Little Meringue drums/ Tobitze :)

A tasty, delicate and beloved old recipe, I have inherited from my mom, and I have been making it ever since , mostly for the Holidays but also during the year when a savant combination of sweet meringue and coffee butter cream was missed.


Meringue cookies

6 egg whites (medium) –room temperature
1 pinch of salt
300 gr of white granulated sugar
300gr. grounded nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

Method:

Beat the egg whites with the salt until very stiff. Add the sugar gradually and keep beating until the meringue is very stiff.
Fold in gently the nuts until slightly mixed.

Warm up the oven and low to medium temperature. Line a cookie tray with baking paper and with a teaspoon put small scoops of nuts meringue leaving a bit of space between them.

Bake at low temperature for 40 min. They are done when they develop a firm crunchy crust.


Filling:

6 egg yolks
250 g of confectioners sugar
30 ml of very strong espresso coffee.
2 spoons of dark cocoa (optional)
200gr of butter (room temperature)

Mixx egg yolks , sugar and place it over a double boiler or on bain-marie and mix it until thickens. Add the coffee and keep on mixing until it resembles a thick sauce and gets a crust on the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and cocoa, mix until smooth and creamy and remove from heat. Let it cool.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy, ad the egg mixture, spoon by spoon, mixing strongly after each addition.


Glue the meringue cookies 2 by 2 with the plan side up with the butter cream. Roll into shredded coconut or grounded nuts.

They taste better the next day.

O reteta delicate si iubita mostenita de la mama , pe care o fac de atatia ani ca am uitat de cand, in mare parte de sarbatori dar de asemenea peste an de cate ori ni se face dor de combinatia de bezea cu crema de cafea.

Tobitze

6 albusuri (medii)

1 pic de sare
300 gr zahar tos ,alb
300gr. nuci macinate (alune, pecan sau migdale)

Metoda:

Bati albusurile spuma tare cu sare . Adaugi zaharul si bati pana se tine de tel. Amesteci usor nucile macinate .

Incalzesti cuptorul pe temperature medie. Pui in tava hartie de copt si cu lingurita imparti gramajoare lasand spatiu intre ele.

Se coc 40 min la temperature joasa. Sunt gata cand au crusta crocanta.

Umplutura:

6 galbenusuri
250 zahar praf
30 ml cafea espresso foarte tare
2 linguri de cacao neagra (optional)
200gr unt moale

Mixx egg yolks , sugar and place it over a double boiler or on bain-marie and mix it until thickens. Add the coffee and keep on mixing until it resembles a thick sauce and gets a crust on the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and cocoa, mix until smooth and creamy and remove from heat. Let it cool.

Amesteco galbenusurile cu zahar si pui pe abur amestecand pana se ingroasa si fac crusta pe margini. Adaugi cafeaua si cacao si amesteci pana se face ca o crema moale si fina. Lasi sa se raceasca complet.

Bati spuma untul si lingura cu lingura adaugi amestecul de ou,batand tare dupa fiecare adaugare.

Lipesti bezelele cu partea plata in sus folosind crema si le dai prin nuca de cocos sau nuci macinate.

Sunt foarte bune dupa ce au stat o zi.

Coffee cake for Gabriel/Tort de cafea pentru Gabriel

I have been gone for some time and I missed my blog and the wonderful world of baking.
So many things happened and I will find the courage to talk about them in time.
The first recipe I bring with my return on my amateur baker’s blog is the recipe of the cake I made for my husband’s birthday.
My Gabriel wanted a coffee cake and that is how my ordinary butter cream cake recipe became coffee cake.
It is a cake easy to make.
Enjoy.
.

And …” Happy birthday, my Gabriel!!!”

Coffee cake

White sponge cake:
5 eggs
5 spoons of sugar
5 spoons of flour (regular)
1 baking powder (2 tsp)
2 spoons of vegetable oil (sunflower)

Method:Sponge cake :Beat de egg whites until stiff ,add the sugar, keep beating until very stiff . Add the egg yolks mixing gently, the oil and the flour mixed with baking powder.Preheat the oven at medium heat.Grease and line with baking paper a tray. Bake 20-25 min or until the toothpick test.Cool down

Filing:
2 eggs (medium)
250gr confectioner’s sugar
6 tsp instant coffee
300gr butter softened

Mix the eggs with sugar and instant coffee in bain marie until creamy. Cool down.Cream the butter and add the egg cream gradually.

Assembly:
Cut the cake on three levels , soften it with coffee mixed with rum.
Fill the cake and decorate.

