I need to impress someone with my baking

Ok, I need suggestions.

I'm having a nice, quiet romantic dinner at home tomorrow. He's cooking dinner and I said I would make something for desert. I just can't decide what to make.

I don't want anything that's too complicated and I need to be able to make it one day in advance (or at least most of it). Also, I prefer to cook vegan so preferably things that don't absolutely requires dairy or eggs (I can replace in most recipes if it's not the most important ingredient).

Basically I want something a bit more romantic than chocolate chip cookies

Any suggestions?
(and no, I don't have a fondue pot so chocolate fondue is out)

Fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar? No baking, though...

Why not make chocolate sundaes?

Buy some good vanilla ice cream, some chocolate topping, crushed peanuts, whipped cream (canned ) and a jar of marachino cherries.

You could put a layer of fresh cut strawberries or bananas on the bottom, layer the ice cream, chocolate, more ice cream, more chocolate. Top with chocolate, peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry on the top

You can do chocolate "fondue" in a double boiler (you can improvise by setting a pot in a frying pan full of water on *very* low heat).

I subscribe to Vegetarian Times, and they have really awesome simple dessert recipes. Here's a link to their recipe finder: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/.

Good luck, and enjoy your date!

Soymilk! It finally dawned on me that you CAN make a cake after all! So you might try the dessert I first made for a party years ago -- it was easy, I made it ahead, and it blew the room away:

1. I made a simple Duncan Hines lemon sheet cake -- you can use soymilk and just replace the egg with a little extra butter. The cake will be dense and very crumbly, but it'll taste great. (Be sure to refrigerate it very well before cutting.)

2. Then I made lemon curd from scratch -- this was back when I didn't mind eggs. These days, I use lemon pie filling and add some extra liquid to thin it out to milkshake consistency.

3. Then I pureed some frozen raspberries, strained them, and added a little sugar to make a sauce. You could also buy a prepared raspberry sauce.

4. When it was time to serve, I plated a cake square, made a puddle of raspberry sauce around it, "frosted" it with the lemon curd (pudding), and decorated it with fresh raspberries and blackberries. Fuchsia and pale yellow and purple-black -- it was so pretty!

I have read that men really like apple pie You could do an apple pie or an apple crisp and bring some vanilla-soy-coffee creamer to offer instead of ice cream.
And don't forget to let us know how the date goes

I have a recipe somewhere for wacky cake. Let me look and if I find it, I can PM you. It is made w/o milk or eggs AND uses chocolate. I had to find something eggless for my little niece who had an egg allergy. Good thing she grew out of it.

OK - I googled wacky cake and this recipe looks good.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/cho...r/bl01018c.htm

You can top it with raspberry sauce and soy ice cream!!!

hmm stop at the store buy something.
take home, then put in a pan.

that way you cant mess it up, and also does not make a mess at home

Originally Posted by AddieBee

I have a recipe somewhere for wacky cake.

Click to expand...

That sounds so good! I'll have to try that one soon... thanks!

I can ask my Dad, He used to be a Pastry Chef. What about something made with Soy and have Soy Ice Cream.

What if he doesn't like vegan, (soy products) ?? I have the best recipe, and believe me every man loves it, he will be impressed, I can promise!!!!

You may not can eat this, but here is the simple, very simple recipe!

BUTTERFINGER PIE

3 (97cents) packages of Fun Size Butterfinger Bars
1 Large Tub of Fat Free or regular Cool Whip
1 Graham Cracker Crust- in pan w/lid
1 block Cream Cheese

Thaw or let soften, cream cheese, cool whip. Crush the butterfingers, (I
use a meat tenderizer and leave them in their wrappers while I just break
them up,leaving them somewhat chunkie)
Take the cream cheese, and 1/2 the tub of cool whip, put in the bowl ,
add the butterfingers, (save enough of the butterfingers to sprinkle
on top at the end, I use 3 bars)
Fold all three ingredients, until mixed well, add to the pie crust, Then take
the rest of the cool whip spoon over the top, I use my spoon to make
those professionial looking dips, then just sprinkle the rest of the crusted
butterfingers over the top!

