Tag: vegan caramel

Aquafaba Chocolate French Toast with Bourbon Date Caramel

Aquafaba chocolate french toast with bourbon date caramel
Aquafaba chocolate french toast with bourbon date caramel

I know I just posted yesterday, but this is worth it, I promise. A dark chocolate vegan french toast, topped with buttery bourbon date caramel and crunchy, salted pecans. Oh man, yes you want this. All components are surprisingly easy to make, you know, if you wanted to make someone special a Sunday brunch next weekend…

Chocolate Aquafaba French Toast

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup aquafaba (straight from the can)
  • 1/4 cup nondairy milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 TBL cocoa powder
  • 4 slices bread of choice, I recommend something on the rustic side
  • Coconut oil for cooking -or other oil

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the aquafaba, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large shallow bowl until frothy.
  2. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until combined.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. I use my cast iron, other’s have recommended a non-stick skillet if you don’t have cast iron.
  4. Dip bread into the aquafaba mixture and let it sit for about 30 seconds to soak up some deliciousness.
  5. Add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
  6. Transfer bread to the hot pan (I can cook two pieces at a time in my pan), and cook until the first side is firm and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until it is also starting to brown and has firmed up.
  7. Serve with bourbon date caramel and chopped pecans.

Bourbon Date Caramel

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup prepared date caramel
  • 2 TBL vegan butter ( I use Earth Balance)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat from a can)
  • 1 TBL bourbon
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Heat ingredients together in a small pan over low heat stirring frequently.
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Vegan Date Caramel -Perfect for Mother’s Day

sweet potato pancake with date caramel and coconut whipped cream
sweet potato pancake with date caramel and coconut whipped cream

This perfect delightful, refined sugar free, vegan, paleo, and gluten free. This date caramel would be described as; rich, decadent, sweet, satisfying, and is made from very simple ingredients and comes together in a flash. I have been working on a few ways to use it, but highly recommend this as a start to your favorite dish featuring caramel. Pictured here it is served over sweet potato pancakes with coconut whipped cream. A dish to impress.

For my sweet potato pancakes I used this recipe, but substituted sweet potato puree for the pumpkin, and took out the spices. Your favorite pancakes would also be perfect here, or use this recipe for an guide to find your perfect pancake.

Date Carmel

 Ingredients

  • 8oz (about 2 cups) dates pitted and halved
  • Boiling water to cover dates
  • 2 TBL coconut milk (full fat from a can)
  • 2-4 TBL hot water depending on how fresh and juicy your dates are
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Pour boiling water over dates, just enough to cover them. Let them sit for 10 minutes or so until soft.
  2. Drain dates and reserve the water.
  3. Place drained dates, coconut milk, 2 TBL of the hot water, vanilla, and salt in a food processor or blender.
  4. Puree until smooth adding hot water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you desire.
  5. Pour over just about anything for a delicious treat.

Vegan Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Vegan Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Cake
Vegan Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Cake

So this cake is a little silly it is so good. It is so rich and filled with awesomeness even I was little skeptical about how rich it could be. Somehow it all works out. The layers are cut and drenched in caramel keeping the cake incredibly moist. Everything is then topped with the chocolate ganache. There is no way anyone could tell this is a vegan cake unless you told them. Trust me. You will be the hero of the holiday party if this is your offering. The cake and ganache are from “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World”, the Bourbon Caramel is adapted from the Minimalist Baker website. There are a few steps to this recipe with the instructions for putting it all together at the bottom. Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Cake 

Ingredients

  • 1  cup non-dairy milk
  • 1  tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4  cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease, flour and use parchment paper to prepare two 8″ round cake pans.
  2. Briefly stir non-dairy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside to curdle.
  3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  4. Once the milk and vinegar has curdled add the sugar, oil and vanilla and almond extracts.
  5. Beat together until foamy.
  6. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined.
  7. Pour batter into prepared cake pans, distributing batter equally.
  8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake out clean.
  9. Remove cake from pans and allow to cool on cooling rack.

Bourbon Caramel 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
  • 2 Tbsp bourbon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Heat sugar and water on medium heat to a simmer. Swirl pan, but do NOT stirring for about 15 minutes or until a deep amber color is reached. Watch carefully as this will burn easily.
  2. Once desired color is reached, remove from heat and slowly add non-dairy milk while stirring.
  3. Add salt and bourbon and cook over low heat for another minute while stirring.
  4. set aside until ready to use.
  5. If there is extra you can store in a glass bottle in the refrigerator and re-heat when ready to use.

Chocolate Ganache 

  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup Amaretto (or more non-dairy milk)
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 2 TBL pure maple syrup

Instructions

  1. In a small sauce pan bring non-dairy milk and Amaretto to a gentle boil.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and maple syrup mixing until smooth.
  3. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Putting it all together 

1. Once the cake is cool cut each cake in half to make four layers total.

2. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate. Pour caramel sauce over cake spreading until it has soaked into the cake.

3. Repeat with remaining layers using as much caramel as the cake will hold.

4. Once cake is stacked carefully spread the chocolate ganache over top and sides of the cake.

5. Serve in small slices saving plenty for your breakfast the next morning.