Macarons Rosé { and Troubleshooting Guide}

If you haven`t tasted a Macaron yet, than you really can`t understand why people are so crazy about them. Am I right? No? Key then. :D

The first time I tried one was about two years ago, in Venice. I remember the classic flavours: lemon, berries and mint. I`m really sorry I can`t show you the picture but heck, they were amazing. 

Like I said before, I am a texture seeker. What that means? I`m literally hunting for perfection each time I eat dessert. Yes, even if it`s a plain pudding, I want it silky, creamy, smooth and velvety, just like a pudding is meant to be.

So this is what I did with these capricious french meringue cookies. They are not hard to make: whipping egg whites, folding in rest of the ingredients and baking. Sound like baby work, isn`t it? Maybe you are wondering: what could go wrong? The answer is...everything. Just a few grams more of one ingredient and the batch is ruined. Mix the meringue too much and the batch is ruined. Add liquid food coloring and the batch is ruined. Baking them wrong (I`ll talk about that) and the batch is ruined. 

I learned that the hard way, trust me...I`ve failed a couple of times and studied as hard as I usually do for an exam, just to get them right. 

The first time I made them, I had the ugliest Macarons on earth and everybody was lying to me saying the looks didn`t matter, they were delicious. Of course I didn`t give up and spent my money on almonds, powdered sugar and all the other stuff I needed. They turned out with feet but were too thin and had air pockets. Need I say that they were so soft after 24 hours so I had to eat them with the spoon. I baked a third time with a friend and unfortunately, we had a quite bad experience with the oven (long story, folks). This was my fourth time making them. Actually, I can`t call this "making" because I worked and studied so much the entire process and now dream it.

The key is practice. Yes, practice. The first batch will almost never turn out right. You might get your Macarons with feet and everything but there will always be the interior and texture of the Macaron which won`t let you sleep at night. 

Let me tell you more about how the perfect Macaron should look like:

Egg shell-like crust: First of all the egg shell is a bit harder, but you get the idea. It should be crispy.

"Feet"  Don`t ask me why they are called like this. The feet are that bottom layer of the cookie which looks like a sponge. Due to the fact that the bottom of the meringue heats up faster and gets done quicker than the rest of the cookie, you`ll see that it rises and looks like a sponge.

Soft,almost spongy like interior:  If your Macaron has empty spaces and not a cake-like interior than something was wrong. The batter was too thin, caused by over mixing. It is better to under mix than to over mix. When you put the batter into the piping bag and start piping the cookies, you`ll work it more. So, if it is over mixed there is really nothing you can do to your Macarons. They will not have feet, crack and they will brown while baked. A good Macaron should be slightly brown on the bottom, not everywhere.

You get it now? My batter was a bit under mixed at the begging and the first cookie I piped (left) cracked and had no foot. As I continued piping, the meringues came out perfect. Finally, the last three cookies I piped were over mixed. I don`t know if you can see that the edges are brownish and it cracked, showing the interior.

For more detailed information, see this page --> http://foodnouveau.com/2011/12/destinations/europe/france/a-macaron-troubleshooting-guide-useful-tips-and-advice-to-master-the-french-delicacy/.

There are plenty of other things I should be telling you, but this post would be too long and the upper information is the most important. I strongly advise you to click on that link if you are serious about making Macarons.

Living in a country where I could fine almond meal\flour would make my life a lot easier. But until then, this baker gotta grind the almonds by herself.

For best results, I buy almond flakes without skin and powdered sugar. I wouldn`t advise you to make your own powdered sugar because the store bought one contains cornstarch which helps the Macarons. If you are a rebel and like to live dangerously, go ahead and make your own powdered sugar. You are going to have a bad time. Been there, done that.

So, what was I saying? Making your own almond mean without turning it into paste. A food processor works best. Just toss the sugar first (to avoid making marzipan) followed by the almonds.

Sift it and your are ready to whip the whites, which have to be separated at least 24 hours ahead and left on your counter a few hours before beating them stiff. 

As you can see in the two pictures above, I added the food coloring before the almond\sugar mixture. Why? Well, if you incorporate that nut mixture first and then add the food dye in, you`ll enter the danger zone: over mixing! And I already told(and showed) you what kind of results you`ll get. 

Another important step is the way you fold. Do it gently, starting in the middle with large, circular movements. If you beat like crazy, you`ll deflate the egg whites for sure. Think that Macarons are little babies: handle them carefully.

