0 ISABELLE'S ARTISANAL OREOS - ORÉOS MAISON D'ISABELLE

A fellow who does things that count, doesn't usually stop to count them.
- Albert Einstein

A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses.

- Chinese Proverb

The blogosphere is brimming with heartwarming suprises and extraordinary individuals. Since I have started Rosa's Yummy Yums in 2005 it has never ceased to amaze me and blow my mind. This ever-growing community of culinary geeks and fanatics who share the same passion for cooking and baking is like a second family to me.

Throughout the years, I have met a load of fascinating people and made some very good friends among my fellow bloggers, some of which I have been lucky enough to meet physically and others I still dream of having a cup of coffee with in the future.

Of course, I am not exactly so naive as to believe that everything is shiny, pink and perfect in this virtual world. As a matter of fact, it is without a doubt no different from reality. Concurrence is big there too, so you'll sometimes come across a lot of rip-offs as well as mean and jealous trolls with a complex of inferiority and be the favorite target of anonymous psychos who get thrills out of insulting and harassing you.

Nonetheless, even if there were days when I felt discouraged, disgusted and depressed because a sad and ugly mofo with a twisted mind decided to vent his/her spleen on me in order to relieve himself/herself of his/her frustration, anger, hate and low self-esteem by bringing me down and making me feel bad, I have not let this adversity destroy me. What kept me going was the awareness that there is also a lot of kindness and generosity out there to outbalance the negativity.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Leo Buscaglia

One man practicing kindness in the wilderness is worth all the temples this world pulls.
- Jack Kerouac

For example, last week, when I was feeling rather low-spirited and wrote about my life story, I received many supportive and attentionate comments as well as personal messages which showed me that I was not alone, gave me hope, encouraged me to follow my path and brought back a smile on my face. This display of attention touched me deeply and I wish to thank my readers and colleague foodies for their sympathy, solicitude and friendship. You rule!

Lately, I have also been blessed to win a few giveaways and to be offered a bunch of wonderful cookbooks. Speaking of which, a few months ago Isabelle Lambert of the popular "Les gourmandises d'Isa" sent me an exemplary of her first publication. How nice and thoughtful of her. I was extremely thrilled that she had thought of me...

I have known this young woman for quite long now - we started blogging and joined The Daring Bakers practically at the same time - and have followed every step of her journey as a gourmande, so it is a enormous honor for me to present her work on my site.

Isabelle was born in France and has been living in Québec (Canada) for about a decade. She hails from a family of professional bakers/pâtissiers, butchers/pork butchers and caterers, and grew up being surrounded by cuisine enthusiasts who produced their own fare, hence it is no wonder that she cultivates a strong interest for the arts of the table.

This bubbly and dynamic lady decided to start a blog to stock all her recipes and constantly have them to hand, but after a while, comments came in and she began to realize that what she created impacted on others. As a result, she began to take this activity more seriously and put together posts with more detailed explanations and better pictures. Over the years, she gained many followers and ranks among the most influential French-speaking bloggers on the internet.

In her book, Isabelle shares 150 of her favorite recipes inspired by her love for Québecois and North American chefs. It is chock-a-block full a ideas for delectable savory dishes such as quiches, Flemish beef stew, caramel pork, rillettes de Mans, monkfish blanquette, chicken tajine with dried apricots, lobster rolls as well as  abunding with marvelous sweet treats (2/3 of the book is dedicated to desserts) such as piña colada muffins, maple syrup bars, creamy orange tart, bacon toffee, coffe éclairs, churros, salty caramel spread and many more.

Provided that you can read and understand the language of Molière (no translation exists), "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" is a lovely compendium of family-style, easy-to-achieve and tasty specialitise which will satisfy your appetite for fullfilling and comforting grub.

After a lot of hard-thinking and endless flipping through the pages of this softcover (taking decisions isn't my strong point), I finally decided that I was going to share with you Isabelle's own version of the famous Oreos.

I am still convinced that a good, simple, homemade cookie is preferable to all the store-bought cookies one can find.
- James Beard

Noncooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.
- Julia Child

I occasionally buy the original cookies when I come across a packet in my supermarket and moderatly appreciate that confection, yet I can't say that I entirely understand the fad about them nor that I can really say I find them as irresistible as everybody does. Originally, I was attracted to them because I have an open mind, thus I like trying new things and because they are a symbol of a country - USA- I dream of visiting and which's gastronomy I adore. However, I prefer not to consume junk on a regular basis (only rarely and there are still things I categorically refuse to touch) as I try to ban as much industrial "food" as possible from my diet. As a result, Oreos have only graced the shelves of my cupboard twice and I am seriously considering ending my relationship (if there was ever one, though) with them right now considering that they can easily be replicated at home.

