This is dairy-free?

Caramel Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

2012-01-03T17:33:00.000-06:00

We didn't tell anyone that this is dairy-free twist on the traditional apple pie. It was a favorite at Thanksgiving with the extended family! (Shhh, it can be our little secret.)

Crust
Make a single pie crust. (See the recipe for an Easy Dairy-free Pie Crust.) Bake it according to the instructions.

Filling
5-6 apples (we used a combination of granny smith and gala apples), peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground nutmeg (to taste)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbs flour

Crumble Topping (optional)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon (and/or nutmeg)
1/4 cup vegan butter

Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 can coconut milk

Directions
Make the pie crust and while it's prebaking, make the filling.

For the filling, mix all of the ingredients together and let stand for 20 minutes. While the filling is resting, make the crumble topping and caramel sauce.

For the crumble topping, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. (If the butter is too soft it will become creamy, not crumbly. Also, I find that mixing it with my fingers or two butter knives works best to create the large crumbs.)

For the caramel sauce, melt the sugar over medium low heat until golden color. Slowly stir in the coconut milk and let simmer for a few minutes, to let any excess liquid evaporate. It will thicken as it cools. [One person said that they wished this sauce was a little sweeter, so feel free to add extra sugar if you like, but it was plenty sweet drizzled over the pie.]

Then pour the filling into the prebaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are soft and bubbly.
Let the pie cool completely.
Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve!

Cocoa Almond Truffles

2011-12-01T22:26:00.002-06:00

This is a dairy-free, gluten-free truffle recipe that is almost good for you, but your family will never know! I found it on Lilly's Table, but I didn't have the cocoa nibs so I made it without. Delicious!

1-1/2 cups raw almonds (soaked in water and drained)
3/4 cup cocoa, plus a little extra for dusting
2-1/2 cups dates, pitted
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs water (more or less as needed)

Place the almonds and cocoa in a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are finely ground. Add the dates, almond extract and salt, and pulse until a soft paste is formed. Add water if needed if the mixture is too dry to stick together.

Scoop out about a teaspoon of paste and roll into a ball. Roll them or dust them with cocoa powder.

Chef Lilly recommends storing them in a tightly-sealed container in the refrige for a couple of weeks, or in the freezer for a few months.

June's Diary-free Tiramisu

2011-11-20T22:25:00.000-06:00

This is a recipe that my dear friend June perfected on my behalf. (And I was oh so happy to taste all of the "mistakes" along the way!) I think that this recipe is better than the dairy version. It takes a little time to prepare this recipe, so plan ahead, but it's well worth the work!

Dairy-free Pastry Cream
Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions
Combine coconut milk and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to boil.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar on medium-high speed until mixture is light yellow and thick, about 3 minutes.
Turn mixer to low and add cornstarch. Be sure to scrape sides of bowl.
Still mixing on low speed, slowly add hot coconut milk to egg mixture.
Pour mixture back into sauce pan and cook over medium heat until thick. Do NOT let it boil, stirring constantly with a spook or whisk. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes, but do not cook more than 2 minutes or the cornstarch will lose its effectiveness. If it looks curdled, whisk it until it is smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
Strain into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream.
Refrigerate 2-3 hours. Whisk again before using if needed.

Dairy-free Tiramisu
Ingredients
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 batch of Dairy-free Pastry Cream (see above), approx. 3 cups
7 oz ladyfingers
1 cup freshly brewed, strong coffee*, cooled
zest of 1 lemon (*add lemon zest to coffee grounds when brewing)
grated dark chocolate
unsweetened cocoa powder & cinnamon, for dusting

Directions
Stiffly whisk egg whites in a grease-free bowl.
In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Gently fold in Dairy-free Pastry Cream and then the egg whites.
Make a layer of ladyfingers on the base of a deep, rectangular serving dish and brush them evenly with coffee.
Cover with a layer of the cream and sprinkle with a little grated chocolate.
Continue making layers until all of the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of Dairy-free Cream.
Dust with cocoa and cinnamon, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or over night.

Thanks June!!!

Coconut Flan

2011-10-02T15:00:00.002-05:00

This is another easy and delicious dairy-free version of one of our favorite recipes. The most difficult part is working with the hot water bath.

You can make one big flan, or individual servings in ramekins. The traditional way to serve it is to invert it onto a platter and let the golden syrup run all over. Or if you don't have the time to let it cool, just scoop it out of the pan and be sure to spoon a little syrup on top.

Ingredients
4 large eggs (we like it slightly more eggy, more like an egg custard so I use 5 eggs)
14 oz of Coco Lopez
14 oz of water
1 1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla
1/2 c white sugar

Also, you will need a smaller baking pan that fits inside a larger baking dish.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Boil water for the water bath.

Using a mixing bowl and beaters, or a blender, blend the eggs, Coco Lopez, water, and vanilla.

Take the smaller baking pan and melt the sugar on the stove top on medium-low heat, until the sugar turns golden brown.

Place the smaller pan (with the sugar syrup) inside the larger pan. Pour the egg mixture on top of the sugar syrup. Place both pans on the oven rack, then add the boiling water to the larger pan. The level of the water should be at least as high as the egg mixture in the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, then carefully test with a knife. The egg mixture will remain jiggly, but it's done when the tester comes out clean. Keep checking the flan every 5 minutes until it is done. Be careful not to over cook; the eggs will set up as they cool.

Being extremely careful, lift the two pans out of the oven. The water in the larger pan is HOT! Carefully lift the smaller pan out of the boiling water and let it cool completely.

You will want to make this ahead of time so the flan has time to completely cool. If you're making it a day in advance, be sure to refrigerate it over night. When you pull it out of the refrigerator, you will want to soak the bottom of the pan in hot water to warm the syrup.

Before serving, you can flip the pan onto a plate with a lip (remember the syrup will run every where).

NOTE: If the flan is not completely cooled it will lose it's shape when you remove it from the pan. It still tastes yummy, but it doesn't look as pretty.

Dairy-Free Coconut Tres Leches with Caramelized Bananas

2011-08-30T11:28:00.001-05:00

I know, I know... Dairy-free "three milks" cake sounds impossible. But this one is really, really good.

Ingredients
1 white cake with almond extract added
1 can (14 oz) of Coco Lopez
1 cup almond milk, silk creamer, or coconut creamer
1 can coconut milk

For the topping
4 bananas sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP dark rum

Directions
Make your favorite white cake recipe. Or if you're running short on time, you can make a dairy-free boxed cake mix. Be sure to add a tsp of almond extract to the white cake before baking. You can also add pureed banana to the cake batter if you like. Bake the cake in a pan with tall sides. Once baked, turn the cake out of the pan and let it cool.

Mix the three milks in a bowl, and beat together until well mixed.

Cut the top (the side that formed the top crust when baking) off of the cake. (You can nibble on the crumbs as you work!) Then poke holes in the cake using a skewer.

Pour some of the milk mixture over the cake. Then put the pan back over the cake and invert it back into the pan. Poke more holes in the cake and pour milk on this side.

Let the cake rest and soak up the milks for at least a day. Add more milk to the top of the cake as needed, until all of the milk has been absorbed.

Before serving, add sugar and rum to a small pan. Warm on medium low heat. Add sliced bananas to the syrup and let them caramelize (about 2-3 minutes). Serve each piece of cake with caramelized bananas and syrup. If you like, you can sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

This recipe is based on the recipe from Lake Austin Spa as posted on Epicurious.com.

White Cake

2011-08-30T11:13:00.000-05:00

This is my grandma's recipe for a basic white cake. Then she would add ingredients to make it a chocolate cake, banana cake, strawberry cake, pumpkin with chocolate chip cake, walnut cake... you name it!

For the Tres Leches recipe, I added almond and vanilla extracts.

Ingredients
2-3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c non-dairy margarine
3/4 c almond or soy milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
other flavors (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter and sugar.
Sift together the rest of the dry ingredients, then add to the butter. Mix together until crumbly.
Add half of the liquid and one egg. Beat until creamy.
Add the other half of the liquid and two eggs. Add any flavoring and beat until creamy.

Pour batter into a greased and floured a cake pan.

Bake in a 9 x 13 pan for approximately 1 hour.
Bake cupcakes for approximately 35 minutes.

Let it cool completely before frosting.

Almond Macaroons

2011-07-25T10:11:00.001-05:00

I made these cookies while visiting a friend in Albuquerque. These are so easy to make and so yummy that I just had to share! Also, they are gluten free!

Ingredients
3 cups blanched almonds (measure without packing cup)
1-1/2 cups white sugar
3 large egg whites
1 tsp almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place almonds in a food processor, and process for 1 minute. Add sugar and process for 15 seconds longer. Immediately add the egg whites and almond extract and pulse until the paste wads around the blade (10-12 pulses). Scrape the bowl with a spatula. Pulse until the mixture turns into a stiff but cohesive, malleable paste (similar in consistency to marzipan) about 5 seconds longer.

