The colder Christmas months are the perfect time to indulge in the rich flavours of vegan persimmon pudding, chocolate truffles and mouthwatering vegan gingerbread.and pumpkin. They are also, unfortunately, months during which it is easy to go overboard on food, desserts, more food, and even more desserts. Don’t pack on the pounds this winter!
While moderation is still the cardinal rule to staying healthy, no matter what you eat, eating vegan (that is, meat, dairy, and egg-free) is a way to ensure that your food is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, without sacrificing flavour.
So this year, try out these vegan Christmas desserts including vegan persimoon pudding – you won’t be able to tell the difference!
Vegan Gingerbread
Dry Ingredients:
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Liquid Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups soy milk
3 cups molasses
2 Tbsp white (i.e. colorless) vinegar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the pan.
- First mix the dry ingredients together, and the wet ingredients together, in separate large mixing bowls. Then mix the two bowls together (this is a big project, and you will need to use your hands or a blender).
- Immediately pour mixture into pan. Don’t fill the pan all the way to the top, or the gingerbread will bubble over the edge of the pan when it rises. Allow at least one inch (3 cm) of depth for the gingerbread to rise. Bake 1 hour.
- Wait until the gingerbread is out of the oven and has cooled before garnishing with confectioner’s sugar. The sugar will burn and bubble if it is baked on the batter.
- This recipe produces a dark, strong, burly gingerbread for adults. If you like it more mellow, replace part or all of the molasses with maple syrup, sugar, pureed fruit (pear is good with ginger), or honey (if you’re a slacker vegan). Share and enjoy. Serves 20 people.
Vegan Persimmon Pudding
Are you wondering what on earth this is?
Persimmon pudding is a traditional American dessert made with persimmons. Although American, vegan persimmon pudding is similar to traditional English dessert puddings, such as Christmas pudding or quince pudding. This style of pudding is generally either steamed or cooked in an oven with a water bath. Wikipedia
Ingredients:
2 ½ C Persimmon Puree (approx. 5-6 persimmons, well blended)
2 C Soy Milk (Unsweetened)
3 “Eggs” (Recommended: Ener-G Egg Replacer)
4 Tbsp. Melted Vegan Margarine
2 C Flour
½ Tsp. Baking Soda
1 C Brown Sugar
Method for Vegan Persimmon Pudding
1. Blend the persimmon, milk, eggs, and margarine on high until creamy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Pour wet ingredients in with the dry and combine well.
2. Pour pudding mixture into a well-greased, shallow pan and bake at 325°F for approx. 60 minutes, or until the pudding has set.
Serving Suggestion:
Persimmon pudding is best served warm from the oven, and tastes delicious in a pool of cool vanilla soy milk. Enjoy!
Remember that a box or basket full of baking is also a wonderful Christmas gift! Both of these desserts, being free of eggs and dairy, are easy to give to anyone, since they are free of two of the most common food allergens.
Vegan Chocolate Truffles
This is really a chocolate lovers delight. A very rich chocolate dessert that is perfect for serving at any meal or party. This is a very simple and easy to make recipe. It will take 20 mintes to prepare and 2 hours to chill. This is a very tempting dessert that hardly anyone will pass up.
They really make an enticing addition to any table. This dessert must be kept in the fridge until they are ready to be served. They are excellent for gift giving. This is a basic recipe for starters. Flavoring may be added to give an extra delightful tasting experience such as coffee, almond, orange, or raspberry. Some recipes call for the use of liqueurs. Almonds may be used in place of cashews. They may also be rolled in coconut.
These little desserts have a very high calorie content. One truffle contains about 109 calories. I hope that you will truly enjoy preparing and serving this delightful and rich dessert to your family, friends and guests as much as I do. They are many times called heavenly delights. Kids love them. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of cold water
1 pound of bittersweet chocolate
cocoa powder
Directions:
1. Put the cahsews and water in a blender and blend on high for 2 minutes.
2. Blend the cashews until they are like heavy cream, it may take more than 2 minutes.
3. Heat the chocolate over low-medium heat until all is melted.
4. Let the chocolate cool for 2 minutes and add the cashew cream and stir slowly until it is mixed well.
5. Cool in the fridge fro 2 hours.
6. Roll the chocolate into small balls. Roll the balls in the cocoa.
7. Store in the fridge, serve, and enjoy!
Further reading
Take a look at my easy veganuary recipes for further inspiration
Christmas breads from around the world
