German Hard Flower Rolls with Poolish - Weizenbrötchen

I adore baking, especially any type of yeast bread. Today's experience was a hit!

while surfing Tastespotting, found a great photo of this recipe, to make them a lilttle bit festive, decided to make those little flowers...adorable ha!

Up, close and personal!

Weizenbrötchen - German Hard Rolls with Poolish

 adapted from Plötz Blog

Poolish	Dough
100 g Water 100 g Bread flour 0.1 g Fresh yeast	150 g Bread flour 55 g Water 5 g Fresh yeast 5 g Salt 10 g Sugar 3 g Olive oil

1. Combine together the poolish ingredients in a mixing bowl. Leave it, covered, at room temperature for 16-20 hours.
2. Mix the starter, bread flour, water and fresh yeast at low speed for 3 minutes, then increase the speed and mix for 5 more minutes. Add in salt, sugar, and olive oil and continue to knead for another 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form into a round ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for an hour. Stretch and fold the dough after 30 minutes. Knead the dough thoroughly and divide it into 5 large or 8 small portions. Shape each portion into an oval and place them on the parchment paper lined baking tray. for the flower shapes, snip your dough with a pair os scissors like in the photo ( photo credit goes to artisanbreadinfive.com ) Cover and prove for an hour.

1. Place a roasting tray at the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F. Score the rolls and place in the hot oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the roasting tray. Bake 20-25 minutes until they are nicely golden brown and crisp.

Happy New Year everyone!

Hard crust, spongy crumb!

Special thanks to Angie, from angiesrecipes.com for the great recipe.

Enjoy!

Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

La versione Italiana, più giù.
After such a lousy day at work, this what happened! sweet ha?
I really tried to indulge myself with something pretty, yet, easy for my sweet tooth :)
If you are too lazy to bake, have a look on this article ( how to survive a lousy day-like mine-)

This simple cake is terrific on its own, but feel free to up the ante with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla-bean ice cream. Try other fruit like peaches or plums in place of the nectarines. And since it is the end of summer, I found nectarine is ripened and gorgeous..

 oh yeah..look at mine :)

First, pick your self a pretty nectarine.

Sifting your flour gives fantastic results in cake baking, mark my word and try it yourself!

Rule no. one, sift your flour in all cakes

Do you see that? my flour after sifting..

Those are your ingredients plus baking powder and baking soda.. you have them, right?

Butter your pan and add 1 TB of brown sugar

Arrange your nectarine slices

cream your butter

Cream your sugar with the butter

After adding your egg, add your vanilla

Start adding your flour alternatively with yogurt or buttermilk 

Your creamy gorgeous batter

Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven e voilà!

Let it sit for ten minutes on a wire rack inside the pan

Ready, steady, GO !

Nectarine upside down Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature.
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar , divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt.

1 ripened nectarine or peach.

How to:

• Preheat oven to 180 c, placing the rack in the middle. Butter and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar into  a 20 cm round cake pan, arrange your nectarine slices and keep ready.
• Whisk together all  dry ingredients.
• Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until  fluffy; then beat in the vanilla. Add the egg and beat.
• Switch  to low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, do NOT over-beat.
• With a spatula, spread batter over nectarines. Bake until cake is dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes . Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. now invert cake onto a serving plate. 

La versione Italiana

Ingredienti:

• 1 tazza di farina 00 ( 130 gm) ( Il mulino Chiavazza)
• 1/2 cucchiaino di lievito in polvere per dolci.
• Mezzo cucchiaino di bicarbonato di sodio
• 1/4 cucchiaino di sale
• 60 gm di burro non salato, ammorbidito
• 2/3 tazza più 1 1/2 cucchiai di zucchero di canna, diviso
• Mezzo cucchiaino di estratto di vaniglia puro ( oppure una bustina di vanillina) 
• 1 uovo grande fresco.
• 1/2 tazza di yogurt ( 100 gm)
• 1 nettarine  o pesca.

Come si fa:

1. Preriscaldare il forno a 180 °C,  Burrate e cospargete1 cucchiaio di zucchero di canna in un 9 pollici tortiera rotonda, organizzare le vostre fette di pesche  e tenere a disposizione.
2. Mescolare insieme la farina, il lievito, il bicarbonato e il sale.
3. Sbattere il burro e lo zucchero con uno sbattitore elettrico a velocità medio-alta fino ad essere chiaro e spumoso, questo dovrebbe durare circa 3 minuti, poi aggiungere la vaniglia. Infine aggiungere l'uovo e sbattere bene per altri 2 minuti.
4. A questo punto aggiungere la farina in 3 lotti, in alternanza con il yogurt, iniziando e terminando con la farina e mescolare fino a che unito appena. 
5. Con una spatola,  versate  tutto l'impasto nella tortiera ,  infornate a 180° per 25 minuti circa . Per accertarvi dell’avvenuta cottura punzecchiate la torta con uno stecchino; se quando l’estrarrete sarà asciutto, la torta sarà pronta per essere sfornata. Una volta tiepida toglietela dallo stampo e lasciatela raffreddare completamente su di una gratella..
6.  Servire calda o a temperatura ambiente magari col gelato.... MMMM!