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.
- Alfred E. Newman

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us?
- Annita Manning

Homemade Oreos are by far my drug of choice. Not only are they made with 100% natural ingredients, but they have a finer taste too. It is impossible to compare them with those produced by Nabisco, a division of Kraft Foods and another big corporation whose interest is not your health, but rather to create monopoly control over the food system.

Unlike the palm oil-loaded, additive-ladden, nutrient-poor and fashionable wafers, Isabelle's Oreos (which I have slighty altered - salt added to the filling and I substituted the margarine with butter) don't have a cardboardy/dusty flavor or fail to deliver oomph. Those "Artisanal Oreos" are not overly sweet and offer an intense aroma of cocoa, vanilla and butter. Once you've bitten into one, you'll get hooked and will forget your addiction for the manufactured stuff. It is definitely worthwhile investing efforts into the baking of those babies as store-bought biscuits cannot compare to these!

~ Artisanal Oreos ~
Recipe adapted from Isabelle's book, "Les Gourmandises d'Isa".

Makes about 20 Oreos.

Ingredients for "Cookies":
80g (5 Tbs + 1 Tsp) Unsweetened cocoa
113g (7/8 Cup) All-purpose flour
1 Pinch Fine sea salt
125g (1/2 Cup + 1 Tsp) Unsalted butter
200g (5/8 Cup - 1 Tsp) Castor sugar
1 Big Egg (~ 63g)
1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
Ingredients For The "Filling":
125g (1/2 Cup + 1 Tsp) Unsalted butter
125g (1 Cup + 1 Tsp) Icing sugar
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt

Method For The "Cookies":
1. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in order to obtain a pale, fluffy and creamy mixture.
3. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well until fully incorporated.
4. Add the dry ingredients and using a spatula, mix well until just blended (don't knead).
5. Wrap the dough in clear plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 160° C (325° F).
7. Sprinkle your work surface with cocoa, then roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm.
8. Using a fluted round cookie cutter (4 cm/1.6 inch in diameter), cut the dough into about 40 rounds (you can re-roll the scraps).

9. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 2.5 cm apart.
10. Place the cookie sheets in the freezer for 15 minutes.
11. Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.
12. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Method For The "Filling":
13. Beat the butter, until light and creamy.
14. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, then beat well until smooth.
Method For "Assembling The Oreos"
15. After cookies have cooled, put 1 1/2 Tsp of the filling between two cookies, putting bottom sides together.

Comments:
It is very important to freeze the pastry rounds if you do not want the cookies to spread out while baking.

Serving suggestios:

Eat your Oreos with a glass of ice cold milk.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Oréos Maison ~

Recette adaptée du livre "Les gourmandises d'Isa" par Isa du blog "Les Gourmandises d'Isa".

Pour environ 20 oréos.

Ingrédients Pour Les "Cookies":

80g de Cacao non-sucré

113g de Farine blanche
1 Pincée de Sel de mer fin
125g de Beurre non-salé
200g de Sucre cristallisé
1 Oeuf (~63g)

1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
Ingredients Pour La "Garniture":

125g de Beurre non-salé
125g de Sucre glace/en poudre
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure

1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
Méthode Pour Les "Cookies": 
1. Tamiser ensemble la farine, le cacao et le sel. Mettre de côté.
2. Battre le beurre et le sucre en pommade, jusqu'à obtention d'une crème légère et pâle.
3. Ajouter l'oeuf et la vanille. Bien incorporer.
4. Ajouter les ingrédients secs et bien incorporer à l'aide d'une spatule, mais sans pétrir.
5. Réserver la pâte 15 minutes au frigo.

6. Préchauffer le four à 160° C.

7.  Saupoudrer le plan de travail avec du cacao, puis abaisser la pâte sur une épaisseur de 5 mm.
8. À l'aide d'un emporte-pièce rond cannelé de 4 cm de diamètre, couper la pâte en ~ 40 cercles (vous pouvez rouler les retailles).

9. Déposer les biscuits sur les plaques préparées, en les espaçant de (2,5 cm).

10. Mettre les plaques à biscuits au congélateur pendant 15 minutes (opération très importante, si on ne veut pas que les biscuits s'étalent).

11. Cuire les biscuits au centre du four pendant 15 minutes.

12. Les sortir du four et les laisser complètement refroidir bien à plat sur une grille.
Méthode Pour La "Garniture": 

13. Battre le beurre, jusqu'à l'obtention d'une préparation légère et crémeuse.

14. Incorporer le sucre en poudre, la vanille et le sel, puis bien battre le tout, jusqu'à obtention d'une texture homogène et légère.
Méthode Pour Le "Montage Des Oreos":
15. Retourner la moitié des biscuits à l'envers et couvrir chacun d'eux avec 1 1/2 CC de garniture.

