Tag: dessert

Hungarian plum dumplings with poppyseeds

I have to post my new recipe. Yes, I know I already have two plum dumpling recipes on my blog but I have some new information. I am super excited to share this recipe!

Hungarian plum dumpling (szilvás gombóc) is basically a savory dish with plums wrapped in a dough made with mashed potatoes and flour and these soft dumplings are coated with poppyseeds. It is often served as a second dish after a heavier soup but can be a dessert as well.

Ok what is different?

So I went to the farmers market 2 weeks ago Saturday and was finally able to get fresh plums. But I have to mention for 2 weeks prior, I had gone early hoping I could get some plums but there were none. So when I saw them finally I got excited and bought like 10 kilos, over 20 pounds after the long anticipation. I was not able to use them for 2 weeks but finally I have time to make them … but the plums got soft. Oh it was too late! Ok so I was a bit panicking but no they were perfect, they should be soft. I think in the past I might have used plums that were not soft enough. They worked back then but this made a difference. The plums were soft and juicy in the dish!

Ok the second trick, here it goes… I was in a rush and did not use a timer. I put the warm dough in the fridge and when I took out the prepared dough, I was a bit worried that the dough might be too warm. So I used a thermometer to check the temperature of the dough and it was 74 degrees. I cooked the balls and was just hoping for the best … and my plum dumplings turned out the great!

The dough was perfectly soft maybe just a tad warm but it worked! So the moral of my story is the temperature is very important. The dough needs to be at room temperature, between 68 – 72 F to cook. You can use a thermometer. (If it is too warm, use the refrigerator, if it is too cold, you can put the dough in the oven with the pilot light on or turn). The dumplings were soft and tender but not hard.

Third, I used poppy seeds instead of bread crumbs. I am a huge poppyseed fan, so any chance I get I try to use them. I also read that Hungarians in Transylvania use poppyseeds. This recipe is a little twist with my “little mistakes” to my previous recipes.

What did I do? I followed my original recipe but paid attention to the little details so I thought I would share them here. Also, I used poppy seeds instead of bread crumbs.

Of course, if you try this version, please let me know how you liked it! I’d love to hear from you!

If you are interested, feel free to check out my other Plum dumpling recipes.

Recipe #1

Recipe #2

RECIPE

IMPORTANT! The dough needs to be at room temperature for making this dish. Please read more above!

Makes 18 dumplings

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DUMPLINGS

  • about 1 lb russet potatoes (4-5 potatoes
  • 2 cups flour, more for kneading the dough
  • 1 Tbsp semolina flour (optional)
  • 1 egg, slightly whisked
  • 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
  • 3 Tablespoon sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 18 fresh or frozen sweet plums – depending on the size of your plums (I used purple Italian plums)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE POPPY SEED COATING

  • 2 cups poppy seed, ground
  • 5 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, soft
  • 3 Tbsp milk or water
  • handful walnuts
  • 5 Tbsp sugar, more for serving
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg, grated
  • honey for serving
  • pinch of salt

METHODS

1. Cooking the potatoes. Put a metal steamer with ‘feet’ in a larger pot, add the potatoes with their skin on. Pour in enough cold water with a little salt so the water barely touches the steamer. Bring it to a boil and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook them with the lid on for about 45 – 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. (You can use a pressure cooker, too). Peel the potatoes while they are still hot but you can touch because the skin comes off easier.

2. Making the dough. Sift flour and salt. Add egg and butter, mix. Add the mashed warm potatoes from earlier and mix until combined. Do not overdo! Make a ball shape quickly. (Don’t add any more flour than stated in the Ingredient section).

3. Let the dough rest for 1 hour. (You can put it in the refrigerator if the dough is too warm or in the oven with the pilot light on if the dough is too cold).

4. Meanwhile, prepare the plums. Wash and take out the pits making sure the plums stay in one piece. Set aside.

5. Preparing the dumplings. After 1 hour, divide the dough into two parts. Set aside one and place the other on a flat, floured surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Start stretching it to 1 cm thickness until it is a squarish shape. Cut out 9 squares. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

6. Assemble the dumplings. Place one of the dough squares into your palm, put one plum with a little cinnamon sugar mixture. Fold corners gently tucking the stuffing inside and then roll it to make a ball. Do this with each square. When done, coat them in flour.

