Spring colours

Winter was rigorous, Spring has been nonexistent around here. It's the middle of May and I'm yet to change my closet, moving winter coats and sweaters until the next cold season. Little dresses, light clothes or sandals are a far sight while temperatures refuse to go up and rain move to different latitudes. Today we have a glorious sun and the promise of a springy day... I'll let you know if my lighter clothes had the chance to see daylight or if I've been mislead by the beautiful sunshine outside. One perfect way to celebrate a sunny day is a colourful dessert. There's nothing easier to make than a panna cotta. C'mon Spring!



Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis
Adapted slightly from Laura Zavan, Dolce, Marabout.

serves 4

200ml double cream
250ml whole milk
3 gelatine leaves
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
40g granulated sugar

Soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft. Heat the double cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan. Add vanilla pod and seeds and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Remove the bean (clean, dry and use into sugar for flavour and aroma).

Lightly oil the cups with a neutral-tasting oil. Pour the milk mixture and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for 2 hours, until set.

for the coulis:

200g strawberries, hulled and halved (reserve 2 or 3 smaller, prettier ones to serve)
25g caster sugar (or more, if your strawberries are on the tart side)
1 tbsp sweet white wine
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Bring the wine and sugar to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the strawberries and lemon zest (if using) and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a bowl and discard (eat!) the fruit pulp.

Run a sharp knife around the edge of each panna cotta and unmold onto a serving plate. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with the reserved strawberries and extra blueberries (optional).

On broad beans and coriander flowers

It's that time of the year: broad beans are everywhere with their vibrant colour, soft texture and perfect flavour. If you're crazy about broad beans like I am, you sure understand all the fuss about them. The season is short! Of course if you dislike broad beans (like my mom) you won't really see all the joy that comes with a large bag and the promise of long hours shelling and peeling beans. No matter how unexciting the process is, I seem to never have enough -- creamy soups, crunchy salads or comfy stews, vegetarian or with a little bacon but always paired with the most perfect bouquet of aromatic herbs: garlic leaves, leek tops, mint and coriander flowers. Oh the joy!

Get a bowl and a spoon, I'm serving soup.



Creamy Broad Bean Soup with a Poached Egg

Serves 4-6

1,2Kg fresh broad beans (in the pod)
1 medium leek (or 2 small)
1 medium onion
2 tbsp olive oil
950ml vegetable stock
small bunch coriander (flowered, if you can get them)
few mint sprigs (optional)

4 fresh large eggs, organic
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

Shell broad beans and remove the skin (yes, it's time consuming but necessary to get the velvety texture and bright green colour). Reserve. Make a bouquet with the leek top, coriander and mint. Tie the bunch together with kitchen twine. Coarsely chop the onion and leek's white part. Put olive oil in a large pot, add onion and leek and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add prepared broad beans and the bouquet. Pour the stock and cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Remove the herb bouquet. Using a hand blender, blend until creamy. Check seasoning. Add a little salt if necessary.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil. When the water boils, add the vinegar. Lower the water to a slow simmer. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Carefully pour the egg into the boiling water. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove with a a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Toast 4 slices of bread. Pour the soup into 4 large bowls. Put one poached egg and a toast in each one. Ground some black pepper on the egg. Add a dash of olive oil and serve.

Daring Bakers - Age of steam!

In my opinion British Cuisine is sometimes underrated. I love the simple approach to food, both savoury and sweet. Perhaps because I tend to think of some British traditional puddings when I'm craving something sweet as comfort food: a warm crumble, a splash of custard or a spoonful of sponge pudding. And Britons know their way around puddings, that's for sure! The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of The Lilac Kitchen. She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet. I've decided for a butter based version of steamed pudding with a fruit base.



