What to buy with your Christmas Cash

Happy Holidays, everyone!  I absolutely love this time of year.  The celebration starts in early December with my birthday, stretches into the next few weeks with all of the "religious" (or "consumer?") holidays, and wraps up with the start of a new year.  I love it because there's endless excuses to cook, to bake, to cut out snowflakes (ha), wear festive clothing, and buy presents!  Not to mention,  I GET A WHOLE DAY OFF!   By now, you probably have more gift cards than you know what to do with.  Well, I have a suggestion:

Cue the hallelujah.  Your eyes are not deceiving you.  This cookbook holds 140 cookie recipes.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Possibly even more impressive is the fact that the author is only 19!  And published!  Amazing!  Kelly started writing the book in the summer of 2007, and has been baking up a storm ever since.  What I love about her recipes is that they are simple.  You won't be running around (or biking, in my case) to five different stores looking for the ingredients*.  That's huge.  Additionally, she includes photos for almost every recipe, a conversion chart (so helpful), and no-bake cookies for those times when you're really craving a cookie and need some instant gratification.  Another life saving feature?  A troubleshooting section.

So, what kind of recipes can you expect?  Honestly?  Pretty much anything you can dream up.  Aside from the five different versions of Chocolate Chip cookies (!!), Kelly has broken her cookbook into chapters of deliciousness: Cookies Inspired by Drinks (Root Beer Float Cookies!), DIY Versions of Mass-Produced Cookies (Girl Scout Cookies!), and Cookies You Would Find at a Tea Party (Cinnamon Roll Cookies!) are some of my favorites.  She even included a recipe for the pup in your life!  

Harriet and David's birthday treats!

My only cons:

- I really, really, REALLY wanted to make the Root Beer Float cookies.  I looked EVERYWHERE for root beer extract, with no success.  I'm super bummed about it, because they sound amazing.

- There is a recipe for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake, which I had huge plans for (and totally talked up at work).  I was going to make a huge "ugly Christmas Sweater" that had my company's logo "stitched" in, with some of our manifesto piped on.  I tried the recipe twice, and it just doesn't turn out.  BUMMED, because the picture in the book is flawless.  

Peanut Butter Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Bars

Next up on my list (yes, I made a list of "immediate-makes"): Glazed Apple Cider Cookies, Oatmeal Cream Pies, Lemon Cornmeal Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars, and Inside-Out Peppermint Patties.  YUM!

*except, in my case, root beer extract.  Help!

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls!

My birthday was on the 14th (!!), and my amazing boyfriend bought me the best present ever-- a brand- spanking new 9-speed electric mixer!  Heyyoo!  I needed to use it immediately.  Chelsea came in for a visit, and she was craving apple muffins.  I wanted cookies and an excuse to use my mixer.  This was a.... delicious compromise.

(Vegan) Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls  

I've never made cinnamon rolls, so I used a base recipe that sounded amazing + some of my own touches.  It's essentially a cinnamon bun with an apple filling, apple cider glaze, and a caramel drizzle.  Hell to the yes.  The dough recipe came from a vegan blogger who used to work for Cinnabun.  SOLD.

The Dough:

(from epicurvegan.com)

- 4.5 cups AP flour

- 2 1/4 tsp yeast

- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

- 1 cup soy milk

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 2 "flax eggs" (2 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup water)

- 1/3 cup vegan butter (melted)

The Filling:

- 2 Granny Smith apples

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 1/2 cup vegan butter

- 2 tablespoons cinnamon

The Glaze:

- 2 cups powdered sugar

- 4 tablespoons vegan butter

- 6 tablespoons apple cider

- 1 tsp vanilla

The Drizzle:

(aka caramel)

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 3 tablespoons vegan butter

- 1/4 cup vegan creamer

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, heat up the soy milk.  Warm it until it's just warm enough to dip your finger in it.  Remove from heat once warmed, and pour into a medium-sized bowl.  

