Lime poppy seed waffles and memories of traveling

Living in pandemic times is tiresome, and one of the things I miss the most is traveling: from time to time I browse the photos I took in past trips. First I thought that it would be painful to see those photos, but actually it felt really good to realize the privilege I had to know so many wonderful places. Even with the vaccination process going forward, traveling abroad will no longer be like it used to, given the Brazilian currency is completely devaluated. Traveling abroad is now only for a selected group of people, like it used to be in the past, when I was a kid and a teenager.

I look at the photos and think of the wonderful places I visited, the beautiful museums and parks, the restaurants and delicious meals I had. It makes me nostalgic, but happy at the same time.

While browsing my travel photos on a flash drive, I found a folder with recipes I made a good while ago but, for some reason, I did not post here because I did not like the photo, did not like the recipe result, or because of a certain ingredient, like these waffles: poppy seeds have been hard to find in Brazil, therefore I ended up forgetting about the recipe.

Weeks ago I was finally able to buy some poppy seeds and immediately baked an orange cake with them – after that, I posted these waffles on my blog in Portuguese, and now I post them here too. The waffles are delicious, perfumed with lime and with an extra crunch from the poppy seeds – I hope you like them.

 

Lime poppy seed waffles

own recipe, adapted from these waffles

 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

finely grated zest of 2 large limes

1 ¼ cups (175g) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 large egg, room temperature

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

2 teaspoons lime juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

In a medium bowl, place the sugar and lime zest and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt and whisk well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, milk, lime juice and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated – do not overmix.

Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray – my waffle maker is nonstick, so I do not coat it.

Working in batches, cook waffles until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Makes 5-6 waffles

Almond poppy seed cake to celebrate the simple things

I was thinking the other day of things that have the power of making my days better and it was sort of a surprise to acknowledge that most of them are really simple: to arrive home from work and immediately remove my shoes (especially when I am wearing heels), to take a piping hot shower in these cold days – I know it is not good for the skin, but who can resist? –, to put on my pyjamas and relax at the couch with a mug of hot chocolate… Some days can be really difficult and it amazes me how much comfort can be found in small things like these (or maybe I am easy to please, who knows?). :)

As I was cooking lunch last Saturday, it suddenly hit me: I hadn’t baked a cake in a long time – and baking cakes is something that really makes me happy: it falls into the category of simple things that can brighten up my day, the ones I mentioned on the beginning of my post. And there is always the advantage of reaching out for a slice of freshly baked cake between meals when you are half hungry/half craving something sweet and a fruit just won’t do.

This is a recipe I baked a couple of times in the past and like the things I describe on this post it is very simple and yet very good: moist and flavorsome. It goes well on its own, with tea or coffee, but I had such pretty and sweet strawberries in my fridge that I served the cake with them and some whipped cream on the side. Still simple, still good and comforting – like being barefoot after a day on top of stilettos. :)

Almond poppy seed cake
own recipe

¾ cup (105g) all purpose flour
1 cup (100g) almond meal
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1/8 taspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 orange
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (130g) plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a round 20cm (8in) cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of baking paper. Butter the paper as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, rub sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy – scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and the Amaretto.

On slow speed, beat in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the yogurt in two additions (start and end with the dry ingredients). Beat just until incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake is golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Unmold carefully, peel off the paper and transfer cake to a serving plate.

Serves 8

Lime, coconut, poppy seed and blueberry cake and recipes stuck in my head

Some recipes get stuck in my head for a really long time: I see them once, twice, five times, and don’t make them for a number of reasons. Then, after a good while, I see them again and I don’t even remember if I actually made them already or if they are still part of my (very lengthy) mental to do list – I guess that is natural after ten years of blogging. ;)

I saw this cake on Good Food Magazine many months ago, and then saw it again a couple more times. I loved the idea of mixing blueberries and coconut, but each time I saw the recipe I did not have one of the two ingredients. Months went by and I found a handful of blueberries in my freezer, but it was half the amount requested in the recipe: I decided to spin the recipe a bit, added lime zest and poppy seeds, and instead of mixing the berries into the batter, I sprinkled them on top of the cake before baking it. The result as a very moist and tender cake, with a beautiful touch of citrus and with tiny pockets of blueberry deliciousness here and there – I don’t mean to brag, but my twists to the recipe worked like a charm (and I can cross that recipe off my mental to do list). ;)