16. Poser les autres biscuits sur le dessus de la garniture en pressant légèrement pour former des sandwichs.

Commentaires:

Il est impératif de mettre les ronds de pâte au congélateur car sans cela, il vous sera impossible de les cuire sans qu'ils ne s'étalent.

Idées de présentation:

Déguster avec un verre de lait très froid.

0 BASLER LÄCKERLI - LÄCKERLI BÂLOIS

"Frozen streams and vapours gray,
cold and waste the landscape lay...
Then a hale of wind

Hither - whirling, Thither - swirling,
Spin the fog and spin the mist...
Still we walked on through woods and wintry gray,
home through woods where winter lay - cold and dark...
Waiting for a change in the weather
Waiting for a shift in the air
Could we get there together, ever?
Waiting for our late, late return.

Through the woods, home, through the woods where winter lays..."

- Lyrics from the song "Wintry Grey" by the Norwegian band Arcturus

 Dreamy, immaculate landscapes looking as if they were covered in a pelicula of heavenly icing sugar, feather-like flakes enchantingly falling upon us like fairy stardust, diaphanously monocromic sceneries which seem frozen in time, nature that would have made a wonderful subject for the Flemish Renaissance painter Bruegel (See his artwork here), goddess Skadi's icy breath congealing the earth, the eerie silence of the blizzard and gloomy croaking of crows punctuating the quietness with their evil complaints, the electrifying crunch of snow under our footsteps and cosy evenings spent lazily watching Scandinavian movies while nibbling on Xmas cookies and fantasizing about majestic fjords, the grandeur of Norse wildness and desolate Arctic mountains... This is the reason why I adore the cold season and cannot get enough of winter's bewitching atmospheres. Its splendor and the frivolous as well as nostalgic mood it confers are just unparalleled...

Although the whole shebang and kitschiness of the end of year festivities is not exactly my cup of tea, tends to make me smirk and leave me cold, I have to confess that I still wish to have a white Christmas. I am no different from everybody else on this planet. I guess that snow connects me to my inner child, helps me escape the bleak reality, soothes my soul and talks to my romantic heart.

As I was born on the 25th of December and I have the blood of Norsemen flowing through my veins, it is no wonder that I feed a hunger for living in a wood cabin in the middle of Norwegian, Swedish or Finnish woods, that I love chilly weather and rejoice when frost bites the tip of my nose. After all, my genetic background programmed me to prefer cool climates and Nordic settings.

"The sun has vanished
Freezing northwind now rules the land
From the realm of ice and eternal darkness
Mother winter snow-clouds sends

White warlord rides the sky
Hundred steed pull his sledge of ice
The roaring noise follows him
It's the sign that the winter solstice have arrived

The ancient song fills the air

On the mound sacred fire burns

People dance the magic dance of rebirth

For the sun's sooner return

Here is the longest night of the year

When the evil spirits of darkness is awake

Old witch woman dances across the room

She drives whole evil spirits back in the bloom

Over the frozen field the northwind walls

Falling snow turns into the raging snowstorm."

- Lyrics from the song "Night Of The Winter Solstice" by the Latvian band Skyforger

Hence, if the Christian celebration means not much to me, I nonetheless consider this period of the year to be festive, because Yule symbolizes the return of the Sun (light) and the completion of the cycle of life (birth, life, death and rebirth), thus it brings hope and offers the promise of a new beginning.

As during any other joyful fete, eating well is a must and there is no way I'm going to refrain from stuffing myself with yummy holiday food designed to make my taste buds shiver or from busying myself around the oven. Every year, I bake a vast array of international cookies and candies for my friends, P.'s parents and ourselves. In my gift bags you'll generally find classics such as "Pfeffernüsse" (Germany), "Mailänderli" (Switzerland), "Speculoos" (Germany, France, Belgium and Netherlands), "Mexican Wedding Cookies/Russian Tea Cakes" (USA and Russia), "Chocolate Truffles" (France) and "Fudge" (UK).

Being adventuous in the kitchen and having an inclination for novelty, I decided to prepare a new speciality in order to vary things a little: "Basler Läckerli (Leckerli)". This world famous pastry composed of many ingredients such as honey, almonds, candied orange or lemon peel, kirschwasser as well as a variety of spices. It is a traditional Swiss cookie bar we enjoy all year long and which is very similar to gingerbread. This biscuit's name means "small goody" ("lecker" = yummy and the Swiss German suffix "li" indicates smallness) and it originates from Basel in Switzerland where it was created by local spice merchants around 1431, at the time of the Council of Basel. At the origin, "Lackerli" were only fabricated on the occasion of the New Year, to  sustain the assembled church dignitaries and were accompanied by mulled wine, but it became so popular that people started producing it whenever they fancied it. Before the commercialisation of professional mixers, train station porters were employed to knead the stiff dough as big muscles were needed to successfully carry out the harsh task of mixing.

