Thursday 27 October 2011

Povitica - October 2011 Daring Bakers Challenge


I can't believe I am sitting here infront of the computer and writting the Daring Bakers Post on the day itself.
I was mumbling to hubby today morning , that I still have to write the post etc.... and he mumbled back now you know how things get pended to the last minute as I sometimes tell him why can't you do the things which you have to do earlier than hurrying up int he last minute.
I had so much days to write and keep this post.
As in the begning of the month when I saw what the DB challenge was I got so excited as I have never ever seen such a beautiful bread and I made it next day, can you believe that, normally I make my challenge much later.
I love and If i say loved I simply loved making this bread.
Though I have to admit I have never sweated so much while making a bread. As I was trying to make the dough as thin as possible.
I made the dough in our dinning table and you woudn't want to hear the noises i was making while rolling them, Hans even asked my what are you doing there as I was walking aorund tha table rolling the diugh.
And I coudn't wait to slice the bread and look how the shape was inside and as you can see they we so beautiful that when I skyped my sis, I showed it to her very proudly :-)
Ok now I did make a mistake I added less walnuts , I only found out when the bread was in the oven but still it was yumm and I added more cacao powder.

This  months Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and I am so happy that she did it as it was such a delight to do this challenge.
Preperation
To make Dough: 40 minutes


Rising: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Rolling and Assembly: 20 minutes per loaf, a generous total of 1 hour

Baking: 1 hour

Cooling: 30 minutes

To Make the Filling: 15 minutes, including the grinding of the nuts
Equipment required:
• A large work space, like a 4-person table or large kitchen island
• 4 large bowls to rise dough
• Plastic Wrap
• 4 Kitchen/Tea Towels
• 4 bread loaf pans (or as many as you own, and re-use them)
• Rolling Pin
• A Sheet or Cloth (the better the thread count and the softer they are, the less likely the dough will stick)
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Wooden Spoons
• Pastry Brush
• Medium Saucepan
• Candy Thermometer
• Small Bowl
• Small Saucepan
• Nut Grinder
• Rubber Spatula
• Pastry scrapper

Povitica (makes 4 loaves)

Ingredients
To activate the Yeast:
2 Teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
½ Cup (120ml) Warm Water
2 Tablespoons (30ml/14 gm/½ oz/2 sachets) Dry Yeast

Dough:

2 Cups (480ml) Whole Milk
¾ Cup (180 ml/170gm/6 oz) Sugar
3 Teaspoons (15 ml/18 gm/2/3 oz) Table Salt
4 Large Eggs
½ Cup (120ml/115 gm/one stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
8 cups (1.92 l/1.12 kg/39½ oz/2½ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Walnut Filling:

7 Cups (1.68 l/1.12 kg/2.5 lbs) Ground English Walnuts
1 Cup (240ml) Whole Milk
1 Cup (240ml/225 gm/2 sticks/8 oz) Unsalted Butter
2 Whole Eggs, Beaten
1 Teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups (480ml/450 gm/16 oz) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) Cinnamon

Topping:
½ Cup (120 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
2 Tablespoons (30 ml/28 gm/1 oz) Granulated Sugar
Melted Butter
Directions:


To Activate Yeast:


1. In a small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, and the yeast into ½ cup warm water and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes

To Make the Dough:


3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk up to just below boiling (about 180°F/82°C), stirring constantly so that a film does not form on the top of the milk. You want it hot enough to scald you, but not boiling. Allow to cool slightly, until it is about 110°F/43°C.

4. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, ¾ cup (180 gm/170 gm/6 oz) sugar, and the salt until combined.

5. Add the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and 2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz) of flour.

6. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until the dough starts to clean the bowl
7. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead, gradually adding flour a little at a time, until smooth and does not stick. Note: I did not use all 8 cups of flour


8. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (they will each weight about 1.25 pounds/565 grams)


9. Place dough in 4 lightly oiled bowls, cover loosely with a layer of plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and let rise an hour and a half in a warm place, until doubled in size

To Make the Filling


10. In a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa.

11. Heat the milk and butter to boiling.

12. Pour the liquid over the nut/sugar mixture.

13. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.

14. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to be spread on the dough.

15. If the mixture thickens, add a small amount of warm milk
To Roll and Assemble the Dough:


16. Spread a clean sheet or cloth over your entire table so that it is covered.

17. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons to a handful of flour (use flour sparingly)

18. Place the dough on the sheet and roll the dough out with a rolling pin, starting in the middle and working your way out, until it measures roughly 10-12 inches (25½ cm by 30½ cm) in diameter
19. Spoon 1 to 1.5 teaspoons (5ml to 7 ½ ml/4 gm to 7 gm) of melted butter on top.


