Spaghetti with Pesto Sauce: Today's quick and delicious lunch

 After I told my brother a long time ago that I want him to grow sweet basil for me, finally I got it in my backyard ^^.

Mini cornbreads with vegetables

It's a long time since I used this book ............................. . At that time I made Fig and white chocolate cookies and I told you that I will review this book when I have a chance to make something from a savory part of the book. And now the time has come ^^.

As you know about the author, she is award-winning organic baker, so the recipes in her book represent the same feeling, no fancy dessert can be found here.
My first impression for this book is "I like it ^^", there are a lot of photos (almost every recipes come with the photos of the finished product). Even I can bake from the cookbook that has no photos at all, I still love to see the photos esp. when the photos are beautiful, it's a bonus, and this book is in this category.  

 I think beautiful photo is one  reason for some people to buy this book without knowing about the background of the author.

The book start with the Biscuits, biscotti & bites chapter, here you will get 16 recipes of cookies from: ginger, oat and sultana, pecan and cranberry, chocolate chip, oat and raisin,  to biscotti : polenta with cherry and nut biscotti, fig with apricot and nut biscotti, then biscuits: white chocolate and fig, ginger and chilli, pineapple with coconut and lemon, spelt with chocolate and hazelnut, walnut shortbreads, hazelnut macaroons, gingerbread, easter egg, granola bars and florentines. Most of them are simple, very easy to make, and yes wholesome.

 The next chapter is sweet tarts, the first part of the chapter is a 3 kinds of base, sweet shortcrust, chocolate shortcrust, and sponge dough. 
A lot of the recipes in this chapter use fresh fruits that will be great when they are in season and I don't see any recipe that calls for frozen fruits. Popina recommend that we should buy the fruits from the farmer market when they are in season. The recipes with fruits are apple and plum tart, rhubarb custard and crumble tartlets, fig grape and fragipane tartlets, nectarine and summer berry tart, rustic plum tart and chocolate pear and hazelnut tart . The only three recipes which use the chocolate and nut are chocolate and pistachio tartles, pecan and bourbon tartlets and chocolate and chestnut tart. So, if you can find fresh fruits easily when they are in their season, this chapter will be great.

 And the book of baking can't be complete with this chapter: Cakes & muffins. But don't think that you will find any things fancy here, cake for Popina is simple too.
The very chocolate cake, Popina carrot cake, lemon loaf with white chocolate icing, and cranberry, cherry and vine fruit cake are all the cake that you can find here ^^, anyway the very chocolate cake looks very tempting for me and I really want to try it soon. She put the recipes for other kinds of sweet right here too, like stolen, chocolate and hazelnut strudel, poppyseed strudel and pumpkin and cinnamon filo strudel, I think because her style is not the sweet queen, but the wholesome and delicious treats from the nature. Like when we look at her muffin recipes, all three of them call for fresh fruit, summer fruit and white chocolate muffins, wholemeal spelt, carrot apple and pumpkin seed muffins and the last one cranberry, orange and pistachio muffin (this is the only recipe that I see the frozen word, haha, for the frozen cranberry). The last part of this chapter devotes to brownies recipe, I think she really love chocolate too ^^, chocolate truffle brownies, cherry chocolate truffle brownies, double orange truffle brownies and the last one white chocolate and coffee truffle brownies.
So for 15 recipes in this chapter, I fall in love with the chocolate parts, haha.

Next chapter, Savory straws & bites. This chapter is very short, but it packed with a lot of interesting recipes, like Gouda and hazelnut bites, Stilton and celery bites, Cheshire and apple straws, Spinach and chilli straws, Parmesan and seed crackers, Cheddar and chive crackers, Simple spelt and oat crackers and beetroot, fennel and apple chutney, they seen to be great for entertaining event. The 2 recipe for savory muffins, spinach, garlic and nutmeg muffin and feta and tomato muffins looks very delicious, I think they show her own style, they have to contains fresh product like vegetables and cheese.

The last chapter, Savory tarts, I like this part the most ^^, all the recipes look great and mouth watering.

The chapter starts with 3 kinds of base that you will need to know before making any kinds of tart here, there are shortcrust, pizza dough and spelt pizza dough.

