Sweet Vegan Centerpiece for the White Christmas Challenge

I have never participated in a blog challenge before, not even Vegan MoFo. But there’s a first for everything and this year I have decided to enter the Very Good Recipes’ White Christmas Challenge.

The challenge is quite simple: create a new recipe on the theme of “white christmas”.

I knew immediately what I wanted to do. For a few Christmases now I have been thinking of making a sweet, Christmas table centerpiece out of rum balls. I make rum balls every year, but I always cop out of the presentation part (presentation really isn’t my strong suit), so the challenge was the perfect motivation to finally get around to it.

One of the rules of the challenge is to make sure its a new recipe. Well, there are rum ball recipes everywhere, even vegan rum ball recipes, but I have added my own touch and created four new rum ball-style recipes; Chocolate Balls, Lamington Bites, Ginger Bread and Marzipan Balls, and Coconut White Chocolate Balls.

In keeping with this blog’s theme, I made Lamington Bites, based on the popular Aussie dessert, and the Gingerbread and Marzipan balls were German-inspried.

For the “white” part of the theme, I used coconut, white chocolate, and powdered sugar to give a (hopefully) snowy impression.

So here it is, my four-part, vegan, Christmas centerpiece recipe for the sweet tooth in any family.

Vegan Christmas Centrepiece

Vegan Christmas Centerpiece

I have given amounts based on the number of balls I used, however my tree is a little squat, so if your skill surpasses mine, go ahead and use all the balls. I had about 12 balls left over for pre-Christmas enjoyment.

• 1/2 recipe of Chocolate Balls
• 2/3 recipe of Coconut White Chocolate Balls
• Whole recipe Ginger and Marzipan Balls
• Whole Recipe Lamington Bites
• 1 Tbs vegetable shortening
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar or icing mixture
• about 2 tsp marzipan for decorations (you could use any lolly here)
• 2 tsp soy milk
• Large, decorative plate
• 10-20 toothpicks

1. On a pastry board, roll out a small piece of marzipan to about 7mm thickness, and cut into a star shape. Carefully slide a toothpick vertically through the star, so that about 1/2 the toothpick remains visible, and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the vegetable shortening.
3. Remove from heat and add the sugar, stirring until all lumps are removed and the two are combined.
4. Add soy milk, and stir to combine well.
5. Pour the mixture in a dollop onto the middle of your plate. Encourage the mixture to spread into a circle, taking up about two thirds of the surface of the plate.
6. Arrange your bottom layer of balls so that they cover the icing mixture. Allow to set.
7. Carefully, place a second layer of balls above the first layer, use toothpicks to secure. Make this second layer in a slightly smaller circle than the first.
8. Repeat until you have one single ball as a pinnacle.
9. Top with the marzipan star, by sliding the remaining end of the toothpick into the top ball

You could decorate with sifted powdered sugar, and/or Christmas themed or sparkly lollies. I didn’t as I cant find vegan lollies, and powdered sugar only comes at a premium (and I ran out of my stock). I think it would look great with some sparkly sprinkles, but I don’t have access to them in Tbilisi.

I make so-called “rum balls”, in various incarnations, every Christmas. When I was a (non-vegan) kid, they had sweetened condensed milk and Marie biscuits. In Melbourne I make my own condensed milk from powdered soy milk, and prefer gluten free biscuits. Mostly I leave out the rum, having half a family populated by children, non-drinkers, and rum-haters. That said, for the other side I the family, I have been known to make them with a shot of any spirit that comes to hand, including vodka, schnapps, and one time, tequila.

Here in Tbilisi I have to cook without vegan candy, food colouring, vanilla, flavourings, margarine, rum or anything resembling soy condensed milk or soy milk powder. This makes these versions extra special, but maybe a little more fiddly than usual.

The bottom layer, on top of the icing

During construction

Chocolate Balls

makes about 20

•    150 g plain biscuits (any kind – tea biscuits, digestive, animals, whatever)
•    1/4 cup coconut milk
•    2 tbs brown sugar
•    1 tbs vegetable shortening
•    1/4 cup cocoa
•    1/3 cup powdered sugar
•    3tbs sultanas
•    about 30g dessicated coconut, for rolling

1. Crush the biscuits, either with a food processor, or in a bowl with the bottom of a cup.
2. Add cocoa and powdered sugar, and combine well. Set aside in a clean mixing bowl.
3. In a small saucepan heat the coconut milk and brown sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
4. Remove from heat, add the vegetable shortening, and stir until melted.
5. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the sultanas and stir through.
6. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls with your hands, and then roll them through a small bowl of dessicated coconut, to coat.
7. Set on a plate and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 20 minutes).

Chocolate Balls

Lamington Bites

Makes about 10

• 120g biscuits with a good flavour. I used Louts this time, but tea biscuits work well.
• 1/4 cup jam (you could use any, but here I used cornell jam)
• 2 tbsp soy milk
• about 30g dessicated coconut
• 1 tbs cocoa powder

1. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and coconut and set aside.
2. Crush biscuits very finely, using a food processor, or smooshing them with the bottom of a cup.
3. Add jam and milk to the crumbs, and work into a dough with your hands.
4. Roll the mixture into around 10 balls
5. Roll each ball in the cocoa and coconut mixture to coat, and refrigerate until ready to use.
   

