VEGAN ESPRESSO BROWNIE COOKIES

As I recently wrote in my culinary essay newsletter, November truly is the prelude to holidays, and many people are already planning the cookie platters, myself included. Because cookies are always welcome, regardless of the occasion, and these espresso ones happen to be one of my favourites.

Soft centres, slightly crisp edges, and wonderfully deep espresso flavour truly make them special. Not to mention some additional molten chocolate on top, for decoration and flavour.

They can be ready in less than an hour and a half, which is a great feature for a cookie to have, because it makes them great for midday snacks as well as unexpected guests. With only 30 minutes of refrigeration, they are quick and easy to prepare, with regular, cupboard ingredients.

And as I always say, it doesn't matter if you enjoy your cookies crisp and crunchy or supremely soft and fudgy, there is always room for one more variety on the platter. Serve them warm with a cup of coffee and maybe some chopped hazelnuts, too, and enjoy!

Ingredients
100 grams plain flour
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
75 grams vegan butter, softened
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams dark brown sugar
big pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons freshly pulled espresso, slightly cooled
50 grams cooking chocolate (60%), for the optional decoration

Preparation

Take a large bowl, add in the vegan block butter and both types of sugar, along with the vanilla and salt, and mix very well using a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula. Sift together the flour with the unsweetened cocoa powder and the baking soda, add it to the butter, and mix and fold briefly. Add in the brewed coffee, and mix until combined. Once the batter is ready, cover the bowl with cling film, and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Once the batter is ready, take out portions using a small cookie scoop, around 25 grams per cookie, and place them on the baking sheet with plenty of space between them, because they will spread. Bake them in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 6-8 minutes. Be careful not to overbake them and be aware that they will be soft when you take them out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool. Once cool, decorate with melted chocolate, if desired. Yields 12 small brownie cookies.

MINI VEGAN WALNUT TRUFFLE CAKE

When I was a child, I did not like walnut cakes at all. If given a choice, I would rather opt out of cake entirely, than have that one particular walnut cake. It was simply not to my liking whatsoever. Even back then, I held a strong stance about cakes having to be soft and moist, and not dry.

Over time, with more baking knowledge and experience, I learnt to enjoy all sorts of cake textures, even the ones that are on the drier side, like coffee cakes, but I also learnt that there is a world of difference between making a cake intentionally not-fudgy and unintentionally overmixing and overbaking. So with that being said, I present to you my dearest walnut cake.

Four deliciously soft cake layers and plenty of walnut truffle filling make this little gem a real treat. Whether you make it as an everyday cake or to host a very small gathering, it will not disappoint. And like all cakes of this type it gets better the longer it stands.

Ingredients

For the walnut cake layers

120 grams plain flour
120 grams granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
50 grams toasted walnuts, ground
20 millilitres sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
165 millilitres carbonated water

For the walnut truffle filling

200 grams vegan white chocolate, chopped
200 millilitres vegan double cream
60 grams vegan block butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
150 grams toasted walnuts, ground
2 tablespoons soy milk powder

Preparation

Start by making the walnut filling, as it needs plenty of time to cool down.

Chop up the vegan white chocolate and place it in a large bowl. Pour the plant double cream into a saucepan, add in the diced vegan block butter and vanilla, and place it over medium-high heat. Let it come to a simmer, remove from heat, and pour it over the chocolate.

Cover the bowl and let it stand for a minute or two, then mix with a spatula or a whisk until the chocolate melts completely. Cover the surface of the filling snugly with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, and let it cool down first to room temperature, and then in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours.

To make the cake layers, start by preheating the oven to 180°C. 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 flour and the baking soda. Add in the sugar and ground walnuts, and whisk very well. Take another large bowl, and mix together the carbonated water, vinegar, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and whisk until only incorporated. Overmixing will make the cakes tough.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately, in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 12-15 minutes. Check the cake for doneness early, so they do not overbake. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and let it cool down in the pan completely.

When everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake.

Whip the firmed up vegan white chocolate mousse with an electric mixer until somewhat stiff peaks form. Add in the ground walnuts and soy milk powder, and mix on high until very stiff peaks form.

Level the cooled cake if needed, slice it in once lengthwise, to create two thin layers, and then cut each of them in half to create four even thinner layers. Divide the filling into two parts by weight, and then one of them into three equal parts. Working quickly, place the first cake layer on the serving platter, and add one-third of the prepared filling.

Continue stacking the cake layers until all of them are used up. The cake will be firm, so use the remaining filling to frost the top and sides. Place it in the refrigerator overnight, and serve in thin slices with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 12 servings.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CARAMEL TART

In a few short weeks, it will be exactly twenty-six years since I promised myself that I will teach myself how to bake. I've always loved baking, since an incredibly young age, and even though I had no experience, no knowledge, and with full honesty, no support, I was determined. That was a spark of that signature creative fire, a creative force if you will, that is still going strong.

