Vegan baking

vegetarianforlife.org.uk

Discover how to create a range of tastyvegan bakes – from light, airy sponges, totraditional puddings, and eggless meringue

£2wheresold

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IntroductionVegan baking is enjoying a wave ofpopularity. In recent years, a number ofready-made vegan cakes havelaunched in supermarkets – and manycatering suppliers have beenincreasing their vegan ranges, too.

With the number of vegans on therise – almost trebling in UK residentialcare homes, according to Vegetarianfor Life’s recent survey – the demandfor satisfying vegan desserts isincreasing, too.

Just because someone chooses to bevegan doesn’t mean that they shouldmiss out on their favourite sweet treats.Enjoyment of food is an importantaspect of life. And if someone isreceiving care, food can feel moreimportant still. The smells and tastes ofbaking can evoke fond memories. Ifsomeone is struggling to eat and losingweight, providing a tempting slice oftheir favourite cake and a cuppa can bean easy, enjoyable way for them to getthose much-needed extra calories.

Even if someone isn’t vegan, theymight still exclude eggs or dairy fromtheir diet because of allergies orreligious beliefs. By learning andapplying the secrets of vegan baking,you will ensure that your tasty bakescan be enjoyed by all.

Moving away from using dairy andeggs might seem difficult at first. But afew simple switches will enable you toenjoy your favourite baked treats,animal-product free.

We hope that this guide providesplenty of inspiration. If it has sparkedyour appetite to learn more, Vegetarianfor Life also runs one-day veganbaking courses for professionalcaterers. These will give your team thetools for success to use tried-and-tested egg- and dairy- replacements tocreate a variety of delicious desserts.

Happy vegan baking!

Vegetarian for Lifeinfo@vegetarianforlife.org.uk0161 257 088783 Ducie Street, Manchester M1 2JQ

Vegetarian for Life is a charityregistered in England and Wales,number 1120687Company number 6294709 © Vegetarian for Life 2020

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ContentsIntroduction 2Tips for egg- and dairy-free baking 4 Egg replacement guide 5

RECIPES Cakes and biscuits:Lemon shortbread biscuits 7Victoria sponge cake 8Fruit scones 10Brownies 11Banana bread 12Savoury rosemary and rye muffins 13Rich fruit cake 15Chocolate orange cake 16Puddings:Sticky toffee pudding 19Lemon meringue pie 20Pies and pastries:M’hancha 23Puff pastry tartlets 24Chocolate and orange pumpkin pie 27Creamy mushroom and ‘chicken’ pie 28

Accompaniments: 29Vegan afternoon tea 29Simple vegan custard 30Cashew cream 30Easy ‘cheat’ products 31Vegan butters and margarines 32Cake decoration 32Ready-made cakes 33Vegan biscuits 35

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Tips for egg- and dairy-free bakingVegan baking is much easier than youmight think – often all you need to dois make a few simple swaps. Here areour roving chefs’ top tips for successfulvegan baking.

1. Switch butter for a dairy-freealternative such as Pure, Vitalite,Naturli or the Stork baking block.

2. If a recipe requires milk, simplyswap it for a plant-basedalternative, such as soya or almondmilk.

3. When it comes to alternatives toegg for baking projects, differentrecipes require differentapproaches – not all substituteswork interchangeably. Somereplacements work well for cookiesand bars, some are good for thelighter batters of cakes and quickbreads, while others can also lendthemselves well to savoury baking.See our egg replacement chart onpages 5 and 6.

Simple swapsl Apple crumble – simply substitute

butter for vegan butter ormargarine.

l Pies/sausage rolls – use Jus-Rol oranother vegan alternative ready-made pastry.

l Cheesecake – use vegan-friendlybiscuits and vegan butter for thebase. Swap the topping ingredientsfor vegan products such as vegancream cheese. Why not try makinga Lotus Biscoff cheesecake usingLotus Biscoff brand biscuits for thebase, and Lotus Biscoff spread inthe topping?

l Scones – switch butter for veganbutter/margarine and milk for aplant-based alternative.

l Bread – yeast should be vegan.Skip the egg wash and try brushingwith soya or oat milk instead.

l Banana bread – skip the eggbecause bananas are a great egg-replacement.

l Any meringue-type recipe – useaquafaba (see egg replacementguide).

l Butter icing – simply swap butterfor a dairy-free alternative.

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Egg replacement guide EGGREPLACERCommercialegg replacer,e.g. Ener-GEgg or OrgranNo Egg

Banana

Apple cidervinegar andbakingpowder

Flaxseed(linseed) andchia seed

HOW MUCH(EQUIVALENT TO 1 EGG)1½ teaspoon and 2tablespoons water – useas directed on thepacket.

½ a medium-largebanana, mashedthoroughly.

1 teaspoon of bakingpowder/soda mixed with1 tablespoon of vinegar.You could also use whitevinegar.

Mix 1 tablespoon offinely ground brown flaxor white chia seedpowder with 3tablespoons of water.Whisk thoroughly and letsit for 5–10 minutes.Keep in mind that flaxand chia are highlyperishable once theseeds are ground.

