Znood al Set or Lady´s Arms! زنود الست

Znoud al Set, a sweet, crispy and delicious sweet

Previously I showed you how you can make, in the comfort of your home, traditional Arabic clotted cream (kachta or achta). This cream is a basic in many desserts, once you get the hang of it you can make your own pairings and combinations based on seasonal products or your personal preferences.

I decided to keep things simple yet elegant and delicious and I went with the choice of using the cream with phyllo pastry. One of the traditional recipes that call for the use of both ingredients and is quite popular in the Levant countries is called Znoud al Set which basically means Lady's Arms.

While I have the patience to prepare Arabic clotted cream at home, preparing phyllo dough at home is a different level of complexity. It's not that the ingredients used in the pastry are complicated, but it's almost impossible to achieve the level of thinness needed for phyllo dough using home utensils. Luckily phyllo dough is widely available in supermarkets so by all means, buy from a brand you trust. This paper thin dough is to make baklava but lends itself marvelously for a wide array of sweet and savory recipes.

It is believed that the art of stretching the phyllo dough into a papery thin pastry took place in the palaces of the Sultans of Istanbul. As for the dessert featured in this post, the story of its birth goes like this: In a dinner of the governor of the Ottoman provinces of Tripoli and Lattakia (1798-1833), Mustapha Agha Barbar, a new dessert was served, kachta rolled in phyllo pastry and that had the shape or the appearance of arms, so one of the guests suggested that these sweets should be called Znoud el set (or lady´s arm); perhaps to honor the big number of women guests to that dinner party, and so it was!

Traditionally, the phyllo is stuffed with kachta and rolled in cylindrical shape similar to the Chinese spring rolls. The rolls were then deep fried in oil and drizzled or dipped in sugar syrup. The rolls are then garnished with pistachios and rose petal jam.

Inspired by the traditional recipe, I made Znoud al Set but added a few twists here and there.  In order to prepare the recipe you will need the following (serves about 7):

• One pack of phyllo pastry, thawed
• A cup and a half of kachta 
• Sugar syrup
• Chopped pistachios
• Whipped cream (about a cup)
• Rose water or rose essence
• Figs
• Melted butter

For the syrup you need:

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• Tbsp of dried rose petals
• 2 cardamom pods
• Peel of half a lemon
• Tsp of orange blossom water 

Flavoring the syrup with aromatic ingredients will make it much more interesting

In order to prepare the sugar syrup you need to combine all ingredients together except for the  orange blossom water. Simmer on a low heat for about 10 to 15 min. After removing the syrup from the heat add the orange blossom water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Don't add the orange blossom water while the mix is still boiling, because the delicate essence of orange water would be lost with the heat.

Now you would want to prepare the rolls. Brush a sheet of phyllo with melted butter and fold it in 2, repeating this process with another sheet. Place on top of each other, place a tablespoon of kachta in a raised cylindrical fashion towards the end of the dough making sure that the cream doesn't touch the edges.
Fold the sides of the dough over the cream and roll the dough over the cream starting with the side closest to the cream and going outwards. You might be tempted to put too much cream inside the roll, don't do that. The cream will leak out during cooking.

Easy steps to make the roll

Brush the finished rolls with some butter again and place them on a baking tray in a preheated oven (200C) and cook them for about 20 min or until golden brown. You can fry the rolls in vegetable oils instead of baking them, and they will be delicious, but I prefer to bake them, it is a slightly healthier option, yet nonetheless as delicious if not more.

After being baked, traditionally, the rolls are dipped in sugar syrup. I decided to avoid that, and drizzled just a bit on top. More syrup can be added while serving the rolls.

Figs, a typical fruit of the Middle East, work so well in this recipe

You can pair the rolls with several fruits, but I think figs go really well with them. The sweet and tasty Mediterranean fruits can be cut in halves and  lightly sauteed in butter until they are lightly brown or you can just serve them fresh.

Light whipped cream adds a special note to the recipe

Finally, you can serve the znoud al set with some extra cream on the sight for extra indulgence and decadence. The whipped cream doesn't need to be sweet, but it is much more interesting if you flavor it with few drops of rose water.

