Flower almond cakes served with almond custard

I love making these flower individualised almond cakes. They look pretty & they are so delicious & festive!

They are great on their own but a home made almond custard complements the flavours in the cakes. Try this combination, you will see,...

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Recipe: For 5 larger individual sized flower cakes

Ingredients:

** For the almond cakes:

60 gr of lightly salted butter, softened

75 gr of whole , skinned, roasted almonds, pulverised in a food processor

60 gr of organic flour, sieved

0.75 teaspoon of baking powder, sieved

100 gr of raw cane sugar

1 egg, beaten

0.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract/ I used home made

1 teaspoon of Limoncello / I used home made Limoncello, or up to 1 tablespoon if you prefer!

60 ml of unsweetened almond milk

** For the almond custard: ( for 3 to 4 portions )

45 gr of unsweetened almond powder

225 ml of semi skimmed milk

50 gr of fine, white sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten loose

Method:

** For the almond cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (a normal oven ) & 170°C ( a fan oven ) for 10 minutes. I used a fan oven. For a normal oven : 374 F & for a fan oven: 338 F.

2. In a large bowl mix carefully the pulverised almonds, sifted flour & sifted baking powder together with a metal spoon because you don't want the air to go away.

3. In the fitted bowl of your Kenwood, place the butter & the sugar. With the K-paddle, mix until creamy. Add the beaten egg & mix well for about 4 to 7 minutes until the batter is thick & airy. Scrape the sides of the bowl until it all is well emulsified.

4. Now, add the vanilla extract & the Limoncello. I used 1 teaspoon because it adds flavour but you don't taste it! Add up to 1 tablespoon if you like. Mix well. Then, add the mixed flours & almonds & mix well. Finally, add the almond milk & mix thoroughly until it is all smoothly.

5. Place your flower silicone mats onto a silpat on an oven rack, for stability. Fill the silicone flower mats with 3/4 th of the filling. You don't have to grease them!

Push the first batter well into the bottom of the holes.

6. Place into the center of the oven & bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. After 20 minutes, check if they are ready with a smaller pin. If not, bake for another 5 minutes. If ready, take the oven rack out of the oven & lift the flower silicone mat onto a wire rack. Let the cakes sit into the mats for about 10 to 20 minutes. They will come out easier, turn them over, they won't break they will shine on top. That's typical of silicon baking! You will see the flower pattern. Leave to cool down completely on a wire rack. When completely cold, store in a cake box.

** For the almond custard sauce:

You can keep the sauce up to 2 days covered in the fridge.

If you want a real thick sauce , you can use half cream & half milk. But I didn't want to! It is good as it is!

1. Take a medium cooking pot, add the almonds powder, milk, sugar & the 2 beaten egg yolks.

Whisk everything together on a low heat until the sauce begins to thicken. The sauce has to thicken but the sauce musn't cook!!! With me, that happedend after 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat if you have to. Whisk nearly all the time. The sauce is done & ready when it has thickened.

2. How to now when it is ready???

You can place a spoon in the sauce, rub with your finger at the back of the spoon & the line that you have made must stay all the time. Then you know that your sauce has tickened enough.

3. Sieve the sauce so that the almond meal stays behind. Use the sauce or let it cool down completely. Place topped with a lid into the fridge. You can keep it up to 2 days. Serve warm or cold.

Sophie's festive onion, apple & apple cider soup

I so much love this easy yet so tasty festive soup. It is sort of an onion soup but apples, apple cider, bay leaves, thyme & vegetable stock are added. Just before serving, a handful of grated Gruyère is added in the middle & chopped chives are scattered around the cheese!

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Recipe: For 6 persons, 1 bowl of soup

Ingredients:

800gr of white , peeled & sliced onions ( weighted when peeled & sliced )

2 medium leeks, well washed, cleaned & finely sliced

2 eating apples, I used Granny Smith, peeled, cored out, cut into little chunks from 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm

2 medium potatoes, peeled & finely cut up

150 ml of cider brut, I used Duché de Longueville, cider brut! I love this Normandy cider.

1100 ml of vegetable stock

3 dried bay leaves

4 long sprigs of fresh thyme, washed & pad dry on kitchen paper

baking margarine : about 75 gr.

