"Snoddas" Chocolate Iced Squares

I love these tasty, sweet, chocolate squares with chocolate topping and coconut shavings. Me and my fiancé recently celebrated our 3 year anniversary and I baked these "Snoddas" for us. There is a similar treat called Kärleksmums/ Loving Yumms, but the icing isn't as good. So for our loving yumms, let there be Snoddas!

You Will Need:
For the sponge:
150 g Dairy Free Margarine (or Coconut Fat), Egg Replacer (equal to 3 large eggs), 3 dl (1 1/4 cup) Sugar, 2 tsp Vanilla Sugar (or vanilla essence), 1 tbs Cocoa Powder (dark euro style), 4½ dl (2 cups) Plain Flour, 3 tsp Baking Powder & 1½ dl (2/3 cup) Dairy Free Milk (I use Alpro Soya Natural). 
30x40 cm (12x15 inches) baking tin and baking paper
For the icing:
150 g Dairy Free Margarine, 2-3 tbs Cold Caffein-Free Coffee, 4 tbs Cocoa Powder (dark euro style), 4 tsp Vanilla Sugar & 7 dl (3 cups) Icing Sugar.


+ Coconut shavings for topping

• Melt the margarine (or coconut fat).
• Whisk egg replacer and sugar until fluffy.
• Add your milk to the melted margarine (coconut fat).
• Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Start adding the fat/milk-mix, alternating it with adding dry ingredient-mix to your sugar and egg replacer.
• The best technique is to use an electric whisk.
• Line your baking tin with the paper and add the smooth chocolate cake batter.
• Bake in the lower part of your oven at 175 C / 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Check the cake with a cake tester before taking it out of the oven. The cake tester should be dry without batter on it.
• Once baked, leave to cool down until cold. 

• Time to make the icing.
• Make sure your cake is cool. (If the cake is still warm the icing will melt off the cake)
• Melt the margarine for your icing and take it off the heat.
• Add all the remaining ingredients for the icing in with the margarine. (not the coconut) and spread evenly on top of the chocolate cake.
• Sprinkle with lots of coconut and store in a cool place until the icing has set. (10-15 min)
• Cut into desired size squares and enjoy the wonderful taste of VEGAN SNODDAS!

I recommend you store your fresh Snoddas in a sealed cake jar in the freezer, that way they taste like newly baked everytime. Just remember to take them out to defrost before eating. Defrosting them in the microwave will melt the icing.

Fresh Strawberry & Banana Whip

Something sweet and creamy. Love the fresh fruit and creamy whip, flavoured with vanilla and tasty chocolate shaving.

You Will Need:

Fresh Strawberries, Ripe Bananas, Dairy Free Cream (Whipped), Vanilla Sugar and Your Favourite Chocolate (I use Chocolate with Mint Flavour)

• Clean and cut your strawberries, also peel and slice your bananas.
• Whip your cream and add vanilla sugar (to taste).
• Serve in a small bowl and shave the chocolate on top.

Oven Baked Taco Cake

It might not be worldly wide know that swedes love their tacos, in all shapes and forms. Here is my tasty recipe for oven baked taco cake.

You Will Need:
1 tub of Vegan Sour Cream (Tofutti Sour Supreme), 2 tubs of Vegan Cream Cheese, 1 jar Chunky Salsa Medium (350g), 2 Red Onions, 6 Large Flour Tortillas, Liquid Smoke, 400 g Vegan "Meat" Strips (I use dried, rehydrated soy strips boiled in water with stock and spices) and Vegan Cheese (Tofutti cheddar cheese slices).

• If you are using dried soy strips, rehydrate them by boiling them in spicy stock water for the amount of time labeled on the packet. 
• Cut the red onions into chunks and fry them until just soft in a frying pan.
• Add the sour cream, cream cheese, chunky salsa, fake meat and red onions into a bowl and mix well.
• Now it is time to add the liquid smoke, do this carefully drop by drop, stirring and tasting as you go.
• Heat your oven to 225 C / 440 F.
• Start layering the cake. First layering with a tortilla bread and then continue until you top the last one with mix and cheese.
• Bake your taco cake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden.
• Serve with a fresh salad. Enjoy!

My First Publication

A while ago I was contacted by Onegreenplanet.org, asking if I would like to write a monthly column for them. I got real happy and accepted their offer with a big smile...and here it is.

The Vegan Swedes Writes For One Green Planet

Fried Batter Eggplant

This batter mix can be used for all types of vegetables, mushrooms and fake meats. I have used it with eggplant. Serving it with marinated fried mushrooms and rice. 

You will need:

Eggplant (or other vegetables such as Zucchini/ Broccoli/ Cauliflower) ½ cup Plain Flour, ½ cup Potato Flour or Corn Starch, 1 tbs Baking Powder, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Pepper, ½ tsp Tumeric, ½  tsp Cumin (optional chilli or other hot spice) and Water.

• Cut the eggplant into ½ cm slices and sprinkle them with salt to draw out the water. 
• Mix all dry ingredients for the batter in a bowl. This might sound strange, but taste some of the flour mix to see how the spices taste and that its enough. Just dipping your finger is enough.
• Add a little water at a time, whisk while doing it and only add enough to make a runny paste. Thick like wallpaper glue.
• Use paper and pat the water off the eggplant slices. Dip the eggplant in some flour to make them completely dry. (this will help the batter stick to the eggplant)
• Heat optional vegetable oil in a pan, Only enough to cover the bottom of your pan. (make sure it is a oil that can take the heat)
• When the oil is hot dip your eggplant slices in the batter and fry for a few minutes on each side. Until golden.
• Serve with a side of fresh and fluffy basmati rice and your marinated mushroom hats. Using the marinade as a sauce for the rice is very good.

Vegan BBQ

My Vegan BBQ contains of marinated mushrooms, marinated soy fillets, bell pepper/ capsicum, red onions, corn on the cob, alfalfa sprouts and vinaigrette potato salad.

How to make this:


Marinade:
Olive Oil, Garlic, Mushroom Soya Sauce, BBQ Spice Mix, Chili Flakes and Black Pepper 

• Use large mushrooms. Marinate the mushrooms and your soy fillets. (I use dried soy fillets, rehydrated in boiling water/vegetable stock)

• Make the Potato Salad and leave to soak up all the tasty flavours while preparing the rest of your meal.

• Make tasty veggie skewers and just lightly brush with oil before grilling (I use a coal grill for the flavour.)

• Grill and serve! Yum Tasty!

• Got boring bread? Grill it and swoooosh it's fun!

Growing Seeds with The Vegan Swedes

Our cultivating of seeds have started for this summer season.

The seeds planted today has been: 

• Two varieties of Tomatoes (black & red)
• Broccoli
• Leek
• Zucchini / Summer Squash

More seeds will be planted outside, once the weather allows. Veggies to be planted are: Red Onion, Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Peas and Sugarsnap Peas.

If you have any seed or plant suggestions I would be very happy to hear about them. Comment or email.