Being a person who likes all kinds of spices and special flavors, I am very attracted to Middle Eastern food. I can really relate to the tastes found in this refined cuisine...A few weeks ago, I went to a cool place called Yo'Mo Lounge which is situated on Geneva's left bank and has a a splendid view of the lake and English Garden (Jardin Anglais).This unusual place positively suprised me and made a very good impression on me. I really enjoyed their fine East-meets-West (Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, European) cuisine which is presented in a stylish, aesthetic and stunning way, efficient service, friendly staff and their bright magical Alice-in-Wonderland-like setting as well as warm comfortable atmosphere. Very charming!There, I ate the most exquisite falafel and kanafeh, and my friend Corinne had a wonderful fattoush salad and "Mouhalabieh" which was accompanied by Arabic coffee. This place totally inspired me and made me want to experiment a little with that kind of food. So, for a start, I decided to try making that luscious Lebanese milk flan called "Mouhalabieh".This authentic Lebanese dessert is really delicious and quite easy to make. There's not much fussing around and the end result is fantastic. As it mostly made with milk, this delightful speciality has the advantage of being quite light, thus it is the perfect kind of dessert you'd want to eat if you've had a hearty meal. Not forgetting that it is also very refreshing, so it is a good summer option when served together with a fruit salad (strawberries, apples, oranges, etc...)."Mouhalabieh" is a heavenly sweet treat that has an exotic as well as a delicate flavor and isn't overly sugary. It's flan-like and melt-in-the-mouth texture is extremely pleasant. It is definitely a pretty and sublime speciality that brings that wow factor to the table, but doesn't demand much energy and time to make. Perfect!
~ Mouhalabieh or Lebanese Milk Flans ~Recipe by Bigmousse at "Le Palais Des Délices" (France) and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.Makes about 8 flans.Ingredients for the "Flans":4 Cups Milk (3.5 % fat)1/2 Cup Cornstarch3/4 Cups Castor sugar1 Tbs Orange blossom water1 Handful pistacchios, roasted and choppedIngredients for the "Syrup":4 Tbs water2 Hibiscus flowers (optional)2 Tbs Rosewater8 tbs Castor sugar
Method for the "Flans": 1. In a medium pan, mix together the milk, sugar and cornstarch. Whisk well until the cornstarch has been disolved.2. While constantly whisking the mixture, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook for 1 minute more.3. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and add the orange blossom water.4. Pour the mixture into the small flan moulds.5. Set aside, in the refrigerator, for about 3 hours.Method for the "Syrup":6. Very briefly boil the water and add the hibiscus flowers.7. Remove from the heat and let infuse for about 30 minutes.8. Mix together the hibiscus water, sugar and rose water, then bring to the boil and remove from the heat once the sugar has been entirely dissolved.9. Serve imediately with the flans or let cool and put in the refrigerator in order to serve cold over the flans.
Remarques:If you don't want to use a natural coloring like hibiscus flowers, just use the same quantity water and add red food coloring.Idées de présentation:Unmold the flans, drizzle the cold or warm syrup over them and sprinkle with the chopped pistacchios.Serve with either tea, Turkish/Greek coffee or Arabic coffee.***************
~ Mouhalabieh ou Flans Libanais Au Lait ~Recette par Bigmousse de "Le Palais Des Délices" (France) et adaptée épar Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.Pour environ 8 petits flans.Ingrédients pour les "Flans":4 Mesures de lait1/2 Mesure de Maizena (fleur de maïs)3/4 Mesure de Sucre semoule/cristallisé1 CS d'Eau d'eau de fleurs d'oranger1 Poignée de pistaches grillées et concasséesIngrédients pour le "Sirop":4 CS d'Eau2 Boutons de fleur d'hibiscus2 CS d'Eau de rose8 CS de Sucre semoule/cristallisé
Méthode pour les "Flans": 1. Dans une casserole mettre le lait avec le sucre et la fleur de maïs, fouettez pour bien diluer le tout et obtenir un mélange homogène, puis porter sur le feu en remuant avec une cuillère en bois sans arrêt pour que les grumeaux ne se forment pas.2. Lorsque le mélange s'épaissit retirer du feu, ajouter l'eau de fleurs d'oranger et répartir dans des ramequins de service.3. Mettre au frais pendant au moins 3 heures.Méthode pour le "Sirop":4. Chauffer l'eau et ajouter les fleurs d'hibiscus.5. Eteindre le feu et laisser infuser pendant 30 minutes.6. Mélanger l'infusion, le sucre et l'eau de rose, puis faire bouillir légèrement le tout quelques instants jusqu'à ce que le sucre soit dissous.7. Servir immédiatement sur les flans ou mettre au frigo afin d'utiliser ce sirop froid.Remarques:Si vous ne voulez pas utiliser un colorant naturel comme l'hibiscus, alors utilisez la même quantité d'eau mais ajoutez un colorant rouge à votre sirop.
