Chocolate Fudge Cookies (GF & DF!)

Central Market makes a gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate "crispy" cookies that are my kryptonite. So I went in search of a recipe for them that I can make for the holidays. These turned out even better than the store-bought ones!

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional but good
1 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
optional - chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips (these are really rich cookies, so the nuts help to 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Then beat in egg whites and vanilla. The mixture will be dry until you add the third egg white. The dough will be very sticky. Stir in nuts or chocolate chips.

For smaller cookies, scoop a teaspoon-size of dough onto a lined backing sheet. For large cookies, use a tablespoon of dough. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes for small cookies, 12-15 for larger cookies, or until they are dry looking and cracked on top. Let the cookies cool.






Sources:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/flourless-fudge-cookies-recipe
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Chocolate-chewy-cookies-333815

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Spiral Bakery, the vegan restaurant and bakery in Fort Worth, makes these huge vegan chocolate peanut butter cups. For Halloween this year I decided to make my own. Not only were they delicious, but they were easier to make than I thought. Sorry Reeses, mine are better!

Ingredients
1 package bittersweet baking chocolate bar (or your favorite chocolate)
approx. 1 cup of peanut butter (I used freshly-ground honey roasted peanut butter)
mini cupcake liners (candy size)

Directions
Put the peanut butter in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on medium heat.

Place the mini cupcake liners on a baking sheet or plate. Spoon 1/2-1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into the bottom of each mini cupcake liner, just enough to cover the bottom.

Then roll the cold peanut butter into small balls (about 1 teaspoon each, depending on if you like more or less PB-to-chocolate ratio).  Place one PB ball in each mini cupcake liner. Then cover the PB with more melted chocolate.

Refrigerate the PB cups until the chocolate is solid. Consider yourself warned: these are addicting!

Next time I'm going to make the huge PB cups, like Sprial Diner's, using the regular cupcake liners and more chocolate and PB.

Mango Flan

This is a yummy, summer twist on traditional flan. I made dairy and non-dairy versions, and my guests liked the non-dairy version!

Ingredients
1 - 14 oz can of coconut milk
14 oz of pureed mango (I used canned, sweetened mango that I bought at the Indian store, if using fresh you may want to add more sugar)
5 eggs
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
Optional - splash of vanilla or dark rum

Baking Dishes
You can use ramekins to make individual flans, or one small pan with tall sides. This recipe makes 6 small ramekins, or one 7-inch round flan. You'll bake the flan in a water bath, so make sure that the ramekins or pan fit inside a larger baking dish.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place white sugar in a pan and heat on medium until sugar melts into a brown syrup. Once melted, immediately pour into flan dish(es).

Boil water in a separate pan.

In blender, mix eggs, coconut milk, mango puree, brown sugar, and optional flavoring. Pour mixture over melted sugar in flan dish(es).

Place flan dish(es) inside larger baking dish on the rack in the oven. Then pour hot water in the larger baking dish so that the level of the water is higher than the level of the flan in the dish(es). (In other words, you want the flan to be surrounded by hot water so that it cooks evenly.) CAREFULLY slide the rack into the oven and bake.

The ramekins take approx. 25-35 minutes, and the pan takes approx. 35-45 minutes.  Test with a toothpick or butter knife. When the tester comes out clean, then it is done. It will set up more as it cools. Don't over bake.

CAREFULLY lift the large pan out of the oven. Then lift the flan dish(es) out of the hot water and let them cool completely before serving.

You can make these a day ahead and refrigerate them over night. Then let them come to room temp before serving.  They are pretty fragile and don't transport well. It still tastes the same, but it looks like "h-e-double-l" after even a short car ride.

White Bean Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free)

This recipe was originally for a white bean vanilla cake, but I like to add chocolate to everything! Truth be told, my friend was looking for a sugar-free, gluten-free cake to make "Dirt Cake" for a party.

*Dirt Cake: chocolate cake, gummy worms, and oreo cookies crumbled up and served in little pots. 

We tried this and loved it! It has a nice, smooth texture and isn't overly sweet, but you can definitely taste the coconut oil. If you don't like coconut try a different oil or fat substitute.

Ingredients
3 cups white beans (Great Northern), cooked and drained

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 (heaping) cup honey
6 eggs

6 Tbs of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using canned beans)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract  (we used a real vanilla bean, scraping inside out of the bean)

Instructions
Grease 9×13 pan with butter or coconut oil.

Pulse drained white beans in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add remaining ingredients, and blend til thoroughly combined and smooth.

Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 – 35 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire rack, at least an hour. You can turn the cake out onto a plate and frost it or sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. Or crumble it up for Dirt Cake!

Original Recipe:

http://themarathonmom.com/white-bean-vanilla-cake.htm

Molten-Chocolate Crackled Cookies (GF, DF)

A friend sent me this recipe asking if we could try to make these gluten-free, dairy-free cookies. I'm not sure if I've ever said no to cookies, but she definitely had me when the first ingredient was chocolate! 

They turned out even better than expected: little balls of molten-chocolate goodness! I've made them a couple of times since the initial trial, and I have to restrain myself from eating them all. Best of luck!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), separated

3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided (plus 1/2 cup for cookie coating)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot if you avoid corn)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray it will cooking spray. 

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium heat. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.

