Get ready for a dessert that's pure decadence! This vegan tiramisu is made with layers of coffee-soaked vegan ladyfingers and sweet cashew cheese blended with whipped coconut cream. It's absolutely heavenly and you'd never guess it was dairy-free.
I'm just going to say it: this is the best tiramisu I've ever had. I don't say something like that lightly, as I LOVE tiramisu, and I've had lots of it.
Also, we're including both vegan and non-vegan tiramisu in this competition. Back when I was in college I waited tables at several restaurants that claimed to have amazing tiramisu, and I enjoyed that tiramisu and agreed with them at the time.
And since I love it so much, I recently sought out some vegan versions to taste-test in preparation for creating this vegan tiramisu recipe (I hadn't had it in years, so I needed a taste-refresh). They were delicious. But not as delicious as this.
Now I'm sharing the recipe so you can create this deliciousness in your own kitchen!
[feast_advanced_jump_to] Ingredients You'll NeedThe following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Place all of your vegan mascarpone ingredients into a blender or food processor bowl: soaked raw cashews, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt.
Blend everything up until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This can take a few minutes if you're not using a high-powered blending device, so be patient.
Tip: Did you forget to soak your cashews? You can soften them up more quickly by boiling them in water.
Open your can of coconut cream, then drain off any liquid. The solids that are left are coconut cream.
Place the coconut cream into a mixing bowl, then beat it at high speed with an electric mixer until it becomes light and fluffy. This will only take a minute.
Tip: If you can't find coconut cream, buy full-fat coconut milk instead. There will be a bit more liquid to drain off when you open the cans. Simply buy an extra one to make up for the loss.
Fold the cashew cheese mixture into the whipped coconut cream using a spatula. Be gentle, but keep folding until they are completely combined.
Combine the espresso and coffee liqueur (if using), then dip a ladyfinger briefly in the mixture before arranging it in a baking dish. Do this for half of the ladyfingers. Cover the ladyfingers with half of the coconut mixture.
Arrange a second layer of dipped ladyfingers over the coconut mixture, the top it all off with the remaining coconut mixture. Dust everything with a touch of cinnamon and a generous coating of cocoa, and pop it in the fridge until it's completely set.
Your vegan tiramisu is ready to slice and serve! I like to top each slice with a few chocolate shavings.
Tip: Vegan tiramisu is sloppy. If you want nice clean slices, try sticking it in the freezer (after it's set) for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Easy VariationNeed a quick an easy alternative to the method I just described? Or perhaps you don't have a blending device? I have an alternative for you, BUT it's not as good. It's still very tasty, but not nearly as amazing as the recipe version.
Instead of blending the cashew mascarpone mixture, simply beat together two (8 ounce) containers of vegan cream cheese, ⅓ cup of maple syrup, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Fold it into your coconut cream mixture the same as you would with cashew cheese, and proceed with the recipe as otherwise instucted.
Leftovers & StorageVegan tiramisu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.
More Classic Vegan DessertsLike this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
The post The Best Vegan Tiramisu appeared first on Connoisseurus Veg.
This vegan ganache is rich, sweet, and silky smooth! It's also super easy to make with just two ingredients! Perfect for everything from drizzling on cakes, pies and ice cream, to making truffles, to eating by the spoonful.
Ganache is a basically a must-have for any chocolate lover, and that includes vegans!
Chocolate ganache is a rich, thick chocolate sauce that's perfect for dressing up all kinds of desserts. It can be drizzled over just about anything that you want to add some chocolaty flavor to. Try it on ice cream, vegan chocolate cupcakes, vegan chocolate cake...even vegan crepes or pancakes!
Traditional ganache is made using a very simple two-ingredient recipe, with those two ingredients being chocolate and heavy cream. Obviously heavy cream is a no-go for vegan ganache. But that's okay!
In this recipe we're replacing heavy cream with my favorite vegan substitute: coconut milk. Coconut milk supplies the same richness as heavy cream, but it's totally dairy-free. And if you're worried about your ganache tasting like coconut, don't. With all the rich chocolate flavor in there you'll never even taste the coconut milk.
[feast_advanced_jump_to] Ingredients You'll NeedYou only need two ingredients. Seriously!
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Place your chocolate chips into a small bowl.
Step 2: Slowly heat up the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Just barely bring it to a simmer.
Step 3: Immediately pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate chips. Now let everything sit for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Once five minutes have passed, you can begin stirring the coconut milk and chocolate chips together. At first it will seem like nothing is happening.