The recipe I am presenting today was adapted from a "Cuisine De Saison" magazine I possess. As usual, I had to make a few changes (ingredients- and method-wise) as I found that it could be slightly improved. So, I added more honey to the mass because I found it far too dry, for more flavor I incorporated a pinch of salt and some ground nutmeg to the mix, and confectioned my icing with cherry booze in order to give it oomph. The result was just mindblowing. My no-brainer "Basler Läckerli" turned out really great as they were marvelously chewy, exhaliratingly spicy, so pretty and above all they were mindboglingly comparable to the ones that are made by the renown Läckerli Huus  (no need to buy this expensive confection anymore).

If you are still looking for a Xmassy gift idea to bake, then you should give this confection a try as you'll not be deceived. Your friends and family will be raving about them!

Have A Merry Yuletide!
Joyeux Noël!

~ Basler Läckerli ~

Recipe adapted from "Cuisine De Saison".

Makes about 20 cookies.

Ingredients For The "Bars":

240-250g Runny honey

80g Castor sugar

100g Matchstick almonds, chopped coarsely

240g All-purpose flour (+ extra flour for rolling)

1 Tsp Baking soda

1 Tsp Ground cloves

1Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/3 Tsp Ground nutmeg

A pinch of fine sea salt

100g Candied orange peel

Ingredients For The "Icing":

1 1/2 Tbs Kirsch, lemon/orange juice or water

3 Tbs Icing sugar

Method For The "Bars":

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, soda, spices and salt. Set aside.

2. In big bowl (or in that of your KA), mix the honey together with the sugar until it looks pale, then add the almonds, the flour mixture and the candied peel.

3. Knead lightly in order to obtain a stiff dough.

4. Cover with clingfilm and let rest for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).

6. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 0.4 inches (1cm) thick rectangle.

7. Transfer the sheet of dough to a baking pan covered with baking paper.

8. Bake for 13-16 minutes in the centre of the oven (I baked mine 16 minutes).

Method For The "Icing":

9. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the kirschwasser together with the icing sugar.
10. Brush the top of the dough with the icing and cut it into about 20 equally-sized rectangles.

Comments:

When mixing, if your dough is a little dry add a bit more honey so that it comes together in ball.
As the dough is very stiff, I recommend you to knead it in a stand mixer.
When coming out of the oven, the baked läckerli must be pale in color and soft to the touch (they will harden while cooling).
The läckerli can be kept for up to a month in an airtight container.

Serving suggestion:

Eat those cookies at any time of the day and serve with a good cup of tea or an eggnog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Basler Läckerli ~
Recette adpatée du magazine "Cuisine De Saison".

Pour environ 20 läckerli.

Ingrédients Pour les "Läckerli":
240-250g de Miel liquide
80g de Sucre cristallisé
100g d’Amandes allumettes, hachées grossièrement
240g de Farine (+ un peu pour abaisser la pâte)
1 CC de Bicarbonate de sodium
1 CC de Clou de girofle en poudre
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre

1/3 de Noix de muscade en poudre

Une pincée de sel de mer fin
100g d’Orangeat
Ingrédients Por Le "Glaçage":

1 1/2 CS de Kirsch, jus de citron/d'orange ou d'eau
3 CS de Sucre en poudre

Méthode Pour les «barres»:
1. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger la farine, le bicarbonate, les épices et le sel. Mettre de côté.
2. Dans un grand bol (ou dans le bol de votre robot ménager), mélanger le miel avec le sucre jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne pâle, puis ajouter les amandes, le mélange de farine et l'orangeat.
3. Pétrir légèrement afin d'obtenir une pâte ferme.
4. Couvrir avec un film alimentaire et laisser reposer pendant 30 minutes.
5. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C.
6. Sur un morceau de papier sulfurisée fariné, abaisser la pâte à 0,4 cm (1 cm) d'épaisseur rectangle.
7. Transférer le tout sur une plaque de cuisson.
8. Cuire au centre du four pendant 13-16 minutes (j'ai cuits mes läckerli pendant 16 minutes).

Méthode Pour Le "Glaçage":

9. Laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes. Pendant ce temps, mélanger le kirsch avec le sucre glace.
10. Badigeonner la pâte cuite avec le glaçage et la couper en ~ 20 rectangles égaux.
 

Commentaires:
Lors de l'assemblage de votre pâte, si cette dernière est trop sèche, alors ajouter un peu plus de miel afin d'obtenir une boule qui ne colle pas, mais n'est pas sèche non plus.

Une fois cuite, la pâte à läckerli doit être claire et molle (elle durcira en refroidissant).

Les läckerli peuvent être conservés pendant un mois dans une boîte hermétique.

Idées de présentation:
Mangez ces cookies quand cela vous chante et accompagnez-les d'un thé ou d'un lait de poule.

