DARK SYRUP SMøRREBRøD WITH SALMON

Yeah I know.

My last blog post was in August.
I have a 100% job now and
a 1 year old toddler at home.
(and a husband :)
So I wish I was a superwoman.
(like my neighbour lady who has 3 kids and a perfect garden and wakes up 5am every morning to prepare breakfast for the family including the husband who makes his jogging tour 5.30 am every morning.)
I actually think she is not human but I have no proof yet.

So here it is:

Very nordic

very yum

traditional danish Smørrebrød.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Bread:

25g butter

2.5 dl buttermilk

1 dl dark syrup

25 g fresh yeast

1 tsp salt

3.5 dl rye flour

3-3.5 dl plain flour

Smørrebrød:

butter

smoked salmon

salad

boiled egg

Melt the butter and mix it with buttermilk and syrup.

Mix yeast with salt and add to buttermilk mix.

Add both flours and knead 5 minutes or use kitchen aid until the dough is nice and elastic.

Let rise for 45 minutes.

Knead another 5 minutes and let rise another 40 minutes under kitchen towel.

Preheat the owen into 200C/350F.

 Shape the dough how you want and bake in oven for 35-45 minutes.

Take a piece of bread, butter it and top it with a salad leaf, smoked salmon and boiled egg.

 

LATE SUMMER BLACKBERRY ICE SCREAM

I scream

You scream

We all scream for

Ice Cream

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 cup) milk

250 ml (1 cup) cream

6 egg yolks

110 g sugar ( 1/2 cup)

100 g blackberries / mashed

some pistachio nuts (optional)

Combine milk with cream in a pan and bring it to boil.

Remove from heat and let cool down.

With wire whisk beat 6 egg yoolks with sugar until thick.

Add the warm milk mixture into egg mixture. Pour the mixture on the pan and stir constantly on low heat about 10 minutes until the mixture is thick. 

Pour the cream into ice cream machine and and add blackberries.

Topp the ready ice cream with pistachios.

COLD VINEGAR SALMON

Midsummer, Xmas, Easter.

This salmon is perfect for every occacion.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

300g salmon

1 white and 1 red onion / chopped

70 ml white vinegar

3 dl water

1 tbsp salt

1/2 dl sugar

some black and white peppercorns

1 bay leaf

handful of dill

Preheat the oven to 150 C.

Put onions, vinegar, water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf and dill into a saucepan and cook for 5-10 minutes. 

Place the fish in the baking pan and add the vinegar sauce. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Let cool down and let stay in fridge over night,

Next day remove the liquid, dill, bay leaf and peppercorns.

Eat vinegar salmon with the onions from the sauce and cooked potatoes.

DUTCH OVEN MIXED SEEDS BREAD

Smell of freshly baked bread.

Why we love it so much?

Ingredients:

20g fresh yeast

300g water

500g plain flour

9g salt

pinch of sugar

handful of different seeds

oil

Mix yeast with water. Add salt, sugar and flour. 

Knead with hands or food processor.

Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Knead the dough 1 -2 minutes and put it into oiled dutch oven. Let rise second time.

Preheat oven at 230C/450F.

Garnish the bread with seeds and rub some oil over the surface of the dough.

Bake the bread 30 minutes in the middle of the oven with lid on.

After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes.

MUSTIKKAPIIRAKKA - FINNISH BLUEBERRY BREAD

I am berryholic.

Grrrr

Ingredients:

Bread:

125ml milk

10g fresh yeast

30g sugar

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp cinnamon

250g plain flour

35g butter in smaller cubes

Berry mix:

300g blueberries

50g quark/ricotta

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 lemon juice

First make the sweet bread.

Combine yeast with milk and sugar. Beat the egg and put 1/2 in a fridge. Add rest of the egg, salt, cinnamon and flour to the milk and pulse on low speed for 3-5 minutes.

On the low speed add butter cubes one after other and pulse another 5 minutes.

Cover the dough and let rise 1 hour in a warm place.

Knead 2-3 minutes and let rise another hour.

Roll the dough in to a round base for the pie and carefully place the dough into pie plate. Spread quark over the middle of the pie. Put blueberries over the quark and add lemon juice and sugar. Brush the dough edges with rest of the beaten egg.

