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Sweet & Easy Vegan: Virtual Potluck + Giveaway!

Nectarine Cobbler with Cinnamon-Swirl Topping

I’m excited to participate in the virtual potluck for Robin Asbell’s new cookbook: Sweet & Easy Vegan: Treats Made with Whole Grains and Natural Sweeteners. For this “potluck” I was able to choose from among several luscious-looking desserts from the book, and I was immediately drawn to the Nectarine Cobbler with Cinnamon-Swirl Topping.

In my house, we’re fans of cobblers, crisps, and other such fruit desserts, but what especially intrigued me about this particular cobbler was the topping that looks like miniature cinnamon buns perched atop the fruit.  How cute is that? I also like the addition of cornmeal to the topping, giving it an extra dimension of flavor that complements the cinnamon and the fruit.

I wish I had made this cobbler in August when nectarines were ripe and plentiful.  Instead, I had to substitute frozen sliced peaches to make this in October.  The good news is that the cobbler was still delicious, even when made with the frozen fruit, so I can only imagine it being even better with fresh nectarines!

Right now, I have my eye on a few autumn desserts that would be especially wonderful this time of year, such as the Pear and Maple Upside-Down Cake, Pumpkin-Cornmeal Scones, and the Miniature Caramel-Apple Tarts.  In addition to loads of dessert recipes, the book also has recipes for breakfast treats, quick-breads, and muffins.

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY:  If you’d like a chance to win a copy of Sweet and Easy Vegan, simply leave a comment at the end of this post naming your favorite dessert.  That’s it!  A winner will be chosen at random on Sunday 10/28 at midnight and announced on this blog on Monday 10/29.  Enter now!

In the meantime, here’s the recipe for that yummy cobbler:

Nectarine Cobbler with Cinnamon-Swirl Topping
Serves 8

Cobbler is usually a swath of fruit baked with a buttery biscuit topping, but this one has a twist. Instead of freeform biscuits, little cinnamon rolls float on the sweet sea of nectarines, making it like two desserts in one! Just about any juicy fruit makes a good cobbler, so feel free to experiment. Just note that you may have to increase the baking time if you use apples. This recipe is from Sweet & Easy Vegan by Robin Asbell.

3 lb/1.4 kg nectarines, pitted and sliced
3/4 cup/180 g maple syrup
2 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
1 cup/130 g whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup/60 g unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup/80 g cornmeal
6 tbsp/75 g granular palm sugar, palm sugar paste, or Sucanat
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup/60 ml canola oil or light olive oil
1/2 cup/120 ml nondairy milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/gas 7.
In large saucepan, combine the nectarines and maple syrup. In a cup or small bowl, whisk the arrowroot starch, water, and vanilla together to form a slurry. Stir into the nectarine mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Transfer to an ungreased 12-by-8-in/30.5-by-20-cm glass or ceramic baking dish.
To make the topping: In a large bowl, combine the flours, cornmeal, 2 tbsp of the sugar, and the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until well mixed. In a cup or small bowl, whisk the oil and nondairy milk together. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Press the mixture together to make a firm dough.
In a small bowl, stir the remaining 4 tbsp/50 g of sugar and the cinnamon together until well mixed.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Shape it into a 10-by-6-in/25-by-15-cm rectangle, gently patting it to an even thickness. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the dough. Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough to form a long cylinder. Pinch the seam to seal. Place the roll seam-side down and cut it crosswise into 4 even portions, then cut each portion into in 4 slices to make 16 rolls.
Arrange the rolls on top of the nectarine mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through and the juices are bubbling up around them.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm. Stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, the cobbler will keep for about 1 week.

 

So….what’s YOUR favorite dessert?

 

 

 

{ 84 comments… add one }

  • Michelle Tomes October 22, 2012, 11:29 am

    I am not a vegan, but I appreciate the lifestyle so much more then I could ever say!! 🙂 My favorite dessert is cheesecake!

  • Eve H October 22, 2012, 11:30 am

    Tiramisu 🙂

  • Kim Y October 22, 2012, 11:33 am

    Bread pudding!

