EASY PEACH CRISP

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Put the margarine in a glass cake pan (approx 20 x 30cm) and place in preheated oven. While margarine melts, mix the remaining ingredients except the peaches.

Once the margarine is melted, remove pan from oven and pour batter on top. Carefully spoon peaches and no more than a quarter of the juice over top. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and risen.

1 C margarine
1 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1 C soy milk
4 C sliced peaches, (if canned, drain and reserve juice)

RHUBARB CRUMBLE

Place the rhubarb and sugar in a saucepan with the water. Cook over a medium heat until the rhubarb begins to soften. Rub the margarine and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gently stir in the oats, sugar, almonds and cinnamon.

MEXICAN HOT FUDGE SAUCE

In a saucepan, heat the cream until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and add the agave or syrup, and pieces of dark chocolate; stir until melted.

Stir in the Kahlua, cinnamon and vanilla. Taste and adjust sweetness level to your liking. If not using right away, pour into a glass storage container and cover. Drizzle over cake wedges, brownies, ice cream or your favourite sweet treats!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Lightly grease muffin tins (should make 12).

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, soy milk, oil, and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.

Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 C pureed pumpkin
1/2 C soy milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 Tbsp molasses

PARADISE PUDDING

The rice pudding is creamy and sweet, and the pineapple/chilli combo is tart and fresh and zingy. Put the rice, milk, water, sugar and vanilla essence in a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, with lid on, for about 12 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, peel and core the pineapple. Cut about half of it into small pieces. Prepare the chillies by cutting off the stalks, halving the chillies lengthwise with a very sharp knife, and removing the seeds and membrane. Cut the chillies into very thin, long strips, and then cut across, so you end up with very small dice. Combine the pineapple and chilli, and set aside.

Chop the chocolate into pieces roughly half a square in size, and set aside. When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

Serve while the rice pudding is still warm. Put about a quarter of a cup of rice pudding on each plate (an ice cream scoop does a nice job of this) and a similar amount of the pineapple and chilli. Drizzle with rice syrup if desired.

PANCAKES OR CREPES

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and add soy milk. Whisk into a smooth batter. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more milk.

Heat a saucepan to a medium heat and add a little oil. Once heated, pour a ladle of batter into the pan and spread the mixture over the base by tipping the pan. Cook both sides of the pancake until brown spots appear (a couple of minutes). Keep warm on a low heat in the oven whilst you cook more.

175g flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
300ml soy milk
2 Tbsp canola oil

BROWNIES

Preheat over to 135 degrees Celsius.

Mix the No-Egg with water (as per instructions on box). Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa together then set aside. Beat together sugar and margarine until creamy, then add the vanilla. Add creamy sugar mixture to the No-Egg.

Cut chocolate into small pieces and add to dry ingredients. Dissolve coffee in hot water before combining everything together and spooning into a 20cm greased dish. Decorate with raspberries on top before baking for 35 minutes on the lowest rack in the oven.

PEACH-BERRY COBBLER

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsuis.

Combine in a saucepan the sugars and cornstarch. Add water and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add lemon juice, peaches and blueberries.

Turn into a medium sized baking dish. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk and softened margarine and mix thoroughly.

Spoon over fruit. Sprinkle with mixture of sugar and nutmeg. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Presto! Serve with vegan cream.

CARAMEL SLICE

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm square tin and line with baking paper.

To make the base, sift flour in a medium bowl before adding the brown sugar, coconut and 1/3 of a cup of melted margarine. Mix well until combined. Press into the tin and bake for ten minutes or until base has risen and is slightly browned. Allow to cool while making the caramel.

To make the caramel, melt margarine and the golden syrup in a medium saucepan. Add the condensed soy milk mixture and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes. Place two tablespoons of the cornstarch in a small bowl, add a few spoon-fulls of the caramel mixture and mix until cornstarch is dissolved. Return to the saucepan and heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens (be careful to scrape the bottom of the saucepan as the mixture will stick). The mixture should be thick. If it hasn't thickened, repeat the procedure with another tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour caramel over the base and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the rim of the caramel is slightly browned. Let the slice cool to room temperature.

