Semolina, Coconut & Marmalade Cake

Semolina, Coconut & Marmalade Cake
Recipe adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi


I am still thinking about this cake, weeks after I've made it. It haunts my dreams and I can't wait for another chance to make it. The combination of flavours in this dense and oh so moist cake will blow you away. The cake is wonderful on its own but I encourage you to add the yogurt topping with orange blossom water and honey.  Enjoy!

Note: One thing to remember about this cake is that it gets better the longer you leave it. I make it at least the day before I want to serve it but it is at its best 2 days after baking.

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients:
For the Cake:
3/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup orange marmalade (fine-cut or without peel)
4 large free-range eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons semolina
2 tablespoons ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder

For the Soaking syrup:
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons orange blossom water depending on how much you like orange blossom water

For the Topping:
1 cup thick Greek yogurt
1 or 2 teaspoons of orange blossom water depending on how much you like orange blossom water
2 tablespoons honey
Toasted coconut for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the oil, orange juice, marmalade, eggs, and orange zest until the marmalade dissolves. In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined. The mixture should be runny.

2. Grease and flour a bundt baking pan. Fill the pan with batter. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes (depends on your oven, check after 45), or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean and the top browns.

3. Near the end of the baking time, place the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. As soon as the cake come out of the oven, start pouring (very slowly) the hot syrup all over the top of the cake (in the pan), allowing the syrup to soak in for a minute or two before you carry on pouring with more syrup. Make sure you use up all the syrup and it is absorbed into the cake. Once the cake has cooled down a little, remove it from the pan and leave to cool completely.

4.To make the topping, combine yogurt, orange blossom water and honey. Adjust the honey and orange blosssom water to your taste. Refrigerate topping until needed. Serve the cake with the yogurt topping and garnish with the toasted coconut.

Dark Chocolate and Toffee Brownies

Dark Chocolate and Toffee Brownies
Recipe by Dragon


These dark, moist and delicious brownies will become a new favourite in your home. Enjoy!


Makes: 24 brownies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 oz 50% dark chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toffee bits, divided
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, divided


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon, together until combined. Set aside.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.  When the chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove the bowl from the saucepan and gradually whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition until well combined. Whisk in the vanilla.

4. Gently fold in the flour mixture, until the batter is smooth. Fold in 1/4 cup toffee bits and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan; spread the batter into the corners of the pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits and chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, then remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Feta, Dill and Greek Yogurt Biscuits

Feta, Dill and Greek Yogurt Biscuits
Recipe by Dragon

Light fluffy biscuits are a great canvass for different flavour combinations. This one combines salty Feta with aromatic dill. Greek yogurt adds moisture and a tangy flavour that brightens up these delicious treats. Try to find real Greek Feta which is made with goat or sheep's milk, you'll thank me later. Enjoy!

Makes: 10-12

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg, beaten
2  tablespoons cold water
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, stirred
1/3 cup chopped dill
1 cup goat's milk feta cheese, crumbled into large crumbs
1 egg beaten with a splash of milk for an egg wash
Sea salt to garnish
Cracked black pepper to garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450F and place the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine and sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Place the flour mixture in a food processor. Pulse the flour mixture a couple of times to make sure it's well combined.

3. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture and pulse to cut the butter into the flour. It should resemble course meal. Don't over mix or the biscuits will not be tender and flaky.

4. In a separate bowl, combine beaten egg, water, yogurt, dill and feta. Add the yogurt/feta mixture to the flour/butter mixture and pulse just until the dough just comes together into a ball. Again, don't over mix.

5. Remove the dough from the food processor and place it onto a well floured surface. Using your hands, pat the dough down until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough 3-4 times then pat the dough down until it's 1 inch thick. Use a round (2 - 2 1/2 inch) cutter to cut the dough into rounds. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Combine the dough scraps, pat the dough down to 1 inch thick and cut out a few more.

