Almond and Lemon Biscotti

Hi guys!


It's the time of year again when you can meet friends at for coffee outdoors and spend time drinking lattes, cappuccinos - enjoying life. I love something to nibble on with coffee, but I don't want an entire piece of cake. Biscotti or cantuccini are twice baked cookies originating in Italy. They are traditionally served with espresso or any coffee. My recipe is from Cynthia Barcomi's cookbook "I love Baking". You can buy very good quality cantuccini at any grocery store in Europe, but I like the idea of making my own and adding ingredients I love like chocolate, almonds, pistachios or dried fruit.  


Here's the recipe:


250g (1 + 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
150g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon anise (if you like, I left it out)


60g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
lemon zest from one lemon


100g (3 3/4oz; about 1 cup) almond slivers


1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (365°F). Line a tray with baking paper. 


2) Mix the butter, eggs and lemon zest in a bowl. Sift in the flour and baking powder and add sugar, salt and anise (if used). Stir to combine. Stir in the almond slivers (I chopped them roughly). 


3) Divide the dough in two equal parts. Form each half into a rectangle (about 8x6 inches; 22x6 cm) on the baking tray. Make sure you flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick to them. 


4) Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes. Afterwards, let it rest on the baking tray for 20 minutes. 


5) Put the rectangles on a cutting board and cut it into 1.5cm (0.6 inch) wide slices. Put the slices back on the baking tray, cutting side up. 


6) Bake at 170°C (338°F) for another 7 minutes. Turn the biscotti and bake them for 7 more minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack. You can bake the biscotti one week ahead and store them in an airtight container. 
© Copyright: Cynthia Barcomi, "I love Baking"


This is how the rectangles look after baking:

Sunny side up:

Here's how the finished Bicotti look like:

I like this recipe, because it is super easy and pretty fool-proof. Cynthia advises to first combine the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients. She also forgoes the flour-sifting. I like to sift flour because it makes sure that you don't end with lumps and it takes basically not time. Mixing dry ingredients into wet ingredients can be difficult, because the dough might lump, but if you sift your dry ingredients beforehand, it works just as well. The lemon zest adds nice freshness to the biscotti while the almond and sugar combined are giving the biscotti their characteristic marzipan-esque flavor. These biscottis make a great addition to your afternoon break - whether you enjoy them plain, with coffee or tea.

Have fun trying!

Date and Ginger Pancakes with Apple Butter

Hi guys!


It's summertime, but raining in Switzerland and a pretty awful, cold day which is why I was looking for something comforting to eat today. The new winter issue of Donna Hay magazine came in very handy. It features a really nice spread with recipes containing ginger and as I love ginger, I decided on a recipe for date and ginger pancakes and apple butter (for lunch). 


Here is the recipe:


For the apple butter:


4 apples (Granny smith or any sour kind)
1/2 cup (110g) superfine sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
80g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (80g) icing sugar


1) Peel and dice the apples. Place the water, sugar and apples in a saucepan and cook for 15-20 minutes or until softened.


2) Combine the butter and icing sugar in a bowl, strain in the apple mixture using a sieve to get rid of the pieces. Refrigerate until needed.


For the pancakes:


10 fresh dates
1/4 cup (60ml) boiling water
1 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (110g) superfine sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 eggs, separated
1 cup (250ml) buttermilk


1) Chop the dates and place them in a bowl, pouring the boiling water over them. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then purée it until smooth.


2) Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and ginger in a bowl and mix. Add the egg yolks and buttermilk and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the eggwhites through the batter.


3) Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook 1/3 cup (80ml) of the mixture for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining mixture.


4) To serve, drizzle the pancakes with honey and top with a piece of apple butter.


Serves 4-6 (Yield: ca. 24 pancakes)
© Copyright: Donna Hay magazine, June/ July 2012 Issue, inspired


I used a 1/4 cup (60ml) of batter for one pancake, which worked nicely. The yield refers to the amount using 1/4 cup. I also topped my pancakes with maple syrup instead of honey. 


Here is how mine turned out:

The pancakes are wonderfully thick and fluffy. The combination of sweet dates and spicy ground ginger definitely brightens up plain-old pancakes and adds a new and unexpected twist to an everyday basic. I especially like the slight hint of apple the butter takes on that complements date and ginger perfectly. It may not be the ideal summer recipe, but it certainly can turn a rainy day around!


Have fun trying! 

Strawberry Muffins

Hi guys! 


Yesterday has been another Meat Free Monday and I didn't only want to concentrate on regular warm dishes, but on dessert as well. As a lot of desserts ask for eggs, butter and milk you can cook and bake them for vegetarian friends, but not for vegans. The muffins I am showing you today are vegan but don't sacrifice any flavor. Another plus is they are baked without sugar but maple syrup and light agave nectar. These two natural sweeteners are pretty low on the glycaemic index so you won't get super hungry after eating them, because maple syrup and agave nectar won't increase your blood sugar level as much as regular sugar does. 


