0 ENGLISH FRUIT LOAF - CAKE ANGLAIS AUX RAISINS SECS ♥ A GUEST POST FOR BEN AT "WHAT'S COOKING MEXICO?"

In life, I look for miscellanous things that capture my attention, satisfy my curiosity, satiate my hunger for novelty, inspire me and are exceptional. I am not fond of what is mainstream, déjà-vu, bland, characterless, not intellectually stimulating or challenging, so when it comes to the blogs I follow and the people behind them, I apply exactly the same rule.

And speaking about uniqueness and captivatigness, What's Cooking Mexico? is hard to beat. This marvelously exotic site is one of a kind and stands out from the crowd. It is like a paradisiac and welcoming island in the middle of the ocean where it feels good to go as you never fail to spend some relaxing as well as quality moments there.

This Mexico City native is passionate about mouthwatering fares and his country's versatile cuisine. He knows how to fascinate you with his detailed and informative articles that combine history and anthopology, delightfully colorful pictures, traditional recipes and mouthwaterringly fresh, refined, spicy and vibrant dishes. A blog that deserves much recognition.

Having been a big fan of Ben's extraordinary work and buoyant personality since 2008, it is with much pleasure that I have accepted to share my thoughts with his readers and write a guest post for him today. How could I possibly refuse such an opportunity?!

Muchas gracias querido amigo!!!

Tastes are made, not born. 
- Mark Twain 

Taste cannot be controlled by law.
- Thomas Jefferson

 It is interesting to see how our culinary inclinations can change when we grow up and reach our prime, and how certain foods we used to dislike as a child can suddenly appeal to us. Although our soul doesn’t vary during the whole course of our terrestrial existence, we never cease to evolve physically and mentally. Some things are meant to stay the same while others are intended to undergo slight or drastic alterations…

I like to think that, similarly to rare wine, individuals get refined and more subtle/complex with time. The base will everlastingly remain, but it will considerably improve and ripen during the interval between birth and death. As with long-term cellering alcohols, the maturation and quality of the finished product depend on a few important factors such as environmental conditions, its pedigree and the care with which this process has been taken out.

A man's palate can, in time, become accustomed to anything.

- Bonaparte, Napoleon

Not only do our brains go through various transmutations, but also our taste buds and gastronomical repertoire. Our bodies alter constantly, so it is quite understandable that our gustatory cells also get modified and go through major evolutions, thus affecting our feeding habits and transforming us into moody eaters.

Because I was raised in a non-snobby gourmet family who taught me to be thankful for what goes into my stomach, educated my palate by offering me a varied diet, encouraged me to be a daring epicurean and hated routine at the table, the toddler that I was, was fairly uncomplicated and adventurous. I complied to their eclectic nourishing practices without making a fuss or yammering. Everything my parents put on my plate was gulibly swallowed. Not entirely finishing the contents of my platter was not acceptable ]...[ 

So, if that short introduction made your mouth water and your tastebuds tingle, tickled your curiosity and gave you the urge to read my article, then please hop on over to What's Cooking Mexico? in order to learn more about this "Fruit Loaf", get a glimpse of my pictures, discover my recipe and pay a visit to the lovely Ben.

Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog What's Cooking Mexico? qui appartient au tentueux blogeur mexicain Ben, je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même y jeter un coup d'oeil car ses recettes sont vraiment passionnantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici).

J'espère que mon "Cake Anglais Aux Raisins Secs" vous plaira car c'est une succulente spécialité British qui nous vient tout droit du Lake District (dans le Cumbria) et dont je me suis enamourée dernièrement.

Comme vous le savez déjà, de part mes racines anglaise je suis une fervente défenseuse de la cuisine et culture britannique qui, à mon sens, est extraordinairement unique, si versatile, terriblement réconfortante, fabuleusement savoureuse, humble et qui n'est en aucun cas insipide, fade, peu délicate ou inintéressante comme le prétendent certaines personnes mal-attentionnées et à l'esprit étroit. Ce cliché est vieillissant, dépassé de mode et plus d'actualité...

Cake Anglais Aux Raisins Secs

Recette adpatée de “The National Trust Farmhouse Cookbook” par Laura Mason.

Pour 1 pain de 900gou 2 pains de 450gchacun.