Am lipsit mult timp si mi-a fost foarte dor de blog si de toata lumea minunata a cofetariei.
S-au intamplat multe lucruri despre care o sa imi gasesc curaj treptat sa vorbesc.
Prima reteta cu care revin pe blogul meu de cofetar amator e reteta tortului pregatit pentru jumatatea mea cu ocazia zilei lui de nastere.

Gabitzu meu a vrut tort de cafea asa ca reteta mea obisnuita de buttercream cake a devenit coffee cake.

E un tort foarte usor de facut .
Succes.

Si …” La multi ani ,Gabitzu meu!!!”

Tort de cafea

Blat alb:
5 oua
5 linguri de zahar
5 linguri de faina
1 praf de copt
2 linguri de ulei

Pregatire:
Se bat albusurile spuma,se adauga zaharul si se bate in continuare pana se tine. Se adauga galbenusurile amestecand usor,uleiul si apoi treptat faina amestecata cu praful de copt .Se incalzeste cuptorul pe treapta din mijloc.Aluatul se pune in forma unsa si tapetata cu hartie de copt.Se coace 20-25 de minute sau pana iese scobitoarea curata.

Crema:
2 oua intregi
250gr de zahar praf
6 lingurite cafea instant.
300gr de unt moale

Pregatire:
Ouale se freaca cu zaharul in bain marie (pe abur) pana devine o crema groasa.Se adauga cafeaua.Se raceste.Se spumeaza untul si se adauga treptat crema de oua.

Asamblare:
Se taie tortul pe trei nivele si se insiropeaza cu cafea racita amestecata cu rom.
Se umple cu crema si se decoreaza.

Tort OPERA / OPERA cake

Am citit mult pe internet si nu numai, despre faimosul Tort Opera celebra creatie a lui Louis Clichy.
M-a impresionat istoria lui plina de fantezie si lumina ,povestea retetei nascuta din visul unui cofetar care a trait cu pasiunea pentru savanta combinatie de migdale ,ciocolata si cafea.
Acest tort elegant mi-a depasit orice asteptare.Ma asteptam la o reteta complicata, elaborata si dupa ingrediente ,foarte dulce si astfel tipic frantuzeasca.
Surpriza!!!
A mers extreme de repede, e foarte usor de facut, nu a creat probleme deosebite si s-a terminat urgent in ropote de aplauze gustative.

Tort Opera
Ingredientele
Blat:
7 oua mari
7 linguri de zahar
6 linguri de faina
1 praf de copt
200 gr migdale macinate (se pot folosi alune sau nuci-precizare pentru prietena mea, Gabitza)
25 gr de unt topit si racit

Crema de cafea:
1 ou
200 gr de zahar
300 gr de unt moale
2 lingurite de cafea instant
1 lingurite de apa

Crema ganache:
200 gr ciocolata amaruie
150 ml de frisca (eu am folosit vegetala –Maestro)
1 fiola esenta de rom (Dr. Oetker sau Ruff)

Glazura:
100 de grame ciocolata
80 ml de frisca

Preparare :

Blat:
Se bat albusurile spuma cu mixerul electric pana se tine, se adauga zaharul si se bate in continuare pana spuma e teapana. Se adauga galbenusurile amestecand usor cu un tel in forma de para(nu se bate!!!) .
Se amesteca faina, cu migdalele macinate si praful de copt si se adauga lingura cu lingura la compozitia de oua.Se adauga untul topit si racit amestecand usor.
Se unge si tapeteaza o tava pentru copt sau o forma de tort(forma clasica e dreptunghiulara asa ca eu am folosit tava).
Se toarna compozitia in tava si se coace 20 – 25 de minute la foc mediu in lerul preincalzit,sau pana trece proba scobitorii (vezi postarile anterioare).

Crema de cafea:
Se amesteca ouale cu zaharul in bain-marie aproximativ 10-15 minute .Compozitia devine o crema groasa si consistenta cu tendinta de uscare pe margini.
Cafeaua se amesteca cu apa pana la dizolvare.Se adauga la crema de oua si se mai amesteca 5 minute .
Se raceste.
Se spumeaza untul si se adauga crema de oua treptat ,cu lingurita ,amestecand bine dupa fiecare adaugare.

Crema ganache:
Frisca se incalzeste pe foc sau la microunde pana la punctual de fierbere.
Ciocolata se rupe in bucati mici, (eu am tocat-o) si se adauga in frisca fierbinte impreuna cu esenta de rom.
Se amesteca pana la omogenizare si se raceste.

Asamblare:
Blatul racit se taie pe 3 nivele.
Pe primul nivel se pune ¾ din crema de cafea.
Pe al doilea crema ganache.
Ultimul nivel se unge cu restul de crema de cafea.

