It's Mine

Canadian-- born and raised. While other pre-school children were finger painting and colouring, I was in the kitchen, telling my mom and grandma not to forget the vanilla in whatever it was they were baking. Or so I'm told.

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Hello. We ( my husband & I) are watching TGCBS S3. You know during these difficult times it is a great escape because of the; beautiful baking, lovely set but mostly because of the wonderful camaraderie between the all involved. We are is impressed with your skill! My question are 1) Do the bakers maintain any contact to this date? 2) Was the set as pretty as it looked on tv? 3) were the judges and hosts friendly off camera? Congratulations on your performance on the show. Stay well, Barbara

I'm so sorry! This got lost in the internet for a bit, and I'm only just now seeing this.

Yes, we have a group chat and we talk to each other several times a week.

ABSOLUTELY, the set was stunning. I really miss baking in the tent, and we've all talked about how nice it would be to have a low stress bake back in the tent for old times' sake.

And everyone was absolutely lovely on and off camera. We still keep in touch and it's been incredible to make relationships that will last a lifetime.

Thank you for your kind words, I hope you're staying safe and healthy!

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Low-Carb, No-Carb, Good-Carb, Bad-Carb: What’s the Deal??

Carbs get a bad rap. This upsets me in ways that I can not fully explain. I fully live in accordance to Tan France’s quote, “We love a carb”. Most people assume that a carb is a carb and that no matter what brush you use to paint them, they’re bad for you. This isn’t true!! Yes, it is advised to be careful/mindful of your consumption of added sugars (like that Coke) and simple carbohydrates (such as white rice), your body NEEDS carbohydrates to function! And while you may think your only daily source of carbs is in the bagel you have for breakfast, vegetables and fruits also supply you with needed carbohydrates.

[Flinn, 2019] 

 The term “Carbohydrate” has seemingly become synonymous with “bad”, especially with increases in diets that focus on high fat/protein and low/no carbohydrates. It’s important to know the difference between foods that are high in carbohydrates, and foods that contain added sugars (the carbohydrates you should be mindful of).

  High in Carbohydrates vs. High in Added-Sugars

Added sugars are defined in Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals as follows:

Sugars, syrups, and other kcaloric sweeteners that are added to foods during processing, preparation, or consumed separately. These do not include naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit or milk. (Drummond, Brefere, Grosvenor & Bedoya, 2017)

 While carbohydrates are defined as:

A large class of nutrients, including sugars, starch, and fiber, that function as the body’s primary source of energy. (Drummond, Brefere, Grosvenor & Bedoya, 2017)

The easiest way to tell if something is high in added sugars is to look at the product label – more specifically, the ingredients.

[Snap4CT, n.d.]

Do you see ingredients like fructose, honey, glucose, corn sweetener, cane crystals, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, or agave nectar? What about just plain “sugar”? The closer these are to the beginning of the list of ingredients and the more often these appear signals a high likelihood that the food you are consuming has added sugars (The Nutrition Source, 2019a). Ingredient lists are organised to show components in order of quantity (for example: the higher percentage of the over all recipe it is, the higher it is on the list) – as a good rule, if sugar or a sugar product is within the first 5-10 ingredients, you should be careful of how much of it you are consuming.

  It’s also important to look at the product labels because of how nutrients are classified. Fibre, an essential and beneficial part of our diets, is grouped under carbohydrates. The food you’re eating may say it contains 15g of carbohydrates, the breakdown of that 15g allotted to sugars would be higher if the food had 0g of Fibre as opposed to 5g.

 [Klattell, 2012]

Negative Impacts of Too Much Added Sugar

Nutrition research has shown that eating too much added sugar in our diet has negative results (Harvard Publishing, 2017).

  In addition to increasing your risk of obesity, Type II diabetes, risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and stroke, and tooth decay, eating too many added sugars usually signifies that the type of food you are eating is not nutritionally balanced (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2019)(Drummond, Brefere, Grosvenor & Bedoya, 2017). These added sugars are usually added for flavour reasons, and when flavour, not nutrition, is top priority it makes it easier to justify why a product needs to contain 5-6 different forms of sugar.

  The problem here lies in the fact that a LOT of what we eat has added sugars. These are fine once in a while but consuming too much can lead to sugar addiction in addition to the numerous health problems mentioned previously (Harvard Publishing, 2017).

  Reducing your added sugar intake may seem incredibly difficult, but with a few changes like reducing your consumption of juice, soda, and other sugary drinks, and choosing whole grains/foods over processed carbohydrates, you’ll be on the right track (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2019).

