ΨΩΜΑΚΙ ΒΡΩΜΗΣ ΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΑΛΕΣΗΣ ΜΕ ΦΟΥΝΤΟΥΚΙΑ, ΚΟΛΟΚΥΘΟΣΠΟΡΟ, & ΣΠΟΡΑΚΙΑ ΤΣΙΑ

March 3, 2021

New month - new bread obsession… whole grain oats breakfast bread w/ hazelnuts, pumpkin, and chia seeds - matured overnight for 12 hours to develop its full flavour and aromas #Quakergreece

—

Καινούριος μήνας και αρχίζει με νέα αγαπημένη συνταγή για θρεπτικό ψωμάκι βρώμης! με βρώμη ολικής άλεσης QUAKER, φρεσκο-καβουρδισμένα φουντούκια, κολοκυθόσπορο και σποράκια τσία - ωριμασμένο για 12 ώρες για να απελευθερώσει όλα τα αρώματα και τη πλούσια γεύση του. #Quakergreece

WHOLE OATS BREAKFAST BREAD W/ HAZELNUTS, PUMPKIN & CHIA SEEDS

INGREDIENTS

500 g QUAKER wholegrain rolled oats
650 ml + 50 ml lukewarm water
7 g dry yeast
10 g sea-salt
80 g pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
60 g oven roasted hazelnuts
35 g chia seeds

EXECUTION

Let the yeast bloom in a few ml (50 ml approximately) of lukewarm water for a few minutes until it froths up.

In a blender, process the wholegrain oats to a fine powder and add the sea salt.

Add the bloomed yeast, the rest of the water, the hazelnuts and seeds and mix well to an homogenous dough. Transfer it to a rectangular baking tin lined with some baking paper. Cover the bread with a piece of plastic foil and let it mature at a warm spot overnight for about 12 hours. Bake it the next day in preheated oven at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. When ready remove it from the tin and let it cool completely before you slice it.

Oat breads tend to retain a high percentage of moisture even after baking. If you like more crunch to your bread, toast the oat bread slices lightly in a pan oven medium fire until golden brown.

TIP: Enjoy it with fresh thyme honey, tahini paste, or hazelnut praline.

Alexandra

— ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ —

ΨΩΜΑΚΙ ΒΡΩΜΗΣ ΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΑΛΕΣΗΣ ΜΕ ΦΟΥΝΤΟΥΚΙΑ, ΚΟΛΟΚΥΘΟΣΠΟΡΟ, & ΣΠΟΡΑΚΙΑ ΤΣΙΑ

ΥΛΙΚΑ

500 γρ νιφάδες βρώμης ολικής άλεσης QUAKER
650 ml + 50 ml χλιαρό νερό
7 γρ ξηρή μαγιά
10 γρ θαλασσινό αλάτι
80 γρ κολοκυθόσπορος, ελαφρά ψημένος
60 γρ φουντούκια, ελαφρώς καβουρδισμένα στο φούρνο
35 γρ σπόρους τσία

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ

Διαλύουμε τη μαγιά σε λίγο χλιαρό νερό (50 ml περίπου) και την αφήνουμε για λίγα λεπτά μέχρι να αφρίσει.

Με τη βοήθεια μίξερ, μετατρέπουμε τις νιφάδες βρώμης ολικής άλεσης QUAKER σε λεπτή σκόνη. Προσθέτουμε το αλάτι και ανακατεύουμε καλά. Μεταφέρουμε το αλεύρι βρώμης με το αλάτι σε ένα μπωλ, και προσθέτουμε τη μαγιά, το υπόλοιπο νερό, τα φουντούκια, τον κολοκυθόσπορο και τους σπόρους τσία. Ανακατεύουμε καλα μέχρι να ομογενοποιηθούν όλα τα υλικά. Μεταφέρουμε τη ζύμη σε μια μακρόστενη φόρμα ψησίματος που την έχουμε επενδύσει με χαρτί ψησίματος.

Καλύπτουμε το ψωμί με ένα κομμάτι πλαστικής διαφάνειας και το αφήνουμε να ωριμάσει σε ζεστό μέρος για μια νύχτα – περίπου 12 ώρες.

