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June 9, 2013

Brita Torte

This torte symbolizes summer to me. It is so easy, needs no fancy decorations and the flavors can be easily adjusted according to what berries are in season. Summer has arrived in full force and it is hard to believe that just a few short months ago we were skating and skiing on the lake. Now the water is so warm that it feels fairly warm to me too. I don’t swim in cold water unlike one of my daughters who went swimming with her friends on May 5, only three days after the ice had left! The lake that is across the street from us is quite shallow and it fortunately warms up quite quickly if the weather permits.

This morning as I traipsed outside in my nightgown(after checking that the neighbors were not out yet) to get the newspaper, I noticed that the clover was in flower.

It is the magic of early summer, every few days there is something new in bloom. Last week the flowers of the blueberries were in bloom, now it is the apple blossoms, clover and lingonberry. It was a year ago that I started this blog and it has been a wonderful adventure! Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read and comment, I really appreciate it!

I made this Brita Torte with fresh strawberries, later in the summer blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and fresh peaches can be used.

The recipe is from the book, Hyvää Ruokahalua! Kotikokin Parhaat Leivontaohjeet. And I believe that this cake is of Swedish origin.

Brita Torte

4 egg yolks
1.5 dl/0.6 c sugar
2 dl/0.8 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp milk
50 g/1.8 oz butter, melted

On top:
4 egg whites
2 dl/0.8 c sugar
(sliced almonds, optional)

Filling:
5 dl/little over 2 cups heavy whipping cream
or alternatively 3 dl/1.3 cups heavy whipping cream and 500g/18 oz quark or Greek yoghurt
500 g/18 oz fresh strawberries
sugar to taste

Melt the butter and set aside. Whip the egg yolks and sugar into a pale yellow foam. Fold in the melted butter and milk. Add the dry ingredients last. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been greased. Set aside for the time being while the second layer is being whipped.

Whip the egg whites into a soft foam. Add the sugar while beating until a glossy and fairly firm foam has formed. Spread meringue onto the egg yolk batter. Bake in the oven at 150 C/300F for about 40-45 minutes or until the meringue is a very light brown.

Allow the cake to cool completely. Cut the cake into fourths. Whip the the cream and if preferred fold in the quark or Greek yoghurt and berries. Add sugar according to taste. Assemble the cake by simply alternating with the cake and filling. Enjoy immediately or during the same day. The next day the cake will still have great flavor but the meringue will have lost its crispiness.

(Alternatively this recipe can be made into two lined and greased cake pans for a round cake.)

48 comments

June 3, 2013

Summer Picnics

Sometimes summer makes you wait in Finland, and it feels like it doesn’t really arrive until July. But this year summer arrived at the end of May. We have been enjoying our time at the beach just down the road. One important part of making a trek to the beach is the “picnic”. It is not always fancy depending on our schedule but having a little snack or lunch after the swim is key. Today we didn’t happen to have a snack along, only juice and there was a few protests to be heard!

This peppered smoked Mackerel salad with new potatoes works great at a picnic. If eating at home, I have used freshly smoked fish but when picnicing I have used the canned version and added it on the salad just before serving. It’s filling enough after a long day in the sun but not so heavy to weigh you down.

Peppered Mackerel Salad

1 kg/2.2 lbs new potatos cooked, cooled and peeled
1 small spring cabbage or kale, chopped
3-4 generous handfuls of chopped lettuce of your choice (Lollo Rossa, arugula etc)
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed
1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed
About 15 pickle slices cut into small pieces
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 filets of smoked and peppered Mackerel

The salad can be assembled either in individual serving containers or in a bowl. Toss the variety of lettuce, cabbage/kale and place as the bottom layer. Next mix the beans and use it as the second layer. Third place the finely chopped pickles and red onion on top of the beans. Cut the potatoes into fourths or sixths depending on their size and place on the onion mixture. Last add the Mackerel and garnish with a few spears of steamed and seasoned asparagus spears. Drizzle on the dressing and enjoy!

