Category:

Tea time

vegan and glutenfree chocolate berry tartlets

Rich Chocolate and Berry Tartlets

by Hajnal August 7, 2020

These rich chocolate and berry tartlets are real indulgence. They are vegan, gluten-free , oil-free. I haven’t added any artificial sugar or sweetener, but the chocolate of your choice might be sweetened. They are very easy to make and less than 7 ingredients.

The tartlet shells are made with oats, almonds, dates, cocoa powder and banana. You don’t get the banana taste but it adds moisture. You can keep it raw also, it is not necessary to bake them. Just press the dough into the forms and pour the filling. I prefer a bit harder shells so I baked them for 15 minutes.

The filling is a very rich dark chocolate ganache. it is super simple and only 2 ingredients. Dark chocolate and plant-based cream. I used oat cream but soy cream or non-dairy whipping cream will be great too. Coconut cream can be a good option too if you don’t mind the coconut-y taste but I personally prefer when the chocolate and the berry flavours dominate.

I also added some smashed raspberries in the bottom of the tartlet cups just for some extra touch of fruitiness. You can leave it out or replace it with a blob of berry jam too.

Garnish the chocolate ganache tartlets with berries of your choice. I topped them with raspberries, strawberries, red currants and blueberries but it will be yummy match with cherries or blackberries too.

Let me know how do you like it. Rate it here or tag me on Insta. I would be happy to hear your feedback.

Rich Chocolate and Berry tartlets
Hajnal These rich chocolate and berry tartlets are real indulgence. They are vegan, gluten-free , oil-free. I haven’t added any artificial sugar or sweetener, but the chocolate of your choice might… Desserts Rich Chocolate and Berry Tartlets European Print This
Serves: 6 Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Click on Stars to Rate Recipe → 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

3/4 cup ground almonds

1 cup oats ground into flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

6 Medjool dates

1 medium size banana

150g dark chocolate

150ml plant-based cream

berries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170ºC.

Add the ground oats, almonds, dates, cocoa powder and banana into a food processor and process until the consistency is dough-like.

Spoon some dough in the tartlet forms and press them into shape. If it is too sticky put it in the fridge or work with oily fingers.

Bake them for 15 minutes. When they are ready let them cool a bit. Meanwhile you can prepare the chocolate filling.

Break the chocolate into little pieces and melt on water bath. Be careful not to burn. Little by little add the plant-based cream and carefully fold into the melted chocolate with a spatula or spoon.

Smash some berries and put a bit in the bottom of the cups. Pour the melted chocolate over.

Let them cool and decorate with berries. Pop them to the fridge for an hour the chocolate to settle properly.

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Desserts Tea time

Vegan Mastic Cookies

by Hajnal April 14, 2020

These vegan mastic cookies are made of crumbly almond sablé. This type of pastry has more biscuit texture than shortbread. The almond and vegan butter already give rich taste but this time I spiced up with some mastic and cardamom. It’s the perfect companion with your afternoon tea.

The traditional French almond paté sablé is made with butter but that’s easy to replace with margarin or vegan butter. Instead of egg I used an overly ripe banana for moisture but it works with the same amount of aquafaba too. The relatively large quantity of baking powder makes the pastry light in texture. The Greek mastic raisin and cardamom gives a nice Anatolian, Middle Eastern twist to the cookies.

If you make the recipe let me know how did you like it 🙂

vegan almond sable cookies with mastic and cardamom served with tea

Vegan Mastic Cookies
Hajnal These vegan mastic cookies are made of crumbly almond sablé. This type of pastry has more biscuit texture than shortbread. The almond and vegan butter already give rich taste but… Tea time Vegan Mastic Cookies European Print This
Serves: 25-30 cookies Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 7 Minutes 7 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Click on Stars to Rate Recipe → 4.8/5
( 4 voted )

Ingredients

200g flour

50g ground almonds

65g caster sugar

4g baking powder

1/4 tsp mastic raisin

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

125g cubed the cubed butter cold vegan butter

50g pureed banana (approx. 1 medium)

pinch of salt

Instructions

Add the mastic raisins and 1 tbsp sugar into a mortar and grind it into powder. If they are too soft freeze them before.

Mix the flour, ground almonds, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.

Add the cubed butter and the pureed banana. With a spoon mix it into the flour.

Dip your hands in cold water, dry them and work the dough into a smooth ball as fast as possible.

Wrap in cling film or freezer bag and pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes.

On a lightly flour dusted surface roll out the dough 3-5mm thin and with a pastry cutter dipped in flour cut out the cookies.

Line a large baking tray with baking sheet and place the biscuit on it. Bake in preheated oven at 180ºC (160ºC with fan) for 7-10 minutes.

Make a cup of tea and enjoy!

Notes

You can keep the dough in the fridge for few days if you make bigger batch.

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Breakfast Tea time

Vegan Brioche with Mastic

by Hajnal April 12, 2020

Many cultures have the tradition of making tender, sweet bread for Easter and it comes in many versions. French brioche, Greek tsoureki, Hungarian braided brioche or fonott kalács…just to name a few. This time I baked in Greek style with mastic, cardamon, a touch of orange and sprinkled with some pisctachio.

