A simple cake with classic flavours. Great for family gatherings or if you just fancy a sweet treat. The semolina sponge cake resembles the consistency of a Romanian baked cheesecake (pasca); top it with raspberry jam and whipped cream for an irresistible dessert. You could also substitute the raspberry elements with cherry jam and cherries, yum! Let me know if you try this by tagging @apinchofzing on Instagram.
Fruity element 1/3 jar raspberry/cherry jam A handful of fresh raspberries/cherries
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 2. To make the sponge, use a large bowl to mix the semolina, flour and sugar. Next, mix in the yogurt, oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Lastly, mix in the vanilla extract and baking powder. 3. Pour the cake batter in a 10 inch round cake silicon mould . Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Take the cake out of the oven, remove from the silicon mould and leave to cool down on a wire rack. 5. To make the whipping cream, add to a bowl the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until thick. 6. Once the sponge cake is cold, top with a layer of jam and pipe the whipping cream on top. Decorate with fresh fruit. Store in the fridge.
I believe my vegan journey started long before I even realised; it started by going vegetarian. This blog post is a continuation of My vegan journey – Going vegetarian (part 1), so check that out for more context.
I started my conscious transition from vegetarian to vegan some time in 2019. There were three main factors that contributed to this shift:
1. I met some vegan people It was not just a myth, these people live amongst us 🙂 Vegan people were just like you and me, they didn’t have ‘vegan’ written all over them and didn’t make it their mission to preach about it. This opened my eyes to the idea of veganism, which I hadn’t considered before. I started considering what goes in the cakes I made for bake offs at work and tested a few vegan recipes, to be more inclusive. I started reflecting on my own eating habits and realised that some of the food I would usually eat was vegan already.
2. I realised how traumatic animal farming really is for the animals As a vegetarian I was pretty happy with myself, thinking I am not causing animals any suffering by simply not eating them. After all no cow died from being milked for me to enjoy cheese and milk chocolate; or so I thought. I had never considered that a cow needs to be constantly impregnated to give milk; that her baby is taken away from her so that I can have that milk and how traumatic it is for a mother and baby to be separated; also if the baby cow happens to be a male, it will most likely be shot because it has no value. The harsh reality is that farm animals are exploited like assets and are not treated like the sentient beings that they are. I am not going to go in more detail, because I personally find the graphical details very upsetting, but the Viva! Charity is a good source of information. 3. Vegan food is more accessible than ever Being vegan takes considerably less effort than it ever did. It is amazing how every food you can think of has a vegan version. You can still enjoy your favourite take away or comfort food, but it comes with the added bonus of being cruelty free. Pretty much every restaurant has vegan options and there’s also the exclusively vegan eateries (dreamy!).
My concerns Now that I had all this knowledge about the impact of my food choices, I had all these vegan options readily available and have met actual people who were vegan, I felt compelled to at least give it a go. What was the worst that could happen? > Is a vegan diet and lifestyle sustainable in a world that is not vegan? I was concerned that a vegan diet may not be sustainable long term. Can I go without ever having cheese or cake again? > How will my family and friends deal with it? I still need to function in a non vegan society, where being vegan is not that popular (to put it mildly).
My approach I wasn’t sure that I can do this or what to expect, but I had to at least give it a go. I told myself it is not all or nothing; reducing the amount of dairy and egg I consume was still going to make a difference. I started slowly, by replacing the milk in tea and coffee with plant based options; I reduced my egg intake and started to explore more vegan foods like jackfruit, banana blossom and even gave tofu a chance. I had to relearn how to bake cakes without dairy and egg and how to cook dishes with new ingredients. I also made sure to chose the vegan options when eating out, if such options were available. But it wasn’t all plain sailing, I was still finding it it hard to resist my usual chocolate bar treats and snacks.
Committing to a vegan lifestyle After about 8 months of conscious effort of trying a vegan diet, I was almost there, but I would still be tempted by the odd non-vegan snack. I made the shift in January 2020 by signing up to Veganuary and never looked back. Turns out I can do it! Who knew it? I certainly didn’t. There is more to a vegan lifestyle than a vegan diet and I am still working on all the other aspects. Being vegan is a journey, not a destination. “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.” Vegan Society definition of veganism.
