it's freaking snowing on my brunch. { gluten-free pumpkin kaiserschmarrn }

Kaiserschmarrn is a staple dessert in Austria and South Germany, where it recalls sweet memories from a day out skiing in the Alps. Basically a fluffy pancake that is shredded, caramelized, dusted with powdered sugar and typically served with plum or apple compote, it got its name from Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria, for his love of it. I am not Kaiser Franz Joseph, but I also love it. I had already had the though of making pumpkin pancakes this satuday, but some enlightenment suddenly came to me that this was what I ought to make: pick a famous recipe and turn it around by tossing pumpkin into it. And here it is. Kaiserschmarrn... reinvented!

baked porridge or the ultimate comfort breakfast. { three baked porridge recipes }

A sweet comment from my friend Laura on my facebook page today got me to share these three baked porridge recipes with you!

By coincidence... it's her birthday!

to know your oats. { baked porridge with pear, nutmeg and maple syrup }

seems like I couldn't let you leave breakfast unfinished! you got the drinks, now here's the real deal meal. baked porridge, lending inspiration from Gordon Ramsay's recipe - after all, he is a Scot, he knows his oatmeal - with a slight twist. this meal is perfect for cold winter days, takes less than one our to put together and is an ultimate confort food for breakfast! huge plus side of its preparation: you can multiply the recipe several times without a pinch more fuss if you need to feed a crowd! just scroll down to get to the juicy details ;)

pastries party - part I { danish pastry dough and two handpies to use it in }

oh decisions, decisions...
i've been saving them all for the weekends and when they finally arrive time just seems to slip through my fingers. and at the same time i need to get some rest and inspiration too!
i have a lot ot things to thing through - indeed. but i'll get there and i'll make the right call - because there is no right or wrong when it comes to the questions which have been bugging my mind.

meanwhile, i've been baking - what would you expect!? - but i still have some goodies from Portugal to share with you. and as i promised, today is double recipe day!

pão, pan, pain, pane, brot, bread. { pan de jamón }

ok, i've already told you about my love for baking bread.

the fulfillment it brings to my soul.

well... on the top of that, some kinds of bread bring me an even sweeter feeling,

they recall me of cherished places, memories and people.

one of them

(and i cannot but say that it is my number one, way ahead of the bavarian laugenstange)

is the traditional bread from my hometown: padas de vale de ílhavo.

there's then a bunch of others. like today's bread.

this one in particular recalls me of lazy weekends,

but also of parties and special holidays like christmas and new year's eve.

and it has a very funny story ;)

there's something in my bread { goat cheese and olive loaf }

Meanwhile, inspired on the latter post's cookbook...

Bola de Queijo de Cabra e Azeitonas

- 225g de farinha

- 2 colheres de chá de fermento

- 100ml de azeite

- 100ml de vinho branco

- 3 ovos

- 50g de queijo parmesão ralado

- 150g de queijo de cabra saloio, em cubos

- 150g de azeitonas sem caroço

- 75g de sultanas douradas
- sal e pimenta

Misturar a farinha, o azeite, o vinho, os ovos, o parmesão, o sal e a pimenta até obter uma massa homogénea,

Incorporar o queijo de cabra, as azeitonas e as sultanas,

Levar ao forno a 160ºC numa forma de bolo inglês forrada com papel vegetal, durante cerca de 45 minutos.

Goat Cheese and Olive Loaf

- 225g flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 100ml olive oil

- 100ml white wine

- 3 eggs

- 50g grated parmesan cheese

- 150g goat cheese, diced

- 150g pitted olives

- 75g golden raisins
- salt and pepper

Whisk the flour, olive oil, wine, eggs, parmesan, salt and pepper until obtaining a smooth batter,

Mix in the goat cheese, olives and raisins,

Bake for about 45 minutes at 160ºC in a parchment paper lined loaf pan.

Midnight Goddess { apple crumble cheesecake }

Tal como vem sendo costume quando faço bolos para alguém em particular, a ideia para este bolo surgiu porque o meu irmão mais velho está prestes a virar "adulto" (nem acredito!).

Como ele vai estar em Coimbra e eu no Porto, a juntar ao facto de que o meu irmão mais novo chegava ontem à noite da Alemanha, e ao facto de eu estar farta de estar agarrada ao computador a fazer cortes, tinha de se criar alguma coisa na cozinha.