Lime, coconut, poppy seed and blueberry cake
adapted from the great Good Food magazine

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
pinch of salt
½ cup (50g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 limes
1 cup (240ml) canola oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
175ml whole milk, room temperature
½ cup (70g) fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°C. Generously butter and flour an 8-cup capacity Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, poppy seeds and coconut. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine sugar and zest and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the oil, eggs and vanilla. Alternately, fold in the flour in three additions and the milk in two additions, starting and ending with the flour.
Transfer the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the berries. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Serves 8-10

Cheese and poppy seed bread sticks

It has been incredibly hot here in Sao Paulo lately, so turning on the oven is a matter of courage – as much as I love baking, and I do, you know, if possible I stay away from the kitchen while the oven does all the work. And sometimes I also try to make things to nibble with a cold beer or a glass of Prosecco instead of actually cooking – I feel like a complete loser in the summer, for the heat takes away my energy and my will of doing anything whatsoever.

These bread sticks are easy to make, last a good while if kept in an airtight container and go really well with drinks, especially with dips or rolled up with slices of prosciutto – I will make them again for New Year’s Eve, but with a different type of cheese to try new flavors (I’m thinking something sharp like feta or pecorino).

Cheese and poppy seed bread sticks
slightly adapted from Delicious Australia

250g all purpose plain flour
1 teaspoon dried instant yeast
60g strong cheddar, finely grated
2/3 cup (160ml) lukewarm water
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
25g unsalted butter, melted

Combine flour, yeast and cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, then, with the motor running at low speed, gradually add the water until the dough comes together. Add the salt and 2 teaspoons of the poppy seeds, then mix for a further 2-3 minutes until well combined. Knead for 2-3 minutes – either with the machine using a dough hook or by hand – until dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then set aside in a warm spot for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
Knock back dough on a lightly floured surface, then divide the dough into roughly equal 24 portions. Using your hands, roll each portion into a 1cm-thin straw approximately 30cm long. Transfer to a prepared baking tray, then repeat with remaining dough. Brush the straws with the melted butter and scatter with the remaining 1 teaspoon poppy seeds. Bake the straws, switching the position of the trays halfway through cooking so they’re evenly golden, for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then serve.

The bread sticks can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes 24

Poppy seed cake and a certain horror movie

I am a coward when it comes to watching horror movies – I usually spend 2/3 of them with my eyes closed – but I am a kid from the 70s and therefore was more than curious to watch the remake of one of the movies that scared the bejeesus out of me back in the day.

I would never do such thing alone, so my husband was in charge of holding my hands whenever necessary – he also had memories of Carol Anne and the scary TV from 1982.

All I can say is that aside from a couple of jumps I wasn’t too frightened or impressed: the movie isn’t all that – maybe remakes aren’t as good as the originals or maybe I have seen too many of James Wan’s movies. :)

Choosing movies to watch might be tricky: one can find something really good or something not so great, and I believe it is the same with recipes: we can’t really tell they’re good until we’ve tried them. I made this cake because I had a couple of egg whites to spare – because of these wonderful cookies – and it turned out to be a great recipe: the cake is very light in texture and tender, perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Poppy seed cake
slightly adapted from 100 Best Cakes and Desserts

Cake:
125g unsalted butter, softened
finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided use
1 egg yolk
250ml whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
4 egg whites

Icing:
½ cup (70g) icing sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 2-liter Bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, lime zest, honey, lime juice and 1 cup (200g) of the sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla – don’t worry if the mixture looks a little curdled at this stage. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining ¼ cup (50g) sugar and beat until satiny. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the cake mixture, then pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto rack and cool completely.

Glaze: sift the icing sugar in a bowl and gradually stir in the lime juice, mixing until you get a drizzable consistency. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Serves 8-10

Orange coconut poppy seed cake and how important photos are to me

When I read cookbook reviews at Amazon I notice that one of the things people most complain about is the lack of photographs, and I tend to agree with them: I own books that I know are really great, but I tend to ignore them because they have no or close to none photos – I guess that when I need inspiration I need to look at great images that will make my mouth water.

It is also really good to know how the food is going to look like once you’re finished cooking it.

