vegan

Vegan Chunky Monkey Ice Cream (Banana Ice Cream With Chocolate & Walnuts)

July 17, 2019 by hannahhossack 2 Comments

Vegan chunky monkey ice cream – creamy vegan banana ice cream with chocolate chunks and walnuts. This Ben & Jerry’s copycat is easy to make and so delicious!

Since coming up with the rich and creamy ice cream base that I used to make my rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream; I’ve been wanting to use it to make loads of different ice cream flavours.

My vegan peanut butter and cookies ice cream was a delicious take on a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavour, and this amazing vegan chunky monkey ice cream is another take on one of their popular flavours – Chunky Monkey.

It consists of a creamy banana flavoured ice cream base, with plenty of chocolate chunks and pieces of walnut (or pecan). It is a great way of using up a couple of browned bananas if you don’t feel like baking banana bread.

Although it contains banana however, this is absolutely not a ‘nice cream’ – the kind of healthy ice cream that is made simply by blending chunks of frozen banana. This is a rich and creamy, indulgent, ‘proper’ ice cream.

Like my chocolate ice cream, the base is made using part blended cashews and part full fat tinned coconut milk. This gives such a smooth and creamy texture and the ice cream has no hint of iciness. I also can’t taste the coconut at all so if you’re not a fan of coconut don’t worry!

Lets Break Down The Ingredients:

Cashews: Soaked and blended with non-dairy milk, cashews make a delicious, rich cream which is perfect for making a smooth and creamy ice cream.

Coconut milk: Full fat tinned coconut milk adds extra creaminess – no light or drinking varieties please!

Xanthan Gum: Pretty much all commercial ice creams contain some sort of stabiliser such as guar gum. This helps to stop the ingredients from separating and keeps the ice cream smooth and creamy. Because guar gum is not so easy to get hold of, I used xanthan gum which is sold in most supermarkets and does the same job. You can omit it if you can’t get hold of it.

Bananas: A couple of very ripe bananas provide lots of banana flavour, without making the ice cream icy.

Salt: A little bit of salt really helps to balance the sweetness.

Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla helps to enhance the flavour.

Caster Sugar: Caster/superfine sugar dissolves easily but you can swap it for another type of sugar if you prefer. I haven’t tested using maple syrup/agave so I am not sure how swapping for a liquid sweetener would affect the texture. Ice cream needs a certain amount of sugar for the best texture; reducing it could result in a more icy ice cream.

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Most non-vegan ice creams are made using a custard base that is thickened with egg yolks, though the famous Jeni’s ice cream is thickened with cornflour instead, meaning that the ice cream is creamy but the flavour isn’t overpowered by eggyness. I thickened my ice cream with cornflour which makes it extra thick and creamy, but if you want less of a pudding-like texture then you can omit it. (The ice cream miiiight be a tad more icy, but still delicious!).

Chocolate Chunks and Walnuts: I like lots of ‘bits’ in my ice cream so added plenty of chopped dark chocolate and walnuts. You could also use pecans instead, or just omit the mix-ins for plain banana ice cream.

How To Make Vegan Chunky Monkey Ice Cream:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).

Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with 250ml of non-dairy milk (I used soy) and blend until very smooth. (They are pictured with water below as I nabbed the image from a previous recipe; use milk for this one).

Add the full fat coconut milk, xanthan gum, bananas, sugar, cornflour, salt and vanilla extract and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers – you don’t want lumpy ice cream.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and place it over a low heat. Whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Don’t let it boil for more than a minute; boiling cornflour for too long can cause it to break down and become runny again.

Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight).

Give the chilled ice cream base a good whisk then churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. (See below for instructions on how to churn it without an ice cream maker).

Once it has reached soft serve consistency, mix through the chopped chocolate and walnuts and transfer it to a container. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before serving.

Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

What If I Don’t Own An Ice Cream Maker?:

If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can still make this vegan chunky monkey ice cream, it just takes a bit more work.

Once the base is chilled, pour it into a large freezerproof container and pop it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes or so, remove it from the freezer and give it a quick whisk with an electric mixer to break up any ice crystals then return it to the freezer.

Repeat this until it reaches soft-serve consistency then stir through the chopped chocolate and walnuts.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan Chunky Monkey Ice Cream (banana ice cream with chocolate and walnuts)

Vegan chunky monkey ice cream - creamy vegan banana ice cream with chocolate chunks and walnuts. This Ben & Jerry's copycat is easy to make and so delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian, vegan

Keyword ice cream

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Chilling Time 12 hours

Servings 10 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

120 g (3/4 cup) cashews
250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used soy)
400 ml (14 oz) full fat coconut milk (tinned, NOT the drinking variety)
180 g (3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) caster sugar
200 g (2 medium) very ripe banana
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate chopped
80 g (2.75 oz) walnuts (or pecans) broken into pieces

Instructions

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).
Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with the 250ml of milk and blend until very smooth.
Add the full fat coconut milk, sugar, bananas, xanthan gum, cornflour, vanilla extract and salt and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and place it over a low heat. Whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Don't let it boil for more than a minute.
Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight).
Give the chilled ice cream base a good whisk then churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. (See above for instructions on how to churn it without an ice cream maker).
Once it has reached soft serve consistency, mix through the chopped chocolate and walnuts and transfer it to a container. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before serving.
Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

Vegan Spinach And Mushroom Crepes With Almond Cheese

July 13, 2019 by hannahhossack 2 Comments

Vegan spinach and mushroom crepes with almond cheese – these savoury pancakes are a quick, easy, healthy and delicious plant based meal.

After discovering the joy that is almond based vegan ‘cheese’ I’ve been using it in cooking a lot. So far I’ve found that it is great stirred through pasta, in fajitas and sandwiches and it is absolutely delicious in these spinach and mushroom crepes.

Once you have made the cheese, the rest of this meal is really quick and simple to throw together, making it a great weeknight option. As the cheese will keep in the fridge for about a week, make that when you have a spare ten minutes so that it is ready to go when you want to whip this up.

The tangy, salty, creamy, rich cheese pairs perfectly with some garlicky sauteed chestnut mushrooms and baby spinach, all wrapped up in perfectly thin and chewy pancakes.

The crepes can be made in advance if you like and reheated in a hot pan as needed, or just cook them to order. You can also make the batter up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge.

If you don’t want to make your own cheese then you can also swap it for any shop-bought variety that you prefer, though I think that home-made is so much nicer!

How To Make Vegan Spinach And Mushroom Crepes With Almond Cheese:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Start by making the pancake batter. Whisk together plain flour, cornflour (cornstarch), gram (chickpea) flour and salt in a bowl.

The cornflour helps to bind the mixture in place of the egg and the gram flour provides a hint of savoury, ‘eggy’ flavour.

Gradually whisk in unsweetened plant based milk (soy or oat is best), a little at a time to avoid lumps, then whisk in a tablespoon of flavourless oil (I use sunflower but olive oil will work too).

