Chocopepper drink - great to sip on for cold winter nights by the fire

Ingredients:


- 200gr bitter or semisweet chocolate
- 100gr. milk chocolate
- 200 ml whipping cream
- 6 peppercorns
- 2 safflower seed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 20 ml rum
- 1 teaspoon bitter almond essence
- almond flakes for topping


Instructions:


- Bring the whipping cream togeher with 100 ml water, peppercons, safflower and cinnamon to boil. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes.


- Pass through filter, pour in a non-stick skillet and add both chocolates grated.Simmer for 8 minutes and then add the rum, bitter almond essence and stir. Pur evenly into four cups and top with almond flakes.


Superb!

Chocolate-coffee with cream

Give a pinch of sweetness and warmth to those cold winter days with this luscious coffee and chocolate drink


Ingredients
(makes 4 servings)

* 200 ml warm filter coffee
* 70 gr. cacao powder
* 300 ml milk
* 100 gr. sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon self raising flour
* 1 cinnammon stick
* orange peel
* 200 ml whipping cream (refrigerated)
* 50 gr. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (grated)
* 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar


Instructions

In a medium saucepan whisk together the milk, cinnammon stick and orange peel.

Bring to a boil over low heat until milk has just begun to tremble.

Let milk cool for 6 minutes and then drain.

In a seperate saucepan whisk together the sugar, flour and cacao powder and add the drained milk to it.

Stir on low heat for 15 minutes.

Add the warm filter coffee and boil on low heat or 2 minutes.

Beat the whipping cream until it forms stiff peeks.

Add the confectioner's sugar while beating and then the chocolate (grated)

Divide into 4 cups and top with cream.

Christmas scented dessert

Ingredients
(makes 4 servings)
* * * * * *
-12 ladyfingers (Ladyfingers are light and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like a large finger. They are called   savoiardi in Italian (meaning "fromSavoy")
- 30ml orange liquor
- 250 gr. dried fruits ( apricots, plums, raisins) in big chunks
- 300 gr. light cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoons crushed roasted almonds
- 3 tablespoons orange marmelade
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 pieces cardammon
- 1 cinammon stick


Instructions
* * * * * * * * 
Heat the marmelade with 3 tablespoons water and add the cloves, cardammon and cinammon. Add dried fruits and leave to soften for 1 or 2 hours. Remove the spices. Beat the light cream with the confectioner's sugar. Cover the bottom of a bowl with half of the ladyfingers soaked in the liquor. Drain the dried fruits and place on ladyfingers. Break the rest of the ladyfingers into chunky pieces and drizzle with the syrup from the dried fuits. Place them in the bowl on top of the dried fuits and top with the cream mixture. Drizzle with the crushed almonds.

Melomakarona - festive nut filled cookie delicasy - the classic greek recipe

Melomakarona is a traditional festive greek recipe mostly done on holidays like christmas or easter. They are similar to cookies and have a nut filling and glazed with honey syrup and nuts. Without the syrup you have a delicious cookie that is great for kids.

Ingredients:
1 kilo flour
1/2 kilo olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
grated peel of 1 orange
1 small cup of cogniac or brandy
1 cup of crumbled walnuts (don't crumble them too much so they can be chunky)
1 teaspoon grated cinammon and 1 teaspoon grated clove

For the syrup:
1 cup of fine honey
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cups of water

Instructions:
Beat the olive oil and sugar.
In the meanwhile mix the flour with the baking soda in a seperate bowl.
In another bowl pour in the olive oil and sugar mixture and mix in the cogniac, orange juice, orange peel, cinammon, clove and the flour gradually until you have a soft dough. Don't use all the flour if you think the dough will become too hard, the dough should be soft and not sticky. If it's too hard add some olive oil.
Form small oval shapes, fill with a whole or crumbled walnuts and place on a cookie sheet on a large pan and bake on 170 celcius for 20 to 30 minutes.
Let them cool before pouring the syrup on them.
For the syrup bring to boil the sugar, honey and water.
While it is still warm dip the cookies in the syrup one by one for as long as you wish depending on how syrupy you want them to be. Personally I prefer them less syrupy because they are more crunchy.
Drizzle with crushed walnuts and you are ready!

