Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces AP flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 ounces sugar
• pinch salt
• pinch cinnamon
• 6 ounces soy milk or soy cream
• 1 egg replacement
• 2  & 1/2 ounces vegetable oil
• 5 ounces berries like blackcurrants, blueberries or blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F / 218 C.
2. Prepare 12 muffin tins with muffin papers and spay those with oil.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium large bowl.
4. Add the sugar
5. In a smaller bowl, mix the oil, soy milk and egg replacement.
6. Take about 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and dust the blackcurrants.
7. Dusting the berries will help to keep the berries suspended in the batter. Otherwise, they all often drop to the bottom of the muffin.
8. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry and mix well.
9. Gently fold the dusted berries into the batter and spoon into the prepared muffin papers.
10. Fill each muffin paper about 3/4 of the way up.
11. Bake the muffins for 18-25 minutes until they are golden.
12. Remove from the oven, allow to slightly cool, enjoy.

Notes:

This recipe can also be cut in half to make 6 muffins.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vegan margarine
• 2 cups red onion, cut in rings
• 3 cups carrot, julienne-cut
• 2 tablespoons cassis mustard
• 1 tablespoon crème de cassis or blackcurrant syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the carrots.
2. Place in a steamer and steam until tender.
3. Melt the vegan margarine in a medium frying pan.
4. Add the onions and lightly saute
5. In a small saucepan, mix the cassis mustard and creme de cassis to make a smooth sauce.
6. Warm the sauce and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Serve the carrots in a serving dish, with the onions spread on top and a bit of the cassis sauce on top of the onions and carrots.

This has been an especially good year for black currants. We have been harvesting them all week. One special way to enjoy them was to serve this delicious shortcake.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the shortcake:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 3/4 tablespoon lemon juice

for the blackcurrant syrup:

• 2 cups fresh blackcurrants, rinsed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

for the spiced apples:

• 2-3 apples of choice
• splash of lemon juice
• 1/4-1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 3 tablespoons rum (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
• 1/2-1 pint vanilla soy ice cream

Directions:

for the shortcake:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F /232 C.
2. Prepare a cookie sheet with baking parchment.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and spices together.
4. Mix the soy milk and lemon juice together in a cup or bowl and allow to sit for a few minutes to thicken.
5. Cut the margarine into the dry ingredients until you have a crumby mixture.
6. Add the soy milk/lemon mixture to the dry ingredients and immediately mix with a fork. Only mix enough so that the ingredients are evenly moistened.
7. Using a spoon, drop large rounds or mounds of the dough onto the cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

to make the syrup:

1. Place the berries, sugar and water in a sauce pan.
2. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. When the berries have softened, remove from the heat.
4. Taste for sweetness, if desired, add more sugar.
5. Push through a sieve to remove the unwanted parts.
6. Either replace in the pan to warm, or allow to cool in a bowl.

to make the spiced apples:

1. Place the water sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.
2. Peel the apples and thinly slice into the lemon water.
3. Add the spices and bring to a soft boil to cook.
4. Mix the cornstarch with a bit of water to make a paste.
5. When the apples have softened but are not mushy, add the cornstarch to the mixture and cook until thickened and clear.
6. If the rum is desired, allow the mixture to cool, and add the rum to make a thinner sauce.

to assemble:

1. Slice each shortcake to make a small bottom and top.
2. Place the bottom on a singer serving plate and put a generous amount of apples on top.
3. Optionally a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream is delicious.
4. Drizzle a bit of the blackcurrant sauce on top.
5. Place the top of the shortcake on top, or to the side and add a bit more of the blackcurrant sauce.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1- 8 ounce can pineapple slices (reserve 1 ring as garnish)
• 1 cup soy yogurt
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup blackcurrant juice or syrup
• 1 medium banana
• ice cubes (optional)
• mint leaves or lemon balm as optional garnish

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into glasses and garnish with a piece of pineapple and a sprig of green.