Ingrédients:
300ml de Thé noir fort, chaud
450g de Raisins secs (sultanines, raisins de Smyrne ou/et de Corinthe)
350g de Farine
2 1/2 CC de Poudre à lever
1 1/2 CC de Mixed spice (voir remarques)
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
175g de Sucre brun clair fin
2 Gros (63g) Œufs,battus
3 CS de Lait
1/2 CC d’Extrait de vanille pure

Méthode:
1. La veille, versez le thé chaud sur les fruits secs et les laisser macérer.
2. Le lendemain, préchauffer le four à 170 ° C (325 °F).
3. Graisser et tapisser le fond de votre (vos) moule(s) à cake rectangulaire(s).
4. Dans le bol de votre batteur, mélanger ensemble la farine, la poudre à pâte, mélange d'épices, le sel et le sucre.

5. Ajouter les fruits macérés (avec le thé), les œufs, le lait et la vanille. Bien mélanger pendant environ 20 secondes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange ressemble à une pâte à gâteau.
6. Verser la pâte dans le(s) moule(s) à cake et faire cuire au milieu du four pendant environ 1 1/2 à 2 heures (ou environ 1h10 pour les deux cakes), ou jusqu'à ce qu'un cure-dent inséré au milieu du cake en ressorte propre.
7. Laisser refroidir dans le moule.

Remarques:
Pour préparer votre mixed spice maison, mélanger ensemble 1 CS de cannelle moulue, 1 CS de coriandre moulue, 1 CC de muscade moulue, 1/2 CC de gingembre moulu,1/4 CC de tout-épice moulu et 1/4de CC de clous de girofle moulus.

Ce cake est meilleur lorsque consommé un ou deux jours après sa préparation (bien l’emballer dans du film plastique) et peut aussi être congelé (3 mois maximum).

Idées de présentation:
Couper le cake en tranches assez épaisses et les beurrer généreusement.
Servir avec l'heure du déjeuner et du thé ou même comme dessert et accompagner d’une bonne tasse de thé.

0 CHERRY DELIGHTS - DÉLICES A LA CERISE

He appears your friend, but
the Saint hides many Satans
He's contemptuous, you know
of your Godgiven stupidities
He calls you in question with
affected modesty and create
of you an object of derision [...]
- Except taken from the song "Master In Disguise" by Arcturus (Nor)

The weather is a devil in disguise which always manages to surprise us and never fails to be temperamental as well as unpredictable just like a tyrinnical diva. Generally, it's either all or nothing. One day you think that you are living in frostbitten Siberia and the next you'd get tricked into believing that you are residing in the sunny Mediterranean.

A few weeks ago, Europe was still being brushed by a coldwave that froze everything to the core. One had the impression that the North Pole had shifted to our latitudes. Then it was followed by a short interval of chilly, but decent late winter climate which gave way to extremely mild conditions, comparable to that of the end of April. Within a fortnight, the temperatures jumped up dramatically and we experienced an increase of about 30° C (86° f - from minus 14° C to 18° C). Incredible!

Now, it really feels like spring. The air has a distinctive metallic and marine odor similar to that you smell when boats are sitting in the summer heat, daylight lasts longer, primroses and snowdrops are starting to blossom in a parasitic manner, green shoots are appearing between the dead leaves, buds are getting fat and ready to explode, woodpeckers drill trees madly, in the morning and evening black birds sing loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood, noisy and agitated flocks of crows circle menacingly overhead, cats fight like old rags and people are suddenly more optimistic than ever.

Springtime is the land awakening.

The March winds are the morning yawn.

- Lewis Grizzard

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men.

- Chinese Proverb

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

- Charles Dickens

When you go out, you are greeted by a symphony of chirps and the warm rays of the sunshine on your pale and shy skin. Every place is bustling with activity. Joggers are doing their rounds, terrace cafés are alarmingly cacaphonous, the streets are bustling with dashing passer-bys and animals are busy getting ready for the birthing season.

Those drastic changes can be quite mind-boggling and tiring as your brain and body are having a hard time adapting to this abrupt transition. After having dressed up like the Michelin man for the last 4 months and eaten your good share of comfort foods without being upset about the calories you ingested, you are now having difficulties knowing what to put on as you are not ready to shed off your thick layer of reassuring clothes in order to reveal your dismally flabby belly, untoned legs and pudgy arms (please be reassured, I am exagerating for the sake of entertainment) .

What a shock! The disastrous vision of your unfit self is not a pleasant thing to aknowledge and suddenly, with sheer terror you realise how much you allowed yourself to become a little too lazy and careless.
So, even if you don't care about all this propaganda about being skinny and believe that healthy women should have curves in the right places, you nonetheless start panicking and feeling desperate and guilty as you wish you had not sat so much in front of your favorite series, hibernated like a big fat grizzly bear or gobbled all those gorgeously soul-uplifting calories during the entire duration of the winter.