Bake first 15 minutes at 200C, turn the heat down to 180C and cook further 15 minutes.

SOUTH NEW-ZEALAND CHEESE ROLLS

Couple of weeks ago we had visitors from New-Zealand. One evening they prepared dinner for us - cheese rolls from the South Island. 

The original rolls are made with onion soup that is not available here so I decided to make them with caramelized onions and pesto.

4 rolls

Ingredients:

4 big toast bread

50g (or more if you like)grated cheese

2 onions / chopped

2 cloves garlic /chopped

50g pine nuts 

50g basil

pinch of sugar and salt

pepper

olive oil

cherry vinegar (optional)

Toast the pine nuts until colored.

Combine pine nuts, olive oil  and basil in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Add salt.

Saute onions with garlic. Add pinch of salt, pepper and sugar(and cherry vinegar).

Roll the bread flat with a rolling pin. Spread pesto over the bread, then cheese, onions and roll up. 

Bake in oven at 180C for 10 minutes.

GOOEY BURRATA APPETIZER WITH PESTO

Discovered this luscious italian cheese called Burrata. It tastes AMAZINGLY gooey and soft.

Try it with some olive oil, pesto and tomatoes.

Mmmmmm.

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

1 Burrata cheese / halved

1 big tomato / peeled/seeded/ chopped

olive oil

black pepper

fresh basil

kosher / sea salt

1 tbsp green pesto

Put half of the burrata on a plate. Add half of the tomato chunks seasoned with salt and pepper. Put some green pesto and fresh basil on the top.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Do the same with the second plate.

Inspired by Lamparts, Hägendorf

RAW ZUCCHINI SALAD

What do you think of this picture?

Would you like to eat this food?

Why or why not?

Ingredients:

2 zucchini / cut into slices

2 tsp Kosher/sea salt

1 garlic clove / minced

1 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil

Black Pepper

1/4 cup / 40g walnuts

1/4 cup/ 30g fresh herbs / chopped

Put the Zucchini in a colander and sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp salt. Toss and sprinkle evenly with another 1 tsp salt. Let stand for 10 minutes .

In a small bowl combine the garlic and lemon juice.

Shake the moisture off the vegetables. Taste them. If too much salt remains, rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. 

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the olive oil. Spoon the lemon mix over and toss some more.

Season with pepper and more salt and lemon if needed.

Garnish with walnuts and herbs.

Original recipe: Michael Ruhlman

FOODIE PEN PALS NR 3 ALL THE WAY FROM SUNNY GREECE

This time my Foodie Pen pal parcel came all the way from sunny Greece :).

Look at those amazing food products from Greece. 

Olives from south Greece - Kalamata

Chamomile tea 

Sesam snack

My favorite - Fig confiture with seeds. Yum Yum Yum

And  something I have never ever tasted - Gum Mastiha. 

It is sap from lentisk trees and was the original chewing gum.

VIKINGS RYE FOCACCIA

Already vikings were growing rye believing it gave them more strengths.
94% of rye is produced in Europe and
rye bread is very popular in Nordic countries.

Ingredients:

30g yeast

320g water

25g olive oil

100g rye flour

385g plain flour

9g salt

handful herbs / chopped

20g olive oil 

Mix yeast with water.

Add olive oil.

Mix flours with salt and add it to the liquid.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Add the herbs.

Knead another 5 minutes.

Form the dough into ball and put it into deep bowl.

Cover with a towel and let rise 1 hour.

Punch the dough back after first rise.

Rise it another hour.

Preheat oven to 250C or 480F.

Transfer dough to baking sheet and dimple with your fingertips.

Brush with oil.

Let rise another 1/2 hour.

Bake the bread for 10 minutes in 250C/480F and then 30-40minutes in 180-200C/390F.

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES

This is a perfect salad.

Let me tell you why.

It looks good and colorful. How the food looks is one of the first sensory criterias. The sight of this chicken salad makes your brain decide to eat it or not.

I guess it tells you to eat it :).

It is full of good protein, vegetables and herbs.

