VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BAKLAVA

I come from a long line of people who deem all effort as too much effort. And that has resulted in them deeming me far too much in all matters, including baking. And I do understand, they do not enjoy the process as much as I do, and that is fine. They prefer to buy, I prefer to make, it's a simple preference.

To me, baklava is one of the easiest and heartiest desserts one could make. Layer upon layer of supremely thin filo sheets, plenty of toasted hazelnuts, brown sugar, dark chocolate, and a bit of coffee, for good measure; what is not to love?

And it comes together so quickly and effortlessly, too, making it excellent for a midweek dessert, as well as a sweet gift to your loved ones. It lasts quite a bit, as well, due to the sugar content and the syrup making it soft and moist.

It is best served with strong coffee, but I leave that up to you, as I always do.

Ingredients

For the vegan baklava

250 grams filo pastry sheets (8 sheets)
250 grams toasted hazelnuts, finely ground
100 grams light brown sugar
30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaping teaspoon instant espresso powder
100 grams dark chocolate (70%), grated coarsely
200 grams vegan chocolate hazelnut spread

For the layering

100 grams vegan block butter, melted
50 millilitres neutral oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

For the baklava syrup

300 millilitres water
100 grams granulated sugar
30 grams glucose syrup

Preparation

Place the brown sugar in a large bowl, add in the ground hazelnuts, espresso, cocoa powder, and grated dark chocolate, and whisk it together well. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted vegan butter, oil, and vanilla.

Divide the filo sheets into two stacks of four sheets each and let the oven preheat to 200˚C. Generously butter a rectangular baking pan (20x30 cm) and set it aside.

Using a pastry brush, brush the first filo sheet liberally, and pipe half of the vegan hazelnut spread along one of the edges. Roll it up very tightly and set it aside. Take another filo sheet, brush it with the butter mix and top with a generous portion of the filling. Top with another filo sheet, brush it with butter, and top with the filling. Repeat this once more, and place the rolled up filo sheet with the hazelnut spread on one of the edges.

Roll it all up into a nice, neat roll, resembling a cake roll, and carefully transfer it to the prepared baking pan. Repeat this once again, for the second stack of pastry sheets. Once everything is used up, take a very sharp knife and slice the baklava rolls all the way through, into 8 equal pieces. Place it in the hot oven, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until beautifully golden and baked through.

I do not recommend slicing it any smaller, because it will fall apart.

As soon as the baklava is in the oven, start cooking the syrup. Place all the ingredients in a large pot, place it over medium heat, and let it heat up slowly. Once boiling, let it cook for about 15 minutes or so, until lightly thickened.

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 go between them nicely and do not feel obligated to use up all of the syrup if it looks like your baklava does not need it or if you prefer it less sweet.

Let it stand overnight in a cool place, and serve with strong coffee. Yields 8 generous servings.

MINI VEGAN APRICOT WALNUT SNACK CAKE

I think my complicated relationship with walnuts deserves its own separate essay, but the core of it is me being a little rebel and people making dry cakes. While the tiny rebellion is a very real thing, dry cakes are more than likely what has caused my dislike for walnuts cakes and pastries.

Because a cake can be dry but salvaged by a good filling. On the other hand, it can be dry and have a less-than-stellar filling and frosting, which only makes matters more difficult.

And that is what cakes were like when I was a child.

I have spoken and written about this before, but the cakes were very dry, while the filling always had undissolved granulated sugar crunching as you took each bite. And while I am sure that people did the best they could, there is also something to be said about baking because you have to versus baking out of love.

So now, when I bake and when I create recipes I love, out of love, I focus on making cakes and pastries and all other happy pastry things the way I like to present them; rich, delicious, and never dry.

This little snack cake is just like that. A gorgeous chocolate cake, soft and moist, plenty of walnut and apricot jam filling, and a luscious Rocher glaze on top. Absolutely delightful with coffee or tea, and transports perfectly, should you decide to gift it to someone you love.

Serve it with your favourite cuppa and enjoy every bite!

Ingredients

For the mini vegan chocolate cake

160 grams plain flour
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
190 grams granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
280 millilitres coffee, freshly brewed
30 millilitres neutral oil
1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the filling

100 grams apricot jam
75 grams toasted walnuts, ground
20 millilitres walnut brandy

For the syrup

75 grams apricot jam
45 millilitres fresh orange juice

For the gourmet Rocher glaze

70 grams vegan milk chocolate
20 millilitres neutral oil
30 grams toasted walnuts, chopped finely

Preparation

As the cake is prepared relatively quickly, start by mixing together all the filling ingredients, and setting them aside. Do the same for the syrup, and whisk together the apricot jam and the fresh orange juice. If the jam is too thick, feel free to heat it up slightly, so it becomes liquid. Set all of that aside and let the oven preheat to 180°. Line a small cake pan or a loaf pan (10x20 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides.

