text:
I've always believed that one's love for food is a growing thing: the more you eat, the more you love food (if it is good, obviously).
My sister, for instance, grew up eating different kinds of food, from salads to cake, and nowadays she is not afraid to try something new – she might not like it, but at least she'll give it a try before saying no. I like to think that she got that from me, that I played an important part in the past so she hasn't become a picky adult.
My husband, on the other hand, was picky for many, many years and I'm glad he's been leaving that behind. I'm glad it's been a natural thing for him and that I have never forced anything – I think that's the kind of discovery worth doing on one's own.
I will say, however, that cooking is nowadays much more pleasant.
He's come from "I don't like fish" and "is there cilantro in this???" to making suggestions to recipes: as I flipped through Carluccio's cookbook the other day, I showed him a beautiful photo of spaghetti with a vegetable sauce (I'm not the only visual person in the family), then waited for his reaction – he said "that looks good – why don't you add some cherry tomatoes to it?"
That coming from the guy who used to avoid tomatoes of all kinds like the plague. :)
So I made the pasta and followed Joao's suggestion, but roasted the cherry tomatoes till they were soft and tender – that way they would mingle with the spaghetti better. His idea was pretty delicious, I have to say. :)
Wholemeal pasta with vegetable sauce
slightly adapted from the wonderful Pasta: The Essential New Collection from the Master of Italian Cookery
200g cherry tomatoes
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g dried wholemeal spaghetti
handful fresh basil leaves, torn
60g parmesan, freshly grated
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and very finely chopped
2 celery stalks, very finely chopped
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, finely chopped
Preheat the grill in the oven. Cut the cherry tomatoes lengthwise and place them cut side up onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for about 10 minutes or until soft. Set aside.
In the meantime, make the sauce: heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry all the vegetables until soft, 10-15 minutes – season with salt and pepper halfway through the cooking time.
Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water for about 8–10 minutes (follow the instructions on the packet), or until al dente. Drain, save some of the cooking water, and mix the spaghetti with the sauce, basil and parmesan (the cheese will make the sauce creamier) – add a bit of the cooking water if necessary. Transfer to warmed plates, top with the cherry tomatoes and serve at once.
Serves 4
Friday, August 22, 2014
Wholemeal pasta with vegetable sauce - food with my husband's suggestion
I've always believed that one's love for food is a growing thing: the more you eat, the more you love food (if it is good, obviously).
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Citrus blueberry cake (with buckwheat flour) and a piece of advice
You guys know that I don't really need an excuse to bake a lemon cake – if I didn't like trying new recipes so much I would probably have a lemon cake sitting on my kitchen counter every weekend. :)
As silly as it might sound, having baked goods on my kitchen counter is one of the things that make me really happy. :)
When I saw this beautiful recipe for an orange cake freckled with blueberries I decided to add lemon to the mix, making it a citrus cake instead. The cake turned out delicious – both oranges and lemons are wonderful paired with blueberries – very tender and also pretty from being baked in a tart pan.
I did, however, used a pan 1cm smaller than the one called for in the recipe – do I like living dangerously? I wonder – and for the first 20 minutes in the oven I kept checking to see if the batter had overflown. Luckily it didn't and the cake turned out fine, but if you don't want to worry like I did use a slightly larger pan – or... :)
Citrus blueberry cake
slightly adapted from Margaret Fulton Baking: The Ultimate Sweet and Savory Baking Collection
250g all purpose flour
50g buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt
250g granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 orange
finely grated zest + the juice of 1 lemon
130g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
200g fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a deep 22cm round loose-based flan pan or cake pan*, line the bottom with a circle of baking paper and butter the paper as well. Dust it all with flour and remove the excess.
Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, zest, juice and butter and mix until combined. Spoon into the prepared pan. Top with half of the blueberries and bake for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle over the remaining blueberries and bake for another 20 minutes (my cake needed 35 minutes in the oven after the second batch of blueberries were added).
Cool in the pan for 25 minutes, then carefully remove the outer ring of the pan. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
* the tart pan I used is 21x4cm and the batter almost overflew – I recommend using a slightly larger pan
Serves 8
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Eggplant turnovers and the wonderful Internet
The Internet, this wonderful thing: while reading a text on feminism (too bad it's not in English, I would gladly recommend it to Shailene Woodley), I got to a video of George Carlin - I don't know why on earth I did not know this genius man, and I'm really glad that has been corrected now.
On my daily visits to IMDb I learned that Raymond "Red" Reddington is coming back soon, on September 22nd, to be more precise. \0/
I saw the first teaser for the last season of Sons of Anarchy, and it is amazing.
I learned that Jason Reitman might actually make me like a movie with Adam Sandler – I'm in awe with the beauty of this trailer. <3
And I also came across these eggplant turnovers, a recipe by Dan Lepard (someone who usually doesn't disappoint when it comes to food), and I have to tell you: the husband and I weren't too thrilled about the filling – it tasted good, but sort of bland – but this pastry is absolutely fantastic: very flaky and tasty. It is made in a similar way to the rye pastry I adore so much, and all that folding and turning really transform already good pastry into something even better.
I might not have been too happy with this eggplant filling (despite my love for the veggie), but this pastry is worth making again with different fillings – it might become my official empanada pastry instead of the one I posted here a while ago.
Eggplant turnovers
slightly adapted from Dan Lepard
2 medium eggplants (about 700g total)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g ricotta – I used homemade
2 chopped spring onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
200g all purpose flour
100g whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
100g unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1cm cubes
½ cup (120ml) cold water
1 egg, beaten with a fork, for brushing
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Halve the eggplants lengthwise and place them onto the foil cut side down. Prick them all over with a fork, piercing the skin. Bake for 1 hour.
Scrape out the flesh, spoon into a sieve over a bowl with ½ a teaspoon of salt and drain for an hour. Stir in the ricotta, onions and oregano. Let it drain again.
In the meantime, make the dough: put the flour and salt in a bowl, stir in the parsley, and rub in the oil and butter. Add the cold water, coax into a rough dough and chill for 30 minutes. Using extra flour, roll out to a rough 40x15cm (16x6in) rectangle, fold in by thirds (as if you were folding a letter), repeat the roll and fold, then wrap and chill for another 30 minutes. Repeat the double roll and fold steps twice more at 30-minute intervals. Roll the dough about 3mm thick and cut into 12 squares.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Season the filling, discard the liquid, and spoon a little onto each pastry square. Seal like pasties, place onto the sheet, brush with eggwash and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Makes 12
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Quinoa choc chip cookies and things stuck in my head
Some movies have such great soundtracks that after I watch them I catch myself singing or humming the songs for days in a row (sometimes I listen to them on a daily basis for months, too).
I watched The Color of Money last Sunday and now I can't get It's In The Way That You Use It out of my head – but to be honest the song is so great I'm not even trying to let it go, really. :)
I once read that when Tom Cruise started to pursue acting as a career he made a list with the names of great directors he wanted to work with, people like Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott and Oliver Stone – time went by, he became a star (if you're my age you probably remember his sex symbol status and how the girls went crazy over him) and he managed to cross many names – if not all of them – off that list. I don't think he's all that as an actor - he's done some good things, in the end he's irregular -, but I admire the guy for setting the bar so high right at the beginning of his career – like Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon after him, Cruise could have taken the heartthrob route and stayed there very comfortably.
