Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

 

Yet another cookie recipe you might think. But let me invite you to stay a little bit longer on this page and read the story behind this recipe. 

Last fall, I went to see a friend in New York, and the second night of my stay we went to a bbq night at one of her friends'. The French-Puerto Rican couple, who were such great hosts, served great grilled steak and beautiful salads and cheese. You already feel the French summer night vibe here, right? 

Once we finished our meal, the hosts served Levain cookies for dessert. If you ever had cookies from the Levain Bakery, you know how awesome this was. They're undoubtedly the best cookies in the world. It's the perfect ratio of crispness on the outside, and gooeyness on the inside. 

I stayed several days in the city, then continued my trip to the Hamptons, and later on to Boston/ Cambridge to visit another friend. A fews days there, I introduced her to the Levain cookies. We both agreed: best cookies in the world. I was so happy to share this experience with her, as we all know that shared happiness is doubled happiness. This is especially true when it comes to food!

Back home I couldn't stop talking about the fact that I've finally found the best cookie in the world and found a few more fans among friends and colleagues. Some of them walking 15 blocks under pouring rain to bring a decent amount back home, just to enjoy them a little longer than a 5 day trip in NYC.

So what does all this have to do with my recipe, you may ask? Well... actually it's the root of it all. Since last September I've researched so much, compared numerous recipes and asked skilled fellow bakers what they think about my findings in order to create my own delicious recipe of chocolate chip walnut cookies. 

I always aim to recreate my culinary experiences, when it comes to travel recipes. I start with good research, and talk to people from the countries I visited before I start my testing process. For this recipe I stayed longer in the theoretical process than usual, but I am glad I did. It only took me one test run to get to the final recipe. And I am soooo happy with the result. 

For 15 cookies you'll need:

300g good quality dark chocolate chips

225g butter

240g walnuts

300g fine brown sugar

330g flour

2 large eggs

1,5 tsp fine sea salt

*****

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar. Gradually add the flour, then add the eggs one by one until the dough is well combined and starts sticking to the sides. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Whisk again until you get an even dough.

Flatten the dough, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for an hour. Divide the chilled dough into 15 equal portions (+/- 90g) and roll each of them into a ball. Refrigerate the balls for another 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 180° fan & line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 

Place 4 dough balls on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let cool a little more. You can either enjoy them still warm or completely cooled down.

Enjoy!!!

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Asparagus Quinoa Salad (sponsored)

 

Oftentimes when I am researching delicious flavour combinations of seasonal produce, I am

wondering which wines would be the perfect pairing. Spring is the most challenging season, I find,

because it might still be a bit chilly, yet the vegetables are already spoiling us with their particular

nuances.

For this particular recipe, with the Vinsmoselle Fréijoerswäin (spring wine) I knew I wanted there to

be asparagus and a zesty note from the lemon vinaigrette. This very type of wine is fruity with

aromas of ripe grapes and tangerines. On the palate, it is juicy, fresh with hints of lemon, and vanilla.

I enjoyed doing this taste recall in order to round it all up.

For two portions you’ll need:

180g dry quinoa

1 bunch asparagus

200g peas

50g feta

3 scallions

5 sprigs flat parsley

60g slivered almonds

60ml olive oil

1 lemon (juice & zest)

Salt

Pepper

Start with rinsing the quinoa, then cook it according to the instructions on your package.

While the quinoa is cooking, blanch the peas and asparagus in salted boiling water for just a few

minutes, then place them into ice cold water for them to cool quickly.

Once the quinoa has cooled, combine it with the blanched veggies in a bowl. Slice the scallions, chop

the parlsley and add them to the salad. Now you can also add the almonds and give it a good toss.

Pour over the olive oil & lemon juice, add the lemon zest and stir again. Season with salt and pepper

to your taste and give it a last toss. Crumble the feta and sprinkle it over the salad.

Now the salad is ready to be served.

Enjoy!!!

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Lemon Almond Cake

 

If there's one thing we should all love about winter, it is the large variety of citrus fruits. Their prime harvest time is between late November and early March. My favourite citrus fruits to use in the kitchen are lemons and blood oranges. They give me that instant summer feeling, and add  a lovely taste of sunshine to all of your dishes. I like adding them to savoury recipes as much as I like them in desserts.

