Länderküche – Seite 3 – Coconut & Vanilla

Flan TarteFlan Tart

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

As a child I didn’t like flan. It was too slippery and wobbly for me. Today I really like it. I like Flan, Crème Caramel, Crème Brûlée. And Crème Brûlée really works well. But as I tried to cook Flan some weeks ago, I wasn’t very successful. The caramel just didn’t want to caramelize. Then it didn’t wanted to harden in the moulds. I was really disappointed. And the worst thing was, I didn’t know why! I even do not know it today. I looked up several cook books and blogs, but they weren’t a helping hand.

As I looked through the blogs, some unknown, some of my favourites, I discovered something called Flan Tart on Aran’s blog. I’ve never tried something like this, although we spend a lot of holidays in Spain. Also I read, that the tart is somehow popular in Spain. Now I know why!

I infused my Flan Tart only with vanilla beans, because I wanted to get as near as possible to the original Flan. I think it worked. Of course, you can’t expect a Flan. But a Flan formed in a tart, with a taste almost as Flan and a bit of the texture. Just no caramel. That was just the right thing for me, as I remember my caramel experiences.

The tart looks like a lot of work, but it is not. You need to make a pastry crust (choose your favourite one or use the recipe I recommend below) and then the filling, which is no magic art. I recommend to bake this tart in a small spring form. I used a 20 cm one.

Be careful in the last minutes of baking. My tart burned a bit on the surface. But luckily the burned parts could be easily peeled off (maybe you see it in the picture below, that there’s a part of the surface, that is out of harmony with the rest).

Flan Tarte

nach einem Rezept von Cannelle et Vanille

ergibt: eine 20 cm Tarte

Teig:

250 g Weizenmehl
200 g Butter, raumwarm
100 g Zucker
1 Prise Salz
2 Eigelb
Mehl zum Ausrollen

Füllung:

1 Ei
1 Eigelb
500 ml Milch
65 g Maisstärke
1 Vanilleschote, Mark herausgekratzt
45 g brauner Zucker

Für den Teig, Butter, Zucker und Salz verschlagen, die Eigelbe dazugeben und unterrühren. Nach und nach das Mehl unterrühren, bis ein homogener Teig entsteht. Den Teig zu einer Scheiben formen, in Folie wickeln und mindestens 1 Stunde kalt stellen.

Die Milch mit der Vanilleschote und -mark aufkochen. Vom Herd nehmen und 20 Minuten ziehen lassen. Die Vanilleschote entfernen.

Den Ofen auf 200° C vorheizen.

Den Teig ausrollen und eine gebutterte Springform damit auslegen. Den Boden mehrmals mit einer Gabel einstechen.

Das Ei, Eigelb und den Zucker für die Füllung verschlagen. Die Stärke unterrühren. Die warme Milch in einem dünnen Strahl zugießen und währenddessen rühren. Die Creme wieder in den Topf geben und aufkochen, dabei umrühren. Wenn die Creme eingedickt ist vom Herd nehmen.

Die Creme auf den Boden gießen und glatt streichen.

10 Minuten backen, dann die Hitze auf 180° C runterdrehen. Nochmal 30 Minuten backen, bis die Oberfläche goldgelb ist.

Auskühlen lassen.

Flan Tart

adapted from Cannelle et Vanille

yields: one 20 cm tart

Pastry dough:

250 g flour
200 g butter at room temperature
100 g sugar
pinch of salt
2 egg yolks
flour for rolling the dough

Filling:

1 egg
1 egg yolk
500 ml milk
65 g corn starch
1 vanilla bean, cut in halves and seeds scraped out
45 g blond cane sugar

Whisk together the butter, sugar and the salt with the paddle attachment of your stand mixer. Add the egg yolks and whisk again. Add the flour by degrees, until it is all incorporated and you have a smooth dough. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic foil and chill at least for an hour or until ready to use.

