Veganuary, 2024: The Rise of Plant-Based Cuisine: Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes for Every Palate

As we are heading into the last several days of Veganuary 2024, That's Food and Drink has commissioned a special blogpost on the rise of plant-based cuisine.

In recent years, there has been a remarkable shift in our culinary landscape as more people embrace the plant-based lifestyle. The rise of plant-based cuisine is not just a trend; it's a movement that reflects a growing awareness of the environmental, ethical, and health impacts of our food choices. 

Whether you're a seasoned vegan or someone looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, the world of vegan cooking has expanded to offer a diverse array of mouthwatering recipes that cater to every palate.

The Plant-Based Revolution:

The plant-based revolution has transformed the way we think about food. Beyond being a mere dietary choice, it's a conscious decision to make a positive impact on the planet and our health. With an increasing number of people adopting a vegan lifestyle, chefs and home cooks alike are pushing culinary boundaries to create innovative and delicious plant-based dishes.

Embracing Flavour Diversity:

One common misconception about plant-based cuisine is that it lacks flavor. However, the reality is quite the opposite. Plant-based cooking celebrates the rich tapestry of flavours found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. From the umami goodness of mushrooms to the vibrant taste of fresh herbs and spices, the variety of plant-based ingredients provides an endless canvas for culinary creativity.

Vegan Comfort Food:

Contrary to popular belief, going plant-based doesn't mean giving up on comfort food. In fact, vegan versions of classic comfort dishes have become increasingly popular. Indulge in a hearty vegan lasagna, savor the creamy goodness of dairy-free mac 'n' cheese, or enjoy a comforting bowl of plant-based chili. These recipes not only satisfy your taste buds but also showcase the versatility of plant-based ingredients.

Global Inspiration:

One of the most exciting aspects of the plant-based movement is its global reach. Veganism is not limited to a specific cuisine or region; it transcends borders. Explore the world of plant-based cooking with recipes inspired by various cultures. From Mediterranean chickpea salads to Asian-inspired tofu stir-fries, the global fusion of plant-based ingredients creates a symphony of flavors that tantalises the taste buds.

Desserts to Delight:

No culinary journey is complete without a sweet ending, and plant-based desserts are nothing short of delightful. Indulge in decadent chocolate avocado mousse, enjoy a slice of moist vegan carrot cake, or relish the simplicity of a fruity sorbet. These desserts prove that plant-based eating can be just as satisfying, if not more so, than traditional sweets.

Quick and Easy Weeknight Meals:

For those with busy schedules, quick and easy plant-based recipes are a lifesaver. Explore the world of one-pot wonders, baking sheet dinners, and 30-minute meals that make plant-based cooking accessible to everyone. These recipes showcase that you don't need to sacrifice time or flavour when opting for a plant-based lifestyle.

The rise of plant-based cuisine is a testament to the evolving preferences of a conscientious and health-conscious society. With an ever-expanding repertoire of mouthwatering vegan recipes, there's something for everyone in the world of plant-based cooking. 

So, whether you're a seasoned vegetarian making the move to full veganism, or just starting your plant-based journey, dive into the culinary adventure of vibrant flavours, global inspirations, and delicious plant-based delights that cater to every palate.

(Image courtesy of Max Franke from Pixabay)

Callum Graham's Summer Fruit Tart

Callum Graham is the Head Chef at Jersey restaurant, Bohemia. And he has created a Summer Fruit Tart recipe.

Serving size: Individual tart – serves 1 (Adjust quantities to serve more diners.) 

Overall prep and cooking time: approximately one hour.

Prep for pastry/ tart case: 10 minutes

Cooking time for pastry/ tart case: 15 – 20 minutes and then allow to cool for a further 20 minutes whilst making the lemon curd

Ingredients for the pastry:

225g plain flour

110g butter, cut into cubes

80g caster sugar

1 large free-range egg

Method:

Crumb together the plain flour and the diced cold butter, once a fine crumb has been produced, mix in the sugar. Next, fold in the egg. If the dough feels too dry, merely add a tablespoon of water.