Why did you enjoy so many rich meals and not exercise more? You ask yourself the same question over and over, and you can't stop blaming yourself for having given in to laxity. However you are not somebody who endless laments herself over her, thus you decide to take action and begin elaborating plans in order to regain control over your slack lifestyle...
 

Going through such phases is quite normal as it is in our nature to need to cocoon and raise our spirits with soothing grub when the climate is unfriendly. If we overdieted and did not take a moment to breathe as well as to slow down once in a while, we'd end up being malnourished, depressed and totally drained of our energy as we'd act against what our organism dictates us to do. We all have to accept that there are periods during which we have no other choice than to follow our instincts and listen to what our physical system tells us.

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.
- Jim Rohn

The body too has its rights; and it will have them: they cannot be trampled on without peril. The body ought to be the soul's best friend.
Many good men however have neglected to make it such: so it has become a fiend and has plagued them.
- Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827

Of course, whatever you do, you must never forget that any excess is dangerous and that you should privilege harmony over debauchery or overdiscipline. For that reason, I try to not dramatize the fact that my trousers are ever so slightly tighter, because I know that I haven't done anything terribly wrong and that I will soon be able to lose the extra grams I have gained lately. Nothing tragic here.

Spring is synonymous of rebirth, awakening as well as lightness and thankfully, it forces us to wake up and alter our behavior. That cosmic metamorphosis influences us greatly and consequently we go through some kind of natural reprogramming before the summer arrives. With the arrival of February, we begin to crave food that is less fat and heavy and we look forward to going for walks and getting closer to nature again. 

Even if I didn't properly let myself go, the cold season had its toll on me and now that April is at our doorstep, I feel boosted with a new energy and reconnected with my mortal frame. At the moment, I yearn for fresh, refined, flour-free and fruity desserts.

Being a passionate cook/baker, I am graced with a flourishing imagination, hence I am rarely short of resourcefulness and constantly come up with terrific ideas that I successfully turn into reality (flops happen, but they are outnumbered by favorable outcomes).

The verrine recipe I am presenting today, was invented on the occasion of a friend's visit. As I know that she is not against reasonable indulging and is not enclined to swallow tons of  artery-clogging victuals, I decided to offer her a heavenly sweet treat that would not sit on her stomach after our banquetting on "Apple & Celeriac Soup" and  "Guinness Shepherd's Pie".

Recently, pastry cream and griottes in syrup have been quite often on the menu, so I thought that it would be wonderul to concoct a sweet pudding which would combine both and would emphasize the delights of cherries. This lead me to associating the flavors of sour cherries with that of mahleb.

To accompany my fruits, I made a straight-forward crème pâtissière and incorporated a few teaspoons of this Middle-Eastern aromatic spice into it, then once the preparation was cold I folded in some whipped egg white in order to obtain a fluffy and delicate mousse consistency. To add a bit of crunch to the whole thing, I prepared a healthy granola with oats, honey, tahini and a spit of butter. Once everything was ready, I arranged those three components in alternating layers and presented them in pretty glasses.

As you can imagine, my "Cherry Delights" were a total winner and disappeared very fast. Seeing Corinne and P. gobble them greedily brought a smile on my face. There is no better reward than catching a glimpse of the people who you are close to you having a blast while savoring something you have lovingly made for them!

~ Cherry Delights ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, March 2012

For 6 people/makes 6 verrines.

Ingredients For The "Granola":

3/4 Cup (90g) Quick cooking oats

3 Tbs Runny honey

1 Tbs Tahini

1 Tbs Unsalted butter

Ingredients For The "Pastry Cream Mousse":
2 1/4 Cups (540ml) Whole milk
2 Tsp Mahleb
1/3 Tsp Fine sea salt
4 Tbs Cornstarch
1/2 Cup + 1 Tbs (125g) Castor sugar

2 Eggs (~ 63g)

1 Egg yolk
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

4 Tbs Unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 Egg white

2 Tbs Powder sugar, sifted

Ingredients For "Assembling":
250g Stoned sour cherries/griottes (preserved in syrup), drained

Method For The "Granola":

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.

2. In a pan, melt the butter, add the honey and tahini.

3. Add this mixture to the oats and combine well, making sure that the oats are coated with the liquid.

4. Spread on a tray covered with baking paper.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Let cool completely before using.