Then a lot of recipe like Butternut squash and parmesan tart, Goats' cheese, tomato and basil tart, Aubergine, red pepper and tomato tart, Pepper, pecorino and thyme tartlets, Honey-roast parsnip, carrot and shallot tart, Port-poached pear, celeriac, Stilton and walnut tartlets, Mushroom tart, roast potato and Spring onion tartlets, Spinach, feta and tomato quiche, Leek and mature chedder mini quiches, Courgette and fennel tart, Cheese burek, Spinach and cheese burek, Smokey vegetable, butter bean and paprika filo strudels, Little margherrita pizzas with olives, Rustic focaccia with red pepper and onion and Mini cornbread with vegetables. 

I love this part for the combination that she creates, all of them seen to be great.


Anyway, there are no chapter like equipment or ingredients suggestion as many cookbooks do, but I think it's not a problem at all because most of her recipes are easy and straight forward, you don't need anything much to follow and create her recipe, the most important thing is the fresh ingredients that the recipe calls for.
I like the way she say in the sweet tarts chapter that all of her recipes are only the suggestion, after reading and having the basic knowledge we can create the recipe that suits our taste and become our own "Masterpiece", read and create sound very good to me, haha.


So for me this book is quite good, like a break from the world of sugar ^^, because she gives a lot of savory recipes to choose from. I think that many people have the same problem, when you make a lot of cakes, cookies or anything sweet, no matter how delicious they are, your family member still need a rest from them. And what will I do, I don't stop baking (haha, I really love to bake you can be sure), but I switch to the other part of baking, like making bread or savory treats that anyone can enjoy it as a  breakfast or lunch.
Like this time I choose to make this mini cornbread. It's delicious and very flavorsome, the way of resting the batter before baking really helps to make the cornbread softer (when eating it you don't feel the grainy texture of the cornmeal). 
Anyway I have a suggestion that if you have tartet tin with removable bottom use them in this recipe, because the cornbread that I use the silicone muffin tin is more soggy than the one in tartlet tin (but if you only have the muffin tin, you can use it but when taking the cornbread out of the tin, you have to be more careful because the moister make the bread more fragile). 
So after a long text, now I will let you go into the kitchen to enjoy this mini cornbread and yes, we don't have to stop baking, just switch to the savory part, that's all, ^^.

Mini cornbread with vegetables 

Makes 8

1 ....................................... egg,  separated

260ml ............................. skimmed milk

200ml ............................. vegetable oil

120g ................................ strong flour (bread flour)

160g ................................ polenta (fine yellow cornmeal)

1tsp ................................. baking powder

1tsp ................................. salt

1 ....................................... large red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced

9 ....................................... cherry tomatoes, quartered 

.......................................... freshly ground black pepper

Put the egg yolk, milk, oil, flour, polenta, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk well until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the polenta to soak up the liquid. this makes for better cornbread.


Preheat the oven to 200 °C
Brush the 8x9cm loose-based fluted tartlet tins, or 8 Texas muffin tins with butter.

Remove the cornbread batter from the fridge. Put the egg white in a separate, grease-free bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks, then fold it gently into the batter. Spoon the batter into the tartlet tins almost to the top and scatter the pepper and tomato on top, sprinkle with black pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before serving warm. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Mini cornbreads with vegetables and 

Review of Popina Book of Baking

Chicken Farm Baker's Project 22: In love with Bagels, Bagel Burgers with caramelized onion.

The time for the Chicken Farm Baker Project again, this month Jib, want all of us to play with the bagel, by baking it and turn it into something delicious, ^ ^.

I made the bagel before, but the first time was not impressive, my first bagel was too chewy, a bit hard and very dense, after that I don't want to make it again, -*-. So, when I know that I have to make the bagel for this month project, I feel nervous, haha, and I think that I want to make it better this time.
I choose the recipe from the book and adapt it to make it softer by adding some of the water and honey. And, yes!, this time my bagel is still chewy but not too much, and softer, most of all it makes me feel a lot better with homemade bagel, ^ ^.
I think about what I want to turn my bagel into, luckily I have a hamburger in the fridge (I made it a week ago, ^ ^, then freeze it, it's a fast dinner, haha), so, when I got both delicious bread (My Bagel, wow) and delicious hamburger patties, the best thing that they should turn it to is the Bagel burgers.
I split the bagel in half, toast it a bit then pile up with rocket, caramelized onion, tomato, then squeeze the Dijon mustard on top and finish my delicious creation with the hamburger patty and cheese.
The chewy bread make the eating this burger more delicious, I suggest serving this yummy burger with cold beer or if you like I having mine with the Barcardi, ^ ^.