  Well, What’s a Whole Grain? (And Why You Should Be Adding Whole Grains to Your Diet)

Now you may be thinking, “Jasmine…. What’s a whole grain and why is it so important I replace my delicious, delicious Honey Nut Cheerios with them?”

  To that I say the following: Whole grains are grains that have the germ, the bran, and the endosperm all intact/remaining (Raman, 2018). Typically, grains are processed so that only the endosperm (the food source of the grain) is consumed in the form of white flour. In this process, the nutritious and fibre-rich germ and bran are removed and used for different purposes, leaving only the starchy endosperm behind.

  When you choose to opt for foods/grains that have all three components (germ, bran and endosperm) still intact, you’re getting the most nutrient-rich version of the grain you can. So yes, why HNC are delicious, opting for steel-cut oats (while more time consuming) gives you a less refined carbohydrate that is lower in added sugars.

  [Ragesoss, 2013]

  In addition to being nutrient-rich, whole grains have the potential ability to lower cholesterol as a result of their high-fibre content and slow the breakdown a glucose down to prevent blood sugar spikes. There is also some research that indicates that some of the vitamins and minerals present in whole grains have been linked to decreasing cancer risks, and risks of heart related diseases (The Nutrition Source, 2019b).

  Spotting All of This in the Wild

  It’s one thing to read all of this, but when you’re out in the real world, will you know what to look for? I’ve included some pictures of packaged foods with added sugars (with the added sugars circled), foods that contain carbohydrates, and whole grains. Check your favourite foods to see how they stack up in terms of added sugars – you might be surprised!

An apple! (A great source of a healthy carbohydrate)

Ketchup has added sugar in addition to the natural sugar present in the tomatoes

Both Steel-Cut Oats and Quinoa are whole grains, pure and simple. No added sugars.

Now what’s in your cupboards?

References

Drummond, K. E., Brefere, L. M., Grosvenor, M. B. & Bedoya, D. L.. (2017). Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals. Chapter 3: Carbohydrates. pp 64-94. (9th Custom Edition for GBC) [Texidium version]. Retrieved from https://texidium.com

Flinn, M. (2019.). Bagel and vegetables with spread [Photo]. Nutritious Eats. Retrieved from http://www.nutritiouseats.com/the-best-veggie-bagel-sandwich/

Harvard Publishing. (2017). The sweet danger of sugar. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar

Klattell, P. (2012). Nutritional Facts Chart [Graphic]. Eat Out Eat Well. Retrieved from https://eatouteatwell.com/what-do-total-carbohydrate-and-added-sugar-mean-on-the-nutrition-label/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Don't get sabotaged by added sugar. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

The Nutrition Source. (2019a). Added sugar in the diet. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/

The Nutrition Source. (2019b). Whole grains. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/

Ragesoss (2013). A close-up of dry steel-cut "Irish Style" oats, Country Choice Organic brand [Photograph]. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bowl_of_dry_steel-cut_oats_with_full_spoon.jpeg

Raman, R. (2018). 14 healthy Whole-Grain foods (Including Gluten-Free Options). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whole-grain-foods

Snap4CT. (n.d.). Added Sugars on Ingredient List [Photo]. Snap4CT. Retrieved from https://www.snap4ct.org/added-sugar.html

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Introduction

Hello everyone! Long-time, no post. It seems appropriate that this blog, (which was originally started for a Food & Culture class I took in high school) would be brought back for a Nutrition Fundamentals course now that I’m in college studying Baking and Pastry Arts. This blog has always been about me trying and learning new things, and then sharing my take on how to make them approachable/replicable for anyone who comes across them.

Approachability is something that I think is incredibly important, especially when talking about nutrition (a topic so often misunderstood and misconstrued). For this reason, one of the topics in nutrition that I’m most interested in is genetics, culture, and environment play into individuals’ nutrition requirements. As North Americans, we tend to generalize our nutrition claims, making boldfaced assertions that assume there are one or two “correct” ways to eat for everyone.

I think, personally, this comes from our cultural “get there quick” mentality; it’s much easier to have a few cutter plans for being healthy (Princing, 2019)(how many of your friends have told you that you just have to try Keto because it worked for them?) than to look at each individuals needs and determine based on genetic predispositions, cultural preferences, and food access based on environment what will make maintaining a healthy lifestyle easiest for them.

