Ingredients

Each one makes 4-5

Figs

• 3 tbsp raw cashew nuts
• 5 dry figs
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp Мadeira wine
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Dates and cranberries

• 3 tbsp walnuts
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp dried red cranberries
• 3 dates
• 1 tsp Cherry Liquor extract
• Pinch of salt

Raisins

• 3 tbsp raw cashew
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp golden sultana
• 1 tbsp coconut shreds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange blossom extract
• Pinch of salt

Apricots

• 3 tbsp raw cashew
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 5 dried apricots
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp apricot brandy
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Prepare a few plastic bags with different coating for the bonbons. I have prepared 5 different varieties. Red – A bag filled with 3 tablespoons of crushed dry raspberries for the red coating. Green colour – a bag filled with 3 tablespoons of coconut flakes and a few droplets of green food colour. Violet – a bag filled with three tablespoons of coconut flakes and a few droplets of violet food colour. Dark golden – a bag filled with three tablespoons of dark sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon of edible golden dust. Light golden – a bag filled with three tablespoons of white sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon of edible golden dust. Shake all bags to create an even colour.

2. For each variety of raw vegan bonbons place the listed ingredients in a blender and pulls until smooth. Roll the bolls with your hands and place each one in one of the coating bags. Shake for a few minutes so an even colour coating appears on the bonbon and take out. Repeat until all bonbons are done.

3. Place in the fridge overnight. Serve.

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (375g) self-raising flour, sifted
• ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder, sifted
• 1½ cups (330g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1½ cups (375ml) milk
• 250g unsalted butter, melted
• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Quick milk chocolate ganache

• 1 cup (240g) cream cheese Philadelphia
• 400g milk chocolate, melted
• a few droplets of Rum essence

Method

1. Melt the dark chocolate and let it cool.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 x 20cm round cake tins with non-stick baking paper. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, chocolate and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 40–45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

3. Melt the milk chocolate and let it cool.

4. To make the quick milk chocolate ganache, place the cream cheese and chocolate in a large bowl. Add the Rum essence and mix well. The ganache will quickly start to harden.

5. Place 1 of the cakes on a cake stand or plate. Spread with half the ganache. Top with the remaining cake and ganache.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 250ml coffee (cold)
• 1 tbsp cognac
• 250g powder sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp instant coffee Expresso
• 300g butter, softened on room temperature
• 38 (300g) petit-beurre cookies

For the chocolate mirror glaze:

• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
• 3 gelatine leaves

Method

1. Make a big cup of coffee. Let the coffee cool in an oven dish or large mixing bowl. Add a splash of cognac.

2. Place the powder sugar and eggs in the mixing bowl. Beat both ingredients until smooth and foamy.

3. Brew a small cup of extra strong coffee. Use instant coffee for this.

4. Cut the soft butter into cubes. Beat the butter little by little into the egg-sugar mixture. Add a spoonful of the strong coffee. Beat well until you get a smooth buttercream.

5. Place a layer of dry biscuits on a serving dish for a crispy bottom. Spread a layer of crème au beurre on top. Then build another layer of cookies, but dip them first in the baking dish with cooled coffee. Spread another layer of butter cream on top. Repeat these steps until you have a nice stacked cake. Brush the sides of the cake with the butter mixture as well. Let the petit beurre cake rest for an hour in the fridge.

6. In the meantime, place cold water and the gelatine leaves in a small bowl. Leave for 5 minutes. Place cocoa and water in a medium saucepan then mix until virtually lump-free. Add a splash of cream to the cocoa mix and stir. It will loosen up. Add remaining cream and sugar, then gently continue to mix to combine. Turn stove onto medium high heat. As soon as it comes to the boil, remove from the stove. Add the gelatine leaves, then stir until they dissolve and you have a smooth glossy glaze. Cool on the counter for 2 hours. Just before pouring over the cake, strain the glaze into a jug.

7. Remove the cake from the fridge, transfer onto a rack. Starting at the end of the cake, pour the glaze on, moving towards the other end of the cake, to make the glaze spread across the surface and drape like curtain down the sides. For the most perfect surface, try to do it in one motion without breaking the pour. Ensure all sides are fully coated – if not, quickly do a little pour down the sides to coat the naked patches. Let the mirror glaze set for around 10 minutes, before moving the cake to a cake platter. Leave in the fridge overnight then serve.

Ingredients

• 150 ml acacia honey
• 3 2/3 pears, quartered
• 375 g sheet of butter-puff pastry
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Cook honey in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat until dark caramel in colour (10 minutes), remove from heat and let bubbles subside. Pour the caramel in a 25 cm-diameter cake form. Arrange pears over caramel, to fit snugly, and stand until cool.

2. Meanwhile, using a plate slightly larger than the cake form as a template, cut a round of pastry. Place over pears, tucking in edges, then bake until pastry is risen and dark golden (35 minutes).

3. Let the cake rest for 5-10 minutes, then place a large serving plate over the form and carefully invert onto plate (be very careful, the caramel will be hot).

4. Serve immediately with vanilla ice-cream.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup ripe fresh mango
• 1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup soya yogurt
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

Method

1. In a food processor, blend up the mango until creamy and smooth. Reserve aside.

2. Then, with a clean food processor, blend up the blackberries until smooth.

3. If these aren’t sweet enough make sure to add 1 tbsp honey.

4. Using a 6-pack ice cream mold divide the blackberry blend into each of the molds, then divide the mango puree into them as well, layering as you go, don’t stir. Lastly add in the soya yogurt to finish off the layers.

5. Insert the sticks and place in the freezer overnight to harden.

Ingredients

Galette Crust

• 2 cups baking flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp cold butter
• 7 to 8 tbsp ice water
• Pinch of salt

For the filling

• 7 tbsp almond flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp milk

For the topping

• 4 apricots
• 8 strawberries
• 3 blackberries
• Handful of blueberries
• 8g vanilla sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp Agave syrup

Method

Make the galette crust:

1. In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the flour, salt and sugar.
2. Add the butter and rub it with your fingertips into the flour until the mixture forms a soft, sandy texture.
3. Add 7 tablespoons of the ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing it with a rubber spatula to incorporate, until the dough is no longer dry and crumbly, and there are no white streaks of flour visible. If the dough is still pretty crumbly, add the remaining tablespoon of water.
4. Form the dough into a ball with your hands, wrap into transparent click film and place in the refrigerator (for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour) while you prepare the galette filling.

For the galette filling:

1. In a large bowl, mix together almond flower, egg, sugar and milk until into a thick, sticky paste.

For the topping:

1. Wash and cut the apricots, strawberries and blackberries.

To assemble:

1. Heat the oven to 200C. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface and dust with flour. Flour a rolling pin. Transfer the chilled galette dough onto the parchment paper and roll it out into a circle. Trim the edges.
2. Transfer the parchment paper and the dough onto a sheet pan.
3. Spread the almond mixture onto the dough, leaving about 2cm of a border from the edge of the crust. Top with the apricot slices, forming a circular pattern. Add 2 strawberry circles in the middle and arrange the remaining fruit – apricot slices, blackberry slices and blueberries. Brush maple syrup on top of the fruit and sprinkle all over with vanilla sugar.
4. Fold over the edges of the crust and brush the exposed edges with milk. Sprinkle the crust with coconut sugar and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
5. Once the galette has cooled, drizzle Agave syrup on top and serve.