After you did this step, the mixture should look like this:

I`m sorry for the low quality of this picture, but you get the idea. Some people compare the final batter with hot lava. It should be thick and fall in ribbons.

Now it`s time to pipe. Use a piping bag with a plain tip for best results. Hold the piping bag very close to the sheet, in a 90 degree angle. You can search for tutorials on Youtube on how to pipe Macarons. There are plenty.

I just believe this takes some practice as well. Also, using a template makes my life a lot easier. Just draw some circles on a white piece of paper and place it underneath the parchment paper. After you are done piping the Macarons, hold the parchment paper with your hand and carefully remove the template. Pay attention when doing this because you might make the cookies loose its shape.

Ok, so now that you done that, there is one more final step before you insert them in the oven at a low temperature. 

Let them "dry" on your table for 30 to 60 minutes. Yes, this step leads to better results in case you stirred your batter a bit too much. How do you know they are dry? Well, when you touch the surface of the unbaked cookie with your finger, it will be slightly tacky and no wet batter should linger on your finger. See the pictures underneath:

See? It is the same Macaron my finger touched, but there are no traces. So make sure you don`t skip this step. I want you to get perfect results, just like I did. 

There was no one to teach me how to do it and I realised how much it would have helped me. And, may I say, spare me from wasting my time and money. Subsequently to following these steps, you should get the a Macaron as good as the famous Ladureé.

The filling is made of rose extract and a secret ingredient that gives the Macaron a je ne sais quoi that makes you shiver when you have it on your tongue. And that little trick is...strawberry jam. Exactly. You don`t even feel it because I used just a small touch of it to cut out on the sweetness of the Macarons. And no, these do not taste like soap just because they are made with rose extract. It smells divine, like...like something dropped out of the Heaven. The Heaven of Sugar.

Of course I plan to make different flavors and combinations. What about a White Chocolate Pistachio Macaron, or a Lime Mint? I am also thinking of Honey Sesame, maybe Walnuts and Coffee? I could write an entire list.

Ingredients for 32 medium sized Macarons

3 large egg whites (aged for 24 hrs and room temperature)

35 gr granulated white sugar

135 gr blanched(without that dark skin) chopped almonds

210 gr powdered sugar

gel or powdered food coloring (don`t use liquid or it might change the texture of your Macarons)

Rose Filling:

70 gr soft butter

6 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon rose extract or rose water

3 Tablespoons strawberry jam or preserves

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Line 2 large baking trays with a double layer of parchment paper. Set aside.

If using already made almond meal, sift it with the powdered sugar. If you make your own, than put the powdered sugar in a food processor followed by the almonds and grind until very fine. Sift it. Set aside.

2. Beat the egg whites on low until they become frothy and start adding the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Fold in food coloring if using.

3. Fold in gently half of the sugar/almond mixture. Mix just until slightly combined, then add the rest of it. Once again, fold in just until the almond/ sugar is incorporated. Mixture should resemble lava. I know it sounds funny.

4. Using a piping bag with a round, plain tip, pipe little circles on the prepared baking trays. Bang each tray a few times on your counter to remove any air bubbles that may be trapped in the meringue.

Leave the cookies to dry for 30 to 60 minutes or until you pat them a bit with your finger and they are no longer sticky, but your finger should remain clean.

5. Bake them at 150 C/325 F/ lvl. 3 gas for 15 minutes or until you pat them and they are firm on their "feet". That means, when you apply a small pressure on them, the bottom, sponge-like layer, should not sink.

Take them out and leave them to cool completely in the pans. You should be able to remove them easily from the parchment paper.

Rose Filling:

Beat butter and powdered sugar until pale in color and fluffy. Add the strawberry jam, pinch of salt and mix once more. Finally, fold in the rose extract/rose water.

Take 2 cookies and sandwich them together with the rose filling. You might not be satisfied with the texture of the Macaron right away. They should be eaten only after 24 hrs to 48 hrs of "maturing". That`s because the filling will release its flavor into the meringue cookies and it will soften their texture a bit.

Enjoy!

Feed-a-crowd Brownie

What if you have to host a party? A large one? Like thirty people coming over to you for dinner? Or a get-together with the old mates of your school? And let`s say you decide to make a dessert. But what can be done in the last minute with inexpensive ingredients and be at the same time a crowd pleaser? Brownies! Exactly.

Moist, cakey, fudgy. This Brownie has it all! Is there any point to say that it is heaven in one`s mouth? I think no. Don`t let the pictures fool you, I`m not a good photographer. :D Neither a food stylist, but I`m doing my best.

However, as it was my birthday and I already baked a Vanilla Chocolate Birthday Cake (see recipe here http://the-baking-drug.blogspot.ro/2014/02/vanilla-chocolate-birthday-cake.html) I had to put something different on the table to serve my guests. I searched in my cooking notebook and came across this recipe which I got from an international cafe in our town. As I said, it is inexpensive and pleases everyone. 

I don`t know about you but I`m obsessed with brownies. And I`m not talking only about eating them. If I bite out of these little wonders, wherever it comes from, it has to be: delicious, moist, flavorfull, dense, rich and the texture needs to be good as well. You might think I`m a little too pretentious. Well, I`m sorry if that`s what you think but I`ve never seen a person who likes dry, sandpaper-ish brownies.

Look at this guy, he wants a bite too! :D

Luckily, I still have a few pieces left over and I am enjoying each mouthful right now. Don`t mind my stupid behavior. 

So, leaving the jokes aside for a moment, I want to stress out the importance of the baking temperature in order to get a perfect brownie each time. You have to bake it at no more than 150 Celsius/325 F. I know it`s hard to wait a good hour or so until it bakes and another two or three until it cools so you can cut it. If you try to slice it while it`s warm...you are going to have a bad time. Been there, done that.

You might be a bit suspicious when you look at the top of the Brownie (I think this is the 1567-th time when I`m using this word), you can see something like a cream on top. It is cream indeed. Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I had some left over from a cake I frosted and didn`t feel like throwing it away, so I spread it thinly on the (cold) brownie. It was amazing! Of course, you don`t have to do that, as I used only a very small amount of cream and the recipe does not require it. But if you are feeling extra fancy, go check the previous recipe I made and you`ll see Swiss Meringue Buttercream there.

Ingredients: 

11 eggs + 3 egg yolks

5 teaspoons vanilla extract

75o gr. unsalted butter or margarine

1 kg (2 lbs) granulated white sugar

3 cups (550 gr) all purpose flour

80 gr. unsweetened cocoa powder

35 gr. chopped white chocolate

110 gr. chopped walnuts or pecans

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. After it is completely melted, with no butter pieces in it, remove from heat and set aside.

2. Preheat your oven to 150 C/325 F and grease the bottom of a large baking sheet with parchment paper. I can`t really tell you the exact measurements but you can bake the Brownies in 2 smaller pans if you don`t a huge one.

3. In a very large, deep bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale in color, about 5 miuntes. Pour the melted butter in a thin stream, beating constantly with the mixer on low until completely incorporated.

4.Add the sifted cocoa powder and vanilla extract, folding in gently. Incorporate the flour, espresso powder, walnuts, white chocolate and baking soda in 3(three) batches. Don`t over mix, but try to get rid of any lumps by incorporating the mentioned dry ingredients with slow, large movements.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet (it is crucial to have it covered with parchment paper or you won`t be able to easly take out the brownies) and insert it into the oven. 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out with a few wet crumbs (not clean! if the toothpick comes out clean that means you baked the brownie too much). Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before slicing. 

Vanilla Chocolate Birthday Cake

You know you start to grow up when you make your own birthday cake. And it`s for the first time you use Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Yep, that`s me. Wake up in the morning and go shopping for ingredients before you even had breakfast. This pretty much summed up the day before I turned sixteen. 

After having searched for the perfect birthday cake recipe on the internet ( http://sweetapolita.com/ was my source of inspiration and I recommend you check out Rosies`s amazing recipes and tutorials) I gathered my ideas and this is what I came up with. 

I am a chocoholic and nr.#1 fan of vanilla, so I couldn`t make up my mind whether to bake a chocolate overloaded rich cake or a fluffy vanilla delicacy. So I made a 2 in 1 layer cake. Two vanilla layers sandwiched together with a smooth, silky custard cream. Do you think there is chocolate cream in the middle? Think again. That`s a Genoese( or Genoise?! whatever) Chocolate Sponge Cake. Sounds fancy, huh? It`s easier than it sounds, believe me.

Actually, it`s no big deal. The Swiss Meringue Buttercream was the hardest part. I`ll talk about that after you`ve finished staring at these pictures:

Now, about the cream (or frosting or icing, however you want to call it): unless you don`t have a KitchenAid mixer or anything like that, I must let you know that it takes a good 40 minutes from start to finish. Thanks to my dearest Phillips hand mixer, I managed to get a perfect result. And because it was my first time making it, I had to make the victory dance at the end. :D I don`t have a picture to show you that. =)

There are a few (of,maybe more) things you should know before making a Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
First of all, if you are a beginner and don`t get on well with whipping whites for a long time...don`t do it. Just make a plain, sugary buttercream and spread it on the cake. But I like being adventurous in the kitchen.
The most important ingredient is the butter (after all, this is why we call it "a buttercream"). It has to have a high fat content, about 80%-82%. Also, don`t forget to check if the whites are expired (put an egg in a glass of cold water and if it sinks, it`s good, if it swims to the surface...throw the damn thing away). 
The cream will go through different "changes" through the process of mixing and adding butter. 
You`ll notice that it the meringue will deflate once you start mixing it with the fat, maybe it will thin out and it will look curdled/grainy. Don`t panic! Take a deep breath and beat continuously until it stiffens and turns into a buttery, delicious, airy cream. 
Swiss Meringue Buttercream acts just like butter: if kept cold, it hardens, if kept warm, it gets soft. I kept my cream in the basement, where there`s a low temperature even in the summer. You can store yours in the fridge and if you find it too stiff to spread it on the cake, pop it 5-7 seconds (not more, or the butter will melt) into the microwave.

Here`s a before&after picture. Notice how the texture of the cream changed from curdled(if you have a good sight, than you`ll see that the sides of the bowl on the left show a cream that looks rather like split mayo) to a smooth, creamy frosting.

That being said, you need a bit of experience with baking and everything before making this recipe. And I`ll say this again: use a butter with high fat content to make sure you get the best results, both in taste and texture.

I mentioned that the chocolate layer is a Genoese Sponge Cake. What that is? It is the easiest and best method for making a high, fluffy sponge cake without whipping egg whites from egg yolk. What you basically do is dump the sugar and the eggs in a heat-safe bowl and whisk a couple o` minutes until you get a fluffy, pale (lemon-like color). Then, remove the bowl from heat and beat with the mixer for 3-4 minutes until the mixture leaves a "trail" behind the whisk. 

After that, you dump your dry ingredients and bake. That`s it!

That is "a trail" behind the whisk. When you run your whisk or whatever, then you`ll see there are traces...well, you get the idea. It gets paler in color and thicker.

What else could I tell you? Really nothing. This cake looks fancy but the whole process is not that time-consuming like a sassy birthday cake should be. Just make sure your beaters and bowls are grease-free in order to be able to whip the egg whites, they are extremely sensitive to fat. Just soak a paper napking in some lemon juice and rub your bowl: that gets rid of any dirty spots.

Here`s the recipe for a 18 cm/7 inch round cake pan. If you want to use a larger diameter pan than you`d better increase the amount of ingredients unless you want a thin, short cake.

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Sponge Cake (makes 2 layers):

185 gr butter-room temperature

4 eggs-room temperature

275 g white  sugar-caster sugar works best but you could use granulated

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

10 gr baking powder

210 gr sifted flour-25 cornstarch and 185 flour works best for a fluffy cake

1 tsp salt

5 T buttermilk

200 g dark chocolate-chopped-

1. Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius/375 F, grease the bottom of 2 round 7inch/18 cm round cake pans. Line them with parchment paper to make sure nothing sticks. Set aside.

2. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. In a medium bowl, beat the soft butter with 175 gr sugar for 5 minutes or until airy and light. Add the yolk, one at a time, beating a couple of seconds after each addition. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

3.In a grease-proof, large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the salt and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1 Tablespoon of the remaining sugar (100 gr) and continue until stiff peaks form (when you lift the beaters up, the egg whites should stay firm).

4. Incorporate a dollop of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture to loosen it a bit. Then, in 4 batches, slowly and carefully incorporate the yolk mixture into the white mixture. Work carefully and gentle, you don`t want to deflate the whites.

5. Fold in your flour, baking powder, baking soda and chopped chocolate, again, incorporating gently. 

6. Divide the mixture into the prepared cake pans and insert them into the oven. Bake somewhere around 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean(with no wet batter on it) if inserted in the center of the cake.

Remove from the oven, let them rest in the pans for 5-7 minutes and invert them onto a cooling rack and leave them to cool completely.

For the Genoese Chocolate Sponge Cake:

2 eggs

3 T. cocoa powder

90 gr sugar

80 gr flour

2 T oil

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.Start by preheating your oven to 150 Celsius/325 F, grease the bottom of 1 round 7 inch/18 cm cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Over a pot of simmering water, place a heat-safe bowl (don`t let the water come in contact with the bottom of the bowl or else you`ll end up cooking the eggs, which you don`t want!). 

The picture on the left is what you are looking for. Maybe you already own a double-boiler so go ahead and use that. I know I already showed you what "a trail" behind the whisk looks like, but well...I want you to understand the recipe, not only read it.

At this point, you will have to constantly whisk. You don`t have to stir like crazy, but keep moving that tool in the mixture. After a couple of minutes (3-4) it will start to produce a slightly foam on the surface. However, don`t stop until you notice the change in color and texture. You`ll be able to notice, don`t worry about that.

5.Remove the bowl form the double-boiler and put it on your counter. Now that you`ve done this, I strongly suggest you use the electric mixer. Whether you have a KitchenAid or a hand mixer, put on the beaters and beat until the egg-sugar mixture starts to cool a bit and thicken up. Again, 3-4 minutes was the amount of time it took me. Just stay there and baby-sit it.

6. Pour in the vegetable oil and the sifted flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and vanilla extract at the end. Carefully fold everything in.

7. Put cake batter in pan. In the oven it goes, folks! Now bake it for somewhere around 30 minutes. Check with the classic toothpick test (insert a toothpick or a spaghetti in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, with no wet batter on in, it`s done). Take it our of the oven and let it cool in the pan for a good 10 minutes. Remove it from the cake pan after such time and let it cool on a rack.

Vanilla&Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

6 egg whites

216 gr full fat butter (82%)-try to have some more on hand in case you need 

250 gr sugar-granulated, white

1 Vanilla bean or 3 teaspoons extract

100 gr. dark chocolate, melted and cooled. 

1. Prepare your butter: take it out of the refrigerator and cut it in cubes. Place it in a slightly cold place (I put mine in the microwave, obviously with the microwave turned off). You don`t want your butter to room temperature or else it will be too soft and it will liquify your cream. It has to have a slight chill to it.

2. Over a pot of simmering water/double-boiler/bain marie, fit a heat-safe, grease-free bowl and put the egg whites and the sugar. Keep whisking until the sugar granules dissolve and whites are hot. You`ll know this when you take some mixture and rub it between your fingers. Don`t fell any sugar granules in there and whites are hot to the touch? If the answer is yes, remove the bowl from stove and place it on your counter.

This is how the mixture should look like when it is ready for the next step. I don`t know if you can see, but there are no sugar granules on the sides of the bowl. 

3. With the electric mixer on low speed, beat the egg whites until thick, glossy and volume increases and the bottom of the bowl will feel room temperature to the touch. This will take about 12-15 or more minutes. 

When your meringue looks like in the picture above, you are ready to add the butter. Don`t add more than 1 cube at a time! Mix until each piece is incorporated and add the next.

This will take another 15 minutes or so. Don`t get scared if the mixture loses it`s volume (it`s ok) and it thins out (it`s ok again). Keep mixing until you have a smooth, spreadable cream. Add the vanilla bean or extract. This is your vanilla Buttercream.

4. Put 1/4 of the Swiss Meringue buttercream in a smaller bowl and add the cooled, melted chocolate. This is your Chocolate Buttercream.

Store them in a cold room or in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost the cake. 

Note* If you find your cream is too stiff to easily frost the cake, pop it in the microwave 5-7 seconds (no more!) and mix thoroughly.

Vanilla Custard/Pastry Cream:

2 egg yolks

10 tsp sugar

300 ml milk

2 heaping tsp. cornstarch (or 4 if flour is used)

pinch od salt

1 Tsp. soft butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pour the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it come to a small boil.

2. In a bowl, put the egg yolk together with the sugar and mix until thicker and pale in color. Mix the cornstarch in.

3. Take 1/4 cup of the hot milk and pour it in a thin stream in the yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. 

Put this mixture back into the pot of milk and stir constantly over low heat until thickened and the consistency is that of a pudding.

Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap (let the wrap touch the surface of the custard to avoid a dry skin forming as it cools) and let it cool completely.

Assemble the Cake:

 Place 1 Vanilla cake layer on a platter. Spread 4 heaping tablespoons of the Vanilla custard over it and cover with the Genoese Chocolate Sponge Cake. Put another few dollops of Vanilla Custard over it and spread, leaving a 1 inch/2.5 cm border. Place the second Vanilla cake layer on top, applying  a small pressure with the palm of your hand.

Take a few tablespoons of the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and spread on top, smoothing everything so that it is evenly. It doesn`t have to be perfect.

Spread a thick layer  of the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream along the bottom third of the entire cake. Work your way upwards until you reach the middle layer. 

Do the same with the Vanilla Buttercream, starting from the top layer of the cake. Smooth out the cream with a straight spatula and fill any gaps if there are.

Keep in the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. Bring at room temperature for easy cutting a slice.

Enjoy! :D

And because I made this delicious cake for my birthday, I want to share a little photo of me when i was still fifteen. 

Crepes or French Pancakes

I think I should have posted this recipe two days ago, when people celebrated National Crepe Day. Yeah, that means French people eating these. And I think I know why they created such a day: these thin, french pancakes are something I grew up eating.

My mom used to make Crepes a couple of times during a month because I liked them so much. And as a kid who loves sweets, I was extremely excited when I saw she was taking out our ancient Crepe pan. I jumped like a stupid frog while she was preparing my favourite dessert at that time. 

The jam was all over my face and hands, as well as on the white table cloth. I can`t describe the reactions of my mother when she saw me.

We used to make them with mineral water and avoid milk. Not because milk was quite expensive at that time and I was drinking it anyway before my mom could use it at cooking, but mineral water makes them fluffy, light and tender. Plain water might work as well. However, I feel like whipping up a batch right now, although I made my own birthday cake and a huge batch of brownies is baking.

Sweeten up your mood with these! They are so easy to make and besides, St. Valentine`s here (almost), share them with your dearest person. 

Whatever...they brought back sooo many memories from my childhood. I can`t believe I just turned sixteen. 

Ingredients for 10 Crepes:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup mineral water (or enough to make a runny,thin pancake batter)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

oil or butter for greasing the pan

1. Start by preheating your Crepe pan/regular pan on medium-low heat.

2. In a big bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and sugar. Dump the eggs in (you could beat them before, if you like) and mix constantly while pouring the mineral water. Batter will be runny and thin, like heavy cream or a bit thinner.

3. Pour about 1/4 of a cup of batter in the greased, hot pan and immediately swirl it around so the bottom is coated in the Crepe batter. 

Let it cook until you see the edges will start looking a bit dry. Take a spatula and check: if you can lift it with easily than flip it on the other side. If the batter still clings to the pan and looks a bit wet, than leave it about half a minute to a minute.

4. Put them on a platter and fill them with Nutella, jam or cream cheese. Fruits go well with them. Enjoy! :D

Coconut Kisses

I`m telling you: these cookies are just like a kiss on the cheek. Tender, soft and flaky with a beautiful coconut and butter flavor. You can`t stop loving them once you tasted one. They are oh-so-addictive!

I don`t know how to describe them...delicious. A thousand more words linger on my fingertips and I chose "delicious"?! I must still be charmed by these beauties:

As you all know, Valentine`s Day is just around the corner. Everybody want to surprise their beloved ones. Among all those nice gifts, people tend to show their affection mostly by preparing something fancy, like cakes. Homemade desserts seem to scream "I love you so much that it took me hours to prepare something just for you!". And I find that cute.

Apart from being so small and lovable (lovable cakes?! Yeah...I think I miss my daily sugar dose), Coconut Kisses are so easy to make. It takes a few ingredients which you might already have hidden in the back of your kitchen shelf.

For perfect results make sure all of your ingredients  are cold. Preferably directly from the fridge. This is a cool recipe. Get the bad baking joke? Nah. :D

What you basically are doing is a pastry dough. Throw all of the ingredients in a food processor or bowl and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Easy as that. Add more liquid if needed and work the pastry more. You know it`s ready when you pinch it between your fingers and it sticks together.

I wish I could have taken a more detailed picture to show you, but you get the idea. Ok, so when the dough looks like that, it is time to put it on a parchment paper, pull it together in a small disk, cover with another parchment paper and flatted it a bit with the rolling pin.

Pop the dough disk in the freezer for a 15 to 30 minutes and flatten it again into a 1 inch(2,5 cm) thick dough sheet. 

