Tag: dessert

Treat Yourself

You deserve a treat. How do I know? Well, you’re alive, aren’t you? You’re surviving in spite of it all, persisting in the face of obstacles both big and small. We’re all going through something and for that, we’ve earned a little reward. Just a bit more kindness to soften the harsh edges of life would go a long way, so here’s my suggestion for how to start.

A Treat For All Tastes

The concept behind these sprinkle-encrusted morsels is far from original. In fact, they’re inspired by my original recipe found in Real Food, Really Fast, but simplified for an already overly complicated world. This new rendition uses only 4 main ingredients; 6 if you count salt and vanilla, which feel like a given, if you ask me. Now the recipe can boast being:

  • Oil-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Refined sugar-free
  • No-bake
  • And as always, dairy-free, eggless, and vegan

Plus, I’ve removed the protein powder to make it more accessible. Almonds and cashews already have plenty of protein as is, thank you very much.

Substitutions to Sweeten the Pot

Consider this the most basic flavor, with infinite options to spin off of. A few of my favorites include:

  • Cookie dough: Swap the sprinkles for chocolate chips.
  • Peanut butter cookie: Swap the cashew butter for chunky peanut butter and the sprinkles for chopped, roasted peanuts.
  • Mint chocolate chip: Add 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, and swap the sprinkles for mini chocolate chips.
  • Chocolate-covered cherry: Add 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder and swap the sprinkles for dried cherries. Drizzle with melted chocolate to put it over the top!

Treat Yourself

It’s not just a cheeky saying; treat yourself, early and often. Treat yourself like you mean it. Treat yourself because you got out of bed today. Treat yourself because you’re alive. A little bit of sweetness in a bitter world goes a long way.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Edible Art and Delicious DIY: Vegan Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts

There’s something irresistible about the understated beauty of a bowl of ice cream. That soft lull of sweetness, the whisper of vanilla or the flirtation of fruit across your tongue, and the cool satisfaction that takes a bite out of summer’s heat. Now, thankfully, the vegan world has caught up with conventionally dairy-based cravings.

From tropical coconut compositions to delicate oat milk blends, plant-based frozen desserts are more than just substitutes; they’re symphonies of flavor in their own rights. It’s a great time to enjoy the fruits of the vegan ice cream industry, which is innovating artisanal flavors like Texas sheet cake, passionfruit and lemon, and cold brew coconut using almond, coconut, soy, and oat milk as their luscious foundations.

But that pint you eyed in the freezer section, the one with lavender swirls and a $9 price tag? It might break more than your traditional flavoring conventions. Boutique vegan ice creams are dreamy, yes, but they’re also pricey little indulgences, often costing 50% more than their dairy-laden cousins. Those prices add up fast for anyone indulging regularly or trying to serve a larger plant-based household. Luckily, there’s a better way to get your frosty fix.

Knowing how to make your own vegan ice cream is not only empowering, but it can also be downright transformative. Taking a DIY approach allows for full control over ingredients, flavors, and dietary preferences. Whether you’re avoiding soy, nuts, added sugars, or oils, homemade vegan ice cream is customizable to the core. All it takes is a bit of planning, patience, curiosity, and maybe an appliance to make the process go more smoothly. I’ve covered quite a bit of ground in my previous two ice cream cookbooks and scores of bonus recipes, but I’m still churning with inspiration and motivation to share more.

Tools Of The Trade

Let’s talk equipment. While you can technically make vegan ice cream without any specialty gear, certain tools can take your frozen desserts from basic to next level.

If you’re ready to commit, the kitchen appliances on QVC feature the Ninja Creami Deluxe as a favorite among dessert enthusiasts with thousands of positive reviews. This machine doesn’t churn in real time like a traditional ice cream maker. Instead, it blends and reprocesses a frozen base using its “Creamify” technology until it’s velvety-smooth, perfect for low-fat vegan mixtures that might otherwise turn icy. It’s also great for making sorbets, smoothies, and even protein-rich frozen treats.

Another solid option is a KitchenAid stand mixer with an ice cream bowl attachment. It’s ideal for batch making and can handle thicker mixtures like cashew-based ice creams or churned coconut blends. If you already have this tool, acquiring the additional ice cream component can be an economical and exciting upgrade.