The size of the eggs and the amount of oil in the almonds can change the consistency of the dough. If the mixture is crumbly or dry, turn the machine back on and add water drop by drop until the proper consistency is reached.

Scoop slightly less than 2 Tbs of paste for each macaroon, and roll into balls. Place on parchment-paper-lined cookie sheets. When the dough starts sticking to your hands, rinse them off to ensure that the cookies turn out smooth and pretty.

Bake the macaroons until golden brown on the bottom, 20-25 minutes. If over-baked, the macaroons will dry out when stored.

Leave the macaroons on the parchment paper until completely cool. Store in airtight container or freeze cookies.

Easy Chocolate Mousse

2011-06-01T20:00:00.011-05:00

In honor of my birthday this month, I am eating as much chocolate as I can! The darker the chocolate the better!

I've been looking for (and unsuccessfully trying) to make a dairy-free chocolate mousse that's as good as the full-cream version. This recipe was originally for vegan chocolate mousse pie, but the filling is delicious by itself. It's deliciously chocolaty and smooth, and between the protein in the tofu and the antioxidants in the dark chocolate, it's practically good for you! But you don't have to tell anyone that it's vegan.

It's also one of the simplest recipes that I've seen.

Ingredients
1 14oz package silken tofu
1-3/4 cups chocolate or 8.8 ounces dark chocolate (it recommends 70 percent, but I like to mix in a little extra dark too)

Directions
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat.
Place the tofu in a blender and blend for about a minute until smooth. Keep the blender running and pour in the melted chocolate. Blend until smooth.

Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate at least an hour.

Original Source: Kripalu Recipes online.

Cranberry-Ginger Muffins

2011-05-05T09:26:00.002-05:00

I fell in love with the cranberry sauce recipe from Lilly's Table. The combination of tangy cranberries, spicy ginger, and sweet and bitter orange is mouth-wateringly delicious. I eat it by the spoonful!

Then one day I thought, "I wonder if I could use the cranberry sauce to make muffins." Voila, the cranberry-ginger muffins were born. They've received rave reviews, including, "This is the best muffin you've ever made!" I hope that you enjoy them as much as we did.

Making the Cranberry Sauce
12 ounces cranberries, standard size bag
1 whole orange, thin skinned
3/4 cup sugar (to taste)
1/4 cup candied ginger, roughly chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced
1 tsp ground ginger

Rinse the cranberries. Cut the orange into eighths and remove any seeds. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse lightly until everything is well chopped.

Ingredients for Muffins
1 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 cup of non-dairy butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1 cup cranberries halved

Ingredients for Crumble Topping
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup non-dairy butter
orange peel and ginger to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars and eggs together. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, powder, soda, and salt (if using). Then add flour mixture to egg mixture, until most of the lumps are gone. Stir in the cranberry sauce and fresh cranberries. NOTE: The cranberries will turn the batter pink/red the more that you mix it, which then turns blue-ish when you bake it!

Start by using a fork to cut the butter with the other ingredients for the crumble topping. Remember the goal is large crumbs for the topping, so I like to use my fingers to ensure that I do not over mix.

Pour the batter into lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with crumble topping. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

If you like this cranberry sauce recipe, check out Chef Lilly's other delicious recipes at Lilly's Table. It's $12 per month to sign-up, but it's totally worth it!

Ginger Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2011-04-01T10:54:00.004-05:00

These deliciously crunchy cookies are perfect for dunking in a "cuppa" (Australian for a cup of coffee or tea).
Apparently I'd printed this recipe many years ago (2002 to be exact) from the Cooking Light web site. To my surprise it was dairy-free already!

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 TBS chopped crystallized ginger (can sub finely chopped fresh ginger, or ginger juice to taste)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together eggs, egg white and vanilla in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and crystallized ginger.

Divide dough in half and roll each piece in your hands to make a 12" log. Note: the log will spread out and become wider during baking. Place the logs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes. Then remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, but leave the oven turned ON.

Once the logs have cooled enough to touch, cut each log into slices. Place the slices on the baking sheet and return to the oven. Turn the oven OFF immediately, but leave the biscotti in the oven until the oven is cool. The biscotti will become dry and crunchy.

You can also try adding different flavors, chips, nuts, etc. such as almonds, pistachios, lemon, orange... use your imagination!

Rice Crispy Treats

2011-04-01T10:39:00.003-05:00

So simple and gooey, who wouldn't love 'em?!? Just substitute non-dairy butter for the real stuff. I used to make these regularly for my old boss. (Bribery, who me?)

Ingredients
1 package marshmallows (10 oz.)
3 TBS non-dairy butter
6 cups rice crispy cereal

Directions
Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the rice crispy cereal. While still warm, use your hands to press the sticky goodness into a pan lined with wax paper.

Note: You may want to spray your mixing spoon and hands with cooking spray.

Anyone out there?

2011-03-06T19:40:00.000-06:00

Hi friends and readers!
I've been working on this blog for a couple of years now, sharing some of my favorite non-dairy recipes, baking tips, and family stories. If there is anyone out there reading this, would you please leave me a comment, suggestion, complaint, or something. Pretty please!
Thanks,
Jessica

Carrot Souffle

2011-03-06T19:32:00.001-06:00

Don't let the name scare you. Yes, carrots can be dessert with delicious results.

This recipe was my first attempt at making a souffle and as my fav foodie friend said, "I hit it out of the park!"

Ingredients
2 pounds carrots, chopped
1/2 c melted non-dairy butter
1 c brown sugar (note: I substituted 2 Tbs of maple syrup for some of the brown sugar for more flavor)
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs powdered sugar, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash the carrots. (You can use a blender, mixer, potato masher, or ricer if you have one.)

Mix the carrot mash and the non-dairy butter, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla and eggs. Mix well and transfer to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish, or ramekins for individual servings. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs of powdered sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes. Dust with remaining powdered sugar before serving.

A big thank you to my mom's friend Lloyce who sent me this recipe!

Angeletti with Orange Frosting Cookie Bouquet

2011-02-15T11:17:00.001-06:00

These cake-like cookies were a big hit at Valentine's Day! After a day or two, the cookies became a little crunchy on the outside, but they remained soft on the inside and were perfect for dunking.

Ingredients
1/2 cup dairy-free butter
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup dairy-free milk (I prefer almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder (NOTE: Tablespoon, not teaspoon)
1/4 tsp salt

2 cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
3-4 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugar, almond milk, vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until evenly blended.

Cover dough and let stand for 5 minutes.

With floured hands, shape dough into balls (or hearts, etc.) and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake cookies 7-8 minutes or until the cookies puff and turn light brown on the bottom. Let cookies cookies cool on a wire rack.

Mix the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest together to make a thick icing or glaze. You can add color to the icing at this time, if desired. Also, you can substitute lemon or other flavors for the orange.

Once the cookies are completely cool, gently spread a teaspoon of icing on each cookie and sprinkle with colored sugar. Allow iced cookies to dry on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.

To make the cookie bouquet, place each cookie on a skewer. Place a piece of Styrofoam inside a tall vase (found in the floral decorating section at the arts and crafts store), then carefully place cookies on a stick in the Styrofoam. Fill in with tissue paper, ribbons, etc.

Oatmeal Pecan Lace Cookies w/ Chocolate

2011-02-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

My aunt and uncle sent their favorite "personal cookie baker" a few cookie books for Christmas. This is one of the recipes, with a little chocolate added for good measure. Chocolate makes everything better!

This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and it tastes good!

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups uncooked quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup dairy-free butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla (I prefer Mexican vanilla)
Dark chocolate melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix oats, sugar, baking powder and pecans together in a large bowl. Add butter, egg and vanilla to oatmeal mixture and mix well.

Drop teaspoonfuls of batter onto parchment paper-lined cookies sheets. Leave at least 2 inches between each cookie because cookies will spread while baking.

Bake 8-12 minutes until the edges turn golden. Let cookies rest on cookie sheet for a couple minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool. I turned the cookies upside down on the rack, so as they cooled I could carefully peel the parchment paper off of the bottom of the cookies.

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Drizzle across the top of cookies and let set. Cookies will remain soft, particularly if you put them in an air-tight container.

Candy Cane Ice Cream

2011-01-05T00:15:00.003-06:00

Who says that you can't eat ice cream in the winter?!? For our Christmas dinner I made this homemade candy cane ice cream that was to die for!

Ingredients
6 egg yolks
1-1/4 cup canned coconut milk (unsweetened)
1-1/4 cup almond or soy milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1-1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4-5 candy canes, plastic removed and crushed

Directions
Beat the eggs, milks and sugar together. Then heat on medium heat, stirring frequently until nearly boiling. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix in peppermint extract and then strain into an ice cream maker. (Or you can freeze it in a shallow pan, mixing it at least once during the freezing process.)