It makes your body happy and gives you right energy.

It makes you jump in a hot summer evening and scream :

"Life is beautiful"

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 smaller chicken breast 

2 tbsp harissa or other chili sauce

2 cloves garlic/ pressed

pinch of salt

olive oil

2 avocados / chopped

1 spring onion / chopped

2 baby tomatoes

1/2 pomegranate

8 dryed cranberries

handful of chopped chives and basil leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1/2 tbsp cherry vinegar

pinch of salt

Marinate chicken with harissa, garlic and salt.

In a large pan over medium heat cook the chicken in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.

Cool the chicken and cut in cubes.

In a bowl toss together chicken, avocado, spring onion, tomatoes, pomegranate, cranberries, chives and basil. Season with salt and add olive oil, balsamic and cherry vinegar. 

DARK CHOCOLATE LOLLIPOPS

Dark chocolate with high cocoa level is good for you. The more cocoa beans the higher is the nutritional quality of the chocolate.

Cocoa is a great source of flavonoids, that have anti-allergies, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory activities.

Ingredients:

Dark chocolate

Dried fruits mix

Pistachios

Lollipop sticks

Melt the chocolate. 

Put a lollipop stick on the baking sheet. Spoon a round thick circle of chocolate around the edge of the lollipop. Add dried fruits and nuts.

Chill or wait until firm.

VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH HOMEMADE PLUMSAUCE

It is not complicated to prepare homemade healthy food for you and your family.

Buy whatever vegetables you want and mix them all together with some good olive oil, soy sauce and homemade plum sauce.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 onion /chopped

2 cloves garlic /crushed

2 cm fresh ginger /crushed

1 broccoli /chopped

2 carrots / chopped

5 baby tomatoes / halved

1 cauliflower / chopped
handful of chopped walnuts

2-3 tbsp soy sauce

salt/pepper

olive oil or sesam oil

Plum sauce:

3 ripe plums / chopped

2 tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup / 200 ml water

In a large saucepan boil plums over medium heat with sugar and salt. Boil 15 minutes or until plums are very tender. 

Press the plums through sieve and put aside.

Heat large sauce pan on medium heat and add some oil. Saute onions with garlic and ginger. Add carrots. Mix well and add some more oil if needed. 

After 1 minute add all the other vegetables.

Add soy sauce

Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Stir fry 4-5 minutes.

Add plum sauce and stir well for 1 minute.

DAD'S PICKLED SUMMER GHERKINS

Ooooooh

Pickled Gherkins

Gherkin - what a funny name isn't it?

:)

Ingredients: 

As many small gherkins as you want

For 1 l water:

1.5 tbsp corser/sea salt

0.5 tbsp sugar

handful dill

handful black currant leaves

2-3 garlic cloves / halved

Add cold water in a big bowl and leave the gherkins there for 1 hour.

Cook the water with salt and sugar. Let it cool down.

In a large jar place some black currant leaves, some dill and garlic. Put 1 layer of gherkins on the top. Then add again black currant leaves, dill and garlic and put another layer of gherkins on the top. Do it as long as the jar is full. Add some black currant leaves on the top.
Add salt/sugar water.

Leave it overnight in fridge.

You can already enjoy them the next day.

This recipe is linked to Foodie Friends Friday 

CARROT BUNS

Visited farmers market yesterday.

Bought some strawberries and dill and beetroots.

Went by some tourists just when they took a photo.

So now I am on their photo.

How many other photos are there all over the world with me on the background?

Interesting to know but I will never find answer to this question.

7-9 buns

Ingredients:

250 ml plain yoghurt

20 g fresh yeast

20 g sugar

1 egg

2 carrots/grated

1.5 tbsp sea salt

100 g rye flour

400 g plain flour

75 g  butter/ cold cubes

some rolled oats for garnish

In a mixing bowl mix yeast with yoghurt and sugar.

Beat the egg and put 2 tbsp in fridge.

Add the rest of the egg, salt, carrots and flour to the yoghurt mix and beat on low speed for 3-5  minutes.

Add butter cubes one after another to the dough. 

Cover and let rise 2 hours.