20. Using the tops of your hands, stretch dough out from the center until the dough is thin and uniformly opaque. You can also use your rolling pin, if you prefer.

21. As you work, continually pick up the dough from the table, not only to help in stretching it out, but also to make sure that it isn’t sticking.

22. When you think it the dough is thin enough, try to get it a little thinner. It should be so thin that you can see the color and perhaps the pattern of the sheet underneath.

23. Spoon filling (see below for recipe) evenly over dough until covered
24. Lift the edge of the cloth and gently roll the dough like a jelly roll
25. Once the dough is rolled up into a rope, gently lift it up and place it into a greased loaf pan in the shape of a “U”, with the ends meeting in the middle. You want to coil the dough around itself, as this will give the dough its characteristic look when sliced

26. Repeat with remaining three loaves, coiling each rope of dough in its own loaf pan.


27. Brush the top of each loaf with a mixture of ½ cup (120 ml) of cold STRONG coffee and 2 tablespoons (30ml/28 gm/1 oz) of sugar. If you prefer, you can also use egg whites in place of this
28. Cover pans lightly will plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.


29. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.

30. Remove plastic wrap from dough and place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.

31. Turn down the oven temperature to slow 300°F/150°C/gas mark 2 and bake for an additional 45 minutes, or until done.

32. Remove bread from oven and brush with melted butter.

33. Check the bread at 30 minutes to ensure that the bread is not getting too brown. You may cover the loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil if you need to.

34. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes, still in the bread pan. Remember, the bread weighs about 2.5 and it needs to be able to hold its own weight, which is difficult when still warm and fresh out of the oven. Allowing it to cool in the pan helps the loaf to hold its shape.

35. It is recommended that the best way to cut Povitica loaves into slices is by turning the loaf upside down and slicing with a serrated knife
Dough is ready and kept for doubling up
                                                               Starting to rolling
                                                                   Roll and Roll

                                                            and Roll and roll  and stretch:-)

Roll and roll again and stretch and sweat :-)
                                                 Spreading the mix, i did with my hand

                                                                      Ready
                                                                Doubled up the size

Smaller batch measurements courtesy of Audax a chef who is in DB and he is the one who makes always first the challengs and help us through :-)


Half Batch Dough Ingredients (Makes two loaves each 1.25 lbs/565 grams)

To activate the Yeast:
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 ½ gm) Sugar
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/1½ gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
¼ Cup (60 ml) Warm Water
1 Tablespoon (15 ml/7 gm/¼ oz/1 sachet) Dry Yeast

Dough:

1 Cup (240 ml) Whole Milk
6 Tablespoons (90 ml/85 gm/3 oz) Sugar
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/9 gm/1/3 oz) Table Salt
2 Large Eggs
¼ Cup (60 ml/60 gm/½ stick/2 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups (960 ml/560 gm/19¾ oz/1¼ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Topping:

¼ Cup (60 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
1 Tablespoon (15 ml/14 gm/½ oz) Granulated Sugar

Melted Butter


Half Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for the two loaves(
3½ Cups (840 ml/560 gm/1¼ lb/20 oz) Ground English Walnuts
½ Cup (120 ml) Whole Milk
½ Cup (120 ml/115 gm/1 stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter
1 Whole Egg, Beaten
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup (240 ml/225 gm/8 oz) Sugar
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/2 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/1½ gm) Cinnamon


Quarter Batch Dough Ingredients (Makes one loaf 1.25 lbs/565 grams)


To activate the Yeast:
½ Teaspoon (2½ ml/2¼ gm) Sugar
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/¾ gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Warm Water
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/3½ gm/0.125 oz/½ sachet) Dry Yeast

Dough:

½ Cup (120 ml) Whole Milk
3 Tablespoons (45 ml/43 gm/1½ oz) Sugar
¾ Teaspoon (3¾ ml/9 gm/0.17 oz) Table Salt
1 Large Egg
1 tablespoon (30 ml/30 gm/¼ stick/1 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz/0.62 lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Topping:


2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
1½ Teaspoons (7½ ml/7 gm/¼ oz) Granulated Sugar

Melted Butter

Quarter Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for one loaf)

1¾ Cups (420 ml/280 gm/10 oz) Ground English Walnuts
¼ Cup (60 ml) Whole Milk
¼ Cup (60 ml/58 gm/½ stick/2 oz) Unsalted Butter
1 Egg Yolk From A Large Egg, Beaten
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
½ Cup (120 ml/115 gm/4 oz) Sugar
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/1 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
¼ Teaspoon (1¼ ml/¾ gm) Cinnamon

Storage:


There are several options for storing (and eating) your four loaves of Povitica:

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 1 week at room temperature.

