Double Dark Cholocate Cookies

Ingredients (makes 24 cookies)

220 gr all purpose flour

35 gr unswetened cocoa powder

200 gr dark chocolate

110 gr white granulated sugar

110 gr brown sugar

225 unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 salt

1/2 tbsp baking soda

1 tbsp vanilla extract

100 gr peeled almonds, chopped

75 gr dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and prepare two oven racks with baking sheets. Melt the dark choclate in a metal bowl by placing it over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside to cool down to room temperature. In another bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Cream the two sugars with the butter for 2/3 minutes until fluffy and then add one egg at the time and the vanilla extract. Mix all well together and start adding gradually the flour mixture until incorporated. Fold in the almonds and chocolate chips. Form dough into balls (50 grams each) and place 9 balls on each baking sheet. With moistured hands gently flatten each ball of dough into a 5 cm diameter cookie. Bake the coockies for about 16/18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through the baking time. Remove from oven and let them cool a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Lemon Curd Pudding

One of Jamie Oliver's great recipes!

Ingredients (serves 4)

55 gr butter

115 gr vanilla sugar

1 organic lemon

2 large eggs

55 gr self-raising flour

285 ml milk

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cream the butter, sugar and lemon rind in a bowl. Add the egg yolks and the flour and beat in. Add the milk and 3 tbsp of lemon juice and mix well. Whisk the egg whites separately until stiff and add the rest of the mixture. Mix well, but don't let the air come out of the whites. Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish, and place it in a bigger tin covered with a third of water. Bake in for about 45 minutes until the top is spongy and a nice golden colour!

Orange Chiffon Cake

 

Ingredients

6 large eggs, plus 1 egg white

225 gr sifted cake flour

300 gr superfine white castor sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

120 ml vegetable oil

180 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (2 - 3 large oranges)

10 gr orange zest

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Separate the eggs and place the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Cover with plastic wrap and bring them to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C and have ready a 25 cm two piece tube pan (ungreased). In the bowl of your electric mixer place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg yolks, oil, orange juice, orange zest and vanilla extract. Beat about one minute or until smooth. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. With a large rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites into the batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter). Pour the batter into the ungreased tube pan and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (If lightly pressed the cake will spring back). Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven invert the pan and place on a bottle or flat surface so it is suspended over the counter. Let the cake cool completely before removing from pan (about 2 hours). To remove the cake from the pan, run a long metal spatula around the inside of the tube pan and center core. Invert onto a greased wire rack.

Low Fat Banana Bread

Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

120 ml low-fat soy yogurt
60 ml canola oil

175 gr light brown sugar

1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

130 gr all-purpose flour

60 gr whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and spray a 20 x 10 cm loaf pan with a nonstick vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas with the baking soda and yogurt. Allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the batter. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. In another large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt.Then combine the banana mixture with the oil mixture and then add to the flour mixture. Stir just until all the ingredients are moistened. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Pound Cake

Ingredients

230 gr cake flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tiny teaspoon salt

250 gr unsalted butter, room temperature

200 gr superfine or castor sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Zest of a lemon or orange

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a pan spray, a 23 x 13 x 8 cm loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper. In a large bowl, sift together twice, the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sugar, beating continuously on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (this will take about 5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You will notice that the batter will look curdled.

Don't worry as the batter will come together again after you add the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely. Will keep several days well wrapped or it can be frozen for a month

Rice and Almond Cake

Ideal for Lactose Intollerance!

Ingredients
100 gr rice
1/2 l of soy milk
150 gr vanilla sugar

25 gr pine nuts
50 gr almonds, peeled
20 gr Amaretto Almond Liqueur
1 organic lemon
3 eggs

Wash the rice in running cold water. Boil the rice in the soy milk and let it cool down. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar. Whip the whites untils stiff and add it into the eggs. Add the pine nuts, the ground almonds, the lemon rind, the Amaretto and the rice to the mixture. Pour the mixture in a silicon square/round cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes at 200°C.

Lemon and Sultana Cheese Cake

Ingredients (serves 6)
150 gr Digestive biscuits
50 gr butter, melted
500 gr Mascarpone cheese
200 ml creme fraiche
2 egg yolks
100 gr caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
75 gr golden sultanas
grated rind of 1 lemon
icing sugar, for dusting

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C. Place the biscuits in a strong plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin to form crumbs. Mix the melted butter and press into the base of a 20 cm spring-form cake tin. Pop into the freezer for 5 minutes or so to set. Using electric beaters, mix together the Mascarpone, creme fraiche, egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour until well blended. Stir in the sultanas and lemon rind and spoon over the crumb base smoothing over the surface. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes until golden. It will be fairly wobbly, but don't worry, it will set as it cools. The cake sometimes cracks, but you can avoid this by allowing it to cool slowly. Turn off the oven, open the door and allow it to cool as the oven does. When completely cool, place in the fridge for at least an hour or two, but preferably overnight. Carefully remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients for the cake
2 eggs
150 gr thin cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
150 gr melted butter (or vegetable oil)
225 gr flour
1/2 tbsp yeast
70 gr chopped walnuts
100 gr grated carrots

To make Frosting
350 gr icing sugar
60 gr butter, softened
250 gr cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, butter (or oil), cane sugar and yeast. Mix in flour and cinnamon. Stir in carrots and fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Preheat oven to 180°C and bake in for 50-60 minutes. To make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

Soy Milk Muffins with Almonds and Chocolate Chips

Ingredients
2 eggs
360 gr flour
2.5 dl soy milk
2.5 dl soy yogurth (any fruit flavour)
150 gr sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 /2 tbsp yeast
80 gr chocolate chips
20 gr almonds, peeled and sliced

Mix well all ingredients (except for the chocolate and almonds) in a large bowl until it's very creamy. Add the chocolate chips and the almonds. Pour the mixture into 8 buttered muffin cases and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out cleanly.

Auntie Valeria's Ciambellone

Ingredients

5 eggs
100 gr butter
1/2 tbs baking powder
200 gr sugar
130 ml milk
1 organic lemon
350 gr flour

Cream the butter and sugar together and add the eggs and some grated lemon skin. Add the flour alternately, a tablespoon at a time, beating in gently and 1/2 tbsp of yeast at the end. Bake in greased and floured round cake tin at 180°C for 30-35 minutes.

Cinnamon Sugar

Ingredients

1 kg sugar

3-4 cinnamon sticks

Pour the sugar in a jar. Split the cinnamon sticks in half and place them in the sugar. Close ermetically and store in a dry and dark place for 20 days.

Lavander Sugar

Ingredients

1 kg caster sugar
2 tbsp dry lavender buds

When you buy lavender make sure you get culinary not aromatic! Pour the sugar in a jar. Add the lavender buds and mix it together. Close the jar ermetically and store in a dark and dry place for 20 days. Shake the jar every now and then to mix the buds with the sugar.

Vanilla Sugar

Ingredients

1 kg sugar

3-4 vanilla sticks

Pour the sugar in a jar. Split the vanilla sticks in half and place them in the sugar. Close ermetically and store in a dry and dark place for 20 days.