Cakes from scratch, baked with love...

Ensaimadas

2010-01-25T20:12:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe a while ago, more acurately sometime last summer. I took me several weeks until I decided to give it a try because, I have to admit: I didn't have much experience with yeast and doughs. Then I tried it and this has been my favorite yeast dough ever since. And during this time I gained more experience on the matter.

I have to mention two important things:

I used Five Roses - Canadian flour, which I think made all the difference in the appearance of these brioches. The closest that comes to this type is Bread Flour, if unbleached, even better.

I preferred to use unsalted butter instead of lard. It was a great choice I believe, it made the inside of the dough very light and flaky.

And here is the recipe for 10 big or 12 medium sized Ensaimadas (in Italics, copied from the link mentioned above):

Ingredients:

500g bread flour (plus additional as needed )

75 g sugar

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

40 g fresh yeast (= 1 cube) or 1 package active instant yeast (1/4 oz)

200-250 ml lukewarm milk

2 eggs (M)

2 Tbsp olive oil

150 g soft pork lard - in my case unsalted butter

powdered sugar for dusting

Add the flour together with sugar and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Make a hollow in the center, add the crumbled yeast as well as a decent pinch of sugar and pour over just enough of the lukewarm milk until the yeast is covered. Stir the yeast milk once or twice, then cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 15 minutes or until the surface of the yeast milk looks bubbly.

Add the other ingredients (the remaining milk, eggs,olive oil ) and knead well, either by hand or with your kitchen machine until the dough comes together nicely. I used less milk in the beginning, but later I used up all the 250 ml and let it knead at medium speed for 6 - 8 minutes. Let the covered bowl rest again in a warm place for at least 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled.

Punch it down softly, then flip the dough onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle with flour. Cut into about 10 - 12 equally sized portions and form into neat little balls, before letting them rest – sprinkled with flour, covered with a kitchen towel – once more for at least 30 minutes.

Shaping the Ensaimadas: Flatten one doughball, then roll out with a rolling pin (use flour as needed) until you get a pretty thin dough oval/circle and brush it generously with the softened pork lard or butter.

Roll up cautiously, then let rest for a couple of minutes and continue with the other dough balls. (Meanwhile line the baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicone mats.)

Coil up each dough piece until it resembles the house of a snail (tuck the outer end under), ideally very loosely, because any spaces will fill up as the dough rises further.

This is how my first one looked, trying hard to imitate the one on the original recipe:

Accidentally the next ones looked something like this:

If you look closer, you'll note the difference on how the dough's edge goes. First is upwards, the second downwards. :)

Place about five Ensaimadas on one baking sheet, making sure to leave enough space between them. Lightly brush with lard/ butter and cover up again.

This was interesting as I read: the final rise is supposed to last overnight, yet I baked mine in three different batches (with rising times of 1 hour, 4 hours, 13 hours) and we preferred their look and taste with shorther rising times (1 and 4 hours). But do as you like.

I also baked after approximately 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (~390° Fahrenheit) and bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Take out and let them cool down on a wire rack for a couple of minutes, then generously dust with powdered sugar and enjoy while still warm.

Hope you will try this recipe and will be as happy with the outcome as I am.

I will also post the other goodies I baked using this same recipe. So keep in touch, see you soon!

Banoffie pie

2009-09-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

This was the first Banoffie pie I ever made, but I can surely say, I want to make it sometime again. Whenever I looked up this pie recipe, the procedure of cooking the of unopened condensed milk tins until they form the caramel inside took my enthusiasm away and quickly went for another type of pie.

This recipe gives you a much easier description. And the pie is so good! Tasting the flavor combination of bananas, toffie, whipped cream and the walnut in the pastry was really worth the effort of making this pie.

Walnut pastry:

1 1/4 cups (155 g) plain flour
2 Tbsp icing sugar
3 oz (85 g) ground walnuts
2 3/4 oz (80 g) chilled unsalted butter, chopped

Filling:

13 oz (400 g) canned condensed milk
1 oz (30 g) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp golden syrup
4 bananas, sliced
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream, whipped
1 3/4 oz (50 g) dark chocolate, melted

To make the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add walnuts and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in 2-3 Tbsp chilled water to form a dough, add more water if needed, then gather into a ball on a floured surface. Wrap and chill for 15 min. Roll out to fit a 9 inch flat tin, chill for 20 min.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line the pastry base with crumpled baking paper and spread baking beads or rice over paper. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beads. Bake for another 10 minutes or until lightly golden. set aside and cool completely.

