Just because you are following a vegan diet does not mean that you need to miss out on all the sweet stuff!
There are plenty of vegan alternative desserts available which you can make with just a few substitute ingredients.
When you are rushing round, trying to get everyone fed after a busy day at work, you want a dessert that is quick and easy to rustle up.
Which is why we have put together some easy midweek vegan dessert recipes we think you will love.
Vegan berry sorbet
The perfect palette cleanser, this berry sorbet is fresh, fruity and super easy to put together.
Better still, you will need just three ingredients for this – sugar, frozen mixed berries and lemon juice.
Combine sugar and water in a pan on a high heat, until the sugar dissolves. Let this stand for 15 minutes before straining into a bowl and popping in the fridge. Once cold, puree this along with the frozen berries and lemon juice until smooth.
Transfer to a baking pan and cover before freezing. Freeze until it is just firm enough to scoop and enjoy!1
Vegan brownies
These easy peasy vegan chocolate cake brownies again need only three ingredients and you are likely to have these three in the kitchen.
You will need bananas, cocoa powder and almond butter to make this easy vegan cake recipe.
Mash the bananas with a fork and add the almond butter, mixing until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and blend.
Pour the cake batter into a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until set and slightly dark on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool (if you can!) before eating.2
Vegan chocolate mousse
If chocolate is your thing then this mousse is sure to satisfy your sweet cravings.
For this one, you will need dark chocolate, silken tofu and caster sugar.
Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water. Blend the tofu and sugar in a blender and then add the melted chocolate, whizzing until you get a perfectly smooth consistency.
Spoon the mixture into glasses and chill until they are set. Take out the fridge 10 minutes before serving, to soften slightly.3
No bake cheesecake
Next up on our list of easy vegan desserts is this no bake cheesecake. This recipe is the perfect summer dessert and can be made quickly with absolutely no baking required.
You will need just six ingredients: cashews, coconut cream, almonds, dates, sugar and lemons.
Boil the cashews in a small saucepan and then simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and then set aside to dry. Combine almonds, dates and a pinch of salt in a food processor, blending until the ingredients are finely chopped and well combined.
Empty this mixture into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and firmly press it down to create an even single layer.
Blend the cashews, coconut cream, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until completely smooth and then pour on top of the crunchy layer.
Pop the cheesecake in the freezer and leave it to set for at least four hours – this might be the hardest part of the recipe – and then it is ready to enjoy.4
No bake cookies
If you are happy to take a break from the oven, why not try these no bake cookies?
They are perfect as a vegan pudding, or to take to school or work as a vegan snack, when you get peckish during the day.
You will need rolled oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter, almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Melt the coconut oil and stir in the cocoa powder, almond milk, maple syrup, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for two minutes, stirring often. Fold in the oats until they are completely coated.
Scoop the dough in two tablespoon sized portions onto a baking tray lined with baking powder. Pop in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes and they are ready to eat!5
Vegan chocolate and coconut balls
With only four ingredients, these coconut flavoured balls taste are a great vegan replacement for the well-known coconut chocolate bar and they are the perfect vegan sweet treat for Christmas as they look like snowballs!
You can coat them either in dark chocolate or more coconut for that snowball effect.
You will need shredded coconut, coconut milk, vanilla extract, stevia and dark chocolate to make these yummy little treats.
Blend the coconut, coconut milk, vanilla extract and stevia to create a mixture that is sticky in texture. Place this mixture into a bowl, cover and pop in the fridge for an hour.
While this is chilling you can melt your dark chocolate or place some extra shredded coconut in a bowl ready to coat the balls.
Once the mixture has set, scoop it into portions using an ice scoop and then form into a ball using your hands. Coat them in your chosen coating and then place on a plate lined with baking paper.
Put back in the fridge for another hour and they are ready to wow!6
Last updated: 26th January 2021
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Author: Bhupesh Panchal, Regulatory Affairs
Bhupesh started his career as a clinical toxicologist for Public Health England, advising healthcare professionals all around the country on how to manage clinical cases of adverse exposure to supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals and agricultural products. After 7 years in this role and a further year working as a drug safety officer in the pharmaceutical industry, Bhupesh joined Holland & Barrett as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate in 2019. In his spare time, Bhupesh likes to cycle and has been learning to speak Korean for several years. |
Sources:
1 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a44203/basil-berry-lemonade-sorbet-recipe/
2 https://delightfulmomfood.com/3-ingredient-brownies-recipe-whole30-paleo/
3 https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/vegan-chocolate-mousse/
4 https://dishingouthealth.com/vegan-strawberry-cheesecake/
5 https://www.loveandlemons.com/no-bake-cookies/
6 https://nutriciously.com/bounty-bliss-balls/
