24 May 2012

Quick Focaccia with SR Flour



This is a very quick  way of making focaccia, as no yeast is used and therefore no time is needed for dough to rise......Traditional focaccia with yeast recipe

Ingredients:
400g self raising flour
250ml mineral water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp salt
extra olive oil, to brush
salt flakes / herbs, to sprinkle
Olives, cheese (optional)
Method:
Prehaet oven to 200*C. Prepare baking tin; grease it!
Mix all dry ingredients well. Add water and oil, fold in with a spreading knife. Transfer dough onto tin, shape a disc with your oiled hands. Sprinkle salt and herbs and bake for 20-25 min. Serve hot.





Instant Focaccia sa 'samodizajućim' tijestom


 Brza verzija fokace; bez kvasca i neophodnog vremena za dizanje tijesta....Tradicionalni recept sa kvascem (Traditional focaccia with yeast)



Potrebno:
400 gr 'samodizajuceg' brasna ( ili, na 1 solju obicnog brasna dodati 1,5 k praska za pecivo, prosijati)
2,5 dl mineralne (kisele) vode
3 K maslinovog ulja
1 k soli
jos maslinovog ulja za premazivanje
so / zacinsko bilje, za posuti
Masline, sir - po zelji
Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 200*C, pripremite tepsiju, nauljite je.
Pomijesajte sve suhe sastojke, zatim uspite vodu i ulje pa nozem za mazanje sjedinite masu. Istrasite je na tepsiju i oblikujte nauljenim rukama. Pospite so i bilje po povrsini i pecite 20 -25 min. Sluzite dok je jos vruce.

21 May 2012

Puff Pastry Twists


I always have Puff pastry in my freezer. It's so versatile and easy to make a quick snack with it...Just use a bit of your imagination, and a delicious, crunchy (savoury or sweet) finger food is on your table in no time.

Ingredients:
2 puff pastry sheets
1 egg white, beaten
grated Parmesan
poppy seeds
sesame seeds
Method:
Take pastry out of freezer. Switch oven to 200*C. Spray a baking sheet with oil.
When's pastry defrosted, brush one sheet with egg white, sprinkle with Parmesan. Put another sheet over it; press slightly with a rolling pin. Brush top side with egg white, sprinkle with poppy seeds. Use rolling pin to slightly press the seeds into pastry. Turn over, do the same with sesame seeds. 
Cut pastry into fingers. Twist each and place onto baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 5-8 min, or until slightly golden and crunchy. Serve while still warm. 


Uvrnuti štapići od lisnatog tijesta

Uvijek imam lisnato tijesto u zamrzivacu, jer je tako prakticno i lako za brzinsku pripremu (slane ili slatke) hrane. Uz malo maste, na vasem stolu je za cas gotov 'snack'.

Potrebno:
2 lista lisnatog tijesta
1 bjelance, lako umuceno
Parmezan, rendani
Mak
Sezam
Nacin:
Izvadite tijesto iz zamrzivaca. Ukljucite rernu na 200*C; pripremite veliku plitku tepsiju.
Kada se tijesto odmrzlo, jedan list premazite bjelancem i pospite Parmezanom. Preko njega prebacite drugi list i lagano oklagijom pritisnite povrsinu. Sada premazite vrh tijesta bjelancem i pospite makom. Utisnite sjeme oklagijom, zatim preokrenite tijesto i na drugu stranu nanesite sezam na isti nacin. 
Izrezite tijesto na trake, pa svaku uvijete oko svoje ose. Postavite na tepsiju i pecite 5-8 min, ili dok stapici ne postanu zlatno-zuti i hrskavi. Sluzite toplo.



18 May 2012

My First Giveaway...and My First Fondant


Dear all...I'm very happy today - 100 000 is a big number, and I'm celebrating with my first attempt at creating a fondant covered cake (recipe follows). 
But,  first things first,...let me tell you who are winners of my giveaway.
Since 30/04, when I announced giveaway, I got 115 entries. All your names where written on paper pieces, put in a hat and then winners pulled one by one.  Winners are following 3 ladies:
- Tamara -  What's for dessert? (Croatia)
- Jelena  - f o o d f o r t h o u g h t (Serbia)
Congratulations ladies; please send me your addresses to 
jasnavarcakovic@hotmail.com

Now, the recepies...
Fondant is made from marshmallows, following Nanny's recipe. Thanks Nanny for all the tips!
Cake is 'Coconut and Lemon Cake' that I have for long time (copied  from a library book, probably)

Ingredients: (for a 23 cm cake)
(I used only 1/2 of  recipe - for a small cake) 
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1/3 cup lemon curd (recipe)
2 tbs lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
3 cups cake flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk 
This is original recipe; I've cut the cake in half and filled with 1 cup of lemon curd! I decorated it with marshmallow fondant.


Dragi moji...Danas sam jako sretna - 100 000 je veliki broj, i ja  slavim uz moj prvi pokusaj kreiranja torte pokrivene fondantom (recept slijedi)
Ali, najprije da vas upoznam sa pobjednicima mog darivanja.
Od 30/04, kada sam objavila  nagradnu igru, dobila sam 115 ulaznica. Sva vasa imena su bila napisana na papirice, stavljena u sesir, zatim dobitnice izvucene jedna po jedna. Dobitnice su sljedece 3 dame:
- Tamara -   What's for dessert?  