I saw a recipe for a citrus coconut cake on Taste magazine days ago and it immediately caught my attention: the cake slices looked so tender I couldn’t resist it! And I wasn’t even thinking of baking a cake – I was searching for something savory – but that photo made me wish for a slice of that super tender cake, so I had to make it (if you ask me what I was looking for in the first place I don't really remember). :D

The result was a very tender cake indeed, even difficult to slice, and it tasted delicious – inspiration came in the form of a tempting photo and I’m glad I gave it a go.

Orange coconut poppy seed cake
slightly adapted from Taste magazine

1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
¾ cup (75g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
125g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) coconut milk*

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly butter a 20x10cm (8x4in) loaf pan, line it with baking paper and butter it as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Whisk in the coconut.
Place sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add butter and beat with the electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until the mixture is well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, add flour mixture in three additions alternating with coconut milk and mix just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 25 minutes, then carefully lift cake from the pan using the paper and transfer to the rack. Cool completely, then carefully peel off the paper.

* to avoid opening a second bottle of coconut milk, I used a whole bottle (200ml) + 40ml of whole milk

Serves 6-8

Lemon poppy seed whipped cream cake, or how to use up heavy cream in a fantastic way

Here where I live one thing happens time and time again during the holidays: heavy cream disappears from the grocery stores. Because there were years I needed heavy cream for a number of recipes and couldn’t find any, now I usually stash two bottles of the ingredient before all the craze begins, and that way I can make desserts and ice cream (it is summer here after all).

I was too greedy last time, and ended up with a lot of heavy cream to be used – really, a lot. Shame on me. I made popsicles, a tart, and also a posset, but every time I opened the fridge I had the feeling that the cream was taking over the whole thing.

Pressed for time – heavy cream doesn’t last long, unfortunately – I came up with a wonderful solution: Rose Levy’s whipped cream cake, which I’d baked before and it was delicious, but this time I added lemon zest, limoncello and poppy seeds to make it even more interesting.

Lemon poppy seed whipped cream cake
slightly adapted from the wonderful Rose's Heavenly Cakes

225g cake flour (or 200g all purpose flour + 25g corn starch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons limoncello (optional) – I used homemade
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (180°C/350°F if using a dark pan). Butter and flour a 10-cup fluted metal tube or Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. In another bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream on low, gradually increasing speed to medium-high as cream thickens, until stiff peaks form.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and limoncello. With the mixer on medium-high, gradually add egg mixture; beat until thickened (like mayonnaise) and well combined. Gradually add sugar, about 30 seconds.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until flour is dissolved and well combined. Transfer batter to prepared cake pan and smooth surface.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into cake comes out clean and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 25-35 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes; cake will begin to shrink from sides of pan.
Carefully unmold cake onto the rack and cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Serves 8-10

Vanilla milk cake and goodbye, Linden and Holder

Days ago, I finished watching the last season of The Killing and I felt happy and sad at the same time: glad because the quality I’d seen throughout the show ever since the beginning wasn’t put aside at any moment of those last six episodes, the ending was a thing of beauty that made me shed loads of tears, and sad because now two of my favorite characters are gone for good – no more of Sarah’s beautiful red hair, no more Holderisms.

I know that TV shows cannot last forever and that it is better to finish with top notch episodes than to end with no quality whatsoever, but The Killing never really had a chance: if it wasn’t for Netflix there wouldn’t even be a fourth season, there would be no closure. Such a beautifully written, acted and directed show should have been on air for longer, but I’ve complained about that already.

As I prepared myself to say goodbye to Linder and Holder, I decided that a slice of cake would fit the occasion perfectly – I needed something sweet to calm my nerves down (after watching the episodes I knew it had been a smart decision, what a wonderful yet nerve-wracking season, my goodness). This simple cake, while delicious on its own with a cup of tea or coffee, was turned into a flavorsome dessert served with whipped cream and strawberries – I highly recommend it either way.

Vanilla milk cake
slightly from the beautiful and oh, so delicious Baking Style: Art Craft Recipes

Cake:
1 ½ cups (210g) all purpose flour
3 tablespoons (30g) corn starch
¼ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, chopped
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
4 large eggs
1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder

Icing:
1 cup (140g) icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons whole milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Generously butter a 10-cup Bundt pan, dust it with flour and remove the excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, corn starch, and salt. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Place butter and milk in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture begins to boil. In the meantime, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs at medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating until a light mixture forms. Beat in the vanilla extract.
On low speed, add the dry ingredients in two additions, beating just until incorporated. With the mixer still on low speed, add the hot milk mixture gradually, then beat until completely incorporated (scrape the sides of the bowl). Immediately add the baking powder and mix it in.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 20 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack and cool completely.

Glaze: sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Add the milk and stir until you get a drizzable consistency (add more milk if necessary). Drizzle over cooled cake. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Serves 10-12

Spicy pecorino cookies - another great recipe for entertaining

The panna cotta I posted the other day is a good recipe for entertaining, but it’s not the only one: I like to serve canapés or small bites so my guests don’t starve while the pizzas are in the oven (or don’t get dizzy from the drinks). :)

These savory cookies are delicious and can be made ahead – in fact, you can keep the dough log in the freezer for up to 1 month and slice and bake the cookies whenever you want. I used pecorino because I love its sharp and strong flavor, but parmesan is a good replacement here (it is the cheese used in the original recipe). The poppy seeds add a nice crunchy texture, and as much as I love that next time I make these cookies I’ll omit them: they’re likely to get stuck in people’s teeth, and that’s not an elegant thing to do to guests. ;)

Spicy pecorino cookies
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful Seasonal Baking

85g finely grated pecorino (if using a milder cheese, add a pinch of salt to the recipe)
85g all purpose flour
2 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
80g unsalted butter, chilled and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, mix the pecorino, flour and cayenne. Mix in the butter and olive oil and, with your fingertips, gently work everything together. If it is too crumbly, add a drop more olive oil. Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a log – like Martha does here. Sprinkle the log all around with the poppy seeds, making sure they stick to it. Wrap in parchment. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until very firm.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the log into thin slices and place 2.5cm (1in) apart on the sheet. Bake for 10– 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool in the sheets.

Makes about 30

Orange poppy seed financiers and a thing for weird projects

I told you, months ago, that I wasn’t in the mood to watch Nymphomaniac, but days ago I was so bored with the TV programming that I gave the movie a chance, only to be convinced, by the end of it, that Lars Von Trier is really not my cup of tea. There are some strikingly beautiful shots in the film, but I did not like it as a whole. It’s porn – and there’s nothing wrong with that – so I wish people wouldn't try to sell it as art.

The newcomer Stacy Martin got all the action in the first movie, but as for what I’ve read poor Charlotte Gainsbourg is in a pickle in volume II – I must say I find Charlotte a very courageous actress, for after what she went through in Antichrist I could have sworn she would never work with Lars Von Trier again (I certainly wouldn’t). But she did, and more than once.

While Charlotte seems to have a thing for weird projects, my "thing" is a lot simpler and tastier: financiers. They’re a favorite of mine and I make some whenever I have egg whites in my freezer – I’ve been trying to make an angel food cake for months, but financiers win every time. The orange zest gave these wonderful smell and flavor, while the poppy seeds made them pretty and added a bit of crunch.

Orange poppy seed financiers
adapted from the always delicious Simply Bill

85g almond meal (finely ground almonds)
135g icing sugar, sifted
55g all purpose flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
finely grated zest of 1 very large orange or 2 small ones
5 egg whites
95g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
icing sugar, for dusting

In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, icing sugar, flour, salt, poppy seeds and zest. Stir in the egg whites until just combined. Stir in the melted butter and the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour ten 100ml capacity mini cake or muffin pans.
Pour the batter in the pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden - the financiers should spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 2 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Financiers are best served the day they’re made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Makes 10

Lime, vanilla and poppy seed madeleines and a very interesting character

The young ones reading me today won’t remember it, but back in the 90s a pop group called the Spice Girls became a huge hit and their main motto was “girl power” – I was about eighteen when “Wannabe” was released and, back then, I didn’t think there was anything empowering to women in what the group sang or did (and to be honest I’m 35 now and still don’t get it).

Cut to many years later: because of what I’d been watching, Netflix suggests The Fall, and I got immediately interested in the series both because of its dark nature and of Gillian Anderson – that is how I’m introduced to Stella Gibson, the most feminist character I’d seen on TV shows and definitely one of the most interesting ones. As I watched the five episodes of The Fall – and thought of how much I wanted those five to be fifteen, twenty –, the more I liked Anderson’s character and the more I thought of her as the personification of girl power, so much more than an empty slogan shouted at the top of a hotel in Cannes.