Here`s everybody`s favourite part: having fun with the cookie cutters. Feel free to use any shape you like. I chose a round one because I love simplicity and I think they look fancier, but it`s Valentine, so a heart shaped cutter works best.

The picture above is something I really wanted to share with you, as unattractive as it seems. I don`t know why but I find the dessert before&after pictures very motivating. I feel like the recipe is safe and apart from that, you have the chance of watching an unappetizing product change into the most delightful dessert ever. After all, it`s like having children: you get to see them grow up and blossom. 

I know I`m sounding stupid. 

Here`s how they should look like after they finished baking:

BEAU-TI-FUL. See all those "cracks"? That is a flaky cookie. It`s like the definition for perfect! Wait until you bite out of one. Honestly, it was so good that it sent shivers through my spine. Crumbly, buttery, amazing smell and the subtle touch of coconut...Heaven. If Heaven had a candy bar at the entrance, these cookies would be among other sweet treats.

Bite out of one and...

I`m speechless...I know you are drooling over the keyboard right now. Don`t worry, I`m doing that too.

So is there any reason why you shouldn`t bake these? I think not. Your beloved one will appreciate,I guarantee it.

Remember one thing: keep the ingredients as cold as possible in order to get a flaky texture.

Ingredients:

150 gr. frozen butter, cut into cubes or small pieces

1/2 Tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon rum (optional or substitute it with vanilla or almond extract)

135 gr. flour

20 gr. shredded coconut

1 egg yolk

5 Tablespoons milk/water (more or less)

powdered sugar for coating

Directions:

1. Throw the flour into a food processor or a big, cold bowl, followed by the baking powder,baking soda and salt. Combine everything.

2. Add shredded coconut, frozen butter and rum or other flavorings. Using a fork or pulsing if using a food processor, work the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3. In goes the yolk, vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of milk/water. Work it with the fork or pulse if using a food processor. The dough will still look like crumbs but check it by pinching a small amount between your fingers and if it stays together, then stop adding any liquid. If it still is crumbly and it falls apart, add 1 Tablespoon of liquid until it reaches the consistency which I mentioned above. 

4. Line your work surface with parchment paper (8X8 inch/18X18 cm square) and turn out the mixture on it. Pull it together with your hands in a ball. Avoid kneading it or the warmth of your hand will soften the butter and you won`t get the desired texture of the cookie. Cover it with another piece of parchment paper (same measurements like the first one) and flatten the dough ball into a 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick disk, using the rolling pin. Chill dough into the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.

At this point, if you are chilling it into the freezer, preheat oven at 375 degrees/180 Celsius/ Level 4 gas. Grease and flour or use parchment paper for you baking tray to prevent everything from sticking.

5. Take dough out, remove the parchment paper which covers the top of it and start cutting desired shapes. Dip your cookie cutter in flour every time.

6. Arrange cookies on the tray and pop them into the well preheated oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up a little bit. 

Leave them to sit on the baking tray for 2 minutes and while still warm, roll them in powdered sugar, making sure they are evenly coated.

Enjoy it with a nice glass of wine.

Orange Apple Turnovers

When I`m saying you`ll love these...trust me. Not even my mom could resist them.

See all those flaky, buttery layers? That, my friend, is the cherry on top. And because the pastry is so rich, I added apples and a hint of orange flavour to "cut" the generous amount of butter.

You must be thinking:"Making pastry is such a pain in the butt.". This recipe does not involve crumbling butter in flour and waiting for it to cool...that`s too much work. So this is why I used puff pastry, or you may know it is phyllo dough.

I`m a great fan of whatever is flaky, crunchy and buttery. So you could bet I`ll grab a croissant instead of a muffin. Yes, there: I said it! Croissants, turnovers, fruit puffs or cheese straws, they are my guilty pleasure.

Just look at all those heavenly layers! Damn!

This happens only if the pastry is kept as cold as possible, so make sure you use your fingertips and cold ingredients. 

Now, another star of the show: the orange apple filling.

In the picture above you can see small traces of orange zest so don`t worry, those aren`t worms. 

I wanted something slightly different than the usual,plain apple filling. So I let it to marinate with orange juice and spices. 

Unfortunately, I didn`t have any strong orange liquor (like Grand Marnier) on hand to use that. That would have been the bomb. If you have some, feel free to add between 1 and 3 teaspoons.

Ingredients:

400 gr. puff pastry/phyllo dough, thawed

2 medium apples (use any type you like)

zest(grated peel) and juice of 1 large orange

a pinch of cinnamon

1 Tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

a pinch of nutmeg (or less)

For the top: 1 egg beaten with 2 Tablespoons of milk/water

                         granulated sugar to sprinke for crunchiness 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180 C/375 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

Peel and finely grate the apple. Some recipes require cooking the apple till tender, but I like to keep things as simple as possible.

Toss the grated pulp in a small bowl, together with the orange zest, juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, sugar and combine it well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge(or somewhere cold) for at least 30 min. to 2 hours.

Unroll the thawed puff pastry (it`s best to leave it to thaw in the fridge, overnight or 2 hours on your counter) and cut it in 4 large squares. Cut each large square into another 4 little squares. If you don`t like triangle-shaped turnovers, than cut round shapes or whatever your heart desires.

Stretch each square a bit before putting 1 and 1/2 teaspoons on each piece,diagonally, leaving a margin. Damp the edges with a little bit of beaten egg, fold each square to make a triangle, press the edges together with the back of a fork. 

Brush each turnover on top with the beaten egg and sprinkle some sugar. Cut several slits in the top with a knife to let the steam escape.

Bake them for 30 minutes, more or less, depending on how hot your oven is. Serve hot or cold.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

You know, lemon is the ingredient that makes the difference in some desserts...this is one of them.

A few weeks ago, I received a cooking book...or as I like to call it: The Cooking Bible. Why so? Because you can find everything there. You need a recipe for puff pastry? Page 367 in The Cooking Bible. Don`t know how to prepare fish? Cooking Bible got you covered. I also found a small "dictionary" in it, where all the words which are used in the kitchen are explained.

So there I was,thinking of what recipe to share with you. 

Yes, that`s right. I found out (from that Cooking Bible) which other ingredients pair well with lemon. Blueberry is my favorite, but I wanted something different. Something...that is "a lemon`s best friend". Poppy seed.

You won`t even guess how easy it is to whip up this bread. No mixer needed(only if you want to) and two bowls are everything you will need. 

First of all, when foreigners hear the word "bread", they instantly think of baked dough which is made with yeast and so on. So before you think that this recipe requires kneading and letting the dough rise...let me make everything clear.

Bread or Sweet Bread does not necessary mean a yeast-leavened staple food, but it also refers to a cake batter which is baked in a loaf pan. This recipe is exactly what I`m talking about: it contains sugar, no yeast and the mixing method is like that of the muffins.

As I mentioned, you`ll only need a whisk and a spatula. The hardest part is waiting for this delicious, moist, slightly tangy bread to bake. I guarantee your house will smell amazing!

Ingredients:

175 gr. container plain Greek yogurt

335 gr. brown sugar

zest(outer peel of the fruit, finely grated) of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

3/4 Tablespoon lemon juice

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

83 gr. applesauce (make your own applesauce by cooking a chopped apple with 1 Tablespoon of water until it softens up and mash it with a fork)

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 cup poppy seeds

360 gr flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/375 degrees F. Butter or spray a loaf pan and put parchment paper on it, to ensure that nothing sticks. Set aside.

2.In a big bowl, toss together the flour, poppy seeds,baking powder and salt. Mix just to combine. These are your dry ingredients. Set aside.

3.In another big bowl (you`ll pretty much add your rest ingredients) whisk the yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil and milk until well combined, about 2 minutes. After that, add the lemon and vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice and the applesauce. Don`t worry about the applesauce, you won`t feel it`s taste at all, this recipe calls for it because apples increase moistness. Beat it together. These are your wet ingredients.

4. Dump the dry ingredients (nr.2) over the wet (nr.2). I wouldn`t recommend doing in reverse, as this may result a lumpy batter. Which is okay, but there are small chances you`ll find spots of flour in your final product.

However, gently combine the two (wet,dry) mixtures until combined. DO NOT over-mix or you`ll make your cake tough and dense.

5.Pour the resulting batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 1 hour and 10 minutes or so. Each oven is different, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or an uncooked spaghetti in the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean with no wet batter or it, then it`s done. If a few batter pieces cling on it, bake it 5-10 minutes more, checking after such time.

Leave it to cool completely and glaze it with a sugar-lemon glaze or dust it with powdered sugar. Cut and enjoy!