Thermomix Figolli

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

175 grams caster sugar

400 grams plain flour, sifted

200 grams butter

Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 egg yolks, beaten

For the almond paste:

300 g caster or icing sugar

1 or 2 egg whites depending on size

Grated rind of 1 lemon

A few drops orange flower water

300 grams almonds, ground with the thermomix too

To finish:

Glacé icing or chocolate for covering

Royal icing for decoration

Small Easter eggs

Thermomix Kwarezimal

Ingredients:

100g of almonds

100g of plain flour

125g of caster sugar

a dash of orange-flower water

the grated rind of one orange, one tangerine and one lemon

one tablespoonful of cocoa

honey and almonds to decorate

Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt

This is a very simple recipe which can be prepared in no time for breakfast, snack or desert.

Figolli (2)

It's that time of the year again! Figolli Time.  Figolli are almond pastries cut out to represent symbolic figures. They come into their own at Easter time.  After our first figolli post, we couldn't resist the temptation, and decided to produce another lot which we would like to share with you all. The following recipe is for 4 - 5 figolli, depending on the thickness of the filling.

For the pastry

 
750 grams plain flour
350 grams unsa lted butter
250 grams sugar
4 egg yolks
Grated rind of 1 lemon


For the  filling
600 grams pure ground almonds
2 drops almond essence
600 grams sugar
Grated  rind of 1 lemon
Whites of 4 eggs

For the coating (royal icing)

400 grams icing sugar

2 egg whites

few lemon drops or almond essence

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl and  rub in the butter.  Mix in the sugar and  the lemon rind and combine. 

Add  the egg yolks a nd knead  into a dough. Turn  the dough onto a floured  surface and  knead for a few minutes. Cover and leave to stand  for 30 minutes in a cool place. 

Meanwhile, combine  the ground almonds, essence, sugar  and lemon rind in a bowl. Add  the egg whites and mix well.

Roll out  the pastry  over a floured  surface.  Use figolli cutters to cut out the pastry  into the figolli shapes of your choice. You will need  2 pastry shapes for each figolla.  Place 3 tablespoons of the almond mixture on 1 pastry  shape. Moisten the edges of the pastry with a little water and then top with  the other  pastry shape.

Press down  to seal edges together well. Proceed in the same  manner to prepare the other figolli.

Place the figolli on a greased baking tray and bake in a moderate to slightly hot oven for 35 minutes or until figolli are lightly browned.  Bring out of the oven and stand for 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

 

Now you need to coat your figolla with royal icing. To do this you will need 400 grams icing sugar mixed with 2 small egg whites and a few drops of lemon / two drops of almond essence.  Use a blender to mix well.

 

This is final result....

Zeppoli ta San Guzepp

Ingredients

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup butter

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp grated lemon peel

honey and chopped almonds for finishing

Ricotta Filling 

3 cups ricotta cheese

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tsbp grated orange peel

2 Tbsp grated lemon peel

Kwarezimal

Ingredients:

done yesterday (with pistaccios and cashews instead of just almonds)

100g of blanched almonds

100g of plain flour

125g of caster sugar

a dash of brandy or orange-flower water

the grated rind of one orange, one tangerine and one lemon

one tablespoonful of cocoa

honey and almonds to decorate

Method:

Toast the almonds briefly and grind them fairly roughly so that they are chunky rather than powdery.

Put them into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.

 

Stir them together adding enough water to make stiff dough. Be careful as after you add just a little water, the dough will still look dry. Do not add more water untill you knead it by hand. If it is still too dry add a little more water. Be carefull not to use too much water.

 

roll the dough and shape them into rectangles. Don't forget to make the traditional diamond pattern with the back of a knife.

 

Place them on well-greased baking-sheets and bake at 190 degrees celcius for 20 minutes.

They should be crisp at the edges but still soft. Don't worry if they feel soft, they will keep on hardening. If you leave them too long, they will be too hard.

Remove them from the oven and spread them with honey, scattering almonds on top.

The almonds will stick to the honey.

 

Qastan tal-imbuljuta

It's beginning to get cold and I had been thinking of doing this recipie for a while... It reminds me of cosy winters at home with all the family.

Hope you enjoy it...

Kannoli tar-rikotta

These cornets / kannoli require specially shaped tin moulds which may be bought from any supermarket.

Ingredients

for the pastry

225g flour

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp drinking chocolate

2 tsp margerine

2 tsp shortening

2 tsp red wine

approx 470ml cold water

For the filling

400g rikotta

55 g plain chocolate

115 g glace cherries

55g icing sugar

115g blanched and roasted almonds

Method:

Mash the rikotta, chop up the chocolate, cherries and almonds.  stir these into the rikotta together with the sugar.  Make the pastry:  either place all ingredients in an electric mixer and blend, using a dough hook, or mix by hand, using the rubbing-in method.  Roll the pastry out thinly.  Cut into rounds with a cutter and place each round over a tube. Deep - fry the kannoli a few at a time turning them until they are evenly brown.  When the lemon rind gets brown, replace it with a fresh piece.  Cool the kannoli on absorbent paper.  They ought to be filled at the last possible moment.

