Category: Recipes

Delicious rhubarb berry sauce

I get excited when my rhubarb plants are ready in my garden. One of my favorite ways to use rhubarb is to make a delicious sauce. The main ingredients are rhubarb stalks, sugar and spices. It is very easy to make. You just have to let the stalks sit in sugar until it exudes its liquid, add some spices to offset its sourness and cook gently on low heat for a short time. That is it! I like to serve it with pancakes.

Rhubarb is the first fruit here, oops I meant to say vegetable. Yes, people often think it is a fruit because of its fruity, sour taste; however, it is in fact a vegetable. While it is not a fruit, it can be prepared with sugar to kind of pretend that it is a fruit. Nevertheless, rhubarb sauce goes well with pancakes and other desserts or you can just eat it alone.

Yes, the rhubarb is sour so we need to add a few things. Sugar is a must for sure! Also, chefs like to add some chopped ginger and cinnamon to offset the sourness. In addition, I added 1 cup of berries to help make this sauce even tastier.

No water needs to be added. I let the stalks sit in sugar before cooking them. They will release enough liquid so no water needs to be added.

Also, rhubarb has favorable health effects.  It has been used in the culinary world all over the world as it helps digestion and has an interesting flavor. It suits the spring season as it is cooling and detoxifying to the liver. Please, check out this website for more information.

The leaves are not edible as they contain oxalic acid and should be discarded. Do not eat them! But the stalks are edible and delicious. Just on the side, if you eat one leaf by mistake, no worries, nothing will happen! I was fine, just be aware that they are not edible.

When selecting the stalks, choose firm stalks that are not wilted. This should not be a problem if stalks are freshly picked.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb rhubarb stalks, chopped
  • 1 cup strawberries, optional
  • ¼ – ½ cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger root (finally chopped) or 1 tsp dried ginger
  • 1 tbsp lemon peel or orange peel
  • 1 tsp apple spice powder or cinnamon powder

METHOD

  • Wash and trim the top greens off. Discard the green parts.
  • Cut the red stalks into 1 inch pieces.
  • Put rhubarb and sugar in a smaller pot for about 15 minutes or until the rhubarb exudes some juice.  No need to add water!
  • Add the strawberries.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir.
  • Reduce the heat to low heat. Add the ginger and lemon or orange peels.
  • Cover and simmer on low medium heat, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb stalks soften for about 30 minutes. There should be no hard large lumps remaining.
  • If you want some chunkier pieces in your sauce, take a small amount of the soft larger pieces out with a slotted spoon, set aside. Let the rest of the sauce cook until the stalks fall apart and the liquid thickens.
  • Add the pieces back to the pot that were removed earlier.
  • Turn the heat off. Add cinnamon. Stir.
  • Let it cool for 15 minutes, the sauce will thicken as it cools.
  • Serve with pancakes or yogurt.
  • Store in a closed jar for up to two weeks.

Text and photos by twincitiesherbs.

Source: webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-rhubarb

Moist carrot cake with lemon cream cheese frosting

This is a delicious carrot cake that I made for Easter this year; however, it is not just for Easter, it can be made for any occasion! It is made with the moist, spiced carrot bread base and is wrapped by the luscious lemony cream cheese frosting. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser!

I successfully made a drastic change to the sugar content in this recipe from the usual recipes. We all agreed the cake is plenty sweet and delicious. I included a range for the sugar content so you can decide how much sugar to use in your cake. I used 1/2 cup brown sugar for the cake and 1 cup granulated sugar for the frosting. Please try and let me how you liked it!

RECIPE

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

CAKE INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 – 2 cup packed dark brown sugar or confectioners sugar
  • 4  large eggs
  • 1 cup oil with a light taste (I used coconut oil)
  • 3/4 cup smooth unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (sifted and leveled)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp apple spice or cinnamon powder
  • 2 cup grated carrots 
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
  • 4 oz fruits for decoration (I used black berries)
  • 2 cups nuts for the top (I used pistachio nuts)

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

Make sure all these ingredients are at room temperate

  • 16 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cream
  • 4 Tbsp  unsalted butter
  • 1 – 4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Making the cake

  1. Set oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour the cake form. You can use parchment paper instead.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla) together until combined.
  3. In another large bowl, whisk dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon) together.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients using a spoon, mix until just combined. Do not over mix!
  5. Fold in the fun ingredients (carrots, raisins and the chopped pecans).
  6. Divide the batter evenly pouring the batter into the two cake pans.
  7. Let the dough rest for 1 hour if possible.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done.
  9. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling. Remove the cakes from the forms and set them on a rack.

