All scrumptious fare affords pleasure! This is particularly true of a  scone with clotted cream, which has been heralded as one of the many time- honored traditions of our friends from across the pond. This delicate confection relies on cold butter for its flakiness whereas most recipes of the American biscuit relies more on vegetable shortening for a crumbly texture. I do not bake with vegetable shortening, however,  I do love crumbly textures and achieve this by adding cream cheese, whenever a recipe calls for vegetable shortening. Whatever, the origin or paradigm of this convivial fare, it is also enjoyed by many all over the world, including my Malaysian elders in South Africa. My mother almost always reverted to preparing it for unexpected company, so without further ado, here is my spin on her recipe.

Scones

These scones were delicate, flaky & even crumbly, accompanied by a mascarpone mousse, ( tasted almost like French vanilla ice cream).  I also made my strawberry & raspberry preserves from scratch with vanilla beans etc…. These all went to my chiropractor & all the lovely ladies who work at the wellness center at “Arne Chiropractic.” Their remarks….ridiculously decadent!

Tahitian vanilla powder & a little of the white vanilla powder, sifted with the flours, is my little spin on this airy scone! Some of the vanilla powder will be left in the sieve, just dump into the bowl with the rest of the flours

As you can see, lavish amounts of whole sun ripened strawberries & raspberries, not sweet at all, no pectin or sugar needed in my preserves, it’s all about the fruit,  & some surprising ingredients !

I ask this frivolous & not in the least condescending question with the utmost respect of all the ladies out there……Is a woman’s worth really measured by her ability of making a good biscuit? The reason for my question is that I have recently discovered the “Little house on the Prairie” series & now receiving all the episodes from Netflix. Anyway,  there is one episode whereby Carolyn Ingalls is put to the test by making biscuits for a possible position as a cook in a hotel, & ultimately she does land the job for making the best biscuits ever! The former cook who was just lousy at cooking was kicked out!  Hey, during the late 1800’s, if a woman could make a good biscuit and a good pot of stew with potatoes, she was pretty much spoken for! I am transfixed by this era portrayed so beautifully by Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, & the rest of the cast, an American Western drama, I just cannot wait to watch nightly with my husband!

I wonder whether my scones would have landed me an amorous encounter with Mr. Charles Ingalls himself, that is only if my husband was not yet in my life LOL! I hope he does not read this!

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Publication

This fruit fondant Madeira cake, that I developed here,  is featured in this British magazine below, the Fall issue #114 on page 114. Originally, I contacted them to thank them for the safe arrival of my package with the delectable fruit fondant powders, I purchased from them and much to my delight, they emailed me, asking for a head shot of myself  & the pictures of this cake and publishing my little article in the ” forum” section on pg 114-115. Anyway,  this cake was indescribably delicious, this fruit fondant powder turns into a rich  fruit coolie when mixed with water!

This magazine is sold at Barnes & Noble.

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Colorado

Red Rocks Park is a mountain park in Morrison, Colorado & only 10 minutes drive from my home. I often go here,  either to run up & down the many steps,  go and day dream & most importantly, see my favorite rock bands!. I finally decided to take some pictures last week, while there was no scheduled concert, & share them with you!

I am never without my I Pod, & many of you already know that I love vocal trance. I do love rock too! S..t!**!! this is one run where I really need my IPod, because these steps are forever kicking my big b…..!Anything to detract from the pain will keep my booody moving.

Orjan Nielsen ft Arielle Maren–Redemption

Svenstrup & Vendelboe-Nadia malm…….Danish stars, cool euphoric vocal trance

Medina- Gutter—a Svenstrup & Vendelboe remix….I mentioned her before in my last post, but this is also an awesome remix!

David Guetta ft Usher–without you ( okay, this is no vocal trance, but I still like it)

Red Rocks is my escape from this more often than not frenetic world!

Red Rocks Amphitheater, a world famous venue, hosts many concerts, “Film on the Rocks” ( I love watching movies in the open air), & other events during the summer. I think it seats about 10,000, most probably more! I went to see Santana & the rock bands, Godsmack & Nine Inch Nails, over here. Picture this, after the concerts,  confetti cannons shooting blizzards of confetti shapes from above….pure artistry in motion! It turns serious adults into awestruck children & sends children into giddy glee!

Takes us a mere 10 mins drive to Red Rocks mountain park!

Recipes

Flaky vanilla scones with mascarpone mousse & preserves

As usual, please use organic ingredients when possible, however, I used the King Arthur flours here.

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup self rising flour
• 3 t  “Bob’s Red Mill” double acting baking powder( Aluminum free)
• 1/2  t Tahitian vanilla powder plus 1 t of the white vanilla powder, just because I have both,  ( optional but not for me! he!he!), Or use whatever one you prefer!….  the Tahitian vanilla powder is finely ground vanilla beans, mine was hardly noticeable in my pictures, because they were dispersed throughout the dough. Trust me when I say that it is potent, but oh so darn delicious!
• 3 – 4  T organic sugar, I used 3!
• 6 T cold Plugra ( European, unsalted butter), or any other kind you prefer. I love the richer & creamier taste of Plugra!
  
• 1/2 cup of currants
• 2/3 cup organic milk
• egg yolk beaten lightly for the glaze

Method

Sift all the flours & the Tahitian & the white vanilla powders together, twice. Some of the Tahitian vanilla powder will be left in the sieve, just dump back into the bowl with the flours.  Remove about a quarter cup of this flour mixture & toss with the currants & set aside, (the reason for this step, so that the currants will not sink to the bottom, but will be evenly distributed throughout the dough). Add the sugar to the flour mixture  & mix with a biscuit cutter. Now cut the cold butter into smaller pieces and cut into the flour mixture with the biscuit cutter. Do me a favor, do not over mix here! It is okay if there are bigger pieces of butter showing! Make a well in the center,  add the currants & then  the cold milk and mix just until incorporated, absolutely no over mixing here either! Always let any dough rest, here for 10 mins. Finally roll out the dough to about 3/4 inch on a lightly floured surface,  stamp out 2 inch heart shape designs, ( please just press firmly down on cutter, no twisting), NB…flip the scones over, so that the bottom of the scone is now on top & then place on the cookie sheet,   about an inch apart, (the cold butter specks will now be on the top & they will rise evenly),  brush with the egg yolk & then let rest again for 12 minutes. N.B. do not let the egg yolk glaze drip over the sides of the scone, this will prohibit the scone from rising! Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. You will really smell the vanilla aroma when these babies are done! Makes about 9 scones.