Set the batter aside to rest while you prepare the filling. (Or you can place it in the fridge overnight).

Gently fry a finely chopped shallot in a little olive oil until it is soft then add sliced mushrooms, crushed garlic and a pinch of dried thyme and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft.

Add fresh baby spinach and cook until it has wilted, season well with salt and pepper.

To cook the crepes, heat a good, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and grease with a little oil (spray oil is helpful here!).

Pour a ladleful of the batter into the middle of the pan and lift up and swirl the pan to spread the batter out to the edges.

Cook until the top is set and the crepe has started to curl up a little at the edges then carefully flip it over using a spatula and cook for a couple more minutes until the underside is browned. Slide onto a plate and repeat with the rest of the batter. You will get about 4-5 crepes.

To serve, spread some of the almond cheese generously over one half of the crepe, top with some of the mushroom spinach mixture, fold in half and eat right away.

Prep In Advance:

Most of the components can be made or prepared in advance for a quick meal when you need it. For the crepes you can make the batter the night before and store it covered in the fridge. Or you can even cook the crepes in advance and reheat them in a hot pan when you are ready to serve.

For the cheese, I like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge to use in loads of different things; it will keep for about a week and only takes ten minutes (plus 1/2 hour soaking time) to make.

You could even cook the mushrooms and spinach in advance if you want, but I think they are best eaten freshly made. It’s so quick and easy to throw together that I don’t think it’s really worth making in advance anyway.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

*You will need a batch of my feta style vegan almond cream cheese. (You won’t be using the whole lot for these crepes but it keeps for about a week in the fridge and can be used for loads of things)*

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Crepes With Almond Cheese

Vegan spinach and mushroom crepes with almond cheese - these savoury pancakes are a quick, easy, healthy and delicious plant based meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegan

Keyword crepes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Pancake Batter:

125 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
20 g (2 Tbsp) chickpea/gram flour
10 g (1 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
1/4 tsp salt
300 ml (1 1/4 cups) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy or oat is best)
1 Tbsp sunflower or olive oil

Filling:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or small brown onion finely chopped
250 g (9 oz) chestnut mushrooms sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1/4 tsp dried thyme
180 g (6 oz) baby spinach
salt and pepper
vegan almond cheese (see above) (or another vegan cheese)

Instructions

Start by making the pancake batter. Whisk together the plain flour, cornflour (cornstarch), gram (chickpea) flour and salt in a bowl.
Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time to avoid lumps, then whisk in the oil.
Set the batter aside to rest while you prepare the filling. (Or you can place it in the fridge overnight).
Gently fry the chopped shallot in the oil until it is soft then add the sliced mushrooms, crushed garlic and dried thyme and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft.
Add the spinach and cook until it has wilted then season well with salt and pepper.
To cook the crepes, heat a good, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and grease with a little oil (spray oil is helpful here!).
Pour a ladleful of the batter into the middle of the pan and lift up and swirl the pan to spread the batter out to the edges.
Cook until the top is set and the crepe has started to curl up a little at the edges then carefully flip it over using a spatula and cook for a couple more minutes until the underside is browned. Slide onto a plate and repeat with the rest of the batter. You will get about 4-5 crepes.
To serve, spread some of the almond cheese generously over one half of the crepe, top with some of the mushroom spinach mixture, fold in half and eat right away.

Vegan Hokkaido Milk Bread

July 9, 2019 by hannahhossack Leave a Comment

Vegan Hokkaido milk bread – a vegan version of the softest, fluffiest bread ever! This eggless and dairy free milk bread has a cloud-like texture and is perfect for breakfast and snacking.

I have been wanting to veganise my Hokkaido milk bread recipe for a while now, but it’s taken me a couple of tries to get it right. Happily, I’ve finally managed to create an eggless and dairy free version that is just as soft, fluffy and delicious as the original!

This vegan Hokkaido milk bread is dangerously good, it takes some serious willpower not to just eat the whole loaf in a day… It is seriously the softest, most flavourful bread you will ever eat!

What Is Hokkaido Milk Bread?:

Hokkaido milk bread is like an Asian version of brioche, but it is even softer and uses a lot less butter! It has a cloud-like, tender crumb which can be pulled apart into flaky layers. It is amazing with jam for breakfast or snacking!

It can also be sliced to make sandwiches or toast, and because it is sweet and flavourful on it’s own I even like just eating it plain!

It is made using the tangzhong method, which helps to keep the bread soft and moist without adding loads of fat, and also helps the bread stay soft for longer.

What Is Tangzhong?:

Tangzhong is basically where you take a portion of the flour and liquid of the recipe and mix them together like a roux, then cook it until it forms a thick, pudding-like texture. This mixture is then cooled and added to the bread dough.

This technique pre-gelatinises the starches in the flour which means that they can absorb more water. In fact, flour will absorb twice as much hot water or milk as it does the lukewarm water or milk you would usually use in yeasted doughs.

Not only does the starch in the flour absorb more liquid; since heating the starch with water creates structure, it is able to hold onto that extra liquid throughout the kneading, baking, and cooling processes. This means that the bread will rise higher due to more water creating more internal steam (which makes bread rise in the oven — along with the carbon dioxide given off by the yeast).

Because the bread retains more water during baking, it will be softer and more moist and stay fresh for longer.

How To Make Vegan Hokkaido Milk Bread:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Start by making the tangzhong – whisk together some bread flour and milk in a pan; I use 1 part flour to 5 parts liquid by weight.

Place the pan over a medium/low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a paste/pudding-like consistency (think wallpaper paste…). Scrape it into a small bowl, cover with baking parchment directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool to room temperature. (This only takes half an hour or so).

Once the tangzhong has cooled (it will become much thicker as it cools, don’t worry.), mix together the yeast (either fast action/instant or dry active is fine) with the rest of the (lukewarm) soy milk and a pinch of the sugar.

Set it aside for about 10 minutes until it goes foamy. This step is only necessary if you are using dry active rather than instant yeast, but I like to do it with the instant as well as it enables to to check if your yeast is still active. If the mixture doesn’t go foamy then your yeast is dead and you will need to buy more.

Mix together the rest of your bread flour and sugar, along with a teaspoon of salt, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cooled tangzhong, the yeast mixture and the aquafaba and mix until it forms a rough dough.

Set the mixer to a medium speed and leave it to knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is stretchy. It should be soft and sticky but if it seems too wet you can add in a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Next, add softened vegan butter and knead for a further 5-10 minutes until it is well incorporated and the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer feels greasy.

If you don’t have a stand mixer then you can knead it by hand instead but be prepared to get a bit sticky and it could take as long as 25 minutes, as kneading by hand is slower.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and place in the fridge to rise overnight (or in a warm spot for 1-2 hours).

How To Shape The Loaf:

The following day (or once the dough has doubled in size at room temperature), knock back the dough and give it a brief 30 second knead to knock out the air bubbles.

