Oh-so-easy peanut butter fudge

Like many of you reading me right now (I am sure), I am the kind of person who has fun at the grocery store and supermarkets – I know that for many people going to such places is one very cruel way of torture, but I absolutely love it. And then there are the supermarkets where you find huge packages of products – a whole new level of fun! My heart is filled with joy when I think that in my cupboard right now there is a 5kg-package of sugar just waiting to become cake/bread/dessert on the weekend. :)

I do, also, buy things that I use much less than I use sugar, like peanut butter, for example, but how could I resist buying an 800g-jar of pb for the same price I’d seen a half this size jar? Naturally I brought it home and now I have been making some (or should I say many?) delicious recipes with it, like this fugde: it is really, really easy and can be put together in a matter of moments. You just need some patience to let it set before cutting it into small squares. I thought I would have to send these to friends in order not to eat them all myself, but my husband tried one and it was impossible to stop him from eating the whole thing himself – the same husband that doesn’t like sweets. :D

Oh-so-easy peanut butter fudge
slightly adapted from Lucy Cufflin

¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
1 cup (200g) demerara sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
generous 1/3 cup (100g) smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
¾ cup (105g) icing sugar, sifted – you might not use all of it

Line a 20x10cm (8x4in) loaf pan with baking paper.
Put the butter, sugar and milk in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Stir very gently until the all the sugar has dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and, without stirring, cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. When well mixed, gradually add the icing sugar, beating with a wooden spoon – the mixture should be smooth and creamy, not dry (if too dry, add a few drops of water and stir vigorously).
Spoon the fudge into the prepared pan, press it down using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon and level the surface. Leave to cool, uncovered, for 4-5 hours or overnight.
Lift out the fudge in its paper and cut into neat, even squares – it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Makes 36

Cashew blondies

“Videodrome” was on TV the other day and I was dying to watch it again – I saw it when I was a teenage girl – but I was so sleepy I could barely watch the first 5 minutes. One thing I did not recall about the movie was Debbie Harry as part of the cast, and that made me curious.

Speaking of Ms. Harry, I have blondies for you today. ;)

Cashew blondies
from here

½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsalted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup (92g) white chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) square pan, line with aluminum foil, letting it hang about 5cm (2in) over the sides. Butter the foil generously.
Place butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Use the flat beater to beat the butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream well, another 2 minutes.
With a fork, beat the eggs in a small bowl and mix in the vanilla extract. Add to the butter mixture and blend well.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. In three stages, add to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the nuts and white chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula to distribute evenly.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and use the rubber spatula to spread it evenly into the corners. Bake the blondies for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs clinging to it. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely on a rack.
Lift the blondies from the pan with the aluminum foil. Carefully peel the foil away. Cut into squares.

Makes 16

Lemon cranberry madeleines and being repetitive

I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but I have to bring this subject up again: not only is “Love Lost” an amazing song but its video is equally wonderful – click here and then tell me if you agree with me. Or not (just so you know it, I’m a complete sucker for music videos). ;)

And speaking of being repetitive, I’m bringing lemon madeleines back – with dried cranberries, this time.

Lemon cranberry madeleines
adapted from Dorie’s traditional madeleines

2/3 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
½ cup (100g) caster (superfine) sugar
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (84g/¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (110g) dried cranberries, mixed in a bowl with 1 teaspoon flour

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Place the sugar and lemon zest in the large bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together using your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant with lemon. Add the eggs to the bowl and, with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until pale, thick and light, 2 to 3 minutes. With a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter and dried cranberries. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days. This long chill period will help the batter form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, or up to 36 mini madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess.
Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each one almost to the top. Don't worry about spreading the batter evenly, the oven's heat will take care of that. Bake large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, and minis for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and release the madeleines from the molds. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

If you are making minis and have more batter, bake the next batch(es), making certain that you cool, then properly prepare the pan(s) before baking.

Makes 12 large or 36 mini cookies – I got 20 regular madeleines (like the ones on the photos, 1 tablespoon-capacity pans) + 9 using a scallop-shaped pan (2 tablespoon-capacity pans)

Coconut orange tea cake and things that make me wanna scream

I’m going to share something with you, even though you might think I’m crazy: there are times when certain things are so, so good I feel like screaming (for the record, I don’t actually scream). ;)

Off the top of my head I remember feeling like that after watching “Stay” and "Inception", listening to The Temper Trap’s “Love Lost” (especially from 1min50seg on), and more recently, this cake. An absolutely simple cake – no icings or fillings – put together in a heartbeat, but so delicious and tender I felt like screaming – and like devouring the whole thing myself, too. Not pretty, I know. But so true. :D

Coconut orange tea cake
from Dorie’s amazing and delicious book

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup (240ml) canned unsweetened coconut milk*
¼ cup (56g/½ stick) unsalted butter, in cubes
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups (400g) caster (superfine) sugar
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons dark rum
¾ cup (75g) unsweetened shredded coconut
freshly squeezed juice of ½ orange

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 22-25cm/9-10in (10-12 cup) bundt pan or use an unbuttered silicone pan. Do not place the pan on a baking sheet – you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the tube**.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Place coconut milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until milk is hot and butter is melted. Remove from the heat but keep warm.
Place the sugar and orange zest in the large bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together until sugar is fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl and, using the whisk attachment, beat the ingredients until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the rum. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, beating just until flour is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Keeping the mixer on low, add the coconut, mixing only until blended. Add the coconut milk and butter and the orange juice. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack and cool completely (if using a silicone pan, follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Dust with icing sugar to serve.

* coconut milk comes in 200ml bottles here in Brazil; to avoid opening another bottle to use only a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk, I used one coconut milk bottle + 40ml whole milk

** I used a silicone pan and it wouldn’t hold still on the oven rack; I placed it on a baking sheet and it worked fine

Serves 10-12

Chocolate orange ganache tart and all's well that ends well

I started writing this post with EBTG’s “When all’s well” playing in my mind; I explain: this tart is a result of some stressful moments, but it all worked out fine in the end.

The initial idea was baking this tart to finish up the marmalade jar I’d bought for Nigel Slater’s cake. I’d already thawed some really good pastry I had in the freezer and lined the tart pan with it; after that, I made the pastry strips, arranged each and every one of them very neatly on a baking sheet and proudly place it in the fridge only to watch it fall to the floor; with the pastry strips scattered over my kitchen tiles I had to think of another use for the pastry lined tart pan. And this ganache tart was a good solution: it was simple to make and tasted great. Some grated orange zest into the ganache to make it extra special and my Saturday morning was saved from an enormous amount of bad mood. :D

Chocolate orange ganache tart
adapted from Donna Hay magazine and the amazing Sunday Suppers at Lucques

1 x quantity basic sweet shortcrust pastry*
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup (160ml) heavy cream
finely grated zest of ½ orange
cocoa powder, for dusting

After refrigerating the pastry for at least 1 hour, roll dough between two sheets of lightly floured baking paper – if dough gets too soft, refrigerate for 5 minutes. Line a lightly buttered 30x10cm (12x4in) loose-bottomed tart pan with the pastry. Trim edges with a knife and prick the base with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line the pastry with a piece of buttered foil and fill with baking weights/dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, carefully remove the weights/beans and the foil, then bake for another 10-15minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the filling: place the chocolate, heavy cream and orange zest in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow mixture to stand for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour the ganache over the pastry shell and smooth the surface. Refrigerate until ganache is set, 1-2 hours. Dust with cocoa to serve.

* Donna’s recipe is here; I had this pastry in the freezer and used half of it for this tart

Serves 6-8

Nibby nut and raisin cookies

I’ll be really honest with you and tell you right up front that I only made these cookies because I needed to finish up a bag of cocoa nibs (there are still some nibs left; I guess they’re kind of Gremlins, too). But the comments about these at the office were so amazing I beg you to make them, too, even if you have go out and buy a bag of nibs; I know I might sound like a shopping maniac – my apologies for that – but it could be worse: it could be shoes (and then I’d be a complete cliché). :D

Nibby nut and raisin cookies
slightly adapted from the amazing chocolate bible Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate

2 ¼ cups (315g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (132g) light brown sugar, packed
scant ½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup cocoa nibs
1 ½ cups (232g) golden raisins

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are moistened, then stir in the nibs and raisins. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375CF; line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to soften.
Scoop 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie and place 5cm (2in) apart onto prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown at the edges and no longer look wet on top.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 60 cookies – I halved the recipe above and got 38

Banana sheet cake with fudgy chocolate frosting and a forgotten book

When I was a kid all my friends were tall and strong, unlike me – I had a sort of development delay, so to speak (due to my mom’s death) and I was very tiny. Can you imagine how much I loved P.E. classes? #not
I was always picked last for everything and I don’t blame my colleagues: I could barely hold a basketball, let alone play with it.
I’ve had this book for years and had only baked from it once. I thought of me, always picked last, and felt that I was doing the same with the book. I felt guilty. So I baked from it. I made this banana cake and brought it to the office. All I’ll say is that my coworkers loved it even more than the Texas sheet cake – and I thought that chocolate was unbeatable... :)

Banana sheet cake with fudgy chocolate frosting
cake from The All-American Dessert Book, frosting from Modern Classics Book 2

Cake:
2 1/3 cups (326g) cake flour*
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
scant ½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
½ cup (130g) plain yogurt
1 ¼ cups well mashed overripe bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:
185g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 22x32cm (9x13in)** baking pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and stir well. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt and beat for 1 more minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.
Reduce the mixer to low, and then beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Beat in the banana and vanilla, then the remaining dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack.
Make the frosting: combine the chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a small heatproof bowl. Set it over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until completely melted and smooth. Cool completely then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat until thick and fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake.

* homemade cake flour: 1 cup (140g) all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons corn starch

** I made the exact recipe above and used a 20x30cm (8x12in) pan

Serves 15

Apple cranberry muffins and good/bad decisions

There are moments in life when we make certain decisions because they seem so right, but in the end they are incredibly wrong – I’ve watched “Water for Elephants” and I’m sure Christoph Waltz is feeling oh, so miserable right now. I don’t mean to be rude, but he should have known better: one does not choose Francis Lawrence over David Cronenberg – the horror, the horror – especially if they’re going to work with Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. :S

Unlike Mr. Waltz, I am feeling oh, so smart: I decided to add dried cranberries to my apple muffins and that was a very clever thing to do. ;)

Apple cranberry muffins
adapted from the beautiful Nigella Kitchen

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup (116g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup honey
¼ cup (65g) plain yogurt
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup (110g) dried cranberries
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
about ½ cup whole almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan – 1/3 cup (80ml) capacity each – with paper cases.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, yogurt, butter and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and lightly whisk with a fork – do not overmix or your muffins will become tough. Add the apples and cranberries and mix slightly. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle each muffin with some demerara sugar (about 1 teaspoon per muffin). Place 3-4 almonds on top of each muffin and bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden and skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans, over a wire rack, for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the muffins to the wire rack and cool completely – or serve warm.

Makes 12

Orange lime jelly

We all have our favorites: the little black dress for special occasions, the CD that is always on the glove compartment, or the movie we watch over and over again and never tire of. Lately I’ve been feeling the same way about jellies – they’re the first thing that pops in my mind when I want to make (and eat) spoon desserts. I guess that once the days get colder here I might change my mind, but for now I’m kind of obsessed. :)

Not only are these delicious, they're also very easy to make, but I should warn you: once you have a taste of jellies made with real fruit you’ll never go back to artificial jellies again. You have my word on that.

Orange lime jelly
adapted from the great Modern Classics 2

1/3 cup (80ml) water
5 teaspoons powdered gelatin
2 ¾ cups (660ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup (160ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
5 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar, or to taste
sweetened whipped cream, to serve

Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Combine the orange and lime juices and the sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low, add the gelatin and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat, strain mixture into a jug, then divide evenly among eight ½ cup (120ml) capacity glasses or cups. Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 4-5 hours or until firm.
Top jellies with whipped cream and serve.

Serves 8

Gooey chocolate cake with raspberries and something positive about getting old

Getting older is not a walk in the park – gray hair, anyone? – but there is definitely a positive side to it. I’ve become a more patient person, and let me tell you, patience was never one of my virtues.

After baking and unmolding this delicious cake – oh, it was really delicious and I’m no chocoholic – the result almost made me cry: the poor thing looked ugly as hell on the plate. A glance at the book and frustration started building in. In the past I would have gone mad about it, but I took a deep breath and decided to watch TV instead. As the cake cooled down, the ganache topping got firmer and I could smooth it down with a palette knife, making it shiny and beautiful.

I guess that in my case calm came with age – and a couple of hours with Detective Goren *sigh* can’t hurt, either. ;)

Gooey chocolate cake with raspberries
from the beautiful Feed Me Now

Topping:
100g dark chocolate
150g raspberry jam
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream

Cake:
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (125g) all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup (30g) good quality cocoa powder
½ cup (120ml) boiling water
¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
90g raspberry jam
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (66g) caster (superfine) sugar
2 large eggs
80g raspberries, plus extra to serve – I used frozen, unthawed

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Generously grease a 22cm (9in) round cake pan*.
For the topping, put the chocolate, jam and cream into a small pan over a medium heat. Stir until melted and smooth, then pour into the prepared pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder with the water, stirring until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla and jam, whisking to combine.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Using a large spoon, fold the sifted ingredients and the cocoa mix into the creamed mixture, alternating the two, then gently fold the raspberries through.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, ensuring you spread it right to the edge and cover the topping completely. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until firm. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes (if not serving straight away you can refrigerate the cake in the pan, but you will need to warm it in the oven before turning it out).
Turn the cake out onto a plate. You may need to scrape some sauce out of the pan and spread it over the top of the cake – my cake looked rather ugly when I unmolded it; I waited for it to cool down a little and the topping became firmer; then I was able to spread it evenly with a palette knife and the cake looked a lot prettier. :)
Serve warm or cold, with fresh raspberries.

* I made the exact recipe above and used a 20cm (8in) round cake pan with a removable bottom – I placed it on a baking sheet to catch any drippings

Serves 8

Peanut butter brownies + your comments on a certain post

I’ve been thinking about the comments you left on my post about Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook and thought I might have been misunderstood by some: I agree with the fact that some people are naturally thin and can eat tons of food without gaining 1 single pound – I have cousins and friends that way. Nothing against those people – I wish I were one of them! :D
And I don’t think that one has to be chubby to be a good cook, either - I was joking about the skinny cooks/cookies thing. I don’t buy GP as a cook/baker, but I adore Sophie Dahl, for instance. Something completely personal, I know.

And since I’m not part of the blessed group of people who can eat all the sweets they want, I made these brownies, had one – it was delicious – and sent the other squares to my nephew; he plays a lot of sports and will burn these calories in no time. :D

Peanut butter brownies
slightly adapted from DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style

½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, chopped
252g (9oz) bittersweet chocolate (66-72% cacao), finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (47g) all purpose flour
½ cup chunky peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) square baking pan, line with foil leaving an overhang in two opposite sides, then butter the foil as well.
Combine the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt, mixing well until completely incorporated. Stir in the flour, mix well, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top.
Place teaspoonfuls of peanut butter on the surface of the batter, then swirl the peanut butter into the batter using a fork until it looks marbled. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the brownie has a smooth sheen and looks dry (the peanut butter portions will be tacky). Let cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Cut into squares to serve.

Makes 16

Nibby financiers

Certain smells, movies, songs – or even certain words – automatically remind us of certain people. In today’s case, it’s food that brings me two lovely friends of mine to mind – it’s impossible for me to bake financiers without thinking of @liliantrigo and Paula. :D

Nibby financiers
adapted from Rose's Heavenly Cakes

2/3 cup (66g) almond meal
1/3 cup + ½ tablespoon (51g) all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
¾ cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
½ cup cacao nibs, combined in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

Lightly butter and flour twelve ¼ cup (60ml) capacity muffin or financier pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together almond meal, flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar. Add the egg whites, vanilla and melted butter and mix to combine. Stir in the cacao nibs. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, place onto a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the center of a financier comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, let cool in the pans for 5-7 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Makes 12 – I halved the recipe above, used 2-tablespoon capacity pans and got 12 tiny financiers

Double chocolate chip cookies - from skinny cooks to skinny cookies

A while ago I was talking to Fezoca (via Twitter) about Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook – I have to say I wasn’t (and still am not) all that excited about it. I think she’s a beautiful woman, can sing really well, but would never make it to my list of favorite actresses – I find her really limited as far as acting is concerned. Anyway, that has nothing to do with the cookbook thing – what doesn’t get me going for it is the fact that she does not look like she actually eats. I feel the same about Giada, for instance.