  • A.H. October 22, 2012, 11:36 am

    I think my favorite dessert is one from when I was a kid – growing up in the summer, my mom would buy a watermelon and cut it into slices for us and she would crush (well bang until it was in crumbly pieces) up a Crunchie Bar and mix it into a tub of Cool Whip for us to dip – BEST TREAT EVER!!!! Every time I think of summer I think of this and will always cherish those memories with my Mom <3

  • Summer October 22, 2012, 11:38 am

    cookie sandwiches with icing filling!!!!

  • Sandra Lee Childs October 22, 2012, 11:42 am

    I’m looking forward to adding this to my collection of your cookbooks!

  • Kristin Troska October 22, 2012, 11:42 am

    Pumpkin Oat Bars. Recipe found at Sweet Potato Chronicles: http://www.sweetpotatochronicles.com/wordpress/2012/10/pumpkin-oat-bars/

  • Amanda October 22, 2012, 11:43 am

    I don’t even think I could pick just one dessert that is my favorite. Anything with chocolate and/or caramel or peanut butter is at the top of the list, but I can’t identify a favorite.

  • Mary Horowitz October 22, 2012, 11:51 am

    My favorite dessert is anything with apples. Apple pie, apple cobbler, apple crisp, baked apples…I could go on!

  • moonsword October 22, 2012, 11:53 am

    My favorite has always been freshly baked steamy hot blueberry pie with a little So Delicious vanilla on top.
    Thanks for the most awesomely delicious recipe…cheers!

  • gail October 22, 2012, 12:00 pm

    cheesecake

  • Simona October 22, 2012, 12:09 pm

    My favorite dessert is fruit with maraschino sauce on top. Yum!

  • Lori October 22, 2012, 12:21 pm

    Pumpkin cheesecake!

  • Charlotte October 22, 2012, 12:26 pm

    We’re just making the transition to a vegan diet and are looking for a cheesecake recipe-That’s our favorite.

  • Shira October 22, 2012, 12:45 pm

    My favorite dessert is a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting!

  • Kelly October 22, 2012, 12:49 pm

    Chocolate cake.

  • Andrea October 22, 2012, 12:50 pm

    Pie! Any kind almost – apple, pumpkin, peanut butter, chocolate mmm

  • Marsha Estefan October 22, 2012, 1:16 pm

    My favorite dessert is warm bread pudding with creamy bourbon sauce.

  • Joy Clendening October 22, 2012, 1:53 pm

    I suppose it would depend on what season it is. During the Fall I love apple pie, warm right out of the oven with a little vanilla ice cream on it or soy whip, scrumptious. Warmer months I’m a cupcake gal, chocolate chocolate cupcakes.

  • Rosemary Evergreen October 22, 2012, 1:57 pm

    Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake!

  • Beth October 22, 2012, 2:01 pm

    My favorite dessert is brownies, with peanut butter swirled in… NOW I WANT SOME.

  • Laura October 22, 2012, 2:54 pm

    My favorite dessert is pretty much whatever dessert is right in front of me…especially if someone else made it.

  • sara October 22, 2012, 2:56 pm

    key lime pie! 🙂

  • Marilyne October 22, 2012, 3:10 pm

    My favorite dessert is carrot cake mmm!

  • Danielle October 22, 2012, 3:23 pm

    My favorite dessert recipe is quite a simple one, but so delicious: Thai Bananas in Coconut Milk (Kluai Buat Chi)..yummie!

  • Lindsay October 22, 2012, 4:00 pm

    My favorite dessert is apple nachos

  • shoshana kleiman October 22, 2012, 4:11 pm

    I just discovered your website and your recipes. While not a vegan by conviction, I follow as close to a vegan diet as possible to take stress off my kidneys.
    My favorite dessert is cherry cobbler.

  • Gwyneth October 22, 2012, 4:15 pm

    Mine is trifle with homemade pound cake, vegan custard and lots of fruit topped off with cashew cream.