To make the filling, place the condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a small pan. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it boils and thickens and turns its color into a light caramel. Cool slightly, then arrange half the bananas over the pastry and pour the caramel over the top. Smooth the surface and chill for 30 minutes.

Drop spoonfuls of whipped cream over the caramel and arrange the remaining banana slices over the top. (To prevent from browning, previously you can dip the slices into 2 Tbsp lemon juice). Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Recipe from The Essential Dessert Cookbook, p.138

Cocoa crepes

2009-07-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made some crepe mix and baked only part of it. I made the rest today and thought of giving it a new coat by adding 1 tbsp cocoa to the mix.

For the filling I used the usual farmers cheese, adding sugar, shredded coconut, some golden raisins, mini chocolate chips and mini marshmelows. Tasted great!

Blackberry cobbler

2009-07-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

For this cobbler I used some leftover fruit: 1 peach, 1/2 box blueberries, 2 boxes blackberries.

I found THIS recipe some time ago and I was craving for it since the first moment I saw it. I'm so glad I tried the recipe, because it tasted heavenly!

Definitely will do it again, sooooon!!!!

Adding sugar, lemon juice and zest to the fruit...

Laying the cobbles until the fruit is covered, sprinkled with sugar...

Fresh from the oven...

Served strictly with vanilla ice cream... Heavenly!!!

Apricot Sesame Cookies

2009-07-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sesame seeds
6 tbsp apricot jam

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour, salt and baking powder, gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1-in balls, roll into sesame seeds. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Using the end of a wooden spoon handle make an indentation in the center of each ball, fill with jam.

As you can see it in the pictures, I mixed half of the dough with 1 tbsp cocoa. Tasted just as great. I rolled some in coconut flakes. Delicious too.

Bake them at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown.

Believe it or not, there's only 5 pieces left of it... It's easy to make and they really melt in your mouth!

Taste of Home, Baking Classics, p. 321

Bagel

2009-07-08T20:40:00.001-07:00

There was a time when, for months, I had a bagel for breakfast. Either with cream cheese or bacon and egg. Or cheese and ham. Or just toasted with some butter. I couldn't get bored with them.
One of these days I noticed on someone's blog the making of bagels and got me curious, so I started looking for more recipes. For some reason I decidedto try this one, and made my bagels more or less according to this recipe.

They tasted just like the ones from the bagelshops. The only difference was that the next day these were just as soft as after baking them, while the bought ones get harder even packed in ziplock bags...

Have fun!
:)

Resting the dough before shaping:

After shaping resting again for 20 minutes:

Boiling them for a minute on each side:

Sprinkled according to your tastebuds:

After baking them for 20 minutes:

Deffinitely will do it again!

No Name Souffle

2009-07-06T20:14:00.001-07:00

No Name, because I didn't use Cointreau as in the original recipe. I used some of he tiny little bottle of liqueur I've found hidden on my pantry shelf. Still, I'm soooo happy for the result, it was very delicious. And it was my first souffle ever!

I followed this recipe.

Summer shortcake

2009-07-04T07:42:00.001-07:00

I found this cake in Martha Sterwart's Living magazin, July 2007. We celebrated yesterday with our relatives from Switzerland and I chose this cake also to celebrate 1 year of my arrival to the States as a wife... :)

I liked this type of cake and plan to make is sometime again using different cutting shapes and fruit.

For the biscuits:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 oz cold cream cheese cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus mor for brushing
raw sugar for sprinkling

For the filling:

2 pints blueberries
2 pints strawberries, hulled
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Make the biscuits: in a food processor pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Add cream cheese, pulse again until large pieces are the size of peas. Add buttermilk, pulse until dough comes together. Transfer to bowl, knead into ball. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Divide dough into half. On a lightly floured work surface roll into a 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush biscuits lightly with buttermilk, sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake until dough has risen and golden brown, for 12-15 minutes in 400 degrees preheated oven. Bottoms will brown sooner, that's why I placed another empty baking pan underneath.

Repeat with other biscuit. Using a 2 1/2 inch cutter cut out, but do not remove shapes, while it's still warm. Let cool.

Make filling: combine strawberries and bluebberries and 2 Tbsp sugar, let macerate until juicy, for 10 minutes.

