VALENTINE’S DAY

It’s Valentine’s day again…or ”Ystävänpäivä” as we say in Finland which actually means: ”Friendships day”. Here in Finland we are celebrating more broadly friendship on that day. It’s not only couples day. Though to us it kind of was (as probably for many other couples too this time). We were together at home…like any other day these days. You can’t go anywhere and dare not meet anyone so here you are at home…with your spouse…if you have one. I’m lucky to have one because this time would be even heavier to take alone!

Anyway, because I’m always at home and we both like delicacies (-maybe even too much-), baking is a good pastime, so now in honor of Valentine’s Day, I made traditional Finnish delicacy called: ”mokkapalat” (mocha bites) which are so good!!!

Otherwise my baking was almost complete but I messed up a bit with the frosting. It became a little too fluid and it partially flowed under the bottom but fortunately most remained on the surface and it tasted really good!!! That frosting is the best!

Usually mocha bites are decorated with nonpareils but I wanted to make something different and decorated those bites with white shocolate. Though it was a little challenging for the chocolate melted quickly in the hands but I am, however, satisfied with the result.

Recipe:

1US cup=2,4dl

1UK cup=2,8dl

You need:

4 eggs

2,5dl sugar

200g butter or margarine

2dl milk (or vegan milk drink)

5dl flour

0,5dl cocoa

1tbsp baking powder

1tbsp vanilla sugar/vanillin

Frosting

75g butter or margarine

0,75dl strong coffee

4-5dl /240-250g icing sugar

0,5dl cocoa

2tsp vanilla sugar/vanillin

To the surface:

nonpareils/cocos chips/almond chips…or whatever you like. I used white chocolate but it melts in your hands too soon so it’s challenging to handle even it was really good!

Making:

Beat the room temperature eggs and sugar into a thick, light foam.

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave. Add cold milk to the melted butter to cool.

Combine dry ingredients.

Mix the butter-milk mixture with the egg-sugar foam and the dry ingredients through a sieve. Mix gently with the arrow until smooth. (If you don’t have sieve, you can add those dry ingredients in small batches, sprinkling like I did.)

Pour on baking paper into the oven pan approx. 30 – 40 cm.

Bake in the middle of the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add coffee. Sift other ingredients through a sieve. Stir until smooth. (Again, if you don’t have sieve, just add dry ingredients in small batches.) Pour a little warm frosting in the middle of the base. (When hot, the frosting is too loose to apply and then it is absorbed into the bottom. As the frosting cools, it thickens to fit.) Allow to drain towards the edges. If necessary, apply with a spatula to the edges. Garnish before the frosting hardens. Cut into pieces.

Enjoy with coffee or cocoa!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY…

…AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP…

…AND TO ALL MY READERS!! YOU GIVE ME A REASON TO CONTINUE MY BELOVED HOBBY, WRITING!!

PANCAKES

I love pancakes and because there has been more extra time since last year, I’ve made those quite often! Here’s my latest version of them which was sooo delicious!!!

I added gingerbread crumb on top which brought more crispness to this and the flavors fit together really well!

The strawberryjam, banana and gingerbread was really good together!

I also added some x-tra margarine and it made this even more tasty (and more brown)!

Those turquoise spots are sugar mass which I used at Christmas to decorate gingerbreads. I accidentally decorated all of those gingerbreads (which I was not meant to do cause I new I will make gingerbread buns with those crumbs later). I tried to take that sugar mass off when made buns but I didn’t get everything out so there’s it in crumbs. Actually it looks very nice, don’t you think? Those are like part of the decorating.

A yammy dessert!

You can find the recipe here (only in finnish): https://www.kotikokki.net/reseptit/nayta/574/Maailman%20paras%20pannukakku/

ADVENT CALENDAR DOOR 14. Miisa’s fudge

Door 14. opens…

I found that Miisa’s fudge recipe on Valio’s website. If there is faith in Miisa’s words, this should be really delicious. I haven’t tested this myself yet, but I’m going to test it.

So like I promised…here comes the recipe…

You’ll need:

200g White baking chocolate

2 dl sugar

2,5 dl caramel Cream

50g butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 dl dried cranberries

---

1US cup=2,4dl

1UK cup=2,8dl

Preparation:

Before starting cooking, please note that you have a food thermometer. The right temperature is essential for fudge success. The time taken to reach the correct temperature is difficult to estimate. It depends on the cooking pot, the stove, etc.
Crumb white chocolate. Leave aside to wait.
Measure the sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan.
Heat slowly, stirring, until the sugar has melted evenly in the mixture. Continue cooking on low heat until the mixture is 116 degrees, avoid stirring.
Lift the pot off the stove.
Add the white chocolate to the mixture and beat for a few minutes until the mixture cools slightly and becomes fluffy. Stir in the salt and cranberries quickly.

Pour the mixture into a bread pan lined with foil or baking paper (approx. 12 x 25 cm)

Allow to solidify in the refrigerator covered overnight. Cut into pieces.

Store in a cool place.

Finally just enjoy!

THE DESSERT

One evening I got an ide. I wanted something sweet and there was only little bit marsh mallows and (”the old times”) vanilla sauce in kitchen. Then we had also some bananas. So what could you do about these? That’s right. I decided to mix everything together. I made this my own dessert and what a great ide it was. I’m pretty sure you never taste this kind of dessert? Well, you should because it’s super good! Those marsh mallows I had were also very tasty. Much better than the regular ones. I think there was a caramel (or fudge flavor) inside also.

Can you see the (banana) heart behind?

Dessert art. (This could be turned into an exhibition of modern art, don’t you think?)

Just taste this!