7. Cooking the plum dumplings. When the water starts boiling, drop the dumplings in the water one by one with a slotted spoon. Try to gently stir them to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

8. When the dumplings come to the surface, cook them for about another 5 minutes and remove them with a slotted spoon.

9. Make the poppy seed coating. Melt the 5 tablespoon butter on low heat and add the poppy seeds, 3 tablespoon milk or water stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Make sure the butter doesn’t burn. Add the sugar, grated nutmeg and chopped walnuts. Mix. This will be used to coat the balls.

10. Coating the plum dumplings. Coat the dumplings with the poppy seed mixture that you prepared earlier and roll them around until they are well coated. 

Serve with honey and chopped nuts.

The dumplings can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of day covered but the are the best the same day.

Enjoy!

Photos and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Ghriba (Moroccan cookies)

What are good cookies supposed to be like? I think they should be satisfying and make you feel good. I believe these cookies fit this definition … they are soft on the inside with a mildly crunchy outside, have a pleasant nutty taste and practically melt in your mouth… and after you eat these cookies, you will feel as if you have just been treated in a royal palace !

These irresistible cookies are so soft and tasty … and are easy to make. The chopped nuts are mixed with eggs and other flavorings and are quickly baked in the oven …

They will last for weeks … if they don’t get eaten. Try them and let me what you think! I would love to hear from you!

RECIPE

20-30 cookies depending on the size of the cookies.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups walnuts
  • 3 cups almonds
  • pinch salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 Tbsp apricot jam (optional)
  • 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tsp fresh orange zest or 4 tsp dried orange peel
  • 3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups confectioners sugar (for coating the cookies)
  • extra walnut pieces for decorating

METHODS

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
  2. Finely chop the walnuts and the almonds. You can use a food processor or a blender. Add baking powder, salt, corn starch and cinnamon powder. Mix.
  3. Cream the eggs, butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and orange peel, jam, and cinnamon. Mix.
  4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Mix until a ball shape is formed.
  5. Rest for 1 hour.
  6. Using your hand, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the dough and roll them into ball shapes. They should be about 2-3 inches in diameter.
  7. Measure out the powdered sugar. Coat the balls in the powdered sugar. Place them on the pre-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  8. Place half walnut pieces and press down on top of each ball.
  9. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bottom has a nice orange color. They will bake fast, avoid burning them.
  10. Let the cookies cool.
  11. Store in an airtight container. They will last for weeks if they don’t get eaten…
  12. Serve with Moroccan mint tea.

Enjoy!

Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Rice pudding (kheer)

Rice pudding was one of my favorite dish in elementary school. I remember when I went home, I used to tell my poor mom that the rice pudding at school was better than hers. (Yes, I still feel bad about it). All her food was fabulous but she could not make rice pudding. Then later I asked my Indian friend how to make it tasty and she said to use very little rice and lots of milk. My mom used the wrong proportions. She used 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of milk instead of 1/4 cup of rice and 4 cups of milk. It is that simple.

Kheer is the Indian version of rice pudding. It is a very simple dessert. Rice is cooked in milk and is infused with the aromatic cardamom along with the rose water and a little hint of saffron creating a rich and complex flavor. Indians also add nuts like pistachios, cashew nuts and dried fruits like raisins for texture. This is a basic, simple recipe, of course each region in India has its own version.

TIP

The recipe uses saffron. Yes, it is expensive. However, many stores will sell a cheaper alternative, safflower to the expensive saffron. Safflower will be cheaper and I think it still works pretty well.

This is a little trick I learnt from my friend so you don’t have to use too much saffron. Crumple a few strands of saffron between your index finger and thumb. Put the crumpled saffron strands in a small dish (I used a 1/4 measuring cup) with a little warm milk and work it into the milk with a small spoon for about 5 minutes until the liquid turns into a nice orange redish color. Her mom used this technique to save money because saffron is expensive in India too.

