Sourdough Pancakes

 

Sourdough Pancakes

I have to admit I do not like pancakes much. However, Donna (thanks, Donna) gave me a link to a recipe that looked really good: Sourdough Pancakes. They are delicious. Just add some Canadian Maple Syrup. Yum!

Sourdough Pancakes and Maple Syrup

Here is my version of the recipe.

½ cup of warm water
½ cup of plain yogurt
50 grams of sourdough starter
1 egg
1 Tbsp of Avocado oil
1.5 Tbsp of sugar
¾ tsp of yeast
¾ tsp of salt
165 grams of flour

Mix all the ingredients except the flour using a whisk in a medium-sized bowl. I prefer using a spiral whisk. Once smooth, add the flour and mix or beat until it is smooth and free of lumps.

Scrape down the inside of the bowl with a spatula, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place. Let rest for 2 hours.

After two hours, it will be nice and bubbly. Do not stir; scope out the dough into a buttered frying pan.

Frying Sourdough Pancakes

Frying Sourdough Pancakes

If There is no Bacon in Heaven, I'm Not Going

Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough Pancakes

Leftover, keep covered in the fridge.

Enjoy, Anders

Anders Pizza Dough

 My Pizza Dough,

Here is the recipe for my pizza dough. I have tried many different ways, and I have found this to be the best for my liking.

Recipe ingredients:

• 600 g of bread flour (all-purpose works as well). I prefer bread flour because it has a higher protein content, and that makes the dough more elastic and easier to work with.
• 1/2 tsp of yeast
• 2 tsp of sea salt
• 1 tbsp of dark "unrefined" cane sugar. You can find it in the baking aisle close to the other sugar. This unrefined cane sugar has a bit of a smokey flavour to it. Really makes the pizza dough taste fantastic. 
• 420 g of coolish filtered water. This is 70% hydration or 70% water (600 x 70% = 420)

Mix all the dry ingredients, then add the water and stir till it is all well mixed with a wooden spoon, about a minute or so. Scrape the inside of the bowl and the wooden spoon down with a spatula. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap. I usually write the current time on a sticky note when I finish mixing the dough. It makes it easy to reference the following day.

Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 18 hours, give or take. It will start to form bubbles after a few hours, and after 18 hours, it smells wonderful. Now that the dough has fermented for 18 hours, scrap it out (in one big blob) on a floured surface using a dough scraper or spatula. It will be pretty sticky but try to work it into a ball using flour if needed. 

With a kitchen scale and a Bench scraper/knife,  divide the dough into four. They will weigh in at around 250 g each. Work each piece into a ball, use whatever technique you like (see this video on how to make a pizza ball, https://youtu.be/oZxNbL5XB7w?si=2_gVbzj8iQPojzCx )

I have a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid that holds four pizza balls; I put each ball in some plastic wrap just to separate the dough but leave the top of the plastic open. Now, you can stick the container in the fridge. I have had my dough up to two weeks in the fridge (I'm experimenting with 3 weeks); just remember to take the dough out at least two hours before you plan to eat.

Good luck

The Sour Dough Starter

 Feeding And Using The Sour Dough Starter

If you already have a sourdough starter, this is how you feed it before using it. 

To feed and use the starter, remove it from the fridge and add ⅓ cup of bread flour and ⅓ cup of water, mixing it up nicely. Let sit on the counter. When a drop of the starter floats in water, it is ready to use.

When not in use, let sit in the fridge. Ideally, feed and use every 1-2 weeks, but I was told you can go two months without feeding if left in the fridge.

Sour Dough Bread

 Bob's Sour Dough Bread

I got this recipe from my friend Bob, and it is easy and so good.

Ingredients:

• 520 grams of bread flour
• 78 grams of sourdough starter
• 416 grams of water
• 2 tsp of salt

Mix ingredients and let sit covered for 30-60 minutes.   Make it into a ball, return to bowl and leave overnight. 

Shape into a ball again, and bake at 450 F for 35 minutes covered in a cast iron pot. Remove the lid and brown at 385F for 6 minutes.