2. Add the brown sugar, and stir to dissolve.  Add the yeast, stir, and set aside to proof.

3. Use a mixer (I can do this now!!) to blend together the ground flax seeds and water.

4. Add the flax mixture, melted butter, and vanilla to the proofed yeast (make sure it sat for about 10 minutes).  Stir gently.

5. Grab a large bowl and measure out your flour.  Add the wet mixture to the flour, and knead!  Knead! Knead!  It should be soft and "elastic" -- this will take a bit, but you will get there!

6. Place the dough back into the large bowl, shape into a ball, and cover with a warm, damp cloth.  Let rise for about 30 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

7. While the dough is rising, start your filling!  You can either bake your apples, or cook them down on the stove.  We chose the stove.

8. Chop your apples into teeny, tiny pieces.

9. Grab a small saucepan, and begin to melt your butter over medium heat.  As it begins to melt, add apples and spices.  Cook, cook, cook (stirring constantly) until apples are soft (but not mush!).  

10. Once your dough has risen, punch the ball into a disk and throw onto a floured surface. 

11. Roll dough into a rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick).  Once you have a nice rectangle, brush the vegan butter over the dough, leaving 3" naked at one end (to stay sticky- you need to seal those buns somehow!).

12. Spread the filling evenly over the surface of the dough, avoiding the naked edge.

13. Roll that baby up!  Cut into slices- you'll get about 8.

14. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place rolls on top, facing up.

15. Cover the rolls with another warm, damp towel, and let rise for another 30 minutes.  They should double in size again.

16. Preheat your oven to 400F.

17. Once buns have risen, place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.  You're looking to achieve that lovely golden brown color.

18. To make the glaze: Grab a small saucepan and melt butter over medium-heat.  Add sugar, cider, and vanilla.  Stir to combined, and turn heat to low.

19. To make the caramel: Make sure you have everything pre-measured and ready to go- caramel is fast!  Heat the sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir continuously with a wisk.  Once the sugar boils (and smells amazing), add the vegan butter and mix.  Once the butter melts, remove from heat.  Wait a few seconds, and add the vegan creamer.  Wisk to smooth!  BE CAREFUL!

20. Once the buns come out of the oven (ha), pour the glaze and caramel over them!

How cute is this?!

Lisa from the Lunch Box Project is celebrating the amazingness that is the cupcake this month.  Can I just throw it out there that I *love* her blog?!  It is the only non-vegan food blog that I follow regularly.  Her blog is so fun: her recipes are simple (but lovely), her art is inspiring (and adorable), and she involves her children in the festivities!  I love it!  Back to the cupcakes.  This is month, she chose 16 submissions to illustrate and feature on her blog.  At the end of the month, she is going to combine them into one delectable poster!  Well, I was lucky enough to have my Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes chosen for the occasion!

Just adorable!  The inspiration:

The recipe. :)

I am addicted to chocolate.

It's true.  There are two things that I need every single day: coffee and chocolate.  Unfortunately, many times I go to make a meal... and all I have is coffee and chocolate.  Which is awesome, but, you know, not really that healthy.  Last night I realized I hadn't eaten (the horror!), and decided I would make waffles.  I do this a lot when I either a) don't have any time, or b) don't have any food (or both).  You always have the ingredients to make waffles right??!  Well.... I didn't have soy milk.  But, I had chocolate almond milk...

(Vegan) Chocolate Almond Waffles

Ingredients:

- 1 1/3 cups AP flour

- 1 1/2 cups chocolate almond milk

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- Dash of salt

- 1/4 cup canola oil

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat your waffle iron!

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Mix together the wet ingredients in another medium-sized bowl.  

4. Combine!  Mix/wisk until you don't have clumps!

5. Throw 'em on the waffle iron, and cook!  Makes 6.

Super easy, and amazingly really delicious!  They're not super chocolatey, and kind of taste like waffle cones!!