BEST USED INBiscuits/cookies –items that arecrispy.

Use in bananacake. Workswell inpancakes too.Will of courseadd bananaflavour to adish.

Works well forcakes andsponges.

Works well insavourydishes such aspastries, andsweet orsavourymuffins.

AVAILABLE FROMHealth foodshops,supermarket free-from/specialtyfood shelves.

Widely available.

Supermarkets andhealth food shops.

Most supermarketsand health foodshops.

EGGREPLACERApple sauce

Aquafaba: Thisis the liquidfrom a can ofchickpeas. Theprotein fromthe beansleaches outinto the waterand makesthat watervery similar inbehaviour toegg whites

Silken tofu

Gram flour

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HOW MUCH(EQUIVALENT TO 1 EGG)60g or 4 tablespoons.

3 tablespoons ofaquafaba is equivalent toabout 1 whole egg, while2 tablespoons ofaquafaba is equivalent toabout one egg white. A400g can of chickpeasyields approximately 8 to12 tablespoons.

56 grams or ¼ cup.

3 tablespoons of flourmixed with 3tablespoons of water.

BEST USED INWorks well inmoist bakessuch assponges,various cakes,and brownies.

It’s especiallygood formeringues;we’d say it’seven betterthan eggwhite. Alsomacarons,mayonnaise,mousse.

Good forquiche, inmousse andcan be addedto certaindishes to fortify.

A good binderand leaveningagent. Goodfor scones,cookies andbiscotti. Canalso be usedto makeomelettes,pancakes andquiches.

AVAILABLE FROMMostsupermarkets,some cateringsuppliers or makeyour own.

Widely available.

Supermarkets andmany cateringsuppliers.

Mostsupermarkets andhealth food shops.

Lemon shortbread biscuitsTime to prepare 10 minutesTime to cook 10–15 minutesMakes approximately 20 biscuits Gluten-free

l 125g/scant 4½oz gluten-free plainflour. I used Doves Farm whentesting this recipe

l Pinch of saltl 75g/generous 2½oz vegan

margarine, straight from the fridgel 45g/1½oz caster sugar plus a little

extra to sprinkle on top of thebiscuits

l 1 lemon, zest only

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4.2 Place the flour, salt and margarineinto a bowl and gently rub in with yourfingertips.3 Add the sugar and lemon zest. Stir,then bring together into a ball.4 Dust your work surface and rollingpin with a little flour and gently roll outthe dough. 5 Cut the dough into biscuits and placeonto a lined baking sheet. Dust thebiscuits with a little extra sugar. 6 Bake for 10–15 minutes or until golden.As the biscuits cool, they will crispen.

CHEF’S TIP Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days

CAKES & BISCUITS

Victoria sponge cake Time to prepare 50 minutes (including30 minutes cooling time)Time to cook 30 minutes Serves 8

For the spongel 1¼ cups/310ml almond milk l 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar l The liquid from 1 x 400g tin

chickpeasl 8 tbsp vegan butter, softened to

room temperaturel 1½ cups/335g/generous 11¾oz

granulated sugar

l 2 tsp pure vanilla extractl 2¾ cups/300g/10½oz flour l 1 tbsp baking powderl ½ tsp salt

For the buttercreaml 1 cup (16 tablespoons) vegan butter,

softened to room temperature l 4 cups/480g/generous 1lb icing

sugarl 1 tsp pure vanilla extractl 1–2 tbsp almond milk or vegan milk

of choice

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1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4. Grease two 23cm cake tins andline with greased parchment paper.Sprinkle lightly with flour.2 In a measuring cup, combine thealmond milk and vinegar. Let it sit for afew minutes until it curdles.3 Drain the chickpeas to collect theliquid from the can. With a handheldmixer, mix on low-to-medium speedfor about 1 minute, until light andfoamy. Set aside.4 In a large bowl, add the softenedbutter and sugar. Stir to combine. 5 Beat on medium speed with thehandheld mixer for about 3 minutes oruntil light and fluffy. Add the vanillaextract and combine.6 Using a low speed, add the almondmilk mixture and aquafaba and mix.Next add the flour. Sprinkle the bakingpowder and salt on top of the flour andmix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, until wellcombined.7 Divide the batter equally betweenthe cake tins. Bake for 30–35 minutes,or until a knife inserted comes outclean.

8 Let the cake cool in the cake tins for5–10 minutes. 9 To remove from the tins, run a knifearound the edges to loosen, thencarefully invert the cakes onto yourhand. Remove the parchment paperand place on a wire rack to coolcompletely.

For the buttercream:1 Using a mixer, beat the vegan butterfor about 2 minutes, until light andfluffy. Reduce the speed, then add in 2 cups of icing sugar, and the vanillaextract. 2 Beat on low, then switch to mediumspeed and beat for a couple of minutesuntil light and fluffy. 3 Add in the remaining icing sugar andmix. If the buttercream seems too thick,add more milk. If the buttercreamseems too thin, add more icing sugaruntil a desirable consistency is reached.4 Spread the buttercream evenly onthe bottom cake layer. Place thesecond cake layer on top. Top thesecond layer with more buttercream,and ice the sides as well. Decorate asdesired and serve.