** To serve:

200 gr grated Gruyère cheese

about 10 long fresh chives sprigs, washed, cleaned & pad dry on kitchen paper

Method:

1. Take a large & wide cooking pot & heat up on a medium high heat. Add baking margarine or more.

When the butter has melted & sizzles, add the sliced onions, leeks & apples. Fry for about 15 minutes , with the lid on, stirring frequently until they all have softened.

2. Add the potatoes & the cider. Stir frequently. Bring to the boil & cook for 2 to 5 minutes until the volume from the cider has reduced a bit.

3. Add the vegetable stock, bay leaves & thyme sprigs. Reduce the heat to simmer point & place the lid on the pot. Simmer the soup for another 25 to 30 minutes or until all of the vegetables are cooked through.

4. Remove the 3 bay leaves & lift out the 4 thyme sprigs.

5. Liquidise the soup until you have it to your liking. I puréed mine all the way.

6. Just before serving: laddle your soup into festive soup bowls. Take about a handful of the grated Gruyère cheese & lay it in the middle of the soup. With the help of scissors, snip the chives into little pieces & scatter around the grated cheese.

Enjoy!!

You might like:

1. Caremelised onions & brussels sprouts soup

Marinated spicy chili chicken served with bok choy & potatoes & some latest awards!

I so love this spicy chicken marianted in oregano, ground coriander, dried chili flakes, lemon juice, Evoo & chicken stock. It sounds good, doesn't it?

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Recipe: For 2 persons

Ingredients:

chicken fillets, about all together 250 a 300 gr, no skin, cleaned & cut into smaller pieces

** For the marinade:

3 teaspoons of ground coriander seeds!!! ( no fresh coriander!! )

1 teaspoon of dried chili flakes

5 sprigs of fresh oregano, only the leaves, washed & pad dry on kitchen paper

80 ml of lemon juice

80 ml of a fruity EVOO ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil )

125 ml of chicken stock

sea salt, I use Maldon

grinds of fresh black pepper

** For the rest:

1 bag of bok choy, well washed & cleaned, the bottom cut off & cut each leaf into 2, steamed, sea salt & a few grinds of black pepper added.

boiled potatoes, to serve

Method:

1. First, make the marinade. Take a large non metallic bowl & place all the ingredients of the marinade in it. Mix well. Add some sea salt & a few grinds of black pepper according to taste. Mix well. Pour the marinade into a large Zip lock bag & add the chicken pieces. Mix wel to coat. Close the bag. Now, with your hands on the outside of the bag, massage the meat for a few minutes with your hands. This helps to penetrate the marinade into the meat. Place the bag into a fitting bowl in case of leakage. Place into thre fridge for at least 1 hour. I marinated the chicken for 3 hours! That makes the meat all tender & moist.

2. 30 minutes, before you are going to prepare dinner, take the bowl out of the fridge.

3. In the meantime, boil your potatoes. Drain well. Keep warm. Heat a large non stick baking pan on a medium high heat. Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade, but KEEP the marinade!!!

Add a bit of EVOO to the hot pan, when hot & sizzling, add the marinated chicken pieces. Fry until golden & cooked through. This will take about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan & keep warm. Place them in aluminium foil & wrap tightly. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes so that the meat will be juicy & tender! Add the marinade to the hot pan & cook until it has thickened a bit.

4. Serve the chicken pieces on a plate. Pour the sauce over it. Serve with boiled potatoes & steamed bok choy.

Enjoy!

Now for something completely different!

Recently, I recieved the same 2 georgous awards!

Your blog is over the top award!

What a feasty & beautiful award this is!! I recieved this beauty from Simone ( Junglefrog ) @ Junglefrog cooking, my foodie friend from The Netherlands. She is a keen & wonderful photographer & likes to cook real & delicious food!

I also recieved this from my friend Angel@ Angel in the kitchen. She lives in North Dakota & recently became a mum. Her cooking is down to earth, easy yet so tasty & apart! Thanks again, Ladies!

So, here is the questionaire:

1. Where is your cell phone? switched off, in the cupboard

2. Your hair? Dark brown

3. Your mother? My best friend

4. Your father? A retired teacher English, Dutch & philosophy. An eternal student

5. Your favourite food? For the moment: Game like venison in a delicious game red wine sauce served with braised parsnips & a potato & jerusalem artichokes mash!

6. Your dream last night? Travelling with my husband to & in Australia & meeting up & cooking up a storm with Bill Granger! oooh yes!