Mascarpone mousse

Whisk some mascarpone @ rm temp. with cold Horizon, organic whipping cream & some of the white vanilla powder.  Set the bowl over ice when whisking! Serve the scones with a dollop of this mousse & preserves of your liking.

Thanks for your visit, enjoy my version of the scone!

Lots of love,

Nazarina.

P/S…..It is so strange, I make these scones only when we have guests staying over or sometimes for my friend’s B&B, but have never blogged about it before. I did not think that the recipe would be important enough to share until now!

The Plugra & the vanilla powder definitely brought some major mojo to this scone party!

How to make desserts soar! How to make soap fun!

Pina colada thumbprints – some with coconut ganache & some with chocolate; also Easter soaps & aquatic & terrestrial soaps

Summer is here, and I am stagnant no more!

My hands are almost automatically drawn to making a myriad of things but lately my mind seems to be tangled in a web of a creative confusion. I seem to find myself there more often than not and even though this bothers me, I have no time to ponder the cause because usually, life gets in the way. A friend once said that multitasking and fatigue can do this to a vibrant brain and implored me to step away from it all. I did comply for a little while, thinking that I was free at last from baking, soap making & photographing, yet strangely enough,  my soul kept hankering for that unnecessary trepidation that goes into the art of making things from scratch. So here I am again, purely driven by  the persuasive powers of a  zealous nature to create & making people smile! Lord knows, how long this will last, yet I always say that imagination is only limited by a blurry vision and consistency best be a recourse for the unimaginative!

This segment is for the South Africans…..

Ek was net fokken lui en my familie het op my senuwees gewerk! Som tye will ek vir hulle ‘n warme paar klappe gee vir aand ete!…en “call it quits.” Gelukkig kan my familie nie Afrikaans verstaan nie he! he!

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Pina colada , chocolate ganache thumbprints

Dessicated coconut, ( I cannot bake with no other), thumbprints filled with a dark chocolate ganache & garnished with a toasted coconut flake. I made these for a dear friend’s baby shower including all the soaps below! This recipe is so different to that of my other thumbprints!

Pina colada thumbprints filled with a coconut white chocolate ganache, made with coconut cream & garnished with a maraschino cherry. Who knew what freeze-dried pineapple powder & coconut extract would do to hike up the ego of these absolutely scrumptious coconut shortbread beauties?

……  like  Freddie would say, (’n Suid Afrikaner wat ek in Miami ontmoet het) sal se, dit is nie lekker nie, dit is moer se lekker!

I love the unexpected twists & turns in this recipe, it made the diners at this baby shower wish for more! They all wanted to know, how I achieved this delicately balanced recipe & not at all sweet to boot!

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My hand-made soaps for curious little munchkins

Chocolate brown bunnies & cheeky chicks….Easter essentials for tiny tots. These were a bit cumbersome to make…..not an easy project but with a little perseverance, I achieved the final images conjured in my imagination.

Luminous soaps, slippery sea critters basking on the boardwalk. I had to buy the “sea sand” from a craft store for the decoration on the tables for the baby shower….Is this not pitiful? Where is the ocean when I need it?

Soapy Aquatic ” monsters” & terrestrial critters that hide in your bath-tub. I found these rather inexpensive molds, not for soap- molding at all, but used them anyway! I am glad that I am making a little guy, named Cooper,  so happy at bath time!

Remembering

This post is especially for you Auntie Fatie & all of my aunts & uncles, (in Cape Town, South Africa), & most of all our dearly departed…….

I sincerely miss those days when we were all together….joyous & loud for all to hear,  but then again, we are extremely lucky with all those beautiful memories that Mamma, Boeyah, Grandmother Galiema, my Mom, uncle Omar, uncle Toyer, uncle Yusuf, (a magnificent artist in his own right)  have given us the pleasure to savor! Their creativity was mesmerizing!

To Uncle Mitch who is still wowing people in his part of the world! Are you not glad that you took what may have seemed as woodworking abuse by Boeyah, to a now revered pastime & a means of income? To Uncle Issie who taught us that loyalty toward family takes precedence over everything else!  To Tietie, with her delectable twists and turns in food & making any unsuspecting diner wish for more of what they thought, they disliked! To Auntie Mona, for that entrepreneurial spirit & teaching us to explore the “other side” of the world! I am happy to report that “this other side of the world” is what I now call home!

Because of Uncle Omar & you, Auntie F, I can still make huge additions mentally just by looking at numbers, this I learned by working in your store on the week-ends & much later in my Mom’s store.  Both you & my Mom taught me the beauty  & the love for fabric among countless other things…..my Mom, who could turn any rag into a robe fit for a runway… & what can I say about my Grandmother J, she was one of a kind, she is still making sure that up to this day, I am making her craft proud, her confectioneries were insane!!! I know in my heart of hearts that she helps me every step of the way through this satisfying journey of  tasty cookery!

To my Grandmother G, who with great ease, made vats of tangy mango pickle & delicious home-made fizzy ginger beer & from whom I take after in looks and mannerisms! I have yet to master the art of ginger beer…..I shall soon!

Auntie F, I still remember the time when you showed me off in a sari when I was twelve! I loved those scrumptious,  baked turmeric colored potatoes you made in the oven….& now of course I make them for my family , friends & acquaintances  all over world & not without the beautiful memory that goes with them. My friends thank you’ll! There are just not enough accolades in the world to commemorate what you all have instilled within us. I miss those dearly departed! I am because of what they made me to be!!  I thank God every day, that I had such caring elders who embraced life with so much passion & making this, sometimes unattractive world, so appealing!

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Hope you guys are having a spectacular summer! Will post a recipe soon!

Love as always,

Nazarina.

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How to make desserts soar!

On the agenda today: Digestive biscuits ( regular and chocolate); Vanilla bean whipped cream pumpkin pie and foxes!….. Need there be more?

This digestive biscuit post is my contribution to a  garnishing event held by Food Fanatic

The gift of the Digestive biscuit, (cookie), was given to us by our friends from across the pond, namely the English! This is my version of this irresistibly, delicious snack. I can still recollect the days when my Mom and I used to share the chocolate Digestives in the purple package in Cape Town, South Africa! My Mom rocked! “Dit is nou vir jou n’ lekker koekie!”