  • Maria Sandoval October 22, 2012, 4:16 pm

    Pumpkin pie and fruit tarts

  • Jonathan Shanes October 22, 2012, 4:18 pm

    Concord grape pie

  • janet @ the taste space October 22, 2012, 6:07 pm

    My dessert of choice is ice cream. 🙂

  • Ellen October 22, 2012, 7:06 pm

    Uhh… favorite dessert? Pretty much all of them. But if I had to choose, it would be strawberry rhubarb pie. Mm!

  • Corrin Radd October 22, 2012, 7:14 pm

    I love homemade vegan ice cream.

  • Ree October 22, 2012, 7:26 pm

    Vegan Brownies!

  • radioactivegan October 22, 2012, 7:49 pm

    I know it’s totally passe now, but I still love cupcakes!

  • Jess October 22, 2012, 8:29 pm

    Apple pie! And tis the season!

  • Courtney October 22, 2012, 8:30 pm

    So hard to choose just one, but…brownies. yum!

    Courtney

  • Deborah Saas October 22, 2012, 8:34 pm

    There’s nothing like a just-baked molasses-ginger cookie (veganized, of course) with a cold glass of almond milk!

  • Shelly October 22, 2012, 8:35 pm

    I LOVE apple pie. Plain and simple. YUM

  • Teslaca October 22, 2012, 8:35 pm

    That cobbler looks wondeful! I love apple pie the best. And also brownies.

  • Phill October 22, 2012, 8:36 pm

    Don ‘t really have a favorite but I bet I could find one in this cookbook!

  • Mary Jean October 22, 2012, 8:47 pm

    hhhmmmm hard decision. Since going vegan I have eliminated my fav cheesecake and have not attempted a vegan one. Sooo, it would have to be any fruit cobbler. Or maybe a pudding made with almond milk.
    Heading to the kitchen now to create one of those choices—-probably the pudding
    Would love a vegan dessert cookbook as I did give away most of my standard cookbooks and only have a few vegan books at this time.

  • Beth October 22, 2012, 9:18 pm

    Vegan Cowvin cookies from Sticky Fingers bakery — an oatmeal cookie sandwich with vanilla frosting. Yum!! 🙂

  • tiffany k October 22, 2012, 9:35 pm

    my favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake….mmmmmm…..

  • lara orrison October 22, 2012, 9:44 pm

    Apple and nut butter

  • Janel M. October 22, 2012, 10:08 pm

    My favorite dessert is vegan brownies and ice cream 🙂

  • April October 22, 2012, 10:27 pm

    I love… everything sweet… but I’ve never had a real cinnamon roll, right out of the oven. Just the thought of it… that’s probably my favorite xD

  • Anna October 22, 2012, 11:40 pm

    I have a major sweet tooth. My favorite dessert right now is the apple crisp in my fridge. I love fruit-based desserts with lots of sugar and anything with cinnamon!

  • Val October 23, 2012, 12:21 am

    Thank you for another great cookbook giveaway, Robin!!! I’d love to win this one, I have a big sweet tooth! 😀
    My favorite desserts are my ‘cheezcake bites’ as well as sticky cinnamon buns! 🙂

  • Mrs. GV October 23, 2012, 1:40 am

    Chocolate cake!

  • Heather October 23, 2012, 6:06 am

    Homemade vanilla ice cream (frozen bananas run through the juicer) with some peanut butter swirled in.

  • Thomas Bruno October 23, 2012, 8:42 am

    Since my wife and I became vegans on June 17, 2012, we haven’t had scones. The above mentioned, ” Pumpkin-Cornmeal Scones” sounds wonderful. – Tom

  • Leah October 23, 2012, 8:59 am

    Typically anything chocolate; the richer the better. Brownies, cake, etc. Susan V’s pudding cake is pretty far up there. Moosewood’s vegan chocolate cake as well.

  • Valerie Hartzer October 23, 2012, 9:17 am

    I’m tired on favorite desserts. Tiramisu and pumpkin cheesecake.

    • Valerie Hartzer October 23, 2012, 9:18 am

      I meant tied. I am tired but that is another matter..

