So excited to be part of the Virtual Vegan Potluck this year! I’ve only ever been to one potluck in “real life” before, but had such a great time that I think I need to organize some myself.
I hope you’ve saved some room for dessert because I’ve got a real treat in store for you!
As this is a party I figured I’d go all out with something a little special- I put together a few things for a mighty feast- Vegan Crêpes filled with Date & Orange Compote and “supremed” oranges (as we’re feeling fancy…). All topped off with a creamy cinnamon ice cream.
There are a few components to this dessert but they’re not time-consuming or difficult. You don’t have to make them all either. The crêpes and compote would still be delicious with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or just make the quick compote and serve with ice cream if you don’t fancy making crêpes. Lots of options!
I was pretty pleased with how the crêpes turned out. I haven’t had much success in the past but scouted around online and combined a few recipes to come up with this one.
As for the compote- just a couple of ingredients simmered in a pan for 10 minutes turn into something magical. If you’re a long-time reader you’ll know how much I like to use dates in desserts. I love their caramel flavour and natural sweetness.
You don’t even need an ice-cream maker for this ice-cream! I learnt a nifty technique (see below) from blogger and cookbook author Ricki Heller– a life-changer for sure! This recipe is minimally adapted from the “Chai Ice-Cream” in her wonderful new book, Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free.
Date & Orange Compote:
1C (lightly packed)Dates, pitted and chopped
Juice of 1 Orange
Zest of 1/2 Orange
1T Lemon Juice
1/2C Water
Combine all ingredients in a small pan and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened and dates have broken down (10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Cinnamon Ice Cream:
1/2C Cashews
1C Canned Coconut Milk (full-fat)
1C Non-dairy milk
1 Medium Banana
1/4C Agave Nectar
10 Drops of Stevia, or to taste (optional)
1T Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
If using an ice-cream maker, set it up according to the manufacturer’s directions. Otherwise, set 6-8 silicone muffin cups, or 3 silicone ice-cube trays.
Add all ingredients to a high-power blender and blend until completely smooth. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups or ice-cube trays until firm; pop out of the cups or trays and into Ziploc bags. Store in the freezer until ready to use.
When ready to make the ice cream, remove 1 muffin-sized disk or 4 ice cubes per serving. Chop the muffin disk into pieces. Place in the food processor and process until it resembles breadcrumbs. Press down with a rubber spatula, then continue to process just until the mixture begins to come together in a ball. Use an ice-cream scoop, as usual, to serve.
Vegan Crêpes:
1/2C All-Purpose Flour (Preferably Organic, Unbleached)
1t Coconut Sugar
1/8t Salt
1/2C + 2T Non-dairy Milk
1T Melted Coconut Oil
1T Maple Syrup
Sift together flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, melted coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk to a smooth batter. Refrigerate the bowl for 30mins-1hr (depending on how impatient you are).
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with a little coconut oil. Add a few tablespoons batter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Cook for 1-2 minutes and carefully flip it once it loosens from the pan’s surface (Don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t turn out, my first of a batch is almost always a failure). Cook on the other side for a further minute, or until speckled brown.
Remove to a plate covered with a piece of parchment paper and keep warm in a low-temperature oven until you’ve finished cooking.
Repeat the process with the rest of the batter. You should be able to make 4-6 crêpes, enough for 2 people.
Spread one side of the crêpes with the compote, tuck in a few slices of orange and fold over.
Serve topped with more oranges, another dollop of compote and a scoop of cinnamon ice-cream.
Serves 2 (with plenty of leftover compote and ice-cream)
Are you just jumping in to the Virtual Vegan Potluck? You can go to the very beginning by visiting our lovely host over at Vegan Bloggers Unite.
Visit the dish before mine by clicking the button below:
See what comes after my dish by clicking the button below:
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Coconut and Berries 
Oooh, this looks decadent, Emma! Definitely invite me to a potluck when you serve this or ANYTHING from you make – everything you make looks great! Also, great minds think a like: I am sharing a cinnamon prune and orange compote tomorrow 🙂
Thanks for such a kind comment Janet 🙂 I’d love to invite you for a meal but it might be a little way to come…!