But I digress – I was telling you about a song that got stuck in my head. And there was a recipe that I kept thinking about, too, I had it in my mind for weeks – these quinoa choc chip cookies. I had used quinoa flakes in a granola recipe but did not like the result very much: I thought the flavor wasn't all that. But after tasting the granola again I found that the problem with it was the lack of some sort of fat, not the quinoa flakes so I decided to give the ingredient another chance, this time in cookie form – it was a hit with family and friends. I highly recommend using dark chocolate here, 70% if at all possible, since its bitter flavor compliments the sweetness of the cookie dough beautifully.
Getting songs out of our head might be a bit tricky sometimes, but for recipes the solution seems to be simpler: a trip to the kitchen and you'll know if it's any good (and stop being curious about it). :)
Quinoa choc chip cookies
slightly adapted from the wonderful Supergrains: Cook Your Way to Great Health
130g unsalted butter, softened
65g light brown sugar
65g granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
110g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
110g quinoa flakes
200g dark chocolate, chopped – I used one with 70% cocoa solids
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugars until pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low to combine. Stir in the quinoa flakes and chocolate.
Place 2 leveled tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, 5cm (2in) apart. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, than bake until golden brown around the edges, 12-15 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then slide the paper with the cookies onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 22
Monday, August 18, 2014
Cheese straws for hungry friends
As someone who loves food, I always make sure that my friends have something to eat the minute they enter my house – I believe that nothing like a drink and something to snack on to make one feel welcome. :)
I like to serve something small enough to be eaten without cutlery and without much mess either, and tiny portions so everyone is still hungry when dinner is served. I made these cheese straws the other day, when I had a couple of friends over for pizza, and they turned out delicious and flaky.
I baked the straws in the afternoon and kept them in an airtight container. When my friends arrived, I just arranged the straws in glasses and served them with drinks – no more hungry guests. :)
Cheese straws
slightly adapted from the lovely and delicious National Trust Simply Baking
155g all purpose flour
70g whole wheat flour
115g unsalted butter, cold and diced
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
85g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 egg, beaten
½ egg, beaten with a fork
dried oregano, to taste
Place the flours, cheese, salt and pepper into the food processor and blitz to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in the egg 1 ½ tablespoons of the ice water and, with the motor running, pour this into the mixture and stop processing as soon as the crumbs begin to hold together – add more water if necessary, but do it gradually.
Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and gather the dough together with your hands. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Roll half the dough about 5mm (¼in) thick (keep the other half in the fridge) - the pastry needs to be thick enough to twist without breaking. Trim the edges and cut into strips, each about 15cm (6in) long and 1cm (½in) wide. Gently twist each strip and lay onto the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining pastry. Re-roll the trimmings and repeat until you've used all the dough and made around 40 straws.
Carefully brush all the straws with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the dried oregano. Chill for 15 minutes, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the sheets over a wire rack.
They will keep for a few days in an airtight can.
Makes about 40
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Chocolate orange financiers and going for something slightly different
I used to think that I was immune to gore – David Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors, after all – but I might be getting less resistant to it as I get older: I haven't been able to continue watching Hannibal (I saw two episodes of season 2 months ago) and I gave up on The Knick after only fifteen minutes. :S
I intend to go back to both series (very soon, I hope) but I can't imagine myself watching them now. Days ago I was looking for something different, even if ever so slightly, and started watching Betrayal, the reason being my love for Night Stalker, a TV show I watched years ago (to this day I haven't met anyone who watched it, too).
Night Stalker got canceled in a heartbeat, and Betrayal won't have a second season – poor Stuart Townsend is definitely not the luckiest guy in the world when it comes to TV shows. :(
I'll continue watching Betrayal anyway – so far, it's kept me interested and it doesn't involve blood or chopped people. That is what I want for the moment. :)
I might go back to gore soon, who knows? The same way I always go back to financiers: I can't resist baking them, even though I tell myself I'll keep the egg whites in the freezer until I have enough of them to bake an angel food cake. :) There is always an interesting financier recipe to try with good flavor combos, like orange and chocolate, which I find fantastic together.
Chocolate orange financiers
adapted from two great sources: A Passion for Baking and Simply Bill
120g icing sugar
65g all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
85g almond meal
5 egg whites
80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
35g dark chocolate, melted and cooled – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 orange
icing sugar, for dusting
In a large bowl, sift together the icing sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, then whisk in the almond meal. Stir in the eggs whites, then the butter, chocolate, vanilla and zest. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour ten 100ml capacity mini cake or muffin pans.
Pour the batter in the pans, then bake for about 15 minutes or until risen and firm to touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 2 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Financiers are best served the day they're made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Makes 10
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Sichuan spiced eggplant - in an eggplant state of mind
I've been in an eggplant state of mind lately: I've used it in soups, empanadas and my husband and I love eggplant parmigiana – I always make a large batch because the leftovers are great.
And when I'm not cooking with eggplants, the Universe conspires for me to do so: my copy of Save with Jamie arrived and there was a aubergine daal recipe there (withh handmade chapatis, no less) – I almost drooled over the book. :)
As I searched for something good on TV the other day, I bumped into Paul Hollywood making maneesh with baba ganoush. :)
And finally, days after that, while going through the August issue of Delicious UK magazine I saw a recipe for spiced eggplant served with rice and it looked so mouthwatering I had to try it. It is, indeed, delicious and easy to make – you just need some time for the eggplants to roast in the oven before actually cooking them with the remaining ingredients: the soft flesh carries all the others flavors beautifully.
This recipe makes great leftovers, too, and can be served with quinoa instead of rice (I would gladly eat it with bread, too, if you'll ask me ). :)
Sichuan spiced eggplant
slightly adapted from the wonderful Delicious UK
2 medium eggplants
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ onion, finely diced
½ tablespoon grated fresh ginger
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, processed to a paste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
fresh cilantro leaves, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Halve the eggplants lengthwise and place them onto the foil cut side up. Slash the cut side a few times. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 35 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into slices.
In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the garlic, onion, ginger and chilli. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato and cook for 1 minute. Add the eggplants, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar and add ½ cup (120ml) water. Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Check the seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary, stir in the sesame seeds and serve sprinkled with the cilantro leaves.
Serves 2 (with leftovers)
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Lime and ginger cream cake - a good recipe after a really bad one
Possets are desserts I adore, not only because they taste delicious but also because they're really easy to make – there's little cooking involved and the citrus juices and the fridge do all the work.
I had an eye on a grapefruit posset for a really long time, a recipe I'd seen on Delicious Australia and after making the grapefruit bars the other day I thought a posset would be equally nice – I was wrong. :(
It was too bitter and too greasy. It did not set properly.
It was probably the first recipe from the magazine I got disappointed with – it was a bit of a shock, since I cook and bake from it regularly, always with wonderful results. I'm glad I halved the posset recipe – less food in the trash is always a good thing – but for that reason I ended up with some heavy cream left in the fridge and needed to use it quickly before it went bad.
Deborah Madison's cream cake came to my rescue (Eat Your Books being really useful, as usual), but instead of brown sugar and ginger, I baked it with granulated sugar, ginger and added lime – the result was a delicious cake with the perfect amount of spice and citrus, and so tender it was tricky to slice it neatly (just like the Port cake I baked weeks ago).
The grapefruit posset might have been a waste of good cream, but this cake was the perfect way to use it up.
Lime and ginger cream cake
slightly adapted from Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market
105g all-purpose flour
95g cake flour – homemade: 80g all purpose flour + 15g corn starch
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
175g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon lime juice
icing sugar, for serving
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 20cm (8in) round cake pan with a removable bottom, line the bottom with a circle of baking paper and butter the paper as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, ginger and salt.
Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat the eggs until foamy, then add the cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat on high speed until you have what looks like soft whipped cream. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Add the lime zest, juice and the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until incorporated and smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the outer ring and let the cake cool completely. Remove the pan bottom, peel off the paper, transfer cake to a plate and dust with icing sugar.
Serves 8
Monday, August 11, 2014
Amaranth cantuccini - no butter, no olive oil
So far I've made several delicious recipes replacing butter with olive oil, but how about baking cookies without neither? That is what made me curious about these cantuccini: the fat in them comes from the almonds and the eggs – no butter, no olive or canola oil – and the eggs, combined with the fruit juices, are also responsible for the moisture in the dough.
Just for the record: I have nothing against fat, much to the opposite – I feel lost without butter in my fridge and I use olive oil for cooking all the time – but I find it interesting to learn how to make delicious things without it.
This is a fairly simple recipe – no electric devices involved – and the cantuccini turned out very flavorsome from all the fruit zest and juice. These are not rock-hard and they benefit from some time in the cookie jar: the citrus flavor becomes more evident with time, making the cantuccini even tastier days after they were baked (if they last that long). ;)
Amaranth cantuccini
slightly adapted from the delicious Do-Ahead Dinners: How to Feed Friends and Family Without the Frenzy
200g all-purpose flour
50g amaranth flour
150g granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 orange and juice of ½
zest and juice of ½ lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
150g almonds (skin on)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Mix the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Throw in the orange and lemon juice and zest, eggs and vanilla, and mix together thoroughly. Stir in the almonds – the dough will be sticky.
With lightly floured hands, divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into slightly flattened sausage shapes, about 30cm (12in) long each. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully peel off the foil.
Using a sharp knife and one firm cut, slice each log diagonally into 1cm slices, place them onto the sheet, side by side, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Turn the biscotti and bake until golden on the other side as well, about 8 minutes.
Cool completely, then store in airtight containers.
Makes about 35
Friday, August 8, 2014
Garlicky cashew chicken and curiosity
My love for roast chicken is so notorious that when I tell my husband I have no idea what to cook on the weekend he always says "how about roast chicken?" :D
If I'm not feeling very inspired, I just make Donna Hay's chicken with chorizo because I know it's delicious and my husband and I love it, but most of the times I like to vary because there are several great recipes out there just waiting to be prepared (and devoured).
When I saw that Amanda Hessler's recipe for barbecued chicken included a marinade made with cashew nuts I got immediately curious, especially because I could not imagine how it would turn out – some recipes feel familiar to me, and with others I try to imagine how they would taste even if I hadn't tried them before, but not this one: I kept wondering how the nuts would flavor the chicken, and how they would behave combined with the cilantro and the soy sauce.
The only way to find that out was cooking the recipe, and that's what I did.
(if someone tells you that Scorpios are curious, believe them). :)
The cashew nuts make the marinade very creamy and also make the chicken moist and golden without the need of too much oil. The cilantro and soy sauce add great flavor (don't go overboard with the salt because both the soy sauce and the nuts are already salty). Would I make this chicken again? Yes, it tasted delicious, but I would add a bit more garlic next time – despite the name, it was not garlicky enough for me.
My husband still prefers Donna Hay's chicken, though. :)
Garlicky cashew chicken
slightly adapted from the wonderful The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
1/3 cup roasted, salted cashew nuts
handful fresh cilantro leaves + a bit extra for serving
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon brown sugar, packed
juice of 1 large lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken pieces – use your favorites
In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, cilantro, oil, garlic, soy sauce, sugar and lime juice. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
Smear the chicken generously with the marinade. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is best).
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°C. Line a roasting pan with a double layer of foil and brush it lightly with oil. Place the chicken onto the foil and drizzle with the remaining marinade.
Roast for about 1 hour or until cooked to your liking.
Serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro leaves.
Serves 2
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Banana almond cake - simple yet delicious
After posting a recipe that calls for homemade vegetable stock, homemade tomato sauce and homemade ricotta I had to bring you something simpler, but equally good: a no-fuss banana cake with part of the all purpose flour replaced by almond meal, which gives it a delicious almond flavor and combined with the sour cream and the mashed bananas makes the cake moist and tender.
In my defense, it could've been worse: I could have told you to make your own sprinkles. :D
Banana cakes are favorites of mine and I always have a couple of ripe bananas in the freezer, just waiting to be transformed into something delicious – it's too cold now for banana sorbet, so cake was my decision and it was a no-brainer, really.
The cake sunk a bit in the middle and years ago that would have stopped me from posting it here, but with time I've learned to dial down my perfectionism at least a bit, and I try to do that whenever possible because as much as people parade it as a "quality" I don't think that's true – it is actually a cage we build around ourselves and from which it gets harder and harder to escape.
The cake sunk, yes, but it tasted amazing, so I photographed it to share it with you – I hope you like it as much as I did.
Banana almond cake
slightly adapted from the delicious World Class Cakes: 250 Classic Recipes from Boston Cream Pie to Madeleines and Muffins
1 ¼ cups (175g) all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup (65g) almond meal
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream*
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
icing sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20x10cm (8x4in) cup loaf pan, line it with paper and butter the paper as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder , cinnamon and almond meal.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the sour cream and the banana and mix on low just until combined. Add the dry ingredients in and mix on low just until incorporated.
Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack and cool completely. Peel off the paper, dust with icing sugar and serve.
* homemade sour cream: to make 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until thicker (I usually leave mine on the counter overnight – except on very warm nights – and it turns out thick and silky in the following morning; refrigerate for a creamier texture)
Serves 8
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Polenta and ricotta chips and cooking from scratch
As I told you yesterday, I love making things from scratch if and when I have time for that, and the recipe I bring you today is a good example of that: in these delicious polenta and ricotta chips, I used homemade vegetable stock, homemade ricotta and homemade tomato sauce.
The vegetable stock is a precious hint I got from a good friend of mine: she makes her stock with the skins peeled off the vegetables (carrots and potatoes, for example), mushroom stems, parsley and basil stalks, the green end of leeks, that is, all the tidbits that would end up in the garbage. I've been making stock her way for a long time and always have some stashed in the freezer, and that is the one I used to cook this polenta.
The tomato sauce is the one I make over and over again, with canned tomatoes and lots of fresh basil, oregano and thyme, and it's the one my husband eats by the spoonful if left to his own devices – if there's bread in the house I have to make sure he doesn't eat the whole batch of sauce with it before I even have the chance to proceed with whatever I was making in the first place. :D
And the ricotta is a recipe from the wonderful Donna Hay magazine I got years ago, 2009 to be more precise, and from that moment on I've never used store-bought ricotta again – I've been using this homemade ricotta for all sorts of things, always with amazing results. It has great texture and flavor and it is quick to make. Back then I used to line the colander with fine muslin, but a while ago I bought a fine mesh strainer and it does the job perfectly without the cloth.
This post might sound like a nightmare for those of you who don't like making things from scratch, and I'm not here to preach, but believe me when I say that besides tasting a lot better than the store-bought versions they're all easy to make – not to mention they're very budget friendly, especially the vegetable stock.
I know it may seem like a bore to turn each polenta chip after their first 20 minutes in the oven, but that was the way I found to make them crisp and golden without frying (which was called for in the original recipe) – please don't hate me. :)
Polenta and ricotta chips
slightly adapted from the always wonderful Donna Hay magazine
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
1 cup (170g) instant polenta
1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan
25g butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g ricotta*
canola oil, for brushing
tomato sauce, for serving
Place the stock in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Gradually add the polenta, whisking continuously for 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through the parmesan, butter, salt and pepper. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the ricotta and fold through to combine. Spoon and press the polenta into a lightly buttered 20cm (8in) square cake pan and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and brush it lightly with oil.