Let sit for one hour before cutting.

Tinfoil Cooking now available on Amazon

Tinfoil Cooking; RV Cookbook

Tinfoil Cooking is the ultimate cookbook for the outdoors. Easy cooking for Camping, RV'ing, Boating and at home. Delicious meals with very few or NO DISHES! 

This book is for RV'ers, boaters, campers and at home. Easy to follow recipes that everyone can use.

Wow, it has been a fun journey getting this book up on Amazon. I sure have learned a lot about publishing. Not as easy as one might think.

Front Cover of Tinfoil Cooking

If you are looking to make your camping or boating trips a bit easier then this books is for you. 

Do you dread having a whole bunch of dishes to clean up when you are out camping or boating or even at home? Then this book is for you. Actually, it’s a silly question — of course, you do, no one wants to do dishes and clean up the big mess left behind when you cook up a big meal.

If you are like me and want to simplify the whole cooking process without sacrificing on flavour, then this book is for you.

If you like to cook up the tenderest ribs ever, then this book is for you?

If you like to make the best-tasting vegetables supercharged with flavour, then this book is for you.

If you like to cook up some pasta without a pot and without steaming up your whole camper or boat, then this book is for you. You can even cook the pasta over a campfire.

Back Cover of Tinfoil Cooking

Do you enjoy freshly baked artisan bread with your breakfast, lunch or dinner? No kneading required. Then this book is for you.

I truly hope you enjoy the recipes in this book so you can spend more time with family and friends and less time washing dishes.

Amazon #1 Best Seller in outdoor cooking.

My book is available on Amazon in all countries that Amazon operates in. For ease of ordering, here are some links, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Amazon.de and Amazon.co.uk.  You can also search the book Tinfoil Cooking or my name Anders Treiberg on your favourite Amazon site. Please NOTE, you do not need an e-reader for the digital version, you can download a free app here.

Enjoy,

Anders

Cast Iron No Knead Artisan Bread On BBQ

Artisan Bread on The BBQ

Cast Iron No Knead Artisan Bread on The BBQ.

You can do this..... it's easy! This is so simple and tastes just fantastic. No kneading and very little to clean up. You must try it!


By the way, I did not get serious about baking bread until I bought Jim Lahey's book called "My Bread". It is a great book on making no-knead bread, a must in your kitchen library.

I make up Ziploc bags with the dry ingredients at home before we head out camping. I then just add the water when the time comes.

I don't think there is anything better than fresh bread when you are out camping or boating. OK. let's get on with the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400 grams or 14.1 oz of white flour
• 1.5 tsp of Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp of traditional active dry yeast
• 310 grams or 10.9 oz of semi-cool water
• Organic Canola Oil or Olive Oil
• Fresh or dry Rosemary (optional)
• Coarse Sea Salt (optional)

Mix up the dry ingredients with the water

Dough ready for the BBQ to make its magic.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients and add the cool water. Mix with a wooden spoon till there is no more flour visible. 

You may want to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. It will be really sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough sit and ferment for 12-18 hours.

After the fermentation process, prepare a cast iron pan, rub some canola oil inside it. 

On a large piece of tinfoil, wax paper, or parchment paper; dust with some flour, using a spatula scrape out the really sticky, stringy dough in one piece on to the floured surface.

Using the spatula, flip up the outside from four sides, then turn it over. Add more flour if needed. Try to make a ball tucking the sides under, then set it into the cast iron pan. Brush some organic canola oil or olive oil on top. Cover with a loose piece of parchment or wax paper. Let it rise for 90 minutes. 

After the 90 minutes, fire up the BBQ to medium - high or 400F or 200 C. Please watch the temperature closely. If you have more than one burner on your BBQ, they use indirect cooking or should I say baking.

Here is a link to my YouTube movie https://youtu.be/J97xucrc0RE

While the BBQ is warming, brush on some olive oil on the dough. Sprinkle with the rosemary and sea salt. Bake for 30 minutes, lid closed and without lifting the lid. If not cooked at the 30-minute mark or it is not yet browned, add another 10 minutes. 

