We made this recipe from http://bitofthegoodstuff.com/ today. We’ve been trying different recipes each year and now we’ve found the one! (the recipe below includes our changes -more spice and more sultantas – but you can see the original at http://bitofthegoodstuff.com/2013/03/hot-cross-buns-dairy-free-egg-free-vegan/ )
Hands on time: 30 minutes Resting time: 1¾ hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 15 medium or 12 large buns
Ingredients
Dough
– 250ml / 9 oz / 1 cup fortified soya milk (or other non dairy milk)
– 1 tsp fast action / easy bake yeast
– 2 tbsp sugar
– 2 tbsp neutral flavoured vegetable oil, such as rapeseed (canola)
– 500g / 17½ oz / 3½ cups plain (all purpose) flour
– 1 tsp salt
– 6 tsp mixed spice
– 200g / 7 oz / 1 packed cup sultanas or raisins
– 100g / 3½ oz / ½ cup Italian mixed peel
– Finely grated zest of 1 organic/unwaxed orange
-85ml / 3 fl oz / ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or other fruit juice)
Crosses
– 3 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour
– 2 tbsp water
Glaze
– 2 tbsp sugar
– 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (or other fruit juice)
Method
Gently heat the milk until it is lukewarm. Remove from the heat and whisk in the yeast and sugar. After a couple of minutes the yeast will start to froth.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, spices. Stir in the sultanas, citrus peel and orange zest. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in the oil, yeast milk mixture, and orange juice. Bring together the ingredients using your hands. The dough should be soft and sticky. Depending on the type of flour used, you may need to add a little more liquid.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or so, until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or oiled cling film (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place for an hour or so until it has doubled in size. If your house is cool (like ours), cover with oiled foil and place in the oven at 40C / 100F for an hour.
When the dough has risen, knead for a further 10 minutes then divide into 12 or 15 equal size balls. To ensure that the buns are exactly the same size and bake evenly, I weigh the dough. My dough tends to weigh about 1.125kg, so I tear off 75g for medium size buns. Roll the dough into smooth balls and evenly space out on a large baking tray (28 x 40cm / 10 x 15”) lined with non stick baking paper. Cover with the damp tea towel, oiled cling film (plastic wrap) or foil and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes or so, until they have risen.
Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) / 410F.
To make the crosses, mix 3 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour with 2 tbsp water to form a thick paste. Spoon into an icing bag with a thin nozzle (or a plastic freezer bag and snip the corner). Slowly pipe along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes on the middle shelf, until golden brown.
To make the glaze, gently boil the sugar and fruit juice in a small pan for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken into a syrup. Brush over the buns while they’re still hot. Allow to set before serving. These buns are most delicious served warm or toasted.
The buns will last 2-3 days in an airtight container. They also freeze well. I tend to slice them in half before I freeze them so that they can be toasted without the need to defrost first.
I heard they were yummy but I was doubtful. Actually yummy (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/)
Quick, easy, healthy, yum.
1. Cut bananas and put in freezer for one to two hours
2. Blend
3. Nom
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/stay-cool/how-to-make-creamy-ice-cream-with-just-one-ingredient-093414
Really yummy soup given to me by my workmate June and posted for Orson :-)
3 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
Half tsp Fresh Ginger – Grated
1 *Fresh Chilli- Chopped
Half Tsp Ground Cumin
4 Kumara (sweet potatoes), peeled and sliced
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 Tbls Peanut Butter
Extra water if needed
Salt and Pepper
Put oil in heavy pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, cumin and kumara. Sauté over a medium heat until lightly cooked. Cover with the stock or water and simmer until the kumara is mushy. Add the peanut butter and using a wand, processor or blender, puree until very smooth. If the soup is to thick, add more water or stock to make a smooth soupy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, reheat and serve.
This soup freezes well. So if you make too much, put the remainder in a container and freeze for later use.
*If you are unable to get fresh chillies, dried chillies can be used, as can chilli powder. Try adding a little at first as the chilli is meant to give the soup a “bite” and should not overpower the Kumara.
Watermelon shake
Take a watermelon. Remove pips. Put in blender with a tray of ice. Blend.
OMG yum.
One watermelon normally makes two blenders full.