Making the frosting

  1. While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with a handheld mixer.
  2. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cream and a pinch of salt and continue beating the frosting until smooth. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.

Assembling the cake

  1. Place 1 cake layer onto a serving cake platter. Spread some of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake layer. Add the other cake layer. (Tip: Place the top cake layer upside down so you get a nice flat top that is easy to decorate). Using a spatula, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake and the sides. 

Serving

  1. Decorate the top of the cake with the fruits and nuts of your choice.
  2. Refrigerate cake at least for one hour before serving the cake. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
  3. Cover the leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Enjoy!

Photo, text, recipe by twincitiesherbs.

Home made Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Try this delicious healthy meal. It is a popular dish sold in American health food stores. Quinoa and black beans are drizzled with some olive oil, lime juice and spices. It is vegan and gluten free and can be served as a main dish. It can be taken to parties and is easy to make!

RECIPE

Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup dried black beans (15 oz canned black beans), rinsed
  • 1 cup quinoa, washed and rinsed
  • 2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken) or water
  • 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • juice of 2 limes or 4 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 bunches scallions, chopped
  • 1 smaller cucumber, cubed
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
  • chopped tomatoes, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid, discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 1.5 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).

Wash the quinoa well with cold water. Let it soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Add the stock or fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 10 – 15 minutes or until all the water has cooked away. Turn off heat and keep lid on for 15 more minutes. (You can omit the soaking time if you don’t have time).

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a medium sized bowl, mix oil, lime juice, spices, salt. Add the quinoa, scallions, tomatoes, black pepper and cilantro to this mixture and stir.

You can serve with pita bread and feta cheese .

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Decadent Black Bean Brownies

A few years ago, I had black bean brownies at a potluck. I love brownies but they tend to be rich and heavy. I remember looking at the brownies on the table and wished I could have had one … and soon afterwards the woman who baked the brownies came to me and invited me to try it … I explained to her that I really wanted to have one but brownies were a bit rich for me. Then she assured me that these brownies were not the regular brownies but they were made with black beans. Hmm I thought this is an interesting take on brownies … I kind of hesitated but then I gave it a try… and I am so glad I did! These are absolutely delicious, decadent brownies even better than the original!

These are very tasty, chewy and chocolaty brownies, no one will guess they are made with black beans. Try to use the best quality chocolate that you can possibly get as the chocolate is still an important part of the recipe. This is definitely a very healthy alternative to the original brownie recipes.

So why use black beans? Well, they are actually sweet. They also add protein to the brownies. The protein in the black beans helps to curb the blood sugar spikes that you would see with regular desserts.

Try it and let me know in the comment section how you liked it!

RECIPE

Yields 12 slices

Ingredients
  1. 1 cup dried black beans or 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. 1/4 tsp salt
  5. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  6. 1/4 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
  7. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  8. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  9. 1 tbsp coffee liquor
  10. 1 cup chocolate chips, divided
  11. 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  • Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 2 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).
  • Add the black beans without its liquid to a food processor and chop until smooth. I don’t have a food processor, so I just mash the black beans with a potato masher. It works great.
  • In a bowl, mix the chopped black beans, egg, coconut oil, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, coffee liquor, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts. You can do 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and save the other half for the top.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
  • You can put half the chocolate chips on the top.
  • Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing.
  • Store in an air-tight container for 1 week.

enjoy!

Picture and text by twincitiesherbs.

Hungarian Lentil Soup with an Indian Flair

If you are like me and enjoy eating with the seasons, you might find it difficult to find dishes to make now. There are no local produce growing here, in fact we just got 5 inches of snow today. I would like to post my favorite recipe that I often turn to when I am out of ideas. This dish is my lentil soup.