The recipe is from Gwyneth Paltrow's cook book "My father's daughter" or "Notes from my Kitchen Table", as the UK version is called. I know what you might be thinking right now. "An actress writing a cook book? How is that going to turn out?" I came across it a few months ago in a book shop and got curious. As I started skimming through, I found that a lot of the recipes sounded very interesting and good. I also liked the idea of using healthier alternatives in some recipes and bought the book. When I started cooking the recipes at home I was immediately falling in love. All the recipes I have been trying so far (almost all of them) have worked wonderfully and tasted great. Another positive aspect is that Gwyneth not only indicates the preparation time, but splits it in active and total preparation time so you can choose your recipes depending on how much time you've got.


Here's the recipe:


1/2 cup (125ml) soy milk
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil (I used rapeseed oil)
1/2 cup (125ml) maple syrup
4 tablespoons light agave nectar


2/3 cup (100g) white spelt flour
3/4 cup (125g) whole spelt flour (make sure the cup is packed)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt


300g (10 oz) strawberries (the original recipe uses blueberries, but you can substitute any fruit you like)


Yield: 12 muffins; Active preparation time: 15 minutes (20 if you chop strawberries); Total preparation time: 45 minutes


1) Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Chop the strawberries.


2) Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and combine.


2) Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir the wet ingredients in the dry until just combined. Be careful not to beat the dough too much.


4) Fold in the strawberries. Divide the dough equally between the muffin cases. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. 
© Copyright: Gwyneth Paltrow "Notes from my Kitchen Table", healthier version of the blueberry muffins, p. 230


Here's how mine turned out:

These muffins are not as sweet as regular muffins when you bake them with sugar. Don't expect them to be really sweet, they are a little more savory. If you are looking for muffins that are not sticky-sweet, these are perfect for you. Make sure you are using spelt flour. It is a little different in taste, but it is easier to digest although not gluten-free. If you are looking for gluten-free muffins, try substituting buckwheat flour. 

Have fun trying!

Pasta with Mint Pesto

Hi guys!


It's Meat Free Monday again! I am going to try and introduce you to vegetarian as well as vegan recipes in order to show you how tasty meat-free dishes can be. I am a big pasta lover, so I'm always trying to find new recipes for pasta sauces or interesting vegetable combinations to pair my pasta with. 


I've come across this recipe in Donna Hay's book "Fast, Fresh, Simple". I have been trying to find it online, but it is not available on Donna's website or via Lifestyle Channel that airs the accompanying show. So here is the recipe:


90g (3 oz) mint leaves 
45 g (1 1/2oz) flat parsley leaves
25g (1 oz) parmesan
40g (1 1/2 oz) peeled almonds
1 garlic clove
80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
(1 pinch salt)
(1/2 teaspoon honey)


Combine the leaves, parmesan, almonds and garlic in a blender. Blend until pretty smooth. Add the olive oil slowly while blending. Season with ground pepper. Serve with spaghetti. I slightly altered the recipe by adding a little bit of salt and some honey to create a little more depth of flavor as well as using less olive oil. The original recipe calls for 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil, but I find the olive oil too dominant should you use that much. I added 3 tablespoons of pasta water to thin the pesto before combining it with my cooked pasta.
© inspired by: Donna Hay "Fast, Fresh Simple", Pasta with Mint Pesto


Here's how mine turned out:

I love the freshness the mint is adding to this new spin on classic pesto. It's a great way to live up your everyday dishes with an unexpected taste. The recipe says it serves 2, but I find that the pesto should be enough for at least 4 people. Simply load an empty jam glass with the leftover pesto and store in the fridge. It should keep well for up to one week.

Have fun trying and tell me about your favorite summer dishes!

Banana Bread

Hi guys!


You might have noticed that I am a big sweets lover... It doesn't always have to be rich, sugary and heavy cakes - a piece of loaf cake or a wholeweat muffin will do the job just as well. This is why I got excited when my sister, who is working in London, UK, as an au-pair this year, introduced me to classic Banana Bread. The combination of sweet cake and fresh fruit is something you just have to love. 


The recipe I have tried is by Cynthia Barcomi. She is originally american, but has been living in Berlin for years now. In Berlin, she owns a coffee roasters and a deli that I visit every day whenever I am in Berlin. I'm not joking. As soon as I am spending a week or only a couple of days in Berlin, I am going there once a day. They offer the best sandwiches, muffins and cakes I can imagine as well as great coffee. I especially like their flavored coffee. Instead of using tons of syrup to your coffee that makes it almost too sweet to stand, they have infused their coffee beans with aromas. Your coffee will have a hint of aroma. 


The recipe I've tried comes from Cynthia's book "I love Baking". As the book is in german, I am trying to translate the recipe for you.


