have a christmassy tea time treat! { gluten-free mini cinnamon rice gugels }

'Bolo de Arroz', the portuguese rice muffin, ocasional replacement for a Pastel de Nata as a side for an espresso or a meia-de-leite, was the inspiration behind these mini gugels. I have spiced up the original recipe up and made it totally gluten and lactose free! Mini lemony cakes, with a texture similar to that of madeleines, they are the perfect as a coffee or tea-time treat and for sharing with friends!

ouvi dizer que há por aí abóboras... { ginger saffron pumpkin soup }

Let's not go in denial here. October is World's Pumpkin Month and that the way it is. After accepting it and finally resigning - with an unexpectedly fierce enthusiasm! - to the ongoing 'pumpkin rush', we may find ourselves burried in stocked with excessive amounts of pumpkin leftovers. This soup is the perfect excuse for either getting rid of them... or to buy more pumpkin! The addition of potato brings substance to the cream, while zucchini plays along its squash counterpart for freshness. Infused with real saffron and a hint of ginger, this soup hits a sweet spot between the traditional and the exotic, the savoury and the sweet, and is hence sure to please even the pickiest palate. True flavourful comfort food.

cookies at an exhibition. { peppery sugar cookies with spicy caramel }

upgrade your sugar cookie.

try this recipe.

♥

and have a nice sunny sunday.

i love triangles. aren't they gorgeous with this abstract caramel glaze?

i've heard they taste like christmas :)

and beware:

let's say they tend to disappear quite quickly while no one is watching.

and no, it's not me eating them all...

blurred lines. { brigadeiros }

Some specific foods have the power to bring us back to our childhood.

Well, this one certainly does it for a lot of people.

It is probably one of the first recipes kids learn to make on their own, as it is quite easy and envolves no harmful appliances - except for the stovetop, a step that I immagine many parents would supervise.
This was the most likely item to be present at any kid's birthday party in the 90s. And all kids loved this thing!

I didn't really ever care for them... I don't know why, but at the sight of a table full with different stuff, this was something I would rarely go for. Maybe because they are overpoweringly sweet, so they would make anything else taste like nothing after - what a smart palate, if that's the case!
Plus we would never have them at home, I don't know why, but I never bothered to wonder
Hence, this is something I had never made at home, even though I had watched many friends preparing them.

For some awkward reason, being here has awaken some eccentric desires and cravings I didn't even knew I could have - as in even for some things that I kind of didn't like before. For you prents here, if you want your kids to like any traditional dish they hate back home, just send them abroad for a couple of months, it will totally solve the problem! (...just not to Portugal or Italy, as they may stay there for the food haha ;) )

One thing they don't have here in a regular supermarket is what we call 'regular' condensed milk back home... they sell this thin, cream-like mixture that I don't even understand what it is. Suddenly, I had an urge to make all condensed milk things I could think off. So I bought some at the portuguese shop.

In the end there was one can left in my pantry.

Last week, I really needed to eat chocolate, but it was ten in the evening and I only had cocoa. So I did what I had to do.

Get rid of that can.

overnight oats #2 | the arroz doce { cinnamon-orange spiced overnight oats }

How I hate when blogger messes up with the pictures' colours! Why are they turning red today!?...

Bringing you a new overnight oats jar ;) I'll keep them coming if you'ld like!

Overnight Oats #2
The Arroz Doce. Cinnamon, Orange and Ginger Infusion
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup 0.8% milk
- 1 tbsp orange marmalade with ginger
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1) Mix everything well in a jar, close and refrigerate overnight (around 4-8 hours will do),
2) When serving, shake well before opening. If desired, warm up in the microwave. Sprinkle with cinnamon and, if desired, some chopped banana for a fruity touch.

one brownie with a twist. { malibú fudgy brownies }

I know you haven't seen them all...

But I've seen them raising in the oven...
and I have this feeling I've been baking way too many chocolate cakes.

These brownies were made by request.

I was actually not even going to do them, because I kept postponing it and ended up being too busy with other stuff that day... but I was feeling bad for the whole afternoon, until I finally gave in and decided to go chop some chocolate.

I took the liberty of improvising a bit lot (the request was quite specific for this brownie batter), but I guess I was able to still meet the wishes of my friend ;) They travelled to a barbecue early this week and no one has seen them ever since!

Brownies Malibú Fudge

- 200g de chocolate 70% de cacau

- 120g de manteiga

- 120 ml de café frio

- 3 ovos M

- 120g de açúcar

- 50g de farinha

- uma pitada de pimenta, piri-piri e gengibre em pó

- 200g de doce de laranja com raspas

- 2 colheres de sopa de coco ralado

- 1 colher de sopa de gin

1) Derreter o chocolate com a manteiga em banho maria; deixar arrefecer,

2) Bater os ovos com o açúcar até obter uma mistura cremosa e esbranquiçada,

3) Envolver suavemente a farinha peneirada,

4) Incorporar o chocolate derretido e o café,

5) À parte, misturar bem o doce, o coco e o gin,

6) Verter a massa numa forma rectangular forrada com papel vegetal, distribuir pequenas colheradas de doce por cima e levar ao forno a 160ºC durante cerca de 15 minutos,

7) Deixar arrefecer e cortar em pequenos quadrados.

Malibú Fudgy Brownies

- 200g 70% cocoa chocolate

- 120g butter

- 120 ml cold coffee

- 3 medium eggs

- 120g sugar

- 50g flour

- pepper, chili and ginger powder

- 200g orange marmalade

- 2 shredded coconut

- 1 tbsp gin

1) Melt chocolate with butter in a pan placed over another pan with simmering water; let cool,

2) Cream eggs and sugar,

3) Carefully mix in flour,

4) Mix in melted chocolate and coffee,

5) In a bowl, mix well the marmalade, coconut and gin,

6) Pour the batter over a rectangular cake pan, lined with parchment paper; spread the jam over and bake at 160ºC for about 15 minutes,

7) Let cool and cut into small squares.