Vegan Walnut Brownies Iced with Chocolate Ganache
Fran Costigan is known as “the diva of dairy-free desserts.” She’s an innovative pastry chef, culinary instructor and cookbook author who specializes in developing vegan desserts that taste great.
Our blogger friend Sam Fromartz introduced us to Costigan. She’s known for creating a wide range of dairy-free desserts – including “The Chocolate Cake to Live for,” and a walnut brownie iced with chocolate ganache. The brownie and ganache use our Arbequina extra virgin olive oil.
Costigan’s organic vegan Twinkies have gotten a lot of attention: She appeared on ABC’s Nightline and on Better TV to make them. Costigan also operates a Vegan Baking Boot Camp.
One of Costigan’s goals is to show the world that dairy-free, or vegan, desserts can be healthy and still taste good.
“People have an idea that because it’s vegan baking it’s going to be just good for what it is – healthy, likely heavy, dry or uninteresting. This isn’t so,” she told us by phone from her New York apartment. “Properly made with quality ingredients, vegan desserts are as good, if not better, than their traditional counterparts.”
Costigan is a fan of extra virgin olive oil. She’s converting some of her recipes to EVOO from canola and safflower oils. “I have been switching my recipes where I can,” she said, “to take advantage of the health benefits of EVOO, as well as the richness it adds.”
Currently, she’s perfecting a pie crust made from EVOO … and having good results. Costigan has been using Arbequina extra virgin olive oil. “It was very clear to me that this pie crust was flakier than one made with canola oil,” she said. “I think that because EVOO is firmer when chilled than canola, it makes a flakier crust.”
Costigan, as I mentioned, also has made her vegan brownies using our Arbequina. The brownies and the ganache topping were adapted from recipes in Costigan’s book, More Great Good Dairy Free Desserts Naturally.
“I switched out the organic canola I have been using to the Arbequina, which adds a welcome richness and lovely floral note to these chocolate recipes.” she told us. “I’m very happy with the results.”
I’m guessing you’ll be happy with the results, too.
Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch
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October 9th, 2009 at 11:22 am
I travelled from Ireland to attend Fran’s ‘Vegan Baking Boot Camp’ after being so impressed with her book ‘More Great Good Dairy Free Desserts Naturally’. This brownie recipe has its own fan-base among my friends here! I think it would be absolutely delicious with evoo.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I attended Fran’s vegan boot camp from Michigan and all I can say is WOW. The class was even better than I could have imagined. She is truly one of a kind. The chocolate cake to live for with the frosting, the baklava was superb and the brownies are wonderful. If you get a chance to meet or take any of Fran’s classes do it.
October 9th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I am a student of Fran’s (Vegan Boot Camp and more!) and I could not believe how fabulous her recipes are. Fran is truly a master of vegan baking……she is the vegan Goddess!!
Get her book, take a class, or at least check out her website for great recipes. You will be amazed at how wonderful everything tastes! Fran is also a wonderful teacher and her classes are the best.