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Schottisches ShortbreadScottish Shortbread

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

I never were really fond of shortbread. Scottish or not. We didn’t even tried some, as we were in Scotland last year. We just brought some home as a gift. I ate some of the gift myself. But I’m not ashamed, since it revealed the tastiness of shortbread to me. Scottish shortbread. I don’t know how Irish tastes or other. So I’m only referring to Scottish.

Lately I thought again of the shortbread. And I thought of a try years ago to produce shortbread. It was a recipe of Jamie Oliver. It was not good. Since then I had a slightly aversion against shortbread. Sorry Jamie. But there was no reference of the Scottish there. A glimmer of hope? Well, I searched the internet for a simple shortbread recipe, no chocolate, no herbs, no fuss. And then I found it! On a blog, which blogger has it from a fellow blogger, who owns it from her Scottish grandfather!

If you are not familiar with shortbread. I give you a short dive into the taste and texture of that shortbread. It’s crumbly, but not allover. Everything holds together, but on the edges it crumbles. It’s flaky, maybe you can see some layered flakes in the picture. Those layers brake apart in your mouth. And then comes the buttery taste. There’s a lot of butter in there, but it doesn’t taste like your eating pure butter. Simple, but somehow complex. Maybe just delicious. So don’t keep your hands from that recipe, because of the butter, you will regret that! And yes you can eat more than one piece. Because they are lighter than you think.

You don’t need a special ingredient, it’s all there in the kitchen. Go and make them!

Schottisches Shortbread

ergibt: eine 20 x 20 cm Form, in kleine Quadrate geschnitten (für ein ganzes Blech die Menge verdoppeln)

Zutaten:

110 g Zucker
140 g Maisstärke
300 g Weizenmehl
225 g Butter, raumwarm, klein gewürfelt
1 Prise Salz
Zucker zum Bestreuen nach dem Backen (hab ich weggelassen)

Den Ofen auf 160° C vorheizen.

In der Küchenmaschine oder mit dem Handrührer den Teig herstellen, dazu alle Zutaten in eine Schüssel geben und auf hoher Stufe verrühren, bis es wie Sand aussieht und keine Butterklümpchen mehr zu sehen sind. Die Mischung in die Form geben und fest reindrücken, bis es ebenmäßig und fest ist.

Den Teig mit einer Gabel mehrmals einstechen.

Das Shortbread 45-50 Minuten backen bis er goldgelb ist.

Aus dem Ofen nehmen, und mit Zucker bestreuen (optional). Auskühlen lassen und in Quadrate schneiden. Bei mir 4 x 4 cm.

Tipp: Wenn die Form eine Springform ist oder einen niedrigen Rand hat, ist es einfacher das Shortbread zu schneiden und es aus der Form zu nehmen.

You don’t need a special ingredient, it’s all there in the kitchen. Go and make them!

Scottish Shortbread

yields: one 20×20 cm square pan, cut into smaller squares (double the amount for a full sheet pan)

Ingredients:

110 g sugar
140 g corn starch
300 g flour
225 g butter, at room temperature
1 pinch of salt
some sugar for sprinkling after baking ( I didn’t)

Preheat the oven to 160° C.

Add sugar, corn starch, flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the butter in pieces. Use the paddle attachment and whisk on a higher speed, until the butter is fully integrated and it looks like sand. It won’t form a dough. Pour the mixture into the pan and firmly press down the dough, until it’s an even mass.

Prickle the dough with a fork.

Bake the shortbread for 45 – 50 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sugar, if you want. Let cool, then cut into squares. I cut mine into 4×4 cm squares.

Tip: It helps if the pan is a spring pan (like mine) or has a low rim. So it’s easier for cutting and especially for removing the shortbread from the pan.

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.

Pfirsich ShortbreadPeach Shortbread

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

We took a week off. Spontaneously. The last months were full of work for both of us. And there is no end in sight. As we decided to skip a real vacation this year, it’s hard to relax. We spend our money on the new apartment and new bikes. Next year we want to make a huge journey. Across the pond. We are afraid already :). So last week we „travelled“ to my home town and had our vacation. It was necessary, since I’m feeling tired and exhausted since weeks. Although I’m always in a lack of time and I’m now thinking, that this time is missing in my studies. It’s not helpful to feel caught in the middle.

