Habanero Kransekage - Habanero Almond Cake

Habanero Kransekage - Habanero Almond Cake

Happy New Year.

Thank you for visiting my blog. It’s has been a fun year for me with blog. I learned that I do not control what happens after I post. And I do not know what will be a hit and what will be a miss. One thing I do know is, the quality of the photos is getting better. My husband has learned a lot about light, and how to use it.Thank you Michael for helping me, you are the best.

I hope you will keep visiting my blog, and I promise to keep coming up with new recipes and giving old classics a new twist.

I look forward to 2015 and to face all the new challenges this year will bring.  

From my family to yours, have a fantastic 2015, filled with love, light and laughter.

Cheers.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

Kransekage: 

• 50 g almonds blanched
• 100 g sugar
• 1 egg white
• 250 g marzipan (I used Ren Rå, a 60% almond paste)
• habanero chili (be cautious with this chili, it is very powerful, taste a teeny-tiny bit to determine how much to use)

Icing:

• confectionary sugar
• water, hot
• orange food coloring

Directions:

Put almonds and sugar into food processor with the steel blade in place and process until finely pulverized. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Be careful not to heat the mass to more than 95 - 104°F, else the egg white will cook. 

Shred the marzipan and add it, minced habanero and the almond/egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat it until it's completely smooth and free of lumps. Form the dough into a ball, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven for 375℉ (190℃).

Roll the dough into logs as thick as your finger, and cut into 3 inch long pieces. Gently press the top, so you get a peak.  

Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden.  Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Make the icing with small amount of hot water. You want the icing to be a thick paste. Pipe the icing across the top, using a piping bag with a small round tip.

Enjoy the kransekage with a glass of sweet bubbles.

Nougat

Nougat

December 22th.

I have always loved the white nougat made from honey, sugar and egg whites. This white nougat originates from Italy and is called Torrone, but there are different versions from different countries.  In Danmark we call this kind of candy for French Nougat, I really don’t know why. But it’s a great sweet candy, great for gifting. 

The temperature of the syrup determines the texture of the nougat. When the syrup is cooked to130℃ you get a very soft and runny nougat. Cooked to 140°C you get a chewy nougat. And if cooked to 150°C you get a hard nougat. 

makes 30-40 pieces, depending on size.

Ingredients:

Syrup:

• 260 g sugar
• 80 g water
• 50 g light corn syrup/glucose
• 160 honey

Egg whites:

• 40 g egg whites
• 40 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanillapaste

Filling:

• 100 g pistachios
• 100 g almonds

Directions:

Roast the almonds in a single layer in the oven at 350℉ (175℃), until they start to turn slightly golden, set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, honey and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until all the sugar is melted, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Brushing down the sides of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in warm water, to prevent the sugar crystalizing on the sides of the pan. Attach the sugar thermometer to the pot and let the syrup simmer until it reaches 290°F (142℃), do not stir.

Remove saucepan from heat and place the base of the pan in the sink of cold water for 5 seconds, or until the bubbles subside, this stops the syrup temperature increasing. 

While heating the syrup, place the egg whites in a large, clean, dry heatproof bowl. Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Add salt and vanilla, whisk to combine.

While whisking on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Turn the speed up and whisk for 10-12 minutes.  

Pour the sticky nougat onto a Silpat® Non-Stick Baking Mats, or another silicone mat, use the mat to knead nuts into the nougat.

Place the nougat in a a parchment paper lined pan sprayed with oil. I used a loaf pan.  Set aside in at room temperature for 6 hours or until set.

Cut the nougat with a sharp knife, heated in hot water, and wiped dry. Toss the nougat pieces in some sifted confectionary sugar. Store nougat in a clean, dry airtight container, separating layers with a piece of parchment paper. Will keep in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks, or so I'm told.  ;0)

Enjoy!

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

December 21th.

Making the last few treats for the holiday celebration. 

Makes about 60.

Ingredients:

• 397 g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 150 ml milk
• 115 g (1 stick) butter (I used salted butter)
• 450 g sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons fine liquorice powder
• 1-2 teaspoons raw liquorice powder

Directions:

Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan on a medium heat, heat the condensed milk, milk, butter and sugar, stirring regularly, until the sugar has melted. Let the fudge simmer until it reaches 240℉ (115℃) or until soft ball stage. You have to stir constantly, otherwise the fudge will burn and you end up with bitter fudge.

Transfer the fudge to the stand mixer bowl, add the liquorice powder, and beat for about 10 minutes, until it loses the glossy caramel sheen and you have a thick but soft fudge. 

Scoop the fudge into the prepared baking pan and press it into the corners and even out the top. Let the fudge cool completely. Cut it into squares.

The fudge will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for several weeks. I have never tested this, because the fudge always seems to disappear in the first few days, in my house.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Roasted Duck and Pork Roast.

A duck roasting in the oven.

December 20th.

Every year we look for guides to roasting duck and danish pork roast. Here is my take on how to make christmas dinner. We serve both duck and pork roast, but we only have one oven. A lot of people has this issue, and therefore they roast the duck the day before, but not in the house, that would be way to easy. ;0)

Danish Pork Roast

We make the pork roast in the grill/BBQ, on indirect heat, with a pan under to save the drippings, and this pan has to be refilled with water a couple of time while roasting. Other than that, its the same recipe as here:

Danish Pork Roast

By slow roasting the duck you get the most juicy duck ever. 

Slow-roasted Duck.

For the traditional Danish Christmas dinner serve with caramelizes potatoes and pickled red cabbage.

Gingerbread Ice Cream

Gingerbread Ice Cream

December 19th.

My aunt is known for her homemade ice cream. Every year she will serve ice cream for dessert at her christmas dinner. This is not the traditional Christmas dessert in Denmark, but there is nothing wrong with being a little rebellious. This gingerbread ice cream could be a new addition to my aunts ice cream repertoire, it screams christmas. You can serve it with a swirl of gingerbread cookies or as a gingerbread affogato. 

Makes a small pint.

Ingredients:

• 120 ml milk

• 240 ml heavy whipping cream

• 25 g sugar

• 50 g brown sugar

• 50 g dark syrup or molasses

• 1 pinch salt

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ⅛ teaspoon cloves

• ⅛ teaspoon allspice

• 2 pinches ginger

• 4 egg yolks

Directions:

Making the custard:

Pour the cream into a metal bowl placed in a larger bowl of ice, set aside.

Warm milk, sugars, syrup, spices and salt in a medium saucepan. Make sure the sugar and salt is dissolved completely.

In another bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, while whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan, and heat the mixture over medium heat, until it thickens. Stir constantly in this process and make sure to scrape the bottom of the saucepan. 

Pour the egg/milk mixture through a sieve into the cold cream. Cool the custard in refrigerator until ice is cold. 

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze it according to manufacturers instructions. Add the cookie pieces when the ice cream is ready to scoop out, and let them get mixed in. Scoop the ice cream into a freezer safe container, and freeze overnight before serving.  

Enjoy!