Chocolate Lamington Cake for the 2nd Anniversary of the Sweet World / Bolo Lamington de Chocolate para o 2º Aniversário do nosso Sweet World.

Here we are!!

2nd Anniversary of our Sweet World and I can't believe how time just flies by without notice.

I still remember the conversations Susana and myself had, on how to set up the challenge and the monthly rules, themes, etc.

Challenges and dates have been agreed and sometimes themes have been changed to feature seasonality or festivities but, most importantly than anything else, we have always agreed and had fun deciding the challenges, researching and setting them up!

Susana has always been a great partner for this monthly challenge and I couldn't wish for anyone better and more qualified than her to do it with me!

Over the last 23 months, we "went" to different countries and we made and asked you to make, iconic desserts, cakes or sweets from that same Country.

Here's a resume of the last 23 months of the Sweet World:

1. UK and the "Queen of Puddings". 
2. America, NY, Brooklyn and the "Brooklyn Blackout Cake" 
3. UK and we had a choice of Hot Cross Buns and a Simnel Cake. 
4. Germany/Austria and the Donauwelle Cake. 
5. France and the Fraisier. 
6. Germany and the Black Forest Cake. 
7. UK and the Summer Pudding. 
8. UK and the Trifle. 
9. America, NY and the Baked Cheesecake. 
10. Sweden and the Prinsesstårta (Princess Cake). 
11. Scandinavia and the Saint Lucia Saffron Buns. 
12. Russia and the Medovik Cake. 
13. Spain and the Saint Mark Cake. 
14. UK and the Battenberg Cake. 
15. UK and the Bakewell Tart. 
16. France and the Paris Brest. 
17. Austria and the Spanische Windtorte. 
18. America and the Baked Alaska. 
19. America and the Fruit Pie. 
20. France and the Millefeuilles. 
21. Spain and Churros . 
22. Spain/France, the Basque region and a Basque Cake. 
23. Hungary and the Beigli (though I made a Fladen). 

Carrot and Coconut Cake / Bolo de Cenoura e Coco.

A sweet and delightful carrot cake for Marta and her "ingredient of the month".

Almost everybody (and I certainly do), loves carrot cake, specially if it's a moist and flavoursome one.

This Rachel Khoo recipe, from the "Little French Kitchen" is moist, is delicious and a joy to eat for (like me), carrot cake and coconut lovers.

Vegan Chocolate Granola / Granola vegan de Chocolate.

If you're following this blog for some time now, you know that I'm not vegan, vegetarian, Paleo or whatever.

I'm just someone that loves food in general!

I eat everything (well, not quite...) and I love to try all sorts of flavours and cuisines. I believe that in food just as in life, balance is the key for everything and therefore, in my house there's no place for fanaticism, fundamentalism's and other sort of (isms).

I cook and eat with my family and friends whatever we fancy to eat on the day. If it's meat we'll eat meat, if it's vegetarian will be and if it's vegan or other sort of tendency, it will be but, it's always what we want, when we want.

Saying that, I love vegan food more than I ever thought I would love it and although (as you know), I have lots of all sorts of books, when I'm craving vegan food, I always go to that same place where I know that I'll find fabulous, mouthwatering and delicious vegan recipes.

Weather for breakfast, meals or even vegan cakes and sweets, Kimberly's, The Little Plantation Blog is the place I always rely in order to cook and eat fabulous vegan food.

Not to talk about Kimberly, the blog owner herself. Such a thoughtful and kind person. Full of knowledge and a very talented food and prop stylist and photographer...

Just visit the blog and tell me if you don't want to cook everything Kimberly publishes there? Plus! Kimberly's blog posts are always a joy to read. Short or long, whatever the theme, for me, reading them, it's always a delightful and relaxing moment!

Honestly? If there is one person in this world that could make me go completely vegan, that person would be Kimberly and her blog!

I've already tried lots of Kimberly's recipes here at home and although my daughter and I, we are the keenest ones for vegan food, my husband and teenager son never ever complained about any of the recipes I cooked from The Little Plantation blog.

Actually, all of them were very much appreciated and devoured by everybody including the two fussy boys.

This granola is one of those successful recipes I tried from Kimberly's blog and I'm not writing here the English version of it because it's all written down and very well explained here.

I have to say that after taking the granola out of the oven, I couldn't stop munching it from the tray or even after being cooled, directly from the jar.

My kids (both), are having it for breakfast and snack all the time and soon, I'll have to make another batch.

Yes! That's how delicious it is!!

