Layers of flaky dough and butter on the outside with a tender interior. Eaten straight out of the oven while still warm… Heaven
RECIPE _ STEP BY STEP
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BABKA
Lusciously tender brioche pastry lined with semi-sweet dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts.
RECIPE _ STEP BY STEP
Birthday Cake with Dark Chocolate & Fresh Chilli Peppers
Turbulent & Spicy Bittersweet
BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND FRESH CHILLY PEPPERS
Ingredients for a 3-layered cake of 16 cm base diameter
DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
460 g all purpose flour
45 g cocoa powder
25 g carob powder
26 g baking powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon sea-salt
380 ml oat milk
120 ml sunflower oil
170 g brown sugar
95 g dark chocolate, melted
DARK CHOCOLATE CHILLY MOUSSE (for the layers)
400 g dark chocolate
400 ml plant-based heavy cream (rice or oat)
2 fresh chilly peppers, or more if you like it more spicy
a pinch of salt
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE (to cover the cake)
500 g dark chocolate
500 ml plant-based heavy cream (rice or oat)
PREPARATION
Start with the chocolate mousse as it has to rest for at least 4 hours before use. Blend the chilly peppers and sieve to retreat the juice. 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. Add the chilly pepper juice and mix well. 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.
Use the same ‘bain-marie’ method for the dark chocolate ganache. Melt the dark chocolate with the plant-based heavy cream and set aside.
Preheat the oven at 170°C.
In a mixing bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa, carob powder & baking powder. Add the smoked paprika, sea-salt and mix well. In a second bowl, combine the brown sugar with the plant-based milk, sunflower oil, 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 dark chocolate chilly mousse you have prepared in the icing bag. Continue with the next cake layer and add on top of it another layer of chocolate chilly 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.
Slightly beat the dark chocolate ganache for a 2-3 minutes until it gets a little bit more soft and easier to work with it. Cover the cake - using a spatula - and create a wavy pattern - using a spoon. Finish it by slightly burning the chocolate ganache - using a kitchen torch - for a glossy effect.
Enjoy x AM
GREEK STYLE PANCAKES (tiganites) with spinach, ricotta cream and LADOLEA’s pure olive oil
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
PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
For the love of pumpkin and the autumn season. Heavenly fluffy moist pumpkin cake topped with a sour-sweet dreamy white chocolate glaze
PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE
300 g all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons pumpkin spice mix
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
390 g oven roasted pumpkin puree (*)
170 g butter, room temperature
150 g brown sugar
2 locally farmed eggs
optional: 50 g pecan nuts, chopped
WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
250 g soft cream cheese
55 g butter, room temperature
120 g icing sugar
55 g white chocolate
PREPARATION
Start with the white chocolate glaze: In ‘bain-marie’ on low fire melt the white chocolate and the butter. Remove from fire, add the soft cream cheese and sieve in the icing sugar. Mix well until smooth and set aside to cool. Later, place it in the refrigerator to thicken before you use it on the cake.
Preheat the oven at 170°C.
In a mixing bowl, sieve the flour and baking powder. Mix well and set aside.
In a second bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar until soft. Add the pumpkin spice mix and salt. Slowly beat in the eggs until fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree. Gradually add the flour-baking powder mix and stir well using a spatula. At this stage add the chopped pecan nuts if you choose for it.
Transfer the mix in a baking form and bake the cake for 50-60 min depending on the strength of your oven.
When ready, let the cake cool on a cooling rack and then add the white chocolate glaze.
Enjoy! x AM
(*) easy oven roasted pumpkin puree recipe: preheat the oven at 210°C. Halve a small pumpkin and remove the seeds. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30-45 min until soft. Easily remove the skin from the baked pumpkin flesh - using a spoon. Mash the flesh - using a spoon - and the puree is ready! Let it completely cool before you use it in the cake mix.
STYLING
Handmade Ceramic tableware: Imre Bergmann, Studio Emma Sophia, Lisanne van Zanten,
and JC Herman Ceramics
VANILLA CUSTARD TART W/ POACHED PEARS IN ROSE WINE
Autumn is already here! Is there a better way to welcome fall than with this vanilla custard tart with poached pears in rosé wine? Keeping the last traces of summer close at heart while moving towards the pear season.
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