RECIPE

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS
  • ¼ cup rice, short grain or basmati chopped in the blender
  • 4 cups full fat whole milk or coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4-1 cup sugar- adjust to taste
  • 5-8 strands saffron
  • 1/4 tsp crushed cardamom (cardamom from 2 pods)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • handful cashew nut or pistachios, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp ghee or butter or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp rose water, optional
  • handful raisins
  • egg yolk (optional)
  • pinch salt
INSTRUCTIONS 
  1. Wash the rice in cold water changing the water until it looks clear.
  2. If you have time, soak the rice in water for 1 hour.
  3. Drain and discard the water.
  4. In a medium size pot with a heavy bottom, heat the ghee with the cardamom seeds until you smell the aroma. Add the milk, water, rice, sugar and raisins. Bring to a gentle boil and turn down to medium high heat.. Continue cooking on low heat covered for about 60 minutes or until kheer becomes creamy and the liquid is reduced to about half. Make sure it doesn’t burn. Keep stirring.
  5. Before the pudding is done, add the cinnamon sticks and cashew nuts for the last 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile crumple the saffron between your index finger and thumb and put them in a small dish with a tablespoon of milk. Using a spoon and applying a little pressure, stir for 5-10 minutes until the liquid turns into a nice orange red color. Pour this mixture into the pot and cook for a few minutes. (Check for more information above).
  7. Turn the heat off, kheer will thicken as it sits.
  8. Add rose water and egg yolk. Stir.
  9. Garnish with nuts (I used pistachios) and powdered cinnamon.
  10. It can be served served chilled or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Lemony Corn cake with Foraged Dandelion flowers

Let your inner child come out! Dandelions are now growing in abundance. They have tasty, vibrant flowers and can be used in cakes. I would like to invite you to taste one! They are sweet with a little hint of bitterness. I created this cake so I can use the flowers. The cornmeal base is mixed with yoghurt, eggs and olive oil and is infused with vanilla extract. It is crunchy and sweet, a perfect dessert for a spring afternoon… when you are ready to play, make this cake.

TIP

Make sure you pick flowers that were not sprayed.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup cornmeal, medium
  • 1 cup almond flour or white flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
  • 30 dandelion petals, chopped (greens removed)
  • jam of your choice

METHODS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Oil the sheet of a 7 inch baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, sift flour with salt and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream olive oil, eggs, sugar, almond extract and lemon zest. Add to the flour mixture from earlier. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Let the dough rest over night but at least for an hour.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Spread the jam your heart desires evenly on the baked cake.
  7. Garnish with dandelion flowers.

Enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Traditional tiramisu

If you love coffee and desserts, you are going to love Tiramisu! It is a simple yet sophisticated Italian dessert. Like the Italians say the basic ingredients are eggs, mascarpone and lady fingers. The lady fingers are dipped in strong espresso, the mascarpone along with the eggs is infused with coffee liquor and the shredded chocolate sprinkled on the top brings all these ingredients together into a fabulous dessert. Wow your family, guests and they will think you are the most amazing chef …

TIPS

Lady fingers

You will need Italian lady fingers. I believe it is a must and you can buy it fairly easily. I get them at Cost Plus. You can even find them at Whole Foods or make it yourself.

Eggs

Traditionally, raw eggs are used to make tiramisu. Make sure you use fresh eggs. I get my eggs at the farmers market.

Eggs are easier to separate when cold but once they’re separated keep them on the counter as they beed to be at room temperature to make the tiramisu.

Also, when seperating the eggs, I like to put the egg whites individually into a separate smaller bowl first to make sure the egg is not addled and no yolk is mixed in. Then you can collect them in a bigger bowl that is big enough to whip the whites. Of course, the egg yolk can go into another medium sized bowl that will be used to mix egg yolks and mascarpone.

Egg test

There is an easy test to check to see if the eggs are suitable to use in the tiramisu. When you immerse an egg in a pot of cold water, it should lie flat on the bottom. If it goes to the top or even one side starts moving up, do not use the egg.

Mascarpone

Another key ingredient is mascarpone. Yes it is expensive! … but it is an important ingredient and is worth it! So what is mascarpone anyway? It is like cream cheese but is creamier and has a higher fat content as it is obtained from cream and not from milk. Cream cheese has 35% while mascarpone has 70% fat.

If you don’t have mascarpone or fresh eggs, you can still make the dessert – with a little cheating of course. My mom used to make it with vanilla pudding. Make enough vanilla pudding to cover your coffee dipped lady fingers. Just follow the instructions of the package you are using and add the shaved chocolate on the top. And dip lady fingers in the coffee too!

