Red Currant Cookie Slices - Rote Johannisbeer Keksschnitten

Currants are originally from Western Europe including Germany, France, northern Italy and the Netherlands. In specialty fruit and vegetable stores and at the farmers´ market you will mostly find red, but also pink, white and even black currants. And a currant bush also looks quite beautiful in your garden.

Johannisbeeren sind ursprünglich aus Westeuropa einschließlich Deutschland, Frankreich, Norditalien und den Niederlanden heimisch. In den Obstläden und auf dem Markt findet man am meisten rote, aber auch rosa, weiße und sogar schwarze Johannisbeeren. Ein Johannisbeerstrauch sieht aber auch in Ihrem Garten ziemlich schön aus.

Red currants have a pleasant sour taste, the slightly smaller white currants taste somewhat sweeter than the red ones. All currants are known for their healing properties, because they contain a lot of vitamin B and C, iron, phosphorus and potassium.

Rote Johannisbeeren haben einen angenehm säuerlichen Geschmack, die etwas kleineren weißen Johannisbeeren sind etwas süßlicher im Geschmack.. Alle Johannisbeeren sind für ihre heilende Wirkung bekannt, denn sie enthalten unter anderem viel Vitamin B und C, Eisen, Phosphor und Kalium.

The berries are delicious in jam, compote (wonderful for topping baked Camembert, for example), relish, yogurt, pudding or ice cream, alone or in combination with other fruits such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. But they are also delicious for baking and cooking. You can make currant salad dressings, but also make a wonderful sauce to accompany game, lamb. You can also enjoy them with goat cheese or other kinds of cheese and you can top your summer salad with them or just enjoy them on their own.

Die Beeren sind sehr lecker in Konfitüren, Kompott (zu gebackenem Camembert zum Beispiel), Relish, Joghurt, Pudding oder Eis, alleine oder in Kombination mit anderen Früchten, wie zum Beispiel mit Blaubeeren, Erdbeeren und Himbeeren. Aber auch zum Backen und Kochen eignen sich die Beeren vorzüglich. Man kann Johannisbeer-Salatsaucen herstellen, aber auch Saucen zu Wildgerichten oder Lamm mit diesen Beeren machen. Man kann sie mit Ziegenkäse genießen, auf einen Salat geben oder einfach nur so genießen.

The best time of the year to harvest or purchase currants are the months of  July and August. Fresh currants should be processed as soon as possible, they should be placed in the refrigerator on a plate, then they will keep for a few days. Currants should be handled with care, they do bruise easily and they should never be plucked from their stems (with the tines of a fork) until just before serving. However frozen currants can be stored for several months.

Wenn man in der Zeit von Juli bis August Johannisbeeren geerntet oder gekauft hat und nicht sofort verarbeitet, sollte man sie im Kühlschrank, möglichst verteilt auf einem Teller, aufbewahren. So halten sie sich durchaus einige Tage frisch, auch wenn Johannisbeeren grundsätzlich sehr empfindlich sind. Darum sollte man die Stiele auch erst kurz vor dem Servieren entfernen. Gefrorene Johannisbeeren hingegen kann man mehrere Monate aufbewahren.

I often like to bake with currants, one of my favorite cakes t bake in the summer months is a Currant Meringue Cake, which I blogged about late last summer. But this year I also baked Cookie Slices with Red Currant Jam. These wonderful cookies are perfect for enjoying in the afternoons of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.. They are fruity and not too sweet and when you have a chance to bake them with homemade red currant jam with fresh currants from the garden, they are even more enjoyable but, of course, they are also perfectly delicious when baked with purchased jam.

Ich backe oft und gerne mit Johannisbeeren. Einer meiner Lieblingskuchen im Sommer ist ein Johannisbeer-Baiser-Kuchen, über den ich auch im letzten Spätsommer gebloggt habe. In diesem Jahr jedoch habe ich auch Keksschnitten mit Johannisbeer-Marmelade gebacken – wunderbare Kekse für die warmen Sommertage, fruchtig und nicht zu süß. Nach Möglichkeit mit selbstgemachter Johannisbeer-Marmelade mit Beeren aus dem eigenen Garten, aber auch eine leckere gekaufte Marmelade schmeckt wunderbar als Füllung in diesen Keksen.

