VEGAN ALMOND CROISSANT SWEET POTATO BREAD

Sweet dough desserts have been one of my favourites for a very long time, and for a good reason. There is something so special in the combination of soft and fluffy bread, sweet filling, and that ever so slight crunch that the crust has. Just perfect for a cup of tea, indeed.

And I can honestly say that this particular filling was an instant favourite. Personally, to me it tastes like the best sweet potato pie I ever made. Dates were just the right choice for this bread and the maple syrup simply intensified the caramel notes.

Now, as with every filled bread, I do have to say - it does not toast that perfectly due to how sticky the filling is. However, if you slice it in nice, thick slices, spread some vegan butter on them, and broil them, then it is a whole different story. I honestly cannot decide if it is better fresh from the oven or lightly broiled, both versions have their own charm and appeal.

Ingredients
For the flaky almond dough
325 grams plain flour
150 grams warm water
35 grams vegetable oil
20 grams maple syrup
10 grams salt
15 grams fresh yeast
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon almond extract
For the caramel sweet potato filling
150 grams sweet potato, boiled and drained or steamed
100 grams soft dates
30 grams flaked almonds
30 grams maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

To make the bread, take a small bowl and crumble in the fresh yeast. Add in the warm water and the sugar, mix well, and set it aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt, and whisk them together. Once the yeast is ready, add it to the sifted flour, along with the oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until it comes together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a minute or two, by hand until supple. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let rest for about 45-60 minutes, until doubled in size.

For the filling, cook the sweet potato as you like. You can boil it, steam it, or bake it. If you choose to boil it, return it to the head a bit after straining the water, to remove some more of the liquid. Soak the soft dates in boiling water for 10 minutes, strain well, and then blend with the sweet potato until smooth. Add in the flaked almonds, maple syrup, and the vanilla, and blend to combine. Taste and adjust the sweetness, and set it aside.

Once the dough has risen, turn it onto a floured surface, and roll it out to about 45-50 centimetres in length and about 30 centimetres in width, without any kneading. The dough will be very soft and easy to work with. Divide the dough into two long strips (about 15 x 45 cm) and spread the filling evenly on both, leaving one edge free, so the roll can seal. Roll up each strip towards the free edge and seal them well.

Wrap the two rolls together and then coil the plait around itself, tucking the ends underneath. Grease and flour a small round baking pan (16 cm) or line it with baking parchment, position the bread in the centre of it, and let it rise for about 30 minutes, while the oven preheats to 200°C. Just before baking, generously mist the dough with cold water, and bake at 200°C for about 15 minutes, and then at 180°C for 10 minutes more. The bread is best served warm. Yields one small bread loaf.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE BROWNIES

I am a big fan of jellies and all gel-based confections, so needless to say, Jaffa cakes were my firm favourite for many years. And my love of that sweet, timeless combination of chocolate and oranges still persists through everything.

Tall, cakey brownies, delicious fresh orange jelly, and a gorgeous crown of dark chocolate - just perfect for a spring brunch. With just eight modest servings, it is truly best for smaller gatherings or if you like to meal prep, these keep very well for a few days, even at room temperature, but in a well-sealed box.

Now, if you've never worked with agar, be prepared for a much different texture compared to gelatine-based jellies. Agar has that dense, firm bite that I absolutely love, but it is not even similar to that little springy bounce gelatine offers.

All in all, these are a fun little sweet treat that is quick to make and simply gorgeous to enjoy with a cup of coffee. The best things in life are simple, after all.

Ingredients
For the vegan brownies
120 grams plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
150 grams granulated sugar
30 millilitres sunflower oil
150 millilitres soy milk
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the fresh orange jelly
200 millilitres fresh orange purée
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 levelled teaspoons agar-agar powder
For the dark chocolate glaze
100 grams dark chocolate (70%)
30 millilitres sunflower oil

Preparation

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small rectangular baking pan (10x20 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Take a medium bowl, and sift in the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Whisk them well to combine, add in the sugar, whisk well once again. Add in the vegetable oil, soy milk, and the vanilla, and mix to combine. Try not to overmix the batter so they stay soft and fudgy.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level it nicely, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the very centre comes out mostly clean. Let the brownies cool down slowly in the pan.