This delicious lentil soup is super easy to make and is very filling. You most likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I just make a Hungarian soup base with root vegetables like carrots, celery and onions. I also add cabbage or green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and of course the lentils.

I use curry and paprika powders to spice the soup. When I was shopping at an Indian grocery store, the Indian shopkeeper told me that he often added Hungarian paprika to curry. Hmm interesting, so when I went home I gave it a try. I added curry powder along with paprika to this soup and the results were phenomenal. The Indian man gave me a great tip! I really like how the curry and the paprika work together in this soup.

That is it! It takes less than an hour to cook and it will never disappoint you. Try it and please let me know in the comment section what you think!

RECIPE

INGREDIENT
  • 4 cup Stock (chicken or vegetarian)
  • 1 cup dried French or brown lentils or 1 can of lentil (14 oz)
  • 1 medium sized onion, finally chopped
  • shortening (sunflower oil, lard)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large tomato or 1 can (14 oz)
  • 3 medium sized carrots, chopped and peeled
  • 1 cup green vegetables (cabbage, spinach, kale), chopped
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
  • Preparing the lentils. Clean and soak the lentils for a 8 hours. (You can skip the soaking if you don’t have time). Discard the liquid. Add 3 cups of fresh water and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low heat for 1 hour. Turn burner off. Let the lentils soak up the let over cooking water for 15 minutes with the lid on. Set aside. (Omit this step if you are using canned lentils).
  • Meanwhile prepare the soup base. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir. Add chopped celery, continue sauteing for 5 more minutes. Keep stirring.
  • Add the curry, paprika and crushed garlic for 1 minute. Stir. (Make sure there is enough oil). Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break up. Stir.
  • Add the carrots, cabbage or spinach and the stock.
  • Bring to a boil. Turn down to low heat and continue cooking for 45 minutes
  • Add the cooked lentils along with its cooking liquid and salt to taste. Stir.
  • Serve hot with bread or biscuits.

Enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com

Krumplis Pogácsa (Hungarian Potato Biscuits)

In Hungarian fairy tales, mothers often make hamuban sült pogácsa (biscuits baked in ashes) for their sons when they set out on a journey to see the world. Infact, when I graduated from high school, every student got a little satchel with a pogácsa (biscuit) inside as symbol for this tradition to help us mentally get ready for our life journey.

It is still a popular staple in Hungarian homes except we don’t bake them in ashes anymore but they are baked in modern ovens. Pogácsa is similar to the English biscuits. There are many variations and can be made with potatoes, sheep cheese or pork crackling. I used potatoes in this recipe. Pogácsa is always made for holidays especially if guests come over. They are soft and flaky and can be served as an appetizer or with the main meal.

COOKING TIPS

Boiling the potatoes. I use a stainless steel steamer basket with ‘feet’ that elevates the potatoes above the water so the vitamins and minerals stay inside and so they don’t soak up too much water. If they soak up too much water, they will need additional flour that would make the dough too heavy.

Working with the dough. Make sure your work place temperature stays cool and does not exceed 65 F while cutting the pogácsa. If it is too warm, cut-out bogácsa can loose its shape and come out a bit crooked. The temperature will not have an effect on the flavor though. If your dough is too warm, no worries! Just put it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound Russet potatoes
  • 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), room temperature
  • 1 pound (3 3/4 cup) flour, cut and sifted
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sugar for the yeast
  • 2 eggs, divided
  • 1 T salt + 1 tsp for the top
  • 2 T caraway seeds, divided
METHOD
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Take the butter out of the refrigerator.
  3. Boil the potatoes on a steamer basket. (For more info, please read above). Add cold water to the pot, bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down and continue cooking on medium low heat covered until fork tender.
  4. Prepare the yeast. Warm milk to a temperature that is comfortable on the wrist, not too hot or cold (104 – 108 F). Pour milk over the yeast and sprinkle in a little sugar (1/2 tsp). Mix. Cover. In a warmish place, let the yeast rise for about 5 – 10 minutes. Set aside.
  5. Peel the potatoes while they are still hot but you can handle.
  6. Mash the potatoes while they are warm.
  7. Add butter, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and the salt to the potatoes. Mix well. Add the prepared yeast, flour and 1 egg. Mix.
  8. Knead quickly, don’t overdo.
  9. Let the dough cool.
  10. Cover and place the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hours.
  11. Take dough out of the refrigerator.
  12. Let the dough come to room temperature. Fold it in three layers. Roll out the dough on a floured board to about 1-2 inch thickness.
  13. Cut the dough into any size rounds with a biscuit cutter. (I used a 2 inch diameter cutter).
  14. With the edge of a knife, make crisscross cuts on top. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp salt. Spread the tops of the biscuits with egg wash.
  15. Sprinkle a little caraway seeds on the top.
  16. Put the pre-cut pogácsa on a pre-greased baking sheet.
  17. Quickly collect all the remaining dough in a ball and repeat the previous steps (steps 12 to 15) until the dough is used up.
  18. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the top has a nice oranges/brownish color.
  19. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  20. Store covered with a cloth.

