Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 apples
• 9 frozen puff pastry squares, thawed (2 per apple plus one for decorations)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit mix – raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, goji berries or others
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• pinch cinnamon

for the vegan caramel sauce:

• 4 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 1/2 cup brown
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• pinch salt

Directions:

1. Thaw the puff pastry squares.
2. Preheat the oven to the indicated temperature on the package of puff pastry.
3. Mix the dried fruit with the tablespoon sugar and pinch of cinnamon.
4. If using organic apples, you can leave the skin on, or if you prefer not to eat the skin, then peel the apple and remove the core.
5. Set each of the apples on 1 square of puff pastry.
6. Fill the cored area of the apple with the dried fruit mixture.
7. Place the 2nd square of puff pastry over the top of the apple.
8. Gently press the 2 squares of puff pastry together to completely seal the apple inside the pastry.
9. Using a cookie cutter of choice, cut out small decorations for the dumplings.
10. Moisten the under side of each decoration with water and place on top of the dumpling.
11. Bake in the oven for 18-25 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden brown.
12. While the apples are baking, make the caramel sauce.
13. Heat the vegan margarine in a small saucepan.
14. Add the brown sugar, mix well and melt.
15. Mix the corn starch in the vanilla soy milk and add to the brown sugar.
16. Add the pinch of salt, and stir until the mixture has thickened.
17. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
18. When the apples are golden brown, remove from the oven.
19. Allow the apples to cool for a few minutes as they are very hot inside.
20. Serve each apple with caramel sauce drizzled on top.

Serving Size: 4

Yield: 1 tart

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
• 3 quinces, peeled and sliced in thick slices
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• pinch cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place the sugar, water, vanilla seeds and cinnamon in a medium sauce pan.
2. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, stirring to mix.
3. Peel the quinces and cut in medium thick slices.
4. Place the quince pieces in the syrup mixture and poach on a medium simmer until soft.
5. When the quince has become soft, remove from the sauce pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
6. Cook the poaching liquid until it is reduce to about 1/3 cup and is very thick. Remove from the heat.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 F or whatever the instructions say on the package of puff pastry.
8. Spray the tart form with cooking oil.
9. Thaw 4 slices of puff pastry or enough to cover the tart form.
10. Lightly flour your work surface, lay the puff pastry sheets slightly overlapping one another and using a rolling pin, roll them to make a 1 large pastry dough to fit the tart form.
11. Lay the pastry in the tart form.
12. Prick the bottom of the pastry dough with a fork in many random areas.
13. Pour the poaching syrup into the bottom of the pastry.
14. Place the poached quince pieces in the form and place in the oven to bake for 18 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden brown.
15. When the tart is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes in order to set the liquid.
16. Serve warm or at room temperature.
17. This tastes lovely with a cup of good coffee.

Ingredients:

for the pastry:

• 6 sheets frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
• 1/2 cup vegan vanilla custard
• 4 tablespoons black current jam, blueberry or any other berry jam.
• A few fresh berries as topping
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar icing to drizzle as frosting

for the vanilla custard:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, rice, oat)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

to make the vanilla custard:

1. Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan.
2. Add the non-dairy milk, stir well to mix.
3. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly.
4. Bring to a boil, while stirring.
5. Add the vanilla flavoring.
6. When the custard is thick remove from the heat and allow to cool.

to make the pastry:

1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets.
2. Prepare a cookie sheet with baking parchment.
3. Traditionally plunders are round, if you want yours round also, use a small saucer as the outline and cut away the corners of the puff pastry, otherwise, make a a square plunder, like a tart.
4. Prepare 4 “bottom” pastries.
5. Cut the other 2 pastry sheets in 1/4 strips.
6. Lightly wet the edges of the “bottom pastries, with water and lay 2 or 3 strips around the edge so that the edge of the plunders are double thick.
7. Preheat the oven to 435 F / 224 C or whatever the puff pastry package recommends.
8. Place a tablespoon of the cooled vanilla custard in the center area of the puff pastries. Then carefully, place 2-3 teaspoons of jam on top of that in the center.
9. Put a few fresh berries around on top, if you have them.
10. Place in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until the puff pastries are lightly golden brown and puffed.
11. While the pastries are baking, make the powdered sugar frosting.
12. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl and add a few drops of water – just enough to wet the powdered sugar so that it can be drizzled over the plunder.
13. When the pastries are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
14. Once they have cooled you can drizzle the icing over the top.
15. They are delicious with a cup of coffee or a nice black tea.