Once slice has fully cooled, melt the chocolate using a double boiler (pot 1/3 filled with boiling water and a metal bowl sitting inside) or microwave. Pour evenly over the slice and place in the fridge to set for at least an hour. When the chocolate is still soft but cool enough to keep its shape, run a knife through the chocolate layer in the sizes that you would like your slices to be. This will prevent the chocolate from cracking when cutting later. Once firm cut the slice and store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.

Base
2/3 C self-raising flour
1/2 C brown sugar, tightly packed
2/3 C desiccated coconut
1/3 C margarine, melted

Caramel centre
1/8 C margarine
2 Tbsp golden syrup
Can of vegan condensed milk
3 Tbsp cornstarch

Topping
200-250g dark chocolate

PEAR AND APPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a 20cm round cake tin.

Carefully slice pears into slices and arrange fruit on the base of tin in a fanned star pattern. Combine the dry ingredients (excluding the brown sugar) in a bowl then add the oil, apple juice and vanilla extract, including the pear syrup, and mix well. Pour over the pears and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until nearly cooked through. Remove from tin by placing an oven-proof plate over the tin and turning upside down so you have the pears on top. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Best served with custard or soya cream 

GLAZED LEMON AND POPPY SEED SCONES

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease a baking tray.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in margarine until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs. Stir in poppy seeds, lemon zest and lemon juice. Combine the soy milk and water then gradually stir into the dry ingredients until the batter is moistened but still thick like scone dough. You may not need all of the liquid.

Place dough onto a dry, slightly floured surface and knead slightly before flattening out to form a rectangle about two to three centimetres thick. Cut into four to five centimetre squares or use a round cookie cutter. Place onto lined baking tray. Bake for ten to 15 minutes in the preheated oven until golden.

Let scones cool for 15 minutes on wire rack. Whisk lemon juice and confectioners sugar together in a small bowl. Drizzle or pipe glaze onto cooled scones. Let glaze dry for another ten to 15 minutes (if you can wait that long!).

Glaze
1/2 C icing sugar
3-4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

GARETH HUGHES' SELF-SAUCING CHOCOLATE PUD

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder together. Add the chocolate, soy milk and margarine and mix together. Pour into a 20cm round baking dish.

Mix together the sauce and pour over the top of the cake mix. Bake for 35-40 minutes until cooked. Makes enough for eight people and goes great with vegan ice cream!

2 C flour
1 C sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa
4 tsp baking powder
1 C dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 C soy milk
60g margarine, melted

Sauce
4 Tbsp cocoa
4 Tbsp brown sugar
4 C boiling water 

MARBLE CAKE

Sift the flours, baking soda and salt into a large bowl then add the sugar. Make a well before combining the soy milk, lemon juice, oil and vanilla essence.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour half the batter into another bowl than add cocoa into one batch and mix in well.

Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of each mixture randomly into the prepared 20cm fluted-ring tin. Smooth surface with a spatula.

CINNAMON GLAZED APPLE CAKE

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease 23cm round spring form cake tin. Set aside.

Slice apples evenly to form apple rings. In medium pot, cover base with 3cm of water. Add apples and cook 3-5 minutes until tender (but not mushy). Set aside.

Cream margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add apple sauce and soy milk and mix. Gently fold in flour, coconut, baking powder and vanilla essence. Add additional soy milk if dry.

3 apples, peeled and cored
125g margarine
1/2 C caster sugar
1/2 C apple sauce or canned diced apples
2 Tbsp soy milk
1 1/2 C flour
1/4 C coconut
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

Topping
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

CHOCOLATE AFGHANS

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and mix with a wooden spoon. Gently fold in cornflakes and coconut. If mixture is a little crumbly, add one to four teaspoons of water or maple syrup and mix. Firmly press into small balls and flatten them slightly. Place them about three centimetres apart on the baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for ten to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and leave for five minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the icing by combining the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Gradually add water. Mix well until the mixture is free of lumps and of a creamy consistency. Add essence before final mix. Add more water if necessary.

