chocolate – The Vegan Love Project

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies 2015

Officially my new favorite cookie…I know I just said that the last time with the the Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownie Cookies but seriously, there is nothing like peanut butter and chocolate together….NO ONE WOULD NO NOTHIN about this cookie other than it KICKS TOTAL ASS. It makes a lot of these badass muthers so feel free to 1/2 the recipe so as not to eat THE ENTIRE batch on your own…Also think of the possibility of ice cream sandwiches….SERIOUSLY???????

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies 2015
makes 22-24 cookies

1/3c all purpose GF flour – I use Bob’s All Purpose GF Flour

1/2c rolled oats- to be buzzed
1/2c +2T cocoa powder
1/2c sucanat, maple or date sugar
3/4c vegan chocolate chips
1/2t baking powder
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c +2T maple syrup
1/4c +2T coconut oil, melted, cooled
1c crunchy peanut butter

1t vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350º

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Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.

In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients; sucanat, and the chocolate chips. In the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.

Using a 1 ounce ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out a generous heaping tablespoon of batter onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Scoop or spoon out onto baking sheet with space in between. Gently flatten out each cookie with the bottom of a dry measure or glass. Using a fork, create the traditional crosshatch on top of each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan (s) and continue to bake for another 5 minutes or until crisped around the edges. Let cool for at 2-3 minutes on the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They are delicious both cold and room temperature,

Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownies

These are sort of to die for…… I don’t think anyone would know that these are vegan OR gluten free…they are nothing but deliciousness…ORGANIC VEGAN GLUTEN FREE WHOLE GRAIN BROWNIES…COME ON!

Gluten Free Double Fudge Walnut Brownies 2015

makes 6 large squares

1/3c GF All Purpose flour, I use Bob’s RedMill

1/3c rolled oats- to be buzzed
1/2c +1T cocoa powder
3/4c sucanat, maple or date sugar
1/4c chocolate chips
1/2c walnuts, chopped and divided
1/4t baking powder
1/4t salt
—-
1/4c maple syrup
1/4c coconut oil, melted
1/4c cooked sweet potato puree*
1t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º

Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the sweet potato puree*, the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.
In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients; sucanat, chocolate chips, and 1/2 of the nuts (if you are using them). In the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.
Pour into a greased baking pan; sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the pan and continue to bake for another 3-5 minutes or until done in the center. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to cut.

*To make sweet potato puree:
Begin by boiling, steaming or roasting one medium size sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces. When the sweet potatoes are soft, tender and cooked, place them into the food processor, reserving and using any cooking liquid if the blade is unable to move through the puree smoothly. The end result is a beautiful, smooth, orange puree. Of course you could skip this process entirely and buy organic, canned sweet potatoes.

With a dry measuring cup measure the 1/2c of the puree.

Variation
1) Use a teaspoon of peppermint extract in addition to vanilla for a refreshing change. They are delicious!

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie Cookies

These are insane in the membrane…I am not even kidding, you would never know that they are vegan, let alone gluten-free…I think I could get rich on this cookie….maybe not, but I know if you make them you and yours will be very very happy.

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie Cookies
makes 18-20 small cookies

3/4c All Purpose Gluten Free lour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

3/4c cocoa powder

3/4c oats- to be buzzed into flour
1/2c sucanat
3/4c chocolate chips
3/4c walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2t baking powder
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c maple syrup
¼c +2T coconut oil (melted)
1t vanilla

1t chocolate extract or another yummy flavored extract *optional
preheat oven to 350º

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and ready your pans.

Process the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the maple syrup, oil, and vanilla, extract if using and set aside.

In a separate, larger bowl, place all of the dry ingredients, sucanat, chocolate chips, oats flour, and the nuts, and in the same bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. (Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary but it insures there won’t be clumps of flour or worse, chunks of salt, in the batter.)