  • Carolyn Strickland October 23, 2012, 9:21 am

    Favorite dessert? It’s gotta be warm chocolate chips cookies right out of the oven. Mmmmm

  • Melissa October 23, 2012, 9:29 am

    Anything chocolate!

  • neceshrum October 23, 2012, 10:16 am

    Coconut Cream Pie . . . mmmmm

  • bookwormbethie October 23, 2012, 10:23 am

    favorite dessert, definitely something with apples in it like apple pie or apple cobbler. i can pick two favorites, right?!

  • Chef Amber Shea October 23, 2012, 11:07 am

    It is very hard for me to pick a favorite dessert, but I’m going to say…pecan pie. 🙂

  • ewlake October 23, 2012, 11:37 am

    Pie. All flavors, all styles, all the time!
    Thanks so much for offering the giveaway – this new book looks great.

  • Dianne @ Veggiegirl October 23, 2012, 12:03 pm

    I always have a hard time picking favorites, but I’ll have to say that I’m always happy with anything chocolatey!

  • Michaelyn C. October 23, 2012, 12:14 pm

    My favorite dessert is pineapple upside down cake… made with fresh, in-season pineapple!

  • Ben October 23, 2012, 1:41 pm

    My favorite dessert — especially this time of year — is apple crisp. Give me hot apple crisp with some vanilla coconut milk ice cream on top and I am thoroughly satisfied.

  • Melissa October 23, 2012, 2:44 pm

    My fave dessert is vegan apple pie!

  • Ashley October 23, 2012, 3:01 pm

    Half-baked chocolate chip cookie with ice cream on top!! Thanks for the giveaway!! 🙂

  • Paula October 23, 2012, 6:12 pm

    Tough decision, but I’ll say chocolate cake.

  • katy o'connor October 23, 2012, 9:22 pm

    My favorite dessert is tiramisu!

  • Ben fournier October 23, 2012, 11:16 pm

    Chocolate cream pie with strawberries…or any cookie

  • Gail Lloyd October 24, 2012, 12:28 am

    my all time favorite dessert is apple pie!

  • eValerie October 24, 2012, 8:29 am

    Chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Mmmm!!!

  • Audrey October 24, 2012, 12:33 pm

    Since it’s fall, I will say vegan pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. It changes seasonally. 🙂

  • bitt October 24, 2012, 12:33 pm

    Oh my, so hard to choose! I think brownie sundae is something I’ve been craving awhile so I’ll go with that. Would love this book!

  • UpNorthDeborah October 24, 2012, 5:10 pm

    This fall, it’s Mary McDougall’s pear-cranberry crumble.

  • Jenna Z October 24, 2012, 5:37 pm

    Oh, I was thinking my fav was cookies but then I thought “cobbler, I DO love a good cobbler.” I guess I like crisp more than cobbler, with a crunchy-chewy oatmeal topping. Yum! peaches, apples, berries, I like them all!

  • Cher October 24, 2012, 9:08 pm

    Always apple crisp with the crumbly oat topping! It’s the best thing about autumn.

  • DebbieKL October 24, 2012, 10:16 pm

    This time of year an apple crisp or fresh pumpkin sound great!

  • Cecily October 25, 2012, 2:41 am

    Apple dumplings! Yum!

  • Jessica Giggenbach October 25, 2012, 9:03 am

    My mom makes this amazing chocolate cake with strawberry, banana, and raspberry preserve filling and home-made whipped cream topping. It may be nostalgia talking, but I have never been able to find another dessert that can top this!

  • Susan October 25, 2012, 1:50 pm

    Anything chocolate!

  • dorothy mora October 25, 2012, 7:22 pm

    Apple anything will always win me over- I make a wicked apple crisp tht has some meyer’s rum in it..

  • Donna Byrne October 26, 2012, 7:20 am

    Chocolate cake with frosting and ice cream.

  • Candy Beans October 26, 2012, 10:45 am

    The nectarine cobbler sounds incredible!

    My favorite is CAKE – any kind!

  • Kim October 26, 2012, 11:28 am

    My favorite dessert is my mom’s coffee cake! It is super easy to make and soooooo delicious!

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