Millionaire's Shortbread with Salty Caramel & Coconut / Millionaire's Shortbread com Caramelo Salgado e Coco.

The first recipe from a book that I have from ages and from which I never made any recipe until now.

Last week I found a cook book club on Instagram that caught my attention straightaway.

Deborah Balint chooses a book every month and challenges us to cook from that book.

Of course, I think it's a brilliant idea and of course, I embraced it straightaway, because it will oblige me to use and cook from books that I have and are forgotten.

This month, the chosen book is "Home Baked" by Yvette van Boven. A book that I have for ages and from which I never made a thing until now so, thank you for reminded me of this book Deborah.

The book is a beauty and full of sweet and savoury home baked treats and this is the first recipe that I chose, because I knew it would go down a storm with my husband and kids and, indeed, it went down a storm!!

You'll see lots of Yvette's recipes this month on the blog, as, hopefully, I'll be baking from it a lot!

Danish Dream Cake.

According to Bronte Aurell, the author of the ScandiKitchen cook book, this cake is originally from Brovst, a village in Jutland.

In 1965, a young girl baked her grandmother's secret family recipe in a competition and won.

The cake became a favourite since then and it's baked in all Danish households.

The cake itself is light and fluffy and the delicious and moreish coconut topping is truly delicious, specially for the coconut lovers, which I am.

Pumpkin and coconut caramel flan for the 2016 Virtual Pumpkin Party / Pudim de Abóbora e coco para a Festa Virtual da Abóbora de 2016.

I really felt very chuffed when Aimee - Twigg Studios, invited me to be part of the Virtual Pumpkin Party that she is hosting today with Sara Cornelius from the gorgeous blog Cake over Steak.

I love Autumn with its brown and orangy colours and moods and I'm a true pumpkin lover.

Being part of this beautiful virtual gathering with such amazing bloggers and with a recipe that features an ingredient that I love so much, it's a real honour.

This recipe is my interpretation of a classic that my mum and my mother in law always make for Christmas and that we all love.
Saying that, here is my suggestion for this amazing virtual party and don't forget to check out the links of all the participants at the bottom of this post. More than 100 bloggers took part and prepared absolutely delicious suggestions.
If those links and suggestions don't get you inspired to cook with pumpkin for the rest of the pumpkin season, I don't know what will :))...

Beet, green apple and coconut yoghurt smoothie / Smoothie de beterraba, maçã verde e iogurte de coco.

Although I love breakfast food, the only thing I really can eat in the morning is a piece of fresh fruit or a smoothie.

Even if I'm not publishing the recipes here, I make a smoothie almost every morning with the ingredients that I have at home.

My smoothies always have fruit, vegetables and usually mint or ginger. I love a hint of ginger in my smoothies.

I decided to publish this suggestion because the combination is truly delicious and I thought it was worth sharing it.

The recipe is from "Everyday Cooking", the Minimalist Baker's new cookbook.

I always use coconut water in my smoothies and not dairy products and this smoothie has yoghurt in it. I almost didn't use the yoghurt but then, I decided to use it, in order to try new combinations.

It is truly delicious and I'm publishing this recipe because the yoghurt really ties everything together perfectly.

Coconut and turmeric chicken curry with roasted pumpkin / Caril de frango, com coco, açafrão das índias e abóbora assada.

This curry was marked down to be tried since the day I bought Simmone Logue fabulous "In the Kitchen" book, from which I already made this fabulous cake and this delicious salad.

As the super talented Maria Midões challenged us to work together with asian recipes this month, I couldn't waste the opportunity to present this recipe to Maria and, maybe (who knows), be lucky enough to see the recipe reproduced and styled by Maria herself.

I love this kind of fragrant asian food and this curry exceeded all my expectations, as the combination of flavours, textures and aromas, is just incredible and utterly delicious!

ingredients for the curry paste (serves 6):

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger

1 lemongrass stem, pale part only

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 large red chilli

2 red asian shallots, peeled

method:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until you have a paste.

for the chicken curry:

500g pumpkin (jap or kent - I used butternut squash), peeled and cut into large chunks

6 tbsp vegetable oil

270ml coconut milk

270ml coconut cream

6 kaffir lime leaves

800g skinless free range chicken breast fillets, sliced into strips

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges, to serve

250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half

6 kale stalks, leaves roughly chopped

3 tbsp fried shallots (shop bought or deep fry it yourself)

45g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place the pumpkin on the baking tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bake for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.

In a large heavy based saucepan, heat the remaining vegetable oil over medium high heat.

Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the oil has split out of the paste.

