Gingernut Cookies

Today has been, once more, really cold and I wanted nothing more as soon as I got home than whipping up some cookie dough and filling the house with that flavour only cookies get when baking. I am a big fan of ginger as a spice in general. I love to use it for cooking, but it is great for baking as well. Apparently, the people at donna hay magazine like it as well, because they did a whole spread on baked goods spiced with ginger in the June/July 2012 issue of their magazine. I want to introduce you to her recipe for gingernut cookies. 

Here's the recipe:

150g (5.3 oz) unsalted butter, softened

225g (1 1/4 cups) brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

185g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

demerara sugar, for rolling

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Beat the butter, the brown sugar and vanilla extract with a hand-held mixer or kitchen machine for 8-10 minutes until it is light and fluffy. 

2) Add the egg and beat for another 2-3 minutes, so the egg is completely combined with the other ingredients.

3) Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger and beat until a smooth dough forms. 

4) Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, the roll in the Demerara sugar. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and place the cookies on it, leaving space in between. 

5) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack. 

Yield: 24 cookies

Active preparation time: about 15 minutes

Total preparation time: about 45 minutes

© Copyright: donna hay magazine, june/july 2012

Here's how my cookies turned out:

I had to google Demerara sugar to find out it is sugar made of crystallized raw sugar cane juice. I know I am able to find it at a delicatessen in the city, but as I didn't have any at home, I substituted coarse brown sugar for it. Using this coarse sugar adds a slight crunch that I like and it crystalizes while baking. But if you don't like biting on sugar crystals, omit the rolling in sugar. The thing I love most is the taste of the ginger in combination with the caramelized sugar. A little sweet and yet spicy. And the perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa with a cup of coffee or tea and a warm gingernut cookie straight from the oven. 

Have fun trying and enjoy!

Basic Lentil Soup

Soo, I finally managed to get some cooking in. That is not to say I didn't cook for the past few weeks, but most of it was designed to be quick and easy and was eaten before I could take a picture. So now, hopefully, I will get back to a more frequent routine in writing and cooking. Today's recipe is meat-free (as it is Monday, of course) and vegan. Switzerland has got a first taste of cold weather with chilly wind blowing and me freezing on the way to University, so I figured there's no better way to brave the cold than with a hot bowl of delicious soup. I was searching for new ideas and new soup recipes to try that differ form the basic vegetable-purée soup and I came across this recipe for a lentil soup, featured on goop. Here's the link: http://www.goop.com/journal/make/254/spilling-the-beans 
The recipe is the last one, on the very bottom of the issue.

A few notes to my version: I used beluga lentils as well as green puy lentils. Both are rather small and cook fast. They also won't break down while cooking but hold their shape really well, which I prefer. 

Serves: 4
Active preparation time: about 10 minutes
Total preparation time: 35 minutes 

Here's how my soup looks:

First of all, I love the simple fact that I had every ingredient at home and could start cooking right away. I always keep lentils at hand, as they make a perfect side or a satisfying meal on their own and are incredibly versatile. Secondly, I find this soup to be a great compromise. On the one hand it is a little creamy because you've pureed a little of it and on the other hand you've still got small bits of carrots, tomatoes and lentils in it. I finished my soup with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. The soup itself offers sweetness from the tomatoes and carrots, earthy, almost nutty flavors from the lentils, a little saltiness from the vegetable broth and just the right amount of acidity, if you add the vinegar. I hope you like it!

Have fun trying and enjoy!  

Banana Bran Muffins

Hi guys!

I know, I am a tiny bit late for meat free monday, but I hope you don't mind a meat free, start of the week pick-me-up recipe. Today's muffins are healthy, they're not your average fatty and sweet muffin, but they're light and filled with nutrients so you can even grab one on the go for breakfast. No bad conscience necessary! The recipe is from Donna Hay's "Fresh and Light", her most recent book as of today. It includes tons of new ideas for light breakfasts, lunches, dinners while making sure you are getting great nutrients at the same time. And it tastes great, too. These muffins aren't as sweet as your regular muffin from the coffee shop around the corner, but they offer great taste and will fill you up until lunch.

Here's the recipe:
300g (10.5 oz; 2 cups) whole-wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
100g (3.5 oz; 2/3 cup) raw unrefined dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
300ml (10 fl.oz; 1 + 1/4 cup) buttermilk
80ml (2.5 fl.oz; 1/3 cup) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
65g (2.3 oz) bran (wheat or oat)

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). In a bowl combine the flour with baking powder, sugar, cinnamon powder and bran. 

2) In a seperate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, honey, vanilla extract. Mash the bananas with a fork and mix as well.

3) Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Don't overmix otherwise you'll end up with dry muffins. 

4) Line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease it with a little butter and split the dough evenly among the cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
© Copyright: Donna Hay, "Fresh and Light", p. 12.

Yield: 12
Active preparation time: about 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 45 minutes

Here's how mine look:

I used wheat bran as I have trouble digesting oat sometimes. If you want gluten free muffins, try substituting buckwheat flour and omit the bran. What I love most about these muffins is their taste. Don't expect them to be nothing but sweet, they'll give you a hint of sweetness and fruit from the banana, not more. At the same time, the whole-wheat flour and bran counterbalance that sweetness and make sure you stay full longer and get important nutrients.

Have fun trying and start your week healthy!

Black Bean, Corn + Avocado Bowl

Hi guys!

So, meat free monday is back with a little vegan treat for you. A few weeks ago, goop.com featured a back-to-school-issue with lots of great lunch bowl ideas, including this bowl with corn, avocado and black beans. The base of all the bowls is a mix of brown rice and quinoa, not your usual go-to grains perhaps, but these are worth a try and I was surprised myself how  tasty and satisfying the result was. Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.goop.com/journal/make/240/back-to-school-mag

Again, few simple steps away from your lunch:

1) Cook the brown rice and quinoa. Directions on how to cook them are included on the site by clicking on the words. 

2) Preheat a pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add the black beans, avocado and corn (if you don't get corn cobs, substitute canned corn kernels). Squeeze the lime juice on top and mix to combine while warming through.

3) Add the quinoa and brown rice and mix through the beans and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and garnish, if you want to.

Serves: 2
Active preparation time: 5 minutes, if you use canned beans and corn and have pre-cooked the quinoa and brown rice. Otherwise about 10 minutes.
Total preparation time: again, 5 minutes if everything is prepared. About 50 minutes if not. 

Here's how it looks:

I really love the combination of black beans, corn, avocado and rice. It's like a good mexican getaway. The olive oil and lime juice help bring out the other flavours. I also am quite smitten with the textures. A little crunch from the corn kernels, creaminess from the avocado and the perfect mix between both from the black beans. As an added bonus, the grains will help you stay full for hours. I hope you have as much fun eating it as I did. 

Have fun trying and enjoy!

Pasta with prawns and lemon-vodka-sauce

Hi guys!

Sorry for not posting on meat free monday, but I couldn't find time to try a new vegetarian recipe and prepared mushroom risotto for me instead. Yesterday, though, I did get back to a recipe that has become something like a runner-up to his all-time-favourite spaghetti carbonara for my boyfriend and he asked me to make it for dinner. The recipe comes from Donna Hay's "simple dinners" and it is actually simple and fast as it is prepared in the time it takes to cook your pasta. 

So here's the recipe:

400g (14 oz) spaghetti (or any type of pasta you like)
20g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
4 cloves of garlic
20 raw, peeled prawns
250ml (1 cup; 8 fl.oz.) cream
2 tablespoons vodka
2 tablespoons lemon juice
20g (0.7 oz) parsley
salt and black pepper for seasoning

1) Heat a large pot of water over high heat until the water is boiling. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. 

2) Cut the garlic in thin slices and chop the parsley. Heat the butter in a large pan over high heat. Add the garlic and prawns and cook for about 2 minutes, until the prawns are cooked, which is when they've changed their colour from grey to orange-red. Take the prawns out of the pan.

3) Add the cream, vodka and lemon juice to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.

4) Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with the prawns and the parsley. Mix well and season to taste with a little salt and pepper.

Serves: 3-4
Active preparation time: about 10 minutes
Total preparation time: 20 minutes
© Copyright: Donna Hay, "simple dinners", p. 40.

Here's how it looks:

I have a soft spot for the creamy sauce that is so smooth and almost velvety while surprising you with the taste of vodka (no more alcohol since you have cooked the sauce) and the freshness of lemon. I personally added a fair bit of pepper and very little salt for seasoning. And as you've prepared the sauce in the same pan you've cooked your prawns it, a little bit of their taste has found its way into the sauce. I think this is a perfect example for an easy, speedy dinner that lacks nothing, not flavour, not looks, not surprises and it surely won't leave you with a lack of compliments.

Have fun trying! 

Swedish Kanelbullar (Cinnamon Buns)

Hi guys!