Method For The "Pastry Cream":
7. Put the milk, mahleb and salt in a pan, bring to a light boil.
8. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch,  2 eggs, 1 yolk and vanilla extract until smooth, fluffy and light/pale in color.
9. While constantly whisking, slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture.
10. Return the whole to the saucepan.
11. Over medium heat and while whisking non-stop, cook until you get a thick consistency (just bring to a slight boil).
12. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes and then incorporate the butter, a little at a time, until the pastry cream is smooth and shiny .
13. Cover the surface with clingplastic, directly touching the cream. Let cool completely.
14. Once the pastry cream is at room temperature, whisk it in order to make it smooth again.
15. Beat  the egg white until soft peaks form.
16. Add the  powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks appear.
17. Incorporate delicately the egg whites to the pastry cream.
Method For "Assembling The Verrines":
18. Start filling the bottom of the glasses with about 2-3 Tbs pastry cream mousse, add about 1 1/2 Tbs granola and then the cherries (6-7).
19. Repeat the process once more and finish with an extra layer of pastry cream mousse.
20. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
21. Just before serving, sprinkle with some of the leftover granola.

Comments:
If you don't have any mahleb, then add a little more vanilla extract to the pastry cream or a few drops almond extract.
You can replace the tahini by the same quantity of butter.
You can also make this dessert with fresh cherries (I recommend the darker variety).
Please note that I weighed the cherries once drained.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as dessert with some bubbly wine (Champagne, Clairette De Die or  Prosecco) or some quality Sauterne, Vin Santo, Gewürtzraminer, Amaretto or Maraschino.

~ Délices A La Cerise ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, mars 2012.

Pour 6 personnes/verrines.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Granola":  
90g de Flocons d'avoine
3 CS de Miel liquide
1 CS de Tahini
1 CS de Beurre non-salé
Ingrédients Pour La "Mousse De Crème Pâtissière":
540ml de Lait entier

2 CC de Mahlep
1/3 CC de Sel de mer fin
4 CS de Maïzena (fécule de maïs)
125g de Sucre cristallisé
2 Gros oeufs (~ 63g)

1 Jaune d'oeuf
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
60g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes
1 Blanc d'oeuf
2 CS de Sucre en poudre, tamisé
Ingrédients Pour Le "Montage":
250g de Griottes dénoyautées au sirop, égouttées

Méthode Pour Le "Granola":
1. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C.
2. Dans une casserole, faire fondre le beurre, ajouter le miel et le tahini.
3. Ajouter ce mélange à l'avoine et bien mélanger. Faire en sorte que les flocons d'avoine soient recouverts par le liquide.
4. Étendre sur une plaque recouverte de papier sulfurisé.
5. Cuire au four pendant environ 20-25 minutes, en remuant toutes les 5 minutes.
6. Laisser refroidir complètement avant d'utiliser.

Méthode Pour La "Mousse De Crème Pâtissière":
7. Mettre le lait, le mahlep et le sel dans une casserole, porter à ébullition (tout juste).
8. Dans un grand bol, battre ensemble le sucre, la fécule, les 2 oeufs, le jaune d'oeuf et la vanille jusqu'à ce le mélange soit pâle et mousseux.
9. Tout en fouettant constamment, verser lentement le lait dans le mélange (tempérage).
10. Verser l'ensemble dans la casserole.
11. À feu moyen et en fouettant en continu, faire cuire jusqu'à obtention une consistance épaisse, lisse et crémeuse.
12. Après ébullition, retirer du feu et versez dans un bol. Laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes puis incorporer le beurre, un peu à la fois, jusqu'à ce que la crème pâtissière soit lisse et brillante.
13. Couvrir la surface avec du film plastique (toucher directement la crème pâtissière). Laisser refroidir complètement avant d'utiliser.
14. Une fois la crème pâtissière est à température ambiante, la fouetter afin de le rendre lisse.
15. Battre le blanc d'oeuf jusqu'à ce qu'il forme des pics mous.
16. Ajouter le sucre en poudre et continuer de battre jusqu'à formation de pics rigides.
17. Incorporer délicatement les blancs d'oeufs à la crème pâtissière.
Méthode Pour "Assemblage Les Verrines":
18. Commencer à remplir le fond des verres avec environ 2-3 cuillères à soupe de mousse de  crème pâtissière, ajouter environ 1 1/2 cuillères à soupe de granola, puis les cerises (6-7).
19. Répétez l'opération encore une fois et finir avec une couche supplémentaire de mousse de crème pâtissière.
20. Réserver les verrines au frigo jusqu'au moment de servir.
21. Juste avant de servir, saupoudrer avec le granola restant.
 

Commentaires:
Si vous n'avez pas de mahlep, vous pouvez incoporer un petit peu plus d'extrait de vanille ou quelques gouttes d'extrait d'amande dans le lait pour la crème pâtissière.