Today's treat is my super moist and fluffy lemon almond cake. I have to admit, it's been ages since I've last made it so I was a little nervous if I still remembered the instructions my granddad gave me decades ago. When my grandma handed me his old cookbooks, I found a note with this very recipe but the 'little extra' was not written on it. I have a great memory, and I hope it stays this way for a while, because part of my recipes that are not yet on the blog, exist only in my head. All jokes aside, if all goes according to plan, the three remaining recipes will appear on the blog until the end of the year. 

So back to the cake, this lemon almond cake is a perfect cake for your afternoon teas or coffee dates with friends. It is gluten and dairy free, but not vegan. So if you have people with dietary restrictions around you, you may still bake them a super delicious treat. 

For one cake you'll need:

225g sugar

225g ground almonds

zest from one lemon

juice from two lemons

4 eggs

salt

****

Preheat the oven to 180°

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. 

In a bowl whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Add the almond powder, lemon zest and juice. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until stiff, then fold them gently into the almond lemon mixture. 

Butter a springform tin, then add the batter. 

Bake for 45 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Leave to cool before unmoulding. 

Enjoy!!!

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Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Are you in the mood for delicious yet healthy comfort food? Then you're in the right place!

During these gloomy winter months, we definitely all need delicious flavourful dishes to warm our souls. When I first researched what I could use as substitute in a vegetarian or vegan version of the classic Italian ragù, I didn't expect to love the lentil option so much. But, as  always I was quite determined to end up with the perfect recipe. And after 2 solid trial runs I had the perfect ratio between proteins & veg, acidity & crunch.  

My lentil bolognese is a very recent recipe I developed, but I can sense that it will be one of my go to pasta recipes from now on. It's better than the store bought sauces, it's nutritious... and let's not forget about the best thing:  you may open a bottle of wine to cook it. One glass for you, and one for the sauce. That's a fair split, right?

For 4 people you'll need:

3 large carrots

1 celery stalk 

500g (cooked) lentils

125g dried tomatoes (I used the ones not soaked in oil)

3 garlic cloves

1 large onion

olive oil

150ml red wine

800g diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 tsp Italian seasoning (marjoram, thyme, rosemary,..)

1 tsp oregano 

Salt & pepper

150ml water

500g Pasta

cheese (vg or dairy) or yeast flakes

****

Roughly chop the vegetables and dried tomatoes, then add them to your food processor. If you don't own one, finely chop all the mentioned ingredients. Make sure not to over-process the vegetables in order to avoid them becoming purée. 

Heat some olive oil (make sure to use enough as there is no meat fat) in a large pot and add the shredded vegetables to brown. Let simmer for a solid 15 minutes while stirring regularly in order to prevent them from burning. 

Then add the red wine and let it cook-off completely. Add the tomatoes and lentils and stir. Now add the Italian seasoning, bay leaves and oregano and stir again. Once all the ingredients combined, reduce to low heat, add the water and let the sauce simmer for around 40 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and keep a cup of the pasta water in order to add to the sauce if necessary. 

Take out the bay leaves and serve the lentil bolognese over the pasta. And for the final touch don't hesitate to top it off with parmesan, nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.  

Enjoy!!!

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Heidesand

 

The Passion meets Creativity Christmas bakery is officially open. And I’ll hit off the season with a

recipe that I’ve been wanting to posts for years. However, November and December always being

very busy at work, I hardly managed to post more than two recipes on the blog and one in a local

magazine. I wouldn’t say that this year I had particularly more lead time than last year. I closed the biggest projects, but then I got knocked out by some colds twice in 5 weeks.  But here I am, standing again, ready to bake my way through classics. 

I may love Christmas for many reasons, but the holiday treats are one of the top three. Heidesand is

a classic, and a very easy recipe to make. You don’t need many spices or ingredients. Just juggling with the basics. The interplay of vanilla and lemon zest however, makes that many people on this side of the

world claim it as one of their favourites.