Yield: 6-8 puff pastry tarts

Ingredients:

• 6-8 frozen vegan puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 10-12 white asparagus spears, from jar
• 3 medium potatoes, sliced thinly

for the sauce:

• 1 cup plain soy yogurt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2-3 teaspoons sweet grainy mustard
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

for the top:

• olive oil for drizzling on top
• small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves only
• salt for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. First make the sauce.
2. Place the soy yogurt in a small bowl.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste with additional flavorings as you wish. We added a small splash of Tabasco.
4. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and thaw.
5. Preheat the oven to whatever the directions on the puff pastry said. We used 425 F /218 C .
6. Open the jar of asparagus and remove the spears, cut each spear in 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size of the spear and the puff pastry.
7. Lay the thawed pastry sheets individually on a cookie sheet that has been prepared with baking parchment.
8. Using a fork prick small holes in the center area of each pastry sheet but leave a small rim around the edge unpricked (about 1/4 inch all around).
9. Spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce in the center of each puff pastry.
10. Spread the sauce evenly over the area, leaving the edge uncovered.
11. Lay 2-3 pieces of asparagus on the sauce of each pastry sheet.
12. Using small mandolin or very good knife, slice the potatoes in very thin slices.
13. Lay the potato slices on top of each pastry.
14. Sprinkle the top of the potato slices with a bit of salt, drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top and then the thyme.
15. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Prune Danishes

Yield: 4 treats

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets of frozen vegan puff pastry
• 12 dried plums (prunes)
• 4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese slightly diluted with soy cream or alcohol of choice

for the optional icing:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• splash of lime juice

Directions:

1. Place the prunes in a medium bowl.
2. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over them and allow them to soak and soften for few minutes.
3. Meanwhile, soften the vegan cream cheese with whichever ingredient you choose. Just enough so that you can stead a bit down the middle of the puff pastry.
4. Thaw the puff pastry sheets and preheat the oven to 350 F or whatever the package says.
5. Lay the thawed puff pastry on a cookie sheet prepared with baking parchment.
6. Put a tablespoon of the cream cheese diagonally from one tip to the other down the middle of each sheet.
7. Take 3 prunes out of the water, shake and water dopes off and place one prune on each corner with the cream cheese and one in the middle.
8. Carefully fold the empty corner over to the center and fold the opposite empty corner to meet it.
9. Seal the two together with a bit of water.
10. Place in the oven to bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
11. While the danishes are baking, you can make the optional frosting.
12. Prepare an optional icing to drizzle on top.
13. Mix the powdered sugar with a splash of lemon juice.
14. When the Danishes are ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
15. Using a knife or spoon drizzle the frosting over the cooled Danishes and serve.

Apricot Coconut Treasures

Yield: 4 treats

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets frozen vegan puff pasty
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)

for optional icing:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• splash of lime juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F or whatever the directions are on the package of puff pastry.
2. Thaw 4 sheets of puff pastry.
3. While the pastry is thawing, chop the walnuts.
4. In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam, coconut and chopped walnuts.
5. Place the thawed puff pastry on a cookie sheet with baking parchment.
6. Put 1 tablespoon of the apricot mixture diagonally in the middle of each puff pastry sheet, from one point to the other.
7. Fold one of the empty points over to the middle.
8. Take the other empty point bring to meet, and place on top.
9. Seal together with a bit of water.
10. Do for each of the puff pastries.
11. Place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
12. When golden, remove from he oven and allow to cool.
13. Prepare an optional icing to drizzle on top.
14. Mix the powdered sugar with a splash of lemon juice.
15. Using a knife or spoon drizzle the icing over the Danish.

Yield: 8-10 cream horns (with either the chocolate chestnut or the pumpkin filling)

Ingredients:

for the chocolate chestnut filling:

• 1 cup chestnut puree *1
• 3/4 cup soy milk (or rice, oat, almond milk)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla, rum or brandy, (flavoring of choice)
• 1/4 cup vegan chocolate

for the pumpkin filling:

• 1 & 1/2 cups soy milk
• 1 ounce fine corn meal (very fine like flour, not coarse polenta)
• 1 tablespoon egg replacer (e.g. No Egg)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar or 1/3 cup date puree *2
• 1&1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1-2 teaspoons allspice (or 1/4 teaspoon cloves)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional but nice)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

for the cream horns:

• 8 sheets frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
• powdered sugar to dust

Directions:

to make the chocolate chestnut filling:

1. Place the soy milk and sugar in a saucepan and simmer to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add the chestnut puree, chocolate and flavoring.
3. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to mix and keep from scalding.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Place in the refrigerator to harden. The chocolate chestnut filling can also be used warm to fill German-style pancakes or crepes.

to make the pumpkin filling:

1. Prepare the pumpkin puree in a bowl.
2. Add the ginger, 1 teaspoon of the allspice, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cardamom.
3. Add the sugar or date mixture and mix well.
4. Taste, and adjust the seasonings to taste, you may want more allspice or cinnamon.
5. Pour the soy milk into a large pot.
6. Mix in the corn meal, egg replacer, cornstarch and vanilla. Stir and mix well while the soy milk is still cold.
7. Heat the soy milk mixture stirring constantly.
8. As it begins to thicken and warm, mix in the pumpkin mixture.
9. Keep stirring as the mixture heats and thickens.
10. Be careful not to get splashed by the bubbles as they can burn.
11. Stir the mixture vigorously, once it becomes very thick, remove from the heat and place in a bowl to cool down.

to make the cream horns:

1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets.
2. Pre-heat the oven according to the instructions on the package about 375 F / 190 C.
3. Slice each square of puff pastry into 6 even strips.
4. Carefully wrap the strips around the cream horn molds.
5. Bake the horns for 15-18 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven, carefully remove the form from the pastry and allow to cool on a rack.
7. Once the horns are cooled, you can fill them with the chocolate chestnut or pumpkin filling. I used a cookie dough syringe, but a small spoon would work also. Fill each horn and dust with powdered sugar.