Hint: How to get pips out of watermelons
Use two bowls and a sieve. Scoop out the watermelon flesh into one of the bowls, then use your hands to grab out bits of flesh. The pips will come off easily. Use the sieve to collect the watermelon water at the bottom of the bowl while avoiding the pips.
Spinach, orange and apple shake
1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
2 oranges
1 apple, peeled
1 cup chilled water
4 cubes of ice
Peel and chop the apple and orange. Put all ingredients in the blender and blend! So fresh and energizing. Spinach love!
This is a sweet green drink with a slightly tart/bitter undertone. Very nice. Beware of the green moustache!
Got spinach?
It seems crazy to post about sorbet on one of the coldest days we’ve had in a while. Oh well, save this great recipe from the Mediterranean Food Warehouse for a nice sunny day!
The peach flavour is amazingly intense. The man at the Food Warehouse swears it’s because of the quality of the Spanish canned peaches that they supply. I’m sold.
Ingredients:
• Caster sugar 250g
• Water 125m1
• Spanish peaches 1 large tin drained reserving the syrup
• Lemon juice 2 tablespoons
Method:
Gently heat the caster sugar the water and the syrup until the sugar has dissolved.
Set aside to cool. This will make more syrup than you will require, but it can be used for other purposes.
Purée the peach halves with the lemon juice until smooth. Pass through a sieve to remove any lumps and hard bits. The ripeness of the fruit will dictate how much syrup to add. Start with 1/4 cup measures, then taste. Add a little more syrup when the required taste is achieved because the frozen sorbet is so cold, you need a little more syrup to bring out the fruit flavour.
Remember to let the sweetness work in contrast with tartness, which is achieved by adding a little more lemon juice. But don’t add so much that you overpower the fruit. If using an ice cream machine, churn the purée to the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise place the purée in a large dish and freeze.
Check it every 20 minutes and break up the crystals with a fork. When it has reached the desired consistency, place in an airtight container, smooth down and freeze until ready to use.
Sorbets should eaten immediately they are ready but at least within 2—3 days as they begin to lose their fresh flavour.
Serves 4 – 6
For some reason the slogan of the Dessert Magazine – For people who eat dessert first – really appeals to me :-)
Although I sometimes eat it *instead* of dinner rather than just before it.
I’m linking it from here as a reference, the magazine has some good looking vegan desserts (heh, vegan dessert art) and since I seem to be cooking a lot for vegans and people who can’t eat dairy I’m sure it will be a handy resource.
Thanks to Sacarna for bringing it to my attention.
I really like this simple to make potato side dish. Be warned if you’re coming over to my place for dinner in the next little while you’ll be eating potatoes. Winter and potatoes go together very well as far as I’m concerned.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 as a side dish
4 large potatoes
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chili
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1. Boil, steam or microwave the potatoes until tender. Cool, peel and chop. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat. Cook the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Add the sesame seeds; cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until golden. Add the turmeric, chilies, potatoes, lemon rind and juice. Stir until well combined and heated through. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.
Yum.
From The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, Murdock books
For Bex, it’s always nice when a dinner guest asks for the recipe.
Makes 12 Servings
4 cups peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium).
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ teaspoon chopped dried lemon peel
½ cup canola or other mild vegetable oil
½ cup cup red currant jam, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped blanched almonds
Icing sugar (optional)
Preheat the oven to 175C (350F). Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, and lemon peel; let stand for 15 minutes.
Add the oil, jam, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the apple mixture; stir until the jam is well dissolved.
In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually stir into the apple mixture. Add the almonds, stirring well to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool n the pan on a wire rack. When completely cooled, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Cut into squares and serve.
Advance Preparation
The completely cooled cake can be covered with foil and stored at room temperature for up to two days.
From The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein
Thomas and I are still continuing our weekend degustation breakfasts.
The highlight of last weekends was without doubt the mini-pancake with maple syrup, boysenberry puree and whipped cream. Small plates of food are so cute.
Complete breakfast menu:
1. Feijoa
2. Sliced apple and cheese
3. Mini-big-breakfast – scrambled egg with roasted potato, mushroom and half a cherry tomato
4. The extra roast potato with sour cream
5. Mini-pancake with maple syrup, boysenberry puree and whipped cream
Anyone know of cafes offering degustation breakfasts?