Bagel Burger with caramelized onion

Makes 4

Plain bagel


250g ............................. Bread flour
1tsp .............................. Instant yeast
½ tsp ........................... Salt
15g ................................ Sugar
1 tbsp ........................... Honey
150ml ........................... Water


-Water for boiling
2 litre ........................... Water
2tbsp ........................... Honey


..................................... Egg white for brushing 


Hamburger 
(makes 4)


300g ........................... Minced meat
½ ................................ Onion, finely chopped
30g ............................. Butter
15g .............................. Bread crumb
2tbsp .......................... Milk
1 .................................. Egg
½ tsp ......................... Salt
..................................... Pepper, nutmeg 
..................................... Oil for frying

Caramelized onion


2tbsps .......................... Oil
½ cup .......................... Red onion, finely sliced
1..................................... Onion, chopped
8tbsp ............................ Balsamic vinegar
1½ tbsp ....................... Light brown sugar
....................................... Salt, to taste


....................................... Rocket, tomato and Dijon mustard, for serving
....................................... Cheese, sliced


First make the bagel:

Mix the water and the honey together.

Put the bread flour and salt in a bowl, whisk to combine, add the sugar and yeast. Pour the water mixture into the bowl.

Use large spoon (or pastry scraper) to mix everything together, and knead briefly to bring all the ingredients together.

Take the dough out of the bowl and knead.

Knead by using the heel of your hands to compress and push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself (see the picture here). Until all the dough are moisten.

Give the dough a little turn and repeat. Put the weight of your body into the motion and get into a rhythm. Keep folding over and compressing the dough.

Knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is soft, pliable, smooth and slightly shiny, almost satiny, the dough will stop sticking to your hand.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel  or cover with the plastic bag and leave the dough to prove for about 10 minutes.

Prepare the baking sheet by lining with the baking paper or silpat (Note: the bagel quite sticky).

Gently press down the dough and cut the dough into 4 pieces, let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle. Fold the dough and roll into a small cylinder.

Roll the cylinder into 20 cm long.
Press one end of the dough, join the ends and place fingers through the hole and roll the ends together. Place on a lightly greased surface, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest until risen but not doubled in a draft-free spot, 20 to 30 minutes.

In a medium, heavy pot, bring 2 cups of water and the honey to a boil. In batches, add the bagels to the water and boil, turning, for 15 seconds. Flip bagels onto the prepared sheet pan. 
Brush the bagel with egg white.
Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.


Make the hamburger:

Note: in the picture I make 2 batches of the hamburger.


Heat 15g of the butter in the frying pan, add the chopped onion into the pan, and sweat over low heat until soft but not colored.

In a bowl, mix the ground meat, egg, bread crumb, onion, and milk, then season with salt pepper and nutmeg.

Form into hamburger patties.

Put the rest of the butter in the pan. Place patties on the pan, and cook 5 minutes per side, or until well done.

Make the caramelized onion:

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the onions and sweat over a low heat until soft but not colored.
Turn up the heat and allow the onions to become caramelized and start to brown. Add the vinegar and the sugar, stir gently and continue to cook over a medium heat, so that the vinegar begins to reduce.
Let the mixture boil until the vinegar has become thick and sticky and coats the onion.




Make the Bagel Burger:

Slice the bagel and toast for 5 minutes, (or more ^ ^).
Place the rocket, caramelized onion, sliced tomatoes and brush (or squeeze) the mustard on top. Finish with the hamburger and cheese and top with the bread.


Serve warm with everything you like, for me I serve my with a bottle of Bacardi Breezer , haha.

Chicken Farm Baker's Project 22: In love with Bagels, Bagel Burgers!

