Vegan Thanksgiving Feast: Part Three

These recipes are going to be the dessert and biscuits. I would have done these recipes last, but alas they happened to just be done before the others. The final part will be more sides.Those will be posted tomorrow! My friend helped me make this cheesecake. He has a beer brewing blog called Brew or Die! Chicago and his beers are vegan! Check it out.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

* Prep Time: 20 minutes
* Cook Time: 10-15 minutes in oven, rest overnight
* Ingredients (for crust):

• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1 pack (5 oz.) cinnamon graham crackers*
• 1/4 cup brown sugar*
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup soy butter, melted*

* Ingredients (for filling):

• 1 14 oz. pack silken tofu*
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin pie filling*
• 2 8 oz. packages vegan cream cheese*
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

 * Recipe (for crust):

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grind almonds in a food processor.
3. Add graham crackers, spices, and sugar to the food processor. Grind until smooth.
4. Move the mixture in the food processor to a medium sized bowl and add the butter. Mix well.
5. Pack into a 9 in. springform pan. Push the mixture up the sides.
6. Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes.

* Recipe (for filling):

1. In a mixer with whisk attachment, blend the tofu and pie filling.
2. Add a tablespoon of cream cheese at a time until smooth.
3. Next, add both types of sugar and spices. Mix well.
4. Pour into crust and let site overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Serve with cinnamon and whipped cream (optional).

* Note: I used 365 Organic brand. Make sure your sugar is vegan! For silken tofu, I used Nasoya brand. The pumpkin pie filling was Farmer's Market brand. Lastly, for vegan cream cheese I used Tofutti.


Lemon Thyme Biscuits
 

* Prep Time: 10 minutes
* Cook Time: 15 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk*
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, plus more for sprinkling
• 4 tbsp soy butter, cold*

* Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the milk and the vinegar. Set in the refrigerator. 
3. In a mixer, blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and thyme on a low setting.
4. Spread out some flour for dusting on a surface.
5. Add the butter to the dry ingredients in the mixer a tablespoon at a time. Mix on a low setting. 
6. Lastly, add the non-dairy milk. Mix well but do not over knead.
7. Take 1-2 tablespoons at a time and create balls by rolling in the flour dusted on the surface.
8. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
9. Using water, brush the tops of the biscuits. Add a bit of salt and fresh thyme to each.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

* Note: For non-dairy milk, I used almond milk. Use whatever variety you prefer. For soy butter, I used Earth Balance olive oil-based type. 


Sage Brown Butter

* Prep Time: 2 minutes
* Cook Time: 10 minutes, 1/2 hour rest time (or more)
* Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (4 oz. each) of soy butter
• 1/4 cup fresh sage
• pinch of salt

* Recipe:

1. Over medium heat, melt one stick of butter. Let start to bubble.
2. Add the sage and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Remove the sage and dry on paper towels.
4. Remove the butter from heat and let cool.
5. When sage is cool, mince.
6. Combine the other stick of butter with the melted, browned butter. Add the minced sage and salt. Mix well.
7. Let set in refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Lemon Ginger Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling & Cream Cheese Frosting

I am by no means a master baker. I'd like to think I'm a pretty good home baker, though! My frosting skills are not exactly the best, though. Any tips? I leave the pretty looking cupcakes up to local favorites, Canary Confectionery & the Mixing Bowl Bakery. This cupcake is inspired by my friend who really likes ginger. Lemons seem to go well with ginger, so I kind of just went with that theme. The cupcake is filled with lemon curd while the batter has fresh grated ginger, limoncello, and lemon zest. The frosting has limoncello and lemon zest and topped with chopped crystallized ginger.

Lemon Ginger Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling & Cream Cheese Frosting

* Prep Time: 10 minutes
* Cook Time: 25 minutes
* Ingredients (for lemon ginger cupcakes):

• 1 1/2 cups sugar*
• 3/4 cup vegan butter*
• 2 "eggs", prepared by box instructions*
• 3 tbsp limoncello*
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup non-dairy milk*
• 1 tbsp distilled vinegar
• 2 oz. vegan cream cheese*

* Ingredients (for lemon curd):

• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with water until smooth
• splash non-dairy milk

* Ingredients (for frosting):

• 6 oz. vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 2-3 tbsp shortening
• 3 tbsp limoncello
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• crystallized ginger, to taste, minced, to top

* Recipe (for lemon ginger cupcakes):

1. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vinegar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixer. Add in the milk mixture and combine well.
3. If mixing by hand, combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Add the wet to the dry, then the milk mixture. Combine well.
4. Place batter 1/2-3/4th full in each cupcake spot on the tin.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

* Recipe (for lemon curd):

1. Over medium heat, combine the first four ingredients. Stir occasionally until smooth and bring to boil, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the milk and stir over heat.
3. Set aside and let cool. It should have a thicker consistency once cooled.

* Recipe (for frosting):

1. Combine all ingredients but ginger and mix well. It shouldn't have a soupy consistency. If it does, add more sugar.

* Recipe (for cupcake construction):

1. Once cupcakes are cooled, dig a small well out of the middle with a melon baller.
2. Fill the well with lemon curd and place the top back on the cupcake.
3. Frost and top with minced crystallized ginger.

* Note: Make sure your sugar is vegan! For vegan butter and eggs, I like Earth Balance soy free variety and Ener-G for egg replacer. Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur that you can find in most alcohol sections of a grocery store with specialty stuff like bitters. Feel free to use any non-dairy milk. I used hemp milk. For vegan cream cheese, I used Galaxy brand.