Mini Mushroom Pies and my new writing gigs

Mushroom Pie with Salad and Balsamic Dressing Copyright Taymer Mason

Editors note: The following recipe makes 24 mini pies that are meant to served as appetizers one each per person with a salad or a dipping sauce of your choice. It is not a main course or even something that is advised to be used as a snack everyday but something you can  truly enjoy in a small quantity. This blog is not a fat-free blog, soy free, or even sugar-free (something I do not really like anyway) but a celebration of food and the art of cooking. One day you would come here and see a salad, next day some strange ice cream. I think that people who write about food, sell food or market food have a public responsibility to not offer unhealthy options  often but this blog is not a healthy lifestyles blog it is a blog abt food that happens not to exploit animals and sometimes there is a pie in the mix, a salad or a drink. So to all you vegans out there that are vegans for health reasons good for you…this is not that kinda blog even if I  would have recipes that are useful for persons following a low-calorie lifestyle. I am a foodie and this blog represents that without the animal products and if you do not like that, do not read the blog.

Woody, rustic, rich and textured are the many words that people use to describe mushrooms. I remember mushrooms were never consumed when I was growing up in Barbados but one day my father bought a can at that time (as fresh were not available back then) and I was hooked and so was he. My mom …not so much. Since then I tried to introduce my peers to mushrooms by adding them to curries or in rice.

Mushroom Love Copyright Taymer Mason

A few weeks ago a client requested a mushroom pie at the company I work with and because of the volume of work that they had that day they were going to tell the client that it was unavailable. I overheard the convo and I chirped in I can make it. My boss said but you only have 30 minutes before they collect it. I cooly said ” I would have about 5 minutes left to let it cool” I left my desk full of my routine paper work and started to throw flour, fat, salt and sugar in a bowl. I ran down to the ice machine to get some water and the same time grabbed a tin of mushroom and the cooks started to open it for me. In 5 minutes my dough was finished in the blast chiller and I started to make my mushroom filling. My boss sauntered in the kitchen and looked at me and said “you only have 20 minutes Taymer are you sure you can do this?” I said yes it is going into the oven just now…” 10 minutes elapsed my mushroom pie creamy filling was chilling out in the blast chiller and I was rolling my pastry and baking it blind.  15 minutes pie in and covered, brushed and was baking. I washed my hands and went back to my desk. 15 minutes later I got up took out the most beautiful rustic pie I ever saw. Voila! I handed my boss the pie and he just looked up at me wordless. It wasnt one of the biggest moments in my life but doing that gave me a sense of I can do anything I put my mind to…something I needed at that point of my life.

Vegan Mini Mushroom Pies Copyright T Mason

A few days later the same client came back again and said they loved my pie so much they wanted it again but this time in mini portions. That time I did not rush the pie and today I am sharing my recipe with you.

Moral of the story…sometimes it is not your job to do something but if you know you can do it well …do it and do it well and do it because you want to do it.

Mini Mushroom Pies

by Taymer Mason

Makes 24 full pastry cups with lids

Pastry Dough

2 3/4 cups flour

2 sticks vegan  butter ( I am using Earth Balance)

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup ice-cold water

Method

Rub fat into flour and add sugar salt.

Add water and mix quickly and well.

Divide dough in 2 pieces and wrap in kitchen paper. Store in the fridge.

See tutorial for the rest of the method.

Mushroom Filling

2 heaping tbs vegan butter

2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms chopped small

3- 4 shallots finely minced

heaping 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain soy or almond mil

100 ml white wine

2 green onions white and green parts finely minced

2 tsp fresh thyme pulled

1 tsp minced fresh tarragon

1 heaping tbs dijon mustard (the good kind please if you can afford it)

1 heaping tbs yeast flakes

black pepper and salt to taste

Extras

Reserve 1 tsb Dijon mustard

1/4 cup soy creamer and a pinch turmeric and paprika

fresh herbs for dusting tops

Method

Heat butter and add mushrooms , shallots and green onion until mushrooms start to go soft

Add flour and stir well, add milk , wine,Dijon and yeast flakes. Stir well and let mixture get thick.

Season with salt and pepper and cool in the fridge. The mushroom mixture will get very thick as it cools.

See tutorial below

Here is how you get them done

Step 1

Step one roll and cut the pastry dough Copyright Taymer Mason

Step 2

Place pastry disks in cupcake pan

Step 2 Make Pastry Cup Copyright Taymer Mason

Step 3

Step 3 Brush cups with Dijon Mustard Mixed with Tarragon

Step 4

Step 4 Prick cups to prevent dough from puffing up

Step 5

Bake Blind for 16 minutes in a 350 F / 180 C oven

Step 6

Fill cooled half-baked shells with cool mushroom mixture.Overfill them a little as you would cover after

Step 6 Fill up cups, Fill them High

Step 7

Make Pastry disk and cover mushroom cups seal well

Step 7 Cover filled pastry cups

Step 8

Let the cups breathe by cutting slits at the top

Step 8 Cut Slits in the tops

Step 9

Brush tops with soy creamer mixed with turmeric and paprika to enhance colour and give a sheen on the tops

Step 9 Brush Those Cups

Step 10

Bake for 30 mins at 180 C for about 30 minutes …brush periodically with more soy cream mixture. Sprinkle chopped herbs on the tops when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Step 10 Bake and Serve

Until next time…. read to find out which two amazing site I am the new contributing writer.

