Potato Pancakes

Made with mashed potatoes, these Potato Pancakes has always been one of my favourites. My mum made them for me as a kid and since then I've been hooked. Best eaten with lingonberry jam, possibly even some fried crispy vegan bacon.

You Will Need:

• 2½ dl (1 cup) Water 
• 2 dl (3/4 cup) Dairy Free Cooking Cream or Non Dairy Milk
• 1 pinch of Salt
• 3½ dl (1½ cup) Plain Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ dl (1/4 cup) melted Dairy Free Margarine or plain cooking oil
• 2½ dl (1 cup) Mashed potatoes (using day old leftover mashed potatoes works great)

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. While whisking add the liquids. (the melted margarine must have cooled down before adding to the batter) Keep stirring while adding to avoid the batter getting lumps. 
2. Add the mashed potatoes.
3. Leave the batter to "swell" for 5-10 minutes.
4. Fry each potato pancake in oil on a medium heat until the top is just set, flip and fry on the other side until golden. (If the pan is too hot the pancake will get golden too fast and won't be cooked in the middle)
5. Now they are all ready to be eaten with lingonberry jam. (can be substituted with cranberry sauce, as long as it isn't too sweet)

Ischoklad / Melting Ice Chocolate Treats

New recipe featured on One Green Planet, our very easy to make and super tasty Ice Chocolate. A traditional swedish treat for the time around Christmas.

Click Here For The Recipe

Or read below

Swedes love sweets and especially around holiday time. That is when everyone love to stuff their faces with food you don’t usually eat for the rest of the year.

Ice chocolate is one of those things, usually never eaten at any other part of the year except for December/January, around Christmas time. It is said to be named ice chocolate as it just melts in your mouth.

Very easy with only two ingredients.

For this recipe you will need: (makes around 40)

• 200 grams Vegan Chocolate
• 100 grams Pure Coconut Fat (this is what gives the ice chocolate that melting ice effect as coconut fat melts at 20C / 68F)

Preparation:

1. Melt the chocolate and coconut fat using a water bath (bain-marie). Using a glass bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water. Make sure the water isn’t boiling on to the glass bowl, that can make the chocolate too hot. It should melt by the steam.
2. Spread your aluminium mini cups on a tray (that will fit in your fridge). Add the melted chocolate/coconut mix in the aluminium cups using a easy to pour container.
3. Leave your ice chocolates on the tray in the fridge until set. Enjoy.
4. Eat straight away or leave the chocolate balls to cool in the fridge.

Festive Holiday Tips:

• Add a couple drops of mint in the melted ice chocolate for winter holiday effect.
• Do two batches of ice chocolate, one white and one dark chocolate. Fill the aluminium cups half way, leave to set and then fill the rest with the other chocolate.
• Crush some of your favourite winter candies. Like candy canes and add a few crushed bits on top of the filled ice chocolate cups before they set.

Saffron Buns/ Lussekatter

Using saffron in sweet buns is common in Sweden and during advent and christmas, very very common. The lussekatt is a sweet saffron bun ment to be eaten at St:Lucia Day on December 13th. 

There are many different old reasons why the swedish people celebrate this day, dating back to before christianity. All from the winter solstice and the re-birth of the sun to Lussinatta, the Lussi Night. When "Lussi", a female being with evil traits, like a female demon or witch, was riding through the air with her followers, called Lussiferda. 
Look here for more interesting information.

You will need: (Pre-heat oven to 250C / 480F)

• 150g Dairy Free Margarine
• 500 ml Vegan Milk (+ extra for brushing)
• 50g Fresh Yeast (or dry yeast equal to 50g, read on packet)
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1½ dl (½cup) Sugar
• 1g of Saffron (powder)
• 1.3 L Plain Flour (13 dl)
• Raisins/ Sultanas

1. Melt your margarine and add your milk to it. Heat until finger warm with the saffron (37C / 98F)
2. Dissolve the yeast with the milk/margarine liquid in a big bowl. Add salt, sugar and around 2/3 of the plain flour.
3. Work the dough until shiny and add more of the flour. Saving 1-2dl (½-3/4cup) for the rolling of the dough later on. 
4. Sprinkle with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Leave to rise in room temperature with out a drag until the dough has doubled in size. (approx. 45-60min)
5. Once your dough has risen, put it on a floured work bench and cut into 30-40 pieces.
6. Roll each piece into a sausage shape as thick as a finger and shape into the classic lussekatt-shape. (or shape of your choice, but remember that size will effect how long it has to be baked.)
7. Place evenly on oven trays with baking paper and leave to rise until they almost double in size.
8. Brush with dairy free milk and gently push a raisin/sultana in each swirl on the buns.
9. Bake each tray in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes. Until just golden.
10. Enjoy your Swedish Saffron Buns.

Soft Gingerbread Cake

I received an email request for the traditional swedish soft gingerbread cake. Here is my simple and tasty version. Eat as it is or with some lingonberry jam (can be substituted with cranberry jam/sauce)

You Will Need:

• 1dl (100ml) Melted Vegan Maragine
• Egg Replacer Equal to 2 eggs (I use Orgran No Egg)
• 2 dl (3/4 cup) Sugar (white or brown)
• 3 dl (1 1/4 cups) Plain White Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Cloves 
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 dl (100 ml) Dairy Free Milk (or Vegan Yogurt)

1. Melt the margarine.
2. Whisk egg replacer and sugar.
3. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add all wet ingredients and whisk well. 
4. Grease a loaf tin and sprinkle with bread crumbs to avoid the cake sticking.
5. Pour the batter into the tin and bake at 175C / 345F min in the lower part of the oven for 40-50min. Make sure you test the cake with a tooth pick or cake tester before taking it out of the oven.
6. Enjoy!