I am sorry it's been so long again since my last post. Things have been a little busy and I finally took a little time off to go on a week-long vacation to Oslo and Stockholm, where I enjoyed probably too many Kanelbullar and decided to give them a try as soon as I would be back home. Said and done that is, as of today. I got back on thursday and headed straight to creating these small pieces of cinnamon heaven today. The recipe I decided to try comes from a Swedish author, Leila Lindholm, who features it on her website - unfortunately only on the swedish page and not on the english version which is why I translated it as best as I could and tested it. For those of you who can speak or rather read swedish, here's the link to the website: http://www.leila.se/leilas-kanelbullar/recept/bakverk/index1,23.htm?id=3426

So here's the (translated) recipe with adapted measurements:

For the dough:
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (I could only find ground cardamom and substituted a dessert spoon or two teaspoons)
2 dl (6.7 fl.oz; 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) milk
1dl (3.4 fl.oz; 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) cream
50g (1.75 oz) fresh yeast
150g (2/3 cup; 5.3 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g (3.5 oz; 4/5 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
720g (25.4 oz; 4 + 3/4 cups) flour

For the filling:
200g (7 oz; 1 + 3/5 stick) unsalted butter, softened
100g (3.5 oz; 1/2 cup) sugar (brown or white)
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1 egg for brushing
decorating sugar for sprinkling

1) Pound the cardamom seeds in a mortar until very fine. Place in a pot with the milk and cream and heat until lukewarm. Add the yeast and stir until the yeast has completely dissolved.

2) In a bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt and egg and pour in the milk-yeast-mixture.

3) Gradually add the flour and knead until the dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly flour-dusted surface and knead with your hands for a few minutes, then put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside to rise for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

4) Whisk the butter for the filling together with the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. You can use more or less cinnamon depending on how much you like it. 

5) Roll the dough out to a large rectangle or about 1 cm thickness, using a little flour to keep it from sticking to the surface or your rolling pin. 

6) Evenly distribute the spiced butter on the dough, you don't need to leave a frame. Now fold one third of the dough from the long side to the middle and fold the remaining third on top. Using your rolling pin, carefully roll the folded dough until it is 2cm thick, while keeping the shape of a long rectangle. 

7) Cut the rectangle from the short side into 3-4cm wide slices. Now take a slice and put it in front of you. 

Cut the slice in half, starting about 2 cm from the top. The slice now resembles a pair or trousers. Take each of the "legs" and twist it three or four times, then cross the right over the left leg and tuck the ends underneath, so they'll end up on the top you've saved. 

 The twisted "legs"

Legs crossed over each other, ends are not tucked yet

8) Place your dough knots onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. You could also place the knots in paper muffin cases to make sure the filling stays in the knot while baking. Set aside to rise for 45 minutes.

9) Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Brush the risen knots with the whisked egg and sprinkle with decorating sugar, if desired.

10) Bake for 10 minutes in the middle of the oven. 

Yield: about 14 knots, depending on how wide you slice the dough

Active preparation time: about 45 minutes

Total preparation time: about 3 hours

Here's the finished product:

I can't say much else than "I'm in love", head over heels and once and for all. The distinctive cardamom note makes these cinnamon buns special and it makes them typically swedish. Sweden was also where I saw cinnamon buns in knots rather than the classic roll for the first time and I think these look absolutely beautiful and make for an impressive gift. I sprinkled half of my Kanelbullar with decorating sugar and left others plain, in case anybody doesn't like to bite on sugar. You could also mix and little brown sugar with pounded cardamom seeds and sprinkle the buns with it. 

I hope you are having a beautiful weekend and good luck with trying!

Traditional German Poppy Seed Cake

Hi guys!

I am sorry it's already been a while again since my last post. Things have been rather busy and I haven't had as much time for cooking as I would have loved to. Anyways, my dad's birthday was last Saturday so I decided to treat him to his absolutely favorite cake which is a poppy seed cake - a typical northern Germany recipe. I use my grandmothers for it for as long as I can remember - and she can't remember where she got hers from, but it was probably passed on to her from her mother. Well, here you go:

For the dough:
40g (about 2 tablespoons; 1.4 oz) white sugar
250g (8.8 oz; 1 + 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
50g (a little less than 1/2 stick; 1.7 oz) unsalted butter, softened
125ml (1/2 cup; 4 fl.oz) milk (whole or skim works fine, I haven't tried non-fat)
pinch of salt
30g (1 oz) yeast
zest of 1/4 lemon

For the filling:
500ml (2 cups; 16 fl.oz; 1 American pint) milk (again, whole or skim doesn't matter)
250g ground poppy seeds 
pinch of salt
40g (1/3 stick; 1.4 oz) unsalted butter
40g (about 2 tablespoons; 1.4 oz) white sugar
50g (1.76 oz) raisins
50g (1.76 oz) almonds, peeled and chopped