Arrange the different ingredients in a serving plate, decorate as you find suitable and there you have it, a tasty sweet from the East.

You can try and you might succeed and taking a bite of all the ingredients at the same time. The mellow sweetness of the figs complement the crispy butteriness of the rolls and the milkiness of the kachta. The whipped rose infused cream adds this special light note at the end. Make sure you try this recipe, you will love it!

A sweet treat that combines complementary tastes and textures

Arabic clotted cream or Kachta! قشطة

Kachta, a basic ingredient in Arabic desserts

If there's a region around the world that can marry the beauty of nature with the richness of culture and history with the most exquisite flavors this region is undoubtedly the Mediterranean. Obviously I have a bias towards that region, but can you blame me? The Italian, the French, the Spanish, the Greek and the Near-Eastern cuisines are some of the best in the world and they are all Mediterranean.

The Near East (The Levant) and by extension the Middle East, at a crossroads between Asia, Africa and Europe, is a land of exchange and diversity. Its cuisine reflects the richness and depth of history it carries. Moreover, its a land of ingredients, where many firsts happened. Agriculture took roots in this region and many animals where domesticated here paving the way for a leap in human history: the shift from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one. Wheat, barely, dates, figs, grapes, olive oil, gee, butter, milk and honey are all ingredients that are as old as time itself in the Near East. As a land of exchange, these ingredients traveled from it to the world as new ingredients from distant places settled in further enriching its cuisine.

Sweets are an essential part of Near and Middle  Eastern cuisine with a wide variety of fruits and unrestricted use of sugar syrup over baked sweets. Even in the Mesopotamian times, cakes with dried fruits and nuts were prepared and considered as source of energy. 

While many of the region's ingredients are widely known in the West, some aren't. A prominent example would be this post star ingredient: kachta. Kachta is a form of clotted or condensed cream.
Together with nuts, kachta is used in many Arabic desserts. It is not certain when this ingredient came into being, but it is believed that it is centuries old and could haven been produced as a by-product of cheese, yogurt or butter preparation before it became a sought after product by itself.

 The clotted cream or Devonshire cream is made by heating the full cream milk using either steam or a double boiler, then it´s left to cool  for several hours in shallow pans, allowing the formation of clots.
As for Kashta, it is prepared by pouring milk in shallow copper  pans, about 10 cm high and not wider than 125 cm in diameter, then heated on high heat. As the milk starts to boil, the heat is lowered, allowing the milk to lose temperature and at this time a white veil appears on the surface, and it is skimmed with a mesh skimmer.

It seems that as milk is heated the protein and the fats in it react and form this veil or skin on top. The skin is thicker if the milk is richer in fat, however even skimmed milk forms this skin when heated as no skim milk is truly fat free. 

In the middle east, kachta is usually bought from pastry shops, if not available there is an easy recipe to make a similar kachta. I warn you, this recipe requires only one ingredient but a lot of patience. 

I honestly don't have a copper pan and didn't want to buy one just for this recipe so I used  a stainless steel one. I had about a liter and a half of fresh full fat milk which I poured in the pan and put over the stove. Back home, we get fresh milk from a nearby farm every Tuesday, so If you are lucky and you can get it fresh, please do.

One ingredient and a lot of patience

You can pasteurize the milk before you proceed with the recipe and I recommend you do so.  After that, you put the milk on high heat until it boils, then you lower the heat and wait for the skin to form which you skim and put on a strainer to remove the liquid milk. Repeat the high and low heat action untill you are almost out of milk in the pan! . 

In order to make enough kachta to be used in other recipes, you will have to be patient, like really patient. It took around an hour and a half to make one cup and a half. However, I felt proud to do something people usually always buy from pastry shops.

The end result of your hard labor is a rich cream, packed with milk flavor and with a special texture. There are endless uses of this cream and many arabic desserts call for its use. An easy way to enjoy it is by adding some honey and nuts to it or adding it to fruit salads.