So if you need a small vacation, too. Just now. And if you are able to grab some late summer peaches on your market. Make some easy peach shortbread. It feels like a tiny vacation, too, while enjoying. It’s good to be eaten still warm, with some cinnamon ice cream besides. Or cooled. A small piece here and there in between. Some minutes to relax.

Vor einem Jahr: Mini Hokkaido Kürbis Quiches mit nussigem Feldsalat

Pfirsich Shortbread

nach einem Rezept von smitten kitchen

ergibt: eine quadratische 20 x 20 cm Springform

Zutaten:

200 g Zucker
1 TL Backpulver
360 g Mehl
1 TL Zimt
1 Prise Salz
225 g Butter
1 Ei
5 kleine Pfirsiche

Die Pfirsiche schälen und die Kerne entfernen. Dünn schneiden.

Die Butter schmelzen, dabei warten bis sie braun wird und nussig riecht. Sofort vom Herd nehmen und abkühlen lassen, bis sie fest ist (Kühlschrank).

Die Form buttern und mehlen.

Den Ofen auf 190° C vorheizen.

Zucker, Backpulver, Mehl, Salz und Zimt mischen. Die braune Butter und das Ei hinzufügen und zu Streuseln verarbeiten.

2/3 der Streusel in die Form drücken. Die Pfirsiche darauf legen und die restlichen Streusel darauf verteilen.

30 Minuten backen, bis der Kuchen goldbraun ist. Abkühlen lassen, aus der Form nehmen und in 5 x 5 cm Quadrate schneiden.

One year ago: Mini Red Kuri Squash Quiches and nuttily lamb’s lettuce

Peach Shortbread

adapted from smitten kitchen

yields: one 20×20 cm square pan

Ingredients:

200 g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
360 g flour
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
225 g butter
1 egg
5 small peaches

Peel the peaches. Remove the pits and slice thinly.

Brown the butter. Therefore, melt it in a medium saucepan until it turns brown and smells nutty. Set aside immediately. Let it cool in the fridge, until solid.

Butter and flour your pan.

Preheat the oven to 190° C .

Whisk together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and cinnamon. Add the brown butter and the egg and crumble it together.

Press 2/3 of the crumbles in the pan. No rim. Lay the peaches on the crumble bottom. Scatter the remaining crumbles on the peaches.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the pan (ideally when cooled, if you can stand the smell) and cut into 5×5 cm squares.

Pflaumen GalettesRustic Plum Galettes

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

I made those a while ago, but I never made it to post them. Now before the summer is all over again and plums are still in season I have to give it out to you. The galettes are easy to make. Only dough, plums and sugar, that’s it!

I’m looking forward to autumn, but I also want to catch the last summer fruit, before there will be a long cold time without those delicious enjoyments. So tomorrow I want to get some pumpkins and apples at the market as well as some peaches (if I’m lucky). Stuck between summer and autumn is a really good time for yummy food. So preserve the summer and enjoy the upcoming autumn. Make ice cream with summer fruit, freeze fruit puree for the winter, can tomatoes or as I’ve done it recently: make your own pasta sauce and can it! There will be a post about that soon! I hope I got you a bit inspired. I need that inspiration too. Autumn food is so tempting.

So make the dough, then go buy some plums. When you’re back the dough is chilled and ready for rolling out. Assemble the galettes and bake. Enjoy them warm with a scoop of ice cream or cooled down every time you are passing by. I know what I’m talking about. They didn’t survived the day after baking!

Pflaumen Galettes

ergibt: 8 Stück

Zutaten

8 Pflaumen
250 g Mehl
200 g Butter, raumwarm
100 g Zucker
1 Prise Salz
2 Eigelb
Mehl zum Ausrollen
braunen Zucker zum Bestreuen

Butter, Salz und Zucker verrühren. Die Eigelbe dazugeben und unterrühren. Das Mehl nach und nach dazugeben und unterrühren, bis ein glatter Teig entsteht. Zu einer Scheibe formen und in Frischhaltefolie mindestens 1 Stunde kalt stellen.

Die Pflaumen waschen, die Kerne entfernen und in Schnitze schneiden.

