Pandoro, a Decadent Christmas Cake

Christmas is almost everyone's favorite holiday. It certainly is mine! Beyond the spiritual significance of the occasion, I believe the great appeal of Christmas is its joyful vibe, its spirit of sharing, and its wealth of sweet delicacies.

Typical Christmas desserts vary from one culture to the other, but they all tend to be rich and decadent. 'Tis the season to be jolly... not to worry about the waistline, right? We shall practice self-discipline in the days to follow, but for now let's make a heavenly dessert that hails from the land of a million and one culinary delicacies: Italy.

Pandoro is the typical Christmas dessert of Italy and is pretty similar to the more famous Panettone. These days, you don't have to travel far to get either of these cakes as they are readily available in major supermarkets and good pastry shops. But what if I told you that you can make pandoro at home and it is not as complicated as you might think? Tempting, right?

A bit of history before we tackle the recipe. The origin of pandoro is disputed, but many agree that it originated in the city of Verona. In the past, wealthy Venetian families would decorate the cake with golden leaves, which may account for its name. Luckily, you won't need any expensive ingredient to make this light-as-air cake at home.

The cake does not call for bizzare or exotic ingredients, but it does require some patience, so make sure you're well-stocked in that department. Just follow the steps presented in the recipe below and you'll be rewarded for a cake fit for Christmas or any other celebration.

Please note that the cake requires the preparation of three types of dough. The process is simple, but like I said before, it requires some patience.

(I adopted the recipe from this blog.  I used the same ingredients but reduced the amount of sugar and added 2 extra flavorings to the dough).

All ingredients:

• 450 strong bread flower (at least 13% protein)
• 105 g sugar
• 170 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 60 g lukewarm water or milk
• 10 g milk
• 18 fresh yeast
• seeds of half vanilla bean
• zest of half lemon
• 1 tsp dark rum (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• butter to grease the mold

For the preferment:

Mix the egg yolk, 60 g lukewarm water or milk, 15 g yeast, 10 g of sugar and 50 g of flour. Once combined, cover and let it double in volume, which should take an hour to an hour and a half. 

1st dough:

• 200 g flour
• 25 g sugar
• 3 g yeast
• 30 g  butter
• 1 egg
• the preferment
• 5 g milk

To a mixing bowl, add the preferment, sugar, yeast, milk and egg, and mix with hook attachment on low speed until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Slowly add the flour and keep mixing until the dough is smooth (5 to 10 min) then add the butter and mix again for another 5 minutes. Cover and let it double in size again. The time will depend on the room and dough temperature, so start checking after an hour.

2nd dough:

• 200 g flour
• 2 eggs
• 70 g sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Vanilla
• Orange zest
• 1 tsp rum
• the 1st dough 
• 5 g of milk

Whisk the eggs with milk and rum. Add the vanilla, salt, zest to the first dough. Now add the egg mixture and start mixing again on low speed.
Start adding the flour slowly and keep mixing for at least 15 minutes. You should get a strong and slightly sticky dough.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl and let it double in size again. Once it doubles in volume, you need to let the dough rest overnight in the fridge (8 to 12 hours of resting). 

The lamination:

• The fermented dough 
• 140 g of  butter

The lamination process consists of incorporating a substantial amount of butter into the rested dough. You can add the butter as one block or as smaller pieces, but the process is the same.

Work the dough with a rolling pin until you get a square of about 30 cm.  Arrange the butter in the middle, fold the corners then roll into a rectangle about 40 to 45 cm long. Fold the bottom to the middle then the top to the middle, like a letter, then rotate 90 degrees, cover and let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. (The recipe link has pictures that can help you understand the process better).

Roll again into a rectangle with the seams facing you. Fold again and repeat the process three times resting the dough 15 minutes in the fridge between each fold. When you roll for the last time, let the dough rest on your counter for 15 min. Grease your hands and form the dough into a ball and carefully place in the mold with the seam facing up. Now you need to let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the mold.

