IceChocolate

This is another treat to do under Christmas… actually any time of the year. These are melting in your mouth smooth chocolates and they are very easy to make. So these go well as a kids party serving, Christmas sweet or maybe even as a valentine day treat for the most nearest and dearest…

Dark chocolate ice chocolate (50 servings)

What you need:

• 200g dark chocolate
• 100g coconut fat
• 2-4 drops of peppermint oil drops
• decoration of your choice

Melt chocolate and coconut fat in a separate pans. Let them cool down a bit and then mix them together and add peppermint oil drops. Pour in small sweet tins. Keep in the fridge before serving. (If you wish to decorate them- let them harden a bit in the fridge before adding the decoration)

White chocolate ice chocolate (60 servings)

What you need:

• 250g white chocolate
• 150g coconut fat
• 1/4 dl icing sugar
• decoration

Do exactly the same way than with the dark chocolate version- just instead of peppermint oil you add in icing sugar.

Enjoy!

Christmas stars

To kick start my holidays at my real home it is time to bake some christmas stars, maybe the most typical Finnish Christmas baking there is.

Christmas stars:

This is what you need for the dough:

• 3dl double cream (you need to whip it)
•  6 1/2dl plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 250g butter
• (1-2 teaspoons of cognac)
• plum or apricot marmelade

Combine flour and baking powder. Whip together with soft butter (and cognac). Finally mix together with whipped cream but do not stir too much as it makes the dough too stiff. Form a block shape out of it and wrap it in cling film. Let the dough harden in the fridge.

Roll out the dough into a thin slate and cut it as in the model picture. Fold in every other corner and drop a chunk of marmelade in the middle.

Brush with egg and bake in 200 degrees (Celsius) on the top level of oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Best served warm but also delicious when room temperetured too. For decoration you can also dust the top with icing sugar.

Tip! To short cut- buy package of puff pastry in the shop and use it isntead. You have gorgeous bakings in less than 30 mins 😀

Red Velvet

Red Velvet for Wednesday. Time to do some more baking and what better to do than a smooth red velvet cake/pie.

What you need for the base:

175 g of butter
5 dl sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
6 dl wheat flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 dl milk
2-3 tsp red food coloring paste
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar

for the frosting:

600 g cream cheese
200 g mascarpone
4 ½ dl icing sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 dl whipping cream

To do this,

1. Whisk the soft (room temperature) butter and sugars in a bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, while whisking. Mix wheat-flour cocoa powder, and salt. Measure the milk high in a bowl and add food coloring. Mix thoroughly.

2. Pour half of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and add also half the milk. Mix well. Add the remaining flour and milk. Mix until the dough is smooth.

3. Measure the soda into a glass. Add the vinegar and stir. Pour the foamy mixture into the dough and give it a quick stir.

4. Pour the batter into a tray covered with a baking sheet. Cook in 175-degree (Celsius) oven for 30-40 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks to the sides. Let the base cool down well before the frosting is applied.

5. Mix the cream cheese with an electric mixer. Whip in the sugars. Stir until smooth. Add the cream and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the velvet cake/pie in an even layer. Cut into portions and garnish with fresh berries.

Christmas gift to remember

It is hard to think things to give for your loved ones. This is an idea I came across some time ago and it will be perfect for my lovely co workers who always claim they would love to learn how to bake but never have time or energy…

Muffin mixture& Recipe

What you need:

• 2 ½ dl plain flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 brown sugar
• 1 dl caster sugar
• ½ dl dark cocoa powder
• 1 dl crushed nuts
• 2 Daim bars crushed

(Addition to this the person baking will need vanilla extract, 200g butter and 3 eggs)

Measure the items in the jar in order written, Crush the nuts and daim chocolate with daim and put them on the top of the ingredients.

Close the lid and write the recipe to go with the gift:

Pour the mixture in a bowl. Add 200g melted butter and 3 eggs. Mix well. Fill muffin cups half full and bake in 200 degree (Celsius) in the midlevel of oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Mexican pie…

For a change something a bit different. This one is a big hit among my friends and very convenient dinner for any night. You can serve it with fresh salad and it is a slightly different and perhaps your normal everyday meal.

What you need for the base:

• tortilla nachos (can be any flavour)
• 3 dl (or one glass) plain flour
• 1 dl grated cheese (eg.Emmental)
• 150g butter or margarin
• 2 tablespoons of water

For the filling:

• 400g beef mince meat
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 3 gloved of garlic
• 2 fresh chilies (chopped)
• 1 red pepper (cubed)
• 1 green pepper (cubed)
• beans of your choice
• 3dl water
• 2 dl cooking cream
• salt
• cayenne pepper
• 200g creme fresh
• 1dl grated cheese
• 1 egg

Butter an oven tray and crush tortilla nachos with food processor. Mix the nacho mixture with flour and cheese. Mix with fingers softened butter. At the end add add water and mix until smooth. Spread the dough to the oven tray/ dish (also to the sides).