Den Teig ausrollen und mit einem Glas, Ausstecher oder einer Schale runde Kreise ausstechen. Meine waren 13 cm im Durchmesser. Ich würde die Kreise nicht kleiner machen, da es sonst sehr schwierig wird, die Galettes zu formen.

Den Ofen auf jeden Fall vorheizen! Auf 180° C.

Die Pflaumen in die Mitte der Teigkreise auslegen, wie abgebildet. Mit Zucker bestreuen, Menge je nach Süße/Säure der Pflaumen. Den Rand nach innen falten, es muss nicht perfekt sein.

Auf Backbleche mit Backpapier legen. Die Galettes 20-25 Minuten backen, bis sie goldbraun sind.

Tipp: Meine Galettes sind am Boden, wegen der Pflaumen etwas durchgeweicht. Ich habe sie dann nochmal 10 Minuten auf einem Gitter nur von unten gebacken. Nächstes Mal würde ich sie gleich auf einem Gitter mit Backpapier backen. Eine andere Möglichkeit wäre sie nach 15 Minuten der Backzeit vom Backblech auf ein Gitter zu transferieren. Nichtsdestotrotz waren sie äußerst lecker.

Rustic Plum Galettes

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

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

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 homogeneous dough. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic foil and chill at least for an hour or until ready to use.

Wash the plums, remove the pits and cut them into slices.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or use a glass or small bowl for that. Mine was 13cm in diameter. I do not recommend using diameters that are a lot smaller, because then it will be difficult to assemble the galettes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Preheating is important here.

Place the plum slices on the circles, as you see in the picture above. Sprinkle with sugar depending on the sweet- or sourness of your plums. Fold the edges towards the middle of the circles, you want to have a rustic rim. Look at the picture below how mine looked. There is no need to be perfect here.

Transfer them to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake the galettes for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Tip: The bottom of my galettes turned out a bit soggy, due to the juicy plums and the baking sheets. I baked mine 10 minutes after baking again on the rack only from underneath. Next time I will bake them right away on the rack with some parchment paper in between. Or you try to transfer them after 15 minutes of baking to the rack and bake them there the rest of the time. But maybe you are lucky and not having „problems“ like this. After all they taste grate.

Pfirsich TartelettesPeach Tartelettes

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

About a month ago I promised some tartelettes. Actually apricot tartelettes. But as the case may be, they looked good, but the apricots just tasted like nothing. Additionally something was missing. Some cream, which would flatter your palate. Maybe vanilla? So an idea was born.

1. Pâte sucrée: which I also used for the failed apricot tartelettes, but which is very good. I adapted it from Michel Roux. It’s a bit sticky, but so you only have to press the dough in your molds. No rolling out! If you are making this dough, you have to use butter! Don’t use shortening (Koch-,Back- oder Streichfett)! Trust me, I’ve tried. Also stick to the chilling time. It’s both worth for handling and taste!

2. Crème pâtissiére: A very fine and also light cream filling for the tartelettes, which has just a slight sweetness and good taste of vanilla. I recommend to use vanilla extract. I also made it with vanilla pods, but I prefer the taste of the vanilla extract. If you don’t know, where to get some vanilla extract, without going to expense, just make your own. I just did it myself and it’s super easy.

3. Peaches! There is nothing much to say here, just use some that are already ripe and of course have a good taste! Not just like my apricots…

Pfirsich Tartelettes

ergibt: etwa 4-5 Tartelettes (Ø 12cm)

Zutaten:

für den Teig:

125 g Weizenmehl
50 g Butter, raumwarm
50 g Puderzucker, gesiebt
1 Prise Salz
1 Ei, raumwarm

für die Konditorcreme:

3 Eigelb
65 g Zucker
20 g Mehl
1,5 TL Vanilleextrakt (oder das Mark einer Vanilleschote)

Topping:

4-5 Pfirsiche
brauner Zucker

Die Zutaten für den Teig – bis auf die Eier – mischen, bis der Teig krümelig ist. Die Eier unterrühren und zu einem glatten Teig verrühren. Er ist etwas klebrig, das ist normal. In Folie wickeln und 2 Stunden kalt stellen.

Den Ofen auf 180° C vorheizen.

