Category: VEGETARIAN

Ombre Blueberry Cheesecake … fresh & exciting

Ombre Blueberry Cheesecake … no bake, fresh, exciting and deep flavours in this no bake cheesecake are sublime. Every spoon offers deep berry notes and then the hint of vanilla bean, dessert just like we love them! The one bowl eggless chocolate sponge at the bottom and the ganache on top really bring it all together deliciously!

Colours and natural flavours in quick, simple desserts is what I really enjoy creating. Hopefully I’ll have just as much fun this year as well working with desserts in colour, a ton of natural flavour and layers. I hope you have a colourful and exciting 2024 as well!

There’s something about berries that makes desserts interesting and exciting, delicious too obviously. Berries offer endless charm and endless ways to create dessert. Another great idea for desserts is playing with different hues of the same or similar colours to create creating ombre patterns. I’ve also found that chocolate often brings these desserts together beautifully!

Ombre layers are one of my favourite ways to dessert and this Ombre Blueberry Cheesecake turned out smooth, fresh and really delicious. Each spoonful was addictive, the berry flavours dancing on the palette!

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking or share a comment here on the blog if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it!

Ombre Desserts
Berry Desserts
Layer Desserts
Eggless Desserts
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Eggless Ombre Blueberry Cheesecake

The fresh, exciting and deep flavours in this no bake cake are sublime. Every spoon offers deep berry notes and then the hint of vanilla bean, dessert just like we love them! The one bowl eggless chocolate sponge at the bottom and the ganache on top really bring it all together deliciously!
Makes 2 X 4" cakes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, British
Keyword agar agar, baking, blueberries, cake, cheesecake, chocolate, cream, dessert, eggfree, eggless, eggless baking, fruit, no bake, no gelatine, simple, sweet, vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Setting 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Eggless chocolate sponge (makes two 4″ cakes)

  • 105 g buttermilk
  • 25 g oil
  • 50 g castor sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 g cocoa powder
  • 85 g all purpose flour/maida

Cheesecake filling

  • 300 g cream / 25% fat
  • 2.5 tsp agar agar
  • 50 g castor sugar
  • 100 g white chocolate chopped
  • 250 g cream cheese room temperature, whisked until smooth

Instructions

Eggless chocolate sponge

  • Preheat the oven to 180C.
  • Line the base of two 4″ round dessert tins with foil and the sides with parchment. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and give them a good whisk.
  • Divide the batter between the tins, about 130g batter per tin. Bake for 20 minutes, until the tester comes out clean. Cool completely, then trim the tops.

Cheesecake filling

  • Whisk together the cream and sugar with agar agar in a glass bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, whisk again. Repeat 1-2 more times until the cream is steaming, Alternatively, simmer on the stove. We need to reach 79C to activate the agar agar.
  • Add the white chocolate, cover and leave for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth.
  • Whisk the cream cheese with a little cream-chocolate mixture to loosen it, then whisk it all into the cream-white chocolate mixture until smooth.
  • Divide into 3 bowls – 225g each
  • Bowl 1. Add 1.25 tsp blueberry powder
  • Bowl 2. 1/2 tsp freeze dried blueberry powder
  • Bowl 3. Add 1/4 scraped vanilla bean

Assemble

  • Secure an acetate sheet around the cake.
  • Layer 1 – Pour half the dark blueberry filling (100g) over the cake and place in the freezer until firm on top, 30 minutes.
  • Layer 2 – Pour half the light blueberry filling (100g) over first layer and place in the freezer until firm on top, 30 minutes
  • Layer 3 – Pour half the white filling (100g) over the light blueberry layer. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours until very firm, gently peel off the acetate sheet, then leave to set in the fridge overnight.
  • Top with a chocolate ganache if desired.

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In other news, I am thrilled to be included in the list of the 15 Best Indian Baking Blogs from thousands of food blogs on the web and ranked by traffic, social media followers & freshness ranked by Feedspot. Always an honour to be recognised for my little passion, so thank you so much Feedspot!