Apetecia-me fazer um bolo combinado, como já vem sendo também costume, com diferentes camadas, texturas e sabores.

Decidi pegar no doce preferido dele, que vem sendo preferido de todos cá em casa: cheesecake; juntar um toque diferente: lembrei-me de que ele também gosta bastante de tarte de maçã; acrescentar uma cobertura estaladiça: crumble, de que gosto imenso, e assim foi surgindo a ideia de um cheesecake com cobertura de crumble de maçã!

Está uma delícia!!!

Once again, as it has been usual when I bake something for someone in particular, the idea for this cake occurred to me because my older brother is about to turn 18! (I can't believe that yet!)

Since he's going to be in Coimbra and I'm going to be in Oporto, adding the fact that my younger brother was arriving from Germany and the fact that I was tired of being in the computer architectizing, I had to sort something out of the kitchen.

I wanted to make another combined cake, as it has been usual too, with different layers, textures and flavors.

I decided to take his favorite cake, already a favorite for everyone here at home: cheesecake; add a different touch: he quite likes apple pie too; add something different for topping: crumble! that I love, and then everything came together as a cheesecake with apple crumble topping!
It is delicious!!!

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Ingredientes:

Base de bolacha:

- 1 embalagem de bolachas de Aveia

- 100g de margarina

Recheio Cheesecake:

- 2 embalagens de philadelphia

- 200ml de natas frescas

- 75g de açúcar

- 2 a 3 ovos

- 2 colheres de sopa de Licor Beirão

Cobertura Crumble:

- 2 maçãs reineta grandes

- passas de uva preta grandes

- 2 colheres de sopa de Licor Beirão

- 100g de farinha

- 100g de açúcar amarelo

- 1 colher de chá de canela

- ½ chávena de amêndoas

- 100g de manteiga cortada em pequenos pedaços

Preparação:

1) Preparar a base, reduzindo as bolachas a pó e misturando com a margarina derretida,

2) Comprimir a base contra o fundo de uma forma de bolo com base amovível e levar ao frigorífico,

3) Cozinhar as maçãs descascadas, descaroçadas e cortadas em pedacinhos numa sertã, com um pouco de Licor Beirão, um pouco de açúcar amarelo e um pouco de canela, acrescentar as passas e reservar,

4) Misturar a farinha, o açúcar, a manteiga, a canela até obter uma textura de migalhas (pode ser num robot de cozinha),

5) Picar as amêndoas finamente num robot de cozinha e misturar com a mistura anterior, reservar,

6) Bater as natas,

7) Bater o queijo, incorporar o açúcar, as natas batidas e o Licor Beirão,

8) Bater os ovos à parte e incorporar um a um na mistura de queijo,

9) Verter sobre a base a mistura de queijo, cobrir cuidadosamente com a maçã (por exemplo à mão, pedaço a pedaço) e espalhar por fim o crumble,

10) Levar ao forno a 170ºC cerca de 45 min,

11) Deixar arrefecer na forma e só então desenformar.

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

- 1 package oat cookies

- 100g margarine

Filling:

- 2 packages philadelphia

- 200ml heavy cream

- 75g sugar

- 2 to 3 eggs

- 2 tbsp Licor Beirão (orangey-flavored liquor)

Crumble Topping:

- 2 big green apples

- raisins

- 2 tbsp Licor Beirão (orangey-flavored liquor)

- 100g flour

- 100g yellow sugar

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- ½ cup almonds

- 100g butter, chopped in small pieces

Preparation:

1) Make the crust, reducing the cookies to crumbles and mixing with melted margarine,

2) Press the crust batter onto the bottom of a cake pan with removable bottom, place in the refrigerator,

3) Cook the apples, peeled, cored and chopped in a pan with a little Licor Beirão, a little yellow sugar and cinnamon, add the raisins and let cool,

4) Mix flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon until it reaches a crumble texture (doable in a food processor),

5) Chop the almonds in a food processor and mix into the last mixture, put aside,

6) Beat the heavy cream

7) Beat cheese, incorporate heavy cream, sugar and liquor,

8) Beat eggs separately and add one at a time to the cheese mixture, beating

9) Pour the cheese mixture over the crust, cover carefully with the apple, and spread over the crumble mixture,

10) Place in the oven at 170ºC for around 45 min,

11) Let cool in the mould.