Once the ice cream begins to thicken, add the crushed candy canes. Let the ice cream solidify in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.

Apfelkuchen (Apple Cake)

2011-01-01T14:00:00.003-06:00

This apple crumb cake is adapted from a recipe that my Oma makes. It is a delicious, not-too-sweet cake that you can serve for breakfast or with coffee or tea. Although, a friend made it for Thanksgiving dinner and it was a favorite at the party!

Cake (bottom layer)

1/4 cup non-dairy butter

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Filling
5-6 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced - any variety of baking apples will do
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (more or less to taste)

Crumb Topping
1/4 cup non-dairy butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake ingredients in a bowl. Then press into a greased spring-form pan, being sure to press the cake up the walls of the pan. Then mix the apples, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Line the cake with apples. If you use at least two different varieties of apples, you can layer them like in the photos. Using your fingers or two butter knives, coarsely mix the crumb topping, leaving large crumbs. Lightly sprinkle crumbs on top of the apples.

Bake the cake covered for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Let the cake cool before removing the sides of the spring-form pan.

Calling all Cookie Monsters!

2010-12-13T00:02:00.002-06:00

We've been busy little elves making cookies and more cookies! We made 32 dozen cookies in one day, but we're not done yet. Every surface in my kitchen was covered in cookies - what a delicious sight!

One lady ordered 27 dozen cookies to be gift wrapped and shipped to family, then she said with a huge smile, "My Christmas shopping is done!"

We've also had orders for cookie trays for parties. Imagine all of the time you will save by letting us make your fresh, homemade cookies for your holiday parties. You can even claim that you made them yourself; we won't tell!

I also spent a morning at my CSA selling cookies to fellow members. It was a great success, especially for my first time. Once people tasted the cookies, they told me that they "had to buy some."

Once again, the Everything cookie was the favorite. One lady described it as "a different cookie in every bite!"

Order Your Homemade Holiday Cookies Now!

2010-12-09T14:26:00.004-06:00

Happy Holidays! Following much success in making 60 dozen cookies last year, I decided to make homemade cookies for other people this year. The cookies are made from scratch, with natural ingredients, and love. Available made with butter and non-dairy margarine; please specify.

A baker's dozen (13 cookies) for $12.

Choose from a variety of cookies:

Chocolate Chip Heath Bar

White Chocolate Chip

Oatmeal Cranberry-Raisin

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Macaroons Dipped in Chocolate

Lavender with Sprinkles

Everything (just what it say, chocolate chips, white chocolate, coconut, oatmeal, raisin, cranberry, Heath, etc.)

Also, I'm making my famous banana bread with chocolate chips (only made with real butter) for $15 a loaf. I'm still working on a dairy-free version that is as moist and yummy as the butter version.

I'm taking orders for pick-up or delivery via USPS. (Shipping not included.)
To order email me: jrwozniak at gmail.com

Easy Pie Crust Recipe

2010-12-01T13:33:00.000-06:00

Here are is an easy pie crust recipes that I use with great success. It's really two recipes that I combined, the first comes from the Classic Crisco Pie Crust recipe and another recipe that I don't remember the source.

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold shortening/non-dairy butter
4-6 Tbs ice cold water
2 Tbs vodka or alcohol of your choice (remember the flavor can enhance the taste of your pie)
1-2 Tbs of sugar (optional)

Directions
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Using a fork, two knives, or a pastry cutter, "cut" the butter into the flour. (In other words, gently mash the cold butter until it's in small pieces, do not mix the butter and flour.) The flour and butter should start to form large crumbs.
Then add the vodka and continue cutting the mixture. (The vodka prevents the flour from turning to glue and adds tiny air pockets for a lighter, flakier crust.)
Next start adding the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time. The crumbs should start to stick together to look like dough. When most of the crumbs have started sticking together, use your hands to roll the dough into a ball in the bowl, incorporating the last of the flour at the bottom of the bowl.
Divide into two balls, cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

Let the dough stand on the counter for a few minutes before rolling out. Spread wax paper over the counter and sprinkle with flour. Place the dough in the middle of the wax paper, top with more flour and another sheet of wax paper. Then roll out using a rolling pin or even a wine bottle.

When the dough is large enough to cover the pie pan, carefully lift the top sheet of wax paper off. Then pick up the bottom layer of wax paper and invert into the pie dish. Press the dough into the pan and then remove the wax paper. Tuck and scallop the edges of the crust to make it look pretty.

You can use the second half of the dough for the top crust or for a second pie. You can brush the edges of the crust (and top crust) with an egg wash (beat one egg white with a teaspoon of water) for a pretty, shiny golden crust.

Then fill and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees for whatever length of time require by the pie recipe.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

2010-11-26T08:31:00.001-06:00

I've tried many recipes for pecan pie over the years, including Kentucky Derby pie, chocolate pecan pie, bourbon pecan pie... it was hard work, but somebody has to do it! This is my favorite recipe and inspired my boyfriend to suggest that I start a bakery called, "Minus One Slice" so he could taste test every pie.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of non-dairy butter
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup light Karo syrup1 Tbs molasses
1-2 Tbs bourbon or whiskey
1 Tbs flour
1-1/2 cups pecan halves
1 cup non-dairy chocolate chunks, such as Baker's semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 unbaked pie crust

Directions
Melt butter. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and salt. Continue beating and add sugar, vanilla and then Karo syrup, molasses, bourbon and flour. Mix in the melted butter.

Place chocolate chunks on the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Then arrange the pecan halves on top of the chocolate chunks. Then slowly pour the egg mixture over the pecans.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly. Let the pie cool completely before serving.

Pumpkin Flan

2010-11-26T08:10:00.001-06:00

My partner's favorite dessert is flan, or a caramel egg custard. I stumbled upon a recipe for pumpkin flan just in time for Thanksgiving.

I found the original loaded-with-dairy recipe in a Latina magazine. It was easy enough to modify it to make it dairy-free, and my guests preferred the dairy-free version!

Ingredients
1-2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 can coconut milk
1 can pureed pumpkin
5 large eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove & allspice
1 tsp Mexican vanilla
boiling water for the water bath for baking

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small pan, melt 1/3 cup white granulated sugar on medium heat. The sugar will become a caramel-colored syrup. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into baking dish about the size of a 9" pie pan. I have a slightly taller pan with a lip (from a double boiler) that has become my "flan pan."

Blend or mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the (hardened) syrup in the baking dish.

Place the pan with the flan inside a larger baking dish with tall sides. Then set both pans on the shelf in the oven, and then fill the larger pan with HOT water. The level of hot water should be as high as the flan mixture in the smaller pan, so the entire flan is immersed the hot water bath. Carefully close the oven and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes.

OR if you have ramekins, you can bake individual-size flans. You will need extra melted sugar to pour into each ramekin. Then fill with flan mixture and place in the hot water bath. Baking times will vary.

Check to see if the flan is done by inserting a knife in the middle. If the knife comes out clean, then it's done, but it will still be jiggly in the middle. Do not over bake. Very carefully remove the pans from the oven and lift the flan pan out of the HOT water. Let the flan cool completely. (If you can't wait that long, which often we can't, it's not the end of the world to serve it warm.)

When ready to serve, place the bottom of the flan pan in hot water to ensure that the caramel syrup is melted. Then run a knife around the edges of the pan. Remove from the hot water and invert onto a serving dish with a lip. The caramel syrup will run over the top and down the sides.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Key Lime Pie

2010-10-23T20:10:00.003-05:00

Every time a friend has a birthday, I always ask what dessert they want to celebrate. Year after year, one friend's husband is easy to predict: key lime pie. I have a delicious, easy recipe, but it includes a can of sweetened condensed milk. No wonder it tastes so good! Then one day I had an idea...

"You put the lime in the coconut..."

WOW! It's delicious! And so simple too.

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 can Coco Lopez cream of coconut (found with the drink mixers)

3/4 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice (plus more to taste), strained

graham cracker crust (non-dairy)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix all of the ingredients together.

Pour into the crust and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. The pie will set up as it cools.

Let the pie cool completely before serving.

Notes

Key limes are less bitter than regular limes, so choose wisely. Be sure to strain the lime juice to remove any seeds, stems, or pulp. I used 1 cup of lime juice, because I wanted to feel the pucker to counter the sweetness.

To make a graham cracker crust from scratch, crush approximately 2 cups of non-dairy graham crackers. Add a couple tablespoons non-dairy margarine. Press into a pie pan and bake for 5 minutes before filling.

I think Harry Nilsson would approve!