For the topping: 
75g (about 2/3 stick; 2.6 oz) unsalted butter, in small cubes
75g (2.6 oz; 1/3 cup) white sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar
100g (3.5 oz; 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour

1) For the dough, combine the flour with sugar, salt, lemon zest and softened butter in a bowl. Heat the milk until it is warm (not hot!) and stir in the yeast until it has dissolved. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl. Using your hands or a machine with kneading hooks, knead until a dough has formed. Turn the dough onto a lightly flour-dusted surface and knead with your hands for about 3 minutes. The dough should feel a tiny bit humid, but not wet and it shouldn't stick to your fingers. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 

2) While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. If you can't directly buy ground poppy seed, you can easily buy whole seeds and ground them either in a food processor or with a hand-held blender. They will start turning into a slightly wet and oily paste while braking down which is just what you want. 

3) Heat the milk for the filling in a pot. Once it's almost boiling, add the ground poppy seeds, turn the heat to medium-low and let cook for 3 minutes, stirring all the time. Add the sugar, butter, salt, raisins and chopped almonds and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.

4) Once the dough has risen, take a 26cm (10inch) round spring tin and grease it. Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F). Roll the dough out on your kitchen surface until it is large enough to fit into the entire tin - bottom and edges. Pour the filling onto the dough.

5) Now it's time to make Streusel, the topping - one of my favorite things and super easy. Combine the ingredients listed for the topping in a bowl and work with your hands until you end up with large lumps. Evenly distribute the Streusel on the filling, don't put them on the edge. 

6) Bake at 220°C (428°F) for about 30 minutes. Let cool in the tin on a cooling rack.

Here's how it looks:

This cake has just the right amount of sweetness combined with the slightly tart flavour of the poppy seeds and the raisins and chopped almonds add a little bit of a crunch with regards to the texture. I cannot remember one family gathering without it - it's kind of our signature. Some children might not like it because it is a little bitter and not just sweet, but my cousins and I have been eating it as soon as we had teeth and could! I especially remember feeding my youngest cousin when she was 3 years old and she would happily munch on it. 

Have fun trying and I hope you enjoy it as much as I (or rather we) do!

Rote Grütze (red fruit compote)

Hi guys!

Summer is finally here - you'd figure as soon as walking into a grocery store and seeing all the raspberries, strawberries, cherries etc. lined up next to each other. This is why for today's meat free recipe, I've chosen a desert recipe that uses all the beautiful produce. Rote Grütze which can't really be translated but is nothing else than a red fruit compote is a very traditional dish in the Netherlands, Scandinavia or northern Germany which is where I'm from. The recipe is my grandmother's and has been in the family for quite a while. 

Here's the recipe:
200g (7 oz) strawberries
150g (5.3 oz) raspberries
150g (5.3 oz) cherries
350ml (11.8 fl. oz) red fruit juice (you can use blackcurrant juice, but cherry juice works great as well)
60g (2.1 oz; 4 tablespoons) cornstarch
100g (3.5 oz; 1/2 cup) white sugar
250ml (8 fl. oz; 1 cup) red wine

1) Cut the strawberries in quarts, maybe half the quarts depending on the size. They should end up to be about the same size as the raspberries. Pit the cherries. 

2) In a large pot, heat the red wine, fruit juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and everything is boiling. Once it's boiling, remove from the heat, and whisk in the cornstarch. Put back on the heat and continue stirring until the mixture is thickening and the white from the cornstarch has gone away. 

3) Remove the sauce from the heat and add the berries. Let cool down. Serve with whipping cream, vanilla sauce or vanilla icecream.

Serves: about 8
Active preparation time: 30 minutes (stirring included)
Total preparation time: about 30 minutes

Here's how it looks:

This has been a go-to dessert in my family for years. My sister and I got our boyfriends to try and they've been hooked as well. You can definetely use any kind of red fruits you like. Make sure the total adds up to 500g (17.6 oz). I like to mix things up with blueberries, blackberries when they're in season. I never omit the cherries though. They add nice texture and they're my favourite. The red wine adds depth and the fruit juice and sugar a nice sweetness to the general fruitiness. 

Have fun trying and enjoy!

Pasta with Courgettes

Hi guys!

It is monday and I haven't forgotten about you the past two weeks, I needed a tiny break to relax after finishing my exams before summer and keep my eyes open for a few new recipes to introduce you to in the following weeks. Today's recipe screams "summer" for me and I love the bright colour this brings to your plate. The recipe is from Nigella Lawson's "Nigellisima", a perfect cookbook for summer in my opinion with lots of italian inspired dishes. 