Vous pouvez aussi remplacer le tahini par la même quantité de beurre.
Ce dessert peut aussi être préparé avec des cerises fraîches (je recommande d'utiliser des cerises foncées).
Faites bien attention d'utiliser 250g de griottes égouttés - na pas peser les cerises dans leur jus.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir en guise de dessert avec un verre de vin mousseux (Champagne, Clairette de Die ou Prosecco) ou de Sauterne, Vin Santo, Gewurtzraminer, d'Amaretto ou de Maraschino.

0 EPLEPAI, A NORWEGIAN APPLE CAKE - GÂTEAU NORVÉGIEN AUX POMMES

As much as I love my blog, adore my followers and  appreciate communicating my enthusiasm for all things culinary with the world, I have to admit that it is always very difficult to get back on track after having been on holiday and away from my virtual "baby" (yes, that's how I call it). Blogging offers a great deal of fun, but is also a full-time "job" if you are a dedicated and serious perfectionist like me.

There are some moments when I wish I would be less enslaved to Rosa's Yummy Yums, feel less under pressure and less "obligated" to make my faithful readership happy by offering regular updates on a weekly basis. Stress is negative and can really be destructive as it tends to kill the enjoyment this divertissement is supposed to bring and transforms it into a chore and a heavy responsability. It is exactly what you want to avoid and it is then that you have to unplug yourself before you wreck yourself and hate your hobby. In that case, a break is highly recommended

Having gone through a rough and emotionally draining phase lately, I had to interrupt my rat race routine with a lovely staycation. During two blissful weeks, I enjoyed relaxing my body, intellect and soul. Finally, I could breathe, sleep, stop looking at the clock, be as silly and snail-like as I wanted, yet I somehow missed putting my thoughts down on paper and sharing my vision of things as well as my latest gastronomical discoveries with you (addiction it is called - LOL).

On the one hand it might be an energy-consumming activity to feed such a site, but on the other hand, the pleasure and joy it gives to the person behind the keyboard is immeasurable and compensates for the endless exhausting and strainful photography sessions as well as every unnerving hour spent wracking my brains in order to find clever words, original ideas and dishes of interest that I can display here.

The positive news is that eventhough my batteries have not been entirely reloaded during the course of this small interlude, I am nonetheless back on the saddle once more and ready to kick some ass again! Hopefully you have savored that momentarily calm period during my absence. Aaahhh, what a relief! Finally free of my writing deliriums, photographic experiments, cunning points of view and my sinful as well as everlastingly tempting food.

Well, as I didn't want to leave you totally unoccupied while I was not visibly present (don't worry, just like a stalker or undercover agent, I followed each of your tweets, post and facebook movements as I'm an online junkie - LOL), two of my wonderful colleague bloggers (Tanvi and Peter) entertained you thanks to their delightful guest posts delivered with much warmth, charm, verve and talent.

But let me tell you, despite the fact that you might have the impression I have spent my vacation doing absolutely nothing and being lazy like a maggot, in no way have I been procrastinating or innactive. All on the contrary. I didn't publish any recent articles, that's true, but nevertheless, in my corner, I was calmly preparing my return and future features just like a tactician getting ready for war.

Apart from taking loads of fall pictures and doing lots of thinking as well as some reasearching, I worked on my new design, hence I have the immense pleasure of introducing you guys to Rosa's Yummy Yums' elegant, distinguished, fresh and chic layout (tweeting, facebooking, stumbling, etc... enabled, how class is that?). My blog really needed a facelift as it was starting to look quite outdated, aged and crusty, so I hope you'll appreciate this makeover (there's still more to do, but let's take one step at a time, shall we)...

Today, I have decided to come back with an Autumn/Winter Norwegian apple delicacy that fits perfectly the season: "Eplepai". The name translates into "Apple Pie" in English, yet this speciality is rather a soft wettish cake than a shortcrust pastry-based dessert. 

This Scandinavian goodie is ridiculously simple and fast to put together, nonetheless it is far from being characterless, boring or bland gustatively speaking. The warm spices pair admirably with the sweet tartness of the fruits and the toasted almonds add a gorgeously nutty note to the whole. A luscious and morish treat that is sticky, extra moist, super smooth in texture, mighty gratifying and somehow reminds me of pudding. Heavenly!

I have freely adapted the recipe from Beatrice Ojakangas' marvelous and highly recommended bestseller "The Great Scandinavian Baking Book". I operated a few small changes to it as I believed it could be slightly improved (not that it really needed any enhancement, though). My version uses ground cardamom, vanilla extract and roasted almond sticks. An addition which doesn't alter the über-nordisk and preciously old-fashioned flavors of that succulent torte.