Ready to DIG IN ??

 The fluffiest cake I've ever made !

My daughter insisted on taking a photo with that pretty cake.. 


As featured on Foodgawker

Apple Coffee Cake

  It is officially fall here in Italy, and the apple . No, this is not the real reason I made this cake actually I wanted to make or re-make the nectarine upside down cake I made yesterday but I ran out of nectarine; that's why I used my apples.. and it turned out absolutely delish!!!

The term coffee cake can refer to any of the following:

• A class of cakes intended to be eaten alongside coffee (for example, as part of a breakfast meal) or that may be eaten during a "coffee break" or offered to guests as a gesture of hospitality on or around a coffee table. Under this definition, a coffee cake does not necessarily contain coffee. They are typically single layer cakes that may be square or rectangular like a Stollen or loaf-shaped rectangular cakes, or they may be ring shaped. Coffee cakes may be flavored with cinnamon or other spices, seeds, nuts and fruits. These cakes sometimes have a crumbly or crumb topping called streusel and/or a light glaze drizzle. Some similarity to teacakes may be found, though teacakes are often smaller individual items served with tea.

• A cake, often sponge cake, which is made with coffee or has a coffee flavor.

First of all prepare this:

You will need an apple, flour, Baking powder, brown sugar, butter,  an egg, yogurt and vanilla extract

Peel and slice your apple

Add to them  2 TB brown sugar mixed with 1/2 ts cinnamon

Cream your butter with your sugar

Now, add your egg and mix

start adding your flour alternating with yogurt till both finish

your batter should look like that!

Now, the fun part... add half the batter in your pan and spread it evenly 

Start adding your apple slices

Now add the rest of the batter and BAKE!

e Voilà !

Apple Coffee Cake

You will need :

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar , divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 125 gm Greek yoghurt or butter milk
• 1 large apple, sliced and peeled,1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 TB brown sugar .

How to:

•  Preheat oven to 400°F, 180 c, placing the rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and keep ready. or use a comfort silicon pan like mine, I love it!
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy; this should take about 3 minutes, then beat in the vanilla. Finally add the egg and beat well for another 2 minutes.
• Switch the mixer setting to low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk or yogurt, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined. Remember, do NOT over-beat.
•  Spoon half the prepared batter into the cake pan, add your apple  then spoon the rest of your batter.
• Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, roughly about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Invert it onto a serving plate.
• By the way, this cake tastes just like a good-soft- apple pie.Yummm :)

A quick hint this cake best served when hot, heat it up a lil in a microwave.. add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top and ENJOY!

Your lovely comments and suggestions make me happy!

Cinnamon -Easy- Rolls

Saturday brunch, another hot humid day and the hot weather seems like it's gonna last for ever here in Italy !

It is my  second attempt to make this decadent rolls.. they are my favourite of all times.

I prepared them the night before, popped them in the fridge, woke up at 9 am, let them sit for a while on the stove top while preheating the oven ( a tip to bring them  to room temperature in no time).

Good morning !

YOU will need...

For the Dough:

• 4 1/2 cups of AP flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (soft) not margarine PLEASE!
• 3/4 cup milk
• pinch os salt
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

For the filling

•  1 cup brown sugar
•  1 TSP cinnamon .
•  1/2  cup  soft butter.

    The Cream cheese glaze:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened'
• 125 gm cream cheese 
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

What to do:

• In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour and the yeast.

• In a small saucepan heat the milk, the 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt just till warm and butter is  melted, stirring constantly. Add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds ( with an electric mixer) I don't have a stand mixer by the way:(, . Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups flour as you can. the dough must be soft but not sticky.

• Turn dough out onto a  floured surface(wooden best). Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (8 minutes) PLEASE RESIST YOUR DESIRE TO ADD MORE FLOUR !
•  Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. cover and let rise for about 1 hour or till doubled in size.

• For the filling, combine 1 cup brown sugar, , and 1 TSP cinnamon (mix them). and 1/2 a cup of soft butter.
• After the dough rises.Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

• Roll the dough into a 12 inch rectangle. with a rubber spatula, grease your dough with 1/2 cup of butter; top with brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style; pinch edges to seal.

• Slice the dough roll into eight 1 1/2 inch pieces. Arrange dough pieces, cut side up, in a greased baking pan. Cover dough loosely with clear plastic wrap, leaving room for rolls to rise for 1 hour. or proceed to the next step.
• Refrigerate dough for 2 to uo to 24 hours. Uncover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

• Preheat your oven to 375 f or 180 c  and bake  for 25 minutes or till light brown. 

A hint...to slice the dough easily into buns....use a piece of thread or dental floss , pass it under the dough and then pull to make a  knod...and here it comes...a smooth slice , the thread  acts like a very sharp knife.