CHESTNUT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE TARTLET

Before cutting it, it's look a lot like lemon tart, but taste like Japanese sweet. Ok, it’s not a kitchen disaster because it’s still good (too sweet for me but for other people they said it's fine) but when I imagine about it I forget that the chocolate topping has an egg yolk, so after adding the yolk, I got this color. It’s starting from my need to try the recipe from this book: ...................... and while I read the chestnut and chocolate tartlet recipe, my sister (who love to eat white chocolate very much) told me if I can change the topping, she willing to be the taster. Oh, yes I reply without thinking of anything else, lucky me that the taste still good but if making it again I wish I cut the chocolate amount down by half, to make it less sweet. So, if you want to make the tart with Dark chocolate, just replace the same amount of the white chocolate, and I think your tart will look far more beautiful than mine.

The sweet pastry is a lot, now I have 3-(18 cm) tart shell in my freezer (but the pastry is easy and delicious, thank you Rose) unlike other kind of pastry this can be roll after making it because it’s not a pâte sucrée, it’s pasta frolla from Italian recipe, it’s very easy to work with too.

SWEET PASTRY

Enough for 2 x 28cm (11 inch) tart cases (crusts)

500g (3¼ cups)	all-purpose flour
120g (generous ⅔cup)	caster sugar
320g (scant 1¼ cups)	unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing
	pinch of salt
1	egg
2	egg yolks
1 teaspoon	natural vanilla extract

Using a food processor, process the flour, sugar, butter and salt for about 10-12 seconds until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then put the mixture in a bowl.

If making by hand, put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, cut the butter into pieces and work it into the flour with your fingertips.

Make a well in the middle of the flour- and-butter mixture and add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Stir to incorporate the flour evenly until you have to begin using your hand.

Bring the dry and wet ingredients together. Dust work surface with flour, remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on the floured surface for a few minutes until it is smooth and homogeneous.

It is now ready to be rolled. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4 inch).

Carefully lift it up with the rolling pin, and ease it into the tart tin.

I make 8 tartlets (to use in this recipe) with half of the pastry and 3-(18 cm) tart shell with other half. You have to chill the tart cases for at least 30 minutes before baking

CHESTNUT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE TARTLET

Serves 8

For the chestnut filling

8	Tartlet Cases
150g (2/3 cup)	cream cheese
500g (1 pound 2 ounces)	sweetened chestnut purée
2	eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon	brandy or whisky

For the chocolate cream

180g (6½ ounces)	roughly chopped white chocolate
185 ml (scant 3/4 cup)	single (light) cream
1	egg yolk, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4

Bake blind the pastry for about 20 minutes until the pastry is just turning golden. Remove and keep the oven switched on.

In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and chestnut purée. Add the eggs and brandy or whisky.

Fill the tartlet cases with the mixture and bake until just set about 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate cream. Put the chocolate and cream in a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted.

Remove from the heat and immediately beat in the egg yolk.

When the tartlets have cooled, remove them from their tins and spread the chocolate cream over the chestnut filling.

Adaptation from: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery

Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery

by Rose Carrarini

Rose bakery is famous for simple and healthy foods. So after I read the synopsis of the book, I think this had to be good book. Because I also believe in having a good for everyday and good food not mean expensive one but the food that good to your body and fulfill you feeling.

Overall the book is filled with lovely pictures and Rose’s famous recipes. But after I read the book I love it more. Because Rose’s motto is “Life is improved by great food and great food can be achieved by everyone.” So she shows it in her food and in the way to preparing them, she really cares about the food, I like the way she approach her foods. She uses as much organic and locally produces as possible, but still uses import products if they’re better and not too far. She uses less sugar in many recipes for health purpose without sacrificing the flavor.

I have to admit that I start baking because I can’t find cake and cookies that not too sweet for me (you will find that I always reduce the sugar contain in the recipe and it become my nature). Sweetness is not the only flavor that you want. This book is for someone who likes to enjoy natural and refreshing food (light meal) cake, and cookies.

Recipe Update 7 December 2007: CHESTNUT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE TARTLET

To read in Thai Click Breakfast, Lunch, Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose bakery