  [Karlsen, 2015]

Did you know that a study conducted by Cornell University in 2005 suggested the lactose intolerance correlates to whether your ancestors originated from a place that was able to “safely and economically raise dairy herds”, such as in most of Europe (Lang)? This is why many people of African and Asian descent have difficulty digesting milk – we weren’t genetically conditioned to consume it!

 [Radhakrishnan, 2020]

Picking Credible Nutrition Websites

In the vein of needing to have more than just a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to health, it is important to know how to do your research. “Nancy’s Nutrition Nook” written by your Grade 3 Math teacher who just loves green smoothies might not be the best place to find information that details how you can reach your best self nutritionally.

 Finding a site/source that both suits you and is credible starts with the URL! This is often a really easy way to determine if the information is coming from a credible source. URL’s ending in .org, .edu, or .gov are preferred. These are usually owned by non-profits, higher-education institutions, and governments aka, places that will provide sound research to back up their claims (I got this tip from The University of Maryland) (n.d.).

  The next step to finding a credible website comes when you click through to the article/webpage. Who wrote the article? What are their qualifications? Are they an accredited Food Scientist with several published articles that you can find easily with a quick Google search? Or are they someone who just claims to be passionate about the subject? This might not mean their information is right or wrong, for either of the two potential authors listed, but it dictates to you what level of faith you should put in what their saying and how much further research you should do before taking their word as gospel.

 [Morris, 2018]

And on that note, finding credible websites is all about the RESEARCH! Does the article you’re researching mention studies done by other organizations? Do they link to them or cite them properly? Do they make sweeping claims that they present as fact with no further back-up? How old are their references? Are they purposely choosing to cite a source from 5 years ago that was disproven widely 2 years ago? Are they trying to sell you something/who is their audience? (University of Maryland – Global Campus, n.d.)

  These factors are important to consider when determining who will provide you with the best and most reliable information for you to make choices regarding your health!

 Here is a quick analysis of two sites, both discussing “healthy diets”. One clearly indicates they have no medical knowledge, experience, or expertise, promotes products via Amazon affiliate links, and provides absolutely no referencing or back up to their claims other than it being their personal opinion.

(Bennett, 2018)

(Bennett, 2018)

The other, breaks down the statistics of their article in easy key points, is hosted by an organization known to advocate and regulate world health, and provides a detailed list of all their references for their claims.

(WHO, 2020)

(WHO, 2020)

(WHO, 2020)

…Who would you trust with your nutritional questions and concerns?

Role of Nutrition in the Culinary Industry

If you’ve looked at a menu recently (or scrolled through UberEats, which is much more likely given our current pandemic), you’ll most likely have noticed a number of little leaf symbols or “GF” denotations.

  [Montebrun, n.d.]

  As nutrition becomes a more persistent thought in the minds of consumers, the culinary industry needs to adapt to serve their clientele. The increase in dietary preferences/restrictions is something I only see continuing to grow in the future. As consumers seek to become more informed about what they eat and where their food comes from, the demand for “healthier” or diet-specific foods will be something we as the culinary industry have to supply.

References

Bennett, B. (2018). Low Carb vs Keto Diet and My 6 Week Results). Retrieved from https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/keto-diet-vs-low-carb-and-my-6-week-results/

Karlsen, M. (2015). A variety of different popular diet trends [Graphic]. Forks Over Knives. Retrieved from https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/do-people-need-different-diets/

Lang, S. S. (2005). Lactose intolerance seems linked to ancestral struggles with harsh climate and cattle diseases, Cornell study finds. Retrieved from https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2005/06/lactose-intolerance-linked-ancestral-struggles-climate-diseases

Montebrun, J. (n.d.). Different dietary restriction logos [Graphic]. PNGItem. Retrieved from https://www.pngitem.com/middle/ioxTTTm_sea-salt-non-gmo-vegan-no-msg-gluten/

Morris, K. (2018). How to evaluate websites [Graphic]. Kathleen Morris. Retrieved from http://www.kathleenamorris.com/2018/11/20/evaluate-websites/

Princing, M. (2019). A Doctor Explains Why Diets Don’t Work. Retrieved from https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/body/healthy-weight/diets-dont-work

 Radhakrishnan, K. (2020). Child drinking milk [Photograph]. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-cant-miss-signs-child-lactose-intolerant/

University of Maryland – Global Campus. (n.d.) Is my source credible? Retrieved from https://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow/credibility.cfm

World Health Organization. (2020). Healthy diet. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

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I know it must be bothersome and people must be asking you all the sorts of crazy stuff, but I would love to see your chessecake with figs recipe. Love your blog! I hope you resume posting sometime soon!!! Stay safe!