Ψήνουμε σε προθερμασμένο φούρνο στους 180°C για 40-45 λεπτά. Όταν είναι έτοιμο, το βγάζουμε απο τη φόρμα και το αφήνουμε να κρυώσει τελείως πριν το κόψουμε.

Τα ψωμάκια βρώμης τείνουν να κρατάνε αρκετή υγρασία ακόμα και μετά το ψήσιμο. Άν προτιμάτε το ψωμί σας πιο τραγανό, φρυγανίστε τη φέτα για λίγα λεπτά στη τοστιέρα ή σε ένα τηγανάκι μέχρι να ροδίσει.

Απολαύστε το με θυμαρίσιο μέλι, ταχίνι ή πραλίνα φουντουκιού.

Αλεξάνδρα

OAT CHOCOLATE PANCAKES // PANCAKES ΒΡΩΜΗΣ ΜΕ ΣΟΚΟΛΑΤΑ

February 12, 2021

The perfect breakfast in bed is with nutritious oat pancakes made with the the QUAKER wholegrain rolled oats and with the QUAKER crunchy bites with milk chocolate! Hazelnut praline, banana slices and freshly roasted almonds ... #Quakergreece

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Το τέλειο πρωινό στο κρεβάτι είναι με θρεπτικά pancakes από νιφάδες βρώμης ολικής άλεσης QUAKER και τραγανές μπουκιές με σοκολάτα γάλακτος QUAKER! Πραλίνα φουντουκιού, ροδελίτσες μπανάνα και φρεσκο-καβουρδισμένα αμύγδαλα ... #Quakergreece

OAT CHOCOLATE PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS (4-6 medium-sized pancakes)

120 g QUAKER wholegrain rolled oats
130 ml oat or rice milk
1 egg - approximately 50 g (room temperature)
1 tablespoon (TBSP) good quality butter
1 TBSP maple or carob syrup
½ teaspoon (tsp) baking powder
¼ tsp sea-salt
¼ tsp cinnamon powder

Hazelnut praline
1 banana, thinly sliced
QUAKER crunchy bites with milk chocolate

EXECUTION

Blend the QUAKER wholegrain rolled oats – in a food processor or blender - until you get a thin powder. Add the baking powder, sea-salt and cinnamon. Blend well.

Melt the butter and add it to the oat (or rice) milk. Add the egg and stir well – using a whisk.

In a mixing bowl, combine the wet with the dry ingredients, mix well and let the mix rest for 10 minutes, until the oats are hydrated. If left for longer, the mix might turn too stiff. In that case add a small quantity of milk and stir well until the desired consistency.

Preheat a pan, over medium fire, grease it with some butter and add 2 tablespoons of the pancake batter. Bake on the one side until the pancake is set and turn it over. Bake on the other side for a few more minutes until golden brown. Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter.

Serve the pancakes warm with some hazelnut praline, thinly sliced banana, freshly roasted almonds and QUAKER crispy bites with milk chocolate. Optional: add some maple or carob syrup on top.

x

Alexandra

— ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ —

PANCAKES ΒΡΩΜΗΣ ΜΕ ΣΟΚΟΛΑΤΑ

ΥΛΙΚΑ (4-6 pancakes ανά μερίδα)

120 γρ νιφάδες βρώμης ολικής άλεσης QUAKER
130 ml γάλα βρώμης ή γάλα ριζιού
1 αυγό - περίπου 50 γρ (σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου)
1 κουταλιά της σούπας (TBSP) καλής ποιότητας βούτυρο
1 TBSP σιρόπι σφενδάμου ή χαρουπόμελο
½ κουταλάκι του γλυκού (tsp) baking powder
¼ tsp αλάτι
¼ tsp κανέλα σε σκόνη

πραλίνα φουντουκιού
1 μπανάνα κομμένη σε λεπτές ροδέλες
τραγανές μπουκιές βρώμης QUAKER με σοκολάτα γάλακτος

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ

Μεταφέρω τις νιφάδες βρώμης ολικής άλεσης QUAKER σε ενα μίξερ ή blender, και τις μετατρέπω σε λεπτή σκόνη. Προσθέτω το baking powder, το αλάτι και τη κανέλα και ανακατεύω καλα.

Λιώνω το βούτυρο και το προσθέτω στο γάλα βρώμης. Προσθέτω το αυγό και ανακατεύω καλα με ένα σύρμα.