Just before serving beat cream to medium peaks with remaining sugar and vanilla. Assemble cake: spoon half the berries over uncut biscuit, spread the whipped cream, top with remaining berries, reserve a few for decoration. Place cutout biscuit on top, fill out stars with reserved berries. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 hours.

Zucchini cakes

2009-06-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

My Hubby doesn't eat zucchini either. Not at all. And I loove zucchini!

What he likes more than I do is cheese, this is the reason that we always have a few kinds of cheese in the fridge. So, the minute I saw this recipe I knew it's going to be great! More than great!

And I was right! Hubby wouldn't believe there was any zucchini in it! :)
He likes Ranch dressing for dipping sauce. I prefer Italian dressing...

You'll find the recipe by clicking RIGHT HERE! Awesome what this woman does! It amazes me every time I read her blog!
Hope you'll enjoy too!
:)

Crepes with berries and farmer's cheese

2009-06-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is a Williams Sonoma recipe. I can honestly say, I have not eaten more tasty crepes than these. What makes them so special, in my opinion, is the lemon or orange zest that you add to the batter. While baking the crepes, your kitchen will surely smell heavenly! Trust me!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp orange zest or 1 tsp lemon zest
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp granulated sugar or to taste
1 cup ricotta or farmer's cheese
4 to 6 tsp unsalted butter
confectioners' sugar for dusting

In a blender combine milk, egg, flour, salt, oil and zest. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours. (I added a little sugar to the batter as well.)

In a large bowl combine the berries, lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar. In another bowl combine the cheese and remaining 1 tbsp sugar. ( I added here also some of the lemon and orange zest, sorry, just couldn't help it !) Set aside.

In a crepe pan over medium heat melt 1 tsp butter to coat the pan evenly. Pour 1/3 cup of the batter, spread with a spatula. Cook until golden, flip, cook 1-2 minutes. Transfer to plate. Make the 4-6 crepes.

Cover half of crepe with cheese mixture and fold into quarters. Top with berries and dust with confectioners sugar. Serve immediately!!!

Christmas/ Hanukkah cake

2009-06-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

I made this cake right before Christmas, as my Hubby asked me to bake his favorite cake. How could I not grant this wish of his on our First Christmas? So I called Katineni, my mother-in-law in Hungary for the recipe.

It is interesting, she heard about this cake many-many years ago listening to a radio-show. So, she quickly grabbed a pen and put down the ingredients. It's been one of the most preferred cakes of the family ever since.
Let me assure you, it was worth it! It has such a rich flavor, so moist and yummmmy!

Ingredients:

3 eggs, divided
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground walnuts/hazelnuts/pecans
5 tbsp butter/margarine
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove
1-2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lemon zest
1/2 tsp anise seeds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
you can add raisins also 1/2 cup

Start by mixing the egg yolks with the sugar for 2-3 minutes, add the margarine, mix until creamy. Add honey and lemon zest, seasonings (anise, cinnamon, clover) and mix for another minute or so. Stir in nuts, chocolate, raisins and milk.

In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the batter.

Beat the egg whites and lightly fold into the batter. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 F for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, and cool completely.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Can you imagine the smell of your house after baking all those cinnanisecloney?

Worth trying!

A Different Sheperd's Pie

2009-06-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

My Hubby doesn't like soups - in general. Okay, there are a few exceptions, like the tipical Hungarian soups, named Jókai bean-soup and Gulyás. These can be served anytime. This is why during the week I often cook a variety dishes, resembling comfort food, I like to call them 'layered' dishes.

This is a sibling of Sheperd's Pie, as this time I replaced the mashed potatoes with cauliflower.

You'll need:

1 lb of ground meat (beef/veal/chicken - even a mixture would do)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1/3 cup rice
small can of sliced carrots, drained
1 cauliflower
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
salt, ground pepper, sweet paprika
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

Cut the cauliflower into 'roses', wash and boil them in salty water. When almost done, let it drain. Cook the rice in salty water, drain when ready. I used some leftover rice.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Saute the onion with 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until tender, add ground beef and season with salt, ground pepper and your favorite seasoning. Stir, cover and cook until meat is browned. Add rice, stir to combine.

Pour meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Put a layer of carrot slices, then the next layer is of the cauliflower roses.

Beat the sour cream with eggs and milk using a fork, add some seasoned salt. Pour over cauliflower and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 30 minutes until top is golden. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!