The sweet siren song of summer vacation is calling, and while I've only managed to snatch a two-day respite, it's enough to recharge my baking batteries.
Yesterday, exhaustion hit hard, leaving no room for flour-covered adventures. But waking up to the realization of a scone-less morning was a rude awakening!
Determined to rectify the situation, I dove headfirst into a baking frenzy. The result? Two delightful creations to kick off the weekend: Vegan Almond Muffins and a No-Bake Lemon Ice Box Pie.
The muffins were a new challenge, requiring a foray into the unfamiliar territory of frangipane - essentially an almond paste. It was a fun experiment that resulted in tender, flavorful muffins with a subtle almond flavor.
As for the No-Bake Lemon Ice Box Pie, let's just say it's pure bliss. I'm currently savoring a slice as I write this, and it's everything a summer pie should be: tangy, creamy, and effortlessly refreshing.

Vegan Almond Muffins, this makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients
Frangipane Filling
75g Almond flour
25g granulated sugar
25g milk
15g melted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Wet ingredients for the muffins
150g granulated sugar
130g unsweetened applesauce
85g dairy-free milk
125g neutral flavored oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (do not omit)
1 teaspoon almond extract, or extra vanilla extract, to taste
Dry ingredients for the muffins
190g all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
125g almond flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
To decorate
120g sliced almonds, or as needed
Method-
Make the frangipane filling:
Add all ingredients to a small-sized bowl and mix until it forms a thick and tacky paste.
Initially, the mixture will look too thick, but it will come together. If you prefer a sweeter frangipane, feel free to mix in more sugar and milk to taste.
Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge until needed.
Make the vegan almond croissant muffins:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
Add all the wet ingredients (sugar, applesauce, milk, oil, vinegar, and extracts) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
Add all the dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, and salt) and mix until just combined.
The batter should be thick.
Set aside.
Roll the frangipane mixture into 12 equal-sized balls.
If your mixture is sticking to your hands, dampen your hands with water and roll the mixture.
Scoop around half of the batter into the muffin cups.
Place a frangipane ball into each cup and press it down a little into the batter.
Top each frangipane ball with the remaining muffin batter.
As the batter is quite thick, it won't flatten out in each cup.
If so, use a butter knife or small spoon to 'circle' the batter around each frangipane ball.
The batter might look like a little heaped mound in each cup.
Very generously top each muffin with sliced almonds.
Baking and serving the muffins:
Bake the muffins for about 25-28 minutes.
They are ready when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine).
If you gently press on the center of a muffin, it should feel firm and springy.
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
If desired, dust the muffins with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy!
The crunchy almond topping will soften over time.
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Ingredients-
9-inch graham cracker pie crust
14-ounce can sweetened, condensed milk
8-ounce packaged cream cheese
1/2 cup Nellie and Joe's Key West Lemon Juice
8-ounce container of whipped topping
Zest of one lemon plus lemon curls for garnish (optional)
Method-
Use room-temperature cream cheese when making this pie so take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before you make the pie.
Beat sweetened condensed milk and softened cream cheese until smooth and no little lumps of cream cheese remain.
This may take 3 to 5 minutes depending on the temperature of your cream cheese.
Fold in Nellie and Joe's Key West Lemon Juice and whipped topping.
Beat until thoroughly combined with condensed milk/cream cheese mix for one to two minutes.
Grate a bit of fresh lemon zest into the mixture (optional).
Pour into graham cracker pie crust.
Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least two hours or overnight.
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