CHEF’S TIP This recipe can be easily adapted. For example, add lemon juice andzest to the buttercream, and fill with vegan lemon curd instead of jam to make atasty lemon-flavoured cake instead

CAKES & BISCUITS

Fruit sconesTime to prepare 15–20 minutesTime to cook 10 minutesServes 6

l 225g/scant 8oz self-raising flourl Pinch of saltl 50g/1¾oz vegan margarine or

butter l 50g/1¾oz raisinsl 25g/generous ¾oz caster sugarl 120ml plant milk

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gasmark 7.2 Add the flour to a mixing bowl withthe salt.3 Rub the margarine into the flour.4 Add the raisins and sugar and mixtogether.5 Add the milk and mix to a soft dough.If the mix is too wet add a little flour, orif too dry add a little more plant milk.6 Roll out onto a floured surface toapproximately 2 cm thick. Cut into roundsand place on a greased baking tray.7 Bake for 10–12 minutes until risenand golden brown.8 Serve with soya or coconut creamand jam.

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CHEF’S TIP Try making savoury scones by leaving out the sugar and raisins. Add dried herbs and grated vegan cheese instead

CHEF’S TIP Extra special when served warm with vegan cream or ice cream. See page 29

Brownies Time to prepare 15 minutes Time to cook 30 minutes Makes 16 slices

l ²⁄3 cup/145g/generous 5oz coconutoil

l 180g/generous 6¼oz dairy-freedark chocolate, broken into pieces

l ½ cup/120ml aquafaba (see noteon page 6)

l ¾ cup/150g/scant 5¹⁄3oz sugar l 1 tsp vanilla extract l 1½ cup/150g/scant 5¹⁄3oz chickpea

flour, sifted if lumpy l ¼ cup/20g/generous ²⁄3oz cocoa

powder l ½ tsp baking soda

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gasmark 2. Lightly grease or line a20x20cm (approx) baking tin with somecoconut oil. 2 Place the coconut oil and chocolatepieces together in a small bowl over apan of hot water and gently melt untilsmooth. Once melted, put to one sideto cool slightly. 3 In a mixing bowl, whisk the aquafabaand the sugar together with an electricmixer until thick and glossy. Mix in thevanilla extract and the meltedchocolate mixture. 4 Stir in the chickpea flour, cocoapowder and baking soda. Mix until youhave a thick batter.

5 Pour the batter into the greasedbaking tin. Bake for around 30 minutes. 6 Insert a knife into the centre of thebrownies. If it comes out with a wetbatter it needs a little more time to cook.Check every 3–4 minutes until it’scooked and then remove from the oven. 7 Let the brownies cool in the tincompletely before slicing them intosquares.

CAKES & BISCUITS

Banana bread Time to prepare 10 minutes Time to cook 40 minutes Serves 8

l 3 large overripe bananasl 75ml vegetable oil l 100g/3½oz brown sugarl 225g/scant 8oz self-raising flour l 1 heaped tsp baking powderl 1 tsp cinnamonl 50g/1¾oz dark chocolate drops

(ensure that they’re dairy-free)

1 Heat the oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4. 2 Mash the bananas well with a fork.3 Mix the oil and sugar together andthen add the mashed bananas.4 Add the flour, baking powder,cinnamon, and mix well. Next add thechocolate drops. 5 Bake in a greased, lined 2lb loaf tinfor approximately 20 minutes. Checkand cover with foil if the cake isbrowning. Bake for another 20 minutesor until a skewer comes out clean.6 Allow to cool a little before serving.

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CHEF’S TIP Instead of chocolate drops you could add dried fruit or nuts

CHEF’S TIP Best enjoyed fresh. Can be stored at room temperature in a well-sealed container for up to 3 days or frozen for longer term storage. Deliciousplain, or served warm with a little vegan butter

Savoury rosemary and rye muffinsTime to prepare 15 minutesTime to cook 15–20 minutesMakes 6 large muffins or 12 smallerones

l 1 flax egg (1 tbsp/7g groundflaxseed + 2½ tbsp/37ml water)

l ¾ cup/180ml unsweetened almond,soy or oat milk

l ¾ cup/100g/3½oz) self-raising flourl 1¼ cups/155g rye flour (or use all-

purpose flour)l 1 tbsp baking powderl ½ tsp sea saltl 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, stems

removed, roughly chopped l 6 tbsp room temperature coconut

oil (scoopable, not liquid or frozen)or use vegan butter

1 Preheat oven to 210°C/410°F/gasmark 6. Line a muffin tin tray withmuffin cases.2 Prepare the flax egg in a small mixingbowl, then add the milk.3 In a separate mixing bowl, combineflours, baking powder, salt, androsemary.4 Add coconut oil and use your fingersto rub the oil into the flour so that it’scrumbly and breadcrumb-like.5 Whisk the flax/milk mixture and addto the dry ingredients a little at a time,while stirring with a wooden spoon. 6 Gently transfer to a floured surface.Use a spoon to divide the mixturebetween the muffin cases.7 Bake for 15–20 minutes or until fluffyand light golden brown on top. Letcool slightly before enjoying.