Den Teig in 4 bis 5 Stücke teilen (je nach Größe der Formen). Einfach ausprobieren wieviel Teig man für eine Form benötigt. Den Teig in die Formen drücken. Den Boden mit einer Gabel mehrmals einstechen. Ein Stück Backpapier darauflegen und mit getrockneten Bohnen oder Erbsen belegen. 12-15 Minuten backen, bis die Ränder goldbraun sind. Die Hülsenfrüchte und das Papier entfernen und vollständig auskühlen lassen. Den Boden nicht aus den Formen nehmen!

Die Pfirsiche schälen. Meine waren so reif, dass ich sie mit einem Messer schälen konnte. Ansonsten ein Kreuz in die Hautunterseite ritzen, in eine große Schüssel geben und mit kochendem Wasser übergießen, bis alle bedeckt sind. Ein paar Minuten stehen lassen. Die Pfirsiche unter kaltem Wasser abkühlen. Jetzt lässt sich die Schale leicht abziehen. In Schnitze schneiden.

Die Eigelbe mit einem Drittel des Zuckers verquirlen, bis sie cremig sind. Das Mehl unterrühren. Die Milch mit dem restlichen Zucker und dem Vanilleextrakt erhitzen. Wenn die Milch kocht, zu den Eigelben geben, dabei ständig rühren. Zurück in den Topf geben und bei mittlerer Hitze aufkochen, dabei immer rühren. 2 Minuten köcheln lassen, dann in eine Schüssel füllen. Die Oberfläche mit Frischhaltefolie bedecken und abkühlen lassen.

Den Ofen auf 180° C vorheizen.

Die Tartlettes mit der Konditorcreme füllen und die Pfirsichscheiben darauf arrangieren. Mit braunem Zucker bestreuen und 10 Minuten backen. Abkühlen lassen. Vor dem Servieren aus den Förmchen holen.

Die Tartelettes können bis zu 4 Tage im Kühlschrank aufbewahrt werden.

3. Peaches! There is nothing much to say here, just use some that are already ripe and of course have a good taste! Not just like my apricots…

Peach Tartelettes

yield: about 4-5 tartelettes (Ø 12cm)

Ingredients:

For the pâte sucrée:

125 g flour
50 g butter at room temperature
50 g powder sugar, sieved
1 pinch of salt
1 egg at room temperature

For the crème pâtissiére:

3 egg yolks
65 g sugar
20 g flour
1,5 tsp vanilla extract (or a vanilla pod, split open and seeded)

Topping:

4-5 peaches
brown sugar

Mix the ingredients – except the egg – for the dough together in a mixing bowl for your stand mixer. Use the batter whisks and let them whisk, until the dough get’s crumbly. Add the egg and whisk until the dough is smooth. It’s ok, if it is a bit sticky. Wrap it in foil and refrigerate for 2 hours. Don’t cheat!

Divide the dough into 4 to 5 pieces (depending on your moulds‘ size). Just try how much dough you need for one mold – I do the same… always. Press the dough into your molds. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Apply a piece of parchment paper inside the molds, so the bottom is covered. Fill it with dry beans and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180°C. The edges of your tartelettes should be golden brown. Remove the dry beans and the parchment paper and let them cool completely. Don’t remove them from the molds!

Peel the peaches for the topping. Mine were that ripe, I just could peel them with a knife. If yours aren’t, cut a small cross at the bottom of each peach, put them into a large bowl and pour some boiling water on them, until they are covered. Let it stand for a couple of minutes. Remove the peaches and chill the under cold water. Now peeling the peaches should be easy. Cut them into slices.

Whisk the egg yolks for the créme with a third of the sugar, until creamy. Add the flour and whisk. Heat the milk with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla extract (or vanilla pods and seeds, and don’t forget to remove it). Add to the egg-mixture, when the milk is boiling, while constantly whisking the mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, while constantly whisking, until boiling. Let it boil 2 minutes, then pour into a bowl. If you want to use it later, cover the surface with plastic foil.

For assembling, fill the créme pâtissiére in the tartelettes and arrange the peach slices on it. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake again at 180°C for about 10 minutes. Remove from the molds, before serving. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Friandaises mit roten JohannisbeerenRed Currant Friandaises

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

When I remember of red currants, I think of me as a child, standing in front of the red currant bushes in the garden of my relatives in Coburg. Just plucking and nibbling one after the other with pleasure. Really loved that time of year, since I’m still loving it today. And I’m still in love with red currants.

