Vegan Peach-Kissed Chelsea Buns

*Prep time: 2.5 hours  *Cook Time:  30 minutes  *Serves: 3-4

Vegan Peach-Kissed Chelsea Buns

This is a revised version of a London recipe- originally sold in the Old Chelsea Bun House.

 They are a sweet, crunchy, peachy sticky bun made to be eaten with your morning, afternoon, evening or midnight coffee. We won't judge. 

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups Bread Flour

1/4 oz Dry Active Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 cup warm Soy or Almond Milk

1/2 oz (about 1 spoon) softened Vegetable Shortening

1/4 tsp salt

1-2 tbsp Soy/Almond Milk

1 Chia Egg 

(using ground chia meal)

1/4 cup melted Earth Balance Margarine

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup dates

2 heaping spoonfuls of Peach Preserves

1/3 cup brown sugar

for glaze:

1 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar

1 tsp almond extract

1 - 2 tbsp Soy Milk

1 tbsp Agave Nectar

Step 1: Grease a 7" square baking pan. Put 2/3 cup sifted flour into a bowl. Add yeast, sugar and milk. Mix well into a batter. Leave in a warm place for 20 minutes until risen. 

Step 2: Mix the shortening into the remaining sifted flower using an electric mixer. Add the salt, yeast mixture,  and egg. Mix well and add 1-2 tbsp milk. You want a fairly dry dough but you dont want all crumbles. Knead on a floured surface 5 minutes. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp warm cloth. Set in a warm place and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours. 

Step 3: Knead the dough another 5 minutes. Roll out into a thin 9" x 12" rectangle. Leaving an inch border brush the dough with your melted butter- go ahead and use all of it. Then spread your peach preserve on- again keeping that border. Then evenly sprinkle on the brown sugar, raisins, dates and currants (don't touch that border!). 

Step 4: Then roll everything up like a jelly roll. Cut off the ends- then cut the remaining log into 9 slices. Set them down in your greased pan and let it set in a warm place for another 30 mins. 

Step 5: Pre-heat the oven to 375. Once the buns are done rising bake them for 30 mins. Carefully remove them from the pan to your serving plate. 

Step 6: Mix your glaze together: put everything into a bowl and whisk together. You want a thick but pourable glaze- so add more milk by the teaspoon if needed.  **Note: if you prefer you can omit the glaze and just drench the buns in agave. 

Step 7: Put it all together! Go ahead and pour all of the glaze onto the buns. 

Go get sticky. 

Ridiculously Drunken Vegan Brownies

*Prep time: 15-20 mins  *Cook Time:  40 minutes  *Serves:  12-16 brownies, depending on cut 

Ridiculously Drunken Vegan Brownies

This is another one of my altered and made vegan  versions of a Southern Living recipe. 

I whipped these up for Patch after a long day and they are now a permanent installment in my personal recipe book.

 If you're looking for a healthy dessert option- this isn't it. 

Ingredients

6 squares (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

1/2 plus 2 tbsp Earth Balance butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)

3 Chia Seed Egg Replacer (using ground chia seed meal)

(you can also use enerG egg replacer if you have it)

1/4 cup soy or almond milk

1 tsp lemon juice

4 tsp instant espresso powder

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp coffee patron, divided

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2 tbsp silk soy creamer

2 tbsp vodka

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Ghirardelli chocolate chips, for garnish

Sea Salt, for garnish

Step 1: Toast pecans in a small pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until their skins become shiny. Set aside.

Step 2: Melt 4 chocolate squares along with your 1/2 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally until blended. Transfer this into a large bowl. 

Step 3: Add sugars, blend well. Then add eggs, 2 tsp espresso powder, 2 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp coffee patron. Mix it all up. 

Step 4: Take your 1/4 cup milk and mix it with 1 tsp lemon juice. Let it sit about 10 mins- you will see it start to curdle. You want that. Mix in. 

Step 5: Gradually add your flour and salt, stirring until well blended- then mix in your pecans. 

Step 6: Pour your batter into a well-greased pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 f for 35-40 mins. ** that was 35-40 mins in my crappy oven. So keep an eye on your brownies after about 30** Once they are done a toothpick should come out of them cleanly. Once done let your brownies cool completely. 

Step 7: Now for the fudge-y topping.  Melt your remaining 2 chocolate squares along with 2 tbsp butter as before.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl. Stir in the remaining 2 tsp espresso powder, soy creamer, vodka and 2 tbsp coffee patron. 

Step 8: Add your powdered sugar and mix very well with an electric mixer. Then spread it over your brownies. Top it with 1 tbsp chocolate chips and 1/2 - 1 tbsp (depending on your taste) sea salt. I used about 1 tbsp- but I have a salt and chocolate problem...

Step 9: Let your frosting set overnight. This gives the frosting time to blend with the brownies and moisten them up. 

If these brownies make you sick from the butter, sugar and liquor know this: 

it's worth it. 

When my husband and I got married we got a Southern Living Cookbook as a gift. As a vegan my first thought was- what am I supposed to do with this? 

My answer: 

Make it vegan.

Chia Seed Egg Replacers

*Prep time: 10 mins  *Cook Time:  0  *Serves: 1 egg

Chia Seed Egg Replacers

This is a great egg replacement when you are baking something a bit heavier. Chia seed 'eggs' go a long way in yielding moist baked goods. There are two ways of whipping these eggs up: 

Version 1

1 tbsp chia seeds

3 tbsp hot water

Step 1: Combine ingredients and let sit 15 minutes. Stir and then you are done! 

Version 2

1 tbsp chia seed meal

(can't find it? just use a coffee/spice grinder and make your own)

3 tbsp hot water

Step 1: same story as above