Announcement in the next post.

Breadfruit Ravioli with Calabaza Squash Filling (Extras: Vegan Brown Butter Sauce)

Breadfruit Pumpkin Ravioli in Vegan Brown Butter Sauce Copyright Taymer Mason

 

I have been tossing around an idea in my head for a while about Caribbean food and I want to bring that idea into reality. I will not say much yet but let this post be a hint to what is coming from me in the future. I am going to create a modern Caribbean cuisine  that focusses on vegetable cuisine. Enough said.

Today I present to  you homemade pasta with a twist. You know how pasta is mostly dependent on eggs well I substituted the eggs with Breadfruit which is a common starchy vegetable common in the Caribbean. For more info on Breadfruit click here. Do not get dishearten  as you can do the ravioli without the breadfruit and you would still get nice pasta but, breadfruit lends its starchy structure to making tender ravioli and tender pasta in general. I have been doing some research on breadfruit independently using my scientific background and  I will be sending proposals to governmental organizations soon to make use of this food in food processing as soon as possible. There is great potential in the breadfruit and the Caribbean people are sleeping as usual.

Breadfruit Ravioli

NOTE TO PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE THE CARIBBEAN: you can make this pasta without the breadfruit it would work, you can use local pumpkin where you live and  not Calabaza.

Calabaza Squash Filling

3 heaping tablespoons butter

2 bay leaves

2 shallots finely minced

2 cups of chopped Calabaza squash or pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1 1/2 tsp fresh sage

1 tbs nutritional yeast flakes

1 cup soy milk regular not too sweet

large pinch nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp arrowroot flour or cornstarch.

Heat butter up ( I used Earth Balance  soy free) and add shallots and  bay leaves. Add squash, thyme sage, nutritional yeast, milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir well and allow to cook on low heat until pumpkin is tender. When pumpkin is tender turn off heat and mash well. Stir in the arrowroot flour and set aside to cool. Take out bay leaves.

Breadfruit Pasta Sheets Copyright Taymer Mason

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup semolina flour

3/4 cup mashed breadfruit

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup water or more as required

Combine all ingredients and knead well. If mixture is too wet add some more semolina flour. If the mixture is too dry  add some more water.

Divide dough into two pieces and cover with  plastic. Chill for two hours.

Then

Roll thinly with a rolling-pin and pastry mat…work in some semolina flour as you roll and try to stretch the dough by putting more pressure on the rolling-pin and  turning and flipping the dough often.

Step 1

Rolling

Rolling dough thin...you do not need a pasta maker Copyright Taymer Mason

The spoon mixture on to the pasta dough

Calabaza Squash Filling on Breadfruit Pasta Dough Copyright Taymer Mason

Then Cut

Cover with another sheet and use some flax meal with warm water strained to bind the two sheets together.

Then place on a lined tray with more semolina flour and refrigerate until ready to use

Then cook in vegetable broth. You can cook in salt water with celery and green onions

Now that was easy but we forgot the Sauces

Ravioli should be placed directly into the sauces and cooked for a few more minutes so that the sauce can absorb in the pasta.

Vegan Cheese Sauce for Ravioli Copyright Taymer Mason

Creamy Cheese Sauce for Ravioli Copyright Taymer Mason

2 heaping tbs butter ( Earth Balance)

1 tsp fresh thyme

2 cloves finely minced garlic…could be less I love garlic

1 tsp fresh chopped sage or dried

1/4 tsp minced Scotch Bonnet pepper or pepper flakes

2 tsp good Dijon mustard

2 heaping tsp residual pumpkin filling, optional

1 scant tsb nutritional yeast flakes

salt  and pepper to taste

Add add ingredients in a pot and bring to a low simmer…stir and add in freshly cooked ravioli

Plate and enjoy

Do not feel like creamy? Here is this amazing Vegan Brown Butter Sauce made with Earth Balance.

Vegan Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Vegan Brown Butter Sauce Copyright Taymer Mason

3 tablespoons vegan butter

2 tsp chopped sauce

1 tsp chopped thyme

pinch of pepper flakes

1 pinch brown sugar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

small pinch of salt to taste

Bring all ingredients to a low simmer

Add cooked ravioli to the sauce and serve hot.

WOAH…writing this was like preparing for a birth or something or the other. I am open to questions or just drolls over this one. Shoot me an email or post it on the Facebook wall if  you need help.

This is the first published recipe using breadfruit as pasta…I searched for hours.  Here is hoping I do not see this as an entry in a contest or sans the fat floating around the place…sorry I just had to say it again….I am done now.

Enjoy

Caribbean Vegan Open for Business (I got your emails…)

I read all of your emails last year and even if I did not reply to each and every one of them, I read them and I appreciate your kind words. I decided to open back up Caribbean Vegan because after 8 months not blogging I could not find a way to release my creative energy anymore and that was a little frustrating.

 

I never really explained fully why I left the blogging world but there were two main factors.