Lessons learnt I will end this self-reflection with the main lessons learnt during my vegan journey so far: > Rethink and relearn Do you think you need protein from meat and calcium from milk? Think again. Be ready to learn to cook nutritious and delicious cruelty free food. You will find plenty of inspiration and tips on my blog. > It’s not all or nothing. Start thinking about the food choices you make and try vegan/vegetarian dishes or products. Allow yourself to be curious. If you can’t live without cheese – that’s fine, you can still make a difference by ditching everything else that’s not vegan. > It’s not about perfection Being vegan in a non-vegan world comes with its challenges, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up this ideal. Sure, you may end up eating something that has milk powder in it without realising, or you will be shocked to find out that most fabric conditioner contains animal fat in it, or you may have a really bad day and give in to a [insert not-vegan craving]; but that’s not the point. What truly matters is that every day you start again and try to be the best vegan you can be, as far as is possible and practicable.
The perfect ‘no bake’ summer dessert. Crunchy biscuit base, sweet caramel, banana and cream. Yum!
Having experimented making different versions of vegan banoffee pie, this is my favourite iteration.
The biscuit base in pretty standard; the McVities digestive biscuits are accidentally vegan.
I was surprised how much I like the date caramel. It’s delicious, easy to make and good for you. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.
The Elmlea plant double cream makes an excellent whipped cream. Top it all up with dark chocolate shavings and you have a winning dessert.
Tag @apinchofzing on Instagram if you make this dessert or leave a comment below to let me know what you think 😊
Ingredients
Biscuit base
400g Digestive biscuits
50g melted vegan spread
Date caramel 8-10 Medjool dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
Method
1. Use a food processor to pulse the biscuits to a breadcrumb consistency. Pour in the melted vegan spread and combine well. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a 9 inch cake tin/dish and refrigerate.
2. To make the date caramel, start by soaking the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the dates from the water and save the liquid. Add the dates, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to a blender and whizz until smooth. If the caramel is too thick, you can add some of the liquid the dates were soaked in, to thin it out. 3. To make the whipped cream, add the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk until thick.
4. Time to assemble the pie. Spread the date caramel over the biscuit base. Place the banana slices on top of the caramel. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the banana layer and grate the dark chocolate over the cream.
5. Place the pie in the fridge and leave to set overnight before serving. Enjoy!
Clafoutis is a sophisticated French dessert, with a thick flan-like batter and black cherries.
My husband introduced me to this dessert by making it for me recently and I was hooked.
It is really too good to keep it all to myself, so if I can’t make it for you, I can at least share the recipe so you don’t miss out.
This must be my favourite way to eat tofu nowadays 😊
Black cherries are not easy to come by in UK, but Sainsbury’s do frozen black cherries, so we defrosted them before use. Need be, you can make this dessert with other summer fruit.
I hope you like this dessert as much I do. Remember to tag @apinchofzing on Instagram if you give it a try.
Ingredients
350g silken tofu
180ml soy milk
120g sugar
1 small lemon (zest and juice)
25g vegan butter (melted)
2tsp vanilla extract
1tsp almond extract
120g plain flour
80g ground almonds
20g corn starch
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
extra flour and vegan butter to coat the pie dish
200g pitted black cherries
1 tablespoon icing sugar for decorating
Method
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Prepare a 22cm tart dish by coating it with vegetable butter and flour.
In a food processor, blend the tofu and soy milk together until smooth.
Add in the sugar, zest and juice of a lemon, melted butter, vanilla and almond extract, and blend again until combined.
Next add in the flour, ground almonds, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Blend again until fully combined.
Pour the batter in the pie dish and add the cherries on top.
Bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy warm or cold, but remember to sprinkle some icing sugar on top just before serving.
Too good not to share, this vegan egg mayo is legit; it tastes like the real deal, but it is cruelty free.