Apple Cinnamon Steamed Pudding
Adapted from BBC Good Food

350g apples, sliced
200g caster sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
125g unsalted butter
few drops natural vanilla extract
2 medium eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour

Cook the sliced apples with 75g of the sugar and the spices over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften. Remove from heat.
Grease a 900ml pudding basin. Put butter and remaining sugar in a bowl and cream together. Stir in vanilla extract, then beat in eggs, a little at a time. Sift in flour and carefully fold into the mixture.
Spoon fruit into the bottom of the basin, then spoon the sponge mixture on top and level off surface.
Butter a piece of greaseproof paper slightly bigger than the top of the pudding basin. Make a pleat in the centre and secure over the top of basin. Repeat with a piece of foil, then secure the whole thing with string. Place in a pan half filled with simmering water. Cover and cook for 1½ hrs, checking regularly that the pan does not boil dry. Remove cover, invert the pudding onto a plate, then carefully lift off the pudding basin. Serve with crème fraîche or single cream.

My thoughts on the challenge:
- Suet is not my thing so I've decided to go with butter instead;
- This recipe is a charm to make, and very versatile if you use a different fruit/spice combination like I did;
- The cooking technique is quite easy if you follow instructions. Also called Bain Marie, it requires only a pot of simmering water and a bit of attention;
- I've served mine with plain greek yoghurt.

Have a look at all the wonderful puddings at Daring Kitchen!

Food for uncertain weather

Spring is not the best of seasons.
Cold and flu are two good reasons;
wind and rain and other sorrow,
warm today and cold tomorrow.

Its author unknown, its style almost puerile - these verses are anything but an ode to Spring! I love shinny bright springy days and green and white trees with the promises of summer fruit as much as I love the beautiful white-ish flowers of my thyme. But that doesn't stop me from being unsure with the weather and crave comforting oven dishes: food for uncertain weather! I also pack a sweater and an umbrella every time I leave the house, just in case... Nothing like enjoy the moment and be ready for whatever the weather brings!



Baked Sweet Potato Chips

serves 2

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
salt, ground cumin, paprika, ground ginger, to taste (about 1/3 tsp each)
1 tbsp olive oil
fleur de sel to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF). In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, and spice mixture. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in an ovenproof shallow dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve immediately.

City of your dreams?

To some it must have palm trees and open waters reaching for the infinite, to other it's just memories sedimented, coming and going like the sea. The city of your dreams is where you want it to be, at your doorstep or on the other side of the world - the exact spot where your brain becomes your heart, and as they say keeps passions forever.

[Pictured above is the work of John Baldessari in the exhibition Pure Beauty presented by MACBA - Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona. All Barcelona photos by Mr. Taster, aka the husband.]



It was in another century that Mr. Taster and I fell in love with Barcelona. Still living fame and fortune of having held the Olympics a couple of years before, the city was full of interest and life. We were twenty years old and an entire life to be back. In our bag we packed Frank Gehry's fish, the narrow streets of Gothic Quarter, the atrium at the Textile Museum and the sea view from the Olympic Port [all above]. We also took the hot chocolate aroma and some spoonfuls of crema catalana with the promise to taste it again and again. Fifteen years went by whilst we (re)arranged memories to make them perfect. Last week we arrived to a very different Barcelona - one we didn't quite remember. Strange, long lost memory. No city survives the expectations built over a decade and a half of wait. Our only hope was for the passion to happen once more...



And it did one morning when visiting the German National Pavilion for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. Considered an example of Modern architecture, it was designed by Mies van der Rohe and reconstructed on its original site on Montjuïc in the 80's. It started here the story of an unknown city that won our heart. For the second time.

Wild, wild... rice!

Wild rice is not really rice. There you go. My favourite way to bring bad news is always to just say what I have to say, and then try my best to prove it's not actually that bad... Wild rice is in fact the seed of a plant, usually sold and cooked with (normal) rice. It's also my top ingredient of the moment - I *just* love it! Today's recipe is a salad. Easy to make, good with fish or meat as a side dish or on itself, eaten on the kitchen bench, with the music on and your mind elsewhere.