Σε ένα μπωλ, συνδιάζω τα στερεα με τα υγρά υλικά, ανακατεύω καλα και αφήνω το μείγμα να ξεκουραστεί για 10 λεπτά μέχρι να ενυδατωθεί η βρώμη. Αν το αφήσω παραπάνω θα σφήξει αρκέτα. Στην περιπτωση αυτη, προσθέτω λίγο γάλα παραπάνω και ανακατευω μέχρι να γίνει λίγο πιο αραιό.

Προθερμαίνω ένα τηγάνι σε μέτρια φωτία και το αλείφω με λίγο βούτυρο. Προσθέτω 2 κουταλιές της σούπας από το μέιγμα και ψήνω για λίγα λεπτά απο τη μια μερία μέχρι να γίνει συμπαγές το pancake και να μπορώ να το γυρίσω. Ψήνω και από την άλλη μεριά μέχρι να ροδίσει. Επαναλαμβάνω τη διαδικασία με το υπόλοιπο μείγμα.

Σερβίρω με πραλίνα φουντουκιού, ροδέλες μπανάνας, φρεσκο-καβουρδισμένα αμύγδαλα και τραγανές μπουκιές βρώμης QUAKER με σοκολάτα γάλακτος. Προαιρετικά περιχύνω τα pancakes με σιρόπι σφενδάμου ή χαρουπόμελο.

Καλή απόλαυση!

x

Αλεξάνδρα

ROSEBUD INFUSED CHOCOLATE MOUSSE W/ FEUR DE SEL

December 25, 2020

Silky delicate full body chocolate mousse with a subtile undertone of rose petals. Spiced up with some fleur de sel to intensify and highlight the flavours. Inspired + adjusted by Dominique Ansel’s Masterclass on chocolate mousse cake.

This recipe makes 6 small cakes of about 7.5 cm Ø

The chocolate mousse cakes consist of:

a soft almond chocolate ‘biscuit’ base,
a rosebud infused chocolate mousse body and
a chocolate mirror glaze.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Make the chocolate biscuit and the mirror glaze one day in advance. The biscuit is better to rest overnight at room temperature before you use it and you will not have to wait too long for the glaze to cool when you need to use it.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE 'BISCUIT’
50 g oven-roasted almonds
5 g (½ tablespoon) confectioners sugar
80 g egg whites (2-3 eggs)
63 g granulated white sugar, extra fine
15 g cake flour
15 g cocoa powder
a pinch of salt (‘fleur de sel’)

CHOCOLATE MIRROR GLAZE
100g sugar
73 g heavy cream (alternative: oat heavy cream)
5 g (2 teaspoons) powder gelatin, powdered - hydrate it with 28 g cold water
73 g water, room temperature
35 g cocoa powder

ROSEBUD INFUSED CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (makes x 6)
185 g semi sweet chocolate 70%
185 ml oat milk
270 ml heavy cream (alternative: oat heavy cream)
1 + 1/2 leaf gelatine
6 g dried rosebuds, stems removed
a pinch of salt

ONE DAY IN ADVANCE (DAY 0)

PREPARATION: ALMOND CHOCOLATE 'BISCUIT’

Preheat your oven at 150°C fan function - or 170°C conventional.
In a food processor, chop the oven-roasted almonds for 10-15 seconds. Add the confectioners sugar and continue to blend them for a few more seconds until you get a fine powder. Don’t blend them for any longer because the powder will start turning to paste.
Transfer in a mixing bowl and sieve in the cocoa powder and the cake flour. Stir well - using a spatula - and set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites for a few seconds and until foamy and white. Then gradually add the fine granulated sugar and continue beating at medium-high speed for a few more seconds (at least 30) until all the sugar is dissolved, the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks have formed.

NOTE: I opt for fine sugar because it dissolves easily and faster in the egg whites. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can pulse granulated sugar for a few seconds in the food processor to make it finer.

