VEGAN CHOCOLATE APRICOT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

When I compare my dessert preferences now to those of my childhood, I realise that not much has changed. As a child, I absolutely loved spice cookies called Medenjaci, which were made with honey and cinnamon. Quite similar to Pfeffernüsse, only made larger and without any glaze.

But what I really loved was the actual spice combination, as I enjoy it to this day. And that combination is the essence of these cookies, as well. The timeless blend of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, beautifully enhanced by apricot jam and dark chocolate, they are simply divine with a cup of tea.

Incredibly easy to make, completely dairy-free and egg-free, of course, they take no longer than an hour from start to finish. Personally, I like to enjoy them slightly warm with a dash of icy cold jam, without any glaze, but I do recommend glazing them, for a wonderful balance of flavours.

Ingredients
For the vegan cookies
200 grams plain flour
50 grams whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
90 grams granulated sugar
50 millilitres water
50 millilitres vegetable oil
60 grams vegan honey
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the filling and glazing
75-100 grams thick apricot jam
150 grams dark chocolate (75% cocoa solids)

Preparation

Set the oven to preheat to 180°C. Take a large bowl and sift in both types of flour, spices, and baking soda, and whisk them together well. Add in the sugar and whisk to combine. In a medium saucepan, combine water, oil, honey, and vanilla, and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, pour it over the dry ingredients, and mix with a wooden spoon until a soft dough comes together. Briefly and lightly knead with your hands to make it into a proper dough, divide it into 16 equal pieces, roll them into balls, and arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. They do not spread much while baking.

Using the tip of your finger or the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the centre of each little dough ball, and bake them immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C for about 10-12 minutes. They should not change their colour a lot; only perhaps get lightly golden on the bottom. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down on the baking sheet. If desired, gently press on the indentations with either a tiny measuring spoon or the end of a wooden spoon, to make them more prominent.

When they are barely lukewarm, place the apricot jam into a piping bag and generously fill each cookie. Place them into a sealed container so they don’t dry out and melt the chocolate, either on low heat or in the microwave. Glaze each cookie to your liking, either by dipping it into the chocolate or pouring the chocolate over it, and let the glaze set. Yields 16 medium cookies.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE FUDGE BROWNIE TORTE

As far as I am concerned, dark chocolate and orange are a truly timeless flavour combination when it comes to desserts. All vegan chocolate orange treats have that je ne sais quoi which makes them simply perfect, but cakes indeed hold a special place in my heart.

And even though it has a striking appearance, this little vegan fudge brownie torte is quite simple to make. Completely dairy-free and egg-free, it is velvety and smooth, with vibrant citrus notes coming through so brightly.

Due to it having a brownie base, I recommend letting it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving, so it softens up slightly and completely melts on each bite. Do serve it with strong coffee, as it pairs oh-so-well with the chocolate and citrus notes.

Ingredients
For the fudge brownie base
100 grams plain flour
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
70 grams vegan block butter
100 grams dark chocolate (75% cocoa solids)
100 grams granulated sugar
150 grams vegan vanilla yoghurt
1 teaspoon dark rum
60 millilitres aquafaba
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the fresh orange filling
150 grams fresh orange segments
150 grams granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cornflour
30 millilitres cold water
For the vegan dark chocolate mousse
200 millilitres plant-based double cream
100 grams dark chocolate (80-85% cocoa solids)

Preparation

Start by making the fresh orange filling. Segment two or three large oranges and place the fruit into a heavy bottomed saucepan, along with the sugar, and place it over medium heat. Let it come to a boil, and then cook for about 10 minutes, stirring quite often, until all the liquid evaporates.

Dissolve the cornflour in cold water and add it to the orange jam. Mix vigorously and cook for a minute or two, until thickened. Remove it from the heat, transfer it to a small bowl, and let it cool down completely. This can also be done the night before.

For the vegan dark chocolate mousse, chop up the chocolate finely, and place it into a heavy saucepan or a medium pot, along with the plant double cream. Place the saucepan over medium heat and let everything melt together slowly. Do not rush this process so the chocolate does not burn.

Once everything is melted and smooth, remove it from the heat, cover the top with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, let it cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours, so it can whip up.

Once the fillings are cool, make the vegan fudge brownies. Turn on the oven to preheat to 180°C. Sift the flour with the cocoa powder and baking powder, and set it aside. Chop up the vegan dark chocolate finely, add it to a small saucepan, and add in the vegan butter and sugar. Melt it over low heat or in the microwave, and set it aside to cool down slightly. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegan yoghurt, rum, aquafaba and vanilla.