200g margarine
1/2 C caster sugar
1 1/2 C plain flour
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/4 C cornflakes
1/4 C dried coconut

ICING
1 C icing sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp hot water
3-4 drops of peppermint essence (optional)
1/4 C walnut halves

MINI CINNAMON ROLLS

Preheat over to 190 degrees Celsius.

Mix dry dough ingredients before slowly adding oil. Slowly add enough milk to make a doughy consistency. Split dough in half, using flour to reduce stickiness, and roll both pieces into roughly ten x 20cm rectangles. Set aside.

To make the filling, melt margarine and spread evenly onto each dough half. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over each piece of dough to your liking. Starting at the short end, roll up the dough, placing sealed end on the base. Using a sharp knife, cut into mini rolls about four centimetres wide. Place on baking paper on an oven tray. Bake for nine to 12 minutes until golden.

To make the icing, mix all the ingredients together and pour over hot cinnamon rolls as soon as they are removed from oven.

Dough
1 1/2 C plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp oil
3/4 C soy milk
flour

Filling
30g margarine
1/4 C caster sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Icing
1/2 C caster sugar
1 Tbsp soy milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

BLUEBERRY CAKE

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray a 20cm springform cake tin with oil and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk flours, baking soda and a pinch of salt.

In another bowl, beat margarine, canola oil and brown sugar. Add vanilla essence and yoghurt and beat well before adding apple sauce. Beat a further two minutes. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until well mixed.

In a small bowl combine sugar, slivered almonds and cinnamon. Set aside.

Spread half of the batter into cake tin. Top with blueberries and half of the nut mixture. Then spoon remaining batter into pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

1 C flour
1 C whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp margarine
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 C soy yoghurt
1/2 C apple sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 C blueberries fresh/frozen (thawed)

MANGO CAKE

Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and chopped walnuts. Make a well in the ingredients.

Combine the oil and lemon juice. Stir into the dry ingredients with the pureed mango and essence. Put into a prepared 23cm spring form tin.

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. To serve dust with icing sugar.

CHOCOLATE MADEIRA CAKE

Prepare a 20cm spring form cake pan by spraying or greasing the sides and bottom then line with baking paper.

Sieve the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Place the chocolate bits in the well. Combine the soy milk, lemon or lime juice, oil and vanilla essence and whisk together in a bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir to combine well. Spread in the prepared cake pan.

Bake at 180°C for 50-60 minutes or until cake is cooked (skewer comes out clean). Cool for five minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely. Ice with chocolate ganache or dust with icing sugar.

2 3/4 C flour
1/3 C rice flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 pinches salt
2/3 C cocoa powder
1 1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C chocolate bits
1 3/4 C soy milk
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
3/4 C oil
2 tsp vanilla essence 

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 C unsweetened plain soymilk
2 1/2 C dark chocolate, broken up

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 20 centimetre-squared pan and set aside.

Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approx 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

Notes:
• If you find these brownies are too soft or too fudgy, add another quarter of a cup of oats or flour.
• Rolled oats run through the food processor may be substituted for the instant oats.
• Use optional sugar if your bananas are still green and not very ripe.

400 g black beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups cooked)
2 bananas
1/3 C Agave nectar (available online)
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C raw sugar
1/4 C instant oats 

Dense, fudgy and ultra-healthy, these brownies are a great alternative to traditional brownies! They taste like chocolate fudge, not beans! 

STICKY DATE PUDDING WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line a 20cm loose bottom cake tin. Place dates and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the bicarbonate of soda and set aside for 20 minutes.

Whisk together sugar, margarine and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer or food processor. In a small bowl, mix the egg replacer and water. Whisk the 'egg' mixture into the margarine mixture. Sift in the flour and mix well. Add the date mixture. Combine well then pour into the prepared cake tin.