If you want you can elevate the level of sophistication and stuff some buttered sheets of phyllo dough with the cream and than bake in the oven until crispy and golden. Drizzle over some sugar syrup or honey and sprinkle some pistachios. But I will share more details about this recipe in the upcoming post, so make sure to stop by and get a taste of Arabian nights.

Sweet, crispy and creamy

French Toast or Pain Perdu: A Sweet Start of The Day

A very decadent way to start your day!

Widely known as French toast, but  you also can find it under many other names depending on the region you're coming from. As such, it can be calledGerman toast, Arme ritter, nun's toast, among other names.

The Spaniards call their version torrija.  During the Holy Week which precedes Easter the special bread needed to make torrijas fills bakeries and supermarkets as well as ready made torrijas. Tradition has that it's best to serve this delicacy specially on Thursday and Friday of the Holy Week.

In France, it's is known as pain perdu, which means lost bread. Since the recipe calls for the use of stale bread, it is a clever way to use this bread before it becomes too old and therefore lost.

Historically, it is believed that the recipe goes back to roman days. The Romans used to soak bread in milk and beaten eggs the fry it in oil and sweeten it with honey. The french recuperated the recipe calling it pain à la Romaine or Roman style bread.

The recipe became more popular and important during the medieaval era, as european used  stale bread to create dishes that could feed their families and the popular delicacy became known as pain perdu.

The dish followed Europeans settlers into the New World and with time, this simple yet delectable dish traveled the world, served especially as a breakfast or a dessert after a nice but preferably light meal!

French toast is one of my favorite way to start the morning, especially during the weekends. After all you need to pamper and indulge yourself after a long week of hard work, you need it and deserve it.

The recipe is very flexible and lends itself well to variations. I make many kinds of variations to the basic recipe. If you are in a hurry or feeling a tad lazy, just sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top, or you can serve with caramel sauce and if you feel the need to indulge yourself more, make some elaborate toppings with fruits, cream and cream cheese.

One day, my dear friend Ralf told me that the best french toast he had was the one he had in Bali which was served  with maple syrup, strawberries, mascarpone cheese and topped with chocolate shavings. Just examining the ingredients by themselves you know you are in for a exquisite treat, and I had to do it!  I tried to figure out what was the best way to bring these ingredients together and I tested it. The result was beyond my expectations!! It's now a favorite of mine!

If you want to create this decadent french toast you will need:

• 6 brioche slices (I serve 2 per pesron)
• 300 ml of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp of liquid caramel

(These ingredients will serve 3 to 4 persons depending on how hungry they are)

Few easy steps make the basis of this recipe

Put the milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and caramel in a blender, and mix until well combined which  doesn't take more than few seconds.

Pour the milk mixture over the sliced bread. Make sure the slices are all covered but don't soak for too long, a minute or 2 are enough. Put it longer and the bread will start to fall apart.

Melt some butter in a pan and fry the bread untill golden brown on both sides

For the topping you need:

• About 10 strawberries.
• 150 g of mascarpone cheese
• 1 tbsp of caramel sauce
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
• Chocolate shavings. You can use dark, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate, it depends on what you prefer. 

Mix the mascarpone with caramel and the maple syrup. If you want you can also add some cream. Add it in its liquid form to make the mix richer, or whipped to make the mix lighter in texture.

Mascarpone cheese is ideal for this recipe

When the toast is ready, drizzle some maple syrup over the golden slices, add the sliced strawberries, a dollop of the mascarpone mix, the chocolate and voila, there you have it an amazing dish just waiting to be eaten.

Please note that the cream will melt quickly if the bread is too hot, so you can wait untill it cools of a bit or just eat it quickly before the cheese melts! Bon appetit.

Best eaten on a calm Sunday morning while watching your favorite show!

Pavlova with Raspberries, a Dessert Fit For a Ballerina

Pavlova, a classic that never goes out of fashion

Rivalry between the Oceanic neighbors, the Aussies and the Kiwis, is well known all over the world, a healthy and humorous competition that bears similarities with what goes on in other parts of the world.

The battlefield of this rivalry is quite often sports arena of the games most popular in both countries especially rugby. Though it seems that sports arenas could not contain all the competition which made its way to the cuisine of these countries. Both Australia and New Zealand claim credit for giving the world the delicate, light and delicious dessert named Pavlova.