Gossip Worthy Monday: Healthy Edition

The non-stop dessert of late is amazing.  However, we are starting to feel slobbish.  So, we decided to try a healthier meal for Gossip Girl this week.  We're both super busy and couldn't coordinate, so we did our own lovely things: stuffed peppers and split pea soup!

My version: (Vegan) Quinoa Stuffed Orange Peppers

For some reason, whenever I think "healthy," I think stuffed peppers.  Work with me.

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 2 orange peppers

- 1 green pepper

- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

- 1/2 a sweet onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- 3/4 cup (chopped) mushrooms

- 1/4 cup (chopped) carrots

- 1/2 cup fresh parsley

- 3 handfuls baby spinach

- 1/4 cup ground nuts (I used cashews)

- A few shakes cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper (all to taste)

- Soy sauce! (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Cook the quinoa: boil two cups water and one cup quinoa.  Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes (just like rice).

2. Grab a few bowls and start chopping: the green pepper, the onion, the mushrooms, the carrots, and the parsley.  Minch your garlic!

3. Grab a saucepan and throw in 1-2 tablespoons of oil (over medium heat).  Once warmed, toss in the onion and garlic.  Cook until transparent.  

4. Toss in the garlic, and continue to saute.

5. The mushrooms, pepper, and carrots go in next!  Continue to saute.

6.  Mix in the parsley.  Throw in one handful spinach at a time (unless you have a huge saucepan, then toss it all in!  Go for it!), and allow to wilt down to make room for the rest.  Continue to saute.

7.  Shake in your spices, nuts, and finally the cooked quinoa.  Stir, and lower heat.

8. Cut off the tops of your orange peppers, and core the insides.  Fill with filling (you'll get 4-6 full peppers), and top with it's hat.

9. Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.

10. Once finished, either enjoy OR be a little less healthy and put on a ton of soy sauce before enjoying! I tried!:)

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/4 cup safflower oil

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 1 pound split peas

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 1/4 cup white wine

- Water

- A few shakes dried marjoram, basil, salt, and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Grab a saucepan, and saute the onions over medium heat until transparent.  

2. Add the celery next, and saute for another few minutes.

3. Add water to fill pan halfway, and raise heat to boil.

4. Add spices, split peas, and carrots, and boil for about one hour (until peas are softened).

5.  Add white wine, and cook down for at least one more hour.

:) !

Can I take this time to express my anger at the fact that Gossip Girl is on hiatus until JANUARY 24TH??!  Boooooooooooo.

Veganville Voopee Pies!

(Vegan) Pumpkin Voopee Pies.  Delivered to my door.

Dave being Ninja Cat and crying at the camera for a snack!

Gigi from VEGANVILLE sent me this box of goodies, which are quite the After-Thanksgiving treat!  I loved the cute packaging and... she sent me SIX VOOPEE PIES!  SIX!  That's enough dessert for AT LEAST two days (haha)!

Wins: 

- Gigi.  She rocks.  Not only are her desserts delicious, but she is also super sweet.  And, she ships quickly.  Any time spent waiting for dessert is a sad and lonely time, but she finds a way to make it manageable.

- The Packaging.  The pies came individually wrapped in a pastry box (which is more than I can say for a lot of snail mail desserts...), wrapped in a paper bag, and packaged in a reused Whole Foods bag.  The layering of the paper saved the pastry box, as it was monsooning out (I am aware that monsooning isn't a word, but I like it so I'm going for it).  

- The Voopee Pies.  They were delicious, even after surviving the trip from California to Pennsylvania, and then sitting in the post office over the weekend.  They were moist, pumpkin-y (but not too much, which was nice- it's easy to go overboard when you're dealing with pumpkin!), and didn't fall apart:

Look at that!  Perfect!  My favorite place to get whoopie pies in Philly does them well, but they're a disaster of a mess.  I think this cake made about 4 crumbs (which I ate).  I didn't even know that this was possible.

