cook like james

Peach cobbler is a timeless summer dessert that is easy to throw together and this recipe makes just enough for two generous portions. I think this dessert is best made with fresh peaches at the peak of the season, but frozen peaches will work in a pinch. Serve on its own or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Download Fresh Peach Cobbler for Two recipe

FILLING

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ¼ pounds fresh peaches (about 3 or 4), peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges, or 1 lb. frozen sliced peaches

1 tablespoon water

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING

½ cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

⅛ teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ cup buttermilk (If you don’t have buttermilk, combine ¼ cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon in 8-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
3. Add peaches and cook, covered, until peaches release their juice, about 5 minutes (7 or 8 minutes if using frozen peaches).
4. Whisk water, lemon juice, and flour together in bowl and stir into peaches. Off heat, stir in vanilla. Cover and set aside.

FOR THE TOPPING:

1. Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Add buttermilk and melted butter and stir until dough forms.
2. Using spoon, drop 1-inch pieces of dough evenly over hot peach mixture in skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and bake until topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve on its own, or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Fool is a popular British dessert that is similar to Eton Mess but without the crumbled meringue shells. It is super easy to throw together – any combination of berries and cream will work, but they look particularly festive in tall stemmed glasses. This version based on an old recipe from Cook’s Illustrated Rhubarb Fool features rhubarb, which is a classic pairing with strawberries, and great to use during its peak season. If you have a bigger crowd, the recipe easily doubles, and you might make them easy to serve by using stemless wine glasses.

Download Festive Strawberry-Rhubarb Fool recipe

Serves 4

FILLING:

½ pound fresh rhubarb, trimmed of ends and cut into 6-inch lengths

8 ounces fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled; each berry quartered (about 6 or 7 large berries)

3 tablespoons orange juice

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

CREAM/TOPPING:

1 cup heavy cream (cold)

¼ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

4 Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers or Graham Crackers, finely crushed (about 1/4 cup)

4 sprigs fresh mint leaves (optional)

1. Soak rhubarb in a one-quart cold water for 20 minutes. Drain, pat dry with paper towels, and cut rhubarb crosswise into slices 1/2-inch thick.

2. Bring orange juice, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt to boil in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rhubarb and strawberries and return to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring only 2 or 3 times (frequent stirring causes rhubarb to become mushy), until rhubarb begins to break down and is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer rhubarb and strawberries to nonreactive bowl, cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.

3. Place cream, sour cream, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl of stand mixer. Beat on low speed until bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high; continue beating until mixture has nearly doubled in volume and holds stiff peaks, about 30 seconds.

4. To assemble fool, spoon 1/4 of the rhubarb and strawberries into each of two 8-ounce glasses, then spoon in about 1/4 of the whipped cream (you can also use a piping bag to help keep edges clean. Repeat, ending with dollop of cream. Sprinkle with crushed crackers and garnish with mint sprigs, if using. Serve or can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours.

If you’re a fan of The Great British Baking Show, you may remember this recipe from an episode where the bakers are challenged by Mary Berry to make a Bakewell Tart,   an English confection consisting of a short pastry shell beneath layers of jam, frangipane, and a topping of sliced almonds. Recently, pastry chef/author Gesine Prado posted a helpful instructional video on the King Arthur Facebook page  demonstrating her take on the King Arthur recipe for this wonderful dessert. She made it look so easy, that I decided to give it a try. Watching the video allays any fear one might have when tackling a new recipe, and the result is spectacular. I made a couple of minor changes to the crust and filling recipe, but otherwise followed the recipe as printed, and followed Gesine’s mixing tips for the filling.