Let rest at least 30-60 minutes before cutting or you will lose a lot of moister.

Enjoy,

Anders

Cornbread on the BBQ

Corn Bread - Camping Version

Cornbread with lots of butter.

Cornbread is one of those dishes that just smacks of "warm and fuzzy" all over.

I got this recipe from a really nice lady we met in an RV park and I can not think of her name.

Cornbread goes great on its own with lots of butter on top, with chili, meat sauce, salad and more. Soul food!

This recipe is geared towards camping and boating. It is made on a small BBQ with very little mess. I use a pre-made tinfoil loaf pan 8 x 4 inches or 20 x 10 cm.

You will love this corn bread recipe, a light, and fluffy bread and not too sweet.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup or 125 ml of Corn Meal
• ½ cup or 125 ml of Flour
• ½ cup or 125 ml of Milk
• 2 tbsp of Sugar
• 2 tbsp of Sour Cream
• 2 tbsp of Canola Oil
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp of Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp of Salt
• Bread Crumbs
• Cooking spray

Turn on the BBQ to low. Spray the tinfoil loaf pan with canola oil and add breadcrumbs to coat the inside.

Cornbread on the RV BBQ

Finished Cornbread loaf.

A steaming hot slice of cornbread

In a medium-sized bowl add the egg and whip with a whisk for a minute. Add sugar, salt, and milk. Whisk again for about a minute.

Next, stir in the flour, then the cornmeal, the sour cream, and finally the baking powder. Kep stirring till the mixture is nice and smooth with no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tinfoil pan, using a spatula to clean out the bowl. 

My RV BBQ is small and give out a lot of heat even on the low setting so I put a small piece of tinfoil on the grate, shiny side down to reflect some of the heat so it does not burn on the bottom.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes at around 375F or 190 C. A toothpick should come out dry when testing the bread.

Once cooked, use a dinner knife and work around the edges of the pan then flip the bread over on a cutting board or cooling pan.

Cornbread should be eaten warm with lots of butter on it. 

Indulge!

Anders

Anders' Tosca Tårta

Swedish Tosca Tårta

Tosca Tårta

Every so often I remember foods I used to eat back in my childhood.

Just the other day, it dawned on me. As a child spending the summers at our summer house on the island of Öland in Sweden we used to pick up a Tosca Tårta from the bakery. This was of course for a special treat.

It is a wonderful cake that you can enjoy with coffee or as a dessert with some vanilla ice cream, whipping cream or just by it self.

So where do I find a recipe for Tosca tårta? Well, from my mom (Ruth) of course. She is always a reliable source for these kind of things, she has so many Swedish recipes. She owns this huge recipe book that is about 4-5 inches thick.... love it.

Here are the ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 Eggs
• 2 dl  (not quite a cup .8  of a cup) of Sugar
• 50 g of melted Butter
• ¾ dl ( 1/3 of a cup) of Cream or Milk. I like it best with cream or at least half and half.
• 2 dl (not quite a cup .8 of a cup) of flour
• 1.5 tsp of baking powder

Almond Glaze:

• 50 g of Butter
• ½ dl ( ¼ cup ) of Sugar
• 50 g of sliced almonds ( I blanch my own )
• ¾ tbs of cream or milk
• 1 tbs of flour

The Cake:

Turn oven to 175-200 C or 350 to 400 F. Use second rack from bottom. Take a tbs of butter on some wax paper and grease the cake tray well then coat with Graham Wafer Crumbs. You can use regular bread crumbs or even flour but Graham Wafers are best.

In a mixer or with a blender mix the eggs and sugar well, 4-5 minutes. Mix in the melted butter (should not be hot) and the cream, blend one more minute then add the flour and baking powder mix.

I prefer to have the flour and baking powder mixed well separately. Mix everything well together, 2-3 minutes. Pour into the cake pan and put in oven.