Irene's fluffy and yummy pound cake recipe

Pound cake - a truly king among cakes! Break your everyday monotony with this delicious cake or just have a slice with your tea or coffee.
I have baked this cake dozens of times but today I finally reached a point where I can say" this is the greatest pound cake that I have ever made in my life!" So fluffy, so yummy, wonderfully rich, moist and buttery with a lovely golden brown crust. I added a new ingredient which made it even tastier - crumbled oreo cookies! The important thing to remember when making this type of cake is to have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Ingredients

250gr. (9 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
3eggs
2 tablespoons brandy ( I used Grand Marnier liquor)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour
crushed oreo cookies ( without creme filling)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with oil a 23 x 13 x 8 cm loaf pan. Sprinkle with flour.

In a medium bowl whisk together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one by one beating about 2 minutes after each addition to incorporte the egg and strengthen the cakes structure.
In another bowl combine the flour and baking powder.
Add the milk and orange juice and flour mixture and mix softly with a spoon.
Add the crushed oreos leaving some to sprinkle on the bottom of pan.
Srape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The Pound Cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

The healthieast and tastiest french fries ever - the oven way!

There's nothing quite like the taste of deep fried french fries but as you must know, fried foods are quite unhealthy for everyone, not just those trying to loose weight.
I would like to share with you some tips on making the most delicious and healthiest french fries. Not by frying them but boiling and baking them.

1. First of all cut your potatoes into strips trying to maintain a uniform thickness (not too thin and not to thick). The quantity is up to you.
2. Boil them for 5 minutes in water just so that they moisten a bit (not too much).
3. In the meantime take an oven tray or casserole dish big enough to spread them out evenly, spread some oil in it so that the bottom is all covered and place in the oven on medium temperature. This way the oil will be heated when its time to throw in the potatoes.
4. When the 5 minutes of boiling are up drain the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Any other herb of your choice like paprika oregano or cumin would also be fine. Toss to evenly coat.
5. Place potatoes in tray and mix to distribute oil evenly.
6. Bake on high temperature for at least half an hour or until crispy with a slight brownish color.
Let them cool a bit and watch them disappear! They are tastier to eat while they are still warm so dont let them cool out too much.

You will be amazed. They turn out to be so crisp on the outside and so moist on the inside. And also they are so much healthier than fried potatoes! Children just love them.
Bon appetite!
If you have tried this method leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Spring summer fruit salad recipe

You are not such a craver of fruits so instead of eating them on their own you'd be rather tempted to try them if they were served in a delicious bowl?

Then try this practical mouthwatering fruit salad consisting of various kinds of fruits, served in their own juices and you will surely be asking for more. A great way to take in all those vitamins and give your body a spring cleaning. It's very simple to prepare.

Especially now that the summer season has finally arrived you will easily find a variety of fruits to use.

In this recipe I peeled and sliced into cubelike pieces strawberries, kiwi, bananas, apples, pears and squeezed in the juice of one orange and lemon. Finally I added the prefered amount of sugar and tossed and there you have it! A delicious fruit salad. The kids will go nuts with this. Perfect for a summer luncheon. They even make a beautiful presentation for special occasions like birthdays, baby showers and so much more.

You can add any other fruits you like or even a dash of brandy for adults.

Greek Moussaka recipe! It can also be healthy with the right preparation!

Surely many, if not all, have heard or even tasted this ever so delicious and mouth watering famous Greek traditional dish made from vegetables and minced meat. This dish is usually made with fried vegetables but in my recipe I use a more healthier way of making moussaka so you don't have to worry about all that fat building up. You can view my recipe on hubpages. There you will also find some extra advice on how to add a finishing touch that will make your moussaka even more tempting and delicious! Go ahead and try it and don't be afraid to indulge!

Chestnut flour chocolate chip cookies

Hmm... my chestnut flour is almost finished. Half a package left. What goodies shall I bake? Well I've tried the Italian fritters, they were good but I am craving for something like cookies! I'd love to try out chestnut flour in chocolate chip cookies. And so I experimented and this is what I came up with. Try them! You will be licking the platter clean!