Remove the polenta from the pan and slice into thick chips. Arrange them on the prepared sheet 1cm apart. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully turn each chip and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Serve immediately with the tomato sauce.
* I used homemade ricotta: 3 cups (720ml) whole milk = 200g ricotta
Serves 4
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Cardamom, lemon and olive oil madeleines
Madeleines are small cakes, therefore I guess it was just a matter of time until I went for a version made with olive oil after using the ingredient in so many cakes.
I found some recipes online (I've told you I love the Internet, haven't I?), but what really caught my attention was the combination of cardamom and lemon: it sounded delicious and Russell's madeleines looked super cute.
Cardamom and lemon are indeed great together, and madeleines made with olive oil are as fantastic as the ones made with butter (and they stay moist and tender on the following day).
I do like making things from scratch but I'm all for shortcuts when they're good and feasible; however, one thing I don't use is pre-ground cardamom – I bought it once, ages ago, but did not like it. I started buying the pods and grinding the seeds myself and I never looked back. If I may, I recommend you do the same, not only for these madeleines but for all sorts of cardamom recipes (click here for some inspiration).
For completely dairy-free madeleines, the molds should be brushed with oil instead of butter – I haven't tried that yet, so if anyone tries it I would love to hear about it.
Cardamom, lemon and olive oil madeleines
slightly adapted from here
80g granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
110g all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Place sugar, lemon zest and cardamom in a large bowl and rub together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the eggs and vanilla and using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attached, beat for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes light and thick.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt over mixture and fold to combine. Fold in the olive oil.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Brush twenty 2-tablespoon capacity madeleine molds with melted butter and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Brush the molds again and refrigerate for another 10 minutes. Divide the mixture between the molds (do not spread it out). Bake until golden and cooked through (8-10 minutes), then immediately unmold onto a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 20
Monday, August 4, 2014
Buckwheat thumbprints with fig preserves - food that looks pretty
I once took a test at college (given by one of the professors) and the result was that I was a synesthesic person. As I read about it and the professor explained it, the result actually felt right.
Most of my colleagues got "visual" as a result, meaning they were visual people. I'm not sure I would get the same result if I took the test today (that was seventeen years ago), but I believe that the percentage of my answers leaning towards "visual" would be higher, since I feel that really latent sometimes, especially when it comes to food. I go crazy with books, magazines and blogs packed with stunning photos and I sometimes I tend to choose a recipe because of how the food looks - that is why I love making thumbprint cookies, they always look so adorable! <3
These are made with a combination of all purpose flour and buckwheat flour, and the fig jam paired perfect with it. I believe that marmalade would be an interesting choice for the buckwheat flavor too, but I'll have to try that next time. :)
Buckwheat thumbprints with fig preserves
adapted from the great Great Cookies: Secrets to Sensational Sweets
1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (70g) buckwheat flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
200g unsalted butter, slightly firm
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
fig preserves, or use the flavor you like the most
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Mix together the flours and salt in a large bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium-low speed until smooth. Pour in the sugar and mix just until incorporated. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, mixing only until blended. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just to combine after each addition. Do not overmix or this dough will become oily.
Roll 1 leveled tablespoon of dough into balls and place 5cm (2in) apart on a lined cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon with a rounded handle no wider than 1cm (½in), make a deep indentation with the tip of the handle in the center of each cookie. Place the cookies in the oven. After 10 minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and re-press each indentation. Then fill the centers with preserves. Do not overfill these or the preserves will run over.
Return the cookies to the oven, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 5-7 minutes longer until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Cool in the sheets for 2 minutes, then slice the paper with the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 45 cookies
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Courgette and feta fritters, a crazy trailer and a versatile young actor
Unfortunately I don't have time to read all the websites and blogs I like (and I'm sure you don't either so thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate it), but not a day goes by that I don't visit IMDb for news on the world of cinema.
Yesterday, in one of those visits, I watched the trailer for Horns and it immediately became one of the most interesting/craziest trailers I have even seen. Daniel Radcliffe's choices in movies and theater have been very diverse and I find it honorable that he's interested in doing such different things, stretching himself as an actor: he does controversial, he does dark comedy, and romantic comedy as well – who can forget him staring in Equus years ago? So young, yet so versatile – I really admire that.
Daniel is versatile, all right, and so are fritters: they can be pretty much made with any vegetable in your fridge and it's a nice vessel for them if there's any picky eater around. These courgette fritters turned out delicious and tender – they were fast to prepare and vanished even faster. :D
Courgette and feta fritters
slightly adapted from two great sources: A Girl Called Jack: 100 Delicious Budget Recipes and Nigella Fresh
1 large courgette
1 spring onion, finely chopped
handful parsley leaves, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
50g feta cheese, grated
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
canola oil, for frying
Coarsely grate the courgette and spread it onto a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for 20 minutes to get rid of any excess moisture.
Transfer the courgette to a large mixing bowl, add the spring onion, parsley, egg, feta and flour, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. If batter is too thin, add a bit more flour.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Dollop two tablespoons of batter per fritter, flatten with the back of a spoon and shape the edges quickly to form a rough circle. Don't overfill the frying pan. Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the process with remaining batter.
Serve at once with lime wedges.
Makes 6
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Vanilla and cinnamon bread
Many people I know have been complaining a lot about the weather for many days now, but not me – I'm actually celebrating the cold days, especially after the dreadful summer we had months ago. \0/
Nothing worse than to start sweating seconds after taking a shower – I'm glad that is part of the past (at least for now).
Because of the low temperatures, keeping the oven on is always a great idea: you stay warm and there is delicious food as a result – win/win situation. :)
Last weekend was perfect for baking, and making bread is something I enjoy deeply. Without thinking too hard about what to prepare, I chose Signe Johansen's vanilla loaf to be my afternoon project, and added cinnamon, whole wheat flour, oats and a bit more sugar to make it more my taste. The bread turned out delicious and it was also great toasted and slathered with butter.
Besides being tasty, the bread was the perfect project for another reason: I could watch a couple of Law and Order: SVU episodes while the dough proved twice.
Vanilla and cinnamon bread
slightly adapted from the über beautiful and delicious Scandilicious Baking
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds removed with the back of the knife
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
50g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
400g all purpose flour
100g whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
75g granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
3 teaspoons dried yeast
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon whole milk, extra, for brushing the loaves
handful rolled oats, for sprinkling
Place the vanilla seeds, milk, butter and vanilla extract in a small saucepan and heat until almost boiling and then allow to cool till lukewarm.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the dough hook, mix the flours, cinnamon, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and sprinkle in the dried yeast. Pour over the egg and the warm milk mixture and mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Continue mixing on low-medium speed until dough is elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly buttered large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or so until it has doubled in size. Butter two 4 cup capacity loaf pans.
Knock back the dough and divide it in half. Roll each half into a large rectangle, roughly 20x30cm (8x12in), then roll each forming a tight cylinder. Place each cylinder into the prepared pans. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for about 40 minutes – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Brush the loaves with the extra milk and sprinkle with the oats. Splash a little water in the bottom of the oven to create steam to help the loaf rise, then bake on the upper middle shelf for about 30 minutes or until the loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped on the base.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully unmold and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 2 loaves
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Avocado and lemon zest linguine - becoming good friends with whole wheat pasta
I guess that once we get old and start feeling more comfortable in our own skin what others think doesn't matter much – what you feel or like or want should come first. I like to believe that.
