Peach and Cherry Tart

 

This tart is absolutely delicious and so simple to make. (Unless you attempt your own puff pastry!). Only four ingredients make up this tart so make sure your fruit is ripe and yummy.

Vegan Peach and Cherry Tart
1/2 package of puff pastry, thawed
3 peaches, sliced
3/4 cup cherries, pitted and halved
2 Tbsp of sugar

Mix sliced peaches and cherries in a bowl and set aside.

Roll out puff pastry and cut into 6 pieces. With a knife score the puff pasty to create a smaller rectangle about half an inch from the edge. (This will allow your edges to puff up and the centre where you place the filling to stay flat).

Place puff pastry on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle sugar on pasrty. Top with the peach and cherrie slices and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until edges are golden and fruit is soften.

Homemade Fudgesicles

Tasty summertime treats.

Fudgesicles
Recipe adapted from Honey.com

2 cups soy milk
1/3 cup honey
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Earth Balance

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat on stove until little bubbles appear and mixture thickens. Cool slightly and pour into molds. Freeze 2 to 4 hours or until firm. Store in freezer.

Vegan Almond Butter and Sesame Seed Cookies

These cookies are reminiscent of a soft peanut butter cookie but the sesame seeds add a lovely crunch. I used almond butter because that is what I had but any nut butter would work.

 

Vegan Almond Butter and Sesame Seed Cookies
Adapted from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened
1/2 cup chunky almond butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup of black and white sesame seeds

Preheat to 350F and lightly grease two cookie sheets.
Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon, and set aside.
In a large bowl use electric beaters to cream the Earth Balance until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter, agave, sugar, soy milk, and extracts, and continue to beat until creamy, 4-5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture and stir until a firm dough forms.

Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in sesame seeds, and place on a prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 1 1/2″ of space between each cookie. Flatten the balls just slightly and bake for 10-11 minutes for chewy cookies, up to 14 minutes for firmer, crunchier cookies. Remove from oven and allow cookies to remain on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Vegan Peach, Black Pepper and Basil Cake

 
It sounds like a weird combo but I love desserts with herbs in them. I think peach and basil go together really well. Plus the addition of black pepper gives it just a hint of spice. Super moist cake that doesn't need icing (although a vegan cream cheese icing would go really well here.)

Peach, Black Pepper and Basil Cake

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup of ripe peaches, chopped (about 3 small peaches)
1/2 cup of fresh basil, julienned  

Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with almond milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Fold in the peaches and basil. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan and bake for 40 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Red Berry Pie Vegan Style

We have some crazy potlucks at work. The latest theme was "your favourite fairytale or fable". I choose Little Red Riding Hood and decided to make a pie (because that's what little red was bringing to her grandma) and it had to be red (do I need to explain?). I used this pie crust recipe and followed all the directions and it turned out not to bad  (pie crust is not my strong suit).

Red Berry Pie
1 vegan pie crust
2 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen)
1 cup pitted and halved cherries
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup sugar

Make pie crust and leave to chill. Mix berries with sugar and cornstarch. Roll out dough and fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Trim excess and re-roll to cut into heart shapes. Fill pie with berry mixture and top with cut out heart shapes. Bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. I put some tinfoil around the edges for the first 20 minutes and then took it off to let the crust brown.