When your meringue is ready, sieve in ⅓ of the almond-cocoa-flour mix and fold it carefully - using a spatula - with round movements to avoid deflating the meringue. Then continue with the rest of the dry ingredients and fold them in the meringue until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Lay a baking paper (or baking mat) on a baking tray and evenly spread the dough forming a rectangular of approximately 15 cm x 22 cm and 0.5 cm thickness.
Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 min depending on the intensity of your oven. It will be ready if you insert a knife in the biscuit and it comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let it slightly cool. Then, turn it upside down - very carefully to avoid breaking it - and remove the baking paper or baking mat. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack.
When the biscuit is cool, cut out 6 disks of the diameter of your forms (I had forms of 7,7 cm circumference). Transfer them in an airtight container and set aside until the next day.

PREPARATION: CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Mix the gelatin with the water and let it hydrate for at least 30 minutes.
In a pan, warm up the heavy cream and the sugar over medium heat, while stirring occasionally and until the sugar dissolves completely.
Hydrate the cocoa powder and mix it - using a spatula - to a smooth paste.
Add the gelatin to the warm heavy cream and sugar mix and stir well. Then add the cocoa powder paste.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve to catch any cacao residues and set aside to let it cool. Transfer it in an airtight container and refrigerate it overnight.

NEXT DAY (DAY 1)
Take the chocolate glaze, that you made the day before, out of the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature.

PREPARATION: CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Transfer the rosebuds (stems removed) in a pan together with the milk. Warm them up over medium heat until the milk is lightly steaming, paying attention that the milk won't boil. Remove from fire and let the rosebuds infuse for 10-15 minutes, depending on how intense you would like the rose scent to be. I kept it for 15 minutes because the scent will become lighter when you blend in the chocolate and whipped cream. Strain the roses and gradually pour the warm milk over the chocolate to melt it. First add the ⅓ of the milk portion and blend well - using a whisk - until milk and melted chocolate are properly emulsified. Continue with the rest of the milk. If your chocolate won’t melt easily, transfer the bowl to a ‘double boiler’ over medium fire paying attention not to overheat the chocolate (temperature shall not go beyond 45 °C.
Finalize it - using a beamer - to get a smooth texture of the chocolate - milk emulsion.
Strain the hydrated gelatin, squeeze out the excess water and add it to the ganache (chocolate - milk emulsion). Stir until smooth - using a whisk. Set the mix aside to slightly cool.
In the meanwhile, beat the chilled heavy cream until a smooth creamy consistency. When the ganache is cool enough, pour it slowly in the bowl with the whipped cream while stirring with circular movements - using a spatula. Continue until the ganache is fully incorporated in the whipped cream.
Transfer a portion of the mousse into round silicon forms. Leave a space of approximately 1 cm from edge of the form and place the chocolate biscuit (this will be the base of your cake. If you are using a spring form, place the chocolate biscuit on the bottom of the form and fill the form with the chocolate mousse. You can wrap the edges of the form with some plastic foil or acetate roll to easily remove the form when the cake is ready. Transfer the cakes in the refrigerator for an hour to let the mousse set and then place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and until the mousse is compact and hard enough to be removed from the forms. Place the cakes on a cooling rack with a tray underneath to collect the extra glaze that is gonna drip while glazing the cakes. Don’t forget to remove the acetate roll or plastic foil from your cakes if you are using spring forms.

GLAZING
If the chocolate glaze is too thick, warm it up slightly and emulsify it - using a beamer. Don’t forget to always immerse the beamer in the liquid to avoid incorporating additional air. Tap the container with the glaze on the kitchen top and force any air bubbles to come to the surface of the liquid.
Glaze the cakes one by one with a gracious portion of the mirror glaze and let the glaze drip over the sides of the cake so that it is covered completely.
Transfer the cakes on a serving tray and place them in the refrigerator until the glaze is nicely set (approximately half hour). Decorate with dried rose petals and a pinch of fleur de sel. Serve and enjoy their delicate and smooth texture!

Good luck you guys :)
X

Alexandra

IN THE MAKING

CARAMEL CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYERED CAKE

December 20, 2020

A festive cake for the holiday season to make together with family and friends. To bond and connect while handcrafting food together.

Makes one layered cake of 16 cm Ø

_CAKE DISSECTION_

This cake consists of:

3 layers of chocolate fudge cake
a swiss meringue caramel buttercream for the layers
a caramel buttercream to cover the cake and
a caramel fudge sauce to glaze

_TIME MANAGEMENT_

Make the cake layers and the creams one day in advance. The cakes have to stay in the refrigerator overnight to rest, that is important for the layered cake’s stability. Moreover, it is more relaxed to make the creams one day in advance and not on the same day that you will build the cake.