Download Classic British Almond-Jam Tart Bakewell Tart recipe

Crust:

1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz/180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup (2 oz/60g) confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (4 oz/113g) cold unsalted butter

1 large egg yolk; reserve the white for the filling

2 tablespoons heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla

Frangipane filling:

1 1/4 cups (4 ¼ oz/120g) almond flour

1/2 cup (3.5 oz/99g) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (28g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 large egg white

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (113g) soft unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces

¼ cup (2¾ oz/80g) seedless raspberry jam

½ cup (43g) sliced almonds

Confectioners’ sugar and raspberries, for decorating, if desired

FOR THE CRUST:

1. Whisk together yolk, cream, and vanilla in small bowl. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in food processor with four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter pieces over flour mixture; pulse to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal, about twenty 1-second pulses. With machine running, add egg mixture and process until dough comes together, about 12 seconds. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and press into 6-inch disk; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Unwrap and roll on a lightly floured work surface into a 12” circle. Gently transfer the dough circle to a 9” tart pan, pressing it into the corners. Trim the dough with kitchen scissors so that you’re left with just 1/2” of overhanging dough around the perimeter of the tart. Fold the overhang down to reinforce the sides of the pastry then use the tines of a fork to poke holes across the bottom.
3. Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Line the crust with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights, rice, or your favorite blind-baking weights.
5. Bake the crust on a baking sheet (to catch any butter drips) with the weights for 20 minutes then remove the parchment or foil with the weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until the edges and bottom of the crust are lightly golden.
6. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool while you prepare the filling.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F

FOR THE FILLING:

1. Add almond flour, sugar, flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3- times to combine. Add egg and egg white, almond and vanilla extracts; process until combined, about 10 seconds. Add butter and process until no lumps remain, about 10 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula and process to combine thoroughly, about 10 seconds longer. (Can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 3 days. Before using, let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes to soften, stirring 3 or 4 times.)
2. Spread the raspberry jam evenly into the bottom of the slightly cooled crust. Using a piping bag (or use a plastic freezer bag and cut a ½” opening in the corner) pipe the almond filling in a circular motion to cover the jam. Alternatively, you can spoon the almond mixture over the jam, but be careful not to mix the jam into the almond filling. Once the jam is covered, gently spread it to the edges of the tart, and smooth out the surface. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly on top.
3. Bake the tart on the baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a rack. Transfer to serving plate and dust with powdered sugar and decorate with fresh raspberries, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

If you’re looking for a refreshing summer treat that big on flavor and low on sugar -this recipe is for you. America’s Test Kitchen has a wonderful cookbook called Naturally Sweet that is loaded with innovative desserts with 50% less sugar. This banana ice cream hits the spot when you want to indulge with a little less guilt – it’s rich, creamy, and delicious.

Download No Fuss No Sugar Banana Ice Cream recipe

6 very ripe bananas

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Peel bananas, place in large zipper-lock bag and press out excess air. Freeze bananas until solid, at least 8 hours.
2. Let bananas sit at room temperature to soften slightly, about 15 minutes. Slice into ½-inch thick rounds and place in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth, about 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Transfer mixture to airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

After a long winter, where even Southern California has had its share of cold temperatures, it’s nice to transition to brighter, fresher, springtime recipes. Pavlova is a perfect example - light, airy, elegant – it’s a whimsical dessert that combines crisp meringue with a “marsmallow-y” center, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and macerated fresh fruit that provides beautiful color and texture.

There’s been a long-running argument between Australia and New Zealand over who invented the pavlova which was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who visited both countries in the 1920s. While Australians and New Zealanders agree on that, there is still no consensus on who invented it.

Regardless of where it was created, this recipe, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, is easy to make and perfect for spring holidays like Easter and Passover. By following a few simple techniques, the recipe delivers a nearly foolproof showstopper for your spring celebration. 