Divide it into 3 or 4 even pieces and roll each one into a ball. (Use 4 pieces for a loaf as pictured, with 4 ‘humps’, or 3 for a loaf with 3 ‘humps’). Line an approx 11.5 x 21.5 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 inch loaf tin with baking parchment.

Roll each ball out into a long oval, fold one third of the oval over the middle (from the side, not the top), then the other third over the top to form a long, narrow packet.

Roll over the seam to flatten it, then roll it up tightly from one end to make a fat sausage. Repeat with the other balls of dough then arrange them in the loaf tin, seam side down.

Loosely cover and leave to rise until at least doubled in size, it should rise above the top of the tin. This can take 1-2 hours (mine took 1 1/2). It will be slower if the dough was refrigerated overnight, and quicker if it had it’s first rise at room temperature.

If you press the dough gently with a finger the indentation should spring back slowly but remain visible. If it springs back quickly it needs to prove for a little longer.

Once the loaf has risen, gently brush the top with a mixture of maple syrup and water, making sure that none drips down the sides as that can make the bread stick to the tin. If you don’t want a sweet glaze then you can brush it with aquafaba instead.

Place the loaf in a preheated oven and bake for 30-50 minutes, until a probe thermometer reaches 94C/201F when poked into the middle of the loaf. You may need to cover the top loosely with tin foil part way through baking if it starts to colour too much.

If you want the loaf to have a shinier crust, brush it with some more of the maple syrup water halfway through baking.

Once the vegan Hokkaido milk bread is baked, remove it from the oven and brush with some more of the glaze. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes then lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Can I Freeze Vegan Hokkaido Milk Bread?:

Yes. I like to freeze this vegan Hokkaido milk bread in individual slices then pop them in the toaster or under the grill straight from frozen as needed.

Vegan Ingredient Swaps:

I made a couple of changes to my original recipe in order to veganise this Hokkaido milk bread. The milk is replaced with soy milk; you can use another non-dairy milk but soy really is best as it is the most similar to dairy milk. It has a high protein and fat content and soy also contains lecithin which helps create a better crumb structure.

I used aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas) to replace the egg as it has similar binding and emulsifying properties. You could also use a commercial egg replacer instead. I don’t recommend swapping it for ground flax or chia seeds as you will end up with a speckled crumb.

The butter is a simple swap for a vegan block butter. Make sure that you use the kind that comes in a solid stick rather than the spreadable kind in a tub, which has too low a water content for baking. I use Naturli vegan block. I also upped the quantity very slightly to account for the fat usually provided by the egg yolk.

I did test a loaf using coconut oil instead of butter, but found it to be a little dense and lacking in flavour, so I don’t recommend using coconut oil.

I also found that the vegan version needed a higher hydration level than the non-vegan one, which is why the recipe reads rather differently to my original.

Quick Notes:

This bread is meant to be sweet, but if you want it a little less sweet then you can halve the amount of sugar. DO NOT omit it completely as some sugar is needed for the texture and to help with the rise.
To get aquafaba, just use the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas.
If you don’t want to use aquafaba, you can swap it for a commercial egg replacer instead.
I recommend making the dough the day before you want to bake the bread to break up the work a bit. It can be done all in one day if you prefer though.
I highly recommend using a stand mixer to make this bread as it is a very soft and sticky dough that takes a while to knead, meaning that it is difficult (but certainly not impossible!) to make by hand.
This is an enriched bread dough (meaning that it contains milk, fats and sugar rather than just water). This makes it soft and delicious, but also means that it may take longer to rise. The time it takes will vary depending on how warm your kitchen is, and whether you refrigerate the dough overnight or not.
Use bread flour for the best texture.
The amount of flour needed may vary a bit as different brands absorb different amounts of liquid. Start with the quantity given in the recipe and add a little more as needed if the dough is too wet. This is meant to be a soft sticky dough however, so don’t add too much as that will make the bread dry.
The best way to tell if a loaf of bread is cooked in the middle is to use a probe thermometer. It is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all baking time as ovens vary so much.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan Hokkaido Milk Bread

Vegan Hokkaido milk bread - a vegan version of the softest, fluffiest bread ever! This eggless and dairy free milk bread has a cloud-like texture and is perfect for breakfast and snacking.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Japanese, vegan

Keyword bread

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 40 minutes

Rising Time 14 hours

Servings 1 large loaf

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Tangzhong:

30 g (1/4 cup) bread flour
150 ml (scant 2/3 cup) unsweetened soy milk

Step 1:

7 g (2 tsp) instant/fast action or active dry yeast
5 g (1 tsp) sugar
150 ml (scant 2/3 cup) lukewarm unsweetened soy milk

Step 2:

400 g (3 + 1/3 cups) white bread flour (plus extra as needed)
55 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp aquafaba
40 g (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp) vegan block butter softened

Glaze

1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp water

Instructions

Start by making the tangzhong; whisk together the 30g bread flour and 150ml milk in a pan until no lumps remain.
Place the pan over a medium/low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency (think wallpaper paste...). Scrape it into a small bowl, cover with baking parchment directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Once the tangzhong has cooled (it will become much thicker as it cools, don't worry.), mix together the yeast with the other 150ml of the (lukewarm) soy milk and the 5g sugar. Set it aside for about 10 minutes until it goes foamy.
Mix together the 400g bread flour, 55g sugar and tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cooled tangzhong, the yeast mixture and the aquafaba and mix until it forms a rough dough.
Set the mixer to a medium speed and leave it to knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is stretchy. It should be soft and sticky but if it seems too wet you can add in a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Next, add the softened vegan butter and knead for a further 5-10 minutes until it is well incorporated and the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer feels greasy.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and place in the fridge to rise overnight (or in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1-2 hours).
The following day (or once the dough has doubled in size at room temperature), knock back the dough and give it a brief 30 second knead to knock out the air bubbles.
Divide it into 3 or 4 even pieces and roll each one into a ball. (Use 4 pieces for a loaf as pictured, with 4 'humps', or 3 for a loaf with 3 'humps'). Line an approx 11.5 x 21.5 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 inch loaf tin with baking parchment.
Roll each ball out into a long oval, fold one third of the oval over the middle (from the side, not the top), then the other third over the top to form a long, narrow packet.
Roll over the seam to flatten it, then roll it up tightly from one end to make a fat sausage. Repeat with the other balls of dough then arrange them in the loaf tin, seam side down.
Loosely cover and leave to rise until at least doubled in size, it should rise above the top of the tin. This can take 1-2 hours (mine took 1 1/2). If you press the dough gently with a finger the indentation should spring back slowly but remain visible. If it springs back quickly it needs to prove for a little longer.
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Mix together the maple syrup and water in a small bowl.
Once the loaf has risen, gently brush the top with the maple syrup mixture, making sure that none drips down the sides as that can make the bread stick to the tin. If you don't want a sweet glaze then you can brush it with aquafaba instead.
Place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake for 30-50 minutes, until a probe thermometer reaches 94°C/201°F when poked into the middle of the loaf. You may need to cover the top loosely with tin foil part way through baking if it starts to colour too much.
If you want the loaf to have a shinier crust, brush it with some more of the maple syrup water halfway through baking.
Once the bread is baked, remove it from the oven and brush with some more of the glaze. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes then lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.