How funny about our similar recipes!
Hi emma! I’m sorry but can you please adjust your go back link to: http://www.bakingbackwards.blogspot.ca/2013/11/virtual-vegan-potluck.html
The current link is broken! Thanks! Beautiful looking crepes btw!
Eek! Huge apologies! I was convinced I’d done everything right. The blog post after me hasn’t gone live yet either…
All fixed now anyway 🙂
Oh crepes! I love crepes! This looks amazing! Happy potluck X
Thank you! I’m so happy to have found a good crepe recipe. I normally just make American pancakes but it’s nice to mix things up.
dessert looks very fancy and very yummy – and I am interested in your crepes – I haven’t been able to find a vegan pancake I like but perhaps vegan crepes is the way to go
Thanks Johanna. By “pancake” do you mean American-style pancakes? I make them all the time and am mostly happy with how they turn out usually.
How fabulous does this look?! I think you’ve outdone yourself here. . . love this. Cinnamon ice cream sounds amazing!!
Thanks so much Ricki, and especially for letting me share my adaptation of your ice cream recipe. I’ve finished up all the caramel ice cream and am trying to decide between the mint-carob chip or the coconut ice cream from your site for my next. Do you have a favourite?
I’m pretty certain I want this for breakfast right now. This looks fabulous. I’m loving the orange compote!
The compote is so yummy. I’ve been enjoying it on porridge and with soy yogurt since I had a lot left after making the crepes.
I adore potlucks, especially if they’re filled with food I can actually eat! The crepes look wonderful. Such a fun treat to share.
Thanks Joanne. I”m now got a real life potluck arranged for December. Looking forward to it but now I’m going to be worrying about what to bring until then!
Amazing! Can I come to your potluck please?! 😀
You’d be more than welcome! Especially if you bring your dessert too 😉
Hehe!! Definitely!!
Oh my gosh! These look utterly incredible. I shall endeavour to make these crepes gluten free because i really just want to eat the whole thing- RIGHT NOW! real good work lovely xx
Thanks for such a sweet comment! I hope they work out for you gluten-free.
ooo, these crepes look amazing and the ice cream looks delish! I sure hope I have my travel funds in order when you ever decide to organize a reallife potluck. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to miss that!
😀 Thanks lovely. I’m so excited to have found a good vegan crepe recipe. Do you ever make raw crepes in your dehydrator?
I have made apple crepes before. But I learned another recipe in a workshop a while ago that was way better, must make it soon. But it doesn’t really compare to cooked crepes.
Different but still good.
This looks delicious! Cinnamon ice cream is one of my favorite things ever. (I’ve made cinnamon coffee ice cream before, but not a vegan version.) And on top of crepes?! (Another of my favorite things ever…) I would totally eat this for breakfast or dessert.
Thanks so much Allison. I loved the cinnamon ice cream. I made a cheat’s-version ages ago just mixing cinnamon into store-bought non-dairy vanilla and freezing it again, but it wasn’t as good as from scratch. .
Wow!! This looks so good!! Vegan ice-cream?? YUM!
Sincerely, Cailee @ http://hellohealthyeating.com
Thanks Cailee! You’d never know this ice-cream was vegan. It’s sweet and creamy and YUM!
This looks fantastic – I especially like being able to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!
That method is seriously life-changing! I only have a teeny freezer and there’s definitely no room in it for an ice cream maker 😦
SO much going on here! Love it! Thank you so very much for being a part of the Potluck!
Thanks again for organizing 🙂
Beautiful dessert! Well done – can’t wait to make it myself. I haven’t come across coconut sugar yet, but I’m going to seek it out as anything coconut ranks high on my list! Happy VVP!
Thanks Amy. Honestly, you can use any sugar in this recipe but coconut sugar is the only granulated kind I keep in so that’s what I used.
I definitely recommend seeking it out for other recipes though as it has such a delicious caramel flavour.