Half-a-cheesecake Crumble Cake

This is a cake I usually do when summer begins, when the berries are at their best.

It is an interesting cake, it is made by three different layers with different consistencies: crumbly, soft and rich.

Perfect for afternoon breaks outdoors.

Ingredients:

for the base:

100 g butter

2 eggs

100g sugar

150 g flour

1 tsp baking powder

for the cheese layer:

500 g ricotta

2 eggs, separated

100 g cherries (cut in half, without the pit)

100 g rasperries

for the crumble:

50 g butter

75 g flour

75 g sugar

Prepare the crumble first: cut the butter into small cubes, add it to flour and sugar and work them all together with your fingers, as quicker as you can. Create crumbles and chill in the fridge.

Then prapare the cheese layer: whisk together ricotta and egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add them to the mixture. Set aside.

Finally prepare the base: beat together butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the flour sifted with baking powder.

Assemble the cake: but the base in a 20 cm cake tin, spread evenly, then add the ricotta mixture, arrange the cherries and rasperries over the cheese and cover all with the crumble.

Bake at 180° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let cool.

Ingredienti

per la base:

100 g burro

2 uova

100 g zucchero

150 g farina

1cucchiaino lievito

per lo strato di formaggio:

500 g ricotta

2 uova, tuorli e albumi separati

100 g ciliegie (denocciolate, tagliate a metà)

100 g lamponi

per il crumble:

50 g burro

75 g farina

75 g zucchero

Preparare prima il crumble, lavorando velocemente il burro (freddo) con farina e zucchero, con le dita, formando delle briciole. Tenere in frigo

Poi preparare lo strato di formaggio mescolando la ricotta con i tuorli e poi gli albumi montati a neve.

Infine preparare la base montando il burro con lo zucchero, unendo le uova uno alla volta. Aggiungere la farina setacciata con il lievito.

Per assemblare la torta mettere il composto della base sul fondo di una tortiera di 20 cm, distribuendolo bene, ricoprire con lo strato di ricotta, adagiarvi sopra le ciliege e i lamponi e coprire infine con il crumble.

Cuocere a 180° per 1 ora e 15 minuti.

Rose Water Madeleines

These are gorgeous. No need for many words.

They remain soft, chewy and rich for days.

Ingredients

5 eggs, separated

150 g butter, melted

100 g sugar

200 g flour

2 Tbsp rose water

Using an electric beater whip the whites until firm.

Whisk the yolks and the sugar until pale. 

Add the butter and stir until well mixed.

Add the egg whites, alternating with the flour, and rose water.

Put the mixture in a madeleine tin.

Bake at 180° for 11-12 minutes

Let cool.

Ingredienti:

5 uova, tuorli e albumi separati

150 g burro

100 g zucchero

200 g farina

2 cucchiai di acqua di rose

Montare a neve ferma gli albumi. Con le fruste elettriche sbattere tuorli e zucchero fino a quando non diventano chiari e aumentano di volume. Unire il burro fuso e mescolare bene. Aggiungere gli albumi, alternando con la farina, e l'acqua di rose.

Mettere il composto nell'apposita teglia da madeleines e cuocere a 180° per 11-12 minuti

Coconut Cake

My dad loves coconut cake, so I decided to make him a big and impressive one.

I used for the first time a fresh coconut. I grated the coconut in long and large flakes because I liked the effect they made and because they're crunchy to taste.

For the cake:

200 ml vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup cocoa powder

120 g greek yogurt

50 g grated, essiccated coconut 

For the filling:

150 ml cream

150 g dark chocolate

For the frosting:

350 ml cream

2 Tbsp icing sugar

1 fresh coconut, grated 

Prepare the filling: this is a simple ganache, so chop the chocolate into small pieces in a bowl. Heat the cream at almost boiling point and pour it onto the chocolate. Let melt for a minute, then mix well to obtain a shiny mix. Let cool. Once completely cooled, beat the mixture with an electric mixer until light, fluffy and weel-whipped.

Prepare the frosting: whip the cream and icing sugar antil stiff. Set aside in the fridge.

Prepare the cake: Whisk together oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time using an electric mixer, to obtain a fluffy mix.

Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder and add them to the liquid ingredients. Finally add the greek yogurt and the coconut.

Put the mixture in a 20 cm cake tin, lined with packment paper.

Bake at 180° for 40 minutes, or until a knife insert in the middle of the cake will come out clean.

Let cool completely

Cut the cake in half to get 2 layers. Spread the filling on the bottom layer and cover with the second one, pressing gently.

Cover the top and sides with whipped cream. Once evenly covered arrange the fresh coconut flakes all over the surface. 

Ingredienti: 200 ml olio di semi; 3/4 tazza zucchero; 6 uova grandi; 1 1/2 tazza farina; 1/2 cucchiaino lievito; 3/4 tazza cacao amaro; 120 g yogurt greco; 50 g cocco essiccato

Per la farcitura: 150 ml panna; 150 g cioccolato fondente

Per la copertura: 350 ml panna; 2 cucchiai di zucchero a velo; la polpa di 1 cocco fresco, grattugiata.

