PonyChops on Pinterest

Last week I finally decided to get a Pinterest account, and oh gosh, part of me wishes I hadn't. I'm now a complete Pinterest junkie.

I used to have a ridiculous amount of inspirational pictures saved on my computer, now I can just simply pin anything I like into the correct folder. It's so much easier!

If you want to follow me on Pinterest you can follow me here. Don't forget to link me to your pinterest in the comments so I can follow you back :)


Here's some of my fav pins:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

In other news, remember Anke Weckmann that I featured on the blog last week? She's very kindly offered all PonyChops readers 15% off all orders on her Etsy Shop, just use the code APPLE15

Don't forget to enter my Sugar Cookie giveaway!

Blueberry Curd (Vegan Recipe)

Remember my Lemon Curd recipe last week? Well, I had some left over blueberries so I thought I'd do a bit of a curd experiment. I love how this turned out, it's sweet, tangy and rich. It's glorious, deep red colour puts me in the mood for Christmas. I made some beautiful blueberry tarts using it during the week too. I just need to perfect my pastry and I'll share my tart recipe with you guys too!

Ingredients:

2 cups blueberries
1 & 1/2 cup lemon juice
The zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp Cornflour
2 tbsp Coconut cream
2 tbsp dairy free butter/margarine
1/4 tsp salt



Method:

1. In a saucepan, heat the lemon juice, sugar, zest, salt and blueberries.
2. Gradually sift in the cornflour while constantly stirring.
3. When the blueberries turn to mush and the mixture is thickened and bubbling, add the coconut cream and butter/margarine. Turn down the heat to a simmer.
4. Continue to heat until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Turn off the heat
5. Pour part of the mixture into a fine metal sieve and press through into a heat proof bowl. Continue to do with with the whole mixture.
6. Add the sieved mixture to a heat proof container to cool. Refrigerate once cooled.

Vegan Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is one of those foods that makes me feel nostalgic. I remember making lemon curd tarts with my mum as a child. I'd always eat most of the lemon curd before we got around to putting it in the tarts.

Of course, being vegan these days I can't just go to a shop and buy lemon curd, so I taught myself to make it. 
I love how indulgent it tastes and how the zingyness of the lemon cuts through the creamyness of the coconut cream.

This recipe is for a sour, tart curd, just how I like it. If you have a sweeter tooth reduce the lemon juice by half a cup.

Ingredients:
1 & 3/4 cups lemon juice
The zest of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut cream or thick coconut milk
2 tbsp dairy free butter/margarine
3tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. In a saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, salt and sugar.
2. Gradually sift in the corflour, while stirring the mixture.
3. Heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
4. Add the coconut cream & dairy free butter.
5. Continue to heat and stir until the mixture can coat the back of the spoon.
6. Remove from the heat, place in a heatproof container and allow to cool.
7. Refrigerate once the mixture has fully cooled.

What's your favorite use for lemon curd? I'm working on my pastry recipe so I can bring you some lemon curd & jam tart recipes in the near future :)

I'll be posting my Blueberry curd recipe next Sunday too!

Happy World Vegan day!

Hey guys! It's a pretty exciting day for me world Vegan day (almost as good as Christmas!!).

I thought I'd do a quick post sharing some of my favorite vegan recipes from other blogs with you. Most of these recipes were major inspirations for my baking and experimenting in the kitchen. And they're staple recipes that I seem to cook on a regular basis, and that my none vegan friends enjoy too. Yes most of them are desserts, I'm a bit of a sugar fiend.

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies from Oh She Glows
2. Slow Rise Pancakes from Vegan Yum Yum
3. Cinnamon Rolls from Vegan Yum Yum
4. Lemon Bars from Veganomicon
5. Avocado Spinach Pasta from the Wholesome Kitchen
6. Vegan Matzo Ball Soup from Veg Kitchen

Happy World Vegan Day everyone! I hope you get a chance to try out these amazing recipes

Chocolate, Raspberry & Coconut Cake

Being a chocolate lover, one of my favourite things to bake is chocolate fudge cake. You really can't beat a moist, rich, chocolatey cake covered in buttercream. This recipe is based on a traditional chocolate fudge cake recipe, but i've twisted it and added creamy coconut and fresh, tart raspberries to compliment the rich and indulgent chocolate cake.

Sponge Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unbleached cane caster sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup thick coconut cream
1/2 cup coconut milk

Frosting Ingredients:
5 cups icing sugar
1 cup thick coconut cream

raspberries to decorate


Sponge Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease or line your cake tin. I used a deep 8 inch tin but anything around that size will do.