Vinaigrette dressing
1 dl/0.4 c olive oil
1/2 dl/0.2 c balsamic vinegar
one handful of fresh dill finely chopped
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp sugar
fine seasalt to taste

37 comments

Gallery | May 27, 2013

Rustic Knots with Dandelion or Nettle

47 comments

May 21, 2013

Grampa’s Banana Cream Pie and a Gluten-free version

During one of their trips to Finland, Grampa taught me how to make Banana Cream Pie. It is one of those recipes that I know by heart. I’m not sure if I have the actual written version anymore. It has been a well-loved recipe that has been made many, many times. This past weekend we finally celebrated the birthday of our two year-old Isabella whose actual birthday was in April and since my husband has a birthday in May this treat doubled up for both of them. It has been my husband’s favorite for years.

Since I am usually baking or cooking for a crowd, I made a double batch and made the pie crust in a 9×13” or 22×33 cm pan. I then slipped the crust out of the pan and placed it on a larger sheet for serving. Due to the straight sides of the pan, the sides did not stay up and folded over making the edges a bit thick. Since it does not have the traditional sides of a pie, the filling tended to spill over a bit. The most important thing was that the flavor was just as great as with a standard round pie. The recipe below is for a standard round pie.

Banana Cream Pie

Crust
3 dl/1.3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
115 g/4 oz cold butter cut into cubes
1 1/2 tbsp cold lemon juice
2-3 tbsp ice cold water

I usually use my Kitchen aid and the flat beater for making the crust. You can definitely make it by hand as well. I mix the butter, salt and flour together so that it forms a crumbly mixture and then add in the lemon juice and water and mix just enough so that it can form a ball. After rolling out the dough and placing it in the pie tin, prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate it for about 20-30 minutes. This minimizes the shrinkage of the crust during baking. Bake the crust at 225 C/435 F for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool.

Custard filling

The custard should be made well in advance so that it has a chance to chill properly. Make it the morning of or even the day before and refrigerate.

6 dl/2.5 c milk
1 1/2 dl/0.6 c sugar
1 vanilla bean
3 egg yolks
4 tbsp corn starch
1-2 tbsp water
30 g/1 oz butter
dash of salt

Place the milk, sugar and one slitted vanilla bean in a heavy bottomed saucepan and allow to come to a boil. The sugar insures that the milk will not burn to the bottom. Allow to boil for a few minutes so that it has slightly condensed. Remove the vanilla bean. In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch and water so that it forms a smooth paste. With a heat resistant cup take about 2.5 dl/1 cup of the boiling milk and mix it with the egg yolk mixture. Turn the heat on the boiling milk to low. Whisk half of the egg yolk-milk mixture with the boiling milk. Whisk constantly. After it has been incorporated, add the second half. This step insures that a smooth custard is formed that does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Allow for the custard to boil for a minute or two so that it thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and salt.
After is has cooled somewhat, place cling film directly on the custard. This prevents a skin from forming on the custard while it cools. After it has cooled to lukewarm, chill in the refrigerator.

Slice 2-3 ripe bananas on the pie crust and whip 2 dl/0.8 cups of heavy cream.

Next spoon the chilled custard on the sliced bananas. Spoon the whipped cream on the custard and garnish with coconut or a dash of cinnamon.

For a gluten-free version, omit the crust and spoon the custard into a glass single-serving bowl. Slice a half of a banana on the custard and garnish with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Taste tester

Links to Grampa’s previous recipes: Almond Braid, Fresh Fruit Tart, Cranberry Cake and Cranberry Walnut Scones

32 comments

May 17, 2013

Rocky Road Party Treats

These Rocky Road treats have become a regular at our birthday parties. The first reason is that they taste good, the second reason is that they are so simple to make and the third reason is that they store well up to week so they can made a few days in advance if preferred. I’m always on the look-out for great ideas and recipes that are not too complicated to make. It’s a way to cut down on everyday stress.

This recipe is from a Finnish women’s magazine, Kotivinkki. Click here for the orginal recipe in Finnish.

200 g/7 oz milk chocolate, broken into chunks
250 g/8.8 oz dark chocolate, broken into chunks
1 can (400g/14 oz) of condensed milk
50 g/1.7 oz butter
200g g/7 oz soft black liquorice cut into small bits
100g/3.5 oz mini marshmallows or large ones cut into four
3 dl/1.3 c salted peanuts

Melt the chopped chocolate, condensed milk and butter in heavy bottomed saucepan at medium heat. Stir constantly.