Fails-

- I can honestly say that there were none with these!  I am the first to admit a problem, too.  There is a bakery in Philly that I was super excited for, but was a huge let down and I have never been back.  That is not the case with VEGANVILLE's desserts.  Gigi knows what she is doing!

If you'd like to check out the delicious snacks Gigi has to offer, check out VEGANVILLE's Etsy Shop.  It offers various flavors of Voopee Pies, cookies, and other lovely concoctions.  The Swedish Fish Cupcakes really caught my eye:

How cute are those?!!  Thanks, Gigi!:)

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Sexy Vegan Petit Fours!

Hello Bombshells!
TODAY is the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show!  I had wanted to host an online shindig complete with girly petit fours, but was told the idea was too ambitious.  Regardless, Chelsea and I are still super excited, and went ahead and made some!  I'll be watching in PA, and she'll be watching in CA.  And, we'll both be snacking on our "sexy" petit fours that we made for the event!  Here are our recipes incase you want to throw some together for yourself!

My version: (Vegan) Ravishing Red Velvet Petit Fours with Victoria's Secret PINK Frosting!

My idea was to create an edible version of their iconic bag.  You know, the one with the red and pink stripes.  I had every intention to cover them and decorate them, but they looked just so darn cute as is.  Plus, my fondant did NOT come out right, and made the first one look terrible.  So, it really was a win-win to just leave them alone.

Ingredients:

For the Red Velvet Cake:

- 2 1/2 cups AP flour

- 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder

- 1 1/2 cups sugar (castor if you have it.  If not, grind regular sugar in a food processor)

- ENER-G egg replacer equivalent of 2 eggs

- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan red food coloring

- 1 cup vegan buttermilk*

- Dash of salt

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 teaspoon vinegar

- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegan shortening

- 2 tablespoons vegan butter

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Icing:

I used the Cream Cheese Frosting from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and added two drops of vegan red food coloring to make it pink.  If you do not have this book, a) get it immediately, and/or b) use your favorite simple cream cheese frosting recipe.

* To make vegan buttermilk, just add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup soy milk.  Wisk, and let sit for at least 5 minutes.  You can also substitute plain vegan yogurt.

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Cut a circle that will fit in your cake pan out of wax paper, and place it in your pan.  To do this, simply turn your pan over, place a piece of wax paper, trace, and cut on the line!  Fits perfectly!

2. Sift together your flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  This took forever because my sifter is the biggest piece of crap ever!  Hopefully, you can do this in under 15 minutes.

3. Make your vegan buttermilk and set aside to curdle (yum).

4. Cream together the shortening, butter, and sugar.  Speaking of taking forever, I'd love to have a working electric mixer.  This took me... 20 MINUTES.

5. Add the vanilla.

6. Add the red food coloring to the buttermilk.  Add as much or as little as you like.  I found 1.5 tablespoons to be perfect for the color I wanted to achieve.

7. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk together in batches.  Don't be scared if it curdles and looks disgusting (I was).  It gets better, I promise.

8. Combine the white vinegar and baking soda, and fold into the batter.  Every recipe I used to build mine (I've never had or made this before!) liked this idea, so I rolled with it.

9. Pour into your cake pan.  

10. Bake for 20-35 minutes, depending on your oven.  My cake took over 30 minutes.  It is ready when you pass the toothpick test (ie. a toothpick inserted into the center of your cake comes out clean).

11. Let cool for a bit before placing in freezer to cool.

12. Make your icing!  Most recipes will have you creaming together all of the ingredients until light and fluffy.  I added two drops of red food coloring to make mine pink!  Place in 'fridge to cool.

13. Cut your cake into layers!  Ice each layer, and stack them back together. Check it out:

14. I cut mine in half, because I wanted to save some of the cake to eat on it's own:

15. Then, I used a ring mold to cut them into bite-sized pieces:

So cute!  And DELICIOUS!  I ate pretty much all of the scraps....

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Radient Raspberry and Chocolate Petit Fours with a Classic Poured Fondant Finish

Chelsea went for classic petit fours, and absolutely nailed them.  They look delectable!!!