Baked Apples

2010-09-23T17:08:00.001-05:00

I had a craving for baked apples the other day, so I raided my cabinets and created this recipe. I hope you like it as much as we do!

Ingredients
apples - your choice of apple, but often the signs at the stores tell you which ones are best for baking
brown sugar
dates
raisins
ground cinnamon
Mexican vanilla extract
Soy butter

Directions
Cut the apples in half, core and peel them. (Peeling is optional if the apples are organic.)
Place the apples cored side up in a baking dish.
Add about 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar (or more to taste) to each apple half.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and 2-3 drops of vanilla per half apple.
Take the dates and slice them open length wise. Stuff a few raisins inside the date. Place the dates in the cored apples.
Top each apple half with a tablespoon of soy butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until soft. Serve warm.

Cocoa Angel Food Cake with Black Cherry Swedish Cream

2010-09-14T12:13:00.001-05:00

A friend and I ran into Central Market for "just a couple of items" (HA!) and ended up leaving the store with a basket full of food, including these delicious black cherries and a cocoa angel food cake.

Angel food cake is dairy free, and the CM cocoa one is dangerously good! You can use plain angel food if you prefer.

We made Swedish Cream (posted March 2008) and added fresh black cherries, which turned it pink.

Black Cherry Swedish Cream
1 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (if you want to make this vegan, substitute agar flakes)
2 cups substituted Silk brand coffee creamer (Note: the creamer is thicker than the regular milk)
1 pint Tofutti Sour Supreme Better Than Sour Cream
(2 tsp Mexican vanilla - OMITTED in place of cherries)
2 tsp almond extract (Dr. Oetker is the best brand; one vial is plenty)
handful of fresh cherries, pitted and sliced

Directions
Combine sugar and gelatin in saucepan. Add Silk creamer and mix well. Heat until boiling then remove from heat, add sliced cherries and let cool. When cool, fold in Better than Sour Cream. Stir in almond extract. Chill in fridge until set, approximately an hour. The Swedish cream can be made a day early and stored it the refrigerator.

To serve, cut up the angel food cake. Layer Swedish Cream, chopped fresh cherries, and angel food cake in a tall glass or trifle bowl. Repeat layering until full. Serve immediately.

So simple and yet your guests will ask for seconds!

Vegan Double Chocolate Waffles

2010-08-17T23:57:00.002-05:00

I found this recipe in the Vegetarian Times magazine this month and just couldn't resist! The waffles are deliciously chocolaty, but they are not overly sweet. They are perfect served with maple syrup, fresh berries, ice cream or even just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

The last time I made these I had a few extra zucchini laying around (a common problem this time of year). So I decided to add a some fresh, finely grated zucchini to see how it would come out. Yum! I preferred the waffles with zucchini.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup almond milk (or soy, or rice milk)

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

5 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

3 Tbs vegan chocolate chips or vegan semisweet chocolate chopped

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup boiling water

Option: 1/2 cup freshly grated zucchini

Directions

Preheat the waffle iron.

Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a glass and let stand for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a larger bowl, combine cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Add boiling water and whisk until melted and smooth.

Whisk almond milk mixture into chocolate mixture.

Then whisk in brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.

Finally whisk in flour mixture. (Note: the batter will be extremely thick, similar to brownie batter.)

If adding the zucchini, stir it into the batter.

Coat waffle iron with oil or cooking spray. Spoon batter onto waffle iron and let cook for 3-5 minutes, until waffle is crisp.

Since these waffles are vegan (and they do not have the egg which usually is the "glue" that holds the final product together), you will find that they fall apart easily. I had to cut the waffles into quarters and then carefully remove them from the hot waffle iron one-quarter at a time. Also, I've noticed with vegan baked goods that they are delicious fresh, but if you're not planning to eat them immediately you need to freeze them. Then you can pull the waffles out of the freezer and pop them directly in the toaster oven. Otherwise they dry out within a day.

Rosemary Cake

2010-08-04T23:53:00.001-05:00

I was intrigued by a recipe in my Yoga Journal this month for a dairy-free rosemary cake. One of my good friends and I like to go on culinary adventures, so I invited her over for lunch and dessert (of course!). To save baking time (and reduce the length of time I had to leave my oven turned on during the summer heat) I made muffins rather than a loaf. The muffins were really good!

Ingredients
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary (luckily I had fresh dried rosemary from my farmers' market!)
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 10-inch loaf pan or muffin pan (makes 12 muffins).

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until it becomes foamy and pale in color. Continue mixing while adding the EVOO a few drops at a time. Fold in the rosemary.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. Then fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Pour into the pan and bake.

If using the cake pan, the recipe recommends baking for 45-50 minutes. For the muffins I found 15-18 minutes to be perfect. The top will start to turn slightly golden brown, and a cake tester comes out clean.

We tried the muffins plain, which as I said earlier were delicious and didn't need any icing or frosting. However, I just happened to have a little left over almond-flavored (Tofutti) cream cheese frosting in the fridge. Add a few colored sprinkles and viola!

Rhubarb Ice Cream

2010-07-30T14:36:00.000-05:00

This ice cream turned out better than I dreamed... yes, I dream about rhubarb, sometimes.

Rhubarb Sauce (see previous post from July 2010)

Dairy-Free Ice Cream

6 egg yolks

3/4 c granulated sugar

1 Tbs Mexican vanilla

1-1/4 c almond milk (or soy milk)

1-1/4 c canned coconut milk (this adds the creaminess in place of whipping cream)

Beat egg yolks and sugar until it thickens and becomes light colored. Slowing add the milk to the eggs and sugar, stirring until combined. Then heat the eggs and milk in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, continuously stirring about about 2-3 minutes. Then remove from heat and chill.

Once cooled, add the coconut milk and stir. Strain the mixture into an ice cream maker, or freeze in a shallow pan, whipping the ice cream at least once during the freezing process. Just before the ice cream is completely frozen, swirl in the rhubarb sauce. For me there is no such thing as too much rhubarb sauce, but add to taste.

Reserve a little of the rhubarb sauce. Top each scoop of ice cream with a spoonful of the beautiful red sauce and serve. I'd say that I hope you saved room for dessert, but there's always room for ice cream!

Rhubarb Sauce

2010-07-18T20:06:00.003-05:00

It's summer again and that means it's rhubarb season!

I bought some fresh rhubarb a couple weeks ago, but then life took a different turn and I knew that wasn't going to have time to make anything with it right away. So I chopped it into 1/4" pieces, generously sprinkled some white sugar over it, and froze it.

Then when I had a little more time on my hands last week, I pulled it out of the freezer. Once it was mostly defrosted, I placed it in a sauce pan and heated it on low and I added more sugar to taste. I let it cook down for about an hour, and then added a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.

Here are some basic guidelines, but you can tweak the amounts to your tastes:

4 cups fresh rhubarb
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

The sugar and rhubarb should create enough juices that you don't need to add any liquid, but if it becomes dry you can add a tablespoon or two of water or fresh squeezed orange juice. When it's done, the pieces of rhubarb should fall apart when you stir it. Let the mixture cool before placing it in jars and refrigerating. The mixture will thicken a little as it cools.

We used this rhubarb sauce to make rhubarb dairy-free ice cream; as a topping for ice cream, cereal, and toast; and in a refreshing drink with sparkling mineral water and some fresh mint. I'll let you in on a little secret, I even like to eat the rhubarb sauce by the spoonful. Shhhhh....

Here's another recipe for rhubarb syrup that was emailed to me by a friend. I guess I'm just going to have to buy more rhubarb!
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/case-study-rhubarb-syrup/

Chocolate Pie

2010-06-29T23:57:00.006-05:00

I remember from some of my earliest memories making chocolate pie with my mom. In the vernacular of my childhood, I insisted on calling it "chocolate peach pie" despite the complete lack of fruit. I believe that my "job" consisted of licking the spoon clean, while Dad got to lick the bowl. Then recently I thought of a new twist on this old fav.

This is a super-quick and easy dairy-free recipe, especially if you use a pre-made crust and boxed pudding. I'm still working out the details of using a homemade pudding instead, but the box pudding was surprisingly good.

It's also a great recipe for the summer, because you don't have to turn on the oven. It's what they used to call an "ice box pie."

What you will need:
1 pre-made Oreo cookie or chocolate graham cracker crust (read the label to ensure that it is dairy-free, but there isn't any dairy in that creamy Oreo filling; kinda scary, right?)
1 - 4oz package chocolate pudding (once again read the label; I have found at least two brands that are dairy-free)
2 cups plus 1 Tbs of non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, etc.; I prefer almond milk) divided
one-half of a 12 oz container Tofutti Sour Supreme (or another non-dairy sour cream)
4 ounces dark chocolate chopped

Melt the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of milk in a double boiler over low heat, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and stir in the fake sour cream. Let the chocolate and sour cream cool completely before mixing in the pudding, otherwise it might not set up properly.