Although the country of origin remains debatable, what's certain is how Pavlova came to be. Ana Pavlova was a famous Russian ballet dancer who toured both countries in the early 20th century. Meringue, which is the base of Pavlova was widely in the culinary history way before the creation of the Pavlova. but it  is said that a meringue based dessert was created or named in her honor around 1926.

If you google some of Anna Pavlova's pictures  while on stage floating like a feather one would understand why this dessert now has her name. Light in color and crisp from the outside but with a gooey soft marshmallow like interior; a dessert fit for a delicate and talented dancer.

Don't be fooled by its fancy origins, the Pavolva is easy to make. It is also considered as light and has less calories than many traditional desserts. What's great about this dessert is that from the same basic base (though different aromas can be added) you can use an endless variety of toppings to get a different taste every time. From créme pattissiere, to créme chantilly, to mascarpone cheese, and all kind of fruits, candies, chocolate, or whatever your imagination and taste may lead you.

Many recipes require that you use more egg yolks than whites and I faced the situation of having several egg whites in the fridge. Sometimes I would even freeze the whites in plastic bags and take them one day ahead of using them and put them in the fridge. Egg whites are needed in several sweet recipes such as Angel cake, meringue and a favorite of mine: Pavlova. What's great about this dessert is the minimal ingredients it needs.

To do the Pavlova you will need the following (serves about 4):

• 1 egg white (room temperature)
• 62 g of sugar (or a cuarter cup)
• 1/4 tsp of white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of corn flour
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• few drops of lemon juice

The few steps needed to get a white and glossy meringue

In well cleaned and dry  glass or aluminium bowl well cleaned  rubbed with lemon juice to remove any fat residue that might be stuck to the surface of the bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixture at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually, start adding the sugar sprinkling over the eggs white in batches. Beat untill the mixture is very white and glossy with stiff soft peaks.
Sprinkle the corn flour, vanilla, vinegar and lemon juice and fold in gently with a rubber spatula.
On a tray covered with silicone mat or baking paper, pour your mixture in a circular form letting the edges be a bit higher than the center.
Bake the pavlova in a preheated oven (140C) for about an hour or an hour 15 minutes. You can also start baking it on 160C for 15 minutes then lower the heat to 140C for the remaining time.
It should be white on the top and lightly pink on the bottom.

Raspberries and rose petals 

For the Rose cream and raspberry topping you need:

• 150 ml of whipping cream
• a tablespoon of sugar
• a tbsp of rose petal jam
• Raspberries

Whip the cream with the sugar until it doubles in size and has a fluffy and light texture. Fold in the rose jam and mix well with a spoon until combined.

When the Pavlova is completely cooled, add the flavored cream in the center and top with raspberries. I only used a few since I wanted to taste all the complex layers of flavor with a spoonful and that none of the ingredients overpowers the rest.

The rose cream making its way to the pavlova

  Pavlova is a dessert deemed fit for a world renowned artist, try it and you will understand why.

The different layers of flavors and textures

Artistic and light, a dessert that delights

Wild Blackberries Tart

Unripe wild blackberries growing in Madrid area

To say that Madrid is a beautiful city is an understatement, but even the most delightful city can be stressful sometimes. Luckily, the regions surrounding Madrid offer an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life.  Whenever you are tired of the frenetic life in the city you can always escape to one of the numerous villages in the Madrid area and in half an hour you can find yourself surrounded by beautiful and soothing landscapes.

It was on hot Sunday morning that my sister and I decided to go and discover one of those beautiful places. We headed to Manzanares del real, a wonderful place just 40 minutes by bus from down town Madrid.

As soon as we started walking towards La Pedriza  protected biosphere along the river, we made a  pleasant discovery.
On the road sides the abundance of wild plants growing took me back in time to when I was young and used to make such little discoveries every time I left the city for  the village and  go to the fields to pick up apricots and plums, enjoy a corn on the cob grilled on wood flames, pick up luscious and inviting pomegranates, but above all to fill my stomach with ripe (and sometimes unripe) blackberries. Their sharp taste and fragrance were and still are too difficult to resist.