Red Currant Cookie Slices Ingredients for the Cookie Slices 250 grams unsalted butter (I used Irish butter) 150 grams of fine (caster) sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla sugar a pinch of fine sea salt 2 eggs (L), organic or free-range if possible 390 g AP wheat flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 cups currant jam, preferably homemade

Rote Johannisbeer-Keksschnitten Zutaten für die Keksschnitten 250 Gramm ungesalzene Butter (ich habe irische Butter verwendet) 150 Gramm feinster Zucker 1 TL Bourbon Vanillezucker eine Prise feines Meersalz 2 Eier (L), Bio oder Freiland wenn möglich 390 Gramm Weizenmehl  1/2 TL Weinstein Backpulver 1 1/2 Tassen Johannisbeer-Marmelade, vorzugsweise selbstgemacht

Ingredients for the Frosting 150 grams powdered sugar, sifted 1 tbsp milk (I use 3.5 %) Preparation of the Cookie Slices  Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of your mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt. In another bowl, mix together the flour with the baking powder. Then add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix for about 30 seconds after each egg. Then add the flour mixture and quickly work into a smooth dough. Divide the dough into four portions and shape into rolls. Place two rolls on each baking sheet and press with your fingers on each roll to flatten it a bit. Then using your finger, press a groove in the middle of each dough roll with and fill it with a little currant jam. Bake each sheet 15 to 17 minutes until the rolls are golden and fragrant – the rolls will flatten a bit during baking so make sure to place the dough roll not too close together when you place them on the baking sheets. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Proceed with the second baking sheet in the same way. Let the cookie rolls cool completely on the baking sheets and try not to move them as they will break easily if they are still warm

Zutaten für den Zuckerguss 150 Gramm Puderzucker, gesiebt 1 EL Milch (ich nehme 3.5%) Herstellung der Keksschnitten Den Backofen auf 175 Grad Celsius vorheizen. Zwei Backbleche mit Pergament auslegen. Für den Keksteig mit den Knethaken des Rührgeräts die Butter, Zucker, Vanillezucker und Salz verrühren. In einer Schüssel das Mehl mit dem Backpulver mischen. Dann die Eier zu der Buttermischung einzeln hinzufügen und jeweils eine halbe Minute rühren. Die Mehlmischung zufügen und schnell zu einem glatten Teig verarbeiten.  Anschließend den Teig in vier Portionen teilen und zu Rollen formen. Jeweils zwei Rollen auf ein Backblech legen und mit den Fingern ein wenig flach drücken. In jede Rolle mit den Fingern eine Rille drücken und diese mit ein wenig Johannisbeer-Marmelade füllen. Backen Sie jedes Blech 15 bis 17 Minuten, bis die Rollen golden sind - während des Backens breiten sich die Rollen ein wenig aus, also die ungebackenen Teigrollen nicht zu dicht beieinander auf die Backbleche legen. Nehmen Sie das erste Blech aus dem Ofen und lassen sie es auf einem Kuchenrost vollständig auskühlen. Verfahren Sie mit dem zweiten Blech auf die gleiche Weise. Lassen Sie die Rollen auf den Backblechen vollständig abkühlen und versuchen Sie nicht, sie zu bewegen, da sie leicht brechen, wenn sie noch warm sind.

Icing For the topping whisk together 150 grams powdered sugar with the milk until there are no lumps left. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookie rolls and allowed to dry. Then cut the cookie rolls into slices (at an angle) and serve.

Zuckerguss Für den Guss 150 Gramm Puderzucker in eine Schüssel sieben. Mit der Milch zu einem Guss verrühren.  Den Guss über die abgekühlten Keksrollen träufeln und trocknen lassen. Dann die fertigen Keksschnitten in schräge Streifen schneiden.

The Red Currant Cookie Slices taste best the day they are made, but they can also be a stored for a day or two, if possible in a cookie tin or jar and it is best to place the cookies between layers of parchment paper.

Die Roten Johannisbeer-Keksschnitten schmecken am besten am selben Tag, an dem sie gebacken wurden. Sie lassen sich aber auch gut ein oder zwei Tage aufbewahren, am besten in einer gut schließenden Keksdose und zwischen Lagen von Pergamentpapier.