The way Stella behaves and the things she says on the show are truly amazing – I believe she’s sending a message to everyone watching, and it’s a very positive one. That kind of strong female character is a delight to watch and Gillian Anderson is sheer perfection portraying Stella Gibson – the good news is that there will be a second season, so there’s more real girl power coming our way. \0/

And because this is a feminist post about a feminist character, nothing better than a baked good with a woman’s name to go with it.

Lime, vanilla and poppy seed madeleines
slightly adapted from the always stunning Gourmet Traveller

80g unsalted butter
finely grated zest of 1 large lime
65g granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped with the back of a knife
½ tablespoon light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
½ tablespoon mild honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
115g all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
½ tablespoon poppy seeds
melted butter, extra, for brushing the molds
icing sugar, for dusting

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, add lime zest and set aside until cooled to room temperature but still liquid (2-3 minutes).
Place the granulated sugar and vanilla beans in the bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the brown sugar, eggs, honey and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes). Sift over flour, baking powder and salt, add the poppy seeds and fold through.
Fold in butter mixture a little at a time until just incorporated, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (4 hours or up to overnight).
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Brush twenty two 2-tablespoon capacity madeleine molds with melted butter and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Brush the molds again and refrigerate for another 10 minutes. Divide the mixture between the molds (do not spread it out). Bake until golden and cooked through (8-10 minutes), then immediately unmold onto a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 22

Citrus and poppy seed slice and bakes, Matthew and Leo

I admire actors committed to their craft who are willing to go the extra mile for a part, but getting fat/thin/ugly to play a character must be part of the preparation, not the only highlight – the physical transformation and the talent to play the part must go in hand. Nicole won an Oscar with a prosthetic nose and not much else, while Christian Bale’s impressive weight lost in The Fighter was part of his portrayal of Dicky Eklund, not all of it.

I watched Dallas Buyers Club last week and though not very impressed by the movie – it is an OK movie with great performances, like Monster – the amount of dedication put into characters by both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto is outstanding. I wish Leto had had more screen time for he’s absolutely amazing as Rayon, and Matthew’s contained yet strong performance is something completely different from the movies from his past, but I think that a better script and a more talented director could have gotten much more out of him (he’s even more brilliant in True Detective, for instance).

Having said that, if I were the one choosing the winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role this year Leonardo DiCaprio would take the award home: he is ten times the actor Matthew will ever be (and the latter has evolved quite a lot in the last few years) and his character is a despicable one, even with the sort of comedy route Scorsese chose for the movie, while Matthew’s character has the empathy/sympathy factor going on for him; the Wolf is a complex character that expresses and ignites several different feelings and emotions throughout the three hours of the movie and Leonardo adds layer after layer to the character, making him hateful yet very interesting, and I did not see that in Ron Woodroof – I think that the character could have been taken to a whole new level by someone more talented, such as the very Leo or Christian Bale.

These slice and bake cookies are delicious, buttery and a snap to make – the original recipe called for lemons only but I decided to use oranges, too, and added poppy seeds to make the cookies even more interesting, for they add crunch and make the cookies look beautiful.

You can omit them, of course, for the cookies will still taste great – let’s say that they will be the Matthew McConaughey version while the ones with poppy seeds will be the Leonardo DiCaprio version. ;)

Citrus and poppy seed slice and bakes
slightly adapted from Epicurious

Cookies:
2 ½ cups (350g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoons table salt
2 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks

Icing:
¾ cup (105g) icing sugar
½ tablespoon lemon juice, more if necessary
½ tablespoon orange juice, more if necessary

Cookies: whisk flour, salt and poppy seeds in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, lemon and orange zest and vanilla in a large bowl, occasionally scraping down sides, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks; beat just to blend. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture and beat, occasionally scraping down sides, just to blend. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each on a piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 3.5 cm (1.4in) log – like Martha does here. Wrap in parchment. Chill in the refrigerator until very firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Unwrap one log at a time (keep the other in the fridge). Cut into 5mm thick rounds; space 2.5cm (1in) apart onto prepared sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are firm and golden brown around the edges, 12-14 minutes. Cool slightly on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the other log.