7. Your favourite drink? At the moment: Codorníu Cava, Vintage 2007 Brut!

8. Your dream/ goal? Living comfortably with my chronic pain

9. What room are you in? the kitchen/living room

10. Your hobby? Entertaining, cooking, baking, blogging, meeting & having new friends through blogging, learning about food & other cultures from people all around the world. Experiencing new foods & cooking & baking with them! Going to museums, expositions about photography & architecture, travelling, history in general, I am studying Spanish & I am in my second year!

11. Your fear? ???

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? In my own house, with my husband & a lovely garden with flowers & home grown vegetables

13. Where were you last night? In my appartment with my husband

14. Something that you aren't? concentrating on one thing

15. Muffins? yes, but only the healthier ones, like the recipes on my blog

16. Wish list item? More Silicone mats & Bundt silicone mats, ...

17. Where did you grow up? In Brustem, a quiet village near Sint-Truiden in Limburg, Belgium in a house with a large garden. My father has a vegetable patch & fruit trees.

18.Last thing you did? prepared lunch & ate it

19. What are you wearing? an oiled blue skirt & fitting outfit with a large necklace, lovely ear rings, black stockings & black heeled shoes

20. Your TV? old

21. Your pets? none

22. Friends? a few good ones

23. Your life? Lovely!

24. Your mood? Happy but tired

25. Missing someone? My dead grandmother

26. Vehicle? A second hand Nissan Micra

27. Something you're not wearing? No

28. Your favourite store? the cookshop International Cooking & tea shop & sweet shop: A. M. Sweet

29. Your favourite colour? Yellow & mild red!

30. When was the last time you laughed? Just 10 minutes ago

31. Last time you cried? A few days ago

32. Your best friend? My man: Peter!

33. One place that I go to over & over? the Brussels markets, the supermarkets & culinary shops , chocolatiers, like Corné, Neuhaus, Wittamer, ...

34. One person who emails me regularly? Nadine

35. Favourie place to eat? My most lovely experience in a 2 Michelin starred restaurant was in Beluga, in Maastricht, The Netherlands! The chef Hans van Wolde rocks! Here is their website: http://www.rest-beluga.com/ & of course other grand restaurants & at home too!

That's it folks! Thanks for reading! Now, I want to give this beauty of a fine award to these lovely persons: ( in no particulary order )

1. Lisa Michelle @ Parsley, sage, desserts & line drives

2. Michelle @ Chocolate & marmalade tea

3. Sylvia @ La vida in Buenos Aires

4. Lorraine aka NotquiteNigella in Sydney , Australia

5. Janet @ Gourmet traveller 88

6. Koko @ Kokos Kitchen

So, enjoy those awards, my friends!

Sophie's festive speculaas

Recently, I recieved the Moose cookie cutter & the Maple leaf cookie cutter from my friend,Koko from Kokos kitchen. We swapped gifts.

The cookie cutters made beautiful cookies! Thanks again, Koko! I will use them a lot!

Here is one of many favourite cookie cutters: a knight on his horse!

Do you know this famous Belgian man? Yes, It's Manneken Pis! Click on the link to find out who he is!!

Speculaas (Dutch pronunciation: [spekyˈlaːs], Flemish speculoos, French spéculoos) is a type of shortcrust biscuit (cookie), traditionally baked for consumption on St Nicholas' Eve in the Netherlands (December 5) and Belgium (December 6).

In recent years it has become available all year round. Speculaas are thin, very crunchy, slightly browned and, most significantly, have some image or figure (often from the traditional stories about St. Nicholas) stamped on the front side before baking, the back is flat.

Speculaas dough does not rise much.

Normally, Sinterklaas comes in Belgium, in the night of 5th december to 6th december. On the evening of the 5th of December, the children put their shoes next to the chimney. They lay sugar beets or carrots for the Saints horse. They also present food or drinks for Sinterklaas near the chimney because he must have been hungry during the night because he works a lot & he rides his horse & goes alongwith the dark men on the top of the roofs on everybody's houses. He gives mandarins, sweets & speculoos. Normally, he also gives presents to the children.