Enjoy your summer baking with red currants!

Viel Spaß beim Backen mit roten Johannisbeeren!

FFwD: Whole-Cherry Clafoutis - Clafoutis aux Cerises

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is a Whole-Cherry Clafoutis or Clafoutis aux Cerises..The French are partial to Clafoutis - a rich, baked batter, typically studded with cherries.

A Clafoutis is like a batter pudding, where fruit is suspended in a flour and egg batter. Some recipes are soft, like a deflated soufflé, others, like this recipe, firmer and more custard like. A Clafoutis of Cherries is probably the best known, though all stone fruits such as peaches and apricots and other fruits such as pears are used sometimes, too. Apart from the cherries (and yes, I pitted them – even Gaston Lenôtre´s recipe calls for pitted cherries) you will need fresh eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla (I scraped the seeds from a vanilla bean), flour, milk and cream. For baking the Clafoutis you will need a shallow china dish or a few mini oven-proof dishes like the ones that I used.

One of the delights of the summer, cherries are much loved for their succulent texture, flavor and gorgeous good looks. The juicy flesh can be sweet or sour, depending on which of the hundreds of varieties they are. Since cherries are at their peak in mid-July, what better time to make the most of these summer fruits. You should make sure to buy plump, shiny cherries that have their stalks attached and you should always look for fruit that is dark red, firm but not hard. Generally, pale cherries are sweet and dark cherries more acidic. It is always a good idea to try before you buy to get the flavor that you prefer. Remove stalks and use a cherry stoner to pit the cherries. You can keep unwashed cherries in the fridge for 3-4 days and wash them just before serving. Cherries also freeze well. Sweet cherries are suitable for eating, sour cherries are great in tarts, pies, crumbles and sauces.

There is only one sort of drawback to cherries, if you are not lucky enough to have a cherry tree in your garden, they tend to be rather expensive, so you never get to eat enough of them. But at this time of year, when the crop is ripe and the harvest is going full tilt you should binge on cherries. Compared to most other fruits, cherries are low in sugar, so the dusting of the top of the Clafoutis with icing sugar is not a conceit, that extra hit of sweetness seems necessary.

It was time to take our dessert on a picnic again, seeing that the weather has not been the friendliest all summer long, it was so nice to take advantage of a nice and sunny day and visit a wonderful castle about a half-hour drive from where we live.

The Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces in Bruehl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany have been listed as a UNESCO cultural World Heritage Site since 1984 as examples of beautifully preserved rococo architecture. They are connected by the spacious gardens and trees of the castle grounds (Schlosspark).

The palaces were built at the beginning of the 18th century by the arch-bishop of Cologne, Clemens August of Bavaria (1700-1761) of the Wittelsbach family. The architects were Johann Conrad Schlaun and François de Cuvilliés.

The gardens were designed by Dominique Girard. An elaborate flower garden for an area south of the palaces was also designed, but it was restructured by Peter Joseph Lenné in the 1800s and turned into a landscape garden.

In the hunting lodge called “Falkenlust”, Clemens August could pursue his favorite hobby falconry and entertain guests.

Schloss Falkenlust (Falkenlust Castle) was built from 1729 to 1740, in the style of the Amalienburg hunting lodge in the park of Nymphenburg Palace by François de Cuvilliés. It is within walking distance of the Augustusburg palace. It is open to the public and inside you can see the fantastic decorated interior and furnishings. Outside are fabulous gardens, with fields, ponds, and wooded areas.

Nearby is a chapel which is built to represent a secluded grotto.

The inside and the outside of the tiny chapel were decorated with glass stones in different colors (blue, green and turquoise) and sea shells - quite different and very pretty.

I have made many Clafoutis before and I have even blogged about a Percoche Clafoutis (which is a stone fruit as well and a cross between a peach and an apricot). Clafoutis is a wonderful easy and versatile dessert that everyone enjoys whether you prepare it in one large dish or use individual serving dishes.

To see whether the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed this recipe as well, you can click here.

“La pâtisserie, vous savez, on ne la fait pas pour nourrir les gens mais pour leur offrir de la douceur à partager.” (GL)

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• For more information on the "Falkenlust and Augustusburg Castles”, you can visit the website of the main castle www.schlossbruehl.de.
• Both castles were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984 (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list).