Vegan Almond Cream Cheese – ‘Feta’ Style

July 3, 2019 by hannahhossack 1 Comment

Vegan almond cream cheese – this easy almond based vegan cheese is a delicious spreadable creamy ‘cheese’ with a tangy, salty flavour that makes a great alternative to feta.

I’m not a big fan of most shop bought vegan cheeses other than some nice artisan ones which also happen to be extortionate and near impossible to find. But home-made nut based ‘cheeses’ are delicious and incredibly easy to make.

You can go as far as making proper cultured nut-based cheese, which I’m sure is delicious, but I don’t really have the patience or forward planning for that kind of thing; so this easy vegan almond cream cheese does the job for me nicely.

It is very quick and simple to make, you just need to soak some flaked almonds in boiling water for half an hour then pop them in a blender or food processor along with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic and nutritional yeast and blitz until smooth.

It does help to have a high powered blender, mine takes less than a minute to make a smooth, creamy spread. If yours is not so powerful then it will take you up to ten minutes and a lot of scraping the sides to get it as smooth; but it will get there eventually.

What Ingredients Do I Need?:

This vegan almond cream cheese uses just a few simple ingredients to make a great tasting creamy spread. You will need:

Flaked Almonds: almonds form the base of this cheese. Vegan cheeses are often made using cashews as they blend up incredibly smoothly, but almonds give that slightly granular texture that is very like feta. Using flaked (skinless) almonds rather than whole ones means that they don’t take as long to soak and your blender/food processor won’t struggle as much.

Lemon Juice: Feta cheese is characterised by a very tangy, salty flavour so I add plenty of lemon juice to provide that sharp tang. If you want to make a milder cream cheese then you can halve the amount of lemon.

Salt: a decent amount of salt gives that feta-like saltiness. Again, for a milder cream cheese you can halve the amount.

Olive Oil: You can use a different kind of oil if you prefer, but olive oil definitely gives the best flavour and helps to create the rich, creamy texture.

Nutritional Yeast: a vegan staple for creating a savoury, cheesy flavour; adding a bit of nooch really helps to round out the cheesiness.

Garlic: a clove of garlic adds a bit of extra savoury flavour. Don’t worry, the cheese doesn’t taste overly garlicky.

Apart from that all you will need is a bit of water.

How To Make Feta Style Vegan Almond Cream Cheese:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*

Start by soaking your flaked almonds in boiling water for at least half an hour. This softens them up and makes them easier to blend. Make sure that they are well covered with water as they will soak some up.

You can also soak them in cold water overnight in the fridge if you prefer.

Once the almonds are soaked, drain them very well in a sieve or colander.

Place the drained almonds in a blender or food processor (preferably a power one) along with some lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, garlic and nutritional yeast.

I’ve given the quantities of lemon and salt to make a very tangy, salty feta style cheese. If you want a slightly milder, more cream cheese style one then you can halve the amount of each and add more once the mixture is blended if you feel it needs it.

Blend the mixture well until it is very smooth and creamy. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides every now and then to ensure it gets blended evenly.

If your blender has a tamper tool then that will come in very handy! If you are really struggling to get the mixture smooth then you can add a drop more water to help the blender out. Try not to add too much though or the cheese will be too soft.

Once the mixture is blended it is ready to eat right away if you like, but I think it is best if you transfer it to a bowl, cover and refrigerate it overnight. It will firm up a bit and the flavours will mellow.

How Long Will It Keep?:

This vegan almond cream cheese will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.

What To Do With Vegan Almond Cream Cheese?:

This creamy cheese is really versatile, why not try it:

Spread on crackers
In sandwiches
To make a vegan spanakopita
In cooking – it goes great in my vegan mushroom and spinach crepes and I also like to use it in fajitas and quesadillas.
As a dip

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan almond cream cheese - 'feta' style

Vegan almond cream cheese - this easy almond based vegan cheese is a delicious spreadable creamy 'cheese' with a tangy, salty flavour that makes a great alternative to feta.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine vegan

Keyword vegan cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes

soaking time 30 minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

200 g (2 cups) flaked (skinless) almonds
60 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

Place the flaked almonds in a large bowl and cover with plenty of boiling water. Set aside for at least half an hour to soak then drain well.
Place the drained almonds in a blender or food processor along with the lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, garlic and nutritional yeast.
Blend at a high speed until very smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed to make sure that there are no lumps of almond left. If you need to you can add a drop more water but try not to add too much. If your blender has a tamper tool then I recommend using it!
Scrape the cheese into a bowl and cover. It is ready to eat right away but will firm up in the fridge and the flavours will mellow so I recommend refrigerating it overnight before eating.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes a very tangy, salty cheese. If you want a milder cream cheese then you can halve the amount of salt and lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/almond-feta-cheese-with-herb-oil

Chewy Vegan Brownies

June 28, 2019 by hannahhossack Leave a Comment

Chewy vegan brownies – these eggless and dairy free brownies are perfect if you like a dense, chewy, fudgy, intensely chocolatey brownie. Easy to make and so satisfying!

This vegan brownie recipe has been a while in the making. I’ve tried quite a few different brownie recipes and although most of them have been very tasty (there is only so far wrong you can go in the flavour department when chocolate is involved!), none of them have quite had the right texture for me.

I like my brownies dense, fudgy and chewy. Not soft and gooey, (though I won’t say no to gooey brownie and ice cream!) and definitely not cakey; cakey brownies can get in the sea.

They need to have a satisfying level of chew, an almost fudgy texture and an intense chocolate flavour. And after a lot of testing these chewy vegan brownies tick all of those boxes!

These are the brownies that I have been missing since going vegan; and they are non-vegan approved too! I took them to a party and the whole lot disappeared incredibly quickly with lots of compliments; several non-vegans even said that they were the best brownies they had ever had!

What Do You Need To Make Chewy Vegan Brownies?:

Cocoa Butter: The secret to achieving the best dense and chewy texture is cocoa butter (also labelled cacao butter). As it is so solid at room temperature it helps to keep the brownies firm without the eggs and also contributes towards the chocolatey flavour.

It is easy to find online (Holland and Barrett sell it too), but if you can’t get hold of it, or don’t mind a sliiiightly softer textured brownie (but still fudgy and delicious!) then they will also work using either coconut oil or vegan block butter instead.

Non-Dairy Yogurt: A bit of non-dairy yogurt helps to replace the protein from the eggs. I used the Coconut Collaborative unsweetened vanilla flavour one which is very thick but as it is only a small quantity then a thinner one should work as well. Either coconut or soy based yogurt is fine.

Non-Dairy Milk: Non-dairy milk replaces the moisture from the eggs. Soy milk is best for baking and is pretty much all I use as it has the highest protein content but any variety will work.