1. A sad individual who poaches from other blogs, cooks, chefs caused me to close down Caribbean Vegan. That individual has been publicly lauded for their great work but they are nothing but a fraud to me and many others who knows the truth about them. As my father always told me when I was a little girl…their pigs would come to market.

 

2.I did not like the way certain things happened in the blogging community and after many months of growth I say #$%@ IT…. I have gotten to a place in my life where according to” de Americans” I just am doing me.

 

It pained me when I read all the emails from people who followed Caribbean Vegan and even if I enjoy a life not blogging I think I owe something to the people that support me if only that.

I have decided to open the blog and only post when I want to release that creative energy…sometimes it would be every 2 weeks …sometimes every week but I will not force myself to do a weekly blog post to get a quota. In this way you will get a better product.

 

What has been up with Taymer since last year?

Well…I have a great job now in HACCP consulting and I also get to release my creative energy in this job as I get to play the role as chef on occasions.

I went back home to Barbados in December to see my parents and dogs..was really great.

My hair grew longer and I am thinking about opening a natural hair blog and youtube channel about how I care for my hair with homemade recipes.

 

I started dabbling in Russian cuisine due to my job and I am excited to show some new adapted vegan recipes.

 

I have a book idea that I want to pursue this year and the first post you would see would reflect what will be in the book. I am also publisher shopping now as I want to find a publisher that understands and respects my work.

 

So that is it for now. I just edited photos for my first blog post and it is out of this world and homemade of course…u know me from scratch cooking!

 

Thank you for your support through last year

It is good to be back.

Taymer

Goodbye

It pains me to write this but I will be closing down the blog at the end of the month. Do not worry the recipes and post will stay up but I will not be blogging anymore.

Why?

There are so many reasons but the main one is that it stopped being enjoyable.

I felt like there was a lack of interest which there is there is no doubt denying that and that is OK. There is only a small number of people interested in Vegan Caribbean food as veganism is a niche blog anyways on its own and it is not like the small number of you do not matter but, it is just not working out for me right now.

I got fed up battling with people stealing my recipes and profiting from them even if that is something I kinda accepted over time.

I kinda felt like I was talking to an empty room and even if this may offend some of you who do read …it felt that way to me.

It started to get expensive because I have expensive taste lol and I could not support it anymore. It was time consuming and I am at a stage in my life where I have to put my energy into  other endeavors.

I want to say I am going on a hiatus but I do not want to let anyone down if I do not come back.

I am starting a new chapter in my professional life and I need to focus my energy on that.

I do care about you the readers so I will keep the fb page open and post recipes in the  note section and post photos just like the blog but it would be in an informal setting of course. I still want to give the small number of you that are interested in Vegan Caribbean Food something to read and some new ideas so I am not giving up the Facebook fan page.

I still owe you two more  ice cream recipes and I will put them up on the page next week.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reached out to me, commented, emailed or just lurked.

Time to move on.

Love Always

Taymer

7 Flavours of Summer 5. Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

In Barbados and many other Caribbean islands we tend to use white fleshed sweet potatoes. The orange variety has more moisture and cannot be used in certain dishes that we do in the region. Personally I find the orange flesh too soft  and similar to butternut squash and I use it in recipes that would call for pumpkin. I know I know I am missing out on some serious beta carotene but  the white sweet potatoes are just as fibrous and sweet. One dish that we do in Barbados is a pie or casserole made with  mashed sweet potatoes, cinnamon, pineapple juice and butter. It is baked and topped with pineapples and cherries and served as a side dish along other savoury dishes especially during the holidays. I do not personally like this dish because it is sweet so I decided a NEW way to eat this dish in a setting that it would be most welcomed for me. Sticking the pie into an ice cream custard. As crazy as this may sound it worked and th starchy sweet potatoes lent to binding and thickening the custard and also gave a creamy mouthfeel. This is a very heavy ice cream due to the fibre content and can be served alongside West Indian styled baked goods like pone.

White Fleshed Sweet Potatoes Copyright Cynthia Nelson Photography

Let us get to the ice cream profile

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Heavy and rich

Extremely Very low ice crystal detection

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: extremely high taste exactly like sweet potato pie

Kid Friendly Low to spiced for the average child

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright TAYMER MASON

White Sweet Potato Mash

1 scant cup puree cooked white sweet potato should be a small sweet potato

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

1/2 cup pureed pineapples or tidbits

1 teaspoons freshly grated cinnamon it does something

Mix all ingredients  together and set aside

 Spiced Ice Cream

1 cup soy creamer

1 1/2 cup soy milk

3 heaping tablespoons vegan butter

1 teaspoon pineapple extract, optional

1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum, gum is optional

1 tsp fresh nutmeg

1 tablespoon fresh cinnamon

1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 scant teaspoon ginger powder

1 very scant teaspoon all spice

1 scant teaspoon clove

1/4 cup soy milk plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot optional

Mix soy creamer soy milk, butter and cook on medium heat until it starts to bubble

Add in well mixed xanthan gum with sugar and reduce heat. Stir well.

Add nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.

Add ginger allspice and clove. Add optional thickener of arrowroot and milk. Take off heat and stir.

Add puree into the custard and get all the lumps of potato out.