Mix the dry pudding with 2 cups of cold milk until smooth. Then add the chocolate/sour cream mixture to the pudding. Stir well until combined. Pour into the pre-made crust and refrigerate a couple of hours until set.

Top with a dollop of non-dairy whipping cream and viola!

Chocolate Ice Creams

2010-05-21T01:08:00.000-05:00

No banana split would be complete without a scoop of vanilla, a scoop of berry, and a scoop of chocolate ice creams. Here are two of the recipes for chocolate ice cream that even my dairy-eating friends loved.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
6-7 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet dark chocolate (non-dairy)
2 cups So Delicious Hazelnut Coconut Creamer (found at Central Market)
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
dark chocolate cut into small pieces

Heat the chocolate and the creamer in a double boiler, until the chocolate is melted.

Beat the egg yolks and the sugar until light colored and slightly thickened. Beat in the hot chocolate-creamer mixture. Let the mixture cool.

Then add to the ice cream maker and allow to freeze. When almost frozen, add the chocolate pieces so they are suspended in the ice cream.

Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream
6-7 oz of semisweet dark chocolate (non-dairy)
2 cups of Silk soy creamer
2/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
4 egg yolks
1 tsp instant espresso powder

Heat the chocolate and the creamer in a double boiler, until the chocolate is melted. Add the espresso powder and stir.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light colored and thickened. Slowly beat the hot chocolate-creamer into the eggs. Let the mixture cool.

Then add to the ice cream maker and allow to freeze.

ICE CREAM!!!

2010-05-21T00:56:00.002-05:00

"I scream; you scream; we all scream for ice cream!!!" YEA!!

Ice cream is one of those things that I've mostly cut out since going dairy free. I've tried the Tofutti ice cream and the mini ice cream sandwiches. Central Market also carries a variety of dairy-free ice creams, including Nada-Moo and So Delicious coconut milk ice cream, which are really quite yummy.

Then a friend loaned me her ice cream maker last month and I began looking for dairy-free recipes. Since then I've had fun trying many different recipes, and my friends have been more than happy to be my guinea pigs tasting and helping to eat my mistakes.

Here are two of my favorite recipes.

Blackberry, Strawberry, and Banana Ice Cream

1 cup Tofutti Sour Cream
2 soft bananas
1 cup berries (you can mix different berries totaling around 1 cup, maybe a little more)
1/2 cup almond milk
3 TBS honey (or other sweetener to taste)

Mix the berries in a blender and then strain the seeds out. If you don't mind the seeds, than skip that step.

Blend together the berries, bananas, sour cream, almond milk, and honey.

Place the mixture in an ice cream maker and allow to freeze.

Mexican Vanilla
6 egg yolks
2 cups Silk Creamer
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 TBS Mexican Vanilla
cinnamon (optional)

Heat the creamer in a pan until almost boiling. If using the cinnamon, add 1 stick cinnamon to the creamer while it's heating and let steep for about 30 minutes. Then remove cinnamon.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until thickened and light colored. Then beat in the hot creamer a little at a time. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour into the ice cream maker and allow to freeze.

Molten-Chocolate-Centered Chocolate Cakes

2010-04-19T22:04:00.006-05:00

This recipe comes from Bill Granger's "Bills Open Kitchen" cook book. Being that he's Australian (let me give a shout out to all of my Aussie and Kiwi friends down under!), he calls it a soft-centred chocolate pudding. Being that I am an uncultured American, my idea of pudding is entirely different. (Note: there is no need to use the article "a" before the word "pudding.")

This is a simple recipe that's sure to win over the hearts of chocolate lovers on every continent!

Ingredients

7 oz good quality, dairy-free, dark chocolate
7 Tbs of non-dairy, non-hydrogenated, vegan butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs all-purpose flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chocolate and butter in a double boiler and stir until just melted. Or you can use a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the water. (Bill says, "The most important thing to remember when melting chocolate is not to overheat it. If the temperature is too high, your chocolate will end up with a grainy texture.")

In a bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, and flour. Gradually mix the egg mixture into the melted chocolate. Pour the mixture into four oven proof ramekins and place on a baking sheet. The recipe calls for 1-cup ramekins, but mine were closer to 1/2-cup size but the worked fine.

Bake until the edges are set, and the top is dry and cracked, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Side note: When I made the recipe, I used half 70-percent dark chocolate and half 85-percent dark chocolate. Wow, was it chocolaty, but not overly sweet.

Green Chile Jam

2010-04-19T21:35:00.000-05:00

Like any good New Mexican, I can eat green chile on almost anything. Green chile is in my blood. I have frozen green chile in my freezer at all times, and when I run out it's time for a trip back to the Land of Enchantment. Although thanks to Chuy's Restaurant and Central Market, we now get Hatch green chile here in Texas too!

I've tried jalapeno jelly and chipotle jam. Why not green chile jam? So I picked up a packet of fruit pectin for making freezer jam.

I modified the recipe on the package a little, so as to not kill anyone with the spicy green chile. I think it's a delicious combination of sweet and spicy, and it certainly has a kick. I eat it on toast, crackers, biscuits, almost anything... and even sometimes by the spoon. However, most of my friends prefer to cut the spicy burn with something. For example, pour it over (non-dairy) cream cheese to use as a dip with crackers. Or use it as a relish on the side with meat.

Green Chile Jam
1 1/2 cups roasted, peeled and diced green chile (or you can use frozen), mild or hot depending on your preference
1 1/2 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (you can add more or less cucumber depending on how hot the green chile is)
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 package freezer jam fruit pectin (enough for four cups of fruit)

The directions on the package say to mix it all together and pour it into jars. I placed my jars in the refrigerator rather than the freezer and it set up ok.

So while most people would never think of green chile and dessert, to my green-chile-addicted-New-Mexican friends this one is for you!

Blueberry & Pineapple Pie

2010-03-19T00:41:00.007-05:00

My dad has been hinting (not-so-subtly) that I should make a blueberry pie - his favorite! While my other pies have been good, nothing compares to a blueberry pie... etc, etc.

If you know my dad, then you know that he has this funny, endearing way of asking for things (repeatedly, if necessary) that makes you think that (fill in the blank) is the best thing in the whole world, so you have to make it for him, or let him have the last piece, or make a special trip to the store just for that item. How could you say no? When it's his favorite. And people fall for this routine all of the time. If he's reading this, he's saying, "Who me?!" Yes you, Dad!

Even though it's not blueberry season, my mom and I found fresh blueberries at the store and, like a good daughter, I had to do it. Yep, one spoiled Dad coming right up!

At the same store I found a deliciously-sweet smelling pineapple that I couldn't resist. Later that night while I was preparing the pie, the pineapple was sitting on the counter trying to get my attention. Then it fell over for no particular reason. I stopped what I was doing and picked it up. While holding the pineapple in my hand inspiration struck!

What if I added fresh pineapple to the blueberry pie? The worst case scenario is that the pie doesn't turn out and I'd have to make another blueberry pie for Dad. It's worth a try!

Make the pie crust dough and refrigerate.

Filling
2 1/2 Tbs cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, about the same size as the blueberries
1 Tbs of fresh pineapple juice or lime juice

Mix the cornstarch and the sugar. Add the berries and stir to coat. Stir in the pineapple and pineapple juice and let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out the pie dough and make the top and bottom crusts. Fill the pie. Add the top crust and brush with an egg white beaten with a little water.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. The pie will be bubbly and golden brown.

Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with your favorite (non-dairy) ice cream.

Dad's Verdict: he liked it as much, if not better, than the plain blueberry pie. Ahh, the sweet taste of success!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

2010-03-02T15:19:00.004-06:00

Grandma used to make the best strawberry-rhubarb pie! To this day it is still my favorite pie, but for some reason it never turns out quite the same when I make it. I assumed it was Grandma's home-grown rhubarb, or maybe her years and years of experience, or maybe just her love that made her pies taste better.

Then recently my friend loaned me her copy of the Complete Book of Pastry Sweet & Savory, by Bernard Clayton, Jr. So far everything I've made out of the book has been delicious. Then I found the strawberry-rhubarb pie recipe and couldn't resist. As long as you make a dairy-free crust, the pie all good!

I tried the pie crust the book recommended for this pie, but the non-dairy version just didn't turn out well. (The lard and butter version was excellent, of course!)

Start by preparing the non-dairy, double-crust pie crust recipe of your choice.

Filling
1-1/2 pounds (4 cups) fresh rhubarb
1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel or zest
2 Tbs quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and the strawberries in quarters (or halves depending on the size).

In a bowl combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, OJ, zest, tapioca, and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the bottom crust for the pie. Then pour the filling into the pie shell, filling it higher in the middle than on the sides.