Idées de présentation:Au moment de servir, enrober les flans avec du sirop tiède ou froid et décorer avec les pistaches concassées.Servir avec du thé ou un café turque/grecque ou arabe.
This week, Breadchick and Lb at "The SourDough" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #205...
To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.
"Thousands of years ago,
cats were worshipped as gods.
Cats have never forgotten this."
~ Anonymous ~
As I can never get tired of baking or eating bread, I constantly have the need to try new recipes, so you'll rarely find the same breads at my table. Bread is such a surprising and versatile product that the possibilities seem to be endless. Not forgetting the fact that baking bread really gives me a sense of accomplishment and much pleasure...Lately, I have been craving healthy kinds of bread that boost your fiber intake and which contain very little fat (or none). Such wholesome loaves are not only good for your health, but also taste really good and that's for this reason I chose to make Beth Hensperger's delightfully old-fashioned "Oatmeal-Bulgur Bread".
This easy to make, yet original bread is exceptionally pleasant. It has a lovely moist, chewy and springy interior as well as a exqisitely crunchy crust. It's taste is totally gratifying. It's nutty, sweet and strong cereal flavors contribute to it's irresistibility.
Such a hearty and homey loaf is to die for, especially when served together with strong bodied cheeses or used to make gourmet sandwiches!
This post is submitted to Yeastspotting.
~ Oatmeal-Bulgur Bread ~
Recipe taken from "The Bread Bible" by Beth Hensperger.Ingredients for the "Sponge":
1 Tbs (or 1 package/7g) Active dry yeast
2 Tbs Light brown sugar2/3 Cup Bulgur, fine or medium grind
2 1/4 Cups (540ml/g) Tepid water (<50°C)
2 Cups (255g) Unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Ingredients for the "Dough":
1 1/4 Cups (131g) Regular rolled oats
1/4 Cup (37.5g) Wheat bran
1/4 Cup (60g) Light brown sugar
3 Tbsp Sunflower oil
1 Tbs Fine sea salt
3 (382.5g) to 3 1/2 Cups (446g) Unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Method for the "Sponge":
1. In a large bowl pour in the water.
2. Sprinkle the yeast, 2 Tbs of brown sugar, and bulgur wheat over the surface and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of flour and beat hard until well moistened and creamy, about 2 minutes.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 1 hour.
Method for the "Dough" and the "Baking":
5. To the bowl with the sponge, add the oats, bran, brown sugar, oil and salt.
6. Beat hard for about 1 minute.
7. Add flour 1/2 a cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and switch to a wooden spoon when needed.
8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. 9. Place the dough in a greased deep container or large bowl and turn once to coat, then cover with plastic wrap.
10. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
11. Gently deflate the dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Grease or parchment-line a baking sheet or grease three 20x10cm (8x4-inch) loaf pans.
12. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions or into 20-24 little portions and shape into loaves or rolls.
13. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 min. 14. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F), then, with the help of a serrated knife, slash the 3 big loaves no more than 0.6cm (1/4 inch) deep. the rolls don't have to be slashed.
15. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes.
16. If making loaves, let cool in pans 5 min and then remove and cool on a baking rack. Otherwise, just let the rolls cool on the baking rack.
Remarks:
I used sunflower oil, but any neutral tasting oil will do.
The wheat bran can be replaced by any other bran of your choice.
Serving suggestions:
These breads are delicious with almost anything.
They are ideal for making sandwiches (try making one with chicken, chutney and sprouts) and for serving with cheeses of character.
***************
~ Pain Au Boulghour Et A l'Avoine ~
Recette tirée du livre "The Bread Bible" par Beth Hensperger.
Ingrédients pour le "Poolish":
1 CS (7g) dec Levure séchée
2 CS de Sucre brun clair
2/3 de Tasse de Boulghour, fin ou moyen
2 1/4 (540ml/g) Tasses d'Eau tiède (<50°>
2 Tasses (255g) de Farine à pain/blanche
Ingrédients pour la "Pâte":
1 1/4 Tasses (131g) de Flocons d'avoine
1/4 de Tasse (37.5g) de Son de blé fin
1/4 de Tasse (60g) de Sucre brun clair
3 CS d'Huile de tournesol
1 CS de Sel de mer fin
3 (382.5g) à 3 1/2 (446g) Tasses de Farine à pain/blanche
Méthode pour le "Poolish":
1. Dans un grand bol, verser l'eau.
2. Saupoudrer avec la levure, 2 CS de sucre brun et avec le boulghour. Laisser reposer pendant 5 minutes.
3. Ajouter 2 tasses de farine et fouetter énergétiquement pendant 2 minutes afin que le mélange soit homogène et crémeux.
