Prirodne boje za pisanice / Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

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Glavna tema ovih su dana - jaja. Ni manje ni više. Pa kad je tome tako, hajde da se i ja malo pozabavim jajima. Sigurna sam da niste ni svjesni da u svojoj kuhinji, hladnjaku ili smočnici trenutno imate barem tri, a sigurno i više, namirnice kojima možete na prirodan i siguran način obojati uskršnja jaja. Zaboravite ljuske crvenog luka i dosadnu smeđu boju pisanica. Izvucite iz hladnjaka voće i povrće i ove godine dodajte svojim pisanicama malo živosti. "Dodaj svetu malo boje...", kao što lijepo kaže Balašević.

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Pinca / Croatian Easter Bread

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Uzimanje hrane odavno je prestalo biti puko zadovoljavanje gladi. Dok su naši davni preci jeli da bi preživjeli, danas hrana zauzima središnju ulogu u našim životima, a njeno značenje prelazi sve jezične barijere i ona postaje univerzalni medij koji ima moć povezivanja i zbližavanja  najudaljenijih dijelova svijeta i najrazličitijih kultura. 

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Integralni kolač s jabukama i brusnicama / Whole Wheat Apple Cranberry Bread

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U anglofonim zemljama ovakva bi se vrsta kolača nazivala kruhom, što valjda ima smisla s obzirom na to da se peče u klasičnom kalupu za kruh. Osim toga, vanjskim izgledom, a ponekad i teksturom može ličiti onome što bismo podrazumijevali klasičnim kruhom. Izvan anglofonog svijeta, doduše, stvari su malo drugačije jer nazivi određenih jela i vrsta jela uvelike su kulturološki uvjetovani.

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Krafne iz pećnice / Baked Doughnuts

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Vrijeme je za krafne. Malo drugačije od onih na koje smo navikli, doduše. Ali ipak su to krafne. Ili se barem tako zovu. Bilo kako bilo, nama su se jako svidjele. Zakleti krafnoljupci među vama vjerojatno već odmahuju rukom, oblače jaknu i odlaze u pekaru po pravu krafnu, onu mirisnu i masnu koja ostavlja bijele brkove iznad usne i crvene mrlje od pekmeza na odjeći. Možda je tako i bolje. Ovo je recept za one koji žele probati nešto drugačije, one koji su oduvijek sanjali o manje kaloričnoj krafni ili one koji jednostavno ne žele da im kuća zaudara na pečenjaru ili fast food restoran nakon pečenja domaćih krafni.

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Integralni kruh s bananama / Whole Wheat Banana Bread

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Moja postblagdanska detoksikacija još uvijek traje. Jedina razlika je u tome što se ona više ne skriva pod krinkom detoksikacije, već je hrabro nazivam njenim pravim imenom - dijeta. Nakupljeni kilogrami su poput hijena zarili svoje zube u moje bokove (i one druge dijelove tijela koje nije pristojno spominjati) i s podsmijehom budno prate moje očajničke pokušaje da ih se riješim. 

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Pecivo s cimetom / Cinnamon Rolls

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Neke stvari u životu treba probati barem jednom. Ne, ne mislim na stvari koje kao pojedinci možemo (u)činiti za dobrobit čovječanstva i ravnotežu u svemiru. Mislim na male stvari, sitnice koje se čine zgodnima iako vjerojatno nisu vrijedne truda. Stvari kojih se sjetimo tek dvaput godišnje, svake godine, ali to shvatimo tek godinama kasnije.  Stvari o kojima su nam drugi s oduševljenjem pričali dok smo ih sumnjičavo gledali. Stvari koje ponekad radimo skrivečki i baš nas zbog toga čine sretnima, stvari koje želimo samo za sebe i ne želimo ih ni sa kim dijeliti. Stvari koje sami za sebe možda nikada ne bismo učinili ali ih radimo za one najmilije.

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Džem od šljiva s cimetom i limunom / Plum Jam With Cinnamon And Lemon

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Rituali. Male stvari koje činimo često, uvijek na isti način, gotovo bez razmišljanja. Stvari koje znamo i obavljamo napamet, rutinski. Stvari koje nas uveseljavaju, podižu raspoloženje, umiruju nas. Poput ispijanja prve jutarnje kave. Ustajanje iz kreveta, odlazak u kuhinju teškim usporenim koracima, kuhanje kave gotovo žmirečki, pospano "Dobro jutro." izgovoreno promuklim glasom. Svjež jutarnji zrak koji ulazi kroz tek otvoren prozor i miješa se s jakim ali ugodnim mirisom turske kave i polako nas razbuđuje. Doručak. Integralni kruh ili prepečenac, Margo i domaći džem uz šalicu mlijeka ili jogurta. Tek tada sam doista budna i spremna za početak radnog dana. I tako svako jutro.  Neprocjenjivo.  Uskratite li mi tu rutinu, pokvarili ste mi čitav dan. 

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Daring Bakers' Challenge, March 2011: Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake

The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

A challenge that could be finished in just one afteroon was just what I needed to get me back on track after getting everything in place in our new apartment. It was also a good excuse to get familiar with my brand new oven and other kitchen appliances and a great chance for the first photoshoot in my new "studio". :)

 The coffee cake was everything I expected it to be and even more. The soft and moist cake filled with crunchy nuts, oozing dark chocolate and tangy raspberries turned out to be a match made in heaven. This recipe is a keeper and I'll come back to it again, that's for sure.

A big thanks to Ria and Jamie for this delicious challenge. It was one of my favorites so far.