Unfortunately we don’t have a garden, so no nibbling them straight from the bushes for me. But by the time you buy them and they are coming in boxes, it isn’t so tempting anymore to eat them straight away. So I thought about what I could do with them anyway. Since I was also looking for something, which uses up some of my left over egg whites, I just thought of friandaises. Usually I make them with flaked almonds. The friandaises are light and mellow pastries with crunchy edges. They are divine! And they use up 6 egg whites!

I substituted the almond flakes with red currants. The red currants are really pairing well in the friandaises! I’m evenly surprised, how good the red currants come of in pastry in general. So maybe there will be coming up more with them!

Traditionally friandaises are baked in little moulds formed like ships. But since It’s a lot of dough just for the ships I also put some dough in moulds, that were about the same size like muffin moulds. In the smaller moulds your friandaises will become more crispy, which I prefer. Another good option may be moulds for madeleines, since they are also very small.

Friandaises mit roten Johannisbeeren

ergibt: etwa 25 Schiffchen

Zutaten:

190 g Butter
250 g Puderzucker
80 g Weizenmehl
130 g gemahlene Mandeln
1 Prise Salz
6 Eiweiß
etwa 300 g rote Johannisbeeren, gewaschen

Die Butter in einer kleinen Stielkasserole schmelzen, bis sie beginnt zu bräunen und nussig riecht. Den Topf vom Herd nehmen und abkühlen lassen.

Den Ofen auf 180° C vorheizen.

Zucker, Mehl, Mandeln und Salz mischen. Die Eiweiße verrühren. Unter die trockenen Zutaten rühren. Die braune Butter in einem dünnen Strahl unter den Teig rühren.

Wenn ihr keine Silikonförmchen verwendet, dann erst die Förmchen buttern. Den Teig in die Förmchen füllen. Ich mache sie fast voll.

Die Johannisbeeren auf dem Teig verteilen.

5 Minuten bei 180° C backen, dann die Hitze auf 160° C runterdrehen und weitere 20 Minuten backen, bis sie goldbraun sind und knusprige Ränder haben. Den Ofen ausschalten und nochmals 5 Minuten warten. Aus dem Ofen nehmen und abkühlen lassen.

Red Currant Friandaises

Yield: about 25 small ones

Ingredients:

190g butter
250g powdered sugar
80g flour
130g grounded almonds
1 pinch of salt
6 egg whites
about 300g red currants, washed

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, until it begins to brown. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool a bit. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Whisk together the sugar, flour, almonds and salt. Whisk together the egg whites, but do not beat them! Then whisk them together with the sugar-flour-mixture, until it’s smooth. And don’t beat it! Just stirring.

Stir in the melted butter in a thin stream, until it’s incorporated. If you do not use silicon moulds, like me, butter your moulds, to prevent your friandaises to stick to them. Fill the moulds with the dough. I made them nearly full. Now pluck the red currants from the stems and put them on the friandaises.

Bake them for 5 minutes at 180°C, then turn down the heat to 160°C and bake for another 20 minutes, until they are golden brown and have crispy edges. Turn off the stove and wait for another 5 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool.

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.

ApfeltarteAppletart

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

Have I already told you about my autumn mood? Ok, ok I see… But the result amongst others is this delicious fabulous looking apple tart, which I adapted (another time) from Michel Roux great book Pastry (Ofenfrisch).

I love this book! It’s worth every cent and it’s not even expensive. Every type of pastry is described with recipes, sweet or savoury, he has it all.

But back to the tart! Or what really is important…I bought a new kitchen machine! I always dreamed of a kitchen aid. And I’m still dreaming. Unfortunately I can not afford it as a student. But often I am upset about the hand mixer. Too less power, no hand free, because of helding the hand mixer, the yeast dough draws itself up the dough hooks (and nearly into the machine)… did I say I am upset? Sometimes I’m boiling with rage about this mixer. So last week surfing Amazon and bang! there was it! A kitchen machine, which got many many very good ratings AND cost a tenth than a kitchen aid. I didn’t hesitate long and ordered it.