Cut the the liquorice into smaller bits and marshmallows as well if using large ones.

Mix the liquorice, marshmallows and peanuts into the melted chocolate mixture and pour into a parchment paper lined lasagna pan (23x33cm or 9×13”). Place in the fridge and allow the Rocky Road toffee to harden for 4-6 hours.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to week or in the summer I have stored it in the refrigerator.
These would make the perfect little gift to bring along to a party wrapped up pretty in some cellophane and a bow.

22 comments

May 11, 2013

The Mother’s Gift

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day! Motherhood is all about growth as a person. Little ones are good teachers about the simple pleasures in life. A peal of laughter, a burst of a song in the middle of the day. Rarely are adults as spontaneous expressing their feelings as freely.

Life isn’t all about the laughter and songs. Each child has their own challenges and needs. These little ones needs to be supported so that they don’t waver or break. Sometimes those challenges nearly break a Mother’s heart. We wish we could bear the pain, but each child must live their own life. We can only be nearby, to soothe, support and love.

Never does a Mother feel that her work is complete. No one Mother is like another, each has their strengths and weaknesses. I guess that there are really no rules to Motherhood other than unconditional love, even though society often sets standards to what a “good Mom” is. We’ll try our best with the skills and gifts we have.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the special Mother’s near and far!

“The Mother’s Gift”
by Cynthia I Rogers

The dreaming
The longing
The anticipation
The belonging

The plans
The preparations
The excitement
The wonder of creations

The approaching time
The gatherings
The closeness
The names of beings

The emotions
The hearts lift
The new beginning
The Mother’s Gift

This year Mother’s day is an exciting time in more ways than one. It is only a matter of days or weeks that we will be welcoming a new little person into our family.

Breakfast for the special Mother in your life

The recipe is slightly adapted from Bernice’s blog, Realistic Cooking Ideas for Busy People.
Here is the link to this delicious recipe.

My recipe is a double batch, so for a smaller amount just make half of the recipe.

Whole Wheat Honey Banana Pecan Pancakes

5.9 dl/ 2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
5.9 dl/ 2 1/2 c flour
4 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. baking soda
70 g/2.5 oz pecans chopped
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs, whisked
4 bananas, mashed
4 cups milk
4 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients and mix with the dry ingredients. Fry on a medium heat griddle and serve with Maple syrup, sliced bananas, a hug and a few Pansies for your Mother.

47 comments

May 7, 2013

The Season of Celebrations

As the season of celebrations approaches I thought I would share a very traditional Finnish savory dish that has been done in a very non-Finnish way.
The sandwich cake or voileipäkakku is served at many graduation and confirmation parties as well as at baptisms. I was able to make one for a friend this past weekend and I thought to give it an untraditional twist in flavor.

The sandwich cake is basically a loaf of good quality bread sliced lengthwise. Each layer is filled with a filling, often alternating between two different fillings. The most common sandwich cakes have either a meat filling or a fish filling. The recipe below uses meat as one ingredient. The frosting is often a cream cheese or mayonnaise. My recipe uses a combination of marscapone and cream cheese. I find that cream cheese has a fairly strong flavor and the marscapone brings a nice soft flavor and texture.

Sandwich cake with asparagus

Start by slicing the bread lenghtwise and cutting off both the top and bottom crusts. For this cake I actually used two loaves of bread side by side so that it made a bigger cake. Make sure to cut away the crusts since that will insure ease when cutting and serving the cake.

Next make the fillings. Feel free to use your imagination. I veered away from the traditional fillings and made a pesto for one layer and used a good quality hummus to flavor the second filling.

Pesto filling:
2 handfuls of fresh basil (about 40 grams)
1 clove of garlic
0.6 dl/ 1/4 c pine nuts
50 g parmesean cheese
black pepper
little dash of sea salt
0.6 dl/ 1/4 c olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Place in the blender and pulse until fairly smooth.
Mix the pesto with 100g /3.5 oz of cream cheese and 125 g/4.4 oz marscapone cheese. When combined at 100 g /3.5 oz of finely chopped good quality deli ham.