I have strange love affairs with special ingredients. One of my special love is mastic or mastiha. My sister just asked me how is the taste but I don’t know anything to compare with or words to describe. Maybe pine and cedar. This translucent, crystalline raisin is coming from the Evergreen Pistache tree from Chios Island. Hence the name the Tears of Chios. It’s not only used in gastronomy but in perfumes and cosmetics, medicine and dental care. There are many clinical studies about it’s healing properties but since the ancient times it is known remedy for gum, skin and stomach problems.

Mastic can be a love or hate relationship but I would definitely recommend to give it a try because it’s truly unique.

stages of brioche dough, dough ball, braided and topped with pistachio and baked

vegan tsoureki and slice with butter spread and orange marmade

Vegan brioche with Mastic
Hajnal Many cultures have the tradition of making tender, sweet bread for Easter and it comes in many versions. French brioche, Greek tsoureki, Hungarian braided brioche or fonott kalács…just to name… Breakfast Vegan Brioche with Mastic Greek Print This
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 2 Hours Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Click on Stars to Rate Recipe → 5.0/5
( 2 voted )

Ingredients

Yeast dough starter:

7 g yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon strong bread flour

70 ml lukewarm non-dairy milk

Brioche:

350g strong bread flour

zest of an orange

zest of a lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground mastic raisins

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

60g caster sugar

100 g orange juice

60g melted vegan butter or margarine

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze and topping:

1 tsp water

1 tsp sweet orange marmalade

20 g coarsely chopped pistachio

Instructions

Mix the sugar, yeast, flour and the non-dairy milk and in a cup for the starter. Let it rise for 5-15 minutes.

In a bowl mix the activated yeast starter, flour, mastic, cardamom, orange and lemon zest.

Dissolve the sugar, salt and vanilla extract in the orange juice.

Add the orange juice and the melted butter to the flour mix.

Knead it for 5-10 minutes until a smooth and elastic ball forms. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until the dough rise double in size.

Knead it again and cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll them into a long rope, approximately 20 cm. Stick their edges together and braid them. Pinch the end of the big braid together.

Line a baking tray or a loaf pan with baking sheet and place the bread. Let it rise again for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Mix the water with the marmalade and brush the loaf with the mixture. Sprinkle with the pistachio pieces.

Bake it for 35 minutes.

Let it cool and serve with plant-based butter or sweet orange marmalade.

Notes

As mastic is a raisin its the easiest to make it into powder if you add with a teaspoon sugar into a mortar.

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vegan tea biscuits on cooling rack with acoffee on side

Desserts Tea time

Easy Vegan Tea Biscuits

by Hajnal March 26, 2020

Isn’t it great to give tea or coffee time to ourselves? No need to run with our disposable takeaway cup in the hand. Just sit back and dip a biscuit in our brew. Homemade biscuits of course

light brown and dark brown shortbread biscuits on a cooling rack

Most of us are sitting at home during the pandemic and we are forced to slow down. I’m in self-isolation more than a week. Some might find hard but I really enjoy this time. I see it as an opportunity to do things I love but not enough time when we are in the business as usual daily loop. I cook, I bake, I do morning yoga and meditation, trying to get back to my sitar lessons. Hubby is working hard from home but it’s a win win for both of us. He is not missing out on meals and I have the time to care of him well. These are the real luxuries of life what we tend to forget at times.

It’s an opportunity to reflect on ourselves. To examine our lives. To see the difference between our wants and needs. To understand that what we want is not always what we need. This is what self-care about. Give yourself what your body, soul, mind needs. Give yourself a hug, nurture and nourish. The gift of time is given. Let’s be kind to ourselves and to others.

Easy Vegan Tea Biscuits
Hajnal Isn’t it great to give tea or coffee time to ourselves? No need to run with our disposable takeaway cup in the hand. Just sit back and dip a biscuit… Tea time easy vegan tea biscuit European Print This
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Click on Stars to Rate Recipe → 4.5/5
( 2 voted )

Ingredients

300g flour

100g caster sugar

200 g vegan butter

1/4 cup plant-based milk

pinch of salt

Instructions

Measure out all the ingredients and cool them in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Put the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Put sugar, milk and diced butter in the well.

With a spoon mix the butter into the flour.

Dip your hands in cold water , dry them and work the dough into a smooth ball as fast as possible. If it becomes sticky, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

On a flour dusted surface roll out the dough 1/2 cm thin and with a pastry cutter dipped in flour cut out the biscuits.

Line a large baking tray with baking sheet and place the biscuit on it. Bake in preheated oven at 200ºC for 8-10 minutes.

Notes

Pate Sablee or Shortbread dough has to be prepared quick and with cold hands that the butter or margarine does not melt before reaching the oven. Keep them in an airtight container. You can add spices if you wish or colour with some cocoa powder.

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