Boterkoek (Dutch Butter Cake) - Holländischer Butterkuchen

Today I am featuring Dutch boterkoek, which can roughly be translated as “butter cake”. It can be described as a dense, rich, buttery bar cookie, baked in a round tin, and cut into wedges after baking.

Heute gibt es einen holländischen Boterkoek oder auch Butterkuchen. Man kann ihn als wundervoll buttrig und reichhaltig beschreiben, ein Kuchen, der in einer runden Backform gebacken wird und nach dem Backen in dreieckige Stücke geschnitten wird.

Boterkoek is a traditional Dutch recipe, somewhat of a cross between a tart and shortbread. Since there is quite a bit of butter in the boterkoek and given just how key butter is to the flavor of this recipe, you should really try to use the best-quality and freshest butter you can find. This makes a wonderful afternoon or even mid-morning treat with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee (or hot chocolate) and it is also simple to make, making it the perfect recipe to prepare at the last minute if you have unexpected guests for example.

Boterkoek ist ein traditionelles holländisches Rezept, ein Gebäck, das eine Mischung ist zwischen einer Tarte und Shortbread. Da der Boterkoek eine gute Menge Butter enthält und sich in dem Rezept eben alles um den Geschmack von Butter dreht, sollte man Wert darauf legen, eine wirklich gute und wohlschmeckende Butter zu benutzen. Den Boterkoek kann man selbstverständlich nicht nur zum Nachmittagstee oder Kaffee oder mit einer Tasse heißem Kakao geniessen, er schmeckt auch einfach wundervoll mal eben so zwischendurch. Da der Boterkoek so einfach und schnell zu backen ist, lässt er sich auch  schnell und ohne große Vorbereitungen herstellen, auch wenn unerwartet Gäste kommen.

The boterkoek is usually made in a special round boterkoek pan. The butter cake is then cut into wedges, leaving it somewhere between a cake and shortbread. But, because you are probably not likely to find one of these specialty baking pans at your kitchenware store, you can bake them in a regular round baking pan or springform pan and once the boterkoek has cooled, you can cut into it into wedges or small slices.

Der Boterkoek wird normalerweise in einer speziellen Boterkoek Backform gebacken. Nach dem Backen wird der Kuchen in Stücke geschnitten, wobei die Konsistenz an Shortbread erinneren. Falls Sie, was wahrscheinlich ist, keine solche Backform haben, backen Sie den Boterkoek einfach in einer normalen Springform oder in einer anderen runden Backform. Eine Pie-Form tut es natürlich auch. Nachdem der Boterkoek ausgekühlt ist, kann man ihn in gleichmäßige Stücke schneiden.

Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek) Ingredients for the Cake 150 grams good quality unsalted butter (I like to use farm fresh butter) 200 grams super fine (caster) baking sugar 1/8 tsp fine sea salt a bit of finely grated lemon zest (I always use organic lemon) 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract (you can also use some almond flavor) 1 egg (L), beaten (try to use free range or organic if possible) 200 grams white spelt flour (feel free to use regular AP (plain) or cake flour – most recipes for boterkoek call for AP flour) ½ tsp baking powder 20 grams flaked almonds Equipment needed round baking pan or springform pan (26 cm) unless you happen to own a specialty round boterkoek pan pastry brush parchment paper

Holländischer Butterkuchen (Boterkoek) Zutaten für den Kuchen 150 Gramm gute ungesalzene Butter (falls möglich frische Butter vom Bauern) 200 Gramm feinster Zucker 1/8 TL feines Meersalz ein wenig geriebene Zitronenschale (von einer unbehandelten bzw. Bio-Zitrone) 1 1/2 TL natürliches Vanillearoma 1 Ei (L), verquirlt (wenn möglich Bio) 200 Gramm Dinkelmehl Type 630 (man kann natürlich auch normales Weizenmehl nehmen – in den meisten Rezepten wird Weizenmehl Type 405 verwendet) ½ TL Backpulver  20 Gramm Mandelblättchen Zusätzlich eine runde Backform oder Springform (26 cm) – wenn Sie eine spezielle Boterkoek Backfrom besitzen, nehmen Sie natürlich diese für´s Backen des Boterkoek. ein Backpinsel etwas Backpapier