But it came even better! I ordered it friday in the afternoon. I already thought „should have done it the day before, maybe then I would get it on Saturday and I can give it a try at the weekend“.

BUT Saturday afternoon – it was around five – Hermes was ringing the door and gave me my kitchen machine! And he was sorry, that he didn’t find the house in the morning to give it to me! I was just stunned… and very happy, because I just started to bake the apple tart. So the apple tart short crust was the first „experiment“ and it worked out very well.

The kitchen aid has to wait another two years until I’m earning my own (and enough) money to buy it. But until, I have a good solution for my baking feasts. If you have similar problems like me, I can heartly recommend you the Bosch MUM4405.

But now REALLY back to the appletart. As I just mentioned it is a short crust filled with a delicious apple-vanilla-compote, which is pureed and topped with thin sliced apples arranged overlapped in a circle. The recipe calles for a 24 cm (springform) pan and 300g dough. Just having a 26 (and 28) cm pan I made the full recipe of 450g dough and used the 26 cm one . But it would also be enough for a 28.
Roux makes a glaze for the apple topping. But mine turned out into caramel, because the 5 minutes he provides were too long. I tried to give the caramel onto the apples, but after one night it vanished into the tart 🙂 . I mention the glaze in the recipe below, if you want to try. But mine tasted very good without (or with absorbed caramel).

Apfeltarte

aus Ofenfrisch von Michel Roux

ergibt: eine Tarte, 28 cm Durchmesser

Zutaten:

für den Mürbeteig

250 g Mehl
150 g weiche Butter, in Stücken
1 TL Salz
1 Prise Zucker
1 Ei
1 EL kalte Milch

für den Belag:

6 Äpfel, etwa 850 g
1 Vanileschote, aufgeschlitzt
60 g Butter
80 g Zucker

Die Zutaten für den Teig zu einem homogenen Teig verkneten.

3 mm dick ausrollen.

Eine Spring- oder Tarteform mit dem Teig auskleiden. 20 Minuten kalt stellen.

The Ofen auf 200° C vorheizen.

Die Äpfel schälen, das Kerngehäuse entfernen und halbieren. Die Äpfel mit der Schnittfläche nach unten auf ein Brett legen und in 2mm dünne Scheiben schneiden. Ein Drittel der Apfelscheiben (am besten die kleineren äußeren) in einen kleinen Topf geben, den Rest zusammenstehen lassen, so dass die Scheiben sich nicht voneinander trennen. Butter, Vanilleschote und 50 ml Wasser zu den Äpfeln in den Topf geben un dkochen bis die Äpfel weich sind. Die Vanilleschote entfernen und die Äpfel pürieren.

Für die Glasur den Zucker in 40 ml Wasser auflösen und aufkochen. 1-2 Minuten einkochen lassen.

Den Teig einige Male mit einer Gabel einstechen. Das Apfelpüree auf dem Boden verteilen und die Apfelhälften in zwei Kreisen – einem inneren und einem äußeren in jeweils entgegengesetzter Richtung – darauf legen.

Die Tarte für 35 Minuten backen, bis sie leicht goldbraun ist.

Auskühlen lassen und aus der Form holen.

Die Äpfel mit der Glasur bestreichen.

I love this book! It’s worth every cent and it’s not even expensive. Every type of pastry is described with recipes, sweet or savoury, he has it all.

Appletart

from Pastry by Michel Roux

Ingredients:

For the short crust

250g flour
150g butter at room temperature , cut into pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 pinch of sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. cold milk

For the tart

6 apples, about 850g (mines were smaller Cox Oranges and I had some left)
1 vanilla bean, sliced open
60g butter
80g sugar

Combine the ingredients for the short crust in a bowl and mix it with your kitchen maschine, if you have one :D. Otherwise you can use your hand mixer or hands.

Roll out the dough 3mm thick. I do that between two large (6 litres) freezer bags, which I cut open on two sides before. So I spare the flouring of the counter top.

Lay the pan out with the dough and press the rim with two fingers upright for a nice pattern. Cool it for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel, seed and halve the apples. Lay the apples with the cut area down a cutting board and cut it into 2mm thick slices. Give a third of the apples (the outer smaller slices) in a small pot. Leave the rest together, so they don’t brown. Cook the apples in the pot with 50ml water, the butter and and the vanilla bean, until they are softened. Remove the vanille bean and puree the softened apples.