As soon as the chocolate is ready, add the liquid ingredients to the dry, and whisk until only incorporated. Whisking any further can make the brownies tough later on. Line a small (15 cm) round cake pan with baking parchment, transfer the batter, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 25-30 minutes.

Test it with a toothpick, and if there are only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, it is ready. Brownies are supposed to be like that. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool down in the pan, preferably to room temperature.

Once you are ready to assemble, take the vegan chocolate mousse out of the refrigerator, and whip it with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Stir around the cooked jam a bit, to loosen it up, as well.

Place the brownie layer on the serving platter, line it with a strip of acetate, and close a cake ring tightly around it. Add all of the orange jam and spread it nicely. Finally, add the vegan mousse, and if you want, make a decorative pattern on the top with a bit of the mousse, although that is completely optional. Place the torte in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and serve well-chilled, preferably with strong coffee. Yields 12 generous servings.

VEGAN RASPBERRY PISTACHIO LAYER CAKE

As we progress through spring and towards summer, more and more lovely fresh fruit is available on the market, and that makes me, someone who adores fruit desserts, tremendously happy. Berries are the epitome of spring and early summer to me, and I use every chance I get to make them a part of something delicious.

This cake is just what I deem cakes should be - light and creamy, with the perfect blend of textures. Soft pistachio cake layers, rich raspberry filling, and a gorgeous topping of strawberries and hazelnuts that almost melts into the cake. Just a wonderful spring cake.

Both fresh and defrosted berries will work wonderfully in this recipe, and they do not even have to be fully defrosted, either. If you want, you can purée and push the raspberries through a sieve to remove the pips, for a completely smooth filling, but I don’t mind them, so I left them in.

As for the fresh mint, use the quantity written in the recipe as a suggestion more than anything else. I love the combination of strawberries and mint, so I added about 10 medium leaves. If you are not as in love with it as I am, simply add a few leaves less, and it will be perfect.

The decoration was done to match the occasion, observing Orthodox Easter, and the chocolate nest is made with rice vermicelli and dark chocolate.

Ingredients
For the soft pistachio cake layers
160 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
160 grams granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
60 grams pistachios, ground
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
50 millilitres vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
250 millilitres water
2 heaping tablespoons camomile flowers
For the strawberry hazelnut crunch
300 grams strawberries, fresh or defrosted
100 grams light brown sugar
10 fresh mint leaves
100 grams toasted hazelnuts, ground
For the rich raspberry filling
400 grams raspberries, fresh or defrosted
65 grams fresh lemon juice
50 grams cornflour
100 grams light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
80 grams vegan block butter, diced
50 grams vegan white chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon rosewater
200 millilitres plant-based double cream
1-2 drops vegan pink food colouring, optional

Preparation

Start by making the strawberry jam. Place the strawberries into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add in the sugar, shake the pot so everything settles nicely, and place the pot over medium heat. Separately either mash the fresh mint leaves in a mortar or simply chop them.

Let it slowly come to a boil and cook, stirring often, for about 15-20 minutes, or until thickened nicely. Once the jam reaches its setting point (105°C), remove it from the heat, add in the mint leaves, and purée everything with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth. Return the pot to the heat for just a minute or so, and then remove it and let it cool down completely.

Next, make the raspberry filling. Add the berries to a heavy-duty saucepan, tip in the sugar, cornflour, and lemon juice, and whisk very well. Place the pot over medium high heat, and once it starts to steam lightly, start whisking vigorously with a wire whisk.

Let it come to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, or until thickened and quite fragrant. Remove from the heat, add in the vanilla, vegan white chocolate, and vegan butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly, until everything is incorporated. Cover the top with cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.

Finally, make the soft pistachio layers. Let the oven preheat to 170°C. Place the camomile flowers into a pot, and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, pour it over the flowers, cover, and let them steep for about 10 minutes, then strain and set the tea aside. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, add in the baking soda, sugar, and salt, and whisk very well. Add in the ground pistachios, and whisk once again.

Pour in the warm tea, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and mix until just combined. Line two small round cake pans (15 cm) with baking parchment, and divide the batter between them evenly. It is a runny batter, so it will level on its own. Bake them immediately, in a well preheated oven, at 170°C, for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely in the pans.