Ingredients:

For the Sponge Cake:

- ENER-G equivalent of 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups AP flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 5 tbsp. vegan butter, melted

- 1 jar raspberry jam filling

For the Chocolate Ganache:

- 1 bar of bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate

For the Poured Fondant:
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup corn syrup

Method:

- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.

- Put all ingredients in mixer and mix until smooth.

- Spread onto pan.

- Bake for 12-15 mins.

- When done, flip cake onto wire rack and let cool.

- When cooled slice off the crusty edges with a long serrated knife. (save them to eat!)

- Cut the cake in half width wise (horizontally) so you have two evenly sized pieces.

- Spread raspberry filling on top of 1 piece then layer other piece on top. Spreading 1 more layer of raspberry.

- Slice chocolate and put shavings in double boiler, heat until smooth.

- Now pour warm chocolate over the top and spread evenly, coating the raspberry.

- Put in fridge until chocolate has hardened.

- For the fondant:

- Heat sugar, water and corn syrup to the soft-ball stage (when it turns completely clear and starts to evenly make foamy bubbles).

- Pour into food processor directly from pan

- Let sit in food processor undisturbed for 30 mins.

- Add any coloring or flavoring and process for 3 mins.- until the syrup completely converts from a glassy syrup to an opaque paste.

- Pour into microwaveable bowl, in case it hardens before you finish coating all of your petit fours and need to liquify it more.

- Once hardened cut cake evenly into 15 squares- 3 down, 5 across.

- Dip each square into bowl of fondant and coat completely.

- Let sit on wire rack to harden.

- Once hardened you can decorate any way you like.

Enjoy the show!  I'm hoping to catch it from a treadmill...:)

Gossip Worthy Monday: Blair's Famous Pumpkin Pie

If you watch Gossip Girl, you understand that Thanksgiving is quite the big deal on the Upper- East Side.  What's even more important?  Blair's Pumpkin Pie.  I'll spare you the details (because I'm sure you know all about it already), but won't spare you the details for my and Chelsea's take on her masterpiece.

My version: (Vegan) Apple Pumpkin Pie

(yes, I had to be difficult and make something different.  It's what I do best!)

When I was on WholeFoods.com writing down their amazing stuffing recipe, I stumbled upon a recipe for... the pie I thought I was so genius in creating.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought I was so brilliant in combining the two "classic" holiday pies.  As much as I was excited about creating my own recipe, in the interest of time (ie. having none), I decided to veganize theirs.  I changed a few things, and will change more the next time I make it (I'm not thrilled with how it looks, but it tasted great- I WILL be making it again).  After all, if their stuffing was so amazing, why not try out their pie recipe?

From WholeFoods.com****, with changes in bold:

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 
- 1/3 cup water 
- 2 tablespoons (vegan) butter 
- 2 Granny Smith or Fuji apples*, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 

* I think one apple would be plenty, less is more 
- 1 egg replacer 
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
- 3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin purée 
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk**

** I used soy creamer 
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (in pie pan)***

*** I made my own crust:

• - 1 1/4 cups AP flour
• - 1/2 cup vegan butter (chilled!)
• - Dash salt
• - 1/4 cup ice water

Method:

- Preheat oven to 425°F. Put brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, water and vegan butter into a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add apples and cook, tossing to coat in sugar mixture, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside. 

- In a large bowl, whisk together egg replacer, granulated sugar, pumpkin, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, ginger and soy creamer until well combined. 

- Pour apple mixture into pie shell and spoon pumpkin mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake until filling is just set in the middle, about 40 minutes more. Set aside on a wire rack to let cool completely before cutting into slices.

Note: The only thing I think would be better would be if there was more evenness in the layers.  Cut the apple mixture in half, and I think smaller pieces would've worked better for this.  Also, the pumpkin mixture needs to be a little thicker.  I added a little extra cornstarch, but I think I may add something else next time to thicken it up a bit.