Thank you!! I don’t find it annoying at all and really love when people reach out :)

I used a variation of this recipe. Add 250g of dried, chopped figs (soaked in 2 tbsp of brandy), 100g pureed dried figs, and 1 cup ground almonds to the mixture before pouring it into your pan!

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Hi Jasmine just wondering if you still post on here it has been a couple of years! Have you happen to make any macarons?

Hi! I have in fact tried making macarons! (Recipe here)

I haven’t posted on here in a while but I do keep up with the messages :)

I’m hoping to restart this blog sometime within the next few months.

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Hello. I am Tabitha and I am 12 years old. I am watching the Great Canadian Cooking Show and I am just SOOO inspired!!! I just wanted to ask you if you could make some Italian desserts?!

Hi Tabitha! Thanks for writing me!!

I’m currently recovering from a few surgeries so I won’t be doing a lot of baking soon! As soon as I’m back on my feet though, you’ll be able to find everything I’m creating on my instagram (@bakewhatyourmamagaveya)

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New Posting Schedule

I'll be posting recipes every other day from now until the end of summer.

I've been having a hard time to find people to eat all the food in my house, and there's only so much my freezer can store :-)

I'll still continue on with all the recipes/weeks I had planned but instead of finishing at the end of summer, they'll trail off into early fall.

Anyway, happy baking!

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Asian and South American Week: Argentina - Alfajores

Annnndd we're back!

What's a better way to get back into the swing of things with alfajores? Dulce de leche sandwiched between two delicious cookies and rolled in shredded coconut is definitely the way to go.

Alfajores

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies

Adapted from All Recipes

Dulce de Leche

2 cans (14oz) condensed milk

Cookies

1 2/3 cups cornstarch                    

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla rum

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut Dulce de Leche

Peel the paper off of the cans of condensed milk. Using a kettle or separate pot, bring about 2L of water to a boil.

Pierce two holes on opposite sides on the top of the can.

Place cans in an empty pot at medium high heat on the stove top; pour the boiling water around the cans (be careful not to get any in the cans). To prevent rattling, place a towel in the pot under the cans.

Once water around can starts to boil, lower the temperature to a simmer. If the evaporated milk spills out of the holes, scoop it off with a spoon.

Keep cans in pot for 3 hours, refilling water as needed.

Empty cans into a bowl and mix to incorporate.

Cookies

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, allowing each yolk to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next.

Beat in the vanilla rum, vanilla extract, and lemon extract with the last egg.

Gently fold Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until well combined.

Press the dough into a ball with your hands. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Roll out the dough, using as little flour as possible, about 1/4 inch thick. 

Cut with a small round cookie cutter. Continue pressing the dough together, rolling it out, and cutting until you have used it all. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until set but not browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the cookies immediately to cool on a wire rack.

(I paired them up so they would be easier to fill)

Here's a look at the size difference once baked.

Spread the underside of a cooled cookie with a teaspoon of dulce de leche, then sandwich together with another cookie until the caramel oozes out the sides.

Roll the sides in shredded coconut.

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Hi there. I am a gizzada aficionado. I believe that the assertions made on your blog are bold and require authentication. Is your father an expert? Is he even your father? My point is this: I want one!!!

I'm not sure what qualifies as an "expert", but my dad grew up in a Jamaican household and has about 49 years of experience.

And they only lasted about a day in my house. :)

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**Very Short Hiatus**

Due to some shoddy planning on my part and (in all honesty) a lack of sleep, I'm going on to a small hiatus.

Posts will resume this Sunday, August 10th.

Sorry about any inconveniences!

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**No Recipe Today**

There won't be a recipe today because of personal reasons. :(

I'm sorry about that, but I'll try to have 2 recipes up tomorrow to make up for it.

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Asian and South American Week: Jamaica- Gizzada

You may have noticed that several of my more recent recipes have been from the same book (“Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World”). In all honesty, it was one of the cookbooks I had on my shelf that inspired this personal challenge. While I don't love all the recipes I've tried, this one is a keeper.

My dad's family is from Jamaica and he has given this recipe his stamp of approval. Both he and my agrees that they're better than the gizzada they have had because they have a softer texture and a more balanced flavour.