Bake 20-25 minutes till done, check with a tooth pick, it is OK if it is a little bit damp, just not sticky.

The Glaze:

While baking the cake, in a small pot on medium heat, melt the butter, add the sugar, cream or milk.

Stir for a minute and then add the flour while stirring. Add the almonds. Bring to a very slow boil while stirring for a minuter or so, then remove from heat.

This Tosca Tårta is so Good.

Just a tip for the almonds: if you buy sliced almonds so be it, but I think they charge way too much for them.

Just put 50 grams of almonds in an inch of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, rinse with cold water and drain.

The skin will now pop off really easy and you can chop them or slice them as you wish. See, I just saved you $3.69

Once cake is baked as per above, remove from oven. Remove the spring form pan and set the cake on a cookie sheet or pizza plate (the cookie sheet will stop any runs from the glaze to make a mess in your oven)

Pour the glaze on top, try to get it fairly even within a ¼ inch from the outside edge. Set back into oven under broil. Watch this closely, once the glace starts to bubble, start to change colour and run down the sides of the cake, remove from oven. The glace should now be golden-brownish.

Let cool on a rack.

It is so good.  Good luck and let me know how you make out.

Kiss the cook,

Anders

Anders Cheese Scones

Cheesed Up Scones

Cheese Scones

If you have not yet tried Dave's Delicious Scones, you should do so right now.

It is easy and so delicious. I gurantee you will eat more than one.

If you are not too keen on raisins, try my own version, which is Dave's recipe adding cheese instead of raisins.

Here are the ingredients:

• 3 cups of Flour
• 5  Tsp of Baking Powder
• 1 cup of Sugar
• ¾ cup of cold Butter
• 150 grams of yellow "Aged" cheddar, cubed.
• 3/4 cup of Butter Milk
• 2 large Egg (separated)

Cubed Cheese For Scones

Roll up Dough

Cut The Dough

Brush egg yolk on top of soon to be scones.

Turn oven on to 350-375 F. Mix all the dry ingredients and cut in the butter, then add the cubed cheddar.


Beat the egg whites till firm and fold into butter milk.


Add the butter milk mixture to the dry ingredients.


You may have to add a little extra liquid to take up all the flour. The mix will be sticky.


Scoop on to a large floured area (counter works fine).


Work the mix and then roll into a 2-3 inch roll, cut in 1½ inch pieces and place on large baking sheet.


Beat the egg yolks and brush top of each scone.


Bake for 20 minutes and watch them closely. Call in the troops, they'll be gone in no time.


Kiss the cook,

Anders

Scones by Dave

Dave's Delicious Scones

Delicious Scones

This recipe comes from my good friend Dave.

This recipe is very easy to make and it taste so good. A bit messy, but worth it.

These scones are great for breakfast and is a big hit around our place when the clan is here.



Ingredients are as follows:

• 3 cups of Flour
• 5  Tsp of Baking Powder
• 1 cup of Sugar
• ¾ cup of cold Butter
• 1 cup of Raisins (soak in hot water)
• 3/4 cup of Butter Milk
• 1 large Egg (separated)

Eggwhite, whipped.

The scone-dough on the counter

Brushing on the egg yolk

Ready to go in to the oven.

Turn oven on to 350-375 F. Mix all the dry ingredients, cut in butter, beat egg white and fold into butter milk.



Drain and add raisins, mix in milk. You may have to add a little extra liquid to take up all the flour. The mix will be sticky.



Scoop on to a large floured area (counter works fine), divide and pat into three cakes, place on large baking sheet and brush top with egg yolk.



Score each cake into 6 or 8 pieces. Bake for 20 minutes. Call in the troops, these scones will be gone in no time.


Kiss the cook,


Anders

Anders' Swedish Strawberry Cake

Swedish Strawberry Cake - The Easy Way

Swedish Strawberry Cake

This recipe is really easy.  I first actually got it from my teacher in grade 7 when studying home economics in Sweden.

Home economics was mandatory for everyone from grade 7 through grade 9 when I grew up.