Raspberry Chocolate Meringue Coffee Cake

For the yeasted coffee cake dough:

600 g flour

55 g  sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 package (7 g) active dried yeast

180 ml  whole milk

60 ml  water (doesn’t matter what temperature)

35 g  unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs at room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, combine 230 g of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 150 g flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the remaining flour) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

For the meringue:

3 large egg whites at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

110 g sugar

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue. In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

For the filling:

110 g chopped toasted hazelnuts

30 g brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

170 g coarsly chopped bittersweet chocolate

3 handfuls of frozen raspberries 

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts, chocolate and the raspberries separately.

For the eggwash:

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

 
Assemble the Coffee Cakes:

Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), Roll out the dough into a  50 x 25 cm rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1 cm from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (example: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts, half of the chopped chocolate and half of the raspberries).

Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.

Using kitchen scissors make cuts along the outside edge at  2 ½ cm intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring. Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings. Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool. Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.

Daring Baker's Challenge, December 2010: Christmas Stollen

It's the end of the month, a time when the Daring Bakers around the globe traditionally unveil the secret recipe they have been testing, baking and enjoying throughout the month. This month, the challenge was all about tradition. Christmas tradition, of course.

The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.

Stollen is a traditional German cake, eaten during the Christmas season, when it is usually called Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen. It is a bread-like fruitcake made with yeast, water and flour, and a selection of various dried fruits. Traditionally, candied orange peel and candied citrus peel, raisins, almonds, and different spices such as cardamom and cinnamon are added to the Stollen dough. Other typical ingredients are  milk, sugar, butter, salt, rum and eggs. Vanilla, and other dried fruits and nuts can be added too, as well as marzipan or Quark cheese. Except for the fruit added, the dough is quite low in sugar because the finished cake is brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with icing sugar in order to keep its freshness longer. 

The shape of the cake was originally meant to represent the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes but our challenge was to create it in the shape of a wreath, which makes it even more pretty and decorative. You can see a video of Martha Stewart and her mother demonstrating a Stollen in a wreath design here.

 

I honestly have to say that I didn't think I would ever ever bake a Stollen or anything similar, for that matter. I mean, never ever. I proved myself wrong once again, I guess. My family never thought much about fruitcakes and sweet breads in general. Pound cakes and sponge cakes were also never popular. In other words, a cake that didn't have a creamy filling of some sort was automatically labeled as dry, tasteless and generally unappetizing. As a child, I had no particular opinion on that matter since I never tried a fruitcake, until I once had a store bought Panettone, an Italian version of the German Stollen. It was indeed hard, dry and terribly sweet. I didn't like it. From then on, I embraced my family's verdict and closed the fruitcake case once and for all. At least that's what I thought.

Since I missed out on few challenges over the past few months, I decided to participate in the December one, no matter what. You can imagine the look on my face when I discovered what we were supposed to bake. My husband did mention his inclination towards Panettone and Stollen over the last few years, but I never actually considered baking them just for him. Yes, yes... I'm a terrible wife, I know. Anyway, because of that and the fact that I have lately grown to like and consume dried fruit and nuts quite a lot, I decided to go ahead and dig into this Stollen business. Turns out I kind of liked it, too. It wasn't nearly as sweet or dry as I thought it would be, and the taste was fabulous! D. loved it as well and said that he could die a happy man now that he lived to see me baking a fruitcake.  But, apparently, we were the only two people in the family that liked it. Since the wreath was huge, we took some to both my parents' and the in-laws for Christmas. The Stollen received some pretty strange looks followed by few ironic remarks and eventually never made it to to table. I suspect they never even tried it after we left. They don't know what they' re missing out on.

As far as the recipe is concerned, everything was clear. I had no problems whatsoever, in fact, everything went really smooth and according to plan. I made the dough on Friday and baked it on Sunday. I used fresh yeast and a combination of golden raisins, cranberries and dried apricots. Instead of lemon and orange extracts I used a lovely homemade Limoncello. I omitted the vanilla extract and added some ground cloves and star anise instead. The smell of the Stollen baking was just unbelievable and its flavor was wonderful.

A special thanks goes to our lovely hostess Penny for choosing this eyeopening challenge. I had a great time and loved the result!

Christmas Stollen Wreath

Makes one large  wreath or two traditional shaped Stollen loaves. Serves 10-12 people.

  

Ingredients

60ml lukewarm water (43º C)
2 packages (14 grams) active dry yeast or 30g fresh yeast
240 ml milk
140 grams unsalted butter
770 grams all-purpose plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
115 g sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract or orange extract
135 g mixed peel
170 g firmly packed raisins
3 tablespoons rum
12 red glacé cherries for the color and the taste (optional)
100 grams flaked almonds
melted unsalted butter for coating the wreath
powdered sugar for dusting wreath

Directions

Soak the raisins

In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the rum (or in the orange juice from the zested orange) and set aside.

Make the dough
Pour warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely. In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter over medium - low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl and add lemon and vanilla extracts.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange and lemon zests.

