Pastries
Alfajores
Ingredients
Cornstarch -- 1 cup
Flour -- 1 cup
Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon
Unsalted butter -- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)
Sugar -- 3/4 cup
Egg yolks -- 2
Dulce de leche -- 1 cup
Direction:
1.) Sift the cornstarch, flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. In a mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, beating until they are incorporated.
2.)Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, allowing each batch to become incorporated before adding the next.
3.) Form the dough into a disc without handling it too much. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4.)Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 40 2-inch rounds, and carefully place the rounds on two lightly greased cookie sheets.
5.) Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, but not so long that they begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
6.) Spread about 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche on the flat half of a cookie and cover it with the flat half of another cookie to form a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies. If desired, sprinkle the finished cookies with powdered sugar.
Cornstarch -- 1 cup
Flour -- 1 cup
Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon
Unsalted butter -- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)
Sugar -- 3/4 cup
Egg yolks -- 2
Dulce de leche -- 1 cup
Direction:
1.) Sift the cornstarch, flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. In a mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, beating until they are incorporated.
2.)Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, allowing each batch to become incorporated before adding the next.
3.) Form the dough into a disc without handling it too much. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4.)Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 40 2-inch rounds, and carefully place the rounds on two lightly greased cookie sheets.
5.) Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, but not so long that they begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
6.) Spread about 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche on the flat half of a cookie and cover it with the flat half of another cookie to form a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies. If desired, sprinkle the finished cookies with powdered sugar.
Apfelmus
Ingredients
Apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks -- 3 or 4 pounds
Water -- 1 cup
Sugar -- 3/4 cup, or to taste
Lemon, juice only -- 1
Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt -- 1/4 teaspoon
Direction:
1.) Add all the ingredients to a large, non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples just begin to fall apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
2.) Remove from heat and put through a food mill for smooth applesauce, or mash with a potato masher for chunky applesauce. Adjust sweetness by adding more sugar if you like.
3.) Serve hot or cold. Freezes well.
Apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks -- 3 or 4 pounds
Water -- 1 cup
Sugar -- 3/4 cup, or to taste
Lemon, juice only -- 1
Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt -- 1/4 teaspoon
Direction:
1.) Add all the ingredients to a large, non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples just begin to fall apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
2.) Remove from heat and put through a food mill for smooth applesauce, or mash with a potato masher for chunky applesauce. Adjust sweetness by adding more sugar if you like.
3.) Serve hot or cold. Freezes well.
Apple CAKE!
Ingredients
Butter, softened -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- 1 cup
Egg, lightly beaten -- 1
Flour -- 1 cup
Baking soda -- 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon -- 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg -- 1/2 teaspoon
Apples, peeled, cored and chopped -- 2
Walnuts (optional), lightly chopped -- 1/2 cup
Direction:
1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the butter and sugar to an electric mixer and cream well until fluffy. Add the egg and beat to incorporate.
2.) In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then, with the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the apples and nuts by hand.
3.) Pour the batter into a buttered 9-inch cake pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove to a rack and cool before cutting. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Butter, softened -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- 1 cup
Egg, lightly beaten -- 1
Flour -- 1 cup
Baking soda -- 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon -- 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg -- 1/2 teaspoon
Apples, peeled, cored and chopped -- 2
Walnuts (optional), lightly chopped -- 1/2 cup
Direction:
1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the butter and sugar to an electric mixer and cream well until fluffy. Add the egg and beat to incorporate.
2.) In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then, with the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the apples and nuts by hand.
3.) Pour the batter into a buttered 9-inch cake pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove to a rack and cool before cutting. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Baklava
Ingredients
Pastry
Phyllo dough -- 20 sheets (1/2 of a 1-pound package)
Melted unsalted butter -- 1 cup
Walnuts, pistachios or almonds, finely chopped -- 3 cups (1 1/2 pounds)
Sugar -- 1/4 cup
Ground cinnamon -- 2 teaspoons
Ground cloves -- 1/4 teaspoon
Syrup
Sugar -- 1 1/2 cups
Water -- 1/1/2 cups
Honey -- 1/2 cup
Lemon juice -- 2 teaspoons
Direction:
1.) Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush a 13x9-inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Lay 9 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the pan, brushing each with the melted butter before laying down the next.