Wild rice Salad with Cashews
Adapted from Patricia Cornwell and Marlene Brown, Food to Die For - Secrets from Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen

Serves 4, as a side dish

½ cup wild rice (about 80g)
500 ml (2 cups) chicken or veggie broth
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 large green pepper, chopped
½ cup cashews, coarsely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped

for the dressing:
1½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
½ garlic clove, very finely minced
salt and black pepper

lettuce leaves to serve

Wash and drain the wild rice. Heat broth in a medium pot. Cook rice until soft (follow the instructions on the packet for cooking times). In a large saucepan. heat olive oil. Add pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped cashews and green onion. Mix until cashews become golden. Remove from the heat. Add cooked wild rice and fold gently, just to mix everything.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar with a lid. Put the lid on and shake vigorously until blended. Pour over the salad. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Daring Bakers - Pick me up, please!

My grandma (who was an excellent cook and a brilliant baker) didn't care much for what she'd call "fancy spoon desserts". Grandma would bake a pudding or a tart or even a layered cake but would pay no attention to such thing as a charlotte. When I was 15 years old I've lived for a few months in England without my family - it opened my mind in many different ways (some of which I'm not about to disclose, fear not!!). The first time I set eyes on a Tiramisu it looked pretty much like a trifle to me... A trifle without fruit! Tasting it made me think again how trifle-ish it was but the beautiful addition of cheese and coffee made it into something completely different. To this day I still have trouble adding fruit to a tiramisu, although nutty flavours make a perfect pairing to mascarpone. Back home, I've decided to make a Tiramisu for a family lunch. Not taking my eyes off grandma, I've seen her having a second helping without a blink! It became a family favourite and my very own "speciality". My recipe is very different from this month challenge, it uses raw egg and no cream, so trying a new approach at an old favourite made it quite exciting.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.



TIRAMISU
Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007

Serves 6

For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE
Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese

Makes 12oz/340g of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.



LADYFINGERS/SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
Makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

My thoughts on the challenge:
- Every recipe was quite easy to make. This is a somewhat laborious dessert but by no means difficult.
- The ladyfingers were super nice. I'll definitely keep this recipe instead of the one I've used for several years.
- I've used Amaretto instead of Marsala, just because it was what I had on hand. It worked fine!
- As I said before, my recipe uses raw egg (yolks and whites) and no cream. I find the texture better this way, and assuming you have a trustable supplier of fresh eggs it really isn't a problem (at least not for me).

A Moroccan Supper

It has been cold in Lisbon for the last month or so. I get cranky when skies are gray and temperatures get to one digit, and student papers seem to grow from my desk! Although I like wintertime, I'm not happy with rain every other day, cold feet and a running nose. There's just one way to get my mood right when that happens: hot spicy soup! For the record, I'm yet to make it to Morocco. No idea why I haven't really since it's just around the corner... The smells and flavours of ras-el-hanout couldn't be more perfect to cheer me up!

Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Adapted from Rachel's Food for Friends

Serves 4-6

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (125g), chopped
2 stalks celery (100g) chopped
salt and pepper
2 ½ tsp freshly ground cumin
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
a pinch of sugar (for the tomatoes)
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
600ml vegetable stock
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp coriander leaves and stalks, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions and celery, and season. Cook with the lid on until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the ground cumin and stir. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the pinch of sugar, the chickpeas and vegetable stock. Allow to simmer for a few minutes before adding the lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander. Season to taste.



Vegetarian brick crispy bags

4 small potatoes, cubed
200g frozen peas
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic glove, finely chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil + 2, to brush
1 tbsp ras-el-hanout
½ tsp sweet paprika
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
8 sheets pastry brick
lemon pieces, to serve
salt

Boil peas and the potatoes in separate pots in salted water. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add spices and stir. Drain peas and potatoes. Add to the saucepan. Season to taste and set aside.

To make triangular pastry pockets, fold like this. Add a spoonful of the veggie mixture. Brush with olive oil, both sides. Preheat a heavy bottomed saucepan. Place the little bags on the hot saucepan, 2 minutes each side. Serve hot with the soup and a piece of lemon.

Daring Bakers - Welcome to Canada!