Best Pecan Cookies … Eggless, wholegrain recipe which makes absolutely delicious cookies!

Best Eggless Pecan Wholegrain Chocolate Chip Cookies … these are the simplest AND most delicious pecan cookies you will make. The ingredients are staple and the process is fuss free like a cookie recipe should be. You’ll never go for a store bought cookie again!

I’ve baked chocolate chip cookies forever. In fact, I think it’s the first thing most bakers attempt when they explore baking at home. For me it was no different. I used to make trays of cookies on request and they always disappeared before I knew it, what with cookie monsters all over the house.

I remember the kids trading my cookies for friends lunches since my cookies were really popular in school and went at a so called premium! At the time, all my cookies, brownies, cakes were with eggs. Cut to now, all my bakes have gone eggless and I am so happy! From the very beginning, I always hated the slight eggy aroma, yet didn’t believe that one could easily bake easily eggs. How wrong I was!

It was a change brought about by the pandemic. With eggs not available easily, there were loads of reader requests for eggless recipes. That was just the thing I needed to broaden my horizons, to challenge the way I baked, to look at ingredients differently. It put an end to a certain kind of baking monotony, made me think out of the box!

The joy of eggless baking!! It’s really the little things that really make a difference, and with no eggs in my pantry, I began a brand new journey into eggless baking. There’s been no looking back and I’m really enjoying it. Every dessert I make is eggless now, vegetarian actually, because I have stopped using gelatine in desserts too. That was again just to accommodate reader requests and I consider it a blessing in disguise.

I’ve been able to connect with a beautiful community online, mainly on Instagram, and it’s motivated me to create more, connect more, and most importantly, enjoy this space more. Do stop by and say hello. I’m @passionateaboutbaking on Instagram😊.

My key changes going eggless were the inclusion of chia seeds as an egg substitute, using buttermilk or yogurt like in this Eggless Mango Pistachio Tart Cake. Another substitute that works beautifully is increasing the bananas in banana loaf like in this amazing one bowl, wholegrain Eggless Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Every recipe works differently, baked or no bake, the experimenting is endless yet the rewards are worth the effort!

And back to the pecan cookies. You are absolutely going to love these. I enjoy baking these because they have rich, deep flavour, are crisp and buttery and so wholesome. I’ve been baking these on repeat with pecans the past few years and they are just amazing.

You can always make these cookies with walnuts, or dried cranberries and pistachios, dried blueberries, even dried cherries. We never tire of these at home. They begin to disappear quickly even before they’ve cooled down completely. That’s how good they are!

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking or share a comment here on the blog if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it! Happy Holidays 🎄❄️🎄!!

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Best Eggless Pecan Wholegrain Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the simplest AND most delicious eggless, wholegrain pecan cookies. The ingredients are staple and the process is fuss free. You'll never want a store bought cookie again!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

  • 115 g unsalted butter soft
  • 100 g light brown sugar desi khaand
  • 100 g whole wheat flour aata
  • 50 g all purpose flour maida
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
  • 50 g pecans chopped
  • 50 g dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl of the stand mixer {or in a large bowl}, whisk the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and mix in at the lowest speed until incorporated.
  • Using a cookie scoop, measure out walnut sized pieces, roll into tight balls and flatten slightly. Top with chocolate chips and pecan halves.
  • Bake for 17-19 minutes until the tops are a light golden brown and firm to touch.
  • Cool completely on cookie racks.

Cranberry Christmas Coconut Flan … delicate and delicious!

Cranberry Christmas Coconut Flan … Simple, delicious and delicate, this vegan gluten-free set pudding is light and full of flavour. It’s a quick simple, stove top recipe that doesn’t take more than 15 minutes to make. Cranberries lend it a delicate pink hue, also added flavour and texture.