While they are cooling, zest the orange to get a full teaspoon, and then peel and segment the fruit, removing all the membranes you can. Blend the oranges on the highest speed your blender allows, then add the purée to a saucepan, along with the agar-agar and the zest.

Place over medium heat and let it come to a boil. Cook, stirring quite frequently, for about 5 minutes, so the agar dissolves and activates. Remove from the heat and let it cool down slightly. As soon as it starts to thicken and is not completely runny anymore, pour it over the brownies, and shake the pan to distribute the jelly well. Leave it at room temperature to set.

When the jelly is firm and ready, melt the chocolate and the oil over low heat or in the microwave, glaze the brownies, and they are ready to serve as soon as the chocolate sets. My recommendation would be, however, to chill them in the refrigerator for an hour or two, for a better experience. Yields 8 smaller servings.

VEGAN POPPY SEED RASPBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE TART

Nothing says spring desserts like fresh fruit, crisp textures, and plenty of vegan white chocolate mousse. Light and airy, with a robust poppy seed and raspberry base, it is the perfect brunch item, especially served with espresso.

This is actually my favourite tart shell recipe. I've used it many times in many different forms, with or without nuts, even for shortbread-like cookies. It is simply that versatile and delicious. It will, however, be somewhat soft once you first make it, so if you are not comfortable with that, simply chill the dough for a bit, and it will be a dream to work with.

Ingredients
For the tart shell
75 grams plain flour
25 grams finely ground almonds
20 grams icing sugar
50 grams vegan block butter, cold
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
70 grams vegan white chocolate
For the poppy seed filling
75 grams ground blue poppy seed
45 grams date syrup
25 grams vegan block butter
65 grams vegan double cream
For the tangy raspberry jam
120 grams raspberries, fresh or defrosted
80 grams maple syrup
20 millilitres fresh lemon juice
10 grams cornflour
1 tablespoon cold water
¼ teaspoon rosewater
For the whipped white chocolate ganache
150 grams vegan white chocolate
45 grams vegan block butter
150 grams vegan double cream
½ vanilla bean

Preparation

Start by making the vegan white chocolate ganache. Chop the chocolate finely and place it in a saucepan. Pour in the vegan double cream; add in the butter and the vanilla seeds scraped from a pod, and place everything over low heat. Melt it together slowly, stirring gently, until it's all blended. Remove from the heat, let it cool down to room temperature, cover with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, and place into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

For the raspberry jam, add the fruit to a saucepan along with the maple syrup and lemon juice. Place it over medium heat and let it slowly heat up and come to a boil. Once boiling, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until it slightly thickens. Whisk together the cornflour and the cold water; add the mix to the raspberries, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, mix in the rose water, and pour everything into a small flexible mould or a cake ring (10 or 11 cm in diameter). Place the mould in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the tart shell, start by turning the oven on to preheat to 180°C. Take a large bowl, add in the cold vegan block butter, diced into pieces, sift in the icing sugar and mash everything with a fork until it starts to come together. You can use your fingers for this, but using a metal fork helps the butter remain cold. Sift in the flour, add in the ground almonds, vanilla, and lemon juice, and then mix by hand until a smooth pie dough forms.

The dough will be soft, so you can place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so, to make it less sticky. Roll the dough out to about 5 millimetres in thickens between two sheets of baking parchment, and transfer it to a deep tart mould or pan (15 cm in diameter and at least 4 cm deep). This is important because it needs that room for the filling. Return the mould to the refrigerator until the oven is done preheating. Once ready, add a crumpled piece of baking parchment onto the tart shell, add in the pie weights, and bake for about 10 minutes at 180°C. After that, carefully remove the weights and the parchment, and bake for another 8-10 minutes. Leave the baked shell to cool completely, and then coat the inside with melted vegan white chocolate, so it stays crispy as long as possible.

While the shell is cooling and the chocolate is setting, make the poppy seed filling. Place the poppy seeds in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add in the date syrup, vegan butter, and vegan double cream, and mix together. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and let everything come together, while stirring gently. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. It might look soft and runny, but that's okay.

When everything is cool and ready, spread the poppy seed filling evenly on the bottom of the baked shell, and add the frozen raspberry insert on top. Whip the white chocolate ganache with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, and carefully add it over and around the raspberry insert, covering everything in a cloud of cream.

Decorate the tart with the remaining ganache as desired, add some additional raspberries, and serve well chilled. Yields 10 servings.

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.