Maple layer cake

Waaaaay back in the way back machine it was summer. And it was good. And we made these little, spongey maple baby cakes. (Not for babies. Baby cakes because they are little. Like babies. Like babies, not for babies. Little.)

Fast forward: it hit zero over night. What? And additionally, it's mi madre's birthday. She likes maple. So I thought, what could be more fitting than a fabulous maple layer cake? The baby cakes became two small layers, and I made a beautiful whipped chocolate maple frosting. And this cake came together,  simple and yet decadent.

equipment:

1. kettle
2. mixing bowl
3. mixing spoon
4. whisk
5. measuring cups
6. measuring spoons
7. 2 * 8" round cake pans, coated with coconut oil and  lined with parchment
8. oven


ingredients:

a)
2 cups of water (warmed up a little but not hot)
2 tbsp coconut oil (the warm water will melt it)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar

b)
4 tbsp ground chia seed
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 3/4 cups kamut flour

c)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional but awesome)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
(you can use 2 tsp baking powder instead of cream of tartar and baking soda)



directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345!
2. in a mixing bowl, combine the warm water and coconut oil and let the coconut oil melt
3. add the rest of the ingredients from part a)
4. using a whisk, mix in the ingredients from part b)
5. still whisking, mix in the ingredients from part c)
6. pour the batter into the pans
7. bake at 345 for 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed



(Thick Gooey Ganache Frosting:

equipment needed:
kettle
measuring cups
measuring spoons
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
mixer with whisk attachment

immersion blender

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup pitted honey dates
1 cup very hot water (just boiled is good)
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cacao butter
6 tbsp maple syrup


2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup raw cacao

directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the boiling water , the cacao butter, and the coconut oil.
2. add in the dates
3. add in the maple syrup
4. let it sit for 15 minutes
5. add the sea salt, vanilla extract, and raw cacao
6. blend until smooth with an immersion blender
7. allow to  cool until it starts to resolidify. This will take a long time.
8. when it's cool enough, it will whip up and transform from dark and glossy to lighter and fluffy
9. frost the cake generously when it's ready.

Where Brownies Fear to Tread -- vegan brownies

We really do make the most amazing brownies. They are dense and fudgey, chewy and utterly satisfying. This are made without refined sugars, and are gluten free. I use either raw almond flour or finely ground raw sunflower seeds for these. Raw sunflower seeds can be reduced to a delicate powder in a seed or coffee grinder, so they have an ideal texture for baking. Beautiful, really. And the flavour is calm enough that it doesn't balance of whatever you put them in. Pumpkin seeds -- aka pepitas, bless their little green hearts -- have  such a strong flavour that you must use them purposefully, not just as an alternative. Yes, so these ones. These brownies. A few tweaks here and there, the recipe evolves a little. But they are great. Next time I'll grind up a couple of espresso beans with the chia seeds, and maybe a chili flake or two. You know, for fun.

equipment needed:

hand blender -- aka immersion blender

seed grinder -- or coffee grinder

mixing bowls

mixing spoons

measuring cups

measuring spoons

kettle for boiling water

oven

2 square silicone baking pans (8x8 each)

cooling rack

ingredients:

a)

1 1/2  cup pitted honey dates

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil 

1 cup coconut nectar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1  tsp vanilla extract 

b)

1/2 cup hemp hearts 

c)

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground

1 cup raw almond flour or finely ground sunflower seed flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp ground vanilla 

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup raw cacao powder

d)

coconut sugar to sprinkle on top -- use plenty, it's awesome that way.

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1) in a mixing bowl, put your ingredients from part a) and let them sit for 10 minutes. Add b) and let sit for another 10 minutes at least. If your dates start out very hard, give it longer. Give it an hour!!