That is it so easy! no baking and you put the lid over it and secure it, put it in the refrigrator, My husband asked me, if I had bought it somewhere?
I said, No I made it! and he was blown away, by it's looks and most importantly the taste! He said. "That will make you want to slap your mama".
I don't understand the Vegan diet, so I hope this hasn't offended you!
I do know that every man loves it!!!!!!!! Good Luck I hope your date
is terrific!! I wish I had a date!!! Have a great time!
Monique

Here is another one. It's quite the favourite when I make it.

Ambrosia Squares


19 inch graham crumb crust
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 package (250g) cream cheese - softened
2 cups milk
1 package (6 serving) Vanilla Instant Pudding
2 cans mandarine orange segments, drained
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 envelopes prepared Dream Whip, each made separately
1 cup toasted coconut

Prepare a graham crust recipe, adding nuts to mixture.

Press firmly into 13x9 inch pan

Beat cream cheese until soft. Gradually add in 1/2 cup of the milk, beat until smooth.

In separate bowl, prepare pudding mix as directed on package, using remaning 1 1/2 cups of milk.

Add prepared pudding to cream cheese mixture in three additions, beating on low speed. Fold in 1 can drained oranges.

Layer bananas on crust. Spoon pudding mixture over bananas. Spread prepared dessert topping evenly over pudding mixture. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Garnish with more orange segments. Chill 4 hours. Cut into squares. Serves 12.

I replaced the oranges in the pudding mixture with drained canned pineapple, either crushed or chunks. I've also added sliced strawberries to the crust layer with the bananas.

It's very versatile and the fruits can be varied in so many different ways.

I would do poached pears drizzled with dark chocolate. You can poach the pears the day before in the liquid of your choice. Epicurious.com has alot of recipes with different variation of poaching liquids. very simple and elegant and effortlessly vegan.

Originally Posted by peachytoday

I would do poached pears drizzled with dark chocolate. You can poach the pears the day before in the liquid of your choice. Epicurious.com has alot of recipes with different variation of poaching liquids. very simple and elegant and effortlessly vegan.

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Ooooooooh. Perhaps poached in sherry...

Baked pears with Brown Sugar and Non-Dairy Whipped Topping.

Very easy, core pears, sit them upright in a shallow baking dish with 1/3 cup of water. Add 1teaspoon soy margarine and sprinkle with 1/4 cup dark brown sugar..

Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes then uncover and bake until sugar water and butter thicken slightly.

Plate then spoon over sauce..these are nice service with a scoop of whipped topping which will melt and become part of the sauce..I use whipped cream but non-dairy topping works well also...

I haven't tried this, but it is in a cookbook I like and reviewed - Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Dairyless Chocolate Mousse

1/2 cup chocolate soy milk
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
12 ounces silken soft tofu
1/2 cup Amaretto
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Fine-grain sea salt

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer. Remove it from the heat and set aside to let cool a bit.

Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, in a double boiler.

Add the warm soy milk and silken tofu to the melted chocolate chips. Puree with a hand blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until silky smooth. Stir in the Amaretto, almond extract and a generous pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust the flavoring adding a bit more extract if needed.

Chill in a large serving bowl or individual bowls for at least 1 1/2 hours - the longer the better. The mousse will set up nicely as it cools.

Makes 6 servings.

You can make this one ahead, too.

Originally Posted by marie-p

Ok, I need suggestions.

I'm having a nice, quiet romantic dinner at home tomorrow. He's cooking dinner and I said I would make something for desert. I just can't decide what to make.

I don't want anything that's too complicated and I need to be able to make it one day in advance (or at least most of it). Also, I prefer to cook vegan so preferably things that don't absolutely requires dairy or eggs (I can replace in most recipes if it's not the most important ingredient).

Basically I want something a bit more romantic than chocolate chip cookies

Any suggestions?
(and no, I don't have a fondue pot so chocolate fondue is out)

Click to expand...

I'm guessing you don't want Dottie's eggless, milkless, butterless cake. It's good, but not particularly romantic....

Ooooh.. you guys are making me hungry. I'll keep those recipes and ideas in mind.
For this time, I made some chocolate and raspberry layered mousse (made with tofu). It tastes a little bit tofu-y but not too much. I'm sure it'll be fine.

And I have no doubt that the date will go just fine. We had already spent almost all of last weekend together and things went just fine.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I'm guessing you don't want Dottie's eggless, milkless, butterless cake. It's good, but not particularly romantic....

Click to expand...

Sounds good to me! How do you make that?

I'll make another thread.