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 2 weeks if refrigerated.

• The Povitica can be frozen for up to three months when wrapped a layer of wax paper followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It is recommended to not freeze Povitica with cream cheese fillings as it doesn’t hold up to being thawed really well – it crumbles


Sunday 23 October 2011

Creamy Chicken Marsala


Last year when Shyama started her first year of college , I used to make this for her very often and give in a tupperware when seh went sunday evening to her place so she could have it there.

So every sunday morning Iwill be busy preparing some of the food she likes to take with her.
This dish is so easy that I think she got it almost every two weeks as I can make this in a flash.
I am sure I took this picture month ago when I made this for her.

So last month when she started her second here I was planning to make this again and I heard Hans saying ( not that he was eating this every two weeks) You are not going to make this again so many time like last year for her.
So i have to admit I haven't made this for her this college year.
I am posting this recipe now as my Sister has been asking me for a while to post this recipe as she wanted to make it.

I saw this dish once in a Cooking show from BBC and I have been making this from that time on wards.
They are so easy to make.
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil you can use less too
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine ( I  have to say I don't measure it i just pour it straingt )
1/2 cup chicken stock ( I do add leese stock as I add cream )
1/4 to 1/2 cup cream.
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan.
 Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol.
Add the cream, boil to mae the sauce thicker.
 Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
I always serve this with Mash potato.

Thursday 20 October 2011

Diwali Cake Pops


Diwali (or Deepawali, popularly known as the "festival of lights".
The name "Diwali" is a contraction of "Deepavali" (Sanskrit) दीपावली Dīpāvalī), which translates into "row of lamps".
Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps diyas or dīpas in Sanskrit.
दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.
During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends
Now I came to make these pops for Diwali because once we were talking about cake pops and Aparna mentioned that we should make once cake pops together.
Ofcourse I agreed to it and we decided we will make for Diwali.
The plan was atleast to make Diyas but as you can see I failed miserably mine looks like I don't know what.
Here Hans was so much making fun of mine especially my red flame.
Anyway so I thought the same day I would make these Indian cute girls also which was absloutley fun .
Now I have to say something really silly I coudn't eat these cute girls becauseafter  takiing one bite and i felt so Guilty, I was feeling like I was eating someons head, felt like a Canibal :-)
You want see see wantmy patner in this pop did hop over to her place here  i love the flavour she has added in her pop.



Now to the recipe.
I used the same recipe as this one, but added much more less sugar to the cake and also i lessed the amonut of sugar I added into the butter cream.
So the cake pops which are originally very sweet was not so sweet .
And as you can see for making girls you need diferent colors and lips shape, small decorating sugar balls, small confetti decoration .



Wednesday 19 October 2011

Remembering Jayashree who always had a smile


Picture Lata took on one of her vists to see Jayashree
A good friend told moments like this one don't know how to express/write aobut what you are feeling and your thoughts. I do agree to her.
It was a big Shock when I read in FB that Jayashree had passed away.
I remeber a week ago she saying in Fb that it was one year she moved to pune and also she has been posting Navarathri pictures etc......
I knew Jayashree through her blog Experiments in Kailas Kitchen I guess I started going to her blog because of the traditional recipes which she makes and lot of them I missed beeing away from home.
I remember when ever she posted something which was similar to what I used to have at home ,I used to wite a comment how much I like all these dishes and how authentic her recipes were.
Some of the blogger like Aparna, Lata who have met her wanted to do something for honouring her memory.
So they thought the best way is to blog something from Jayashree's blog .
And that is what I have done yesterday made this delicious Ribbon Pakoda .

So this is what we thought was the best thing to do and we are appealing to all of you in the food blogging community (in India and the rest of the world) to join us in this effort.


We’re also calling non-bloggers who either followed her blog or knew her in some way to please join us in this tribute to Jayasree.
The below writtings are from Aparna's blog.
We’re hoping as many of you as possible will join us all in showing our support for her and her family when they need it the most.

1. Please visit Jayasree’s blog, Experiments In Kailas Kitchen, and go through it.

2. Try one or more recipes from her blog and please post your photograph of it with the link to her original recipe on Jayasree’s Facebook page dedicated to her blog. To post on her Facebook page, all you have to do is to click on the “like” button first.

3. If you have a blog and would like to post about this please feel free to do so. This would help spread the word among your readers who might not know of this otherwise.