Roll out the remaining pie crust dough to make the top crust. You can make a lattice design, or just use a solid crust with slits. The pastry book had excellent instructions for making the lattice crust, and I was feeling brave so I gave it a try.

Wet the edges of the pie crusts to secure the top to the bottom. Then using your fingers, crimp or twist the edges to make it look pretty. It's ok if the crimped edges of the pie crust are thicker than the rest of the pie.

Before you bake the pie, the book says to sprinkle with 2 Tbs granulated sugar. I like to beat 1 egg white with a little water and brush over the top crust.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Then reduce temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. The crust will be golden and flakey, and the juices from the filling should be bubbling up through the top crust. If the edges of the pie brown before the rest of the pie is done, cover only the edges with aluminium foil.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. This is the hardest part for me, but the filling will remain runny until completely cooled. If you don't mind a runny pie, dig in!

It may not be quite as good as Grandma's, but now it's my second favorite pie!

Blueberry Buckle (or muffins)

2010-02-22T13:50:00.001-06:00

Blueberry buckle is a New England treat. It's basically a cake, but it can easily be made into muffins as well. A friend made this recipe for me years ago and it immediately became a favorite. The non-dairy version is just as good as the original. The recipe she shared with me came from a cookbook she purchased at the Cape Cod National Sea Shore.

Blueberry Buckle
4 Tbs vegan butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup almond milk (soy milk or rice milk will work too)
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 cups fresh blueberries

Crumble Topping
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or nutmeg)
1/4 cup vegan butter

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix egg mixture, flour mixture, milk, and vanilla together and beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries.

In a separate bowl, mix together ingredients for crumble topping until crumbly. (If the butter is too soft it will become creamy, not crumbly. Also, I find that mixing it with my fingers or two butter knives works best.)

Spread batter in greased 9x9 baking dish for buckle, or pour into lined muffin pan. Sprinkle crumble topping over batter.

Bake at 375 degrees in 9x9 pan for 35-40 minutes, or for muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Watch carefully for the last few minutes because it can dry out fast. We prefer to err on the side of slightly under-baked.

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-01-31T19:46:00.001-06:00

I found a dairy-free cake mix on sale at the supermarket a few weeks ago. While I prefer baking from scratch, I was excited to see my local chain store carrying more "alternative" foods and the price was right, so I bought the mix. The things we do in the name of research!

It was a Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake Mix that is peanut free, dairy-free, egg free, and nut free.

I also had leftover candy canes from the holidays, and chocolate and peppermint go well together. (Really, what doesn't go well with chocolate?!?)Hummm, add a marshmallow frosting... voila, my idea for hot chocolate cupcakes was born!

I made the Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake Mix according to the box, but baked them as cupcakes. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were mini chocolate pieces in the chocolate cake.

As they were cooling I attempted making a couple different marshmallow frosting recipes, but most of them were too hard once they cooled. I really wanted a bright white frosting to set off the candy canes. Then I remembered a recipe for a meringue frosting, which I found on the Dog Hill Kitchen blog, that would work with minor changes.

Meringue or Seven-Minute Frosting
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Bring the water in a double boiler to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and then set on top of the simmering water. Using a handheld mixer, beat the mixture on high until frosting is thick, creamy white and fluffy. (Approx. 5 - 7 minutes) Remove from heat and beat until mostly cool. The frosting turns bright white and is the consistency of melted marshmallows (or that marshmallow fluff that you can buy in a jar).

Once the cupcakes are cool, spread warm frosting on top. Be warned, though, that this frosting makes a sweet, sticky mess. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.

Tapioca Pudding with Coconut Milk

2010-01-31T19:30:00.000-06:00

During one of these cold days of January, I've was craving a warm pudding. So I tinkered with the tapioca recipe on the box to see if I could make a dairy-free version. My partner likes it so much he asked me to make it again!

1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs Minute Tapioca
1 can coconut milk (approximately 1 3/4 cups, adjust the coconut and almond milk to equal 2 3/4 cups total)
1 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
1 egg beaten
1 tsp Mexican vanilla
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Combine the brown sugar, tapioca, milks, and egg in a sauce pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Then heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. The box notes: a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

The pudding thickened as it cooled, so I added a little extra almond milk and rewarmed the left overs. Yum!

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies!

2009-12-30T09:49:00.003-06:00

My mom told me a story, which she may have regretted later, about a pie party where friends were invited to eat pie. Lots and lots of pie. I was inspired, not to make pies, but rather cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. (Mom always said I was a cookie monster!)

I wanted to have a cookie party. Not a cookie baking party; not a cookie exchange party; but a cookie eating party. So my mom and I set to work. In two-and-a-half days we baked 12 different types of cookies totalling around 60 dozen cookies! (I can't count the number of times Mom said, "Are we done yet?")

By the end of the second day of baking, my boyfriend starting calling it a cookie eating competition.

Finally we spent a wintry, December afternoon with friends and family, enjoying cookies, milk (almond and regular), and hot apple cider (spiked or not). It was perfect!

What I've learned is that you can make just about any cookie recipe dairy-free by using a non-dairy butter substitute. For example:
- There are many vegan, non-hydrogenated buttery spreads, however I recommend reading the label to see if it is recommended for baking. Some hold up to high temperatures better than others.
- Whole Foods makes a 360 brand vegetable shortening that is good for baking.
- Coconut oil, despite the name, is solid at room temperature and works quite well.
- If you miss the butter flavor, Crisco makes a butter-flavored vegetable shortening. I called the 800-number to ask if the product contained dairy, and the recording about food allergies promised that they list all ingredients on the package, including specifically dairy, tree nuts, etc. Since there is no mention of dairy on the packaging, one assumes that it would be dairy-free. I didn't have a reaction to this product, but my "allergy" may not be as sensitive as others.

Below are a few of the recipes we baked. (I'm not going to re-post the recipes for ginger cookies or macaroons. See April 2009 and June 2009, respectively.) Basically the recipe instructions are the same for all: cream butter, sugar, eggs and flavoring; then add dry ingredients. Once mixed, spoon teaspoon-size cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake. For prettier cookies, take a teaspoon of dough and roll it in your hands to make balls and then bake.

Peanut Butter Cookies
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
1 ¼ cups flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder

Optional: chocolate chips (my dad wouldn't have it any other way!)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 3 dozen.

Lavender Cookies
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter (the recipe calls for both, but you can just use 1 cup of shortening)
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
2 ¼ cups flour
4 tsp lavender flowers
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Sprinkle with colored sugar when they come out of the oven. Makes at least 3 dozen, but I forgot to count.

Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 cups uncooked oats

Optional: 1 cup raisins, or 1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 6 dozen.

Pfeffernusse
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup dark molasses or Sorghum syrup
1 egg
3 ½ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp black pepper

Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before and after baking. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. These cookies will NOT expand. Makes approx. 6 dozen.

White Chocolate Chip (white chocolate is not really chocolate, but I digress...)
1 cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
white chocolate chips- add to taste, but I err on the side of too many – is there such a thing as too many chips?

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 3 dozen.

Everything Cookie
1 cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
“everything but the kitchen sink” - for example: chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, oatmeal, shredded coconut, toffee bits, raisins, dried cranberries, caramel pieces, chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, candied ginger, etc.

I used all of the ingredients that were left over from the other cookies. Seriously, I threw in everything listed above, excluding the raisins, nuts and candied ginger. Then I added green sprinkles when they came out of the oven. At least two people said that this was their favorite cookie!

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2009-12-26T00:48:00.000-06:00

I made this chocolate cake for Christmas dinner and it was delicious! I found this recipe on Epicurious and adapted it to be dairy-free, as well as gluten-free. It turns out super moist and rich, so a small piece goes a long way.

Cake
10 ounces of dark (dairy-free) chocolate
1 1/4 cups dairy-free margarine or coconut oil
10 egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 6 Tbs granulated sugar
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
10 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The recipe recommends using a 10-inch springform pan, but I don't have one. Instead I used a deep baking dish that was well oiled and lined the bottom with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and the margarine in a double boiler until melted smooth. Then set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Beat the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale yellow. (About 5 minutes.) Then beat in vanilla and salt. Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Note: if the chocolate is too warm, you will cook the eggs and end up with a chocolate omelette. Set aside.

In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 6 Tbs of sugar, adding the sugar 1 Tbs at a time. Beat until soft peaks form.

Then gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until well mixed, but still light and fluffy. Pour batter into pan.

Bake for 45 minutes and then begin checking with a cake tester. Cake will rise significantly like a souffle. Cake is done when tester comes out with moist crumbs attached. It took about an hour and ten minutes to bake tonight.

Let cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen and then invert cake onto a plate or serving dish. The cake WILL FALL to less than half it's original height. Don't worry, this is what makes it so moist and rich!