Download Strawberry Lime and Mint Pavlova with Whipped Cream recipe

INGREDIENTS

For the Meringue:

1 ½ cups (10½ ounces) sugar

¾ cup (6 ounces) egg whites (5 to 7 large eggs)

1 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch (use potato starch for Passover recipe)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Fruit Topping:

2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered (5 cups)

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1½ teaspoons juice

Pinch  salt

⅓ cup chopped fresh mint (or basil), plus 10 small leaves, divided

For the Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

2 tablespoons sugar

SERVES 10

*Note: Because eggs can vary in size, measuring the egg whites by weight or volume is essential to ensure that you are working with the correct ratio of egg whites to sugar. While baking, open the oven door as infrequently as possible while the meringue is inside. Don't worry if the meringue cracks; it is part of the dessert's charm. The inside of the meringue will remain soft. Do not substitute frozen strawberries for fresh here.

Total Time: 1½ to 2 hours, plus 1¾ hours cooling

1. For the Meringue: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Using pencil, draw 10-inch circle in center of 18 by 13-inch piece of parchment paper.
2. Combine sugar and egg whites in bowl of stand mixer; place bowl over saucepan filled with 1 inch simmering water, making sure that water does not touch bottom of bowl. Whisking gently but constantly, heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 160 to 165 degrees, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Fit a stand mixer with whisk attachment and whip mixture on high speed until meringue forms stiff peaks, is smooth and creamy, and is bright white with sheen, about 4 minutes (bowl may still be slightly warm to touch). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with spatula. Add vinegar, cornstarch (or potato starch), and vanilla and whip on high speed until combined, about 10 seconds.
4. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon meringue onto each corner of rimmed baking sheet. Press parchment, marked side down, onto sheet to secure. Pile meringue in center of circle on parchment. Using the marked circle as guide, spread and smooth meringue with back of spoon or spatula from center outward, building 10-inch disk that is slightly higher around edges. Finished disk should measure about 1 inch high with ¼-inch depression in center.
5. Bake meringue until exterior is dry and crisp and meringue releases cleanly from parchment when gently lifted at edge with thin metal spatula, 1 to 1½ hours. Meringue should be quite pale (a hint of creamy color is OK). Turn off oven, prop door open with wooden spoon, and let meringue cool in oven for 1½ hours. Remove from oven and let cool completely before topping, about 15 minutes. (Cooled meringue can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
6. For the Topping: Toss strawberries with sugar, lime zest and juice, and salt in large bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.
7. For the Whipped Cream: Before serving, stir chopped mint (or basil) into strawberry mixture. Whip cream and sugar in chilled bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and whip until whisk leaves trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue to whip until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds longer for soft peaks. If necessary, finish whipping by hand to adjust consistency.
8. Carefully peel meringue away from parchment and place on large serving platter. Spoon whipped cream into center of meringue. Using slotted spoon, spoon topping in even layer over whipped cream. Garnish with mint (or basil) leaves. Let stand for at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Slice and serve, drizzling pavlova slices with any juice from bowl.

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, so it’s time to start mastering one of this holiday’s classic desserts. There are tons of pumpkin pie recipes, and in November all of the food shows and magazines are filled with both classic and innovative recipes. I’ve tried many of them – most started with canned pumpkin, and from there the ingredients vary  - some use heavy cream, others swear by evaporated milk, and some are heavily spiced with cinnamon and cloves.  I love pumpkin pie, but have never found what I would call the BEST pumpkin pie until recently. I was watching an episode of America’s Test Kitchen (the leader in test perfected recipes) called “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”. The ingredients and the method were quite original and I couldn’t wait to try it. There are a few extra steps, but well worth it. If you don’t want to make your own crust, you can use your favorite Ready Made crust, like Wholly Wholesome. Feel free to alter the amount of cinnamon and other spices to suit your tastes. (I used Penzey's Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon Click here for Penzey's), but the fresh ginger is key to the pie’s flavor. This year I added the decorative maple leaves which makes this pie even more impressive. They are super easy to make using the Leaf Pie Crust Cutters from Sur La Table (click here) You can use leftover pastry dough, or cut them from a store bought rolled crust. Just brush the  cutouts with egg wash and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Place the cutouts on the pie and soon as it comes out of the oven.

