25 January 2016

Dried Asian pears fresh cranberries blondie brownie muffins

(scroll down for English)


Ne znam dal sam ikad stavila duži naslov, ali kraći ne bi bio dovoljno slikovit. Ova kombinacija bijele čokolade, suhih azijskih krušaka i svježih brusnica je naprosto neodoljiva!!! Tako se divno slažu ove kombinacije da sam se baš ugodno iznenadila. Azijske kruške su jako slatke, mi ih nabavljamo sa Subarashii Kudamono farme u Pnasilvaniji. Puno su skuplje od običnih krušaka, ali stvarno vrijede. Ako ikad naletite na njih, probajte ih. Ove godine smo prvi put probali njihove suhe kruške u koji ne stavljaju uopće šećer. Ovo malo pakovanje je koštalo u malo prodaji 4 dolara. Na njihovom sajtu se mogu naći neki recepti pa sam tako naletila i na ovaj blondie brownis recept, kojem sam ja naravno dodala nezaobilazne svježe brusnice! Ništa bolje do grickati ovaj slatkiš i posmatrati kako vani padaju pahulje! Naš prvi snježni dan u novom La Rochellu..

Brownie je klasični koji uvijek radim, jer s tim receptom nisam jos ni jednom bila razočarana. Šećer sam potpuno izbacila jer je bijela čokolada dovoljno slatka sama po sebi.

Sastojci:
200 g bijele Callebaut čokolade
3 žlice kokosovog ulja
50 ml kokosovog mlijeka
3 jaja
1/3 šolje integralnog brašna
1 šolja svjezih brusnica
pola solje sitno nasjeckanih suhih azijskih krusaka

Priprema:
1. Čokoladu otopiti na pari skupa sa uljem.
2. Umutiti jaja te dodati mlijeko i brašno.
3. Otopljenu čokoladu pomiješati sa smjesom brašna i mikserom sve dobro smiksati.
4. Ubaciti brusnice i sjeckane kruške (ostaviti nešto krušaka da se stave po vrhu). Špatulom ih umješati u smjesu.
5. Smjesu izliti u kalup ili pleh obložen pek papirom.
6. Pećnicu zagrijati na 180 C i peći 30-ak minuta.



~~~~~~~~~~ English version ~~~~~~~~~

 Dried Asian pears fresh cranberries blondie brownie muffins


I don't know if I ever came up with a longer title but shorter wouldn't describe this well. This combination of white chocolate, dried Asian pears and fresh cranberries is simply irresistible!!! The combo works so well together and I was pleasantly surprised. Asian pears are very sweet, we purchased them from Subarashii Kudamono farm in Pennsylvania. They are more expensive than regular pears, but really worth the price. If you ever run into them, try them. This year was the first time we were selling these dried Asian pears at our Youthmarkets but because of the price ($4 for this small package) weren't very popular. I ran into this this blondie brownie recipe on their web site, and of course added unavoidable fresh cranberries! Nothing better to nibble on this muffin on a snowy day (not even close to a blizzard!)! First snow day in the new La Rochelle..
 

I used my classical Brownie recipe that always works! I didn't put any sugar since the white chocolate is sweet enough by itself.


Ingredients:
200 g white Callebaut chocolate
3 tbsp coconut oil
50 ml coconut milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped dried Asian pears 

Preparation:
1. Melt the chocolate over the steam together with coconut oil.
2. Beat the eggs and add milk and flour.
3. Mix melted chocolate with flour batter.
4. Add cranberries and dry pears (leave some to sprinkle on top).
5. Pour the batter into a desired mold.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F and bake brownies for about half an hour. 
--
ae!

14 January 2016

Prevrnuti kolač sa kumquatom i brusnicama | Kumquat cranberry upside down cake

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Nedavno sam išla gledati neke lokacije za potencijalne nove pijace u dio Kvinsa koji se zove Flushing i koji je malo je reći Azija u malom. Kad odete tamo i izađete iz podzemlja prvo što pomislite je da ste fulali stanicu i da ste izašli u sred Šangaja ili nekog drugog velikog Azijskog grada. Ljudi malo ili nikako ne pričaju engleski, natpisi su svi napisani azijskim jezicima, i ako negdje možete naći voće i povrće koje nikad niste vidjeli, i nemate pojma kako se koristi, onda je to tamo! Nisam imala nažalost vremena sve to uslikati, ali svakom bi preporučila šetnju tim krajem. Šta će ti kip slobode i empire zgrada kad možeš otići u Aziju, usred Njujorka! Elem, kumquat nije nepoznata voćkica, ali iz nekog razloga rijetko nabasam na te male narančice (baš kao i na mandarine!). Iz istog razloga nisam ih jako dugo jela, i kad ono, gle čuda, naletim na kumkquat (i na mandarine) baš u Flashingu! Putujući kući iz male Azije, razmišljala sam šta da sparavim sa kumquatom, i jedna od ideja koja mi je pala na pamet je kombinacija kumquata i svježih brusnica (a ja mislim da i vrapci na grani već znaju koliko volim svježe brusnice i da ih zimi imam tonu u zamrzivaču). 

Sastojci za smjesu:
2 jaja
80 ml kokosovog ulja
1/4 smeđeg šećera
1 1/2 šolje pšeničnog brašna
1 1/2 žličica praška za pecivo
1/2 šolje kokosovog mlijeka
1 žličica cimeta
1/4 šolje sjeckane tamne čokolade

1 šolja narezanog kumquata
1 šolja svježih brusnica
3 žlice kokosovog ulja
1/4 javorovog sirupa


Priprema:
1. Kumquat dobro oprati, narezati na kolutiće i očistiti od košpica. Kalup u kojem ćete peći kolač obložiti pek papirom pa na njega naslagati kolutiće (da vam kolač ljepše izgleda kad ga prevrnete poredajte kolutiće sa narezanom stranom prema dole, odnosno da vam krajevi kumquata budu prema gore). U prazne prostore između kumquata poredajte brusnice (oko pola šolje, drugu polovicu dodati u smjesu).
2. Na laganoj vatri otopite kokosovo ulje i sirup pa prelijte preko voća.
3. U posudi umutiti jaja sa šećerom pa dodati ulje, mlijeko i suhe sastojke, te na kraju drugu polovicu brusnica.
4. Sve dobro umutiti pa preliti preko voća.
5. Peći na 180 C pola sata do 40 minuta (zavisno od pećnice).
6. Kad se ohladi prevrnuti na tanjur. Servirati ga toplog ili hladnog, uz kavu ili čaj.

Napomena:
Mislim da bi orasi dali dodatni šmek, pa ako hoćete možete dodati šaku sjeckanih orasa. Također, mislim da je biskvit za zericu bio suh pa ću sljedeci put dodati i pola šolje brusnica direktno u smjesu (što sam ovdje navela u uputama).



