Another year; Another decade; Just another day. The New Year is both an opportunity to start fresh, and still nothing more than a continuation of the same old lives we’ve always been living. Typically a holiday that is but a blip on my radar, this time around, it’s taken on much greater significance. Between the greater global issues at hand and smaller personal battles, 2009 has been a rough one, to say the least. It takes a good kick in the butt to get me going again after wallowing for so long in the everyday doldrums, and for once, the changing calender date actually provided that much needed inspiration.
It’s not my standard modus operandi to make resolutions, and typically a ritual that I avoid like the plague, but in the spirit of starting anew and entering 2010 with an open mind, it’s as good a time as ever to give it a shot. Thus, this year I resolve to…
-Stay balanced. Remain grounded but let my thoughts and ideas soar.
-Have patience. Be calmer. Don’t fly off the handle at every little irritation.
-Give others the benefit of the doubt. Have more compassion for my fellow man.
-Live a little. Get out of the house. Leave room for both work and play.
-Love more. ‘Nuff said.
That’s a start, at least. And what about your? What is/are your resolution(s)?
Of course, this isn’t a wholly solemn and serious day to meditate on… It’s truly a time to celebrate! Taking the good with the bad and everything in between, we all managed to survive 2009 one way or another, and that in itself is reason to rejoice.
Most commonly associated with New Year’s festivities, champagne is actually one of the few alcoholic beverages we always have on hand… Although that doesn’t mean we’re big on drinking it. In fact, those bottles in the back of our liquor cabinet have been there for as long as I can remember, and they’re likely to stay there for many more years to come as well. However, if there’s ever a good time to crack open a bottle of bubbly, this is it, and what ingredient would be more perfect to highlight in a New Year’s Eve dessert?
Appropriately decadent for such merriment, but still unbelievably simple, you could actually throw this recipe together at 10 pm and still have a dessert to toast with when the ball drops at midnight. Creamy and redolent with rich vanilla essence, the champagne flavor is delicate but absolutely detectable. Although you could easily stop right there with nothing more than a simple custard, I decided to dress mine up with a small dollop of unsweetened, whipped coconut creme, and a handful of crunchy chocolate pearls to mimic the bubbles that would be in the drink. A fantastic contrast to the sweet pudding base, I’d recommend substituting crispy cocoa rice cereal should such a specialty item be unavailable.
Champagne Custard
10.5 Ounces Vegan White Chocolate, Store-Bought or Homemade
2 Tablespoons Margarine
3/4 Cup Champagne, Divided
1 12-Ounce Package Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
1 Vanilla Bean, Split and Seeds Scraped Out
Pinch Salt
Coconut Cream, Skimmed from the Top of a 14-Ounce Can of Coconut Milk and Whipped for 5 – 8 Minutes
Crispy Chocolate Pearls or Cocoa Rice Cereal
Place the white chocolate (finely chopped if using bars) in a microwave-safe dish along with the margarine and 1/3 cup of the champagne. Microwave on high for 1 – 2 minutes, checking at 30 minute intervals and stirring thoroughly until melted. Commercial white chocolate chips are notoriously difficult to melt smoothly, so they may need a good bit of coaxing; After two minutes, let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, stir vigorously, and begin the cycle again. Don’t panic when it turns a translucent, yellow-ish color, as this is normal and it will re-solidify in a more off-white hue.
Meanwhile, thoroughly drain your container of tofu, and place it in a food processor or blender. Puree, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
Once entirely melted and smooth, add in the remaining champagne, vanilla bean seeds, and salt. Reserve the spent vanilla pod for another purpose, such as making vanilla extract or vanilla sugar. Mix well but gently to combine, to prevent the champagne from foaming up, and transfer the mixture to your food processor or blender which is full of tofu. Blend to combine, and once fully incorporated, divide the mixture between four champagne flutes. Chill for at least two hours before serving. Top with coconut creme and chocolate pearls of cocoa rice cereal if desired. Cheers!
Serves 4
Hannah, I hadn’t thought about resolutions yet, but I shall adopt yours, if that’s okay!
The custard looks decadent, innovative, and delicious (as usual)!
Have a happy, peaceful, wonderful new year!
~Jain
Happy New Year!! Such great resolutions, I hope 2010 brings you health, happiness, and lots of delicious and beautiful food! :)
I’m definitely adding your 2nd and 3rd resolutions to my own.
Also on my resolutions list: Floss every day, exercise every day, avoid aspartame & sucralose, hug more people, audition for a play, meet some other vegans.
Champagne & white chocolate? Yes please. I’m making a resolution to consume more of the two!
Looks beautiful and sounds delicious! I love champagne in any form.
Good luck with your resolutions. I hope 2010 is more positive for you than 2009.
