chocolate!

I really liked the look of this silicone mould so it made it's way home with me. I experimented a little - some with the candied orange and chocolate, then some ginger. I tried the same mixtures with marzipan too. Then some big chunks of mixed candied peel and chocolate, and some with just plain nuts! I ended up decorating with some shreds of gold leaf. They looked fab! Great for small christmas gifts.

A small bar made 13 mixed fruit & ginger chocolates.

 My first try. The mould worked perfectly. I used the oven to temper the chocolate. Next time remember to keep the mould cool before coating. It did make some quite interesting marbling effects as the filling mixed with the dark coating but that's not always desirable.

 

the gold leaf really looks great in candlelight.

 

what to try next? fudge, fondant, dominosteine?

Groan.

  So the christmas cookie season is on. My fears that they would go off/ soggy/dry out/or just go bad in the waiting evaporated at first bite.  I think I made enough. After refilling the tin a good few times there must still be more than 1/3 left. As delicious and moreish as they are, I'm not sure i can look at another one for a while. I stored each batch separately and filled a big tin on Christmas Eve. The Berliner Brot just got better, soft and chewy in the right places. The Lebküchen, dunked in a panic when they emerged rock hard from the oven, now ditto,  jam packed with flavour - special thanks to the mixed home-candied peel and mystery spice mix from the marketplace in Bonn. I think they are the surprise favourites! Can I remember the recipe? of course not. Grrrr. I will keep looking.  The Pepperkaker close next favourites with fresh ground cardamom, nutmeg and pepper. The Coconut Macaroons have been disappearing fast too! More next time please.

Orange cake

I used some of the leftover orange spice compote I made with leftovers from the candied peel in place of some liquid in the recipe. The cake turned out delicious and juicy but failed to rise properly in the middle. Recipe needs some tweaking.

2	stk egg -
2	dl sugar - whisk both until thick and whi
3	dl flour
2	ts b.p.
2	ts vanilla sugar / 1 ts lemon	juice
100	gr marg
1,5	dl milk

Pepperkaker!

Pepperkaker
The classic taste, smell and look of Norwegian christmas. Be prepared for large amounts of cookies - you will need lots of space to cool them!

candied anything!

 Clementines (or mandarins?) - seemed to take ages to process, but retained quite a strong 'peel' character. Also added clove and black pepper to the syrup. Will try in baking mixtures. 

 Lemons - love the intense citrus hit. So far the sweetest of all the fruits. Absolutely transporting!

Limes have a really intense flavour! Great in small portions. Deliciously aromatic in baked goodies.

the oranges, the first attempt were so good they disappeared before the top picture was taken!

Berliner Brot

 100g chopped nuts (almond hazelnut)
250g flour
200g sugar (mixed brown/white)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
1+ tbsp sour cream (quark/ creme.fr)
2 eggs

200ºC 10 -15 min
mix 50g icing sugar w 1 tbsp hot water. keep warm. spread on warm cake. Cut 2 x 5 cm strips. divide when cool.
store in airtight container.

Taglialle al Cielo

Not diet food
grab diced onions, fry with tsp. chopped garlic. Add ham and then garden peas. (alternative spekblokjes & tuinbontjes) Add cream, then as it begins to thicken a tsp blue cheese and a pinch good parmesan. Season. Toss pasta into sauce. Plate up, sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.
Yum.