The Ultimate Vegan Bagel

This is my absolute favourite bagel filling combination. I just had it four days in a row for lunch, I’m so obsessed! You can also add hummus to this bagel for something extra, but it is also good as is.

Ingredients:

1 block tempeh, cut into slices

Vegan cream cheese

Tomato slices

Balsamic glaze

Basil

Salt & pepper

Bagels

Tempeh Marinade:

3 tbsp tamari

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

A few drops of liquid smoke

Method:

Place tempeh slices in a container and add all marinade ingredients. Close the container and shake it until the marinade has spread throughout evenly. You can either place this in the fridge to marinate further or cook tempeh straight away.

Cut your bagels in half and toast. Spread cream cheese over both halves (or one half hummus, if using, and one half cream cheese). Top one half of the bagel with tomato, salt & pepper, balsamic glaze, the cooked tempeh and basil then place the two bagel halves together and enjoy.

Vegan Custard Slice

A kiwi classic but veganised!

Ingredients

2 sheets vegan puff pastry (some are accidentally vegan at the supermarket or you can make your own)

Custard

3 cups soy milk

6 tbsp cornflour

2 tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric

Pinch salt

1/3 cup margarine

Icing

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tbsp water (possibly more)

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place pastry sheets on a lined baking tray and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and gently press pastry down flat then put back in the oven for 10 more minutes until golden brown - pressing down again half way and once finished.

For the custard, mix one cup of soy milk and the cornflour together in a saucepan until there are no lumps. Add the rest of the soy milk and all other custard ingredients to the saucepan except the margarine. Bring to the boil while whisking continuously. Turn heat down to low and keep whisking until thick. Take off heat and transfer to another bowl to start cooling. Mix in the margarine while the custard is still warm. Be sure to act quickly with the assembly because you don’t want to custard to cool too much before pouring as this is result in a lumpy final product.

Assemble the custard squares in a deep 20cm x 20cm baking pan. First line with baking paper (leave some overflow so you can easily pull the custard slice out of the pan when done). Lay the first sheet of pastry down first (you may need to cut to fit). Then pour over the custard and spread it out evenly. Add the second pastry sheet to the top.

Make the icing by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl, adding more water if necessary but you don't want it too runny. Pour the icing over the top layer of pastry and spread out evenly. Chill for 4+ hours then ENJOY!