Tuesday, December 3, 2013

GERMAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES "LEBKUCHEN"


Syrup:

300 g sugar
1/2 l water
1 kg sugar
Melt the sugar until it starts bubbling,then stir with wooden spoon until brown in colour.
Lift the pot into the sink.
Pour in quickly the hot water,be very careful as it will be very dramatic!
When all the steam is cleared,lift the pot back to the heat,stir until all the caramel is dissolved.
Add the rest of the sugar & boil slowly few minutes until you get the syrup right.
This will make about 1,7 kg syrup.

Cookies:

Vol.1:

3 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
3 tsp cinnamon
or allspice
orange peel,grated
500 g butter
300 sour cream or plain yogurt
6 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp bread soda
2 tsp citric acid
2 kg flour
Pour all the spices into the hot syrup,mix well & cool a bit.
Add butter,cut into smaller pieces & mix until smooth.
Now add the sour cream,egg yolks & salt,mix well.
Mix flour with baking soda & citric acid,sift into the dough,knead.
You get 4,8–5 kg dough,will keep in the fridge wrapped into the cling film 1-2 weeks so you can make one big patch & then just use as needed..
Bake at 200C for ca 8 min,depends how thick your cookies are.

You can use the baking powder instead baking soda & citric acid,just it wont be as crispy.

Vol.2:

Syrup from 600 g sugar
50 ml water
Make same way as described above.

400 g butter,softened
3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
ca 30 g allspice,it really depends how you like it,you can add some extra cinnamon
1/ tsp baking soda
1 kg flour
Mix the spices with hot syrup,cool until room temperature.
Beat egg yolks into the softened butter,add salt.
Pour in the syrup.
Add flour mixed with baking soda.
Mix well.
Wrap into the cling film & keep in the fridge overnight before using.Or at least 3 hours.
Keeps in the refrigerator for ca 3 weeks.

DECORATING:

Now to the best part :)

Glaze:

3 egg whites
300 g dusting sugar
1 tsp citric acid
Whisk until you get the thick cream.
Place into the piping bag & then just decorate your cookies.
You can use plastic sandwich bags,cut small hole into the bottom corner.
Very good also for making the gingerbread houses!

You can cover the cookies before baking with chopped nuts etc.
Melt some white chocolate & dip cookies in half way.
You can make sparkling cookies:sprinkle some sugar over the cookies(pat in slightly) before baking.

Dried sliced orange or sliced apple,pear,banana etc. are very decorative along with cookies!!
Just finely slice your fruits (you  can dip them into the syrup) & place the single layer over the baking paper onto the baking sheet & slowly bake in the oven at lowest temperature for a few hours until firm.
You can keep the oven door slightly open with the wooden spoon to keep the low temperature.

Ganache:

300 ml fresh cream
300 g dark chocolate
or white chocolate
Bring the cream to the boil,add chopped chocolate & stir until well melted & smooth.
Cool.
Use it as a filling between two cookies.
Or cover the cookies with a bit of the ganache & sprinkle over with roasted nuts or dried cranberries.

Lemon Glaze:

1 egg white
1 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Beat egg white, powdered sugar & lemon juice until smooth.
Brush onto still warm cookies & can then be decorated with diced mixed candied fruits & peels.


These are invitingly spicy cookies, which can be baked ahead.
Roll & cut out rectangles, fun gingerbread folk, trees, stars etc.
We make these every year, continuing a family tradition. They are our favorite holiday cookies.


Friday, August 2, 2013

Cream Cheese & Summer Berry Roulade



3 eggs
175 g sugar
50 flour
15 g corn flour
vanilla extract  or grated lemon rind

For filling:

250 g soft cheese
100 g sour cream(you can use 100 ml whipped cream instead)
2 tbsp sugar
~300 g mixed summer berries

Whisk egg whites with half of the sugar until stiff.
Whisk egg yolks separately with rest of the sugar until pale yellow.
Carefully mix the eggs together & sift in the flour & cornflour,add some vanilla extract or grated lemon rind.
Cover the baking sheet 30x40 cm with baking paper,spread the mixture all over.
Bake at 200C for 7 min or until ready.
Place on the table the sheet of baking paper,sift over some icing sugar.
Turn the cake onto the sugary baking sheet,carefully remove the old baking paper & let it cool.

Now make the filling by mixing together soft cheese,sour cream & sugar.
Spread it over the cooled cake,leaving a 1cm border.
Scatter the berries over the filling.


Roll up the roulade, starting from the long edge, using the baking paper to help you.


Chill at least 2-3 hours before serving.
Dust with icing sugar.


Delicious......


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Chocolate & Mixed Berry Cake


Shortcake base:
 

150 g flour
100g butter
50 g sugar
1 egg yolk
grated rind of lemon
vanilla extract
Using your fingertips pinch together the butter,sugar & flour until it resembles the breadcrumbs,add egg yolk,lemon rind & vanilla extract,then knead it into the smooth dough.
Press the dough on to the bottom of the 26 cm baking tin.
Bake at 200C for 10-15 min.



Spongecake Base:
 
5 eggs
180 g sugar
150 g flour

70 g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp warm water
vanilla
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form,gradually add 1/3sugar while still whisking.It is ready when egg whites hold its shape on the spoon.
Whisk egg yolks with 2/3 of sugar & warm water.
Gently fold egg yolks into the egg whites.

Sieve in the flour,cornflour & baking powder,mix as little as possible until its combined.Add vanilla for taste.
Bake in prepared 26cm round tin in preheated oven at 190C for 30 min or until its ready.
Cool.
 

Cut the base into 3 circles.

