The simplest thing I can think of is Baked Apples. Core out the apples, remove a little of the peel at the top of the apple, stuff it with a filling of chopped nuts, brown sugar, dried fruits (like raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, etc.), and a little whatever-vegans-eat-instead-of-butter. And bake. I think if you remove the pan from the oven, place it on a baking sheet, and cover tightly with foil, they should stay warm for long enough -

Could be served with a frozen soy milk ice-creamy thing concoction. :-/

Lori

Here you go, my friend!

I've posted this before, but not on a vegan string. It's a winner (and very easy). Don't worry about serving it hot; it's good at any temperature. Adjust amounts as necessary.

I hope you win the big pot!

Ginger pears

2-3 pears, peeled, halved, and cored
1/2 c brown sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 c sliced almonds (I like them toasted a bit)
crystallized ginger, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange the pears, cut side up, in a baking dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, lemon juice, ground ginger, and almonds. Spoon over pears. Add a little water to the bottom of the baking dish and bake 15-20 min., until pears are tender.

If you want a traditional dessert, consider an old-fashioned Crazy Cake. It's a moist chocolate cake, easy and quick to make, and is vegan. You can top with sifted powdered sugar if you like.

Here's one recipe but it's all over the internet.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: All Recipes Chocolate Oil Cake

I was going to suggest apple crisp...using margarine instead of butter.
Or apple pie using vegetable shortening.

These look good even for regular eaters. I was going to sigh and say a jar of applesauce. Vegan is hard!

May, Check with your friend on how strict she is. Some vegans don't eat white or brown sugar and most don't eat honey. maple syrup should be fine.

-Robin

Hippo Flambe: The Unprocessed Life

I can vouch for the tastiness of the Crazy Cake. I make it in a bundt pan.

Robin, what's not vegan about white or brown sugar? I know that sugar used to be refined using animal bones, right? But that is rare these days. Info:

"Animal Bones

We are frequently asked about the use of 'animal bones' in making sugar, usually by people with dietary concerns such as vegetarians or vegans or people just concerned for the animals.

In the past a material called 'bone char' was used extensively to remove colour from raw cane sugar in the refining process. Modern technology has largely replaced bone char decolourisation but it is still used in a few refineries so one cannot be categoric about refined cane sugar being suitable for all people's points of view. It is not used in making white beet sugar and it is not used in making raw cane sugar.

Where bone char is still used, it is prepared by almost incinerating animal bones to leave activated carbon - a bit like making wood charcoal. [The refiners did not and ordinarily do not use wood charcoal to do the decolourisation because it is too fragile and would break up in service.] The bones are obtained from abattoirs and hence from animals fit for human consumption and of course they are heated to great temperatures : there is no risk of New Variant CJD/BSE/Mad Cow disease and no risk of Foot and Mouth disease.

If you are concerned about the possibility of the sugar you use having been treated by bone char decolourisation then you have several choices. If you want white sugar and sugar from sugar beets is available then use that. If you are not sure if the local sugar is from beets or cane, write to the manufacturer and ask them, adding that, if it is cane sugar, whether they still use bone char. If you want brown sugar, do not assume that it is inherently untreated. Many brown sugars are actually white sugar which has been coated with molasses. Again, check with the manufacturer if you are concerned."

Here is a link that might be useful: Bone char.

barnmom, that is exactly the reason some vegans choose not to eat refined sugar. However it would be easy to obtain bet sugar to prevent that. Domino is sugar cane and Holly is beet.

-Robin
Hippo Flambe: The Unprocessed Life

Excellent!! I was leaning toward a chocolatey type dessert but the fruity desserts sound good too! And actually I think the apple pie sounds perfect since it's a mainstream traditional dessert. But you can bet I'm going to keep the other recipes on hand because I'm just starting to be friendly with her and a group of us have started getting together somewhat regularly. So I can now just say, "I'll bring dessert!" and bring something different every time. I'm LOVIN it!

She does eat sugar, but I'm glad you pointed that out! She specifically said no eggs or dairy. Can I make an all shortening crust? I was wondering if Nancy's vodka crust would work with all shortening instead of part butter.

I always make all shortening crust anyway. So apple pie (or any fruit pie) would be vegan, unless the sugar is a problem. I never heard of that before. I like to put pats of butter under the top crust of pies, unless I need it to be pareve, but you can use margarine or omit it.