Cover the dough in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees centigrade. 

After the dough has rested, roll it out on a flour dusted work surface until it is about half a cm in thickness. Place over a greased tart mould then place in the fridge for a further 10 mins.

Next, remove the pastry from the fridge and place it on a sheet of baking parchment inside it, then cover with rice (for blind baking).

Place it in the oven for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the baking parchment and rice.

Turn the oven up to 180 degrees and then egg wash the bottom of the tart case. Bake for a further 6-8 mins until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool, totally.

Ingredients for the lemon curd:

4 large lemons - juiced

4 large lemons - zested

200g fine caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

3 free-range eggs and 1 egg yolk

Method:

Mix the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs together and place into a small saucepan.

Dice your butter into small cubes and have on the side (you will need this at the end).

Take a whisk and start to whisk the mixture together, then place onto the heat and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thicken (this will take 5-6 mins and it is very important to whisk vigorously) 

Once the mixture starts to form soft peaks, take off the heat and slowly whisk in the diced butter.

Mix well until fully combined and then pour into the cooled tart case.

 Place in fridge and leave to set for at least 2 hours.

Finish off the tart by decorating with whatever fresh fruit you have at home,  Callum says "I love to use an abundance of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. It’s the most refreshing summer treat."

To learn more about the restaurant and hotel visit https://www.bohemiajersey.com.

Two great dessert recipes from Julienne Bruno

We have two great recipes from Julienne Bruno, the creator of truly original plant-based products that are  designed to cleverly take home cooking to gastronomic levels. 

Its debut range, Collection 01, features BURRELLA®, CREMATTA™, and SUPERSTRACCIA®, is perfect for conscious eaters who want to participate in gastronomy but are limited by the standard of plant-based products. From salads, pizzas, pastas, or desserts, Julienne Bruno can complement any dish you can rustle up.   

First recipe:-

Rhubarb Galette w. Sweetened Crematta™

Cook Time: 2 hours (including baking and chilling)

Servings: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

1x 175g tub julienne bruno crematta™

50g wholemeal flour

75g plain flour

25g caster sugar 

¼ tsp salt

65g vegan block butter, chilled and chopped into cubes

½ tsp apple cider vinegar

3 tsp icing sugar

160g forced rhubarb stalks

20g caster sugar (+ 4 tsp extra)

¼ lemon zest, and squeeze of the juice

demerara sugar

METHOD

Step 1: combine flours and sugar in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor, stir well to combine. add the chopped butter, then if doing this by hand, cut the butter through the flour until there are no larger bits of butter left. gently then rub the flour and butter using your fingertips and thumbs until everything is evenly combined. if using a food processor, gently pulse the mixture until the butter is evenly incorporated.

Step 2: add the vinegar and 50g of crematta™ then mix through with a spoon before using your hands to bring the dough together into a ball. do not knead the dough, just bring it together.

Step 3: weigh the dough, then divide into two even pieces. gently flatten each piece into a thick disk before wrapping in cling film and chilling in the fridge for around an hour. mix the remainder of the crematta™ in its pot with the icing sugar, lid, and then place in the freezer. 

Step 4: whilst the dough is chilling, make the filling. wash the rhubarb, trim the ends and then cut 1 inch long pieces on the diagonal. in a bowl, toss the rhubarb with the lemon zest/ juice and sugar. allow to sit and macerate gently until ready to use.

Step 5: heat your oven to 180c fan, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. remove the pastry from the fridge, unwrap then place on a well floured (second) sheet of parchment paper ready to roll out. making sure the rolling pin is also floured, gently roll each piece of dough out, one by one, into a rough circle approximately 6 inches in diameter.