Don’t worry if you’re not investing in a machine. Although these are more labor-intensive, classic loaf pans, blenders, and food processors can work wonders. You’ll just need to manually stir your mixture every 30 to 45 minutes during freezing to break up crystals and mimic churning. A silicone spatula and deep mixing bowls also go a long way in keeping prep clean and efficient.

Vegan Ice Cream Ingredients: Flavor, Consistency, and Cost

One of the best parts of making vegan ice cream is the opportunity to experiment with ingredients. To master the art of making your own blend, you need to understand how each component affects the final product.

Start with the base. Full-fat coconut milk is the classic: a rich, emulsified dream that scoops like velvet. But like all divas, it comes with drama: a strong taste, and lately, a steeper price thanks to global shortages. However, it has a strong flavor and, more recently, a rising price tag. Bloomberg reported a sharp spike in coconut product prices due to global shortages caused by poor weather, affecting the cost of canned coconut cream. For budget-conscious DIYers, this may push you toward alternatives like oat milk, almond milk, or cashew cream. Each plant milk has tradeoffs. Almond milk is light but can turn icy. Cashew blends are creamier but require pre-soaking and blending. Oat milk is smooth and affordable, but may need additional fat (like avocado or tahini) for scoopable results.

Sweeteners can elevate or anchor your flavor. Maple syrup lends depth. Agave brings clean sweetness. Medjool dates and ripe bananas offer body and that old-soul warmth you sometimes want in a scoop.

Want a silky finish? Stir in a spoonful of arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, or xanthan gum to ward off iciness, prevent crystallization, and keep mixtures silky. Even a teaspoon or two can make a big difference.

Here’s a quick cost-saving trick: Use frozen fruit. Not only do they reduce the need for ice, but they also make the entire dessert cheaper and faster to prepare. Frozen strawberries, mangoes, bananas, or cherries work beautifully in everything from sorbets to nut-based creams.

Tips and Tricks for Flawless Frozen Results

Making vegan ice cream at home isn’t hard, but it does have a learning curve. Without eggs or traditional cream, the right texture can be tricky to nail down. But with a few smart hacks, you can get smooth, flavorful results every time.

For starters, prep matters. Pre-chill your mixture in the fridge for a few hours before freezing. This allows flavors to develop and reduces freeze time. Pre-freezing your container also helps your ice cream set faster and smoother. If you’re going no-churn, stir your mixture every 30 minutes for the first two to three hours. This helps prevent overt ice crystal formation by recreating the motion of an ice cream maker to improve creaminess.

Another tip is to use pre-prepared ingredients where you can. For instance, using ready-whipped coconut cream from So Delicious starts with a stable base that ensures a light and fluffy consistency without the need for further agitation. As such, your time in the kitchen can be drastically cut down, as well as the time you’d typically have to wait before you can dig in.

Mix-ins like chocolate chips, cookie dough bites, or nuts should be added once your base starts to firm up. Otherwise, they’ll all sink to the bottom instead of being evenly distributed throughout your finished pint. If you’re making a swirl, like peanut butter or fruit jam, drop it in at the halfway point and use a skewer to create ribbons.

Flavoring is where you can really get creative. Beyond the usual vanilla or chocolate, try combinations like:

  • Cardamom rose pistachio
  • Espresso hazelnut fudge
  • Coconut lime basil
  • Ube black sesame swirl

No matter what you add, don’t forget: freezer time matters. Most homemade vegan ice creams are best consumed within 2–5 days. After that, they can get icy or lose flavor. Keep your batch covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface, then sealed in an airtight container to protect the texture and taste.

Final Scoop: Why DIY Is Worth It

Vegan ice cream no longer needs to be a luxury item. By learning to make it at home, you’re saving money and investing in flavor freedom, dietary flexibility, and kitchen creativity. With the right tools, ingredients, and a few smart shortcuts, you can churn out desserts that rival any pint in the freezer aisle.

Whether you’re experimenting with bold flavors, sticking to whole-food ingredients, or just trying to cool down in the summer heat, homemade vegan ice cream is a rewarding and delicious project that anyone can enjoy. Go ahead, grab a spoon. Your next best dessert might be waiting in your blender.

