Marzipan Pear Tart

This recipe is from the Danish food blog Louis & Bearnnaisen and it is awesome!! Perfect for the season - and the marzipan just gives it that extra yum! Remember to use danish marzipan - its not dry and boring like  most people in the US have come to know it as. Whole Foods sells  good danish marzipan from Odense...

You Need: 

2 Ripe Pears 
3 1/2 Oz Marcipan
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 oz soft butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour

Cut room temperature marzipan into small pieces and put in a bowl. Add almond flour and sugar and mix well. 
Add the soft butter and vanilla extract and mix well again. 
Add one egg at a time mixing in between.
in a separate bowl mix flour salt and  baking powder. Sift and add to the batter
Peel the pears and cut into 1/8ths 
Pour cake batter into greased pie pan.
Gently press the pears into the cake batter (see pic)

Bake at 325 degrees f 40 minutes

once cooled drizzle a little powdered sugar on top 

Upsidedown Cake with fresh figs and raspberries

I found this recipe on a Danish blog named Loui & Bearnaisen and it just looked too yummy not to try!! 

You Need: 

3.5 Oz Butter
3.5 Oz Cream cheese 
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2.5 cups fresh raspberries 
4 fresh figs cut in half 
figs cut in half for decoration 

Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar until its white and airy
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between 
mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon baking powder salt) and sift them into the batter
Add milk and vanilla extract and mix well

Butter up a spring-pan and drizzle with sugar
put the halved figs in the pan, cut side down
Add the raspberries into the pan 
Add batter  and spread it out over the fruit

Bake for 45 minutes at 380 degrees 

Take out the cake and let is cool completely and then careful turn it upside down on a plate so that the bottom is up.
Garnish with fresh figs and serve with cream or vanilla ice-cream 

enjoy!

Sienna's Bye Bye Brownies

I baked these with my daughter for her last day of pre-school (therefore the name). These brownies are deliciously rich without being too sweet and easy to make - perfect for a day that needs some chocolate goodness..

You Need
Soft Butter for greasing the pan
Flour for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 oz melted butter 
2 oz olive oil
1 1/4 cup cocoa sifted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 handful small dark chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees f. 
Butter and flour a 9" pan 
Mix the eggs with a mixer until fluffy and light yellow. 
Add both sugars and mix.
Add remaining ingredients and mix.

Pour the batter into the greased and floured pan and bake for 50 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (or almost clean - I personally like them a little bit "wet")
Let brownies cool - once mostly cool cut into squares

Guinness Ice Cream with Chocolate covered Pretzels

I have just made this ice cream in readiness for St Patrick's day tomorrow and it is AWESOME! Even for a non-beer drinker like myself - and so I felt like I had to share!
I got this recipe from Food & Wine and it is by pastry chef Cory Barrett.

You Need: 

2 cups of Guinness (16 oz)
2 cups of heavy cream 
1 3/4 cups of whole milk
15 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar

Chocolate covered pretzels for serving

Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine the Guinness, heavy cream and whole milk and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Gradually add the hot Guinness cream to the yolks, whisking constantly until well blended. 

Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until it coats the back of the spoon, about 6 minutes; do not let it boil. Pour the custard into a medium bowl set in a large bowl filled with ice water. Let it stand until the custard is cold, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions (this may have to be done in two batches). Pack the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze until firm, about  4 hours. 

Spoon the ice cream into bowls and top with some chocolate covered pretzels and serve

Make ahead: The ice cream can be frozen for up to 1 week 

enjoy!

Chocolate Soufflé for two

I made this for the Hubbie and I on Valentine's Day - my first ever soufflè. It was simple and so so delicious. The recipe is from the San Francisco Chronicle - Emily Luchetti

You need:
2 1/2 oz bittersweet 70% cacao chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large room temperature eggs,separated
2 tablespoons sugar
Large pinch of salt
Whipped cream for serving (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and sugar the insides of two 1/2 -cup ramekins; set aside

Bring a small pot with about 4 cups of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a small bowl. Place a over the pot of simmering water - the bowl should not touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth; set aside, but leave the water simmering.

Place the egg whites in another small bowl with the sugar. Whisk lightly just until the sugar dissolves. Place the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water and whisk lightly until the whites are very warm and almost hot. This will only take a minute or two. You need to whisk continually so the whites don't scramble, although you are not trying to get then to increase in volume.
When the whites are very warm, set the bowl aside and turn off the heat. Put the bowl of chocolate back over the pot of hot water to keep warm.

Use a hand mixer or old-fashioned rotary beater to whip the warmed egg whites until thick. They should be satiny and glossy, not wet or limp.

Remove the chocolate from the stove and stir in the egg yolks one at a time until blended. Stir in the salt.

Using a rubber spatula, place half the egg whites on top of the chocolate. Gently fold the two together until the mixture is streaked brown and white.