This cake is very easy to make,and you can use any kind of fruit you wish to put in between. In this recipe I will give you my absolute favourite.

Ingredients for the cake:

• 3 large Eggs
• 300 ml of Sugar
• 300 ml of white Flour
• 2 tsp of Baking Powder
• 100 ml of Boiling Water

Filling:

• 500 ml of Whipping Cream (whipped firm)
• 250 gr of fresh (if possible) mashed up Strawberries.
• 250 gr of fresh or frozen mashed up Raspberries (optional). Use 500 gr of Strawberries if you don't have Raspberries.
• 10 whole Fresh Strawberries
• 10 whole Fresh Raspberries (optional)
• Icing Sugar to taste

Other:

• 1 tbs of Butter
• Wax paper
• Graham Wafer Crumbs or bread crumbs

Turn on the oven to 350 F - 175 C.

In a cake pan, preferably one that is in two pieces and opens up, add the butter, use a piece of wax paper and wipe all over the inside of the cake pan. Add a few tbs of Graham Wafer crumbs and rotate / tilt the pan to make sure the bread crumbs stick to the inside of the pan. Turn upside down over the sink and tap it gently to remove excess crumbs.

In a medium sized  bowl, add the 3 eggs and beat with a blender or mixer (can also be done by hand) for about 3 minutes, add the sugar, beat another 3 minutes.

Swedish Strawberry Cake with grapes.

In a separate bowl, mix  the flour and baking powder thoroughly, then add it to the egg mixture and blend another 3 minutes. The mixture is pretty thick at this time.

If the oven is up to heat, add the boiling water. The water must be right out of the kettle, not from the tap. Mix another minute or so till the mixture is smooth and runny.

Pour into cake pan and insert in pre-heated oven. Bake 25 - 35 minutes, depending on oven. Check the cake with a tooth pick after 25 minutes. If at the 25 minute mark the center of the cake is NOT higher then the outside, let it bake anohter 5 minutes give or take.

When checking the cake the tooth pick should come out dry, if not let it bake a few more minutes.

Once baked, remove from oven and let sit for 3 minutes, then remove from pan onto a cooling rack. The bottom part of the pan might need some help with a knife.

Mix and mash up the fruit in a bowl using a fork if using a blender, make sure that it does not get to fine and runny, add Icing Sugar to taste, not too much, the cake itself is pretty sweet.

Let the cake cool for an hour or so, then slice it with a sharp knife horizontally into two or three pieces making one or two layers. If this is your first time around you may just want to slice it once.

Whip the whipping cream till you get firm tips.

One Layer cake using only strawberries:

On the two inside parts of the cake spread a thin layer of whipping cream. This stops the cake from becoming to soggy from the berries.

On the bottom part spread a good layer of the mashed up strawberries

Add about a ¼" or 1 cm layer of whipping cream on top of the berries or onto the inside top piece.

Add the top layer, cover the whole cake with whipping cream and garnish with whole or sliced strawberries.

Two Layer cake:

As above but use raspberries in the second layer and also garnish with some whole raspberries.

This cake can be made a day ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge. I have found it actually tastes better the second day.

We have 10 kids and grand kids so far, and for all except one this cake is their birthday treat.

Wine pairing and recommendations:

This cake goes great with an Icewine, served chilled, not too cold. Try a wine of your choice from Inniskillin Winery.

The grapes picked to make icewine are useally picked when the temperature dipped below -12°C (10°F).

Kiss the Cook,

Anders

Bannock - The Aboriginal Way

Bannock and Salmon Salad

Cooked Bannock

Bannock is a wonderful bread that is easy and fun to make. Deep fried on the side burner of your BBQ, leaves the little bit of mess out of the house.

It tastes fantastic, and in my opinion is best served with Salmon Salad.

We got this recipe from the local aboriginal people that attended the Cortes Day Festival here on Cortes Island.

They only gave us approximate measures on everything, but we made these bannocks yesterday and they were fantastic.