Hannah (BitterSweet)12 Comments

Center of the Cinnamon Roll

It’s not every day, or even every year, that I get the chance to share a guest post on the blog, so you have to know that this one’s special. I’m lucky enough to have a local chef Craig Vanis of Bistro Vonish joining us to share a story that’s both personal and delicious. As someone with a deep love for food and tradition, Craig reflects on the small yet unforgettable moments that food can create. Especially as we near Mother’s Day, it feels especially poignant as he takes us back in time to his grandmother’s kitchen, where cinnamon rolls were more than just a treat, but also a symbol of connection and joy. It’s a real treat to have him share that moment in time along with the recipe that’s been a part of his family for years. -HK

Somehow, grandmas always have the best treats. It’s a fact. Maybe our memories of those goodies tasting so great is due to a childish regression. Or maybe, and I think this is more likely, everyone is factually correct in remembering their grandma’s snacks as superlative. Having those little treats at Grandma’s house is always going to be a little slice of joy so wholesome that Norman Rockwell wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Being a descendant of Bohemian immigrants, kolaches were a must have at Grandma Vanis’s house (only the sweet varieties are “kolache” in a Czech home, and the poppyseed filling is especially popular). But kolaches were not my favorite treat in her kitchen. My favorite? The Cinnamon Roll. Yes. Singular Cinnamon Roll. Specifically, Grandma’s Giant Cinnamon Roll (™). How giant? Giant. About 10 inches across. Approximately 120 cubic inches. It was as if a whole loaf of monkey bread was twirled to maximized cinnamon-sugar surface area. “Quick! Tell me about grandma’s cinnamon roll.” I’d say, “It’s huge!”

Her mid-western farm house was always abuzz with innumerable grand kids, and eventually, great grand kids. The Cinnamon Roll was an ever-winding solitary behemoth, spiraling out to the far reaches of a large pie pan. A horizontal monolith of hypnotic enjoyment. We would cut sections off of the outer edge as the circumference tightened in on itself (full disclosure: we probably used our fingers unless an adult was watching), relishing each delightful morsel while we caught up with the extended family.

There’s a delicate dance to this ritual where you do not want to fill up too much on the outer layers, lest you miss being the lucky duck whose final big bite includes the point from which all cinnamon-sugar elation radiates. The very concept of a dopamine rush made incarnate and leavened with yeast. The headliner in this amazing festival of treats. The checkered flag in the pastry grand prix. The Center. The Center of Grandma’s Giant Cinnamon Roll (™).

This is where the cinnamon-sugar is concentrated while being endlessly wound during assembly. It is where the icing pools and gently soaks in while the pastry race is in progress. And unlike other cinnamon rolls, this center is attained by beating your siblings and cousins in a criterium race to the treasure. Eat too little and you’ll never get there. Eat too much and you’ll be too full to compete at crunch time. It’s not just that the center is the moistest, or sweetest, or gooiest. The center of this cinnamon roll tastes like victory.

The rules to this game of Duck Duck Cinnamon Goose chasing bites around the pie pan are sacred. And it is this sanctity which keeps the calm and order during this adventure. And woe to whomever skips ahead to pluck The Center before it is time. That person will meet the wrath of this sugar-fueled mob, and feel the ire of a whole half of a family tree. This betrayal will plant a grudge that will persist for decades.

So be warned. This Ceylon-spiced key to delight can also unlock a bedlam not known since William Golding stranded that group of British school boys on an island.

Now that you know the stakes, I offer this recipe up to you, dear reader, in hopes of sharing a sliver of these happy memories with you and your loved ones.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Not Only In Dubai

If something like Dubai chocolate has become so popular that it’s even piqued my mom’s interest, you know there has to be at least a degree of legitimacy to it. This isn’t a knock against my mom, but a commendation. She doesn’t bother with food trends nor waste her days doom scrolling through social media brain rot. If it hits her radar in a meaningful way, it’s wise to take notice. When explaining my latest recipe project inspired by the now famous Arabian luxury confectionery, she already knew the reference. As if I wasn’t already eager to try it, that sealed the deal.