Ingredients

·      9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

·      3/4 cup granulated sugar

·      Pinch fine sea salt

·      1 large egg

·      1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

·      2/3 cup chestnut flour

·      3/4 cup pine nuts

·      3 tablespoons raisins

·      Dark chocolate chopped in small pieces

·      Special Equipment: parchment paper

Instructions

Heat oven to 350º with rack in middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar and salt. Mix in egg.  Add all-purpose flour, chestnut flour, pine nuts, chocolate and raisins; using clean hands, mix until just combined.

Lightly flour the palms of your hands, then roll dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet, then, using fingers, press each ball into a 2 1/2-inch round.

Bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until edges of cookies are golden, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies, still on parchment, to wire rack to cool completely. 

Chestnut fritters (Fritelle di farina di castagne) - as made in Ferrara, Italy

Before I share this delicious Italian recipe with you

 I would like to introduce you to the main ingredient used : chestnut flour.



This was bought in Italy

 

Chestnut flour is a grayish tan colored sweet tasting flour made from ground chestnuts. It has a sweet and slightly smoky taste and makes an interesting flavor addition to many recipes especially to those that include almonds, chocolate, honey and hazelnuts..

Being  a gluten-free product it is considered a good cooking option for people with celiac disease or other gluten allergies.

It is kind of starchy which makes it more similar in nutrition to typical grain flours.

We rarely come across chestnut flour, but believe it or not, it was a traditional substitute for wheat flour in Italy during the middle ages, and was very much used for making bread and pasta. Unfortunately we combine chestnut flour with wheat flour for most of our pasta, gnocchi and bread recipes that call for it. 

It makes an interesting ingredient in pasta recipes. If you make your own pasta, try substituting part of the regular flour with chestnut, then topping the pasta with a pine nut sauce for a delicious flavor combination.

Nutrition facts

• 1/4 cup almond flour contains 160 calories, with 6g carbohydrate, of which 3g is fiber, 6g protein and 14g fat
• 1/4 cup of chestnut flour contains 95 calories, with 21g carbohydrate, of which 1g is fiber, 1g protein and 1g fat
• 1/4 cup all-purpose white (wheat) flour contains 114 calories, with 24g carbohydrate, of which 1g is fiber, 3g protein and 1g fat

As you can see it is very low in fat

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted chestnut flour
• milk
• sugar
• raisins
• lemon or orange zest or vanilla
• a bit of rum
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• oil for frying

Soak raisins in water until soft. Sift the chestnut flour into a bowl.  Add the milk and beat to form a smooth paste. Add desired sugar, and the rest of the ingredients. Work the mixture in a bowl with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, fairly liquid paste. Heat about a ½” of oil in a large sauté pan. add fritters in a single layer. Fry until golden on one side, then flip and continue cooking on other side until golden brown and heated through. Serve immediately.

To serve

Drizzle with honey or sugar

If you can find chestnut flour, you must try this recipe and then put the rest of the flour in the freezer to make it last longer.

EASY CHEESECAKE RECIPE

    
     Cheesecake is a decadent, delicious dessert. Smooth and creamy, it is the tastiest and most elegant way to end a meal. It's no wonder people have been perfecting the cheesecake recipe since early Roman times. Different recipes call for different ingredients. Most cheesecake recipes use cream cheese, but quite a few also have ricotta cheese or cottage cheese as the main ingredient and are equally delicious.

     This is an easy cheesecake recipe that takes minutes to make, but tastes like you worked hard to  create this delicious dessert!

EASY CHEESECAKE 

Ingredients :

·        1 ½ cup whole wheat biscuit crumbs (digestive)

·        1 cup butter, melted

·        1 cup condensed sweetened milk

·        1 cup cream cheese

·        1 Tablespoon lemon juice

·        Blueberry marmalade ( or any other of your liking) ( you can also use frozen or fresh blueberries)

Directions :

·        Melt the butter on low temperature and crumble the digestive biscuits in a blender.

·        Combine crumbs and butter and press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Chill.

·        Soften cream cheese in a blender, add the condensed milk and beat until well blended.

·        Blend in lemon juice. Pour the mixture over the crumbs and chill for about an hour until firm.

·        Mix a teaspoon of water with 2 tablespoons marmalade, and pour over cheesecake.