2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix in all of the wet ingredients until it is all completely mixed.

3. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 mins (This will be less for fan ovens so check it after about 35 mins. To tell if the cake is done put a sharp object into the middle of the cake, if it comes out dry the cake is done.)


For the frosting & decorating:

Mix all of the icing sugar and coconut cream into a thick icing consistency.

Once the cake is cooled, if you want a double layered cake cut in half through the middle. Ice in between the layers and then ice the complete cake. Decorate the top with fresh raspberries.

Baked Vegan Oreo Cheesecake: My first attempt

I've always been a big cheesecake lover, so when I became a vegan, I thought I'd never taste an amazing cheesecake again.

Luckily, while dining at a Hangawi (an amazing Vegan Korean restaurant) in New York, my faith was restored. They had the most delicious cheesecake I've ever tasted. The texture was perfect, the taste was out of this world. Even my carnivorous, real cheesecake eating boyfriend thought it tasted like REAL cheesecake. From then on I swore to myself I would learn to make vegan cheesecake.

This was a real trial for me - having never even baked a normal cheesecake, let alone a cheeseless cheesecake. This is the first of very many trials at vegan cheesecake. The main things I would change about this recipe were the size of the tin I used, I think I should have used a smaller tin for more cheese to biscuit ratio. Otherwise I'm pretty over the moon with this cake. I'm even going to test it out on my cheese eating friends tonight.

Base Ingredients:
20 oreos
4 tbsp vegan butter

Cheesecake Ingredients:
1 container Tofutti cream cheese
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup none dairy milk
1 tbsp firm tofu
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp egg replacer
1 tbsp agar flakes
2 cups white bland beans (I used Cannellini) cooked well and rinsed thoroughly

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160C (320F)
  

• For the oreo crumb base follow this recipe (just the base, not the filling)

• In the food processor, blend all of the topping ingredients except the tofutti cheese until completely smooth.

•  Pour into a saucepan and heat gently for 5-10 mins (until the mixture thickens). Stir constantly not letting any of the mixture stick to the bottom

• Let the mixture cool in the fridge.

• Once the mixture has cooled. Mix it thoroughly with the tofutti cream cheese.

• Pour the mixture onto the crumb base and put in the oven.

• Bake until the cake is slightly brown on top (around 60 mins, but keep checking)

• Once baked, leave the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for about 60 mins. 

• Dust with cocoa (optional)

 And here's a picture of my Princess Diana plate with a cheesecake hat. Princess Di was the original Gaga.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Flaxseed Cookies

These are probably my most favourite cookies to make ever. Even including cookie recipes from before I went vegan. they are gooey in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Exactly how a cookie should be.

This recipe was inspired by Oh She Glows's vegan cookies recipe. I added some extras to make them extra healthy and just as yummy.

You can find the recipe for the pink cupcakes in this photo here.

Ingredients:

• 3tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup agave nectar or cane sugar
• 1 egg replacer 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup wholewheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup vegan/dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 (175C) and line some baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2. In a seperate cup mix the egg replacer according to instructions on the box.
3. Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly, adding the made up egg replacer.
4. Roll into little dough balls and place on the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10-12 mins. 
6. Allow to cool a little before serving.

I always make a ton of this cookie dough then freeze it. It freezes really well, just defrost fully before baking.

Vegan Berry Cupcakes

This recipe is a spin on Bob's red mill's strawberry cupcakes recipe. I've changed a few things around and added some yummy, tangy raspberry frosting instead! In this picture I made mini cupcakes but the recipe should make 9 large cupcakes or more normal sized ones.

Ingredients (cake mix):

• 1 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup natural cane sugar
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup soya/vegetable margarine
• 1 cup soy/rice milk
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 3/4 cup mashed strawberries
• 1tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350° (175C). Measure the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. 
2. In a seperate large bowl, cream together the margarine, agave and sugar until thoroughly mixed. 
3. Gradually add the soymilk, vinegar and vanilla extract while mixing.
4. Mix in the flour mixture and the mashed strawberries.
5. Pour into cupcake cases and bake for 12-15 mins. Cupcakes are ready when you can stick a fork in them and the fork comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool before frosting them.

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soya margarine
• 1 3/4 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam (seedless)
• Red food colouring (optional), if you can't find vegan food colouring try using beetroot paste.

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and add red food colouring to get the desired colour. If the mixture is too thin add more icing sugar. Put in the fridge for 10-30 before icing the cakes.