Cook mince meat and onions. Add peppers in the mixture with garlic, fresh chilies and beans. Add water and let it cook for a bit. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pour it on to the oven tray/dish. Bake in 200 degrees (Celsius) for 40 minutes. Decorate with nachos and fresh oregano.

Searching for inspiration…

I find that most relaxing thing about baking is the decoration. I love decorating and planning different decorations. Here are few pictures for inspiration if any of you have children parties coming up… or why not a bit more grown-up parties too 😀

Treat yourself

There is always a good reason to treat yourself, a bit of luxury in the evening. How about a big piece of cheesecake and strawberries dipped in white chocolate…

What you need is:

• 250g packet plain sweet biscuits
• 125g butter, melted
• 2 x 250g packets cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 3 eggs

What to do:

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a 6cm-deep, 22cm round (base) spring-form cake pan

Process biscuits until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add butter. Process until combined. Press mixture over base and sides of pan leaving. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Process cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla and lemon rind until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, processing until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until just set and centre wobbles slightly. Allow to cool in oven for 2 hours, with door ajar. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with chocolate or berries 😀

Gingerbread

What is christmas made of… Gingerbread say I 🙂

I bake before christmas a huge amount of gingerbread. Some I decorate as they are, some I make into a gingerbread house and then rest I use in cake bases of flavoring in desserts or serve in a cheese platter. The options are huge. Here is a recipe for an excellent gingerbread dough…

Lets start waiting for christmas…

What you need is:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

This is what you do:

• Pre heat oven to 200 degree (Celsius). Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 200° (Celsius).
• Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 6 to 8 minutes
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• Decorate to your liking

Banoffee…

I did a “quick” spin around the shops on the weekend thinking that I if anyone am early and will avoid any traffic on my christmas shopping… oh boy was I wrong. Everywhere flooded with people and everything christmas related. Have to say didn’t quite get to the christmas feeling I was looking for. After trying desperately to find something I decided that internet is the way to go for me. Pease, quiet and a big mug of hot chocolate. And also by cutting my shopping short I had some time to do this:

Banoffee Cake

For the base:

• 2 dl Digestive biscuit-crumbs
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Caramel filling:

• 2-3 bananas, sliced
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 50 g of butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 gelatin

the cream filling:

• 1.5 dl of whipping cream
• 5 tablespoons of icing sugar

decoration:

• marzipan, banana, sweets etc.

Mix the melted butter into the biscuit sugar mix. Press the mixture on the bottom of the dish and a little bit along the edges and out in the fridge to solidify. Prepare the filling.
Slice the bananas. Drain the bananas with lemon juice. Spread the bananas on the bottom.
Put the gelatin in cold water.
Pour the condensed milk in sauce pan, add the butter and sugar. Cook over low heat until the butter and sugar have melted. Increase the heat and cook the mixture for about 6-10 minutes, stirring all the time. Lift the saucepan from the heat, let cool slightly. Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Squeeze water off from the gelatine leaves and melt them 1-3 seconds in the microwave. Pour the gelatin mixture in a thin strip to the filling stirring all the time.
Pour the caramel banana filling on a baking dish and put the cake in the refrigerator forapprox. 1-2 hours.
Before serving, whip the cream and spread on the top and decorate… delicious 😀

Winter Whoopie

Christmas is nearly here and what better way to start taking steps towards it than baking something christmassy… I doub that is a proper word but in a lack of better one I stick with it 🙂

I want to share with you one baking perfect for winter:

Winter Whoopies

• 4dl of plain flour
• 1 dl cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 1 tsp. of baking powder
• 1 tsp. of salt
• 2 tsp. of cinnamon
• 150g of butter
• 2 dl of light-brown sugar.
• 1 egg
• 1 dl unsweetened fruit mango sauce
• Filling: 100g of cream cheese and 1 dl of icing sugar.

Preheat oven into 200 Celsius. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. In the other bowl, whisk butter and brown sugar together. Add egg, whisk until the dough is smooth. Add flour mix and fruit sauce. Heap little tots from the dough and put them in to oven for around 10-12 minutes.

Make the filling when whoopies are in the oven.

Whisk the cream cheese and icing sugar. Fill the whoopies with the filling and garnish them with the confectioners sugar.