So here we are, a few Christmas carols in the background and loads of flour and butter on the

kitchen counter, ready to pursue our common mission to spoil our loved ones with our delicious holiday

baking. This Heidesand recipe is the first of this year’s Christmas collection. Make sure to drop by for more and

if you like it, feel free to share it with fellow bakers.

For around 25 cookies you'll need

200g butter

75g icing sugar

60g marzipan

zest of 1/2 lemon

270g flour

1 egg yolk

1 cup of sugar

***

In a large bowl mix the soft butter with icing sugar, the marzipan, the vanilla sugar and the lemon zest. Then knead in the flour. Form equal-sized rolls of the dough (approx 5 cm) then wrap them in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 180°. 

First whisk the egg yolk with a fork in a small bowl, then brush the dough sticks with it and then roll in sugar. It is best to spread the sugar evenly on a large plate beforehand. Carefully cut 1/2 cm thick slices then place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool completely before eating them. They keep up to three weeks in a tin can. 

Enjoy!!!

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Pumpkin Risotto

Autumn has always been one of my favorite seasons. It's still nice outside, but not too warm. There is still a great variety of delicious produce out there and the days are not yet short either. In recent years, the beginning of autumn has also been the closure of my big projects, the moment I evade for a few weeks to take a decent break. Last year I went to Italy, travelling from lake Como to Florence and back to Milano. This year, it took me to the US, visiting two of my friends in Boston and New York City. 

When I came back last Saturday, I felt like I am ready to get back into my kitchen, and cook up all these beautiful recipes I've worked on over the last two years. But before doing so, I decided to share with you a recipe I once cooked for a very creative dinner party. It must have been in autumn 2018, when 4 of my friends and I decided to have a PUMPKIN dinner. So every dish had to include pumpkin. From cocktails, to amuse-bouche, an entrée my pumpkin risotto as a main, and a pumpkin cake as dessert, we put a fabulous pumpkin menu in place. 

Over the years, when I had guests, I've always made this risotto. With experience, I changed it here and there, to finally come up with the final version, which I only cooked last Saturday. Approved by many, I decided that this pumpkin risotto recipe should not evolve endlessly, but should finally appear on this site. 

So here we are. Pumpkin lovers, risotto lovers and food lovers united, put on that apron and make this delicious recipe. 

For 4 portions you'll need:

400g Arborio rice

225g leek

4 garlic cloves

340g pumpkin purée

1000ml vegetable broth

500ml apple cider

250ml dry white wine

2 tbsp maple syrop

4 thick slices bacon

salt

pepper

100g parmesan

****

Bring 1000ml water to a boil and add vegetable stock. Lower heat, then add the cider and let simmer over low heat. To have all the ingredients ready, chop the leek and garlic and grate the parmesan. 

In a large pot, sauté the bacon over medium heat until crispy.  This might take 8-10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices and set aside. Once cooled down, and between stirring the risotto, chop the bacon. 

Add the leeks and sauté until caramelised, then add the garlic and fry until soft. 

Now add the rice, stir, then deglaze with the white wine. Once rice has absorbed all the wine, gradually add the cider-vegetable stock to the rice, one ladle at a time. Repeat until the rice is al-dente, stirring well after each addition. You might not use all the vegetable stock mixture. 

When the risotto is almost ready, mix in the pumpkin purée and the maple syrup. Stir again, then season well with salt and pepper. Because of the maple syrup and pumpkin puree, you may throw in half a teaspoon each and stir again. 

Once the risotto is done, fold in the parmesan, then plate the dishes. Sprinkle the bacon over the risotto and it's ready to serve. According to your taste, you may top the risotto with more parmesan. 

Enjoy!!!

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Brownie Cookies

 

I definitely have a sweet tooth, I can't deny this fact. The chances are quite high that when you meet me, you'll find me either looking for a delicious treat or enjoying one. From exquisite French pastry to ordinary candy, there is no category in which I don't have a coup de coeur. 

However, there is one treat, that I definitely fancy A LOT: the good old cookie. And how lucky we are, they come in all shapes and forms. So what makes a good cookie, you ask? Well, for me it is the texture & the flavour what distinguishes a good cookie from an excellent one. 