CAKES & BISCUITS

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Rich fruit cakeFruit cake needs no introduction. Thisrecipe works well as a standard cake orcan be topped with marzipan and icingfor a Christmas cake.

Time to prepare 20 minutesTime to cook 2 hours 30 minutesServes 16

l 300g/10½oz mixed dried fruitl 110g/generous 3¾oz candied peell 100g/3½oz glace cherries, sliced

in halfl 50g/1¾oz dried cranberriesl 100ml brandy (or use orange juice

instead)l 160g/generous 5½oz dark brown

sugarl 30g/1oz black treaclel 1 tsp red wine vinegarl 175g/generous 6oz vegan

margarinel Zest of an orange and lemonl 120ml soya milkl ½ tsp cinnamon l ½ tsp nutmegl ¼ ginger powderl 60g/generous 2oz ground almondsl 340g/12oz plain flourl ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 Preheat the oven to 140°C/280°F/gasmark 1.2 Place all the dried fruits into a bowland add the brandy. Allow to stand for30 minutes. This will help the fruit toswell. The longer you leave it, the morethe fruit will plump up so feel free todo this overnight. 3 To the fruit add the sugar, treacle,vinegar, margarine, orange and lemonzest. Stir gently until the margarine hasmixed in. 4 Add the soya milk, spices, groundalmonds and mix. 5 Line a round cake tin (24cm x 7cm)with greaseproof paper. 6 Sift in the flour and bicarbonate ofsoda to the cake mixture and gentlystir. Don’t over stir because this willmake the cake too heavy.7 Place your cake into the oven for 2hours and 30 minutes. Test to see if thecake is cooked by carefully sliding in askewer. If it comes out clean the cake isdone. If uncooked cake mixture is lefton the skewer pop back in the oven foranother 10 minutes and retest.

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CHEF’S TIP Perfect with a cup of tea. Tastes great with a simple apricot glaze

CAKES & BISCUITS

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Chocolate orange cakeTime to prepare 30 minutes (plus timeto allow the sponge to cool)Time to cook 30 minutesMakes 8 slices

For the cakel 240g/8½oz self-raising flourl 125g/scant 4½oz caster sugar l 1½ tsp bicarbonate powderl 25g/generous ¾oz cocoa powderl 50g/1¾oz ground almonds l 130g/4½oz vegan margarine,

gently meltedl ½ tsp almond essencel ½ tsp vanilla essencel 200ml soya milkl 125g/scant 4½oz vegan natural yoghurt l Zest of 1 orange

For the fillingl 30g/1oz cocoa powderl 100g/3½oz icing sugarl 50g/1¾oz soya creaml ½ tsp almond essencel ½ tsp vanilla essence

For the chocolate orange toppingl 150g/scant 5¹⁄3oz dark chocolatel Zest of 1 orange

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4.2 Sift the flour into a large bowl andadd all of the remaining dryingredients. Set to one side.

3 In a large mixing bowl, add all of thewet ingredients and combine.4 Fold all the dry ingredients into thewet ingredients. 5 Divide the mixture into three linedcake tins and bake for 15 minutes. Afterthis time the cake should have risen. Tocheck it is cooked, carefully slide askewer into the middle of the cake. If itcomes out clean it is done. 6 While the cake is baking make thefilling by combining all of the fillingingredients until smooth, then placingin the fridge. Once chilled, your mixtureshould have a thick consistency. If toothin, add a little extra cocoa powder.7 Next make the topping. Break thechocolate into a bowl and add theorange zest. Balance the bowl over apan with a little water in it. 8 Gently heat until the chocolate startsto melt. 9 Once melted, turn the heat off butleave over the pan. This will allow thechocolate to stay melted for longeruntil ready for use.10 When the cake is completely cool, setthe base layer onto your serving plate.Carefully spread half of the filling ontothe top and add the second sponge. 11 Repeat with the remaining fillingand add the final sponge.12 Spoon the melted chocolate overthe top and serve straight away whilethe chocolate is still warm.

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CHEF’S TIP Slice while the chocolate is still soft because once set the cake canbe harder to cut

CAKES & BISCUITS

Sticky toffee puddingTime to prepare 20 minutesTime to cook 40 minutesServes 6–8 portions

l 200ml soya milkl 200g/7oz pitted dates, choppedl 1 tbsp black treaclel 1 tsp vanilla essencel 100g/3½oz vegan margarinel 80g/generous 2¾oz soft brown

sugarl 100g/3½oz walnuts, finely choppedl 200g/7oz self-raising flourl 1 tsp baking powder

For the toffee saucel 50g/1¾oz soft brown sugarl 100g/3½oz light brown sugarl 50g/1¾oz soya milkl 1 tsp vanilla essencel Small pinch of salt

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4.2 Place the soya milk, dates and treacleinto a saucepan and gently heat.Simmer for a few minutes or until thedates start to break up. Mash themixture or blend with an electric hand blender. 3 Add the vanilla, margarine, sugar andnuts. Continue to gently heat until themargarine has melted. Remove fromthe heat.