Yum! Looks tasty AND festive!
What a thoughtful list of intentions for the New Year! I’m sure we could all benefit from those intentions, some of which are similar to my own. Here’s to a universally better 2010!
happy new year! never heard of champagne custard but it looks great!
I copy your comment… ;)
“Oh wow, how amazing! It almost seems a shame to eat such a work of art, but my, how delicious it sounds too!”
Fantastic work ! Yummy yummy !
Very thoughtful resolutions that echo my sentiments about how I can be a better person for the coming year.
Yummy looking thing! Wishing you a very Happy New Year 2010 Hannah!
I haven’t thought about my New Year resolutions yet! Yours sounds great! Hope you don’t mind if I would copy some of yours.
That champagne custard looks so wonderful! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010!
Happy New Year. Everyone’s got a second chance. As far as my resolutions are concerned, I will stop procrastination on things that I have always wanted to do. I will just do it. It’s easier said than done. But that’s my resolution for the new year and new decade. Thanks for your inspiration.
Your resolutions are perfect, they sound exactly like things I need to work on. Especially having more patience and compassion for other people, that is a big one I need to work on. I can be so grumpy sometimes!
That champagne custard looks unbelievable! Thank you for another amazing recipe.
it really looks delicious!!! but we dont get champagne here :(
What a wonderful drink to end the old and start the new year! A very happy new year to you, Hannah!
Wow, this sounds soooo good. I’m adding this to the list of recipes I must try in 2010!
Those are wonderful resolutions, Hannah, I am with you on those.
Happy New Year!
I love this recipe! I’m always writing about my love for champagne on my blog (www.livethefancylife.com)and how it’s not really more expensive than wine despite what most people think. This recipe is gorgeous and sounds delicious. Thank you!
What a an elegant presentation and dessert!
Happy New Year Hannah!
Beautiful dessert! I love how it’s in the champagne glass, so cute!
Happy New Year Hannah!
hope you have a wonderful new years hannah! that recipe reminded me of your white chocolate moose… hmmm… ? ;)
Oooh, how lovely! What a great way to start the New Year!
I hope you achieve every of your resolutions, and more!
That recipe is amazing…what a kick to dessert!
I think those are great resolutions and ones that probably most people should add to their lists unless they are saints. I have the cliche resolution of wanting to drop a few pounds (although unlike the stereotype, I have been able to do this as a resolution before I just struggled to maintain, but thankfully I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way that I think will make the weight loss permanent this time around. Other than that, I want to continue on my quest to be more grounded and take life in stride.
Nice post! I think I will substitute Prosecco. Champagne is so overpriced and over produced these days.
Happy New Year!
Sounds like some good resolutions.
I love the idea of champagne custard! Fun, fun!
Hope you have a happy and healthy 2010 Hannah!
I always feel that I should wait with sharing my resolutions until such time that I have actually achieved them..lol… So I should be telling you my resolutions for 2009 but hmm, I don’t think I’ve managed to fulfill one!
Hope you have a wonderfully happy and healthy 2010 Hannah!
What a delicious way to enjoy the flavour of champagne – without the muggy head the next morning too! All the best for 2010, Hannah!
I wish I still had time to make this custard for tonight (that’s what I get for being so behind in blog reading!). Stunning. Just, stunning!
What a great list of resolutions, too. I wish you much success with all of them, and much happiness in 2010. And I’ll add to the list, “more blogging”! ;)
This custard looks great. I was just thinking of trying to get my hands on some vegan white chocolate, but I keep forgetting to look when I’m out. I’m rather happy to have your recipe for the homemade stuff, even better.
Happy New Year, Hannah!
No resolutions for me, just a wish for a fantastic year. Happy new year to you Hannah!
These look delicious, as always. Good resolutions! I hope you have a very happy new year, Hannah!
Happy New Year my good friend. You always have my best wishes and support. To an excellent 2010!
~ A
Happy New Year, Hannah! I love your resolutions; they sound perfect!
Your Champagne Custard looks amazing; thank you for sharing the recipe :)
What beautiful custard–if I weren’t going to finish off this bottle today I’d probably make it–but oh the mimosas are just too perfect right now :) Happy new year and here’s to 2010!
Wow I am absolutely in love with this creation of yours! I never would’ve thought of creating such a thing. It sounds so yummy! I love your resolutions too – those are ones I would like to adopt as well. Good luck! =)
Your pictures are always so incredible! I love them! PS: I’ve been searching through your blog for the past 30 minutes and can’t find a post i’m looking for. I’m pretty sure it’s from your blog because I remember the pictures being incredible. They were holiday gifts you were giving; a bunch of nuts you made with all different flavors. I hope it’s you!