Enjoy! Jó étvágyat!

Photos and text by twincitiesherbs.

Moist Carrot Bread with Whole Wheat Flour

This is a classic recipe for a moist carrot bread with an amazing rich texture and flavor! It is loaded with raisins and shredded carrots, infused with vanilla and warming spices and sprinkled with walnuts and sugar on top.

I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour as it is better for health. Please note that whole wheat flour has to be soaked overnight so it doesn’t weaken our digestion process. Quick breads with all purpose flour are normally baked right after assembling the dough to prevent a ‘soapy’ after taste in the bread. However, the assembled dough with whole wheat flour needs to sit for 8 hours. This allows the flour to soften and prevents it from burdening our digestion. Honestly, I don’t notice this ‘soapy’ taste … the bread will be fine though, just follow the recipe … trust me!

The recipe works for 1 big loaf or 2 smaller loaves as well. Just make sure you reduce the baking time. Otherwise, there are no other changes to the original recipe.

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb (16 Tbsp) butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 – 1 cup brown sugar + handful of white sugar for the top
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour, cut and sifted
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finally chopped or 1 Tbsp dried ginger
  • 2 tsp apple pie seasoning or cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten

METHOD
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Take butter out of the fridge.
  2. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan or two smaller ones if you decide to bake dough in two pieces.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, cream the sugar with the butter. I do this step by hand but you can use an electric mixer. Add the eggs until they are incorporated. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
  5. Mix the dry ingredients with the butter mixture that was done earlier. Gently fold in the shredded carrots and mix. Make sure you don’t overdo this step.
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan or pans. Sprinkle sugar and chopped nuts on top of the bread evenly over the entire area.
  7. Let the mixture sit overnight covered. You can put it in the fridge just let it warm up to room temperature before baking it.
  8. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden brown. (If you divide the mixture in two parts, cook for 55 – 60 minutes).
  9. Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool. You can slice the bread as soon as it cooled off.
  10. Store at room temperature covered with a kitchen cloth or place in an airtight container. Unsliced, it can last up to one week.

Enjoy!

Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Fizzy fermented pine needle drink

Make this delicious fermented winter drink! Edible pine needles have a wonderful minty, citrusy flavor and pair well with some lemon juice. When the pine needles are mixed with water and sweetener like sugar or honey, the natural yeasts on the needles initiates fermentation. During this process, the yeast on the pine needles consumes the sugar and bubbles are produced making a fizzy drink.

Pine needles are edible! You can use any pine needles, just make sure they are edible and are free of pesticides. Most pine trees are suitable; however, it is important to exercise caution when eating pine needles, as some species may contain toxins or irritants. Needles of pine trees like Norfolk Island Pine, Yew and Ponderosa Pine are not edible. I used needles of White pine trees.

Needles of edible pine trees are a living medicine chest. They are particularly useful for anyone who is in the forest, whether living there or just going out on a day-hikes. It is good as a first aid remedy, treats respiratory problems and can be used as food. In addition, it can help musculoskeletal problems, promotes digestion and can help with mental, physical fatigue. Oh and let’s not forget about its vitamin and mineral content! This is truly an amazing remedy!