Here are the ingredients for 8 bannocks:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1.½-2 tbs of sugar
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• 1tbs of Kosher salt (if regular salt, use less)
• 1 cup of water (best cold)
• Canola oil

Bannock deep frying

Pour oil in a wok, pot or deep fryer, you should have at least a good inch of oil.

Mix all the dry ingredients, but only stir in the water when the oil is up to heat.

The mixture will be sticky (it's OK). The way I do it, I use a spoon and put an 1/8 of the dough in the hot oil, then use a large serving spoon to push it out to a paddy, be careful the oil is hot.

What our local Natives people did was to work the dough into patties with the help of some flour and that might be easier for some people. The patties should be about ½ inch thick. They will puff up once cooked to about 1 inch thick.

Turn the bannocks once to get them nicely browned on each side. It will take approximately 3 minutes to cook on each side with the oil good and hot. This mixture should make 8 bannocks. Still warm, slice them in half and fill them up with Salmon Salad. The best burger you ever had...got to luv it.

Wine Pairing and Recommendations:

Salmon BBQ The Traditional Way

A nice Chardonnay would be in order here, try a  wine from Blasted Church, like their Chardonnay Revered Series.

This is a very pleasant wine and quoting Blasted Church” The Bouquet: Citrus, apple and gooseberry with vanilla. Layers of butterscotch, cinnamon and pineapple follow with hints of honeyed perfume."

As for a red wine, try a Pinot Noir also from Blasted Church. The Pinot Noir pairs well with the salmon.

If in doubt, you can also serve a nice Rosé, a Rosé goes with everything.

Kiss the cook,

Anders

Anders' Italian Bread

Italian Bread

There are so many versions of Italian bread. I have been perfecting my own version by trial and error. Baking bread takes a fair amount of time. My suggestion is to have a good book to read while the bread is rising. Pre-heat oven to 375-400°F.

Here are the ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups of tepid water
• 2 ¼ tbs of dry yeast
• 6 ½ cups of white flour (more or less, varies with the flour you are using)
• 2 tbs of butter
• 2 tbs of Semolina flour
• 1 tbs of sugar
• 1 tbs of salt
• 1 egg white
• 1tsp of cold water

This recipe can also be done by hand, but if you have a mixer with a dough hook it makes it a lot easier. In the mixing bowl, add the warm water, sugar and yeast, let sit for 7 minutes. Start adding the flour gradually while mixing on low to medium low speed, till you have about one cup (give or take) of flour left.This will take around 10 minutes, give or take.

Remove dough to a floured counter top and knead in by hand the rest of the flour, or till it is no longer sticking to your hands or the counter top. This will take 10-20 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.

In a second large bowl, butter the inside of the bowl and then put the dough in it, and roll it around so it is covered with butter. Make 3 cuts across the ball with a sharp knife. Let rest for about 1 hr or till it has doubled in size. It should be in a warm draft free area.

When the dough has doubled in size, remove to counter, punch it down and knead for a minute and turn into a ball again. Return to the buttered bowl and make sure to roll the dough around again to get it covered with butter. Make another 3 cuts across the ball to help the rising. Let rise as previously for about an hour or till doubled in size.

After it has doubled in size for the second time, remove it to a floured counter top, punch it down and knead it for a minute. make a ball and cut into two pieces.

Now you have two options:

1. Make into a round ball, tuck in at the bottom.
2. or roll with a rolling pin (or a wine bottle, I know you will have one of those) into a rectangle of approximately 16 x 8 inches by ½ inch thick. It does not have to be perfect. Roll it up tightly into a loaf starting a the smaller end.  Seam at the bottom.

Sprinkle  a baking / cookie dish with the Semolina flour then add the loafs.  Beat the egg white and water, then brush the loafs with it.

If you have made the ball type loaf, make a few cuts across each loaf to get a # sign or maybe just one or two cuts or leave it with out any.

If you make the rolled up type loaf, make one little cut in the middle stopping 3-4 inches from each end.

Let rise for another hour or till double to its size.