Preheat the oven to 170 C and prepare it so it has enough space to account for the rising dough.
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 160 C and keep baking for another 30 to 40 minutes. If the top is browning quickly cover it with aluminium foil. To make sure the pandoro is cooked insert a skewer if it comes clean then the cake is done. The cake's internal temperature should be around 90 C, so if you have a suitable thermometer, you can use it to check the cake's readiness.

Let the pandoro rest 5 minutes in the mold then flip it on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.

You can enjoy this brioche like delicacy as it is or you can get creative and serve it with jam, sweet sauces and more.

Buon Natale everyone.

Torta Caprese Bianca al Limone

Traveling is a great source of renewal and inspiration. If it was possible, I would spend my days traveling and exploring new cultures and the flavors they cherish the most.

Italy is one of my favorite destinations. The food culture there, like the architecture, the nature and the people is vibrant, colorful, and simply amazing. I can never tire of the sights and smells of Italy.

Few weeks ago, I went on a short trip to Naples, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. What a stunner of a region it is!

Capri, an island off the coast of Naples, is a treasure trove of breathtaking sights and enchanting citrus scents. I am no Italy expert, but if you ever plan on visiting this Mediterranean country, Capri should rank pretty high on your list of to visit regions.

Capri is famous for its Torta Caprese, which is an almond-based cake with a moist and a crumbly texture. It dates back to the start of the 20th century, and if you read about its origins you will come across various stories. Irrespective of how it started, the cake is now widely consumed by tourists in Capri and the South of Italy be it in its chocolate (cioccolota) or lemon (limone) variations. Both versions have chocolate but the bianca or white version uses white chocolate.  You can't go with either variation of this delicate almond-based cake, but the lemon flavor won my vote.

If I managed to spike your interest in this famous Italian dessert and you want to bring the bright flavors of Capri to your home, this is what you need to do.  (Note, recipe adapted from here).

Ingredients:

• 165 g almond flour (I made mine. I soaked the almonds in hot water for few minutes, then in cold water, spread them over a towel to dry then processed them)
• 100 g fine sugar
• 40 g corn flour
• 3 g baking powder
• 130 g grated white chocolate
• zest of 2 organic and unwaxed lemons 
• 30 g olive oil
• 35 g melted butter
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2 tbsp limoncello 
• dash of salt

Method:

In a bowl, mix the almond flour with the sugar, chocolate, salt, baking powder, lemon zest and corn flour.

In another bowl combine the eggs with the limoncello (you can substitute with the same amount of lemon juice) and beat until the batter doubles in volume and becomes pale. Fold in gently the butter and the oil then add the mixture to the flour and mix until well combined.

Pour the batter into a greased pan, covered with parchment paper, and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes in a preheated oven (175C).

Keep in mind that the baking time will vary from one oven to another, the pan size and material. You want the cake to be fully baked but not dry and with a nice brown color. Inset a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is done. 

The cake batter is rather liquid and during baking the edges may cook faster than the center. To have an even bake, you can use baking strips. Azlin Bloor made this cake and explains how you can prepare homemade baking strips. Her recipe yields a cake with a different texture as the amount of ingredients and method are somewhat different. Nonetheless, both recipes will deliver a scrumptious cake! 

Once baked, leave the cake to cool almost completely before removing it from the pan, then put on a a wire rack to cool completely.

You can serve the cake as it is, but  you can decorate with a dusting of powdered sugar and few fresh fruits to elevate its looks.

All you have to do now is to serve yourself a slice of this torta and enjoy the flavors of sunny Southern Italy.

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Pecans

Vegan baking can be a bit challenging, no question about it. But with some tweaks here and there, and playing around with ingredients, nothing is too difficult.
Although vegan baking seems like a novelty, in reality, it's not. A while ago, I posted a traditional vegan recipe that I grew with and I know there are many more out there.