Download World's Best Pumpkin Pie recipe

Fool Proof Pie Crust  

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into two pieces

2 tablespoons vodka, cold 

2 tablespoons cold water

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon is best)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon table salt

 For the Crust:

1. Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Re-whisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

July Fourth Berry Trifle

Trifles are such an easy dessert to throw together and great to serve during the summer when berries are at their peak. This version has a few extra steps, but makes a festive presentation for the 4^th of July.

Makes enough for a 3-quart trifle dish 

Click here to  Download July Fourth Berry Trifle

1 Homemade Pound Cake or 2 Sara Lee frozen pound cakes (16 ounces each), thawed and edges trimmed

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

6 cups fresh blueberries or blackberries (or mixture)

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons orange juice  

4 tablespoons Grand Marnier

3 cups fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries (or mixture)

4 cups vanilla pudding, refrigerated until firm (homemade or Jell-O)

1 cup heavy cream

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

 For Homemade Vanilla Pudding:

(For a smooth pudding, it is important to pass the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer in order to remove any bits of cooked egg. )

¾ cup sugar

3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon table salt

3 ½ cups half-and-half

3 large egg yolks

1tablespoon unsalted butter

1tablespoon vanilla extract  

1.    Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and then the yolks.

 2.    Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking gently but constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes.

 3.    Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, scraping the inside of the strainer with a rubber spatula to pass the pudding through. Stir the butter and vanilla into the pudding until the butter is melted. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

 For the stars:

 1.    Slice each cake lengthwise into 6 equal pieces. Spread 2 teaspoons jam each on 6 cake slices and top with remaining slices to create jam sandwiches. Using 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out 3 stars from each sandwich. Chop remaining sandwich scraps into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

 For the berries:

 1.    Toss blueberries (or blackberries) with 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier in bowl. Set aside to macerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. In separate bowl, toss raspberries (or strawberries) with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier and let macerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

For the Whipped Cream:

 1.    Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth.

 2.    In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream and vanilla to chilled bowl. Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds. Mix in cream cheese mixture and beat for another 15 seconds to for sorm stiff peaks.

 To assemble:

 1.    Arrange 7 star sandwiches upright around bottom of 3-quart trifle dish. Place 2 cups sandwich scraps in center of dish. Arrange 3 cups blueberries around stars, piling up blueberries so that they surround all edges of stars. Spread 2 cups custard in even layer on top of blueberry and cake layer.

 2.    Place 1 cup sandwich scraps on center of custard layer. Arrange 3 cups raspberries around perimeter of dish. Spread remaining custard in even layer on top of raspberries. Arrange 9 star sandwiches upright around perimeter of dish. Arrange remaining blueberries around stars and pile remaining raspberries in center of dish. Spoon whipped cream on top of raspberries and top with remaining stars and a few berries for garnish. 

It may sound a little cliché, but many of my California friends are vegetarian or vegan and it can often be a challenge to prepare a menu that still tastes great for everyone. I’ve managed to come up with a few winning main course recipes – like hearty veggie chili with gluten free corn bread topping – but desserts have been a bit more difficult – until now. I was searching the web for a nice fall dessert when I stumbled on a site called Minimalist Baker (https://minimalistbaker.com)  authored by wife-husband team Dana and John Shultz who are based in Portland, Oregon. They share incredibly delicious, simple recipes that are mostly vegan and/or gluten free. I found a recipe for vegan pumpkin cheesecake that looked too good not to try. I adapted the recipe slightly to reflect the spices that I use in my own pumpkin recipes, so feel free to make adjustments to the spices. Cashews create a creamy filling and slightly tangy flavor that give it that “cheesecake” taste and texture. You can make this in a 9” springform pan, or in a cupcake tin, but I used Chicago Metallic mini cheesecake pan (http://bit.ly/1kEx3sn).  The coconut cream topping is easy to make and gives them a great finish.