Ingredients:
125g (4 oz; 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g (5.3 oz; 2/3 cup) sugar


2 eggs
1 vanilla bean
4-5 bananas (about 400g; 14 oz); smashed
300g (10 oz; 2 cups) flour 
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg


60g (2.1 oz) chopped walnuts


Preparation:
1) Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F). Grease a cake tin and dust with flour.


2) Beat the butter and sugar in a kitchen machine for about two minutes until light and creamy. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat for another two minutes.


3) Mix in the mashed banana using a wooden spoon. Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon powder and nutmeg and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts. Spoon the dough into the cake tin. 


4) Bake for 50-60 minutes until cooked when tested with a skewer. Let it rest in the tin for 10 minutes then retrieve it from the tin and leave it to cool on a kitchen rack.


(Copyright ©: Cynthia Barcomi, "I love Baking")


Here is how my bread turned out:

My bread only took 50 minutes to bake, whereas the original recipe suggests 60 minutes baking time. You can vary your banana bread any way you like adding chopped chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins or other dried fruit or nuts. I added chopped walnuts, but you can omit them. 


Have fun trying this comforting classic and let me know if your efforts bear fruit!

Spinach, Fetta and Pine Nut Baked Risotto

Hi guys!


I want to share another recipe for Meat Free Monday with you. Again, it's a vegetarian not a vegan dish, but I think that is well enough. I will try to come up with a few vegan alternatives some time soon. Today's recipe is spinach, feta and pine nut baked risotto by Donna Hay. As my monday was rather busy, I needed something I could whip up fast, something that was going to be as easy as possible, because my mood for cooking was rather low. I searched my fridge and I still had leftover fresh spinach leaves and feta cheese I needed to use. Pine nuts are one of my cupboard samples. I try to have some around at any time, because they live up a lot of recipes.


Here's the link to today's recipe: http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/mains/pasta-rice/spinach-fetta-and-pine-nut-baked-risotto


And here is how my risotto turned out:

The best is: you are only a couple of steps away...


1) Preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F). Add risotto rice and stock (whatever kind you like, I used vegetable instead of chicken stock) to a baking dish. Cover with foil and put in the oven.


2) Bake for 40 minutes. In the meantime grate the parmesan and roast the pine nuts.


3) When the risotto is baked, take it out of the oven and stir it, add the parmesan, spinach, pine nuts and feta. You can add it by roughly crumbling it in. Stir to combine and serve.


I skipped the butter in the recipe, because I feel like the parmesan adds enough texture and the slightly molten feta adds creaminess as well. I also used 50g parmesan instead of 80g and it was plenty. I didn't want the parmesan to take center stage, but to complement the other ingredients by creating the texture. I love that the recipe uses fresh spinach leaves as they are going to wilt when you add them to the hot risotto. They maintain a good bite though, because they haven't been thawed or cooked before and thereby add a little crunch. This recipe is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner, especially when it has to be easy and fool-proof. The whole amount is probably going to be enough for 5 or 6 servings. 


Have fun trying!

Fresh Ginger & Lemon Muffins

Hi guys!


As I already mentioned in my last blog, the weather is starting to become warmer again and I am starting to cook and bake dishes that are summer-appropriate. For me this represents light dishes involving fresh fruit and vegetables as there is such a variety starting to become available now. And let's be honest: is there anything better than a muffin with fresh, incredibly sweet strawberries or other fruit? 


So this week, I have decided to go with a recipe that expresses the freshness of late spring and early summer just perfectly: fresh ginger and lemon muffins from Cynthia Barcomi's "I love baking". As the recipe is written in german, I am trying my best to translate it using the right measurements.


Here's the recipe:


2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon (385g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 pinch salt
1 stick (125g; 4 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup (150g) sugar
2 eggs
lemon zest from one lemon
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 cup (250ml; 8 fl. oz) buttermilk
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar


1) Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease it.


2) Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a small bowl.


3) In a second bowl beat the butter and sugar using a blender or kitchen machine until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and whisk for another 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and ginger, then add the buttermilk and whisk to combine. Mix in the flour whisking as little as possible.


4) Fill the dough in the muffin tin. Make sure they are equally full. Bake for about 18 minutes until cooked (my muffins needed 23 minutes until perfectly cooked) and test with a skewer. 


5) Let the muffins rest in the tin for 10 minutes. In the meantime, combine the lemon juice with the sugar in small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Using a metal skewer or a toothpick, hole the muffins at several places. Pour the syrup over the muffins. You want to make sure they're soaked with syrup.


Yield: 12 muffins


Here is how mine turned out:

What I love most about these muffins is that they are not just sweet. With the lemon zest in the dough and lemon syrup on top, they have a great refreshing taste to them. It took about 30 minutes active preparation time, because a few things needed grating. My muffin cases were filled completely with dough, but they didn't run out to the side, but rose nicely. 


I hope you can enjoy a few summery days from wherever in the world you are visiting the blog and are getting inspired! I tried the first muffins in beautiful sunshine outside:

Have fun trying!