Blackberries filled the area, looking at me and my sister as if they were begging to be picked and eaten. It was the perfect surprise that complemented the joyous discovery of this wonderful village.
As we started picking and savoring that amazing taste of our childhood and remembering the good old days, we thought we should pick up some more to take home. We had a bottle of water that we emptied quickly and started to fill it as we walked along the riverside. It wasn't easy finding ripe fruits, but we managed to fill almost all the bottle. And this is how we got back to Madrid with some free fruits and a wonderful taste of the Madrid countryside.

At first I thought it was best to eat these fruits, fresh, as they are. But, it's not always easy finding quality fruits like that, so in honor of their exquisite taste, I decided to feature them in a tart. Who would say no to another tart with summer berries? I know I wouldn't!

Ripe blackberries, a true delicacy

It wasn't hard to come up with something that would do justice to these fruits. Their fragrant and sharp taste would perfectly complement a creamy velvety mascarpone filling accompanied with a buttery crust that melts in your mouth.

To do this mascarpone cream and blackberries tart you will need few ingredients, some patience and a lot of love.

For the crust you will need:

• 250 g flour
• 125 g butter
• Tsp of sugar
• pinch of salt
• Ice cold water

This amount is sufficient for a 20 cm tart pan. If you have a larger pan or you need to do more calculate the amount accordingly. The steps needed to succeed in doing the crust were clearly explained in my previous post Tartelettes or mini tarts, so please check it for all the details you need.

Few steps are needed to have the perfect pie crust

For the filling

• 200 ml of cream
• 200 g mascarpone or cream cheese if you wish
• 20 g of sugar
• teaspoon of vanilla
• Teaspoon of white rum, or any other liquor that you prefer

The essential steps you need to do

Whip the cream with the sugar until the cream is fluffy and has soft peaks. As you have noticed, the amount of sugar used in this recipe is minimal. You can add more if you want, but remember that you want a balanced dessert and not a sickly sweet one.
In a separate bowl, whip the mascarpone, the vanilla and the liquor to fluff up the cheese. Finally combine the whipped cream and the cheese.

Pour the cream into the cooled crust, or pipe it. It doesn't have to be an elegant piping. Then let the berries fall over the cream. You can add some shaved chocolate or leave it as it is. 

Blackberry and cream cheese pie with a hint of chocolate for added flavor

And now you can enjoy a summery and delightful dessert!

Light and fruity, a pie to do again and again

Tartelettes or Mini Tarts

A trio of mini pies or tartelletes

The French have cute names for desserts, don't they? Tartelettes or mini tarts are cute little pies that are such a joy to prepare and ideal for parties and birthdays. Like their bigger siblings, mini tarts or pies are made of basically two components, the pie crust and the filling. If you master the pie crust you will be able to prepare hundreds of sweet and savory recipes using a different filling each time.

The pie crust evolved throughout history. In the past it was made out of a simple flour water mixture and was used as a carrier to the filling and not as an essential part of the recipe. Pies, in the past, served societies' classes in a a rather peculiar way, the rich would eat the filling and leave the crust for the poor to consume. 

During the Renaissance, the pie pastry experienced many changes, fat began to be added and the recipe was taken to another level. It was made more malleable, served many purposes and became essential to the success of the recipe.

Shortcrust is one of these crusts that are used for tarts, pies or quiches. It is done by incorporating cold fat (butter or shortening most of the times) then adding a bit of ice water.
As the rule of thumb, the proportion of fat is half the amount of flour. There are some other varieties where egg is added or sugar, and sometimes even increasing the amount of fat to give even more flaky, delicate and buttery dough that melts in the mouth.

As for the filling you have an endless choices savory or sweet varieties. From a simple pie with jam to more elaborated and sophisticated fillings, where various textures might be mixed together to get a balanced but  surprising taste.

After enjoying the summer pudding I prepared earlier, I had many summer berries left, so I decided to use them in mini tarts or tartelletes with different shapes and fillings.