~ Norwegian Apple Cake ~
Recipe adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas' "The Great Scandinavian Baking Book".

Ingredients:
1 Egg (63g)

2 Tbs Milk

3/4 Cup (158g) Castor sugar

1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

1 Tsp Baking powder
1/3 Tsp Fine sea salt

1 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/3 Tsp Ground cardamom

1/2 Cup + 3 Tbs (158g) All-purpose flour

1/2 Chopped almonds/or almond sticks (50g), toasted

3 Medium-sized tart apples

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line a 18cm (7-inch) springform cake pan with baking paper and then butter it.

2. Peal, core, and dice the apples.

3. Stir all the ingredients together (the mixture will be similar to that of muffins).

4. Spread into the pan.

5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. After 1 minutes, run delicately a knife along the side of cake to loosen, then remove from the side of springform pan.
7. Place a cooling rack upside down over the cake. Turn rack and cake over. Remove the bottom as well as the baking paper of the springform pan. Place back on the rack.
8. Cool completely before serving.

Comments:

I used Belle de Boskoop apples (my favorite eating and baking apple) for this cake, but Bramley, Reine Des Reinettes, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Gravenstein apples, etc... are also ok.

Serving suggestions:

Cut into wedges and serve with either sweetened whipped cream, sweetened thick yogurt or ice cream.

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

~ Gâteau Norvégien Aux Pommes ~

Recette adaptée du livre "The Great Scandinavian Baking Book" de Béatrice Ojakangas.

Ingrédients:
1 Oeuf (63g)
2 CS de Lait
158g de Sucre cristallisé
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
1 CC de Poudre à lever/pâte
1/3 de CC de Sel de mer fin
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre
1/3 CC de Cardamome en poudre
158g de Farine
50g d'Amandes hachées, torréfiées
3 Pommes (moyennes) acidulées

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C (350 ° F), recouvrir le fond d'un moule à charnière de 18cm avec du papier sulfurisé et le beurrer.
2. Peler les pommes, les nettoyer et les couper en dés.



3. Mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble (le mélange sera épais, mais tout de même légèrement coulant, comme une pâte à muffin).
4. Étaler la pâte dans le moule.

5. Cuire au four pendant 50-60 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le cake soit doré et qu'un cure-dent inséré au centre en ressorte propre.

6. Dix minutes après avoir sorti le cake du four, passer un couteau le long des côtés du gâteau, puis déserrer et retirer le moule à charnière.
7. Enlever le fond du moule ainsi que le papier sulfurisé.
8. Laisser refroidir complètement avant de servir.

Commentaires:
J'ai utilisé des pommes Boskoop (mes pommes à manger et à cuire préférées) pour ce gâteau, mais les pommes reine des reinettes, braeburn, granny smith, gravenstein, etc .. feront également l'affaire.

Idées de présentation:
Couper en tranches et servir soit avec la crème chantilly, du yaourt grecque sucré ou de la glace.

0 CASSATA CUPCAKES & REFLECTING ON HOLIDAYS

The holidays are oficially over. Done, as energetic, charismatic and infamous chef Gordon Ramsay would put it. The dream has died, at least for now. It is once again time to face the harsh facts, cold reality and boring everyday, imposed routine. Impossible to escape the rat race. It never ceases to harass you like a hungry hyena and suck you dry of your energy and vital force like a famished vampire. Whether we consent to it or not we are all slaves to the wage (or to the system)...

"Run away from all your boredom

Run away from all your whoredom and wave

Your worries, and cares, goodbye

All it takes is one decision

A lot of guts, a little vision to wave



Your worries, and cares goodbye

It's a maze for rats to try

It's a race, a race for rats

A race for rats to die

It's a race, a race for rats A race for rats to die..."



- Excerpt taken from the song "Slave To The Wage" By Placebo

The feeling of constantly running and wasting your existence for others is even stronger when it is impossible for you to make the most of those oh so precious, yet hilariously rare free days. Then, taking a break is a little bit of a torture as you are trapped in your rabbit box apartment and sentenced to not going out of a perimeter of a few kilometers around your domicile as taking cars, trains or aeroplanes is definitely not in your budget. So, in a way you feel trapped, deprived and like in a jail since you cannot escape your village, town and canton in order to get some fresh air. Money really determines the size of your cage, so to speak.



Don't get me wrong, though. I love to spend quality time between my four walls and if I had more resources, I would not be the kind of person who would travel frenetically and never be able to take some time out to relax at home. I am quite a tranquil and domestic "animal" who doesn't like to get stressed around or run like a maniac just for the sake of going away. Such tiring activities are not for me. They leave me empty and depress me. It is just another grind and I don't need that as I already have a plateful of this monotonous treadmill called modern life.



