Filled Brioche (Tang Zhong Method)

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These Filled Brioche using the oriental Tang Zhong Method make the lightest and fluffiest sweet rolls ever. I put off making these rolls for a long time thinking them complicated, but nothing could be further than the truth. There’s only a tiny additional step that takes 5 minutes, that is the “water roux” which is simply a small amount of water and flour boiled together to a paste. This gel like starter is what creates the softness and also prolongs the freshness of these rolls. Well worth the extra effort! By the way this recipe lends itself to a myriad of different shapes and fillings as you’ll see in my post. Try it – and you’ll never go back to the usual method! Continue reading →

Emily’s Coconut Cake

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Other than inspirational poetry which she was famous for, Emily Dickinson was also a good baker. The renown American poet loved baking bread and cakes too and decorating them with fresh flowers. Here I replicated Emily’s Coconut Cake recipe which turned out moist and delicious and also very easy to make. Her original handwritten recipe follows. Continue reading →

Aspic di Gamberetti

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Sono la piccola “Viola del Pensiero”!
Non mi curo dei cieli imbronciati!
Se la farfalla tarda
Posso, per questo, mancare?

Inizia cosi’ la bella poesia di Emily Dickinson che ha ispirato questa ricetta di Aspic di Gamberetti. Dispetto all’inverno, questo fiorellino resiste al freddo e qui nella mia ricetta di aspic “fiorisce” in cima alla gelatina di gamberetti e da’ un tocco di allegria quasi primaverile! Forse un segno che siamo gia’ stanchi di questo lungo inverno? Allora – via a piatti “fioriti”! Continue reading →

Rice Fritters from Siena

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With carnival season approaching bakery windows are brimming with all sorts of fried pastry in Italy. Each region or even city has their own specialty. Recently visiting Siena I enjoyed a taste of their rice fritters – Frittelle di Riso – in historic Piazza del Campo. A little hut is set up there around this time that turns out freshly fried Frittelle by the minute. Outside a line of people impatiently wait for these delectable crispy treats. A sign outside listed the genuine ingredients. Coming back home I couldn’t help making them myself. I wasn’t disappointed – I think I came pretty close! Of course to fully enjoy them you should really come to the beautiful medieval city of Siena yourself. Continue reading →

Healthy Cream Filled Brownie Valentines

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These flourless and fat- free Healthy Cream Filled Brownie Valentines come from a Jamie Oliver inspired chocolate beetroot cake recipe. In my version I used steamed beets instead of fresh ones, substituted regular sugar with coconut sugar and I also added chopped walnuts. The batter was baked in a rectangular pan with a lower rim to make heart cutouts easier to form. Ultimately each heart was sandwiched together and topped with whipped cream and raspberries. Continue reading →

Apple Pear Miascia

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This Apple Pear “Miascia”, a traditional cake from Como could be grouped together with other “frugal” cakes in
Italy such as the “Torta Paesana” of Brianza. These cakes both use day old bread soaked in milk but the “Miascia” has a lighter and fruitier twist in the use of apples and pears instead of cocoa – and walnuts are used here instead of pine nuts. Continue reading →

Easy Pumpkin Sticky Buns

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These Easy Pumpkin Sticky Buns can be made in a snap if you have that tube of ready-roll croissants on hand. Just unroll, pinch together the triangles and reroll again with the pumpkin filling. Slice and bake on top of the caramel sauce. When baked, flip them over and you have delicious topping on top of everything. Couldn’t be easier than that! Continue reading →