Apple Dumplings

Sweet and tasty all year round..

Ingredients

4 apples

Sweet pastry

Strawberry jam

Sultana

1 egg

Cloves

Method:

Sweet Pastry

This is a recipe I got from Honey and Butter blog.  The particular ingredient is Vodka.  This may sound odd however this is a sweet pastry recipe which I fell for.  Of course you can use your own pastry recipe or even the ready made ones from the supermarkets.

2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 TB sugar
12 TB (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in slices and chilled
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water

Pulse 1 1/2 cups of the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor for about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process for about 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula and distribute the dough evenly around the processor blade. Add remaining flour and pulse until dough has been broken up, about 5 quick pulses.

Open the processor lid and sprinkle the cold vodka and water evenly over the mixture. Process until the mixture clumps together into a sticky ball. 

Empty the contents onto a countertop and split into two piles. Form each pile into flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap for at least 45 minutes before using.

To bake: Roll out onto generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to about 1/8 inch thick.

Apple Dumplings

Peel and core apples.

Fill in with one clove and sultanas and top up with strawberry jam.

Open dough in square sizes.

Place apple on dough and fold the corners to the center of the top of the apple.

Wash dumplings with beaten egg

Bake in 180° preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Traditional Ice Cream

Today I relived my childhood days.  I remember my grandpa doing this really tasty and particular ice-cream which for some reason I have never tasted anywhere else.  I did enjoy some really good ice-creams especially in Sicily, but believe me, this is nothing like the others…it stands out.   A friend of mine gave me the recipe which he got from his grandmother and here it is for all of you to enjoy.  Try it out and let me know how you like it.

Ingredients

1 400g condensed milk

400 ml water

100gr sugar

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 lemon zest

A few drops of vanilla essence

Some grounded roasted almonds·        

Method:

In a sauce pan add the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon zest. 

Bring to a  boil and simmer for 10 minutes

Let cool and strain through a sieve

Add the vanilla essence and milk

Transfer everything to a glass or stainless steel bowl and leave in freezer for an hour.

Break up the ice-cream using a fork and transfer to an ice-cream maker machine.  If you don’t have an ice cream maker machine return mixture to freezer and let stand until completely frozen. 

Add the grounded almonds on top of ice cream before serving

Cinnamon Apple Pie

This is what I call a heavenly Apple Pie with cinnamon which I am so fond of.  This may be an ideal holiday recipe, but believe me, once you try it you will add this to your 'most favourite' desserts list...

 

Pie Crust

 
450 g plain all purpose flour
300g margerine
120g sugar
1 egg
some grated lemon rind

Method

 
Pulse flour, sugar and margerine in a food processor until no sign of the margerine. 
Add the egg and lemon rind

Process until the mixture clumps together into a sticky ball.

Form into flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Leave to set in refrigirator for at least 45 minutes.

Filling

 
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Method

 
Preheat oven to 200 C

Roll pastry into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place into a 9-in pie pan.
 

In a large mixing bowl toss the apples with lemon juice. Combine the sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the apples and toss until completely coated. Set mixture aside. Transfer the apple mixture to the pastry lined pie plate. 

For the top crust, roll out the remaining dough, place on top, and seal and flute the edge. Cut slits on the top to allow steam to escape.

Cover pie with foil to prevent over browning and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 25 minutes more until crust is golden and apples are tender.

Pudina tal-Hobz

Ingredients:

800g bread ideally maltese

60g unsalted butter

100g sugar

4 eggs beaten

100 g konfettura

50 g cherries

orange and lemon peel grated

5 TBls coacoa

200g sultanas

100g chopped dried friut (I use figs)

100g walnuts

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp vanilla essence

1.5 cup whole milk

1.5 tsp baking powder

Method:

Divide the bread, and soak in water in a bowl for about 12 hours.

Grease cake tin or oven dish

Drain soaked bread and break into small pieces. Add beaten eggs and beat mixture.

Add the melted butter and mix in the other ingredients except the baking powder.

Mix well and finally add the baking powder and mix again.

Put mixture into greased dish.

Bake at 275 degreed for 30minutes. Put heat down to 225 degrees and contimue baking for another 30 min.

Let cool before serving.

Lemon Granita

The Heat is on in the med. and one of the best ways to cool down is a lemon granita!

A very simple recipe you should all try out.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

half cup sugar

juice of 2 lemons

zest of one lemon

Method:

Dissolve sugar in water. Bring to boil then let cool completely.

Add lemon juice and zest to water mixture.

Freeze.

Take out from freezer, and using a blender break up the large frozen mixture. Pour into tall glasses and enjoy!