Cool and chill overnight.

Place into ice cream maker and let it do its magic

Schrreeechhhh….. hold up. Those pineapple tidbits really F ed up my ice cream maker. Make sure you grind them well or add in chunks at the end. You can add chopped cherries in at the end too.

That is it for this week …two more to go.

It may be mango tango,passion fruit bliss or vanilla with shell topping.

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

updated 7 Flavours of Summer 4. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Copyright Taymer Mason

When this request came in I have to admit that my digestive juices did not begin the flow. You see I never liked the combo of mint and chocolate and I did not think I would enjoy this flavour. I LOVE THIS FLAVOUR now and I would like to eat it everyday if my body allowed it to pass by undetected. You get it. I love the fresh minty flavour the creamy nature of this ice cream with zero ice crystals and the intrusive chocolate chips that make the ice cream more fun to eat. I do not have peppermint extract here so I used fresh mint from my garden or what is left of it; steeped the leaves in hot milk then finished off the custard. Here is the ice cream profile.

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Rich and creamy scoops directly out the freezer

Extremely no detected ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: medium high…can be more pronounced with pepper mint extract

Kid Friendly Yes if they are like me lol

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 cups fresh mint

1 1/2 cups soy milk

1/4 cup vegan butter

Pinch of salt

1 cup soy creamer

Scant half cup light brown sugar plus 1/4 heaping tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 teaspoon peppermint extract optional

2 drops green dye optional fresh mint will turn custard light green as seen in the photo

3/4 cup chocolate chips to add after ice cream has churned

Heat soymilk on medium heat and add roughly torn mint leaves. Bring mixture to a boil and turn off heat. Press mint leaves with  back of spoon and leave mixture to absorb flavour for 30 minutes. Strain of leaves and put back minty milk in pot, add soy creamer, butter and salt and let mixture come to a low simmer add in sugar mixed with xanthan gum reduce heat and stir. Mixture should start to become thick.  Bring back mixture to a low simmer and add milk with arrowroot. Take the pot off the heat and stir well it should  become more thick. Add extracts or essence, optional colour and allow to cool. Put into fridge overnight and churn in ice cream maker following instructions of manufacturer. Take out ice cream and add chocolate chips and integrate well. Freeze well and serve.

Next weeks flavour is Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream using real sweet potatoes the white ones

7 Flavours of Summer 3. Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream

Pineapple Coconut Vegan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Water is an enemy in ice cream making. When making fruity flavours it is important to drive out the excess water in the fruit as this creates  an icy ice cream. This ice cream’s base is full fat coconut milk and binders are xanthan gum optional and arrowroot flour.  I used canned pineapple tidbits  pureed it and cooked out 75 percent of the liquid from the pineapple. The result was slightly sweeter than my low sugar staples and both flavours were pronounced.  So lets look at the ice cream profile shall we?

Base: Full fat coconut milk and soymilk

Result Light texture with a fatty mouthfeel

Extremely low in ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredients: perfect balance of coconut to pineapple

Kid Friendly: Very can be served with extra pineapple and toasted coconut

Additional Info: If using both thickeners the ice cream the custard will be very thick. The recipe is for smooth ice cream, if you like chunky flavours add some cooked out pineapple chunks inside the ice cream after it came out the maker or before serving.

Pineapple Coconut Vegan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

 Vegan Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream

Serve 6

2 cups regular coconut milk (only the white creamy part not the liquid at the bottom of the can)

1 tablespoon coconut essence optional

1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp for essence

1/2 cup soy milk

1/2 cup coconut oil (not the smelly rancid kind nice smelling oil)

1/8 cup neutral oil

1/3 cup light brown sugar( ie the one that does not colour stuff)

1 tablespoon pineapple essence , optional

1/8 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum(optional as u can use just the arrowroot if using arrowroot only make that a heaping tbs)

3/4 cup pineapple puree

1/4 cup soymilk plus one tablespoon arrowroot

Generous pinch of salt

Additional toppings toasted coconut and you toast coconut by putting it in a dry pan with a little brown sugar

Method

Add coconut milk, optional coconut essence, vanilla essence, oils, soymilk and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat whilst watching until the mixture starts to bubble slightly. Reduce heat and add in the sugar mixed with xanthan gum and stir well. The mixture should start to get very thick. Increase the heat slightly again until the mixture starts to simmer slightly. Take off heat and mix in the WELL MIXED milk and arrowroot mixture and stir until thick. Do not forget the salt. Cool for one hour. Cook the pineapple puree in a frying pan for 20 mins on medium high heat or until the mixture starts to look dry. Add the puree to the ice cream mixture and chill overnight. Process ice cream as per instructions on ice cream maker.

Top with toasted coconut or pineapple chunks.

Add 1/4 cup white rum for pina colada flavour and some chopped cherries.

Ok this week I owe you a flavour so it would be either chocolate chip mint or Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream.

delay

The pineapple coconut ice cream post will be coming in 3 days as I am currently making it. Sorry for the delay this week.

For those who want to buy ingredients ahead. I am using full fat coconut milk, crushed pineapple in syrup, coconut oil, bitter sweet chocolate, and cones. Arrowroot and or xantham gum will be the thickeners this week but arrowroot can be used alone.