Gizzada

Makes about 12 small tarts

Recipe from “Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World”

Pastry Dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg yolk

1-2 tablespoons ice water (you may need more)

Filling

1 1/4 cups dried unsweetened shredded coconut or sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup boiling water (if using dried coconut)

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place the flour and butter in a food processor or stand mixer (you may need to melt the butter slightly if using a stand mixer) and combine until it is the consistency of sand.

Add the sugar, salt, and egg yolk, and beat quickly and briefly to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons ice water and mix.

If the dough does not come together as a ball (touching it may give you a better indication). If it's too dry to come together, add additional water,  1 tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the dough into a large ziploc bag and press into a disk. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to use.

Filling

If using dried coconut, place 1 cup of it in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.

Add sugar and cornstarch to coconut and mix until thoroughly combined.

Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat.

Add the coconut-sugar mixture and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in constantly as it comes to a boil to prevent burning or sticking. Remove from heat once it has thickened.

Pour the coconut filling back into its bowl and cool to room temperature. (If you are not using it immediately, you can cover and refrigerate it. 30 minutes before using remove from fridge and stir with a wooden spoon to soften).

Add the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut into the filling and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to about 1/4 inch thickness. using a 3 inch circle, cut out dough. Use your rolling pin to roll them to 1/8 thickness, yielding a 4 inch circle.

Place the circles in a muffin tin, pinching the excess to make slightly ruffled edges.

Fill each pastry with coconut mixture (about 2 tablespoons per shell).

Bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry dough has browned slightly.

Leave the gizzadas to firm up for at least 10 minutes before serving.

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European Week: Germany- Black Forest Cake

"Black Forest cake" (the English name for this German dessert), is chocolate cake layered with cream and cherries, and traditionally coated with chocolate shavings. While most Black Forest cakes today are topped with maraschino cherries (aka, the type of cherry you find on top of your sundae), traditional Black Forest cakes are topped with black cherries. While the recipe below talks about having 3 layers, I only had two. For no reason other than I did not feeling like slicing the cakes.

Black Forest Cake

Makes about 12 servings

Recipe from All Recipes

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 (20 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch round cake pans; cover bottoms and sides with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean.

Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.

Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice.

Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.

Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half.

Break up one split layer into crumbs; set aside.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups whipped cream for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands.

To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup whipped cream; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping.

Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of whipped cream and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake.

Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip.

Pipe around top edge of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake if desired, or freeze for up to 3 months.

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European Week- Onion Pletzel

Pletzels are very similar to pizza. They have similar bases, similar preparation, similar baking times. However, they are not pizza. Pletzels, much like flat breads or focaccia, are seasoned and topped with different (usually savoury) ingredients. They make an excellent addition to a salad, or served by themselves.

Onion Pletzel

Makes 4 8-inch pletzels

Recipe from “Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World”

Dough:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

about 2 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil) for brushing

Topping:

1 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon coarse salt

onion powder

dried oregano

In a large bowl, blend together the yeast and water.

Stir in 1 cup of the flour to make a smooth batter.

Sprinkle the salt over the batter and then stir in the fat.

Add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix to form dough. You may need to add additional flour, which you should do 2 tablespoons at a time.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (if not using a handy-dandy stand mixer with a dough hook) and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Alternatively, you can beat the dough on low in your stand mixer for about 5 minutes to achieve the same results.

Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 2- 2 1/2 hours, until doubled in volume.

(Yes, this was a tea worthy recipe)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut into four equal pieces (each will weigh about 7 ounces)

Flatten each piece into a round and then let rest, loosely covered for 10-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit

Flatten each dough round into an 8-inch circle using either your hands or a rolling pin.

Then use your fingers to make small indents all of the surface of the rounds.

Cover and let proof for another 15 minutes.

Brush each round with olive oil or butter.

Sprinkle an equal amount of onion and coarse salt on each round, leaving a narrow rim without topping all around the edge. (Think pizza crust). Sprinkle a small amount of onion powder and oregano on your rounds.

Place rounds on a lightly greased (with butter or oil) baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are risen and light brown, and the onions are soft.

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Wow!

100 followers! Thank you to everyone who continues to read, comment on, and try the recipes I post :)

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European Week: Denmark- Aebleskiver

The first time I heard about aebleskiver was a few months ago in my Food and Culture class. One of the girls in my class who was of Danish descent did a presentation on the pan, and gave a brief insight into the recipe.

