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Traditional German Ginger Cake Recipe

13/01/201018/10/2016 by Charlotte J

There is something about the smell of ginger and spices that fill the house with the internal warmth one seeks during the cold, bitter, winter months. And haven’t these last few weeks been bitter! I believe the UK has had more snow than some of the East European countries famed for their skiing. I’m no gourmet cake expert but I do love throwing everything in, stirring and baking making this recipe ideal. Using a foil tin in place of a baking dish (only an option) also means there is little washing up! I warn you, this is rich and for those who would prefer something a little lighter it may be best to omit 1/4 of the treacle in place of an extra 1/4 of golden syrup. Enjoy with a mug of tea or strong coffee.

Ingredients

150g butter

200g golden syrup

200g black treacle

125g dark muscovado sugar

2 tsp finely grated ginger

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate soda dissolved in 30ml warm water

250ml full-fat milk (do not use semi-skimmed or skimmed!)

2 eggs, beaten

300g plain flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (adjust for a fan oven) / Gas Mark 3

Grease a 30 x 20 x 5 cm foil tin

(Alternatively, line a roasting tin or ovenproof dish with baking parchment)

Melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan

While the butter melts, add the sugar, syrup, treacle, fresh and ground gingers and cinnamon

Take off the heat

Add the milk (this cools it slightly so the egg should not scramble)

Add the eggs and dissolved bicarbonate

Put the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients

Beat until well mixed

(The batter is not thick which makes the cake very sticky)

Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes until risen

Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the gingerbread cool in the tin before cutting into squares

The cake can also be stored whole in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours and then cut into squares. Cut when desired.

Related Images:

Russian Lepeshki Recipe

13/08/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Baking is something of a guilty/secret pleasure. I love baking. I love baking bread. I absolutely adore baking biscuits. I seem to manage to surround myself with people who also love baking, those who are able to produce baking perfection. Why is baking such a guilty pleasure for me? I’m normally one of those people who likes to throw everything in a pot, stir, serve and eat. You can’t really do that with baking. It takes precision. So don’t tell anyone that I actually quite enjoy the technicality of baking! It’s just between you and me!

When I came across a recipe for Lepeshki, a Russian biscuit which uses sour cream instead of butter and just knew I had to give the recipe a go.

Ingredients (for about 24 biscuits)

275g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

90g caster sugar (vanilla sugar if you have it)

1 egg separated

1 egg whisked

120ml sour cream

2 tsp vanilla and almond extract

(You can use less, you can use more, I just really love vanilla and almonds)

1 tbsp milk

50g flaked almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit / Gas Mark 6

Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl

Make a well in the centre

Whisk one of the eggs and mix with the sour cream, vanilla and almond extracts and milk

Add to the dry ingredients to form a soft dough

(I feel I should divulge some information regarding flour at this point. The original recipes was for 225g of flour, but this made a dough which was so runny there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to roll it out. I added more by eye and think you probably need 275g of flour instead but as each flour varies, you will have to give it a go and if it becomes too dry you may need to add some extra wet ingredients. I think the recipe I had was just a bit wrong, but still, use your instinct rather than relying on numbers!)

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 8mm/ 1/3in thick

(It may be preferable to cool the dough in the fridge before rolling as it becomes warm very quickly and it may be good to roll out sections at a time and keep the remaining in the fridge until you are ready to cut more)

Cut the biscuits into rounds with a 7.5cm/3in cutter

Transfer the circles to a lightly oiled baking sheet on a baking tray

Separate the other egg

Brush the biscuits with the egg white

Sprinkle with flaked almonds

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until light golden brown

Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Store in an airtight container (unless you are feeling particularly piggy and want to devour the lot!)

Related Images:

Russian Drachena Recipe

07/08/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

This little but absolutely scrumptious dish is a sort of cross between a pancake and an omelette, however, unlike the aforementioned, it is cooked in the oven. This dish is super quick and very easy, requiring relatively few ingredients which makes it ideal to serve as a starter with a garnish of green salad, as part of a tapas selection, or even for a perfect evening supper dish when you are tired after getting home from work and want a quick and delicious snack. Sweet alternatives can also be made, just exclude the vegetables and sweeten with sugar and/or honey.

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The Perfect Canapes: Part 2

15/04/200917/10/2016 by Charlotte J

When I made blinis lavished with smoked salmon and prawns, I also made some Hungarian stuffed mushrooms (Sonkával töltött gomba). The woods of the Bakony Mountains in the Transdanubia region, boast an incredible selection of wild mushrooms. It is estimated that Hungary is home to between 20 and 30 varieties of wild mushrooms and these are regularly used in Hungarian cooking. However, bizarrely, it is the button mushroom which finds itself most frequently on the menu.

Ingredients:

500g mushrooms

80g butter

100g cooked ham

200 ml milk

4 tbsp flour

2 egg yolks

1 tsp paprika

100g parmesan (or other hard, grated cheese)

Instructions:

Wipe the mushrooms.

Cut off the stalks.

Grease flameproof dish.

Place mushroom caps in the dish.

Season with salt and pepper.

Chop up cooked ham.

Heat the milk.

Melt 40g butter in saucepan.

Stir in the flour (do not let it brown).

Gradually pour in the hot milk.

Stir continuously and simmer until the mixture thickens.

When mixture leaves the sides of the pan, add ham.

Add egg yolks and paprika.

Mix thoroughly.

Fill mushroom caps.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake in preheated oven at 200ºC for about 15 minutes.

If you have any stuffing mixture left over (as I did), let it cool, put it in the refrigerator and when you fancy a snack, smother on some toasted, grainy, bread, top with grated cheese and grill!