Cook for 40-50 minutes, until a skewer or knife comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan while you make the sauce.

Place all of the sauce ingredients into a saucepan, place over a medium heat and bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for approximately 20 minutes. Pierce the pudding in several places with a skewer. Drizzle over about half a cup of the sauce.

Remove from tin, cut into wedges and serve with extra sauce poured over. Enjoy!

1 1/2 C dates, finely chopped
1 1/2 C water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 C soft brown sugar
1/2 C margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp egg replacer
3 Tbsp water
1 1/2 C self-raising flour

Butterscotch sauce
300ml Soyatoo topping cream (order online)
3/4 C soft brown sugar
2 Tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE TOPPED BANANAS

Possibly the quickest and easiest treat to make that the kids will love too!

Simply cut bananas into four sections and place in the freezer for an hour (cold, but not frozen solid). Melt chocolate using a double-boiler. Dip banana into melted chocolate and enjoy!

STRAWBERRY AND MANGO BAKE

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Place fruit into a large bowl and toss well with the first measure of flour, sugar and lemon juice. Put the fruit mixture into a baking dish but do not overfill.

Stir together the second measure of flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Grate in the frozen margarine and mix the dough together with either a wooden spoon or your fingers.

Pour in the soy milk and stir until mixture forms a rough, dry dough. Either use a spoon or your fingers and put the dough in pieces over the fruit, covering the top evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes. Open mouth widely and nom nom nom!

ZESTY LEMON BISCOTTI

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. In a food processor, combine tofu, sugar, oil, zest, lemon juice and vanilla. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, almonds and salt.

Stir tofu mixture into flour mixture. On an oiled baking sheet, form dough into two 30cm long logs. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Slice logs into two centimetre slices and lay slices flat on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, turning cookies once after 20 minutes. Additional cooking time may be added for an even crunchier cookie.

To make the icing, combine icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick smooth paste. Dip cold biscotti and open mouth to devour!

180g silken tofu
1 C castor sugar
1/3 C extra light olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 C all-purpose flour
1 C semolina flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 C chopped almonds
1/2 tsp salt

Icing

1 C icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Oil two 20cm circular sponge tins and line them with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Place all the cake ingredients, except the chocolate and cherries, in a food processor and beat together thoroughly. Coarsely grate or chop the chocolate and add to the cake mixture. Divide the mixture between the sponge tins and level the tops with a spatula.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of each sponge comes out clean. Allow to cool a little, then turn out on to a wire rack until completely cold.

Place the vegan cream cheese in a bowl and stir in the lime rind. Spread one side of a cold sponge with the lime cream cheese, and spread the other sponge with jam. Sandwich together and place on a serving plate.

250g self-raising wholemeal flour
250g soft brown sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 heaped tsp carob powder
125ml grapeseed oil
150ml soya milk
1 Tbsp vegan yoghurt or coconut cream
2 tsp cider vinegar
pinch of salt
25g dairy-free dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
fresh cherries, to decorate

Cake filling

4 Tbsp vegan cream cheese [Available from SAFE's shop]
1 tsp lime rind
4 Tbsp blackberry jam

Chocolate frosting

1/2 C margarine
2 C icing sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp soymilk
1/3 C cocoa powder
Dash of salt

DAIRY-FREE CASHEW ICE CREAM

In a food processor, process bananas until roughly chopped. Add cashew butter, salt, and syrup, and puree until smooth. Serve immediately, and store leftovers in freezer.

3 C frozen, sliced bananas
1/2 C cashew butter
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4-1/3 C pure maple syrup

You can add vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

Note: When you have ripened bananas, slice them, and measure 1 C portions in to a zip-lock bag so they are readily available.

MARZIPAN CHOCOLATES

Soak the nuts and/or fruit in the brandy or amaretto overnight. Drain on paper towel before wrapping individual cherries or almonds in a small piece of marzipan.

Place chocolate in the top of a double-boiler saucepan and gently heat until melted. Skewer filling with a cocktail stick and dip into the melted chocolate.