As the second part of my Bulmers week, I decided to go all vegan. Quinoa is a very usual ingredient in our kitchen. There isn’t a Peruvian household without it. 

Many people don’t know about red quinoa though. Red Quinoa is a more crunchy and exotic kind of it. Normally cooked with broth or water but why not Cider.
When I think of Cider, everyone thinks of apple cider with ice in a summer day, but not about a cooking ingredient, and less a vegan ingredient.

When I was in Junior High School, we had once a week a cooking class. Mostly all things we prepared were not baked. I remember some dessert or snack called "Sweet Bombs". As a neighbor lent me some flour one day, I decided to make something for him to thank him. And what not better something I can do together with Pepa.

Ingredients:

500 ml Evaporated milk or in German: Condensed Milk
500 gr Sugar
400 gr Butter Cookies
100 gr nuts (optional)
a Pinch of Salt

First, start crushing your cookies. You can put them in a bag and smash them, or use a food processor as it is easier, faster and less messy.

I could have bought 250 ml condensed milk, but I like making my food from scratch. The recipe to make condensed milk aka Milch Mädchen is easy but takes a while. Mix the milk and sugar and let it boil.

Let's face it, condensed milk its just a milch marmalade. It is all about boiling and simmering until you have the desired consistency. So turn up the heat until it boils and lower the heat to minimum. Repeat until you can put the milk in a spoon and it doesn't fall from it while moving it.

I use a wooden spoon with holes, it works way better. Condensed milk is normally cream colored, but when you make it yourself it turns caramel color... more like dulce de leche.

Once it has cooled down, Mix the cookies, nuts and condensed milk. It will give you a very sticky dough.

Using some nuts or dry hands, make little balls of about 30 grams. Or just make them to the size you want. I like 30 grams cause it is as much I cant it without dying of a sugar coma. You don't need to bake it at all and you can enjoy them right away. Try making these ones with your kids or by yourself.

​I hope you enjoy this easy old recipe of mine. And be prepared to eat a delicious "Sweet Balls" better together with a coffee or as a snack when you are outside in this cold winter.

I am not vegan, but many of my close friends are. I love the challenge when cooking vegan. Most of the food I see in restaurants aren't that creative or even resemble the "regular" food. 

I was asked by Bordeaux Wines to make a whole Christmas dinner and I was very excited about making this dinner with a Twist. (You can see the dinner here). I had loads of messages asking me for the recipe of the loaf. I have to accept I have been busy like a hive of bees, but tomorrow is the last day the shops are open, so if you have vegan guests for Xmas or you are vegan yourself, run to the closest Whole Foods Store/Bio Markt and make this Loaf.