Last year, one of my colleagues who also loves baking brought brownie cookies to the office. As a brownie fan, I really loved the fact that these cookies were slightly crisp on the outside and super fudgy and gooey on the inside. From the moment I've had one, I obviously wanted more. I thought to myself that I definitely had to try to make these as well. By the time I decided to make them, I couldn't find the recipe my friend told me about. I had forgotten about the name of the website and started doing my own research. I've found so many recipes, many of which seemed way too sweet, or even greasy. Then I had a look at my own brownie recipe and compared it with the ingredients of the many recipes you might find on the World Wide Web. After fiddling around one Sunday afternoon, I came up with this recipe and I can say I am VERY happy about the result.

So hands on your bowls, we're making brownie cookies now! I promise it's a match made in heaven. 

For around 20 cookies you need:

200g dark chocolate

2 medium eggs

80g brown sugar

85g white sugar

30g butter

50g flour

1g baking powder

4g vanilla extract

100g milk chocolate 

****

Preheat the oven to 175°

In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter, then set aside to cool for a bit. In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is very light, then add the chocolate and butter mixture, stirring constantly. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, vanilla extract and baking powder and stir into the egg-chocolate mixture. Fold in 100g chopped chocolate. Place the dough about the size of a tablespoon on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving some space between each cookie. Bake at top and bottom heat for 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool completely before enjoying the cookies.

Enjoy!!!

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Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip

Growing up in Luxembourg, where you have access to real good bread and international foods my love for dips and spreads has grown enormously over the years. I love them with freshly chopped veg, crunchy pizza bread or spread on toast.  Or shall I say especially on toast. The doughy flavours form the bread combined with the charged flavour of a good dip are just a perfect combination. 

It all started when I discovered hummus in Lebanon. I remember my friendly telling his mom that I haven't eaten anything but hummus 'the whole day'. Ive already mentioned this in my hummus post, I know, but this anecdote is just so on point. I love discovering new foods. I've definitely eaten my way through Lebanese cuisine, but when it comes down to it hummus is all I need and actually want. It's so pure.

I think we can all agree that I cannot eat hummus all day every day. That is correct, and if you've been following me for a while, and see the bits and bobs I post on Instagram, you know well that my meals are very diverse and mostly well-balanced. Every now and then, when I don't have plans or duties on Saturday mornings I'll just brunch at home with fresh fruit, granola and various dips and bread. It's a rollercoaster of flavours and textures yet they all have something in common:  they're delicious. But what makes a genuinely good dip? They're always creamy even when sometimes slightly chunky. But in a good way. They contain at least one grain, vegetables a little bit of acidity and good quality olive oil. As Thomas Hümbs from Das grosse Backen would say: es hat die Säure, es hat den Crunch. (literally: it contains the acidity and the crunch it needs) 

For one portion you'll need: 

3 red bell pepper

3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp 

130g walnuts

2 small garlic cloves

juice from one lemon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 200° 

Cut the bell peppers in half, remove stems, seeds and membranes. Place the peppers on a parchment paper lined baking tray with the cut side down. Rub with 1 tsp of olive oil, then roast for 40 minutes until the skins are very dark and blistered. 

Now transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Wait ten minutes, remove the wrap and let cool a few more minutes before removing the skin. 

Reduce the heat to 160°. Spread the walnuts on another parchment paper lined baking tray and toast for 7 minutes max, as the nuts should not burn. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor blitz the garlic until finely chopped. Add peppers, walnuts, olive oil, spices and lemon juice and blitz until your preferred consistency. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with a few walnut chunks and parsley.

Enjoy!!!

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Hasselback Winter Salad

 

Winter is here and after all the festive indulgence my body was definitely asking for nutritious food again. You probably know that feeling when you're looking at your pantry and every cell of your body screams: enough! I admit, after all the baking it was time that I come up with some savoury and most and for all healthy dishes again. Even though most of you enjoyed the festive baking and seasonal desserts quite a lot, at some point it's also time to adjust the lever. 