Glazura:
Se infierbanta frisca la fel ca la ganache si se adauga ciocolata.Se amesteca pana la omogenizare si se continua amestecarea pana este rece.

Se glaseaza tortul si se da la frigider.
Se poate taia de indata ce se intareste glazura.

Tip: Atentie la temperatura glazurii deoarece risca sa “fuga de pe stratul de crema”
Tortul se decoreaza cu numele lui scris cu crema de unt pe un colt.Se pot adauga la decorare note musicale, foita comestibila de aur(asta asa pentru effect deosebit).



Un tort minunat ,foarte elegant potrivit pentru sarbatori, asta ca se apopie cu pasi repezi Pastele.


Nu mai spun cat de potrivit este pentru cafea....

Opera cake

I read a lot on the internet and not only there, about the notorious Opera cake, the famous creation of Louis Clichy.

I was impressed of it’s fantastic and bright history,the story of the recipe born from the dream of a maestro baker who lived with the passion for the savant combination of almonds, chocolate and coffee.

This elegant cake surpassed everything I was expecting from it. I was on guard for a complicated recipe, elaborated, and after the ingredients list extremely sweet and typically French.
Surprise!!!
It went quickly, very easy to make, no special problems, and was speedily finished in culinary ovations.

Joconde(almond sponge cake):

7 large eggs
7 spoon of white sugar
6 spoons of flour
1 unit baking powder (2 tsp)
200 gr gounded almonds (other kind nuts can be used)
25 gr melted an cooled butter

Coffee buttecream:

1 egg
200 gr sugar
300 gr butter soften
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp water

Ganache:
200 gr bittersweet chocolate
150 ml cream (I used vegetal –Maestro)
1 vile rum essence -1 tsp (Dr. Oetker or Ruff)

Glaze:
100 gr chocolate
80 ml cream

Method:

Joconde:
Beat the egg whites with the electric mixer until stiff, add the sugar and keep beating until very stiff. Fold in, gently; the egg yolks (do not beat).
Mix flour, almonds and baking powder and add spoon by spoon at the egg mixture. Add the melted butter and mix very gently.
Grease the tray or cake pan (the classical shape is rectangular so I used the tray)
Preheat the oven on the middle temperature. Pour the batter in the tray (I used baking paper and I strongly recommend it). Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until that toothpick tests ok. (See the previous posts)

Coffee butter cream:
Mix the egg and sugar in bain-marie for 10-15 min. The mixture will become thick with the tendency to become dry on the edges.
Mix the coffee with water until dissolved. Add it to the egg mixture and mix for another 5 min.
Let it cool completely.
Cream the butter and add the egg cream by teaspoon mixing well after each addition.

Ganache:
Heat the cream close to boiling point (you can use the microwave).
Break the chocolate into small pieces (I grounded it) and add it to the hot cream. Mix very well until it resembles a chocolate sauce. Cool at room temperature.

Assembly:
Cut the sponge cake on 3 layers.
Put ¾ of the coffee butter cream on the bottom layer.
Put the ganache on the middle layer.
Spread the left butter cream on the top layer.

Glaze:
Heat the cream like you did at ganache and add the chocolate. Mix well until smooth and continue mixing until cool.
Glaze the cake and refrigerate.
The glaze hardens very quickly and you can cut the cake after the glaze is dry.

Tip: Be careful at the glaze temperature .There is a risk it will “run “.
Decorate the cake with its name written with butter cream on a corner. You can draw musical notes, and put eatable gold (this for a special effect)

A wonderful cake, perfect for Holydays,since Easter is so close.

I won't say how well does it go with coffee...

O poveste cu briose

Dupa o zi infernala de serviciu si alte o mie de chestii care cereau neaparat o tigara am zis ca decat tigara(duca-se pe pustii)sa incerc mult cautata reteta de briose cu afine (in mijlocul iernii cand habar nu aveam de unde sa iau afine)atat de populara in tara tuturor posibilitatilor dar pe care nu am gasit-o decat masurata in "cups" ,"sticks"si " spoons" ...si alte masuri din sistemul US.
Asa ca folosind acest site foarte dragut si foarte folositor



http://www.onlineconversion.com/cooking_butter.htm


pe care l-am gasit pe Google( ca tot am eu fixatia"daca nu stii ceva gasesti pe google")din 4 retete adaptate la sistemul metric am iesit cu una, creatie proprie dar pe care am sa o folosesc toata viata in special pentru ca al al meu sot a subliniat ...bolduit... etc...ca reteta asta se pastreaza.