Beef and hummus filling:
20 g/ 0.7 oz chopped fresh parsley
A few sprigs of chives, chopped finely
100 g/3.5 oz deli cut peppered beef finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
3 generous tablespoons of hummus
200 g /7 oz cream cheese
125 g/4.4 oz marscapone cheese
sea salt
black pepper

Before spreading the filling on each layer pour milk in a glass and spoon it on the bread to soften it up a bit. The amount of milk needed depends on the bread. If the bread if very soft less milk will be needed and for a more courser grain bread a little more milk is necessary.

After the sandwich cake has been filled, cut off the crusts and cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

“Frosting”
250 g/8.8 oz marscapone cheese
300g /10.6 oz cream cheese
handful of parsley, chopped finely
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh chives
sea salt
black pepper
dash of freshly ground chili flakes
Mix until smooth and spread evenly over the sandwich cake.

Since asparagus is in season and it is a nice looking vegetable I thought to try for a springy “asparagus forest” look. I cut away the tough ends and peeled away the tougher skin along the bottom half of the stem before steaming them lightly in the microwave. After steaming them, drizzle olive oil and lightly season them with salt and pepper. Allow to cool a bit before placing them on the cake. The top is garnished with prosciutto ham tied with a sprig of fresh chives. The decorating part is fun since there are really no rules to follow, just be creative!

33 comments

May 1, 2013

Happy May Day! Hauskaa Vappua!

May Day or Vappu in Finland is a celebration of spring. In the past it has had a stronger association with the blue collar workers, their demonstrations and speeches on behalf of their rights. Today the festivities have become more carnival and street party-like with paper streamers, silly string, balloons and picnic brunches. Students across the country place the gradution cap on statues. The capping of the Havis Amanda statue in Helsinki draws thousands of spectators. I was there watching one year amongst the thousands and as the capping had been completed the crowd just swept me with it as it left the area.

Since it is a day off for the whole nation it has become a national party day. Everyone can pick and choose which traditions they wish to carry on. Our family celebrates it in a fairly low key manner. Sometimes we have hosted a barbeque, sometimes we just take it easy and enjoy homemade donuts and sima. Sima is a fizzy lemonade made with brown sugar, lemon juice and a little bit of yeast.

Recipe for Sima (taken from the side of our brown sugar package)

4 l/4.2 qts water
250 g/8.8 oz brown sugar
250 g/8.8 oz sugar
juice of 1-2 lemons
1/5 tsp of fresh yeast (about the size of a pea)
raisins

Boil half of the water and pour it over the sugars and stir. Add the rest of the water (cool water) and allow to cool to a luke warm. Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of liquid and add it to the Sima. Allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Bottle the sima, adding a teaspoon of sugar and a few raisins in each bottle. Do not tighten the bottle lids tightly as it will produce gas. The sima is ready for use when the raisins have risen to the surface. If the bottles are kept at room temperature the process takes about three days, in the refrigerator it takes about a week.

When it is ready I have tightened the lid and placed in the refrigerator. Enjoy cold with fresh donuts. For a more darker Sima, double the amount of brown sugar and leave out the sugar.

For the Vappu donuts, I use the pulla dough recipe. After the dough has risen, I make little balls and then punch holes through the middle. Fry them in canola oil making sure that the oil is not too hot so that the donut has time to cook on the inside. Sugar immediately.

52 comments

April 27, 2013

Rise and Shine

I was quite sure we would still have snow on the first of May, but thankfully I was wrong. We had an exceptionally long winter with night time temperatures that really dipped and kept the scenery white. I went skiing for the last time about three weeks ago on the lake. The lakes are still frozen but I would not recommend venturing out on the ice anymore.

When the spring rains decided to arrive our snow disappeared in a week. The coltsfoot, which is our first wild flower to bloom in the spring, can be found along the sides of ditches. They rise out of the not-so-pretty brown landscape bringing the first little dots of yellow color. They are called “leskenlehti” in Finnish which means “widow’s leaf” if translated directly. The flower only blooms in early spring and for the rest of the summer the flower only has the green leaves.