Dutch and Belgian versions are baked with light brown (beet) sugar ( cassonade sugar ) and baking powder. You can also use dark cassonade sugar so that the speculaas is more darker in colour. Normally, we use speculaas spices, a blend of spices because it is more easier to use. We can buy that in 20 gr sachets in Dille & Kamille. That is a cook shop , their shops are located in many cities in The Netherlands & in Belgium. Their website is www.dille - kamille.be

You can read it in French & in Dutch.

Most Speculaas versions are made from white flour, brown sugar, butter and spices. Some varities use some almond flour and have slivered almonds embedded in the bottom.

Spices used in speculaas spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, piment, ginger, cardamom, mace & coriander. We buy them in 20 gr sachets, ready to use.

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I have 1 recipe with not every spice in it, but you can make your own speculaas mix with:

4 tablespoons ground cinnamon,

1 tablespoon ground cloves,

1 tablespoon ground ginger,

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg &

1 tablespoon ground cardamom.

Mix all the spices well together & place in a fitting bowl & screw the lid well on. Shake well until all combined. Use 2 teaspoons.

Enjoy!! It works really well!!!

There are several interpretations for the origins of the name Speculaas. It may derive from Latin speculum, which means mirror, and refer to the fact that the images are cut as a mirrored bas-relief into a wooden stamp which is then used to decorate the Speculaas. Another explanation of the name refers to the Latin word speculator which, among other meanings, could also refer to a bishop or St Nicholas' epithet "he who sees everything". Specerij the Dutch word for spice is another possible origin.

I love this yummie recipe for home made speculaas. These are crunchy speculaas & a bit soft in the middle.

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Recipe: for about 65 speculaas, small to medium sized inclusive 2 larger Moose

Ingredients:

500 gr organic white flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

250 gr lighter brown cassonade sugar ( kinnekes suiker )

200 gr light salted butter, softened

2 organic eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons of speculaas spices / bought or home made ( see note: above )

Method:

1. Take your Kenwood or Kitchen aid & put the K-paddle in.

2. In a large bowl, sieve the flour & sieve the baking powder. Set aside.

3. Put the softened butter in the fitting bowl together with the sugar. Mix it until it all is well combined.

4. Add the beaten eggs & mix well.

5. Add the speculaas spices & the sifted flour and baking powder. Mix until it all is well combined.

It is now brown in colour. Place the mix onto a floured silpat with floured hands & mix well until you have a thick dough, for about 1 to 2 minutes. The dough will be very sticky. Place cling film all over & place into the fridge, on a plate, for at least 1 to 2 hours to stiffen up. You can also leave it overnight in the fridge. I never do. I can't wait that long!

6. Preheat your oven to 175°C, ( 347 F ) if you are using a normal oven. 150°C ( 302 F ) fan oven, for 15 minutes. Take 2 oven racks out of the oven & lay silpats on them. I use a fan oven.

7. Take your dough out of the fridge, open the cling film & slice 1 big piece, 1/3 th of the dough. Place the other dough back into the clingfilm & place into the fridge until you want another piece to work with. So, that the dough will stay firm. Now, lay your silpat in front of you on the table. Flour well. Flour the rolling pin & roll the dough out to 0,5 cm thick. With your favourite cookie cutters, cut out cookies & reuse the dough again & again until it is all used up. Do flour your Silpat from time to time, because you don't want the dough to stick. Place onto a silpat on an oven rack, well spaced apart, about 1 inch ( 2,5 cm ) apart & bake for about 13 to 15 minutes until browned & cooked through. In my case, it took every time 15 minutes. Take out of the oven & place onto wiring racks to cool down completely. Do the same to the rest of the dough.

8. When the cookies are completely cold, place into cookie boxes to store or give them as presents.

These are crunchy cookies & a bit soft in the middle.

Enjoy with a good cup of coffee or an excellent cup of tea!

These treats make excellent food gifts!

Sophie's cranberry & ginger tea & my 1st blog anniversary!

I love making this delicious cranberry & fresh ginger tea. It is truly festive,...

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Recipe: For about 3 larger mugs

Ingredients:

700 ml of cranberry juice/ I use Ocean spray

6 to 8 cm fresh ginger root, peel removed with a vegetable peeler, cut up into pieces

1 to 3 tablespoons of white fine sugar / I used 2 tablespoons

the juice of 1 orange

1 lemon, thinly slicedinto rounds & cut into 2 , so that you have wedges

1 tea bag of Earl Grey tea ( Twinings ): 5 minutes soaked in 1/2 cup of hot boiling water: 4 tablespoons

Method:

1. Take a cooking pot & pour the cranberry juice in it. Bring to the boil.

2. When boiling, add the ginger root pieces & let them boil for about 10 minutes in the juice.

3. Adjust the heat, add the sugar & 4 tablespoons of the Earl Grey tea. Mix well & let it simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.