Here's the recipe:

200g (7 oz) short pasta (like penne, farfalle, casarecce)
2 tablespoons garlic oil 
4 scallions
500g (17.5 oz) courgettes
60ml (4 tablespoons) dry white wine or vermouth
1 bunch italian parsley
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
10g (a small tablespoon) unsalted butter

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Finely slice the scallions, cut the courgettes into small cubes (I quartered them first and cut the quarters in thick slices). Chop the parsley and grate the parmesan. 

2) Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Once everything is prepared, heat the oil (I substituted olive oil) in a medium saucepan. Cook the scallions for 1 minute. Add the cubed courgettes and cook for 5 minutes at medium heat. 

3) Add the vermouth or white wine and and bring to a boil. Add two tablespoons of chopped parsley and season to taste with a little salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook the vegetables for 5 more minutes or until soft. 

4) Before draining the paste, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, put it back in the pot, add 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan and 4 tablespoons of pasta water along with the cooked vegetables, stirring nicely. Season to taste with pepper, more parmesan or pasta water. Add the butter and remaining parsley and serve. 

Serves: 2 according to the recipe, easily 3 if you're me
Active preparation time: about 10 minutes
Total preparation time: about 25-30 minutes from heating the pasta water to serving
© Copyright: Nigella Lawson, "Genießen auf Italienisch", p. 19.

Here's how it looks:

I love the bright colour of the courgettes that almost highlight the yellow of the pasta along with the bright, fresh green from the parsley. This recipe was included in the accompanying TV series "Nigellissima" on BBC. So if you want to have a look at the recipe to help your decision process, you can either find a clip on BBC or watch the whole episode (the recipe is at 23:30min) on youtube following this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huHwNTnO4Fs

This dish combines the sweet, yet earthy taste from the courgettes with a slight saltiness from the parmesan, a little fire from pepper and scallions and a hint of the flavour from your wine. I felt like I would have summer on my plate - although the sun to go with this dish doesn't want to help me out today... 

Anyway, have fun trying and enjoy!

No bake Lime Cheesecake

Hi guys!

I don't know about you, but the weather in Switzerland has been crazy the past few days. It's been more than 30°C (or above 90°F) - in the shade that is -, bright sunshine included. Dont' get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I am super happy the good weather started once I was done with my exams so I could enjoy the sunshine on a couple of days off before starting my summer job. I don't have any special tips and tricks for those hot summer days, but I know one way how to get a refreshment and it is better tasting than pool or lake water... I first baked or rather prepared this cake for a friend's birthday in August - a very hot summer day and as I saw herself and her family indulge in the cake I knew it was a hit. Especially as they have been asking me to make it for them every time I visit. The recipe comes form a book called "Neue Torten" or "new cakes" and it includes a lot of very yummy looking cakes. Some of them are rather advanced, but I promise you, this cake isn't. And you don't have to have an oven - just room in your fridge. 

Here's the recipe:
For the base:
100g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter
250g (9 oz) biscuits like ladyfingers or Leibniz biscuits if you can get hold of them

For the filling: 
6 sheets white gelatin (10g) 
350g (12.3 oz) cream cheese
150g (5.3 oz; 2/3 cup) white sugar
2 eggs
2 organic limes
300g (10.5 oz) whipping cream

lime quarters and lemon balm, to decorate (optional)

1) Grease a 26cm (10 inch) spring tin. Place the butter for the base in a saucepan or small pot and melt it over low heat. Place the biscuits in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add the crumbled biscuits to the melted butter and fill in the tin. Try to level as evenly as you can and press with your hands. 

2) Place the spring tin in the fridge for about 1 to 2 hours. 

3) Soak the gelatin sheets in a little cold water. Grate the zest from the limes and squeeze the juice in a small pot. Add the cream cheese and sugar to a large bowl and mix. One by one, add the eggs and lime zest. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff. 

4) Squeeze the soaked gelatin and place it in the pot with the lime juice. Dissolve the gelatin in the lime juice over low heat, constantly stirring. 

5) Add the lime juice with the dissolved gelatin to the cream cheese-mixture while stirring or with the motor of your kitchen machine running. Fold the whipped cream into the rest of the filling. Put the filling on the cold bottom and try to level it creating a smooth surface. Put the cake back in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours until completely set. Decorate with quartered limes and lemon balm, if you like to.

Yield: 12 to 16 slices, depending on how you cut
Active preparation time: about 30 minutes
Total preparation time: 5 hours 30 minutes
© Copyright: Neue Torten, Zabert Sandmann, p. 20.