Cestitke damama; molim da mi posaljete svoju adresu na 
jasnavarcakovic@hotmail.com

 A sad recepti...
Za fondant sam koristila recept od Nanny. Hvala Nanny!
Torta je 'Kokos i Limun Torta', recept koji vec dugo imam, a koji je vjerovatno kopiran iz neke posudjene knjige.

Sastojci: (za 23 cm obruc)
(ja sam koristila 1/2 smjese - za jedan mali kolac)
1 solja maslaca (250gr)
2 solje secera
5 vecih jaja
1/3 solje limun 'curd' (recept)
2 K soka limuna
ribana korica 2 limuna
3 solje brasna
1 K praska za pecivo
1/2 k soli
1 solja kokosa
2 k vanile
1 solja mlijeka
Ovo gore su originale mjere; ja sam kolac prerezala na pola i filovala sa 1 soljom limun'curd-a'. Dekorisano sa marshmalou fondantom.

....

15 May 2012

Smoked Hocks and Red Cabbage Stew


One of the top 3 favourites in my family...we all love it! 
Sauerkraut is often used instead of fresh cabbage. In that case, don't add salt and /or stock powder, as sauerkraut can be very salty.

Ingredients:
2-3 tbs oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, sliced
150 g speck (bacon), chopped
1 large or 2 small smoked pork hocks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8-10 black pepper corns (cracked)
1-2 bay leaves
1 small red cabbage, cut into wedges (white cabbage is OK)
1 can diced tomatoes
'Vegeta' or other vegetable/chicken stock powder
2-3 tbs white vinegar (only if using fresh cabbage)
peeled potatoes (optional)
water as needed
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Heat oil in a large  pan; sautee onion and bacon. Add carrots, garlic, hocks and spices. Mix then add all other ingredients, finishing with cabbage and canned tomato. Pour some water, bring to boil, then lower heat and cook for 2 hours. Check the taste, adjust it and serve with rice or mashed potatoes.




Crveni Kupus sa Dimljenom Potkoljenicom

Jedno od 3 najdraza jela u mojoj porodici...svi ga volimo! Ukoliko koristite kiseli kupus, ne dodavati so i Vegetu, prije nego probate ukus.

Potrebno:
2-3 K ulja
1 veci crveni luk, sjeckan
1 veca mrkva, oguljena i izrezana
150 gr mesnate slanine, cjeckane
1 veca ili 2 manje prasece dimljene potkoljenice
2 cena bijelog luks, protisnuta
8-10 zrna crnog bibera, napuknuta (pritisnuti ravnom stranicom noza)
1-2 lista lovora
1 manji crveni kupus, rezan na rebarca (moze i obicni bijeli)
1 konzerva paradajza, sjeckan
Vegeta (po potrebi)
2-3 K bijelog sirceta , samo ako koristite svjez kupus
nekoliko oguljenih krompira (po zelji)
voda po potrebi
so i biber, po potrebi
Nacin:
Zagrijte ulje u vecoj posudi, proprzite luk i slaninu. Ubacite mrkvu, bijeli luk, potkoljenice i ostale zacine. Promijesajte na vatri par minuta, zatim ubacite sve ostale sastojke; neka kupus i konzervirani paradajz budu zadnji. Zalijte sa malo vode, dovedite do vrenja i zatim krckajte oko 2 sata. Provjerite ukus i sluzite sa rizom ili pire-krompirom.




13 May 2012

Fudgy Peanut Butter Cake



Happy Mother's day to all!

Ingredients:
125 g butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 large ( or 2 small ) egg(s)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/5 cups SR flour
extra butter and flour for tin
Chocolate filling-
100 g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup roasted peanuts (unsalted), chopped
Method:
Preheat oven to 170*C, prepare a ring / bunt tin. Grease with butter and dust with flour.
Beat butter, sugar and egg, until light and creamy. Add peanut butter, sour cream; mix well. Sift flour and fold in.
Make filling- Melt chocolate, stir in condensed milk and nuts. Use while warm (easiest way is to form a sausage).  Spread 1/2 of cake mixture on bottom of tin, place fudge sausage on it, then cover with the rest of cake mixture. Bake for 45-50 min. Cool in tin for 15 min, then turn onto wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.
Slice when totally cool.



Kikiriki Maslac Kolač sa Čokoladnim Filom

Sretan Dan Majki svima!

Potrebno:
125 gr maslaca, omeksalog
1/3 solje secera
1/3 solje braon secera
1/3 solje kikiriki maslaca
1 vece (ili 2 manja) jaje(ta)
2/3 solje kiselog vrhnja
1,5 solja 'samodizajuceg' brasna
jos maslaca i brasna za kalup
Fil-
100 gr tamne cokolade
1/4 solje kondenzovanog  mlijeka
1/2 solje pecenog kikirikija, sjeckanog krupno
Nacin:
Zagrijte rernu na 170*C, pripremite 'kuglof' posudu. Namazite je maslacem i pospite brasnom.
Mutite maslac sa secerom i jajetom, dok ne postane pjenasto. Dodajte kikiriki maslac i vrhnje. Promijesajte dobro, pa ruco umijesajte prosijano brasno.
Napravite fil- Otopite cokokadu, dodajte kondenzovano mlijeko i kikiriki. Iskoristite fil dok je topao - najlakse je da oblikujete 'kobasicu'.
Ubacite pola smiksane smjese u kalup, postavite 'kobacicu' preko, zatim pokrijte drugom polovicom tijesta. Pecite 45-50 min. Izvadite ostavite 15-ak minuta da se prohladi, preokrenite na zicu za hladjenje i pospite secerom u prahu. Rezite kada je sasvim hladno.