Vegan Cinnamon Pecan Babka

There is something so comforting about the smell of baked nuts and cinnamon, fresh out of the oven!

We made this babka with ingredients we already had at home, it turned out so delicious! Perfect for a wintry afternoon treat, especially during lockdown.

Vegan Cinnamon Pecan Babka

Ingredients:

• 300 g white spelt flour
• 1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
• 60 ml olive oil or coconut oil
• 120 ml plant based milk, I used unsweetened cashew milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp honey

Filling:

• 150 g ground pecans
• 4 tbsp coconut sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 – 6 tbsp plant based milk, I used unsweetened cashew milk
• 3 tbsp apricot or apple jelly

-Line a 35 cm loaf pan with parchment paper.

-Combine spelt flour, salt and instant quick yeast. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, combine the milk, oil and honey, heat it up over low heat, do not let it come to a boil, it only has to be lukewarm.

-Add the milk, honey and oil mix to the dry ingredients, mix well and knead dough on a lightly floured surface until you have a smooth ball of dough.

-Lightly grease a large bowl with a bit of olive oil, place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, for about an hour.

-In the meantime, mix all ingredients, except jelly, for the filling, adding enough milk to make a moist mixture.

-On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle, spread the jelly on top, then spread the filling evenly on top.

-Tightly roll up the dough to form a long log, cut in half lengthwise, then lay them side by side. Weave the pieces back and forth over each other, like braiding but with only two strands.

-Tuck into the prepared baking form, cover and let rise for another hour.

-Bake in preheated 350F oven for 45 minutes or until deep golden brown.

-Optional: glaze the still hot babka with a simple icing, using icing sugar and lemon juice.

Happy Weekend!

Enjoy!

Ursula

xo

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Pumpkin Pecan Cake

Happy weekend everyone!

We recently celebrated my son’s 17th birthday and last Saturday we celebrated my daughter’s 20th birthday!! We spent the weekend at Niagara Falls, in Ontario. We had a lot of fun, due to the cold, we spent most of our time doing things indoors like bowling and eating! ;))

I still had some pumpkins left from our garden, made some soup and a pumpkin pecan cake. Pumpkin and pecan might be a bit an unusual combination but it turned out really yummy! This is probably going to be my last pumpkin recipe for this season, as I’m starting to think of gingerbread and other delicious holiday baked goods!

 

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

• 200 ml maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 150 g butter, soft
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 200 g grated pumpkin
• 120 g ground pecans
• 100 g spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

-Whisk together the butter and the eggs, add the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add the pumpkin, pecans, flour and the baking powder, stir until well combined.

-Fill into a 8 x 12 baking form that is lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 375F oven for 40 minutes or until tester inserted into centre of cake comes out clean.

-Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula 

 

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Cranberry and Orange Sheet Cake

I love the smell and taste of this flavor combination, so lovely! If you are looking for a simple and delicious sheet cake this might be just what you are looking for.

I still had some cranberries left from Christmas baking and my kids have been eating oranges, I had everything at home to whip this up. I used spelt flour and maple syrup to make it a healthier treat.

 

Cranberry and Orange Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup grapeseed oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups spelt flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp orange zest

-Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

-Soak cranberries in orange juice for 15 minutes.

– In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

-In a separate bowl whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla, then add the cranberry mixture. Stir in flour until well combined. Fill into the prepared baking pan.

-Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until tester inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

-Let cool completely. Cut into squares, decorate with an icing if desired, I used maple syrup and small cranberry pieces and orange zest.

-Can be baked in a smaller sheet pan, a bundt form or muffin tins.

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

Follow me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cookies

Happy Halloween!

I hope you are all having a fun and not too scary Halloween! Thinking back of those times when my kids were still little and impatiently waiting for this day to come. Such cute memories of my daughter mostly dressing up as a little princess, my son trying out different characters from cowboy to Star Wars Darth Vader 🙂

I’ve made these delicious, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies, all dressed up for Halloween, these are the perfect fall or holiday cookie, with a lovely pumpkin and spice flavor. Can be enjoyed with or without icing. I used maple butter as an icing.

