A lot has happened since the publication of Danielle Maupertuis’ first book, Vegans Deserve Better Than a Fruit Salad, which explored the world of vegan substitutes in pastry. VEGANISSIMA goes a step further. Today, vegan desserts have nothing to envy from traditional pastry. And yet, the old cliché still lingers that vegan food is bland, boring or limited in scope. With VEGANISSIMA, Danielle shows just how far we have come. Vegan and gluten-free afternoon teas have now reached a level of excellence and creativity – each recipe tells a story and holds a special place in our traditions and culture. VEGANISSIMA also celebrates the diversity of plants, herbs, flowers, spices – and even vegetables – in vegan pastry, putting these ingredients centre stage. Flowers and vegetables are no longer supporting characters – they become the stars of the plate. Inspired by different themes, the afternoon teas in this book reflect the richness of our cultural celebrations, from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, telling a story of shared traditions. VEGANISSIMA also takes on the challenge of proving that gluten-free pastry can be just as delicious and look fantastic. That’s why every recipe in this book, sweet and savoury, is 100% gluten free.