Make small dough buns. Put some rolled oats on the top.

Let rise another 40 minutes.

Bake at 200C /400F for 10-15 minutes until buns are golden brown.

Take the buns out of the owen.

Brush quickly with beated cold egg.

CORNFLAKES CHICKEN NUGGETS

Looking for healthy and yummy food for your family - here it is 

Cornflakes Chicken Nuggets

It is so easy to do and 

you will be loooooooved.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

450g Chicken Breast /cut into Nugget size bites

1 egg / beaten with pinch of salt

60g cornflakes / crashed in plastic bag

50g Grated Cheese (Parmesan)

1 Garlic Clove / crushed

juice of 1 Lemon

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

Mix cheese and garlic in plastic bag with cornflakes.

Dipp the chicken bits in beaten egg and then put them all into plastic bag.

Shake the bag so all the chicken bits are coated with cornflakes mix.

Grease the baking sheet.

Arrange chicken on the baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Pour lemon juice over.

Eat with yummy dips.

CREAMY SALMON POTATO SALAD

For me this salad represents summer.

New potatoes with sour cream and fresh dill from the garden.

You can add whatever fish or meat you like.

My favorite is with hot smoked salmon.

Typical Nordic food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400g / 3 cups cooked new small potatoes 

2 hard boiled eggs / halved

150-200g / 1 cup sour cream/creme fraiche

100-150g / 2/3 cup salmon (or roast beef, ham)

If you use salmon then juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp mustard (I prefer dijon or english)

handful of chopped dill

pinch of salt/pepper

Mix sour cream with mustard, chopped dill and salt/pepper.

Pour lemon juice over salmon. 

In a large bowl toss together potatoes with salmon chunks and sour cream mix.

Top with halved eggs.

FISH A LA WALLENBERG

Wallenbergare is a luxury swedish meat patty named after a swedish famous family. It is usually made with ground veal, eggs, cream and breadcrumbs. 

Here is my version with fish.

( My little son loves it :)

Ingredients:

Burger:

200g boneless Salmon fillets

200g boneless Zander fillets /or some other white fish

80-100 dl double cream

1 egg

2 toasts without crusts/ crumbled in food processor or ready breadcrumbs

white pepper

handful of basil / chopped

pinch of salt/pepper

oil

Place the fish in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Add double cream, egg and chopped basil, salt, pepper.

Mix well. Shape into patties.

Mix pinch of white pepper with breadcrumbs.

Make little fishpatties and sprinkle breadcrumbs on the top. Fry the patties with some butter or oil . 

If you want to make burgers with bread, here is my easy Burger Bread recipe:

Burger Bread:

250ml Milk
20g fresh yeast
20g sugar
1 Egg
1,5 tsp Sea Salt
250g Plain Flour
250g Rye Flour
75g Butter
Sesam Seeds and Rolled Oats

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in (finger) warm milk and sugar. Beat the egg and put 3 tbsp in the fridge. Add the rest of the egg, salt and flour to the milk and beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Then on high speed for 5 minutes. On the low speed add butter cubes one after another to the dough.

Cover and let rise 1 hour in a warm place.

Knead for 5 minutes and divide the dough in small dough balls. Let rise another 40 minutes.

Top with sesam and rolled oats.

Brush with beated cold egg. Bake at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Burger "Sauce":
2 avocados / mashed
1 little onion / finely chopped
2 tbsp sour cream/creme fraiche
dash of lemon juice

BUCKWHEAT CRACKERS

Midsommer is soon here.

This is perfect little snack for summer solstice party.

Or however you call it in your country:

Adonia

St. John's Feast Day

Ligo

Lida

Midsommar

Ivan Kupala Day

Juhannus

Alban Hefin

Gwyl Ganol yr Haf

Sankthans

Jaanipäev

Keskikesä

Rasos

Ingredients:

1 cup/ 150g plain flour

1 cup/ 100g buckwheat flour 

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp sesam seeds

1 tbsp linseeds

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup/ 115 g heavy cream (a bit more if needed)

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and pepper. Add butter (I am doing it with a food processor but you can make the dough by hand if you wish so). Mix well.

