Jun 29, 2016

Wholewheat chocolate chip cookies


Yes, I did it again. I made cookies! But these are not your usual chocolate chip cookies - they are 100% wholewheat, extremely soft and melt-in-your-mouth ones. Believe me, you would never guess there is not even a pinch of white flour in them!



Makes about 20 cookies:
adapted from Food52: Genius Recipes

- 230g (1 cup) butter, softened
- 260g (1⅓ cup) sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 350g (3 cups) wholewheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 160g (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped


1. Preheat the oven to 175C (347F) with a fan.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after adding. Mix in the vanilla.

3. Sift in the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and mix well until your dough is smooth. Stir in the chocolate and place the bowl in the fridge for 2-3 minutes.

4. When the dough is ready, take it out of the fridge and using an ice cream spoon, scoop the dough on a lined trays, leaving at least 5 cm space between them.

5. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until golden-brown.





BON APPÉTIT !


Jun 27, 2016

Spinach salad with roasted donut peaches, goat cheese and pine nuts (gf)


So here it is - my very first non-dessert post! I thought this kind of recipe would be nice from time to time. Maybe I just love food too much and writing about sweets alone keeps me unsatisfied! I hope this sweet-and-sour plate of greens will be just right for your summer appettites :)


I mostly go with my gut while making salads so there are no precise amounts of each ingredient. Feel free to add more fruits, cheese or anything else, you simply can't make it wrong! 


Makes 1 hearty serving:

- 2 donut peaches
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tbsp honey
- handful of baby spinach
- 1 tbsp olive oil + few tsp pomegranate juice 
- 1/4 cup of soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted 
- salt and pepper to taste

+ fresh berries for topping (optional)


1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). 

2. Cut the peaches into slices and place them on a baking tray. Mix the balsamic vinegar with honey and drizzle everything over the peaches. Bake for 25 minutes until slightly caramelised. 

3. Put the spinach leaves on a plate, then coat them in olive oil and pomegranate dressing. Top with cheese crumbs, peaches and pine nuts. Season to taste. 





BON APPÉTIT !

Jun 23, 2016

Malted milk ice cream with crushed meringue (no churn)


When there is so hot outside, turning on the oven is probably the last thing to do. I think we all end up eating fruits and ice cream everyday. Or is it just me?


Malted milk is certainly one of my favorite childhood flavors. It was impossible to get here in Poland so we could enjoy it only once a year while we were spending some time in Germany. When I saw a bag of this sweet goodness few days ago I couldn't stop myself from buying one.


Ingredients:

- 500ml (2 cups) double cream
- 200ml (sweetened condensed milk
- 8 tbsp malted drink powder (such as Ovomaltine) 
- handful of crushed meringues (for topping)


1.Beat the cream with condensed milk and malted powder until fluffy and quite firm. Transef to prepared container and freeze for at least 8 hours. Serve with crushed meringues or dark chocolate shreds. 







BON APPÉTIT !

Jun 20, 2016

Chocolate-hazelnut tart with bourbon and honey


My dad loves chocolate like nothing else. Especially when it comes to these huge semi-sweet bars filled with whole and crunchy hazelnuts - he could eat it probably day and night. If  you are a fan of nutty chocolate bars or you know someone who is, this recipe is for you. It also has an amazing gooey, caramel-ish layer and a splash of bourbon to make the flavor even more interesting. 




Ingredients for one 25cm (9inch) round pan:

CRUST

- 200g (1¼ cup) flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 140g (1,5 stick) cold butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt

FILLING

- 3 large free-range eggs
- 180ml (3/4 cup) honey
- 150g light brown sugar
- 40g (4 tbsp) melted butter
- 1,5 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla 
- 1 tbsp flour
- pinch of salt
- 200g (1½ cup) chopped hazelnuts
- 120g (1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips


1. To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, vinegar and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub everything with your fingers until it reaches a crumbly consistency. Knead the dough until smooth, shape into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for about 1,5 hour.

2. Roll out the dough and evenly line your dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a baking tray on the middle oven shelf and preheat the oven to 220C (425F).

3. In a bowl, combine the eggs, honey, sugar, butter, bourbon, vanilla, flour and salt. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and pour everything on the chilled crust. Place a pan on a hot tray and immediately reduce the temperature to 180C (350F). Bake for 45-50 minutes. 







BON APPÉTIT !

Jun 17, 2016

Meringue semifreddo with strawberry and thyme sauce


Today was probably this year's hottest day. Well, it is still uncommon for us to see 21 degrees Celsius (70F) at 7 am. Without strong wind and abundant amounts of ice cream, we would surely be dead by now. 


