Russians love to bake. My childhood home always smelled like sweet dough and we had bakes all year round. But of course fall and winter were special seasons for baking. To the day I still carry that tradition. When the weather starts to cool down and first firewood is put to use, I like to spend my time baking and creating new sweet recipes.
Poppy seeds is one of the commonly used baking ingredients in Russian cuisine. Challah is my favorite type of dough, it is simple to make, it's tasty and its texture is great. If poppy seeds are too much trouble for you, just make plain Challah wreath and top it with almonds. But I absolutely love poppy seeds here, they bring sweet crunch to this delicious dinner table centerpiece. This recipe is great for holidays and family gatherings.
Russian Recipe: "Makoviy Pirog" - Poppy Seeds Challah Centerpiece Wreath
Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds (no flour)
When I hear about mix of ricotta cheese with lemon, I start drooling-)) This cake has everything and more: it is flour-less with almond meal, so you don't have to feel guilty after a few slices. It is very moist and not too sweet. It is also lemony and has crunchy top. You can not ask for anything else, it is a perfection itself! I love to have slice of this cake for breakfast with cup of fresh brewed coffee. Bake it the night before so in the morning you have a great treat to start your day.
Almond-Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze - Queen of Sheba Cake
My eight-year-old son has a dream, he wants to open his own restaurant when he grows up. Every day after school when his homework is done he sits quietly and plans his dream. I have helped him to make layout of the kitchen, put together design of the tables and the milkshake bar. He even planned for piano to be put in the corner for the live entertainment. He already knows what kind of people he needs to hire, he learns about walk-in freezers, pantry and ovens. He started asking his school friends if they would like to take a position at his place and there is already someone who wants to take cleaning job. Menu with special drinks and desserts has been planned, business cards design has been prepared. And now we are getting to the most exciting part - cake. My dear son has asked me to teach him how to bake a restaurant quality chocolate cake. And there it is, ladies and gents: cake recipe for my son's future family friendly restaurant. It is rich, chocolaty with a crunch of almonds. This cake will melt in your mouth and with some mint chocolate for your glaze it will come out refreshing!
Dark Chocolate Brandy & Cherry Cake
The rich chocolate sponge, moistened with brandy and cherries, is still one of my favorite of all the chocolate cakes. Dark chocolate cherry cake is a perfect party dessert. The cake can be make in advance and it always looks impressive.
Christmas Cookies #7: Orange Ginger Biscotti
These orange ginger biscotti are delicious served with ice cream or on their own with coffee. They should be stored in a cool, dry place…but they may not remain there for long. Once you have tasted one, the sheer pleasure will tempt you to eat at least another couple, so I suggest you provide 3-4 biscotti cookies for each of your guest.
Christmas Cookies #2: Lebkuchen - German Spice Cookies with Almonds
Literally translated lebkuchen means "lively cake." The many spices give this traditional German Christmas cookie its lively flavor; the honey gives it the characteristic texture and keeping qualities. Since lebkuchens improve with age, make them 3-4 days before serving.
Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque with Almonds
Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque with Almonds is a fragrant, creamy and delicately flavored soup. I hope you will enjoy this soup as well as we are.
New Zealand Almond and Fig Bread
This loaf has a wonderful flavor, and it use yeast and sponge. It is simple to do, but it takes some time. The odor of this stuff baking will bring the kids in from the yard - I promise. Excellent when toasted and served with soft cheeses and chicken liver pâté.
Panforte, a Nougat-like Cake Dessert, have a Sweet Weekend!
Panforte is a nougat - like cake, rich in nuts and fruit. It is a speciality of Siena in Italy. Visit this beautiful country and you’ll find hundreds of variations of this Christmas-feeling sweet treat.
Quince Cardamom Tapioca Pudding with Homemade Crumbles - Have a Sweet Weekend!
Forgive me for posting a winter dessert today. I was looking for quinces all winter, unable to find them; a couple of days ago finally I got lucky, and here it is.
This recipe comes from many inspirations and memories. I remember one aroma from my childhood when my mother made compote from quince and it was so magically wonderful. I remember eating crepes with quince jam, the best breakfast ever. I never cooked tapioca before so I like to experiment with it and recently I discovered that I love cardamom-)))
This dessert is scrumptious, It takes some time to prepare, and worthwhile every minute of it. I hope you like it as much as I did, save it for next year when quinces are in season or you can make it with pears or peaches, which is certainly going to be a summer dessert!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
For the poached quinces:
- 3 quinces, peeled, cored and quartered
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1/2 lemon
For the vanilla tapioca:
- 2/3 cup large tapioca pearls
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup white oatmeal flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- OR 3/4 cup all purpose flour instead if not baking gluten free
- 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 tablespoons almond milk
Directions:
Prepare the cardamom tapioca:
In a medium bowl, soak the tapioca pearls in the water for an hour. Drain and discard the water. In a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the tapioca, milk, honey and cardamom to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until the tapioca looks translucent. Remove from the heat and place a piece of plastic wrap right on top to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
Prepare the quinces:
Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the quinces. Bring the content of the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid halfway over the pot and simmer for 40 minutes to an hour, or until the quinces are soft when you poke a knife through them. Mash the quince with syrup and reserve.
Prepare the crumble:
Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your fingertips or a fork until the mixture resembles large beads. Spread the beads on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing them every so often as they become golden brown for 20 minutes. Let the crumbles cool.
When ready to serve, spoon the quince mixture into the bottom of each of 6 glasses, dividing it evenly. When the tapioca is completely cool, divide it in between the serving glasses on top of the quince mix. Sprinkle with crumbles, again dividing evenly.
Note: You might have leftover crumbles, you can crumble it up over oatmeal for breakfast or over ice cream.