Preparartion of the Boterkoek Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line a 26 cm boterkoek specialty pan or other round cake pan with greaseproof paper. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Remove one teaspoon of the beaten egg and set aside in a small bowl. Pour the rest of the egg into the butter mixture, and stir well.  Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until you have a smooth dough. Transfer the mixture to your baking pan and press the dough with the palms of your hands into the pan until you have a reasonably smooth top. If you feel that the dough is very sticky, use a piece of saran wrap (cling film) and place it on the dough and then smooth the surface with the back of a cup measure or a large spoon. If you would like to have a distinct pattern on your boterkoek , then mark the dough with the tines of a fork at this stage. Mix the teaspoon of egg with a teaspoon of water, and brush on top of the boterkoek.  Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until just golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for about 15 minutes before unmolding (or the boterkoek will break). Let the boterkoek cool completely before cutting it into wedges (or slices if you prefer). Boterkoek is a really simple recipe with surprisingly good results for something so easy – so go ahead and try this wonderful Dutch treat. Eet smakelijk!

Herstellung des Boterkoek Heizen Sie Ihren Ofen auf 175 Grad Celsius vor. Die runde Backform fetten (26 cm) und mit Backpapier auslegen. In einer mittelgroßen Schüssel die Butter, den Zucker, das Salz, die geriebene Zitronenschale und das Vanillearoma miteinander verrühren. Etwa einen Teelöffel von dem verquirlten Ei in eine kleine Schüssel geben. Den Rest vom Ei zum Teig geben und mischen. Das Mehl und Backpulver mischen und gut unterrühren. Den Teig in die Backform geben und mit den Händen andrücken – falls der Teig zu sehr klebt, kann man auch ein Stück Frischhaltefolie auf den Teig legen und ihn dann mit Hilfe eines breiten Löffels oder mit einem Glasboden glatt streichen oder drücken. Wenn Sie ein Muster auf ihrem Boterkoek haben möchten, dann sollten Sie jetzt eine Gabel mehrmals über den Teig ziehen, so dass ein Gittermuster entsteht. Den Rest vom verquirlten Ei mit einem Tl Wasser mischen und mit einem Backpinsel den Teig damit bestreichen. Mit den Mandelblättchen bestreuen und ungefähr 25 bis 30 Minuten backen oder solange, bis der Boterkoek eine schöne goldene Farbe hat. Den Boterkoek auf ein Kuchengitter stellen und mindestens 15 Minuten auskühlen lassen, bevor Sie ihn aus der Form nehmen (sonst bricht der Kuchen). Ganz auskühlen lassen und dann entweder in breite Streifen oder in keilförmige Stücke schneiden. Boterkoek ist wahrlich einfach und relativ schnell in der Herstellung und es lohnt sich wirklich, diesen einmal auszuprobieren. Eet smakelijk!

FFwD: Wheat Berry Salad with Vegetables and Purslane

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is a deliciously healthy Wheat Berry Salad.

Wheat berries are a true whole grain. You may not recognize the name, but without these kernels, there would be no flour. Wheat berries are loaded with nutrients and are as easy as rice to prepare, perfect for a meal any time of year. Wheat berries are whole wheat kernels. Since the wheat kernel is left intact, virtually none of the nutrients are stripped away. They look like thick, short grains quite similar to brown rice.

When boiled, cooked wheat berries have a chewy bite and subtle nutty, earthy flavor. They are sturdy enough to handle salad dressings and still delicate enough to taste delicious with some milk, honey and cinnamon. And if you like sprouts on salads and sandwiches, add a little water to wheat berries and you can grow your own tasty wheat sprouts.

Apart from the cup of wheat berries (which I doubled) Dorie´s recipe for the dressing calls for Dijon mustard, olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I used Moutarde de Montjoie from my favorite artisanal mustard mill ("Senfmühle Monschau") and added some fresh lemon juice to the salad dressing.

For the vegetables, Dorie chose celery, onion, a bell pepper and as the fruit she used an apple – I grilled some thin slices of white and green zucchini instead, cut them into half-moon shapes and added them to the salad together with chopped Kalamata olives, salt brined capers and yellow, green and red grape tomatoes. As herbs I also added a whole bunch of chopped Italian parsley, chives and basil.