 

 

Pumpkin Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups white spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

-Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt, set aside.

-Cream together the butter, egg and maple syrup. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla, beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls, flatten slightly.

-Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven or until lightly browned. Let cool completely. Drizzle with maple butter or icing.

Tip: -Use 3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice. – Substitute spelt flour with whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

You can find me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maple Walnut Croissants

On a wintry day like today, all you like to do is cozy up under a fuzzy blanket and sip on a hot tea and take a bite into one of these oh so delicious filled croissants! Yes it is actually snowing again since yesterday and I prefer watching the snowflakes from my cozy and warm spot inside. At least we had some sunny breaks this afternoon but otherwise I am officially ready for spring, it is April after all:)

Vegan sweet yeast dough made with spelt flour and filled with walnuts and maple syrup.

We call these “Nussgipfeli” in Switzerland

The recipe is adapted from my Almond Croissants recipe. Usually I would use ground nuts but I used finely chopped walnuts in this recipe, I really liked the texture!

I love walnuts! They are a great source of protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and most of all are rich in Omega-3 fats and antioxidants.

 

Maple Walnut Croissants

Yields: 8

Sweet yeast dough:

• 300 g white spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp instant quick yeast
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup cashew milk or other plant milk

-In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, yeast and maple syrup.

-In a small saucepan warm/melt the coconut oil with the milk.

-Add warm milk to the flour mix and combine well. If dough is to dry add some more milk. On a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and shiny dough forms. Place back into bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel, let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Maple Walnut Filling:

• 150 g finely chopped walnuts
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cashew milk or other plant milk

-Mix all ingredients together. The filling should be moist, but not wet.

Extra:

• 3 tbsp apricot jam or jelly, or use another fruit

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C (convection setting). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

-On a floured surface roll dough out into a circle.

-Cut into 8 wedges, then spread thinly with the jam.

-Divide filling equally.

-Roll dough up starting on the outside.

-Place on prepared baking sheet and let rise for another 15 minutes. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

-Brush hot croissants with maple syrup for some shine!

 

Happy baking!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Ursula

You can find me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spinach and Cheese Dip Bites

A very happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time and hope your having a great start into the new year 2018! I’ve been a bit absent lately mainly because I had my mom and stepfather visiting over the holidays. The short time we usually get to spend together is always very precious and I probably only get to see them again in summer. We had a wonderful Christmas, they also had some taste of what a real Canadian winter is all about;) lol. On the day they arrived in Toronto they ended up having to spend the night there, because all connecting flights to London, Ontario, were cancelled because of snow squalls. We got so much snow that day, at least 40 cm!

For New Years Eve I’ve made these yummy spinach cheese bites, with homemade puff pastry. I usually don’t eat so much cheese, just once in a while, because I love it:) Homemade puff pastry is delicious but takes some time to make, so feel free to use store bought. These bites are great as an appetizer or served with a tossed salad as a meal. Maybe next time I’ll make a pie size version:)

 

Spinach and Cheese Dip Bites

Yields: 24

Filling:

• 2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup garlic cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 can Pillsbury crescent dough or other puff pastry

-Combine spinach, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Blend in cream cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

-On a lightly floured surface roll out puff pastry into a rectangle. Cut into 24 squares. Place each square into a lightly greased muffin tin. Gently push down.

-Place one rounded teaspoon of your spinach mixture into each square. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

-Bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 15 minutes or golden brown. Let rest a few minutes before removing.

 

Here is my quick Puff pastry recipe, from Betty Bossi

• 250 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 175 g butter, cold, cut into approx. 4 cm squares
• 150 ml cold water

-Mix together flour and salt, add the butter and water until everything holds together. Butter pieces have to stay big.

Step 1: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle, 1 cm thick. Fold in both sides towards the middle, then fold one side onto the other. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

-Roll out dough again into a rectangle and repeat step 1. Refrigerate and repeat 4x all together. After the 4th time refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Tip: Puff pastry needs to stay cold. Don’t knead left over pieces together, lay on top of each other, then roll out. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.

-This is really a much quicker way to make puff pastry and I find it turns out very tasty.

 

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

Follow me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian