Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who doesn't love a classic chocolate chip cookie?! These gooey vegan cookies melt in your mouth and taste best warmed, served with vegan ice cream for the ultimate indulgent snack.

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the dairy-free spread into a bowl with the sugar. Beat with an electric hand whisk or wooden spoon until creamy.
2. Add the soy alternative to milk and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Sift in the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine to a dough, then stir through the chopped chocolate.
3. Use a small ice-cream scoop or 2 dessert spoons to put heaped mounds (each weighing about 40g) onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 16-18 mins until lightly golden with slightly darker edges. Remove from the oven, leave on the trays for few minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vegan Brownies

A feel-good family fave, crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle, these brownies are for all the chocolate lovers!

 Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons sunflower oil , plus extra for greasing
• 200 g dairy-free dark chocolate
• 170 g self-raising flour
• 3 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder
• 180 g golden caster sugar
• sea salt
• 1 vanilla pod
• 230 ml unsweetened organic soya milk
• 200 g pecan nuts

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease a square baking tin (roughly 20cm) with a little oil, then line with greaseproof paper.
2. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water. Break 150g of chocolate into the bowl and allow it to melt, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds, then add them to the bowl. Stir in the oil, soya milk and melted chocolate until combined.
4. Roughly chop and stir in the remaining chocolate and most of the pecans, reserving a few for the top. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle over the remaining pecans, then place into the hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked on the outside, but still gooey in the middle.
5. Leave to cool for around 5 minutes, turn out onto a wire cooling rack, then serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you’re feeling extra indulgent.

Vegan Cinnamon Buns

What says winter more than the sweet smell of cinnamon? These delicious caramel cinnamon buns are a must-have for a cosy weekend.

Ingredients

For the cinnamon bun dough

• 475g/1lb 1oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 25g/1oz cornflour
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp salt
• 300–325ml/10–11fl oz soya milk (or almond milk)
• 75g/2½oz dairy-free margarine

For the caramel sauce

• 75g/2½oz dairy-free margarine
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• pinch of salt

For the cinnamon filling

• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g/1¾oz pecans, toasted and chopped
• 200g/7oz spiced apple butter, apple purée or puréed medjool date

 Method

1. Line a 20–21cm/8in square baking tin with a sheet of baking parchment so that it covers the base and comes up the sides of the tin.
2. Tip the strong flour and cornflour into a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a free-standing mixer fitted with a dough hook). Add the yeast, caster sugar, cardamom and salt and mix to combine.
3. Warm the milk either in a small pan, or in the microwave until lukewarm and add to the dry ingredients along with the dairy-free margarine. Mix well to combine, then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and then knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is silky smooth and elastic. (If using the free-standing mixer simply knead the dough in the bowl using the dough hook.)
4. Shape the dough into a ball. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Meanwhile prepare the caramel sauce and apple cinnamon filling. In a small pan, melt together the dairy-free spread, golden syrup and soft light brown sugar. Add a pinch of salt, bubble for 10 seconds and then pour into the prepared tin.
6. To make the cinnamon filling, mix together the soft light brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans in a small bowl. Set aside.
7. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, tip the dough out of the bowl and knead for 30 seconds to knock back any air pockets. Slowly roll the dough into a large, neat rectangle about 50 x 30 cm/20 x 12in and with one of the longer sides nearest to you. Carefully spread the apple butter (or puréed medjool dates) evenly to cover the dough. Scatter with the cinnamon sugar and chopped pecans.
8. Starting with the side nearest to you roll the dough into a neat, long spiral log. Trim the ends to neaten and then cut the log into 9 even-sized slices and place them cut side uppermost in the prepared tin. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until the buns are well risen and springy to the touch.
9. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
10. Remove the cling film and bake the buns on the middle shelf for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Vegan Carrot Cake

Spread a little love in the form of cake! This vegan carrot cake is simply delicious. Make your loved one's day by dropping a slice to their doorstep!

1. Start by making the icing first. Mash the coconut cream with 2 tbsp hot water and the lemon juice until smooth. Add the cashew butter then whisk in the icing sugar followed by the oat milk. Continue to whisk until fully combined, set aside in the fridge until needed.
2. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins with a little of the melted coconut oil and line the bases with baking parchment. Whisk together the oil and sugar, then add the vanilla and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and orange zest in a separate bowl. Add these to the wet mixture and stir well. Finally stir in the carrot and the nuts. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing then cover the top with the remaining icing (add a splash of oat milk if the icing feels too firm). Scatter over the nuts and dust the cake with a little cinnamon and decorate with edible flowers.

Ingredients 

For the Icing

• 4 sachets (200g) creamed coconut
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cashew nut butter
• 50g icing sugar
• 60ml oat milk

For the cake

• 250ml jar coconut oil, melted
• 300g light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 210ml dairy free milk, (such as oat milk)
• 420g plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon, plus extra cinnamon to decorate
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 orange, zest only
• 4 medium carrots, grated (you want 270g grated weight)
• 75g chopped walnuts, plus extra to decorate
• edible flowers (optional)
  
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