MINI VEGAN BLACKBERRY ROSE CAKE

When it comes to rose-flavoured desserts, people either love them or they don't. There really isn't a middle ground. Some people, like myself, love the floral aroma and taste, while others say it tastes like perfume. Granted, sometimes it can venture into that area, especially if rosewater extract is used.

But when fresh roses are used, like in this recipe, the flavour is mild and pleasant, just there enough to compliment the blackberries without overpowering the cake. And to me, roses pair perfectly with berries.

This is one cake I am very proud of, because it combines such wonderful textures - the gentle crunch from the delicate flaked almonds, the fudge chocolate cake, airy blackberry mousse, and a marvellous rose jelly. I simply love everything about it.

On a final note, if you wish, you can use rosewater or even rosewater extract, but please, do not use more than a few drops. Especially if it is an extract or a baking emulsion. It is better to use less, take my word for it.

Ingredients
For the fudge cake base
50 grams plain flour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
40 grams granulated sugar
15 millilitres neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
75 millilitres freshly brewed coffee
For the blackberry mousse
150 grams fresh blackberries
20 grams cornflour
75 grams granulated sugar
60 grams vegan block butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
200 millilitres vegan double cream
For the fragrant rose jelly
40 millilitres water
2 fragrant organic roses of your choice, petals only
10 grams cornflour
1/3 teaspoon xanthan gum
20 grams granulated sugar
For the almond crunch
60 grams dark chocolate (70%)
30 millilitres vegan blackberry liqueur or unfined blackberry wine
30 grams flaked almonds, lightly crushed
For the chocolate glaze
50 grams dark chocolate (75%)
15 millilitres neutral oil

Preparation

Start by making the rose jelly, as it needs to be frozen. Remove the rose petals and gently rinse them under cool water to remove any dirt, being very careful not to damage them. Arrange them in a single layer to dry as you work. Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat, and immediately add in the petals. Cover, and let steep until the water is completely cool. Strain or remove the petals, and pour the water into a saucepan. Mix together the xanthan gum with the cornflour and sugar, making sure it is very well distributed.

Add everything to the saucepan, place over medium heat, and let it come to a boil, stirring often. Once it starts to boil, cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes, stirring vigorously. As soon as it is done, remove it from the heat, and whisk very well once more, either by a wire whisk or an immersion blender, and transfer it to a 10-cm round cake pan or a pastry ring, lined with baking parchment. 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 6 hours, or until frozen solid.

Next, make the chocolate cake. Line a small round cake pan (13 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C.

Sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, add in the sugar, and whisk well. Pour in the coffee, oil, and vanilla, 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 8-10 minutes. Check the cake with a toothpick even before the indicated time, as it will be thin, making sure it stays soft and fudgy. Let it cool in the pan completely.

Next, make the blackberry mousse filling. Place the berries into a blender, add in the sugar 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. The batter will be thick, and because there is no additional water, 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. 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, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

When everything is ready, proceed to assemble the cake.

Whip the vegan double cream until soft peaks form, then remove the fruit custard from the refrigerator and whip it until smooth. Add the cream to the fruit and whip on the highest speed until firm peaks form. Keep refrigerated until filling the cake.

Level the cake if needed, and place a cake ring on a serving platter and line it with a strip of acetate. Melt the dark chocolate and the blackberry liqueur over low heat, add in the flaked almonds, and mix everything well. Quickly pour it into the cake ring, add the cake layer, gently press it down, and leave it to set.

Add half of the blackberry mousse onto the cake layer, position the frozen rose jelly in the centre, and then add the rest of the mousse around it and on top of it. Take your time with this step, making sure there aren't any empty pockets around the insert. Level the top and place the cake briefly in the refrigerator.

For the glaze, chop up the dark chocolate finely, add in the oil, and melt everything together over low heat or in the microwave. Once melted, let it cool down slightly and thicken up, then quickly glaze the cake, and return it to the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Serve well-chilled, with strong coffee, and keep refrigerated until serving. Yields 16 servings.

VEGAN WALNUT PLUM CAKE

Growing up, my family did not make cakes. One or two aunts, just on special occasions, and that was it. But crêpes? Quite frequently, to my absolute delight.

Crêpes are one of those sweet treats that are endlessly tailored and honestly, quite delicious all on their own, if you love sweet doughs as much as I do. But they are the best with a lush filling, that goes without saying.

This is a very indulgent cake, with a gorgeously creamy walnut filling that simply melts on every bite. Toasted walnuts do give this cake a very unique depth that can only be experienced, not described.

My heartfelt recommendation is to serve it in thin slices, with strong coffee, as it is very rich. Not overly sweet, but rich indeed, and it does need something to balance it out.

Ingredients
For the crêpes
300 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
200 grams ripe plums, weighed pitted
600 millilitres carbonated water
60 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the walnut filling
500 millilitres soy milk, cold
200 grams granulated sugar
50 grams plain flour
40 grams cornflour
150 grams vegan block butter, diced
10 grams vanilla bean paste
250 grams toasted walnuts, ground

Preparation

Start by making the crêpes. Purée the plums completely, and pass them through a sieve to remove all the skins. Weigh out the purée and add 120 grams into a large bowl. Pour in half of the carbonated water, add the sugar, and the vanilla, and mix very well.

You cannot overmix this part, so take your time and let the sugar dissolve.

Sift in the flour and the baking powder, and mix to form a thick batter. Add in the rest of the carbonated water, and whisk until just smooth.

The batter will be quite runny and there may be a few tiny lumps, and that is fine.

Take a large crêpe pan, 20-22 cm in diameter, lightly oil or spray it with a cooking spray just once. Place it over medium high heat and let it heat up. Once ready, take about 80 millilitres of batter, and pour it onto the heated pan, quickly swirling so the batter covers the whole surface.

You can also use a crêpe spreader to ensure the crêpes stay thin, which is what is needed.

Cook on medium high heat until the surface looks set, flip it over gently, and cook for 15-20 seconds more. Repeat with the rest of the batter, until all of it is used up. Set them aside to cool down completely.

You should have 12 crêpes, but it's fine if you get more, even better.

To make the filling, pour the soy milk into a large saucepan, add in the plain flour, cornflour, sugar, and vanilla, blend well, and place it over medium-high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, start stirring vigorously, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it cooks into a glossy custard. Remove from the heat, pour it into a large bowl, and add in the cubed vegan block butter.

Let it stand for a minute, and then whip it well using an electric mixer on high. Mix until everything blends together, cover the top with a piece of cling film, and let it cool down to room temperature. Once the custard is almost cool to the touch, whip it with an electric mixer on high, add in the ground walnuts, and blend very well. Place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Once the filling is firm and the crêpes are cool, proceed to assemble the cake.

Reserve about a fourth of the filling for frosting the cake, and divide the remaining filling in 11 equal parts if you have 12 crêpes. If you have more, divide accordingly.

This is best done by weight, using a digital scale for precision, as there are many layers, and it is preferable they are all evenly stacked.

Place the first crêpe on a serving platter, top it with a portion of the filling, spread it all the way out to the edges, top with another crêpe, then with filling, and continue stacking until all of the crêpes are used up. Frost the entire cake with the reserved filling and place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Serve with fresh seasonal fruit and strong coffee. Yields 20 rich servings.

MINI VEGAN BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE

Crumb topping desserts are one of my absolute favourites, next to fruit cakes, and this sweet little pie is just what is needed for a nice brunch, afternoon snack, or coffee. Slightly tart from the blueberries, slightly sweet from the crunchy topping, and beautifully aromatic from the warm spices, it is a perfect tiny everyday treat.

It comes together fairly quickly, quite simple to prepare, and it can be served as soon as it cools down to your liking. Or honestly, even warm, with a teeny scoop of ice cream.

It is fantastic as a part of meal prep because it will keep for a few days in a sealed container at room temperature, but because it's such a small pie, it usually gets eaten quickly. My suggestion is to serve it with a strong coffee of your choice, but a cup of tea works perfectly, as well.

Ingredients
For the base layer
65 grams plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
45 grams granulated sugar
20 millilitres neutral oil
50 millilitres water
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the blueberry filling
200 grams blueberries, fresh or frozen
100 grams granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
15 grams cornflour
25 millilitres cold water
For the crumb topping
50 grams vegan block butter, melted
30 grams granulated sugar
50 grams plain flour

Preparation

Start by making the filling, as it needs time to cool down. Place the blueberries, either fresh or frozen, into a heavy saucepan, add in the sugar and vanilla, mix to combine. Place it over medium high heat and let it slowly come to a boil. Once bubbling, cook while stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened and fragrant. The berries should burst and release quite a bit of juice. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cornflour with the cold water, add it to the fruit, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the filling becomes thick. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small cake pan (10x20 cm) with baking parchment.

To make the crumb topping, whisk together the flour and sugar, add in the melted butter, and mix and stir to create a rough crumb topping, either with a pastry cutter or a fork. Set it aside for the time being.

Finally, for the base layer, mix together the flour with the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar, and add in all of the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, and immediately pour it into the prepared cake pan, 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 fruit filling and the crumb topping, and return to bake for another 25-30 minutes. It should be only slightly crispy on the edges.

Let the pie cool down completely in the pan, then slice and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 8 medium servings.

MINI VEGAN SWEET POTATO PEACH CAKE

Peaches are in abundance now, and the timing is perfect for as many peach desserts as possible. Same goes for nectarines and apricots, to be completely honest. But for now, we'll focus on the sweet, luscious peaches in a wonderful combination with whipped vegan white chocolate ganache and delightful sweet potato.

Soft cake layers, rich whipped ganache, and sweet peaches make for an amazing summer dessert. And while the cake is tiny, she is might in flavour and will be perfect for smaller gatherings.