Then stir in (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) the yeast/water mixture, eggs and the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. This should take about 2 minutes. It should be a soft, but not sticky ball. When the dough comes together, cover the bowl with either plastic or a tea cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add in the mixed peel, soaked fruit and almonds and mix with your hands or on low speed to incorporate. Here is where you can add the cherries if you would like. Be delicate with the cherries or all your dough will turn red! Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing with the dough hook) to distribute the fruit evenly, adding additional flour if needed. The dough should be soft and satiny, tacky but not sticky. Knead for approximately 8 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The full six minutes of kneading is needed to distribute the dried fruit and other ingredients and to make the dough have a reasonable bread-dough consistency. You can tell when the dough is kneaded enough – a few raisins will start to fall off the dough onto the counter because at the beginning of the kneading process the dough is very sticky and the raisins will be held into the dough but when the dough is done it is tacky which isn't enough to bind the outside raisins onto the dough ball.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge overnight. The dough becomes very firm in the fridge (since the butter goes firm) but it does rise slowly. The raw dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and then baked on the day you want. 

Shape the Dough and Bake the Wreath
Let the dough rest for 2 hours after taking out of the fridge in order to warm slightly. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 40 x 61 cm and 6 mm thick. Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder. Transfer the cylinder roll to the sheet pan. Join the ends together, trying to overlap the layers to  make the seam stronger and pinch with your fingers to make it stick, forming a large circle. You can form it around a bowl to keep the shape. Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 5 cm intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough. Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size.
Bake the Stollen for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack and brush the top with melted butter while still hot. Immediately tap a layer of powdered sugar over the top through a sieve or sifter. Wait for 1 minute, then tap another layer over the first.
The bread should be coated generously with the powdered sugar.  Let cool at least an hour before serving. Coat the Stollen in butter and icing sugar three times, since this many coatings helps keeps the Stollen fresh - especially if you intend on sending it in the mail as Christmas presents! 

When completely cool, store in a plastic bag. Or leave it out uncovered overnight to dry out slightly, German style.

Storage

The more rum and the more coatings of butter and sugar you use the longer it will store.The following is for the recipe as written and uses the 45 mls of rum and two coatings of butter and icing sugar:

1. Stollen freezes beautifully about 4 months

2. The baked stollen stores well for 2 weeks covered in foil and plastic wrap on the counter at room temperature and

3. One month in the refrigerator well covered with foil and plastic wrap. 

Zobena kaša sa šumskim voćem/ Mixed Berry Oatmeal Porridge

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Doručak je najvažniji obrok u danu. Sigurna sam da to svi dobro znate. A znate li zašto je kvalitetan i hranjiv doručak važan? Sigurna sam da znate i to, ali nije na odmet da ponovimo. Doručak osigurava energiju potrebnu za početak dana, poboljšava pamćenje, razumijevanje i pridonosi boljem raspoloženju. Tijekom noći naše se rezerve glikogena razgrađuju kako bi se osigurala glukoza potrebna našem organizmu, a doručak omogućava popunjenje ispražnjenih rezervi glikogena i osigurava energiju za jutarnje i dnevne aktivnosti. Jeste li znali da je redovito doručkovanje poželjna prehrambena navika te da su osobe koje redovito konzumiraju kvalitetan jutarnji obrok mnogo aktivnije i produktivnije, kako mentalno tako i tjelesno? Sigurno jeste. Sve to mi jako dobro znamo, no pridržavamo li se toga? Ja doručkujem svako jutro. A vi?


Još prije 4 godine, riječ doručak nije postojao u mom vokabularu, a kamoli u dnevnoj rutini. Tada sam u sklopu takozvane UN dijete bila primorana steći do tada nepoznatu i stranu naviku. Sjećam se da je za doručak bilo dopušteno samo voće i sjećam se svoje reakcije, šoka i nevjerice. Ma kako da nakon dvije šalice jutarnje turske kave pojedem 2 jabuke?! Nije bilo lako, ali već nakon prvih tjedan-dva, organizam se prilagodio i ubrzo sam postala ovisna o doručku. Kasnije, kad sam završila s programom dijete zadržala sam tu naviku. Neko vrijeme i dalje sam jela samo voće. Na neki neobičan način voće, posebice jabuke, mi je savršeno odgovaralo kao jutarnji brok. Osvježavajuće, hranjivo, blagotvorno za moju inače osjetljivu probavu. Tada sam polako počela eksperimentirati i sa jogurtima, sjemenkama, orašastim plodovima. Prije otprilike godinu dana, intenzivno sam se počela baviti fizičkom aktivnošću (jutarnje rolanje i večernje trčanje) i moj je organizam ujutro zahtijevao nešto malo konkretnije od voća i jogurta. Prebacila sam se na žitarice i razne kupovne pahuljice, sve dok nisam negdje pročitala kako su kupovne pahuljice krcate velikim količinama soli i šećera, što ih čini više nezdravima nego zdravima. Tada sam se odvažila napravila domaći müsli (zapravo granolu) koji smo redovito žvakali svako jutro, a čiji recept mi još uvijek čami negdje u draftu. Svaki put bih dodala neko drugo voće ili različitu kombinaciju voća, sjemenki i začina i tamanili smo ih na dnevnoj bazi. Ja s jogurtom i svježim voćem te dodatkom cimeta, a bolja polovica onako vulgaris iliti samo s mlijekom, bez specijalnih kerefeka. Kad nam je to dosadilo prebacili smo se na prepečenac i domaće pekmeze ili med te šalicu mlijeka ili čaja. I to je bilo ukusno. A onda sam otkrila zobenu kašu i više ništa nije bilo isto. Više ne radim domaće pahuljice, više ne mažem med na prepečenac. Zobena kaša za mene je ultimativni doručak. Jeftin, brz, topao, hranjiv i, što je vrlo važno, potencijalno vrlo raznovrsan i nevjerojatno ukusan. Ali, to nije sve. Zobena kaša, zobene pahuljice i zob uopće, najzdraviji su mogući izbor jutarnjeg obroka jer sadrže obilje vitamina, minerala i mnogih drugih vrijednih sastojaka te su stoga vrlo važne u održavanju našeg zdravlja.