0 KALBURA BASTI - RIDDLED COOKIES

August is generally always a calm month as most people are on vacation or enjoying the summery weather. Throughout this period of the year, my village becomes a ghost town, the building block where I live is quiet like a tomb, televisions stations are broadcasting old programs, friends are having a great time abroad and even bloggers are less active than usual. This holiday atmosphere is quite infectious. Most people get infected by the virus and dream of taking a break and having a blast away from closed walls and computers...



Consequently, it is the right moment for me to put a momentuous halt to my blogging and to have a bit of fun. But don't worry, I am not completely abandoning my blog during my short week off, because I'll be home chillin' all the while, and knowing how addicted I am to "Rosa's Yummy Yums" I will surely publish a couple of pictures in addition to a guest post (around the 19th of August) and will be on Twitter, Facebook or visiting your sites.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Friday, I have decided to write about a traditional delicacy from the majestic land of exotic delights, beauty, diversity and heritage that is Turkey. Despite having never travelled there, I have fallen in love with its wonderful culture and stunning landscapes...



"Kalbura Basti", sometimes also known under the name of "Hurma", are Turkish syrup-drenched pastries that have a riddled appearance. They are featured among the favorite specialities that are prepared for the three-day Candy Holiday (Şeker Bayram aka Eid Ul-Fitr) that follows the holy month of Ramazan (Ramadan). Although this treat is of Ottoman origin, a very similar variation of it ("Hurmašice" or "Hurme") can be found in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina too, since the Osmanli Turks invaded, controlled and influenced those regions.

Those date-shaped cakelets are rolled in very original way as one needs a colander, sieve or grater (the side used to grind nutmegs) to give them their unusual looks ("Kalbur" meaning colander). Apart from having a unique form, this speciality cannot be found everywhere in Turkey. As a matter of fact, it is quite difficult to come across it in bakeries or to see it being served in restaurants, because they are commonly baked at home and savored among family members.

According to the information I gathered while surfing in search for meager information, "Kalbura Basti" can be stuffed with chopped walnuts and grated coconut, or can even be devoid of any filling just like the version I am presenting today which is very basic. Nonetheless, I have made a few modifications by adding ground mahleb into the biscuit mix and a pinch of cinnamon into the coating liquid.



I took the recipe from "Turkish Cookbook" which I had bought on a Swiss bidding site. This book on Turkish cuisine is written by one of Turkey's leading cookery author and Sufi practitioner Nevin Halici who has published nine publications, "Sufi Cuisine" being her latest publication so far.



These simple cookies require hardly any ingredients or work (so easy to put together), and they contain no eggs nor butter, yet they are incomparably delicious. It is absolutely impossible not to get hooked on their exquisitely soft and crumbly texture, syrup-engorged and gooey dough as well as absolutely divine nutty, cinnamony and marzipany flavor. "Kalbura Basti" are incredibly addictive. Once you've eaten one, you cannot stop!

"Kalbura Basti"

Recipe adapted from Nevin Halici's "Turkish Cookbook".



Makes 16 cookies.



Ingredients For The "Cookies":

75ml Milk

75ml Olive oil

1/4 Tsp Baking soda

150g Plain flour

1/2 Tsp Ground mahleb (optional)

Ingredients For The "Syrup":

150g Castor sugar

125ml Water

1/2 Tsp Lemon juice

1/3 Tsp Ground cinnamon Optional)



Method For The "Cookies":

1. Grease a baking pan or cover it with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F).

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, olive oil and baking soda together, then add the flour and mahleb. Knead into a smooth dough.

3. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.

4. Press each piece of dough over a sieve or a shredder with your fıngers while rolling and shaping into oblongs (do not press through).

5. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Method For The "Syrup":

6. Meanwhile, in a medium pan, add the sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon, bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes or until the mixture is syrupy, then remove from heat.

7. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place them in a shallow dish and immediately pour the hot syrup over them.

8. Let them soak for 10 minutes, then turn them over and let the other side soak for another 10 minutes, then turn the cookies around again and let them cool.

9. Serve as soon as the cookies are no more hot.



Remarks:

This video (at 0:36 secs) will help you visualize how those cookies are shaped.



Serving suggestions:

Serve with a good cup of Turkish, Greek or Lebanese coffee or some black tea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kalbura Basti"

Recette adaptée de "Turkish Cookbook" par Nevin Halici.



Pour 16 gâteaux.