Looks good or what ?

 For the  glaze..Mix all the glaze ingredients together and pour it on the buns when it comes out of the oven....enjooooooy!

Have you ever made your own Cinnamon Rolls?

Tiramisù Pancakes

 Versiona Italiana è più giu..

Tira (pick) Mi (me) sù (up) .... did you know that ?
   Typically  ,it is made of ladyfingers (Italian: Savoiardi) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone, and flavored with liquor and cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many varieties of puddings, cakes and here PANCAKES !

I made them  with real espresso ... not instant espresso powder  , and also   used  the Mocha or this old Italian coffee maker .

                It will give you a really big shot of energy ... imagine coffee plus sugar plus chocolate !


                                       Tiramisù Pancakes


For the pancakes:
Partially adapted from Ivory Hut
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, slightly rounded, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a  pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cups sour cream... if you don't have that you can use regular cooking cream or even milk!
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 small cup of espresso like that in the picture. about 4 tablespoons. or 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder .

For the cream:
4 oz. (125) gm  mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar.


Instructions:

-Start by preparing the cream . For the cream, beat all ingredients together and whip until you have soft peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator. (Tip: this cream tastes amazing, and is what really makes these pancakes. If you like generous amounts of cream on your pancakes, you might want to make a double portion.)
-In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure the cocoa powder is well sifted, so that it will dissolve evenly.
-In a separate bowl, combine the milk and sour cream until smooth . Add the  coffee ( or your  espresso powder)  and mix well until dissolved. Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until you have a slightly lumpy batter but without any large clumps of flour. -If batter is a little runny, add a tablespoon or two of flour. I like to transfer my batter to a measuring cup or something else with a spout, for easier cooking.
-Let the batter sit while you preheat your griddle. When griddle is hot, drop batter in portions desired (1/4 cup for regular-sized pancakes) onto the greased griddle. When bubbles come up and edges look cooked, gently flip to cook the other side. Once pancakes are cooked, transfer to a plate. Continue with the remaining batter until done.
-To serve, dollop a generous amount of the cream in between layers of pancakes. Top with more cream, and then top with shaved chocolate, or a light dusting of sifted cocoa powder.
P.S it will be FANTASTIC when cold!

If you like this post .. please  help me be one of the best 100 mommy blogs on Babble.com 
watch this  video and then vote for me  here


If you care for some Nutella  Pancakes click here


Versione Italiana :

Per le frittelle:

2 tazze di farina
2 cucchiai di zucchero
2 cucchiai di cacao in polvere, leggermente arrotondata, setacciata
2 cucchiaini di lievito in polvere
1 / 2 cucchiaino di bicarbonato di sodio
un pizzico di sale
1 1 / 2 tazze di latte
1 / 2 tazze di panna acida
3 uova  grandi
4 cucchiai di burro fuso
2 cucchiaini di vaniglia
1 tazza di caffè espresso come quello nella foto. circa 4 cucchiai.
 La crema :
 4 once (125g di mascarpone
1 tazza di panna da montare
2 cucchiai di zucchero.

Come si fanno :
 Iniziate preparando la crema. Per la crema, ha battuto tutti gli ingredienti insieme e frusta fino ad avere picchi molli. Mettere da parte in frigorifero. (Suggerimento:.. Questa crema gusto sorprendente, ed è ciò che rende davvero queste frittelle Se ti piace una generosa quantità di crema sul vostro pancake, si potrebbe desiderare di fare una doppia porzione)
-In una ciotola, unire la farina, lo zucchero, il cacao, il lievito, il bicarbonato e il sale. Assicurarsi che la polvere di cacao è ben setacciata, in modo che possa sciogliere in modo uniforme.
-In una ciotola separata, unire il latte e la panna fino a che liscio. Aggiungere il caffè e mescolate bene fino alla dissoluzione. Sbattere le uova, il burro fuso e la vaniglia. Aggiungere il composto umido agli ingredienti secchi, mescolando delicatamente fino ad ottenere una pastella leggermente grumoso, ma senza grandi ciuffi di farina. -Se è ​​un po 'di pastella liquida, aggiungere un cucchiaio o due di farina. Mi piace il mio trasferimento pastella per un misurino o qualcos'altro con un beccuccio, per facilitare la cottura.
-Che la pastella sedersi mentre si pre-riscaldare la vostra piastra. Quando piastra è caldo, goccia pastella in porzioni desiderato (1 / 4 tazza di dimensioni normali frittelle) sulla piastra unta. Quando bolle salire e bordi guardare cotto, capovolgere delicatamente per cuocere l'altro lato. Una volta che le frittelle sono cotte, trasferimento in un piatto. Continuare con l'impasto rimanente fino a cottura.
-Per servire, dollop una generosa quantità di crema fra strati di frittelle. Top con più panna, e poi superiore con cioccolato a scaglie, o una leggera spolverata di cacao in polvere setacciato.