Just before you are ready to start baking, boil some water and put in an oven proof dish, and stick it in the oven on the lowest rack. Then gently add your loafs on the middle rack. Bake at 375-400°F for about 40 minutes.

The loafs are done when tapped at the bottom and they sound hollow.

Wine Pairing and Recommendations.

Serve with a big wine, like a full-bodied Italian wine from the Pichierri Winery produced from the Primitivo grapes in the Puglia region of Italy. The “Tradizione del Nonno” or in English “Tradition of the Grand Father” is an excellent choice. This wine is incredible.

Kiss the cook,

Anders

Karen's Double Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Cheese Cake A La Karen

This recipe is from my very good friend Karen. It has to be one of the best cheese cake recipes out there. Give it a try, you will thank me for posting it.

Chocolate Cake at its best.

Here are the ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup crushed Oreo cookie crumbs
• 3 tbs margarine, melted

Filling:

• 3 (250 g.) packages cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 oz. white chocolate, melted
• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• 2 tbsp. raspberry schnapps liqueur  (or use "Marie Brizard Creme de Framboise" liqueur as a substitute)

Glaze:

• 3/4 cup whipping cream (175 ml.)
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

For crust:

Combine crumbs and margarine.  Press onto the bottom of a 9" spring-form pan.  Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

For filling:

With electric mixer, blend cream cheese and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Remove 1/2 of the batter to another bowl.  Stir melted white chocolate and liqueur in this portion.  To remaining batter, blend in melted chocolate.

Pour the chocolate batter in crumb-lined pan.  Spread evenly.  Spoon white batter carefully over top.  Spread evenly.  Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 250°F.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes longer, or until center of cake is just barely firm.  Remove from oven and run knife around sides.  Let cool completely before removing sides.

For glaze:

In small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer over low heat.  Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.  Spoon over cooled cake.  With metal spatula, spread to cover top, allowing some to run over edge to cover sides.

Wine Pairing and Recommendations:

For a rich dessert like this I would go with a Port or a port like wine. You can try "Pipe" from Sumac Ridge in the Okanagan Valley, BC. This port style wine is so flavorful and is an expression of the dedication of exceptional wine making of Mark Wendenburg, and the passion of the Founder, Harry Mcwatters has for this distinctive and extraordinary wine.

Further, Quails‘ Gate Fortified Vintage Foch is one of my favorites and goes great with rich chocolate desserts. The 2007  Fortified Vintage Foch possesses aromas of coffee, mocha and dark chocolate, mingling with dark fruits and complex Foch notes. A rich round palate with residual fruit sweetness and fine grain tannins make this a great after dinner crowd pleaser.

Kiss the cook,


Anders

Anders' No Knead Bread

No Knead Walnut - Cranberry Bread

If you do not have Jim Lahey's book "My Bread" in your cooking library it is high time to get it. The recipes in the book is just fantastic and the bread it out of this world.

This bread takes a bit of time and patience but very little work. My own version of the "No Knead Bread" is my Walnut Cranberry bread. It is a big hit and everyone asks for the recipe. The purpose of using a cast iron pot is to mimic the intense heat of a wood fired oven. You also need a good kitchen scale.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400 grams of white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 80 grams of dried cranberries
• 55 grams of walnuts (you can leave them the way they come out of the bag. The smallest you want to go is ⅓ size)
• 1 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of yeast
• ⅛ - ¼ tsp of fresh ground black pepper
• 350 grams of water

Supplies:

• 4 plus liter cast iron pot with lid
• large bowl
• wooden spoon
• kitchen scale
• measuring spoons
• parchment paper
• cutting board
• 3 coasters (to put hot pot and lid on)
• gloves for oven (you need a good pair, almost like welding gloves)
• cooling rack

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water and mix by hand for 1 or 2 minutes till it becomes a sticky dough. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 - 18 hours.

I have found that 18 hrs is about the best.  I call this the first rise or fermentation period. At the 18 hour stage the dough is full of bubbles.