Icing: whisk sugar and juice in a small bowl, adding more juice by ½-teaspoonfuls if too thick. Spread or drizzle icing over cookies. Let stand until icing sets, about 10 minutes.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 50

Lime poppy seed financiers and "Game of Thrones"

I was once someone who watched each and every TV show aired here in Brazil – even things like “The Nanny” and “The Single Guy” – but then life happened and I had to get one more job (since what I made with one wasn’t nearly enough). Fast forward several years, I no longer had to work mornings, afternoons and nights (thank heavens), but I’d been out of the loop of TV shows for too long and getting back on track surely takes time.

Because of all the buzz I decided to watch “Game of Thrones” – almost everyone I know loves and swears by the show – but after one entire season and two episodes of season 2 I’m still trying to get what the fuss is all about; yes, the cast is fantastic and everything looks realistically medieval (kudos to all the people involved), but the episodes to me are on the verge of boring (“Breaking Bad” has spoiled me for life, I’m aware of that). :) For now, the only reason I go on watching GoT is to find out what the heck happens on episode 9 of the third season (my timeline on Facebook nearly exploded when that was aired), but if the show goes on like this I might just read about the episode and get it over with (even though I hate spoilers). Right now I’m seriously considering leaving GoT for “Hannibal” or “Bates Motel”.

If I haven’t been able to get addicted to GoT I can’t say the same about financiers: I love baking (and eating) them, much to the point of making a cake with 7 egg yolks just to have egg whites left (the egg white stash in my freezer was rather low). These are perfumed with lime zest and are deliciously chewy, with a bit of crunch provided by the poppy seeds.

Lime poppy seed financiers
adapted from the always delicious Simply Bill

85g almond meal (finely ground almonds)
135g icing sugar, sifted
55g all purpose flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
finely grated zest of 2 large limes
5 egg whites
95g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
icing sugar, for dusting

In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, icing sugar, flour, salt, poppy seeds and zest. Stir in the egg whites until just combined. Stir in the melted butter and the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour ten 100ml capacity mini cake or muffin pans.
Pour the batter in the pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden - the friands should spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 2 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Financiers are best served the day they’re made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Makes 10

Almond poppy seed cookies + someone who should shut up

I have, several times, spoken of my love for Jamie Oliver’s recipes – except for one problem years ago, everything I have made from his books and website turned out really good. But unfortunately when the guy opens his mouth for something else other than eating we are “graced” by so many ridiculous remarks that it’s very hard to digest. It’s a shame that someone like him, who reaches out to thousands of people and could send messages about understanding chooses to be judgmental about something he has no knowledge of – and when I think of his shows, especially the 15 minute meal one with all those dishes made with preserved lemons, harissa, pistachios and even saffron I can’t picture someone living in poverty being able to spend money on ingredients like those.

One of the things that aging has brought me is the constant exercise of not pointing fingers at others – I don’t always succeed, as I’m only human, but I try as hard as I can because the “if I can do it so can you” philosophy makes me sick – and that is exactly what Jamie Oliver is doing. Shame on him.

As I am overly disappointed at Mr. Oliver, I decided to post a recipe from a book that, up to this moment, hasn’t failed me – it has become one of my favorite baking sources, one I reach out for quite regularly and with excellent results every time.

Almond poppy seed cookies
slightly adapted from the delicious The Grand Central Baking Book: Breakfast Pastries, Cookies, Pies, and Satisfying Savories from the Pacific Northwest's Celebrated Bakery

1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon table salt
¾ cup (170g/1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
85g (3oz) almonds, lightly toasted and cooled, coarsely chopped
granulated sugar, extra, for rolling the dough logs

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy, then add the vanilla. On slow speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until they disappear into the dough. Fold in the almonds with a sturdy spatula. Divide the dough in half, then place each on a large piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 3.5 cm (1.4in) log – like Martha does here. Wrap in parchment. Chill in the refrigerator until very firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Unwrap one log at a time (keep the other in the fridge) and roll log in the extra sugar, coating it evenly, then cut into 5mm thick rounds. Place them onto prepared sheets 5cm (2in) apart and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool in the sheets for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 40

Banana poppy seed muffins with almond streusel topping

Last week I had a sudden urge to eat banana cake, but it was a busy Sunday and I would not have enough time to make the cake and then wait for it to cool. Stephanie Alexander's muffins, topped with Thomas Keller's streusel, turned out to be a delicious and very fast alternative to my cake cravings, and they turned out so tender I had to be super careful removing them from the pan, even with the paper liners.

For a little more color and caramel flavor, brown sugar might be used to replace half the granulated sugar in the batter.

Banana poppy seed muffins with almond streusel topping
adapted from two wonderful sources: The Cook's Companion and Bouchon Bakery

Streusel topping:
60g all purpose flour
60g almond meal
60g granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, cold and diced
handful of sliced almonds

Muffins:
1 ½ cups (210g) all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
150ml canola oil
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large bananas, mashed with a fork

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan (1/3 cup each cavity) with paper liners.

Streusel: in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sliced almonds. Refrigerate it while you make the muffin batter.

Muffins: in a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Whisk in the sugar and poppy seeds.
In a small bowl, mix the oil, milk, egg, vanilla and bananas until combined. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until combined – don’t overmix. Transfer batter to the pan and pack the streusel on top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until risen and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully unmold (they’re very tender) and transfer to the rack.

Makes 12

Orange and poppy seed drizzle sheet cake + a favorite I cannot choose

Cover songs are a tricky thing: they can go really well or they can go terribly wrong, as I once wrote. Some versions are better than the original – purists, look away – while others are just OK, nothing special. There is one case, however, in which I can’t choose a favorite: “Don’t Dream It’s Over” – the original is absolutely wonderful, a song I would eagerly wait for the radios to play when I was a kid back in the day, and Sixpence None the Richer’s version is equally beautiful. Love both, can’t choose. And that is what happened with this cake: I once made the exact recipe given by Annie Bell, which is a lemon drizzle cake, and it tasted amazing. Then I adapted it a little, with orange and poppy seeds, and the result was oh, so delicious. I believe you can see how tender it turned out by the photo.

Love both, can’t choose. I’ll leave it up to you, guys. :)

Orange and poppy seed drizzle sheet cake
slightly adapted from the über beautiful Annie Bell's Baking Bible (I bought mine here)

Cake:
225g all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
225g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
4 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed orange juice

Drizzle:
juice of 1 orange
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 20x30cm (12x8in) baking pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the poppy seeds.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and zest together until very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, beat in half the dry ingredients, then the milk and orange juice, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 5 minutes – while that happens, make the drizzle: in a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and sugar. Prick the cake all over with a toothpick and gradually spoon the drizzle over it, waiting until the cake absorbs it all. Cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares.

Serves 15

Poppy seed thumbprints

I'm a visual person so I am naturally drawn to cookbooks and magazines with beautiful photos - that is why I got hooked on Donna Hay Magazine, for instance; however, from time to time I try to use the cookbooks with the less gorgeous visual content because I know that I might be missing on some great recipes.

Carole Walter's book on cookies might not have the most beautiful photos around but the woman is a fabulous baker: everything I have made from it turned out delicious and the instructions are clear and precise. These thumbprints were a doddle to make and were a hit with the hubby's coworkers.

Poppy seed thumbprints
from the great Great Cookies: Secrets to Sensational Sweets

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup poppy seeds
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
raspberry preserves, or use the flavor you like the most

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Mix together the flour, salt and poppy seeds in a large bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium-low speed until smooth. Pour in the sugar and mix just until incorporated. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, mixing only until blended. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just to combine after each addition. Do not overmix or this dough will become oily.
Roll 1 leveled tablespoon of dough into balls place 5cm (2in) apart on a lined cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon with a rounded handle no wider than 1cm (½in), make a deep indentation with the tip of the handle in the center of each cookie. Place the cookies in the oven. After 10 minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and re-press each indentation. Then fill the centers with preserves. Point the tip of the spoon down into the indentation and slide the preserves off with your fingertip. Do not overfill these or the preserves will run over. Return the cookies to the oven, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 5-7 minutes longer until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Using a spatula, loosen the cookies from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 45 cookies

Lemon poppy seed brioche and learning from previous recipes

Cooking and baking to me, besides being loads of fun, are definitely a learning process – I think that certain recipes go beyond the deliciousness of their final products: they teach you something.