Pour in the cream and pulse until rough mass forms.

Scrape the dough out onto a clean work surface and gently squeeze it together. Add a few more drops of cream if the dough will not hold a soft shape. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes for up to1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 350F / 177C.

Unwrap the dough, cut it half and place one half on lightly floured baking paper. Roll out the dough into a rectangular sheet as thin as possible. Add the seeds evenly on the top of the dough. Roll over the sheet once more. Cut the sheet of dough into shapes now if you wish.

Place the sheet with the baking paper on the oven pan and bake until they are crisp and light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Do the same with the second half of the dough.

Eat with cream cheese&avocado spread.

The Crackers recipe is modified after Williams-Sonoma recipe.

This is Bake Along event organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids.

ASPARAGUS&MELON&DATE SALAD IN PARMESANO BASKET

 Just a salad.

Easy, or?

Only when you master the art of combining a salad with the right balance between the 4 basic tastes -sweetness, saltiness, sourness and bitterness - 

a whole new world opens up to you.

It's time for Revolution...

Serves 1 (just double the amount for 1 more)

Ingredients:

40g or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Handful of mixed baby salad 

2 asparagus 

2 dates/ chopped

1 tbsp good olive oil

1/2 tbsp cherry vinegar

2 slices of melon /peeled and chopped

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 200C /400F.

(You can do the parmesan basket also on the pan)

Spread thin circle of grated parmesan evenly on the baking paper. Bake 4-6 minutes in oven until golden brown. Let parmesan cool 1/2 minute and then carefully remove it from the paper. Drape it over a bowl or water glass. Shape it into a cup form.and let it cool. Then remove it from the bowl and voila, you have a parmesan basket.

Snap of the woody ends of asparagus. Cook them 1-2 minutes in salty water. Cut asparagus into smaller pieces.

Fill the basket with salad, asparagus, melon and dates.

Add olive oil and cherry vinegar and pinch of salt.

This recipe is linked to Foodie Friends Friday

2. FOODIE PEN PALS MAIL - GREETINGS FROM REBECCA IN BARNSLEY

My second Foodie Pen Pal package came all the way from England, Barnsley( I had to actually check it out on the Google maps).

This is what Rebecca sent to me:

Chai Tea - I am big tea lover and always happy to receive some more for my collection. It is also perfect with this rainy and cold weather we are having here in Switzerland.

Little gingerbread man - sooooo cute.

Scotish shortbread - love this. So british and yum. Tried to do my own shortbread last weekend. Turned out pretty good but it was a scotish recipe and put way too much whisky in the dough :D. 

And last - english mustard. Wooo hooo. Have not tried it yet but will be perfect for the soon coming grilling season.

Thank you again Rebecca.

ASPARAGUS TOAST WITH POACHED EGG

I know I have been talking about weather a lot. 

Been able to do something in my garden 5 days this spring. It is raining all the time and my garden looks like a big jungle. Fun for the kids but soon it so overgrown it is not possible to walk there anymore :).

Serves 1 person

Ingredients:

2 asparagus

1 toast

1 egg

handful of chopped chives or basil or wild garlic

pinch of sea salt

Snap off the woody end of asparagus. Cook them couple of minutes in salty water.

How to make poached eggs?

Crack an egg carefully in a small cup. 

Bring water in a saucepan to almost boil. Gently drop the egg into water. Wait 3-5 minutes until the white is set.

Place asapragus on the toast and poached egg on the top. Season with seasalt and garnish with chives/basil/wild garlic.

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS IN TOMATOSAUCE

Some things look good or very good on pictures.

Like colorful fruit cakes or nice soups.

Meatballs definitely don't belong to this category.

But they taste so wonderful.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion / chopped

500g minced meat

1 egg

50g milk

1 toast/bread

3 cloves of garlic/chopped

1 can of tomato

handful of basil and parsley / chopped

1 little chili / chopped

1 dash of tabasco 

salt

oil

Mix the toast/bread with milk.

Add minced meat, onion, egg, 1 clove of garlic, basil, pinch of salt, parsley and chili.

Combine everything well.

Make little meatballs. 