Step 6: drain the juices from the rhubarb bowl into a small dish, set aside for later use. sprinkle 2 tsp of caster sugar over the centre of each pastry disk before then arranging the sliced rhubarb over, ensuring to leave approximately a 1.5 inch border all the way around the edge. gently fold the pastry over the filling, place onto the baking sheet before lightly glazing with the juices and then finally sprinkling with demerara.

Step 7: bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden. set the baking tray on a wire rack and allow the galettes to cool for at least twenty minutes to half an hour. remove the crematta™ from the freezer and place in the fridge until ready to serve spooned on top of the galettes.

Crematta™ Crème Brûlée

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes + overnight chilling

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

350g JULIENNE BRUNO Crematta™

250ml unsweetened non dairy milk 

75g fine caster sugar

1 tsp nutritional yeast

40g cornflour, sieved

¼ tsp sea salt flakes

1 vanilla pod, split, beans removed

2 tsp vanilla extract

60g demerara sugar (to caramelise tops)

4x 9 cm brulee ramekins

METHOD

STEP 1: Combine milk, sugar, nutritional yeast, cornflour in a small pan. Heat gently whilst whisking constantly until the mixture no longer feels grainy. This is a sign that all the sugar has dissolved. Add the salt, vanilla pod, seeds and vanilla extract to the pan. Increase the heat, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer (again whisking constantly so that it does not burn or stick) until it begins to thicken.

STEP 2: As soon as the mixture thickens, remove from the heat and transfer from the pan into a large mixing bowl to cool. Remove the vanilla pod.

STEP 3: Using a large spatula, fold through both tubs of Crematta until fully combined before pouring the custard into the four ramekins to cool completely. Once cool, cover with cling film then transfer to the fridge to set overnight.

STEP 4: Before serving, evenly sprinkle a tablespoon of demerara sugar over the top of each ramekin to completely cover the vanilla custard. Caramelise the sugar using a kitchen blowtorch, or place under a very hot preheated grill until the sugar is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Enjoy both of the recipes.

You can learn more by visiting their website, here: https://www.juliennebruno.com.

Wow! Sweet Bao: Heavenly Desserts launches Itsu Bao Buns

Worldwide dessert franchise, Heavenly Desserts, has joined forces with Asian-inspired grocery brand, itsu, to launch its TikTok-famed sweet chocolate bao buns directly into its stores all over the country.

Having launched in Heavenly Desserts' 50 restaurants UK-wide, the vegan, warm and delightfully fluffy bao buns are filled with a smooth, melt-in-the-middle chocolate filling and are served alongside a delicious caramel dipping sauce.

This addition to the Heavenly Desserts menu results from itsu’s continual efforts innovate ranges with new flavours that excite modern audiences with trending ingredients and with unique concepts.

The bao buns created by itsu will be available at Heavenly Desserts’ restaurants, and will also become a core item on its ‘dessert tapas’ menu. 

Ravinder Faguraha, who is the project support manager at Heavenly Desserts, said: “Partnering with itsu to bring these sweet treats into our menu was such a genuine joy. It’s the largest partnership we’ve embarked on so far, which holds true to our unrelenting commitment to innovation. 

“After a lot of consumer research and flavour profiling and following on from the popularity of our mochi desserts which we announced last summer, we learned bao buns are setting a trend in the dessert sector as itsu has become the go-to brand in the UK market for this recognisable Asian dish. 

“Most Brits are aware that bao buns come with a savoury filling like duck and hoisin sauce, but they can be made differently by using a sweet middle. So, it was a no-brainer that these would attract new customers familiar with the cuisine to Heavenly Desserts."

As a pioneering Asian inspired restaurant and grocery brand, itsu is based within the UK. The global company was founded in 1997 by Julian Metcalfe, who was co-founder of sandwich chain Pret A Manger. 

Yousif Aslam, co-founder and MD at Heavenly Desserts, said: “Partnering with household brand names like itsu is such an exciting step for us. We're always drawing inspiration from other cuisines and recently launched our springtime drinks range which were crafted from authentic Japanese flavours like matcha and yuzu. 