I have a thing for cookbooks. You too? Good. I hate to be alone with my addictions. In my kitchen there are dozens of cookbooks with thousands of recipes (mainly in Portuguese, English and French) that I'm yet to read, not to mention try. Sometimes I grab one and pass my hand on the cover as if I could feel all the vibes... The shelves on top of my sink hold my Marabout collection of small books like this Trish Deseine ode to chocolate. The book features Nanaimo Bars on the cover. I couldn't tell how many times I've grabbed it, and felt compelled to look at those bars. Thanks Lauren for the challenge!

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.



Gluten-Free Graham Wafers

1 cup (138 g) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
3/4 cup (100 g) Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/2 cup (65 g) Sorghum Flour
1 cup (200 g) Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon (4 mL) Kosher Salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) Unsalted Butter (Cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup (80 mL) Honey, Mild-flavoured such as clover.
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Whole Milk
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Pure Vanilla Extract

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.

Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.
Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.
Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.
When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup (50 g) Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)
1/2 cup (55 g) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup (130 g) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

Middle Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder
2 cups (254 g) Icing Sugar

Top Layer
4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (28 g) Unsalted Butter

For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.

For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.

For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

My thoughts on the challenge:

- I've halved the recipes (Graham Wafers and Nanaimo layers) and didn't have any problem with that, except maybe a little for the middle layer, as it's not so easy to cream small quantities of butter.
- I was thrilled to try Gluten Free baking! Sorghum Flour was a pain to get. I used soya flour and it worked just fine. Will definitely try Gluten Free more often!
- The Graham Wafers on their own are too sweet for me. I'll reduce the sugar a bit next time I make them.
- My bars are hazelnut flavoured. Instead of almonds I've used hazelnut meal - actually the only change I did to the original recipe.

Welcome 2010!

That I love French Cuisine is no secret... Is there a better way to start the new year than to cook Coq au vin for the first meal of 2010? I thought so! We had a family meeting to celebrate and welcome a brand new year, and share our best wishes and resolutions. It was a slightly french meal -- the perfect theme to use the new Le Creuset pan I got for Christmas. For dessert, there was Pumpkin Pudding with Almonds... moist, sweet, and nutty. What else could I have asked for? Happy 2010!

Coq au vin

Serves 4

1,2 Kg free-range chicken, cut into large pieces (or 8 thighs + legs)
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter, separated
1 onion, chopped
1 glove garlic, chopped
150 ml dry white wine*
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
200 gr wild mushrooms
parsley, to serve

Wash each piece and dry with paper towels. Place flour in a plate and rub the chicken, until covered. In a heavy pan, heat 1 tbsp butter. Working in batches, sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes, each side. Set aside. Pour a little chicken stock (or water) into the pan, and remove any brown pieces from the pan walls and bottom. Add onion and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return the browned chicken to the pan. Season with salt and ground black pepper and dried thyme. Add half the wine, let it steam and mix. Add the remaining wine, and cook, covered for 35-40 minutes. Stir occasionally. If it's dry, add some chicken stock or water.

Whilst the chicken cooks, prepare the mushrooms. Preheat a large saucepan. Add 1 tbsp butter, the garlic and half the mushrooms, sliced. Be careful the saucepan is not too crowded. Season with salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Set aside in a heated plate, and repeat.

To serve, add the mushrooms to the pan, garnish with parsley and serve with boiled potatoes and a green salad (optional).

* Coq au vin is traditionally made with red wine, mas there are all kind of versions with different wines. My choice for this recipe is a dry white wine.



Pumpkin Pudding with Almonds

250 gr baked pumpkin, smashed with a fork
100 gr dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs
150 ml cream
1 tsp quatre-épices*
2 tbsp raisins
caramel for the mould
2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

Mix pumpkin, eggs, spices and sugar. Beat until combined. Add cream and raisins. Mix well. Cover a ring mould with caramel. Pour the batter and cover with a lid. Place the mould into an ovenproof dish and fill with hot water to cover half the wall of the mould. Cook in a preheated oven 180ºC, for 30 minutes. Remove to a serving plate when completely cooled. Garnish with toasted almonds.

*quatre-épices is a spice mix. You may use half cinnamon and equal parts of ground ginger, ground gloves and ground nutmeg.