For the glaze: Dissolve the sugar in 40ml water and boil up. Let it boil down for 4-5 minutes (I would try less, because of my misadventure). Let it cool down.

Pierce the dough several times with a fork. Spread the puree on the dough. Lay the apple slices in a outer and a inner circle in opposite direction on the puree. For the smaller rose in the middle just cut some apples in shape.

Bake the tart for 35 minutes until light golden brown.

Let the tart cool out for at least 20 minutes. Than remove the pan.

Coat the apples with the glaze and let cool down completely.

Beginn mit Death … by ChocolateBeginning with the Death … by Chocolate

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

What is the best way to make my blog attractive to you? Yes! Chocolate! I mean, who can resist chocolate? So last weekend there came some things together:

I acquired a squared-cut springform pan for pretty little money. I wanted it for long. It was cheap. And I was happy.
I had an appetite for chocolate brownies or something similar.
The thought of creating my own food blog was still skipping through my head.

In the end I came to the decision, that I bake a halvened recipe of the best chocolate cake in my new pan and cut them into sweet little Brownies.

Then came the thing with the blog. There must be photos. Good photos. Photos you want to eat or bake after. Unfortunately I’m not that good in photographing than in baking. But with a little bit of help (or even a lot more) from my boyfriend, I got some satisfying photos. But the best is, I got a lot of delicious brownies. The recipe is fast, easy and chocolatish. And if you can call a squared-cut springform pan your own, you can bake just as much as it lasts for one or two persons. Additionally you are able to bake something new soon, because the brownies won’t last long.I found that recipe some years ago in a cooking magazine. Since then I baked it several times. The following recipe is for one baking sheet and I halvened it for my pan.

Death by Chocolate

für ein Blech

Zutaten:

225 g + 75 g Zartbitterschokolade
140 g Butter
4 Eier
200 g Zucker
1 TL Vanilleextrakt
100 g Mehl
4 EL Kakao
2 TL Backpulver
50 g saure Sahne oder Schlagsahne

Den Ofen auf 175° C vorheizen (Umluft 150° C).

Das Bleck fetten.

225 g Schokolade in Stücke brechen und zusammen mit der Butter schmelzen. Die restlichen 75 g Schokolade hacken.

Die Eier mit dem Zucker und dem Vanilleextrakt schaumig schlagen. Mehl, Kakao und Backpulver sieben und unterheben. Die Schokoladenbutter unterrühren, zum Schluss die saure Sahne und die gehackte Schokolade. Den Teig gleichmäßig auf dem Blech verteilen und 20 Minuten backen.

Ich habe den Kuchen in Würfel mit 3 cm Kantenlänge geschnitten.

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

What is the best way to make my blog attractive to you? Yes! Chocolate! I mean, who can resist chocolate? So last weekend there came some things together:

I acquired a squared-cut springform pan for pretty little money. I wanted it for long. It was cheap. And I was happy.
I had an appetite for chocolate brownies or something similar.
The thought of creating my own food blog was still skipping through my head.

In the end I came to the decision, that I bake a halvened recipe of the best chocolate cake in my new pan and cut them into sweet little Brownies.

Death by Chocolate

for one baking sheet

Ingredients:

225 g + 75 g bittersweet chocolate
140 g butter
4 eggs
200 g sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
100 g flour
4 Tbsp. cacao powder
2 tsp. baking powder
50 g sour cream or whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 175°C (electric; convection 150°C).

Oil a baking sheet with butter or line it with parchment paper.

Break 225g chocolate into pieces. Melt it together with the butter. Chop the rest 75g chocolate coarsely (that will be the chocolate chips in the cake/brownies).

Whisk the eggs, sugar and the vanilla extract until it’s nearly white, creamy and a little bit foamy. Takes about 5 minutes or more.

Sieve the flour, cacao and the baking powder on it and fold it carefully. Then you fold in the liquid chocolate-butter, the sour cream and in the end the chopped chocolate. Spread the batter evenly on the baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes.

After cooling cut the cake into pieces. My brownies had a edge length of 3cm.