Semifreddo makes one of my family's favorite summer desserts. There are no special preparations, but you will definitely need some patience while waiting for it to freeze. This treat goes well with literally everything and is amazing if you don't have an ice cream machine.



Ingredients for 23cm x 10cm loaf pan :

SEMIFREDDO

- 300ml double cream
- 100g crushed meringue
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- strawberry slices for topping (optional)

SAUCE

- 200g chopped strawberries
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or a pinch of dried one)


1. Line the pan with plastic wrap.

2. Beat the cream until fairly thick. Stir in the crushed meringues and vanilla. 

3. Pour the cream into the lined pan and freeze overnight. 

4. To make the sauce, bring the strawberries with sugar and thyme to the boil. Let it simmer for a while. In a separate dish, dissolve the starch in cold water and then add the mixture to the remaining ingredients. Stir frequently on a medium heat until thickened. Leave to cool completely. 

5. Serve your ice cream in slices, topped with sauce. 






BON APPÉTIT !


Jun 13, 2016

Lemony white chocolate and rhubarb bars


As a child I was not a rhubarb fan. I couldn't think of it as a fruit, vegetable or anything nice to eat. I was stubborn enough not to take a bite of any rhubarb pie or cake my mum made. 


It is amazing how taste can change through the years. Since baking started to be an important part of my life, I don't really know a dessert I do not like. I love to discover new flavors and experiment with unusual combinations and rhubarb is now definitely worth a try.


Ingredients for 20cm x 20cm (8x8 inch) cake form:
*inspiration: hummingbird high

CAKE BASE:

- 100g (1 stick) butter
- 150g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- zest from one lemon 
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 190g (1½ cup) flour

TOPPING:

- 200g chopped rhubarb
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 70g white chocolate chips


1. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and sugar until melted. Leave to cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F.

3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs with melted butter until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Mix again until combined. 

4. In a separate bowl combine chopped rhubarb with sugar, lemon juice and flour. 

5. Tranfer the batter into prepared form and evenly spread the rhubarb and white chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until your cake tester comes out dry. 




BON APPÉTIT !

Jun 10, 2016

Peach and basil galette


Peaches and basil together? Yes please! I am a true fan of unusual flavor combinations and this one happened to be one of my favorites. I must say, it was my first time to try a herb & fruit blend but after a quick taste I am sure, it is not the last one. I may be getting a new obsession so be ready for an interesting summer...



Makes one galette (6-8 servings*):
*I've said so because it sounds quite right but you know the truth - it is perfect for one person with a decent appetite (like myself)

CRUST:

- 160g (1¼ cups) flour
- 1 tbsp xylitol or granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 110g (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup cold buttermilk

FILLING:

- 3 medium-ripe peaches (they need to be quite firm)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 5 basil leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- vanilla
- 1 tbsp potato starch

+ 1 small egg for egg wash

1. To make the crust, combine the flour, salt, sugar and butter in one bowl. Rub the butter with your fingers to create a sand-ish consistency. Add the buttermilk and knead until you have a smooth ball of dough. Form it into a flat disc and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

2. Cut the peaches into thin wedges and mix with the rest of the filling ingredients. Make sure the fruits are evenly coated with potato starch.

3. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll up on the parchment paper. You can make a classic round shape but a rectangular or square one works fine too.

4. Arrange the fruits on the crust, fold the edges and place in the freezer for couple minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

5. Once your oven is ready, take out the chilled galette and brush the crust with the egg wash. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden-brown. Leave to cool slightly.

6. Just before serving, top the galette with some fresh basil leaves.




BON APPÉTIT !

Jun 8, 2016

Strawberry amaretto crumble pots (v + gf)


Summer is pretty much here and I can't wait to load my kitchen with piles of fresh fruit and veg. But for now I am soaking up the sun and creating a thousand ways to eat strawberries.


Today I made for you a quick dessert which could as well be an individual meal. It is really healthy and you have my permission to eat as much of it as you want. 


Makes 8 small servings:

FRUIT

- 500g fresh strawberries (little ones halved, larger quartered) 
- 2 tbsp xylitol or brown sugar
- 1 heaping tbsp of potato starch
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1,5 tbsp amaretto liqueur
- vanilla

TOPPING

- 100g rolled oats
- 100g buckwheat flour
- 75g xylitol or brown sugar
- 125ml melted coconut oil 


1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F.

2. In a bowl, mix the strawberries with all of the other ingredients to combine.

3. Put the oats, flour and sugar in a separate bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the melted oil and rub the mixture with your fingertips to create a fine crumb. 

4. Discard the excessive strawberry juice from the bowl and tranfer your fruits to the prepared ramekins. Top with a fair amount of crumb and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*To make your dessert fancier, try serving it with honey sweetened yogurt. 




BON APPÉTIT !

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