Naturally, I was a bit curious about the preparation of aebleskiver because it can only be made in this type of pan. Otherwise it's essentially just a pancake.

Aebleskiver

Makes about 16 balls

Recipe from My Recipes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

 About 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

In a bowl, mix flour with sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. Make a well in the centre.

Crack the egg into the well and beat with a fork.

In a liquid measuring cup, mix milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and  2 tablespoons butter. Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened.

Place an aebleskiver pan over medium-low heat.

When pan is hot enough to make a drop of water dance (sizzle), brush pancake cups lightly with melted butter and fill each to slightly below the rim with batter.

In about 1 1/2 minutes, thin crusts will form on bottoms of balls (centres will still be wet); pierce the crust with a slender wood skewer and gently pull shell to rotate the pancake ball until about half the cooked portion is above the cup rim and uncooked batter flows down into cup.

(You can see how it's pouring out)

Cook until crust on bottom of ball is again firm enough to pierce, about another minute, then rotate ball with skewer until the ridge formed as the pancake first cooked is on top.

Cook, turning occasionally with skewer, until balls are evenly browned and no longer moist in the centre, another 5- 6 minutes minutes.

Check by piercing centre of last pancake ball added to pan with skewer--it should come out clean--or by breaking the ball open slightly; if balls start to get too brown, turn heat to low until they are cooked in the centre. Repeat to cook remaining batter.

Lift cooked balls from pan and serve hot.

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European Week- Cherry Strudel

I rarely use cookbooks. I mean, I've been lucky enough to grow up in the 21st century where nearly EVERYTHING is online and free. Cookbooks mean extra space.

Well, sometimes. I really do love some of my cookbooks. But others are kind of ehhh. This Cherry Strudel recipe comes from a not so ehhh cookbook I got from my aunt when I was 11.

And for this recipe, I'm pretty glad I kept some of my cookbooks.

Cherry Strudel

Makes 1 strudel

Recipe from "Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World"

Dough

1 cup + 2 tbsps all purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup warm water

Filling

8 tbsps unsalted butter, melted

3-4 tbsps finely ground almonds (optional)

1 1/2 cups packed fresh bread crumbs (white loaf sans crust)

1 1/2 cups pitted sour cherries, fresh or bottled (drained if bottled with the syrup reserved)

1/4 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling over finished strudel

Place the flour and salt in a stand mixer or food processor. Add the egg and melted butter and mix until combined.

While machine is running, pour in the water until the dough comes together as a ball. Then, continue to mix for an additional 10 seconds or so.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. It should be soft, smooth, and quite moist. If it feels stiff, wet your hands as you knead the dough to moisten it.

Place the dough under a bowl and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, sugar, and cherries, and toss to mix. If using bottled cherries, add 2-3 tbsps of the reserved fruit syrup. Set aside.

Place a cotton cloth (or a heavy tablecloth) on a small work surface.

Lightly dust it with flour, rub it into the cloth, and then dust it with more flour.

Place the dough the floured cloth and roll into a circle (as thin as you can! I didn't end up doing this but I wish I had. ) with a rolling pin. Allow the dough to rest for a minute or two to allow the gluten to relax.

To get the dough as thin as possible, drape it over the edge of your work surface (but keeping it on your cloth) and stretch it gently. The gravity and work from your hands will help make it easier.

Turn the cloth (and the dough on it) and continue stretching the dough until you have worked your way around it.

Bring all the dough back on to your work surface and use rolling pin to go back over it until you can see through the dough. Trim the dough to 18 inches by 24 inches, adding the extra back into the centre and rolling it flat. Make sure the farthest edge is as straight as possible.

With the short end of the dough facing you, use the melted butter and brush it all over the dough. Leave a 1 inch wide border all along the trimmed edge.

If using, sprinkle the almond powder over the butter on the dough.

Mound the cherry mixture across the dough about four edges from the edge nearest you, and about 1 1/2 inches away from the longest edges.

Wrap the four inch excess (nearest you!) over the cherry mixture.

Turn the sides of the dough over the mound.

Continue to roll the strudel away from you. Wet the straight edge you cut earlier (farthest from you) with water to help it seal.

Place the strudel seam down on paper-lined baking sheet, and then brush with melted butter.

Bake the strudel for 35-40 minutes, brushing with butter every 10 minutes or so. The strudel should be golden brown when removed from the oven.

Once out of the oven, brush once more with butter and sprinkle sugar over top before transferring it to a platter to sit for at least 15 minutes.

Serve in slices.