4 Sift the flour and baking powder andfold into the cake mixture. Don’t overmix because this will result in a heavycake.5 Transfer the mixture to a greasedround ovenproof dish, 5cm deep by23cm across. Other shapes will workfine but the mixture should cover thebase to a depth of approximately 4cm.6 Bake for 35 minutes. Test if the cake iscooked by gently inserting a skewer. Ifnot cooked, return to the oven foranother 5 minutes and retest. 7 While the cake is cooking, make thesauce. Simply place all of the sauceingredients into a pan and gentlysimmer for 10 minutes. 8 When the cake is cooked, removefrom the oven and gently make a seriesof holes in it with a skewer. The holeswill allow the sauce to soak into thecake. Spoon half of the sauce over thetop. Serve each portion with a smallspoonful of additional toffee sauce.

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CHEF’S TIP For an extra treat, serve with vegan custard or ice-cream

PUDDINGS

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Lemon meringue pie Time to prepare 30 minutesTime to cook 1 hour 10 minutesMakes 6–8 slices

l 250g/generous 7¾oz veganshortcrust pastry (e.g. Jus-Rol)

For the lemon curd fillingl 200ml lemon juicel 50ml waterl 4 tsp cornflourl 100g/3½oz caster sugarl Zest of 2 lemons

For the meringue toppingl The liquid from 1 x 400g tin chickpeasl 100g/3½oz caster sugarl 1½ tsp xanthan gum

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gas mark 4. 2 Carefully roll out the pastry and line apie dish, approximately 22cm x 3cm.Cover the pastry with greaseproofpaper and add baking beans.3 Bake for 15 minutes. Remove thepaper and beans then return to the ovenfor 5 more minutes or until cooked. 4 While the pastry is baking, make thelemon filling. Place all of the lemoncurd ingredients into a saucepan andheat gently, stirring constantly. Thefilling will thicken as it warms. 5 Taste your filling before it’s added to

the pastry in case you want to adjust thesweetness. Bear in mind the meringue issweet and it’s nice to have a contrast ofsharp lemon and sweet meringue. 6 When cooked, allow to cool slightlybefore adding it to the cooked piecase. Place the whole pie into thefridge to allow the lemon curd to chilland set. As it cools it will become moreviscous and will sit on the pastry. 7 Next, make the meringue. Drain thechickpeas well, retaining the water(aquafaba). Pour the aquafaba into alarge bowl or food mixer.8 Whisk on a high speed until bubblesstart to appear, then add the sugar alittle at a time. When all the sugar hasbeen added, your meringue shouldhave a light bubbly texture. 9 To add structure, add 1½ tsp ofxanthan gum while continuing towhisk. Within a minute the meringuewill thicken. Do not over whip. 10 Add your meringue onto the cooledpie filling and fork into peaks.11 Place under a moderate grill for 1–2minutes until the meringue is a nicegolden colour. Serve straight away orreturn to the fridge to chill. 12 Any spare meringue mix can bepiped into nests and slowly dried outat 100°C/210°F/gas mark ¼ forapproximately 2½ hours.

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CHEF’S TIP Baking beans help to give an even bake and prevent the middle fromrising up. Dried rice or pulses work just as well, but store separately once usedand only use for future bakes. For extra flavour, try adding a drop of vanilla to themeringue when whipping

PUDDINGS

M’hanchaThis is a sweet treat made from filopastry filled with chopped dried fruits,sugar and vanilla, then rolled up andbaked. It has a Christmassy flavour, butperfect all year round, especially with acup of tea or coffee.

Time to prepare 15 minutesTime to cook 20 minutesMakes 15 slices

l 8 sheets of filo pastry (leave thesein the packet until ready to use)

For the fillingl 100g/3½oz vegan margarine,

meltedl 50g/1¾oz caster sugarl 50g/1¾oz glacé cherries, choppedl 100g/3½oz ground almondsl Zest and juice of one orangel 75g/generous 2½oz orange

marmaladel 150g/scant 5¹⁄3oz mixed nuts

chopped and lightly toasted l 1 tsp vanilla essence l ¼ tsp mixed spice

Garnishl A little icing sugarl A few chopped nuts

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4.2 Place half the margarine and all theremaining filling ingredients into abowl and combine. 3 On a large work surface (see chef’s tipbelow) place the filo pastry sheets in arow, overlapping by approximately 5cm.4 Spread the filling out in a line 10cmfrom the top. Quickly drizzle half of theremaining margarine over the pastryand filling. 5 Fold over the left and right edges ofthe pastry to seal the ends. Carefully rollthe pastry from top to bottom. This canbe tricky, but don’t worry if the filobreaks. Once rolled into a sausageshape, carefully form into a coiled snake.6 Carefully transfer to a lined bakingsheet and drizzle on the remainingmargarine. 7 Bake for 20 minutes. 8 Transfer to a large serving plate andgarnish with a few chopped nuts and adusting of icing sugar, or alternatively asquirt of maple syrup. This is a sweettreat so only a small piece is needed.Start with the end of the ‘tail’ and workto the ‘head’!