Sugar: Sugar doesn’t just provide sweetness in these brownies, it is also essential for the texture so don’t reduce it! The crisp brownie crust is achieved by making sure that the sugar is fully dissolved before baking; we do this by heating it up with the milk and yogurt.

Chocolate: Using part cocoa powder and part melted chocolate in these brownies ensures a deep chocolate flavour, and the chocolate also helps to create that fudgy, dense texture.

Espresso Powder: A bit of instant espresso powder really helps to deepen the chocolate flavour. You can’t taste it at all but the brownies taste much better if you do add it so don’t omit it unless you have to.

Flour: Vegan brownies need to use a bit more flour than non-vegan ones to maintain structure. Don’t worry though, these aren’t cakey in the slightest!

Baking Powder: A small amount of baking powder replaces the lift usually provided by the eggs. Not too much though, we don’t want to veer into cake territory!

Cocoa Powder: Using both melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives the best, deepest chocolate flavour. I use a dark Dutch process one.

Vanilla Extract: Optional but recommended for the best flavour.

Salt: Pretty much all sweet things, but especially chocolate ones, benefit from the addition of a little salt to balance the sweetness and bring out the flavour more.

I purposefully kept these plain as I wanted to nail the basic brownie recipe, but do feel free to add in a couple of handfuls of chopped chocolate/chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

How To Make Chewy Vegan Brownies:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Start by sifting together the dry ingredients – plain flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Place the sugar, non-dairy yogurt and milk in a pan over a low heat and stir regularly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot and glossy looking but not yet simmering.

Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, cocoa butter (or coconut oil/vegan butter) and vanilla extract.

Stir until everything is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until no dry lumps remain (add any mix-ins now) then pour the batter (it will be quite thick) into a 20cm/8inch square metal tin that you have greased and lined with baking parchment.

Spread the batter as level as you can and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon. Bake for 20-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If it comes out clean that means that they are over-baked so make sure that you keep an eye on them.

Leave the brownies to cool in the tin before slicing. They will be difficult to slice neatly when warm but if you are able to wait until they are cold you will be able to get neat squares.

Can I Freeze Them?:

Yes, these brownies freeze well.

Tips For Making The Best Brownies:

You absolutely do not want to overbake brownies. Make sure that you take them out of the oven when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out a bit gunky with moist crumbs (but not wet batter). If the skewer comes out clean they they are overdone and might be dry, so keep a close eye on them.
Use a metal rather than a glass pan. Glass dishes retain more heat and it is easier to overbake the brownies as they will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.
Let the brownies cool completely before slicing them, that way you will be able to get neat squares.
If you want a softer, just-baked texture (or want to refresh them after they have been sitting around for a few days) then pop a brownie square in the microwave for 10 seconds. Warmed up like this they are also perfect for topping with ice cream!

More Vegan Chocolatey Goodness:

Vegan chocolate fudge cake
No-bake vegan chocolate ginger tart
Vegan mulled wine brownies (These brownies have a softer, more gooey texture than these chewy vegan brownies and can also be made plain. I recommend trying them if you prefer a less chewy brownie).
Rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream
Vegan steamed chocolate pudding
Easy vegan chocolate cake
Thick, creamy vegan gingerbread hot chocolate
Vegan chocolate, orange and almond cake

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Chewy Vegan Brownies

Chewy vegan brownies - these eggless and dairy free brownies are perfect if you like a dense, chewy, fudgy, intensely chocolatey brownie. Easy to make and so satisfying!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, baking, vegan

Keyword brownies

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 9 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

150 g (1 1/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
70 g (3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
120 ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy is best)
80 g (1/3 cup) unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (coconut or soy)
300 g (1 1/2 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
90 g (3.2oz) dark chocolate (I used 70%) chopped
60 g (2oz) cocoa/cacao butter (or coconut oil or vegan block butter) chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm/8inch square metal cake tin and line with baking parchment.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder and salt and set aside.
Place the milk, yogurt and sugar in a medium sized pan over a low heat. Stir often until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot and glossy looking but not yet simmering.
Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and cocoa butter and the vanilla extract. Stir until melted and smooth.
Tip in the dry ingredients and stir until no dry lumps remain. The batter will be quite thick. If you wish to add any mix-ins such as chocolate chips or chopped nuts then mix them in now.
Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and spread it level. Smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If it comes out clean that means they are over-baked so keep an eye on them.
Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

Recipe inspired by Serious Eats and The Curious Chickpea.

Vegan Peanut Butter And Cookies Ice Cream

June 26, 2019 by hannahhossack 2 Comments

Vegan peanut butter and cookies ice cream – super rich and creamy vegan peanut butter ice cream filled with peanut butter cookie dough and Oreos. No hint of iciness and no bananas! Eggless and dairy free.

Following on from the success of making my rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream, I was keen to adapt the recipe to create some more vegan ice cream flavours.

One of my favourite shop bought vegan ice creams is Ben and Jerry’s peanut butter and cookies flavour and I really wanted to make my own version. I have to say, I think that my homemade version is even better!

It is a really smooth and creamy vegan peanut butter ice cream which is loaded with chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough balls and crushed Oreos. It. Is. Incredible!

Lets Break Down The Ingredients:

Cashews: Soaked and blended with water, cashews make a delicious, rich cream which is perfect for making a smooth and creamy ice cream.

Coconut milk: Full fat tinned coconut milk adds extra creaminess – no light or drinking varieties please!

Peanut Butter: I use a smooth, creamy peanut butter like Skippy as I think that gives the best flavour and texture. It would probably work fine with a runnier natural variety, but creamy is best.

Salt: A little bit of salt really helps to balance the sweet, and it goes so well with peanut butter!

Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla helps to enhance the flavour.

Cookie Dough And Oreos: If you just want plain peanut butter ice cream then it is absolutely delicious just on it’s own, but the addition of chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough and crushed Oreos really takes this over the top.

I make the cookie dough using oat flour/finely ground oats so it is safe to eat raw (some people are sensitive to uncooked flour so using oats is safer).

Use whatever kind of Oreo type cookie you prefer, Oreos and Bourbon biscuits both work well and are vegan friendly.

How To Make Vegan Peanut Butter And Cookies Ice Cream:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).

Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with 250ml of water and blend until very smooth.

Add the full fat coconut milk, xanthan gum, peanut butter, sugar, cornflour, salt and vanilla extract and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers – you don’t want lumpy ice cream.

Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight).

While the base is chilling, make the cookie dough. Mix together vegan butter, smooth peanut butter, light brown soft and caster sugars, oat flour, milk, vanilla and salt then stir through some finely chopped chocolate.

(To make your own oat flour you can simply place some oats in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth).

Roll the mixture into small balls, place them spaced apart on a tray and freeze until solid. (Leave them in the freezer until the ice cream is churned.)

Once it has reached soft serve consistency, mix through the frozen cookie dough and the crushed Oreos and transfer it to a container. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before serving.

Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

What If I Don’t Own An Ice Cream Maker?:

If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can still make this vegan peanut butter and cookies ice cream, it just takes a bit more work.

Repeat this until it reaches soft-serve consistency then stir through the frozen cookie dough balls and crushed Oreos.

More Vegan Ice Creams:

Rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream
Vegan chunky monkey ice cream (banana ice cream with chocolate and walnuts)
Chocolate coconut sorbet
Mango lassi sorbet

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan Peanut Butter and Cookies Ice Cream

Vegan peanut butter and cookies ice cream - super rich and creamy vegan peanut butter ice cream filled with peanut butter cookie dough and Oreos. No hint of iciness and no bananas!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian, vegan

Keyword ice cream

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Chilling Time 12 hours

Servings 10 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Ice Cream:

120 g (3/4 cup) cashews
250 ml (1 cup) water
400 ml (14 oz) full fat coconut milk (tinned, NOT the drinking variety)
170 g (6 oz / scant 3/4 cup) smooth creamy peanut butter
200 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Mix-ins:

20 g (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp) vegan butter softened
40 g (2 heaped Tbsp) smooth peanut butter
25 g (2 Tbsp) caster sugar
25 g (2 Tbsp) light brown soft sugar
1 tsp non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
45 g (1/3 cup) oat flour/finely ground oats
30 g (1 oz) dark chocolate chopped into small chunks
100 g (10 cookies) Oreo type cookies roughly crushed

Instructions

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).
Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with the 250ml of water and blend until very smooth.
Add the full fat coconut milk, xanthan gum, peanut butter, sugar, cornflour, salt and vanilla extract and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and place it over a low heat. Whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Don't let it boil for more than a minute.
Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight).
While the base is chilling, make the cookie dough. Mix together the vegan butter, peanut butter, light brown soft and caster sugars, oat flour, milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl until it forms a dough then stir through the chopped chocolate.
Roll the mixture into small balls, place them spaced apart on a tray and freeze until solid. (Leave them in the freezer until the ice cream is churned.)
Give the chilled ice cream base a good whisk then churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. (See above for instructions on how to churn it without an ice cream maker).
Once it has reached soft serve consistency, mix through the frozen cookie dough and the crushed Oreos and transfer it to a container. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before serving.
Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

Recipe Notes

*To make your own oat flour for the cookie dough simply grind some rolled oats in a blender or food processor until finely ground.

Vegan Mango Curd

June 21, 2019 by hannahhossack 4 Comments

Vegan mango curd – this delicious, creamy eggless mango curd is quick and easy to make and a perfect way to use up fresh mangoes. Ready in under 10 minutes!

My vegan fruit curd recipes have proven to be pretty popular so I’ve got another one for you – this easy vegan mango curd. It is super smooth and creamy, incredible quick and easy to whip up and is full of fresh mango flavour.

It is a little different to my previous citrus based curd recipes in that it is less sharp and tangy; I didn’t want to add too much citrus as that would have overpowered the delicate mango.

I did add a hint of lime to balance the sweetness, but not so much that it dominates the flavour, the mango is definitely front and center here.

What To Do With Vegan Mango Curd:

This vegan mango curd is very versatile stuff! Why not try it:

spread on toast, muffins or scones
with crepes or pancakes
swirled into (vegan) yogurt or ice cream
spooned into pre-baked mini tart shells along with some fresh fruit
on top of a pavlova (use aquafaba to make a vegan meringue and top with coconut whipped cream)
to fill a cake or cupcakes
or just eat it straight from the jar with a spoon…

It is also the perfect pairing for my delicious vegan mango bundt cake!

How To Make Vegan Mango Curd:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

This mango curd takes under ten minutes to whip up and just uses a few basic ingredients:

Fresh mangoes
Tinned full fat coconut milk
Sugar
Lime juice
Cornflour (cornstarch)
Coconut oil
Salt

The flavour (and colour) will vary a bit depending on what kind of mango you use; I used kesar mangoes which have a very fragrant, almost floral flavour and a deep orange colour. Just use whichever variety you prefer (or can get hold of), just make sure that they are soft and ripe.

To start, you need to place all of the ingredients except the coconut oil into a blender and blitz until very smooth. If your blender isn’t particularly powerful then you may want to pass the mixture through a sieve to remove any stringy bits.

Pour this mixture into a pan over a medium-low heat and stir constantly until it comes up to a simmer and thickens; don’t let it boil for more than a minute.

*(Make sure that you use a non-reactive saucepan such as stainless steel; DO NOT use an aluminium or copper pan or the acid may react with it and you’ll end up with yukky green curd).*

Remove the pan from the heat and add the coconut oil, stir until melted and smooth. Allow the curd to cool a little then pour into a large jar (preferably sterilised – see below for instructions on how to sterilise jars).

Place the jar in the fridge overnight, or for at least a couple of hours, so that the curd can cool and set up a bit. Give it a good stir before serving. It will keep in the fridge for a week or so.

How To Sterilise Jars:

The curd is best stored in sterilised jars. To do this, just before you begin making the curd, heat your oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1. Wash the jars and lids well in hot soapy water, rinse them thoroughly then place the jars on their sides and the lids upside-down on a baking tray then place the tray in the oven.

Leave the jars in the oven to dry while you make the curd then carefully pour the hot curd into the hot jars (never pour hot curd into cold jars or vice versa or they may crack), place the lids on and leave to cool before putting them in the fridge.

More Fruit Curd Recipes:

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan Mango Curd

Vegan mango curd - this delicious, creamy eggless mango curd is quick and easy to make and a perfect way to use up fresh mangoes. Ready in under 10 minutes!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine vegan

Keyword curd

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Servings 1 jar

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

300 g (10.5 oz) diced ripe fresh mango (about 2 medium. I used kesar mangoes)
240 ml (1 cup) full fat tinned coconut milk
100 g (1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
20 g (2 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
juice of 1 1/2 limes
pinch salt
30 g (2 Tbsp + 1 tsp) coconut oil

Instructions

Place the diced mango, coconut milk, sugar, cornflour, lime juice and salt in a blender and blend until very smooth. If your blender isn't a power blender then you may wish to press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any stringy bits.
Pour the mixture into a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel, NOT aluminium or copper) and place over a medium-low heat. Stir constantly as it comes up to the boil and thickens. Do not let it boil for more than a minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the coconut oil, stir until melted and smooth.
Allow the curd to cool a little then pour into a large jar (preferably sterilised). Place the jar in the fridge overnight for the curd to cool and set.

Easy Lemongrass And Coconut Curry (Vegan)

June 19, 2019 by hannahhossack Leave a Comment

Easy lemongrass and coconut curry – this delicious vegan vegetable and tofu curry is really quick and simple to make and so full of flavour. It is also a healthy, high protein meat free meal.

I’ve been making this easy vegan lemongrass and coconut curry a lot recently. It is really quick and simple to throw together, tastes great and is healthy to boot!

It is a creamy, lightly spiced, flavourful coconut and lemongrass sauce with loads of veg and tofu. Served with rice it makes a great, quick midweek meal.

I take a few shortcuts to make it easier to cook – I use lemongrass and ginger pastes from a jar rather than from fresh; and you can even go as far as using garlic and chilli from a jar too if you like.

This just cuts down on time spend chopping and peeling and makes this meal more achievable for a quick weeknight dinner.

Most supermarkets sell jars of pre-prepared lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chilli alongside the spices and they keep in the fridge for a while so I love keeping some around for quick meals.

A High Protein Vegan Meal:

This lemongrass curry is high in protein – first off we’ve got tofu, an obvious choice for plant based protein, but I also added frozen edamame (soy beans) which contain even more protein per 100g than tofu.

Both tofu and edamame are a source of complete protein, meaning that they contain all nine essential amino acids.

I also added tenderstem broccoli which I love and could happily eat it every day, which is good because it is super healthy and is also one of the higher protein vegetables!

How To Make Easy Vegan Lemongrass and Coconut Curry:

Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and add in crushed garlic, sliced spring onions, red pepper and chilli. Fry gently for about five minutes until softened. (If you want to use garlic and chilli pastes from a jar rather than fresh then add them in the next step instead).

Add in lemongrass and ginger pastes (plus the garlic and chilli if using), some garam masala and turmeric and fry for another minute until fragrant.

Add in coconut milk (from a tin, not the drinking kind. Either light or full fat is fine) and crumble in a vegetable stock cube. Bring the sauce up to a simmer.

Add tenderstem broccoli and frozen edamame and simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

step by step photos of making the curry.

While the curry is cooking, place some cornflour (cornstarch) in bowl with a little salt. Add cubed firm tofu and toss to coat. The cornflour is optional – it helps to make the tofu crispy but you can omit it if you like.

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the tofu. Cook over a medium heat, turning every now and again until it is golden on all sides.

crispy tofu in a pan.

Stir the tofu into the curry and serve with rice.

Close up of coconut lemongrass curry.

More Quick Vegan Meals:

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Easy Lemongrass And Coconut Curry (Vegan)

Easy lemongrass and coconut curry - this delicious vegan vegetable and tofu curry is really quick and simple to make and so full of flavour. It is also a healthy, high protein meat free meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegan

Keyword curry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 532 kcal

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil divided
2 cloves garlic crushed (or 1 tsp garlic paste from a jar)
2 spring onions (scallions) thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 red chilli finely chopped (or 1 tsp chilli paste from a jar)
2 tsp lemongrass paste (from a jar)
2 tsp ginger paste (from a jar) (OR a 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
400 ml (14oz) tin coconut milk (either full fat or light is fine)
1 vegetable stock cube
120 g (4oz) tenderstem broccoli
80 g (3oz) frozen edamame
280 g (10oz) firm tofu diced
1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) (optional)
salt and pepper
cooked rice to serve

Instructions

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large pan and add the garlic, spring onions, red pepper and chilli. Fry gently for about five minutes until softened. (If you are using garlic and chilli pastes rather than fresh then add them in the next step instead).
Add the lemongrass and ginger pastes (plus garlic and chilli ones if using), garam masala and turmeric and fry for another minute.
Add the coconut milk and crumble in the stock cube. Bring up to a simmer.
Add the tenderstem broccoli and edamame and simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the curry is cooking, place the cornflour in bowl with a little salt. Add the cubed tofu and toss to coat. (Coating the tofu with cornflour is optional).
Heat the remaining Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the tofu. Cook over a medium heat, turning every now and again until golden on all sides.
Stir the tofu into the curry and serve with rice.

Recipe Notes

The tofu I buy (Tofoo brand) comes in 280g packets which I realise is a slightly odd quantity; just use whatever weight the brand you buy comes in - enough for two people.

Recipe inspired by Gluten Free Cuppa Tea

Vegan Mango Bundt Cake

June 14, 2019 by hannahhossack 5 Comments

Vegan mango bundt cake – this eggless mango cake is soft, moist, full of mango flavour and so easy to make in just one bowl!

I recently discovered the deliciousness that is mango cake – not cake filled or served with mango, but cake that is made with mango puree in the batter so that it contains wonderful mango flavour in every bite.

This vegan mango bundt cake is incredibly easy to make and just uses one bowl. It has a soft, moist texture and beautiful fragrant mango flavour.

Because mango is quite a delicate flavour I chose to leave the cake plain as I didn’t want to overpower it with glaze or buttercream. As it is such a moist cake it really doesn’t need any kind of frosting anyway and is perfectly delicious on it’s own. It does go extremely well with my vegan mango curd however!

This is a great cake for snacking, or it would be wonderful for dessert served with whipped coconut cream and fresh fruit. It is also not overly unhealthy as it is made with a decent amount of fruit and the mango provides plenty of moisture so you don’t have to add much oil to keep the cake soft.

What Kind Of Mango?:

I use tinned (canned) mango puree for this eggless mango cake. It may not be an ingredient you have ever thought to buy before but it is easy to find in the world foods section of pretty much all supermarkets and generally comes in 850g tins.

I used kesar mango pulp as it is slightly cheaper than alphonso pulp, but either will work fine. There will be a little more puree than you need in the tin but any leftovers work great in smoothies or to make tropical overnight oats!

If you can’t find the tinned puree then you can use fresh mango instead – just peel and dice a couple of fresh, ripe mangoes then puree until totally smooth.

Because the tinned puree is slightly sweetened, if you use fresh mango instead then you may want to increase the amount of sugar in the cake a little to compensate

How To Make Vegan Mango Bundt Cake:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Start by thoroughly greasing a 10 cup bundt tin. I use melted vegan butter and a pastry brush to get into all of the nooks and crannies; you really don’t want your cake to stick to the tin!

Next whisk together your dry ingredients in a large bowl – plain (all-purpose) flour, caster (superfine) sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and salt. Make sure that it is well blended and there are no lumps as you don’t want to have to whisk the batter much once you’ve added the wet ingredients.

Next add in your mango puree, some sunflower oil (or you can use another mild flavoured oil) and vanilla extract. Whisk just until no dry lumps remain, you don’t want to over-beat the batter or the cake can become tough.

Pour the batter into your prepared bundt tin and spread it level. Bake for about 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Vegan cakes tend to be quite delicate when they are warm so leave it to cool in the tin on a wire rack for about 45 minutes before you carefully flip it over and turn it out; this gives it a chance to firm up a bit so it is less likely to crack when you remove it from the tin.

What If I Don’t Own A Bundt Tin?:

Never fear! You can still bake this cake! The batter can be also be baked in either a lined 23 cm/9 inch square or 23×33 cm/9×13 inch rectangular cake tin (which will make for a thinner cake).

Bear in mind that the bake time will vary depending on what tin you use so start checking for doneness after 25 minutes.

How Long Will It Keep?:

This vegan mango bundt cake will keep well in an airtight container for around five days.

Can I Freeze Vegan Mango Bundt Cake?:

Yes! The cake will freeze well in individual slices. Keep well wrapped or in a sealed tub then allow to defrost at room temperature as needed.

More Vegan Bundt Cakes:

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan Mango Bundt Cake

Vegan mango bundt cake - this eggless mango cake is soft, moist, full of mango flavour and so easy to make in just one bowl!

Course Dessert

Cuisine baking, Indian, vegan

Keyword bundt cake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 10 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

440 g (3 + 2/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
280 g (1 + 1/3 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp salt
600 g (2 + 1/3 cups) tinned mango puree
160 ml (2/3 cup) sunflower oil (or another mild flavoured oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Thoroughly grease a 10 cup bundt tin with melted vegan butter making sure that you get right into all of the nooks and crannies.
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl and wisk well with a balloon whisk. Make sure that it is well combined and no lumps remain.
Add the mango puree, sunflower oil and vanilla extract and whisk until no dry lumps remain but be careful not to over-beat the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it level. Bake for about 40 minutes until the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack for about 45 minutes then carefully flip it out and leave to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

This cake can also be baked in either a 23 cm / 9 inch square, or 23x33 cm / 9x13 inch rectangular cake tin in which case the baking time will vary; start checking for doneness after 25 minutes.

Rich And Creamy Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

June 11, 2019 by hannahhossack 3 Comments

Rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream – this is the creamiest vegan chocolate ice cream with no hint of iciness and a rich chocolate flavour. Made with cashews and coconut milk for the smoothest, most decadent texture. NO bananas!

Vegan ice cream isn’t hard to make, but it does tend to be made with a coconut milk base which isn’t quite creamy enough to give you the richest, creamiest, non-icy result; and unless you are using really strong flavours your ice cream will taste like coconut.

I love coconut but I don’t want to be restricted to only eating coconut flavoured ice cream forever; and while the lighter, healthier ice cream is nice, sometimes you want something a little more decadent.

This rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream is definitely decadent, and although it does use some coconut milk it doesn’t taste at all like coconut; just intensely chocolatey!

I made it using a base of part full fat tinned coconut milk and part blended cashews. This results in a milder flavoured base so it is easier to mask the coconut; and the cashews make it richer and creamier than coconut milk alone would.

It has an incredibly smooth and creamy texture and an intense chocolate flavour. I think it is the best chocolate ice cream I have ever made, vegan or otherwise! It is very rich, so you only need a small scoop, but I am perfectly capable of devouring at least three!

Lets Break Down The Ingredients:

Cashews: Soaked and blended with water, cashews make a delicious, rich cream which is perfect for making a smooth and creamy ice cream.

Coconut milk: Full fat tinned coconut milk adds extra creaminess – no light or drinking varieties please!

Cocoa Powder: A combination of cocoa powder and dark chocolate gives the best chocolate flavour. Either Dutch process, natural or cacao powder will be fine.

Instant Espresso Powder: A little bit of coffee powder enhances the chocolate flavour; you can’t taste it at all but it does definitely elevate the flavour. You can omit it if you want.

Salt: Again, most chocolatey things benefit from the addition of a little salt to help bring out the flavour.

Vanilla Extract: Another flavour enhancer; also optional.

Dark Chocolate: I use 70% dark chocolate. As the chocolate is the prominent flavour here make sure that you use a good one.

How To Make Rich And Creamy Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).

Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with 250ml of water and blend until very smooth.

step 1 - blending the cashews

Add the full fat coconut milk, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt and vanilla extract and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers – you don’t want lumpy ice cream.

Step 2 - blending the ingredients

Place the sugar and chopped dark chocolate in a saucepan and add half of the cashew mixture. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth then remove from the heat.

Place the cornflour in a bowl and gradually whisk in the rest of the cashew mixture, making sure that there are no lumps. Just add a small drop of the the cashew mixture at first and whisk until totally smooth before gradually whisking in more, this way you will avoid lumps of cornflour.

Pour the cornflour mixture into the pan of chocolate mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Make sure that you whisk it in as you pour it into the pan; because you are pouring cornflour into a hot mixture it can start to thicken immediately and you don’t want it to form lumps.

Place the pan over a low heat and whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl.

step 4 - cooking the ice cream

Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight)

Once chilled the mixture will be very thick. Give it a good whisk then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. (See below for instructions on how to churn it without an ice cream maker).

Transfer to a container and place in the freezer to firm up a little more before serving. Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

Scoops of creamy vegan chocolate ice cream in a metal loaf tin.

What If I Don’t Have An Ice Cream Maker?:

If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can still make this vegan chocolate ice cream, it just takes a bit more work.

Repeat this until it reaches soft-serve consistency. As the cornflour version of this ice cream is so thick, you may find it easier to omit the cornflour so that the base is thinner and therefore easier to whisk.

If you want a lighter vegan chocolate ice cream then give my chocolate coconut sorbet a try; it isn’t as rich but is still delicious and chocolatey!

I also adapted this recipe to make an amazing vegan peanut butter and cookies ice cream; and vegan chunky monkey ice cream, check them out, They. Are. Incredible!

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Rich And Creamy Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

Rich and creamy vegan chocolate ice cream - this is the creamiest vegan chocolate ice cream with no hint of iciness and a rich chocolate flavour. Made with cashews and coconut milk for the smoothest, most decadent texture. NO bananas!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian, vegan

Keyword ice cream

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Chilling Time 12 hours

Servings 10 people

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

120 g (3/4 cup) cashews
250 ml (1 cup) water
400 ml (14oz) full fat coconut milk (tinned, NOT the drinking variety)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g (1 cup) caster sugar (or granulated)
170 g (6 oz) dark chocolate chopped
1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) optional, see notes below

Instructions

Cover the cashews in boiling water and set aside to soak for at least half an hour then drain. (You can also soak them in cold water overnight instead).
Place the soaked cashews in a blender along with the 250ml water and blend until smooth.
Add the coconut milk, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt and vanilla extract and continue to blend until it is completely smooth. There should be no hint of grittiness if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
Place the sugar and chopped chocolate in a saucepan and add half of the cashew mixture. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth then remove from the heat.
Place the cornflour in a bowl and gradually whisk in the rest of the cashew mixture, making sure that there are no lumps.
Pour the cornflour mixture into the pan of chocolate mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
Place the pan over a low heat and whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl.
Cover with greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then place in the fridge until completely cold. (I leave it in there overnight)
Once chilled the mixture will be very thick. Give it a good whisk then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.
Transfer to a container and place in the freezer to firm up a little more before serving. Once the ice cream is fully frozen it will be quite firm; let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before scooping.

Recipe Notes

This ice cream has a very thick, pudding-like texture. If you want a slightly lighter (but still delicious) ice cream then you can omit the cornflour/cornstarch. In this case there is no need to bring the mixture up to the boil, just heat it enough to melt the chocolate and sugar.

Once fully frozen the ice cream will be quite firm (this is normal for all home-made ice creams, vegan or not.), just let it sit out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to soften up before scooping.