Place the remaining beaten whites in a medium-size bowl (so there is more room for folding). Scrape the chocolate mixture on top of the whites, then fold in just until you no longer see white streaks in the batter.

Gently divide the batter between to two prepared ramekins. Run your finger around the inside edge of each ramekin so the batter does not touch the surrounding rim. (This will help the soufflés rise).

Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 14-16 minutes until a skewer inserted horizontally through the top of the soufflé comes out wet, but not raw. When in doubt undercook because the soufflés will continue to cook out of the oven. It is better for them to be too creamy than too dry.
Use a large flat metal spatula a towel and a pair of tongs to place the ramekins on plates. Serve immediately with whipped cream, if desired.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

CHRONICLE CLASSIC: BEST WAY PUMPKIN PIE

Again, this is The San Francisco Chronicle's Classic: Best way Pumpkin Pie from former Chronicle  Recipe Editor Fran Irwin. This is a recipe I have used for years and I am sharing it with you because it is simply the best :)

You Need:
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (freshly cooked - see earlier post)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk (one 6 oz can)
1 cup of whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
A 9 or 10 inch unbaked piecrust (see earlier post)
Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:

My daughter helping me with the pie

Preheat oven to 450 degrees f.
Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, salt and spices in a large bowl; blend well.
Add eggs, both milks and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Pour into piecrust.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees f. and bake for 50-60 minutes longer, until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

Serve at room temperature. If desired, garnish each piece of pie with lightly sweetened whipped cream

If I have any of the batter left over (depends on the size of pie I'm making), I always mix it with a bit of flour, 1teaspoon of baking powder and a bit of oil until it has the consistency of cake batter, then put in little muffin cups and bake with the pie for approx. 15- 20 minutes - presto - yummy pumpkin muffins :)

CHRONICLE CLASSIC: BEST PIECRUST

This is The San Francisco Chronicle's Classic: Best way Piecrust from Chronicle staff writer Lynne Char Bennett, adapted from the "Fannie Farmer Baking Book" by Marion Cunningham. This is a recipe I have used for years and I am sharing it with you because it is simply the best :)

You Need:

1 1/2 cups of all-pupose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
2-4 tablespoons of ice water
additional flour for rolling

Instructions:
Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the shortening and butter, and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Alternatively (and much easier) put it in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly with a fork after each addition. Use enough water so the dough holds together.
Form the dough into a ball and flatten the top to form a disk. Wrap the dough completely in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 45 minutes-1 hour.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface between 2 sheets of waxed paper/baking paper until it is about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches larger than your inverted pie pan.
Transfer the dough to the pan, then trim the edges to make about 1 inch overhang. Roll the edge under and crimp decoratively.
If the pie crust comes apart a little when you transfer don't panic; just patch it together (its not like anyone can see the bottom of a piecrust anyway..

If your filling recipe calls for a pre-baked shell, line the pastry with a piece of aluminum foil, shiny-side down. Fill with dried beans, rice or pie-weights. Bake in preheated oven 425 degrees f.  for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and beans. return the pie shell to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, rotating the pan a couple of times, until evenly browned.

PUMPKIN PUREE

I always make my own pumpkin puree when making pumpkin pie - I just figure if you are going to the extent of making a pumpkin pie from scratch you might as well go all the way. This year I have been extra lucky in that my back yard was full of sugar pumpkins...
Remember; dont use the big pumpkins for baking instead go with a smaller sugar pumpkin. 
The puree is easy to freeze; just put in a ziplock bag and put in the freezer.

You need: 



1 Sugar pumpkin


Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees f. 
cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out all the seeds (which can be roasted if you fancy)
place pumpkin halves inside down on an oven tray with baking paper
cover pumpkins with foil 
bake for 1hr 15 minutes
let the pumpkin cool down, then scoop the inside (should be soft) out with a spoon. 
blend in a food processor or with a hand blender
pour over in a strainer and leave it there for 10 minutes to drip off excess fluid

freeze it, put it in the fridge for later or use immediately :)

SWEDISH APPLE CAKE

I actually have to give my swedish mechanic some credit for this recipe. He did me a big favor and as a thank you, I wanted to bake something quintessential swedish and this is what I ended up with. It has now become a go-to recipe whenever I want something quick, easy and delicious.

Swedish Apple Cake

You Need: 

3 apples (I prefer fuji apples for this)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
7 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 cup all purpose flour
Breadcrumbs for the cake pan

Heat the oven to 350 degrees
peel and slice the apples into boats and put in a bowl & mix with brown sugar and cinnamon until they are all covered. 


Melt the butter and leave to cool down a little. 
In a new bowl, mix sugar and egg, add baking powder, flour, butter & mix

Grease a 9 inch cake pan and drizzle a little bit of bread crumbs in the bottom of the pan, 

Pour the cake batter/dough (has an in-between texture) into the cake pan 
Add the apple slices (you will probably have a few slices left over) and bake for 40 minutes

enjoy!