On low speed, add dry ingredients (1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt) into the meringue mixture.

Mix lukewarm chocolate mixture and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. (These cookies don't rise or grow like a typical cookie, so you can crowd the pan.)

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10-15 minutes. Try to let the cookies cool a few minutes before devouring them. They are still yummy even after they cool, but the center will lose it's molten-chocolate quality. 

Source: http://www.picklee.com/2012/02/07/deep-dark-chocolate-cookies-butter-flourless/

Chocolate Mousse (soy-free) with Cashew Cream

This recipe was recommended by a friend a while ago. It sat in my recipe book untasted and untested, until today when my chocolate craving inspired me to give it go. Not only does it taste rich and delicious, and it has a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency, but it looks so pretty and shiny. (And it's ridiculously easy to make.) This is definitely a must try!

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados (don't be scared; it's delicious - I promise!)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup coco powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
[NOTE: Since I like the flavor of coffee with my chocolate, I added a little cold coffee to this recipe.]

Directions
Place all of the ingredients in the food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The recipe called for a Cashew Cream topping, which I imagine would help cut the richness of the chocolate. I've used this cashew cream in place of whipped cream in other recipes, and it's really yummy, as long at you aren't thinking "whipped cream" while you're eating it.

Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup water (you may need to add more)
3 Tbs agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions
Soak cashews in water for 5 hours. Drain cashews. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until cold. Serve a spoonful (or two) on top of the chocolate mousse.

Torta de Zanahoria (Carrot Cake)

While our Tia Ida was visiting from Venezuela, she made this delicious torta (cake). We loved it so much that we insisted the she make it again and again. Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 cups of grated carrots (she will use sometimes up to 5 cups)
1/2 cup of oil (give or take)
5 eggs (she would use 3 whole eggs and 2 whites)
3 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 1/2 T baking powder
cinnamon and vanilla to taste
nuts (almonds) optional

Directions
Grease and flour the baking pans. 

In a blender, add the grated carrots, oil, eggs and vanilla. Blend until carrots are pasty.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
Stir the flour and carrots mixtures together.

Bake at 350' for 1 hour. 

Buen provecho!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes or Bundt Cake

We topped theses cupcakes with fresh strawberries and they were delicious!

Ingredients
1-3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbp powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease 8- or 10-inch bundt pan.

Heat coffee in sauce pan over medium heat until simmering. Turn down heat and whisk in cocoa powder until dissolved. Remove pan from heat and let return to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, and cornstarch until fully dissolved. Add extracts and chocolate mixture and stir well.

In small bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the sugar and oil and beat until the batter is relatively smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan or cupcake liners. Bake cake for 45-55 minutes; cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Then invert the pan onto a serving plate and cool completely. Once cool, sift the powdered sugar over the top and enjoy!


Source: Adapted from Yoga Journal.

Almond Polenta Cake (gluten-free)

I made this recipe to take to yoga tonight to celebrate my birthday. My students loved it!

Ingredients
3/4 cup non-dairy butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp grated lime zest
1-1/4 cup gluten-free baking mix (such as Arrowhead Mills or Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup stone-ground polenta
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup almond milk with 1 Tbs of vinegar added

Icing/Glaze
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
lime juice (about 1 lime)
zest of 1 lime

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-size bowl, beat the dairy-free butter and sugar until smooth.
Continue beating and add eggs, extract and zest.
In a small bowl, mix the gluten-free baking mix, polenta, salt and baking powder.
Mix butter mixture, dry ingredients, and almond milk together.

Pour into a greased 6-cup tube cake pan or cupcake liners (approx. 24 cupcakes). Note: these do not rise much, so you can fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.

Bake cake for approximately 40-50 minutes; cupcakes for approximately 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely before icing.

Mix powdered sugar and lime juice until desired consistency. Add some of the lime zest to the icing for color. Drizzle icing across top of cake or cupcakes. Then mound the remaining lime zest in the center of each cupcake.


Source: I adapted the recipe from YogaJournal to be dairy-free and gluten-free. 

Mango-Lime Soup

So this isn't exactly a dessert, but it's so good that I couldn't help but post it. You certainly could eat this cold soup as a dessert, or use it as a sauce for a dessert!

Ingredients
4 ripe mangoes
2 limes - juice and zest
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water
fresh fruit, such as raspberries for garnish
fresh mint for garnish

Directions
Drain and rinse the raw cashews. Then blend the cashews with a little water in a blender, until it's the smooth consistency of heavy cream.

Peel and pit the mangoes. (Save the pits for nibbling later over the sink!)

Add the mangoes, lime juice, and 3/4 of the zest to the blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. Serve topped with zest, fresh fruit, and mint leaves. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cafe Pasqual's Cookbook: Spirited Recipes from Santa Fe. (Thanks, Jen, for the awesome cookbook!) If you ever get a chance to eat at this restaurant, it's delicious, but be warned that almost every recipe in the cookbook contains dairy. With all of that butter, no wonder it tastes so good!

Caramel Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

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

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

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

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, Pineapple and Mangoes

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
sliced bananas, pineapple, and mangoes
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 teaspoon 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 and pineapple to the syrup and let them caramelize (about 2-3 minutes). Serve each piece of cake with caramelized fruit, mangoes, and syrup. If you like, you can sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

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

White Cake

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

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

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

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

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!