Recipe: Three Vegan Treats including Chocolate Cake

OUR SELECTION OF VEGAN RECIPES FOR TRICKY OCCASIONS

Chocolate Birthday Cake (from the Vegan Society)
Uh oh, a vegan birthday? Panic not, because the Vegan Society has come up with this delicious chocolate cake that not only tastes great but looks the real deal too! Or you could make it as a tea time treat for all the family as a celebration that you can enjoy sweet treats without cruelty to animals.

200g self raising wholemeal flour
2 heaped tsp baking powder
25g cocoa
75g Barbados sugar
100ml vegetable oil
550-750ml cold water
1 bar vegan plain chocolate
1 packet Whizzers dairy Free Chocolate Beans (Smarties look-alikes)

1. Place all ingredients except chocolate and Whizzers in food processor. Mix thoroughly for a few seconds.
2. Place mixture in greased tin and bake for 30 mins at 180C, 350F or gas mark 4 in two round cake tins.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before removing from tin. Remove from tin and cool completely on wire rack.
4. Melt bar of chocolate in a double bowl and spread on top of cake. Allow to set overnight for best results.
5. Mix icing sugar with a little hot water to a soft consistency. Ice top of the cake with HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Place Whizzers around the edge of top of cake.

Festive Feast Main Dish – Wild Mushroom and Creamy Spinach Filo Tartlet
(from the Vegan Society)

Friends or family coming over for dinner? Or are you going to someone’s house who doesn’t have a clue what to cook for ‘pesky vegans’? Why not surprise them by taking along this scrumptious creamy dish, and then give them the recipe! Also works well as the main vegan dish at Christmas.

12 squares of filo pastry, approximately 12cm x 12cm each
Olive oil for brushing the filo
1 oz (25g) vegan margarine
4 oz (100g) red onion, finely chopped
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
3 1/2 oz (100g) wild mushrooms, medium sliced
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
7 oz (200g) soya cream
7 oz (200g) baby leaf spinach

1. Brush the top of each of the filo squares lightly with olive oil.
2. For each tartlet, arrange three squares (oil side up) in a greased, individual tartlet tin (approx 9cm diameter), with each layer rotated compared to the previous one, so the corners are offset, creating a star shape.
3. Bake the filo cases at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Place the vegan margarine into a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 2-3 minutes without colouring. Stir in the cayenne pepper.
5. Add the mushrooms and put the lid on the pan. Cook gently for a further 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in the nutmeg, soya cream and spinach. Cook covered, over a gentle heat, for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and tender and the soya cream has reduced slightly.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tartlet cases, and serve. Serves 4

Cashew Cream (from Uncaged – Protecting Animals)

One thing a lot of people don’t want to give up in their diets is the sumptuous, well, creaminess, of cream-based desserts and meals. But you find that same velvety texture in cashew cream, a perfect accompaniment to desserts and sauces. Plus, it’s packed with protein and health – yes!

Ingredients:

200g cashews 800ml apple juice 2tbs sunflower oil sugar to taste vanilla essence to taste

1. Bring the cashews and apple juice to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the cashews soften (five to ten minutes). Cover, and leave to cool for a couple of hours, or overnight.

2. Remove the softened cashews with a slotted spoon, and liquidise with the oil, and as little of the apple juice as possible, adding sugar and vanilla essence to taste.

Tofu Scrambler (from Uncaged – Protecting Animals)

Stuck for breakfast ideas? Tofu can be scrambled up like egg and is a great addition to buttered toast. You could try a vegan British breakfast: scrambled tofu, fried tomatoes, mushrooms with garlic, baked beans and toast – breakfast fit for a king!

Ingredients:

plain tofu, one block soya margarine or olive oil soya milk, as required soy sauce turmeric, 1 tsp basil, dried, 1 tsp salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Mash the tofu thoroughly with a fork. Heat marge or oil in a frying pan. Add the tofu, stirring frequently until heated through. Stir in the turmeric, basil and a dash of soy sauce, and a little soya milk if necessary.

2. Cook for a couple of minutes. Season and serve.