The best thing about winter salads is that they're often a combination of fresh and crunchy vegetables and lukewarm grains and carbs. During the cold season it's often difficult to add some color (except the obvious green) to healthy dishes but here we are. Add on: beans are a great source of protein as well. Rounding the whole thing up with my favourite herb adds a little extra flavour to it.

For two bowls you'll need:

2 large potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

2 rosemary sprigs

65g quinoa

65g rice

1/2 tsp curcuma

2 handful chopped spinach

1/2 cucumber

120g red beans

65g peas

100g feta

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tsp buddha bowl spice (or a mixture of ground ginger, cumin, coriander, pepper, cayenne pepper)

sea salt

For the dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil

juice of one lemon

1tbsp apple cider vinegar 

*****

Preheat the oven to 180°

Place the potatoes on a chopping board and slice through the potato. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Put the potatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Add the rosemary in between the slices, then season with sea salt. Bake for around 45-50 minutes.

Now cook the quinoa and rice in two different pots. 

Rinse the cucumber and cut into small cubes. Rinse the spinach, then finely chop. Put both greens into a large bowl. add the beens, crumbled feta and peas. Mix then add the quinoa. In a separate bowl add the curcuma to the rice, mix well, then add to the salad. 

For the dressing, first chop the rosemary. In a small bowl whip together all the liquids then add the chopped rosemary. Pour over the salad and mix until it's well coated. 

Dress each bowl with a few tablespoons of salad, then place the hasselback potatoes on top.

Enjoy!!! 

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Spitzbuben

So I guess it's ON. The real deal of Christmas baking has started. 

I don't know why but this year the Christmas vibes hit me fairly early. At the office we have also started decorating and it's been looking A LOT like Christmas for a month now. Being in the mood this early means that the craving for festive treats has started earlier as well. 

When it comes to Christmas baking, I am always reminiscing. With my grandpa we used to bake loads and loads of Spritzgebäck. With my parents we'd often go to Austria or the south of Germany during this period of the year. A place where you'd always get a box full of different cookies and biscuits in whatever hotel we stayed. The variety of textures, shapes, spices and flavours definitely makes this the most wonderful time of the year! 

So here we are with an all time fave and a real classic in German Christmas baking: SPITZBUBEN.

For 40 filled cookies you'll need: 

480g flour

200g butter

100g sugar

8g vanilla sugar

3 egg yolks

50 grated almonds

jam of your choice (originally red currant jelly)

icing sugar for the final touch

Cut the butter into small cubes. Put the flour on your kitchen worktop or in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar and the grated almonds, then kneed firmly into a smooth dough. 

Flatten the dough into two discs. Wrap them separately in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°

Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator and let sit several minutes. Remove the cling film and roll the dough to a 3-4 mm thickness. Use your favourite cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them to a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Here again, watch the cookies, as all ovens work differently. Cookies should be golden and not too dark. Repeat the same process with the second disk. This time, when you've cut out the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter and cut the renters out. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Let all cookies cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. 

To finalise the cookie sandwich, dust cutout cookies with icing sugar. Spread 1 tsp of jam over the whole cookies, then place the cutout cookies on top. 

Leave the cookies out to dry overnight. The cookies will keep in a tin for about 2 weeks. 

Bon appétit!

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Gingerbread Loaf

 

Some might say it's too early to talk about Christmas baking, but with the first advent Sunday just around the corner, I thought this gingerbread loaf would make a perfect start. 

When I was still living with my parents, my mom would always buy a gingerbread loaf around St Nicholas day. With Christmas treats popping up in the grocery shops earlier every year, thought I'd give this traditional Belgian recipe a try this year. I did some decent research, talked to friends and acquaintances but no one seemed to own a recipe. So I dogged a little deeper and combined three recipes, which turns out to be THE RECIPE for an on point gingerbread loaf. I love when recipe development becomes a kind of math equation and turns out just as it should.

Traditionally this type of gingerbread comes with a bit of butter on it, but I love to enjoy it with apricot jam. The honey and spices make a perfect base for the fruity topping and round it all up. However, every now and then I do also love the traditional way of eating it.