Cream:
 
500 g soft cheese
200 g white chocolate
200 g mixed berries(frozen)
100 ml fresh cream

2 tbsp sugar

Melt the chocolate in bain marie.Whisk the cream.Mix everything together.

~200 ml Raspberry Jam for filling

For cake:
  
Place the shortbread base on to the serving plate.
Cover it with raspberry jam.
Place one of the sponges over the jam.
Spread 1/3 of cream & 1/2 of berries on to the first sponge circle.
Put second circle over.If you wish,you can moisten it with some juice.
On second layer place 1/3 of the cream & the rest of the berries.
Put the third sponge circle on top.
Cover the cake all over with remaining 1/3 of the cream.


Chill the cake(covered) for at least 1 hour,but its best to leave it overnight.

How To Make The Chocolate Collar From:

The pink whisk
SinFoodie
make a chocolate collar for a cake  

How To Make The Fondant:

recipe-for-home-made-fondant-sugar-paste

How To Decorate The Cake With Chocolate:

how & why to temper & melt chocolate
how to make chocolate garnishes
how to make chocolate garnishes decorations tutorial PART 2


 





Monday, June 10, 2013

RASPBERRY LAYERED CAKE



Shortcake base:

150 g flour
100g butter
50 g sugar
1 egg yolk
grated rind of lemon
vanilla extract
Using your fingertips pinch together the butter,sugar & flour until it resembles the breadcrumbs,add egg yolk,lemon rind & vanilla extract,then knead it into the smooth dough.
Press the dough on to the bottom of the 26 cm baking tin.
Bake at 200C for 10-15 min.

Chocolate sponge:

5 eggs
200 g sugar
8 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
vanilla extract
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form,gradually add 1/3sugar while still whisking.It is ready when egg whites hold its shape on the spoon.
Mix egg yolks with 2/3 of sugar until its doubled.
Gently fold egg yolks into the egg whites.
Sieve in the flour,cocoa powder & baking powder,mix as little as possible until its combined.
Bake in prepared 26cm round tin in preheated oven at 220C for 20-30 min or until its ready.
Cool.

Raspberry-Cream Filling:

1 cup of raspberries
1 dl dusting sugar
500 ml double cream
vanilla extract
4 tsp gelatin
3 tbsp water
Whisk the cream with sugar until stiff.Add couple of drops of vanilla extract.
Prepare the gelatin by following the instructions on the packet.Add to the cream.
At last gently fold in the raspberries.

Some apple juice or cooled coffee for moisturizing the sponge
ca 200 ml Blackcurrant Jam
flaked coconut to decorate

Bringing it together:

1.Bake all the cake`s bases.Cool.
2.Make the cream.
3.Place the shortbread base on to the serving plate..
4.Cover it with Blackcurrant Jam.
5.Cut the chocolate sponge into two circles.
6.Place one of the chocolate sponges over the jam.
7.Moisten the chocolate base with some juice or coffee.
8.Cover it with half of the cream.
9.Lift the second sponge onto the cream.
10.Moisten.
11.Cover the top & sides of the cake with the rest of the cream.
12.Let it set in the cool place for few hour or overnight.
13.Sprinkle the cake with shredded coconut & decorate as you like just before serving.





Monday, June 3, 2013

SORREL FRITTATA


1 handful of sorrel (find it here),chopped
4 boiled potatoes,sliced
4 eggs
150 ml milk(you can combine it with sour cream or natural yogurt)
1 small red paprika,chopped or sliced
half onion,chopped finely
4 tbsp flour
0,5 tsp salt
parsley

Heat the pan (about 25 cm diameter)on the medium heat.Add a good knob of butter.
Arrange the sliced potatoes over the bottom,cook until golden brown then turn around.
Mix everything else,season,pour over the potatoes.Cover & cook about 10 min or until you can see it starts to turn crisp on the bottom.
Now place it under the grill (uncovered) until ready.
Serve with fresh salad & mayonnaise.


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Apple Traybake with Raisins & Almonds

After lovely few summery days we are now back to black here in Ireland so one big warming cake is a necessity.I was in the mood for something extra sweet & fruity so I came up with this traybake to meet the needs:)


Base:
400 g flour
250 g butter,at room temperature
125 g sugar
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp  baking powder

Filling:
500g-800g apples,cored & chopped
125 g sugar
100 g raisins
50 g chopped almonds(you can also use hazelnuts instead)
1 tbsp brandy( optional :) )
4 tbsp raspberry jam

With a wooden spoon beat the butter & the sugar together until smooth.
Add egg,stir in the flour mixed with baking powder & cinnamon.
Using your hands knead the mix together.Take a small bit of the dough for the hearts to decorate the cake.
Butter and line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with baking paper.
Press the dough over the baking tray.
Spread with raspberry jam.
For the filling mix all ingredients together & scatter over the base.

For the hearts roll out the rest of the dough to about 1/2 cm thick. Cut out your shapes & arrange over the cake.

Bake at the 220C for 30-40 min,until golden brown.



Monday, March 4, 2013

Angel Fruit Bread


7 egg whites
175 g sugar
115 g flaked almonds,toasted
115 g sultanas
grated rind of 1 lemon
165 g flour,sifted
75 g butter,melted,cooled

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease & flour 1kg loaf tin.
Whisk the egg whites with pinch of salt until stiff.
Gradually add sugar.
Add almond flakes,sultanas & lemon rind.
Fold gently the flour & butter into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin & bake about 40-45 min, untilwell risen & golden brown.
Cool for a few minutes in the tin,then turn out.
Dust with icing sugar.

This delightful bread has a wonderful taste and a soft fluffy texture!!Very easy to make & tastes even better the next day..



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