Sa nu credeti ca nu ma gandesc la silueta,sau ca nu pun la socoteala oboseala,dar la gandul ce minunatii ies din cuptor dupa nici 20 min de lucru imi trec toate relele si mai ales pofta de tigara.

Uite si reteta:
BRIOSE CU AFINE

Ies 6 bucati (eu dublez reteta pentru tava de 12 buc)

Ingrediente:
150g faina(eu am folosit 000 dar merge de care ai)


50g zahar brun(merge si alb dar ies mai dulci)


1/2 praf de copt


1 praf de sare(adica un vf de cutit cum spunea bunica)


1 ou


50g de unt topit si lasat sa se racoreasca


100ml de lapte


75g afine( eu am folosit masa neta de la un borcan de compot de afine cumparat de la Kaufland- adica am stors siropul)

optional se pot pune si fulgi de ciocolata dar eu am ramas pur si simplu la afine

Decor:
aprox. 4 linguri de zahar brun( eu am folosit Diamant)

Ai nevoie de o tava pentru briose,ulei si faina pentru pudrat sau cosulete de hartie(mult mai simplu de folosit)

Preparare:
Se incalzeste cuptorul pe treapta a doua( al meu e de tip vechi dar nu renunt in ruptul capului la el) sau se seteaza pe 200C/cel cu vetilator sau 180C/cel pe gaz.
Se pregateste tava.
Se amesteca ingredientele uscate.
Se amesteca untul cu laptele si cu oul cu un tel in forma de para.

Se dauga ingredientele uscate la amestecul umed,la fel si afinele si se omogenizeaza amestecand de jos in sus(nu amestecati prea mult pentru ca nu mai cresc- aluatul e zgrunturos).

Se imparte in compatimentele tavii se presara zahar brun deasupra fiecarei gramajoare de aluat si se coace 25 de min sau pana iese scobitoarea curata cand le intepi.


Produsul final la racit pe gratar.


Tip: Cosuletele de hartie le gasesti la Kaufland. Sunt 100 intr-o cutie si e foarte comod de lucrat cu ele asta din perspectiva cuiva care face tone de briose.

Astept feedback.Mult succes...si apropo ... sunt excelente cu o ceasca de cafea.

Numai bine va doresc.




A story with muffins

After an infernal day in the office and another thousand of things which were asking for a smoke I said to myself that rather than smoking(my IT be damned) let’s try the long searched blueberry muffin recipe(in the middle of the winter when I had no idea where to find blueberries) so popular in the land of all the possibilities ,recipe that I’ve found only measured in “ cups”, “sticks” and “spoons”…and other US measuring baking system.
So by using this lovely and very useful site http://www.onlineconversion.com/cooking_butter.htm
which I found on Google ( as I always say “if u don’t know smth. Google IT) out of 4 recipes adapted to the metric system I stuck with one, my own creation, but one I will used all my life, specially because my husband underlined …bolded…etc…that this one is a keeper.Don’t think I’m not considering the waste line or I’m not counting the tiredness, but at the thought what wonders come out of the oven after less than 20 min of work all my troubles seem to faint and most of all so does my cigarette craving.



Here goes the recipe:
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Makes 6 p (I always double the recipe in order to make 12)
Ingredients:

150g flour(I used confectioner’s but you can use regular too)

50g brown sugar (white sugar goes too but they are sweeter)

½ baking powder unit ( 2 tsp)

a pinch of salt

1 egg

50g of melted and cooled butter

100ml of milk

75g blueberries ( I used the net mass of one jar of blueberries in syrup that I bought from Kaufland – meaning I’ve drained the syrup and used the fruit)

Optionally you can ad chocolate chips but I stayed with just the blueberries.

Decoration:

Almost 4 spoons of brown sugar ( I used Diamant)

You need a muffin pan, oil and flower for powdering it or paper liners(much easier this way)

Method:

Fire up the oven at the medium step temperature(mine is old style but no way I’m giving it up) or you will set it for 200C/Fan or 180C/gas.

Prepare the muffin pan.

Mix the dry ingredients.
Combine the egg ,the milk and butter.

Add the dry ingredients and the blueberries and mix carefully down-up (do not overmix for they won’t raise in the oven- the mixture must be lumpy).

Divide the mixture in the pan. Spread each lump of batter with brown sugar and bake for 25 min or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Tip : paper liners you can find in Kaufland .They are 100 pieces for pack ,very smart to use them from the point of somebody who makes tones of muffins.

I’m waiting feedback. Best of luck…and by the way…they go beautifully with a cup of coffee.

All the best.