Do It Yourself: Sweets
Baked Oatmeal and Apple Dessert
Vegan margarine sufficient for greasing the baking dish
1 lb apples, peeled and sliced thin
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup lemon zest
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
Pinch baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted vegan margarine
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease an 8-x-8-x-2-inch heatproof dish.
In a frying pan, cook the apples with the 3 Tbsp of sugar and the water over medium heat until dry. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and set aside.
Mix the 1/3 cup sugar, the rolled oats, the baking soda and the salt in a bowl. Stir in the vegan margarine and mix thoroughly.
Spread half on the bottom of the prepared dish and top with a layer of the apples. Cover with the remaining oats. Bake for 35 minutes.
Makes approximately 8 servings
Vegan Rice Krispy Bars
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6-8 cups puffed rice cereal
Cook the corn syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and cereal.
Press into a greased 9- x 9-inch pan and let cool. Cut into bars.
Makes approximately 1 dozen bars
Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup vegan margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups tightly-packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 ripe banana, mashed
3-5 tsp vanilla (be generous)
2 Tbsp water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups rolled oats (“quick” oats work well)
2 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cream the margarine and sugars in a medium-sized bowl. Add the banana and mix well.
Add the vanilla and the water. The water will try to separate; keep mixing, using a figure-8 motion.
Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and add to the banana mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Add the vegan chocolate chips. (The dough should be until almost too dry to hold the vegan chocolate chips. Add more flour or oats if not dry enough.)
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet. If you want a harder cookie, bake longer.
Leave on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to a plate or a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Fudge Brownies
3/4 cup lite silken tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened roasted carob powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached cane sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-x-8-x-2-inch baking pan and set aside.
Place the tofu, water, maple syrup, carob powder, oil and vanilla extract in a blender and blend until smooth.
Place the remaining ingredients, except the walnuts, in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Pour the blended mixture into the dry ingredients and stir. Fold in the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool, cut and serve.
Makes 10 brownies
Strawberry-Pear Crisp
1/2 qt strawberries, diced
4 ripe pears, diced
Cinnamon, to taste
1 cup sweetened granola
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick vegan margarine
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Mix the fruit and cinnamon and put into a baking pan.
Mix the granola and vanilla with the vegan margarine and spread generously over the fruit and cinnamon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Yummy Berry Muffins
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium-sized bananas)
1/2 cup maple syrup or barley malt
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or cranberries
Preheat the oven to 375º F.
Mix the flour, baking powder, basking soda and salt in a large bowl.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the remaining ingredients, except for the berries. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Add the berries, stirring to distribute. Spoon into a greased muffin pan until 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until slightly golden on top.
Makes 8 to 10 muffins
Coconut Cake
For the Cake:
8 oz silken tofu
1 lb plus 5 oz sugar
2 cups coconut milk
12 oz coconut flakes
1 cup canola oil
1 lb plus 4 oz all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the first 5 ingredients into a food processor and purée until thick and uniform in texture. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Blend until smooth.
Pour into 2 9-inch, parchment-lined cake pans that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for about 1 hour. Let cool.
For the Icing:
1 lb vegan margarine
1 lb powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup coconut milk
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Spread on the cooled cake.
Vegan Banana Bread
3/4 cup tofu
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2 cups whole wheat flour (or any other flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup walnut pieces
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Blend the tofu in a blender until smooth and creamy. Pour into a mixing bowl and beat in the sugar, oil, vanilla and mashed banana.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the banana mixture and fold in the walnuts.
Pour into an oiled or greased loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
3/4 lb tofu
1 16-oz can pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp molasses
1 un-baked 9-inch pastry crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Blend all the ingredients, except for the pastry crust, in a blender until smooth and creamy. Pour into the pastry crust. Bake for 1 hour. Chill and serve.
Makes 1 pie
Sugar-Free Carrot Cake
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups dates, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the water, dates, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Place the carrots in a large bowl. Add the hot mixture and let cool.
Add the walnuts and orange juice concentrate and blend well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve plain or with frosting.
Makes 1 cake
Vegan Chocolate Fudge
6 Tbsp vegan margarine
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup soya milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Lightly grease a 5- x 9-inch loaf pan using a little of the margarine.
Put the remaining margarine, the sugar, the cocoa powder, the vanilla, and the soya milk in a heatproof mixing bowl. Place over simmering water and stir until smooth. Add the nuts.
Pour into the prepared pan. Chill thoroughly and cut into squares.
Makes 2 to 3 dozen square
Vegan Brownies
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cocoa
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup walnuts
2 large, ripe bananas
Mix all the ingredients until smooth. Pour into medium-sized greased pan.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve.
Banana Muffins
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup oil or melted vegan margarine
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Handful of oatmeal, raisins, vegan chocolate chips, currants or coconut (optional)
Mix together the bananas, oil and sugar.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the banana mixture and mix well. Add the optional ingredients.
Pour into muffin pans or a bread pan and bake at 360°F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Chocolate Dream Shake
4 cups frozen bananas, cut into 2-inch chunks and thawed for 5 to 10 minutes
1 cup soya milk
3 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Toss all the ingredients into a blender and purée for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: For a thinner shake, add extra soya milk. For an extra treat, try adding almonds or peppermint flavouring.
Makes 4 servings
Chocolate Devastation Cake
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda1/2 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 1/4 cups maple syrup
1 1/4 cups canola oil
3/4 cup vanilla-flavoured soya milk
1/4 cup black-cherry concentrate
1 Tbsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Oil and flour two 8-inch springform pans.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
Blend the remaining ingredients in a blender until smooth. Whisk into the dry ingredients.
Pour into the prepared pans. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, or for at least 5 minutes, before removing from the pans.
Frost with Chocolate Icing (see below).
For the Chocolate Icing:
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 sticks vegan margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Toasted sliced almonds for garnish (optional)
Process all the ingredients, except for the almonds, in a food processor until silky smooth.
Spread about 1/3 of the icing on top of one of the cakes and place the second cake on top.
Cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Press the almonds into the sides.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Vegan Chocolate Pudding
1 lb firm tofu, crumbled
2/3 cup unbleached cane sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until creamy and thick. Chill.
Makes 1 serving
Fruity Crisp Yummies
1 stick vegan margarine, completely melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup soya milk
Fruit (any kind and any amount)
Put the vegan margarine in a baking pan. Mix the remaining ingredients together and add to the pan, stirring together.
Bake at 375ºF until the fruit is cooked and the top is browned.
Vegan Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
6 cups puffed rice cereal
Mix the corn syrup, sugar and peanut butter in a heat-safe dish. Heat slowly on the stove or in the microwave until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and stir in the puffed rice cereal right away. Spread into a greased pan and chill until firm. Cut and eat!
Enlightenment Bars
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Few pinches of cinnamon
1 cup all-natural crunchy peanut butter
Granola (any amount)
In a saucepan, mix the first 5 ingredients together and cook until boiling, stirring constantly.
Turn off the heat and mix in the peanut butter. Add the granola. Pour into a baking pan and chill until firm.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Creamy Tofu Dessert
1 10 1/2-oz pkg silken tofu
3 Tbsp fructose
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Process all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
Makes 3 servings
Watermelon Lemonade
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups diced watermelon, seeded
1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 qt club soda
Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a syrup develops.
Using the back of a spoon, press the watermelon through a fine mesh strainer and discard the pulp.
Combine the watermelon juice, the syrup and the lemon juice in a 2-quart pitcher and chill. Add the club soda just before serving. Sever over ice.
Makes 2 quarts
