Ana Rusu - New Vegan Baking

A Modern Approach to Creating Irresistible Sweets for Every Occasion

ana rusu

Creator of Herbs and Roots

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Its food that makes you feel revitalized and energetic. Deprivation is not on the menu.

Diana Henry,A Change of Appetite: Where Healthy Meets Delicious

Ill start like this: I love desserts. And baking is one way of finding my peace of mind.

I find cakes and sweets to be a celebratory and important part of a well-lived life, and if you have any dietary considerations or restrictions, you should still be able to indulge in respectable desserts and never be obliged to compromise in delicious texture or flavor.

This book is a collection of exactly those kinds of recipes. They all honor big and bold flavors, without the use of any animal product. But I didnt want these recipes to feel too technical. While I enjoy a good challenge, my aim is to focus on simple ingredients and techniques with minimal effort and impressive outcomes. So, if youre a reluctant home baker, these recipes will empower you to be more confident in your free-from baking. Each recipe is carefully written to help you achieve rewarding results. Because Ive been there: Looking for the best ways to improve unconventional, vegan recipes that match my taste expectations is not an easy task.

My journey began 10 years ago, when I decided to go vegan. My first months of plant-based eating were a shocking realization of just how important flavor was. I wasnt going to give up on the good food I grew up with, so I immersed myself in the world of food. From the first questionable recipes found on the internet to the elevated plant-based dishes made by trained chefs, Ive been following and learning at a constant pace. Running my own plant-based business also taught me tremendous things about peoples cravings and preferences, and taking part in Matthew Kenneys culinary academy greatly sharpened my skills.

Growing up in a small city in the northwest of Romania, food was at the heart of my family. My maternal grandmother, Maria, kept an organized and abundant garden until late autumn. There were long vines of grapes climbing the walls of our home, beautifully framing what was then the happiest place I could wish for. She was a master of food and an admirable woman. During holidays, she would make many different kinds of sweets, and on Christmas, there must have been more than ten sweet delicacies on her pantry shelves.

Early on, my grandmother sensed my creative side and welcomed me into her kitchen. I helped her by doing the dishes, kneading or weighing ingredients and eating, of course. While a great amount of that time I was just watching her, to this day I still catch myself remembering bits and piecesa condiment she would add, her words describing a flavor, a cooking technique or gesture.

Many of my recipes come from those moments. They emulate certain tastes or feelings and I now realize that these memories encouraged me to keep learning about food, so I will never forget them. And for that, I could not be more grateful, and I am forever indebted to her.

My baking style is also a reflection of my life: my travels, readings and forever-growing curiosity. Some recipes in this book are contemporary interpretations of classic ones, while others are unpredictable twists on familiar flavors. This mingling illustrates just how flexible and fun baking can beeven when its vegan. Whether you avoid eggs, dairy or any milk derivatives, for medical reasons or as an ethical, personal choice, these chapters will take you through some of the beloved classic American treats as well as new and refreshing dishes from Europe.

Rest assured that these well-developed recipes will turn into dishes that uphold the same qualities as their counterparts so they will be equally enjoyed by non-vegans.

These recipes are packed with easy baking tricks and I couldnt be happier to share them with you. For example, basic sparkling water added to a creamed batter will result in a soft, airy and fluffy sponge cake, without the need for any egg whites. A sprinkle of ground almonds into solid doughs will give more butteriness to crusts, while a good splash of alcohol will inhibit the development of the gluten network, resulting in brittle and tender biscuits. Whipped aquafaba (the brine from canned chickpeas) will result in stiff white peaks of meringue that can be used in making mousse or Pavlova. Blending just a few dates with a mixture of various sweeteners and fat will culminate in the most rich and luscious caramel, without any heat.

So, get ready and let these cherished recipes take you on a playful ride. Allow the interesting combinations of flavor and textures to invoke pleasure and curiosity, and let yourself rejoice as much as I do while baking and eating them.

This is a collection of euphoric experiences and Im sure you will find new favorite desserts in these pages.

Before you start baking, I want to make your planning and preparation easier, so here youll find two sections that will help you master all these vegan sweets. The first section goes over some key ingredients youll need for the recipes in this book and how to choose the best varieties of each, while the second covers more general baking tips and tricks to get the best results possible.

Always check the ingredient list of each recipe. For example, some raw cakes require some planning ahead, like hydrating the cashews overnight, so its better to be well prepared before starting to bake and have everything the recipe calls for on hand.

Aquafaba: This is the viscous water in which any beans are canned. However, for the recipes in this cookbook that call for aquafaba, I recommend you use the leftover liquid from chickpeas specifically, well strained.

Applesauce: You can use whatever brand or type of applesauce you would like for my recipes. If you dont have it in your cupboard, you can also substitute fresh-blended apple puree.

Sweeteners: While this book is packed with recipes that use sweeteners like coconut sugar, agave, vegan honey or stevia, low-glycemic sweeteners are not a focus in my desserts. For those of you who are seeking to control or limit the intake of sucrose for medical reasons, I would not recommend swapping the caster/superfine, confectioners or brown sugar in a recipe with a liquid sweetener or coconut sugarthe result wont live up to the intended recipe/outcome.