Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: cherry

  • Vegan Cherry Almond Pie

    Vegan Cherry Almond Pie

    My Mom asked me if I could make a Vegan Cherry Almond Pie around Christmas, and so I was happy to come up with one!  Cherries are kind of festive after all with their pretty red color and I can’t even remember the last time I made cherry pie so it sounded really good.  Also I am loving fruit pies lately, mainly apple but frozen cherries are available, so why not make one with them?!

    I made my classic vegan butter pie crust for the base, and then to make this even more of a cherry almond pie, I added a layer of vegan marzipan under the filling in the crust.  My Mom used to make her apple pies like this sometimes when I was little and it was always such a delicious addition!  I make my pies a little different than just throwing them in the oven all assembled to bake a really long time. I sometimes like to cook the filling first, which is what I did here.  I cooked the cherry filling on the stove, adding just enough maple syrup and a little sugar to sweeten, and I added vanilla and almond extract at the end.  It was so delicious, I could not wait to add it to the pie!

    For the topping, I made a crunchy sweet almond streusel, because that it my favorite thing to top a pie with!  It smelled amazing while baking!  I could not wait to sample it!  It turned out sooo good!  the filling was sweet, scented with vanilla and almond, packed with cherry flavor, the perfect match with the rich marzipan and crunchy almond topping!  This pie is so heavenly!  If you love cherry pie, definitely give making this Vegan Cherry Almond Pie a try!

    Vegan Cherry Almond Pie

    Makes one 9 inch pie

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance), chilled in its solid state cut into chunks
    • about 3-4 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 6 cups fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries*
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup cornstarch
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp almond extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 8 oz vegan marzipan

     

    Topping:

    • 2/3 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup vegan butter, cut into chunks (I used Earth Balance)
    • 3/4 cup rolled oats
    • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

     

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees.
    2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in vegan butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a sheet of slightly floured parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer one to an 9 inch pie dish.  Fit crust into the dish and set aside.
    3. To make the filling, place the cherries and maple syrup in a large pot.  Cook over medium heat, until they are bubbling and softening.  Sprinkle in the cornstarch while mixing and cook until it thickens.  Add the vanilla, almond and sea salt and stir until combined. Set aside.
    4. Roll out the marzipan into a 9 inch circle, and place on top of the pie crust at the bottom.
    5. To make the topping, mix all ingredients together with hands in a bowl until small clumps form.
    6. Pour the cherry filling over the marzipan in the pie crust, then sprinkle the streusel over the top of that.
    7. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cherries are bubbling and the topping and crust are lightly browned.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting.

     

     

  • Cherry Lemon Mint Margarita

    Cherry Lemon Mint Margarita

    I don’t know about you, but I love a good margarita in the Summer.  To me, a good margarita is not one of those ones you can buy at restaurants made with a mix in some electric bright color and full of refined sugar.  To me, a good one is made with fresh, real ingredients like real fruit.  One of the best margaritas I ever had was actually one made with real carrot and orange juice.  Sounds unusual but it was so good, and worked so well with the tequila!  Although I like the traditional lime and citrus margarita I like to think outside the box sometimes and use whatever fruit I have on hand and see if it works.  Last weekend that was cherries.

    There is nothing like fresh cherries.  Sweet, juicy and delicious!  When I was a kid I thought I hated cherries, but it was only because I had only been exposed to the canned ones or maraschino variety in syrup.  I have never been a fan of either.  They just taste weird to me, or maybe it is that fake color that turns me off as well.  Anyways, when I finally tried real cherries fresh from the store when I was in college, I was pleasantly surprised and I have been buying them ever since when they come into season.  They are sort of special here.  Which brings me back to that margarita.  I had bought some cherries, and decided they would go great with tequila.

    I used lemon instead of lime in this margarita since that was what I had on hand, and I also included some fresh mint to make it even more cooling and Summery. Lastly, since I don’t usually use sweetened liqueurs, I added some vanilla maple syrup to this instead.  It may sound like a sort of different combination, but it was super refreshing, delicious and classy.  This is like something you would get at an upscale bar and pay $12 for.  Next time you are in the mood for a good margarita, give this a try!

    Cherry Lemon Mint Margarita
    Makes 1

    Ingredients:

    • 6 large ice cubes
    • 4 good sized fresh mint leaves
    • 4 oz tequila blanco
    • 2 oz cherry puree
    • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 oz vanilla syrup*
    • ice for serving

     

    Directions:

    1. To make drink, in a martini shaker add the ice, then muddle the mint with the ice until crushed.  Add the tequila, cherries, lemon juice, vanilla syrup, and place top on shaker.
    2. Shake until well blended.
    3. Pour the drink through a strainer into the prepared glass (with some ice in it if you prefer your drink on the rocks), garnish with mint leaves, and serve!

     

    *Vanilla syrup

    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise

     

    Combine all ingredients in a jar, put the lid on and shake to dissolve syrup. Let sit at least a day to infuse, then strain to vanilla bean pod. Store in the fridge for up to a month.

  • Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    When I was little, and into sugary popsicles, I could have cared less about watermelon.  It was all about the brightly colored freezes, bomb pops and those sorts of things when it came to keeping cool in the Summer.  But now as an adult, I have an appreciation for naturally cooling foods.  Give me a watermelon after a run when I am feeling overheated, and I could eat the whole thing.  I have before actually.  I guess sometimes I think of watermelon more as a refresher and form of getting liquids in than just a fruit.  I have blended up just watermelon and drank it before and it was wonderful.  It is one of the most refreshing, cooling and lovely foods you can get in the Summer, and I appreciate that I can find them locally grown here in Minnesota!  If I had my own garden, I would definitely plant some.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler 1

    I was given some watermelon this week, and I finally got around to cutting it up.  I snacked on some of course, but I also made a refreshing drink with it to share.  It had been a hot day.  Even in the morning on my run you could actually see the humidity and moisture in the air as the sun was rising.  Then I worked in a hot kitchen, went for a walk in the hot sun in the afternoon and I was ready for some serious refreshment.  In the form of a watermelon drink.  I also had some fresh cherries that I wanted to include in this to make it extra delicious, as well as limes, and basil.  To sweeten it a little, I added some apple juice instead of another liquid sweetener.  Lastly, I topped it off with some sparkling water for a little bubble action.  It was perfect!  And just what I was looking for.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler

    I immediately felt cooler, and began to forget about being sweaty.  This was the essence of real watermelon.  When I look back on all of the watermelon candy and fake watermelon flavored stuff I ate as a kid, it seems weird to me now.  The real thing is so much better!  Now of course I made these non-alcoholic, but if you are in the mood to partttayyy, or kick up your feet and relax, you could add some tequila to this, or even a white or rose wine. That would be delicious too.

    Watermelon Cherry Basil Cooler
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups organic watermelon cut into cubes
    • 1 cup fresh, organic cherries, pitted
    • 3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1/4 cup apple juice
    • ice
    • sparkling water

     

    Directions:

    1. In a blender, combine the watermelon, cherries, basil, lime juice, and apple juice, and blend until smooth.  Pour through a strainer into a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
    2. Place a handful of ice into two glasses, then pour the strained mixture over that, and top off with sparkling water.  Serve with a sprig of fresh basil!



  • Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons 3

    My Mom brought me some dried cherries and shredded coconut and asked me if I could make her some cherry coconut bon bons.  The cherries were so amazing and fresh and flavorful, and the coconut so sweet and delicious that I was up for trying to make some!  After all, she has good taste in food and good ideas for possible things to try making, so I knew these would be good.  When I was little, we would page through cookbooks we got at the library together and find recipes we wanted to try making.  Often times we would change up the ingredients to make them our own, and to our own tastes.  Now she sometimes just asks me if I can create something, which I am always happy to do because in a way it is still trying something out together.  I wasn’t sure by what she meant by coconut bon bons at first, because my Grandma used to make some that were smooth on the inside, but what she meant this time was ones with a macaroon like texture.  We both love macaroons so I was excited to make these.

    Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons

    They are really pretty easy to make if you have a food processor, just throw all the macaroon ingredients into a food processor, blend and roll into balls and dip into dark chocolate.  I am finding my body is happy when I sweeten things with fruit lately, so I kept the macaroon part of these completely fruit sweetened.  The cherries and coconut added plenty of sweet, and the chocolate of course!  I added a little almond butter and coconut butter to bind them and they were just right.  I made my own raw chocolate for these, but if you have a favorite raw chocolate brand, by all means go ahead and use it.  These are fabulous!  Chewy and coconutty with the flavor of cherries and rich dark chocolate…a match made in heaven!  I never used to like things like chocolate covered cherries (or Queen Anne cherries) with the white gooey syrupy stuff around the cherries and milk chocolate when I was a kid.  Funny how they were even too sweet then, but I loved this chocolate cherry combo!  Real food does taste better though!  My Mom loved these, and she was very happy with them, which made me happy.  If you are a cherry fan, give these a try!

     

    Raw Chocolate Covered Cherry Macaroons
    Makes 12

    Macaroons:

    • 1 1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut
    • 3/4 cup soft unsweetened dried cherries
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1//3 cup raw almond butter
    • 1/3 cup raw coconut butter
    • 3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

    Raw Chocolate:

    • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
    • 3/4 cup raw cacao butter warmed to liquid (or coconut oil may be used instead)
    • 3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt

    Place 1 1/2 cups coconut, cherries, vanilla, sea salt, almond butter, and coconut butter in the food processor and process until smooth and well combined. Add remaining 3/4 cup coconut and pulse until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place in the freezer to harden for about 30 minutes.
    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, in a small bowl.  Lay out a piece of parchment, and dip the macaroons one by one into the chocolate and set them back on the tray.  Allow the chocolate to set (which will happen faster if you place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes).  Store extra macaroons in the fridge.