Alcohol

The recipe uses alcohol. I used coffee liquor (brand name: Kahlua). Amaretto works well too. If you don’t want to use alcohol, simply use vanilla.

Coffee

Coffee gives tiramisu the distinctive, interesting flavor, so yes you will need a good strong Italian espresso. The lady fingers are dipped in the espresso so make sure you make a good strong brew. 1 1/2 cup of espresso should be enough for dipping. (If you have left overs, you can drink it or pour it on your plants). For 1 1/2 cups of water, I used 1/3 cup of coffee. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, purchase the coffee already ground. If you have an espresso machine, great! If you don’t, no worries! We have a simple Italian Moka pot (Bialetti). Also, another tip is you can get your espresso at your local coffee shop. When my daughter worked at a coffee shop, she told us that they had people buying coffee to make tiramisu.

Assembling the Tiramisu

You can use different size dishes to assemble the Tiramisu. If you want to put it all in one big dish, you can use a deeper dish that is 2 Qt in size. You can use anything even circular dishes. Sometimes I use ice cream serving dishes and make tiramisu individually. Just make sure that lady fingers are tightly laid down.

This dish is definitely a make ahead dessert. It needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 hours … but honestly, I think it tastes the best after 2 days … although that might be too long to wait … Otherwise, it should be consumed within 7 days.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 cups of strong espresso at room temperature (1/3 cup of ground coffee)
  • 28 lady fingers, depends on the size of your dish
  • 3 Tbsp coffee liquor or amoretto (or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract is fine too)
  • 6 fresh eggs (separated) Please see comment above.
  • 16 oz mascarpone
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2-1 cup sugar
  • shaved chocolate for decoration (I got mine at Williams Sonoma)

METHODS

  1. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator. Separate the yolk from the whites while they are cold. Once you separate the eggs, just leave them on the counter. They need to be at room temperature when you start working with them.
  2. Make the espresso. Pour it into a shallow dish with a flat bottom. Coffee needs to be at room temperature.
  3. Immerse the lady fingers in the coffee quickly one at a time for one second. Try to do this quickly so the lady fingers don’t get soggy. Lay the dipped lady finger in a dish nice and snug.
  4. Making the Tiramisu sauce. In a double boiler, add 1/2 cup of sugar to the yolks with a pinch of salt and cook for 6 – 10 minute while stirring or until you get a nice creamy consistency. Keep checking, do not over-beat. You want to get a nice creamy, pudding like consistency. Here we are adding air to the yolks to increase volume. Take off heat and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Add the 3 Tbsp of coffee liquor and mascarpone to the egg yolks. Mix until just combined and smooth.
  6. Whip up the egg whites until the whites are solid. When you turn the bowl upside down, it should not fall out of the bowl. Do not over beat. Keep checking.
  7. Add the egg whites to the egg/mascarpone mixture. Don’t mix but gently fold it in. You just need to incorporate it into the yolk mixture keeping its fluffiness.
  8. Pour half of this mixture on the lady fingers that are already in the dish.
  9. Put another layer of the coffee dipped lady fingers on top of this mixture.
  10. Pour the other half of the tiramisu mixture on the lady fingers.
  11. Gently sprinkle some shaved chocolate on the top through a sieve.
  12. Cover the dish with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 full days but at least 6 hours.
  13. The tiramisu can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Serve in smaller bowls.

enjoy!

Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Almond cranberry biscotti (home-made cantucci)

These twice baked cookies have a crisp texture and a sophisticated flavor. The basic dough is gently infused with almond extract and is filled with almonds and cranberries … and the aromas of these cookies baking in the oven can create a heart warming atmosphere for your Valentine’s Day!

Originally, biscotti was a travelers’ food that was meant to be eaten on long journeys. It was used for soldiers during the wars of the Roman Empire. After the fall of Rome, it reemerged during the Renaissance. A baker in the city of Prato, in the region of Tuscany, created a new version that was served with local wine. Originally almonds from the plentiful almond groves of Prato were used. They called this dessert Cantucci of Prato. The Italians still call this dessert cantucci. Biscotti is the Italian word that refers to all twice baked cookies.