I love the way the flan sets, almost assuming and such a surprise to see the clean release from the mini bundt tin. Desserts that set as prettily as this always make me happy, much like this Vegan Rose Coconut Jelly Pudding…

…. also this Vegan Coffee Pudding. Earthy and deeply satisfying, where every wobbly spoonful was delicious, if you love coffee in desserts, you are going to love this 5 ingredient pudding!

… and the Eggless Mango Custard Pudding and the Pistachio Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce {no gelatine}. I am fascinated by all sorts of set puddings, and it never ceases to amaze me if they leave the mold clean!

You can obviously see that shapes in desserts fascinate me, bringing alive the child in me. This vegan Cranberry Christmas Coconut Flan was no different. I whooped with joy when I demolded it, every little detail in the pattern visible beautifully!

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it!

Puddings
Christmas Recipes
Vegan Desserts
Coconut Desserts
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Cranberry Christmas Coconut Milk Flan

Simple, delicious and delicate, this vegan gluten-free set pudding is light and full of flavour. It's a quick simple, stove top recipe that doesn't take more than 15 minutes to make. Cranberries lend it a delicate pink hue and added texture.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword agar agar, christmas, coconut milk, cranberries, dessert, eggfree, fruit, gluten free, one bowl, simple, stovetop, sweet, vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Setting time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 500 g coconut milk
  • 60 g sugar
  • 1 tsp agar agar powder
  • 45 g dried cranberries chopped

Instructions

  • Whisk all the ingredients in a pan.
  • Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is steaming.
  • Pour into 6 cup mold and leave to set overnight.

Apple Crumble with pecans & cranberries… the best of holiday baking!

Apple Crumble with pecans & cranberries … super quick and super simple, here’s an apple crumble that is as delicious as it is fuss free. The crumble is buttery and generous as we love it, and the apples are cooked to perfection under the weight of the topping.

It’s another special dessert that doubles up as breakfast. The Eggless Wholegrain Pecan Banana Bread that I recently shared is another great example of breakfast for dessert or dessert for breakfast. Both these scream comfort and are most satisfying to bake up in the holiday season.

One constant in my holiday desserts is spices, a whole array of them. Think garam masala, think cinnamon, think star anise, think nutmeg. These are spices that bring warmth to desserts and every bite is comforting. Garam masala might seem a little misplaced as it comes to mind as a savoury or curry spice, yet trust me with this!

My Chocolate Garam Masala Cake with Garam Masala Orange Vanilla Whipped Frosting … & Garam Masala Gingerbread House is a delightful holiday bake bursting with warmth and flavour. It’s so fun to bake & tastes amazing.

Garam masala is just my all time favourite add to flavour desserts! These Eggless Garam Masala Infused Ghee Gingerbread Cookies are as delicious as they look. Crisp, deep, addictive and sooooo festive, these are cookies that I bake every year.

From my mothers’ quintessential Garam Masala Fruit Cake, to Garam Masala Hot Chocolate Pudding, Rich Hot Chocolate, Eggless Sticky Toffee Pudding, Whiskey Trifles to Garam Masala Chocolate Truffles, I think you get the drift. Just a small pinch of the spice for the mild hearted is enough to elevate the flavours to desserts that scream holidays. As you become bolder and more open to experimenting, you’ll fall in love with spices in desserts through winter!!

Holiday desserts and baking is my most favorite part of the year. So much to do, and honestly so little time! I love playing with ingredients, flavours and colours. I also love making different types of desserts – trifles, cakes, pudding, truffles, cookies … and crumbles of course!

I have baked apple crumbles for years! Winter just isn’t without the aroma of a crumble baking. Deep smells of cinnamon wafting through the house feels like a big, warm hug. My crumbles always have to have a generous topping. It really adds an indulgence to the perfectly cooked soft spiced apples that are blanketed by the crisp topping. Pecans and dried cranberries add so much texture to desserts, it’s addictive. Do try this apple crumble and let me know!

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking or share a comment here on the blog if you make this or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it!