Heat the milk with both the vanilla seeds and pod in a pot, until boiling. Remove from the heat, cover and let infuse for at least 20 minutes. Remove the pods.

Preheat the oven to 200° C.

Roll out the dough and line the spring form with it. Prick the bottom with a fork.

Beat the egg and the yolk with the sugar together in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and continue beating. Add the warm milk in a small stream and whisk. Transfer the cream to the pot again and bring it to a boil while stirring. The cream thickens. Remove from the heat.

Pour the cream in the crust and level the surface. Bake for 10 minutes at 200° C. Then turn down the heat to 180° C and bake for about 30 minutes, until the surface is golden.

Let it cool, before eating.

Churros Churros

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

The challenge were doughnuts. But since I just made them some weeks ago, as you can see here, I wanted to try something different. Especially, because frying is so versatile and the fried goods are always so delicious.

So I took the chance to make churros.

I love churros, since I remember, that I’ve first eaten them on our vacations in Spain. Bought in a paper bag from a mobile churrería. DELICIOUS. I remember them pure or tossed in sugar. I didn’t get to know the version, where you dip them in thick warm chocolate. That sounded good to me, too. But in my memory, the churros were rich, not so light. So I decided to skip the chocolate part spontaneously.

In the end, the churros turned out really light. They puffed up, while frying and came out in a doubled or even tripled size, than before. I don’t know why this happened, maybe it was the recipe. Everything else looked right to me. So a rich decadent chocolate would accompany this recipe just right. Nonetheless the churros were very good. But I’m still looking for the perfect recipe, fitting my childhood memories.

Vor einem Jahr: Zimt- und Anis-Macarons

Churros

nach einem Rezept von Cannelle et Vanille

Zutaten:

125 ml Wasser
125 ml Vollmilch
110 g Butter
1 Prise Salz
1 große Prise Zucker
150 g Mehl
3 Eier
Öl/Fett zum Frittieren
Zimtzucker zum Wälzen

Wasser, Milch, Butter, Zucker und Salz in einen Topf geben und aufkochen. Das Mehl zugeben und mit einem Löffel einrühren, bis ein glatter Teigball entsteht.

Weiterrühren (geht auch in der Küchenmaschine oder mit dem Handrührer) bis der meiste Dampf verflogen ist, dann nach und nach die Eier unterrühren. Rühren bis eine glatte dicke Masse entsteht.

In einen Spritzbeutel mit Sterntülle geben.

Das Öl auf 170° C erhitzen. Es sollte mindestens 10 cm tief sein.

Den Teig auf Backpapier spritzen. Jedes Teigstück auf Papier ausschneiden, so dass man einen Churro auf einem Stück Papier hat.

Wenn das Öl heiß ist, das Papier mit dem Teig in das Öl gleiten lassen. Der Teig löst sich vom Papier und man kann sie mit einer Zange rausnehmen. So muss man nicht mit dem Spritzbeutel über dem heißen Fett hantieren und die Churros behalten die Form, die sie haben sollen.

Die Churros rausbacken, bis sie goldbraun sind. Dann mit einer Siebkelle herausnehmen und auf Küchenpapier abtropfen lassen. In Zimtzucker wälzen und sofort verzehren.

So I took the chance to make churros.

One year ago: Cinnamon and Anise Macarons

Churros

from Cannelle et Vanille

Ingredients:

125 ml water
125 ml whole milk
110 g butter
pinch salt
large pinch sugar
150 g flour
3 eggs
oil for frying
cinnamon sugar for coating

Place the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring this to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a smooth ball.
Transfer this mass to the bowl of an electric mixer (or can do it by hand) and start mixing with a paddle attachment. When most of the steam has evaporated, add the eggs one at a time. Mix until it comes together to a smooth thick mass.
Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (#5).

In a wide pan that has tall sides, pour about 3″ deep of canola oil. Heat it to 170°C.

Pipe the batter in strings on parchment paper. Cut every single dough string on the paper out. So you have one string on one piece of paper.