Mori Nu or maybe its White Wave, makes a vegan chocolate pudding mix for silken tofu that you can get at most natural foods groceries or in the health food section of some regular grocery stores. I get mine at Wegmans. BUT, you can find recipes for this type of thing on the Internet. You basically mix sugar, melted baking chocolate and tofu. I really like the stuff from the mixes, and use the lemon version, spooned into phyllo pastry cups and topped with a dollop of homeade fruit jam for lemon tarts. But chocolate is also good. You can use that same concept (tofu chocolate pudding) to make a chocolate pie. I have a good recipe at home, but since I'm at work you'll have to google it.

I have a pie crust recipe that calls for whole wheat flour, water and oil, roll out between wax paper. That's vegan. Not the same as hydrogenated oil crust, but I like it. You can omit pats of butter in pie and use cornstarch or tapioca to thicken the filling instead of flour.

The puddings have to be refrigerated for a while to really set up like pudding. Will be OK without long refrigeration, just soft and more runny. If you make tarts, assemble shortly before serving because if a made up tart sits too long in the fridge, it gets soggy. And I know I am leaving myself open to Evil Jess with that one!
:)

Here is a link that might be useful: Alton Brown's Moo-less Choc. Pie

Hold the presses! I have just discovered this delicious and addicting Indian sweet called Kaju Burfi (Cashew Fudge). Here is Manjula's recipe:

CASHEW FUDGE (Vegetarian, vegan)

Kaju burfi is probably the most favorite Indian dessert. Kaju burfi is a delicious treat for any occasion. This can also be served as a fudge or candy. This is also a great vegan treat.

Recipe will make 20 pieces.

Kaju Burfi (Cashew Fudge) Ingredients:

* 2 cups of cashew nuts (kaju)
* 1 1/2 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup water
* About 20 strings of saffron (optional)

Method:

1. Grind the cashew nuts to powder. Dry grinder or a coffee grinder works the best.
2. On very low heat in a heavy bottom pan roast the cashew nut powder for about 4 minutes or until powder just get warm. Do not heat for any longer otherwise powder will start getting oily.
3. In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together on medium heat until syrup is 1 thread or 225 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
4. Next add the saffron to the syrup mix it well. Saffron is optional. Turn off the heat.
5. Add the cashew powder to the syrup and mix it well, making sure there are no lumps.
6. To check the right consistency take a little mix in a spoon, you should be able to roll this into softball.
7. Next spread the mix quick to the greased plate. Spread before the mix cools off.
8. Allow burfi to cool and then cut them in the shapes you will like.
9. Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Grind small portion at a time if you grind for too long nuts start getting oily.
2. Store at room temperature for a week or in the fridge for longer.

GINA'S NOTES

Indians make "burfis" with cashews, walnuts, almonds, coconut, etc. I made the cashew and a combo cashew/walnut. Grinding the softer walnuts in my small coffee grinder was not that great - the flour gets stuck and I needed to loosen and pour it out with each batch. However, the result was delicious. I used the saffron but it is a waste - don't use it. I also tried putting a little vanilla extract and a pinch of Allspice and that turned out good.

Start by making the sugar syrup as this is the most time-consuming part of the recipe. Continue to lightly boil the syrup until it forms a thread when poured off the back of a spoon.

When you mix the syrup into the ground nuts, the mixture stars hardening quickly. Pour out onto a oiled platter (no butter since it's vegan) and with a silicone spatula (wood will stick), spread the mixture out and square off the edges (as seen in the link above to Manjula's video). I also used my hands to flatten and spread the mixture a bit. After it cools and hardens in about a half hour, cut into the traditional diamond shapes or any shape you want.

They will not last a week believe me - they are delicious.

I also tried a batch with half Splenda with success - except that the Splenda is sweeter, so next time I will cut it down.

I didn't have cardamom, but cardamom is a traditional additional flavor for burfis. I just bought some pods and my next batch will use it. I also got some "gram" flour (chickpea flour - Indians call it gram, not to be confused with graham), to make a chickpea burfi called Mohan Dal. Some burfi recipes use milk, cream and ghee, which would not be vegan.

Any fruit cobbler.
Mix about 3-4 cups of prepared fruit with sugar (or alternative) to taste.
Put in bottom of greased pan.
In a small bowl, mix oatmeal, a little flour, brown sugar and cinnamon (or other favorite "sweet" spice), add melted margarine or some canola oil and Butter Buds.
Mix till crumbly and sprinkle on top of fruit.
Bake until the top is nicely browned and fruit is thickened and bubbly.

Easy, low fat AND vegan!