For the cake, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add everything to a large bowl. Tip in the sugar and whisk to combine. Pour in all of the wet ingredients in no particular order, and whisk until just combined, so the cake stays soft. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and place it into the nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes. This way, the surface will firm up, but the cake will not be baked all the way through.

After those initial 15 minutes, take the pan out of the oven, and add the filling in an even layer. Do this part gently, so the filling doesn't sink into the cake. Top with the rest of the cake batter, and return the pan to the oven, for further 30-35 minutes, until the cake is fully baked through.

My cake was done after exactly 47 minutes.

As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, brush it generously with the prepared syrup. Brush it on in layers, so the cake can absorb it well, and set the cake aside to cool down completely in the pan.

Once the cake is cool, prepare the glaze. Melt the chocolate over low heat or in the microwave, add in the oil, and blend very well. Finally, stir in the walnuts. Glaze the cake as desired and either place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or serve it as is, with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 8 rich servings or 12 modest ones.

VEGAN PISTACHIO LEMON WAFERS

There are certain comfort foods that are forever, so to speak, not only because of their flavour, but because of their emotional significance to us. For me, those core comfort sweets are wafers, or oblande, and those tiny little mini bars you often see me make, or sitni kolači. And I've always loved them, as far as I recall, since I was a child, so along with coffee, those truly are the absolute core of my flavour and texture preferences.

My paternal grandmother used to make caramel wafers occasionally, usually around holidays, and those were truly magnificent. Granted, immensely sweet for my taste now, but when you're young, you don't really pay much attention to that. You are focused on the delightful milk caramel and the toasted walnuts.

But now, I prefer my desserts less sweet, which is why this little gem features both roasted salted pistachios, as well as blanched pistachios. One is for flavour, the other for that gorgeous emerald colour. And the citrus flavour does come through quite prominently, perfectly pairing with the nuts.

One thing I have to point out, though; these are quite large. I did slice them into pieces fit for a photo session, but for an everyday treat, or even as a part of a sweet platter, I recommend slicing them in smaller pieces. You can get at least 70 of them, they feed a crowd, and they're also wonderful to gift to friends and family.

Brew your favourite coffee and enjoy!

Ingredients

150 millilitres lemon juice, about three large lemons
150 grams granulated sugar
200 grams vegan block butter
200 grams vegan white chocolate
2 whole lemons, zest only
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
100 grams roasted salted pistachios, finely ground
100 grams blanched pistachios, finely ground
250 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground
60 grams soy milk powder
5 small wafer sheets, 20x28 cm or 100 grams in total

Preparation

Pour the lemon juice into a heavy saucepan, add in the sugar, diced vegan butter, vanilla, lemon zest, and chopped vegan white chocolate, and place it over medium heat. Let everything melt together slowly, making sure it does not come to a boil.

Once melted, remove from the heat and add in the ground pistachios. Mix them through well, and then add in the ground biscuits and sifted soy milk powder. Add the biscuits in increments, making sure the batter does not start to be dry. Mix very well, either with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, and leave it for about 10-15 minutes, so it can cool down. Stir it from time to time as it cools, so it cools down evenly.

Once lukewarm, place the first wafer sheet on the serving platter, coarse side up. If using a cake frame, close it around it. Add one-fourth of the filling and spread it evenly. Add another wafer sheet in the same fashion, and continue stacking until everything is used up. Top with the final wafer sheet, press gently with both palms so everything sets, and then place something heavy on top, like a 1-litre carton of milk or a 1-kg bag of sugar on top, so it sets nicely.

Place the platter somewhere cool, but not in the refrigerator, so they don’t get soggy. They are best after at least 8 hours, but you can slice them even after 4 hours if you are in a hurry. Yields 35 large wafer bars or around 70 bite-sized ones.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE BISCUIT LAYER CAKE

This is one of those buttercream recipes that is beautifully adaptable and allows you to use any biscuit you like, be it a plain vanilla one, chocolate sandwich one, or even Biscoff. Any biscuit will work for this, just make sure you adjust the final consistency by adding more or less soy milk.

I believe that the cake you make should be enjoyed in every way, and that is why I encourage you, dear Reader, to experiment and find your favourite combination of flavours. And that is what I love about cakes like this one; my recipe is the baseline idea that works well, and the rest is up to you and your imagination and preferences.