When it comes to cookies, my opinion is pretty much the same: I’m more inclined to the chubby kinds. That is why these do not rank so high on my best-ever-cookies list – they are delish, but too thin for my taste. :)

Double chocolate chip cookies
slightly adapted from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy

2 cups + ½ tablespoon (285g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (132g) light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (170g) dark chocolate chips
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips

Mix the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the butter with the sugars, vanilla and salt. Mix in the eggs. Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator (let is soften a bit if left in the refrigerator for more than 2 hours). Place 1 slightly rounded tablespoon of dough per cookie onto prepared pans, 7.5cm (3in) apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are golden brown at the edges and no longer look wet on top. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes. Slide the paper off the sheets onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 4-6 days.

Makes about 60 cookies – I halved the recipe above and got 33 cookies

Vanilla flan with gingerbread crumbs

Those of you who – sometimes – devour lunch with an eye on dessert, please, raise your hand. 0/

I made a beautiful, delicious salad with tuna – from this book – for lunch and, even though I happily savored each bite of it, I was really interested in trying this flan. :)

And since I know you are all so dear and won’t judge me, there goes the recipe. :D

Vanilla flan with gingerbread crumbs
adapted from the wonderful Bon Appetit Desserts and the beautiful Australian Gourmet Traveller

Gingerbread cookies:
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup molasses

Flan:
1 ¾ cups (420ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds removed with the back of the knife
1 cup (200g) + 7 tablespoons (84g) caster (superfine) sugar, divided
1/3 cup (80ml) water
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Start with the gingerbread: in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy, add egg yolk and beat until combined. Add molasses, beat to combine, then add sifted ingredients and stir until just combined. Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper; shape dough into a log. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 4cm log – like Martha does here. Wrap in parchment. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line a large baking sheets with baking paper.
Unwrap log. Cut into 6mm (¼in) thick rounds; space 5cm (2in) apart onto prepared sheets. Bake until golden, 15-17 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on the sheet over a wire rack.
Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Makes 20

Now, the flans: place cream, milk and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and mix to combine. Add the vanilla seeds and bean and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let infuse for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 1 cup (200g) sugar and water in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and cook without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, swirling the pan a couple of times. Occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Immediately pour caramel into six ¾ cup (180ml) capacity ramekins. Using oven mitts, tilt each ramekin to coat sides with caramel. Place ramekins in a 20x30cm metal baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar. Gradually add the cream mixture, whisking without creating a lot of foam. Pour custard through a small sieve into the prepared ramekins. Add enough hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake flans until center is gently set, about 40 minutes – do not overbake. Carefully remove from the oven, transfer ramekins to a wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate, lightly covered, overnight.
When ready to serve, place some of the gingerbread cookies in a bag and crush with a rolling pin (or use a food processor). Sprinkle each flan with some of the gingerbread crumbs and serve.

Serves 6

Wholemeal apple and marmalade cake

Back in 2009 my dear friend Valentina introduced me to Nigel Slater – it was love at first sight. His delicious recipes, beautiful garden and passionate way of speaking about food – clear without being patronizing – were a perfect combination.

I really do not know why it took me so long to buy one of his books, but I certainly started with a wonderful one. This cake is absurdly tender – despite being made entirely with whole wheat flour – and the apples go really well with the marmalade. Great with a cup of tea.

Take a look at Nigel’s website and I’m sure you’ll instantly become a fan, too. :D

Wholemeal apple and marmalade cake
slightly adapted from the gorgeous Tender Volume II

1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cups (218g) light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
1 ¾ cups + ½ tablespoon (250g) whole wheat flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
220g apples – I used Gala apples
125g orange marmalade
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
demerara sugar, for sprinkling (about 2 tablespoons)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20cm round cake pan*, line the bottom with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and pour back into the bowl any bits of grain that may remain in the sifter. Peel, core and roughly chop the apples (about 1cm). In a small bowl, mix the apples, marmalade and vanilla.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition – add 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture if the batter starts to curdle. Scrape the sides of the bowl. In low speed, add the sifted ingredients and mix only until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold in the apple mixture. Spoon into the prepared pan – batter will be thick. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.

* I used a high pan (8cm) – less than that and it won’t be large enough to hold the batter

Serves 8-10