I love receiving these little yellow bouquets of love. After the coltsfoot have bloomed I know that it will not be long before the crocus and tulips bloom.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Each day has a new promise and is a new beginning. This homemade granola is the perfect occasional treat that does not have to be saved for a weekend brunch since it works well even if the morning is a bit hurried. Just make sure to make it the night before so that it is ready to to. This granola is not nearly as sweet as store bought versions. Store the granola in a paper bag.

Granola

6 dl/2.5 c large old fashioned oatmeal
50 g /1.8 oz butter cut into cubes
1/2 dl/ 0.2 c sugar
3 tbsp honey
100 g/3.5 oz mixed nuts, roughly chopped
(optional flax seed)
1/2 tsp salt

100 g /3.5 oz raisins
100 g/3.5 oz dried apricot cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 175 C/350 F. Line a pan with parchment paper and spread the oatmeal, sugar, nuts and salt evenly on the pan. Mix in the honey. Sprinkle the cubed butter evenly over the oatmeal mixture. Place into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or so that granola has acquired a nice golden color. Let slightly cool and add the raisin and apricots. Allow to cool completely before placing into a paper bag.

Enjoy with yoghurt or milk, berries and bananas.

33 comments

April 19, 2013

Mocha Monkey

Some coffee shops have a special atmosphere, something that pulls you to come there again and again. Here are a few of my favorite ones. This list is by no means complete and it is always fun to discover new ones.

Mocha Monkey

A year ago I was visiting the US and we visited a fun little coffee shop in Waconia, Minnesota called Mocha Monkey. It is full of little nooks and crannies, a book shelf and orginal art. Waconia is outside of suburbia and has the atmosphere of the traditional “small town” USA. I tried their gelato, which is made on site. I would go back for more if they were a little closer!

http://www.themochamonkey.com/

Wuollet Bakery

This bakery has a special place in my heart with many childhood memories. It is a visit filled with nostalgia. I like seeing the craftmanship that goes into the baked goods, watch the cake decorators making their original creations, enjoy a cup of coffee and have a little something sweet to go with it.

http://www.wuollet.com/

Ottolenghi

This was my absolute favorite place in London. The interior was contemporary and cozy at the same time. They would plug in a toaster at your table so that you would always have freshly toasted bread at breakfast. I really liked the idea of the communal table, kind of like being part of a big family! But since I grew up in a big family, it probably feels quite natural. Their selection of different salads and sweets was amazing. The scents of the salads made me wish that we could have gone back there for lunch.

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Piano Pavilion

In Lahti there is a little harbor about a kilometer from the downtown area. Along the water front there are several cafes of which two awakened my interest. The Piano Pavilion is open during the summer and has been constructed out of environmental friendly materials and has a contemporary design. The terrace is right over the water with a minimalistic glass railing that does not block the view of the harbor. The only downside is that its menu cannot compete with the Cafe “Kahvila Kariranta” on the other side of the harbor. But I would go again for the scenery, and the peaceful experience of sitting right on the water and listening to the waves.

quality sister time: myself, Mari and Tin and Joa

http://www.lahdensatama.fi/yritykset/piano-paviljonki

Kahvila Kariranta

On the other side of the harbor in Lahti is Kahvila Kariranta located in an old train station building. They make their own treats in their little bakery in the back. Their products have a genuine home-made flavor that can be rarely found. Since the house is old, it has several small rooms to choose from and for nice summer days, they have a terrace in front.

http://www.vesijarvenvanha-asema.fi/

Kahvila Ilo

The words Ilo means joy in Finnish. Kahvila Ilo is a local coffee shop/cafe that takes pride in using local produce as much as possible. They make wonderful salads and cakes. I definitely think that it is the best cafe in Kouvola. I almost think you can evaluate a place by their pulla. If they have good home-made pulla, then their other products are usually great as well. I must admit that if I have errands in town I often make an excuse to stop by. I have become an irregular regular customer!
http://www.kahvilailo.com/index.asp

A made to order salad with quinoa, avocado, poached egg, cottage cheese and pumpkin seeds…served with a heart shaped focaccia roll.

40 comments

Gallery | May 27, 2013

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