I was making these lemon brioches and after the dough had proved for the first time it was too sticky and too soft to be shaped. That was when I remembered Paul Hollywood’s brioche recipe, in which the dough has to be refrigerated in order to be firm enough to be shaped into buns, and that’s what I did – it worked perfectly.
These brioches aren’t very sweet and to me that makes them perfect to be slathered with butter or jam while still warm, and let me tell you: these will probably disappear in a matter of moments. :)

Lemon poppy seed brioche
slightly adapted from the always lovely and delicious Delicious - Australia

¼ cup (60ml) lukewarm whole milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (62g) granulated sugar
2 cups + 1 tablespoon (300g) all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 eggs
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
160g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, extra, for brushing the brioche

Combine milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until mixture starts to foam. Add remaining sugar, flour and salt to the yeast mixture and beat for about 6 minutes on medium speed or until a rough dough forms (my dough was too dry, so I added 1/3 cup of warm milk). Add the 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add zest, vanilla and poppy seeds, and beat to combine. Gradually add butter, beating after each addition. Continue beating on medium speed for about 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic – it will be very soft. Transfer to a lightly buttered large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour or until doubled in size, then refrigerate for 4-5 hours (otherwise the dough will be too soft to be shaped).
Generously butter a 12-cup muffin pan (1/3-cup capacity cavities). Remove dough from the fridge and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead 3-4 times, then divide into 12 balls. Divide each ball into 3 smaller balls. Place 3 small balls in each muffin hole, loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly whisk the egg with a fork and brush the top of each brioche with it. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully unmold and transfer to the rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature (these reheat really well).

Makes 12

Double limoncello poppy seed cookies + homemade limoncello

Trying to solve the boozy cookbook problem I thought that it would be nice having a bottle of limoncello at home – it seemed to be the perfect alcoholic acquisition for a person like me. Unfortunately that idea was discarded the minute I saw how much a bottle of limoncello cost. :S
Luckily for me, there was a recipe for homemade limoncello in Francine Segan’s beautiful book and it was super easy to make: the only tricky part was having to wait 4 weeks to taste the liqueur – which turned out to be quite strong and very lemony, indeed – and to make these delicious cookies as well.

Double limoncello poppy seed cookies
from the adorable The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets

Cookies:
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
finely grated zest of 2 large lemons
2 teaspoons limoncello
1 1/3 cups (185g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Glaze:
1 cup (140g) icing sugar
2 tablespoons limoncello
hot water, if necessary

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Cookies: beat butter and sugar together until creamy and light. Add the egg, zest and limoncello and beat until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix in low speed just until combined. Mix in the poppy seeds.
Form 1 ½ heaping teaspoons of dough into balls and place onto prepared sheets 5cm (2in) apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze: sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Gradually add the limoncello, stirring until desired consistency (add the water only if necessary). Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and set aside until set, about 15 minutes.

Makes about 40

Homemade limoncello
from the lovely Dolci: Italy's Sweets

6 lemons
2 cups (480ml) vodka
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
3 cups (720ml) water

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the yellow zest from the lemons in long strips. Put the peels and vodka in a 1.4 to 2 liter sealable glass container and set aside in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan and stir in the sugar. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Pour the sugar syrup into the container with the zest and vodka. Seal and store for another 2 weeks in a cool place. Pour through a fine sieve and discard the peels (I did not do that - I kept the peels in the bottle).
Keep in the freezer.

Makes about 5 cups (1.2 liters)

Sticky lemon and poppy seed cake (with a secret ingredient)

Not that I need a reason for baking a lemon cake (we all know that) but to be honest this recipe got my attention because of the addition of finely ground oats to the batter – what might seem like a plan to trick picky eaters into eating more fiber turned out to be one of the best cakes I’ve made: great texture, moist and oh, so delicious.

***

I can’t remember how I got to this link, but I found it so amazing I had to share it with you: even I, someone who absolutely hates spoilers, clicked throughout the 50 movies and found several favorites of mine there. Just remember: spoilers galore.

Sticky lemon and poppy seed cake
from the wonderful Short and Sweet (mine was bought here)

1 cup + 2 tablespoons (224g) granulated sugar
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (127g) unsalted butter, softened
100ml canola oil
finely grated zest 3 lemons
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (60ml) hot water
1 ¾ cups + ½ tablespoon (250g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup (75g) rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor
3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Syrup:
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
100ml lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 20cm (8in) square cake pan.
Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar with the butter, oil and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the hot water into the egg mixture until smooth, then fold in sifted ingredients, the oats and the poppy seeds. Pour into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is out of the oven, make the syrup: heat the sugar with the lemon juice until dissolved, poke a skewer deep into the cake dozens of times, then spoon all the syrup over the top. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack.

Serves 16