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook half of the meatballs until browned and then add half of the canned tomato. Press 1 clove of garlic into sauce and add pinch of salt and tabasco.

Cook another couple of minutes.

Do the same with other half of the meatballs.

VERY SWEET POTATO SOUP

Such a sweet soup.

A winter soup.

It is soon summer but we might get some snow this week.

Prrrrrrrr.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

300g sweet potatoes / chopped

1 onion /chopped

1/2 apple / chopped

1/2 can of coconut milk

1 clove of garlic/ chopped

1 chili  chopped

1 l vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

1 can of tomatoes

In heavy bottomed pot saute onion together with garlic and chili in oil.
Add vegetable stoc and all the other ingredients.
Cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
Remove the bay leaf.
Puree the soup.

Top the soup with some drops of balsamic vinegar, basil and bread croutons.

OVEN BAKED SALMON WRAP WITH SAFFRON SAUCE

With this weather some warm comfort food is absolutely needed.

Fresh pasta with saffrony salmon is perfect for quick luxury warm up.

Just curl up on the sofa and enjoy.

And you will forget about the weather.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets
seasalt & pepper

2 sheets fresh lasagne

1 spring onion / thinly chopped
0.5g saffron
oil
1 dl / 100ml creme fraiche
Basil

Preheat the oven to 200C / 392F.

Season the salmon with seasalt & pepper and put it in the baking dish.

Saute the spring onion with saffron in olive oil on low heat. Add creme fraiche and cook another minute.

Pour the sauce over the fish. Bake it for 10-15 minutes.

Cook the fresh lasagne according to instructions.

Wrap the salmon into lasagne sheet.
Add some basil on the top.

HONEY ROASTED TROUT ON ASPARAGUS WITH LEMONSAUCE

Tomorrow I will fly to Scotland with the whole family.
We are staying 3 days on the Isle of Mull.
It seems to be a foody paradise (if you love fish and sea fruits).
Yum.

Ingredients for 2 people:

1 trout

ca 10 asparagus

Honey glaze marinade: 

1 tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

pinch of seasalt

Lemon sauce:

bunch of wild garlic or 1-2 garlic cloves / chopped

1 spring onion / chopped

lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon 

1 tsp grated hazelnuts

1 tbsp olive oil. Add some more if needed.

pinch of seasalt 

Heat the oven 150C/ 302F degrees.

In small bowl mix honey with olive oil and seasalt.

Place the trout skin side down in glass baking dish and brush it with the honey mix. Bake for 20-30 minutes. 

Bend the asparagus spear until it snaps and throw the woody end away.

Boil the asparagus 1-2 minutes (I don't like them to be overcooked) in salty water. 

Arrange the asparagus on the plate and add the trout on the top.

Combine the wild garlic/garlic, spring onion, hazelnuts and sea salt with lemon juice and olive oil.

Add the sauce on the top of the asparagus and fish.

LOOKING FOR THE REAL SWEDISH CINNAMON BUNS?

Then no need to look more.

Here they are. Perfect little gooey, cinnamony, soft kanelbullar from Bitter Baker.

Mmmmmmmmm melting in your mouth.

Ingredients:

0.5l milk (17.6 oz or slightly more than 2 cups)

20 g fresh yeast or 2 tsp active dry yeast

1.5 stick butter/ 170 g 

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar / 112 g

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 egg

800-850 g flour / 28.2 - 30 oz

Filling:

1.5 stick butter / 170 g room temperature

1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar/ 168 g

Topping:

1 egg

pearl sugar or sliced almonds

Heat the milk until fingerwarm. Dissolve the yeast in the milk. Melt the butter and mix with milk. Add a pinch of salt, sugar, cardamom, egg and flour. Mix to a dough.

Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise 1 hour until double size.

Mix the ingredients for filling.

Divide the dough in 3 parts (unless you have a huge table :)). Roll out 1st part to a large thin rectangle. Spread 1/3 of the filling on the dough. Then either roll the dough into a cylinder and cut it in small slices or make the twirly tops from here.

Place the cinnamon buns in muffin forms and put them on the oven tray. Let them rise another 1/2 hour. Preheat the oven 460F or 220C.