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CHEF’S TIP You will need a large, clean work surface (e.g. long kitchen worktop)to make this on, so it’s worth clearing an area before starting. This cake will keepwell for up to a week

PIES & PASTRIES

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Puff pastry tartletsThese pastries are bound to impressand can be topped with a variety offruits. If using a different brand ofpastry, always check the label to checkthat it is made to a vegan recipe.

Time to prepare 10 minutesTime to cook 25 minutesMakes 10 tartlets

l 1 x 500g/generous 1lb block veganpuff pastry (e.g. Jus-Rol)

l 220g/7¾oz fruits of the forest, frozen l 30g/1oz caster sugar

Apricot glazel 2 tbsp apricot jaml 1 lemon, juice onlyl 100ml waterl Garnishl A little icing sugar

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4.2 Carefully roll out the pastry until it is1cm thick. Using a scone cutter,approximately 10cm in diameter, cutout the pastry. Place your cut pastryonto a lined baking sheet. 3 Place a small amount of frozen fruitin the centre of each pastry circle, andsprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 20minutes, or until the edges have risenand are golden.4 Carefully place on a cooling rack.While the pastries are baking, place allof the glaze ingredients into asaucepan. Heat gently until the apricotjam has melted. 5 Finally, brush the cooked pastrieswith the glaze and dust with a littleicing sugar.

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CHEF’S TIP I have made these with many other fruits. Both frozen and freshhave worked well

PIES & PASTRIES

Chocolate and orange pumpkin pieTime to prepare 40 minutes Time to cook 30 minutes Chilling time 1 hour 30 minutes Serves 8–12

l 450g/scant 1lb pumpkin/butternutsquash, peeled, deseeded, andchopped into small chunks

l 225g/scant 8oz medium-firm tofu l Ready-made vegan shortcrust pastry l 60g/generous 2oz creamed coconutl 70ml orange, juice and zest l 100g/3½oz sugar l 2 tbsp cornflour l 2 tbsp cocoa

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F/gasmark 4. 2 Place the pumpkin/butternut squashin a microwave-safe dish andmicrowave for 13 minutes.Alternatively, roast them in the oven.This takes longer but brings out thenatural sweetness. 3 Drain the liquid from the tofu andremove from packaging. Place someclean towels on a plate and place thetofu on top. Top with another plate forsome extra weight to further expel theliquid. Leave to drain for at least 10minutes.

4 Line a lightly greased 22cmremovable bottom tart case with theready-made pastry. Blind bake usingbaking beans for 10 minutes. Removethe baking beans and bake for another10 minutes or until the base is cookedand golden brown.5 Meanwhile, place the creamedcoconut in a microwave-safe dish andmicrowave for 30 seconds, mixinghalfway. 6 Place all the other ingredients in abowl. Add the tofu, melted creamedcoconut and cooked pumpkin.7 Mix using a hand blender, starting ona low setting. When it starts to resemblea chunky purée, place it in a foodprocessor in small portions at a time onhigh speed. Blend until smooth andwhite flecks of tofu are barely visible.8 Place the mix in the baked tart caseand smooth with a spatula.9 Bake the pie for 30 minutes untildarker skin forms on the top.10 Remove from the oven and leave tocool at room temperature for at leastan hour. Once cooled, remove from thetart case and refrigerate.

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CHEF’S TIP Serve cold or at room temperature. Tastes great on its own or withvegan cream and even a drizzle of agave nectar

PIES & PASTRIES

VEGAN CREAM l Cashew cream (see recipe page 30)l Oatly oat cream alternative – single

cream for pouring and cooking l Food heaven heavenly whipped

cream alternative – squirty cream l Alpro single soya cream

CUSTARD l Homemade vegan custard

(see recipe page 30) l Bird’s custard powder – this

product is made to vegan recipe,and adding plant milk will make afantastic vegan custard. Somesupermarket brands are also madeto a vegan recipe

l Alpro vanilla soya custard l Oatly vanilla custard

ICE CREAM l Swedish glacel Jude’s ice

cream l Ben and

Jerry’s non-dairy (variousflavours)

l Food heaven l Magnum vegan classicl Many supermarkets sell own-brand

vegan ice cream

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Creamy mushroom and ‘chicken’ pie Time to prepare 25 minutesTime to cook 45 minutes Makes 4 individual pies

