Tag Archives: food photo

Family Cake recipe

Hello guys, today I share with you one of my favorite cake recipes. Moreover, it is a family recipe which I got from my mum, who used to prepare the cake for me and my sister when we lived all together. I wrote down the recipe in my old notebook and used it quite often ever since. Mum usually makes it “zebra cake”: half chocolate and half vanilla-flavored, or just vanilla with raisins. As you can see, the recipe is very versatile. You can make it all-the-time favorite vanilla, add currants or dry cranberries, add any fruits you have on hand. The cake was cooked so many times, that believe me even very beginner in baking can handle it. It is the lifesaver cake – the recipe I always turn to if I need the tried&tasted cake when you need the trusted cake recipe that always turns nice and delicious.

Continue reading →

Wholewheat Cherry Pie (with pecans)

Hi all! I supposed to post this recipe long time when cherries were still in the season..and I was not sure at first whether to publish the recipe or not but luckily nowadays you can buy frozen cherries in any large supermarket and it’s not a bad substitution at all. So, go ahead and make this delicious beauty, especially if you already know that cherries are a good source of vitamin C and contain some antioxidants. With crunchy streusel on top – it is a perfect treat at any time of the day! Wholewheat Cherry Pie (with pecans)

I used fresh sweet dark cherries if you can’t get it, use sour and add a bit more sugar. And do not refreeze frozen berries, scatter them over the pie straight from the fridge. Also if you prefer brown sugar to the white one, you can use it; probably it works even better: the taste will be richer and the color more golden.

Wholewheat Cherry Pie (with pecans)

Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: moderate
Print

I used a 20cm square baking pan

What You’ll Need

150g butter, soften

75g white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

2 eggs

250g wholewheat flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

50g ground oats (I used medium oatmeal)

200-300g fresh sweet cherries, pitted

Streusel (crumble topping)

4 tbsp wholewheat flour

2 tbsp white sugar

2 tbsp butter, softened

2-3 tbsp chopped pecans (or walnuts)

How to Make it

For the batter, beat softened butter with sugar until slightly pale.
Add vanilla and salt, and beat in eggs one by one until just combined.
Mix in flour (no need to sift) along with baking powder and oats.
Spread the batter on a baking pan (lined with baking paper if needed), scatter cherries.
For the streusel, mix the flour and sugar together in a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in chopped nuts.
Sprinkle the streusel over the pie.
Bake in preheated 200C oven for 45 minutes.*
Take the pan out from the oven, allow to cool slightly in the pan and then put on the serving plate.

*Note: if the pie begins brown too much, loosely cover with a piece of foil, and continue to bake.

Enjoy!

Chami

Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan is going on in the UAE, during this month Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and when the sun sets they break the fast. It is also time to be more grateful and patience, time for charity. Many families and friends get together to break their daytime fast, that evening meal is called iftar. The meal most often starts with a date and a glass of water; then usually soup or salad is served, numerous appetizers (mezze), which includes olives, hummus, and of course cheeses. Chami

In my opinion, cheeses are loved by many people and every country has their own varieties and names, and Arab region is not the exception. One of the traditional Emirati cheeses is called Chami, which is similar to cottage cheese. I can even say more, it is a cottage cheese. The legend says that an Arabian bedouin traveled somewhere across the desert, and took some milk with him in a goat’s stomach, and while he was traveling, extremely hot sun and his movements (or his horse) caused the milk to separate into curd and whey; thus the first simple cheese was discovered.

Most probably that time it was goat’s or sheep’s milk and thus the cheese, but nowadays it is usually prepared by simmering cow’s laban (local dairy drink, similar to Russian kefir or buttermilk). Chami is usually drizzled with ghee (clarified butter) and eaten with dates. In my home country, homemade cottage cheese is often made the same way: by simmering the soured cow’s milk that caused the milk to separate. I love cottage cheese, not only to eat it as is, I add it into cakes or sweet one-dish bakes (you can find numerous recipes if you write “cottage cheese” in the search line on the right). So I make it quite often at home, but I prefer to simmer local yogurt, which is sold in large one, two and larger liters buckets. thus I have the bigger quantity of the cheese.