Braided Christmas { apple braid }

Há algumas coisas que me lembro muito vivamente de Natais passados. Algumas aconteciam todos os anos. Outras são meros pormenores, coisas que aconteceram, e que nem sei bem porque me lembro, mas que me deixam com um sorriso... Ir para a cama e não conseguir adormecer no dia 23. Os meus tios e primas visitarem-nos na tarde de dia 24. Ir dentro do carrinho de compras aos Mon Cherries (e não os provar!) e Ferreros Rocher para oferecer à família.  Ficar doente na noite de Natal no ano em que ia fazer de menina Natal, e ir à mesma. Brincar com playmobil a tarde inteira. Estar a escrever um romance na noite de consoada. Ver o "Sozinho em Casa". Ir para o quarto das visitas esperar pelo Pai Natal para alguém se poder escapulir e disfarçar. A minha prima sempre na casa de banho quando vinha o Pai Natal... e a lista podia continar....

Trança de Maçã
(deu para 3 tranças, pode-se congelar)
Ingredientes:

- 3 embalagens de massa folhada fresca

- 6 maçãs reineta e/ou golden

- 20g de manteiga + 20g de margarina

- 50 a 100 ml de Licor Beirão

- ½ a 1 chávena de açúcar

- 1 colher de sopa de farinha

- noz moscada q.b.

- canela q.b.

- passas q.b.

Preparação:

1) Descascar, descaroçar e fatiar as maçãs,

2) Levar a cozinhar em lume médio na manteiga com as passas até começarem a ficar tenras,

3) Adicionar o Licor Beirão e deixar cozinhar mais um pouco, tapado,

4) Preparar a mistura do açúcar, farinha e especiarias,

5) Acrescentar à maçã, mexer bem para não fazer grumos; deixar cozinhar, mexendo frequentemente,

6) Estender a massa fresca. Se a massa for circular, cortar uma aba em forma de D de cada lado, com cerca de 1/6 do diâmetro, cortar em dois e acrescentar às partes circulares sobrantes da forma inicial, de forma a compor um rectângulo,

7) Marcar a divisão do rectângulo em 3 colunas longitudinais,

8) Recortar franjas transversais, com cerca de 1 cm, de cada lado, até à marcação da coluna central,

9) Dispor recheio na coluna central, deixando uma camada uniforme com cerca de 1-1.5 cm de altura,

10) Entrançar a tarte (muito bem explicado aqui), cobrindo o recheio com uma tira ora de um lado ora do outro,

11) Levar ao forno a 180º-200º até que a massa folhada doure.


Apple Braid
(for 3 braids, can be frozen if you want)
Ingredients:
- 3 packages prepared pastry crust
- 6 green apples
- 20g butter + 20g margarine
- 50 to 100ml Licor Beirão liquor
- 1/2 to 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- nutmeg
- cinnamom
- raisins

Preparation:
1) Peel, uncore and slice the apples,
2) Cook the apple slices in medium heat with the butter and raisins, until tender,
3) Add the liquor and let cook a little longer, covered,
4) Mix sugar, flour and spices,
5) Mix into the apple carefully so it won't leave crumbs and let cook, stirring every once in a while,
6) Lay the pastry on a baking tray. If it is circular, cut a D-shaped slice on each side, with around 1/6 of the diameter, cut half and add to the remaining circular sides, composing a rectangle,
7) Mark the division of the triangle in 3 longitudinal columns,
8) Cut transversal fringes with 1 cm each side, until the mark of the middle column,
9) Lay the filling on the middle column, leaving an uniform layer, 1-1.5cm high,
10) Braid the pie (very good step-by-step here), covering the filling with a stripe from each side at tge time,
11) Place in the oven at 180º-200º until golden.

One, Two, Three, Four... Can I Have a Litte More? { four recipes of chewy-cakey cookies }

These cookies are slightly on the chewy side, yet a bit cakey too. As you can understand from reading this blog, I am a firm believer on multiple flavour cookie baking - I mean, if you're already putting time and effort into baking cookies, why not make more than one kind!? So here's four of them!