   Lamington Bites

Coconut and White Chocolate Balls

makes about 15

•    80ml coconut mik
•    1/4 cup white sugar
•    1 tbs vanilla sugar
•    3 tbs vegetable shortening
•    70g white chocolate
•    40g dessicated coconut
•    1 1/2 cup crushed plain biscuits (I use animal biscuits)
•    30g coconut, for dusting

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor, or with the bottom of a cup, and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan heat the coconut milk, white sugar and vanilla sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from heat and add the shortening and chocolate, stirring until melted and combined.
4. Add coconut and biscuit crumbs, stir to combine. Spread mixture on a plate and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
5. Roll tablespoon sized balls, coat in more coconut, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Coconut-White Chocolate Balls

Gingerbread and Marzipan Balls

Makes 10.

•    1 1/2 tbs brown sugar
•    3 tbs soy milk
•    2tbs vegetable shortening
•    100g lotus biscuits
•    2 tsp ginger powder
•    1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
•    dash clove powder
•    dash grated nutmeg
•    10 marzipan spuds (if you can’t by them, roll small balls of marzipan)
•    1/3 cup powdered sugar, for coating

1. In a small saucepan heat the milk and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and add the shortening, stirring until melted.
3. In a clean, dry bowl, crush the biscuits finely, and combine with spices.
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients, then spread on a plate and refrigerate until cool (20 minutes).
5. Divide the mixture into 10 and wrap carefully around the marzipan spuds.
6. Roll in powdered sugar until well coated, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Gingerbread and marzipan balls

I think these ones turned out a little ugly, but you could always roll them in coconut or cocoa instead. I was going for a German christmas cookie look, but I don’t think I got it .

Last but not least, and on a bit of a tangent… The answers for the Christmas Traditions Quiz!

1. Norway
2. Catalonia (so found in Spain, parts of France, Andorra)
3. USA
4. Italy
5. UK
6. Ukraine
7. Georgia
8. Wales

Next up on AroundTheWorlVegan, what do people eat at Christmas around the world?

Hot Chocolate, how I love you

Hot chocolate is perhaps my favourite way to chase away the winter shivers, and its even better when its home made. I could write an essay on all the different ways to make fantastic vegan hot chocolate, but this isn’t the time.

Today, its time to talk about Mexican hot chocolate.

I tried two kinds of Mexican hot chocolate this week: Basic, everyday, hot chocolate, and Champurrado, a thick hot chocolate drink made with masa dough. I didn’t want to limit myself to just one, Mexico being the birthplace of chocolate, after all.

Box of Mexican chocolate disks

I bought a packet of “proper” Mexican chocolate from AztecMexican. Its very different from chocolate as we know it. This was dark, had a rough texture and visible raw sugar crystals, and was very dry in comparison to the chocolate we’re used to in Australia. This version also had cinnamon in it, meaning I didn’t need to add any to the pot.

Disk of chocolate

The basic hot chocolate is very simple to make. Just take 1 cup of vegan milk (soy, rice, oat, almond, whatever), and heat it, careful not to burn or boil, in a small saucepan. When its hot, add the chocolate, and whisk until it is melted, well combined, and a little frothy. Then drink.

Mmmm, steaming hot chocolate

The champurrado is a little harder. It is similar to ordinary hot chocolate, but its thickened with masa dough (corn meal), and flavoured with anise. I used this recipe, substituting a mixture of soy and almond milks for the dairy, and using golden syrup instead of molasses. It turned out a little grainy, but otherwise fab, the anise adding a bit of a kick to it.

Not frothy, but nice and thick- Champurrado

In both cases, Mexican cooks use a molinillo to work up a froth, which I found almost impossible using a whisk. I don’t know if it was my inadequate utensils, my lack of whisking ability, or the substituted milk, but in any case, the best we got was a few lack-lustre bubbles.

Froth or not, I’ve been drinking hot chocolate all week, and I’m pretty darn happy about it Up with chocolate!

Almost real froth!

Azeri things I made before I got sick

I have a confession to make… I cheated a little. I actually did manage to make two Azerbaijani dishes before I got sick. So I’m gonna post them now, and have Fry’s schnitzle for dinner tonight

I made Dushbere, an Azeri dumpling soup, from the recipe over at AZCookBook, and Zebra cake, from a recipe at the same website (she really is fab). There are other recipes around, but I preferred to use the first one I found there.

The dumplung soup was tedios to make, and instead of getting 5-10 dumplings per spoon (!) I only got 1-2. Clearly I need to work on my tiny dumpling making skills.

I substituted mushed Sanitarium sausages for the mince, but I otherwise followed the recipe. It was so yummy, but I’m not sure its worth the work! I don’t have a photo, because I was in a bit of pain and forgot, but I can tell you it was yummy.

Earlier that day I also made Zebra cake. It is a chocolate and vanilla cake that is patterned to look like Zebra stripes. I have posted photos below, and it looks so pretty. I substituted silken tofu for the egg, and soy milk for milk. Mine was a little too wet, so I suggest only substituting about half as much tofu as egg, volume wise.

Zebra cake

It was so pretty that I’m going to appropriate the technique for an Orange and Chocolate Tiger cake, which will hopefully be in the book (a yet-to-be-named chocolate themed Vegan cookbook), whenever I finish it.