When the oil reaches the temperature, let the paper with dough slide into the oil. The paper releases itself from the dough in the oil. Remove the paper pieces with tongs. With this trick the churros will hold their shape and you don’t have to work with your pastry bag above the hot oil.

Fry them until golden brown. Remove the churros from the oil and place them on a paper towel to drain the remaining oil. Roll them in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.

Indisches MandelhühnchenIndian Almond Chicken

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

As I’m writing this, I’m looking out the window, watching the rain. And it’s nice. Last week was so hot, that we couldn’t imagine turning on the oven or making a hot meal. Over the weekend the weather cooled down to about 20°C and rain, now and then.

It’s refreshing in another way. And it’s comfortable. It’s also comfortable to cozy up a bit in between the heat and cook and bake again. It’s time for some real comfort food.

This is my ultimate comfort food. I could dig in it, that good it is.

This are chicken pieces, which have marinated at least 6 hours in yoghurt, tomato puree and lots of spices. After that you cook it about 1,5 hours. The chicken will be tender and you have an unbelievable sauce! You can serve it with rice, if you want it easy (cause this meal IS easy). But if you want it be best, make some Batura. It’s an indian yeast flat-bread, which is deep-fried. In one of my upcoming posts, I will write about Batura, too. It’s so good, I want to dig in that, too.

Now you can imagine, what that meal does to me…

So, hurry up, marinate some chicken, you won’t regret it tonight! Oh, and it wouldn’t be a fault to make the double amount. It freezes wonderful (and still tastes wonderful after thawing). And another night, when you’re too lazy to cook, you already have a dinner.

Indisches Mandelhühnchen

nach einem Rezept aus Indisch kochen von Tanja Dusy

für 4 Personen

4 Hähnchenbrüste
5 EL gemahlene Mandeln
3 grüne Kardamonkapseln
1/2 TL Chilipulver
1/2 TL Zimt
1/2 TL gem. Nelke
1,5 TL Garam Masala
125 g Joghurt
2 Knoblauchzehen
200g passierte Tomaten
Salz
1 Zwiebel
Ghee oder Butterschmalz
100 g Sahne

Das Fleisch in Stücke schneiden (etwa 5 cm).

Die Mandeln in eine kleine Schüssel geben, 6 Esslöffel kochendes Wasser dazugeben und verrühren. Die Kardamonkapseln in einem Mörser mahlen. Die Mandeln mit dem Joghurt und den Gewürzen verrühren. Den Knoblauch fein hacken und mit dem Tomatenpüree und einem 1/2 Teelöffel Salz unter den Joghurt rühren. Das Fleisch unterheben und abgedeckt mindestens 6 Stunden im Kühlschrank marinieren.

Die Zwiebel schälen und fein hacken. Butterschmalz/Ghee in einem großen Topf erhitzen und die Zwiebel anrösten. Hühnchen mit der Marinade zugeben, ebenso die Sahne. Rühren bis es kocht. Dann auf kleiner Hitze etwa 1,5 Stunden köcheln lassen. Ab und zu umrühren. In den 30 Minuten den Deckel entfernen, damit die Sauce eindickt, dafür eventuell die Hitze erhöhen.

Mit Reis, Batura oder Naan servieren.

It’s refreshing in another way. And it’s comfortable. It’s also comfortable to cozy up a bit in between the heat and cook and bake again. It’s time for some real comfort food.

This is my ultimate comfort food. I could dig in it, that good it is.

