Vegan strawberry and custard tart

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• When the days felt a little more summery and the sun was shining - it's only August we should still be having that right? we visited a pick your own farm (one of my favorite summer activities) near Brighton and picked up lots of 'cheap as chips' strawberries and wanted to bake something with them after a quick search of vegan pies, tarts etc we came across a recipe for this strawberry custard tart which we slightly changed up.
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• Ingredients
• Just Roll Shortcrust Pastry
• 2 cup blended strawberries for juice
• 2 tsp agar-agar powder or another vegan type gelatine
• 6 strawberries sliced
• 1/2 cup vegan custard (we used oatly)
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  Method
• Cut your pastry to size to fit a prepared greased pie dish and blind bake until a nice golden brown or per packet instructions.
• Once cooled you can spread the custard on the pie base and lay half the sliced strawberries on top of the custard to cover the entire surface of the tart.
  
  In a sauce pan mix the juice and agar-agar and bring it to boil, stirring from time to time.Turn the heat off and stir it for about 10 minutes or until it cools down to body temperature. Once cooled pour the mixture on top of the pie and lay the rest of the strawberries on top. Refrigerate and allow to set before serving. 

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almond and coconut biscuits

Ingredients
125g ground almond
125g desiccated coconut
50ml maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp brown rice flour
optional:
dark chocolate

freeze dried strawberries/ raspberries

Instructions

Firstly you want to preheat your oven to 175° 

To make these gluten free and vegan biscuits simply mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper, then scoop out 1 spoonful of the mixture at a time roll into a ball. Flatten the ball onto your tray and either shape into a round flat biscuit by hand or using a heart shaped cutter press the dough into a heart shape like in the picture above. When you’ve used all the mixture in this way, bake the biscuits in the oven for 12-14 minutes until turning golden brown, then place them on a rack too cool.

An optional extra which really makes the flavour pop on these biscuits is to melt a bar of dark chocolate in a bain-marie. You will need some more grease-proof paper and your tray again for the next process. Dip half the biscuit into the bowl of chocolate (as picture above) or drizzle the chocolate over the biscuits. Crush the freeze dried fruit into little pieces and sprinkle over the biscuits, once all have been done in this way place your tray in the fridge for the chocolate to set. These are light, moreish and guilt-free... well depending on how many you may end up scoffing, similar to a macaroon with the coconut and almond flavours and ideal little bake for your loved one. 

Recipe from Deliciously Ella and adapted ingredients and quantities.

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oreo 'cheesecake' cookies

More of an assembling job then baking but this is just perfect for those late night cravings or a lazy Sunday treat when you don't want lots of mess to clean up after.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of softened dairy free butter

4 oz dairy free cream cheese (I use violife)

3/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup self-raising flour

12 Oreos

Instructions

Firstly preheat your oven to 180c and line your baking tray with grease-proof paper.

Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and blended.

Add in the sugar and vanilla, mix well until combined, then add in the flour and mix well.

Break up your Oreos into small pieces and fold into the mixture.

Form the dough into balls and place on the tray, lightly pressing down on each. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool and then transfer to wire rack.

Fancy a twist on this recipe? Then add in 8 or so raspberries and crush them up so that they make a brilliant pink colour, cream-cheese, raspberry and oreos are a match made in heaven.

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Lemon cheesecake crumble cupcakes

Lemon cakes are so simple and yet so delicious. The zesty-ness combined with the sweet and the different textures of the smooth with the crumble just make the tastiest little treats. This has to be one of my favourite cupcake recipes from the amazing Ms Cupcake.

Makes 12-15 cupcakes

Ingredients
200ml soya milke
the juice and finely grated zest of a lemon
200g self-raising flour
200g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
80ml light rapeseed or vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Crumble topping
100g plain or self raising flour
50g brown or demerara sugar
50g dairy-free butter

Finishing touches
Lemon Marmalade
Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting (or you can make your own using dairy free cream cheese, icing sugar and butter)

Method
Preheat oven to 180c and line your cupcake tray.

Mix together the soya milk and lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes.

In a bowl mix together the lemon zest, flour, caster sugar, salt, bicarb and baking powder together until fully combined. Add in the soya milk mixture, oil, vanilla extract and quickly mix everything together until the ingredients are about just combined.

Tap the bowl on the work surface to stop the raising agents working too quickly. Spoon the batter evenly between the cases and bake for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, keep the oven at the same temperature to bake the crumble.

To make the crumble, mix together the flour, sugar and butter until you have a lumpy looking crumble. Spread it out evenly on a tray lined with greaseproof paper, I liked to bake for about 20-25 minutes - checking on it regularly to see how it's browning and to run a fork through it. 
the easy way buy some cream cheese betty crocker style frosting to decorate the cupcakes and top with crumble.

Once the cakes are fully cooled, spread a layer of the lemon marmalade on to each, topping with cream cheese style frosting - I use Betty Crocker as it's vegan and tastes darn good, then sprinkle with as much of the crumble topping as you wish.

