I use to love these little tea breads when I was a child and I still love them today. I buy them often in Russian grocery store near us, but always had a desire to bake them myself. Sushki are slightly sweet crunchy round pastries/cookies which are served with tea or eaten as a snack. They look like mini bagels but they are very dry and crispy. They are fun to make, actually our whole family was making them - that is why our sushki look all different-)) It's ok, we had some good time. I like them with poppy seeds, but you can make them plain or top them with sesame seeds as well.
Showing posts with label Mid-afternoon tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mid-afternoon tea. Show all posts
Russian Monday: "Sushki" - Sweet Tea Bread, Baked Crunchy Round Snacks
Melangery Stamped Honey-Vanilla Cookies
One of the things my kids could always count on when they come from school, is finding homemade sugar cookies in the big blue cookie jar in my old kitchen hutch.
These cookies are very special, they have my blog signature. What would you write on your cookie?
Russian Monday: "Sladkay Bulochka" - Cinnamon Chocolate Pastry Wheels
Sweet, buttery, laced with chocolate and fragrant with cinnamon, these beautiful twisted wheels is easy to prepare and you can serve them with a chilled glass of milk or some hot coffee or tea.
Linden Tea for a Summer Afternoon
June and July are the best time to pick and put away till winter linden tree flowers famous for its therapeutic properties. Linden tree starts blossoming in June spreading around wonderful delicate scent. It is covered with small yellowish-white color flowers. Linden flowers have anti-thermal, emollient and expectorant action and therefore are used for making tea treating colds and influenza. The tea stimulates abundant perspiration, decreasing body temperature.
Springerle Cookies for Easter
I bake Springerle cookies twice an year, in winter for Christmas and in spring for Easter. "Springerle" are traditional German Christmas biscuits which were used as gifts just like these days we give each other greeting cards for the holidays. It was a matter of pride to have a unique dough mold unlike anyone else's, so the "baked greeting card" would be very special. Cookies were baked, put in jars and kept for six months. After few weeks they would become very hard, but tasty, and in order to soften them up you would have to dunk them into tea or coffee. This is why Springerle were also called "dunking cookies". Special molds for these used to be carved from pear trees. I got only three different molds like this and I love and cherish them. Maybe next Christmas I will make one more addition to my Springerle family.
Almond-Cornmeal Black Currant Cakes
Reminiscent of the crisp tops of berry corn muffins, these golden little cakes are absolutely irresistible. The cakes have a delicious sugary crust like muffin top, but unlike muffins, the crumb is moist, buttery, and very tender. Serve them with tea, or pair them with ice cream or fresh fruit for dessert.
Russian Monday: "Khvorost" - Sugar-Dusted Fried Pastries
“Khvorost” (i.e. brushwood) is the Russian name of semi-dessert deep fat fried pastry. It originates from Southern Russia of 17th century where bakers have borrowed it from Greek cuisine. In second half of 17th century it has spread to regions of Ukraine where local cooks and bakers come up with their versions of this pastry. They named it “verguny” which is quite popular Ukrainian dish. Into Russian cuisine itself, into kitchens of St. Petersburg and Moscow, “verguny” has arrived in second half of 19th century and become liked primarily by inhabitants of large urban areas due to easiness of cooking and for being unpretentious product. At the same time Russian word “khvorost”, i.e. brushwood became a nickname for the dish, due to its crunchiness, but obviously not due to the taste.
“Verguny” or “khvorost” was primarily cooked by medium and small income townsfolk: burghers, shopkeepers, clerks, students, members of work cooperatives – anywhere people needed to throw inexpensive quick feast not requiring utensils, by chipping in for the food.
Today in Russia everyone knows and likes “khvorost”, it is often cooked for the holiday table. I remember my mom making it - first twisting and braiding dough and then flying it in oil. We enjoyed eating it with tea and usually mountain of “khvorost” on the plate was going very fast. I hope you will also like these tasty and quick to prepare cookies!
Russian Monday: "Medovik" - Honey Cake
Today we open our Russian Monday section with the recipe of "Medovik" - Russian Honey cake dedicated to all athletes competing at Olympic Games in Sochi!
The mere name of the Honey cake evokes memories of a pleasant evening spent over a cup of tea or a fun child’s birthday party. Real homemade "Medovik" is delicate, delicious, fragrant and not at all sugary dessert that even person who can’t stand honey would never refuse.
Semolina Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These elegant sweet offerings call for an aromatic hot tea to be sipped slowly from your finest china cup.
Christmas Cookies #8: Canelés (Cannelés) de Bordeaux - French Sweet Little Treats
If you have never tried Canelés I highly recommend them, it is a classical specialty from Bordeaux, France. They are quite unlike any other petits fours and you are going to love them. Imagine a perfect bite of caramelized crêpe of a most delicious flavor with pastry cream melting in your mouth, crunchy outside and soft at the center.
Apricot-Ginger Bites with Cocoa Nibs
I don't recall when we had such beautiful August. Nice weather, zero humidity, it feels like September is touching us already, but it's only beginning of the last month of summer. We spend our evenings outside. When sky darkens you can see bats flying around. Squirrels come out to eat wild walnuts on a big tree next to our deck. There is so much harmony, peace and quiet... After dinner we always have a tea or coffee. And of course my family usually asks for some sweet bites. Today I would like to introduce you to unbelievably delicious apricot-ginger cookies, that I baked purposefully for such cool summer evening. They are full of flavors and perfect with tea. I made them extra small, just one perfect bite, but I have to warn you, they are extremely addictive-) Enjoy!
