Skagen Kakaosnitter - Cocoa Bites from Skagen

Skagen Kakaosnitter - Cocoa Bites from Skagen

These cocoa bites or bars, is a classic cake you will find at many baker's shops in Denmark. But they are really pretty easy to make, and the taste is so much better. I made these with the traditional raspberry jam, but I think a more tangy jam will work even better, with the sweet cake. 

The finished bars can be frozen, or will hold up for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Makes 12-15 bars.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 150 g butter
• 125 g sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Layer:

• 3-5 tablespoons raspberry jam

Topping:

• 100 g melted butter
• 300 g sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 200 g shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 eggs 
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 teaspoon espresso or strong coffee

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 435℉ (225℃). Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. You can use a larger pan, this will just make the cocoa bites thinner.

Crust:

Mix all the ingredients for the crust to a dough, form the dough to a flat square, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Roll the dough out to the size of your pan, and transfer in into the pan. Bake the crust for 5-10 minutes until light golden. Let the crust cool in the pan.

Topping:

Mix the topping while baking the crust. 

Spread a thin layer of jam on the cooled crust, and pour the topping on top, and spread it in a even layer, all the way to the edges. 

Bake the cake for another 15-20 minutes.

Slice the cake into small bars, with a sharp knife. 

Enjoy!

Semi-Dried Tomatoes

Semi-Dried Tomatoes

I love love love tomatoes in any way or form. But theses semi-dried tomatoes are pure candy. They are nothing like sun-dried tomatoes, they are soft sweet and with the slight tanginess from fresh tomatoes.

You can use them for almost anything. On sandwiches, pizze (plural of pizza), in casseroles, or stews, in salads and just for a snack.

Ingredients:

• about 500 g cherry tomatoes, the amount is not important

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 ℉ (165℃). 

Rinse the tomatoes, and cut them in halves, or quarters for the bigger ones. 

In a cup combine oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Place all the tomatoes in a large ovenproof dish or sheet pan, and coat them with the seasoned oil. Arrange the tomatoes skin side down, being careful not to crowd them. Bake tomatoes for 25-30 minutes. Reduce the  heat to 200℉ (95℃), and keep baking for another 2-3 hours.

Let the tomatoes cool slightly before storing them in a clean container filled with olive oil. They will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. 

Use the semi-dried tomatoes in salads, with any protein, bruschetta or just eat them as a snack.  

Enjoy!

Oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller

It took me 40 years to build up the nerve to try to eat an oyster. After the first bite, I was hooked. We just went back to Hog Island Oyster Farm, for yet another oyster fix. I love the down to earth feeling, when sitting at wooden picnic tables eating the scrumptious grilled oysters, while enjoying the beautiful Tomales Bay and the hills of Point Reyes. 

Like last time we brought some oysters back home, so we could try to make our own Oyster Rockefeller. 

Next time I might use less breadcrumbs and a little more cheese. But over all the oysters was so so good, I love Pernod's, anise taste.

This is my version inspired by Florence Tyler's recipe.

1 dozen (12 oysters)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 garlic cloves, minced

• ca 20 g (¼ cup) bread crumbs, I used Panko

• 1 shallots, chopped

• 225-250 g (1 cup) chopped fresh spinach

• 30 ml (1 fl oz) Pernod or dry white wine

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoons olive oil

• 25 g (¼ cup) grated gruyere cheese

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• 1 dozen oysters, on the half shell

• Rock salt

• Lemon wedges & hot sauce, for garnish

Directions:

Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Infuse the butter with garlic by letting the garlic sauté in the butter for about 1 minute, remove from heat. Don’t let the garlic brown, and burn, his will make the garlic bitter. Place the bread crumbs in a bowl and mix in half of the garlic butter, olive oil, gruyere, parsley and season with salt and pepper, set aside. 

Add shallots and spinach to the remaining garlic butter. Cook until the spinach wilts and the shallots get translucent. Deglaze the pan with Pernod. Let the mixture cook down for a few minutes then season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, at let sit to cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 ℉ (230℃). Sprinkle a baking pan with a good amount of salt. Arrange the shucked oysters in the salt to steady them. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture.  Bake oysters for about 10-15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

I grilled my Oyster on the BBQ at about 450℉ for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Heirloom Tomato Tart

I have always had a love love relationship with tomatoes. Tomatoes are one of my favorite healthy snacks. The sweetness and tanginess pairs perfect with most foods. Here late summer the colorful heirloom tomatoes are everywhere, and they are begging us to join them at our dinner table.

I mixed different colors and sizes for my Heirloom tomato tart, and I wished I had taken a photo before I baked it. The tart was so pretty with all the vibrant colors.

Makes 1 large tart.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 150 g all-purpose flour

• 30 g whole wheat flour

• 30 g dark rye flour

• 160 g butter, cold, salted and in small cubes

• 1 egg

• 2-3 tablespoons cold water

• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leave

Filling:

• 3 eggs

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) cream or milk

• 5-8 scallions, sliced

• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 3-7 heirloom tomatoes, depending on size

• 4 oz (113 g) goat cheese, crumbled

• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200 ℃).

Dough:

Mix the flours and thyme with the butter until the mixture has a crumbly wet sand-like texture. Add the eggs and 2 tablespoons cold water, and mix the dough until it just comes together. If the dough wont come together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water. 

Roll the dough out, or press the dough into the tart pan, all the way up the sides. I used a 10-inch pan. Place pan with dough in the refrigerator until ready for filling.

Filling:

Whisk eggs, cream, scallions, thyme and salt together and set aside.

Slice the tomatoes, and crumble the cheese. Pour the egg mixture in the tart, place the tomatoes on top, and sprinkle the cheese and fresh ground pepper on top. 

Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and baked through.

Serve the tart with a mixed salad. The tart is also good at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Cheese bread

Cheese bread

Bread and cheese two things I really love, so why not combine the two?

The vibrant color and the spiciness from the pepper makes this bread great served with food or served with cheese and charcuterie.

Makes 1 large loaf.

Ingredients:

• 50 g fresh yeast, or 4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 500 ml water, finger warm
• 150 g whole wheat flour
• 625 g all-purpose flour
• 12 g sea salt
• 200 g sharp cheddar, grated
• 50 g sun-dried tomatoes
• 5 g (1-2 teaspoons) pink peppercorns, crushed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• egg for brushing

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in the water, mix in whole wheat flour and 525 g of the all-purpose flour, until fully incorporated. Let the mixture rest for 15-20 minutes to hydrate the flour, (autolyse). 

Mix in the rest of the ingredients, adding the rest of the flour a little at a time, you might not need it all. Knead the dough for about 7 minutes until you have a shiny elastic dough.

Let the dough rise for about an hour, until doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 500℉ (260℃), with a baking stone/pizza stone inside.

Divide the dough in two, and roll it into two logs. Twist the logs and form a circle on a piece of parchment paper. Let the dough rise for another 20-30 minutes. Brush the bread some beaten egg, before baking.

Slide the parchment paper and the unbaked bread onto the baking stone. Lower the heat to 475℉ (245℃) and bake for 20-25 minutes until dark golden brown, and fully baked. 

Enjoy!