As a sort of topping for the wheat berry salad, Dorie used canned tuna, mixed salad greens, tomatoes, an avocado and hard-boiled eggs. I skipped the tuna, but crumbles some feta, sliced some avocado, soft-boiled some small farm fresh eggs and added my favorite hearty salad green just before serving. Purslane or “Portulak” (Portulaca oleracea) as it is called around here is not your typical salad green that you will find in your favorite supermarket – so I was thrilled when I found a bunch of this somewhat “forgotten” salad green. With its pretty somewhat shiny and “sturdy” green leaves and pronounced tart flavor, purslane is the perfect match for the other vegetables and the wheat berries.

Wheat berries have a definite nutty flavor so they are great with a lot of different fresh vegetables, especially when they are grilled, tons of fresh herbs such as basil, chives and parsley and also cheeses such as mozzarella or feta. Wheat berries are deliciously healthy, fusing perfectly with the other flavors in this easy dish, perfect for a weeknight meal or for a summertime picnic. This recipe was very enthusiastically received at our house. It is a definite keeper - I will add different grilled vegetables, herbs, cheese and salad greens to this (next time it will be ruccola).

Look for wheat berries at a health food store or in the natural foods section of your local supermarket.If you cannot find wheat berries, you can easily substitute pearl barley.

To see how the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group prepared this Wheat Berry Salad click here.

TwD: Baked Yogurt Tart with Red Currants and Wild Blueberries

Today we are making a Baked Yogurt Tart for the Tuesdays with Dorie group. The contributing baker for this recipe is Leslie Mackie.

The recipe for this wonderful simple tart is a two step process. You begin with preparing a Flaky Pie Dough, using all purpose flour (I used spelt flour), salt, cold unsalted butter, vegetable shortening  and ice water. After you prepare the pie dough, it needs a two hour rest in the fridge. Then you roll it out, fit it into your springfrom pan (I used a French tart pan with high sides and a removable bottom), chill the dough some more, and blind bake for a good 25 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden and set.

While the pre-baked pie shell cools on a rack, you can prepare the lovely filling using three eggs (I used organic), sugar, yogurt, flour, and vanilla extract (I used homemade vanilla sugar instead) and, of course, lovely berries or fruit – depending on the season.

Yogurt is packed with calcium, protein and B vitamins. It is made by adding a number of types of harmless bacteria to milk, causing it to ferment. This thickens it and gives it its characteristically tangy flavor. Cow's milk is the most common type used, but goat's, ewe's, sheep or buffalo's milk are also suitable. Most yogurt sold around here are “live”, which means that the yogurt still contains live bacteria. There are a number of different types to choose from. I chose whole milk organic yogurt, it is made from whole organic milk, it is a live yogurt that has been fermented with live culture bacteria and it has a smooth, creamy texture and a fresh, slightly tangy flavor. And organic yogurt has had additional “friendly” bacteria added to it and it has the mildest flavor and a particularly creamy texture, therefore making it the perfect choice for this Baked Yogurt Tart.

For the fruits I chose my favorite berries, red currants and wild blueberries. Red currants add a lovely splash of color to this tart. They are pretty, bright red, juicy berries with a tart, sparkling flavor. Fresh red currants are essential in summer pudding, but also marry beautifully with wild blueberries for this simply elegant tart.

In German-speaking areas, red currants are called “Johannisbeeren” because the red currants ("John's berry" in German) are said to ripen first on St. John's Day, also known as Midsummer Day, June 24. So we are just at the start of the red currant season right now and I had a bit of a hard time finding some because the weather has been rather cool around here.

Once the baked tart shell had cooled sufficiently, I mixed up the ingredients for the yogurt filling, added the
fruit and baked the tart for about 50 minutes. Instead of chopped almonds, I used chopped bright green pistachios to sprinkle around the edge of the tart.

We liked this tart quite a bit, it tasted a bit like a vanilla custard/cheesecake tart – what a nice and pretty dessert and quite different from the yogurt cakes that I usually bake, yogurt for the filling itself was "a first" for me and we liked it in this tart.

To see what the other members of the Tuesdays with Dorie group thought of this Baked Yogurt Tart, please click here.