Holiday Desserts
Crumbles
Eggless Desserts
Christmas Desserts
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Apple Crumble with pecans & cranberries

Super quick and super simple apple crumble that is as delicious as it is fuss free. The topping is buttery and generous as we love it, and the apples are cooked to perfection under the weight of the crumble.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword baking, christmas, cranberries, crumble, dessert, eggfree, eggless baking, fruit, simple, sweet, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Apple filling

  • 600 g apples peeled and diced {3 apples}
  • 45 g light brown sugar desi khaand {2-3 tbsp}
  • 100 g pecans chopped {1/2 cup}
  • 20 g dried cranberries 2 tbsp
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 lime juice
  • 1 tbsp cornflour optional

Crumble topping

  • 100 g quick cooking oats
  • 100 g all purpose flour maida
  • 100 g light brown sugar desi khaand
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

Crumble topping

  • Add all the ingredients to a hand blender and process until the butter is distributed equally. Alternatively, mix all the ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or using your fingertips to distribute equally.
  • Reserve.

Apple filling

  • Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Transfer into an 8" pie dish and spread uniformly.
  • Cover the apple filling with the crumble topping and pack firmly into place.
  • Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the top is light golden brown and fragrant.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Simplest Eggless Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread … nutty, buttery, rich & delicious. Make this now!

Simplest Eggless Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread … Wholegrain, one bowl, quick and addictively good! It’s that time of the year where baking takes over my world and this bread is something I bake often! Actually really often because this banana bread is addictive good and just too delicious. It always hits the right spot and is pure comfort, just how a good banana bread should be!

Despite it being wholegrain, it is moist, moorish, earthy and disappears really quickly at home. All you need is a bowl and a whisk. The recipe uses pretty standard ingredients and I always have a large bunch of bananas on hand. Getting to the last slice sends me into banana bread baking mode, and I’m certainly not complaining. Did I tell you that the buttery pecan nuts really add a handsome bite to the bread? Of course, they are also a great add to desserts!

The pecan is a nut from a species of hickory trees native to northern Mexico and the Southern United States. The nut is a nutrition powerhouse loaded with vitamins and minerals. Raw pecans are cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and low in carbohydrates. With their rich, buttery flavor and natural sweetness, they make a tasty and satisfying snack. 

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-pecans

This Eggless Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is a delicious breakfast option and doubles up quite nicely as perfect dessert too. Going eggless with my baking has taught me that bananas make a fine egg substitute and are often the key to moist delicious bakes. I was never a fan of banana in my bakes but began making the banana bread on reader request on Instagram. I was sold!!

This is a recipe I’ve made over the years and I simplify it each time I bake it. It’s been baked by so many of you with simple substitutes, olive oil instead of ghee, jaggery instead of sugar, into cupcakes and even a sheet cake. It never disappoints!

I’ve made a Biscoff version as well and that hit the ball out of the park. I have to confess I now find the Biscoff Banana Bread dangerously addictive and very very satisfying. You can find that recipe here. It turned out quite pretty and makes for a really nice edible gift ♥ like this pecan version!!

In this Eggless Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread I’ve used wholewheat flour (our everyday aata if you run an Indian pantry), ghee/clarified butter and brown sugar, and simply hand mixed everything together in a large bowl. It always turns out excellent. Do try it if you have well ripened bananas on hand; I’m sure you’ll love it too! It’s comfort in a loaf, is always good to have on hand when hunger strikes AND it also makes for a really nice holiday gift. Happy Holidays!

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking or share a comment here on the blog if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it! Happy Holidays 🎄❄️🎄!!