Ever since it became popular in Tuscany, chefs have created new versions of this basic recipe adding raisins, chocolate, lemon, anise, pistachio nuts, cranberries, butter and the list is endless. I guess making it with raisins and almonds would be the most common addition.

I personally like using cranberries and almonds. I love the synergy of these two ingredients, the sweet, tangy cranberries and the mildly bitter almonds creating a gently sweet dessert. One caution is the more things you add, the harder the dough will be to work with … but of course it does enhance its flavor and the texture.

EDIT: I just made these cookies with almond flour instead of wheat flour … they are even better! (Traditionally they are made with almond flour). So I now made a change to my recipe. Try it with almond flour and please let me know what you think. Otherwise, everything is the same.

RECIPE

Yields about 20 cookies

INGREDIENTS
  • 1/2 cup high quality light olive oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp almond extract or 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon or orange zest or 2 tsp dried lemon or orange zest
  • 4 cups almond flour or all-purpose flour + more for kneading the dough
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chopped almonds or pistachio nuts
  • 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Oil a cookie sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, sift flour with salt, baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream olive oil, eggs, sugar, almond extract and lemon zest. Add to the flour mixture from earlier. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Chop the nuts lightly by hand. Add the cranberries and the nuts, mix. You can add a small amount of water if the dough doesn’t stay together.
  5. Let the dough rest for an hour.
  6. Divide the dough into two equal sized portions. Lightly flour the surface of a cutting board. Using your hand, shape each piece into a 6 x 2 x 1 inch log shape. You want to roll each piece like you roll a rolling pin. Place the logs on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes on the rack placed in the middle of the oven. You don’t need to worry about the color of the top as the logs will be baked again.
  8. Take the sheet out of the oven. Place the logs on a cutting board and let them cool for 30 – 60 minutes.
  9. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs about 1/2 inch wide. You can cut them on an angle or straight.
  10. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F. Place each cookie slice upright on the cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake them for another 20 minutes or until golden in color and crisp. (Turn the cookies over on the other side half way though, after 10 minutes).
  11. Remove and let the cookies cool on a wire rack. They will get firmer.
  12. Serve with coffee, vine or tea.
  13. Store in an air tight container. They will keep for a long time.

Enjoy!

Text and photo by Twincitiesherbs.

Pfeffernüsse (German Spice Cookies) 

Turn on your favorite holiday music, put on your apron and start baking! The recipe comes from Martha Stewart. These cookies are a big favorite in Germany and are called Pfeffernüsse, pepper nuts in English. The small, round shaped cookies are made with gingerbread spices and molasses and then are glazed on the outside. Martha also did a little twist to the original German recipe and added cracked red peppercorns. And the smell of all these spices baking in the kitchen …

I think the red peppercorns elevated these cookies to another level. Yes, the cookies are already well flavored with many spices but these sweet red peppercorns bring everything together. Red peppers come from a flowering plant, Schinus terebinthifolius and are not peppers but belong to the cashew family. They are readily available in specialty stores. Taste it, it has a very unique, pleasant flavor.

Why are these cookies called pepper cookies? The cookies are made with spices cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, black pepper and they are essential part of the recipe. So make sure they are high quality and fresh. I bought the whole spices and ended up grinding them in a mortar.

The recipe asks for confectioners’ sugar to make the glaze. Make sure you use this type of sugar instead of just the regular powdered sugar. Confectioners’ sugar is lightly powdered sugar with starch added to prevent it from caking while it sits. I didn’t have any at home so I grounded granulated sugar quickly in the grinder and added cornstarch. (I added 1 tbsp cornstarch to 1 cup of ground sugar).

For glazing, try to use a taller, narrow dish to dip the cookies. You need vertical space to coat the cookies.

The recipe also uses alcohol called kirsch. I didn’t have any so I used Hungarian plum brandy.  You can also substitute with dry vermouth, grappa, or white (aka silver) rum. It is optional of course. Just make sure you are not using any sticky-sweet red liqueur concoctions.

You can add edible glitter if you want to make the cookies more festive. I didn’t use it as I don’t have it.

Another change I made to the recipe was letting the dough sit in the refrigerator overnight. In Martha’s recipe, the cookies are baked immediately after they are assembled. However, traditionally, the cookies are put in the refrigerator for some time. It allows the flour to fully hydrate, prevents spreading and allows the complex spice flavors to meld and deepen.

