Whisky Business

I did my first craft fair on Saturday! It went even better than I hoped... I sold out of everything I brought on the first two hours... Next time I think I'll make even more!

Some pics:

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Cookies N Cream Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Unicorn Cake!

There's not much to say about this except, UNICORN CAKE. This cake was the unicorniest.

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

It has been far too long since my last update... I have been making lots of summery goodies lately, these were especially well-received, so I thought I'd post them here.

I used the Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World (or, just use your favorite vegan vanilla cupcake recipe and add the zest of 1(organic!) lemon and 1/2 tsp of lemon extract. The extract is a nice touch but totally not necessary (and I recommend using 1/2 tsp, not a tsp as the recipe calls for).

For frosting, I just used my favorite vegan buttercream recipe (I'll post it shortly!), adding in about a 1/3 cup raspberry puree (blend raspberries, strain out the seeds) and 2 tbsp Cointreau (or other raspberry liquor).

As you can see, I topped them with more fresh raspberries (yum!) and some vegan colored sugar (from India Tree).

These were so pretty I had to take more pics...

Strawberry and Almond Creme Tart

The crust for this recipe was adapted from a pie crust in The Joy of Vegan Baking, which is an awesome resource for vegan dessert recipes. I used a 9 inch tart pan for the recipe. Its very simple and easy to make, but the almonds and rosewater make an impressive combination.






Ingredients:

16 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rosewater

1/2 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/4 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup blanched almonds (sliced or slivered is fine)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
pinch salt

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, optional


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the strawberries with the rosewater and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and set them aside while you make the crust.

Spray or lightly grease your tart pan. In a mixing bowl, cream together the Earth Balance and powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer until fluffy. Add the flour and almond extract and mix until just blended and the dough has started to form - small lumps are fine. Press into the bottom of the tart pan, pushing out from the center so that it is spread about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the almond creme.

In a food processor, grind the almonds with the water until blended. Add the maple syrup, sugar, oil, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt. Blend until well mixed and creamy. Put the almond creme in the fridge to allow it to set a bit- at least 15 minutes.

Once the pie crust is completely cool, spread the almond creme into the crust. Top with strawberries, and, if you want, the toasted slivered almonds.

Serves: 6-8

Ian's Seitan & Soba with Peanut Sauce

This dish was inspired by my boyfriend Ian - its a quick and easy dinner that is totally delicious. You can skip the scallions, cilantro, or crushed peanuts if you want, but they make the dish extra yummy.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil (or peanut oil if you've got it!)

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

1 package seitan (I used West Soy), cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium/large head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1 inch ginger root, minced

1-2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup peanut sauce (there are plenty of premade vegan peanut sauces out there, you will need about half the bottle)

1 package soba noodles

1 cup snow peas

1 small bunch (4-5) scallions, white parts only, sliced

small handful cilantro, roughly chopped (for garnish, optional)

1/4 cup peanuts, roasted (or dry fried) and crushed (for garnish, optional)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the seitan, broccoli, ginger, a bit of soy sauce, and half of the peanut sauce. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes, until the broccoli begins to soften and the seitan is slightly browned. Between stirring, cook the soba noodles according to package directions – I usually cook these about a minute less than directed, otherwise they get very soft. Add the rest of the sauce, soy sauce, snow peas, most of the scallions and cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro, crushed peanuts, and the rest of the scallions.

Serves: 3-4