 

So stay tuned for coconut pineapple icecream with chocolate shell topping and grilled coconut.

7 Flavours of Summer 2. Lemon Poppy seed Ice Cream and Lemon Pepper Ice Cream

Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Before I proceed I must say something is wrong with my camera. Anyone that knows how I can change settings to get rid of this horrid white wash on my photos (which makes my blog too soft) let me know.

I love lemon poppy seed anything..I love the light citrus flavour and the non intrusive bite of the poppy seeds. When I took up the offer to do lemon pepper ice cream I wanted to see if a lemon poppy-seed would have the same flavour profile as the lemon pepper..it did not. It was totally different even if they were made from the same batch of lemon ice cream. The lemon poppy-seed ice cream tastes like a rich but light comforting lemon cake which pairs well with a red fruit sauce. I had raspberry jam( not shown in photo) which I  drizzled over the top but it ended up looking like ketchup! I usually do not care for sweets but, when I tasted this flavour I really wanted to finish the entire bowl. Fortunately I did not but I could have as this ice cream is low in sugar as you would see in the below recipe but it satisfies the sweet tooth. How did I do it? I used a little agave nectar to bump up the sweet and paired it with low sugar fruit sauce.

Melting shot Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream Taymer Mason

I am still playing with xanthan gum this week and hope to put it down for next week flavour pineapple coconut with chocolate shell topping. Xanthan gum with the combo of arrowroot really gives a nice mouthfeel and the ice crystal formation was really low with this flavour. My hunch is that when you add lemon to soy milk you make a buttermilk and that is what really made this ice cream light yet satisfying at the same time. In comparison to last weeks pumpkin pecan this is very light.

Again, sorry about this photo. Hopefully next week I would have back my bright eye-popping photos again. I am having heart palpitations with this one. Everyone who follows this blog knows I am a big fan of black pepper ice cream which I usually serve alongside  Caribbean desserts so when I was talking to one of my followers on Facebook I said I would do my black pepper ice cream recipe but they suggested I add some lemon to it and wow..really you have to try this. This ice cream is walking on a thin line of sweet and savory and I kept it on the line by pairing it with a basil mint coulis. To make this I grabbed some basil from outside and added some brown sugar and olive oil and blended it well and added a little fresh mint and blended it again and put it in my squeeze bottle. It can last for a good week and a half and it pairs well with the lemon pepper ice cream. I added some extra pepper on the top of my ice cream to increase the “back throat” burn one gets from eating pepper ice creams. This is a really fine dessert even if my plating did not portray this but if you want a sophisticated flavour and you are a big foodie do the lemon pepper with the basil coulis.

Vegan Lemon Pepper Ice Cream with Basil Mint Coulis Copyright Taymer Mason

Ice cream Profile

For this ice cream I used two thickeners xanthan gum and arrowroot flour alternatives arrowroot alone or cornstarch alone

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Light creamy ice cream. Ten minute wait to scoop

Extremely low in ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar, agave nectar alternatives only agave or only sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: medium high…did not have a tart overkill it was just right

Kid Friendly: Lemon poppy-seed (Medium High) Lemon Pepper with Basil Coulis  (Low)

Lemon poppy-seed pairs well with fresh red berries or any red fruit jam would work well in a sugar cone. Lemon Pepper works well with extra pepper on top and basil sauces

Additional Info: Cook this ice cream on low heat as you are cooking acid and any high heats can really change up the flavour profile to something unpleasant..watch that HEAT! The ice cream will curdle slightly dont panic.

Recipe ( I made one batch of Lemon custard and split it in half and added 1 tablespoon poppy seed to one and 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper to the other)

If you want to do full batch of one flavour just double your pepper or poppy seed.

Vegan Lemon Ice Cream

1 cup soy creamer

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or soy creamer

1 1/2 cups soy milk plus 1/4 cup soy milk (to mix in with arrowroot

2 heaping tablespoons vegan butter

Juice from 4 lemons ( meaning an extra lemon with the 4 you already have)

1 tsp vanilla extract or half vanilla bean

Zest of 3 lemons (1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 heaping 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 tsp arrowroot flour

1 tablespoons of agave

a few drops of vegan friendly yellow food colouring ( since you are not using eggs you wont get that light yellow hue), optional

1 tablespoon for split 2 tablespoons for whole recipe black pepper (after ice cream has churned)

1 tablespoon for split 2 tablespoons for whole recipe poppy seeds (after ice cream has churned)

Method

Make custard by combining soy creamer , coconut milk, butter, lemon juice vanilla, zest, and sugar.

Cook on medium low heat until there is a faint simmer then reduce heat to low and add in the xanthan gum mixed with sugar slowly whisking carefully but well.

Mix 1/4 milk with arrowroot flour and bring back the mixture to a faint simmer, take the mixture off the heat and add in arrowroot mixture. Stir well and you would feel mixture getting thick. Add colouring and agave nectar and let cool.

Add mixture to fridge and chill for up to 6 hours.

Add to ice cream maker .

Split Recipe

Split mixture in half and add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds plus 1 extra tablespoon agave for poppy seed ice cream

Add 1 tablespoon black pepper plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar for lemon pepper ice cream.

