February 14, 2010

Valentine’s Day Nanaimo Bars

veganized
Valentine’s Day Nanaimo Bars
Bottom Layer
½ cup vegan butter
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8? x 8? pan.

Second Layer
½ cup vegan butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. vegan cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla vegan custard powder
2 cups vegan icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer
4 squares vegan semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. vegan butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator. Slice with a warm knife when ready to serve.

Notes:
Simply added a little pink gel dye to the middle layer to make it pink.
You can use the microwave for the bottom layer and the third layer.
Make sure you use a warm knife to slice the bars or the chocolate layer may separate.

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Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini

Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini
1.5 ounces vegan dark chocolate liqueur
1 ounce cherry vodka
1 ounce vegan creamer or plant milk
1/2 cup ice
vegan chocolate syrup
maraschino cherry

1. In a cocktail shaker combine chocolate liqueur, cherry vodka, half and half and ice. Shake vigorously.
2. Squeeze chocolate syrup into the bottom of a chilled martini glass. Pour martini over the top. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

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Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies veganized
For the cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. vegan butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg substitute
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup vegan buttermilk, at room temperature
1 oz. red food coloring

For the frosting:
8 oz. vegan cream cheese
5 tbsp. vegan butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups vegan confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Using a heart template cut out from card stock, trace evenly spaced hearts onto pieces of parchment paper sized to fit two cookie sheets. Place the parchment on the cookie sheets so that the side you have drawn on is facing down; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated. Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients. Do not overheat. Blend in the food coloring.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the heart tracings as a guide. Bake 7-9 minutes or until the tops are set, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack. Repeat with any remaining batter. Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.

Transfer the frosting to a clean pastry bag fitted with a plain, round tip. Pair the cookies up by shape and size.

Flip one cookie of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.

Pipe frosting onto the flat-sided cookie of each pair, leaving the edges clear. Sandwich the cookies together so the flat sides are facing each other and press gently to help the filling reach the edges. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container.

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Valentine Sandwich Cookies

Valentine Sandwich Cookies
1 cup vegan butter
1 1/2 cups vegan confectioners' sugar
1 egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and confectioners' sugar. Add in egg, vanilla and almond extract. Mix well.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; blend into the butter mixture. Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls.
3. Working with 1/3 of dough at a time, roll out dough into desired thickness on a lightly floured surface. For each heart sandwich cookie, cut out 2 3-inch hearts. Cut out the center of ONE of the 3-inch hearts with the 1 1/2-inch cutter.
4. Place each piece separately on an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 - 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated, 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until lightly browned (7-8 minutes for 1/4 inch thick cookies). Cool completely on wire rack. Frost bottom cookie with Pink Valentine Frosting and place an open centered cookie on top to form the sandwich. Also frost the small 1 1/2 inch hearts and serve as separate cookies.

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Valentine Pizza

veganized
Valentine Pizza
3 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can pizza sauce
3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
15 slices vegan pepperoni
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives

1. Place bread flour, yeast, water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough setting. Press Start. When the dough is finished, knead rosemary into the dough.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Divide the dough into three portions. Shape each piece into a heart shape about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with remaining olive oil, and spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on each pizza. Sprinkle cheese over pizza sauce, and arrange tomatoes, zucchini, pepperoni, and sliced olives on top.
4. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and crust is browned.

Tips: Bake pizza on a pizza stone for best results. For more heart shapes, cut tomato into slices, and then cut slices into heart shapes. Do the same to the zucchini and the pepperoni.

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
1 cup vegan chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups vegan white chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegan creamer or plant milk
3 (8 ounce) packages vegan cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg substitutes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with vegan creamer or plant milk, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Add egg substitutes and blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

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More Valentine's Day Recipes

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Valentine Pizza
Valentine Sandwich Cookies
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini
Valentine’s Day Nanaimo Bars

Remember to check back here daily for new posts, and e-mail me me if you have any suggestion post or know any more sites relating to this post.