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CHRISTMAS BAKES: MY GO-TO VEGAN GINGERBREAD RECIPE

 Ingredients
125g dairy-free butter
100g dark muscovado sugar
4 Tbsp golden syrup
325g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 170°c and line one or two baking trays with grease proof paper.

2. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan, stirring occasinaly, then when all is melted together into a treacle like substance remove from the heat.

3. Sieve the flour, bicarb and ginger into a bowl and stir in the melted warm ingredients into the dry.

4. Once all is combined into a biscuit dough, leave to cool down in the bowl.

5. Turn out some of the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Use your choice of cookie cutters (I love my ebay reindeer buy!) and place your biscuit shapes onto the baking trays and bake in batches for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown and allow to cool fully before icing.

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Cookies and Cream Baked Donuts

A variation of this recipe for zesty lemon donuts made into a chocolatey, oreo chunked, cream topped crumbly vegan treat.

Preparation time - 25 minutes
Cook time - 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 Cup Plain Flour
1/3  Cup Maple Syrup
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Soya Milk
1/4 Cup Non-Dairy Butter
Egg replacement powder 

2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

2 Crushed Oreos 

Finishing Touches

Butter frosting - icing sugar and butter

Crushed oreo

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C.

 2. Mix two table spoons of the egg replacement powder (I use Orgran No Egg, sold at Holland and Barrett) with some warm water, I add  little by little 'til I get a consistency of whipped egg white.

2.  Add the maple syrup and milk to the bowl with the egg replacer, adding the flour, butter, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and crushed small chunks of oreo (leaving some for decoration - or just break up more tasty oreos for the topping) Making sure all is combined but do not over-work the mixture.

3. I use this donut mould, and I coat the tray with a spray oil so that it is easier to remove the donuts once cooked, spoon some mixture into each - it will make about 12-15 using this.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, let them sit in the mould until cooled a little.

7. Once completely cooled, spread frosting on top and simply sprinkle with oreo crumbs or chunks.

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Lemon Loaf

Possibly one of the tastiest lemon cakes I've made and probably one of my favourite cakes in general. I can't remember where I originally found the recipe from but thank you for this fool proof number!

Ingredients
2 Cups of Self Raising Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Bicarb of Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Caster Sugar
Zest of a Lemon
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Water
1 Cup Plain Soya Yogurt
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
50g Dairy Free Butter (melted)

Lemon Glaze
1 Cup Icing Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (and you may have to add a little water)

Method
Preaheat your oven to 160c and line a loaf tray with greaseproof paper.

Add the flour, baking powder, soda, vanilla extract, salt, lemon zest and sugar to a bowl.

Then add in the water, oil, yoghurt, lemon juice and melted butter and quickly combine all the ingredients into a smooth batter but be careful not to over mix.

Pour the batter into the tray and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Once removed from oven allow to cool for about 2 minutes before carefully removing from the tray and leaving to cool on a wire rack.

Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice to a creamy mixture (you may have to add some water if the mixture is too thick) spread over the cake and let it firm up before slicing into it.

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Vegan Lemon Baked Donuts

GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF STARTS TOMORROW CLAXON! It's pretty silly how excited I am over the return of one Paul, Mary, Mel and Sue and all the hopeful bakers.  I rarely watch much television (sticking to Netflix and Arconai) but there's a feel-good-warming-comfort vibe to GBBO which makes me want to grab a cuppa, sit down with my loved ones and watch it.

These donuts are quick, easy and probably will be my go-to or a version of for our bake off treat, it's pretty agonising watching without a piece of cake or biscuit, amiright?

Preparation time - 25 minutes
Cook time - 15 minutes

A 'healthier' alternative to a Donut, not fried but baked, not laden with sugar, the agave nectar sweetens the mixture… ok the topping is icing sugar in it but it is a sweet treat after all.

Ingredients
1 Cup plain flour
1/3 Cup agave nectar
1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1/4 Tsp salt
1/2 cup soya milk
1/4 cup non dairy butter
Egg replacement powder 
Zest of one lemon

For the glaze
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

1. First of all you need to preheat your oven to 180 C.

 2. Mix two table spoons of the egg replacement powder (I use Orgran No Egg, sold at Holland and Barrett) with some warm water, I add  little by little 'til I get a consistency of whipped egg white.

2. Mix the lemon zest, agave nectar, egg replacer and milk.

3. Add the flour, butter, baking powder and salt. Mix well so all is combined but do not over mix.

4. I use this donut mould, using either non-dairy butter or a spray oil coat the tray so it is easier to remove once cooked, spoon some mixture into each - it will make about 15-20 using this.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, let them sit in the mould until cooled a little.

7. Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar until all lumps are broken up, dip the cooled donuts in the glaze, you can decorate if you wish with sprinkles, lemon zest etc. Let excess icing drip off and leave to dry.

8. Then eat eat eat, best when fresh!

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