Tourist trap legolands, prefabricated and ugly hotels, phony paradises that all look the same wherever you go, people-crammed destinations, sanitized/sterile activities and accomodations (Western food, four-star beds, luxurious resorts, comfy trips, etc...) that don't disorientate you too much, yet just let you get a secure but not too mind-boggling glimpse of the exotic country you are "visiting" (most individuals don't want to a too drastic change of scene although they want to set foot on the other side of the globe), mindless and soulless quickie holidays that leave you feeling barren as well as drained or demented quests for things to boost about in front of your colleagues, family or friends repulse me. Instead of that, I'd rather see nothing else than my usual environment as I believe that if you go far afield it should have a purpose and be an enrichening as well as bewildering experience!



Why would one want to endure a long and exhausting journey, pollute the air we breathe and throw their savings earned from their hard labourship out of the window for a shellless vacation? What the point in getting into so much trouble just to export your safe way of living abroad?

In my opinion, travelling is synonymous of discovery, astounding enlightement, indelible memories, stepping out of your comfort zone, enjoying the beauty of different and learning about other civilizations/traditions. In absence of that, I prefer to have fun without skipping latitudes and to play the tourist in my own district, thus rediscovering my city as well as the countryside surrounding. In fact, that's what I do every time I go out for a walk. I try to see the things I know in a totally new fashion...



It is to be said that blogs are a marvelous medium for journeying on a trip without leaving your seat. They open you up to other cultures, patterns of thinking and offer you a highly pleasurable visual stimulus. Quite a voyeuristic way of living through others, but so soul-uplifting when you are in need of some serious daydreaming in order to flee your tedious and not so glamorous life for a short while.



Cooking gives you the means of fantacizing and freeing yourself from your shackles too. I cannot recall how many times my mind has wandered to distant lands while having a amazing meal. Food is really a world in itself.



Last week, for example, I prepared two foreign dishes that transported me to wonderful climes. Eating "Moussaka" and "Lime Rabbit" has helped me catch a sight of sunny Greece with its beautiful and deserted Peloponese beaches, turquoise sea, goat and sheep covered mountainous regions, lovely terrace coffees, amazing, atmospheric and rugged landscapes, olive tree filled valleys, friendly natives, ancients ruins, and stunning gastronomy as well as get a peek of the Antilles and its Caribbean blue waters, verdoyant nature, colorful vegetation and houses, exhuberant inhabitants, heavenly scenery and its exquisitely spicy cuisine. Very refreshing.



This is why, today, I wish to share with you my take on an Italian classic and make you forget that your children are going back to school very soon and that hot weather amusements as well as frivolity have sadly come to an end with the closing of the holiday season.



My Sicily-inspired "Cassata Cupcakes" will surely make you remember those deliciously lazy moments you spent while reading a book on your longchair, idly sitting on a restaurant patio, lethargically sleeping on the living room couch, gullibly sipping on a glass of frozen cold rosé, shamelessly faking boredom, fervently admiring the sun setting in the crimson horizon, flirting with the waves and effortlessly loitering around the streets of an unknown village or metropolis.



Of course, considering the fact that I am a person who likes to be creative, always itches to change recipes and to add her personal touch to them, it was out of question for me not to invent my own version of this gorgeous entremet. So instead of preparing a big cake, I baked cupcakes. Nonetheless, I decided to stuff them with a traditional filling and decorate them with rolled green marzipan as it is done in Sicily.



This is a fresh, refined, spicy, lightly boozy and divine summer sweet treat that is perfect for afternoon teas or parties with friends and is the ideal Sunday family lunch/dinner dessert. Just try it, you'll be ravished by its heavely taste.

~ Cassata Cupcakes ~

Cupcake recipe adapated from Amy Sedaris' "I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence" and ricotta filling by Rosa Mayland 2011.



Makes about 12 cupcakes.



Ingredients for the "Cupcakes":

3/4 Cup (90g) Unsalted butter

3/4 Cup (158g) Castor sugar

1 Egg (~63g)

1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

1/3 Tsp Orange zest paste (or orange essence)

1 1/4 Tsp Baking powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

1 1/4 Cups (160g) Plain white flour

5/8 Cups minus 1 1/2 Tbs (130ml) Milk

Ingredients For The "Ricotta Filling":

1 Cup (250g) Ricotta cheese, strained (see instructions here)

1/2 Cup (60g) Confectioner’s sugar, sifted

3/4 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1 1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

2/3 Tsp Orange zest paste (or orange essence)

4 Tbs (60g) Chocolate (60%), finely chopped

1 Tbs Whisky

Ingredients For The "Decoration":

200g Green marzipan

Whisky, to taste

Method For The "Cupcakes":

1. Turn the oven on to 190° C (375° F).

2. In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients (salt, baking powder and flour). Set aside.

3. In a big bowl, cream the butter until smooth.

4. Add the sugar and cream again until the mixture is white, light and fluffy.

5. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time while beating/mixing well until blended.