6. Brush the tops of the biscuits with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are a light golden brown. I rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees half way through for more even baking. These biscuits are best eaten the day they’re made, but will last up to 2 days.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican Wedding Cookies
Recipe by Dragon

I first made these cookies for a Latin food inspired party this past summer. People went crazy for them, including a Mexican chef who insisted that the next time I visit his restaurant, I am to bring him another batch of these cookies.

I didn't expect that reaction but I was definitely pleased. Since then, several people have requested these delicious cookies and after one bite, you'll know exactly why. Enjoy!

Makes: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Confectioner sugar (for rolling baked cookies)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the vanilla, mix.

3. Whisk together the flour and salt. Add the flour mix to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined, don't over mix.

4. Stir in walnuts with a spoon. Cover and chill the dough for 1/2 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 325F.

6. Shape balls of dough into 1 1/2 inch crescents. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown.

7. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool slightly until they are cool enough to handle. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar until evenly coated.

8. Cool cookies completely on wire racks. Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll the cookies in powdered sugar a second time once.

Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake with Walnut Bourbon Caramel

Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake with Walnut Bourbon Caramel
Recipe by Dragon, Inspired by Epicurious.com

I made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner this year and it was a hit. A creamy dream that looked and tasted of fall. It takes a bit of time to make and but this cheesecake is worth it. I think I'll make it again at Christmas...or maybe just again on the weekend. ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For crust
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ginger snaps crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon bourbon

For filling
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
zest of half an orange
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 packages cream cheese, at room temperature

For Walnut Bourbon caramel sauce:
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped

Directions:

Make crust:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Stir together crumbs, walnuts, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well.

2. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of pan, bake in the center of the oven for 6-8 minutes then cool crust for 1 hour. Sprinkle the top of the crust with the tablespoon of bourbon (I used a spray bottle).

Make filling and bake cheesecake:
3. Put oven rack in bottom third position and preheat oven to 350°F.

4. Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and bourbon in a bowl until combined.

5. Stir together granulated sugar, orange zest, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.

6. Pour filling into crust, smoothing top. Set the springform pan on a sheet of foil wrap and wrap the foil around up the sides of the pan. Put springform pan in a "bain marie". Fill with enough boiling water to 2/3 the way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until center is just set, 60-70 minutes.

7. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.

8. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

To make caramel sauce:
9. Combine the cream, vanilla and bourbon. Set aside.

10. In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat. When the sugar begins to lightly brown here and there, gently swirl the pan until all of the sugar is a deep golden brown.

11. Remove pan from heat and carefully add the cream mixture to the pan and whisk until smooth. Stir in butter until then add the toasted walnuts. Sauce may be made ahead then cooled, covered and chilled. Reheat sauce to warm before serving.

12. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on serving platter. Pour enough of the warmed caramel to cover the top of the cheesecake and let it drip over the sides. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

Cakestar Bakery

CakeStar Bakery
3431 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto

It's no secret that I like to bake...just take a look at this blog and it's easy to see. I admire bakers, they are artists and scientists rolled into one. To me, they are rock stars and two of my favouites have finally opened up their own bakery.

Last month, I was excited to go to the opening of CakeStar in Etobicoke. The bakery is owned and run by sisters Barbara Accogli and Monja Chiaravalloti (aka @CakeStarGirlz on twitter). Barbara is the baking goddess and Monja is the decorating artist. Together they create delicious cake magic.

From the simplest cupcake, to cake pops to custom cakes that are works of art, these ladies do it all and they do it amazingly. At the opening, the Barbara & Monja let us try our hand at decorating cannoli, red velvet cake pops and rum balls. They have an easy instructing style and everyone had fun. I am really looking forward to is attending their decorating classes. My first one starts in November and I can't wait to show you what I've learned....so stay tuned!

In the meantime you can find Cakestar Bakery at 3431 Lakeshore Blvd., Etobicoke, ON (at Kipling) and online here.

Enjoy some more photos from the opening.