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 oz mason jar
  • a good handful of edible chopped pine needles of your choice – I used white pine needles.
  • 1-2 Tbsp sweetener of your choice like sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey. (Sugar substitutes like stevia, erythritol will not work).
  • spring water
  • Lemon juice (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  • Collect the pine needles. You can wash them if you think they are dirty but is not necessary otherwise.
  • Fill your jar with the chopped needles and add water leaving 1 inch of space open on the top for the bubbles to form.
  • Add sweetener of your choice.
  • Stir the content to distribute the sweetener to allow the fermentation process to occur.
  • Now leave the bottle in a warmish place that is not too hot or cold. The counter in the kitchen would be fine.
  • Let it ferment for 2-5 days, less in the summer more in the winter. When you can see bubbles formed on the the top, the drink is ready. Strain and you can start drinking it.
  • If not consumed right away, store the strained liquid in the refrigerator.
  • Serve with lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Source: Matthew Wood: The Earthwise Herbal

Home-made Christmas bon bons with nuts and raisins (Házi Szaloncukor)

Our grandmothers, great-grandmothers used to make delicious sweets for Christmas. I don’t have the exact recipe my great-grandmother used; however, I have this modernized version, it works as a great replacement. The three main ingredients are raisins, walnuts, and coconuts. Along with some other flavorings, they are made into small balls. Then, they are dipped in chocolate of your choice and voila! … this healthy sweet AKA szaloncukor is ready to be hung on your Christmas tree or if you can’t resist you can just eat is as it is!

In the old days, they used honey, nuts and dried fruits like quince, raisins and apples. They also added foraged herbs that varied from country to country and region to region and often included fennel, lavender, rose petals, juniper berries, sumac etc. Ever since the exotic spices arrived from the East, people have been using cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg etc. I personally really like adding shredded coconuts and oranges as they are readily available and taste delicious.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup walnut, chopped
  • 3/4 cup raisins, chopped
  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut
  • peel of 1/2 orange, grated or 1 tsp dried orange peel
  • juice if 1 orange or 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • pinch of salt, more for decorating
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 300 gr or 11 oz chocolate chips
  • 6 Tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter

METHOD

  • Mix the raisins, nuts and shredded coconut. Place them in a bowl.
  • Add the vanilla extract, orange peel and the juice, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Mix.
  • Put them in the fridge for 10 – 20 min so dough is not too warm or soft.
  • Take a handful out of the mixture at a time.
  • Create the bon bons. Make either smaller balls 1 inch in diameter, or make rectangular shapes.
  • In a double boiler, start slowly melting the chocolate chips. Add the butter. Mix until you get a ‘flowy’ consistency, meaning when you lift up a ladle full of chocolate, the chocolate flows down evenly.
  • Dip each bon bon in the melted chocolate. I used a fork and let the unused chocolate fall back in the pot.
  • Place them on a wire rack and let them cool.
  • Cut out squares of paper or cloth, big enough to cover the prepared bon bons (about 15 x 1 5 cm or 5 x 5 inch). Parchment paper works great too. Place the bon bons in the middle of this squared shaped paper or cloth and wrap the ends around. Twist the ends tightly to create the classic szaloncukor shape. Please see my picture for clarification.

Merry Christmas! Boldog Karácsonyt!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Festive Cheese Cake

Not sure what to serve for the holidays? This recipe is a smaller version of the well-known cheese cake. Impress your guests with this delicious and easy to make cake! It is a crustless cake with a creamy body infused with almond extract. I also added raisins to add some texture. You can decorate it with anything you desire. I used lingonberry jam and roasted slivered almonds. Enjoy!

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour or almond flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • handful of raisins
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • oil for baking the almond slivers
  • 1 cup slivered almonds for the top
  • 20 oz lingonberry jam for the top

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
  • Butter a 7 inch round cake pan.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: egg, ricotta cheese, almond extract and milk.
  • Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.
  • Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients.
  • Fold in the raisins.
  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. You can gently tap the form on hard surface so the top gets leveled. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile bake the slivered almonds: Apply oil to a cookie sheet and place the almond slivers on it. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 F for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
  • Bake the cake mixture in a pre-heated oven for 30-35 min or until the edges are slightly golden and an inserted knife edge comes out clean. Let cool.
  • Spread jam of your choice and sprinkle roasted almond slivers on the top.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy! Happy holiday!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.