4. In your post please link ONLY to Jayasree’s recipe that you chose. Do not link to any of us. Also, please DO NOT reproduce or discuss her recipe in this particular post. Do feel free to share something about Jayasree if you wish, as that would be really nice.

5. It would be especially nice if we could all do this before the 12th of November, 2011 as this would be the first month anniversary of her demise.

Hoping to see your wholehearted support for Jayasree and her family. Thank you.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Ham Mushroom and Cheese Crepes


Here Hans is so wild about filled pancakes. I think it is for years he has been asking me to make Savoury filled panckaes.
Every time he ask me I tell him to look for a good recipe in the net and if he finds one I will make one and then he will muùble back yeah..............if it was a seet baking you would look woudn't you.
Yeah OK I have to admit I will indeed :-)
Then two months back I saw this  Crepes book and Ordered it and it still took me so long to make a recipe from this book.
I do have to say it has such delicious recipe that I will probaly end up making all of them in time making Hans fed up with filled pancakes.
This is what I made for last friday evening for Dinner.

The panckaes would be a bit browner on top than in my picture, I took one out to take a picture before it was fully done.
I will share step be step pictures when I have a bit more time to edit the pictures
.
For the panckae.
2 large eggs
1 cup mil
1/3 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoon butter melted plus 2 to 3 spoon for coating the pan.

In a blender or food porccessor, blend the eggs, milk, water and flour salt and 2 tbsp melted butter for 5 seconds or untill smooth.
Stir down and repeat if necessary or you can also mix this with hand.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour t( though 2 hourse is preferable)
Gentley stir in the batter if it has seperated.
Heat a seasoned 6- or 7- ibcg bon stick crepe pan  ( i think mine was bigger)over medium - high heat until hot.
Coat the pan lightly with butter, lift the pan from the hear and pour few tbsp for a smaal crepe or more for a bigger crepe, tilting and roating the pan to coat the surface.
Cook untill almost dry and lightly browned edges, about 1 minute.
loosen the edge with a metal spatuala and flip the crepe over using the spatuala for 15 seconds or untill lightly browned.
Turn the crepe out onto a clean plae to coo;.
Repeat with teh remaining batter; stacking the crepes as they are cooked.


For the Mornay sauce
3 tbsp butter ( i added a bit more)
4 tbsp flour ( ( i added a bit more flour too)
1  1/2 cups milk
3/4 chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup Shreded Gruyere chees
Filling etc....
2 tbsp butter
2 shallots chopped
1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
300 to 400 gm cooked and sliced ham.
3 tbsp finley chopped fresh flat leag parsley
1/4 shredded Gruyere Cheese  ( used less as my cheese was over)


To make the Mornay Sauce.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is bubbly, about 1 minute.
Add the milk, broth, salt and papper to taste, and nutmeg and whisk untill the sauce is thickens and comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally for 5 minutes.
Stir  in the Gruyere.
Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
In a large skillet over a medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter and saute the shallots for 1 minute, or untill translucent.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes or untill soft.
Reserve a bit of the  of the mornay sauce for topping.
Mix the mushroom, Ham and Parsley into the pan with the remaining sauce.

Spoon few absp of filling in a ribbon down the center od each crepe and roll to enclos. Arrange in a greased baking dish all the pancakes.
Pour the rest of the mornay sauce over the pancakes and sprinkle the cheese .
Preheat the oven to 375 ° F and  bake for 20 to 25 minutes or untill heated through.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Sticky Raisin Buns


From the time I knew about World Bread Day I try to participate.
I remember last year waiting for the day to post mine. And this year too I have been saying to myself I should not forget the WBD and indeed as you can see I didn't forget.


I made the same recipe for these Raisin Buns which i used for Cinamon Buns then diferents is I used raisins soaked in a bit of Rum for the filling and also I mixed few tbsp of butter with a little sugar and spread this butter mix into the rolled dough and then agged the raisins evenly before rolling it up.
You want to make this breas go to the recipe here and I have written the recipe in detail and tips etc.....


Sending this to Bake Bread for World Bread Day 2011 and thankyou Zorra for doing the WBD again this year.


Tuesday 11 October 2011

Hazelnut Cup Cakes


This Cup Cake picture has been there in my map for  so long hat I don't remember anymore when I made them.
The one thing I remember the flavour was totally different as it was the first time I make a cup cake with Hazelnuts.
I have few other Cup Cakes which just sitting there patiently for me to post, but as there is so much cupcakes in my blog I am reluctant to post them. But I think I will do them in time.

1/2 cup very soft butter
1/2 cup fine sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup groung hazelnuts
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk ( optional)
Preheat the oven to 375° F / 190°c and put the paper cups into the muffuin tins.

