Food I want to make but can't

[sugarmouse]

Ok this could be a lasting thread if anyone feels the need!
But I am making this thread because often, I remember something non-vegan that I used to like and thnk ' I wish I could make a vegan version of that myself'!
Not the same as wanting a food to be veganised, but wanting to make your own vegan version of it but not knowing quite how.

I remember having some of the co-ops cheese and chive sandwich filler as a youngster and liking it. I wish I could make it but dont know how.It was like a potato salad ,but not very much potato and lots of grated cheese, and chives.
I dont knw how to make it , has anybody ever made anything like that?
I guess you could use boiled chopped potatos and vegan mayo..and grated cheesely?But I do remember egg being an ingredient so not sure it would turn out ok if i did make it.

[Tigerlily]

Lemon meringue pie. I think I've seen vegan recipes around but I'm not sure how fluffy and light it would be.

[Animosity]

Lemon meringue pie. I think I've seen vegan recipes around but I'm not sure how fluffy and light it would be.


I second this. I love lemon pie and while i'm content with topping it with whipped soy-creame, It would be nice to know how to make a creamy vegan meringue.

[Mr Flibble]

Choux Pastry (butter, eggs, water, flour)

[Sarah_]

hot cheetos.

[confusionisben]

Croissants, i know and have seen recipes but they all look so hard to me. And doughnuts, also seem like too much fuss to hand make.

[sugarmouse]

I agree abotu croissants & doughnuts!!THough I am kinda glad I cant make them. I would probably be the same shape as a doughnut by now if I could!

[fiamma]

I want to make an Italian Christmas cake called pandoro, but it uses a ton of eggs - it's more of a bread than a cake really. I tried last year and it was a disaster. But I will not give up... I'm making attempt no.2 this Christmas :)

[harpy]

Croissants are not impossible because you can substitute hard veg. fat for the butter - I've not made them but you used to be able to buy commercial ones that were vegan and OK. I think they had hydrogenated veg fat in them but presumably you could use something like (sharp intake of breath) palm oil or coconut oil, both of which are solid at room temperature IIRC?

Choux pastry and meringue unfortunately seem to be a bit harder - although as there are vegan marshmallows perhaps meringue isn't out of the question.

[Mr Flibble]

Vegan marshmallows are easy (provided you've time to get the quantities right which i don't have), as you just replace one gelling agent for another.

There's a croissant recipe in this book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paris-Boulangerie-Patisserie-Thirteen-Outstanding-Bakeries/dp/0517224909) that I want to try at some point (with gbutter being the only non veg ingredient), but it takes several hours over several days to make the dough.

Doughnuts (yeast risen) are quite easy to make if you've a bread machine and deep fryer. I got them tasting pretty good after a couple of attempts a few years ago.

[veganlinda]

spanish omlette - I haven't really tried duplicating it yet though.

[Tigerlily]

I agree abotu croissants & doughnuts!!THough I am kinda glad I cant make them. I would probably be the same shape as a doughnut by now if I could!

:devil::devil::devil:

I'll learn how to make vegan doughnuts and send them to you, my pretty.

*witches laugh*

[Rakey]

halloumi cheese.... I don't think there's a soy version :(

[Agatha]

Croissants, i know and have seen recipes but they all look so hard to me. And doughnuts, also seem like too much fuss to hand make.
i second croissants! haven't even seen a vegan recipe though

[harpy]

There are a few vegan croissant recipes on the web, including this one using ready-made pastry (which sometimes is vegan - would puff pastry be right for croissants though?)

http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/croissants.html

Don't know how nice it is but it's the only way I'd consider making them as I'm terrible at pastry. (Have just remembered some vegan Danish pastries I once attempted that turned out like dog biscuits.)

[Agatha]

oooh thank you!

i can't make batter. not even the eggs and milk batter, never been able to. not too bad with pastry though so i might give it a bash

thanks again!

[sugarmouse]

:devil::devil::devil:

I'll learn how to make vegan doughnuts and send them to you, my pretty.

*witches laugh*

If you do that, you can be the one wheelbarrowing me around everywhere when I am too fat to walk :D:p

[harpy]

spanish omlette - I haven't really tried duplicating it yet though.

Socca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socca) is thought by some people to be similar to a Spanish omelette, I think? I can't actually remember having Spanish omelette but socca is jolly nice (I make a similar thing in the oven to avoid frying mishaps).

[Sarah_]

I'd also love to learn how to make a vegan muenster cheese alternative.

And PS Vegas has a place with vegan doughnuts-I bet they'd tell you how to make them.

[Animosity]

Oh my! Vegan doughnuts! I totally forgot about doughnuts!

Something I was meaning to try making last year but diden't and would love to attempt this year-- veganized king cake!

[mariana]

Socca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socca) is thought by some people to be similar to a Spanish omelette, I think? I can't actually remember having Spanish omelette but socca is jolly nice (I make a similar thing in the oven to avoid frying mishaps).
I'd like to try socca--it sounds tasty. But it doesn't really sound much like Spanish omelette to me. I tried to make vegan Spanish omelette a month or so ago...it really didn't turn out well. :(

I want vegan eclairs!!

[Mahk]

Eggs over easy.

[Mr Flibble]

harpy: no, puff pastry 'croissants' would be gross!

mariana: then you want choux pastry ;)

[harpy]

I'd like to try socca--it sounds tasty. But it doesn't really sound much like Spanish omelette to me. I tried to make vegan Spanish omelette a month or so ago...it really didn't turn out well. :(


Well, the chickpea flour doesn't taste "eggy" but that's an advantage as far as I'm concerned. I always put a lot of vegetables in socca so it at least looks a bit like a Spanish omelette! It's nice if you mix pureed spinach with the batter too.

Mr F, what form of British pastry would be the closest approximation to croissant pastry - flaky?

The person who discovers vegan choux pastry ought to get the Nobel prize!

[mariana]

harpy: no, puff pastry 'croissants' would be gross!

mariana: then you want choux pastry ;)
You're right. I looked up choux pastry; I guess eclair is just choux pastry with custard inside.


Well, the chickpea flour doesn't taste "eggy" but that's an advantage as far as I'm concerned. I always put a lot of vegetables in socca so it at least looks a bit like a Spanish omelette! It's nice if you mix pureed spinach with the batter too.

Yum, that sounds good. I may have to try making it!