Once everything is cool and ready, whip the chilled plant double cream until soft peaks form, and set it aside. If using food colouring, add it now. With the same beaters, whip the cooled raspberry custard and the rosewater on high until softened and creamy, add in the whipped cream, and fold it through. Once folded, blend on the highest speed for a few moments, so the filling stiffens up and firm peaks form.

Level the cakes, if needed, and slice both of them into two thin layers. Add the ground hazelnuts to the strawberry jam, and fold them through well.

Place the first cake layer onto the cake platter. Spread one-third of the strawberry jam onto it, and then spread one-fourth of the raspberry filling on top. Repeat this two more times until all of the jam is used up. Finally, top with the final layer and frost the cake as desired. As the filling is firm and pipes well, the cake is stable to be decorated immediately. Place it into the refrigerator overnight, and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 16 rich servings. © Tina Vesić 2024

SWEET VEGAN ALMOND CROISSANT BREAD

Baking bread is something I truly enjoy, and if it is a sweet flaky bread, then even better. And this sweet little loaf is just perfect for brunch or a sweet breakfast, depending on your preferences.

Full of vanilla and my rendition of the famed frangipane that simply melts into the dough, it is phenomenal all on its own, but also with a dusting of icing sugar or some vegan honey on top. It truly is best with piping hot black coffee, I have to admit.

And while it is a flaky bread, it is not a croissant type of dough, but it can be toasted the next day, if desired. My personal favourite way is to toast it nicely, then top it with a bit of sugar, and broil it for not even a minute. Delightfully crunchy!

I topped mine with plenty of flaked almonds, for a bit of additional crunchiness, but it is completely optional. It will also be delicious topped with a bit of granulated sugar, or you can omit all of that and brush it with a bit of vegan butter as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Ingredients
For the dough
300 grams plain flour
150 millilitres carbonated water, at room temperature
50 millilitres vegetable oil
25 grams fresh yeast
30 grams sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
For the filling
60 grams vegan block butter, lightly softened
30 grams almond butter
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 teaspoons cold almond milk, or as needed

Preparation

To make the bread, sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt, and whisk lightly. Take a separate small bowl and crumble in the fresh yeast. Add in the room temperature carbonated water and the sugar, mix well, and set it aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once the yeast is fragrant and bubbly, add it to the sifted flour, along with the oil, vanilla, and almond extract, if using.

Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until it comes together. The dough should not be sticky. Turn it out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead it for a minute or two, until springy and supple. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let it rest for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

To make the almond croissant filling, place the lightly softened vegan block butter into a small bowl, and mash it through with a fork. It does not have to be perfect. Add in the almond butter and mix with a fork until somewhat combined. Sift in the cornflour and mix a bit more vigorously, until a paste forms. At that point, add half of the cold almond milk, and mix through. If needed, add another teaspoon of milk, so a smooth paste forms. If there are still bits of butter visible, that is perfectly fine. Set it aside for the time being.

Once risen, turn out the soft dough onto a floured surface, and without any kneading, roll it out to about 45-50 centimetres in length and about 30 centimetres in width. Do not force the dough to roll out, if it is pulling back as you roll, let it rest a bit more. Split the dough into two long strips (about 15x45 cm) and spread the filling evenly on both of them, leaving one edge free, so the roll can seal. Roll up each strip towards the free edge and seal it well.

Wrap the two thin rolls together, like a little two-strand plait, and then coil the plait around itself, tucking the ends underneath it. 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 in a nicely preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Serve it warm. Yields one small bread loaf.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT WHIPPED CARAMEL CAKE

Some dessert combinations are rightfully classic in nature, like chocolate and orange, pistachio and rose, and to me, chocolate and hazelnuts. Especially when melded into a wonderfully smooth cream.

Tender chocolate layers, rich chocolate hazelnut filling, and a wonderfully sticky whipped caramel; a beautiful trio to accompany any brunch, lunch, or celebration. While it might look complicated to make with a lot of steps, I promise it is quite a straightforward process, and the cake rewards on every bite. A truly timeless combination of flavours, just perfect for a cup of strong coffee.

If you do not feel like making your own hazelnut paste, using hazelnut butter (made only from hazelnuts) is also fine. As is blending your own paste a bit more coarsely, for a bit of texture.

On a few final technical notes; I always make the caramel sauce one day in advance. To be precise, the evening before making the rest of the cake. That way, it has a chance to cool down nicely and the flavour can develop well. If you enjoy salted caramel, do add a bit of flaky salt once it's cooked.