I also tried letting the cookies sit overnight on the counter instead of putting them in the refrigerator. I prepared the cookies, put them on the cookie sheets and baked them the next day. This method worked fine too. The cookies tasted the same. The only difference was that the cookies will expand and be bigger in size instead of being ball shaped cookies.

Like any gingerbread dough, you can eat these cookies immediately but will taste even better in a week. They just need a little time to soften and the spices to settle. Otherwise these are fabulous cookies, well worth the time and effort. They taste just like the cookies from Germany that I get at Cost Plus.

RECIPE

Please read comments above.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon 
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground allspice 
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground cloves 
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg 
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar 
  • 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses 
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Glaze

  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk or water
  • 1 teaspoon kirsch or other cherry-flavored liqueur (dry vermouth, grappa, or white (aka silver) rum, Hungarian pálinka) – optional 

To decorate (optional)

  • Coarsely ground pink peppercorns 
  • 1 tsp edible glitter (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets. Take the butter out of the refrigerator.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl, cream eggs, brown sugar and molasses or until fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla, flour mixture; mix until just combined. Wrap the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight but at least for 3 hours.

4. Work in a cool space, maybe open the window. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and immediately roll it into two strands, each 3/4 inch thick. Slice the rolls into 3/4 inch thick rounds and roll each round into a ball (each ball be about 3/4 inch large). Note: You can make them any size. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart. (Try to do this step as fast as possible so the dough doesn’t get too warm).

5. Baking. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Glaze: Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. In a medium bowl (tall and narrow), whisk together confectioners’ sugar, water and kirsch( if desired). Using a fork, dip each cookie in the glaze to coat. A quick dip and gentle shake off are all you need. Place on wire rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cookies.

7. To decorate (if desired): While the glaze is still wet, top cookies with a small pinch of peppercorns and the edible glitter.

8. Storage. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks (below 75 F).

Enjoy! Frohe Weihnachten!

Source

http://www.marthastewart.com/318226/pfeffernussen

Photos and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Christmas dark chocolate bark with nuts and dried fruits

This festive chocolate bark is great for the holidays! Give it as a gift or treat yourself! It reminds me of the trail mix that I take with me when I go hiking … just a bit fancier of course.

It is super easy to make and is delicious! For the topping, you can use any nuts and dried fruits that you like. It is your choice and the combinations are endless! I used pistachio nuts and cranberries. Oh and the smell of the roasted nuts … priceless.

The perfect dessert … sweetened with only dried fruits and made crunchy with only nuts!

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 oz high quality chocolate chunks or chips (I used 70% dark chocolate)
  • handful nuts, chopped
  • handful of dried fruits, chopped
  • 1 tsp coarsely ground salt

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. On a baking sheet, toast the nuts in the preheated oven for about 6-9 min. Cut them into smaller pieces if you wish. Cut the dried fruits if you wish.
  3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a pot with a thick bottom. Spread the chocolate evenly onto a rimmed dish with a spatula. Try to get the thickness about 1/4″. The dish should be large enough to hold the melted chocolate. I used a 8 x 11 ” casserole dish.
  4. Drop the dried fruits, toasted nuts and the salt pieces on the top.
  5. Let it cool completely for 2-4 hours or refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  6. When the chocolate is set, using your hand, break the chocolate into pieces.
  7. They can be stored in an airtight container for weeks.

Enjoy!

Photos and text by twincitiesherbs.

Ginger pear berry crisp

This is a lovely dish for the autumn! The buttery pears work nicely with the tangy berries … and this delicious sweet fruity mixture is covered with the nutty oatmeal topping. Serve it with caramel sauce to satisfy your autumn cravings. It can be a fancy breakfast or a simple, quick dessert

TIP

This is a sweet dish so ideally sugar should be used. I included a range for the sugar content. Please feel free to use as little sugar or as much sugar as you’d like. Of course, the amount will depend on your sweet tooth and how sweet your fruits are.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup white flour
  • 1 stick (8 tbsp) butter, melted 
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup brown sugar + 2 tbsp for the top (regular sugar is fine)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • zest of 1 lemon (optional)
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice or 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp nutmeg + 1/4 cloves+ little mace or 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts + more for serving
  • caramel sauce for serving

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FRUITS

  • 4 ripe (about 2 cups) but firm fresh pears, cored and chopped (I used Bartlett)
  • 2 cups organic berries, fresh or frozen (I used raspberries and blackberries)
  • o – 1/2 cup of brown sugar (I didn’t use any as my fruits were sweet enough but if you have a sweet tooth or the fruits are not very sweet, feel free to add sugar)
  • 2 tbsp flour or 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 lemon’s juice (use the lemon from earlier)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp grated dried orange peel (optional)
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice or 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp nutmeg + 1/4 cloves+ little mace or 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger or 1.5 tsp dried ginger (cut and sifted)
  • 2 tbsp whiskey (optional)
METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Have baking rack in the lower third of the oven.

2. Make the topping. Cream the melted butter with the sugar. Add oats, flour, apple pie spice, salt and lemon zest. Mix well. Fold in the nuts. Let it sit for an hour.

3. Wash, core and cut up pears into small cubes. You can peel them if the skin is tough, otherwise if they are soft no need to peel them. Set aside.

4. Assemble the fruit base. In a larger bowl, mix the chopped pears, berries, sugar, 1 tsp apple spice, salt, flour or cornstarch, orange peel, ginger and whiskey (if used) together. Spread evenly in a 2 qt size baking dish.

5. Put topping on the top of the fruit base. Sprinkle the top with some sugar (optional). I also graded a little nutmeg on the top.

6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the middle portion becomes hot.

7. Serve with caramel sauce. Spinkle some extra nuts if you wish.

Enjoy!

Photo by Twincitiesherbs.

Hungarian sour cherry pastry / Meggyes pite

This mouth-watering pastry makes me feel like I am in a Hungarian cafe. The fluffy sour cherry filling is placed between 2 layers of the crumbly dough. I also added ginger and additional walnuts to make this tasty dessert even more exciting. The recipe is based on Hargitai György, Master chef’s mother’s recipe.

TIP

You will need a lot of sour cherries, about 1-1.6 kg (2.25 – 3.5 lbs)! The recipe asked for 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) but I only had 1 kg (about 2 lbs) and it worked fine. Ideally, fresh sour cherries are used but honestly frozen sour cherries would work too. I bought the cherries at the farmers’ market earlier but wasn’t able to use them right away so I ended up freezing them. The frozen cherries worked well too. Just make sure they are sweet and have a nice flavorful!

RECIPE

Serves: 9 – 12 slices

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 cups (500 gr) flour, cut and sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 15 tbsp (260 gr) cold unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 large eggs, divided
  • 10 tbsp powdered or cane sugar, divided
  • peel and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp rum (optional)
  • 1 – 1.6 kg (2.25 – 3.5 lbs) fresh or frozen sour cherries (pitted)
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp walnuts

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a baking pan (11 x 9 x 2 inches or equivalent size). Sprinkle some flour on the bottom.

Dough

  • Preparing the yeast mixture. Add lukewarm milk (92 – 98 F) to the yeast with a little sugar. Let it rise.
  • In a larger bowl, sift the salt in with the flour. Crumb the butter with the flour with your finger tips or you can use a food processor as well.
  • Add the prepared yeast mixture from earlier.
  • Add 3-4 tablespoon sugar, 3 egg yolks, vanilla extract and rum (optional). Mix quickly. Save the egg whites for later for the filling).
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile prepare the filling.

Filling

In a medium sized bowl, add ginger, cinnamon, 6 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice and peel, 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix. Set aside.

Beat the the egg white saved from earlier until it is hard. Gently fold in the earlier prepared mixture.

Assembling the cake

Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut into two parts. Put 1 part back in the fridge while you work with the other.

Roll out the dough into the shape of your pan and carefully place it onto the baking pan. Place the filling on top of this dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of the walnut on the top of the filling.

Take the other part of the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into the shape of the pan. Place it on top of the filling.

Lightly whisk 1 egg and spread it on top of the assembled dough. Sprinkle a little sugar on top. Prickle the top with a fork.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the top has a nice golden color top.

Take out of the oven and let the cake completely cool off. Slice the cake.

Source: Hargitai György: Édesanyám meggyes pitéje. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2pKA2Vrzg

Text and photo by twincitiesherbs.