Most vegan recipes are an adaptation from regular ones laden with the usual suspects of non-vegan ingredients! The chocolate cake recipe I´m sharing today is adapted from a book my brother gave me a couple of years ago called "The Cake Decorator´s Bible". I tweaked the recipe a bit by adding caramelized pecans  and rum. I figured that the combination would be successful. I mean after all, it's chocolate and nuts, you can never go wrong with that!

The end result was pretty amazing. The cake was very moist and fluffy with a deep chocolate flavor and a satisfying butteriness coming from the pecans. You won´t miss the eggs and butter at all. 

To make this cake you need (23 cm loaf pan):

• 200 g pastry flour
• 35 cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2  tsp baking soda
• 100 g white sugar and 50 g brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp dark rum
• 100 g caramelized pecans, processed into powder
• 80 ml vegetable oil (I used sunflower)
• 230 ml water

In a bowl combine  flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground pecans. Whisk to combine, then add the oil, water and rum. Whisk until no flour lumps are visible.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 min in a preheated oven (160 C) or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool for five minutes in the pan. Remove and let it cool completely on a wire rack. 

You can serve the cake as it is, or with chocolate syrup, and if you want an extra luscious touch you can prepare, like I did, an easy vegan chocolate cream frosting.

For the frosting you need:

• 100 g vegan butter or margarine
• 10 g cocoa powder
• 50 grams ground caramelized pecans (optional)
• 30 g powdered sugar; you can add more if you like it sweeter. 

Combine all the ingredients and whisk until fluffy. Add on the top of the cake and garnish to your liking.

I hope you give this vegan recipe a try and I would love it if you shared your ideas for vegan baking.

Bon appetit!

Almond and Quark Cake

It´s been a while since my last post, and I thought it was the right time to share an easy cake recipe.
The Google+ community foodies+ is celebrating the month of cheese, that's why my recipe features this much beloved ingredient. I also recommend that you check this active community for wonderful recipes from across the globe. 



I had several recipes in mind, and it was really tempting to make another cheesecake, but I didn't succumb to the temptation! Instead, I went for a gluten free cake using almond meal instead of regular flour. The cheese element of the cake comes from the quark cheese, a type of soft creamy and tangy cheese made from soured milk.

The quark cheese went into the cake batter, which helped in making the cake rich and moist. Moreover, the cheese mixed with fresh fruits made the perfect topping for the cake.

For the cake you need; for 6 to 8 servings (20 cm round pan):

• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 50 g soft butter
• 130 g quark cheese
• 170 g sugar
• 175 g almond meal
• 10 g corn flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• zest of half lemon or a 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp salt

First combine the dry ingredients (almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and corn flour) and set aside.

In a bowl mix the butter, cheese and sugar. Once combined add the eggs one by one then add the vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined. Pour the mixture into the greased and lined pan.

Bake in a preheated oven (150 C) for about 50 minutes. I opted for baking at a a gentle heat because I didn´t want for the cake to puff up and form a dome. You can bake it at 180 C and it will take less time, just keep an eye on it.

Leave the cake to cool.

For the frosting:

• 100 g quark cheese
• 100 g cream cheese
• 50 g butter
• 100 g powdered sugar
• berry coulis (recipe follows)
• 12 tsp vanilla extract

You need to bring the two cheeses and the butter to room temperature before mixing.

First mix the cheese and the butter, and once well combined add the sugar, vanilla and the desired amount of the coulis (I added 25 g).

For the coulis or sauce you need

• 150 g of mixed berries
• 20 g sugar
• 12 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

In a pan mix the berries with the sugar and vanilla, simmer on a gentle heat, once the fruits are tender. Run through a food processor and then sieve. 

Assembly:

Pour half the frosting on top of the cake, right in the middle. Using  the back of a spoon or spatula, spread the frosting leaving a bit of distance from the edge. Decorate with fresh berries.

Serve the cake with extra frosting and coulis if you want.

Enjoy this sweet, tangy, moist, and tasty cake with a cup of coffee or tea.

Sfouf, the Vegan Anise and Turmeric Semolina Cake

In a previous post I went over that special ingredient my mother always had/has on standby to use to whip a lot sorts of sweets including a childhood favorite, the crumbly yellow yumminess we call "Sfouf".  This turmeric or saffron colored/flavored cake is still on my list of favorite desserts that are also incredibly easy to make.

The cake has some other claims to fame! Beyond being easy to make and requiring very simple ingredients, it is a vegan, suitable for lactose intolerant people and those with egg allergies. Additionally, it can be easily made with polenta or gluten free flour for gluten intolerant people.

Back home, we used to make this recipe a lot during the lent season. Being a vegan recipe, it suited my parents well as they abstain from any meat or dairy for a period of 50 days. In addition to sfouf, we would look for other vegan recipes (like this rice pudding) that suited our cravings for sweets in the lent. As traditions mean a lot to me, I like to make sfouf during this season, especially in the last days of the lent.  It's a sweet reminder of days gone by!

It is worth mentioning that there is a non-vegan recipe of sfouf, but let's leave this for another post!

As you will see, the recipe is pretty simple. It is also quite flexible and you can adapt it to your own liking. I like my version to be more crumbly. That's why I use more semolina than flour. But if you want a more consistent cake invert the quantities mentioned below. Another thing you can modify easily is the quantity of sugar used; adjust to your liking.

The main flavors of the cake come from the use of two spices: anise and turmeric. Yet again, you can adjust the quantities to your liking, just be careful that turmeric in excess would give an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.  I used anise in two ways:  anise infused water and ground anise. My parting from the traditional cake I knew is my use of a small quantity of ground mahaleb cherry seeds. The use of mahaleb is totally optional, you can omit it or use instead some almond extract.

For an 18 cm round pan you need:

• 150 g fine semolina
• 100 g cake flour
• 125 g sugar (you can use less if you want)
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 3/4 tsp ground anise
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground mahaleb cherry
• 100 g oil (I used a mix of ;light olive oil and sunflower oil)
• 200 g boiling water
• 1 tsp anise
• sesame seeds, walnuts, pine nuts for the topping
• Tahini paste to coat the pan (if not available use oil)

First you need to infuse the anise seeds in the hot water and leave to cool.

In a bowl, combine semolina, flour, sugar, turmeric, ground anise, salt, baking powder  and mahaleb cherry and stir to mix the dry ingredients.

Add the oil and mix well. Add the anise water and whisk until well combined.

The batter will be rather liquid which will give you a moist cake. Pour the batter into the tahini covered pan.

Sprinkle the topping of your choice, I used three. Sesame is the traditional topping, but you can use cashews or pecans. Experiment and make the recipe your own.

Bake for 30 min at 180 C. Check after 25 min; insert a skewer in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean then it´s done. 

Leave it to cool for about 10 to 20 min, remove it for the pan and wait until it cools completely.

Now all you need is to slice, sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy with a cup of mint tea or coffee.

Roscón de Reyes or "The Kings' Cake"

The holidays are over in many parts of the world but luckily here in Spain they linger till the 6th of January. Gift sharing is synonymous with Christmas across most of the world, however, for the Spanish, gifts are exchanged on the morning of the day awaited by children and adults alike: Día de los Reyes! This feast, which occurs on the 6th of January, is known elsewhere as the Epiphany and is celebrated much more modestly. However, in Spain and much of the Hispanic World the feast is celebrated widely.

On this special day, before unwrapping the gifts, the family gathers around a breakfast consisting of hot chocolate and the star of Christmas desserts in Spain and in many Hispanic countries: el Roscón de Reyes. The whole day and feast pays tribute to the Three Wise Men or Magi that foretold the arrival of Jesus Christ. Tradition has it that children receive gifts not from Santa Clause but from the Reyes or Wise Men themselves.