Zobene pahuljice već su dugo vremena poznate po brojnim pozitivnim svojstvima za naše zdravlje. Istovremeno su vrlo jeftine, lako dostupne i jednostavno se uključuju u prehranu. Zob je odličan izvor kompleksnih ugljikohidrata koji se postupno probavljaju i osiguravaju vam dugotrajnu energiju. Osim toga, zob sadrži dva puta više proteina od smeđe riže i ima najbolji omjer esencijalnih aminokiselina od svih žitarica. Bogat je izvor vitamina, prije svega B-kompleksa i E vitamina, te minerala poput magnezija, kalcija, željeza, kalija, cinka i selena. Dodatna prednost je i visok sadržaj vlakana, posebno je važan beta-glukan koji spada među topiva vlakna i utječe na reguliranje visine kolesterola u krvi. Dakle, zob pomaže u snižavanju lošeg kolesterola (LDL) bez da smanjuje dobar kolesterol (HDL) pa samim time i sprečava bolesti srca i krvnih žila. Osim toga, zobene pahuljice, a samim time i zobena kaša, nezamjenjive su u prehrani dijabetičara. One spadaju u hranu niskog glikemičkog indeksa što znači da se polako apsorbiraju u krv, stabiliziraju razinu glukoze u krvi i pružaju nam duži osjećaj sitosti.

Hoćete li nakon svega ovoga isprobati zobenu kašu? Toplo vam to preporučam, jer, osim što blagotvorno djeluje na naše zdravlje, ona je i super ukusna. Dodajte joj suhog ili svježeg voća po izboru, zasladite medom ili smeđim šećerom, oplemenite sjemenkama i orašastim plodovima i svako jutro uživajte u novim, raznovrsnim okusima. Poslužite ju kao hranjiv doručak ili zdrav i prirodan desert i vaše će vam tijelo biti zahvalno.


Ovog vam puta predlažem da zobenu kašu oplemenite šumskim voćem i tako svoj doručak učinite još zdravijim. Šumsko je voće odličan izvor prirodnih vitamina, minerala i enzima. Bobice su bogate biljnim fenolima, osobito flavonoidima koji imaju jaka antioksidativna svojstva. Pomažu pri jačanju imunološkog sustava, kod slabokrvnosti i umora, za ublažavanje različitih simptoma alergija i osobama koje su sklone čestim upalama. Bobičasto voće smanjuje rizik od nastajanja nekih vrsta karcinoma, osobito želuca, jednjaka, debelog crijeva i pluća (posebno borovnice i crveni ribiz). Dodate li u kašu i lanene sjemenke koje su bogate esencijalnim masnim kiselinama, vitaminima, mineralima i mnogim drugim hranjivim tvarima, a uz to i pogoduju probavi, dobili ste doista ultimativni doručak.

A što vi doručkujete?


Zobena kaša sa šumskim voćem
za 1 osobu

100 vode
100 ml mlijeka sa 0,9% m.m. (ili sojinog mlijeka)
prstohvat soli
1 žličica meda
1/4 žličice mljevenog cimeta
3 pune žlice zobenih pahuljica
1 žličica lanenih sjemenki
150g šumskog voća po izboru (ja sam koristila borovnice, ribiz i maline)

Za posluživanje
2 žlice tekućeg jogurta
1 žličica grubo sjeckanih badema
malo svježeg voća

Šumsko voće operite i posušite. Nekoliko bobica odvojite za posluživanje, a ostatak lagano zgnječite vilicom.

U manjoj posudi pomiješajte vodu i mlijeko, dodajte prstohvat soli i stavite na laganu vatru te kuhajte dok ne dosegne točku vrenja. Dodajte med i miješajte kuhačom dok se on ne otopi. Potom dodajte zobene pahuljice i cimet, pojačajte vatru i kuhajte uz stalno miješanje dok pahuljice ne omekšaju i ne počnu se zgušnjavati (oko 5 min). Umiješajte lanene sjemenke i šumsko voće pa još kratko kuhajte dok ne dobijete željenu gustoću i dok se sastojci ne sjedine. Posudu maknite s vatre i zobenu kašu ulijte u zdjelicu za posluživanje.

Ako želite da vaša kaša bude kremastija, prije posluživanja dodajte joj malo tekućeg jogurta. Pospite je preostalim voćem i sjeckanim bademima te odmah poslužite.

• Verzija za ispis

Mixed Berry Oatmeal Porridge
serves 1

100ml water
100 ml low-fat milk (or soy milk)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. rolled oats
1 tsp. flax seed
150g mixed berries (I used blueberries, red currants and raspberries)

To serve
2 tbsp. liquid yogurt
1 tsp. almonds, roughly chopped
fresh berries

Wash and dry the berries. Reserve few for serving and lightly squash the rest with a fork. Set aside.

In a small pot, combine water, milk and salt. Cook on low heat until it reaches boiling point. Add honey and stir with a wooden spoon until completely melted. Then add rolled oats, stir in the cinnamon and turn the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the oats are soft and the porridge starts to thicken (about 5 mins). Then stir in flax seeds and squashed berries and cook until everything blends and thickens (no longer than 2 mins). Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl.

If you want your porridge to have a more creamy texture, add some liquid yogurt to it before serving. Sprinkle with some berries and chopped almonds and serve hot.

• Printable version

Uskrsni zečići / Easter Bunnies

Please scroll down for English.