Sesame Oat Square Bars with Pear Compote
Some things always turn out well, including these wonderful little desserts - Sesame Oat Square Bars with Pear Compote. This healthy version uses the coconut oil and no eggs. Excellent treats/snacks for any time of day. Enjoy and have a good weekend!
Chocolate Coconut Madeleines with Strawberries
The first bright red strawberries that appear in your garden signal the onset of summer and the opening of berry season. They are the first act, followed by raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and more- and, in the middle of the summer they all appear on stage together. Save this recipe for beginning of strawberry season and many sweet and delicious mid-afternoon tea gatherings.
Whole Wheat Banana-Carrot Bread with Raisins
This is a good banana carrot bread, you can sprinkle it with a streusel for even more flavor and texture. This recipe uses a vegetable oil, not butter, and if you omit the streusel, it is dairy free.
Lemon Cookies with Lemon Icing
Its rainy today, sky is cloudy and miserable, no sign of sun. I thought photography is of no use today, but then decided to experiment. As usual on such gloomy day something sweet and citrusy would be good. Lemon cookies came out extra delicious. After coffee I have grabbed my camera after all and did not get disappointed. Pictures came out moody, very calm with interesting play of shades. In spite of ugly weather my table shines with sunny sweets.
Vanilla Button Cookies - Just for Fun!
These are little vanilla cream cheese button cookies. They're adorable and I had too much fun with these button cookies! My favorite thing was when my children asked if they could help me to make another "button"-) These cookies are perfect for baby shower or birthday party, holiday gifts and just for fun.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- assorted colors of paste food coloring
Directions:
In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir till soft dough forms. Divide dough into two parts. Tint each with a different food color. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Remove from refrigerator, one color at a time and on a lightly floured surface, roll dough until just over 1/8" thick.
Cut 2-inch rounds with round cutter. Next on each round, just in from the edge, mark with a smaller round cutter, approximately 1.5 inches diameter, pressing slightly, but not pushing through. Run a metal spatula underneath the dough, to make sure it is not sticking to the table, sprinkle with flour underneath as necessary.
With top of a small #3 piping tip (or with straw) cut 2 or 4 holes in the centre of each cookie so it resembles a button, make sure to push down to the counter so the small pieces fall out.
Lift dough with metal spatula onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a sil-pat, collect scraps and repeat.
Follow the same method with another color, being sure to clean your work surface between each.
Refrigerate buttons for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and eat with a perfect cup of tea.
French Chocolate Cake - Gateau au Chocolat
French Chocolate Cake - Gateau au Chocolat
This is typical of a French homemade cake - dense, dark and delicious.
The texture is very different from a sponge cake and it is excellent served with cream or a fruit coulis.
The texture is very different from a sponge cake and it is excellent served with cream or a fruit coulis.
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar, plus some for sprinkling springform pan
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup flour, sifted
- pinch of salt
- confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional, I used cocoa powder)
- 1 lb berries, for fruit coulis, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar, for fruit coulis
- juice of 1/2 lemon, for fruit coulis
Directions:
For fruit coulis: Put the berries (of your choice) in a pan with ½ cup sugar and heat very gently, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time. When the mixture comes to a simmer, cook gently for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and whiz to a puree, then strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl. Let this coulis cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. When cold, stir in the lemon juice.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Generously butter a 9_1/2 inch springform pan, then sprinkle the pan with a little sugar and tap out the excess. Set aside 3 tbsp of the sugar, you are going to use it for the egg whites. Place the chocolate, butter and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and let the mixture cool slightly.
Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, beating each in well, and then stir in the flour.
In a clean greasefree bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites slowly until they are frothy. Increase the speed, add the salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle over the reserved sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Beat one-third of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites.
Carefully pour the mixture into the pan and tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.
Bake the cake for about 35-45 minutes until well risen and the top springs back when touched lightly with a fingertip. (If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate after 20-25 minutes.) Transfer the cake to a wire rack; remove the side of the pan let cool completely. Remove the pan base. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar and transfer to a serving plate.
Vanilla Almond Half-Moons or Vanillekipferl, Austrian Cookies
Vanilla Almond Half-Moons or Vanillekipferl, Austrian Cookies
You must make them! They are magical.
These melt-in-your mouth buttery cookies are simple to make and delicious for any occasion. Great for a mid-afternoon get-together or a light, after-dinner dessert.
It’s basically a crescent-shaped vanilla almond biscuit, dusted with lots and lots of vanilla icing sugar.
They are in fact made the same way you’d make a shortbread or shortcrust pastry. All the ingredients are mixed together, the dough formed into logs, wrapped in clingfilm and chilled in the fridge for an hour or so. Once the dough has firmed up, you cut slices off, and mould them into crescents. Once they’re baked, dust them with a generous helping of vanilla icing sugar so that they get their snow-dusted look.
Servings: About 30
Prep Time: , plus one hour’s chilling
Cook Time:
Ingredients:
- 300g flour
- 150g ground almonds
- 175g butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 100g sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- confectioners' sugar and vanilla sugar for rolling and dusting
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all the ingredients to a short-crust dough, wrap and refrigerate until firm for one hour. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off tablespoons of dough and roll into short ropes. Bend into crescent moon shapes on baking sheets, leaving about two inches between cookies.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla sugar together, then toss the hot cookies in the mix. Carefully roll warm cookies in the vanilla sugar.
You can store the cookies in a sealed tin for several days.
Happy New Year, my dear readers!