I know it’s hard to believe, but you can make eggless egg mayo in 5 minutes. It’s actually quicker and easier to make than the traditional egg mayo because you don’t have to wait for the eggs to boil. The secret for the eggy taste is the black salt, also know as Kala Namak. Yes, it’s as easy as that. I found the black salt in an international food shop, but I am sure you can also find it online. Top tips: > the colour of the black salt is not actually black, it looks like regular white salt. > black salt is not that salty, so make sure to add regular salt to this dish, in addition to the black salt. This is now my favourite way to use tofu, so give it a go and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Ingredients 1 pack of silken tofu 1 pack firm tofu 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 generous teaspoon whole grain mustard 3-4 tablespoons vegan mayo 1/2 teaspoon black salt (Kala Namak) 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional) Salt and pepper to taste
Method Crumble the firm tofu with your hands in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon, until you get the texture of egg mayo. I like to add rocket and water cress to my sandwich. Even better on sourdough bread, because everything is better with sourdough bread. You don’t need to press the tofu for this recipe.
It may not sound like much, but this sandwich filler is super easy to put together and tasty. Very simple, so don’t cut any corners, every ingredient is important.
The inspiration comes from Romania, where this is fairly common.
To make it even more special, try having it with some fresh sourdough bread. Like many others, I got into sourdough baking during lockdown number 2 and have been eating more sandwiches.
If you are looking for something different to put in your sandwich, give this a go. Enjoy!
Ingredients 2 cans sliced mushrooms in water
1 bunch of dill (chopped)
4-6 tablespoons vegan mayo
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Drain the sliced mushrooms and add to a medium size bowl.
2. Mix in the chopped dill, mayo, salt and pepper. Taste and season again if needed.
3. Enjoy with fresh sourdough bread.
Parmesan biscuits, or ‘cheesy puffs’ like my family calls them, make a delicious canape for any occasion.
I make these Parmesan biscuits every year for Christmas to serve with aubergine dip. This is a recipe from my childhood that was too good to let go of, so last year I successfully veganised it.
I use gingerbread men cookie cutters to make the biscuits look festive and top them with salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and vegan Parmesan. The ‘cheesy puffs’ are also great with humus or other festive dips. The recipe makes a big batch, so feel free to half it. However, the biscuits are so buttery and delicious that they will disappear very quickly!
The biscuits are very easy to make, just keep in mind the following:
– It is very important that the vegan block/butter is soft, so use room temperature butter or heat it in the microwave for a few seconds until soft, but not melted. Hard butter will be impossible to mix with the ingredients.
– The dough needs to be chilled for 4 hours or over night, so I recommend that you plan ahead.
The recipe is very special to me, because my mum used to make it for me a child. The recipe originates from a Romanian cook book by Silvia Jurcovan. I used to request these biscuits a lot as a kid and now my family do too. The recipe is a real keeper that stands the test of time, going into the future cruelty free. Happy baking!
Ingredients
200g soft vegan block/butter (at room temperature)
1 chia egg (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water)
200ml Oatly creme fraiche
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
30g grated vegan Parmesan
400g flour
50g flour for rolling the dough
50ml plant milk for brushing
1.Make the chia egg by mixing a tablespoons of ground chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes until it starts to set (it becomes like jelly).
2.Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Cube the soft vegan butter and add it to the mixing bowl with the chia egg, Oatly creme fraiche, salt, ground cumin and 30g grated vegan Parmesan. Mix until combined.
3.Next, add in the flour (400g) and mix until combined and the dough comes together. Roll the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, dust with flour, cover in cling film and chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
4.Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5. Line a couple of baking trays with baking parchment.
5.Take 1/4th of the dough, dust a surface with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it reaches the thickness of a £1 coin, or even slightly thinner. The biscuits will puff during baking quite a lot. Cut out the biscuits using cookie cutters and place in the baking trays. Brush with the plant milk and top with your favourite toppings.
6.Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. I bake two trays in the same time, on different levels and I find that the biscuits in the top tray cook faster, so I rotate the trays.
7.Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you finish all the dough. Enjoy with your favourite dips!
Peruvian-style quinoa risotto with smoked cheese, roasted cauliflower and baby corn.
I first had this dish at Las Iguanas and loved it so much that I had to recreate it myself!
This became one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and it’s not surprising. This is such an accomplished dish, with complex flavours. It is amazing how quinoa can become so creamy & delicious! I cook this dish quite often for myself, but I also find it great for entertaining; always gets raving reviews.
Following your feedback, I have veganised and simplified the recipe, without any comprise on taste. I hope you enjoy this improved version. Remember to tag @apinchofzing on Instagram if you give it a go.