Ingrédients Pour Les "Gâteaux":

75ml de Lait

75ml d'Huile d'olive

174 de CC de Bicarbonate de soude

150 g de Farine

1/2 CC de Mahleb en poudre (en option)

Ingrédients Pour le "Sirop":

150g de Sucre cristallisé

125ml d'Eau

1/2 CC de Jus de citron

1/3 CC de Cannelle en poudre (en option)



Méthode Pour Les "Gâteaux":

1. Beurrer une plaque de cuisson ou la recouvrir de papier sulfurisé. Préchauffer le four à 200° C (400° F).

2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger ensemble (émulsionner) le lait, l'huile d'olive et la bicarbonate de soude, puis ajouter la farine et le mahleb, puis pétrir jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte lisse.

3. Diviser la pâte en 16 portions égales.

4. Presser chaque morceau de pâte contre un tamis ou une râpe (côté pour râper la noix de muscade) et les rouler afin de leur donner une forme oblongue.

5. Placer les gâteaux sur la plaque et les cuire dans le four préchauffé pendant 20 minutes.

Méthode Pour Le "Sirop":

6. Pendant ce temps, préparer le sirop: mettre le sucre, l'eau, le jus de citron et la cannelle dans une casserole moyenne et porter à ébullition, puis laisser cuire 2 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le sirop se soit un peu épaissi, puis le retirer du feu.

7. Dès que les biscuits sortent du four, verser immédiatement le sirop chaud dessus. Laisser s'imbiber pendant 10 minutes, puis les retourner et les laisser s'imbiber pendant encore 10 minutes dans le sirop. Puis les retourner à nouveau et les laisser refroidir.



Remarques:

Cette vidéo (à 0:36 secs) vous aidera à visualiser la méthode de roulage.



Idées de présentation:

Servir avec un bon café à la turque, grec ou libanais, ou du thé noir.

0 CHOCOLATE & SALTED VANILLA WHOOPIE PIES - TREND AVERSION

Sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them. They fall upon you like a blitz of lightening, magically enlightening your confined and small world, and instantly reloading your happiness batteries with enough energy to fill you with a gleeful feeling of intense euphoria, and hope that will last many months. An exhalirating suprise effect that makes you savour those unexpected events even more. Not knowing what tomorrow holds for us doesn't always have to be linked to sadness and despair, but can also bring joy and that is exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago when I was contacted by a journalist of the RSR (Radio Suisse Romande - an enterprise unit within public broadcasting corporation responsible for the production and transmission of French Language radio programmes in Switzerland)...

One sunny morning of May, while browsing through my e-mails, I stumbled upon a message from a reknown radio personality. I was so not waiting for it to happen that it left me speechless for a few minutes. Then, when I recollected my spirits, my astonishment and disbelief gave way to agitation and heart palpitations. Sure, I felt extremely honored that my blog had sparked her interest, but at the same time, her offer terrified me since I'm shy, seriously lack self-confidence and I'm the biggest chicken on earth. I am the kind of individual who prefers to back out of things instead of facing my fears and to take my courage in both hands.

I thought to myself, oh lordy, she wants to interview me for a summer program about people who are passionate about food. Me, the girl the least capable of showing off and speaking about herself lovingly! I am indeed crazy about anything in relationship with the culinary arts, yet the idea of talking with a microphone in front of your face and knowing that it will be broadcasted on one of the most listened-to stations in Suisse Romande is enough to freak me out and make me ventilate like a hysterical woman!

Before making up my mind, I wanted to think about it all thouroughly, weigh the positive and negative aspects carefully and chatt with the woman in question. I didn't want my uncertainty and stupidity to influence my final decision. After a lot of tergiversing, I finally decided to jump into the cold water and I said "YES". I knew that if I had refused her offer, I might have regretted it all my life as such a rare opportunity doesn't present itself often when you are a common mortal and a relatively obscure blogger like me who is rarely under the spotlight. I was not going to be foolish to the point of letting my angst cloud my judgement and take control of my brain as it had done in the past. At least, not on this occasion...

A few weeks later, I was anxiously waiting at home for the reporter to ring my doorbell and enter my chaotic den in order to record my thoughts and to observe me while I nervously cooked for/in front of her (I stress a lot when people see what "dirty kitchen secrets" I have ;-P). I was prepared for the worst!

Thankfully, it seemed that the gods were with me on that day as everything went smoothely and no hell broke lose. My "Fish Rendang" curry dish was perfect and a total hit. I could express myself intelligently without going through a painful outbreak of word diarrhea and felt really relaxed. As a matter of fact, I spoke so much that the correspondent had more than enough material for her 25 minutes show. I can be a real blabbermouth and always tend to try to fill the silence with my voice when adrenalin flows through my body...

As I usually like to greet me guests in a warm manner, I thought that it would be a wonderful idea to bake a goodie that will help break the ice and show this friendly lady that I am not only a "excellent" cook, but also a "talented" baker (well, I hope that's what people think of me...). So, although I had never made "Whoopie Pies" before (even if I had been dreaming of trying that treat since at least 4 years - I know, I'm slow), I decided to speedily whip up a batch of those luscious retro babies. Seeing that they were also much appreciated made my day.

