Last Friday we had no school. It’s parent teacher conference week and the kids and I had a whole day to do nothing but goof off and have some down time. No classes, no extra curricular activities, no homework, no stress… And after a day of playing in the park, swimming at the club, eating sandwiches and french fries at the pool and making Halloween cards for the teachers we decided we needed to end the day with a little homemade goodness…

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Sometimes, we’re just in the mood for a rustic, warm and satisfying dessert. As the summer nights come to an end and the evenings give way to the cool air of Fall, it takes a little something special to warm our insides. This cardamom-scented galette sublimely satisfies our senses as we prepare for the chilly weather ahead. We enjoyed it last night, topped with some vanilla ice cream, sitting on the deck watching the sailboats and the sunset.

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We all know there is something about chocolate, something within chocolate, that is beyond touch, taste, and tantalizing sensation… the pure essence of which is truly indescribable, inexpressible, ineffable…

But do we also know that chocolate is considered a “superfood”? Yes… I’ve been reading and researching about eating whole and raw foods and the associated health benefits, and have come to the conclusion that chocolate not only tastes good but that it is truly good for you. Cacao is the essential, and main, ingredient in chocolate… and cacao, my friends, contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world. These antioxidants include pholyphenols, catechins, and epicatechins. By weight, raw cacao has more antioxidants than red wine, pomegranate, acai, and blueberries combined. Cacao also supports the heart, increases brain power, relaxes muscles, helps build strong bones, and oxygenates the blood. It’s no wonder when eating chocolate we feel immortal, as though we can conquer enemies, lead battalions, and entice lovers…

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Building on the success of the vegan brownie, we’re trying to push the limits of vegan baking.  In general, cooking is more forgiving and amenable to ad lib, on the fly changes, whims and substitutions, whereas baking is chemistry. A little change here or there and you have a new state of matter (neither solid nor liquid) or a dry, crumbly desiccant, able to extract whatever moisture you may have in your mouth.  So our eggless or vegan baking has required a fair amount of research, experimentation, trial and error and on occasion, the trash can.  Ultimately, dessert needs to satisfy that inner craving for something sweet, moist, creamy, fruity or chocolatey.  AND, it needs to be well worth the caloric load.  This cake (after significant R&D) delivers on all fronts, while also being wholesome, good for your health, your conscience and the planet.  Ok, may be that’s a bit much, but it is really good cake!

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Invariably, if you stop by our house, anytime, you will probably find a batch of brownies on the kitchen counter. Usually a Ghirardelli boxed mix with some nuts thrown in…So, when I decided to try and go vegan this was the one thing that I had a very hard time giving up.  Hence, began the quest for the ultimate vegan brownie.  The recipe before you is the result of a rigorous testing process.  Before this one, at least half a dozen different vegan brownie recipes were trialled and each of them was disappointing in some way. Some were too dry, some tasted too doughy, some turned out more cake-like then brownie-like. The most difficult part was finding that perfect balance of chewy, gooey, and fudgy, while still holding true to the texture of a “real” brownie, the kind you grew up with….

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Nothing heralds the start of the holiday season like the scent of cinnamon in the air.  Crisps, pies, tarts, brown betty’s, and gallettes all provide the perfect medium by which to feature this most comforting and soulful of spices. Our winter desserts always seem to involve cinnamon, its faithful running mate, nutmeg and some combination of apples, pears, cranberries and sometimes pumpkin.

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