Gooseberry Recipes: 4 No-Bake Vegan Treats

Gooseberries are a summer fruit with a slightly tart taste. They can be stewed with sugar and used in desserts such as cakes, tarts and pies. Try these gooseberry recipes today!

Gooseberries are a summer fruit in the currant family. Similar in size to grapes, they have a distinct tart flavor and grow well in cool, humid climates. They can be found across the US, where many pick-your-own farms allow visitors to spend the day finding their own gooseberries — great fun for families.

Previously, some states banned planting gooseberries, as they harbor white pine blister rust — a disease affecting pine trees, a source of income in states that harvest them for timber. Some restrictions are still in place, and in New Jersey, North Carolina and Delaware it’s forbidden to import or culture any gooseberry species. Meanwhile,  Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New York, Michigan and New Hampshire have restrictions on planting areas.

Gooseberries are a great fruit to use in desserts, as cooking them with sugar reduces their tartness. These five vegan gooseberry recipes are no-bake, so less energy is needed to make them. They also don’t use any dairy or animal products, keeping the carbon footprint of each dish relatively low. Treat yourself to some gooseberry goodness.

1. Gooseberry and Elderflower Vegan Cheesecake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups cashew nuts
• 1 cup vegan graham crackers
• 4 1/3 tbsp. vegan butter or vegan butter substitute
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups cashew cream cheese
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
• 1/4 cup solid coconut oil
• 3fl oz elderflower syrup
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1lb gooseberries

Instructions:

1. Soak the cashews in water for four hours, then rinse and drain. Or use boiling water and soak them for one hour.
2. Put the vegan graham crackers in a clean dish towel and bash them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. 
3. Melt the vegan butter and mix it and the salt into the vegan graham cracker crumbs to make them stick together. 
4. Line an 8″ cake tin with a parchment paper substitute.
5. Press the graham cracker mixture into the base of the cake tin and chill.
6. Pulse the lemon juice, soaked cashews, vanilla extract, cashew cream cheese, maple syrup, vegan yogurt and coconut oil in a blender until smooth.
7. Remove the stalks from the top and bottom of the gooseberries and wash the berries.
8. Put the elderflower syrup, sugar and gooseberries in a saucepan and warm on low heat. Simmer until the fruit starts to break down. Then, remove from the heat and place in a bowl, allowing them to cool.
9. Fold the gooseberry mixture into the topping and pour it over the graham cracker base. Chill everything overnight. Save two tablespoons of the gooseberry mixture to decorate the cheesecake before serving.

You can keep this gooseberry and elderflower cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze it for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

2. Gooseberry Fool Crumble

Yield: 6 small servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup gooseberries
• 2 tbsp. caster sugar
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. arrowroot powder
• 1 cup vegan cream substitute
• 1 cup vegan yogurt
• 5 vegan graham crackers
• 2 tbsp. ground almonds

Instructions:

1. Wash the gooseberries and put them in a saucepan with sugar and water. Warm until the fruit has softened and lost its shape. Add the arrowroot powder.
2. Quickly whisk to remove lumps and increase the heat, then boil for a few minutes.
3. Sift the mixture to remove the seeds. Chill.
4. Whip the cream until thick, then beat in the yogurt.
5. Wrap the graham crackers in a dish towel and crush them with a rolling pin until fine, like breadcrumbs, or pulse in a food processor. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the ground almonds.
6. Take six small tumbler glasses and prepare to build the gooseberry fool crumble. In each glass, add a layer of the whipped vegan yogurt and cream mixture first, then cover with a layer of the gooseberry mixture and top by sprinkling with the graham cracker crumble. Chill or serve immediately.

3. Overnight Gooseberry Oats

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. + 1 1/3 tbsp. caster sugar 
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 almond milk
• 1 cup red or green gooseberries
• 4 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. granola

Instructions:

1. To make the overnight oats, mix two teaspoons of sugar, chia seeds, and oats in a large jar or another sealable container. Whisk in the vanilla extract and almond milk. Put the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove the stalks from the top and bottom of the gooseberries and wash.
3. Add the gooseberries and water to a saucepan with 1 1/3 tablespoons of sugar. Simmer until the gooseberries are soft — add more water to prevent sticking, if needed. Red gooseberries are sweeter than green ones, so if you use green gooseberries, taste along the way and add more sugar if desired.
4. Increase the heat and cook until the mixture thickens. Allow it to cool, put it in a different jar or container, seal, and chill.
5. In the morning, take the oats out of the refrigerator and stir them; if they’re very thick, add some more almond milk.
6. Share a quarter of the overnight oats between two serving bowls, then add a layer of the gooseberry mixture to each bowl. Top each bowl with the rest of the overnight oats and another layer of gooseberry mixture.
7. Sprinkle a tablespoon of granola onto each bowl and serve immediately.

4. Gooseberry Sorbet

Yield: 4 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gooseberries
• 4 tbsp. water
• Elderflower syrup

Instructions:

1. Remove the stalks from the top and bottom of the gooseberries and wash.
2. Put the gooseberries in the water and simmer.
3. Allow to cool and use a hand blender to smoothen.
4. Gradually add elderflower syrup to sweeten the mixture, and taste to adjust.
5. Place in the freezer.
6. Stir once, after the mixture has been freezing for a few hours.
7. Before serving, remove your gooseberry sorbet from the freezer and allow it to soften for a few minutes.

Read more:

• The 5 Best Ice Cream Alternatives
• 5 Delicious Ice Cream Recipes Without Ice Cream Maker
• The 8 Best Vegan Substitutes for Heavy Cream

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Tags: Food Guide Recipes Vegan