Basic fillingl 1 tbsp vegetable oill 1 large onion, finely choppedl 2 garlic cloves, choppedl 1 stick celery, finely choppedl 300g/10½oz mushrooms, slicedl 1 tsp paprikal 300g/10½oz vegan Quorn piecesl 200ml vegetable stockl ½ tsp cornflour, mixed with a little

water l 100ml soya creaml 5g/¹⁄6oz fresh parsley, finely

choppedl 500g/generous 1lb vegan puff

pastry (e.g. Jus-Rol)

1 In a large saucepan, gently sauté theonions for 5 minutes then add thegarlic, celery, mushrooms, paprika andQuorn. Continue to cook for another 5minutes, stirring occasionally.2 Add the stock and cornflour mix andbring to a simmer. If the sauce needsthickening, add a little more cornflourmixed into water.3 Finally add the soya cream andparsley and simmer for a few minutesmore. 4 Transfer the mixture to 1 large piedish or 4 separate dishes.5 Roll out the pastry and top the pies,sealing the edges with a little waterand pressing down with a fork. Markthe pies with a little small pastry V inorder to identify it as vegan.6 Brush the top with a little soya milkand bake at 180°C/360°F/gas mark 4for 25 minutes or until golden andrisen. Serve with a selection ofvegetables and vegan gravy.

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CHEF’S TIP This simple dish can be used in a variety of other ways: as a pancakefiling, served with pasta, a topping for jacket potatoes, or as a base for manyother dishes including curry or lasagne filling

ACCOMPANIMENTS

AccompanimentsThis is not an exhaustive list, but givesyou some ideas for recipes and ready-made products that can be served withyour heavenly vegan bakes.

Vegan afternoon teaNow that you have the recipes, whynot serve a vegan afternoon tea forall of your service users? Vegetarianfor Life has lots of scrumptioussandwich filling ideas and mini pierecipes on its website. Serve withvegan scones, accompanied by jamand cashew cream, slices of Victoriasponge and brownies on beautifultiered cake stands, with small platesand cups and saucers.

Note: Bone china is made fromanimal bone ash and thereforemany vegans would not want to beserved their tea or cakes on this.

Simple vegancustardTime to prepare 5 minutesTime to cook 5 minutesServes 6

l 500ml vegan milk of choice l 1 tbsp vanilla extractl 2 tbsp lemon juicel Pinch sea saltl 60g/generous 2oz white sugarl Pinch of turmeric l 40g/scant 1½oz cornflour/corn

starch l 60ml water

1 Add milk, vanilla, lemon juice, salt,sugar and turmeric to a small saucepan.2 Mix together cornflour/corn starch andwater in separate bowl to form a paste.3 Add the cornflour mix to thesaucepan and place on a medium heat. 4 Gently bring to a boil whilecontinuously stirring with a whisk untilit thickens, then take off heat. Servewith your tasty vegan bakes and enjoy.

Cashew creamThis easy-to-prepare cream alternativecan be used as an accompaniment tomany desserts. Not only does it tastegood, but it also contains a significantamount of protein.

Time to prepare 5 minutesServes 4

l 400g/14oz silken toful 100g/3½oz cashew nutsl 1 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrupl 1 tsp vanilla essence l 100ml soya cream/soya milk

1 Place all the ingredients into a foodprocessor and blend until smooth.Alternatively, a stick blender will workjust as well. 2 For a thinner cream, add a little extrasoya cream or soya milk.

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Easy ‘cheat’ products These products are great for when you’re short of time.

l Betty Crocker cake mix – varietiesinclude: devil’s food cake mix,carrot cake mix, classic vanilla cakemix, chocolate swirl cake mix andchocolate and orange swirl cakemix. Most of the frostings, includingthe ‘cream cheese style’ and‘chocolate fudge’ are also made to avegan recipe. Instead of using eggand oil, these can be made bysimply adding a 300ml can of fizzydrink such as cola to the 500g mix.Put it all in a bowl and mix, andthen bake according to packetinstructions.

l Various supermarket products:Many other supermarket ownbrands of ‘cheat’ cake mixes areavailable. You can also find manyother accidentally vegan ‘cheat’products such as gingerbread kits,brownie mix, doughnut, cookie andcrumble mixes.

l Jus-Rol – manufactures a variety ofready-made pastries including puffand shortcrust. They do make an ‘allbutter’ pastry, which includes butterand isn’t vegan, so always check thelabel. They also make vegancroissants and cinnamon rolls.Supermarkets and cateringsuppliers sell their own versions ofready-made pastry, which are oftenvegan too.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Vegan butters andmargarines l Stork

margarineor Storkcoconut oilfor veganbaking,Naturliveganbutter,Vitalite.

l Flora margarine or Pure spread.