Stan: Why do we color eggs?
Stan's Dad: So that the Easter Bunny can hide them.
Stan: Yeah, but why?
Stan's Dad: Stanley, Easter celebrates the day that Jesus was resurrected after being crucified for our sins.
Stan: So we dip eggs into colored vinegar and a giant rabbit hides them?
Stan's Dad: That's right.
Stan: You don't see the missteps in logic with that? Look, I'm just saying that somewhere between Jesus dying on the cross and a giant bunny hiding eggs, there seems to be a gap of information.
Stan's Dad: Damn it, just dye your eggs!

(South Park, Fantastic Easter Special)

Jeste li se ikad osjećali kao Stan iz gore navedenog dijaloga? Ja definitivno jesam. I to ne samo po pitanju farbanja jaja :) No, ovaj put ću se zadržati konkretno na jajima i zečevima, iako ne nužno tim redoslijedom.


Tko je zapravo Uskrsni zeko? To je dobroćudno, pomalo nadnaravno biće, koje dobroj i poslušnoj dječici na Uskrs donosi poklone, najčešće u obliku slatkiša ili čokoladnih jaja. Ako je posebno dobro raspoložen, tada će te slatkiše (i poneku pisanicu) sakriti i samodopadno promatrati napetu dječju potragu. Simbol Uskrsnog zeca potječe još od poganskih rituala i svečanosti koji slave antičku božicu plodnosti Eostre. Eostre je bila božica saksonskih naroda u sjevernoj Europi, a njeno ime potječe od drevne riječi eastre, što znači proljeće.

Božica Eostre povezuje se sa mnogim simbolima plodnosti, među kojima su jaja i zečevi. Tradicija bojanja jaja nije sasvim razjašnjena, no smatra se da je povezana sa buđenjem prirode. Većina ptica liježe jaja baš u rano proljeće, što se podudara sa cvatom raznobojnog cvijeća, pa se bojanjem jaja na neki način unosi duh proljeća u dom. S druge strane, zečevi su poznati kao izuzetno plodne životinje čije je razmnožavanje na vrhuncu upravo u rano proljeće, stoga ne treba čuditi što su upravo oni postali simbol Uskrsa. Štovanje običaja Uskrsnog zeca u modernom smislu započelo je tokom 16. stoljeća u Njemačkoj, odakle se proširilo po čitavoj Europi, a u 18. stoljeću taj su običaj njemački iseljenici odnijeli i u Ameriku. Prvi jestivi Uskrsni zečići napravljeni su oko 1800. godine u Njemačkoj od tijesta i šećera. (izvori: Wikipedia i Wyrdology)


Sad kad smo riješili misterij farbanja jaja i divovskih zečeva, vratimo se u sadašnjost.

Moram priznati da mi već duži niz godina farbanje jaja nije interesantno. Nikad nisam imala smisla za oslikavanje i uvijek sam bila nezadovoljna svojim jajima, stoga sam ulazak u buntovne tinejđerske godine iskoristila kao izgovor za prestanak bavljenja tom aktvnošću. Tada sam se sve više počela okretati drugim uskrsnim radostima, poput šunke u kruhu, francuske salate ili dobrog kolača, a kada sam počela kuhati, te zemaljske hedonističke radosti poptuno su istisnule one dječje. Da skratim, volim dobro pojest :)


Ove sam godine ipak odlučila na neki način spojiti dječje radosti sa dobrom hranom, pa sam od meni najdražeg tijesta za brioše napravila slatke male Uskrsne zečiće. Budući da je nas samo dvoje, a brioši su najbolji kad su svježi i još topli, obično ih radim od maksimalno 250g brašna. Tako je bilo i sa zečićima. Ako vi imate brojniju obitelj ili mlađu djecu, svakako preporučam da udvostručite količinu sastojaka jer će zečići planuti u trenu. Ne samo da su slatki i simpatični, već su i bezobrazno ukusni.

Uz ove slatke zečiće želim vam sretan Uskrs! Proslavite ga u krugu obitelji, uz dobru hranu, šarena jaja i dobro raspoloženje. : )


Uskrsni zečići
sastojci za tri zečića

250g glatkog brašna
20g svježeg kvasca (pola kocke)
100 ml mlakog mlijeka
40g šećera
1 vanilin šećer
1/4 žličice soli
korica jednog limuna
korica jedne naranče
2 veća žumanjka
60g otopljenog maslaca

Za ukrašavanje
1 žumanjak
žlica mlijeka
3 lješnjaka
6 grožđica

Kvasac razmrvite u mlakom mlijeku, dodajte žličicu šećera i ostavite na toplom da se zapjeni. U međuvremenu u posudu prosijte brašno, dodajte sol, šećer i vanilin šećer i promiješajte. Dodajte koricu limuna i naranče, maslac i žumanjke te na kraju uzašli kvasac. Ručnim mikserom sa spiralnim nastavcima umijesite glatko tijesto. Tijesto izvadite na pobrašnjenu plohu te ga mijesite rukama još 5 minuta. Ono mora biti meko, gipko i elastično ali ne i ljepljivo, pa po potrebi dodajte još brašna. Tijesto vratite u zadjelu, pokrijte prozirnom folijom i ostavite na toplom dok ne udvostruči volumen, oko 45 minuta.