Note:

We made our own blackcurrant syrup using fresh blackcurrants from our garden.
Inspired by http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=27590

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Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the apricot almond tarts:

• 4 sheets frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
• 12-16 fresh apricots, cleaned and sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh blackcurrants or blueberries
• 1/2 cup lavender syrup*
• 1/2 cup ground almonds

for the lavender syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lavender or 1 tablespoon dried

Directions:

to make the lavender syrup:

1. Bring the sugar and water to boil in a small saucepan.
2. Cook until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Place the lavender in a jar.
4. Pour the sugar water over the lavender.

to make the apricot tarts:

1. Spray the tart forms with oil.
2. Preheat the oven to 428 F / 220 C, or according to the instructions on the package.
3. Thaw the puff pastry and on a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out large enough to fit the forms.
4. Pace one pastry in each form. Lightly prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork.
5. Brush the bottom of the pastry with 1 teaspoon of lavender syrup.
6. Evenly spread 1 tablespoon of almond flour on the bottom of the pastry.
7. Cut the apricots and lay them decoratively around the pastry.
8. Sprinkle a few blackcurrants or blueberries around and once again brush some of the lavender syrup over the top of the apricots and berries.
9. Place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Serve the tarts with some lavender syrup on the side.

Notes:

Make sure that you use organic lavender.

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Ingredients:

for the cornmeal mush:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup cold water
• 3 cups boiling water
• pinch salt

for the blackcurrant syrup:

• 3/4 cup blackcurrants, washed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water

for the breakfast:

• 1 tablespoon light cooking oil

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Directions:

to make the polenta:

1. Bring a large pot with 3 cups of water to oil.
2. Oil a casserole dish, or the container you wish to put the cornmeal in.
3. Add the salt so that it comes to a boil more quickly.
4. In a small bowl, add the 1 cup of cold water to the cornmeal and mix.
5. Add the cornmeal to the boiling water and stir.
6. Be careful while stirring as the cornmeal bubbles and sputters, this can burn.
7. When the cornmeal has thickened, about 5 minutes of cooking, pour it into the prepared dish and refrigerate over night.

to make the syrup:

1. Place the berries in a small saucepan.
2. Add the sugar and water and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Stir the berries and mash them with the back of the spoon.
4. Once cooked, remove from the heat.
5. Pour though a fine non-reactive sieve and strain.
6. This will make about 1 to 1 & 1/2 cups of syrup.

to make the breakfast:

1. The next morning, heat the oil in a frying pan.
2. Cut the cornmeal in slices or pieces and lightly fry on both sides.
3. Once browned and crispy, remove from the frying pan, drain and serve with syrup.

Notes:

This recipe is usually prepared the day before, it can also be used after a 2-3 hour cooling time. This recipe is also tasty as a savory dish with soy cheese grated on the top.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt, drained of water
2 Tbs. cashew butter
1-2 Tbs. powdered sugar
1 cup cassis (blackcurrant) jam
2 tsp. corn starch
20 vegan cookies
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. vegan margarine

Directions:

It is best to make this a day ahead of time, so that it has time to become solid.

To make the uncheesy cake”:

1. Pour the soy yogurt into a cheesecloth, bring the edges up so that the yogurt remains in a little pouch.
2. Allow the yogurt to drip for at least 1 hour or over night, to remove all the excess water.
3. When the soy yogurt is ready, scrape it into a bowl add the cashew butter and powdered sugar and mix well.
4. It should be only mildly sweet. If you wish it to be more tart, you could add some lemon juice, but the cassis is also a bit tast so I found it not necessary to add lemon juice.

To make the “jam”:

1. If you have fresh blackcurrants, then boil 1-2 cups of berries in 1/2 cup water with 3-4 tablespoons of sugar.
2. When the berries have cooked, push them through a sieve and allow to cool.
3. Or, if you do not have the fresh berries, you can buy either blackcurrant (cassis) jam, blackberry jam or blueberry jam.
4. Place 1 cup in a small sauce pan with a bit of water and the corn starch. Heat, stirring continually until the jam has thickened and is clear.
5. Allow to cool.