_INGREDIENTS PER PREPARATION_

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE (makes 3 layers of 16 cm Ø)

NOTE: if you don't have round spring forms of this size - use the ones you have and adjust the number of layers to two for a form with larger diameter. Alternatively bake one thicker round cake and cut it to create disks that will be your cake layers.

285 g cake flour
285 g granulated sugar
270 g good quality butter, at room temperature
190 g cocoa powder
2 + 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
360 ml buttermilk

CARAMEL FUDGE SAUCE (for both buttercreams and glaze)

200 g granulated sugar
90 g good quality butter, room temperature
120 ml heavy cream, room temperature

SWISS MERINGUE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

100 g granulated sugar, extra fine
60 g egg whites (2-3 eggs)
170 g good quality butter
80 g caramel fudge sauce (recipe above)
a pinch of salt

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

255 g good quality butter
120 g caramel fudge sauce (recipe above)

PREPARATION: CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE
Preheat the oven at 170 °C (conventional oven) or 150 °C (fan function).
In a large mixing bowl sieve in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a stand (or hand) mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Start with beating the butter a few seconds and then start incorporating the sugar. Beat for at least 10 minutes until fluffy and lighter in colour.
Add the eggs one by one making sure that the one is incorporated before you add the next one. Continue beating with the paddle attachment until you get a stable and smooth consistency of the emulsion.
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients mix that you prepared in the beginning and ⅓ of the buttermilk portion and blend. Repeat the process another 2 times by using ⅓ of the quantity of the dry ingredients mix and buttermilk each time. Blend well until a smooth consistency of the cake dough.
Divide the batter in 3 round spring forms of 16 cm Ø or larger.
Bake the cakes for 40-45 minutes and until you insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake and it comes out clean. The baking times might differ depending on your oven and on the thickness of your cakes so always keep an eye on them during the baking process.
When ready place them on a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Afterwards, wrap them in plastic individually and place them in the refrigerator overnight.

PREPARATION: CARAMEL FUDGE SAUCE (for both buttercreams and glaze)
In a pan, over medium fire, pour a thin layer of granulated sugar and wait until it melts. Continue with the rest of the sugar little by little until all the sugar is melted. Wait until the caramel takes an amber colour and immediately remove it from fire.

NOTE: This is a fast process and you will need to slightly swirl the contents of the pan to ensure that the caramel browns evenly. It is very important to not use any utensil to stir the melted sugar to prevent crystallisation.

When caramel has turned amber, remove it from fire and carefully add the heavy cream little by little. It might spatter due to the large difference in temperature so be careful not to burn yourself. Swirl the contents of the pan until the cream is well incorporated in the caramel. Continue with the butter. Swirl the pan continuously and see the butter melting and blending in with the rest of ingredients. Set aside to completely cool before using it for the buttercream’s and as the final glaze of the cake. Store it in the refrigerator overnight and let it rest at room temperature (25°C) before using it for making the creams.

PREPARATION: SWISS MERINGUE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
In the stand (or hand) mixer - using the paddle attachment - beat the butter until fluffy and lighter in colour (at least 7 minutes). Then add the caramel fudge sauce and the pinch of salt. Beat for another 3 minutes until all ingredients are well incorporated and set aside.
In a ‘double boiler’ over medium fire combine the egg whites with the granulated sugar and whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. When the temperature of the egg whites reaches 45°C (or when all the sugar is dissolved, the texture is not grainy due to the unmelted sugar, and the mix is hot to the touch) remove from the fire and transfer the egg whites mixture in a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for at least 5-7 minutes until glossy stable peaks are formed and the temperature of the meringue drops.
Then change to the paddle attachment and fold the meringue in the beaten butter - caramel gently (low-medium speed) for a few seconds until all ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer it in an icing bag or an airtight container and set aside. You can store it in the refrigerator overnight and let it rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours before building the cake.

PREPARATION: CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
In a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for at least 7 minutes until fluffy and lighter in colour. Add the caramel fudge sauce and beat for another 3 minutes.
Transfer the buttercream in an icing bag or an airtight container and set aside. You can store it in the refrigerator overnight and leave it at room temperature before using it for building the cake.

NEXT DAY

Get ready to assemble the cake. Take the cake layers and the creams out of the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature. If the buttercreams are stiff after resting you can beat them for a few seconds with the mixer (paddle attachment) to make them lighter again. Cut the uneven tops of the cakes to create stable bases for your layered cake.
Select a plate/serving tray that is going to be your layered cake base and apply a small portion - the size of a bean - of the swiss meringue caramel buttercream between the plate and the first cake layer to secure the cake on it. Apply evenly the swiss meringue buttercream on the first cake layer and place the next layer on top making sure that your cake is straight and stable. Continue with another layer of buttercream and place your last cake layer on top.
Transfer the layered cake in the refrigerator for at least half hour for the buttercream to set.

NOTE: if you want you can slightly soak every layer with light corn syrup or simple syrup . It is usually used to secure the humidity of the cakes to keep them fresh for longer. However, the buttercream cover in this recipe will prevent the cakes from drying out, so simple syrup can be omitted.

Take the cake from the refrigerator and carefully cover it with the caramel fudge buttercream creating a straight and even surface - using a spatula. Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for another half hour. While waiting, slightly warm up the caramel fudge sauce to a more fluid consistency by paying attention that it is not too hot when you glaze the cake because the buttercream will melt. Caramel fudge holds best (not too runny, not too stiff) at around 30°C.

Take the cake from the refrigerator and finalise it with a generous portion of caramel fudge sauce. So good! Cut + serve…

Good luck you guys!

X Alexandra

P.S. post your comments + questions you might have over the recipe below in the comment section below!

BREAKFAST SCONES W/ ESPRESSO + HAZELNUTS

June 3, 2020

A dose of morning coffee combined with a luscious buttery dough and nutty undertones

RECIPE _ STEP BY STEP

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BABKA

March 30, 2020

Lusciously tender brioche pastry lined with semi-sweet dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts.

RECIPE _ STEP BY STEP

GREEK STYLE PANCAKES (tiganites) with spinach, ricotta cream and LADOLEA’s pure olive oil

February 15, 2019

A remake of the traditional greek spinach pie, quick and easy, to enjoy it anytime as lunch or dinner; when time is limited and you are in need of something healthy.

These pancakes are traditionally served as a dessert or breakfast with honey and walnuts. Grandma always used to prepare them for us kids after school or as a late afternoon snack in between studying or playing around in the garden before dinner. Here, I created a savory dish, remake of the original recipe, using spinach and soft white cheese (it can be the Italian ricotta or the greek anthotyros).

For this recipe I used LADOLEA’s koroneiki variety that elevated the recipe and enriched the taste of the pancakes without using any butter at all! I also added some raw LADOLEA olive oil in the ricotta cream to get the most of the benefits of this unique EVOO.

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 portions // 4 pancakes of approximately 12 cm diameter)

For the pancakes

. 170 g all purpose flour (or preferably one for pasta making)
. 40 ml LADOLEA koroneiki variety, plus some extra for baking
. 180 ml lukewarm water
. ¼ teaspoon sea-salt

For the spinach filling

. 150 g raw spinach, washed and cleaned
. 4 shallots, sliced
. cumin powder, sea-salt and pepper to taste

For the ricotta cream

. 180 g ricotta cheese (or anthotyros cheese)
. 2 tablespoons LADOLEA koroneiki variety
. 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
. ¼ teaspoon sea-salt
. ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
. 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
. 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

As topping

. 10 g sliced almonds, lightly toasted in a pan
. 10 g pine nuts, lightly toasted in a pan

PREPARATION

First prepare the spinach filling; in a pan stir-fry the shallots with 2 tablespoons LADOLEA on medium fire, until soft and lightly caramelized. Then add the spinach with 2 tablespoons LADOLEA. Stir and season to taste with some cumin powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set it aside.

For the ricotta cream; in a bowl mix the ricotta (or anthotyros) cheese with 2 tablespoons LADOLEA, the pomegranate molasses, cumin powder, sea-salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder. Stir well – using a fork or a whisk - until everything is blended together in a smooth cream. Set it aside for later use.