Coconut panna cotta

Panna cotta is such a universal dessert that suits any season, whether it’s freezing winter or hot summer. Cold panna cotta being served straight from the fridge with some fresh chopped strawberries is a perfect refreshing dessert for a sunny day; but if you take it out from the fridge a lit bit ahead of time, while quickly prepare super easy but super aromatic topping, like rosemary-scented mandarins, or quick sauté fresh cubed apples in a butter with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg – and you have got a nice dessert that warms you up on a cold day.

I have noticed that I make this dessert during cold months here: probably I miss the snow and the white color of panna cotta reminds me winter in my hometown… This time the idea to garnish panna cotta with coconut candies and flakes came to my mind, so I decided to add coconut milk to the mixture instead of using only regular milk or cream.

It looks like a mountain, which is completely covered in snow. Doesn’t, it? and those candies are like small snowballs, that little children make to play in a snow fight.

TIP: If you sprinkle panna cotta with red and pink edible hearts – it can be a lovely dessert to impress your other half on a St.Valentine Day.

I serve panna cotta in glasses, but If you prefer, you can grease cups/ramekins with some oil and pour panna cotta in it, and then when it’s set and firm untold it before serving onto small individual plates.

Coconut panna cotta

Difficulty: easy
Print

What You’ll Need

2 tsp gelatin powder

3 tbsp cold water

1/2 can coconut milk (about 180ml)

250ml whipping cream (or heavy cream)

60g white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

coconut candies and flakes for garnish, optional

How to Make it

In a small bowl, add cold water and sprinkle with gelatin, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, heat the coconut milk, whipping cream, vanilla and sugar until sugar is dissolved, (but not simmer). Remove from the heat.
Add softened gelatin to the creamy mixture and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Divide the pan cotta mixture evenly among prepared cups/glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Garnish with coconut candies and flakes before serving.

Enjoy!

Coconut panna cotta//with coconut candies

Chocolate cherry cookies

Hi there! It’s been a while, and I kept telling myself I’d get back to blogging tomorrow, in a day, a week, etc, but finally, I’m here writing the post. Hope you all had w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l holidays, full of surprises, lovely moments and delicious food. What is your favorite sweet treat during winter? Hot chocolate, spiced orange cake or just lots of chocolates? I’m still eating chocolates from the Christmas tree (yes, it’s still in our house, and probably will be here until the beginning of February). Chocolate Cherry cookies

I adore dark chocolate with cherry pieces in it, and I like cookies: good, buttery with those tiny little dots of pure vanilla in it. So, I combined my both desires and prepared these beautiful cookies. I’m thinking you will really love it. Even though, I prefer vanilla cookies over chocolate, but not this time. Better you cook and try, and you will never buy a cookie. Ok, maybe you will but nothing taste like homemade cookies, prepared with high-quality ingredients and the most important – your passion and love. Give these a try and you will be as happy with them as I was. ChocoCookies

Triple the quantity and take some to share with your friends or co-workers, or maybe even a neighbor. ChocoCherryCookies

Chocolate cherry cookies

Servings: 14 pieces
Print

What you’ll need

100g mild dark chocolate

50g dark chocolate with cherry pieces, or plain dark chocolate

180g plain flour

30g cocoa

1.5 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

120g butter, at room temperature

50g light brown sugar

50g white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

100g dried cherries

100g chopped/slivered almonds

20-30g dark chocolate with cherry pieces, optional

How to make it

Chop 150g chocolate or break into pieces, and put into heatproof bowl and microwave on low power or melt over a pan of simmering water.
In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk butter with sugar for 5 minutes or until light. Whisk in vanilla extract and then eggs (one by one). Add the melted chocolate and stir well.
Add the dry ingredients to the batter mixture and stir well. Stir in cherries, almonds and chopped chocolate (if using).
Line the baking sheet with baking paper and scoop out equal portions in some distance apart. Make 14 equal balls, flatten them.
Bake in preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!