Remember to join the facebook page to request a flavour.

7 Flavours of Summer 1. West Indian Pumpkin Butter Pecan Ice cream

Pumpkin and summer? Something is not adding up but FYI I live in the Caribbean so there is no fall to be eating pumpkins. Actually West Indian Pumpkin also known as Calabaza squash is quite plentiful during these times and quite cheap so I used what was in season .

This has been my second “summer” experimenting with vegan ice cream and from making over forty batches in my vegan life I had a lot of ups and downs with it. To make  vegan ice cream creamy you need fat may it be from the soy creamer you use to adding additional vegan butter or even using raw cashews you need fat. Soy milk is not fatty so using that as your base would not give you a creamy non icy ice cream. Thickeners and binders are quite important as the mixture needs to be thick when putting into the ice cream maker. Thin ice cream mixtures result in icy ice-cream because most of the time this means there is too much water in the mixture and not enough fat.

Ice cream Profile

For this ice cream I used two thickeners xanthan gum and arrowroot flour alternatives arrowroot alone or cornstarch alone

Base: Soy creamer full fat made in France alternatives full fat coconut milk

Result creamy  and scoopable out of the freezer after a 5 minute wait ( I do have my freezer on high so maybe that is why)

Low in ice crystals.

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar, agave and maple syrup

Flavour profile of star ingredient: medium

Kid Friendly: medium high

Pairs well with brittles, molasses and sugar cones

Additional Info: Get the sweetest pumpkin and steam it, mix in the xanthan gum really well in the sugar and whisk in briskly to avoid clumps of binder forming in the ice cream. Over use of xanthan gum can turn mixture into a slimy mess.

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pecan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pecan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

 

 

Recipe Advanced Prep

1 – 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin

1 tsp pumpkin spice  I used this recipe as who has that knocking around in their home outside of America?

Ice cream Base

2 1/2 cups soy creamer ( If you stick around I am working on a home-made version of this for people who cannot get this)

1 1/2 cups of soy milk plus 1/2 cup to dissolve the arrowroot

1/3 cup of vegan butter

1/4 cup sugar

Scant 1/4 tsp plus scant 1/8 tsp xanthan gum

2 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp. vanilla essence

 

Add soy creamer, 1 1/2 cups soy milk and butter to the pot and cook on medium heat. In the meantime mix the xanthan gum into the sugar really well. Grab a whisk. When the mixture starts to bubble slightly turn down the heat and add the xanthan sugar mixture. Whisk gently and you would begin to feel the mixture getting thick. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup milk with the arrowroot flour and turn up the heat until there is a slight bubble again and take the mixture off the heat. Add in arrowroot milk mixture and feel the ice cream mixture get even more thick. Cool and add agave and essence. Refrigerate until very chilled.

 

To make ice cream add the pumpkin until the custard and add to the maker and process as per instructions of the ice cream maker. Put ice cream into container and swirl in butter pecan mixture. Chill overnight, take down for 10 mins and scoop.

Butter Pecan Mixture

1/2 cup vegan butter (margarine without animal products)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup chopped pecan

Toasted pumpkin seeds optional

A generous pinch of cinnamon

A generous pinch of allspice

A generous pinch ginger

A generous pinch nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method ( make this when the ice cream has started to churn in the maker)

Add vegan butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and let it simmer on medium heat until it starts to become thick. Watch mixture and still and reduce heat when mixture starts to get significantly thick. Add pecans and stir and spices and cook until pecans are coated with thick syrup. Cool and wait for ice cream to finish  churn before swirling it in.

 

Do submit your ice cream wishes via the Facebook Page. Next week I am leaning towards lemon ice cream and its evil twin lemon pepper. If you have an even more exciting request do submit.

 

 

7 Flavours of Summer Ice Cream Series

Hi there,

Next week starts my 7 flavours of summer ice cream series were you would have access to 7 recipes to creamy delectable vegan ice cream and ice cream relatives.

 

I have asked the followers on my Facebook page to request some of their favourite flavours ever and so far I am working on a pumpkin butter pecan praline with edible cup and a pineapple coconut. For me, I am working on a strawberry cheesecake, something I love using cashew cream.

 

Each recipe would teach 7 different lessons on vegan ice cream and you would learn how to use different stabilizers to get creamy ice creams. Some ice creams would be low sugar which is usually the deal breaker for me with ice creams but adjust the sugar as you like. Some will use stabilizers like xanthan gum, guar gum  with arrowroot. Some would just cashew cream…others would rely on simple arrowroot or cornstarch.

 

Do join the facebook page here to get in your ice cream request. As I live in the Caribbean I may not have access to all the fruits as they may be expensive and not fresh enough for my purposes so if your request does not get picked do not take it too hard.

 

 

Dominica Part 5 of 5 Thanking Dominica…

When I got back to the hotel I rested for an hour and decided to have some non alcoholic cocktails and thinking about my day at JTAS. It was not what I had imagined in my mind but people left happy, full and with a new respect for vegan food.

Time seemed to fly fast in Dominica when I had things to do and I knew I had to make a cupcake display and also make some of my Caribbean Quiche for sampling at the expo on Sunday.