For one loaf you'll need:

330g flour

200g water

350g honey

90g brown sugar

15g gingerbread spice

15g baking powder

100g almond slivers

****

Preheat the oven to 160°

In a large bowl whisk together the water, honey, gingerbread spice and sugar. Gradually add the flour and baking powder until you get an even dough. Carefully fold in the almonds, then pour the dough into a greased loaf tin. Bake for around 50 - 60 minutes (check after 50 minutes, and when the toothpick comes out clean, the loaf is ready)

Let cool for a few minutes, then take the loaf out of the baking tin.

Enjoy!!! 

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Easter Eggnog Cocktail

This year I got a little creative for my Easter recipes.  Whereas the Internet is full of cakes, and meats, I thought it would be nice - especially if we're spoilt with a sunny Easter Sunday - to have a fizzy cocktail that the very few guests we can invite, could enjoy.

I've had a similar drink on my travels. Last month, when scrolling through my travel pictures the idea came to me, that I could twist the drink I had with local eggnog. What once was considered as grandma's Easter spirit, is now a key ingredient to this delicious cocktail. Best thing? It's shaken up in 30 seconds. 

With my fellow food bloggers, we've teamed up to create en entire Easter menu. Scroll further down to find all the delicious recipes. 

For two glasses you'll need:

10 cl eggnog 

10 cl champagne

5 cl gin

6 cl lemon juice

Shake eggnog, gin and lemon juice until well combined. Slowly stir in the champagne until you get an even mixture. Pour into two cocktail glasses. Accoring to taste, add some ice cubes. 

For the entire menu you'll have:

Eggnog Cocktail

Wild Garlic Soup with fried Egg by Kleines Kuliversum

Goat Cheese & Rhubarb Samosas by My picked Food

Salmon with pea salad on beurre blanc sauce by Liebe mit Biss

Mirror-glazed Chocolate Mousse Tartlets by Spiffing Ideas

Enjoy!!!

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Peanut Brownies

Is there a better way to start February than with fudgy gooey peanut brownies?! Trust me, the melting flavours of bittersweet chocolate and salty peanuts is a match made in heaven. Typing these words I'm thrilled and still struck with disbelief all at once. I've had peanut allergies for more than a decade, and only two years ago my doctor confirmed that they're gone. Maybe even for good. 

As you can imagine, having suffered from this nut allergy made me really precocious. People don't always take you seriously when you tell them you can't eat a certain group of foods. But there it was: the day I left the doctor's and could have run to the supermarket to enjoy my first pack of m&ms or a snickers. But that didn't quite happen. At first I didn't dare to include peanuts into my diet. Over the months I've tried a bite here and there, but mid last year, I had a stack of pancakes with peanut butter and berries. And it was sooooo delicious. 

So... here we are. Inmidst of a pandemic celebrating the disparition of most of food allergies. 

For 12 brownies you need:

250g butter

200g flour

280g good quality chocolate

4 eggs

250g sugar

65g cacao powder

200g salted peanuts

*****

Preheat the oven to 150°

Melt the butter and chocolate over a double boiler. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar up for 5 minutes until well combined. Pour in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and mix again. Add the flour and cacao, then finally the peanuts. 

Pour the batter into a buttered brownie tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!!

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Vanillekipferl

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

And yes, these little crescent shaped treats mark the beginning of the jolly season. It's only the beginning, and I can promise it's going to be delicious and festive on the blog this year!

We've hit the end of November, and it might sound a little cliché, but the current situation really screams for comforting Christmas bakes and quality time with our loved ones. It's definitely not always easy, and today's new restrictions (when living in Luxembourg) require yet more social distancing. So if you're living in shared flats or with your family make a group activity out of it and swing the mixer. If you're living alone, don't you worry, prepare them, take them to work and spoil your colleagues. Because we all know when it comes to food that happiness shared is happiness doubled. 

For around 40 Vanillekipferl you'll need:

225g flour

75g icing sugar

30g vanilla sugar

110g ground almonds

150g Butter

1 egg

For the vanilla sugar you'll need:

20g vanilla sugar

60g icing sugar

*****

Preheat the oven to 180° on top and bottom heat function.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, almonds and salt. Add the butter, then the egg and mix until you get an even dough. Wrap the dough into cling film and chill in the fridge for one hour. 