Unless you live under a stone, you might have noticed that those old-fashioned sandwich cookies are definitely the latest food craze. Yes, I baked "Whoopie Pies" despite being allergic to trends and abhorring them like the bubonic plague! Bear a grudge against me for being weak and succumbing to temptation if you wish, but to my defense, it was pure coincidence. In no way did I sell my soul to the devil and suddenly stopped being a wildly unconventional creature who worships diversity and dislikes mass movements.

For me trends are "cultural" dictatorships that are created by the industry who profits from them. I am too much of a free spirit and nonconformist to follow them as they are ephemeral, clannish as well as limitating and bridle people's creativity, imagination and strips them of their personality. I don't want to fit the mold and be a pale copy of everybody else, I just want to be me!

Unfortunately, the culinary world is also afflicted by this epidemic. Chefs, magazines, stores, bloggers and foodlovers of all kinds are dragged into the spirals of the latest fads. Some feel complied to follow it and others freely accept to surf on the wave of fashion and embrace the tyranny of uniformity.

I have never understood why something which has for no reason been despised in the past can suddenly become the center of attention, be adulated for a while and then once again fall into oblivion as soon as it has been decided that it cannot be "in" anymore. That is so stupid! Either you like something as it speaks to your soul or you disapprove of it as it leaves you cold, but you cannot adore or loathe something because the general concensus tells you to. There's no way you can glorify something one day and hate it the next day, unless your love for it isn't real.

How many people do what society tells them to do in order to not be considered "losers"? A myriad, regretfully. Just look at the quantity of human beings who rave about foie gras, because it is something pricy that is acknowledge as being classy and is therefore a must-have. I am sure that most of those folks who gobble foie gras as if there was no tomorrow are disgusted by offals and always smirk when they see fat on their meat. Well, this delicatessen is just geese or duck liver that is saturated with fat. Does it still sound glamorous and appealing now? I'm sure not! Strange that a product can have an incredible success when in fact it is an aquired taste. Speak about psychological wizardry or mental manipulation...

Take macarons. That French confectionery is without a doubt divine and cute, therefore it is an ideal dessert/snack, yet why should it be regarded as the most exceptional treat ever to have graced this earth and have the monopoly over all other pastries or candies? It is indeed an amazing pâtisserie item that deserves recognition, nevertheless it would be blasphemous to affirm that it is the exceptional and exhalirating delight that has ever existed. It would be so sad to eclipse all the other fantastic yummy delicacies with this one's overblown mediatic popularity. And to be honest with you, I'm sure that the money they generate is as interesting as their incredible versatility and ambrosiality. If it didn't sell like like hot breads, would they still be produced on a massive scale and be found everywhere? I believe not. However, would they be less of a culinary show-stopper? No! A very controversial theme, isn't it?

The same goes with cupcakes. They have existed since long in Anglo-Saxon countries and had fallen into disuse until the stylish heroins of "Sex & The City" made them popular again when they visited Magnolia Bakery (see video here). Muffins and "Whoopie Pies" have known a very similar treatment. Now, you'll find them in every bakery or cheap supermarket and cannot escape reading about them in nearly every newspaper, magazine or site. Brainwashing that is.

It is so sad that your tastebuds cannot speak for themselves, instead of being at the mercy of somebody who instructs you on what to consume and what to enjoy. Aren't we mature and intelligent enough to make our own choices, stand behind what we are nuts about and decide for ourselves? I hope so...

Anyway, I guess you've had enough of my rantings and want to learn more about those litigious and ambrosial "Chocolate & Salted Vanilla Whoopie Pies". Well, let me tell you that they deserve a lot of attention whether they are hip or out as this speciality is unique and orgasmically good and terrifyingly addictive!

For my first experimentation with that cookie I wanted to be assured that they would get satisfying results, so I opted for Tish Boyle's recipe for traditional "Whoopie Pies" (chocolate & vanilla) as I cherish her cookbook "The Good Cookie" since it has never deceived me.

As expected, my little cake-like dessert biscuits were very pretty and tasted even better than they looked. They were pleasantly crispy on the outside and exquisitely soft as well as moist on the inside. The ever so slightly salty-tasting vanilla filling that can be compared to frosting paired terribly well with the light bitterness of the cocoa-based cookie shells. Sensational!

~ Chocolate & Salted Vanilla Whoopie Pies ~
Recipe adapted from "The Good Cookie" by Tish Boyle.

Makes about 28 sandwich cookies.