For the crumbly and buttery shortcrust you need (enough to prepare  9 to 10 mini tarts):

• 200 g of flour
• 100 g of butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspon of sugar
• Ice cold water (cold water mixed with ice cubes)

How to:
The easiest way to make the  dough is by mixing the butter, flour, sugar and salt in  a food processor and pulse for just few seconds, you don't need more than a minute. At this stage the dough should look like wet sand, the kind that sticks to your feet while walking on the beach!

Transfer the mixture to a working surface or to a bowl, and start adding some water,  teaspoon by teaspoon. When you add the first spoon, mix it to the dough, but do not knead, and if the dough comes together in a ball, stop mixing. Usually for this amount you might need two teaspoons of water. However, flours differ in their capacity to absorb water. Therefore be careful when not to add too much water at once which will leave you with a sticky dough in need of more flour.

Another important thing to remember when preparing these kind of buttery and crumbly doughs is that you should not mix and knead like you would do when preparing a bread or pizza dough. If you do so, the pie crust will be hard which goes against the purpose of this dough.
When the dough is ready roll it into a disk or ball and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour before using it.

Preheat your oven to 180 C. On a floured surface, slowly start flattening the pastry with a lightly floured rolling pin. The dough should almost half a centimeter in thickness. Cut the shapes you want, put in them in the tray and again leave them in the fridge for 10 minutes. This additional resting step will allow the pie to keep its shape as it bakes in the oven.

Pie crust, few ingredients needed for sublime texture and taste

Before baking the pie shells, cover them with baking paper and some rice, beans, chickpeas or whatever you have available to keep the dough from rising. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the paper and the beans and bake for an additional 5 to 10 min or until the pastry acquires a beautiful lightly golden color.

I prepared several fillings, and they are all easy to make.

For the white chocolate ganache and blueberry filling you will need.

• 125 g white chocolate
• 75 ml  of heavy cream 
• Few drops of creme de cassis which is a liqueur flavored with black currents
• Some blueberries 

Heat the cream with the berries, pour them over the chopped chocolate, stir until well combined then add the creme de cassis.
Let it cool for some time then add it to the cooled pastry, you can add some drops of toffee, and then cover  fresh blueberries. The ganache might be a bit runny but is absolutely amazing.

For the love of angels, try this tart

For the mascarpone and raspberry mini tarts

• 100 g mascarpone
• 100 ml heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla 

Whisk the mascarpone cheese. At first it might get liquid but as you beat it more it will get thicker.
Mix the sugar with the cream and whisk until it thickens a bit then add to the mascarpone. Mix the cream and the cheese and beat until you get a fluffy and creamy texture.
Pipe the mascarpone cream into the pastry shells and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Red, white and golden, the colors of a great dessert

 For the redcurrants and chocolate ganache tartelettes

• 100 g of semisweet chocolate
• 70 ml of heavy cream
• A teaspoon of vanilla
• Some redcurrants

In a saucepan, heat the cream with the redcurrants. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, mix until well dissolved and combined, add the vanilla and mix again, cool and pour into the tarts. Decorate with fesh redcurrants.

Red currants and chocolate ganache, a pure delight

And here you have it with one pie crust recipe and simple fillings you will have three different and delicious types of tartelletes, a pure delicacy that will surely impress.
Enjoy!

Mini tarts with summer berries

Summer Pudding

A summery pudding that refreshes and delights

It's summer, the perfect season for outdoor activities, vacations, sea-side promenades, family gatherings in mountains to enjoy the cool night, or by the sea to profit from the refreshing breeze.  

But above all, summer is the season for the best fruits and what is more summery than delicious summer berries. Whether eaten fresh or in desserts, summer berries never disappoint. What's better is that the great variety of berries will surely satisfy even the most picky eaters. Summer berries are the highlight of a refreshing and delightful summer treat that will satisfy your craving for a sweet, fruity and cold treat that give you, albeit temporary, a relief from the oppressive summer heat.

Bread has been a staple food since the earliest civilizations. In addition, stale bread was used since time by-gone in sweet and savory puddings which is a clever way to avoid wasting such a precious food commodity.  However, it is believed that summer pudding appeared in the 19th century Britain which consisted of  a pudding flavored with summer fruits especially  raspberries and redcurrants.