Pećnicu zagrijte na 180°C i veliki lim obložite papirom za pečenje. Uzašlo tijesto kratko premijesite na pobrašnjenoj radnoj plohi te ga podijelite na tri jednaka dijela. Od svakog dijela odvojite jednu veću lopticu za trbuščić i jednu manju za glavu, Ostatak tijesta podijelite na šest malih kuglica, pa oblikujte četiri šapice i uši. Sve dijelove dlanom malo spljoštite i prebacite na lim te pažljivo spojite. Po potrebi ih možete slijepiti sa malo vode.

Žumanjak razmutite uz dodatak mlijeka i time premažite zečiće, pa im kao oči i njuškicu utisnite grožđice i lješnjake. Ostavite ih da se dižu još 10-15 minuta, a zatim pecite 15-20 minuta, ovisno o pećnici. Malo ih ohladite, a zatim navalite.

• Verzija za ispis

The Easter Bunny is a benevolent, vaguely supernatural creature that brings gifts to good children. These gifts are usually in the form of various sweets or chocolate Easter eggs. Sometimes the Bunny will scatter or hide its treats for the children to find on an Easter egg hunt. The origin of the Easter Bunny probably goes back to the festival's connection with the pagan goddess Eostre. Eostre was a fertility goddess of the Saxons in Northern Europe and her name supposedly derives from the word eastre, an ancient word for spring.

Eostre is closely associated with fertility symbols such as eggs and rabbits. The precise origin of the ancient custom of coloring eggs is not known, although it is supposedly related to the blooming of many flowers in spring. Birds lay eggs in the early spring which coincides with the awakening of nature and the blooming flowers, so colored egges bring the spirit of spring into the homes. On the other hand, the rabbit is known as a highly fertile creature and hence an obvious choice for Easter symbolism. The earliest known reference to our modern Easter Bunny tradition appears to be from 16th century Germany. In the 18th century, German settlers to America brought the tradition with them.The first edible Easter Bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar.

This yer I decided to use my favorite brioche recipe to make cute little Easter Bunnies. Since there's only two of us and the brioche bread is best eaten fresh and warm, I usually make them with only 250g of flour. I did the same with these bunnies, but if you have a bigger familiy or kids I recommend that you double the ingredients because these bunnies are incredibly tasty and will be a big hit.

With these bunnies I wish you all happy Easter! I hope you'll celebrate it with your family, surrounded by joy, happiness, good food and colorful eggs.

Easter Bunnies
makes 3 bunnies

250g bread flour
20g fresh yeast
100ml lukewarm milk
40g sugar
1 bag of vanilla flavored sugar (10g)
1/4 tsp. salt
zest of one lemon
zest of one orange
2 large egg yolks
60g butter, melted

For decoration
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. milk
6 raisins
3 hazelnuts

Proof the yeast by mixing it with the warm milk and a teaspoon of sugar. Let it stand for a few minutes until it becomes foamy.

Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar and vanilla sugar with a wooden spoon. Add lemon and orange zest, butter, egg yolks and the yeast mixture. Mix the ingredients using a hand mixer with paddle attachments until you obtain a soft dough that detaches itself from the edges of the bowl. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and continue kneading with your hands until you get a smooth and elastic dough. If it still feels a bit sticky, add some more flour. Put the dough into a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until it doubles in size, around 45 minutes.

Preheat the ove to 180°C and line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide it into three equal parts. From each part shape one bigger ball for the body, and a smaller one for the bunny's head. Divide the rest into six small balls and shape four claws and two ears. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Transfer the bunny pieces onto a baking pan and flat them lightly with the palm of your hand. Glue the body parts together by brushing them lightly with some cold water. Leave enough space between the bunnies beacuse they are going to rise quite a lot while baking.

Using a pastry brush, brush the bunnies with the mixture of an egg yolk and a tablespoon of milk. Glue the raisins as their eyes and hazelnuts for the nose. Cover with a clean cloth and let them rise for 15 more minutes. Bake the bunnies for 15-20 minutes, or until they get a nice brown color. Cool them on a wire rack slightly and eat while they're still warm.

• Printable version

Lemon curd iz mikrovalne / Microwave Lemon Curd

Please scroll down for English.


Sjedim za računalom, pijem topli čaj i čudim se ovim upornim pahuljama što lepršaju nad Zagrebom. Odmahujem glavom u nevjerici i bacam oko na kalendar. Uskoro će proljeće. Hm, hoće li doista? Ako ćemo suditi po trenutnim vremenskim uvjetima, ne bih se baš kladila. Umorna sam od ove zime, vjetra, snijega i kiše. Nestrpljivo iščekujem toplinu, sunce, proljetne šetnje, žute jaglace i prve jagode. Očajnički trebam napuniti baterije i napokon se izvući iz začaranog kruga prehlada, viroza i gripa koje me ove sezone muče više nego inače. Bogovi vremenske prognoze, smilujte se!

U međuvremenu, tješim se onim mali stvarima, sitnicama koje bar na tren rastjeraju oblake i pošalju tračak topline. Jedna od njih je ovaj Lemon curd kojeg sam isprobala u sklopu Fbi rukavica, igre koju je pokrenula Maja s bloga Cooks and Bakes. Originalni recept nalazi se na Selminom blogu koji je ovog mjeseca predmet naše istrage.


Recept me oduševio iz više razloga i, ukoliko posjedujete mikrovalnu, svakako vam toplo preporučam da ga isprobate. Jedina preinaka koju sam napravila jest dodatak limunove korice, ne bih li dodatno naglasila specifičnu aromu limuna. Napravila sam duplu mjeru (od dva jaja) i dobila sam kreme dovoljno za jednu staklenku od 330g (staklenka sa slika). Idući put ću još samo malo smanjiti količinu šećera, no to je stvar osobnog ukusa. Sve u svemu, recept je bez greške.


