Beverage-Inspired Holiday Treats
By Hannah Kaminsky
Get cozy and settle into a sofa, letting the plush cushions envelop you like an endless hug. Imagine your favorite drink in your hands: a steaming mug of hot cocoa, fluffy vegan marshmallows melting slowly on top, or a sophisticated glass of dry, perfectly chilled wine. Sip slowly, savoring every moment, luxuriating in the experience as if you could drink in happiness itself.
Now, picture it as your new favorite dessert.
When only deep, dark chocolate will quell the cravings, sink your teeth into a fudgy Hot Cocoa Brownie. Dutch-process cocoa, rather than melted chocolate, creates an impossibly decadent yet divinely bittersweet experience, allowing anyone to whip up a pan in minutes with pantry staples. Vegan marshmallows melting add a touch of nostalgia.
The whole family will rush to the kitchen for a Maple Brown Sugar-Oat Milk Pop, rich and creamy with a subtle lick of autumnal flavors. Lightly toasted oats lend greater body and depth to these novelties, introducing an alluring nutty aroma alongside light notes of cinnamon.
Start the morning with Cold Brew Coffee Cake, infused with the smooth flavor of strong, slow-extracted espresso for a truly eye-opening breakfast treat. Crowned by buttery brown sugar crumbs, the moist yet fluffy, pillow-soft cake will deliver greater satisfaction than a mere caffeine fix.
Need to unwind after a stressful day? Such a situation calls for a glass of wine, a slice of cake, or both. Poached Pear Upside-Down Cake offers blushing crimson pears, infused with the warmth of dry red wine, fanning out languidly atop a bright, gingery base. Arranged from the bottom up, few things are more satisfying than turning the tables\u2014or at least, flipping this grand finale out of the pan, unveiling those glistening pear slices perfectly intact.
Get fresh by putting the squeeze on orange juice to make Orange-Pepper Peanut Brittle. Here, zesty citrus meets cracked black peppercorns inside planks of buttery toffee, embedded with toasted peanuts. Shattering effortlessly into spicy, savory, salty little morsels, they would make for excellent in-person holiday gifts, if you can bring yourself to share.
Quench your thirst for adventure and satiate your sweet tooth at the same time. Don't just raise a glass to success, happiness, or well-being; bake those wishes come true.
Hot Cocoa Brownies
(Makes 16 brownies)
Spray or vegan margarine, to grease the pan
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini vegan marshmallows, divided
1 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8- x 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add in 1/2 cup of the marshmallows. Toss to coat, which will help prevent the marshmallows from sinking as the brownies bake.
In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Once homogeneous, pour into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring with a wide spatula to combine. Be careful not to over mix.
Spread the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes before sprinkling the remaining marshmallows evenly over the surface. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 15-17 minutes, until the batter no longer appears wet, and it pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan.
Let cool completely before slicing. For the cleanest cuts, chill the whole pan for at least 15 minutes and use a very sharp knife, wiping it off with a clean kitchen towel between slices.
Cook's Note: Dandies marshmallows are vegan, and Trader Joe's carries vegan marshmallows.
| Total calories per brownie: 170 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 26 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 91 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
Maple Brown Sugar-Oat Milk Pops
(Makes six 1/2-cup pops, depending on mold size)
1/2 cup quick oats
3 cups plain, unsweetened oat milk
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lightly toast the oats in a dry skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and continuously, gently stir the oats, until faintly golden brown all over. Slowly whisk in half of the oat milk, beating out any lumps before proceeding. Continue to add in the remaining oat milk and whisk vigorously. Incorporate the brown sugar, maple syrup, margarine, cinnamon, and salt, stirring well. Cook about 12-15 minutes, stirring periodically, until bubbles break regularly on the surface and the liquid has thickened and reduced.
Turn off the heat, cool to room temperature, and then allow to rest in the fridge until thoroughly chilled. Stir in the vanilla before transferring the mixture to popsicle molds. Place in the freezer and allow to rest for about an hour before inserting sticks, to keep them more centered. Return the pops to the freezer and chill until solidly frozen, at least 3 hours.
| Total calories per serving: 195 | Fat: 5 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 35 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 195 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
Cold Brew Coffee Cake
(12 servings)
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup organic dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted vegan margarine or coconut oil
Prepare the crumb topping by stirring together the brown sugar, flour, instant coffee, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle in the melted vegan margarine while mixing with a fork, until the crumbs are moistened and sticking together in coarse clumps. Chill in the fridge.