2.) Mix the nuts sugar, cinnamon and cloves together in a bowl and spread half the mixture evenly over the phyllo. Lay two sheets of phyllo over the nuts, brushing each with butter. Then spread the remaining 9 sheets of phyllo over the second layer of nuts, brushing each sheet with the butter.
3.) Trim the phyllo to fit the pan and use a sharp knife to cut into even diamond or square shapes. Sprinkle the top of the baklava lightly with water.
4.) Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil if the top starts turning too brown.
5.) While the baklava bakes, mix the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat and cool.
6.) When the baklava comes out of the oven, recut it with a sharp knife. Gently spoon the syrup evenly over the baklava, taking particular care to get it in between the cut edges. Let the baklava set for several hours to soak up the syrup before serving. Cover loosely to store.
Pastry
Phyllo dough -- 20 sheets (1/2 of a 1-pound package)
Melted unsalted butter -- 1 cup
Walnuts, pistachios or almonds, finely chopped -- 3 cups (1 1/2 pounds)
Sugar -- 1/4 cup
Ground cinnamon -- 2 teaspoons
Ground cloves -- 1/4 teaspoon
Syrup
Sugar -- 1 1/2 cups
Water -- 1/1/2 cups
Honey -- 1/2 cup
Lemon juice -- 2 teaspoons
Direction:
1.) Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush a 13x9-inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Lay 9 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the pan, brushing each with the melted butter before laying down the next.
2.) Mix the nuts sugar, cinnamon and cloves together in a bowl and spread half the mixture evenly over the phyllo. Lay two sheets of phyllo over the nuts, brushing each with butter. Then spread the remaining 9 sheets of phyllo over the second layer of nuts, brushing each sheet with the butter.
3.) Trim the phyllo to fit the pan and use a sharp knife to cut into even diamond or square shapes. Sprinkle the top of the baklava lightly with water.
4.) Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil if the top starts turning too brown.
5.) While the baklava bakes, mix the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat and cool.
6.) When the baklava comes out of the oven, recut it with a sharp knife. Gently spoon the syrup evenly over the baklava, taking particular care to get it in between the cut edges. Let the baklava set for several hours to soak up the syrup before serving. Cover loosely to store.
Bärkräm
Ingredients
Water -- 3 cups
Sugar -- 1 cup
Berries, any type, cleaned and trimmed -- 4 cups
Cornstarch -- 1/4 cup
Water -- 3 tablespoons
Direction:
1.) Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the berries and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they begin to break down. Add extra sugar to taste as needed.
2.) Stir the cornstarch into the 3 tablespoons of cold water, and then whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering berries to thicken it into a loose, pudding-like consistency. (Keep in mind, the berries will thicken even more as they cool. You might not need all of the slurry. Then again you might need more. It depends on the berries.)
3.) Remove from heat and pour the berries into a large bowl or individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill well.
4.) Serve topped with a little cream or with a dollop of whipped cream.
Water -- 3 cups
Sugar -- 1 cup
Berries, any type, cleaned and trimmed -- 4 cups
Cornstarch -- 1/4 cup
Water -- 3 tablespoons
Direction:
1.) Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the berries and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they begin to break down. Add extra sugar to taste as needed.
2.) Stir the cornstarch into the 3 tablespoons of cold water, and then whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering berries to thicken it into a loose, pudding-like consistency. (Keep in mind, the berries will thicken even more as they cool. You might not need all of the slurry. Then again you might need more. It depends on the berries.)
3.) Remove from heat and pour the berries into a large bowl or individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill well.
4.) Serve topped with a little cream or with a dollop of whipped cream.