And what I find incredibly adorable is that I did not reach for no-bake desserts when I was starting out. I went for the centerpieces, the showstoppers... It did not end perfectly, because I honestly did not know anything and I struggled with my own perception of my cake-decorating skills for years, but that spark? That spark never went away.

So almost twenty-six years later, I can say that all my cakes are beautiful to me. Some are fancier, some are more humble, but I am proud I made each one with my hands and my heart.

Let this be your motivation if you are ever struggling with self-criticism; keep that creator's spark alive; for yourself if no one else at the moment.

As for this little beauty, it truly shows just how much texture matters. Texture is, after all, one of the most emotional aspects of foods in general, desserts included. And this mini vegan tart features four layers, four different textures, all lovingly crafted for that perfect first bite with a miniature dessert fork and a cup of espresso. The sheer beauty of simplicity in the form of a tiny tart.

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Ingredients

For the tart base

50 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground
50 grams toasted hazelnuts, finely ground
20 grams icing sugar
45 grams vegan block butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
30 millilitres espresso, freshly pulled

For the caramel layer

150 grams granulated sugar
60 millilitres water
2 teaspoons cornflour
30 millilitres water
20 grams vegan block butter

For the chocolate hazelnut fillings

100 grams toasted hazelnuts, finely ground or pure hazelnut paste with no sugar added
60 grams dark chocolate (80%)
20 grams vegan block butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
50 grams toasted hazelnuts, chopped
140 millilitres vegan double cream

For the chocolate glaze

60 grams dark chocolate (70%)
60 millilitres vegan double cream
1 teaspoon glucose syrup

Preparation

Start by making the tart base. Whisk together the melted vegan butter, vanilla, and freshly pulled espresso. Separately mix the ground vanilla vegan biscuits and ground hazelnuts, add in the sifted icing sugar, and blend them well. Quickly pour in the wet ingredients and stir to make a thick batter. Take a small round cake pan (15 cm), ideally with a removable bottom, line in with a strip of acetate, and press in the batter, forming a base.

This can also be done using a cake ring directly on the cake platter, for easier serving.

Next, make the caramel layer. Add the granulated sugar to a small saucepan, pour in the water and place it over medium heat. Let it come to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes, until a nice caramel syrup forms. Separately whisk the cornflour and water, add it to the caramel syrup and mix vigorously for another minute, to combine. Remove from heat, add in the vegan block butter and stir until it melts. Pour it over the tart base and leave it to cool down completely.

It sets very quickly, so there is no need to put the pan in the refrigerator.

Next, the hazelnut cream base. Add the ground hazelnuts into a blender and let it work until a thick and smooth paste forms. Melt the chocolate and vegan butter, let them cool down slightly, and add them to the hazelnuts. Scrape down the sides and blend until completely smooth and combined.

If using the pure hazelnut paste, simply add melted chocolate and vegan butter and wait for it to cool down.

When the cream base is at room temperature and ready, divide it into two equal parts by weight. Add 60 ml of vegan double cream to one part of it, mix well, and pour it over the caramel layer in the pan. Place the whole thing into the refrigerator. Store the remaining hazelnut cream base in a somewhat cool place until the tart firms up.

Once the tart is ready, whip the rest of the vegan double cream until soft peaks form, add in the reserved hazelnut cream, and whip until stiff peaks form. Please do not overwhip, because the batter might separate. Add the mousse over the previous tart layer, level it nicely, and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or until firm.

When everything is ready for glazing, melt together the dark chocolate, vegan double cream, and glucose syrup, let it cool down slightly, and then pour it over the mousse. Place everything back into the refrigerator for at least 6 more hours. Best served in thin slices with strong espresso or freshly brewed coffee. Yields 16 servings.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY TRUFFLE CAKE

Mini vegan cakes are something I absolutely love, and given enough space, I truly believe I could make a whole series of them, in all possible flavour combinations. They are such a delight to create, from start to finish, and they always steal everyone's hearts by simply being tiny and adorable.

Four gorgeous layers of rich chocolate cake and plenty of blackberry truffle cheesecake filling make this adorable mini cake a real treat. Especially if you serve it well-chilled, as it will resemble ice cream. You can also top it with extra dark chocolate shards, that tiniest bit of crunch will be the perfect texture pairing.

As for the whipped cream stabiliser, like I always say, it is called differently in different countries, but it always serves the same purpose - to give the whipped cream some additional stability. Feel free to use any commercially available stabiliser, such as Kremfix, Sahnesteif, pannafix, Whip It, etc; as long as it is made for 200-250 millilitres of cream.

And if you are a fan of my mini vegan cakes, I am happy to tell you that you can find many more of them in my cookbook.

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake layers

120 grams plain flour
25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
130 grams granulated sugar
135 grams plain soy yoghurt
100 millilitres water
40 millilitres sunflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the blackberry cheesecake truffle filling

350 grams blackberries, fresh or defrosted
100 grams granulated
30 grams vegan block butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
100 grams vegan cheese
200 grams vegan double cream
2 teaspoons whipped cream stabliser

Preparation

Start by making the blackberry jam. Place the berries into a heavy saucepan, add in the sugar, and place everything over medium-high heat. Let the mixture slowly heat up, and cook, stirring quite often, and breaking the berries as you stir, for about 20 minutes or so, or until it cooks down to less than half of the original weight, or around 200 grams of jam. Remove from the heat and let it cool down completely.

To make the chocolate cake layers, sift the flour into a large bowl, sift in the dark cocoa powder, and add in the baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder. Whisk briefly, then incorporate the sugar, whisking well. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water, yoghurt, oil, and the vanilla, and whisk until just blended.

Line a medium rectangle cake pan (18x18 cm) with baking parchment, pour in the batter and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15-18 minutes. Check the cake early, to make sure it stays soft and moist. Take the baked cake out of the oven and let it cool down completely in the pan.

Once everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake.

Weigh out 200 grams of the prepared jam and add the melted vegan butter to it. Mix it through very well, and add in the cold vegan cream cheese. Mix and fold with a spatula until mostly incorporated. In a separate large bowl, whip the vegan double cream with the vanilla until very, very soft peaks form. You just want it to start gaining volume. Add in the cream cheese mixture and the sifted whipped cream stabiliser, and continue to whip on the highest speed until firm peaks form. Once the filling is firm, divide it into four 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 portion of the prepared filling. Continue stacking the cake layers until all of them are used up.

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

VEGAN MAPLE PECAN TRUFFLES

When I was a child, we used to visit my father's friend who loved books, loved reading and writing essays, and that is actually the person who gifted me my first cookbook. As you can imagine, I have very fond memories of him and his family. But one thing that stands out as an incredibly sweet memory is us visiting and his wife bringing out a platter of truffles.

I was very young and my tiny logic was that truffles are something you only get to have around holidays and at others' houses, because my mother still to this day does not enjoy making sweets. So imagine my surprise to see a whole platter of various truffles, all homemade. That was a revelation for tiny Tina. And as you can tell, the love I have for sitni kolači, truffles and bonbons, predates my attempts of making them.

I simply love them. They are incredibly easy to prepare, very forgiving, great for beginner bakers, and they are always the first thing to disappear from the platter. And these maple pecan truffles are no different. Toasted pecans, sweet, caramel-like maple syrup, a tiny bit of walnut liqueur, and some vegan milk chocolate on top, for good measure. Little bites of true indulgence.

My advice about making this specific type of truffles is to stay open when it comes to texture. They are not the typical chocolate-and-cream truffles, they are biscuit-based, and you can absolutely adjust them to your preferences by adding more or less liquid. Considering there are no granulated sweeteners used, only liquid, if you aren't entirely confident when making them, start with a teaspoon of liqueur, and add more as needed. Keep in mind that if you make them soft, they will become soft when not refrigerated. And in this particular recipe, because they are not fully enrobed, they might be difficult to serve if too soft.

Ingredients
100 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, finely ground
90 grams toasted pecans, finely ground
90 grams vegan block butter, melted
1 tablespoon walnut liqueur, vegan
45 millilitres maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
50 grams vegan milk chocolate, for the decoration

Preparation

Whisk together the ground vegan biscuits and ground pecans, and make a well in the centre. Pour in the melted vegan block butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and walnut liqueur, and start stirring immediately. Mix and fold until a batter forms.

Depending on the biscuits used, you may have to add another splash of liqueur for the batter to come together. Soy or almond milk will also work perfectly if you do not want to use alcohol.

Once combined, let it cool down a bit, so it can be shaped into truffles. Either leave it for 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator or up to 15 minutes at room temperature, provided your kitchen is not very warm. Take out small portions of the batter, around 15 grams per truffle, shape them and arrange them on a small tray lined with baking parchment. Place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

When ready to decorate, melt the vegan milk chocolate over low heat and let it cool down slightly. Decorate the tops of all the truffles and sprinkle with some additional chopped pecans or chocolate shavings. Keep refrigerated until serving. Yields 20-22 small truffles.