Now you can imagine, what that meal does to me…

Indian Almond Chicken

adapted from Indisch kochen by Tanja Dusy

Serves 3-4

4 chicken breasts (skinless)
5 Tbsp ground almonds
3 green cardamom pods
1/2 tsp ground chili
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp clove, ground
1,5 tsp Garam Masala
125 g yoghurt
2 cloves garlic
200g tomato puree
salt
1 onion
ghee or clarified butter
100g cream (or more to your taste)

Cut the chicken breasts into big chunks, about 5 cm. Give the ground almonds into a small bowl and add 6 Tbsp hot water. Whisk. Grind the cardamom pods in a mortar. Stir the almonds with the yoghurt and add the spices. Peel, crush and add the garlic. Stir in the tomato puree and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Mix in the chicken and marinate covered in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Peel the onion and chop it. Heat the ghee in a large pot. Roast the onion, add the chicken with the marinade, as well as the cream. Stir until bubbling. Let it simmer on low heat for about 1,5 hours. Stir from time to time. In the last 30 minutes remove the lid to thicken the sauce. Maybe you have to adjust the heat at this point.

Serve with rice or batura.

Arroz Con Leche… Lo Mejor

Updaten: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

Since I was in Spain as a child ( to be more precise in Andalucía), I was craving for the arroz con leche I ate there. It has to be cold or be at room temperature and should be creamy or even slightly fluid. Not that mush you are getting here. Also it has to have this delightful taste of cinnamon.

I was looking for the recipe a very long time. Some day I was looking through Aran’s blog and I found a recipe. A recipe, which called for 50g rice per 1 l milk! I was a bit irritated, but after all Aran is Basque and so I trusted her, that she can produce real good spanisch arroz con leche. And I wasn’t disappointed.

In english you would say rice pudding, in german “Milchreis”. But you can’t compare those with arroz con leche. So arroz con leche is arroz con leche. It’s just different. But better in any way. MUCH better. So give it a try and don’t let yourself put off by the hour you have to invest!

As you see in the pictures I also made some macarons. I had so much leftover egg whites and the only thing I know to do with them is macarons. So I made a doubled batch (maybe not the best idea) and made two different fillings. One was a white chocolate-peach-ganache, the other one was lemon curd. Both are very refreshing in the summer heat, as a snack in between. If you have summer heat in your area. Ours is just gone – 15 °C – that’s no fun!

Arroz Con Leche

ergibt: 4 kleine Schalen

Zutaten:

1 l Vollmilch
1 Zimtstange
1 Prise Salz
50 g Zucker
50 g Milchreis oder Risottoreis

Milch, Zimtstange und Salz in einen Topf geben und zum köcheln bringen. Reis und Zucker dazugeben. Das ganze muss etwa 1 Stunde köcheln, ein leichtes Simmern reicht, dabei immer wieder umrühren.

Die Farbe wird etwas ins Karamellige gehen und eine Haut wird sich auf der Milch bilden. Diese einfach wieder unterrühren.

Der Milchreis ist fertig, wenn der Reis gar ist, also einfach mal nach 45 Minuten probieren. Das Ganze ist relativ dünnflüssig, das soll so sein! Es zieht im Kühlschrank auch noch etwas nach.

Den fertigen Milchreis in Schalen füllen und mit Plastikfolie abdecken, die Folie direkt auf den Milchreis legen, damit sich keine Haut bildet. In den Kühlschrank stellen.

Wer mag kan ihn vor dem Servieren noch mit Zimt bestreuen.

Arroz Con Leche

yield: 4 small desserts

Ingredients:

1 l whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
a pinch of sea salt
50 g sugar
50 g rice for arroz con leche/rice pudding or for risotto

Combine milk and salt in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick and bring to a low simmer. The lower the better. Add the rice and sugar. It has to cook for about an hour or a bit longer, stirring every couple of minutes.

The colour will turn a little bit into caramel and a skin will be forming on the milk. It’s alright, you will be stirring it into the milk again.

First there will be a lot of milk in your saucepan, but time after time the rice will adsorb a lot. Some milk will be left with your arroz con leche, that’s ok, it has to be like that. You don’t want to have pudding or mash!

Fill it in bowls, cover the surface with plastic wrap (yes, directly on the surface, not over the bowl) and refrigerate. Though, if you like the skin on the milk, omit the plastic wrap. But personally I dislike it a lot ;).

Before eating, sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy!

Schokoladen Macarons mit HimbeerfüllungChocolate Macarons with Raspberry Filling

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

Since on the 20. March was Macaron Day I decided to show you my latest accomplishment in macarons.

Yes, there exists a special day for macarons! In Paris are special shops, that sell macarons all day long and on macarons day you can get some free! Unfortunately I never had the chance to be there (on macarons day or sometime else). As macarons are not very popular in Germany, ok unknown would be the better word… I mean most people don’t even know what cupcakes are… so you couldn’t say macarons are the new cupcakes ;). Anyway what I wanted to say is, that there won’t be shops in Germany, that sell macarons.

But most often I think anyway it’s better and more fun to do it myself. I mean look at those little beauties. Just want to grab one immediately and stuff it into my mouth.

And in your mouth you have the rich chocolate flavour and now you think “yeah and in the middle even more boring chocolate”… haha no! In the middle is chocolate (and do use the good one!) with raspberry puree! It’s soo delicious.

So if you didn’t do it, celebrate macarons day with some lovely macarons. Even more if you have some egg whites sitting in your fridge and you don’t know what do to with them. So you have to make some macarons, because it would be a pity to throw all the egg whites away. And you will feel a lot better, when you use them up and they are not looking at you anymore out of the fridge, making you guilty, because you don’t know what to do with them. Believe me, what a relief to make macarons!

And it is not difficult. Ok my first try wasn’t what I expected. They tasted good, but they didn’t look like macarons. So for some tipps, you can look up my first post with macarons.

Don’t be worried, if my post is looking some what different, because I’m trying it the first time with Windows Live Writer, instead of that Google crap. Yeah, you read right. It’s just driven me into insanity some times. So maybe that here works better. I’m yet “astonished” by the amount of fonts and options to embed my pictures. You see, after Google I’m very easy to impress.

But don’t want to bore you with that theoretical things.

Schokoladen Macarons mit Himbeerfüllung

Zutaten:

100 g Eiweiß (raumwarm; mind. 24h vorher getrennt)
25 g Zucker
1/2 TL Zitronensaft
225 g Puderzucker
125 g Mandelmehl (oder gemahlene Mandeln, die ich nochmal mit einem Aufsatz für den Pürierstab mahle)
15 g Kakaopulver
1 Prise Salz
Kakaosplitter zum Bestreuen

für die Füllung:

100 g Vollmilchschokolade oder-kuvertüre
50 g Himbeerpüree
einen Schuss Schlagsahne
ein Stückchen Butter

Wichtig: Die Eier müssen mindestens 24 h (oder länger) vor dem Backen getrennt worden sein. Dadurch verlieren die Eiweiße an Feuchtigkeit und formen so einen stabileren Meringue. Sie müssen Raumtemperatur haben.

Die Eiweiße mit dem Zitronensaft fast steif schlagen. Den Zucker nach und nach zugeben und schlagen bis ein steifer glänzender Meringue ensteht.

Den Puderzucker, Mandelmehl und den Kakao sieben. Nach und nach unter den Meringue heben. Man sollte dazu nicht mehr als 50 Züge (1 Zug = 1x Unterheben) benötigen, sonst fällt die Masse zusammen.

Die Macarons auf ein Backblech mit Backpapier spritzen und mit Kakaosplitter bestreuen. Das Backblech vorsichtig auf die Arbeitsfläche schlagen, so bekommen die Macarons eine gleichmäßige Oberfläche.

Den Ofen auf 150° C vorheizen.

Die Macarons 20 Minuten trocknen lassen, damit sich Füßchen formen können.

8 Minuten backen, dann das Blech wenden und nochmal 8 Minuten backen. Immer nur 1 Blech auf einmal backen!

Abkühlen lassen und in eine luftdichte Dose legen, bis man sie füllt.

Für die Füllung die Schokolade im Wasserbad schmelzen. Dann das Himbeerpüree und die Sahne dazugeben und gut unterrühren. Die Butter unterrühren, bis die Füllung cremig und leicht glänzend ist. Abkühlen lassen, bis man die Füllung mit dem Spritzbeutel bearbeiten kann. Am besten in den Kühlschrank stellen.

Wenn die Masse fest genug ist, die Macarons damit füllen.

Since on the 20. March was Macaron Day I decided to show you my latest accomplishment in macarons.

But most often I think anyway it’s better and more fun to do it myself. I mean look at those little beauties. Just want to grab one immediately and stuff it into my mouth.

And it is not difficult. Ok my first try wasn’t what I expected. They tasted good, but they didn’t look like macarons. So for some tipps, you can look up my first post with macarons.

But don’t want to bore you with that theoretical things.

Chocolate Macarons with Raspberry Filling

Ingredients:

100 g egg whites (at room temperature; separated at least 24 hours prior)
25 g sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
225 g powdered sugar
125 g almond flour (ground almonds, which I grind another time with an attachment of my immersion blender)
15 g cocoa powder
pinch of salt
cocoa nibs for topping

For the filling:

100 g milk chocolate
50 g raspberry puree
a splash of cream (or something similar: heavy cream or crème fraîche)
a piece of butter

Don’t forget, that the egg whites have to be separated 24h prior or longer before starting to bake. So they loose moisture, which helps to form a stable meringue. Let them get room temperature.

Whip the egg whites and the lemon juice until they are almost fully whipped. While mixing add the sugar slowly. Whip until you have a shiny stiff meringue.

Sift the powdered sugar, almonds and cocoa. Add the dry ingredients successive to the meringue and fold until a shiny mass is formed. You shouldn’t need more than 50 strokes to do that, otherwise you overfold the mass and it will deflate.

Pipe the macarons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cocoa nibs. Take the baking sheet and hit it on the working surface (of course as gently as you can, you don’t want the macarons sticking on the ceiling). That helps to get an even surface. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Let the macarons dry at room temperature for 20 minutes. That helps to form their feets (you see in the pictures).

Bake them for about 8 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 8 minutes. Only bake one baking sheet at a time! Unless one sheet is ready and the other not. I tried!

Let them cool and transfer to an airtight container, until you fill them.

For the filling, break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a double boiler. When melted, add the raspberry puree and the cream. Stir until incorporated. Add the butter. Stir until it’s creamy and a little bit shiny. Let it cool until it’s pipeable. I put mine on the window board outside (it was cold). Otherwise I would recommend the fridge ;).

When it is pipeable, fill the macarons with the ganache.

Enjoy your Macarons Day!

glutenfreie Nanaimo Barsgluten-free Nanaimo Bars

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

This month challenge was to make a classic Canadian dessert to savour the Olympic Winter Games in Canada this year. This dessert consists of three layers. A base containing crumbles of Graham Crackers, coconut, cocoa and almonds. A middle custard layer and a chocolate topping.
Since Lauren is suffering under celiac disease (dt. Zöliakie) the challenge was to bake the Graham Crackers yourself and gluten-free. Ever I was interested to try some gluten-free recipe. Finally I had the chance!
A lot of people in the world (also in Germany, yes!) have to live gluten-free, as if they wouldn’t, their villi lining the small intestine would be trancated. This reaction is caused by proteins, found in wheat, rye, barley and other crops of the tribe Triticeae.

First it was very difficult to find the needed flours. We needed rice flour, tapioca flour and sorghum flour (dt. Braunhirsemehl). Rice flour I had already at home. Tapioca flour (or starch), I found in a local Asian supermarket. The sorghum flour was much more difficult. But in a larger wholefood supermarket I didn’t just found sorghum flour, but a lot of more gluten-free flours.

I will make an extra post for the Graham Crackers, because I really like them! I do not know how they taste with normal wheat flour, but actually I don’t really want to know… they are just great as they are and I think that special flavour comes from the sorghum flour. I will definitely bake them again!

Which I can’t say from Nanaimo Bars. I wasn’t so excited about that part of the challenge, as I would never make something like that for myself, as I do not like those sort of things. It’s just too much, too heavy for me.

I also made some differences regarding to the original recipe. I substituted the almonds with hazelnuts and since in Germany something like custard powder does not exist, I made a mixture of vanilla pudding powder, crème fraîche, butter, icing sugar and a lot of vanilla aroma, because it didn’t taste like vanilla after all and it was just too sweet.

I made just half the recipe and it’s still enough and to spare. Is used an adjustable cake setting ring with 16 cm in diametre.
If I would try it another time (I won’t, but IF), I would leave out the coconut and cocoa from the bottom layer, because the main taste is coconut and cocoa. Just too much of it!
Be cautious! The vanilla pudding powder, as well as the chocolate you take for the topping has to be gluten-free as well, if you want to make it all gluten-free!

glutenfreie Nanaimo Bars

Zutaten:

für den Boden:

115 g Butter
50 g Zucker
5 EL Kakao
1 Ei, verschlagen
60 g glutenfreie Graham Cracker Krümel
55 g gehackte Mandeln (oder andere Nüsse nach Wahl)
130 g Kokosraspel

für die Cremeschicht:

115 g Butter
300 g Crème fraîche
1 Tüte Vanillepuddingpulver
Vanilleextrakt
250 g Puderzucker

für den Schokoladenguss:

115 g Zartbitterschokolade (ich hab Vollmilch verwendet)
2 EL Butter

Für den Boden: Die Butter mit dem Zucker und dem Kakao im Wasserbad schmelzen. Das Ei dazugeben, dabei rühren. Wenn die Masse eingedickt ist vom Herd nehmen. Die Kekskrümel, Nüsse und die Kokosraspel unterrühren. Alles in eine eckige Kuchenform von 20 x 20 cm oder eine 20 cm Springform drücken.

Für die Cremeschicht. Die Butter mit der Crème fraîche, Puddingpulver, Vanilleextrakt und Puderzucker hell und cremig rühren. Auf dem Boden gleichmäßig verteilen. Danach im Kühlschrank kühlen. Am besten ein paar Stunden, dann lässt sich die Schokolade leichter verteilen.

Die Schokoladen mit der Butter schmelzen. Etwas abkühlen lassen, dann auf der Creme verteilen.

Den Kuchen im Kühlschrank aufbewahren.

gluten-free Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients:

for the bottom:

115 g butter
50 g sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
60 g gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
55 g almonds (or other nuts you like, finely chopped)
130 g coconut (shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

for the middle layer:

115 g butter
300 g créme fraîche
1 sachet of vanilla pudding powder
vanilla extract
250 g icing sugar

for the top:

115 g semi-sweet chocolate (I used whole milk chocolate)
2 tbsp. butter

For the bottom layer: Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add the egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from the heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.

For the middle layer: Cream the butter, créme fraîche, vanilla pudding powder, vanilla extract and icing sugar together. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer. After that I used to cool mine. It’s easier to spread the chocolate afterwards.

For the final layer: Melt the chocolate with the butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Zimt und Anis MacaronsCinnamon and Anise Macarons

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

This month challenge for the Daring Bakers were French Macarons. The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

I was a bit scared, because I tried macarons some weeks ago the first time and they went totally wrong. The shells weren’t really hard, almost no „feet“ (you can see feet in the picture of my succesful anis macarons below) and they were much too soft. But I was also eager to do it better.

In the (english) food blog world everyone is about macarons. But here in Germany nobody knows them. Or precisely macarons are known as something different. Dessicated coconut with beaten egg whites and sometimes nuts or chocolate within. „Feets“ are not wanted, it’s more like small piles. Germans wake up and get to know french macarons!

The challenge itself was challenging. After my first mishappening and reading in the Daring Bakers Forum about the problems with the recipe given and the better-going recipes with Tartelette’s one, I decided to give the disaster not a chance again and go with Tartelette’s recipe.

The recipe is very easy to vary. I made the Cinnamon Macarons with hazelnuts and a Tbsp. cinnamon and a gianduja (rounded up with some cream) filling and the Anise Macarons with almonds a Tbsp. grounded anise and a white chocolate filling.

Some tips, which I found important are:

Ground your grounded nuts again yourself (something like a Moulinette would be helpful). They are not fine enough. Sieve your powdered sugar before.

I used a silicone mat and normal parchment paper and I would prefer the parchment paper here, because the macarons sticked so much to my silicone mat, I didn’t get them off right. Also after baking let them cool for about 15 minutes outside, then move the baking sheet back in the warm (but not hot!) oven. Let them cool completely over the night. Mine were mostly *fingers crossed* easy to peel off the parchment paper. If it doesn’t work give some sprinkles of water under the paper, if the sheet is still warm or hold it over some steaming water. The steam dissolves the macarons from the paper.

For piping: stand your bag up in a high glass. It’s easier for filling and when you rest.

In my opinion the macarons are the better the smaller they are. Furthermore the ywill expand a little while baking. Hope all this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask! This is how my macarons looked like after piping, while drying, before baking.

Französische Macarons

von Tartelette

Zutaten:

90 g Eiweiß (etwa 3)
30 g Zucker
200 g Puderzucker
110 g gemahlene Mandeln (Mandelmehl wäre optimal)

Am Tag davor (24 h) die Eier trennen und die Eiweiße abgedeckt bei Raumtemperatur aufbewahren. Man kann auch Eiweiß aus dem Kühlschrank benutzen, dann sollten die Eier aber bereits mehr als 48 h getrennt sein.

Die Eiweiße steif schlagen und nach und nach den Zucker zugeben und weiterschlagen, bis man einen glänzenden Meringue hat. Nicht zu lange schlagen, damit der Meringue nicht zu trocken wird.

Die Mandeln mit dem Puderzucker in eine Küchenmaschine oder einen Blitzhacker geben und mahlen bis die Nüsse sehr fein sind (bei Mandelmehl nicht nötig). Zum Meringue geben und vorsichtig unterheben, dabei erst ein paar schnelle Züge, gefolgt von langsameren Unterheben. Man sollte nicht mehr als 50 Züge benötigen.

Einen Spritzbeutel mit einer runden Tülle (Kaiser 9 mm Größe 3) ausstatten, mit dem Teig befüllen und 3 cm große Kreise auf das Backpapier spritzen.

Die Macarons 30-60 Minuten stehen lassen, damit sie außen antrocknen. Das ist wichtig, damit nachher „Füßchen“ enstehen.

Den Ofen auf 140° C vorheizen.

15-20 Minuten backen. Auskühlen lassen.

Some tips, which I found important are:

Ground your grounded nuts again yourself (something like a Moulinette would be helpful). They are not fine enough. Sieve your powdered sugar before.

For piping: stand your bag up in a high glass. It’s easier for filling and when you rest.

French Macarons

from Tartelette

Ingredients:

90 g egg whites (about 3)
30 g granulated sugar
200 g powdered sugar
110 g grounded almonds (or almond meal)

For the whites: the day before (24hrs), separate your eggs and store the whites at room temperature in a covered container. If you want to use 48hrs (or more) egg whites, you can store them in the fridge

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry.

Combine the almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add them to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like lava or a thick ribbon. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes.

Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip (Ateco #807 or #809/Kaiser 9mm Größe 3) with the batter and pipe small rounds (3 cm in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets.

Preheat the oven to 140° C.

Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool.

If you have trouble removing the shells, pour a couple of drops of water under the parchment paper while the sheet is still a bit warm and the macarons will lift up more easily do to the moisture. Don’t let them sit there in it too long or they will become soggy.

Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store them in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer.