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June 14, 2011

Review and Giveaway: Hannah Kaminsky's Vegan Desserts

If you have been reading my blog since the title ordinary vegetarian actually fit me, you might remember my first vegan baking experience. Armed with a copy of Hannah Kaminky's My Sweet Vegan, I was well equipped for my task. Since then I became vegan, and my interest in vegan baking immediately followed. Hannah has been a favorite source for vegan dessert recipes through both her blog and e-books ever since, so you can imagine how excited I was to learn about the release of her second cookbook, Vegan Desserts!


A worthy collection of sophisticated yet approachable desserts, conveniently divided by season. The book features over 100 recipes, each accompanied by the most tempting full color image photographed by Hannah herself. I have had my copy for two months now, and have already enjoyed several recipes.



Irish Crème Squares
I cheated and baked from the winter section first since I had all of the ingredients for the Irish Crème Squares on hand. This is definitely a grown up dessert, unless your young ones enjoy the flavors of coffee and whiskey. As for myself, I couldn't resist! The coffee and whiskey infused cream layer is perfectly complimented by the cocoa almond crust. Hear, hear for boozy desserts!



Marbled Chocolate and Zucchini Bread
For my first springtime selection I went with the Marbled Chocolate and Zucchini Bread. This dessert bread is a real treat. It is sweet, moist, and cakey--sweeter than more traditional zucchini breads I have tried. This was my first marbled baked good, and I was so pleased with the way that the beautiful swirls of chocolate turned out. I am anticipating having too many zucchinis on my hands soon, and looking forward to putting them to good use in more loaves of this bread!




Coco-Nut Macaroons
I sampled a second dessert from the spring section -- the Coco-Nut Macaroons. Coco-Nut is hyphenated because the Nut is actually crunchy peanut butter. The peanut butter flavor is second to coconut, but is undoubtedly the oomph that pushes these macaroons over the edge. That and the chocolate dipped bases! These were perfectly dense, chewy, and rich--honestly the only coconut macaroon recipe I'll ever need. I mean, coco-nut! 



Mango Tango Cupcakes
Moving on from springtime delights to a perfect summery treat (and the cutest name in the book!), Mango Tango Cupcakes. This inventive cupcake has two pureed mangoes in the batter, along with a helping of chopped macadamia nuts. If you aren't sold on that alone, then the rum cream cheese frosting should convince you! Oh yes, that's perfection.






I am sorry for teasing you with all of these amazing treats, but I have a peace offering. After receiving a copy of this book, the opportunity for a signed copy from Hannah presented itself and I couldn't turn it down. As much as I love this book, I don't need two copies and would love to offer my first copy to one of you. I will ship the winner this copy personally, anywhere in the world you might be. That's right, a no-restriction giveaway, hooray! As always, several ways to enter, leave 1 comment for each entry:

1. Leave a comment, any comment!
2. Follow me on twitter.
3. Like me on facebook.
4. Follow my blog here or by email (see sidebar)
5. Tweet "Enter to win a copy of Hannah Kaminsky's Vegan Desserts from @ordinaryveg! http://t.co/6z9IZxt"

Good luck! Winner to be announced the first day of summer--Tuesday, June 21 (just in time to make the Peaches and Crème Breakfast Buns, what what!)!

117 comments:

  1. hey there pretty lady. i think i might like to try some of these vegan sweet treats ;) consider me entered!

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  2. These treats look amazing!! Would love to try them out!

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  3. 3. I follow you on facebook (sorry for all the posts - I'm starting to feel obnoxious!)

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  4. Wow, those recipes sound so good!

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  5. I follow you on Twitter now too :)

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  6. And...I like you on Facebook!

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  7. I love any desserts and all of these looks delishh!

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  8. I tweeted! (man, there are so many giveaways today also!)

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  9. Those desserts all look SO good! Thanks for the great review. I already follow you on twitter :)

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  10. Oh wow, yum. I would have totally made whatever I could considering what I had on hand too - seasonal? what's that ;-)

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  11. Oh my goodness, those coco-nut macaroons? I need them in my life.

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  12. I follow your blog AND you're in my blogroll!

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  13. Oh, I've been eyeing this book! Would love to win!

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  14. I also follow your blog

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  15. A beautifully photographed and written post- And so thorough! I'm so, SO happy that you liked this second cookbook too, and simply touched that you would hold this giveaway. It truly means more than I can put to words. :)

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  16. Would love this book! Great giveaway. Thanks!

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  17. I really should cut back on desserts, but I just can't help giving into the temptation of those delicious looking pictures. Sign me up for the raffle!