Notes:

*1 about 20-24 chestnuts, an X cut on the skin, roast in the oven, cooled and peeled, place in a saucepan, simmered for about 30 minutes until very soft, then puree.

*2 If a “Middle-Eastern” Import grocery is available, you can find pre-made date puree sold inexpensively in long bars. Otherwise it would be about 24 dates, de-seeded and chopped, in a very small amount of boiling water then pureed with a staff mixer or in a food processor.

Our sun-dried tomato sauce was a bit richer than his, thus our tarts are a bit more colorful than his. We adapted the recipe by using vegan soy cheese and vegan puff pastry. It is simple and delicious. It’s also quick to make, which makes it handy for a nice lunch, brunch or if people suddenly stop over.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 250 grams / 8.8 oz tofu crumbled
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color
• dash or two of Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 ounces spicy tofu pieces, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese
• 1/8 cup soy milk
• 6 sheets vegan puff pastry dough, thawed
• poppy and sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1. Blend soy yogurt mustard, nutritional yeast, Tabasco and turmeric together and set aside.
2. Prepare the onions, garlic, red pepper, spinach and tofu pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
4. Saute the onion until it begins to soften and become glassy.
5. Add the red pepper pieces and continue sauteing.
6. Add the spicy tofu pieces.
7. Add the spinach and cook until lightly wilted.
8. Add the cherry tomatoes and crumbled tofu.
9. Stir well.
10. Add the soy yogurt mixture and cook until the mixture begins to become sold and the liquids are coked off.
11. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 shredded soy cheese
12. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
13. Place the 6 sheets of thawed puff pastry next to each other in a row 3 by 2, slightly overlapping and using soy milk to connect the overlapping slices together.
14. Spoon the tofu mixture down center of pastry, leaving a one inch margin on top and bottom and three inch borders on each side.
15. Cut pastry on side borders into one inch strips.
16. Crisscross strips over top of filling, lightly brush each tip with soy milk to help stick the strips together.
17. Brush top and sides of pastry with soy milk and top with seeds if desired.
18. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
19. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before slicing to serve.

Notes:

You can also make smaller versions by filling individual pastry sheets and therefor have individual parcels.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 3 slices frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 orange
• 1 cup orange juice
• splash lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch cinnamon (optional)
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 2 stalks rhubarb

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C or the temperature recommended on the package of puff pastry.
2. Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan.
3. Add the corn starch and mix well.
4. Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir well.
5. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, stirring, until it becomes clear ad thick.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
7. Thaw the 3 slices of puff pastry.
8. Slice 1 into 8 thin strips to make the extra edges on the other two pastries.
9. Wet the edge of all four edges of each puff pastry and lay the strips on each edge s that there is a slight rim on each pastry.
10. Prick the center part of the bottom with a fork s that that part does not raise.
11. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the orange sauce carefully onto the center bottom of each pastry.
12. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of almond flour on the orange sauce and spread on the bottom of the puff pastry evenly.
13. Clean the rhubarb and slice in thin slices. Lay the rhubarb slices onto the almond orange sauce.
14. Lightly wet the rim of each pastry ad sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over the pastry- rhubarb and edging.
15. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
16. Serve the pastries with some orange sauce on top, and a slice of orange on the side.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 4 tangerines
• 3 sheets frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
• cinnamon
• allspice
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbs. ground almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Squeeze 2 of the tangerines for the juice.
2. Place in a small saucepan to heat.
3. Add the cinnamon and allspice.
4. Blend in the corn starch and turn on the heat.
5. Stir the mixture o make sure it does not scorch.
6. When the juice has become thick and clear , remove from the hat and allow to cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 220 C / 428 F or according to instructions o the pastry package.
8. Thaw 3 sheets of puff pastry.
9. Place 2 sheets on a cookie sheet prepared with baking parchment.
10. Slice 8 thin strips from the 3rd piece of puff pastry.
11. Put a thin strip of water on each of the 4 edges of the 2 pastries on the cookie sheet and place 1 strip along each side, making each edge of the pastries slightly higher.
12. Prick the bottom of the pastries with a fork so that they do not swell up.
13. Carefully peel the other 2 tangerines, and using a sharp knife gently slice through the tangerines to make 4 slices from each tangerine.
14. Place a small amount of the tangerine sauce on the bottom of each pastry.
15. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ground almonds over the sauce and top with the 4 slices of tangerine.
16. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until the edges are puffed and lightly golden.
17. Optionally sprinkle powdered sugar before serving.