Bringing Dubai To My Dad

This isn’t about my mom, though; it’s actually inspired by my dad. Whenever I see something made with pistachios, I immediately think of him. Notoriously difficult to treat when it comes to food gifts, preferring the basics over indulgence everyday, sweet pistachios are an easy win. Pistachio ice cream or pistachio brittle; pistachio baklava especially, with its layers of flaky pastry drenched in honeyed syrup. That phyllo draws another parallel to the famed chocolate, which is filled with the shredded version known as kataifi. Failing to find such a rarity locally, I nearly gave in and ordered it online, when I realized there was a better answer: coconut.

Nuts For Coconut

Long strands of shredded coconut have a texture that’s uncannily similar to kataifi when smothered in dense nut butter. Plus, it’s another one of my dad’s favorite things. Then, switching the sweetener from plain white sugar to maple syrup sealed the deal. A house is not a home without a bottle of pure maple syrup ready and waiting by his, and now my, estimation. Just don’t tell him that these clever swaps crafted out of flavor preference unintentionally made this outrageously decadent confection reasonably healthy.

Made Better

No refined sugar, gluten-free, soy-free, and of course dairy- and egg-free; Coconut Dubai Chocolate uses a darker base to offset the soft, pale green filling. Nutty, toasted, subtly woodsy, chewy, and a touch creamy, such a rich world of flavor is encased in a snappy dark chocolate shell! Don’t worry about running out to buy specialty molds either; I made mine in popsicle molds, filling in the hole for a stick with chocolate first. Otherwise, there’s no shame in making mini bites with an ice cube tray.

Is it an perfect dupe of genuine Dubai Chocolate? Absolutely not. It’s much better.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)10 Comments

White Magic

March 14th is a day of many celebrations. Most often, I’ve taken the opportunity to revel in Pi Day, a time to break out the rolling pin and start throwing down dough. At the same time, it’s also White Day, the affectionate counterpoint to Valentine’s Day, where gifts of love are reciprocated. This year, I’m paying homage to both, all in one pie pan.

Pi Day, Meet White Day

What happens when you combine a nerdy fixation for irrational numbers with the romance of of a holiday all about returning affection? You get a creamy, sophisticated, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that I like to call White Velvet Pie. Blending together silky white chocolate, crisp white wine, and the satisfying cookie crunch of a graham cracker crust, it’s light yet luxurious, indulgent but never unctuous, and as smooth as the most poetic love note.

Originally inspired by the Bottle of Wine Chocolate Pie, I wondered what might happen if we shifted the color spectrum to lighter hues. I’d pick white wine over red everyday when it comes to drinking, and wouldn’t white chocolate better let those delicate nuances shine? Since those creamy cocoa butter chips are already so sweet, I was able to dial the added sugar way back. A touch of vanilla, almond, and lemon seals the deal, and yes, you can really taste the wine, so don’t cheap out on a bad bottle!

Why White Velvet Pie?

White Velvet may not be a “thing” like Red Velvet, but if it ends up going viral one day, you heard it here first. White Velvet Pie is made for the dreamers. It’s made for the moments when you want something a little bit refined without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s a celebration of all the things that make White Day so lovely: the art of giving back, the sweetness of love, and the subtle joy of sharing a simple pleasure. Vegan, of course, gluten-free with the right graham crackers, and no-bake, it’s a dessert for everyone—of drinking age.

For Pi Day enthusiasts, it’s a way to elevate the humble pie, creating a dessert that’s as elegant as it is delicious. If you’re going to bring something to the table, it might as well be something that plays on both the geometric and the romantic, doesn’t it? The ratio of white chocolate to wine is almost as perfect as Pi itself.

Slice or Spoon?

More than just a pretty face, White Velvet is smart and versatile. You may have some extra filling, or you my choose to forgo a crust entirely to create a soft custard or parfait. Served chilled, it’s a more decadent texture than the semi-frozen pie, which eats more like freshly scooped ice cream.

Garnish with a dollop of whipped coconut cream, fresh berries, and sprinkles for that extra sparkle, or nothing at all. Even naked, this simple dessert shines.

The Final Slice

White Velvet Pie is where elegance meets ease, a dessert that dances between the worlds of Pi Day and White Day with grace. It’s the kind of pie that feels special without requiring an entire afternoon in the kitchen. Whether you’re indulging solo, impressing friends, or wooing that special someone, this creamy, crisp creation is your ticket to a memorable March 14th.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)12 Comments