4. Pour the tea through a fine sieve & pour into serving cups. Add 1 tablespoon of the orange juice to each cup, mix with a spoon & top with a lemon wedge.

Enjoy!!! This is just lovely!!!

Now, tomorrow is my 1st Blog anniversary!! Has it really been 1 year already???

Ooooh Yes! This has been a learning experience! What first started with my view on cookery books & recipes, has turned out with creating mostly my own recipes. I have been enjoying it from the beginning, all thanks to you, my lovely readers!

I think the Blogger's world is something special! I have made such good friends with all of you from various parts of the world!

So, a huge thank you to all of you!!

Caramelised onions & Brussels sprouts soup

This is one lovely soup. It is from Sophie Grigson!!! She is a very well known English cook. I am a real fan of her recipes & writing. I have 2 books of her.

This is a caramelised onion & Brussels sprouts soup. It takes a lot of time to make but it is so worth it.

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Recipe: For 6 persons, each 1 bowl

Ingredients:

450 gr white onions, peeled & finely chopped ( weighted when peeled )

450 gr Brussels sprouts, cleaned, washed , bottom cut off, cut into 2 horizontally ( weighted when cleaned )

1 tabelspoon of raw, cane sugar

1100 ml of vegetable stock

5 long sprigs of fresh thyme, no sprigs, only the leaves, washed, pad dry on kitchen paper

sea salt

finely grinded black pepper

30 gr baking margarine

Method:

1. Take a large cooking pot or the pot from the steam cooker. Add the baking margarine & let it melt on medium heat. Add the chopped onions & let them fry on the gentle heat, with the lid on, for about 20 to 30 minutes until the onions are very soft & tender.

2. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions & cook, without the lid for an extra 10 -15 minutes until the onions look nearly as jam. Stir from time to time.

3. Add the thyme leaves & the Brussels sprouts. Stir well.

4. Add the stock & season with a bit of sea salt & 6 or more grinds of black pepper. Now, put the lid of the steamcooker on top & cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until the sprouts are tender & until the lid sizzles a lot. Turn the heat off & set the steam free. If you don't have that, cook the soup for about 10 -15 minutes until the sprouts are just al dente, tender but they don't fall apart!

5. I purée, liquidise the soup for 3/4, so that there are still pieces of onion & Brussels sprouts floating in the soup. Taste the soup. Add sea salt & pepper if necessary! The soup has to taste fab!

6. Serve in soup bowls & enjoy!!!

You might like:

1. Brussels sprouts with garlic, onion & soy cream

2. Belgian Brussels sprouts stoemp with sausages

Ricotta dessert topped with Licor 43 marinated kaki's

Kaki is the word in Dutch & in English they are called Japanese Persimmon fruit.

What are kakis? Persimmon fruits?

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Recipe: For 2 persons

Ingredients:

200 gr of sheep's ricotta ( this is a fresh & low fat ricotta )

15 gr of icing sugar

2 ripe but not over ripe, kaki's or Persimmon fruit, cleaned, washed & pad dry on kitchen paper, cut into little chunks, not too large ( the hard white bits on the interior removed )

Liqueur Licor 43 ( this is a bright yellow, Spanish liqueur with 43 flavours in it. ): 2 tablespoons ( each tablespoon =15 ml)

Method:

1. About 3 hours before you are going to devour the dessert, marinate the kaki chunks into 2 tablespoons of the Licor 43. Mix carfully well. Place them in a fitting bowl. Place a lid on top & place into the fridge. I marinated the kaki's 2 to 3 hours in the Licor 43.

2. In another bowl, mix the sheep's ricotta with the icing sugar. Loosen everything with a fork or a spoon. Mix well. Divide between 2 serving desserts bowls & place clingfilm over the top. Place into the fridge, until 15 minutes before serving.

3. 30 minutes before eating the dessert, take the bowl with the marinated kaki's out of the fridge.

4. Now, remove the clingfilm & compose the desserts. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinated kaki's on top of the ricotta.

Serve at once! Enjoy!