The roscon is a brioche like dough, though less buttery, that is usually decorated with candied fruits and can be filled with whipped cream. Small figurines are hidden in the cake and the one who finds it will be a king for a day and will supposedly have a better year!

I usually miss this celebration as I go home for Christmas and New Year celebration. This year, however, my family came to Madrid to spend the holidays. Even though I could have bought roscon from any pastry shop, supermarket or market fair, I decided that it is time to make it at home! It is always so much nicer when you share homemade desserts with your family. It is even better when you eat this delicious dessert with your favorite hot chocolate recipe.

To make the roscon you have to start with the start dough or poolish. The quantities listed are for 4 to 6 people.

You need:

• 75 g strong bread flour
• 75 g milk at 37 degrees C (98/99 F)
• 3 g fresh yeast

Mix all the ingredients together, cover and let the wet starter proof for 30 minutes. It should double in size and be full of bubbles.

For the final dough:

• 175 strong bread flour
• 40 g honey
• 1 large egg (50 g of it will go into the dough the rest will be used for the egg wash)
• zest of one medium orange and zest of half a lemon
• 2 tsp of bourbon
• 2 tsp of orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 g fresh yeast
• the poolish made previously
• 50 g soft butter

In a big bowl combine all the ingredients but the butter, and with the hook  attachment knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and shiny. Add the butter and knead again for another 10 minutes. After that time you will  have a smooth, elastic and shiny dough. Grease a bowl, put the dough inside of it, cover and let it rise until it doubles in size, which will take between 1 hour 30 min to 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, deflate it a bit by taking the sides of the dough and bringing them to the middle. Cover again and leave it the fridge for the next day.
If you don´t have time or you can´t wait, drop the dough on a lightly floured surface, shape it into a ball , make a hole in the middle and start stretching it carefully until you have a ring shaped roscón. I made a slight mistake while shaping mine as the hole should have been bigger so it won't close almost completely once baked. 

If you decide to leave the dough in the fridge overnight, you just need to make the same step mentioned above, 

Once the ring is formed, cover it and let it proof until it doubles in size, if the dough is cold it will take a bit longer! This step will take around 2 hours.

Preheat your oven at 200 C/392 F. Prepare the egg wash by mixing the rest of the egg with a teaspoon of milk and few drops of vanilla or cointreau.

Brush the dough with the egg wash and decorate it as you wish: candied fruits, pearled sugar, slivered almonds or whatever you like.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Traditionally the cake is served as it is, but in recent years some fillings like whipped cream or chocolate cream were added to spice up the traditional cake. 

Have the cake with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and enjoy a piece of Spanish tradition!

A Chocolate and Chestnut Cake For New Year!

As the year 2016 ends and the year 2017 is about to start, it is only fitting to end the old year and start the new with a sweet note. As chestnuts and glazed chestnuts are popular around this time of the year, I was inspired to incorporate sweetened chestnuts with a rich chocolate cake.

This chocolate and chestnut cake is rich, moist and delivers just the right amount of sweetness for New Year's Eve and the day after!

Although the cake will take some time to make, the steps needed are quite straightforward, and the end result is well worth it.

For the chocolate sponge cake you need (4 layers, 15 cm pan):

• 3 small eggs
• 20 g maple syrup
• 180 g sugar (I used 50 g brown sugar and the rest regular white sugar)
• 180 g cake flour
• 10 g cocoa powder
• 10 g baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 150 g butter
• 100 g chopped dark chocolate
• 160 g chestnut butter or spread or cream (whatever you call it) (recipe here)
• 50 g milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• Pinch of salt

First combine butter and chocolate and melt them on a gentle flame. Set aside.

Mix together all of the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a bowl, start beating the eggs, then gradually start adding the sugar and keep beating until mixture doubles in volume and becomes pale in color. Put your mixer at the lowest speed and add the chocolate and butter, once combined turn off your mixer.

Sift the flour mixture over the batter and gently fold with a rubber spatula. Once combined add the chestnut cream and fold, and finish with the milk.