Turn the heat down to medium, add the coconut milk, coconut cream and lime leves and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.

Add the chicken strips to the pan, mixing the sauce through, then cook with the lid on for 8 minutes. It is very important at this point that the sauce is just thinking over very slowly as you want the chicken to poach gently so it is lovely and tender.

Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, salt and lime juice and check the seasoning.

Add the pumpkin, tomatoes and kale and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve the curry sprinkled with the fried shallots and coriander, with lime wedges and steamed rice on the side.

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Este caril estava marcado para ser reproduzido e testado, desde o dia que comprei este livro lindo da Simmone Logue, o "In the Kitchen". Deste livro, se bem se lembram, já fiz este bolo maravilhoso e esta salada divina.

A receita foi sendo adiada e outras lhe passaram à frente, mas assim que vi este desafio da nossa super talentosa Maria Midões, pensei logo que seria esta a receita que iria preparar para o desafio de receitas asiáticas da querida Maria Midões.

Caso tenha a sorte de a Maria seleccionar esta receita, cozinhá-la e fazer o styling da mesma, à boa maneira e com o extremo bom gosto a que a Maria já nos habituou, ficarei super feliz da vida e muito vaidosa.

Caso isso não aconteça, aconselho-vos a reproduzir esta maravilha, pois é absolutamente delicioso, aromático, picante, mas ao mesmo tempo, fresco e, sobretudo, completamente viciante.

Todos os ingredientes são facilmente encontrados numa boa loja de produtos asiáticos.

ingredientes para a pasta do caril (serves 6):

1 colher chá de açafrão das índias (curcuma)

1 pedaço de gengibre fresco (tamanho de um pulgar)

1 talo de lemongrass, parte clara

2 dentes de alho, descascados

1 malagueta vermelha (red chilli)

2 chalotas asiáticas, descascadas

preparação:

Colocar todos os ingredientes no copo do robot de cozinha e processar até obter uma pasta.

para o caril de frango:

500g abóbora (jap ou kent - eu usei squash), descascada e cortada em pedaços grandes

6 colheres sopa de óleo vegetal

270ml leite de coco

270ml creme de coco

6 folhas de lima kaffir

800g peitos de frango (do campo ou frango caseiro), sem pele e cortados em tiras

1 colher sopa de fish sauce

1 colher sopa de açúcar mascavado claro

1/2 colher chá de sal

sumo de 1 lima, mais gomos ou quartos de lima extra, para servir

250g tomate cherry, cortados ao meio

6 folhas de couve kale, picadas grosseiramente

3 colheres sopa de chalotas crocantes (caso não queiram comprar, cortem chalotas em rodelas super finas, fritem na fritadeira e escorram sobre papel absorvente, foi o que eu fiz).

45g coentros frescos, picados grosseiramente

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC. Forrar com papel vegetal um tabuleiro de ir ao forno.

Colocar a abóbora no tabuleiro, regar com 2 das colheres de sopa do óleo e temperar de sal e pimenta.

Entretanto, num tacho de fundo espesso, sobre lume médio a alto, aquecer o óleo restante.

Adicionar a pasta de caril e cozinhar, mexendo sempre, por cerca de 5 minutos, ou até o óleo se separar e o molho ficar com aspecto de que talhou.

Baixar o lume para médio e adicionar o leite, o creme de coco e as folhas de lima. Cozinhar delicadamente, por cerca de 5 minutos.

Adicionar o frango, mexer tudo muito bem e cozinhar, tapando o tacho com a tampa, por cerca de 8 minutos. Atenção que este passo tem de ser delicado, pois o molho tem de cozinhar delicadamente e sem ferver, por forma a que o frango fique cozido, mas macio e suculento.

Adicionar o fish sauce, o açúcar, o sal e o sumo da lima. Mexer bem e rectificar os temperos, se necessário.

Adicionar a abóbora assada, os tomates e a couve e cozinhar por mais 5 minutos.

Servir o caril polvilhado com as chalotas crocantes e os coentros picados e acompanhado dos quartos de lima e de arroz cozido.

Recipe / Receita:

Dark chocolate, coconut and passion fruit mousse cake / Bolo de chocolate preto, coco e mousse de maracujá.

A few weeks ago was my husbands birthday and as soon as I saw this cake, I decided straightaway that it would be his birthday cake.

As chocolate and passion fruit are his favourite flavours, the decision was easy to make and this recipe ticked all the boxes.

The cake itself is named the "best ever chocolate sponge" and it truly is indeed the best chocolate sponge I ever made or tried.