Cold Brew Coffee Cake:
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup melted vegan margarine or coconut oil
1 cup cold brew coffee concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8- x 8-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
For the cake, in a medium bowl, mix the sugar, applesauce, melted vegan margarine, coffee, vanilla, and almond extract. Once smooth, sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together with a wide spatula, mixing just enough to fully incorporate. A few errant lumps are perfectly fine to keep in the mixture, rather than risk over mixing and creating a tough crumb.
Transfer the batter to prepared pan, smoothing it into the bottom in an even layer with your spatula. Use your fingers to break up the crumb topping and sprinkle it all over the top, leaving no raw batter exposed.
Bake for 23-26 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, with no wet batter clinging to the sides. Allow to cool completely before enjoying.
| Total calories per serving: 242 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 40 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 294 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Want to make your own cold brew coffee concentrate? Check out our blog post here: vrg.org/blog/2021/08/07/how-to-make-cold-brew-coffee-concentrate-an-iced-coffee-latte-fizz/
Poached Pear Upside-Down Cake
(Makes 14 slices)
Poached Pears:
2 medium-sized, firm pears
2 cups dry red wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup organic dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled
5 whole cloves
3 whole star anise
Peel, halve, and remove the pits and stems from the pears before placing them in a medium saucepan. Add the red wine, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger, cloves, and star anise. Set over medium heat, cover, and bring to a boil.
Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to low and keep the liquid at a gentle simmer. Make sure the pears stay fully submerged; add a splash of water if needed. Cook gently for about 30 minutes, until the pears have taken on a deep red color and are fork tender. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.
Red Wine Cake:
Spray or vegan margarine, to grease pan
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup reserved poaching liquid
3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9-inch round baking pan; set aside.
When pears are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board but reserve the excess liquid after removing cloves and star anise. Thinly slice the pears and arrange them in a slightly overlapping spiral, covering the bottom of the prepared pan. Nestle them in tightly to fill any open crevices.
Prepare the cake by sifting together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, and pepper. In a second bowl, mix 1 cup of the reserved poaching liquid with the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract before pouring them in together as well. Stir with a wide spatula until just combined.
Pour the batter over the pears, using your spatula to smooth out the surface and evenly cover all the fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, return the last bit of leftover poaching liquid to the stove. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened to the consistency of a loose syrup. Let cool.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before running a thin butter knife or metal spatula around the edges of the pan, releasing any parts of the cake that might be sticking. Invert a cake stand or large serving plate over the top of the cake before quickly flipping it over. Remove the pan to unveil the poached pears on top. Slice and serve with a drizzle of the wine syrup on top, as desired.
| Total calories per serving: 224 | Fat: 5 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 37 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 165 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Orange-Pepper Peanut Brittle
(Makes about 1 pound; approx. 16 pieces)
1 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon vegan margarine or coconut oil
1-1/2 cups roasted, unsalted, shelled peanuts
1-1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil; add the vegan margarine or coconut oil. Swirl the pan occasionally, rather than stirring, to prevent the sugar from crystalizing prematurely. Cook until the syrup hits 300-310 degrees (hard crack stage) according to a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile in a sheet pan, lay out a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the peanuts, orange zest, baking soda, pepper, and salt, and have at the ready.
Once the hot sugar syrup hits the proper temperature, immediately turn off the heat and very quickly stir in the dry ingredients. Without pausing, scrape the hot candy out of the pan and onto your prepared baking sheet, tilting the pan to help spread, if needed. Don't use your spatula to push or press it out, since that would destroy the delicate structure of fine bubbles created by the baking soda.
Cool completely before breaking into pieces and eat right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
| Total calories per serving: 163 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 23 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 125 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Hannah creates the award-winning vegan blog BitterSweetBlog.com and is the author of many books, including Sweet Vegan Treats, Real Food, Real Fast, and The Student Vegan Cookbook. Obsessed about plant-based food before it was cool, she cooks, bakes, and eats from morning to night in Austin, Texas.