"These have been really popular, so alongside the bao buns we're also announcing our Strawberry Daquiri mocktail and extending our springtime drinks into summer for the perfect refresher.”

Julian Metcalfe, itsu's founder said: “Sweet Bao is really an historic breakthrough, -every now and then, the team hits a real bullseye; this is one such lucky example. After in excess of 50 failed trials, we managed to get rich quality chocolate to flow, molten warm, from inside the fluffy bao bun. It's the result of our dedicated 10-person strong NPD team who have worked tirelessly for a whole year to create this phenomenal first-to-market, brand new product.”

For more information about Heavenly Desserts and its menus visit: https://www.heavenlydesserts.co.uk.

Entries Open For First Ever Gourmet Dessert Chef Of The Year Competition

Luxury Swiss Ice Cream brand Mövenpick is urging chefs to enter the first ever annual competition to find the best gourmet dessert chef that Britain's hospitality industry has to offer.

Launched in partnership with The Graft Guild of Chefs, The Mövenpick Gourmet Dessert Chef of the Year competition challenges professional chefs to design a unique new dessert using Mövenpick's gourmet flavours - including the newly launched Fior di Latte Ice Cream and Apricot Sorbet.

 Boasting the creamy texture and subtle flavour of pure Swiss milk, Fior di Latte is an ideal dessert base, to which chefs can add their own imaginative touch, while Apricot is a delicious combination of velvety apricot sorbet and sun-ripened Bergeron apricot pieces from France.

Successful finalists will show their skills in a live cook-off in a bid to win a luxury weekend for two to the home of Mövenpick Ice Cream in Switzerland, with two lucky runners up joining a Patisserie & Desserts day course at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons.

Julia Jones, Head of Customer Marketing at Mövenpick Ice Cream said: "We are committed to gastronomic excellence and want to give chefs an opportunity to create an irresistible gourmet dessert. We're really excited to see what they come up with."

To enter, visit www.moevenpick-icecreamcompetition.co.uk.

Join the Birmingham Pudding and Desert Club

Despite the current climate of doom and gloom, the people of the Midlands - and further afield, have shown that they are determined to get their just desserts.

The Birmingham Pudding and Dessert Club launched by locally-based event and banqueting caterer Redcliffe has a waiting list for each of its events – held in the Victorian splendour of the City’s renowned Botanical Gardens.

Redcliffe Director Colin Cook said, “The Birmingham Pudding and Dessert Club has been an amazing success. Some might find this enthusiastic reaction surprising – after all we keep being told that we are all cutting back on eating out!

“This is not our experience, however. In times of recession, people need an affordable treat to cheer themselves up – and when things are going well, they want to celebrate. We provide a dazzling array of pure indulgence in the form of our delicious desserts matched by a suitable dessert wine to accompany the dish – and preceded by a tantalising main course.

“The dessert selection is different for each event and really gives our chefs the opportunity to experiment.

“One of the features of the Pudding and Dessert Club is our inimitable master of ceremonies Jason Pritchett who makes everyone feel relaxed and lose any guilt complexes that they may have!

“There is a lot of fun and enjoyment involved - and at the end of the evening, we ask our diners to vote for the best desserts and to suggest new alternatives for the next event.”

The Birmingham Pudding and Dessert Club began in 2009 and has attracted hundreds of diners more than happy to pay £24-95 for a light main course, a selection of up to 10 hand-crafted desserts and accompanying wines. Each event is normally sold out in advance. The next event takes place on Thursday 15th September.

To find out more about the Birmingham Pudding and Dessert Club, call Freephone: 0800 389 8950.

Redcliffe Catering manages events, conferences and catering at selected venues such as Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens and at its Town Hall, the Birmingham Centennial Centre and the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa. It also has a separate contract catering division with over 35 contracts around the UK. and for more information about the event and catering facilities operated by Redcliffe Catering, go to www.redcliffe.com.