The combination with the passion fruit mousse and the hint of the coconut, just turns it into an heaven cake.

ingredients for the cakes:

150ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

200g plain flour

8 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

280g light brown soft sugar

200ml buttermilk

100ml strong coffee or espresso

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

method:

Heat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking paper.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt in a bowl and mix well.

Measure the buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla in a jug. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until well combined.

Divide the cake mixture between the 2 tins, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the baking paper and leave to cool.

for the passion fruit and coconut mousse:

6 gelatine leaves

6 ripe passion fruits

160g can coconut cream

85g golden caster sugar

2 tbsp coconut rum liqueur (Malibu)

300ml double cream

method:

Put the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water, one at a time, so they don't stick together. Set aside for 5 mins to soften.

Scoop the pulp and seeds from the passion fruit into a sieve suspended over a bowl, and push through the juice (you should have about 100ml).

Put 1 tbsp of the seeds in a small bowl and set aside. Save 2 small empty passion fruit halves and discard the rest.

Pour the coconut cream, passion fruit juice and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.

Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut rum liqueur.

Add the gelatine to the hot liquid, a leaf at a time, squeezing out the water before you add them. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Fill each reserved passion fruit half with some of the mixture, place in a small dish and chill until needed.

Leave the remaining mixture to cool to room temperature.

Pour the double cream into a large bowl and whip until it's holding its shape. Add half the passion fruit mixture, fold together, then add the remaining mixture and fold through again.

Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of cling film.

for the chocolate ganache:

200g dark chocolate, around 70% of cocoa solids, finely chopped

300ml double cream

method:

Put the chocolate and cream in a pan and gently heat, stirring now and then, to make a runny chocolate sauce. Leave to firm up at room temperature until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

to assemble de cake:

4 tbsp coconut rum liqueur (Malibu)

toasted coconut flakes or shavings

to finish:

Slice each sponge in half through the middle and drizzle each layer with 1 tbsp of the coconut rum liqueur.

Place one of the layers into the tin, flat-side down, and spread with 1/3 of the passion fruit mousse.

Layer the remaining sponges and mousse on top, finishing with a layer of cake.

Cover the top of the cake with cling film and chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

When the cake has chilled and the mousse is set turn out onto a cake stand (I used my new cake stand, made by Patricia, a very talented Pastry "Chef" and a truly artist. Just check her blog if you want to be truly impressed).

Remove the clingfilm and using a palette knife, scrape any passion fruit mousse off the edges of the cake, to give it a smooth surface.

Place the cake back in the fridge while you prepare the ganache.

Remove the cake from the fridge.

Spread the ganache over the top and sides of the cake with a palette knife until completely covered.

Decorate the top of the cake with a ring of toasted coconut shavings.

Remove the filled passion fruit shells from the fridge, top them with the reserved passion fruit seeds and place these on top of the cake.

Chill until ready to serve, but bring out of the fridge 1 hour before slicing.

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Há umas semanas atrás o meu marido fez anos e assim que vi este bolo na revista de Julho da Good Food, não hesitei nem pensei mais em que bolo fazer-lhe, pois chocolate e maracujá são os seus sabores preferidos e como tal, este bolo preenchia todos os requisitos para ser o bolo perfeito para o dia.

Do coco ele não é muito (ou nada) fã mas como a quantidade de licor de coco utilizada no bolo em si, acaba por não se notar muito no resultado final do bolo e o coco utilizado para a decoração, ele o pôs de lado na altura de comer o bolo, acabou por não refilar muito...

O título do bolo de chocolate é "O melhor bolo de chocolate de sempre" e acreditem que é mesmo verdade, pois é, de facto, o melhor bolo de chocolate que já fiz, ou comi e eu, como sabem, nem sou nada fã de de chocolate.

A mousse de maracujá e os restantes componentes do bolo, acabam por transformar, o que, por si só, já é "o melhor bolo de chocolate do mundo", num verdadeiro momento de prazer e deleite.

A receita tem algumas etapas, mas não se deixem intimidar, pois qualquer um dos componentes é de facílima realização.

ingredientes para os bolos:

150ml óleo vegetal + extra para untar

200g farinha de trigo branca

8 colheres sopa de cacau em pó

2 colheres chá de fermento em pó

1 colher chá de bicarbonato de sódio

280g açúcar amarelo

200ml buttermilk

100ml café forte ou espresso

2 colheres chá de extracto de baunilha

2 ovos grandes (L)

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC. Untar e forrar com papel vegetal, 2 formas de 20cm de diâmetro.