FFwD: Socca from Vieux Nice / Kichererbsenmehl Pfannkuchen

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is Socca, a chickpea flour pancake that is a specialty of Nice. It is also known as Farinata in Liguria, Italy. It is essentially a large pancake made from but a few ingredients such as chickpea flour, water, olive oil, a bit of salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper and sometimes, as is the case with a lot of Italian recipes and Dorie´s recipe, chopped rosemary.

Die French Fridays with Dorie-Gruppe bereitet heute Socca zu, eine Pfannkuchen Spezialität mit Kichererbsenmehl aus Nizza. In Ligurien kennt man Socca auch als Farinata. Socca ist ein Pfannkuchen mit nur einigen wenigen Zutaten wie Kichererbsenmehl, Wasser, Olivenöl, ein wenig Salz und etwas frisch gemahlenen Pfeffer und etwas frischem Rosmarin  - eine Zutat sowohl in Dorie´s als auch in vielen italienischen Rezepten..

The batter for the Socca is as quick and easy to put together as a pancake. The batter for the Socca should rest for about two hours or even overnight and it is baked in the oven, finished in a broiler and done in about 20 minutes. It can be served hot or warm, with toppings such as caramelized onions and oven roasted tomatoes or just a light drizzle of olive oil and some more freshly ground black pepper. Around here chickpea flour is sold in Middle Eastern and natural foods markets. So I bought two bags of chickpea flour and made two different large Soccas. The first one I made with the roasted chickpea flour from my favorite natural food store. When I prepared the batter, it thickened so quickly that I had to add more water to get the consistency right. The baked Socca had a real rustic appeal and a nice nutty taste.

Der Teig für den Socca ist einfach und genauso schnell gemacht wie jeder Pfannekuchenteig. Der Teig für den Socca sollte wenigstens zwei Stunden bei Zimmertemperatur stehen – er kann allerdings auch über Nacht ruhen. Der Socca wird erst im Ofen gebacken und dann für einige Minuten mit Oberhitze gebräunt und anschließend heiß oder warm serviert. Vor dem Servieren kann man den Socca mit ein wenig gutem Olivenöl beträufeln und mit frisch gemahlenem schwarzen Pfeffer verfeinern. Man kann ihn mit karamelisierten Zwiebeln oder im Ofen gerösteten Tomaten servieren. Kichererbsenmehl findet man in asiatischen Läden oder in Bio-Geschäften. Ich habe geröstetes Kichererbsenmehl im Bio Laden besorgt. Mit diesem Mehl brauchte ich mehr als eine Tasse Wasser, um die richtige Konsistenz für den Socca zu bekommen. Der gebackenen Socca sieht sehr schön rustikal aus und schmeckt wunderbar nussig.

The second Socca contained the regular chickpea flour from a Middle Eastern market, the batter was considerably less thick than the first, the color was lighter, it baked more like a pancake and tasted less nutty than the first.

Einen zweiten Socca habe ich mit dem Kichererbsenmehl aus dem Asiatischen Laden zubereitet. Der Teig war wesentlich heller und deutlich flüssiger und der fertige Socca hatte eher die Konsistenz eines Pfannekuchens und war weniger nussig als der erste Socca.

Preparing the Soccas was new to me and it was fun to learn a few things about chickpea flour and what it is used for, particularly since I had never used this type of flour before. Recipe for the Socca (Farinata)  Ingredients 1 cup chickpea flour  1 cup cool water 3 ½ tsp olive oil some salt  2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves some freshly ground black pepper Preparation Sift chickpea flour into a bowl, then add 1 cup water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, salt and chopped rosemary. Cover, and let rest for about two hours, or as long as overnight . Batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven.  Pour 2 tablespoons oil into heated pan, and swirl to cover pan evenly.  Pour in batter, and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until pancake is firm and edges set.  Heat broiler and place Socca a few inches away from broiler for a few minutes, just long enough to brown it spottily.  Cut it into wedges, and serve hot, or at room temperature. To see more Soccas from the French Fridays with Dorie group, please click here.