Divide your batter into four 15cm pans, previously greased and covered with parchment paper (if you don´t have 4 pans just divide the batter in 2, bake the first batch while you keep the rest in the fridge, or use one pan then cut the baked cake in half) and bake for 25 min in a preheated oven (180C).
Once out of the oven, let the cakes cool for 5 min in the pans then remove them and put them on cooling rack to cool completely.

The filling is a made from pastry cream mixed with chestnut cream/spread.
For the pastry cream:

• 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup and half milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 30 g sugar
• 1 tbsp of corn starch
• 100 g butter

Heat the milk on a gentle flame. Beat the eggs with the sugar and corn starch. Temper the egg mix with some warm milk, then pour the egg mix into the milk. Continue heating and stirring the cream until it thickens enough. Mix in the butter until well incorporated. 

For the chestnut pastry cream:

• prepared pastry cream
• 250 g chestnut cream

Just combine the two creams until well mixed!

For the assembly:

Spread the chestnut pastry cream on the first cake layer and stack the second one. Repeat the process. Garnish the cake with chocolate shavings. I stacked the cake in a way as to look like a wood log, complete with rings on top and chocolate curls that look like bark plaques as they detach from the trunk.

At the end, I would like to wish to all of you the best and sweetest year you can possible have! 

Coconut and Lemon Madeleines!

I, like so many people out there, thrive on daily cocktails of little rituals. They form part of my life and I wouldn't give up on them for anything. Morning starts with a cup of cup sipped while watching the news and the afternoon is coffee time again but with a sweet nibble like a cake or a cookie!

When I have the time, I like to indulge and treat myself with layered cakes, stuffed with creams with countless flavor combinations. However, time is precious and not always available. Short on time, I look for simple yet delicious cakes that need no extra cream or filling to sing!

Madeleines de Commercy are one of those recipes that I think everyone should have in their repertoire. While they have a reputation of being hard to master, they are in fact easy. Of course, like all French desserts, you need to respect a certain protocol, but once you do that, the result will always be in your favor. Madeleines are also a good dessert to prepare ahead of time as you can prepare the batter up to one day in advance.

These little buttery cakes were first made in 1755 by a young girl named Madeleine.
King Stanilas of Lorraine was holding a lunch with guests when he knew that his pastry chef left after an argument. As a royal lunch would not be complete without a dessert, something was needed to be done.  The King's butler went on to it and found the right dessert. Cakes of a new and unusual shape, nice golden color, and a rich and deep flavor. The cakes were an instant hit and the king asked to know who was the genius behind the cake. The king was presented with a shy young girl. He then asked her about the name of the dessert. The girl said they didn't have a name and that this is what we usually bake at la "Commercy". The king asked the girl about her name and she replied" Madeline". The king then said "well then, we will call them after you" Madeline.

And after a bit of history let´s make these wonders with a little twist!

For 12 Madeleines you need:

• 1 egg at room temperature
• 50 g sugar
• 50 g pastry flour
• 25 g shredded coconut
• zest of half lemon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• dash of salt
• 4 g baking powder
• 70 g butter

First, put the butter in a saucepan and let it melt on a gentle flame, leave until it browns a bit and a wonderful nutty flavor fills your kitchen. Add the lemon zest and set aside.

In a bowl, mix the egg, vanilla and the sugar until it dissolves. Add the flour, salt, coconut, and baking powder. Mix until well combined and add the butter and the lemon.

Cover the batter and place it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight for better combination of flavors!

When ready to bake, grease the Madeleine mold, cover with flour and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. You can also do that step the night before!

Preheat the oven to 210 C, fill 2/3 of the mold to leave space for the cake to rise, place in the oven, and reduce the temperature to 170 C. The Madeleines should be done in 10 minutes.  The typical Madeleine bump will form and the edges will turn golden. Your cakes are done!

These cakes are better consumed the same day and they are so good dipped in a cup of coffee or to be enjoyed with tea or hot chocolate.