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  18. I already follow you on facebook

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  19. the recipes sound so tasty, I need this book

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  20. Hey! I like you on Facebook! (I already follow your blog, so that only gets me one entry, eh?)

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  21. Oh! And those treats look amazing! Is this the book with the top-secret vegan (french) macaron recipe? Consider me entered again, in that case!

    And btw, I love your blog.

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  22. Here is a comment to enter!

    I have an awesome raw food cookbook giveaway going down today too!! Would love it if you stopped by!! :)

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  23. I've also tweeted about the giveaway. :-)

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  24. The Coco-Nut Macaroons would be perfect for my sweetie. Thank you for your generous giveaway! Cheers!

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  25. i'd love to win this book...thanks for doing a giveaway!

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  26. The book sounds great - I have baked at least one recipe from my sweet vegan and it was great - probably should own both these books if only I had more room in my house and they were available in local bookstores (I still resist online shopping) but if my number comes up I would love a copy

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  27. I would love to try these recipes!

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  28. I'm also subscribed to your blog.

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  29. I've tweeted about this giveaway.

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  30. Oh my! Those pictures are getting me VERY excited!

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  31. I'm subscribed to your fab blog

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  32. I tweeted about the giveaway

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  33. i would LOVE to win!!

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  34. i follow u on twitter!

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  35. i tweeted! (sorry already tweeted before i saw the u had something writtee theere already - oops!

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  36. i follow ur blog!

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  37. i liked u on fb!

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  38. Alright, I'm joining the race b/c I would love a copy of that book - Hannah's recipes are always amazing!

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  39. This book looks awesome... I have been trying to do more vegan baking!

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  40. I also follow you on Facebook!

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  41. Hey there!
    Love your blog and love this contest!
    I just followed you on twitter and also tweeted what you said in 5.! My twitter is: twitter.com/theannlang
    Would love to win the book ;)
    I'm not really long a vegan now, but I'm already loving it.
    And always grateful to hear or read stories and journey's of other vegans!

    Lots of love!

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  42. Those mango tango cupcakes sound delish!
    I would love to win a copy since I am a poor grad student.

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  43. I just had to return my copy of Hannah's new book to the library. How I would love a copy of my own. --Mindy Seher

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  44. This looks awesome! Thanks!

    msred5 at gmail dot com

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  45. I'm following you on Twitter @karenbeth

    msred5 at gmail dot com

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  46. Just tweeted Enter to win a copy of Hannah Kaminsky's Vegan Desserts from @ordinaryveg! http://t.co/6z9IZxt

    msred5 at gmail dot com

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  47. I'm a follower of your blog!

    msred5 at gmail dot com

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  48. I like you on facebook and I follow your blog.
    I have a tremendous sweet tooth so I must have this book!

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  49. Hope I win!

    katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com

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  50. everything looks so yummy!! thanks for the giveaway :)

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  51. Followed you on twitter (I'm @easyvegan!)...

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  52. ...and tweeted about the giveaway. :)

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  53. I would love to win this cookbook! @CzechVegan

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  54. I follow you on Twitter @CzechVegan

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  55. Lovely feast for the eyes :). Wish I could win that book.

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  56. I'm such a fan of Hannah, and not just because we share the same name and fondness for sweets! Thank you for opening this up to anyone in the world - it's so nice not to be left out for once :)

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  57. I liked you on facebook. And thanks for the give away :)

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  58. This is a great giveaway! I would love to have her cookbook!

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  59. I tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/singerinkitchen/status/81353085972254721

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  60. WOW!! Those treats look absolutely delicious

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  61. Tweeted! https://twitter.com/ChickGetsFit/status/81453553104846848

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  62. I'm following your blog now too ;)

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  63. Wow, this looks like a great cookbook!

    larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

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  64. Tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/81755835998539776

    larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

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  65. Omigosh! I absolutely have to try those Irish Creme Squares! I seriously need one... now! Haha! I have her first book and love it. The pies are wonderful. I believe my go-to coconut custard pie recipe is from My Sweet Vegan. Her recipes are so simple, but definitely don't taste simple. It totally got me through vegan baking when I first started off.

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  66. The Mango tango cupcakes sound amazing...seriously, who doesn't love fruit in a cake? It makes it healthy, right?

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  67. And i follow your tweets now!

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  68. I already follow you on twitter!!!

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  69. I have signed up for your emails!!!

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  70. I would love to win a copy of this book!! It all looks so delicious!!

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  71. Just hit 2 week mark of a one month vegan challenge. Looking to extend it more and need recipes to keep me going :)

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  72. Great review of Hannah's new cookbook! Everything looks amazing. :) Especially the coco-nut macaroons mm.

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