The recipe says to let the cake cool completely and top with a chocolate ganache, but we weren't crazy about the ganache the first time. Also, the recipe calls for brandied cherries to serve on the side, but we had fresh raspberries the first time, and fresh pomegranates this time. Here is my quick recipe for the sauce.

Sauce
1 cup of fresh berries or fruit - we used raspberries or pomegranates (I like a tart fruit sauce with the sweet chocolate cake)
1 cup dark rum
1/2 cup brown sugar

Heat rum and sugar in a pan until boiling. Let boil down for a few minutes, then add fruit. Boil for just a couple minutes until fruit is soft, but not soggy. Drizzle sauce on top of a piece of cake and enjoy!

Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

2009-06-30T22:29:00.001-05:00

I was surprised to learn that the basic macaroon recipe (off of the shredded coconut bag) doesn't contain any dairy. Then I thought about adding chocolate... given the option between chocolate and no chocolate, is there really any question?

4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
1 (14 oz) bag of shredded coconut (sweetened)
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
12 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In small bowl combine egg whites and almond extract.

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients until well blended.

Stir the egg mixture into the coconut mixture until it become thick and sticky.

Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough into balls and place on greased/lined baking sheets. If you want prettier cookies, you can roll the dough into balls using your hands (coated in cooking spray).

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a rack to cool.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium low heat. Place the melted chocolate in a plastic sandwich bag and cut the tip off of one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies and refrigerate until chocolate is no longer soft. Store in a cool place.

Easy Chocolate Fondue

2009-06-30T21:50:00.000-05:00

I picked up this recipe at Central Market one day and just HAD to try it. It's a great, simple dairy-free chocolate fondue recipe. Yum!

8 oz bittersweet chocolate
10 Tbsp+ coconut milk (not sweetened)
fresh fruit cut into slices

Melt the chocolate with the coconut milk in a double boiler over medium low heat. Stir often. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat and pour into a fondue pot.

You may need to add more coconut milk to the chocolate, because it will thicken as it sits over the heat in the fondue pot.

Dive in!

Pavlova

2009-06-25T14:14:00.000-05:00

I first encountered this dessert in Australia. There is some debate whether it was created in New Zealand or Australia, but rivalries aside, there is no question it was named after Anna Pavlova the Russian ballerina.

It's basically an egg white/meringue cake, which is light and crunchy, that you top with whipped cream and fresh fruit. It' s lovely for a hot summer day.

Here is the basic recipe, but you can easily double it.

4 egg whites
pinch of salt (optional)
1 cup caster (superfine) sugar - you can use regular sugar, but it turns out slightly gritty
4 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp white wine vinegar
flavoring of your choice - for example, one teaspoon of vanilla, coconut, or almond extract; 3 tablespoons cocoa powder; or 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Line baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Using a small baking dish (8 or 9 inches) draw a circle on the parchment paper.

Using beaters, whisk the egg whites and the salt until peaks form. Then beat in the sugar one tablespoon at a time, until meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cornstarch, vinegar, and flavoring.

Mound on the baking sheet inside the circle, then flatten the top and smooth the sides. Place in the oven and IMMEDIATELY reduce the heat to 300 degrees F.

Cook for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. It will have risen and cracked on the top and the sides. If it's not dry and crispy on the outside, bake a bit longer.

Once done, turn off the oven, open the door and leave it to cool. (Often I will bake this just before bed, and then leave the oven door open all night. This allows the meringue to cool, but not too quickly.)

The meringue WILL fall and not just a little, but a lot. Don't feel bad; it just adds character to this yummy dessert.

Slice the fresh fruit and sprinkle with sugar so a natural syrup forms.

Before serving, top the meringue with non-dairy whipped cream or non-dairy Swedish cream (see recipe below), and top with fresh fruit. Voila, Pavlova!

I made a double recipe for a friend's birthday and it served more than 30 people. I made a chocolate Pavlova, coffee flavored non-dairy Swedish cream, and topped with fresh strawberries and black berries. Everyone raved about it! (And no one knew it was dairy-free!)

Gingerbread Cookies

2009-04-16T08:35:00.000-05:00

These cookies are delicious and perfect for dunking in a hot cup of tea, coffee or hot coco!

A good friend spent a lot of time modifying her original recipe so I could enjoy these cookies too. Let me give a shout out and big thank you to June!

Ingredients
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (for example, Whole Foods' 360 Brand vegetable shortening)
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Sorghum syrup
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2-1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
turbinado sugar

Optional Ingredients: 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, or 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix shortening, sugar, Sorghum syrup and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

Add half of the flour mixture to egg mixture and mix.

If desired, add crystallized ginger and/or pecans.

Add remaining flour mixture to the batter and stir. The batter should be very thick and may need to be mixed by hand.

Form dough into small balls, roll in turbinado sugar, and place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 9-11 minutes. Makes approximately 6 dozen.

Popcorn Balls

2009-04-16T06:49:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to update this blog. I've been hard at work doing research, trying new recipes and taste testing. It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it!

I was looking for a yummy recipe for popcorn balls to give as small gifts to everyone who came to our holiday party. My mom and I made more than 40 softball-size popcorn balls and wrapped them in colored plastic wrap. They were a big hit!

I really like the versatility of this recipe (see Optional Ingredients), but it definitely helps to have at least two people in the kitchen when making them.

Ingredients
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
2 teaspoons cold water
2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallows
5 quarts plain popped popcorn
salt (to taste)

Optional Ingredients: 1 tsp of Mexican vanilla or other flavoring, non-dairy chocolate chips (for example, Baker's semi-sweet chocolate chunks), chopped nuts, non-dairy candy, crushed peppermint candies, and/or food coloring - the sky is the limit!

Directions
Pop the popcorn in a little oil in a large pan on the stove. Once popped, spread it out on a cookie sheet and pick out any unpopped kernels. Keep the popcorn warn in the oven.

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar, and marshmallows. Heat and stir until boiling. Then turn down the heat, but keep syrup mixture warm. (Some recipes recommend using a crockpot to keep it warm, but we just left the stove on the lowest setting and stirred often so it didn't burn.) This is when you can add the teaspoon of Mexican vanilla or food coloring, if you want.

Coat a large mixing bowl and scraping spoon with cooking spray.

This is where it's handy to have an extra set of hands. Have one person spray the other's hands with cooking spray - front and back. The person with greased hands gets to play with the popcorn balls, while the person with clean hands gets to stir the syrup on the stove, pull the popcorn out of the oven, add the optional ingredients, and tear off the pieces of plastic wrap.

In the large, greased bowl, add the popcorn and generously coat with the syrup mixing with your hands and the scraping spoon. We didn't have bowl big enough to hold all of the popcorn, so we split it in half, which worked well. We also added a bit of salt to achieve the irresistible sweet and salty combination. You can add the optional ingredients at this time; we used non-dairy chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Then form the popcorn into balls, like packing a snowball. It's up to you how big you want to make the balls, but we made softball-size balls. I tend to have big eyes, especially when there is chocolate involved! We found it worked well to immediately wrap the balls in plastic wrap, and later we tied ribbon around the top.

We made two batches, the first was just the plain recipe. The second batch we added the vanilla, chocolate, and pecans. With the second batch, the first bowl of popcorn and syrup must have been a bit cool, because when we added the chocolate chips they did not melt. The popcorn remained snowy white, dotted with clusters of chocolate chips and nuts. The chips that sat in the syrup at the bottom of the bowl for the second half of the popcorn melted a bit, so the popcorn turned a delicious chocolaty color.

The reviews from our guests were positive: some preferred the melted chocolate, some preferred biting into a chunk of chocolate, and all but one thought that the sweet and salty combination was great. For those people who don't like chocolate (a serious condition that I hope they find cure for one day) we had the plain popcorn balls. Only one person thought that they were too sweet. It might be worth trying next time to use less confectioners' sugar and see how they turn out.

If you're feeling really creative, one recipe described making snowmen out of popcorn balls and decorating with candy.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-09-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

I've been modifying and trying lots of different recipes for cream cheese frosting, trying to find the prefect frosting to go with carrot cake (recipe posted: 4-16-08).

This one is pretty darn good:

1/2 c non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened
1/2 c vegan cream cheese (such as Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)
4 to 5 c confectioners' sugar
2 to 3Tbs real maple syrup

Cream together margarine and cream cheese. Using mixer, add 4 cups of sugar 1/2 c at a time. Continue mixing and add maple syrup to taste. Then add the last cup of sugar a little at a time until it reaches the correct consistency. Mix until smooth and creamy. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Vegan Cupcakes

2008-09-25T13:57:00.001-05:00

For my birthday a friend gave me the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 dairy-free recipes for cupcakes that rule.