Brush the buns with egg and sprinkle some sliced almonds or pearl sugar on the top. Bake them 10-15 minutes until golden brown on the top.

Bake the other 2 dough parts the same way.

Eat with cold milk or coffee.

COLD BEETROOT SOUP FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS

The Bloody Beetroots is an italian electro & dance music producer. 

Had no idea about this group.

Even if I love beets I have always found them a bit boring.

Can't imagine somebody is creating a band and there is some brainstorming about the future name and one of the guys saying:

"Beetroots. Bloody Beetroots".

And everybody else:

Siiiiiiiiii. Finalmente Va bene.

Maybe they don't speak any english?

Ingredients:

400g cooked beetroots chopped

250g buttermilk or kefir

1/2 cucumber peeled and chopped or 3 pickled gherkins chopped

100g creme fraiche

handful of chives, chopped

salt

cooked eggs and cooked potatoes 

Mix (or puree) beetroots with buttermilk, cucumber/gherkins,salt and creme fraiche.

Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

Before serving add cilantro and eggs.

Serve with cooked potatoes.

NORDIC TIRAMISU

Tiramisu is classic.

Nothing against it but can be a little heavy after all the italian primis and secundos :).

Here is a lighter and northier version with fruity rasberries.

Summer can come.

Ingredients:

250g mascarpone cheese

250g double cream

1 little or 1/2 big lemon

50-100g grated dark chocolate

200g rasberries and 100g blackberries

250 ml strong coffee

14 sponge fingers

3 tbsp sugar

Whip the cream with sugar until stiff peaks hold. Mix mascarpone cheese with lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Add mascarpone cheese to whipped cream and mix gently.

Dip half of the sponge fingers in coffee one at the time and lay them on the bottom of a square serving dish.

Add half of the mascarpone mix on the top of sponge fingers. 

Add half of the rasberries and blackbebrries on the top of mascarpone mix. 

Add half of the grated chocolate on the top of berries.

Now dip rest of the sponge fingers in coffee and add on the top of berries and chocolate.

Add rest of the mascarpone cream.

Finally add rest of the berries and grated chocolate.

Let rest in the fridge over night.

1ST. FOODIE PEN PALS MAIL : FOOD GREETINGS FROM GABIJA IN LITHUANIA

I am part of the european Foodie Penpals club. It is an awesome idea, really. It is a way for food bloggers to get to know each other via a lovely parcel in the mail every month.

This was my first time and I received a lovely food package from a young lithuanian girl called Gabija.

So exciting.

She sent me a package with traditional lithuanian products. 

The most interesting part of the package was a hard yummy cake called Sakotis. I have it on the picture above. Sakotis means branched tree.

 I have been to Lithuania but never tried this one. It is a lithuanian-polish cake that came popular during Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. It is popular celebration food. I was curious to do it myself but reading the recipes on internet I realized that you need to have special equipment and skills in order to bake it.

She also sent me 2 different chocolate bars, Vilnius and Karuna candies, herbal tea and honey.

Thank you again, Gabija.
You can check out her website here: http://myeternityisnow.wordpress.com/

This time I sent a package to Katy on Isle of Wight. You can read about it and check out her page here: http://birdwrites.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/foodie-penpals-2/
She has some really great photos on her website. 

SANDWICH CAKE - Smörgåstårta

Smör means butter in swedish. 

Gås is a goose and tårta means cake.

So it is Buttergoosecake????

No no no :D.

Smörgås is sandwich and tårta is cake.

So sandwichcake.

Ahaaaa.

Ingredients:

12 slices white bread

12 slices dark bread

Gherkin mixture:

3dl pickled gherkins, diced

2dl creme fraiche

Salmon mixture:

500g smoked salmon, chopped

400g philadelphia cheese

2dl dill, chopped

2dl plain yoghurt

1/2 lemon, juice and zest

Cheese mixture:

200g philadelphia cheese

1dl plain yoghurt

Toppings:

wild garlic

4 hard boiled eggs

5-6 radish

Chives, chopped

Remove bread crusts.

Mix the salmon mixture.

Mix the gherkin mixture.

Mix the philadelphia cheese mixture.

