• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

2 cups vegan semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup soy milk

1. Place vegan chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring soy milk to a boil. Turn off heat immediately, and pour over vegan chocolate chips, stirring until mixed. Blend with a wire whisk for 2 to 4 minutes or until chocolate chips have melted and ganache is thick and smooth.

3. Let cool before drizzling over pastries. Cool completely before covering with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Variation: For White Chocolate Ganache, use vegan white chocolate chips instead.

BAKER’S BONUS

The easiest way to apply drizzle or thin ganache is with clean fingers. Dip your fingers into the drizzle and wiggle your fingers over the baked goods. This is messy, sure, but it’s effective. Another easy—and cleaner—way to apply drizzle is to pour it into a zipper-lock bag, cut off a tiny corner of the bag with scissors, and gently squeeze the drizzle out of the bag onto the baked goods.

Lemon Icing

This icing is sweet and tart all at the same time! Vegan confectioners’ sugar and fresh lemon juice are all you need to top off your cakes and pastries with a wonderfully lemony flavor.

Yield:

1 cup

Prep time:

5 minutes

1 cup vegan confectioners’ sugar

2 TB. fresh lemon juice

1. In a small bowl, mix vegan confectioners’ sugar with fresh lemon juice, and stir until smooth.

2. Use right away, or cover the bowl and refrigerate for later use.

BATTER UP!

This recipe also works well with fresh lime or orange juice. Be sure to strain the seeds from the juice before using.

Raspberry Coulis

Sweet raspberry blended with a touch of fresh squeezed lemon juice, this thick syrup will liven up cakes and cheesecakes, and add a splash of color to anything it decorates.

Yield:

1 cup

Prep time:

5 minutes

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed if frozen

½ cup unbleached cane sugar

1 TB. fresh lemon juice

1. In a blender, add raspberries and unbleached cane sugar, and blend on high speed for 1 minute or until smooth. Add lemon juice, and blend for 10 to 20 more seconds.

2. Press coulis through a fine mesh strainer using the back of a rubber spatula to squeeze and press juice through seeds. Discard seeds. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

VEGAN VOCAB

Coulis (pronounced koo-LEE) is French, derived from Latin, meaning “strained liquid.” A coulis can be made from fruit, meat, or vegetables, usually seasoned or flavored, but for our baking application, it is made from fruit. This coulis is a thick sauce made from puréed and strained raspberries. It is most often used over desserts, ice cream, or as a garnish. Drizzle the coulis over desserts, pool it on a plate next to the dessert, or have the dessert swim in a puddle of coulis for a dramatic presentation.

Whipped Topping

This whipped topping is so tasty, it’s hard to believe it’s vegan. Nondairy whipped topping gets its texture from soft tofu and its sweet taste from agave syrup and pure vanilla extract.

Yield:

1¼ cups

Prep time:

5 minutes

1 cup soft tofu, drained and blot-

ted dry

3 TB. canola oil

¼ cup vegan confectioners’ sugar

2 TB. agave or brown rice syrup

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. In a blender, add soft tofu, canola oil, vegan confectioners’ sugar, agave syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and blend on high speed for 3 or 4 minutes or until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed with a rubber spatula.

2. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to set up before using. Cover, and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

BATTER UP!

Before you begin to juice a lemon, roll it on the countertop back and forth firmly under your palm. This helps break up some of the fibers and allows the juice to flow easily. You can also microwave the lemon before cutting for 5 to 10 seconds on medium power. Then cut the lemon in half horizontally, cup it in one hand, and firmly squeeze until enough