Cake decorationl Marzipan – made from

almonds and sugar soshould usually be vegan.

l Royal icing – usuallymade with egg, andtherefore not suitablefor vegans. Can bemade with aquafaba.

l Icing sugar – will bevegan. Can be made inthe same way – just usevegan butter whenmaking butter icing.

l Cocoa – will be vegan. l Food colouring – many

food colourings arevegan and oftenlabelled. Be careful ofred food colouringbecause it may use carmine orcochineal (E120), which is derivedfrom the cochineal insect andtherefore unsuitable for vegans.

l Ready rollicing, variouscolours – DrOetker andmanysupermarketbrands.

l Icing pens – supermarketand branded, usually vegan.

l Decorations and sprinkles – oftenvegan and labelled.

l Chocolate chips – dark chocolatechips will usually be vegan, butcheck for the presence of milk as anallergen.

l Vegan gelatine – gelatine is not avegan product, but vegan gelatineis available. For example Dr OetkerVege-Gel or Specialist IngredientsVegi Gel.

Ready-made cakes from catering suppliers Below is a list of some of the ready-made vegan cakes available from cateringsuppliers. It is not an endless list, but rather examples of products that areavailable. Various vegan ready-made pastries, creams, ice creams and many othervegan products are available, detailed on pages 29 to 32.

BRAKESbrake.co.uk 0345 606 9090l Vegan salted caramel cakel Vegan browniel Vegan chocolate fudge cakel Vegan and gluten free raspberry

fragipane tartl Vegan carrot and pistachio traybake l Gluten free vegan mixed berry dessertl Lazy day foods fruit cake slice l Many Honeybuns products

including gluten free and veganmillionaire’s slice, vegan and glutenfree cinder toffee brownie, veganand gluten free raspberry bar

l Vegan and gluten free chocolateand coconut tart

l Perfectly baked vegan banana bread l Vegan mini Victoria sponge l Vegan jam roly-poly

BIDFOODbidfood.co.uk 0370 3663 000l Vegan lemon swirl cheesecakel Individual vegan sticky toffee puddingl Mademoiselle desserts including

vegan caramelised biscuit cheesecakel Premium selection vegan salted

caramel chocolate brownie l Premium selection vegan key lime piel Vegan chocolate orange tartl Everyday favourites deep filled

apple pie and fruity flapjackl Vegan apple & plum tartl Vegan Bakewell tartl Vegan chocolate & red velvet cupcakesl Handmade cake co desserts

including vegan chocolate cakel Vegan raspberry & coconut loaf cakel Many Honeybuns cakes and

traybakes including vegan chocolate& salted caramel brownie and veganapple crumble bar traybake

3332

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Ready-made cakes fromsupermarkets In recent years, a number of newready-made cakes were launched inmajor supermarkets. The range andvariety of products available is certainlyset to increase further.

l Oggs’ range of cakes includes zestylemon cake, Victoria sponge andchocolate fudge cakes.

l Asda and Morrisons both haveown-brand vegan cupcakes. Asdahas launched a decorated avocado-shaped chocolate cake.

l Wicked Kitchen range sold in Tescoincludes a sticky toffee pudding andred velvet brownie.

l Just Love Food Company producesa vegan chocolate cake available innumerous supermarkets.

l Lazy Day Foods sells a variety ofproducts including shortbread,Belgian dark chocolate tiffin,Belgian chocolate, rocky road, icedfruit cake slice and millionaire’sshortbread. Products are availableonline or at a variety ofsupermarkets. All products aregluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free,egg-free and of course vegan.

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THOMAS RIDLEYthomasridley.co.uk 01359 270536l Handmade frozen vegan Belgian

chocolate fudge cakel Handmade frozen gluten free

vegan blackcurrant crumblel Handmade frozen vegan apricot,

orange and almond slice

l Sidoli frozen vegan citrus fairy dustcake

l Sidoli vegan devil’s food cakel Mademoiselle desserts frozen

vegan chocolate cakel Gluten free & vegan chocolate and

cherry cheesecakel Erlenbacher frozen vegan apple tart

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ACCOMPANIMENTS

Vegan biscuitsYou don’t need to miss out on yourfavourite biscuits if you’re vegan.Plenty are ‘accidentally vegan’, andthis is just a very brief list. Check thelabel and see below for moreinformation (correct at the time of print).

McVitie’s:Plain and chocolate chip hobnobsDigestive biscuits – recent recipechange so ensure you check thelabel Fruit shortcake

Tesco plain chocolate digestives Lotus biscoff caramelised biscuits Oreos Most ginger biscuits Most bourbon biscuits Many digestive, nice and rich tea biscuits

For more information, see VeganWomble veganwomble.co.uk

Vegetarian for Life (VfL) is the leading authority on diet and healthy living advicefor older vegans and vegetarians. VfL offers training and support for care caterers.

We hope that this guide has provided you with a good introduction to veganbaking. If you are keen to learn more, we offer a one-day vegan baking course.

This covers all the basics of vegan baking and includes practical demonstrationsof a number of recipes. You’ll also have the chance to test your new-found bakingskills on the day under the expert guidance of our experienced chef.

Please get in touch to find out more or to book your place.

Please note that all product informationwas correct at time of print. Alwayscheck the label on products becauserecipes do change and may no longerbe made to a vegan recipe.

VfLUK @VfL_UKT:0161 217 0887info@vegetarianforlife.org.ukvegetarianforlife.org.uk