Lemon curd iz mikrovalne
(originalni recept)
za otprilike 160g kreme

1 cijelo jaje
50 g šećera
1 vanilin šećer
40 g rastopljenog maslaca
korica jednog limuna
sok 2 limuna (oko 60-70 ml)

1 keramička šalica ili zdjelica


Pjenasto izmiksajte jaje, šećer i vanilin šećer. Umiješajte rastopljeni maslac, koricu limuna i limunov sok. Smjesu prebacite u zadjelicu i stavite u mikrovalnu. Kuhajte na 50% jačine u 5-6 intervala od jedne minute. Nakon svakog inervala zdjelicu izvadite iz mikrovalne i temeljito promiješajte. Ako nakon petog intervala krema nije gotova tj. dovoljno gusta da ostaje na žlici, kuhajte u kraćim intervalima od po pola minute dok se ne zgusne.

Gotov lemon curd malo ohladite i upotrijebite za neki fini kolač, ili ga ulijte u steriliziranu staklenku sa poklopcem. Ohladite u hladnjaku i koristite kao namaz ili sastojak za druge slastice.

• Verzija za ispis

Microwave Lemon Curd
(original recipe)
makes about 160g

1 large egg
50g granulated sugar
1 bag of vanilla flavored sugar (10g)
40g butter, melted
zest of one lemon, finely grated
juice of 2 lemons (about 60-70ml)

1 ceramic mug or bowl

In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg, sugar and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Transfer to a ceramic mug or a bowl and place it into a microwave. Cook on 50% power in five 1 minute intervals. After each interval take it out of the microwave and stir thoroughly. If lemon curd is not thick enough after the first five intervals, return it to the microwave and cook in shorter intervals until thick and creamy.

Remove from the microwave and allow it to cool to room temperature. If you're not using it right away, transfer to a sterilized jar and close with a lid. Refrigerate and use as necessary, either as a spread or as an ingredient for various desserts and fillings.

• Printable version

Kruh i focaccia / French Baguettes and Focaccia Bread

Please scroll down for the English version.


Već i vrapci na grani znaju što su Kuvarijacije, ali ju ću svejedno ponoviti za one koji to još nisu uspjeli naučiti :) Dakle, to je igra za food bloggere s područja bivše Jugoslavije u kojoj svakog mjeseca isprobavamo isti recept te na kraju mjeseca objavljujemo svoje dojmove tog jela. Ovog je mjeseca naš zadatak bio isprobati Brankin domaći bijeli kruh i focacciu.


Budući da mi je ovo 5 post u posljednjih tjedan dana (rekord!) i da više stvarno nemam inspiracije za pisanje, nećete mi zamjeriti ako odmah prijeđem na stvar i ne duljim previše. :) Brankin sam kruh isprobala dva puta i oba je puta bio savršen. Mekan, ukusan i sa puuuno rupica :) Količinu sastojaka sam smanjila i radila sa 500g brašna, a tijesto sam mijesila pomoću običnog ručnog miksera (sa spiralnim nastavcima) i ostavila ga da se diže četiri puta prije pečenja. Oblikovala sam tijesto u francuske baguette, ostavila ih da dižu još pola sata, a onda pekla u pećnici u kojoj sam prije toga stvorila vodenu paru. Naime, na dno pećnice stavila sam vatrostalnu posudu punu kipuće vode, a netom prije nego sam krušćiće ubacila unutra, po pećnici sam razlijala oko 100ml vruće vode kako bih dodatno stvorila paru. Brzo sam stavila kruh unutra i pekla ga oko 30 minuta na 200°C s time da sam dva puta tokom pečenja po pećnici poškropila vruće vode. Takvo je pečenje tipično za francuske baguette jer ono osigurava da korica bude tanka i hrskava. Od kada sam prvi put isprobala ovu metodu pečenja kruha, oduševila sam se i više kruh ne pečem nikako drugačije. Korica je stvarno fino hrskava ali ne i tvrda, a kruh je fenomenalan i idući dan i to bez zamotavanja u vlažne krpe i "pacanja" u plastičnim vrećicama radi omekšavanja korice.


Osim kruha, isprobala sam i focacciu koja me jednako oduševila. Tijesto za focacciu dizalo se tri puta i još otprilike 15 minuta prije samog pečenja. Focacciu sam prelila kombinacijom maslinovog ulja, češnjaka i svježeg začinskog bilja, a nadjenula sam je mini rajčicama i feta sirom. Prste smo polizali!

Osnovno tijesto za kruh i focacciu
(originalni recept)

500g glatkog brašna
10-15g svježeg kvasca
300-400ml mlake vode
žličica šećera
žličica soli

Kvasac razmrvite u malo mlake vode, dodajte šećer, promiješajte i ostavite da se zapjeni.

Brašno prosijte u zdjelu, dodajte sol i dobro izmiješajte. Dodajte uzašli kvasac i preostalu mlaku vodu te pomoću miksera sa spiralnim nastavcima zamijesite tijesto. Tijesto će biti dosta ljepljivo pa svakako koristite mikser ili multipraktik. Zdjelu pokrijte plastičnom folijom (ili preko nje navucite čistu plastičnu vrećicu), sve zajedno još pokrijte čistom kuhinjskom krpom i ostavite da se diže dok ne udvostruči volumen (oko 30-45 minuta). Nakon toga tijesto lagano premijesite rukama, vratite u zdjelu, pokrijte i ponovo ostavite da se diže. Taj postupak ponovite još dva do tri puta. Nakon toga tijesto možemo oblikovati u kruh ili focacciu.