Preparazione della farcia: è una semplice ganache, quindi ridurre il cioccolato in piccoli pezzi e metterlo in una piccola scodella, scaldare la panna in un pentolino fino a quasi ebollizione, spengere il fuoco e versare la panna calda sul cioccolato. Lasciare sciogliere qualche minuto e poi mescolare bene in modo da ottenere un composto lucido ed uniforme, senza grumi. Lasciare raffreddare completamente e montare con delle fruste elettriche, finchè leggero e raddoppiato in volume.

Preparazione della copertura: mescolare panna e zucchero e montarli bene con le fruste elettriche. Conservare in frigo. Intanto grattugiare con a grattugia a fori larghi la polpa di cocco. 

Preparazione della torta: Mescolare olio e zucchero. Unire le uova, uno alla volta, aiutandosi con le fruste da cucina, che rendono il composto più leggero e montato. Setacciare bene farina, cacao e lievito e unirli al composto liquido di olio e uova. Mescolare bene e unire infine lo yogurt e il cocco essiccato.

Mettere il composto in una tortiera di 20 cm di diametro, ricoperta di carta forno e cuocere a 180° per 40 minuti, o finchè un coltello inserito nel centro ne uscirà pulito. Far raffreddare completamente.

Dividere la torta a metà per il senso della lunghezza. Spalmare sul disco di base la farcitura, coprire con il secondo disco, pressando leggermente. Ricoprire interamente la torta con la panna montata e decorare con la polpa di cocco grattugiata.

Pan di Ramerino

This is a traditional tuscan sweet bread from Prato. It means "rosemary bread".

It is slightly sweet with a mild rosemary flavour and raisins.

I added a touch of honey to enrich its taste.

I did not follow the traditional recipe to the letter, I added a bit of butter in the dough, which gives a moister texture and the bread lasts longer.

25 g fresh yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup warm milk

5 cups flour

50 g butter, melted

1 egg

50 g raisins

3 Tbsp honey

4 Tbsp olive oil

a sprig of rosemary

1 egg white

Melt the yeast in the warm milk, with a Tbsp sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes. The mixture will start to foam, this means that thr yeast is active.

In a large bowl put flour, remaining sugar, egg, butter, raisins and honey. Put the liquid mixture into the dried one and mix. Start to kneat the dough on a lightly floured surface for at least 5 minutes, or until it becomes elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

In a non-stick pan heat the olive oil and rosemary to low heat. Set aside and let cool.

Once cooled add the olive oil and rosemary (chopped) to the dough. Kneat until all is well incorporated.

Divide the dough into 8 balls, put them on a baking tray lined with packment paper and let rise again for 30 minutes, cover with a towel, always in a warm place.

Brush the surface of the breads with some egg white.

Bake at 200° for 15 minutes or until golden on the bottom. 

Teddy cookies

I get crazy when I see original cookies. Animal ones always catch my eye. These are extra cute.

I gave these as a gift to one of my friends, they're simple, but effective.

250 g flour

125 g butter, cold and cut into chunks

100 g sugar

1 egg

50 g almond, unpeeled

Put flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. Mix until you get a crumbly batter. Add the egg and mix.

Kneat the dough until smooth. Shape into a ball and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough and cut with a small Teddy cookie cutter.

Place the bears on a baking tray, put one almond each in the center of the bust, pressing gently. Fold the arms on the almond trying to secure it.

Bake at 160° for 10-12 minutes.

False Panna Cotta

This is my light version of panna cotta. I used to do this a lot  as a daily dessert. 

If you reach the right point of sweetness to cancel the yogurt acidity, it really taste like cream.

Vanilla bean scraped and heaten up into the milk will give a wonderful flavour, as well as a lovely dotty look. Sometimes I use Alpro soy milk to replace the bean and still have a vanilla-like taste.

170 g greek yogurt

150 ml milk

sugar to taste

3 gelatine leaves (6 g circa)

raspberries and rose water to garnish

Bring the milk to a slow boil, when bubbles appear turn off the heat and add the jelly. Let cool a bit.

Wisk the greek yogurt until smooth, add sugar to taste. Add the milk and wisk well. Put in the fridge until firm.

(Makes 2)

Lemon jam and strawberries tart

I'm starting to enjoy tarts, they always look cool.

I made this one with calm and patience, two things I never had around tarts.

Did it worth the effort?

for the pastry

200 g flour

75 g butter, room temperature

75 g icing sugar

2 egg yolks

2 Tbso warter

zest of 1/2 a lemon

for the filling:

100 g lemon jam

400 g 

2 Tbsp sugar

Prepare the pastry: in a food processor put butter, egg yolks and sugar. Mix and slowly add the water. Add the flour and the lemon zest. Bind the dough together and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry and cover a 24 cm tart tin, make a few holes on the bottom using a fork. Put back in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Line with packment paper and cover the surface with beans or rise. Bake at 190° for 15 minutes.

Take off the beans/rise and cook for further 10 minutes.

Spread evenly the jam on the base.

Wash and cut the strawberries lenghtwise, sugar them and put them onto the jam.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Let cool completely.