Some teaser pics and a teaser recipe

So, Vegan Indulgence comes out in ... 4 days (August 7) and I've got a pre-publication copy of it, and if I do say so myself it is stunning. To celebrate the upcoming release, I thought I'd share some photos from the many weeks of photo shoots (thanks, Martin!) that didn't make the book, and also provide the recipe for, between you and me, my favourite biscuits out of the book - Coconut Raspberry Sandwiches.

Baklava

Banana Cheezcake

Beesting

Cherry Pie

Choc Cherry Slice

Fruit Skewers with Blueberry Sauce

Orange and Fig Slice

Passionfruit Melting Moments

Coconut Raspberry Sandwiches

Ingredients

Biscuit
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup custard powder
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 cup shredded coconut

Filling
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup shredded coconut
Raspberry jam - about 1/2 a jar

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C/320 degrees F/Gas Mark 3. Line two biscuit trays with baking paper.

Biscuit
In a large bowl, beat margarine and sugar together until light and creamy. Carefully beat in vanilla and non-dairy milk.

In another bowl, sift flour and custard powder together. Fold into the margarine mixture until well combined.

Add coconut and mix through well. The mxiture should be soft and slightly sticky, but you be able to handle it without too much sticking to your hands.

Use two dessertspoons to form ovals of dough, about 5cm long. Place these on the baking tray, spaced out by about 5cm. Carefully flatten the ovals with the back of a flour-covered spoon to form a 1cm thick slightly oval biscuit.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the biscuits begin to colour on their bases and are firm to the touch. Leave on the tray for another 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Filling
Beat margarine and icing sugar together until creamy and light. Fold in coconut until well combined. Chill in the fridge until the biscuits are cooled.

Putting it all together
Match up the biscuits to the most even pairs. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of coconut filling on all of the biscuits. Place 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the centre of the icing mixture on half of the biscuits. Carefully sandwich pairs together, using the edges of the coconut icing to join them together.

Keep in the fridge. These will keep for about a week.

Variations/Notes
Use different flavoured jam or preserves - strawberry, pineapple or apricot - instead of raspberry jam in the centre.