There’s another vegan cookbook in town! 2014 really has been the year for us vegans. It’s amazing to see not only the huge quantity of vegan cookbooks on bookshelves but the incredible quality of them all.
Sweet Eats for All by Allyson Kramer is one of the latest and definitely not to be missed…especially if you’ve got a sweet tooth!
As a vegan myself, I know that oftentimes we get left out when it comes to dessert. Throw celiac disease or gluten intolerance into the picture and I can only imagine what it’s like. This book covers both bases, featuring 250 (yep! 250!) decadent dessert recipes that are free from gluten, dairy, eggs, and/or other animal products.
There’s a great introduction with advice on “Stocking a sweet pantry” and “Tools of the trade”. I particularly appreciated the comprehensive “Flours and starches” section, as, though I’m doing alright with gluten-free baking, it’s nice to get some expert advice on which flours are best for which purposes, which combine best, etc.
N.B. The recipes in this book don’t call for “all-purpose” gluten-free flour but have been developed with a small selection of individual flours, each chosen for their unique properties.
There are a good number of pictures throughout the book (not for every recipe, but remember there are 250!) and each recipe also has an icon designating whether it’s also soy-free, nut-free, corn-free, and/or bean-free so you can decipher right away whether a recipe is suitable.
Gingerbread Squares
I always like to try out a few recipes before discussing a book on here so that I can give a more complete review but gosh was it hard to decide where to begin with this one!
It’s a good thing ’tis the season for baking as the recipes are definitely on the indulgent side and perfect for a celebration. I’m more used to healthier sweets these days and found I was especially drawn to the large section on “Refined sugar-free treats”. Allyson remarks that you should have good results making any of the recipes without refined sugar though.
There are seven other sections to explore:
- Killer cakes and toppings
- Captivating cookies and bars
- Luscious pies, pastries, tarts and cheesecakes
- Fabulous frozen treats
- Tempting puddings, custards, jellies, and fruits
- Choice chocolates and dandy candies
Can you see how I had a hard time choosing?!
Sweet, Salty, and Soft Granola Bars
In the end, I settled on some of the quick recipes I could get away with making without a birthday or special occasion as an excuse to indulge. The Gingerbread squares are very easy, oil-free and low on sweeteners and, most importantly, just as rich and spicy as the traditional version. Perfect for this time of year!
The Sweet, Salty and Soft Granola Bars are amazing. These are definitely too sweet for me as a breakfast bar but they make a delicious snack or dessert. I love how chewy they are, and the balance between sweet and salty is spot on. ( I added cacao nibs for a little extra crunch)
Butternut Pots de Crème
My favourite of the three recipes I’ve tried so far was the Butternut Pots de Crème. You would never guess that the base of this rich chocolate dessert is a vegetable! I actually misread the ingredients and only used half the sugar listed in the recipe but still thought it was delicious!
The book publisher’s Da Capo Press, have kindly allowed me to share this recipe with my readers so you can give this one a try while you wait for your copies to arrive!
Ingredients
- 2 C Cubed, roasted butternut squash
- 1/2 C Coconut sugar OR packed brown sugar
- 1/4 C Cocoa powder
- 1/4 C Sorghum flour
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Smoked salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and lightly grease two 4-inch ramekins.
- Purée the squash in food processor until smooth. Add in the sugar, cocoa powder, sorghum flour, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend until all ingredients are well combined, scraping the sides as needed.
- Spoon the mixture into the two ramekins and sprinkle smoked salt onto the custards. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or untl the sides of the pudding begin to pull away from the ramekins.
- Serve hot for a softer pudding of serve chilled for a firm dessert. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Notes
From Sweet Eats for All by Allyson Kramer. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014
My copy is already stuffed with post-it notes as there are so many recipes I want to try. Just a few of the ones I’ve bookmarked are: Marbled Cake, Cherry Bombs, Florentines, Date Drop Cookies, Belgian Waffles, Mini Maple Donuts, Cranberry Faux-Gurt, Salted Espresso Truffles and Apple nachos…
The “look inside” feature on Amazon 
allows you to see the recipe index. Tell me which recipe you’d make first!
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Oh my Emma. Who’d have ever dreamed Butternut Squash could turn into such a dreamy dessert?
I have two on my kitchen table that are calling me to whip these gorgeous pots up. Love it!
I know, right?! Vegetables are magical! I especially loved the pots cold when they were firm and custardy
What an interesting recipe! Love also the add of sorghum flour! Thanks , Emma!
I forgot to add a note to say that I subbed oat flour successfully. I find them pretty interchangeable in gluten-free baking.
Definitely a recipe to try!
Wow, these look like amazingly delicious desserts!
Great review Emma! This book sounds fantastic ♥ I can’t believe it contains 250 recipes… all vegan AND GF. It’s definitely going on my wish list. If I hurry up it might be in time for santa 😉
I love the sound of those Butternut Pots de Creme. I’m glad to hear that you managed to successfully sub the sorghum flour with oat flour. I can’t wait to give them a try. Hurray for healthy desserts!
allyson is the queen of gluten-free vegan desserts. she was the first blogger i followed over four years ago and she holds such a special place in my heart. all of the recipes you made look delicious.
What a wonderful review, Emma! I recently received a copy too and had such a hard time deciding what to make first! Like you, I’ve been drawn to the naturally sweetened recipes near the back of the book but you’ve got me thinking about the butternut pots de creme. I may need to make that soon, too.
What a great review Emma! Everything sounds and looks delicious! Those gingerbread squares of course I love. I love that this recipe calls for sorghum flour. You don’t see it often and I love it. Two of my last two recipes I used sorghum flour and it enriches spices and other flavors and makes things so soft and tender, unlike other flours. It is a unique flour that has it’s own amazing taste and texture to baked foods. My Caramel crusted pumpkin loaf I used sorghum and it kept the loaf so soft and AMAZING in flavor instead of being too dense and chewy, had I used all oat flour.
Anyways, I’m in love with this book because it’s all desserts, of course! Hope you are well! I’ve been crazy busy but I’m catching up on all your posts. Xo
Hey Brandi! Things have been hectic here too so sorry not to reply sooner. Sorghum flour is really wonderful, isn’t it? I don’t use it often myself as it’s not that easy to get hold of and quite expensive, at least compared to oat flour which I can make myself for pennies! But it definitely gives a great texture and mild flavour.
ooh butternut pots de creme. so cream and pretty! i just got my copy, so i know what to make for sure!
Look forward to hearing what you think Richa. I can’t believe how much Allyson has packed into this book!
Wow, butternut in puddings - I’m intrigued. Sounds like a great book.
I’ve made butternut pancakes before successfully so I’m now stranger to it in sweets but it brings a great texture as well as a little sweetness here
Pineapple cherry upside down cake sounds like the bomb!
Oooh, I totally missed that one. Thanks for pointing it out!