This one is really quick. My children /;-)/ informed me, late in the afternoon, that they would be coming to dinner. I managed the main in an hour, but I was baking the cake during the meal. Before the time for after-dinner tea came, the cake was ready.
"Quick raspberry cake"
For the base:
- 250 g flour
- pinch of salt
- 150g butter
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cognac or brandy
Chop everything quickly, work into a smooth mass and put in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
For the topping:
- 200g soured cream /ideally creme fraiche/
- 250 g mascarpone
- 2 tbsp cognac
- 300 g raspberries
- icing sugar to sprinkle
Butter the baking tray. Spread the cake mixture taken from the fridge, pierce with a fork in many places and bake in a preheated oven for ca. 20 minutes.
Mix together the mascarpone, cream and cognac in a bowl, spread on the cake when cool and decorate with raspberries. Sprinkle with icing sugar, as the topping is not sweet.
Anita and Edyta came to see me. I was really looking forward to their visit, not only because I could imagine a few days if visiting nice places and chats until dawn;-) I also knew that Anita would take over the kitchen! I love her ideas for delicious dishes although, or perhaps because, she refuses to eat meat. Breakfast was easy: halloumi cheese with spicy sauce that was not really that hot. Anita claims it is thanks to the lemon juice. It is always like that...
"Fried halloumi cheese"
- a cube of cheese
- good quality olive oil
- 2 chillies
- freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
Slice the cheese and roast without oil in a frying pan. Chop finely the chillies and fry in olive oil. Serve the cheese on a plate, pour the oil on top and add the lemon juice.
That's the way with the rolls, once you start making them you can't stop. They just slide into the belly. And few can resist them. I, for one, cannot...
This dish reminds me of a funny story: My cousin, Eliza, was a really poor eater. She was five years old when we received a visit of a very handsome Frenchman, Claude. I was in love with him too;-)
My granny baked a delicious apple roll and Claude started feeding Eliza... When she was at her fifth slice I asked, surprised: "Do you like this cake so much?" She lowered her eyes and confessed, ashamed, not looking at Claude: "No..."
"Sponge roll with strawberries and blueberries"
- 5 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 2/3 glass wheat flour
- 3 copious tbsp of potato starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 glass cream
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- raspberries
- blueberries
Separate yolks from whites. Beat the eggs until firm and add, alternating, the yolks with sugar and water.
Pour the mixture into a flat, buttered and breaded/floured tin. Put into preheated oven and bake in 180 C for ca. 20 minutes.
Take out and form a roll using a cloth, let cool.
Whip the cream adding icing sugar towards the end.
Unroll the sponge cake delicately, spread whipped cream on top and sprinkle with fruit. Roll again. Cut with a sharp thin knife.
Such a sponge roll does not keep for long (in the fridge if necessary), but it is rarely a problem ;-)
My poor child, who has to be careful, avoiding bread or even a pinch of flour... Still, perhaps her body knows what it is doing? Gluten is pure energy which nowadays tends to lodge itself around the hips rather than do something more useful.
Anyway, from time to time I try to come up with some gluten-free treat...
"Courgette gluten-free pate"
-3 medium-sized courgettes
-4 eggs
- 1/2 cup gluten-free flour ( those gluten tolerant may take one egg less and replace flour with bread crumbs)
-salt, pepper to taste
- herbs, thyme for example
- olive oil or butter
Wash the courgettes, cut off both ends and grate using grater or kitchen robot. Add eggs and flour and mix well.
Add salt and paper to taste, chop the herbs, pour olive oil or place some butter on top generously.
Pour the mixture into a well greased tin and put in an oven preheated to 180 C. Bake for at least 30 minutes.
A great holiday dish. Excellent for hot weather. It is not too heavy, but it gives this pleasant feeling of full belly... Unless you are not a seafood fan, of course.
"Seafood risotto"
- 1.5 cups of risotto rice
- a glass of white wine
- 150 g of seafood
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 small chilli, chopped
- salt, pepper
- parsley, to taste
- parmesan, for sprinkling on top
Heat up some olive oil in a large casserole, fry the seafood briefly with garlic and chilli, save in a bowl. Fry the rice in the same oil for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the wine and, after a while, 2 glasses of water or fish stock.
When the rice is nearly cooked add the seafood and parsley, and serve sprinkled with parmesan.
I wonder why the male part of society, I mean those guys whom I know and invite:-) are unanimous in their opinion that this one is the best of "chez moi". And yet, it is the easiest and quickest in my repertoire!
Quick apricot tart
-1 cup flour
-1,5 tsp baking powder
-1 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-125 g butter, soft
-10 ripe apricots
Blend the butter with sugar until smooth, add the rest of ingredients.
Butter the tin well, cut apricots in half and remove stones. Place them in the tin, pour cake mixture on top and put in the oven preheated to 180C. Bake for ca. 20-25 mins.
Taste best served with whipped cream.
How to bake a birthday cake for my gluten-intolerant daughter? Do I make one she'll only be able to look at? Not a great idea. Yet this light, intensely chocolaty sponge was appreciated by all of us. Whipped cream, which by some miracle resisted the heat wave, was certainly part of the success.
"Gluten-free chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream"
8 eggs
1 cup sugar
250 g dark chocolate
1 pack cream for whipping
2 tsp icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4 and butter the tin.
Stand the bowl with chocolate over a pan of boiling water to melt and leave to cool slightly.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, add sugar and egg yolks, alternating.
Pour the mixture into the greased tin and bake for approx. 20 mins.
Take out the cake, let it cool. If it is a rectangle, cut in half. If it is a circle, cut across.
Whip the cream with sugar and spread between cake layers.
For a better effect top with icing or chocolate topping, if you're not afraid of the extra calories;)