One more thing I love about this cake is that it can be made all year long. Peaches are available all throughout summer, often in early autumn, as well, and if they aren't available ripe and fresh, then canned ones can be a fantastic replacement. Strained well from the liquid, they will be equally delicious in this little cake. Granted, as I find many canned fruit lacking flavour, you might need to add a splash of peach or apricot liqueur or some peach extract, but that is purely optional.

Ingredients
For the cake layers
150 grams plain flour
50 grams rye flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
45 grams ground almonds
100 grams granulated sugar
120 grams sweet potato, cooked
220 millilitres soy milk
45 millilitres neutral oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the peaches and cream filling
200 grams vegan white chocolate
200 millilitres vegan double cream
75 grams vegan block butter, diced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
200 grams peaches, finely diced

Preparation

Start by making the vegan white chocolate filling. Chop the chocolate very finely and place it in a saucepan. Add in the vegan double cream, vegan butter, and vanilla, and place everything over low to medium heat. Melt it together slowly, stirring gently until combined.

Remove from the heat, and let it cool down to room temperature. Cover the surface with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, and place into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Next, make the sweet potato cake layers. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a medium (18x18 cm) cake pan with baking parchment. Sift together both types of flour with the baking powder and baking soda, add in the ground almonds and granulated sugar, and whisk very well.

Separately whisk together the cooked sweet potato, soy milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold them through gently, making sure not to overmix the batter.

Pour it into the prepared cake pan, level the top and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 22-25 minutes. Just like any other cake, check it with a toothpick to make sure it is baked, but not dry. Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely in the pan.

When everything is cool and ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Whip the white chocolate ganache until stiff peaks form, take out a few generous tablespoons to use as frosting, add the peaches to the rest of it and divide it into three equal parts by weight.

Level the cooled cake, if needed, slice it in half lengthwise, to create two thin and long strips of cake, and then cut each of them in half to create four very thin layers. Place the first cake layer on the serving platter, and add a third of the prepared filling. Continue stacking the cake layers until all of them are used up.

As the cake is very firm, use the reserved filling to frost and decorate it to your liking. Place it into the refrigerator for 8 hours, and serve with strong coffee. Yields 8 rich servings or 12 modest ones.

MINI VEGAN BISCOFF SILK TART

The summer is in full swing, the temperatures are high, and despite all my love for baking, sometimes it is nearly impossible to stand next to a stove. Not to mention the heat's effect on creamy fillings.

That's where no-bake cakes, pies, tarts, and other desserts come to the rescue. This little beauty is a real gem for truly hot days, as there is very little need for stoves, absolutely no need for the oven to be on, and it is done incredibly quickly.

A simple biscuit tart shell, gloriously creamy Biscoff silk filling, and some double chocolate ganache, for good measure. The sheer beauty of simplicity, if you ask me.

I served it with some whipped vegan double cream and chocolate shavings, but she will be delicious even without those. Just serve it with a coffee of your choice and enjoy!

Ingredients
For the tart shell
150 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, ground
75 grams vegan block butter, melted
60 millilitres brewed coffee
50 grams icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the Biscoff filling
200 grams Biscoff spread, lightly softened
50 grams soy milk powder, sifted
75 millilitres vegan double cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the ganache
50 grams dark chocolate
30 grams vegan milk chocolate
60 millilitres vegan double cream
20 grams vegan block butter
For serving
50 millilitres vegan double cream
dark chocolate shavings
vegan vanilla biscuit crumbs, optional

Preparation

Start by making the base of the tart. Place the ground biscuits into a medium bowl, add in the icing sugar, and stir to combine. Add the melted butter, hot coffee, and vanilla, and mix until blended.

Depending on your biscuits, you might need to add another splash of coffee, as the base should be very soft and not dry and crumbly.

Once you are happy with the batter, take a medium cake ring or a bottomless springform pan (15 cm) and place it on a cake platter. Line it with a sheet of acetate or baking parchment, add in the batter and press it down onto the platter and up up the sides, creating a tart shell. Set aside.

If your kitchen is very warm, you can also refrigerate it.

To make the Biscoff cream filling, whip the softened Biscoff spread with the soy milk powder and vanilla, until combined and smooth. Separately whip the vegan cream until soft peaks form, add it to the previous batter, and blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Once done, pour the filling into the prepared tart shell, and place it into the refrigerator until set.

Don't overwhip this batter, because it can separate.

To make the ganache, chop up both types of chocolate and place them into a small saucepan. Add in the vegan cream and vegan block butter, and place it over medium heat. Stir until melted and combined, and remove it from the heat so it cools down slightly. As soon as it is barely lukewarm, but still pourable, pour it over the Biscoff filling, smooth the top, and return to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours more.

Once ready to serve, whip up the vegan cream until soft peaks form, top the tart, and serve immediately with some additional dark chocolate shavings and biscuit crumbs, if desired. Yields 12 servings.