Francuski kruh
gore navedena količina tijesta dovoljna je za dva francuza

Pećnicu zagrijte na 200°C. Namastite veliki lim za pečenje.

Tijesto podijelite na dva jednaka dijela i svaki oblikujte u baguette. Prebacite ih na lim i svaki krušćić na tri mjesta zarežite oštrim nožem. Ostavite ih da se dižu još 20-30 minuta. Za to vrijeme zagrijte vodu kojom ćete stvoriti paru u pećnici. Kipuću vodu ulijte u vatrostalnu posudu i stavite ju na dno pećnice. Posuda ne mora biti vrhom puna, bitno je samo da bude dovoljno vode da stvori paru. Odvojite oko 100ml kipuće vode i nju prolijte po unutrašnjosti pećnice netom prije stavljanja kruha. Brzo ubacite kruh, zatvorite vrata i pecite oko 30 minuta. Tokom pečenja još dva puta po unutrašnjosti pećnice poškropite malo tople vode. Je li kruh pečen možete provjeriti tako da nekoliko puta kucnete po njegovoj korici. Ako čujete šuplji zvuk to znači da je pečen. Pečeni kruh ostavite na rešetki da se ohladi, a potom uzmite svoj najdraži namaz i navalite :)


Focaccia
gore navedena količina tijesta dovoljna je za dvije focaccie

Za jednu focacciu potrebno vam je još:

100ml maslinovog ulja
1 režanj češnjaka
prstohvat soli
svježi bosiljak, ružmarin i timijan po ukusu
150-200g mini rajčica
60g feta sira

Pećnicu zagrijte na 200°C. Veliki lim za pečenje premažite maslinovim uljem.

Češnjak i začinsko bilje sitno nasjeckajte i dodajte u maslinovo ulje. Posolite po ukusu i ostavite da stoji 10-ak minuta da se okusi prožmu. Rajčice operite i po potrebi prepolovite, a sir narežite na kockice.

Uzašlo tijesto prebacite u lim za pečenje i rukama ga raširite po limu. Prelijte ga pripremljenim maslinovim uljem pa prstima radite udubljenja na tijestu kako bi ulje lakše prodrlo u tijesto. Ostavite da odstoji 15-ak minuta a potom po tijestu rasporedite mini rajčice i feta sir. Pecite dok ne dobije lijepu boju, oko 20 minuta. Pečenu focacciu malo ohladite na rešetki prije posluživanja.

• Verzija za ispis
  

Basic Dough for French Baguettes and Focaccia Bread
makes two french baguettes or two focaccia breads
(original recipe)

500g bread flour
10-15g fresh yeast
300-400ml warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Proof the yeast by mixing it with some warm water and a teaspoon of sugar. Let it stand for a few minutes until it becomes foamy.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and the salt in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Incorporate the yeast mixture to the flour. While mixing with an electric mixer (paddle attachments), gradually add warm water until you obtain a dough ball that detaches itself from the edges of the bowl. The dough will be quite sticky,but don't worry. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a plastic bag and a clean kitchen cloth and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume (30-45 minutes). Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly for a minute or two, and then return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic and a cloth and let it rise again until it doubles in volume. Repeat this process 2-3 times. Although it seems that this process takes a lot of time, most of it is just rising time during which you can do other things around the house. It's important to let the dough rise as many times as possible because that ensures the softness and the quality of the bread.

After the dough has risen a few times, we can proceed to form french baguettes or a focaccia bread.

French baguettes

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking pan with some olive oil.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Gently stretch each piece and roll it to form a loaf. Repeat the process until you get the shape of a french baguette. Transfer the baguettes to the baking pan. Make 3 diagonal slashes on each loaf with a sharp knife, cover with a cloth and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes before baking.

In the meantime we are going to create a steam in the oven that is going to help our baguettes have a nice thin but crunchy crust. Heat approximately two cups of water until it starts to boil. Transfer it to a smaller roasting pan and then put the pan into the preheated oven, onto the bottom rack. Take approximately 100ml of boiling water and pour it all over the hot oven to create additional steam. Then quickly put the baguettes onto the medium rack of your oven and bake for 30 or so minutes (until the baguettes are golden brown). Every 15 minutes during the baking time, sprinkle some more warm water into the oven to create additional steam.

If you're not sure when your bread is ready, tap it ace several times with your fingers. If you can hear a hollow sound coming out of it, the bread is ready. Also, baked bread should not be heavy when lifted.

Transfer the baked baguettes on a wire rack and let them cool before cutting and serving.

Focaccia Bread

For one focaccia bread you'll need:

100ml olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
pinch of salt
fresh basil, rosemary and thyme to your taste, finely chopped
150-200g cherry tomatoes
60g feta cheese, diced

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking pan with olive oil.

Put he olive oil into a small bowl. Add garlic, fresh herbs and salt and mix well. Let it stand for 10 minutes so that the garlic and herbs incorporate into the oil. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half if needed.

Transfer the dough onto the baking pan and stretch it with your hands so that it's 1-2cm thick. Pour the prepared olive oil over it and using only your fingertips, begin to press into the dough to distribute the oil and flatten the dough out. The dough will gradually spread out in the pan. Let it stand for another 15 minutes so that the oil incorporates into the dough. Arrange cherry tomatoes and feta cheese on the surface and bake the focaccia until it's golden brown, approximately 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

• Printable version