Victoria Sandwich - Get ready for Downton Abbey's final episode this Sunday!

America's love affair with the show about the lives and loves of family and servants in an aristocratic home across the pond is coming to an end as the series Downtown Abbey wraps it's sixth and final season.

Russian Monday: "Povidlo" - Vanilla Apple Butter

"Povidlo"- Apple Butter is cooked from fruit or berry puree with sugar. Once fully cooked good povidlo looks like homogeneous mass of brownish or dark golden color. Povidlo in Russia are known for a very long time. One of the first mentions of povidlo occurs in the annals describing treats of the princely table. Povidlo are typically made from apples (probably most popular one), plums, apricots, pears, strawberry and various combinations of fruits and berries. I would like to present here an easy and delicious recipe of vanilla-apple butter which you and your loved ones will definitely enjoy. It can be used as pancakes filling or as spread for your bun or toast to be had with a cup of tea or glass of milk.

Green Tomato Marmalade With Orange Peel & Vanilla

Green Tomato With Orange Peel & Vanilla is very unique marmalade for using the last tomatoes of early fall that just never seem to ripen. This dark-green, sweet and citrus marmalade is delicious served with a selection of well-flavored cheeses and biscuits or bread, or with cold roast meats such as ham, turkey, tongue or lamb.

Summer Jams

When summer is approaching, I start contemplating visits to local farms to collect some berries and fruits for my jams and preserves. Over the past few years I have cooked many scrumptious jams, but every summer I have developed more unique recipes. Without having some homemade preserves on the shelf any house is not complete.

When we cook breakfasts on a weekend my kids like to pick their favorite jams and syrups for waffles and pancakes. Sometimes we have our breakfast outside on the porch and freshly made berry jams are an important part of it, just like they are part of any summer sweet gatherings.

Almond Linzer Cookies with Cranberry Jam

Squares, stars, circles, hearts and diamonds, whatever the shape, these rich almond, crumbly cookies are a treat with coffee, tea or hot cocoa. My children love to help by sprinkling the tops with powdered sugar and then placing them on the jam-filled bottoms, pressing just hard enough to squish the jam up through the hole. Try to make these cookies with my homemade cranberry jam, perfect for any holiday!

Whole Grain Amaranth Cookies with Pumpkin Jam

Amaranth Cookies with Pumpkin Jam are a nice change for the cookie jar. These spicy autumn amber beads are decorated with pumpkin jam that is delicious!

Vanilla Rum Plum Jam

Plums are most plentiful in the summer, so it is well worth making a batch of jam to enjoy during the rest of the year. Adding the rum and vanilla to plums produces a luxurious jam that's perfect served on warm buttered toast or English muffins at tea time. Also you can serve this incredible jam as an accompaniment to strong cheese, or sliced with roast duck or pork.

Apricot Blackberry Shortbread Tart & Basil Cream

I wanted to bake this tart for quite some time. It has a special crust and the recipe is by pastry genius Pierre Herme. Ingredients include hardboiled egg yolk, so the crust comes out very tender and simply extraordinary. I have been waiting for the first apricots of the year and now they are finally in season. I have gotten ten of them - just enough for the tart. They have been sitting in a brown paper bag in order to get some more color and ripeness, but before starting to bake I put them out on counter top to get some extra inspiration.

Ruby Red Grapefruit-Vanilla Marmalade

Extraordinary taste!

If you prefer a tangy and refreshing preserves, this Ruby Red Grapefruit-Vanilla Marmalade is one to try. To achieve a wonderfully red-blushed preserve, look for the red variety rather than pink. They have a rich flavor and make a really delicious, sweet, jewel-colored marmalade. Serve this fresh-tasting citrus treat with warm croissants and strong coffee for leisurely weekend breakfast. The combination of grapefruits and vanilla is a winner.

Note: Although you can use yellow grapefruit to make this marmalade, it tends to give a very pale result with more tang than the ruby red variety, but a much less fruity flavor.

Melon Jam with Candied Ginger and Lemon Peel

There is something magical about making jam at home with ingredients that you planted and harvested yourself. It brings back memories from my childhood. We did not have the sweets readily available at the store year round. Thus, my mother would preserve the berries for the cold and snowy winter days. It was a bliss to have the fresh berries in syrup over homemade crepes for breakfast. As a mother myself I use different and unique recipes every year for my children. There are always various sweet pleasures in a jar stored in my pantry, such as strawberry with chocolate mint, sour cherry jam, pears with vanilla beans and apricot with lavender among others. In the fall I even make jams from different varieties of pumpkin. 

This summer I wanted to try something new and unique. I had a batch of honey dew melons that gave off a deliciously sweet aroma when you cut them. I wanted to enjoy this taste during the change of seasons and decided to use them in a new jam recipe. When I was making it last night - the house became filled with the sweet honey taste that lingered in the air. I hope that you will try making this and enjoy it with your own family during your mornings or giving it as a holiday gift to your loved ones.



Serves: 3 jars (250ml each)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium honeydew melon, seeds & skin removed, diced to 1/4-inch cubes
• 60% of the melon weight in sugar 
• 1 organic lemon, juice and peel (cut thin slices of lemon rind)
• candied ginger, cut it in thin slices about 2 Tbsp.

Directions:

In a big bowl mix together the melon, lemon juice, lemon peel, ginger and sugar. Stir well. Let them macerate in the fridge for 12 hours.

When ready, drain the pulp and put it in a smaller bowl. Put the juice and sugar (by now they are well mixed) in a large pan (cast iron, heavy stainless steel, or copper), and bring slowly to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the pulp and cook 30 more minutes, or until melon cubes become translucent and liquid has thickened.

A good way to check if jam is done: pour a little of the cooking liquid onto a cold plate. If the cooled liquid wrinkles slightly when touched, the jam is ready. Serve jam on scones or toast, or with pâtés and fine cheeses on bread, or over plain yogurt.

Homemade Sour Cherry Jam

Anyone can make delicious jams and jellies. Even city dwellers. It's easy and it's fun. And when the winter solstice casts its gloomy shadow over your home, what could be a more refreshing reminder of the coming spring than a newly opened jar of Sour Cherry Jam - made by you?

Jams, jellies conserves, and other spreads are usually made at the height of summer fruit season. And today, when science has revealed the secrets of the chemistry of fruits and sugar, and the nature of cooking process itself, you can count on perfect results every time you set out to make one of these delicious spreads.

Jellies are made from fruit juice cooked with sugar. Jams are made of crushed food and sugar cooked until the mixture is thick an homogenous. Marmalades are jam-like preservers, containing two or more fruits plus raisins and nuts. Fruit butters are made of fruit pulp cooked with comparatively small amount of sugar until thick and butter like.



Jams are usually made from crushed fruits such as apricots, berries, cherries, peaches, plums, and grapes. The fruit is cooked with sugar to a soft jellylike consistency and contains no free juice or liquid.

The standard proportion of sugar varies from 3/4 to 1 part by weight of sugar to 1 part by weight of the prepared fruit, or 3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup of fruit.

Heat the fruit and sugar slowly, stirring constantly, until all the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boiling point and stir and boil rapidly until it is thick. The cooking time varies with the fruit.



You'll thank me later, when a winter comes-)))

Makes: 6 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 7 pounds (about 14 cups) fresh sour cherries, without blemishes, stemmed and pitted
• 7 cups sugar (I like it when it's a little sour, you may add more sugar)
• 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 2 lemons

Directions:

In a large saucepan, place sour cherries with lemon juice and one third of sugar; place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in half of remaining sugar, and cook, stirring, until it has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining sugar, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Bring the mixture to a full boil, and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. While cooking, skim any foam that floats to the surface. Then reduce the heat and cook more slowly for a longer time, 40 to 45 minutes.

Ladle the jam into prepared jars, seal and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Remove the canner lid, turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars to sit undisturbed until they are thoroughly cool. Check the seals before storing. Label with the name of jam and date it was made. Store in a clean, cool, dry place.

Crêpes Gâteau with Plum Jam and Chocolate Meringue Cream - Happy Mother's Day!

I love making crêpes and waffles for my family. My children help to prepare the batter and join in with the cooking. Today you can make crêpes from different flours like buckwheat or rye, and enclosing a myriad of savory and sweet fillings. Batters can be made a day ahead and kept in a container in the refrigerator until needed. This Crêpes Gâteau with Plum Jam and Chocolate Meringue Cream has a rich and chocolaty flavor (the cream alone, makes it a dream) and a little sourness of plums makes perfect combination of flavors. It rolls breakfast and dessert, my two favorite meals, into one.

Check out the cover for my portfolio. I like to hear your opinions.



Ingredients:

For about 12-14 crêpes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp superfine sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• few drops of vanilla
• a little oil, to cook

For the chocolate meringue cream:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the cake:

• 12-14 crêpes
• chocolate meringue cream
• plum jam (as much as you ned it, about 2/3 cup)
• 2 tsp sugar

Directions:

To make the batter for the crêpes, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs, mix well with a whisk, then stir in a generous 1/3 cup milk to make a smooth batter. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk and the cream. Let the batter rest in a warm place for about an hour. When you are ready to cook the crêpes, give the batter a stir and flavor with vanilla. Brush a crêpes pan with a little oil and heat. Ladle in a little bate and tilt the pan to cover the bottom thinly. Cook the crêpe for 1 minute. As soon as little holes appear all over the surface, turn the crêpe over and cook the other side for 30 to 40 seconds.Transfer to a plate and cook the rest of the batter, stacking the crêpes interleaved with waxed paper as they are cooked.

To make the meringue cream, in a heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 160˚F). Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the butter several tablespoons of butter at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and espresso. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Assembling the Gâteau, place first crepe on a plate. Spread a thin layer of meringue evenly across the cake. Lay second crepe on top. Top with about one teaspoon of the plum jam. Repeat frosting process until all but one crepe is left. Place the last crepe on a separate plate. Evenly distribute remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Caramelize the sugar with a small handheld kitchen torch. Place the crêpe on top of cake and let cool. Once the caramelized sugar has cooled, dust with coco powder and garnish with few slices of ripe plum. Cool cake in the refrigerator to let cream harden.

Happy Mother's Day My Dear Ladies!

Peach, Oatmeal and Apricot Jam Cupcakes or Muffins, You decide!

Honestly, I don’t know what the difference between Cupcakes is and Muffins. Do you? I like to hear your thoughts.

Makes: 20

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
• ½ cup oatmeal
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup peach juice
• ½ cup sour cream
• 20 canned peach halves or quarters in juice, drained
• ¼ cup peach or apricot jam

Note: I did not have sour cream so I used yogurt instead (1/2 cup), but not just a yogurt the Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt. It was amazing addition of the passion fruit to the cupcake.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 20 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the oatmeal and make a well in the center. Melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Wisk the combined egg and peach juice into the sour cream. Add both the butter and the egg mixtures to the well in the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners and place a peach half or quarter, cut side up, on the top of each cake. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cake.

Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Heat the jam in a small saucepan until melted. Brush a little jam over each cake.

Pumpkin (Blue Hubbard) Jam with Raisins and Vanilla Bean over Multigrain Pancakes with Wild Pecan Nuts

The jam has a beautiful bright yellow colour. You can have it on pancakes, and it's also great spread of a slice of toast, or served as a condiment with some grilled meat.



Blue Hubbard
Described as a "starchy, dry, thick, flaky, floury, melting, nutty and fine-textured winter squash.....with brilliant orange flesh".



This squash was likely used by your great grandmother and is a fall tradition in New England.
 

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds Blue Hubbard
• 2 1/2 pounds sugar
• 6 cups of water
• 1/2 pound raisins
• 2 lemons (optional)
• vanilla bean

Directions:
Pare squash. Remove seeds and cut pulp into small cubes or shred it.



Add sugar and water. Stir well, and allow to stand overnight.



Two lemons, sliced thinly, may be added. I made with vanilla bean  this time.
Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until the squash is tender and clear.

Apricot Jam with Lavender

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ripe, flavorful fresh apricots, pitted
• 1 3/4 lbs. sugar
• 1/4-1/2 c. organic lavender flowers, fresh or dried

Remove the apricot pits and cut the fruit into half. Sprinkle on the sugar, and stir to combine. Tie 3-4 tsp lavender buds in a small cheesecloth sack and sink it in the middle of the fruit. Let it macerate for a few hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Prepare water bath canner and sterilized jars.
Bring the apricot mixture to a boil in a wide pan, adding ¼ tsp of butter to diminish the foam. Continue to cook, stirring to keep the mixture from scorching, until the gel point is reached. Remove the sack of lavender buds and add the reserved teaspoonful.

Ladle the jam into prepared jars, seal and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Remove the canner lid, turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars to sit undisturbed until they are thoroughly cool. Check the seals before storing.