During my visit to Barcelona, I passed by its famous food market, La Boqueria, where you can find almost everything you can imaging. They had a variety of excellent berries so I couldn't resist buying some. Mind you, I consumed a lot of them fresh, and they were yummy. But I wanted to feature these berries in a dessert that would honor their taste and texture and what better than a home-style summer pudding.  

Summer berries are some of the most appealing and tasty fruits

For this recipe you will need (for a small bowl about 8 cm in height and 10 cm  in diameter):

• 500 g of summer berries. I used strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and redcurrants. You can use the mix of fruits you desire.
• Brioche bread: about 9 pieces. You can use other breads, but the brioche's butteriness and soft texture complement the tartness of the fruits.
• A teaspoon of vanilla.
• 100 g of sugar or a bit more if you want it sweeter. This would vary depending on the sweetness of the berries you are using.

The recipe is easy to realize, just follow these steps:

In a saucepan combine about 200 g of the berries with the sugar. Let them simmer on a low heat for few minutes until the fruits exude their juices and the sugar is well dissolved and combined with the fruity nectar.  Off the heat, mix the remaining fruits with the cooked berries.
Make sure there is enough syrup to cover the bread. In case you aren't sure, add some a tablespoon or two of water.

The four basic steps needed to prepare this dessert

While the fruits are cooling, line your bowl with plastic. Prepare your bread by removing some of the brown crust it has and start lining the bowl with the bread. Add the fruits and cover the top with the remaining bricohe bread. Seal it with plastic and refrigerate over night. Press down the pudding with a plate; this helps to get the pudding together and not fall apart as it you remove it from the bowl.

Candied rose petals add a romantic and luxurious touch to any dessert

The next day, remove the plastic that covers the top of the pudding, and then turn the pudding on the serving plate. Remove the plastic that covers the sides.

Decorating the pudding with rose petals

Decorate it as you wish. I used sugar glazed rose petals to give it a summery and romantic touch.

Crystallized rose petals adorn the pudding

The dessert is great on its own, but it can be served along with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  

Serve with vanilla ice cream for a more summery feel

Catalan Menu: Part II, Crema Catalana

In my previous post, Catalan menu part I, I shared with you some of the easy and delicious dishes common throughout the Catalonia region and its darling city Barcelona. You all know I have a sweet tooth, so you didn't think I visited Barcelona without eating a dessert or two. If there's one dessert you have to try while in Barcelona, that dessert would have to be Crema Catalana, or Catalan cream.    

Catalan cream is similar to the french Creme brulee, but with some some basic differences. The French version is made with heavy cream and egg yolks while the Spanish or Catalan version is made with milk, egg yolks and corn flour as a thickening agent. The creme brulee is thickened through a bain Marie (a double boiler).

From a historical point of view, this dessert is considered as one of the oldest cream recipes in Europe as it was featured many times in medieval Catalan recipes books. The dessert apparently has some Jewish and Moorish influences as it is believed that it was within the Jewish tradition to thicken milk with eggs and the Moors added their aromatic flavors such cinnamon and lemon peel to it. 
In addition, this creamy dessert used to be served on the 19th of March, Saint Joseph's day, and that´s why it´s also called crema de Sant Josep. but now you can find it all year around!

Just few ingredientes, easy steps and you will get an amazing and refreshing dessert suitable for a distinguished end to a traditional and delicious Catalan meal or to enjoy in a beautiful summer evening or night!

For 2 persons you need:

• 250 ml of milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 8 g of corn flour
• 30 g of sugar
• Flavoring aromas:  traditionally you need lemon peel and a cinnamon stick. However I added some additional flavorings: vanilla pod and lavender. You might be surprised by the use of lavender, however this flower adds an aromatic undertone that lifts the flavor of the cream to a new height.  

Instructions:

In a sauce pan, combine the milk and the flavoring aromas and let it simmer for few minutes.
While the milk is simmiring, add the sugar to the egg yolks, whisk throughly for about 2 or 3 minutes until the eggs are well aerated and pale in color .

