Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Jelly Slice-Vegan MOFO Day 12

My nan taught me how to bake and sew and knit and many other things. And while I can't remember how to sew or knit, I definitely remember licking the beaters and helping her grease pans at a very young age. I really can't grease a pan without thinking about her.

Toby and I often talk about how often everyone cries on masterchef which we both think is a little over the top, but I do get that emotional family link. My nan installed my love in baking in me and I'm sure that I have inherited my sweet tooth from her. Every week she would bake us a wide range of cakes, cookies and make various other desserts. Now that I think back to it, I really am in awe of her how much she was able to make without ever tiring of it. She even made me a vegan cake based on an old war time recipe when I first went vegan.

When she passed away, we kept all of her handwritten recipes and I only really tried to veganise her banana cake, which my cousin veganised for our wedding. I swear it tastes the same. Last week would have been her 80th birthday if she was still alive, so our family decided to get together and honour her by making desserts that she used to make. I chose to veganise and de-gluten her jelly slice. but had a few issues at each level. At the base level, when I followed the instructions it was way too oily so I had to add more biscuits. At the lemon layer, I added too much sugar to my own condensed milk and added too much agar so it was too solid and at the jelly layer Toby let it set completely before putting it on top so it just looked ugly when I transferred it.


Base (would half this next time)
220 grams of marie biscuits  2 packets of orgran animal crackers

180 grams melted butter margarine


Combine crushed biscuits and margarine and press 25 x 15cm pan. 


Lemon layer
400 grams condensed milk soy evaporated milk (plus 1 cup sugar)

Juice from 2 lemons
2 tablespoons gelatin dissolved in water 1 tablespoon of agar powder


It was late on a Friday night when I decided to make this, so I couldn't go out and buy vegan condensed milk, so I decided to make my own by combining a can of soy evaporated milk and 1 cup sugar over low heat until sugar was absorbed. I then added the lemon juice and agar powder and stirred until it thickened.  Next time I would use less sugar and less agar.

Allow to cool and then place over base.


Jelly
1 packet of red jelly (I used vitarium red jelly)


Make according to packet instructions and then when almost set place on top of lemon layer. Set in fridge for a few hours and then serve by cutting into small pieces.




 The lemon layer was definitely too hard and the crust a little too thick but despite all of the little issues, I think it actually tasted fine.The jelly kind of brought it all together.


12 comments:

  1. That looks really good - I honestly had no idea what you meant by a jelly slice, but now that I see it, I would like to try making it myself!

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  2. This post evoked all sorts of emotions in me. My nan is also responsible for my love of baking (and my child bearing hips :) and I miss her every single day.
    Here's love to all nans around the world.
    Those bars look super awesome, just my kinda thing, I just wish I could buy evaporated soya milk here.

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  3. I think it's lovely that you all got together to make your nan's recipes and the jelly slice looks great!

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  4. It still looks delicious, regardless! I love jelly slice and have missed it since going vego.

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  5. what a great way to remember your grandmother - am sure she would have loved to have been there and turned up with a plate of goodies - I love your jelly slice - have some jelly powder in my pantry and should use it on some of this slice - I hardly ever make jelly so I don't find it a natural thing to make - my mum made it effortlessly and we loved this jelly slice

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  6. these look so great! it's so awesome that you were able to veganize a recipe that your nan taught you ;)

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  7. I love jelly for dessert & this sounds like a great new way to eat it!

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  8. Jelly slice! Wonderful!
    I can't get evaporated soymilk anywhere, so I might give it a try with coconut milk...

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  9. That actually looks so delicious! Not a huge fan of the Vitarium jelly, though it looks great in your photo! I don't like jelly on its own, but lately all sorts of jelly-desserts have been popping up.. Someone mentioned "jello poke cake" on the PPK which sounds awesome (It's like a cake, with holes poked in it, which you poor liquid jelly into, then let it set in the fridge), and trifle is pretty much my favourite thing. Yum!

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  10. Thanks everyone.

    Matthew, I love the vitraium one I think it tastes like really fruit. Off to google jello poke cake now!

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  11. Thank you, I am totally going to try this! While I am not vegan, or even vegetarian, my husband has just gone on a very strict diet where any grains (not just gluten), sugar (from cane), and dairy are strictly off limits. It is summer time here in Australia and he loves jelly slice, so I have been thinking about how on earth I could tweak our jelly slice recipe. It is all new for us, so I'm clueless. This will definitely get me started! Thanks again :)

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