When I arrived in the kitchen Bernadine, Devon and George were in the kitchen and Bernadine was getting restless waiting on me to start the cupcakes. She told me she was ready at 730 so I rushed downstairs to change into my kitchen gear and we started to make cupcakes. The first batch of cupcakes were chocolate which I went with because many like chocolate. I did a vanilla chocolate ganache and Bernadine grilled some coconut with sugar for me to decorate the top.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Chocolate Cupcake Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Trust me cupcakes go fast and this was not the prettiest of the bunch but you get the idea. I will tell you later about the transport. When people came into the kitchen and looked at the chocolate cupcakes making they were overwhelmed by the richness of the cake and I sent out a few as samples and it brought more faces by the kitchen door. ” There is no egg?” “It is so light and pillowy” No egg…. sorry to disappoint. Finally people started to get rid of the myth that a cake is nice with egg…thank you cupcake.

I then wanted to make a cupcake with the fresh oranges that Terri had dropped off the day before. Now take the image of perfect orange coloured oranges out of your mind. In Dominica the oranges are imperfect some have a bumpy exterior and the skins are usually greenish yellow. The flavour and juice it gives is superior to the oranges most of us know. I wanted the cupcakes to be orange so I used turmeric in the formula and hoped for the best and a few other secret ingredients to really capture the taste of Dominica and the Caribbean. We made a batch of 50 at first and then tasted one hot. Even hot I just heard moans of approval and Bernadine looked at me and said “We making 50 more”. Looking at the time I wanted to get to bed and I still did not start on the crust or filling for my quiches so I left her with the recipe and went on to work on my pastry for the quiche.

Oh before I forget here is now the orange cupcakes worked out. Sorry I did not get an inside shot to show that lightness.

vegan cupcakefloral Copyright Taymer Mason

Here is the same one again with some more edible flowers.

Dominican organecupcake Copyright Taymer Mason

For the actual samples I gave one dot of icing as I do not promote eating mounds of fat and sugar. It was a health Expo anyways not a bakesale but as someone who cooks I think I have a responsibility to cook food that taste good but is not bad for you at the same time. Look out for those later in the post.

I got started on my quiche later in the night and Devon had already chopped all my ingredients including the seasoning peppers/ vegetarian peppers that grow in many islands. I did not even use my recipe scaled up and it still worked out well. I made a short crust that day and made rustic cups in a cupcake mould and baked the pastry blind. The process was quick and painless and I let the staff watch the quiche bake as I got 10 minutes of sit down time. Did I mention there was a party going on at the hotel..the music was great and I never saw people dance so much and have a good time in a fete. I went to watch it for a few minutes and quickly retreated to the kitchen.

Here is how the quiche turned out. I usually seal the cracks with some soy creamer mixed with a little black salt but as I was rebaking them in the morning I did that afterwards.

Caribbean tofu quiche Copyright Taymer Mason

When you are sealing with soy creamer you can carefully colour it yellow the exact shade to hide any cracking. I did not this time around and left the soy creamer as it was. I topped my quiche with one of my favourite herbs for topping quiche, tarragon and stored them. Twice baked quiche is the only way I serve quiche.

Here is how it looked on the day

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Caribbean Vegan Quiche Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

My Saturday night was over, cupcakes made and in a safe place and quiche in the fridge. I went to bed thinking about my final day in Dominica…I didn’t get to see this island that I had fell in love with. My partner still awake the in room decided we could go to the hot springs as everyone was telling me I had to go to feel rejuvenated. I had to get to the expo for noon so I had enough time to get a taxi to spend an hour at the springs and still get back to frost and dress my cupcakes…as I drove to the hot springs I had a guilt within me worrying about the time  but as the driver took me up the winding road and I saw some of the most breathtaking vegetation inclusive of flowers I never saw before I quickly began to relax.

I never been to a hot springs before…I did not know what one looked like what to expect so I decided to leave my camera at the hotel. When I go to Tia’s Bamboo Cottage we paid and I purchased some sulphur mud as advised and I walked down the steps and I was face to face with a hot springs for the first time. Click here to see how it looked but unfortunately the pictures on the site are old and do not do this place any justice. It was so beautiful with fruit trees all around the pools and then a cold river under the pools so you could do hot pool to river. I could not believe there was a place in the Caribbean that was offering all of this and  I felt like if I was like the last to know…..

As the hot but relaxing water streamed onto my back I felt like if I was having a guilty pleasure….

Why didn’t  someone warn me the springs make you sleeeeepy. We rushed out after 45 minutes and I washed off my mud and headed back to the hotel…those springs….

Oh chop chop…cupcakes to package for transport, quiche to reheat and I had to tell someone to decorate the tray…Oh no…I didnt write my speech!!!