Ingredients
Olive oil for roasting and frying
1 large cauliflower
175g baby corn
2 Echalion shallots – chopped
2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
1 cup of quinoa (rinsed)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 & 3/4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons Oatly creme fraiche
100g Applewood vegan smoked cheese – grated
165g sweet corn (from a can)
Ancho chilli flakes
Coriander
Puffed quinoa (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Chop the cauliflower into bite size pieces.
2. Roast the cauliflower and the baby corn with olive oil and a salt, at gas mark 7 for about 30 minutes (until golden brown and fully cooked).
3. While waiting for the vegetables to roast, heat a frying pan with some olive oil and sweat the chopped shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the quinoa and cook for 5 minutes to toast the grain.
5. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced.
6. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir from time to time until the liquid has been absorbed. My vegetable stock was salty already, so I did not add more salt, but make sure to taste and adjust to your taste.
7. In a blender, add half of the roasted cauliflower and the soy milk and whiz until smooth, to make a cauliflower puree.
9. Once the quinoa has absorbed the vegetable stock, stir in the cauliflower puree, Oatly creme fraiche, vegan smoked cheese & the can of sweet corn.
10. Remove from heat. Add chopped coriander and Ancho chilly flakes (regular chilli flakes will be fine too). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with roasted cauliflower, roasted baby corn, chilli flakes and more coriander. Puffed quinoa is also a nice garnish. Enjoy!
A combination of bold flavours make this cake a great choice for a sophisticated dessert.
This is the only recipe you’ll ever need for an exquisite coffee and walnut cake.
I make this cake all the time! I should have shared this gem of a recipe sooner, but here it is, better late than never 😊
In case you are wondering, no one will be able to tell this cake is vegan, it’s just delicious.
Ready to bake this? Remember to share a photo and tag @apinchofzing on Instagram. Enjoy!
No – Buttercream 100g vegetable spread 150g icing sugar (sifted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coffee or Tia Maria
Method
Mix the instant coffee with 2 tablespoons of boiling water and leave to cool down.
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease with vegetable spread and coat in flour, two 20cm round cake tins.
In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar and baking powder.
In a large jug mix the plant milk, coffee mixture (step 1) and oil. Add this to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Stir in the chopped walnuts and divide the mixture between the two cake tins.
Bake for 30 minutes. Once baked, remove from the cake tins and leave to cool down completely before moving on to the no-buttercream.
To make the no-buttercream, use a stand mixer to cream the vegetable spread with sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract and coffee/Tia Maria. Mix until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes on high speed).
Assemble and decorate the cake. Add some roasted walnuts on top. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea.
My favourite coffee flavoured dessert that instantly cheers me up!
Tiramisu meaning “pick me up” or “cheer me up” is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert.
Creamy and light, with coffee and Amaretto; it’s the perfect dessert in my books!
Since going vegan, this was one of the sweet treats that I started to miss. What choice did I have? I had to make a vegan version. Successfully veganised!
It wouldn’t have been possible without the vegan Elmlea double cream. I had to go out of my way to get the vegan Elmlea, but it was well worth it. I have since also used it to make banoffee pie and key lime pie. Recipes coming soon, I am running a bit behind. Believe it or not, I cook more than I get to write about on this blog.
I hope this dessert cheers you up!
Ingredients
Cake sponge
125ml almond milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
110g self raising flour
100g sugar
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Syrup
100ml strong espresso coffee
100ml Amaretto or Masala wine
Chantilly cream
270ml Elmlea Plant Double Alternative to Dairy Cream
2 tablespoons sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cocoa powder for dusting
Method
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Butter and coat in flour a 20x20cm Pyrex dish.
2. Warm up the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds and add the lemon juice. Leave to curdle.
3. In a medium bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt. Add the curled milk, oil and vanilla extract. Mix all the ingredients until combined.
4. Pour the cake batter in the greased Pyrex dish and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool off.
5. Make the strong espresso coffee and leave to cool off.
6. To make the Chantilly cream, whisk the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract until thick.
7. Soak the cake sponge with the cold coffee and Amaretto. Pipe the Chantilly cream and dust with cocoa powder. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before enjoying.
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