Now add the corn flour and mix untill it´s well combined Strain the milk, and slowly start adding it to the egg mixture.

Bring back the mixture into the saucepan, put it on a low heat and start whisking slowly until the mixture start to thicken which will take a few minutes.

The cream now is ready to be poured into recipients. You can use clay dishes for an authentic feel.

Level the cream so you get an even surface, leave it to cool.
Then put in the fridge for a few hours.
When cream is cold, and ready to be served sprinkle sugar on top and with a blowtorch caramelize it.

When you caramelize the sugar, leave it to cool for few minutes.
The cream is ready to be served, decorated as you wish and enjoy a creamy, smooth and fragrant dessert!

Catalan Menu, Part One

Sagrada Familia Cathedral

Back to Madrid, my adopted city, from the amazing Barcelona but I can´t wait to go back and enjoy everything this city has to offer, especially its cuisine.

In Barcelona you can find all types of cuisines, but what one should really try is the local food. The Catalan cuisine is part of the Meditarranean diet, that is based on vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, cereals and seafood. In other words a very healthy, rich and delicious diet!

I have tried some of Cataluñia´s most popular dishes and in this post I will try to recreate some of them so you can sample a few of the treats that Barcelona can offer to you!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and what better way to start a journey with pa amb tomaquet; it´s the typical breakfast in Cataluñia and in many other Spanish regions. All you need for this simple dish is bread, garlic, tomato, olive oil, salt and pepper. Yes, just that, bread with tomato!

Simple ingredients for a great breakfast

Grate a medium-sized tomato, which is enough for one person, season with salt and pepper. Toast your favorite bread, while it´s still hot rub with a garlic glove, then drizzle some oil over the bread, and serve the tomato puree on the side. Dunk in the warm crunchy bread in the refreshing tomato sauce and enjoy.

A good way to start your day!

For lunch, why not try one of the Mediterranean most popular vegetables, the artichoke. Catalans are in love with artichoke, it's no surprise it ranks as the number 2 vegetable in Cataluñia after tomatoes. Catalans are pretty creative with its use and you can find it featured in so many local recipes. I will share one with you which I had in Barcelona which was incredibly delicious and is so easy to make.

Before baking in the oven

It´s Artichoke with Iberian ham and parmesan cheese, for it you need:

• 500 g of artichoke (if fresh boil them until soft, if in jar just drain them)
• Garlic (to taste)
• 150 g of cured Spanish ham
• Parmesan cheese (about 200 g or more)
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in an oven proof pan, add the garlic. Wait until the garlic smell hits you to add the artichoke. Stir for 3 to 4 min. Season with salt and pepper, but don't be heavy-handed with the salt as the ham and the cheese are salty, otherwise the dish will be too salty. Add the ham all over the artichoke, sprinkle the cheese and put in the oven. It´s ready when the cheese has melted and the ham is a bit crispy.

Creamy and hearty wholesome meal

Add some oregano and drizzle with high quality fragrant oil extra virgin olive oil. You can add pepper and rosemary if you want. Enjoy with some red wine or all by itself!

Serving suggestion

The main course will be with the one of Catalonia´s star products: Botifarra!
A sausage taking its source from an old roman recipe, it contains pork meat and spices, even though you can find other varieties where rice or blood are added and even truffles!
There is an endless list of botifarra recipes, and I chose the one with white beans since the buttery sweet consistency of the beans really compliments the meaty spiciness of the sausages. 

For the botifarra with beans you need, for 3 to 4 persons:

• 600 g of sausages (2 pieces)
• 500 g of cooked beans
• A garlic clove
• The juice of a lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of ground cumin and cinnamon
  
• Chives

If you are lucky and have a barbecue, grill the sausages, if not fry them in a pan with some oil.

Sausages frying in the pan

Meanwhile heat the beans. Crush the garlic with the salt and the spices and add the lemon juice. Mix with the beans and add a little bit of the water you used to heat the beans and then drizzle with high quality olive oil.

Serving suggestion

Serve some beans in the plate and add the fried sausages and garnish with chives!

I know by now you're craving for something sweet, but that will have to wait a bit!