Put the butter in a bowl and beat to make sure it is really soft.
Add the sugar, egg, flour, cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts and baking powder. and conitnue to beat vigourously until the mixture is well mixed and creamy.
Add the milk if necessary to make a soft droping consistency.

Divide the mixture among the paper cases and bake for 15 tp 18 minutes depending on your oven.
Remove the cake from teh tin and cool on a rack.

For the Icing.

1/2 cup ( 130 gm ) butter
1 1/2 cup ( 260 gm) icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
edible food colouring.

Decoration of you choice to decorate.

To make the icing put the soft butter znd beat untill really light and fluffy.
Add the sugar and the lemon juice and beat to make a very smooth icing that is stiff enough to pipe.
Pipe them to the cooled cupcakes

Saturday 8 October 2011

Panino con pollo al pesto, mozzarella e zucchini


Doesn't that sounds so so delicious, I mean the name, well it is just Chicken pesto,mozzarella and courgette panino in English. Not that i know Italian, I just wrote what they said in the book. The recipe is from Taste Italia Magazine which I have a subscription.
We have decided here at home that I should make something from the magazine when I receive them in my post.
I think it is a good idea otherwise I look to the book and then tell in my mind hmmmmm I should make this and that but then forget all about it.
So this is what we had yesterday evening as dinner with a glass of Rosie Wine.

Serves 2
1 large Chicken breast
125 gm mozarella sliced
2 to 3 tbsp oilve oil
2  to 3 heaped tbsp basil pesto ( you can use shop bought one) I used home made
1 courgette/Zucchini
2 large Ciabatta roll
Salt and freshly ground black peper

Begin Slicing the large chicken breast into four thing seaks.
Slice the courgette very thinly with a mandolin or a harp knife.

Brush the courgette and chicken with oilive oil, then season.
Griddle the chicken and courgette for 3 to 4 minutes in each side, untill cooked through.
You may need to do in batches if you don't have a large griddle pan.

Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and place them on teh griddle pan for 1 to 2 minutes, untill they begin to color on the inside.
To assemble the sandwich, layer the courgettes on the bottom, top with chciekn breast and then add sliced mozarella.
Finally spoon over the pesto, season and serve hot.


Wednesday 5 October 2011

Rose Macarons with White Chocolate Rose filling


It is ages ago I made Macarons. There was a time when I used to make them so much that if Hans saw me in the kitchen making them he would cry out loud in despair not again thise over sweet things.
I do agree Macarons are tad too sweet, but iI do think when they are filled they taste totally different even though they are sweet.
I have to admit I almost have converted Hans to like them with my special fillings. He do like them these days, just one with his coffee if the fillings are special :-)

I stick to my favourite Ottolenghi Recipe you can click to my step by step pictures here

The only extra I addeed to the basic recipe was I added 15 gm Rose flavoured sugar crystals to the mix.
 For the filling
200 gm melted white chocolate mixed with couple of tbsp of cream and 1 to 2 tsp of rose flavour strup.
Mix evertthing to a smooth paste, let it cool a but then you can sandwich the macarons.
I personally think the filled macarons are better one day later, Ikeep then in a air tight container in the fridge.


Sending this to Black and White Wednesday.
October is a month dedicated to Breast Cancer Awarness so sending this to Mactweets

Saturday 1 October 2011

Fig Prosciutto and Rocket Bruschetta


For years we have the tradition here at home making some snack for friday evening.
And now it is more important as Shyama is in College and she only comes home on friday evening for the weekends.
So this is what I made yesterday , well at last I made something which is healthy that deep fried for a snack :-)
It is a easy recipe and I got it from Taste italia Magazine.
I am only posting it so fast as I tool the pic in the evening and I have been trying myhand on taking pictures with artificial light other wise i can never post anything which I make in the evening.
1 Ciabbatta bread, I sliced what ever shape you want. ( I drizzeled a bit of olive oil in each slicze before baking them in the oven)
2 to 3 ripe figs
Oilive oil  and balsamic vinegar. There is jo measurement give in the recipe so i just did according to my taste.
hand full of rocket /rucola salade
1 pack of proscuitto
salt and freshly ground pepeer

Preaheat the oven to 200°c.
Cut the bread according to your liking.
Place the bread in a baking tray and bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes .
Cut the figs into quaters or eights depending on the size.
Season , then toss in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Add a large handfull of rocket salade to the mix.
Once you have removed the bruschetta from the oven, drape two thin slice of prosciutto on top of each piece.
Arrange the fig and the salade and serve.