Download recipe for Best Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted (about 20 dates, pitted before measuring)

1 1/2 cups (180 g) raw walnuts or almonds (I toasted them for 5 minutes in a 375 degree oven)

½ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Pinch sea salt

FOR THE FILLING

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked in very hot water for 1 hour)

1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

1/3 cup light or full fat coconut milk (or sub unsweetened almond milk)

3 tablespoons olive oil (or melted coconut oil, though it will add coconut flavor)

1/2 cup grade A pure maple syrup or light agave nectar, plus more to taste

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons freshly grated gingerroot

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or favorite combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)

1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

COCONUT CREAM TOPPING

 14-ounce can organic coconut cream

1/4 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar (use organic to ensure vegan friendliness)

Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.  Cover cashews with boiling hot water. Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour. Then drain thoroughly and set aside.

2. In the meantime, add dates to a food processor and pulse until small bits remain, or it forms a ball, about 10 one second pulses. Remove and set aside.

3. Add nuts, spice and salt to processor and process until finely ground, stop before it turns to butter! Add dates back in and process until a loose dough forms - it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If too crumbly, add a few more dates. If too sticky, add more crushed walnuts. Set aside.

4. If using a springform pan, line with parchment paper. If using ramekins or muffin tins, cut parchment paper into circles the size of the base of your ramekins or muffin tins. Also, cut out two long strips of parchment paper per ramekin and lay them in an "X" shape at the base. Top with circle shape. This creates little tabs that make removing the cheesecakes easier to pop out once set. (For muffin tins, you can also just use cupcake liners.) If you have the Chicago mini cheesecake pan, no additional prep in needed.

5. Divide crust evenly among ramekins or tins (or springform pan), and press down with fingers to evenly distribute. Use a pastry tamper, or a small glass wrapped in parchment paper, or the back of a spoon, to press down firmly, allowing some crust to come up the sides. Set in freezer.

6. Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to food processor (or blender) with remaining filling ingredients and puree until very smooth – 3-4 minutes. If it has trouble blending add a touch more coconut milk (or almond milk). Taste and adjust flavor/sweetness as needed.

7. Divide filling evenly among the ramekins or tins (or pour into a parchment-lined springform pan). Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze until firm - about 4-6 hours, depending on size of dish.

8. Once set, run a butter knife along the edge and gently remove by tugging on the tabs in an upward motion. They should pop right out. If they aren't quite set, pop them back in the freezer until firm. If using a springform pan, simply pop open and remove cheesecake.

9. Serve with a touch of coconut whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg.

10. Store leftovers in the freezer for 7-10 days, though best when enjoyed within the first 3-4 days. Let thaw at room temperature 15-20 minutes before serving for best texture

FOR THE COCONUT CREAM

1. Chill your coconut cream or coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight, being sure not to shake or tip the can to encourage separation of the cream and liquid.

2. The next day, chill a large mixing bowl 10 minutes before whipping.

3. Remove the coconut cream or milk from the fridge without tipping or shaking and remove the lid. Scrape out the top, thickened cream and leave the liquid behind (reserve for use in smoothies).

4. Place hardened cream in your chilled mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer until creamy. Then add vanilla (optional) and powdered sugar and mix until creamy and smooth - about 1 minute. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.

5. Use immediately or refrigerate - it will harden and set in the fridge the longer it's chilled. Will keep for up to 1 - 2 weeks

This is a great alternative to full fat dairy ice cream. The avocado gives a rich creamy texture and the banana and blueberries add plenty of sweetness and flavor. It tastes best when you allow it to soften a bit on the counter before serving. If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can just pour the blended mixture into an air tight container and place in freezer.  Remove from freezer about every 30-45 minutes and stir with spatula or whisk.  Keep checking and stirring periodically until frozen.

Download Avocado Banana Blueberry Coconut Milk Vegan Ice Cream recipe

1 avocado

2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks

½ cup fresh blueberries

1 13.5 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk

1- 2 tablespoons agave nectar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into the base of a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Place the blender, covered, in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. It takes about 15 – 20 minutes until mixture is frozen and resembles soft-serve ice cream. Transfer to an air tight container and place in freezer.