Oct 20, 2026 · 5 min listen · Last updated October 20, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Chloe, October 20th. The morning read — ten things in health worth the eight minutes. Let's get into it. First, from schoolnightvegan. Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding.
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Daily Health & Wellness Brief · October 20th
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Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding
The author, after years of perfecting a vegan version, has crafted a rich dessert that swaps traditional treacle for dark brown sugar to enhance the chocolate flavor. The pudding features a cocoa sponge made with soaked dates and a decadent chocolate sauce, which benefits from using dark chocolate with at least 75% cocoa to balance sweetness with a hint of bitterness.
While the recipe is exclusive to subscribers, the author shares a bit of their experience in Switzerland, surrounded by delicious chocolate, and suggests serving the pudding with vegan ice cream or custard. They also tease a Thanksgiving recipe roundup for subscribers, highlighting favorites like mashed potatoes, vegan roasts, and classic pies. The pudding serves about 9 to 12 people, can be made ahead, and reheated easily. If you don’t have vegan cream, blended silken tofu is a great alternative.
The creator, inspired by her dad’s birthday and his love for dark chocolate, combined the crunchy vibes of peanut brittle with fudgy double chocolate cookies. She emphasizes the importance of a low oven temperature to prevent the caramel from burning, and reassures that making caramel isn’t as scary as it seems—just prep everything first and avoid stirring.
The cookies may look under-baked when they come out, but sticking to the bake time is crucial for that chewy texture. She suggests using a chocolate bar for chunks that melt beautifully on top. While the full recipe is exclusive to subscribers, the newsletter also shares some personal updates, including a sweet visit with friends and a sneak peek at her upcoming cookbook featuring “Bonfire Pasties.” It’s a warm, inviting read that balances cooking tips with personal anecdotes.
Hey, welcome to School Night Vegan - so glad you’re here! The recipe in this week’s newsletter is for paid subscribers, to say a huge thanks for supporting School Night Vegan! If you simply gotta have this recipe, you can upgrade your membership right here and you’ll get instant access to this recipe as well as my entire recipe/newsletter archive. When I tell you that marmite is a part of my cultural, spiritual and psychological identity, it’s not hyperbole. A disproportionate amount of my childhood memories involve marmite.
The author shares their recent love for lebkuchen after discovering a vegan version in Switzerland, highlighting the cookie's warm spices like ginger and cinnamon, complemented by a citrusy glaze and dark chocolate.
The recipe involves using Golden Syrup for sweetness, which the author found worked best for texture, although brown rice syrup is a good alternative. The dough starts soft and sticky, but after chilling, it becomes manageable for cutting into festive shapes. Once baked, the cookies maintain a cake-like softness.
The glaze is simple, with options to use marsala wine or rum for added flavor, and the key to achieving that perfect crackle is refrigerating the cookies after dunking them. The author also shares tips for tempering chocolate, ensuring a smooth finish for the dunking process.
In addition to the recipe, the author is seeking help deciding on a dessert for their first Christmas dinner. They’re considering a pumpkin-pecan pie hybrid, a light meringue dessert with cherries, or a chocolate chai tiramisu. Each option sounds tempting, and they’re eager for input to finalize their festive menu.
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate with Famous Grasmere Gingerbread
The author shares a personal story about visiting Grasmere, a charming village in the Lake District known for its unique gingerbread, which has unfortunately changed to include dairy. Determined to recreate the nostalgic treat, they focus on using brown sugar for texture and spices like ground ginger and nutmeg for flavor.
The hot chocolate recipe complements the gingerbread perfectly, made with dark chocolate, cocoa, and muscovado sugar. It’s designed to be shelf-stable and makes for a lovely gift when packaged nicely. The author emphasizes using high-quality chocolate for the best results. They encourage readers to enjoy these treats during the festive season, even offering a two-week free trial for access to the full recipes.
The dish is a rich, chocolatey pudding topped with a sweet cherry compote, perfect for those feeling overwhelmed by the usual January diet trends. The author reflects on the idea of “rumination,” sharing personal thoughts about cooking for others and stepping away from social media’s superficial food culture. They express a desire to create real-life connections through cooking, possibly starting a supper club. Additionally, they share plans for alcohol-free mixology in 2026 and excitement about moving into a new home, where cozy winter recipes will take center stage. The newsletter also touches on the author's beloved dog, Ripley, and their daily musings about her well-being.
This week’s recipe is a comforting twist on nasi goreng, an Indonesian fried rice dish that’s both quick and satisfying. It’s perfect for using up leftover brown rice and features a sweet soy sauce that caramelizes beautifully during cooking. The author adds some veggies and tempeh to make it a complete meal, which is a nice touch.
They also share a spicy sambal recipe inspired by a recent trip to Bali, where they enjoyed the unique flavors of sambal with their meals. If you can’t find gochujang, it’s okay to skip it or swap it out for something milder. The recipe is available for paid subscribers, but even if you’re not upgrading, the author appreciates your support.
On a personal note, they’ve been training for a Hyrox competition, which has brought up some old anxiety triggers. They’re using grounding techniques to cope, and it’s encouraging to see their progress. Meanwhile, they’re settling into a new home near Manchester and enjoying local vegan options at a market hall. It sounds like they’re finding joy in both cooking and exploring their new community!
Baked in a 20x20 cm tin, the focaccia turned out beautifully, with a deep red hue from the harissa oil and a springy texture perfect for dipping. She served it alongside a hearty recovery stew, highlighting its versatility. If you're in the mood for a warm dip, she recommends pairing it with lasagne soup or sweet potato soup.
The recipe is available for paid subscribers, but the author expresses gratitude for all her readers, whether they choose to upgrade or not. In a delightful side note, she shares a sweet moment with her niece, encouraging her creativity after seeing a drawing of her dog. The focus on imagination is a lovely reminder of the simple joys in life.
Dear Diary, it’s two weeks since I saw ’s sourdough toast cookies on the interweb. It’s been one week since I made my own vegan version, and yet for some reason I can’t stop thinking about cookies! Something about the way Lungi took my two favourite things (cookies and toast, obvs) and combined them… It made my hyperfixation say “what else can we combine within a cookie!?”. Well, I’ll tell you what. We can combine the date-laden treacly joy of a sticky toffee pudding (easily within my top three desserts) with the chewy delight of an oatmeal cookie (easily within my top two cookies).
I was talking to a friend last week about faded food trends. We were reminiscing about the rise and fall of the giants of 90s and 00s cafe culture. Pesto, paninis, caramelised onions, pulled pork to name but a few. I’m not joking, there was a point here in the UK where it was basically a legal requirement of all cafes to have a panini press. Why were they everywhere?? Why were they always so hot that their cheese and tomato filling would turn to molten lava and burn your mouth until only teeth and jawbone remained?? Literally nobody knows.
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