After the first rise (18 hrs), rip off about 20 inches of parchment paper, lay flat on counter and dust the center of it with flour. Dust a large cutting board with flour. Now pour/scoop out the the sticky dough in one piece or lump. It will be quite runny and very sticky. Clean out the bowl or better yet have a second bowl ready.

Fold over the dough from side to side making a ball tucking the ends underneath. Set on the parchment paper, lift the dough using the parchment paper and set back into the clean bowl. Dust generously with flour, cover with a dish towel and let sit for 2 hours at room temperature, this is the second rise.

For dusting I prefer whole wheat flour or bran or a mixture of both but you can use white flour or even corn meal. At about the 1.5 hrs mark in to the second rise, turn the oven on to 475-500° F and insert a cast iron pot with lid partially on.

After a further 30 minutes (or 2 hrs from start of second rise) your dough should be ready for baking and the oven up to temperature. This is where you need to be efficient and careful.

Put several large coasters on the counter, one for the hot pot and a second for the lid. Have the dough on the counter at this stage.

• Remove the hot pot using gloves from the hot oven, be very careful and don't hold on to the pot to long
• Remove lid using gloves
• Lift the dough using the parchment paper and set in cast iron pot "Gently Please"
• Return lid gently, don't worry about the parchment paper sticking out (you can cut it off with sizzors if you want, but not necessary)
• Return to the hot oven gently and close the oven door slowly

Bake for 30 minutes at 475-500° F, remove lid with gloves and back for another 15 - 20 minutes till the loaf is chestnut brown.

Remove cast iron pot with gloves and set on coaster,  leaving your gloves on use wooden spoon and remove bread, set on cooling rack.

The bread will crackle a bit as it cools. Let cool at least 1 hr before cutting. I know it's hard to wait, but you will lose too much moisture out of the bread if you cut into it while too hot.

Store the bread in a paper bag or better yet a nice looking dish towel in a nice basket. Do not keep in plastic bag, you would loose the nice crust.

Bon Appetit,

Anders

Swedish Farmer Cookies

Swedish Farmer Cookies

I got this from a good Swedish friend Kerstin. These cookies are just wonderful and so easy to make. Keeping a roll of raw dough in the freezer and then take out when company shows up.... you got fresh cookies in less then 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams of Butter
• 200 ml of sugar
• 3 tbs corn syrup
• 3 tsp of baking powder
• 300 ml of coarsely chopped almonds
• 550 ml of white flour

1. In a bowl, mix together butter, sugar and syrup so it is smooth.
2. In a bowl, mix together the baking powder, almonds and flour.

Once mixed add  batch 2 to batch 1. Mix till it is a smooth dough. Then divide the dough into two pieces, roll each piece into a 4 cm or 1.5 inch roll.

Put the roll in plastic wrap and let cool in fridge for at least one hour or freeze for later use.

Once cold or frozen, cut into 4mm or 1/4 inch thick pieces and put on cookie tray. Bake at 200° C or 400° F for 5-8 min

Bon Appetit,

Anders

Puffed Pancakes A la Peter and Maia

Sizzling Hot Puffed Pancakes

Hot Puffed Pancakes

From The Butlers Den B & B in Nova Scotia comes this wonderful recipe.


Peter (Per) and Maia Primgaard are the owners of this very picturesque B & B.


Peter used to be Bob Hope's Butler in Palm Springs California for many years.

Here are the ingredients:

• 6 tbs of flour
• 3 oz milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs of sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt.

Preheat oven to 450F and preheat 2 oven proof bowls sprayed with Pam. In a mixing bowl mix all the ingredients, but do not over mix, it should still have some lumps in it.

Apple, lemon juice and brown sugar in a plastic bag.

Peel and core an apple, cut it up in 12 to 14 slices and put in a Ziploc bag together with juice of 1/2 of a lemon and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, shake the bag.

When the preheated ovenproof bowls are hot divide the mix and apples between them.


Bake for 15-18 minutes, serve with maple syrup.


This recipe is easy to make and taste fantastic.

Kiss the cook,

Anders