Carrying 100 plus cupcakes in a taxi which is a big van plus drinks and quiche is not an easy task. When I watch Food Network I sometimes roll my eyes with the extra drama they potray but it was a little tricky with the food. When I got to UWI Open Campus Terri greeted me and cupcakes were taken from me and I went into a corner to write my speech. I had no time even before coming there to write it and I hated doing it under pressure but when I saw only 6 people waiting for my speech the pressure came off. Little did I know that when I lifted up my head again my lecture was jam-packed with people standing outside the door….did they hear about the cupakes?:) My speech started off very shaky as I sudden  got a spell of nerves but, I put down my paper and spoke from my heart. With my hair wet in a mess and my skin purified from the springs and mud I felt whole and free and even my imperfections on that day did not phase me.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Taymer Mason Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Afterwards, I invited the large crowd that had grown and grown as I got deeper in my speech to eat cupcakes and quiche. I remember having a gentleman come up to me who was allergic to egg asking me for reassurance to have my quiche and cupcake…I told him go on you wont die today:) He smile and went off with his wife enjoying the eggless vegan quiche

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI So Pretty Vegan Quiche and Cupcake Display Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

See one blob of icing…not an ice cream cones worth!

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Anchorage Staff Thanking You Always Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

I then signed a bunch of books and then stripped off my clothes and changed into my yoga attire but before that I had to go buy some food..Guess what? Deschamps was there serving all things Ital. I think he really went to he highest level that day because all of my food items were green but I loved them all..my favourite was the green banana pie and my husband loved his green celery juice. Deschamps made that lovely coconut slaw again and he made his coconut dal..green I tell you but I was happy I ate and I was content and full.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Deschamps Rootz and Healing Foods Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Ital Food and all things Green from Deschamps Copyright Taymer Mason

Signing Books Copyright Taymer Mason

So that is it folks, now I am going to share some pictures from the event itself. I was happy my part was over and I could enjoy yoga and lectures and even a Thai Massage that put me to sleep. I also listened to live drums in a room and the passion power emitted from the beating went into my soul and I felt transformed.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Terri Henry Organizer introducing me Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Martha Cuffy at her Booth Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Quantum Leap Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Live Drums Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI The Tents Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Oh there is my abandoned book signing table..people came to find me wherever I was anyways.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Dance with Live Drumming Charity Joy Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

When you are in Dominica find her fax her whatever..I pay a lot for massages in St. Martin but this woman is fantastic! I am not even going to get into what she did to me but I got in the plane still feeling the effects the next day. Check out Charity Joy Movement here.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Yoga for the Back Trudy Prevost Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

We did this class and it was really good. I did not get a lot of time to talk to this self-confessed foodie Trudy Prevost but she attended my workshop at the Anchorage Hotel and I will be back again to do more yoga with her in the beach and in the forest. Click here to go on her site.

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Trudy Prevost Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Rainforest Mushrooms Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Remember those beautiful mushrooms I got?

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Natural Soaps Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 - UWI Copyright Celia Sorhaindo

So that is it folks I would like to take the time to thank the below listed sponsors and let me say something…they did  not have to sponsor this event but they did and growing up in the Caribbean I have always heard cries from people doing positive things not getting any support from government or the private sector. I was amazed of the amount of sponsorship that  came through as I myself always wished to go home to Barbados to do a similar event… I do want the region to look at Dominica and see that they are utilizing what they have and marketing it and they support people from the region and what that did was form a tie within me that would never be broken.

Many things went through my mind that I would not speak about here but THANK YOU DOMINICA FOR BELIVEING IN ME AND SUPPORTING MY WORK.

I have gotten more opportunities to train in Dominica and I will be taking up everyone on their offers slowly:) as I want to help to make this island the best vegan destination in the Caribbean…where you can have your ital food, to raw foods to vegan Caribbean food. You stole my heart Dominica.

I have decided to write a new cookbook and it will be published in the Caribbean but it will be available internationally..it is about a topic that never has been covered before and I hope to go back to Dominica to do some of the writing and testing of recipes. This time I can write in my voice to the Caribbean for the Caribbean. I am carefully seeking a publisher who can respect and understand my work.

I want to finally thank Terri Henry who snagged me 5 months ago for this show and who made sure everything was in place for me. The staff at the Anchorage Hotel…I miss you and we will meet again:), Khatts tours for their safe rides, Martha  Cuffy for showing me my inner peace, Celia Sorhaindo for being there for me and donating these beautiful photos on this blog for the past 3 post.The Discover Dominica Authority for sponsoring this event.

My regrets were that I did not stay 10 days, and that I did not get to show off my refined dishes but since the workshops were introductory I would save my refined dishes for a tasting event somewhere else or in Dominica:)

I hope everyone reading this who loves nature and loves peace visit Dominica soon. You will get your  vegan food, taste fruits and veg you only read about and experience a different side of the Caribbean. I will try to add a mini guide to my Vegan Guides of the Caribbean and write up one for Dominica. One exist for Barbados.

Sponsors

Discover Dominica http://www.dominica.dm

Astaphans http://astaphans.com/

Anchorage Hotel, Whale Watch and Dive Centre http://www.anchoragehotel.dm

Picard Beach Cottages http://www.picardbeachcottages.com/

KHATTS http://www.khattstours.com/

Events and Things http://www.miambs.com/

JTAS http://www.experiencescaribbean.com/

Loubiere Spring water

Ardens Sounds and Lights http://www.ardensounds.com/index.html

Remember there are more photos and also information and sometimes recipes you won’t get here on my facebook fan page. Click here to connect with me instantly!