2) in a separate bowl, combine your ingredients from part c). Make sure they are really well stirred together

3) when your dates are super soft and saturated, use your immersion blender to puree the concoction to  smooth and velvety perfections

4) mix your puree and your ingredients from part c) together

5) divide evenly between 2 square silicone pans (or a large rectangular is fine if that's what you've got)

6) sprinkle a tbsp or so of coconut sugar on top of each pan before you put them in the oven

7) bake for 50 minutes at 345

8) cool before cutting and removing from the pan

Chocolate Ganache Decadence -- raw, vegan, and gluten free

This ... cake ... pie? ... cake! ... happened. Why? I don't know, but I'm sure glad it did. It is ... ridiculous. That's the only word I can think of.  It's so incredibly delicious, so smooth, so silky, so creamy, so mind-numbingly filled with flavour and awesomeness that all we could do was stare at each other with this incredible taste in our mouths as we ate it, expressions bordering that fine line between bafflement and pain. That "how the ... what the ... omg ... this ... this ... this ..." expression. You'd know it if you saw it. Trust me.

It's an indulgence. It's a special occasion kind of treat. It's so tasty. It's also incredibly easy to make.

I made it a couple of hours before I needed it. In a spring form pan. Lined with foil and then baking parchment and oiled with coconut oil. Made removal easy! Might have been over kill. Any pie plate would also work. Parchment is your frieeeeeeeeeend. Next time I will make it at least 1 day ahead, if not two. The texture and flavour of the crust improved by day 2, although it was fine on day one, and chilling over night allowed the cake/pie/decadence to firm up just a wee bit more. So. Good. So flipping good. Gah.

note: you'll need to let the dates soak and the oil and cocoa butter melt, so if you get those started and then move on to your crust, that would work well.


equipment needed:
pie plate or spring form pan
grinder for chia seeds and sunflower seeds (If you use sunflower seeds instead of raw almond meal for your crust)
parchment
foil (if using a spring form pan. Not essential. But you know, um, helpful.)
immersion blender (or blender)


ganache ingredients:

A
1 cup pitted dates (I use parnoosh sayer dates but you can use your own preference) (pick through them carefully to make sure there are indeed no pits or shards there of.)
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

B
1 cup raw cacao
1 cup coconut sugar (you can start with less and taste if you want it to be less sweet)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic coconut milk powder


ganache directions:

1. combine the items from A in a bowl and let sit until the cacao butter and coconut oil have melted. This will also give the dates time to soften beautifully.
2. while your oil is melting and your dates are softening, make the crust
3. once the oil has melted, use your immersion blender to puree the dates/oil/water from section A. When you think it is smooth enough, puree some more. And then a little longer. You want this ganache to be so creamy and silky and smooth that dead poets would come back from the grave to write an ode to it.
4. add the ingredient from part B and puree again until even silkier and more perfect
5. If you are being parsimonious with your coconut sugar, this would be a good time to dip a scrupulously clean spoon into the mix and taste. I personally thought it was perfect with the whole cup of coconut sugar to balance the whole cup of cacao. That's the golden ratio for cacao and sweetness. However, your dates may be sweeter than mine, or your cacao less dark and sinister. Don't be afraid to trust yourself!
6. When you know your ganache tastes just right, let it cool to room temperature.





crust ingredients:
1 cup raw almond meal or raw sunflower seed meal
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar, depends on your tongue
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup ground chia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp water

crust directions:
1. combine the almond or sunflower seed meal in a bowl with the coconut sugar, cacao, chia, sea salt, vanilla bean
2. add the coconut oil and use a fork to crush it into the dry mixture to the best of your abilities
3. add the water, and distribute beautifully
4. press the mixture into the bottom of your lined/greased springform pan or pie plate

5. see above
6. do a little dance

7. When  your ganache has cooled enough, pour it into the prepared crust in the prepared pan, and pop it in the fridge.
8. When it has chilled enough, you can remove it from the pan (springform) or serve it from the pan if it's a pie plate.

Prepare to be amazed!!!!

Brownies -- the best in the world

It feels like time to revisit this brownie recipe. These brownies will make brownie-lovers weep with gluttonous euphoria. These brownies will tempt the pickiest of dessert eaters. These brownies .... okay, well, they won't save the environment or even the economy, but damn they are so good.

And they are cruelty free. Vegan and fair-trade. I would urge you to be careful and picky in your chocolate selections. The vast lion's share of chocolate sold here is produced using child slave-labour. Always look for fair trade for your cacao.

So, these are moist and rich, chewy and cakey all at once. These are the perfect symbiosis of decadence and apotheosis. Dazzling, tantalizing, and very close to perfection.