4. Couvrir avec une feuille en plastique alimentaire et laisser reposer pendant 1 heure, à température ambiante, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit mousseux.
Méthode pour le "Pâte" et pour la "Cuisson":
5. Ajouter au poolish l'avoine, le son de blé, le sucre brun, l'huile et le sel.
6. Battre avec beaucoup d'énergie pendant aun moins 1 minute.
7. Ajouter la farine 1/2 tasse à la fois, jusqu'à ce que la pâte se décolle des bords du bol.
8. Mettre la pâte sur une surface farinée et pétrir pendant 4 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit lisse et élastique (ajouter seulement une CS de farine à la fois si la pâte colle).
9. Mettre la pâte dans un bol graissé/huilé et faire tourner la pâte dans le bol afin de bien l'enduire d'huile, puis couvrir avec du plastique alimentaire.
10. Laisser lever à température ambiante pendant 1 1/2 à 2 heures, jusqu'à ce que la pâte ait doublé de volume.
11. Dégonfler la pâte et la poser sur une surface farinée. Beurrer 2 moules rectangulaires de 20x10cm ou couvrir de papier sulfurisé une plaque.
12. Diviser la pâte en 3 portions égales ou en 20-24 petites portions et former en 3 gros pains ou en petits pains.
13. Couvrir avec un linge et laisser lever pendant 45 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les pains aient doublé de volume
14. Vingt minutes avant d'enfourner les pains, préchauffer le four à 190° C, puis, à l'aide d'un couteau bien aiguisé, ciseler les 3 gros pains (<0.6cm style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">16. Laisser refroidir les gros pains dans leur moules pendant 5 minutes et sortez-les pour les faire complètement refroidir sur une grille. Les petits pains seront directement refroidis sur la grille.
Remarques:
J'ai utilisé de l'huile de tournesol, mais n'importe quelle autre huile aux goût pas trop pronnoncé fera l'affaire.
Le son de blé peut être remplacé par n'importe quel autre son de votre choix.
Idées de présentation:
Ces pains sont délicieux avec presque n'importe quoi.
Ils sont parfaits pour faire des sandwiches (à essayer: poulet, chutney et graines germées) et pour être mangés avec du fromage de caractère.
This week, Salome at "Paulchen's Foodblog" (Austria) is happy to announce that she is hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #204...
To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in her blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact her via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.
After dark all cats are leopards. ~ Native American (Zuni) ~
Last Saturday, thanks to Corinne and her generous friend, we went to the town of Sion, using special offer train tickets. The weather that day was beautiful and the temperatures were very pleasant (20° C). We were extremely lucky...
We left Geneva at 7h30 in the morning and took the Cisalpino train (which goes all the way from Geneva to Venice, Italy) till Sion, the capital city of the canton of Valais, where we arrived 1h40 minutes later. There, we visited the town, saw some great momuments, bought 2 kilos of regional mountain cheese and sat on terraces sipping on cups of coffee.Sion is a very old place that was already inhabited during Neolithic times. It's name takes it's origin from the Latin "Sedunum" which derives from the Seduni Celtic tribes that lived in this region and were conquered by the Romans during the first century BC. The Roman Catholic diocese of Sion is the oldest in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps, so it is not exactly a surprise if Valais is such a strongly Catholic canton (as opposed to Geneva which is Protestant).This alluring and attractive town has a population of 27'000. It is situated in the valley of the Rhône and is surrounded by mountains as well as two rocky hills jutting incongruously from a relatively the flat countryside. The crest of both hills is adorned with the medieval Castle of Tourbillon (pics 3, 4, 6 and 9) and the Basilica of Valère (pics soon to follow) which are visible from afar and offer a magnificent spectacle.
Et pour les francophones, voici des liens en français:
Sion (voir lien I & lien II)Canton du Valais (voir lien)Vallée du Rhône (voir lien)Basilique/Château de Valère (voir lien)Château de Tourbillon (voir lien)
Wow, time passes extremely fast! The end of April has arrived and it is once again time for us, The Daring Bakers , to blog about our latest baking trial (and errors)...