Step 5: Keep stirring. Eventually the chips will all melt and the mixture will become smooth.
Step 6: Let the ganache cool completely. This will take about 2 hours. It will thicken up as it cools, due to the chocolate resolidifying.
Tip: This vegan ganache recipe makes a thick but pourable ganache. If you need a thicker consistency for making chocolate truffles or piping, cut the amount of coconut milk down by as much as half.
Vegan chocolate ganache can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to five days. Refrigerating it may change the texture though.
More Vegan Dessert Sauces & SpreadsLike this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
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This spicy Szechuan tofu is easy to make and loaded with flavor. Pair it up with rice for a scrumptious vegan dinner that's better than takeout!
I love remaking some of my favorite dishes from Chinese restaurants. Whether it's lo mein, chow mein, General Tso's tofu, or Kung Pao tofu, recreating these classic dishes is always a fun challenge, and I always end up with a delicious dinner at the end of the process.
Szechuan tofu is a dish that I've ordered so many times and absolutely loved, but never got around to tackling until now. Szechuan cuisine is known for spicy, bold flavors, with generous use of aromatics, so I was a little intimidated at the prospect of attempting to capture that level of deliciousness in a recipe of my own.
I'm happy to say that this turned out to be a seriously scrumptious tofu stir-fry — every bit as delicious as those I've gotten in restaurants. It's pretty easy to make too! The key is heavy use of pungent spices and flavors like garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice, and Szechuan peppercorns.
Read on to learn about exactly what you'll need and how to throw this flavor-packed meal together.
[feast_advanced_jump_to] Ingredients You'll NeedTip: Dried red chile peppers are another ingredient that you'll find in authentic Szechuan tofu. I prefer to use sambal oelek because it gives me more control over the heat level, but feel free to go with dried chiles if you'd like. Add them at the same time as the Szechuan peppercorns.
How It's MadeThe following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Stir your Szechuan sauce ingredients together first: soy sauce, brown sugar, sambal oelek, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and Chinese five spice.
Coat the bottom of a wok or skillet with oil and add cubed tofu. Cook the tofu pieces for a few minutes, turning them just once or twice, until the become golden brown and crispy. Move the tofu to a plate.
Tip: Cook your tofu in batches if you can't fit it all in a single layer in the bottom of your wok.
Add some more oil to the wok, then add chopped bell pepper. Stir-fry the bell pepper, very briefly, just until the pieces start to become brighter in color. Add the white parts of your scallions (save the green for later), and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for a minute longer.
Return the cooked tofu to the wok, then pour the sauce over the tofu. Be super careful not to pour the sauce directly on the hot surface, or it will sputter. Mix everything up and stir-fry the mixture for about 1 minute, just until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu and pepper pieces.
Take the wok off of heat and add toasted sesame seeds and the green parts of your scallions.
Your Szechuan tofu is read to enjoy! Pile it onto plates with some rice and dig in.
Prep-Ahead TipsLeftover Szechuan tofu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
More Tofu Stir-FriesLike this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
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These vegan applesauce muffins are moist, tender, and studded with sweet raisins and crunchy walnuts. They're also super easy to make using pantry staples!
I love baking up pretty much anything made with apples and spices. I love my vegan apple pie, vegan apple cake, and vegan apple muffins.
But I really love these vegan applesauce muffins because they're filled with all the deliciousness of apples, along with cozy spices, but are considerably less work than other apple-based treats. There's no chopping or prep work involved — the apples have already been sauced for you!
It's also really easy to keep a jar of applesauce in the pantry, along with pretty much every other ingredient that goes in to these muffins, so I can easily whip up a batch on a moment's notice.
One of these muffins and a cup of hot tea is basically snack-time heaven as far as I'm concerned.
[feast_advanced_jump_to] Ingredients You'll NeedTip: Not a fan of raisins and/or walnuts? Feel free to leave them out or substitute another stir-in. Try other types of nuts and dried fruit, fresh fruit, or vegan chocolate chips!
How They're MadeThe following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by stirring together your wet ingredients in a small container, such as a liquid measuring cup. This mix will include applesauce, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Whisk your dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry mixture. Stir them together just until combined. Don't overmix them. The batter will be pretty thick.
Fold in the raisins and walnuts. Be very gentle here, still making sure to avoid disrupting the batter too much.
Divide the batter among paper-lined muffin cavities and pop the muffin tin into the oven. Bake your muffins until they're set. You can test one for doneness inserting a toothpick in the center, then removing it. If it comes out clean, it's done.
Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack and let your vegan applesauce muffins cool for at least a few minutes. You can enjoy them when they're warm, or let them cool completely.
Applesauce muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days, in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
More Vegan Muffin RecipesLike this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
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Thinking of trying seitan but not sure what to do with it? Read through this simple guide to learn everything you need to know about cooking with seitan.
Years and years of developing vegan recipes have taught me that seitan dishes can be a hard sell, even with the vegan community. And I get it. Seitan is kind of weird and leaves folks scratching their heads as to what to do with it. It's easier to stick with trusted old favorites.
But not really. Seitan is some pretty awesome stuff, and today I hope to convince you to start cooking with it!
Seitan is one of my favorite plant-based proteins, along with temeph and tofu. I love them all! But in some ways, I love seitan the most.
Seitan is delicious. It's super versatile and can be used in so many recipes. And between temeh, tofu and seitan, seitan is actually the easiest to work with, believe it or not! Tofu often needs to be pressed, and tempeh may require steaming, but seitan is always ready to go, requiring at most some chopping of slicing before cooking.
Let's talk about how you'd go about cooking with it.
[feast_advanced_jump_to] What is Seitan?Seitan is an ingredient that's typically used as a meat substitute. Of all the plant protein options out there, it's one of the closest to meat in terms of taste, texture and appearance. It's also quite high in protein, packing about twenty grams of protein into a single eight ounce serving.
One of the reasons seitan may not be so popular with some folks is due to the fact that it's primarily made from gluten. Gluten is the protein found in wheat and some other grains. It's one of the main ingredients in wheat flour. It's what gives structure to flour-based baked goods like cakes and breads, and it's what gives seitan its meaty texture.
Gluten had gotten a bit of a bad rap in recent years due to rising awareness of Celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. Obviously if you have one of these conditions you'll want to pass on seitan, but if not, there's really no reason not to enjoy it. John's Hopkins Medicine confirms that gluten consumption is totally fine for those of us who can tolerate it.
In addition to gluten, wheat flour also contains starch and bran. If you remove those things and isolate the gluten, you'll end up with something that closely resembles meat in texture and appearance. But it'll be pretty flavorless.
Seitan is made by taking that gluten and adding savory flavors, so it tastes like meat. There are a few ways of doing this, such as by adding spices and baking them in, marinating them in, or, my favorite, simmering them in. My basic seitan recipe involves producing a dough out of vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, and water, then simmering the seitan dough in a heavily seasoned broth to cook the seitan and infuse it with flavor.
Cooking with SeitanAnother thing that makes seitan super easy to work with is the fact that it's already cooked. Store-bought seitan can be eaten right out of the package, and it'll taste pretty good! This means you don't need to worry about hitting a certain temperature when you cook with it. And since it's pretty tasty to begin with, it's not all that difficult to successfully work it into a dish.
Start with a RecipeThe easiest way to get started cooking with seitan is pretty obvious: work from a recipe that calls for seitan. There are tons of delicious recipes out there for veganized versions of meat-based dishes featuring seitan. Try one of these delicious seitan recipes.
Substitute Seitan for MeatOnce you're ready for the next step, try substituting seitan in a meat-based recipe. This works for most recipes, whether they call for chicken, turkey, beef, pork or another type of meat.
Seitan can generally be substituted directly for meat by making a few simple tweaks to the recipe you're working with.
First off, remember that seitan is already cooked. This means it often doesn't need to be cooked as long as meat does. In some recipes that require prolonged cooking methods such as browning in order to cook a piece of meat through (for food safety purposes), seitan can be cooked much more briefly.
While not always required, you may want to adjust cook times or add seitan later in a recipe than you would if you were using meat. Most of the time this isn't critical, but in some instances cooking seitan too long could cause it to become overly dry and chewy.
One thing to pay attention to when substituting seitan for meat is the form of the meat in the recipe. While you have a lot of leeway as to the size and shape of a homemade seitan cut, you're a bit more limited when using store bought, which is typically available in small chunks and strips.
You may need to cut your seitan into smaller pieces. In recipes that call for ground meat, you can finely mince the seitan to make it work, using a process like the one called for in this vegan beef burrito recipe. In recipes where shredded meat is used, seitan can be grated using a box grater or shedder. Check out this vegan barbecue beef sandwich recipe for guidance on how to do that.