The amazing thing, friends, is that they are also real food. And can be made with either almond flour or sunflower seed flour, depending on your nut-free needs.

So go ahead, make yourself something so naughty that it's just simply nice.

equipment needed:

hand blender -- aka immersion blender

seed grinder

mixing bowls

mixing spoons

measuring cups

measuring spoons

kettle for boiling water

oven

2 square silicone baking pans (8x8 each)

cooling rack

wet ingredients:

1 1/2  cup pitted honey dates

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil 

1 cup coconut nectar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1  tbsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup ground hemp hearts -- should practically be a paste

dry ingredients:

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground

1 cup sunflower seed flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 tbsp ground vanilla 

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup raw cacao powder

coconut sugar to sprinkle on top -- use plenty, it's awesome that way.

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. pour the hot water over dates in a bowl, and let sit for about 10 minutes to soften, along with the coconut oil, so it can  melt

2. in a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients save for the coconut sugar for sprinkling. mix really well until completely homogeneous

3. To the melted coconut oil, water, and date mixture add the coconut nectar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract,  and I will add the hemp hearts at this point, then puree the whole thing with a hand blender (immersion blender)

4. mix the pureed wet ingredients into the dry ingredients

5. divide the mixture into 2 square silicone baking pans

6. sprinkle the top with a little coconut sugar (or a lot -- I like a lot -- a couple of tbsp not tsp)

7. bake at 345 for 60 minutes

8. allow to cool in the pan before removing

Cacao and Hemp Energy Balls -- delicious whole food fuel for vegans

My son calls these snowballs. The coconut on the outside is mostly so they won't be sticky. Crushed pecans or almonds would work too, but we were keeping it all nut free. One of my son's friend's has an allergy to nuts, and we like to have snacks he can enjoy too. These are delicious, balanced, snackable, satisfying, and perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. I hope you like 'em as much as we do!

ingredients:

1 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2  cups shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground chia

3/4  cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1  tsp ground vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates -- picked through

1 or 2 tbsp vanilla extract or water

directions:

For this recipe you will need a food processor or something that can also function like a food processor.

1. process hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, ground chia, raw cacao, sea salt, and ground vanilla until perfectly reduced to dust.
2. add dates and pulse until combined well. Or until you lose your mind.
3. add vanilla and as little water as possible whilst running the processor until a thick dough forms. (Do not add too much water. If it isn't stuck together in a blob and is crumbly or sandy  looking, you need more water. If it's like a paste, you've added to much, and you won't be able to make it into balls. Press it into a silicone pan and chill, then cut into small squares if you end up adding too much water. It will still be delicious.)
4. let sit for a while
5. roll into balls, and roll the balls in shredded coconut. 

Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Ganaaaaaaaaaache

So it's like this. I was under orders by Spoiled Rotten Kid to make a double-decker chocolate cake with chocolate icing. This one whipped up in a trice, and is pretty darn wholesome. The taste is delicious, and it's rich and gooey and pleasing in the ways that chocolate cake should be.

Anyway, I mixed all the ingredients save the water together, and then added the water and mixed that. Which means the ingredients can be combined ahead of time, and just turned into batter when ready to bake.

Super simple and super easy, even if I did use both coconut sugar and date sugar. The main criticism people have of my recipes is that they can have too many ingredients. Hopefully this will seem simple all the same.


The frosting is thick and gooey, and made of good things like dates, coconut oil, and cacao. The two together make a really nice dessert that has none of the sin and all of the virtue.

Chocolate Layer Cake:

ingredients:

1/4 cup finely ground chia
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup date sugar
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup almond flour (or use raw sunflower seeds and make a fine flour by grinding them up)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups water


directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chia, tapioca starch, date sugar, coconut sugar chickpea flour, almond flour, cacao, baking soda, ground vanilla bean, and sea salt. If you don't use ground vanilla bean and instead like vanilla extract, please don't add that here.
2. Stir all the ingredients together until it's a nice homogeneous mixture.
3. It's a dry, shelf-stable concoction, and you can either use it now, or put it in a sealed container to make your cake later.
4. If you choose to use it now, prepare 2 round 8 inch baking pans by covering them well with coconut oil and using parchment paper rounds to line them. Preheat your oven to 345.
5. add in the 2 cups of water to your dry ingredients, and mix really really well. If you're using vanilla extract instead of ground vanilla bean, you can add it here. Yay! Mix!
6. evenly divide the batter into the 2 pans.
7. bake at 345 for about 40 minutes, or until the top is resilient.
8. remove from the oven, let cool a little in the pans, then run a knife around the edge of the pans, and gently tip out the cakes and place on a cooling rack
9. I often let cakes cool before removing the baking parchment.




