling water
1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
100 grams applesauce
45 millilitres vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the Biscoff filling
250 grams Biscoff cookies, finely ground
350 grams vegan soured cream alternative or thick vegan Skyr
150 grams icing sugar, sifted
30 millilitres apricot brandy 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For serving
100 grams dark chocolate (80%)

Preparation

Start by making the chocolate cake layers. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix it through. Line a rectangular cake pan (20x30 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; add in the warm water, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and fresh lemon juice, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Make sure the cake is soft and fudgy, and not dry. Let it cool in the pan completely.

Once the cake is cool to the touch, make the filling. Place the vegan soured cream alternative (or vegan Skyr) into a medium bowl, add in the apricot brandy, vanilla, and the icing sugar, and fold them together using a spatula. Add in the ground Biscoff cookies, and fold them through until combined. The filling will be soft, but manageable. If you feel it is too soft to work with, add a bit more of ground Biscoff cookies.

As soon as everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cake, if necessary, and slice it in half crosswise and lengthwise, to create four thin rectangular layers. Take a few big spoonfuls of the filling to use as frosting, and divide the rest into three equal parts.

Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter, close a cake form around it, line it with a strip of acetate, and spread on a portion of the filling. Continue stacking until everything is used up, and spread the reserved filling on the very top of the cake. Place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove the cake from and the acetate strip, abundantly top with dark chocolate shavings and serve. Yields 9 rich servings.

VEGAN NOUGAT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Although I believe ice cream can and should be eaten year-round, its prime time is undoubtedly during the summer months. However, many traditional ice cream recipes require egg yolks, making them unsuitable for anyone who cannot or does not want to have eggs. That is one of the reasons why I hold no-churn ice creams so dear.

No-churn ice creams are generally easier to make because they do not require an ice cream maker or prolonged cooking during the heat. Mixing and freezing is all that is needed, and that makes them much more accessible, which is something that is quite important to me. And speaking of that, they often require fewer steps and less preparation in general, which is great if you are including your little ones in the process.

That is why this little frozen gem is simply perfect for summer; full of chocolate and hazelnuts, and with a delightfully creamy texture. It is essentially Viennese nougat in a beautifully frozen form.

My tips for success.

If you cannot find sweetened condensed oat milk, any plant-based condensed milk will work just as well, although some might alter the flavour slightly, like coconut milk. You can also make your own sweetened condensed milk using powdered milk of choice, which will work perfectly, as well.

Do not fret that additional icing sugar in the recipe; cold decreases sweetness, and the ice cream will not taste as good if the sugar is omitted, even with the sweetened condensed oat milk. However, if you like, you can add actual melted vegan nougat instead of the hazelnut butter, but do omit the sugar in that case, as nougat is usually quite sweet on its own.

Ingredients
200 grams sweetened condensed oat milk, cold
200 ml plant-based double cream
100 grams hazelnut butter
80 grams extra dark chocolate (at least 85%)
50 grams icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
a couple of big pinches of salt

Preparation

Start by melting the dark chocolate over low heat or in the microwave, and set it aside so it can cool down slightly. Place the hazelnut butter into a large bowl, add in the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt, and blend briefly. You can also whisk it with a wire whisk at this point. Take a separate large bowl, preferably a metal one, and whip the plant cream until stiff peaks form.

Take the cooled chocolate and whisk it well with the hazelnut butter. Using a rubber spatula and gentle motions, fold the whipped cream into the hazelnut and chocolate in two or three additions, whichever one you are more comfortable with. Do not use a whisk or a hand mixer, so the batter does not deflate. It is also fine if there are streaks of cream visible throughout the ice cream.

Gently pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Serve the ice cream with some additional vegan chocolate sauce or chopped toasted hazelnuts. Yields around 700 ml of ice cream or 6 servings.

VEGAN POPPY SEED PASTRIES

These lovely pastries combine irresistible charm of the subtle crunch of poppy seeds with the deep aroma of vanilla beans and vegan honey, making them simply perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat. I find them incredibly indulgent and fantastic for picnics, as well, because they transport really well and stay soft for quite a long time.

Not too sweet, yet utterly aromatic and flavourful, they are a wonderful reminder of why homemade is always the best. They are also very straightforward to make and with easily accessible ingredients, which makes them suitable for bakers of all levels.

My tips for success.

They are absolutely delicious even the next day, but they do not toast that well due to the honey centres. However, they can be broiled quickly, for a similarly satisfying crunchy effect. They can also be topped with some vegan butter before broiling or split in half and used for a lovely version of French toast.

When it comes to shaping, you can shape them the way that it is described in the recipe, giving them a more laminated texture, or you can simply form a little dough ball, flatten it on your palm, drizzle some vegan honey in the centre, close it well, and place it on the baking sheet. The texture will be slightly different, but it is easier to shape, and the crumb will be equally soft.

And if you have some leftover vegan honey, you can either brush them with it before baking or right after they come out of the oven. Either way, it will add a touch more of sweetness and a delightful aroma.