For the pancakes; in a mixing bowl, sieve in the flour. Add LADOLEA and mix well – using a fork. Gradually add the water while constantly stirring and until you get a smooth mixture. The mix should be relatively runny. Season with some sea-salt. Warm up a pan on medium fire. Add 1 tablespoon LADOLEA in the pan and one scoop of the dough mix. It is easy to define the amount of dough by using a measuring cup - I used 1/3 cup for a pancake of 12 cm diameter. Bake for approximately 5-6 minutes and then flip the pancake over. Bake the other side for another 5-6 minutes. If the pan is sticky add some more olive oil. This will give a beautiful golden color to your pancakes too!

While the pancakes are still warm, spread some ricotta cream and add some spinach filling. Top it with a second pancake and some extra cream cheese on top (optional). Sprinkle with a few over roasted sliced almonds and pine nuts.

Tip: drizzle with some extra LADOLEA koroneiki variety to boost even more the taste and nutritional value of the dish! Enjoy!

LADOLEA // when purity meets design in a heartfelt product curated with passion and love

RUM CHOCOLATE CAKE W/ TOASTED MERINGUE

September 12, 2018

rum chocolate cake with toasted meringue

RUM CHOCOLATE CAKE W/ TOASTED MERINGUE

Ingredients for a 3-layered cake of 16 cm base diameter

RUM CHOCOLATE CAKE

460 g all purpose flour
70 g cocoa powder
26 g baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
380 ml rice or oat milk
120 ml sunflower oil
150 g brown sugar
95 g dark chocolate, melted
4 tablespoons of good quality black rum liquor

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (for the layers)

500 g dark chocolate
300 ml plant-based heavy cream (soya or rice)

TOASTED MERINGUE

4 locally farmed eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
180 g white sugar

PREPARATION

Start with the chocolate mousse as it has to rest for at least 4 hours before use. In ‘bain-marie’ and on low fire, melt the chocolate and gradually add the heavy cream. Make sure that the heavy cream is at room temperature. Blend gently until you get an homogenous mix. Let it sit for 4 hours at room temperature. After this time, beat the chocolate/heavy cream mix with a handmixer for at least 5-10 minutes until it turns slightly fluffy and transfer it in an icing bag with a round tip of approximately 1 cm diameter. Set aside for later use.

Preheat the oven at 170°C.
In a mixing bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa & baking powder. Add the salt and mix well. In a second bowl, combine the brown sugar with the plant-based milk, sunflower oil, rum, and stir well – using a whisk. Gradually add the mix of dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt) to the wet ingredients and mix well – using a spatula – until all ingredients are well combined. Add the melted chocolate. Equally divide the dough in 3 spring forms of 16 cm diameter - that you have previously greased with some baking spray or plant-based fat. Bake in preheated oven at 170°C for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are properly baked. You can use the toothpick-test to check if your cakes are ready. If you dip a toothpick in the centre of the cake and the toothpick comes out clean then the cake is done. If it comes out with pieces of wet unbaked dough, then you need to bake the cake for a couple more minutes. When ready remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

When the cake layers are completely cool, cut their tops if necessary to make them even and start building the final cake. Select a surface/cake stand of your preference, place the first cake layer and add - with circular movements - some of the chocolate mousse you have prepared in the icing bag. Continue with the next cake layer and add on top of it another layer of chocolate mousse. Finish with the last cake layer, placing it bottom-up so that your final cake has an even top. Refrigerate for at least an hour until the layers are set and the meringue is ready.

TOASTED MERINGUE

Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Use refrigerated eggs for an easier separation and then let the egg whites sit at room temperature from about 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl - preferably glass or inox - combine the egg whites with the lemon juice and sugar. In ‘bain-marie’ and above low fire, slowly warm up the egg-lemon juice-sugar mix until the sugar is well dissolved. Then remove from fire and beat the mix for at least 5-10 minutes - using a handmixer - until it turns glossy white & stiff peaks are formed.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and cover it with the meringue. Lastly, slightly burn the tips of the meringue to create a toasted effect - using a kitchen torch.

Enjoy x AM

STYLING

Handmade Ceramic tableware: Imre Bergmann
Handworked Marble tabletop: De Marmerman
Hand-turned wooden cake stand: The Endeavorist
Handmade knife: Ting Shop Berlin