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Eggless Wholegrain Pecan Chocolate Banana Bread

This banana bread is comfort in a loaf, is always good to have on hand when hunger strikes AND it also makes for a really nice holiday gift. Simply stir together all the ingredients in a large bowl and it always turns out excellent.
Makes 1 loaf (750g approx)
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword baking, banana btead, cake, chocolate, eggfree, eggless, eggless baking, eggless cake, loaf cake, one bowl, simple, sweet, vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

Eggless Whole-wheat Pecan Banana Bread

  • 150 g brown sugar
  • 100 g clarified butter/ghee melted
  • 225 g 3 large ripe bananas mashed well
  • 200 g whole wheat flour/aata
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped

Topping

  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup Dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 8" X 4" loaf tin with baking parchment.
  • Place all the ingredients one by one in a large bowl and gently stir to mix until combined.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and top with pecan halves and chocolate chips.
  • Bake at 180C for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until the tester comes out clean.
  • Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then cool completely on the rack.
  • Serve sliced warm or at room temperature.
  • Note: Loosely tent the top with a sheet of aluminium foil in the last 15-20 minutes to stop the top from over browning.

Blue Matcha Dessert Shot … in love with dreamy, delicious dessert

Blue Matcha Dessert Shot…  A dessert as light as a cloud, one that teases the palette with so many textures and flavours, it’s delicious! There’s something so calming about this pretty blue, and the slight earthy, moorish undertones are very pleasant. This butterfly pea powder has had me smitten for a while and it’s not difficult to see why …

They say sipping blue tea is very soothing because the butterfly pea powder has immense medicinal properties. I figured I’d make the most of it by capturing it in dessert since playing with pops of natural colour in desserts is what I enjoy doing most!

It’s natural colours in food that I absolutely enjoy playing with, and the day I discovered the joy of the butterfly pea powder, or Blue Matcha Tea as it’s sold, I knew there was no looking back. Over time, I have created loads of blue desserts, the butterfly pea flower a constant source of inspiration.

You can find most of these desserts on my handle on Instagram on Passionate About Baking or my Instagram recipe feed PAB Recipes. I constantly share recipes there and I’d love to see you over!

If you are curious about the taste of Blue Matcha, it’s earthy, moorish, gentle and not very pronounced. It has pleasant undertones. My favourite bit of course is that it is natural and the colour it imparts is quite fascinating. They say it is an antioxidant and has great medicinal properties as well, so I guess that’s a bonus!

Matcha recipes
Desserts in Glasses
Eggless Desserts
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Blue Matcha Dessert Shot

A dessert as light as a cloud, one that teases the palette with so many textures and flavours, it's delicious!
Makes one dessert shot glass {230ml}
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, British
Keyword blue tea, chocolate, cream, dessert, eggfree, eggless, matcha dessert, matcha lover, no bake, simple, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients

Layers

#1 Biscuit base

  • 20 g Bourbon biscuit crumbs.

#2 Blue matcha cream

  • 50 g whipping cream
  • 10 g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp milk with 1/2 tsp blue matcha powder

#3 Blue matcha ganache

  • 10 g cream 25% fat
  • 30 g white couverture chocolate
  • 1/2 tsp blue matcha powder

#4 2 tbsp Bourbon biscuit crumbs.

To finish : Blue matcha powder, butterfly pea flower.

Instructions

#1 Biscuit base

  • Layer at the base of glass.

#2 Blue matcha cream

  • With an electric hand beater whip together the cream and sugar until firm peaks form, then whip in blue matcha concentrate a little at a time until you get the desired blue. {You might not need all the concentrate}.
  • Fit a piping bag with a 2A nozzle and fill it with the cream. Pipe over the biscuit base up to less than half of the dessert glass.

#3 Blue matcha ganache

  • 1/2 tsp blue matcha powder
  • Heat the chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl for 15-30 seconds. Stir well and add as much blue matcha powder to get a deep blue colour. Cool to room temperature.
  • Gently pour the ganache over the blue whipped cream and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until firm.

#4

  • Top the blue matcha ganache with Bourbon biscuit crumbs.

#5

  • Pipe blue matcha cream over the crumb layer and flatten the top.

To finish

  • Sift blue matcha powder over the top and garnish with a butterfly pea flower.

Video

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