Well, my quest here was to develop a recipe that would be a wholesome snack for skiing and a little chocolaty for high tea or in my case, milk! Somehow, I do not think that the British would go for the milk! Nevertheless, I often serve this biscuit at high tea as well & do the unthinkable…..I dunk!!!

It seems to me that this biscuit has somewhat of a conflicting nature……should I be savory or should I be sweet this time? You know, just like  when those crazy voices in your head are at loggerheads with each other! LOL!

For the savory factor, just garnish a cheeseboard by cutting out whimsical shapes from the cheese of your choice with cookie cutters & stack for further interest. The digestive biscuits are perfect mates for sharp cheddar cheese / Swiss & maybe a dollop of spicy cranberry chutney on top of the cheese!

Mmmm, to be chocolaty or to be cheesy that is the question?

For the sweet factor, adorn the Digestive biscuits with dark chocolate ganache! Boil your cream, pour over dark chocolate with a small pat of unsalted butter and incorporate & slather over the crispy biscuit. To make the wavy pattern, use a cake comb and please do wait until the chocolate sets!

I ” love” this biscuit so much, I even put it in writing! For the garnish, “LOVE”, just pour the dark melted chocolate into a paper cone made of parchment & write the word,”Love” onto parchment & let it harden.

I made 10 of these gift boxes, covered in cellophane for my neighborhood bake sale for the Strength.Org charity event. They flew off the table like hotcakes! I love doing charities like Strength.Org because this is where I can really flaunt my baking expertise!

This biscuit had a “malty” overtone with a slight crisp & shortbread-like taste! Absolutely yum! A Nazarina special!

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A wildlife intervention

These are my new pets! Just kidding, I vow never to keep the wild in confinement! “Foxy” (female) came to me limping (really badly) from the nearby  Rocky mountain during September of last year. I felt an immediate pang of sorrow for Foxy because of this limp so in my regular  “Nazarina-like-fashion”,  I coaxed her with some food & nursed her leg! She came almost hypnotized by my soft spoken voice & it was almost as if she knew instinctively that I meant her no harm but only to help. There are lots of these foxes in my area. I love foxes, white wolves & polar bears! Gosh, I love all animals!

My 22lb cat, Oscar, stealthily went after her, trying to chase her off his domain. I intervened & stopped the confrontation in the nick of time! Cats, I tell ya are so territorial! LOL! I am sure you are most probably thinking that I am being terribly facetious, especially taken into account that I am dealing with foxes here!

Well Foxy came back this January  and brought her mate,” Moxie” (male) along with her. Aren’t they cute! Moxie follows Foxy everywhere and my sweetie shared a piece of  fox trivia with me saying that once they find their mate, they stay together forever! BTW, this is just a light dusting of snow compared to the norm.

They love to run and hide underneath my studio (now as you can see just ravaged by the continuous snowfalls and arctic-like cold air)! This is where I make my soap & other crafts. This picture is a bit blurry because I was running after them, trying to take their picture! Anyway, I have not seen them for a couple of days now, maybe they went back to the nearby mountain! Funny thing though, just when we forget about them, they reappear in my backyard! Do you think that they bonded with me?

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Finally, remember this post (Streusel topped pumpkin pie).……… that I wrote about a year ago?

……..I revamped my pumpkin pie yet again! This time, I still kept the streusel, but piped a swirl of mousse y vanilla bean whipped double cream on top & abstractly “Jackson Pollocked” the melted dark chocolate all over the pie! My friend, Vanessa, was having a bad day & quit her job over the phone, so I made her this pumpkin mousse pie & named it “Vanessa is out livin her life, so shove your job where the sun don’t shine! pie”  She liked the message so much and left it on voice mail & that was exactly what her Employer heard when they eventually called her back!

Stop me please!!! how many more times am I going to change this gift that just keeps on giving?  I use Dr. Oetker French vanilla ( all the time see my old blog), ….a friend of mine, Zoe, went to Canada from Miami & brought back 20 packages, all just for me. I just got tired of asking Cost Plus to get the French Vanilla! I did add the double cream to the mousse as well though to make it extra light & fluffy! “Zoe, many, many, thanks you are the bomb! You are a great gourmet cook in your own right! Delicious breyanis and heavenly cakes are amongst her specialties!”

Oh! BTW, this time I made the crust  & streusel with organic coconut flour (Bob’s Red Mill ),  almond flour etc…… . It came out better than a French sable’ type of dough!

Recipes: As usual, please use organic ingredients when possible!

Digestive biscuits: Makes about 13 biscuits or more if you use a smaller cookie cutter than the one described in my “method.”

(This is my version)

• 1/2 c organic wheat bran
• 2 T extra fine Dessicated coconut ( Buy this at an Indian Grocer)

• 5oz unsalted softened butter
• 1/3 c brown sugar minus 1 T
• 1 T Barley Malt syrup
• 2 t  pure vanilla extract ( I use the one from Santo Domingo)
• 1 egg yolk (I love baking with just the yolk, because the end result is always rich!)
• 1-2 t ground ginger (optional but not for me!)
• 1 t finely grounded (super-fine) cardamom (optional but not for me!)
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder

Method:

Toast the wheat bran & the coconut together in the oven 350 degrees for about 10-15 mins; just until you can smell the toasted coconut aroma & the wheat is slightly colored. Remove & cool

Cream the butter, brown sugar, malt & vanilla together with an electric beater until light & fluffy. Add the egg yolk,  ginger & cardamom & incorporate. Sift cake flour, wheat flour & baking powder & then whisk in the toasted wheat bran & coconut.  Gingerly fold in this dry ingredient mixture  in 3 batches with a spatula. If the dough seems a bit wet, lightly dust hands with extra cake flour & then knead lightly and finally refrigerate 30mins-1 hour.

Roll out the dough to a little less than a quarter inch and cut out rounds with a 2 & half inch cookie cutter, ( or to whatever size you prefer),  & dock with a fork. I also love to roll the dough out thinner than this this on baking paper (tape the ends down on work surface or plastic wrap!),  & then place on baking sheet, but you really have to watch the browning…..this makes for some of the biscuits,  a lot more crispier! Refrigerate again for about 10 minutes & then bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 16 mins. or until slightly brown along the edges. Cool on the baking sheet and then garnish with the chocolate ganache or just eat them plain with cheese.

That’s it folks, I am signing off.

Love,

Nazarina.

This was a really cool and delicious project and especially prudent to make since I am compelled to watch “Thomas the Train” and several other kid friendly movies with the munchkin.  To say that I am bored, (thinking out loud rather facetiously), with his TV choices would be an understatement!  I have succumbed to the notion that “Madagascar” and “Cars”, to name a few, are to be my only form of entertainment!
I am no longer in charge of the TV remote or allowed to satisfy a sudden urge to watch one of my favorite shows!……..  just kidding! he only has 1 hour of allotted TV time over here!

Even with this displayed, illiberal behavior, I still wanted to be his heroine, so making this train out of gingerbread and dark chocolate more than likely would have averted his pretty, little “TV head” to something way more enjoyable, such as cutting out  parts of the train from soft gingerbread dough. I succeeded, only to realize that now my cherished bake-ware is at the brunt of his rambunctious baking demeanor. Lord! have mercy, he is extremely messy and disorganized as well…. some things, I just cannot appreciate….. I love my “mise en plus” just way too much ! I do have standards , you know! LOL! ” Sure!” you would say, now, most probably, would be a good time to let go of all your peculiar kitchen antics and anal cleaning mannerisms because this is not about you! Rug rats rule!

Anyway, I know that this is the only way he is going to learn by having “his way” with all my treasured cookware , so forgive my unnecessary rant. He will most probably recollect all of our baking sessions together, just as I of my Mom and Grandmother.

Chocolate gingerbread cookie train for a little boy who loves trains!

This is a chocolate gingerbread dough,  “glued” together with chocolate ganache. You can also use Royal icing, but frankly I much prefer the chocolate. The result is a much more neater and way more delicious result. I also used the dark chocolate M & M’s , Twizzlers & Christmas peppermints to further decorate the train and the track.

I prepared, measured and baked the different parts of the train on one day and did the decorating on the following day.

You are also going to need  honey grahams to serve as support for both the engine and coal car. Glue six of the gingerbread  wheels together to form the boiler and then glue onto the graham stack support inside the “engine sides.”

This is the template for the train. Measure the different parts and just place directly onto the dough and cut with a pizza cutter. Use a craft knife for the little window on the “engine side.” I used a two & half inch round cookie cutter for the wheels. BTW, it is most probably a good idea just to place the templates back onto the baked pieces and just trim uneven sides, you have to do this really gingerly, otherwise they will crack. I used the template from Family Circle, but not the recipe.

You do not need a bottom part to this train, as the graham cracker stacks will keep the engine & the coal car up!

Recipe: Please use organic ingredients whenever possible!

Really easy, all the ingredients are mixed in the food processor!!!

I could not use my really delicious gingerbread dough recipe on my old blog, for fear of it not being able to “stand up” to this project. Turns out, I was wrong, so next gingerbread project will definitely be with that old recipe!!!

• 1 & 1/4 cups All purpose, unbleached flour
• 3 t ground ginger
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t ground cardamom
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t ground clove
• 1/4 cup Valrhona French dark chocolate powder 64% ( Grand Cru de Terroire, “Tainori” Dominican Republic. I am now using this in almost all of my chocolate creations!
• 1/2 t bicarbonate of soda ( do not use baking soda, this has a soapy taste, I know because I also make my own soap!). Buy it from your local Middle Eastern store.
• pinch kosher salt
• 6 T unsalted butter (slightly softened & cut into small pieces)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• honey grahams for support only
• chocolate ganache for “gluing”the parts together

Method:

In a food processor, sift together flour, spices, salt, bicarbonate of soda and chocolate powder. Give two quick pulses. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles course sand. Use the on and off pulse button to achieve this OR  a biscuit cutter if doing this by hand.  Add the sugar and beaten egg and pulse again until the mixture comes together. Remove and lightly knead by hand into a smooth ball, wrap and refrigerate for about two hours.

You will have to make this recipe 4 times in order to make all the different parts of the train and then use the remainder for gingerbread boys and/ or girls, whatever your fancy. Use your realm of creativity. The dough should be rolled out into slightly less than a quarter of an inch. See further instructions & captions at my pictures. You are going to need to glue together 7 graham cracker cookies to serve as  support with chocolate ganache. Just snap the cookies along the perforated edge. Make 4 of these stacks. Take two stacks and glue to the side of one of the “engine” parts. Let the chocolate harden a little and then glue the other part of the “engine” to the graham crackers. This will make your “engine” car stand up. Do the same with the coal car. Proceed by gluing together all the other parts of the train, just like in my pictures above.

I used melted dark chocolate ganache ( dark choc. boiled heavy cream a pat of unsalted butter), in a pastry bag to glue all the parts together.

If you do not want to use chocolate ganache then use this Royal icing recipe:

• 3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
• meringue powder( prepared as per instructions on the can) OR 2 fresh egg whites, slightly beaten
• 1/2 t cream of tartar
• 1 t fresh lemon juice

Sift & beat ingredients together to form a fluffy icing. Just use a plastic zipper bag, if you do not have a pastry bag to do all the piping!

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As you can see from the messy picture below, his favorite food is steamed butternut squash but he can also clean up very nicely!

He was only allowed to munch on a gingerbread boy, because we donated the whole  cake to a lady with lots of children. Hopefully, I shall make a different design when he is a little bigger and I shall definitely use my old chocolate gingerbread recipe that is on my old blog!!!

Love, as always & have fun making this train, & if you have any questions about this cookie train, ask me in your comment, & I shall answer, the best way possible!

Nazarina

Not-so-mundane garden variety

Here are a few recipes I tinkered with throughout the summer, using things from the garden and hey, the garden parties were not bad either!

For some reason, there seem to be an amicable and almost clandestine rivalry between my husband and me and where arbitration in “whom will reign supreme” is not really important. What does matter, is the fact that both of us are passionate about our endeavors and that I am able to constantly chase after gastronomic nirvana!

With this said, my husband is the avid gardener in this family, so the term “green thumb” presumably alludes to his soil stained fingers. He grows all kinds of things from seedlings,  which he first germinates in the sun room, while the snow is still rampant around these parts and then during the warmer months, transplants them to either pots or the yard where “difficult dirt” is the order of many a day! Were it not for his tireless efforts, ( and in my mind, sometimes foolhardy perseverance LOL!),  to dig and aerate this impermeable piece of underlying crap, so sorry,  I meant to say clay,  that lurks just below the already, ( I swear),  denuded top soil, I  would not be able to “showboat” these beauties below! Nevertheless, daunting as this task may seem, he enjoys every minute of it!  Thank  goodness, he has the “balls” to do this every spring, among countless other things!

Berries

This tree is on the side of my studio where it receives plenty of sunshine but also the much needed shade during those 100 degree days from the shadow, cast by  the wall. My grandmother had a blackberry tree that fed the whole neighborhood. She made us climb the tree and then made all kinds of things with blackberries and it is those very moments that I miss so terribly. My sister S shared a memory with me, saying that my Grandfather wanted her to catch all those pesky ripened berries  before they fell onto his vintage Simcar, ( the ones that stained your hands and face and looked like some tattoo artist was hard at work at your expense). Apparently, there is really nothing wrong with inexpensive and underage labor, just look at how we turned out! just kidding! He, he!

Can you imagine a world in black & white? Thank God for granting us a vivid color spectrum!

This is my  so called “big, little very berry  Petit Four” that serves four or many more! (only 6 & half inches in diameter)

I developed this recipe when the berries were bursting with juice and flavor and just falling to the ground. This almost salacious motion needed an equally amorous mate,  ( i.e. a spongy Madeira with berries in the batter), to showcase the berry in all its sun-kissed  glory. The taste was absolutely stupendous,  not in the least sweet, just fruity and a little tart!

Everybody and their Mama are always over at my house, so when I tried dividing this baby into a thousand little pieces, one of my friend’s said “What the fudge Naz, what’s up with this? I need a freakin magnifying glass to even locate my piece!”

This big, little petit four is covered in a fruit fondant that I bought on-line and came all the way from Great Britain. So, it is more than fitting  to serve even the queen of England and the rest of the royal clan!

I served this dessert with a raspberry and blackberry coolie on the side. The berry coolies  intermingled with the fruit fondant ,  making every bite bursting with bits of succulent berry magic! Need I say that this endeavor was pretty darn fruitful!

Just add cooled down boiling water to a mixture of both raspberry & blackcurrant fondants and voila! you have real berries in a liquid state. I added a touch of lemon juice and the berry coolies to make it extra fruity!

It was this fruit fondant that really made this cake soar!!!!

Squires Shop distributes  orders of their products, magazines & magazine subscriptions worldwide, just click on their logo below for this fondant and many more.

Tomatoes

It is such a pleasure to cook straight from the garden and it also gives us that much needed “reconnect” to our food source, especially among the youth where this disconnect seems hauntingly palpable!

This season, my husband uncharacteristically cross pollinated the “Roma” with the  “Big Boy Hybrid” to produce a tomato with an inexplicably delicious flavor, that of my favorite, “Pink Lady” apple. Anyone can purchase a little tomato plant and plant it and nurture it and this is all good, but it is the mere planting and growing directly from seed and experimenting with cross pollination that grabs my attention!

Naturally, I just had to reciprocate and make the best tomato jam ever, so  I did some  “cross pollination” of my own.  I married the tomatoes in this  jam with a few surprises , one of them being harissa, ( just a smidgen to give it that slightly spicy flavor),  and also added a  fruit and a few other ingredients that will knock your socks off! BTW, I used honey and not sugar in this jam.

I removed the doughy insides from some Einstein bagels and filled them with a  crumbly  farmers cheese , topped them with a savory custard , a shower of freshly grated Parmesan and then baked in the oven until golden and crispy. My jam provided that undercurrent of gastronomic mystery to these bagels because without it,  felt amiss!  I am afraid that you just had to be here to appreciate the added flavor that this jam brought to the table!

Spicy tomato jam & inside out cheesy bagels

Mint patch (this is the bees favorite hangout!). These suckers can really dominate a garden but in essence this symbiotic relationship between bee & mint if you will, is really  a win-win situation for me and my tomatoes! If this is what my garden has to endure for the attraction of bees to our tomatoes, then who am I to argue with nature.

This is a steamed dark chocolate & mint pudding ( I cooked this baby in a pot on the stove top). A simple prep, but of course I am all about a challenge, so I had to go and make those pesky but pretty chocolate mint leaves for the decoration! If I were to describe this dessert, my best answer would be, like biting into a piece of spongy marshmallow without the sweetness of course!

Can someone please notify the CIA, someone has to pay dearly with his good name for this luscious chocolate thingy! Yeah, baby, this is criminal!

I did mean the Culinary Institute, what were you thinking?

Cherries ( or whatever the heck this is!). This berry was already growing in the backyard before we took up residence here. Anyway, it has a big seed in the middle and has a  slightly sour taste and so I cooked  about a handful together with craisins in a tangy chutney.

N.B. The Denver Botanic gardens got back to me and told me that these are actually chokecherries! Apparently, these make great jams/chutneys etc…. so I was on the right track.

This is a  “Craisin” good,  Nazarina’s special masala ( paprika},  roasted turkey tenderloin with a drunken  ( Pink Lady) apple slaw. This turkey takes only 40 minutes to bake and is so’ stinkin” good, your family would want to eat it everyday! It is moist and tender and the cherry and craisin chutney are a perfect complement to this dish. So to this dish there are three of my favorite recipes…….1) Craisin & cherry vinaigrette with a twist! ( gingerly toss the crispy apple strips), 2) Craisin & cherry chutney made with honey ( to baste the turkey loins) and 3)  the paprika roasted turkey tenderloin

Cucumbers, where pickling is the least of your culinary capabilities!

Roasted jalapeno (seeds removed) flavored DAHI.  I added some  other surprising twists to this cucumber raita as well . You would say, “Why did I not think of this?”

Sorry Mom, could not resist bringing the Dahi into the new millennium. This is truly mod & daring cuisine!

This is an accompaniment to Briyani and pappadoms , but my family loves  it as a refreshing summer soup as well.

All he ever says is Mmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Well, Mmmm yourself, you little cutie petudie!

Recipes (Please use organic ingredients when possible)

Mint chocolate steam pudding with chocolate leaves

(cooked in a pot of simmering water)

• 3.5oz ( 50% dark Lindt) chocolate (the whole bar) & another bar for the leaves and the sauce.
• quarter cup milk
• 7 oz chocolate cake crumbs / or I just thought of ladyfinger biscuit crumbs ( Boudoir biscuits) ! I am definitely going to use the ladyfinger crumbs, the next time I make another steam pudding! How ingenious of me! Don’t mind if I pat myself on the back! LOL!
• quarter cup sugar
• 2oz unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, separated
• quarter tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract

Method

Steep the milk on low with 2 mint leaves then melt the 3.5 oz chocolate via a “bain Marie” method, stirring gingerly until smooth and set aside. Cream the butter with the sugar until creamy and then incorporate one egg yolk at a time. Add the vanilla and peppermint and blend.  Add the melted chocolate to the cake crumbs and mix. Fold this mixture into the creamed butter, sugar & egg-yolk mixture. With an electric beater, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until fairly stiff and the fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon this batter into a 4 cup, lightly greased  pudding mold and close with the lid/ or you can use any pudding mold.

Immerse the  pudding mold into a pot,  pour cold water halfway up the mold and then remove the  mold. Bring this water to a boil and then turn the burner on low. Place the pudding mold back into the boiling water, set on an overturned heatproof plate, and place the lid on and then cook on a slow simmer for 75 minutes. This will come out of the mold easily if you cool on a rack for 20 minutes and loosen the edges with a knife.

To make the leaves:

Melt some chocolate in a bain Marie , thickly paint the underside of a mint leaf with chocolate and allow to dry and cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Do not let the chocolate spill over to the other side of the leaf, this will make it difficult to do your next step!  Carefully pull the leaf off the hardened chocolate.

Or just dip the leaves in the chocolate, harden and get on with the recipe!

Thanks for being the subjection to a long and hopefully not a  tedious post!

Love,

Nazarina.

How to make food soar!

On the agenda today:

A bedroom remodel & a date with a creamy pumpkin pie

My husband and I are undertaking this messy project. So far the only thing that I was good at was to search for TV stands . Hay, my name is not “giddy” for nothing! Sorry, I  will put my shoulder to the wheel when my sweetie gets mad LOL! Anyway, my  father-in-law has opted to buy the one that I like, the “Riley Holiday bedroom console” in an espresso color. Check it out and let me know whether I made the right choice!

My old blog www.giddygastronome.blogspot.com

At the B & B, I have the propensity to work freely and unwaveringly through this maze of culinary ideas, bottled up within me and it is this “waiting to get out” that is the only antidote to my restless soul. I am constantly making up dishes and preparing them purely from imaginary measures with the intention of bringing tasty and colorful dishes to life. I really want people to experience that same type of  enthusiasm when dining at my kitchen table or when reading my recipes. I want them to fall hopelessly in love with my cuisine and any fears of having  a “bad plate”, allayed. They should  have a pensive longing  for a dish that I made a “while ago” and console themselves with the thought that they will at least try to make it. This inconceivable need to feed others and not myself  is part of my innate and I find it  extremely hard to go against this selfless trait.  Am I freakin insane?

You are most probably thinking, ” Oh! boy, she is going off on us with her personal crap.” To that I answer, ” Can a girl  have a personal moment here please!”

In this recipe, it is the rice flour that gives these tarts that much loved “airiness.” These are pumpkin and cottage cheese tarts with a golden brown streusel & butterscotch whipping cream rosettes.

I had to laugh when one of the guests at the bed & breakfast said, ” My grandmother’ s pumpkin pie is fantastically stuck in time! I am so darn  sick of hearing her  story about a mythical pumpkin patch, which she has to hoe and  harvest in order for her pie to happen”. I hope she can take your queue!”

I used a 7 inch spring form pan for the one below. This dough yields 4 small tarts and this 7 inch. The filling is made of light cottage cheese, fresh whipping cream, pumpkin…etc. I think it was the streusel that had this pie sold!

The scattered crumbs on the plate tells the story of a soft crunch and the melt-in-your-mouth filling will transport you to your “happy” place! As you know by now, I dislike overly sweet desserts, so naturally I manipulated the sugar content of this pie.

Trust me, beneath my contemporary veneer, there is always a hankering for the traditional recipes, but not this time!

Lo and behold! I did  manage to get a small piece of this delectable pumpkin tart that I so lovingly slaved over! All I ever do is get to taste & then the whole thing disappears right from my reach! I  really loved this recipe, this is a keeper & will appear in my cook book. “Pile some more of that streusel on please!” was the overall consensus . I think I positively seduced even myself with this creamy filling and crunchy topping!

Kumquat & Loquat sambal: Normally this sambal is only made with kumquats, but my innovating spirit begged me to add the loquats!  Serve this as an accompaniment to my savory stacked rice stick & shrimp cakes. See the post below for these cakes. Definitely, serve this sambal with grilled or Cajun fish, fish curry or any vegetarian dish.

This exciting concoction was succulent & tangy and a perfect complement to my rice noodle cakes. The rind of the kumquat was  sweet & the juicy centers,  a little sour and salty. This is by far my  most favorite sambal! My mouth is puckering with pure delight as I write this!

Recipes:

Please use organic ingredients when possible

Kumquat & Loquat sambal (pickle). See post below for the savory rice stick cakes

• 1 x 15 oz can pitted loquats, discard the juice & cut into small segments or use the fresh ones, but add these when you add the kumquats. Hay, anyone out there willing to swap some fresh ones for my beautiful handmade soaps?

• 6 oz fresh kumquats, washed and cut into segments
• 1/3 c plus another 1/2 of a third cup organic honey
• 1/4 c organic brown rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, slivered
• 1 t pure pickle masala, You are most probably thinking  that she would  brush her teeth with this spice, if there was no tooth paste, but I kid you not this stuff is “all that.”
• juice of 2 tangerines or small oranges
• 1 red thai chili chopped and deseeded
• 4 curry leaves
• Big pinch of salt
• 1 T grapeseed oil / or any vegetable oil
• 1 t yellow mustard seeds
• 1 t white sesame seeds
• 1 t black sesame seeds
• little chopped cilantro

Method:

Heat the vinegar on high  in a saucepan, add the kumquats and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer & cook   for about 4 more mins. until the rinds  of the kumquats become  seemingly soft. Now add the honey and stir the until the mixture becomes syrupy ( takes about 10 mins.) Add the masala & the tangerine juice and cook until incorporated ( 1 more minute).

Remove from heat and pour the contents into a bowl. Add the garlic slivers, red chili and the salt and incorporate & cool for a while. Now you can mix in your loquats. Meanwhile, in a separate pan , heat the grapeseed oil until hot, add the mustard seeds and wait until you hear the “popping” sound of the mustard seeds. Then, quickly add all the sesame seeds and the curry leaves. Pour the contents of this pan  over the kumquat mixture in the bowl. You can now spoon into little bottles, garnish with the cilantro  and refrigerate.

Much love and warmth from my kitchen,

Nazarina.

click here ! See the inside and the details of this fruit fondant cake at www.giddygastronome.com

Just add water to this fruit fondant powder and it turns any dessert into a delicious, fruity heaven!

Today on the menu, moon cake ; rice noodle

My old blog www.giddygastronome.blogspot.com

Please, visit Jo, ( Literally in the moment), and read her passionate stories about rescuing animals.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”…Chinese proverb

……. more like,  you will not have to listen to his incessant whining about how hungry he is LOL!

Okay, so I am a month late with the festivities of the Chinese Lunar New Year, but would still like to share with you my humble eats that I prepared at that time. My friend at the lodge wanted me to prepare a dessert and a savory hors d’ oeuvre for this  auspicious  occasion, so I prepared my own interpretation of the “moon cake” and my very own ( rice noodle) rice stick & shrimp savory cake  with a Cape Malay style loquat &  kumquat sambal on the side. I put a lot of thought in this menu!

I researched the ingredients of the “moon cake” and was rather skeptical that I  would like the final result. I have even seen some recipes with the addition of soy sauce for color. Nevertheless, I prepared the original recipe that came with the fish mold, ( received this mold as a Christmas gift),  and also developed my own version. I can just look at ingredients of a recipe and deduce whether it would be good or just plain unpalatable! This was  exactly what transpired, the original recipe was heavy and hard and unappealing! However, my version of the ” Chinese moon cookie” though not the authentic version, was by far the most delectable morsel you have ever put in your mouth. Even our Chinese guests agreed that these were delicious, though  very much to the dismay of  their antiquated notions, that I was not capable of making their recipe, palate proud!

My version of the ” Chinese Moon cookie” NB, the emphasis is on “mock” moon cookie.

So freakin good! You don’t know whether you want to eat it or embalm it! Who am I kidding, there was nothing left for a next day!

Stacked rice stick and shrimp savory cakes with loquat & kumquat sambal ( pickle).  There was an exciting little twang with the addition of fresh lemon pepper ( see previous post) and the curry leaves to this savory & crispy cake!! The lightly spiced, yet sweet plump loquats and juicy kumquats combined, complemented the rice stick & shrimp cakes and played almost a culinary havoc with your taste buds! A naughty little twist on my Mama’s sambal recipe! The recipe for the sambal will appear in the next post.

My dad too, makes the most appetizing sambals!

My personal quest was to create  exciting flavors and  textures to make this gathering memorable. Indeed, this occasion  was  so v e r y  triumphant to say the least. NB, you could also omit the shrimp to make it vegetarian, and the rest of the ingredients of this savory cake are  gluten- free to boot, so very versatile for people with specific allergies.

I decided to present the cookies in a fish bowl. Discerning gastronomes would agree that “novelty food” should be presented in a fun type of setting. These puffy, coco nutty, custardy &   melt-in-your-mouth cookies created quite a stir with both kids and adults! This recipe will be in my cook book!

My version of this cookie had custard powder in the dough and a  Cape Malay type of cooked dessicated coconut ( Grandmother’s recipe) in the middle and then I  defiantly dipped the bottom in  melted intense dark 60% “evening dream” chocolate. This chocolate has a hint of Madagascan vanilla. Normally the authentic version of the moon cake calls for bean paste.

This is the original recipe below  which called  for “wong tong” sugar slabs, water, lemon peel, 1 and a 1/2 cups of oil and 6 cups of flour. It really does not look bad in its unbaked stage but when baked it just felt terribly heavy! The dough was also far too oily. Duh! just look at all the oil, it requires!

This is my version below with the cooked dessicated coconut inside the belly of the fish and  English custard powder in the shortbread dough. It was light ( only 1/3 c of organic sugar) so not sweet at all and unsalted organic butter but most importantly, my dough kept the integrity of the design of the mold !

Recipes:

“How to make food soar!”

seafood:

As usual, please use organic ingredients when possible!

For the Rice vermicelli ( rice noodle) and shrimp savory cakes:

• 8 oz “Kong Moon” rice vermicelli rice stick ( soak in boiling H2O for 5 mins.)
• 8 oz cooked large shrimp, cut each shrimp in half crosswise
• small onion finely chopped
• 2 large carrots
• Large jicama, peeled
• 1/2 c  chopped green onion
• a few fresh curry leaves ( for that distinct delicious flavor)
• 1/2 c  cilantro ( this time leaves only)
• red chili, seeds removed & diced
• 5 cloves garlic ( pounded)
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup potato starch ( Bob’s Red Mill, unmodified, all natural). I adore this product!!!!
  
• kosher salt ( 2 big pinches)
• 1 T lemon pepper ( see my previous post)
• 1 t pure pickle masala
• 1 T red bell pepper seeds

Method:

Make it a vegetarian version by omitting the shrimp. All these ingredients are gluten-free as well!

Rinse the rice stick in cold water and dry on paper towels. It should not be mushy. Meanwhile, julienne the carrots (thin strips), slice the jicama, stack on top of one another and then julienne and toss with the rest of the ingredients, including the rice stick and the shrimp. Even if you stop right here and just have it as a cold type of salad, it would be delicious with all these flavors going on! Add the potato starch and toss lightly. Gingerly mix in the beaten egg with your hands without breaking up the shrimp and the rest of the ingredients so carefully julienned!

Take about a handful of the mixture and shallow fry in olive oil and a tablespoon of unsalted butter. Use a wide spatula to flatten like a pancake in the pan when cooking it . I also  used a thin spatula to aid in the flipping of the cake and cook until GB&D! Place on paper towels to drain. You could keep the cakes warm in the oven  warmer .

The recipe & more pictures  for the loquat and kumquat sambal will be featured in the next post. I promise, I shall try to post very soon, so do come back !

Much love as always,

Nazarina.

Click here for latest creations!

Hello!

I trust that everyone had a fantastic New year’s eve! We were in Florida for two and a half weeks, including New Year’s Day, just hanging out with family and friends! I am always so very busy baking cookies, making homemade sausage and soaps right up to the very day we have to leave for Florida. I think that they all just look forward to all these goodies, when I visit them once a year.

I do have a couple of ” THANK- YOUS”….. to Pom Wonderful for the delicious juices that they mailed to me last year June,  ( hope you received my correspondence at that time) and Jo, ( my blogger buddy), for the exquisite china and her homegrown garlic. Jo, you know that I shall be displaying my creations on them and on the blog, I love them!

Here are two recipes I developed with that PERSNICKETY, PERFECT POM WONDERFUL!

Please use organic ingredients when possible!