Thick Gooey Ganache Frosting:

You'll need an immersion blender or another blender for this ...

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup pitted honey dates
1 cup hot water (just boiled is good)
1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil


1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt


1/2 cup raw cacao



directions:
1. combine the hot water, dates, and coconut oil. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to fully soften dates.
2. add the sea salt and vanilla extract, and puree with an immersion blender until beautifully smooth,
3. stir in the cacao
4. cool. I stuck it in the refrigerator for a little while.
5. use. It was perfect for generously filling and frosting an 8 inch double decker round cake. Or eat by the spoonful. I dare ya. Double-dog, double-decker dare you.


When the cake is cool and the frosting chilled, assemble your cake. When you layer a cake, get an appropriate plate, and place the first layer top side down. The bottom side is flat and even, and makes a much more receptive layer for frosting. Some pros will shave off the top of the cake to make it flatter, but I'm of the flip-it-over school of cake layering. Put a generous portion of the frosting on the first layer, and spread it gently towards the edges. Top with the second layer, nesting it securely onto the bed of frosting you have put down. Make sure the second layer goes top side down, so the flat bottom (tee hee) is upper-most. Scoop frosting onto the second layer, and smooth out towards the edges, and along the sides. This part can take a little practice, but with patience your cake will look very nice. This frosting will show the painterly brush strokes of your application, and not a smooth glassy finish because it's a little sticky. If you want a really smooth glazed look, there is a glaze I made in the past for cake that will achieve that.

Simple Chocolate Energy Bars for Brooke -- 5 ingredients (not including water, vanilla, or salt)

Kim and I came up with this simple, 5 ingredient recipe. Super easy.

If I look at a lot of my recipes with an objective outside perspective, I can see that many are complex and involved, with a whole lot of ingredients. Sure, they are delicious, and good for you. But not everyone has as many ingredients in their pantry as I. So, I shall be making some simpler recipes. I am looking at my life with the desire to simplify and eliminate unnecessary items. And with that simple desire in my heart, I offer you this simple recipe. Mixed mostly by hand. And made with loving kindness.

ingredients:

1/2 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup hot water

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup raw cacao

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional!!!! delicious without. But I love vanilla)

2 cups almond meal or ground almonds

1/4 cup ground chia


directions

1. pulse the dates in the food processor until paste
2. mix dates and hot water in a bowl
3. add the coconut oil and let it melt
4. mix in the cacao, salt, vanilla bean
5. mix in the ground almonds
6. mix in the ground chia
7. press into a silicone pan, using parchment to flatten it nicely
8. cut using the edge of a metal spatula before chilling
9. chill in freezer
10. remove from pan and store in an airtight container in the fridge

Chocolate Ripple for Vanilla Date Ice Cream -- A vegan, nut free, sugar free, whole foods dessert

So, this happened. This sensual and charismatic marriage of two disparate -- but not desperate -- parts. The perfect and lyrical union of resonant, vocal, insistent chocolate, and mellow, rich delectable vanilla. We used to adore our chocolate ice cream -- so dark and creamy and in-your-face chocolatey ... And then we got on our Vanilla Date ice cream kick, somehow suggestive of caramel and naughty deliciousness. But then the voices in my  head -- the voices that say 'what if', not the ones that say to do bad things -- suggested the vanilla date might be great with a ripple of fudge running through it ... Actually, it was my son who made me think this. He'd take a little vanilla and a little chocolate in his bowl and then sort of let them melt a little and then smoosh them together (smoosh is a word, right?) Well, this fudge swirl is a little thicker to give it substance and difference of texture. More like a deep and decadent fudge kick than chocolate ice cream. This spontaneous fudge swirl is the perfect partner for such a spunky vanilla. The result: a rich, creamy, wonderful taste treat. Vegan, gluten free, sweetened with date and coconut nectar, full of such wonders as cacao and coconut milk. Amazing. Genius. We've done it again.