To make the crust:

1. Crush the cookies to the consistency of fine crumbs in a food processor, or using a rolling pin.
2. Add the brown sugar and mix well.
3. Melt the vegan margarine.
4. Drizzle the vegan margarine over the crumbs and mix well.

To assemble:

1. Mix 1/4-1/2 cup of the cassis jam into the yogurt mixture, depending upon how strong you want the cassis flavor to be. Be sure to save enough for a ayer of pure cassis jam for the top.
2. Spray the form with cooking spray.
3. Place the form on the plates you intend to use to serve.
4. Place the cookie crumbs on the bottom and firmly press.
5. Carefully fill the cassis cheesecake into the form, filling almost up to the top.
6. Finally place a thin layer of cassis jam on the top.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or better overnight.

To unmold, some use the heat of a kitchen blowtorch around the edge to warm the inner area and then slide the cake out.
I loosened the edge with a knife, being careful not to move up and down but, along the inner surface of the ring.

Notes:

If blackberries or blue berries can be used instead of the black currents. I did not want to make a large traditional cheesecake, so decided to make 2 small ones, using pastry rings. They were perfect for Sunday afternoon tea.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 500 milliliters raspberry syrup
• 250 milliliters berry soy yogurt
• 2-3 tbs. blackcurrant syrup

for the raspberry syrup:

• 500 grams fresh raspberries
• 95 grams sugar
• 95 milliliters water
• 1 small lemon

Directions:

Prepare the raspberry syrup:

1. First you dissolve the sugar in boiling water and let it cool down.
2. Then add the raspberries and puree in a blender with the juice of 1 lemon.
3. Then press the pureed fruit through a sieve to remove the small seeds of the raspberries.
4. Put this mixture in the refrigerator to get very cold.

Make the ice cream:

1. When you are ready to make the ice cream, mix the berry soy yogurt into the raspberry syrup. We used one third of soy yogurt on two thirds of raspberry syrup. In case you don’t have 500ml raspberry syrup, just adjust the amount of yogurt accordingly. If you want it creamier, add more yogurt and optionally also some soy milk.
2. Add some teaspoons of black current syrup.
3. Prepare the ice maker and pour the mixture into the machine to make the ice cream. It took about 30 minutes with our machine.

Notes:

The raspberry syrup recipe comes originally from a UK chef Nigel Slater. He adds creme de casiss also, but we wanted to use just the pure berries.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups mixed berries (strawberries, red- and blackcurrants, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
• 1-2 tbs. sugar
• 2 cups / 500 milliliters vanilla soy pudding
• 1 & 1/4 cups / 300 milliliters soy whipping cream (e.g. soyatoo)
• 2 tbs. powdered sugar
• 1 cap full vanilla

Directions:

1. Put the berries into a large bowl and sprinkle with some sugar and stir gently.
2. If the strawberries are too large, cut into bite sized pieces.
3. Allow the the sugar to draw the berry juices for half an hour.
4. Whip the whipping soy cream adding the powdered sugar and vanilla.
5. Using parfait glasses, or champagne glasses, put a small spoonful of the berry mixture at the bottom of each glass.
6. Place a layer of vanilla soy pudding on top of the berries followed with a layer of whipped soy cream.
7. Proceed until the parfait glasses are full.
8. Usually top of with a bit of the whipped soy cream and a pretty berry or two as decoration.

Notes:

Any berry that is in season or even a package of frozen berries works well with this simple desert.
As an optional ingredient for a holiday menu could add a berry liquor to the berries.
Creme de cassis would be a good choice.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams blackcurrants or blackberries
• 350 grams tofu, crumbled
• 3-4 tbs. maple or corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 30 grams hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• 3-4 tbs. Creme de Cassis (optional)

Directions:

• Wash the berries.
• Put the berries, tofu, vanilla and syrup in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
• Roast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden brown then chop in the food processor.
• Add the Creme de Cassis if desired.
• Put the berry whip into individual serving dishes.
• Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Garnish with the toasted nuts.

Serving Size: 2 – 4