Mini Cheesecake

crust:

200 g  favourite cookies

70 g  melted butter

filling:

400 g  cream cheese softened (quark, ricotta or cheese)

400 g  fresh whipped heavy cream

4 tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean seeds

or 1 tsp vanilla extract

21 g  gelatin 

4 tbsp hot water

method:

mince well the cookies in a fine texture

add melted butter and stir well

and gently push over the bottom 

of the cupcake pan 

cook in the oven at 200°C  until the edges

are golden brown

_________

whip the cream with 1 tbsp of sugar

and store in the fridge

whisk cheese, vanilla and the remaining sugar 

until smooth

soak the gelatin for at list 1 minute

then squeeze it well 

and put in hot water whisking well

until dissolved

add it to the cheese mixture

and stir

at the very end add the whipped cream

and mix until well incorporated

keep in the fridge about 4 hours 

before serving

Sour Cherry Compote: 2 cups of sour cherries (washed and pitted)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 cup sugar, 

Let boil on high heat stirring continuously

for 5 to 8 minutes

and let cool

Enjoy!

FareWell - July

Blueberry Streusel Loaf | Elder Syrup Refresh

{ blueberry streusel  loaf }

3 medium eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

4 oz butter 

1/2 cup yogurt

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

regular butter tea cookies 

for topping

{ elder syrup }

1 kg  elder flowers (whole flower)

3 l  boiling water

1 kg  sugar

2 lemon zest

method:

Bring the water to boil, turn off the heat

and put all the flowers down to the water

and cover

Let stay in infusion for a night

Then strain the water with a clean cotton cloth

and bring again to a boil, add sugar and reduce heat

let boil for a couple of hours, stir occasionally

 until it cover the spoon

__________________

Piled deep below the screening apple-branch 
They lie with bitter apples in their hands: 
And some are only ancient bones that blanch, 
And some had ships that last year's wind did launch, 
And some were yesterday the lords of lands.

In the soft dell, among the apple-trees, 
High up above the hidden pit she stands, 
And there for ever sings, who gave to these, 
That lie below, her magic hour of ease, 
And those her apples holden in their hands.

This in my dreams is shown me; and her hair 
Crosses my lips and draws my burning breath; 
Her song spreads golden wings upon the air, 
Life's eyes are gleaming from her forehead fair, 
And from her breasts the ravishing eyes of Death.

Men say to me that sleep hath many dreams, 
Yet I knew never but this dream alone: 
There, from a dried-up channel, once the stream's, 
The glen slopes up; even such in sleep it seems 
As to my waking sight the place well known.

My love I call her, and she loves me well: 
But I love her as in the maelstrom's cup 
The whirled stone loves the leaf inseparable 
That clings to it round all the circling swell, 
And that the same last eddy swallows up.

 - Dante G. Rossetti

May, it's already May

- Ho le formiche in testa...

- Si dice pigne!

- No no... guarda!
Ho proprio le formiche!!

Sunny Day - Sun in a Jar

Lemon Curd • Recipe Soon!

1|04|13

Apple Galette | Almond Crust

Recipe

for the crust:

125 gr  whole wheat flour

2 tblsp  powdered almonds  

1 tblsp  powdered sugar

60 gr  granulate sugar

80 gr  butter

1 egg yolk

1 tblsp  Marsala wine

(or other sweet dessert wine)

a pinch of salt

filling:

3 medium size fuji apples

2 tblsp dark brown sugar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Method for Crust:

Easier with a mixer!

pour flour, almonds, powdered sugar, salt 

and butter softened and cut in small cubes

in the mixer

mix for a while then add sugar

and mix again

in a small bowl stir together egg yolk and wine

and add it to the mixer

impulse two-three times until the dough comes to

a ball and the mixer is clean

Enjoy!

After gloom

Beginners 

How they are provided for upon the Earth, (appearing at intervals)
How dear and dreadful they are to the Earth,
How they inure to themselves as much as to any-what
a paradox appears their age,
How people respond to them, yet know them not,
How there is something relentless in their fate all times,
How all times mischoose the objects of their adulation and reward,

And how the same inexorable price must still be paid for the same great purchase.

W.W.   — Leaves of Grass 

Sweet Sound

www.thestaves.com

The sun was an altar
Before which he knelt
And raised up the dagger
That hung from his belt
He cursed his delusion
And the sadness he felt

Gra-Granola Bars!

Dry ingredients

2 cups  old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup  sesame (raw or toasted)

1/2 cup  sun-flower seed (raw or toasted)

1 cup toasted hazelnuts chopped

1 cup  dried cranberries

(or any other dry fruits 

you like or chocolate chips)

Wet ingredients

1 oz.  butter

1/2 cup  honey 

(+ 1 tbsp maple syrup 

if you like more chewy bars)

1/4 cup  dark brown sugar

2 tsp  pure vanilla ex.

1/2 tsp  sea salt

1/2 tsp grated ginger optional

Method

Preheat oven at 180°C - 357°F

Cover an 9x8 or 11x10 inch

square pan with parchment paper

(dimensions of pan define

the thickness of the bars,

those are good for about

half inch thick bars)

Mix all dry ingredients together

in a bowl and set aside

In a small saucepan 

let the butter melt

on a slow heat 

then add honey, sugar and maple syrup

vanilla ex. and sea salt

stir constantly at medium heat

until sugar and salt are

completely dissolved

(don't let the mixture boil)

Pour the hot syrup 

on the dry ingredients

and mix well

quickly put the mixture

in the papered pan 

and flatten it with the back

of a spoon

Reduce oven at 150°C - 300°F

and bake for 20-25 min.

Let cool completely and cut

____________

Enjoy!

1st Day of March

Pre-spring Fair