Here's how the cake looks:  

I am sorry, the picture was taken at night as I had friends over for a belated birthday party and as we wanted to dig right in, I couldn't get hold of a better picture, but trust me, this cake is absolutely amazing. The recipe I shared with you is my slightly adjusted version. The original recipe calls for letting the cream cheese mixture with the added gelatin sit for 30 minutes before folding in the whipped cream. When I tried it this way, the cream cheese mixture had started to firm up and folding in the whipped cream was not an option. So the version I share with you in this post, is my tried-and-tested version of it. I hope you have fun trying this recipe and relish eating it as much as my friends and I did.

Have fun trying and enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Hi guys!

It's Monday again already - time flies at the moment, but I'm not doing much else besides studying, sports and eating - and the occasional baking to relax of course. Today, I want to share a recipe with you I've made during the weekend to wake up to something that would instantly cheer me up in the morning and get me ready for a long day. The recipe is from Cynthia Barcomi's latest book "Let's bake" and the results are just wonderful, so have a go yourself! 

Here's the recipe:

1kg (35 oz; 6 + 2/3 cups) flour
14g (0.5 oz, 2 sachets) dry yeast
45g (2 tablespoons) sugar
15g (1 small tablespoon) salt
530ml (18 fl. oz) warm water
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
100g (3.5 oz) raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
40g (2 tablespoons) sugar, to add to the cooking water
4 tablespoons polenta, for the baking tray

1) In a large bowl, combine the flour, dry yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Add the water. 

2) Using a kitchen machine or hand-held mixer, knead the dough with kneading hooks for about 4 minutes. Turn the dough onto your kitchen surface and knead it with your hands for a little bit. It will be a little stiff, but it has to be this way, so don't worry. 

3) In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of sugar and raising with 1 tablespoon water, add to the dough and mix until everything is combined. 

4) Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5) Preheat the oven to 215°C (420°F). Fill a large pot with water add 2 tablespoons of sugar and bring to the boil. Split the dough into 110g (3.9 oz) portions. Roll each part until it is a long roll and you can wrap it around you hand with a little excess. To close the circle, roll the end under your hand with a little pressure. Make sure you enclose them nicely, otherwise your bagels will start opening while boiling. Place the bagels onto a baking tray and let them rest for another 15 minutes.

6) When the water is boiling, put as many bagels in as will fit without them touching each other. Cook for 2 minutes. Take out of the water and put on the baking tray. Repeat until all bagels are cooked.

7) Bake the bagels for 15 minutes or until golden. 

Yield: 14 bagels
Active preparation time: about 30 minutes
Total preparation time: about 2 hours
© Copyright: Cynthia Barcomi, "Let's bake", p. 66.

Here's how mine turned out:

I didn't find it too hard forming the bagels, it took a bit more determination to close the circle though. Don't be too hazardous or they are going to open. With a little rolling and pressing, you will be able to close them. I hope you'll love the results as much as I did - I couldn't resist trying them warm and spread with peanut butter. 

Have fun trying and enjoy your week! 

Banana Walnut Muffin

Hi guys!

Soo, it's Monday and I have a sweet vegan treat for you to help you start your week right. I know, can muffins ever be good for you? Well, these contain healtier flours and nutrious bananas and walnuts so I think they might be better for you than the average chocolate muffin. The recipe comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's "Notes to my kitchen table", one of my go-to books if I want recipes for a healthy treat. 

Here's the recipe:
4 (or 6) tablespoons rapeseed oil
125g (4.4 oz; 3/4 cup) whole spelt flour
100g (3.5 oz; 2/3 cup) white spelt flour
60g (2.1 oz; a good 1/3 cup) barley flour (or buckwheat)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
3 very ripe banana
125ml (4 fl.oz; 1/2 cup) maple syrup
4 tablespoons brown rice syrup (or 3 parts honey + 1 part water; equal parts light agave nectar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
85g (3 oz) raisins
60g (2.1 oz) toasted walnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or oil them with the two additional tablespoons of rapeseed oil. Chop the walnuts and toast them in a pan. 

2) Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl. Purée the bananas in a food processor or blender and then add 4 tablespoons of rapeseed oil, syrups and vanilla and pulse to combine. 

3) Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir just to combine and fold in the raisins and walnuts (don't overmix or you will have tough muffins!). 

4) Use an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter evenly among the muffin sections.

5) Bake for approx. 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. 