For the crust: Chill the butter in small chunks before mixing with the flour and salt.  If you have a food processor, this would be the time to use it!  I don't at the moment, so I used my hands and "kneaded" it.  You should pulse/knead the butter and flour mixture until it forms a coarse meal.  Then, add the ice water in small bits until the dough forms a ball.  Wrap it in clear wrap and place in your refrigerator for at least one hour.  After an hour, press firmly into a pie dish!

Chelsea's version: A Classic (Vegan) Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

- 1 cup AP flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup vegan butter
- 2 tbsp. ice water

For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- ENER-G equivalent of 2 eggs
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of soy milk

Method:

1. Prepare the crust as I prepared mine in the first recipe.

2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

3. Prepare the egg replacer and set aside.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium- sized bowl and mix well.  Add the egg replacer and mix.

4. Pour the mixture into the crust, and bake for 45-50 minutes (until the center is set).

****Source: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/896

November's Daring Baker Challenge: Crostata

The hostess for November's Daring Baker's Challenge is Simona from Briciole.  Her challenge for this month was for bakers to create a crostata, which is basically a tart.  She mentioned that her favorite variation of crostata was one that was filled with pastry cream.  I asked Mike what his favorite fruit filling was, and came up with!....

(Vegan) Blackberry Cream Crostata

Ingredients:

I made enough for two 6-inch tarts.  I wanted to make sure I had enough incase I made a mistake.  I went back and forth between deciding if I should post the original amounts or the doubled ones, but because a 6-inch tart is kind of small, I went with the doubled amounts.  Take this into account when making your crust and filling.

For the Crust:

- 1 1/2 cups AP flour

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- Lemon zest from 1/2 a lemon

(I saw Giada do this on her show, thought I'd give it a try!)

- Heaping 1/2 cup vegan butter (chilled!)

- Dash salt

- 2 1/4 tablespoons ice water

For the Blackberry Pastry Cream:

(I made a little too much of this, but it's delicious, so who cares)

- 2 cups almond milk

- 1/2 cup flour

- Dash salt

- Heaping 1/4 cup blackberry puree

- 1/4 cup + 4 heaping tablespoons sugar

- Juice from 1 lemon

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

*Start with your crust, as it will need an hour or more to cool/firm.* 

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, and lemon peel.  My food processor is a baby, so I used my hands, but if you have a large one-use it!

2. Add the chilled butter, and knead until you get a coarse meal.  Add the ice water little by little as you knead, until you can form a ball with the dough.

3. Wrap in plastic and place in 'fridge to cool (for at least one hour).

4. Now you can make the pastry cream.  Warm the almond milk, sugar, and salt over medium- heat in a saucepan.  Once warmed, add the flour and wisk together to thicken.  You're going to have to wisk continuously, or it will stick.

5. Once it begins to resemble a custard, throw in the rest of the ingredients.  Cook for another minute or so.

6. Cover with wax paper (right on top of the cream, or it may grow a film- gross!), and refrigerate.

7. After everything has had time to cool, you can preheat your oven to 375ºF.

8. Roll out the dough to be a little bigger than your tart pan.  You'll want to reserve a little for the lattice on top if you're opting to make it cute.  You can roll it out by powdering a counter, or this trick that I read on the Daring Baker blog: but the dough between two pieces of clear wrap and roll it out!  No sticking, and no floury mess!  Love it!

9. Press into your tart pan.

10. Fill with pastry cream!  Don't go all of the way to the top- save a little room for the lattice!  Plus, you don't want any ooze!

11. Roll out the rest of the dough, and cut with a pastry cutter for fun edges.  Place in a lattice pattern on the top of the tart.

12. Bake for about 30 minutes.  Start at 25 and move up- you're looking for a golden brown crust.

Pre-Oven:

Pre-Berries:

I didn't even need to make the second one- the first one turned out lovely!  I mean, I'm totally going to make another one so I can eat it...:)