Ingredients

For the fudge chocolate cake layers

240 grams courgettes (zucchini), grated and lightly squeezed dry
200 grams plain flour
45 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
180 grams granulated sugar
250 millilitres soy milk
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
75 millilitres neutral oil
2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the vanilla biscuit filling

250 grams vegan block butter, softened
100 grams icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
50 grams toasted almonds, finely ground
150 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground
60 millilitres soy milk

Preparation

Start by making the vegan chocolate fudge cake. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a rectangular cake pan (20x30 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside.

Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Make a well in the centre, pour in all the wet ingredients, and whisk until barely combined. Finally, add in the courgettes, and fold them through until combined. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 30-35 minutes, or until done.

Mine was done after exactly 30 minutes.

As every oven bakes differently, check with a toothpick to make sure it is baked through, but still fudgy. Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.

While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream filling. Place the softened vegan block butter into a large bowl, add in the vanilla, and mix with an electric mixer on high for about 2-3 minutes, or until lighter in colour and creamy. Add in the icing sugar, and continue beating the buttercream for a few minutes more. Add in the ground almonds and the fine biscuit crumbs, and mix on the lowest setting until somewhat combined.

At this point, it might look a bit dry or crumbly, but that is fine.

Start adding the soy milk in a thin stream while the mixer is running, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Once the batter is blended well, the buttercream may look a bit soft, but that is fine. Place the bowl into the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so.

Once everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cake if needed, slice it in half lengthwise, and then cut each of those parts in half to create four thin, almost square, layers. Weigh the buttercream and divide it into four equal parts by weight. If it seems too thick to spread, which can happen if your biscuits were on the drier side, add a bit more of the soy milk, and blend well.

Place the first cake layer on the serving platter, spread a portion of the filling, add another cake layer, and continue stacking until all the cake is used up. Because the cake is sturdy, use the remaining buttercream to decorate the top and sides. Place everything into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

When you are ready to serve, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Yields 16 rich servings.

MINI VEGAN ESPRESSO BROWNIE COFFEE CAKE

I believe the title of this recipe is the perfect answer to any question about how much exactly I enjoy coffee. A coffee coffee cake actually fits perfectly into the image people already have of me in regards to caffeine.

Sweet jokes aside, it is a marvellous little cake with a tender crumb, rich brownie filling, and a wonderful crumb topping. The coffee flavour is prominent, but that is the point. I encourage you to reduce or increase the amount of espresso to your liking, especially if you are not serving the cake to children.

Feel free to add a tiny splash of your favourite coffee liqueur to the batter itself, it will be an excellent addition. Just make sure not to add too much, because we still need the cake to bake through and have a lovely crumb texture.

I've served it straight from the oven, as well as completely cooled, and I have to say I do enjoy it either way. So serve it to your liking, maybe even including a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the espresso coffee cake

90 grams plain flour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
small pinch of cardamom
30 grams ground toasted walnuts, finely ground
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams brown sugar
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
110 millilitres carbonated water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
10 millilitres boiling water
25 millilitres neutral oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

For the brownie filling

15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
15 grams icing sugar
30 grams vegan block butter
30 grams dark chocolate (70%), chopped
45 millilitres soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
25 grams plain flour

For the crumb topping

20 grams vegan block butter, melted
20 grams granulated sugar
40 grams plain flour

Preparation

Start by making the crumb topping. Mix the melted vegan block butter with the sugar and flour until big pieces of crumble form. Place it in a little bowl, and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Turn the oven on to preheat to 180°C and line a small rectangle cake pan (12x12 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. It is best to use a deeper cake pan, so the cake can rise nicely and that there is enough room for the topping.

Just before making the cake batter, make the brownie batter filling. Place the vegan butter, dark chocolate, soy milk, and vanilla into a small saucepan, and whisk well. Sift in the cocoa powder and icing sugar, and whisk well. Place the pan over medium heat, and gently melt everything together until smooth, but do not let it boil. Remove from the heat, add in the flour, and mix until just combined. Set it aside at room temperature or pour it into a piping bag.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, add in the ground walnuts and both types of sugar, and whisk to combine. Separately whisk together the instant espresso powder with the boiling water, and add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, so the cake stays soft.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and place it immediately in the preheated oven, for just 15 minutes, so the surface firms up slightly. After about 15 minutes or so, take the cake out of the oven, add the brownie filling and the crumb topping, and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, for a total of 35 minutes. Make sure you check the cake early on, so it doesn't overbake.

Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool down completely in the pan. Serve with coffee. Yields 8 servings.