Recipes that call for larger cuts of meat can be a challenge, and they may not always work using store-bought seitan. For these types of recipes you're generally best using homemade seitan, or, better yet, finding a seitan-based recipe for the particular cut of meat you're looking to replace, like this vegan steak recipe or this vegan chicken tenders recipe.
Start to ImproviseOnce you have a feel for seitan you can start to improvise by adding it to dishes where you want a little extra substance or protein, or even creating your very own seitan recipe.
Here are a few simple techniques to try:
One thing to keep in mind when cooking with seitan, particularly if you're incorporating it into a recipe that calls for meat, is that it's already heavily seasoned. Part of the process of making seitan involves seasoning it to taste like meat. This may be done with sauces like soy sauce, liquid smoke, or vegan Worcestershire sauce, as well as salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, or other spices and herbs.
Because of this you could easily end up overseasoning your seitan when using it in a recipe. You might need to make some adjustments.
Taste-test your seitan before you add it to a recipe. Some seasonings, like salt, are easy to detect. Others might be more subtle. Think about whether you might want to reduce the amount of any seasonings in the recipe to compensate for what is already present in your seitan. This can be tricky at first, but once you get a feel for it it will become second nature!
How to Store SeitanWhen storing store-bought seitan, always refer to the expiration date on the package. Store-bought seitan should be stored in the refrigerator, in its original packaging when possible, and disposed of before the expiration date. You can extend the shelf-life of unopened seitan by placing it in the freezer, right in its original packaging, where it will be good for at least three months.
Once opened, store your seitan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. If possible, store the seitan in the liquid that it was packaged in, which will help to keep it moist and flavorful.
The principles for storing homemade seitan are pretty much the same as for store-bought. If you cooked your seitan in broth, store it in that broth in an airtight container. It will keep for about five days in the refrigerator, or about three days in the freezer.
More Vegan Cooking GuidesLike this post? Let me know in the comments! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more tips!
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This vegan sweet potato pie is rich, creamy, and lightly spiced for amazing flavor. A delicious dairy-free and egg-free dessert that's perfect for holidays and special occasions!
Growing up, my family was always all about pumpkin pie for holidays. It wasn't until I started developing recipes that I decided it was time to try sweet potato pie for a change. Boy was that overdue!
Sweet potato pie is absolutely delicious. It's packed with flavor and a tad denser than pumpkin pie. Sweet potato pie tastes like fall, but in the form of a pie. What could be better? Now I make sure there's always a vegan sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving dinner.
This vegan spin on a classic southern pie is pretty easy to make, as far as pies go, and it always wins over other folks who have never tried sweet potato pie...even the non-vegan ones!
[feast_advanced_jump_to] What You'll NeedThe following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by baking your sweet potatoes. Poke a few holes in each with a fork or knife, then place them directly on the oven rack to bake until they're soft. Once they're done, slice them open to help the heat escape.
Tip: To save time, your sweet potatoes can be microwaved for about 8 minutes instead of baked. You can also bake (or microwave) your sweet potatoes a few days ahead of making the pie. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Prepare your crust while the sweet potatoes cook. Roll it out, place the dough in a pie plate, poke a few holes in it and crimp the edges.
Next you'll be blind baking the crust. This means prebaking it before you fill it to prevent it from getting soggy. Line the crust with some foil or parchment paper, fill it with pie weights (or dried rice or beans), and pop it into the oven to bake while you make the filling.
While the crust bakes, place all of the filling ingredients into a food processor bowl. This includes the insides of your sweet potatoes, coconut milk, maple syrup, vegan butter, vanilla extract, spices and salt.
Blend everything until the batter is smooth and creamy. Feel free to give it a taste-test at this point and make any adjustments you'd like, such as adding more maple syrup or spices.
Transfer the filling to your pie crust, smooth out the top with a spatula, and pop it into the oven. Bake your vegan sweet potato pie until the filling is set.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before slicing it.
Tip: Because it can take a while to cool, it's a good idea to make this pie a day before serving.
Leftovers & StorageVegan sweet potato pie will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days or in the freezer for about 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions Can this pie be made gluten-free?Yup! Just use a vegan and gluten-free pie crust, such as this one.
Can I use canned sweet potato to make this pie?I haven't tried it myself, but I can't see why not!
What kind of vegan whipped topping can I put on this pie?The topping shown in the photos Reddi-Wip dairy-free topping, made from almond milk. Another option is to use coconut whipped cream (see this strawberry shortcake recipe for instructions on how to make it).
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
The post Spiced Vegan Sweet Potato Pie appeared first on Connoisseurus Veg.