An “Iced Pom Lassi”…..made with coconut & organic Greek yogurt!

recipe here on Pom Wonderful site. Please vote for me by clicking on the link!

or just go to www.pomwonderful.com and click on recipe contest ending Jan14th at the bottom of their page.

I could hardly wait to taste this delicious libation, after taking its picture! I loved it when the lemony coconut ice just barely melted into that sea of magenta heaven! Tasting that deliciously tart natural pomegranate powder on the rim of the glass and the lemony ” creme ” in the beginning  and then suddenly the fruity Pom Wonderful juice thereafter,  were so inexplicably satisfying! YUM!

And……”A Coconut Creme Caramel, Pomtized”

recipe here on Pom Wonderful. Please vote for me by clicking on the link!

These coconut creme caramels were just much more creamier and silkier made with a combination of  coconut cream and organic evaporated milk rather  than using  condensed milk. I made the caramel with the Pom Wonderful juice, instead of water and in so doing imparted a delectable and playful element of tartness cutting through the richness of the creamy custards!

Thank you and please enjoy.

Love,

Nazarina.

See new growth, here & a steamed chocolate pudding!

Season’s Greetings, I hope the holiday season are going well for you’ll so far! I am committed to sharing only the most delicious and satisfying eats with you, so forgive me if I do not post my recipes too often.  I hope I can tempt you in making this recipe, a  part of your holiday baking.

Chocolate peanut butter crinkles, (shortbread style!) dipped in melted Reese’s dark chocolate peanut butter miniatures. PURE  SINFULNESS!

I do not want to choke this beautiful moment with unnecessary chatter because I know only too well that sometimes our lives are defined by the distractions of our employment and more importantly, our families. So without further ado see recipe below for this comforting morsel. I can assure you that your silence will be deemed reasonable while  you are nowhere to be found and  secretly savoring these beauties in some clandestine little corner! It is that good! This  peanut butter crinkle is indeed an emotional rescue to a frazzled demeanor! Happy Holidays!

Recipe:

Please use organic ingredients when possible! I am really anal about using certain brands, that is why my final result always has a very good taste!

• 2 + 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, minus 4 tablespoons
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, minus 4 tablespoons
• 8 oz unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ( Sorry, I only like the imported Fosters brand, I feel that the baking soda here has too much of a “soapy” taste and this should pertain only to cleansing, definitely not in our good eats!
• zest of half a lemon
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ( I use the one from Santo Domingo)

Method:

Cream the butter, both sugars, peanut butter,vanilla  &  lemon zest until pale -  colored and creamy and you no longer feel the grains of sugar. You could also use your hand held electric beater to facilitate this application.  Sift the flour and the bicarbonate together and gingerly fold into this mixture. Add the flour mixture slowly, omitting some of it if you see the dough is becoming too stiff!  The dough should be somewhat  stiff yet very  pliable. Roll 2 tablespoons of the dough,( or you can make it smaller), together into balls and mark with a fork as I have done below, (a crinkled design),  space  the cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 – 25  minutes or until lightly golden brown, ( trust me you will smell the aroma when it is almost done!) Melt about half the bag of the Reese’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups with some cream or milk ( bain marie method) and dip the cooled  cookies in this mixture. I love dark ( like 70% dark choc.) but wanted to keep with the Reese’s theme! Makes about 26- 30 cookies.

Enjoy!

Love,

Nazarina.

More recent creations here!

( old blog www.giddygastronome.blogspot.com)

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my family and friends here and more  importantly abroad, a very happy and Blessed Eid Mubarak, be it on Sunday or Monday! It is during this time that I especially miss my Mom and Grandmother who made this momentous occasion so very special! I shall never forget!

To my brother and sister in South Africa, I wish you were here to be able to celebrate with us on Sunday! “Ek mis die ou dae, toe ons klein was en presente gekry het van ons ouers!!!Meestal mis ek vir Moeder!!!!

A tea convivial

There is nothing more healing than setting a convivial atmosphere for a tea ceremony. The  clinking of  pretty tea cups,  pinkie pointing upward,  congenial chatter and not forgetting those deliriously good confections are all part of this ambiance and mostly enjoyed by women, I might add! If ever you have shared this “frivolous female fetish”  ( as my sweetie puts it)  with me, then we are obviously best buds! Nevertheless, whoever,  comes to my door, there is always a cuppa waiting for ya! As a matter of fact, I even went as far as introducing this ritual to my friends at the yearly camping get- togethers.  Now, even they  remind me of the confections and the “Rooibos tee”, please! as if I would ever  forget!

After years of soul searching, I have rationalized that these very tea ceremonies are what give me my cheery disposition! LOL!

Buttery sesame cookies embraced by dark chocolate

Sometimes, I have my ” Rooibos tee”  with a spot of milk and other times with a slice of orange or lemon.

They say that one’s character is reflected in one’s  food and here I  put my own spin on this recipe by taking   some seemingly  disparate ingredients and made it work to give you a little nutty,  orangy, crispy, creamy, buttery  cookie.

Sesame cookie Recipe: (Please use organic ingredients when possible)

1. 4 oz unsalted organic butter
2. 2/3 cup organic brown sugar less 1 tablespoon
3. 1 T organic orange marmalade
4. 1 t ground ginger
5. 1 t cinnamon
6. 1/2 t cardamom
7. pinches of ground nutmeg, clove
8. 2 organic egg yolks
9. 1 t orange zest
10. 1 t pure vanilla extract
11. 1 t pure orange extract or orange flower water( I used the latter)
12. 1 1/2 c organic all purpose flour
13. 7 pkgs  sesame snaps( picture below)
14. Lindt intense orange dark chocolate

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 225 degrees

Beat the butter, sugar, marmalade  and all the spices until creamy ( there has to be no sugar bits). Add the egg yolks and continue beating until incorporated. Add the zest and all the extracts and incorporate and lastly fold in the flour. The dough has to be  soft. Refrigerate the dough for half an hour, roll out to about quarter inch and then just use the sesame snap as a guide as I did and cut out cookies with a sharp knife. Bake the cookies on a silpat or parchment for about 12 mins, remove from the oven, top with a sesame snap. Remember to adjust the size of the cookie to the sesame snap at this point, especially since the cookie is still hot and soft. Place  back in the oven for three mins, just so that the sesame snap has fused with the cookie. When the cookies are cooled, dip in melted dark chocolate and enjoy! Yields about 25 cookies,

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,

Nazarina.