fudge swirl:

ingredients:
1  cup hot water
1 cup pitted dates
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao

1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

directions:

1. combine the ingredients
2. let sit for at least 10 minutes to fully soften dates and melt oil
3. puree with a hand blender
4. let cool


vanilla date ice cream:

ingredients:

2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup dates (pitted or take the pits out)
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut nectar


2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt


directions:

1. In a large bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water.
2. add your coconut oil
3. add your dates, followed by the coconut nectar
4. let the whole thing sit for 10 minutes to soften
5. using a hand blender or a blender, blend until perfect homogenized and smooth
6. add the vanilla extract, sea salt, and coconut milk
7. process a little more
8. let cool fully
9. freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions



Now for the fun part -- you'll either need a container large enough to contain all of the above, or you can use 2 containers like I did.

Divide the ice cream into the two container (or one container), and add the fudge. Then, randomly fold or swirl. But don't mix!!

Freeze!!!!!!!

Eat!!!!!!

Swoon ....


:)

Vanilla Date Ice Cream

This is the story of an ice cream named Vanilla Date who had a bit of an identity crisis, because people got the wrong impression when they heard the name vanilla date. I mean, who, really, equates dates with a decadent ice cream? But vanilla date was decadent. Rich, creamy, sweet, delectable, sophisticated, and ready for a long term relationship.

Unfortunately, we are already in a long term relationship with chocolate. But then we kind of broke up. And guess what? There was vanilla date, ready to pick up the pieces of our shattered dreams. A respite from chocolate, absolutely.

Not that there is anything wrong with eating chocolate ice cream often. Very very often. But just in time, along came this chocolate alternative. Something fresh, and just a little bit naughty. The hit is vanilla, but somehow there is a little caramel tease going on. Not sure where that comes from.

The texture is light and soft and incredibly creamy. A new family fave. No complaints here from anyone.

ingredients:

2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup dates (pitted or take the pits out)
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut nectar


2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt


directions:

1. In a large bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water.
2. add your coconut oil
3. add your dates, followed by the coconut nectar
4. let the whole thing sit for 10 minutes to soften
5. using a hand blender or a blender, blend until perfect homogenized and smooth
6. add the vanilla extract, sea salt, and coconut milk
7. process a little more
8. chill
9. freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions
10. serve by itself, make into ice cream sandwiches, use to top brownies ...

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Eggs

We thought it would be fun to make two kinds of easter eggs this year. Plain ol' chocolate, and peanut butter chocolate. If you like peanut butter chocolate, you may enjoy these, too. I thought of Sandra and Dave while making these, because they share my appreciation for that delectable organic lightly salted peanut butter .... or in Dave's case, perhaps addiction is a more appropriate word ...

ingredients:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp stevia powder
2  tbsp ground vanilla

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates
1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 or 2 tbsp water

directions:

1. combine the hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, coconut, raw cacao, sea salt, stevia powder, and ground vanilla in a food processor, and process until as homogeneous as possible
2. add the honey dates and the vanilla and water and pulse and then process until it starts to form a 'dough'. Don't stop processing until this happens!! If necessary add the second tbsp of water.
3. roll the dough into small egg shapes
4. how many you get will depend on the size. I got about 50.

Chocolate Easter Eggs V 2.0

So, we made our eggs again this year. My son is crazy about them. They look cute, they are good for you, and we had a lot of fun drawing on the foil with sharpies to make the wrappers. Win, win, and win!

ingredients:

1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raw cacao
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp stevia powder
2  tbsp ground vanilla

1 1/2 cups pitted honey dates

1 or 2 tbsp vanilla extract or water

directions:

1. combine the hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, coconut, raw cacao, sea salt, stevia powder, and ground vanilla in a food processor, and process until as homogeneous as possible
2. add the honey dates and the vanilla and pulse and then process until it starts to form a 'dough'. Don't stop processing until this happens!! If you need to add more water for this to happen, add it just a bit at a time.
3. roll the dough into small egg shapes
4. how many you get will depend on the size. I got about 40.