~~~~~~~~~~ English version ~~~~~~~~~~

Upside down kumquat cranberry cake


I recently went to see some sites for potential new markets in the part of Queens called Flushing. For those of you who've never been, it's as you've been dropped in the middle of Asia. When you exit from the subway, the first thing you might think is that you missed your station and you've exited the middle of Shanghai or other big Asian city. People speak very little (if any) English, all the signs are written in Asian characters, and I think only there can you find fruits and veggies that you've never seen any place else and you have no idea how to prepare them. Unfortunately I did not have time to take pictures but would recommend anyone to take a stroll in this neighborhood. It's super fun! You don't need Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty when you have Asia, in the middle of New York City! Anyway, kumquat is not an unknown fruit but for some reason I don't find it that often in the stores (just like mandarin oranges!). For the same reason I didn't have them for a very long time. And as I walk around Flushing, I come across kumquat (AND mandarin oranges). Double points for me! While traveling home from Asia Minor, I was thinking what to make with kumquat and immediately a combination came to mind: kumquat and fresh cranberries! (I think the sparrows on a branch already know how much I love fresh cranberries and that I have a ton in the freezer).

Ingredients for the dough:
2 eggs
80 ml of coconut oil
1/4 brown sugar
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate


1 cup cut kumquat
1 cup fresh cranberries
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/4 maple syrup



Preparation:
1. Wash kumquat well, cut into circles and clean from pits. Cover the mold in which you're to bake the cake the with baking paper and put the cut kumquat over it (for your cake to look prettier when you flip it, arrange the cut slices facing sliced side down). Fill in the empty spaces in between with fresh cranberries (about a half of cup).
2. On a low heat melt the coconut oil and syrup and pour over fruit.
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs with sugar then add the oil, milk and dry ingredients, as well as the other half of cranberries.
4. Whisk well and pour over the fruit.
5. Bake at 350 F for half an hour to 40 minutes (depending on your oven).
6. Take it out and let cool. Flip it over on the plate and serve. 


Side note:
I think that nuts would give it an additional charm, so if you want you can add a handful of chopped walnuts. Also, I think the biscuit was just a touch too dry so next time I will add half a cup of fresh  cranberries directly to the mixture (which I added in the preparation part).


--
ae! 

02 January 2016

Ružice od jabuka | Apple roses

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E pa da prvi recept u ovoj godini bude sladak. Ovaj video prikazuje kako se rade ove ružice. Blesavo je koliko je jednostavno. Ako nemate mikrovalnu kao što je nemam ja, ubacite sjeckane jabuke na 3 minute u ključalu vodu. Ostalo je sve isto. Upotrebite bilo koji pekmez koji nađete u frižideru.


U 2016. godini želim vam puno zdravlja, ljubavi, sloge, pozitivnih i plemenitih misli!



~~~~~~~~~~~~ English version ~~~~~~~~~~~

Apple roses


This video shows how to make these roses. It's ridiculously easy. If you do not have a microwave like me, put the sliced apples in boiling water for 3 minutes. Everything else is all the same. Use any jam that you find in the fridge. That's it! 

 In 2016, I wish you health, love, harmony, lots of positivity and noble thoughts!

--
ae!