Back in high school it was all about being trendy and cool or, in other words, doing and saying what others did. I remember going to a concert with my friends a couple of times, it was a cover band that played Elvis Presley's songs, but I never liked Elvis – I just pretended I liked it so I could fit in, since all the girls kept saying how great Elvis was (lucky for me the concerts were free). I was so bored one of the nights I started doing my Physics homework right there (the concerts were held on Friday evenings, and we would go right after school).
That did not do any good for my "cool reputation", I'll tell you that. :)
Up until months ago I would tell everyone how awful whole wheat pasta was, and make faces when people brought the subject up. Then, while reading a recipe that called for that kind of pasta, it suddenly hit me: I was just replicating other people's opinions. I had, indeed, had my share of bad whole wheat pasta dishes, but as someone who's been cooking for as long as I have I should know better – I should know that maybe, and just maybe, there was something wrong with what I'd tasted. It could have been a case of bad pasta or bad recipe (or both).
I continue to avoid Elvis like the plague, but I have become good friends with whole wheat pasta. :)
Things we do and say now and then, sometimes without putting much thought to them. I have been there, you probably have, too. We're humans, we say stupid things sometimes, we follow wrong people. We make mistakes.
Nobody's perfect.
But this pasta dish is (and I would never have thought of pairing avocado and pasta). :)
Avocado and lemon zest linguine
slightly adapted from the wonderful A Modern Way to Eat: Over 200 Satisfying, Everyday Vegetarian Recipes (That Will Make You Feel Amazing)
400g whole wheat linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons capers in brine, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
finely grated zest of 2 lemons + juice of ½ a lemon
a handful basil leaves, coarsely chopped
a handful parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
2 ripe avocados
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
freshly grated pecorino, for serving
Cook the linguine in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (follow the instructions on the package).
In the meantime make the sauce: heat the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan on a medium heat, then add the capers and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the lemon zest and the herbs, mix to combine and remove from the heat.
Halve and destone the avocados, then use a knife to make criss-cross cuts through the flesh, chopping it inside the skin. Use a spoon to scoop out each half into the pan, and stir to mix all the flavors together. Before you drain the pasta, scoop out half a mugful of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, add it to the frying pan and return it to medium heat, tossing to combine. Drizzle with the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a splash of the cooking water if necessary.
Serve at once, sprinkled with the cheese.
Serves 4
Monday, July 28, 2014
Almond, lemon and buckwheat tea cake and weekend plans
I think you guys should know that I managed to keep the plans I'd made for the weekend: I watched more than just one movie (one of them probably for the tenth time) and I also baked and cooked a bit – the cold days are a great excuse to keep the oven on. :)
I find it almost impossible to switch channels when some of my favorite movies are on, and yesterday one of the channels had a Godfather marathon: all the three movies were being aired in a row. I don't care for the third movie, but I love The Godfather and The Godfather II and ended up watching the first movie once again (a couple of glasses of wine kept me from watching the second one). :)
Another thing I find almost impossible to do is to resist the urge to bake lemon cakes: as much as I try to vary – and sometimes I succeed, you know that – I always bookmark the lemon cakes in the cookbooks I buy, and this beauty was no exception: there are tons of wonderful recipes there and the first recipe I tried from it was a recipe for cookies, but after those I could not wait to take the lemony route, and here it is.
I used buckwheat flour instead of all purpose flour and loved the result – it's not a very tall cake (mine turned out just as the one on the photo of the book) but it's packed with flavor (and gluten free).
Almond, lemon and buckwheat tea cake
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful The Baking Collection (The Australian Women's Weekly)
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
125g unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (35g) buckwheat flour
pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
120g ground almonds
2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 180°/350°F. Lightly butter a 5-cup loaf pan, line it with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
In a large bowl, rub sugar and zest together until fragrant. Add butter and using an electric mixer beat the ingredients together light and creamy. Add the three eggs and the vanilla, then beat until incorporated – scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Sift the buckwheat flour, salt and baking powder over the mixture, add the almond meal and milk and stir to combine. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with the almonds and pine nuts.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack. Cool completely, then peel off the paper.
Serves 6-8
Friday, July 25, 2014
Amaranth choc chip cookies, and one month without movies
I had a confession to make: I haven't watched a movie in weeks. Several weeks – it might be a record or something.
The last movie I watched was The Fault in Our Stars, then the World Cup began and I breathed soccer for a month – I believe I wasn't the only one. :) After the German team took home the Cup I got obsessed with season 6 of SoA, so there was no room for movies – I had to know how things would end up (for the record, I did not like it at all).
My plans for the weekend: to watch as least one movie. And to bake, of course. :)
Movies weren't the only forgotten thing around here: I hadn't baked chocolate chip cookies in quite some time I did not even remember when I'd done that last. Being in possession of a 70% chocolate bar made me think of choc chips cookies, they would be the perfect way to use up such great chocolate. I'd seen these and they looked so good, and then I saw that they were an adaptation of a recipe I'd made, too, from a cookbook I adore (and the cookies were delicious).
I was out of buckwheat flour so I changed the recipe ever so slightly and used amaranth flour instead – the cookies turned out fantastic, beautifully golden, with a slightly different flavor. I had a couple while they were still warm from the oven and it was hard not to eat several in a row, I must tell you. There was a very, very subtle grainy texture to them while still warm – to me, not a problem at all – and that became less evident once they were completely cool.
If you're out of amaranth flour, don't fret: try the whole wheat version, it is equally delish.
Amaranth choc chip cookies
adapted from this wonderful cookbook, one of my favorites
2/3 cup (93g) whole wheat flour
2/3 cup (93g) all purpose flour
¼ cup (35g) amaranth flour
¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick/113g) cold unsalted butter, chopped
½ cup (88g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on low speed just until the ingredients are blended, 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients at once and blend on low just until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Add the chocolate chunks at once and mix on low speed just until the chocolate is evenly combined – to avoid overmixing the dough, finish incorporating the ingredients with your a spatula.
Place 2 leveled tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, 5cm (2in) apart. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 12-16 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then slide the paper with the cookies onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 20
Thursday, July 24, 2014
One fantastic rye pastry, two tarts: leek and cheese galette and plum and blackberry galette
One of the things I find most magical and fascinating about cooking is that even if you've been doing it for a long time – in my case, nearly 25 years – there always something new to try, or a new way to try something you already love: food is dynamic.
After making those delicious jam bars with rye flour, I began searching for other ways to incorporate the beloved ingredient in my baking and saw these beautiful apricot galettes in one of my favorite books (and one of the most beautiful I own, too). I like Amber Rose's approach to food and everything I had made from her cookbook had turned out great until then, so I was really looking forward to trying her rye pastry.
It was a revelation.
As I ate pieces of the galettes, first the savory, then the sweet, I was mesmerized: how could that be so delicious?
Making the pastry was easy using a food processor, and as I rolled and folded it I kept thinking that the result would be a very flaky pastry, which is something I love – it indeed turned out flaky, and so tasty. Divine, actually.
When I placed the two little packages of pastry in the fridge for their final rest, I saw the leeks I'd bought for soup and had a sudden urge: instead of making two plum tarts, why not make one sweet and one savory? Dinner and dessert with one pastry recipe = perfection. :)
I cooked the leeks with some white wine (me and my love for booze) and paired it with cheese for the savory galette – it turned out amazing. The plum tart was really good, too. The rye pastry, besides being flavorsome and flaky, was great paired with both savory and sweet fillings. The recipe is a keeper and I hope you give it a go – I cannot wait to make it again with different fillings: tomatoes, goat's cheese and thyme is a combo I would love to try with this pastry, and I bet that apples and pears would be lovely with it, too.
Rye pastry (enough to make both tarts)
slightly adapted from the beautiful and delicious beyond words Love, Bake, Nourish: Healthier cakes and desserts full of fruit and flavor
120g rye flour
120g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
175g unsalted butter, cold and in small cubes
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
7-8 tablespoons ice-cold water
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork, for brushing
Plum and blackberry filling
adapted from the same cookbook
4 plums, each cut in eighths
½ tablespoon honey
pinch ground cinnamon
8 frozen blackberries
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Leek and cheese filling
own creation
1 large leek, white part only, sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons white wine
60g gruyere, grated
1 tablespoon finely grated pecorino or parmesan, for sprinkling
Start by making the pastry: place the flours, salt and sugar in a food processor and blitz to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the vinegar and half the water and pulse until a dough starts to form – add more water if necessary, but do it gradually. Form a ball with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Unwrap the dough, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into an oblong shape about 20x28cm (8x11in) - don't worry if the dough is still a little crumbly; it will come together with the rolling.
Fold the dough into thirds (as if you were folding a letter), roll out to its original oblong shape, and then fold into thirds again. Repeat the process, then divide the dough in half, wrap each in plastic wrap and return to the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to make the tarts, place each piece of dough onto large piece of baking paper and roll into a rough 25cm (10in) circle. Transfer each to a baking sheet.
Fruit tart: put the plums in a bowl with the honey and the cinnamon and toss to combine. Arrange the fruit on the center of the dough, top with the blackberries and drizzle with the juices left in the bowl (if there's too much, use only half to avoid a soggy crust). Carefully fold one edge in towards the center of the fruit and continue folding all the way round, bringing the edge of the pastry towards and over the filling. Place the sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Savory tart: heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Add the leeks and cook until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, add the wine and cook until it evaporates, 2-3 minutes. Cool.
Arrange the gruyere on the center of the dough, top with the cooled leeks, then fold one edge in towards the center of the filling and continue folding all the way round, bringing the edge of the pastry towards and over the filling. Place the sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Brush the tarts with the egg wash (only the pastry). For the sweet one, sprinkle with demerara sugar. For the savory one, sprinkle with the pecorino.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Both tarts are delicious both warm and at room temperature.
Serves 4 (each)
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Whisky and nutmeg pound cake
I know, I know, there's nothing "healthy" about whisky, but I believe that there is nothing wrong with adding a bit of alcohol to your cooking and baking occasionally – I can't cook risotto without a splash of white wine, and beer can do wonders to a beef recipe (my bolognese sauce turned into something even more delicious after I started adding red wine to it).
All that written by someone who once made a cake drenched in rum. :D
The cake I bring you today has a lot less alcohol, but it is very flavorsome still and I bumped into the recipe because I wanted to bake something with whole wheat flour – my first thought was to bake bread, but when I checked the whole wheat flour container it was almost empty. Alice Medrich's cake was then a very good choice, since the recipe called less than ½ cup of flour. It turned out tender and delicious – as all cakes should be – and with a beautiful golden hue.
I thought the cake was great with a cup of tea (it was a cold weekend), but I am sure it would be wonderful served with whipped cream and berries or fresh fruit, as the plated trifles Nigella makes, for a summery dessert. Or with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce, or salted caramel sauce.
Ok, I'll stop. :)
Whisky and nutmeg pound cake
slightly adapted from the delicious Pure Dessert
2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon whisky
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
105g cake flour (homemade: 15g corn starch + 90g all purpose flour)
55g whole wheat flour
150g granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
180g unsalted butter, softened and in chunks
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 4 to 5 cups loaf pan, line it with baking paper and butter the paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, whisky, eggs, and vanilla to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Add the butter then pour in half of the egg mixture. Beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add half of the rest of the egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Add the rest of the egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake until golden and risen and a toothpick comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, unmold carefully and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, then peel off the paper.
Serves 8-10


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August 12, 2014
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Amegy Bank of Texas Helps Dallas Arboretum Bring to Dallas its Newest Holiday Tradition -- The 12 Days of Christmas
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Juvenile arrested for allegedly setting five fires
Updated On: Mar 18 2013 05:50:46 PM EDT
Arson investigators say they were told by a 16-year old boy that he was "bored" when he set five fires in the span of 30 minutes during the weekend.
"He ended up confessing to setting five separate fires within a half-hour's time in the neighborhoods of Brighton Heights, Shadeland and Marshall," Pittsburgh Police Detective Mike Burns said Monday.
The boy made the confession in front of his mother, Burns said. They're also connecting him to a pickup truck that was set on fire, as well a row of trash cans. He's not being identified publicly because of his age.
The boy was arrested for setting a series of fires Sunday night, including one that tore through an abandoned building on the North Side. Arson investigators said the first fire started at about 10:45 p.m. and the last was set at 11:45 p.m.
One of the fires the boy is charged with setting burned through an unoccupied building on Termon Avenue. Residents of that street expressed frustration upon hearing that the fires were intentionally set.
Neighbor John Moon hopes for appropriate punishment, even though the suspect is a teenager. "I hope it's not a slap on the wrist, whoever this may be," he said. "What happens is you put a lot of lives in danger."
There were no reports of injuries in any of the fires.
Copyright 2013 by WTAE.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Gateway Clipper wedding ends with groom in handcuffs after fight with server's boyfriend
Police officer arrested after domestic dispute in Fayette County
Steelers plan to address discipline for Bell, Blount internally
Steelers name team captains for 2014 season
'Pop' alerts couple to fire at South Fayette Township home


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Basic (performance) mods for ZL1?
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Basic (performance) mods for ZL1?
A couple weeks ago I traded in my 2010 Supercharged V6 Camaro for a 2013 ZL1. I'm the kind of person that does not like to have something 100% stock. However having a factory warranty on a 580 hp vehicle sure is nice.
I know you have to pay to play, believe I was down that road with my old car, having modified just about every possible thing I could do. Unfortunately for me I had a ton of issues, which is one of the reasons I traded in. Just ordered an Elite catch can from Apex Chase, but other than that I'm bone stock.
Eventually I plan on going with LMR's street stalker stage 2 upgrade (pulley, headers, tune, injectors, etc) but for now I want to figure out something easy and basic I can do. The suspension is already amazing, I love the wheels I have, so I'm pretty much at a wall as to what I want to do. The Roto-Fab intake seems like a nice upgrade, seeing how it doesn't require a tune and wakes up the engine/super charger whine.
I'm open to any suggestions.
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#Icebucket Challenge With the success of the ALS Association's #icebucket challenge going $94.3million strong (and counting), we had a hard time picking just one viral video this week. We could focus on the celebrities like Amanda Palmer who lost family members to ALS or we could discuss the horrible ads or the awesome ads that have sprung up. Show More Summary
San Diego Comic-Con International is the pop culture Mecca. Each year, about 130,000 nerd-pilgrims attend to geek out on their favorite franchises. The entertainment industry seizes on Comic-Con as an opportunity to market to this core fan base and build buzz for their upcoming releases. Show More Summary
Something strange happened last week at the high court of American sports coverage, ESPN's Sportscenter. King James (NBA superstar LeBron James, that is) had just announced to take his talents away from South Beach but the top story of the hour was a Uruguayan soccer player biting an Italian into the shoulder. Show More Summary
Occasionally, we see one of those great phenomena out of the blue that captivates us and makes life a little lighter for awhile. Being stuck overnight at the Las Vegas Airport may have been an ordeal for Canadian Richard Dunn (now living in Georgia), but it's become a great diversion for the rest of us. Show More Summary
I haven't been writing a lot lately because I've been so busy and traveling. And some of what I've seen has got my head spinning — literally. At a private VC-sponsored event in Cincinnati this week, inspired by the forthcoming Place Conference (The Omnichannel Marketing Conference), I got an opportunity to wear the Oculus Rift virtual […]
Apple tears down the walls between iOS applications, developer rejoice, and Tim Cook delivers a swift kick to Yukari Iwatani Kane's derrière – more on that at the end. In this year's installment of the World Wide Developers Conference,...Show More Summary
There's a debate about just how real "showrooming" is today. For example, UK-based affiliate network Tradedoubler published European consumer survey data that makes the threat of showrooming look pretty dire for retailers: 22% of inShow More Summary
Social Media for Nonprofits came to town last week and really drove home how much of an impact social media has for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Several Seattle-based nonprofits shared their experiences, giving the assembled crowd something to think about, discuss strategy, and figure out how to do social well. Show More Summary
As Apple is about to release its latest quarterly numbers, new questions arise about the iPad's "anemic" growth. The answer is simple – but the remedies are not. The iPad isn't growing anymore. What happened? In anticipation of Apple's...Show More Summary
Dear Danica, I will admit that I don't know much about you. But I do know that you made records when you started racing in IndyCar and NASCAR, sports historically dominated by men. And you have done remarkably well. You … Continue reading The post An Open Letter to Danica Patrick (and Ideal Image) appeared first on Flip the Media.
Analogue, Meet Digital by Hanns-Peter Nagel If you think of it, tech conferences like (the excellent) IN-NW are behind the times. Why leave home when one can hear presentations and interact with experts via Google Hangouts (even the president does … Continue reading The post IN-NW Shines Again appeared first on Flip the Media.
This post appeared in the Puget Sound Business Journal last week and appears courtesy of the author. Last year I promised myself that I would find a way to meet and interview Jeff Bezos for my Four Peaks show. The … Continue reading The post Secrets of Seattle's Success: Engaging through Innovation appeared first on Flip the Media.
Welcome to Hawk Heaven! The Seahawks win their first Super Bowl and while the team took apart the Denver Broncos, we here at Flip were breaking down the annual Super Bowl advertising fest to five spots that for some reason … Continue reading
Yesterday's Super Bowl was one of the worst in the 48 years of the game, unless you were a Seahawks fan. Even then you probably would have wanted to see a less one-sided game. And like the Broncos performance most of the ads were duds too — and won't do much to help their brands/products. […]
Twitter is the archetype of a greatly successful service that complacently iterates itself without much regard for changes in its uses. Such behavior makes the service — and others like it — vulnerable to disruptive newcomers. Twitter might be the smartest new media of the decade, but its user interface sucks. Show More Summary
Swipely is now providing a range of pretty compelling new "server intelligence" insights to restaurant owners and managers about menu and staff performance. The company offers a payments processing with CRM, analytics and marketing services layered on top. Show More Summary
The year was 1984 and in Spokane, Wash., Charlie Schmidt was "unemployed and destitute, but there were three things that [he] had: a cat, a camera, and a keyboard." Charlie made hundreds of videos of his cat playing a keyboard, … Continue reading
Special to Flip the Media by Andrew Mitrak, Cohort 2013 When Drew Keller challenged our CommLead storytelling intensive class last year to create a 2-3 minute documentary, Dartanion London immediately came to mind. Dart is incredibly hard-working and super funny … Continue reading
In no small part, the iPad's success comes from its uncompromising Do Less To Do More philosophy. Now a reasonably mature product, can the iPad expand its uses without falling into the hybrid PC/tablet trap? When the iPad came out,...Show More Summary
Yesterday Twitter co-founder Biz Stone announced the launch of Jelly. He characterizes it as a social search engine or a "new way to search" for the smartphone era. From another point of view it looks pretty much like a Q&A site. There have been many (capital "M") Q&A sites over the last decade that have […]


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Jungle Wipeout - open weekends and school holidays 9.30am - 5.00pm
Boating Lake
Sat 11.00am - 5.00pm
Sun 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Mon - Fri 11.00am - 5.00pm (School Holidays Only)
See the links above for further details.
Please note - the above times are weather and visitor number dependant. Please contact us on 0191 258 7593 to check before your visit. Opening hours may be extended if there is sufficient demand!


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Patty Griffin On World Cafe
by David Dye
Jul 8, 2013 (WXPN-FM)
Hear this
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Reported by
David Dye
It's a middle-age milestone, dealing with a parent's death. Singer-songwriter Patty Griffin turns the experience into powerful moments on her latest album, American Kid. The album features songs inspired by everything from her dad exclaiming "Don't let me die in Florida!" to the gleam in her grandfather's eye on his own wedding day.
Since winning a Grammy for her gospel album Downtown Church, Griffin has been touring with Robert Plant in Band of Joy; the two have made their own home together in Austin, Texas. Griffin joined us to play four songs from American Kid, and to tell some stories about her father.
This installment of World Cafe was first published on June 7, 2013.
Copyright 2014 WXPN-FM. To see more, visit http://www.xpn.org/.
Set List
- "Don't Let Me Die In Florida"
- "Wild Old Dog"
- "Get Ready Marie"
- "Ohio"
Missing some content? Check the source: NPR
Copyright(c) 2014, NPR


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|By Maureen O'Gara
Article Rating:
|January 9, 2013 09:30 AM EST
In an example of Microsoft-like vertical integration Nvidia under the code-name Project Shield is going to take parts it builds for other people's videogame consoles like the new version of its Tegra 4 processor and build a game machine of its own that it sells direct to consumers.
The portable Android device is supposed to stream both Android and PC games over Wi-Fi to high-definition TVs and its own five-inch 1,280×720 screen. Gamers will be able play in bed or from a sofa instead of sitting at a computer.
The move will put Nvidia in competition with Apple, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. It could also unsettle Nvidia's established customers, which have, however, been drifting over to AMD.
The streamed games will also have to be instantly responsive.
According to Nvidia consultant Patrick Moorhead the widget is "disruptive" and "sent a shock wave through the gaming industry."
He says the company is leveraging its VGX Technology, the technology used in its commercial VDI and cloud gaming technology. Because of Nvidia's Kepler architecture gaming latency should be minimized, apparently by bypassing the CPU and doing the rendering on the GPU. He says "Shield sends gameplay commands wirelessly to the gaming PC."
Nvidia, which made the announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show Sunday, didn't mention the price of the anticipated dingus. It could be out in Q2.
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This is a squeeze tube gloss with an angled applicator tip. This is a dense and shiny gloss that is not sticky. It is moisturizing. The color saturation is low. I got this in Grape which is a deeper shade. It leaves a very light blush of plum color with a bit of shimmer. It tastes strongly of grape soda. Overall I am pleased but not wowed. It does leave a very glossy finish.
I got mine in Cherry Bloom. I don't usually wear products on my lips. But if I do, I tend to wear nude colors, or baby pinks (which I consider this.) So the color that results on my lips (which are a light nude-ish peach) is simply a brighter version of my natural color. Along with a subtle pink sheen and of course, shine. This is perfect for schooleverday use. However, like many glossed it doesn't last to long. So it will have to be reapplyed...often, But the packaging allows it to fit right into my pocket. Which is where it is right now. By the way, it tastes great :]
More reviews by margaretshelton
I'm not a huge lipgloss girl, but I bought this in Cocoa Fever to wear with MAC Hover lipliner; and I have to say that I love the look. It gives good glossiness, isn't super-sticky, wears well, and smells faintly of butterscotch. I'm not going out to buy all the other colors, but I think it's a good gloss for the money; and I would definitely buy this again.
Maybe I got a bad batch but I find these hit or miss. I've purchased three of them: Watermelon Punch, Glamorous Guava and Berry Bella. Glamorous Guava looked like the perfect candy pink in the maybelline ad, but didn't show up hardly at all on my lips and looked nothing like it did in the ad. :( Very misleading. OMG and what is with the flavor and smell? When I was first putting it on it tasted ok, but as it sat on my lips for a bit it started to smell like I rubbed gasoline/petroleum on my lips! DISGUSTING. I'm taking these (guava and berry bella) back asap! The watermelon punch on the other hand smelled/tasted great.
I've tried these in "Watermelon Punch" and "Peach Sorbet". I chose shades that looked as though they would be very sheer and non-glitter. Both of them are super-shiny! The Peach one is so light that it's basically clear, but it's quite a nice clear. The Watermelon one looks bright red in the tube, but goes on with only a touch of color. I actually really like the effect, because it brightens my lips without being too much.
I had previously tried Maybelline's "Shiny-Licious" lip gloss in "Strawberry Tart", and it was too bright for me. The Shine Sensational glosses seem to be less pigmented, and much shinier than Shiny-Licious was!
I'm less fond of the taste, smell, and feel. I think Maybelline tends to go overboard with the fake fruit thing, and this is a perfect example of that problem. The Watermelon one was so bad I that returned it. (Yuck!) The Peach one is much better, so maybe it depends on what color you get. It's true that they aren't sticky, but instead, they feel a little bit "heavy". (Stickiness never bothers me as much as heaviness.) Not perfect, but I would probably be willing to buy these glosses again.... if there's a particular shade that appeals to me.
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I bought this in Crazy for Caramel. The gloss is perfectly fine, but I was expecting a stronger scent/flavor because the tube packages feature pictures of their respective scents. There's a caramel scent, but it's faint and has a burnt, plasticky quality. It's not bad, but it's disappointing, especially since the Volume Seduction glosses have a great citrus smell. There's a slight sugary taste.
The gloss is much more greasy than sticky. Its texture is somewhere between a gel and Vaseline. It's definitely good for the people who hate sticky glosses, but don't expect much lasting power.
The shine is pretty normal. Crazy for Caramel looks like a dark, glittery bronze in the tube but goes on clear with duochrome pink and gold glitter. The glitter's milled well enough that it doesn't look chunky, but you can feel it if you press your lips together.
The packaging looks cute, definitely more stylish than your usual drugstore gloss.
Overall, it's OK. It's not an amazing product that you should rush to get, but nothing's wrong with it, either. It's a cute and fairly inexpensive pick-me-up that works as a basic gloss or lipstick topper.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
I have this gloss in Tempting Toffee shade with is a deep mauve color in the tube. I am very pleased that those new glosses are gel-like and not sticky. Could the era of sticky glosses truly be over? Looks like it might be!
This gloss glides on smoothly and though the color payoff is minimal if worn alone, it gives a nice shiny finish to lipsticks. It also tastes and smells yummy. It's still not as moisturizing and lovely-feeling as L'occitane glosses for example, but it's definitely up there and well-worth the price tag. Maybelline offers this gloss in an array of colors from candy pinks to cocoa shades. Cute packaging too!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
More reviews by shriekingviolet
Maybelline's done some serious shaking up of their regular line this year and on the whole I've been quite pleased with their newest lines. Their lipsticks and lipglosses from their color sensational line have been particularly big hits with me so I was excited to try this gloss. It's not as great unfortunately. While it does offer great shine and feels nice and slick rather than sticky, the pigment of the two shades (Cranberry Crave and Berry Dazzle) I bought were nearly nonexistent. I've got pale lips and can't go without some sort of lipcolors to keep me from looking washed out, and these didn't offer me anything apart from a slightly different shade of shiny pale. Disappointing, especially since I actually really liked the Shinylicious line that this replaces. Oh and these are very strongly scented. I find that to be both a plus and minus as while I do find flavored gloss appealing I'm really picky about my flavors. Variety is nice but man does it suck when you find a shade you like and it happens to be given a scent you can't stand (for me, that's usually peach or watermelon, both are found in this line!)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
More reviews by Dreamcrusher86
I was quite happy to see these glosses at the store because the rest of Maybelline's Sensational line,lipsticks,lipliners,and glosses are wonderful.I got Cranberry Crave and Sweet Indulgence.They both smell so good and have pretty decent staying power. Cranberry Crave smells like sweet candy apple with just a hint of crushed cranberries that have had sugar added to them.It has some slight shimmer to it,but no chunky glitter.I have very pigmented lips and the color is just enough and pretty powerful for a gloss.The Sweet Indulgence smells just like vanilla frosting!!It smells wonderful without having that fake plastic candy smell that alot of glosses tend to have.It has no shimmer,more like a creme finish.It is a very light pink color so not alot of color,if any shows up on my lips,but I bought it for the smell/flavor so I don't really care.They are not heavy feeling or sticky like MAC's Lipglass can be.They don't dry out my lips and the scent is still there after the gloss has faded. I'm going to get a few more soon.Hopefully there will be some left because these are going fast!
At first I thought this was just a rip-off of the glosses sold at Bath and Body Works but for about $0.50 more. I got this in Berry Dazzle - 60. It's a gorgeous sparkly purple color in the tube, which is what enticed me to buy it. It looks like it has blackberries on the packaging but it tastes bubble gum-y to me. Not bad, not great either. I'm a touch disappointed as it's barely pigmented at all. However, it's not sticky enough to rip your lips off which is a real plus for me. From the other reviews, I'm curious to try other colors since they might be more pigmented than the Berry Dazzle.
Edit (actually addition): I got the Tempting Toffee. I'm pleased. It definitely has more pigment (not a lot but just a touch, which is nice if you wear lipstick but don't want to reapply 'full lips' later in the day and just want to refresh your color a little) and the toffee taste is nice. It doesn't tear up/dry out my lips and I found it was under $5 at Walmart as opposed to the $5.49 I paid at Walgreen's. (It was also $5.19 at Target)
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text:
In response to:
I agree. There are natural consequences, that cannot be denied. My problem is that I, and all the people I care about, are in a boat with people who will not bail, or are punching holes in it. I would be tempted to just let them sink, otherwise, for their stupidity. More of us are poor, after Obama, and the very demographics that always vote for him are suffering the most. Amazing to watch. If I had to be in court, accused of being a serious follower of Jesus, the evidence would be abundant, and l see that the wheels of God grind slow, but exceeding fine.
rmccarthy Wrote: Nov 16, 2012 12:51 AM
Many people (esp on the left) have plans for Utopia - never work. Actual human nature and history would indicate that helping and fixing is the best each of us can do.
Exactly two years ago this week, the Obama administration announced it had issued more than 100 waivers en masse to a select group of companies, unions and other health insurance providers seeking relief from the onerous federal health care law. The Obamacare waiver winner's club now totals 2,000. Where are they now?
Answer: In the same miserable boat as every other unlucky business struggling with the crushing costs and burdens of the mandate.
Among the first and most prominent recipients of the Obamacare waivers for favors were large restaurant chains that provide low-wage, seasonal and part-time workers with low-cost health insurance plans called...