Meanwhile, mix the vanilla and icing sugar to prepare the vanilla dust. 

Once the dough is ready, roll into a 3cm wide dough roll and cut 1cm slices off. Shape these pieces into moon shaped crescents, then place on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 12 minutes. The Vanillekipferl should be nicely golden. 

Once they're done, let them sit for about a minute, then dip them into the vanilla dust. Let the cookies cool completely, then use a sifter to dust them. 

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Boxemännercher

Nobody says no to a good Boxemännchen this time of the year! From little children who truly believe in St Nicholas to adults who love to celebrate their favourite childhood holiday: we all love these brioche-like men. I have to admit that Kleeserchersdag, as we call it here in Luxembourg, ist still one of my favourite holidays of the year. I might be a grown-up now, but with all the lovely memories I have, I will always cherish this day. 

The first time I made them was a few years ago with my goddaughter. I found the recipe on the internet and thought it would be a fun activity as we both love baking. Their shape was perfect but the dough was a little too dry for my taste. So I promised her I'll work on a recipe that we can call our own. And after a few tests last year, I came up with one that I really love. My parents tested the different editions and happily approved this one. 

For 10 Boxemännercher you'll need:

500g flour

30g sugar

100g butter

20g active yeast

3 eggs (2 for baking, one for brushing)

255ml lukewarm milk

5g salt

*****

Preheat the oven to 180°

Pour some flour in a large bowl and mound it like a volcano. Crumble the yeast in the hole as well as 15g sugar, one egg and some lukewarm milk. Start kneading until you get a smooth mixture, which serves as sort of pre-dough. Add some more milk if necessary. Even though you could also prepare it with your hands, I strongly recommend you use a hand or stand mixer with dough hook. Once smooth and even, cover dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Add the second egg, the remaining sugar and milk and mix again. Add the butter and knead well until it's completely incorporated into the dough. Cover the dough again with your kitchen towel, then put it in a warm place and leave it for 20 minutes.  

* If you like your Boxemännercher a little sweeter, add an extra tablespoon of sugar. 

Before shaping the Boxemännercher, knead the dough well with your hands. Shape the Boxemännercher by starting with the body. Cut the main part lengthwise to shape their legs and slightly diagonal for the arms. Put them onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and let rest for another 20 minutes. 

Beat the remaining egg and brush each Boxemännchen. Bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!

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Madeleines

Who would have known that these shell-shaped miniature cakes, dipped in tea would become one of French literature’s most powerful metaphors? When I was a teenager, our school organised a discovery day and I subscribed to a literature workshop where we were served home-baked Madeleines. It was sure not the first time in my life that I had Madeleines, but it was the first time I’ve heard that Proust made them famous as the trigger for nostalgia. Just like him a few hundred years back, we dipped them into lime-flower tea and enjoyed every bite of it. 

 

So here we are, a few centuries later, and they’re still worth sharing them with you on the blog. After devouring quite a number of Madeleines in every corner of France, I’ve decided to make another recipe of my own.  The honey Madeleines are on the blog for a few years now. But this is a variation of multiple tests I’ve made a few years back. Now, I wanted to develop a recipe that’s closer to the original. Which sounds easy today, was a journey with ups and downs. To get the perfect shape, the perfect color and the perfect texture led me through a rollercoaster of emotions. Either the color was good, but the shape was not. Or the taste and shape was ok but they were way too dry. But here we are with tasty Madeleines.

 

For 24 Madeleines you need:

125g butter

125g sugar

125g flour

3 medium eggs

40 ml vanilla rum or Amaretto

2 level tsp baking powder

 

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Preheat the oven to 175°

 

In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, mix, then add the rum or Amaretto. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, and then add to the liquid batter. 

 

 Grease the Madeleine molds and start adding 1 ½ tsp to every shell. Be careful not to add too much batter as it might impact the rising of your Madeleines. 

 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on your Madeleines from minute 12 onwards. As all ovens are different, baking time might differ form one to another. Repeat until all the batter is gone.

 

Enjoy!!!

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