6. Add the vanilla and orange zest paste, then the dry ingredients and the milk, alternatively, while mixing well, until all ingredients are totally combined (homogenous batter).

7. Pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full.

8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one cupcake comes out clean.

Method For The "Ricotta Filling":

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the ricotta until smooth and creamy.

2. Add the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest paste and blend until homogenous.

3. Stir in the chopped chocolate and whisky.

4. Chill until firm.

Method for "Putting The Cupcakes together":

1. Cut the cupcakes in two (horizontally).

2. Brush the insides with a bit of whisky.

3. Spread 2 tsps ricotta filling on the bottom part of the cupcake and assemble.

4. Roll the marzipan between two sheets of plastic film and cut rounds about the size of a cupcake, then cover the top of each cupcake with them.

5. Serve.



Remarks:

The cupcakes can also be made in advance and frozen for up to 3 months.

The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the cupcakes. Just cover and keep refrigerated.



Serving suggestions:

Serve those cupcakes as a teatime treat or for dessert with a good cup of coffee or some sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco or Clairette de Dille).

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

~ Cupcakes Façon Cassata ~

Recette pour les cupcakes adaptée de Amy Sedaris "I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence" et recette pour la garniture à la ricotta par Rosa Mayland 2011.



Pour environ 12 cupcakes.



Ingrédients pour les "Cupcakes":

60g de Beurre non-salé

160g de Sucre cristallisé

1 Oeufs (~63g)

1 CC de d'Extrait de vanille pure

1/3 CC de Pâte de zeste d'orange (ou d'essence d'orange)

1 1/4 CC de Poudre à lever/cake

1/4 CC de Sel

160g de Farine blanche/fleur

130ml de lait

Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture A La Ricotta":

250g de Ricotta, égouttée (voir instructions ici)

60g de Sucre en poudre, tamisé

3/4 de Cannelle en poudre

1 1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure

2/3 CC de Pâte de zeste d'orange (ou d'essence d'orange)

60g de Chocolat (60%), finement haché

1 CS de Whisky

Ingredients For The "Decoration":

200g de Massepain vert

Whisky, selon goût

Méthode Pour Les "Cupcakes":

1. Préchauffer le four à 190° C (375° F).

2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger tous les ingrédients secs (sel, poudre à lever et farine). Mettre de côté.

3. Dans un grand bol, battre le beurre en pommade.

4. Ajouter le sucre et battre jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne blanc et mousseux.

5. Ajouter les oeufs, un à la fois, tout en battant bien après chaque ajout afin d'obtenir un mélange homogène.

6. Ajouter la vanille et la pâte de zeste d'orange, puis les ingrédients secs, tout en alternant avec le lait et en mélangeant bien afin d'obtenir une pâte homogène.

7. Mettre la pâte dans les caissettes et remplir seulement au 2/3.

8. Cuire pendant 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les cupcakes soient dorés et que la lame d'en couteau en ressorte propre.

Méthode Pour La "Garniture A La Ricotta":

1. Dans le bol d'un batteur électrique, battre la ricotta jusqu'elle soit lisse et crémeuse.

2. Ajouter le sucre en poudre, la canelle, la vanille, le zeste d'orange en purée et battre à nouveau afin que le mélange soit homogène.

4. Ajouter le chocolate et le whisky.

5. Mettre au frigo afin que la garniture se rafermisse.

Méthode Por "L'assemblage Des Cupcakes":

1. Couper (horizontalement) les cupcakes en 2 parties égales.

2. Peindre chacune des deux parties intérieures avec un peu de whisky.

3. Etaler 2 CC de garniture à la ricotta sur la partie inférieure du cupcake.

4. Rouler le massepain et découper un rond de la taille du cupcake, puis recouvrir le dessus du cupcake avec.

5. Servir.



Remarques:

Si vouls le désirez, il vous eat possible de congeler les cupcakes (3 mois au m aximum).

La garniture peut être préparée 24 heures à l'avance et gardée au frigo.



Idées de présentation:

Servir ces cupcakes l'heure du thé ou comme dessert, avec un bon café et un vin mousseux de qualité (Champagne, Prosecco ou Clairette de Dille).