Its colour will greatly depend on how you cooked the sugar. If you like your caramel on the sweeter and lighter side, and you cook it to a lighter amber colour, your whipped caramel will be almost white, like mine. If you like your caramel intense, and cooked to a dark amber colours, once you whip it, it will be more tan in colour.

As for the whipped cream stabiliser - I find that this topping definitely needs it, as it needs to bear the weight of the whole second set of cake and filling. It is called differently in different countries - Kremfix, Sahnesteif, pannafix, Whip It, etc; but any cream stabiliser made for 200-250 millilitres of cream will work perfectly.

Ingredients
For the chocolate cake layers
150 grams plain flour
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
150 grams granulated sugar
100 grams applesauce
150 millilitres water
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
45 millilitres oil
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon vinegar
For the whipped caramel topping
60 millilitres water
120 grams granulated sugar
200 millilitres plant double cream, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 sachet of cream stabiliser, 10 grams
For the filling and frosting
400 millilitres soy milk, cold
60 grams cornflour
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
75 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
200 grams vegan block butter, softened; divided
100 grams hazelnut paste (or shop-bought hazelnut butter with no additions)
100 grams dark chocolate (at least 75% cocoa solids)
150 grams vegan white chocolate
food colouring, optional

Preparation

Start by making the caramel sauce, as it needs a bit of time to cool down completely. Take a large saucepan, and add in the sugar and water. Place it over medium-high heat, and let it come to a boil. Without stirring, let it boil and cook until it starts to turn caramelise. Be patient with this part, as it needs a bit of time to cook off the water.

One the sugar syrup turns amber colour, add in half of the cream and the vanilla, and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until everything is blended and uniform in colour, about 2-3 more minutes, and remove from the heat. Let it cool down in the pan slightly, and then transfer it to a suitable container and place it into the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

The next day, start by making the cake layers. Let the oven preheat to 180°C. Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix well. Line three small round baking pans (15 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set them aside.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the hot water, oil, vanilla, applesauce, coffee granules, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, and immediately bake in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 8-10 minutes, or until done. Check the doneness with a toothpick, making sure the cakes stay fudgy, and not dry. Let them cool in the pans completely.

Once the cakes are done, proceed to make the filling and frosting base. Pour the cold soy milk into a large saucepan, add in the sugar, and sift in the cocoa powder and cornflour. Whisk it very well so there are no lumps of starch or cocoa in the milk. Place it over medium-high heat, and let it come to a boil.

Once it starts to simmer, start whisking constantly, so it does not burn. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes, whisking the entire time, until it cooks into a glossy custard. Remove from heat, add in 30 grams of vegan block butter, and mix it through. Cover the top with cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.

Once the cakes are cool to the touch and the filling base is ready, place the vegan block butter into a large bowl and whip it with the vanilla until light and fluffy. This is best done with an electric mixer on the highest setting. Mix the cooked custard base to soften it up slightly, and then combine it with the whipped butter. If the filling seems a bit soft once combined, that is fine. Take 250 grams of the filling and place it into another large bowl.

Melt and cool both types of chocolate separately. Add the melted dark chocolate to the smaller portion of the filling that you placed into a separate bowl, alongside the hazelnut butter. Blend, with an electric mixer on high, until complexly creamy. Add the melted vegan white chocolate to the larger portion of the filling, and blend it through. If using food colouring, add it now and blend. Place both bowls into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes so the filling and frosting have a chance to firm up.

While the filling is cooling down, whip the reserved 100 millilitres of the plant double cream until soft peaks form. Blend the caramel to loosen it up slightly, add it to the whipped cream, and blend everything together. Finally, sprinkle in the cream stabiliser and combine well.

To assemble, level the cake layers and place the first one onto the serving platter. Top with half of the chocolate hazelnut filling, and then with half of the whipped caramel. Repeat this once more, and top with the final cake layer. Because the fillings are firm, there is no need for an acetate sheet and a cake frame, but if you want, you can most definitely use them. Place the platter into the refrigerator for at least two hours, until the cake firms up.

By that time, the frosting should be thick and smooth. If needed, fold it through a bit with a rubber spatula, and frost the cake entirely, making sure any gaps are filled. Decorate the cake further as desired, and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Serve well chilled. Yields 16 servings. © Tina Vesić 2024