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and with a spatula mix until everything is well incorporated.
With your desired size ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop out the cookies evenly spaced on the baking sheet. I gently flatten the cookies with the bottom of a cup measure. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the pan and continue to bake for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool for at least 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet and then remove them to a cooling rack. Store in a container only after completely cooled. I keep mine in the fridge- if they last that long!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crack Cups

I can not get enough peanut butter lately so like any good vegan athlete, I have incorporated into my desserts! These are simple, and incredibly amazing.

Peanut Butter Crack Cups

Makes 5 super large cups, about 30 mini

Chocolate Shell Coating:

1c vegan chocolate chips

2T coconut oil

Pinch pink salt

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Peanut Butter Filling:

3/4c Organic natural, crunchy peanut butter

1/3c maple sugar- whizzed and powdered in the Vitamix

Pinch pink salt

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1/3c brown rice krispy cereal

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30 mini or 5-6 maxi cup cake liners

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Over a double boiler, heat up water and place the chocolate chips and the coconut oil above. If you don’t have a double boiler, a pot of boiling water covered with a heat resistant bowl works perfectly. Melt the chocolate slowly over medium high heat. While the chocolate is melting, prepare your filling.

In a medium bowl, add in the peanut butter. If you haven’t done so already- put your maple or coconut sugar in the Vitamix and run the motor until the contents look powdery. Add this powder to the peanut butter, add the salt and mix well, until all of the sugar is well incorporated. Taste and if more salt is needed, add it.

On a plate, arrange your mini or maxi cupcake liners. For the maxi, spoon 1T of melted chocolate. For the minis’ about 1heaping t. Gently tap the chocolate to cover the bottom of the liner and work up the sides.

***only with the Maxis….Place this in the fridge or freezer to set, about 10-15 minutes***

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After they are set, remove them from the fridge and spoon in the peanut butter filling (1T for maxi, 1t for minis’) Again, gently tap the filling to fill the liner.

***only with the Maxis….Place this in the fridge or freezer to set, about 10-15 minutes***

Repeat spooning the chocolate over the PB filling, same 1T or 1t, maxi, minis’.

Sprinkle in about 1T of rice cereal over the top of the cup, gently encouraging them to become a part of the chocolate topping, you can use a spoon if necessary but you want them to set up “in” the coating.

Let set for an hour at least, 2 is better.

THESE ARE INCREDIBLE.

CRAZYTOWNGOOD Chocolate Moose

This dessert is OFF THE CHAIN……One of the very first dessert recipes that I created at the Natural Gourmet…they even asked for it to be included in their repertoire of vegan dessert recipes…It is CRAZY good on its’ own or paired with a vegan whipped cream, or a cashew nut cream and fresh berries. I have also used this to fill an extremely decadent chocolate layer cake…I promise you, this is FAIL proof and unbelievably AWESOME. It is light and airy just like a dairy, egg based mousse.

Chocolate Moose

2c cashew nut milk, or soy milk or other dairy free milk
1c chocolate chips
1T maple syrup
1/4t salt
—
1 1/2t agar
—
1t vanilla

Measure out all of the other ingredients and have them ready.

In a saucepan on the stove over a low to medium flame, combine the milk, chocolate chips, maple syrup, agar and salt, stirring frequently. Continue cooking over a low flame until the chocolate chips melt, about 10-15 minutes. The mixture should look like hot chocolate, creamy and full- bodied.
Place the contents of the saucepan into a blender. Caution, hot liquids in a blender can be extremely dangerous. Fill only half way to the top of the blender and proceed in batches if necessary. *
Add the vanilla and taste the mixture. Adjust the seasonings to your tastes. Make sure all of the adjustments happen before you pour it to set.

Pour the mixture out of the blender through a sieve, lined with cheesecloth, or through a very fine mesh strainer, into a large serving bowl. The straining will catch any lumps, clumps and/ or impurities (like uncooked agar).

To make individual servings, pour mixture directly into several, small, serving bowls
Allow this to cool and set for at least 5-6 hours, best overnight.

Serve with a nut crème and fresh berries.