Although, I've aready made quite a few cheesecakes in the past, it is always a big pleasure for me to bake that classic US treat and test new recipes. I must say that this month was very particular as not only did I have to make one cheesecake for The Daring Bakers, but I also had to bake 6 different cheesecakes which had been ordered for a "tasting session". So, instead of making my challenge at the very last minute, as it is generally my habit, I had to get really organized and complete my task more than two weeks before the deadline.Since I had not much time to create anything extraordinary and was in a bit of a hurry (a busy month), I opted for a "Lemon-Scented Cheesecake With A Gingery Speculos Crust & Redcurrant Jelly Decorations". That simple cheesecake was quite easy to make and required not much energy, but, hell, it did taste heavenly!
Making that cheesecake was a troubleless and effortless exercise for me. I whipped mine in no time and was very pleased with the result as it never cracked and looked so beautifully pristine and perfect. A real beauty!This recipe is faultless, although, I must say that I personally prefer when my crusts have been previously backed as, in that way, it ensures them to have a better texture and to be more crunchy and less "soggy", wet and soft.
Anyway, I particularly liked the texture of this cheesecake as it was creamy to please, delightfully light and so smooth. Taste-wise it was paradisiac. The flavors I chose (lemon, ginger, cinnamon and redcurrant) were just right and blended well together in order to create a refreshing as well as spicy dessert which's ambrosial aspect sends you straight to heaven on a one way ticket! And I really love the way the acidulated jelly contrasts with the roundness of the cheesecake.
The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from "Jenny Bakes" (US). She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge. So, I really want to thank Jenny for having chosen that gorgeous and refreshing recipe!
~ Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake ~
Recipe by Abby T. and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.
Ingredients for the "Crust":2 Cups (180g) Speculos crumbs1 Stick (120g) Unsalted butter, melted2 Tbs (30g) Castor sugar1 1/2 Tsps Ground ginger1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for the "Cheesecake":3 Sticks of Cream cheese (total of 720g), at room temperature1 Cup (210g) Castor sugar3 Large eggs (2x53g + 1x63g)1 Cup (240g/ml) Heavy cream 35% fat2 Tbs Lemon juice The zest of organic lemon or 1 1/2 Tsps Lemon essence1 Tbs Pure vanilla extractIngredients for the "Jelly":540g Redcurrants, fresh or frozen3/4 Cup Castor sugar6 Sheets gelatine
Method for the "Crust":
1. Wrap the bottom of the pan in a triple layer of aluminum foil. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into the pan. Set crust aside.Method for the "Cheesecake":
3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next (Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg). Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, zest or extract and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done (This can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center and look wobbly. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage). Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour (This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top). After one hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on a rack, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.
Method for the "Jelly":6. Put the redcurrants and the sugar in a pan.7. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 6 minutes, then let cool.8. Put the gelatine sheets in cold water and set aside.9. Mix the redcurrants in a blender and sieve.10. Strain the gelatine and put it in a pan over low heat.11. Once the gelatine sheets have mleted completely, add a cup redcurrant puree and mix well.12. Add that mixture to the redcurrant puree and stir well.13. Grease a tray and pour the mixture into it (the jelly should have a certain thickness - 1 inch/2cm), so choose the tray accordingly).14. Let set, overnight.15. With a cookies cutter, cut out shapes and decorate the cheesecake with the cut out jelly.
Remarks:Instead of using a springform pan you can use one of those 1-use foil "casserole" shaped pans from the grocery store. They're 8 or 9 inches wide and really deep, and best of all, water-tight. When it comes time to serve, just cut the foil away. You can also use any other pan/dish that hasn't gor a removable bottom.You are free to press the crust just into the bottom or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice.While the actual making of this cheesecake is a minimal time commitment, it does need to bake for almost an hour, cool in the oven for an hour, and chill overnight before it is served, so please plan accordingly!It is best to keep the cheesecake in the fridge for 24 hours as the taste and texture improves. A cheesecake can be kept up to a week in the fridge and 1 month in the freezer (well wrapped, of course!).
Here are links with useful tips:Diana's Desserts (see link)Food & Cooking on Squidoo (see link)
Serving suggestions:Serve this cheesecake for dessert or afternoon tea.It is best eaten with a good cup of tea or some water as it is very rich!
*****************
Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones! C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous.
Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française:
Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)
Being a person who likes all kinds of spices and special flavors, I am very attracted to Middle Eastern food. I can really relate to the tastes found in this refined cuisine...
~ Mouhalabieh or Lebanese Milk Flans ~
Method for the "Flans":
Remarques:
~ Mouhalabieh ou Flans Libanais Au Lait ~
Méthode pour les "Flans":
Idées de présentation:
