Goodies from the garden, great fruit cakes
The berry and fruit season has been started. The garden is full of fresh goodies like red currants, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and gooseberries. In the shells of the stores orange and red stripped apricots do shine like little suns. Do spoil your family and friends I’m sure they are waiting for a piece of homemade berry or fruit cake. Do not hesitate and invite them for a coffee and tea break!
Cheesecake, vegetarian, but not vegan
To make cheesecake vegetarian but not vegan, combine 250 g or 8 oz. of flour, 150 g or 5 oz. of cold butter pieces, 150 g or 5 oz. of sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 1 tbsp. lemon zest, 1 tbsp. baking powder and 1 dash of salt. The texture of the dough is flaky. Grease a 7-8 inch diameter springform with butter. Apply 2/3 of the dough crumbles on the bottom and the border of the springform.
To make filling, combine 2 lb. or 1 kg of cream cheese, 1-2 tbsp. of cheesecake helper (Dr. Oetker or Kiri), 6 eggs, 250 g or 8 oz. of sugar, lemon zest, 1 tbsp. of vanilla sugar. Fold in 2 dl or 7 fl. oz. of whipped cream and 150 g or 5 oz. of raspberries or red currants. Pour the filling on top of the crust. Sprinkle with 50 g or 1.5 oz. almond flakes and the remaining crumbles.
Bake in oven at 180°C for 60-70 minutes. Take the cheesecake out and cool on wire rack.
Shopping list: 250 g or 8 oz. flour, 150 g or 5 oz. of cold butter pieces, 150 g or 5 oz. sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 1 tbsp. lemon zest, 1 tbsp. baking powder and 1 dash salt. 2 lb. or 1 kg cream cheese, 1-2 tbsp. of cheesecake helper (Dr. Oetker or Kiri), 6 eggs, 250 g or 8 oz. of sugar, lemon zest, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 2 dl or 7 fl. oz. whipped cream, 150 g or 5 oz. raspberries or red currants
Apricot or gooseberry pie, vegetarian and vegan, fast and easy
Chef’s Handyman Gooseberry Pie
To make apricot or gooseberry pie, vegetarian friendly version, roll the ready-made shortcrust dough out and place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Chef’s Handyman Apricot Pie
To make filling, cut 450 g or 14 oz. apricots in quarter and place them into a bowl. If gooseberries are available, place 450 g or 14 oz. of gooseberries into a bowl. Add 6 tbsp. grated and peeled almonds, 4 tbsp. flour, 6 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 4 tbsp. lemon juice or orange juice and lemon or orange zest. Combine all ingredients. Place the mixture on top of the dough. Make sure that a border of 2 inches is left. Fold the remaining dough over the filling like a frame. Sprinkle the filling with pines or almond flakes. Dust with 1 tbsp. of sugar.
Bake in oven at 200°C or 400°F for 30-35 minutes until golden. Take the cake out and apply agave syrup on the border sprinkle with decorating sugar.
Shopping list: 1 ready-made shortcrust dough, 450 g or 14 oz. apricots in quarter or 450 g or 14 oz. gooseberries, 6 tbsp. grated and peeled almonds, 4 tbsp. flour, 6 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 4 tbsp. lemon juice or orange juice and lemon or orange zest, pines or almond flakes, agave syrup and decorating sugar.
Vegan friendly short crust
To make vegan friendly shortcrust, combine 300 g or 10 oz. of flour, 100 g or 3.5 oz. of sugar and a dash of salt and lemon rind. Add 250 g or 8 oz. very cold plant based margarine in small pieces. Knead all ingredients with a dough hook. If necessary add 2 tbsp. of ice water. Do not knead by hand it will be too warm for the dough. Wrap the dough with foil. Cool in fridge for 1 hour. Then spread the dough out. For the next step, to make filling, follow the instructions above.
Shopping list: 300 g or 10 oz. of flour, 100 g or 3.5 oz. of sugar, a dash of salt and lemon rind, 250 g or 8 oz. very cold plant based margarine in small pieces, 2 tbsp. of ice water.
Strawberry pie, vegetarian vegan, fast and easy
Chef’s Handyman Strawberry Pie
To make strawberry pie, apply a rectangle baking sheet with vegan friendly margarine. Apply the crust dough or the ready-made dough. Add a parchment paper on top of the dough. Place one or two cups of dry beans on the top of the parchment paper. Bake the crust blind for 15 minutes at 180°C or 350°F or until golden. Take the dough out remove the dried beans and cool on wire rack.
To bake blind means, let the pie crust bake for a little while on its own before you add the filling.
To prepare the filling, place 250 g or 8 oz. of soy bean curd in a bowl. Add 10 strawberries, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. of strawberry jam. Blend all ingredients. Apply the mixture into the cooled crust. Decorate with fresh strawberries approx. 400 g or 13 oz. Cool for 1 hour in fridge.
Shopping list: 1 ready-made dough, 250 g or 8 oz. of soy bean curd, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. of strawberry jam, 400 g or 13 oz. fresh strawberries.
Chef’s Handyman tip: To make the vegan pie crust, follow the instruction: To make vegan friendly shortcrust. For the vegetarian version use already prepared crust dough, which can be bought in stores. That will be a fast alternative, if no time is left preparing homemade dough.
There will be always an occasion to invite friends for a cup of coffee or tea. Bon appetite, yours Chef’s Handyman team!
