French Madeleines

"I raised to my lips a spoonful of the cake . . . a shudder ran through my whole body and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place." 

(Marcel Proust (1871-1922)
‘Remembrance of Things Past’)

catching some summer memories......

• 2 eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 100g butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing
  
  
  
  
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush the madeleine tray with melted butter then shake in a little flour to coat, tapping out the excess.
     
     
  2. Whisk together the eggs and the sugar in a bowl until frothy. Lightly whisk in the remaining ingredients. Leave to stand for 20 minutes before carefully pouring into the prepared madeleine tray.
     
     
  3. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture has risen a little in the middle and is fully cooked through. Transfer the madeleines to a wire rack and leave for a few minutes to cool slightly. These are best eaten within an hour of cooking.
     
  
  
  
  
  
  

Cantuccini/Almond Biscotti

Espresso!...... solo con cantuccinis.

I spent a lot of summers in Italy when I was younger and I remember this easy but incredible good cooking of the italian Grannys ....they always pass by at our Vacation house with some homemade food. This recipe is from Nonna Paola a good friend of my parents who always pass by with Biscottis and I love her Cantuccinis....when I was younger with hot chocolate and today with a strong espresso.


60g softened butter
250g white sugar
1 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
Grated zest of either 1 orange
2 eggs
400g Flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
200g whole almond with the skin
2 tablespoons Amaretto Liquor

Mix the flour with baking powder, then add sugar, vanilla sugar. orange zest and salt. Form into a mound with a hollow in the middle.


Pour the butter, eggs and the amaretto liquor into it and knead to a dough. Knead in the chopped almonds. Form the dough to a ball, adding more flour if necessary. 

Cover and chill for 30 minutes.Line a baking tray with baking parchment and preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Cut dough into 6 pieces and shape each into a 25cm log. Arrange logs on a baking tray, leaving enough space for them to spread whilst cooking. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.

Allow them to cool a little, then cut into 1cm slices. Lay on a baking tray and bake for another 10 minutes at 200 degrees until golden-brown.

Chocolate-Hazelnut-Creme Cupcakes

......heaven.

It´s incredible how simple the recipe is!

And everyone will lovet them! 

2 1/2 cups Chocolate-Hazelnut Creme
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour

100g  cream cheese, at room temperature

Hazelnut Praline and dark chocolate to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line muffin tins with 12 paper cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add 1 1/2 cups of hazelnut creme to this. Whisk the eggs and Creme together until your mixture is smooth and shiny.
3. Add the flour and gently stir it in, just until the flour streaks disappear. Don’t overwork it, or your cupcakes will be tough.
4. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake the cupcakes for about 13-15 minutes, until the tops are puffed and cracked and spring back when lightly pressed. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.
5. Combine the remaining 1 cup Chocolate Hazelnut Creme  and the cream cheese in a mixing bowl, and beat on medium-speed until combined, light, and fluffy.
6. Pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes, and top each with melted dark chocolate and a Hazelnut Praline.

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns - traditional english Easter Buns

625g/1.3lb strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground Cinnamon

45g/1.5 oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing

85g/3oz sugar

1 lemon, zest only

1½ tsp fast-action yeast

1 free-range egg 

275ml/10fl oz tepid milk

125g/4oz sultanas

For the Topping

2 tbsp plain flour 

vegetable oil, for greasing
2tbsp apricot jam, gently heated, for glazing   

1. Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.
  

2. Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

  

3. With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust. 

4. Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece – see Tip below). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more. 

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. 


5. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses (see Tip below). Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

6. Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.  

Served with light salty butter <3

Summer Porridge/ Overnight Oats

 

• 50g Oats and crunchy muesli
• 100g Greek yogurt(regular yogurt is thinner)
• 100g normal yogurt
• frozen berries
• 2tps. Sugar or sweetener
• half glass pint or old marmelade glass....
  
  1. Mix the greek yogurt and the normal yogurt in a bowl , add sugar or sweetener.
  2. Put first berries in the glass then the oats/muesli and then the yogurt mix....go on until the glass is full.
  3. Close the glass and put it for 1 day in the fridge.
  
  

Perfect as breakfast or healthy dessert! As Topping you can use berries,chocolate chips,nuts,dessert sauce..... LOVE IT!

Cheesecake with chocolate Strawberrys and Caramel Sauce

I made this Cake for Valentines Day!It`s a simple Recipes but the result looks amazing. Love the taste of the chessecake, the fresh strawberry and chocolate. For Valentines Day I served the Cake as dessert with a glas of champagne <3 

For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla-sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar 

100g butter

For the Filling:
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla-sugar
3/4 stick (7 tbsp/3 1/2 oz/100g) butter, very soft and at room temperature 

100g heavy cream 

500g Quark or cream Cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt 

For the decoration: 

Strawberrys 

200g Chocolate  

Caramel Sauce

 
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 C). You will need a 9 or 9 1/2-inch springform pan.