Ingredients
450 grams plain flour
50 grams ground poppy seeds
30 grams granulated sugar
150 grams vegan vanilla yoghurt
120 millilitres warm water
60 millilitres vegetable oil, divided
25 grams fresh yeast
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ of a medium vanilla bean or 1 heaped teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
100 grams vegan honey or maple syrup

Preparation

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt and the poppy seeds, whisk very well, and set aside. Take a separate medium bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar, scraped seeds from the vanilla bean, and the warm water, mix well, and set aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once ready, make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the activated yeast, vegan vanilla yoghurt, half of the oil, and vinegar, and mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft and slightly sticky dough forms. It should not stick to your hands, but if it does, add another teaspoon or two of flour, but not more than that, as the dough needs to be as soft as possible. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise, at room temperature, for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, knead it briefly, and then divide it into 16 equal pieces by weight. Roll each of them into a large circle, as large as you can get it, and drizzle a generous spoonful of vegan honey all over it. Roll it up into a long rope shape, pinching the seam so it stays tightly rolled. Coil the dough into a swirl, and place it on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Continue shaping until the dough is used up, and then let the pastries sit in a warm spot for another 30 minutes, to rise again. Just before baking, brush them with the reserved vegetable oil, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes. If desired, mist them with cold water as soon as they are out of the oven, for a softer crust. Serve warm, with a cup of strong coffee.

VEGAN NO-BAKE BLACKBERRY COCONUT CAKE

Although the summer heat is starting to mellow down, there is always room for no-bake desserts. The combination of ease of preparation, no need for an oven, and simple, wholesome ingredients guarantees a fantastic experience on every bite.

The wonderful blend of fresh blackberries and coconut makes for a perfect pairing, with the delightful burst of tanginess combined with the smooth sweetness of coconut. With its straightforward preparation and easily obtainable ingredients, this little no-bake beauty indeed shows that simplicity and deliciousness are achievable in this form, as well.

My tips for success.

When it comes to straining blackberries to remove the pips, I leave that to your choice. I do not mind them at all in desserts, but if you want a completely smooth filling, purée the blackberries first, and strain them through a fine mesh sieve, and then proceed with the recipe. Do keep in mind that you will need more blackberries than the recipe calls for, as some of the pulp will inevitably be removed alongside the pips.

Any plant-based milk will work for the base of the cake, although I prefer the coconut milk, as it is a coconut layer. Soy milk also works well, because it's neutral and gives a nice texture to the custard.

On a final note, do adjust the sweetness level of the blackberry cream filling to your preferences. Some blackberries can be very tart, and if you don’t like that, it is better to increase the amount of sugar and fully enjoy the dessert.

Keep in mind that other than granulated sugar, you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, as well as maple syrup, agave syrup, or even date syrup. Some of these will slightly change the colour of the filling, but that is not a problem, as it will still be fantastic.

Ingredients
For the coconut base
120 millilitres soy or coconut milk
20 grams cornflour
75 grams granulated sugar
60 grams vegan block butter, cubed
80 grams desiccated coconut
50 grams vegan white chocolate, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the blackberry filling
250 grams blackberries
40 grams cornflour
100 grams granulated sugar
50 millilitres cold water
125 grams vegan block butter
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the blackberry jelly insert
100 grams blackberries
25 grams cornflour
25 millilitres cold water
50 grams granulated sugar
10 grams vegan block butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the chocolate glaze
100 grams dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids)
30 millilitres vegetable oil

Preparation

Start by making the blackberry jelly insert, as it needs to be frozen. Place the berries into a blender jar, along with the sugar, water, and cornflour, and blend until completely smooth. Pour this mix into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, either with a rubber spatula or a whisk. Once it starts to boil, cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes, stirring vigorously and constantly.

As soon as it is done, remove it from the heat and add in the vanilla and the vegan block butter. Mix well, either by using a wire whisk or an immersion blender, and transfer it to a 12-cm round cake pan or a pastry ring, lined with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Level the top and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap or a round of baking parchment, and place it into the freezer for at least 4-6 hours, or until frozen solid. This can also be done the night before.

Next, make the blackberry filling. Similarly to the jelly insert, place the berries into a blender, add in the sugar, water, and cornflour, and blend until completely smooth. Pour it into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. As soon as it starts to boil, whisk vigorously, and cook until glossy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove it from the heat, and add in the diced vegan block butter and vanilla. It can be cold or at room temperature, it makes no difference. Blend the butter well into the cooked custard, either with a hand mixer or an immersion blender, cover the top with a piece of cling film, and let it cool down to room temperature.

Finally, make the coconut base layer. Prepare a 15-centimetre cake or pastry ring by placing it onto the serving platter and lining it with a strip of acetate, at least 5 centimetres tall. This will make the assembly easier.

Pour the milk of choice into a heavy-bottomed pot or a saucepan, and add in the cornflour and sugar. Place the pan over medium heat, and let it come to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, cook until thickened, stirring often. This should take no longer than 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in the vegan white chocolate, vegan block butter, and vanilla, and let it stand for a minute or so, so everything starts to melt. Take a hand mixer and blend this batter carefully, on low speed, as it can splatter, and once blended, add in the desiccated coconut, and continue mixing, increasing the speed as you go, until smooth. Add this to the lined cake ring and level it as much as possible. Let cool to room temperature.

Once everything is cool and ready, proceed to assemble.

Take the blackberry filling and whip it with an electric mixer on high, to make it smooth and easily spreadable. Remove the blackberry insert from the mould and place it on top of the coconut layer. Gently spread the whipped filling on top and all around it, leaving a few tablespoons for decoration. Tap the platter a few times on the counter so the cream filling settles, and place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Once the cake is chilled and somewhat firm, make the chocolate glaze. Melt together the chopped chocolate and the vegetable oil, stirring until all of the visible oil streaks are gone. This can also be done with an immersion blender. Pour the glaze on top of the cake, shake and tap the platter to level it, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Yields 12 generous servings. © Tina Vesić 2024