Since then I've been making cupcakes for every occasion and inventing occasions when necessary. So far all of the recipes have been really yummy and we've tried at least a dozen recipes from the book. I've had a few people ask for copies of the recipes; they couldn't believe that the cupcakes were vegan either. The title doesn't lie: the cupcakes rule!

One thing I've noticed, the cupcakes start to lose some of the moisture and texture by the second day, and by the third just aren't nearly as good. I have realized that I just have to get up extra early to bake them the day of the party, but it's worth the effort.

At the risk of copyright infringement, here is one of our favorites: Dulce Sin Leche
Don't let the name fool you, they may not have milk but they are definitely sinful. (This is all you get, just a teaser; now go by the book!)

Cupcake Ingredients
1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c oil
1/2 c soy milk (or rice or almond milk)
1/2 c coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon

Dulce Sin Leche Topping Ingredients
1/2 c full-fat soy milk
1/4 c soy milk powder
1 Tsb arrowroot
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c brown rice syrup (this is an essential ingredient and can be found in health and specialty grocery stores)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp caramel extract (optional)

Directions
Make the topping first. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy milk, soy milk powder, and arrowroot. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Stir in brown sugar. Then stir in brown rice syrup, turn up heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil, then bring back down so mixture is at a low simmer, all the while stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is thick and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Sauce will have a thick consistency, like cake batter. Whisk in vanilla (and caramel if you got it) and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together the oil, soy milk, coconut milk, lemon zest, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth.

Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way full. Pour 1 tsp of the topping on top of each cupcake and use a butter knife to swirl the sauce into the cupcake. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until lukewarm.

Spoon 2 to 3 tsps of topping on top of each lukewarm cupcake. Topping will be very sticky; allow to sit for an hour before serving.

A quick warning: It doesn't matter how long you let these cupcakes sit, they are a gooey, delicious mess.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-05-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil (can substitute apple sauce)
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin (I used fresh, but canned will work)
1 2/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt

1/2 c raisins or dates (optional)
1/2 c nuts (optional)
1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)

Mix dry ingredients. Cream oil and sugar. Whisk in all other wet ingredients. Fold in dry ingredients, then add raisins, nuts, etc. Don't over mix or the bread becomes tough.

Pour into pan and bake 350F approximately 30 minutes for 9" round cake pan, or 45 minutes - 1 hour for bread loaf pan.

I didn't add any raisins, nuts or choco chips the first time and it turned out great. I had a little left over soy cream cheese frosting that turned the bread more into a cake. Yum!

Next time I'm going to try adding a little ginger. This is a great basic recipe that can easily be changed up depending on your tastes.

This recipe came from my old roommate's Aunt Linda. Thanks!

Carrot Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-04-16T11:59:00.000-05:00

Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups apple sauce
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots (Note: my aunt swears that hand-grating makes a better end-product than using a food processor.)
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger

Frosting
10 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, room temperature
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Grade A maple syrup makes a whiter frosting; Grade B maple syrup makes a slightly darker frosting, but a stronger maple flavor)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend.

In separate bowl, whisk sugar and apple sauce until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time.

Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. (Note: Don't over mix the batter as the cake will come out dense and heavy. The first time I made this I mixed the batter by hand and it turned out great. The second time I used a mixer and it came out dense and heavy.)

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and shortening in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.

(Note: The first time I made this for a party I used real cream cheese and butter, and the frosting turned out great, if a little soft at room temperature. The next time I tried substituting a tablespoon of vegetable shortening and 4-5 melted marshmallows for the butter, which worked great in other recipes, but the frosting never "set-up." I'm still looking for a great dairy-free cream cheese frosting recipe.)

Frost cake and serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

Adapted from original recipe at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102155

No time to bake...

2008-03-19T21:55:00.000-05:00

Don't have time to bake your own dairy-free cake? We found that Whole Foods makes a delicious dairy-free chocolate layer cake. The guys didn't know it was dairy free and were fighting over the last piece! You'll want to call ahead for this one.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

2008-03-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law adapted the traditional Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe to be dairy free and it's even better than the original!

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) Libby's Pure Pumpkin (I substituted fresh, cooked Fairytale Pumpkin)

1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk (substitute 1 can of coconut milk)

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Directions:
MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir pumpkin into sugar and spice mixture. Gradually stir in coconut milk.

Note: If you're using fresh pumpkin, you may need to let some of the water drain out after you puree it using a cheese cloth or a extra-fine strainer. Otherwise the pie may be a bit soupy and will need to bake a lot longer.

POUR into pie shell.

Note: Most pre-made pie shells contain dairy, so you're better off making one from scratch using vegetable shortening. I haven't found a favorite pie crust recipe yet, but I'll keep trying. All for the sake of research!

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

You can try serving it with the Swedish Cream rather than whipping cream.

Swedish Cream Recipe

2008-03-17T13:59:00.000-05:00

This is a recipe from a good friend whose mom is dairy free. She said that they made the regular dairy version and the non-dairy version of this recipe for a party once, and the non-dairy "kicked @ss!"

Swedish Cream

1 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (if you want to make this vegan, substitute agar flakes)
2 cups heavy cream (substituted Silk brand coffee creamer)
1 pint sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme Better Than Sour Cream)
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
2 tsp almond extract (Dr. Oetker, a German brand, is the best; use one vial as it's plenty potent)

Directions:
Combine sugar and gelatin in saucepan. Add Silk creamer and mix well. Heat until boiling then remove from heat and let cool. When cool, fold in Better than Sour Cream. Flavor with vanilla and almond extracts. Chill in fridge.

This is great dessert served by itself with fresh berries, or on the side of your other favorite desserts.

Reading Labels

2008-03-17T13:09:00.000-05:00

As a novice to the dairy-free lifestyle, I'll admit there is a bit of a learning curve. Here are a few of the things I've learned from researching and reading labels. (I read labels on everything now.)

Ingredients NOT to eat:

milk/butter/cheese
lactose
whey
casein

Surprising sources of these ingredients:

Most sausage and processed meats contain casein
Many vitamins, tablets, and medicines use lactose as a binder
There seems to be dried milk solids in just about everything from bread and tortillas, to crackers and cereals, and anything breaded

Ingredients that are OK to eat:

coco butter
peanut butter
almond butter
apple butter
pumpkin butter
Shea butter
mango butter
seed butters and vegetable butters
coconut milk

Foods that are good substitutes:

almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or coconut milk for cow's milk (I prefer the almond milk)
vegetable shorting, such as Soy Garden Natural Buttery Spread (vegan) for butter on toast
olive oil or vegetable oil for butter when cooking
Tofutti Sour Supreme Better than Sour Cream for sour cream
Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese for cream cheese
Silk brand coffee creamer for whipping cream in recipes (I'm not sure how well it whips up for whipping cream; I'll have to try it)
dark chocolate and Baker's unsweetened and semi-sweet baking chocolates don't contain dairy, but read the labels (Note: cocoa butter is not dairy)
often fresh-made bakery bread does not contain dairy; also sour-dough bread is usually safe
soy cheese and rice cheese as decent substitutes for cheese, however I often find it's easier to leave it off

Don't cook with rice cheese - it curdles, although the slices melt well for grilled cheese sandwiches
One friend likes rice Parmesan
I found a pepper jack soy cheese that's pretty good
I learned the hard way that just because a "cheese" is called "veggie slices" doesn't mean that it's dairy free; read the label!

Remember to read all labels!

Fudgy Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Espresso Frosting

2008-03-17T12:50:00.001-05:00

Cake:
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c cake flour (Swans Down cake flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
2 Tbs instant espresso powder (Medaglia d'Oro)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (Baker's 100% cacao*)
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme non-dairy, lactose free Better Than Sour Cream)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 c whipping cream (substituted Silk non-dairy creamer)
1/2 c butter (substituted 5-6 marshmallows)
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
16 oz semisweet chocolate (Baker's dairy-free semisweet chocolate*)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparing cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Oil and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides or use cupcake liners (makes 20-25 cupcakes).

Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Bring 1 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
In another large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, Better Than Sour Cream, eggs and vanilla to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to blend well. Add 1/3 of chocolate-sour cream mixture to dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Add remaining chocolate-sour cream mixture in 2 more additions, whisking well after each addition. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Gently tap each filled pan atop counter to burst any air pockets.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for cakes and 20 minutes for cupcakes. Let cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cakes and turn out onto rack. Cool completely.
Preparing frosting:
Bring first 6 ingredients to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until marshmallows melt. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour frosting into large bowl; cool until thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.
Frost cakes or cupcakes. I found that by warming the frosting in the microwave for a few seconds before frosting the cupcakes that it was much easier to spread and it regained a pretty, glossy shine. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*Although Baker's chocolate is dairy free, on the box it states that it is processed on equipment that processes milk. One friend has such a bad reaction to dairy that she won't risk it, however, I've never had reaction to it.

Here is the original recipe on Epicurious:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105697