Crust: 
1. Sift the flour, stir in the baking powder, salt, vanilla-sugar, lemon peel and sugar, then rub in the butter and knead to a smooth consistency with the egg. Place dough in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
 
2.Roll out the dough on a well-floured work surface, then form it into a ball again and roll it out a second time. (This dough is the worst behaved of any I have ever had to deal with, but the double rolling helps tame it, and the end result IS worth the hassle). 

3.Place dough in bottom of a 9 or 9 1/2-inch springform pan, pressing it up the sides almost to the top. Set aside. 

Filling: 
4.Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla-sugar until pale and foamy. Add the softened butter and beat well, then add the heavy cream and beat again. Add the quark and stir until the mixture is smooth and throughly combined.

5.Whisk the egg whites with the salt until very stiff, then very gently fold in the quark mixture, also adding the sifted cornstarch a little at a time. Pour the filling into the crust shell and gently wobble the pan back and forth until the surface is smooth. Trim the dough, leaving about 1 inch (2 1/2 cm). Bake in preheated 300 degrees F (150 C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes (longer if necessary) until well risen and golden - it resembles a souffle at this point (It will sink in the middle quite dramatically - don't worry, it's supposed to do this). 

6.Turn the oven off, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 15 minutes; then remove it from the oven, cool for an hour or so at room temperature, and refrigerate for several hours before releasing sides of pan and serving. 

This cheesecake is very nice you can eat it just plain or served with berrys our berry Sauce.

I covered my cheesecake with fresh chocolate strawberrys and few minutes befor I served the cake I put some Caramel Sauce on the top....just because I can!
 

Tea Time Scones with Clotted Cream and Rrapsberry Jelly

I love the british Tea Time tradition. I was lucky to visited a traditionel posh Tea Time session in England....sandwisches with salmon, eggs, cucumber, and cakes.... a lovely experience. But I prefer a relaxed Cream Tea just with scones and Tea.

The recipes is from Ed Baines book BritCuisine p. 176. It was my first try to make Scones!The recipes was easy and the scones perefect! 

225ml milk

500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

30g baking powder

85g butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing

85g caster sugar

50g raspberries

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/534447/ed-baines-apricot-and-raspberry-scones#4CtCjpm1YCE4D3zM.99

225ml Milk

500g self-raising Flour

30g baking Powder

85g Butter

85g Caste Sugar

50g Raisins

1. Remove all racks from the oven except for the central rack and preheat to 200C/180Cfan/gas mark 8. Grease and flour a baking sheet. 

2.Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, add the sugar, then rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the milk and until it forms soft dough (you may not need all the milk). Bring the dough together and turn out onto a floured work surface. 

3.Knead lightly and roll the dough out to about 1cm thick then dot the raisins over half the dough. Gently fold the other half of the dough over the raisins. Cut out into scone shapes using a round cutter and place onto the baking sheet. Whisk the egg and brush over the top of the scones, bake for 15 - 20mins until golden brown.

 4.Serve with clotted cream and rapsberry jelly.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Put the dried apricots in the milk and allow to soak. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar and butter and mix with your hands.

Slowly add the apricots and milk to the mixture until it comes together to form a dough. Gently knead the dough until smooth, making sure not to overwork it.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 4cm thick. Scatter the raspberries over half the dough, fold over the other half and then carefully roll it out again so the fruit is in the middle. Lightly flour a round cutter and stamp out the circles. Glaze with the beaten egg

Grease a baking tray and dust with flour. Put the dough circles on the baking tray and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/534447/ed-baines-apricot-and-raspberry-scones#4CtCjpm1YCE4D3zM.99

225ml milk

500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

30g baking powder

85g butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing

85g caster sugar

50g raspberries

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/534447/ed-baines-apricot-and-raspberry-scones#4CtCjpm1YCE4D3zM.99

225ml milk

500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

30g baking powder

85g butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing

85g caster sugar

50g raspberries

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/534447/ed-baines-apricot-and-raspberry-scones#4CtCjpm1YCE4D3zM.99

@/ Kanebulle/ Cinnamon Roll/ Zimtschnecken/ Franzbrötchen ........or little sweet dreams !

Cinnamons Rolls are perfect for some cozy tea or coffebreaks with friends when the wheater outside start to be colder and rainy in autum or really cold with snow in winter. Cinnamon warms you up from inside. I love Cinnamon! 

Here my 2 favourites recipes.
Both really easy and quick!....perfect if you have suprise visitors. 

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Topping

•  1 package ready pastry dough 

 FILLING

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
•  

  FROSTING

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  200 g Cream cheese 

Melt the butter in a pot and Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Spread butter over dough. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 6 equal slices. Put the Slices now in a backing pan.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 150°. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. 

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

another variant: 

Cinnamon Roll with Cranberrys and white Chocolate Frosting

same Recipes just add Cranberrys and as frosting just molten white Chocolate. Yummy!