Socca zuzubereiten war interessant – ich habe das erste Mal Kichererbsenmehl verwendet und war angenehm überrascht. Rezept für Kichererbsenmehl Pfannkuchen (Farinata) Zutaten 1 Tasse Kichererbsenmehl 1 Tasse kaltes Wasser 3 ½ EL Olivenöl etwas Salz 2 TL fein gehacktes Rosmarin etwas frisch gemahlenen schwarzen Pfeffer Zubereitung Das Kichererbsenmehl mit dem Wasser verrühren. Dann 1 ½ El. Olivenöl, Salz und gehackten Rosmarin zugeben.  Abdecken, zirka zwei Stunden oder über Nacht ruhen lassen. Der Teig sollte ungefähr die Konsistenz von Sahne haben. Den Ofen auf 260 Grad Celsius vorheizen. Ein rundes Pizzablech oder eine Eisenpfanne in den Ofen stellen und ebenfalls vorheizen. Dann 2 El. Olivenöl in die heiße Form geben – das Öl sollte den gesamten Boden bedecken. Den Teig so einfüllen, dass der Boden bedeckt ist – dabei die Form so wenden, dass der Teig den gesamten Formboden bedeckt. Den Socca 5 bis 10 Minuten backen, der Teig sollte dabei fest werden. Oberhitze einschalten und den Socca einige Minuten unter die Heizschlange in den Ofen stellen – bis der Socca eine schöne Farbe hat, einige Stellen dürfen dabei ruhig dunkler werden. Den fertigen Socca in Stücke schneiden oder reißen und noch heiß oder lauwarm servieren – dabei mit ordentlich frisch gemahlenem Pfeffer genießen. Um die anderen Soccas der French Fridays with Dorie Gruppe anzuschauen, bitte hier klicken.

FFwD: Sablé Breton Galette with Berries

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group, is a French specialty from Brittany, namely Sablé Breton Galette with Berries.

This shortbread like butter cookie base has so few ingredients that you cannot get away with cutting corners, good quality butter and flour are essential, and plenty of them. Other than flour and butter, you will need some baking powder, fleur de sel and one large egg.  I made an effort to get farm fresh butter for these and substituted the regular white all purpose flour with artisanal spelt flour and I did add some homemade vanilla sugar to the dough as well.

Do make sure to treat the dough gently, chill it for a good three hours and bake the cookies for a good thirty minutes (since I used mini heart shaped fluted tart pans with removeable bottoms instead one large tart pan – these were done in less time than provided for in the recipe).

While the dough for the cookies is chilling, you can prepare the lovely lemon curd. Again, with plenty of quality ingredients such as farm fresh eggs, sugar, organic lemon juice, a bit of light corn syrup (I used maple syrup – no corn syrup to be found anywhere around here and I much prefer maple syrup anyways) and good fresh butter. You can speed up the chilling time by preparing an ice bath for the curd, that way, the curd will have settled and cooled by the time the cookie hearts bake and have had time to cool completely as well. Of course, you are free to make the lemon curd a day in advance, put it in a jar and place it in the fridge overnight. Spread some curd on the cooled cookie base and top the cookie hearts with seasonal fruits of your choice. Homemade lemon curd is quick and easy and so much more mouthwatering than the store bought variety. In addition to spreading the lemon curd on these delicious and buttery French treats, you will certainly find endless other fabulous uses for the curd, such as serving it with vanilla ice cream.

To keep up the French theme (and colors) of this wonderful recipe, I used blueberries and big fat blackberries – while the blackberry bushes in the garden do not bear ripe fruits yet, I did find some nice ones at the store – the tiny wood (wild) strawberries, however, are from our garden, they must be my favorite berries of all times. Whatever berries you use, try to use a medley of blue and red berries to make these Sablés stand out – blueberries, strawberries and blackberries or raspberries all work well.

This rich home baked treat was a real crowd pleaser and the shortbread like cookie hearts filled the kitchen with a wonderful buttery freshly baked smell. The cookie hearts taste dense and rich since they are made with such a generous amount of butter, that does not really come as a surprise. The butter also gives these cookies their melt-in-the-mouth texture. The cookies are pale golden brown in color and taste a bit nutty from the spelt flour (my latest food obsession) that I used. The lemon curd cuts nicely through the richness of the buttery dough and the fruits are just an utter summery delight as a topping.

If you are interested to take a look at how the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie Group interpreted this recipe, click here.