Ingredients for the "Shells":
2 Cups (255g) All-purpose flour
1 Cup (90g) Belgian cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
1 Stick (120g) Unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup (210g) Granulated sugar
1 Large Egg yolk
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 Tsp Baking soda
1/2 Cup (120ml) Hot water
1/2 Cup (120ml) Buttermilk
Ingredients for the "Filling":
2 Cups (240g) Confectioners’ sugar
4 Tbs (60g) Unsalted butter, softened
3 Tbs Heavy cream (35%)
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
Method for the "Shells":
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F). Cover two baking sheets with baking paper or silicone mats.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until soft, pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the egg yolk and beat again until the mixture is homogenous (scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary) and repeat with the vanilla extract.
5. Stir the baking soda into the hot water.
6. Adding one-third of each ingredient at a time, alternately add the hot water mixture, the buttermilk, and the dry ingredients (you have to end with the dry ingredients). Mix just until combined.
7. Using moistened hands, shape the dough into 2.5 cm (1-inch) balls and place them 5cm (2 inches) apart the baking sheets. Using your palm, flatten each of them into a 3cm (1 1/4-inch) round.
8. Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until their surfaces are cracked.
9. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Method for the "Filling":
10. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the confectioners’ sugar with the butter at medium speed until the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.
11. Add the cream and beat at high speed until smooth, then incorporate the vanilla extract and salt and beat until blended.
12. Using a small offset metal spatula or butter knife, spread each of the bottoms of half of the cookies (14 all in all) with the equivalent of teaspoon of filling. Top with the remaining cookie shells and press them together gently.
13. Voilà, you can enjoy your Whoopie Pies!

Remarks:
The baked cookies will still be quite soft when coming out of the oven, but their exterior will firm up as they cool (crispy outside and soft inside).
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Serving suggestions:
Serve for teatime, dessert or snack.

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~ Whoopie Pies Au Chocolat Et Leur Garniture A La Vanille Salée ~
Recette adaptée du livre "The Good Cookie" par Tish Boyle.

Pour environ 28 cookies sandwichés.

Ingrédients pour les "Coques":
255g de Farine blanche
90g de Cacao non-sucré
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
120g De Beurre non-salé, ramolli
210g de Sucre cristallisé
Le jaune d'un gros oeufs
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
1 CC de Bicarbonate de soude
120ml Cup d'Eau chaude
120ml Cup de Babeurre (lait battu)
Ingrédients pour la "Garniture/Crème":
240g de Sucre en poudre
4 CS (60g) de Beurre non-salé, ramolli
3 CS de Crème double (35% de mat. grasses)
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
Méthode pour les "Coques":
1. Placer une grille de cuisson au milieu du four et le préchauffer à 200° C. Recouvrir 2 plaques de cuisson de papier sulfurisé ou avec des silpats.
2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger ensemble la farine, le cacao et le sel. Mettre de côté.
3. Dans le bol de votre mixeur (batteur plat), battre le beurre et le sucre à vitesse moyenne, pendant 2 minutes afin d'obtenir un mélange pâle, homogène et léger.

4. Ajouter le jaune d'oeuf et battre à nouveau afin d'obtenir un mélange lisse (râcler les bords du bol si nécessaire) et répéter le même procédé avec la vanille.
5. Dissoudre la bicarbonate de soude dans l'eau chaude.
6. Ajouter en alternant l'eau chaude, le babeurre et les ingrédients secs (1/3 chaque fois), mélanger afin qu'ils soient juste incorporés.
7. Former des boules de 2.5cm avec la pâte (mains mouillées) et les placer sur les plaques à 5cm d'interval, puis les applatir avec la paume de vos mains en un disque de 3cm de diamètre.
8. Cuire les cookies pendant environ 5 à 7 minutes, jusqu'à ce que leur surface soit craquelée.
9. Mettre les cookies cuits à refroidir sur une grille.
Méthode pour la "Garniture/Crème":
10. Dans le bol de votre mixeur (batteur plat), battre ensemble le sucre en poudre avec le beurre pendant 1 minute afin d'obtenir un mélange grumuleux/sablonneux.
11. Ajouter la crème et battre à grande vitesse jusqu'à obtention dun mélange lisse, puis incorporer la vanille et le sel. Battre à nouveau pour que la garniture soit homogène.
12. A l'aide d'une petite spatule ou d'un couteau à beurre, étaler 1 CC de garniture sur 14 des 28 cookies (sur la partie plate). Refermer avec le 14 autres cookies non-glacés, puis presser légèrement afin de coller les deux parties ensemble.
13. Voilà, vos Whoopie Pies sont prêts à être savourés!

Remarques:
Les cookies cuits seront assez mous à leur sortie du four, mais après un certain temps ils durciront (croustillant à l'estérieur et moelleux à l'intérieur).
Garder ces cookies dans une boîte hermétique, à température ambiante, pendant pas plus de 5 jours.

Idées de présentation:
Servir vos Whoopie Pies à l'heure du thé, pour le goûter ou en guise de dessert "fun".