Place 3 and 3 slices white bread on the bottom of a plate. Add half of the salmon mixture on the top of bread. Put another layer of dark bread on the top of salmon mixture. Add the whole gherkin mixture. Add another layer of white bread. Top it with the rest of the salmon mix. Add the last layer of dark bread.

Frost it with philadelphia/yoghurt mix.

Wrap the cake in cling film. Let it rest in the fridge overnight. 

Top the cake next day with eggs, wild garlic, radishes and chives.

DR. BIRCHER MÜESLI

 

There are mornings and there are Mornings.

Sun is shining.

Birds are singing.

Spring is finally here.

And I am having amazing breakfast with Dr.Bircher.

 

 

2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

100g (1 cup) rolled oates
2 unpeeled apples, coarsely grated
180g natural yoghurt
30g (1/4 cup) walnuts
handful of berries like blueberries and strawberries, 1/3 mashed
Honey

Mix everything in a bowl. Leave it for 1 hour or more.

Top with some berries.

Add honey if you like it sweeter

 











NORDIC BAKERY RHUBARB MERINGUE PIE

Rheum Rhabarbarum.

Funny word.

But the pie is addictive.

Ingredients:

100g butter

65g caster sugar

2 eggs, yolks and whites separated

90g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

50ml milk

Filling:

2-3 sticks rhubarb, chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

65g + 2 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla sugar

50g flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg yolks one by one.

Mix the flour and baking powder and add half from it to the butter mixture.

Add half of the milk and mix well.

Add rest of the flour and mix well.

Finally add the other half of the milk and mix well.

Transfer the dough to the tart tin and press it until base and sides are evenly covered.

For the filling mix the rhubarb, cinnamon and 2 tsp sugar together. Spread it roughly over the pie dough. Whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then gradually add the remaining sugar, whisking until firm. Fold in the vanilla sugar. Spoon on the top of the pie and scatter the almonds over the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.

This recipe is from the "Nordic Bakery Cookbook".





SPELT PANCAKES WITH WILD GARLIC AND SALMON

 

 

It is Easter. Again. And snowing. Again.

At least we have some springy wild garlic in garden.

 

 



Ingredients:

Pancakes:

3 dl Buttermilk

2 eggs

1 dl spelt flour

1 dl plain flour

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sugar

oil/butter 

 

Dress up with:

Salmon & Wild Garlic & Cream Cheese

Fruits

Nuts

 

 

Beat eggs with salt and sugar. Add buttermilk. Mix it well.



Mix baking powder with spelt and plain flour. Add flour into buttermilk mix and mix well. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat and add some oil or butter. Pour some mixture into the pan and swirl gently. Turn when bubbles form on pancake. Cook the other side until golden brown.

Serve with smoked salmon/wild garlic/cream cheese or fruits and nuts.





LITTLE PIZZAS WITH PEARS & CHICKEN

What to cook when you have 10 people (from age 5 month to 62) staying at your place for a week?
Pizza of course :).
I made 2 different options: vegetarian one with Pears and meaty one with Chicken and Spinach.

Ingredients:
Pizza:
10g yeast
2 tsp sugar
90ml warm milk
450g flour
pinch of salt
190ml water

Topping:
1-2 Chicken breast, cooked and diced
200g frozen chopped Spinach
2 Pears, sliced
400g chredded Mozzarella cheese
2 Tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes
garlic clove, crushed
basil leaves
salt
olive oil

First make the pizza dough.

Mix yeast with sugar and warm milk. Add flour, salt and water.

Knead the dough until smooth and place it in the oiled bowl. Leave it for 1 hour until double in size.

Punch the air out of the dough. Divide the dough into 10-12 pieces and flatten each piece of dough into a circle.

For the tomato base mix canned tomatoes with garlic, basil leaves (optional) and pinch of salt.

Spoon the tomato sauce onto the pizza bases.

Make half of the small pizzas with Chicken, spinach, mozzarella and tomato slices.

The other half topp with pear slices and mozzarella.

Drizzle some olive oil over the pizzas and bake for 10-15 minutes in 240C or 475F.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and my little favourite DIY