Yield: 12 muffins
Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 45 minutes
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Notes from my kitchen table", p. 226

Here's how mine look:

These muffins are not as sweet as a "regular" muffin, but they have lots of flavour anyways. I particularly love the stronger taste of the flours to balance the sweetness of the banana. The raisins turn into soft, moist pieces and the walnuts add crunch as well as deep nutty flavour from toasting them. It really does make a difference, so don't skip the toasting. I have a hard time finding barley flour, so I substituted buckwheat flour and it worked beautifully. Both flours, barley and buckwheat, contain eight essential amino acids and are gluten free. I also can't find brown rice syrup, but I do always have agave nectar in my baking ingredient box, so this is a good substitute. If you can't find any wherever you live, substitute honey (it makes the muffins vegetarian instead of vegan, but works just as well). 

Have fun trying!

mixed mushroom baked risotto

Hi guys!

Soo, another Monday has come along and, even though it is Pentecost monday, I don't want to break with tradition and introduce you to another vegetarian recipe. This week's recipe is not very fancy nor is it work-intense but it is the kind of food you're looking forward to after a long day of studying, in my case. As some of you know, I am a big fan of Donna Hay's version of a baked risotto as it is so incredibly easy but giving you all the comfort of "real" risotto. To make it vegetarin: use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock (as I always do). Here's the link to today's recipe: https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/dinners/mixed-mushroom-baked-risotto

Again, a few super simple steps and you're sitting in front of a perfect lunch or dinner.

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Slice the mushrooms. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter, oil, garlic and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden.

2) Place the rice, vegetable (!) stock and mushroom mixture in a 10 cup (2,5 l) capacity baking dish and stir to combine.

3) Cover tightly with foil - remember to put the glossy side on the inside as it would reflect part of the warmth whereas the dull side will channel the warmth. Bake for 40 minutes or until most of the stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente. 

4) Add the parmesan, butter, salt and pepper and stir until the butter is melted. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4 (as a main dish, approx. 6 to 8 as a side)
Active preparation time: max. 10 minutes
Total preparation time: about 50 minutes

Here's how my dinner looked:

The mushrooms get a lot of flavor from slowly browning in the pan before cooking along the rice so they can pass it to the risotto while baking. I personally omitted the garlic as I don't like the taste as much and it works just as well. This dish is super easy yet incredibly satisfying and flavourful and one of my absolute comfort foods. 

Have a great week and have fun trying!

Grilled Salmon with home-made teriyaki sauce

Hi guys!

With my exams around the corner, I am always trying to eat healthy and comforting food in order to keep me motivated and give my body and brain everything they need to perform at their best. I was craving fish today, especially salmon. I don't eat a lot of salmon as it is rather high in fat, but this recipe is just too good to skip. It's from Gwyneth Paltrow's "Notes from my kitchen table" and super super easy. 

Here's the recipe:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger
2 sprigs fresh coriander
4 175g salmon fillets without skin
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, for serving (optional)

1) Combine the soy sauce, mirin, honey, water, ginger and coriander in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool down. 

2) Once it's cool, pour into a large bowl or plastic bag and add the washed salmon. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight. 

3) When you're ready to eat, preheat the grill. (I used the grill in the oven and preheated it on 250°C (482°F))

4) Put the salmon on a heavy baking sheet with whatever sauce adheres to it and grill until cooked to your liking, 7-8 minutes. While it's cooking, strain the extra sauce into a clean saucepan, bring to the boil, and let it reduce. 

5) To serve, drizzle the cooked salmon with some of the extra sauce and a sprinkle of chives. 

Serves: 4 
Active preparation time: 20 minutes
Total preparation time: 1 1/2 hours up to overnight
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrown, "Notes from my kitchen table", p. 177.

Here's how my salmon looks like:

I served it along some Basmati rice which I also drizzled with a little sauce. I cooked the salmon for 7 minutes and it turned out perfectly cooked with a tiny bit of a medium core, just the way it is supposed to be. Tastewise, the salmon gets a beautiful mixture of sweetness from the honey, spiciness from the ginger and saltiness from the soy sauce. The sauce that adhered to the salmon while grilling, caramelizes and turns into a light crust on the fish. This recipe is super easy and pretty fool-proof as you don't have to pan-fry the fish which I find difficult with any fish that's thicker on one end than on the other. Just stick it in the oven and it'll turn out wonderful every single time. 

Have fun trying and enjoy the (long) weekend!

Yoghurt Pot Cake

Hi guys!

Well, it's Monday so I guess you know what this means. I know I vowed to get to you a little more often this year, but with exams coming up (yup, I'm a student) things are a little crazy. This lets me to explain why I chose something sweet for this week's post. Whenever I have to learn and concentrate, I start craving sweets and the easiest way for me to keep a good conscience, or try to at least, is to bake the stuff I eat myself so I know what gets into it. Today's recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's "Nigellisima" or "Genießen auf Italienisch", as the german version is called and is perfect for spring of summer as this cake is wonderfully refreshing. 

Here's the recipe:
150ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
3 eggs
150g (5 oz) plain yoghurt
250g (8.8 oz; 1 cup + 1 tablespoon) white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
grated zest from 1/2 organic lemon
175g (6 oz; 1 cup + 1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour
75g (2.5 oz) cornstarch
1 teaspoon confectioner's sugar, for dusting

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a 22cm spring tin with a whole in the middle and dust with flour.

2) Separate the eggs. Beat the eggwhites until stiff and set aside. 

3) Combine the eggyolks with the sugar and yoghurt and beat for about 5 minutes until significantly lighter in colour and airy in texture.

4) With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract. 

5) Add the flour and cornstarch and mix until combined. Carefully fold in the eggwhites. 

6) Fill the tin with the dough and bake for 30-35 minutes until cooked when tested with a skewer. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. 
© Copyright: Nigella Lawson, "Genießen auf Italienisch", p. 199

Active preparation time: about 20 minutes
Total preparation time: 50 minutes

Here's how mine looks:

I didn't manage to snap a picture of a slice because as soon as the cake was halfway cooling down, I started eating... The texture is wonderfully soft and each bite almost melting. The yoghurt makes the cake beautifully moist and the lemon adds just the right amount of freshness. You could try to make the cake in a small (maybe like 18cm) spring tin, but you would have to adjust the baking time as there's no whole. Or you could use a bundt cake tin. The batter would probably fill it by half. Whatever way you decide to give this recipe a try:

Have fun trying and have a great week!

Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano

Hi guys!

Meat free monday time and I decided to get summer, or spring maybe, on my plate even though it is grey outside and probably going to rain sometime today. Today's recipe comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's "Notes from my Kitchen Table" and I have had an eye on it for a while. I remember trying it a first time right when the book was published and I wasn't so convinced back then, but after giving it another shot, I am in lemon pasta heaven so there was no way not sharing it with you.

Here's the recipe:

350g (12.3oz) spaghetti
salt
1 lemon
100g (3.5 oz) parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-5 tablespoons of pasta water, to thin
Handful fresh basil leaves, to serve

1) Boil the spaghetti in salted boiling water, according to packet directions. 

2) Meanwhile, using a grater, grate the zest from the lemon into a bowl. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. 

3) Grate the parmesan, add it to the bowl along with pepper and a pinch of salt and mix in the olive oil to form a wet paste.

4) When the spaghetti is perfectly cooked, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the cooking water to the lemon and cheese mixture. Add the spaghetti to the bowl and toss thoroughly, adding another tablespoon or 2 of pasta water if necessary so that the sauce coats each strand. Roughly tear the basil leaves.

5) Serve each portion with a sprinkle of coarse salt, a grind of black pepper and a few grating of extra Parmesan. 

Serves: 4
Active preparation time: 5 minutes
Total preparation time: about 15 minutes
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Notes from my Kitchen Table", p. 128.

Here's how mine looks:

It might not be the most interesting dish with regards to the colour, although when you get close enough, you can see hints of bright yellow from the lemon zest, the black pepper of course and white grated parmesan cheese. I love this recipe, because you can assemble the sauce in the time it takes for the pasta to cook and even though it is basically no work, you are rewarded with lots of summery flavour. The lemon adds a really nice sourness and freshness, pepper makes it a little fiery and the parmesan adds creaminess and saltiness. So if you are sitting in the rain and want to get sunshine on your plate, this could be your new go-to recipe. Or if you are sitting in the plain sun enjoying lunch or dinner on the terrace. 

Anyways, have fun trying and have a good week!

Maple Huckleberry Coffee Cake

Hi guys!

So, it's Monday and I have wanted to bake a few things again and share this recipe with you for a maple huckleberry coffee cake. I love this recipe, because it is not too sweet and adds a fruity touch. I found the recipe on 101cookbooks.com and tried it some time ago. Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/maple-huckleberry-coffee-cake-recipe.html

Here's how mine turned out:

I have to apologize for the picture: the cake was eaten quite fast by friends and family and I could only rescue a small piece to get a picture. I did not end up with as much crumb mixture and some of it almost combined itself with the rest of the dough, but I didn't mind. It is about the soft sweetness the cake I really love in combination with a little rougher taste from using whole-weat flour. I hope you are going to like the cake as much as I do and it is a great treat if you are looking for something to help feed you sweet tooth while being a little better for you than average cake. 

Have fun trying and have a good week!