Deanna

I quit using butter in my fruit pies when I read that it interferes with the flavor of the fruit. I don't know that everyone would agree, but I haven't missed it and no one's complained yet.

If sugar is an issue I've been buying Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Certified Organic Sugar at Costco. It's kind of a lighter demerara. We love it. I use regular granulated for most Christmas baking and canning because of the expense, but this sugar does not use bone in the process and would meet the criteria for vegans.

There are a lot of good vegan cake recipes out there using oil and no eggs. Many came out of the depression when poverty and rationing limited what people could use.

Here's a spice cake perfect for fall; I got this version off ochef.com, but it's as standard as the Crazy Cake:

Applesauce Spice Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup molasses
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-3/4 cup flour (whole wheat pastry flour is good)
2 tsp ginger or candied ginger(optional)

Preparation:

Combine the molasses and applesauce in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the liquid. (If the batter seems dry, add a little more applesauce or a little water.) Bake in a nonstick 8 x 8-inch baking pan or one sprayed with a non-stick spray, in a 350 F (175°C) oven, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it tests done.

The optional ginger makes an acceptable gingerbread. You can also leave out the ginger and add 3 or 4 tablespoons of cocoa to make a tasty but not very sweet or rich chocolate cake.

Or this old Eggless Butterless Raisin Spice Cake from my MIL:

1 pound seeded raisins
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water or coffee
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. shortening or margarine
4 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves

Boil raisins, sugar, coffee, salt and shortening together for 5 minutes. Cool and then add dry ingredients which have been sifted together 3 times. Bake in two loaf pans or one tube pan at 275 degrees 90-105 minutes.

Even if you're not vegan, these kinds of recipes are great for times when the cupboard is bare.

Carol

If you're still looking, Here's a very easy chocolate cake. When I make it for my vegan DIL I dust it with powdered sugar and it's ready to serve.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil, (can replace with applesauce)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1 cup water, (can use soy milk or rice milk)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 8" round cake pan.

2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

3. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Mix together until smooth.

4. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Bonnie

I would think that any sugar with a kosher certification would not have any bone involved.

These all sound so good! But do keep in mind that AFAIK most margarines except Earth Balance and Fleishman's do have a dairy product (casein or whey) included. I applaud you for joyously offering to make more vegan desserts. Soon you'll be be the go to gal on Kosher, Veggie and Vegan recipes!

Thank you for all the ideas. Yes, I'm definitely keeping them for future reference!

I made an apple pie last night. I used Nancy's Vodka Pie Crust recipe but went with all shortening instead of part butter, part shortening. The crust was very crumbly and not that easy to work with, I'm guessing because of all the shortening. But I managed! It ain't gorgeous LOL but I'm hoping it will taste good. I'll find out tonight!

Be careful with chocolate, too, as most chocolate has milk fat. I don't think cocoa does, but I'm not sure about that.

I had no idea that sugar was refined that way. This is a sure case of ignorance being bliss.

Sally

My niece is a vegan. For Christmas last year, I made her date squares.

I use orange juice instead of water when cooking the dates. I also use sucanat and blackstrap molasses.

For the topping, I used Becel (with olive oil) and sucanat with the flour and rolled oats. (Becel is the only kind of margarine she will eat.)

She took all the leftovers home with her!

These are great! I have a friend who isn't vegan, but is allergic to dairy and eggs.

Cocoa is fine, and some semi-sweet, bittersweet, and dark chocolate is fine. You have to read the package.

Bonnie

May, you may have just needed a little more liquid in the dough. I've seen many crust recipes that call for only shortening, so I'm not sure if that was the problem.

At any rate, I'm sure your pie is delicious!!

Lori :D

If your crust was crumbly, it was too rich (too much shortening).

Well, the pie turned out great. I sliced the apples very thinly since that's how I like them and got positive comments about that. The pie wasn't beautiful but it tasted delicious. Thanks again for all the ideas. I will probably play around with the all shortening pie crust for the future. I was in a bit of a hurry when I made the pie so I might have mismeasured.

BTW we played poker, six of us, and only two had ever played before. We played Texas Hold 'em mostly but then I wanted to shake things up a bit and taught them five card draw and seven card stud. We had a blast! We were very girly about it, any real poker player would've been tearing his/her hair out! But we had lots of laughs and lots of fun and can't wait to do it again!

That sounds great, May, and so much fun. Apple pie is Jerry's favorite. It's a good choice to please anyone, vegan or not.

Sally