Numa taça, colocar a farinha, o cacau, o fermento, o bicarbonato, o açúcar e 1/2 colher chá de sal. Misturar tudo muito bem.

Num jarro, misturar o buttermilk, o café, o óleo e a baunilha. Adicionar os ovos e bater tudo até obter uma mistura macia.

Deitar a mistura líquida sobre a mistura dos ingredientes sólidos e mexer, por forma a incorporar tudo muito bem.

Dividir a mistura pelas duas formas e levar ao forno por cerca de 25 a 30 minutos, ou até os bolos estarem crescidos e um palito inserido no centro de cada bolo, saia limpo.

Deixar os bolos arrefecer nas próprias formas por cerca de 10 minutos e depois desenformá-los sobre uma grelha, retirando-lhes o papel vegetal, para completo arrefecimento.

para a mousse de maracujá e coco:

6 folhas de gelatina

6 maracujás bem maduros

160g creme de coco (parte sólida que se forma no topo das latas do leite de coco)

85g açúcar refinado amarelo

2 colheres sopa rum de coco (Malibu)

300ml natas para bater

preparação:

Colocar as folhas de gelatina, uma de cada vez, dentro de água fria e reservar por cerca de 5 minutos.

Colocar um coador sobre uma taça. Cortar os maracujás ao meio e retirar-lhes a polpa e as sementes. Passar tudo pelo coador, espremendo bem, por forma a extrair o máximo de sumo dos maracujás. São necessários cerca de 100ml de sumo de maracujá e deverá ser essa a quantidade obtida.

Reservar duas metades das cascas dos maracujás e 1 colher sopa de sementes e descartar todas as restantes sementes e cascas.

Num tacho, colocar o creme de coco, o sumo dos maracujás e o açúcar. Aquecer, mexendo, até o açúcar estar dissolvido e a mistura começar a querer levantar fervura.

Retirar o tacho do lume e adicionar o Malibu.

Retirar a gelatina da água, espremer bem o excesso de água e adicioná-la à mistura de maracujá, uma folha de cada vez, mexendo bem até que esteja bem dissolvida.

Encher as duas metades das cascas do maracujá reservadas com esta mistura, colocar sobre uma chávena ou algo que as mantenha direitas e refrigerar.

Deixar a restante mistura arrefecer até ficar à temperatura ambiente.

Bater as natas até estas estarem firmes mas sem bater em demasia.

Adicionar metade da mistura de maracujá ás natas e envolver bem até estar tudo bem incorporado.

Adicionar a mistura de maracujá restante e voltar a envolver bem.

Forrar uma forma funda, com 20cm de diâmetro com duas camadas de película aderente, pois é dentro desta forma que se irá montar o bolo.

para o ganache de chocolate:

200g chocolate preto (70%  cacau), picado finamente

300ml natas para culinária

preparação:

Colocar as natas e o chocolate num tacho e aquecer em lume brando, mexendo de vez em quando, até o chocolate estar derretido e a mistura estar macia.

Retirar o chocolate do lume e deixar arrefecer à temperatura ambiente, até atingir uma consistência que se possa ser barrado.

para montar o bolo:

4 colheres sopa rum de coco (Malibu)

flocos de coco tostados

montagem do bolo:

Cortar cada bolo ao meio, por forma a obter 4 discos.

Regar cada um dos discos com 1 colher sopa de Malibu.

Colocar um disco do bolo (parte plana virada para baixo) na forma forrada com a película aderente.

Barrar com 1/3 da mousse de maracujá.

Repetir com os restantes discos e a restante mousse, terminando com 1 disco de bolo.

Cobrir o bolo com película aderente e levar ao frigorífico por 4 horas, ou de preferência, de um dia para o outro.

Virar o bolo sobre um prato de serviço ou cake stand (eu usei este cake stand lindo da talentosa Patrícia do bolog Coco e Baunilha que é, não só uma verdadeira "Chef" de pastelaria mas também uma grande artista).

Retirar a película aderente do bolo e com a ajuda de uma espátula, alisar os lados, a fim de aplanar alguma mousse de maracujá que tenha escorrido para as laterais do bolo.

Se ainda não tiver preparado o ganache, colocar o bolo no frigorífico até o ganache estar pronto a barrar, caso contrário, barrar as laterais e topo do bolo com o ganache.

Espalhar os flocos de coco tostados à volta da extremidade do bolo, em forma de anel.

Espalhar as sementes de maracujá reservadas sobre a mousse de maracujá que foi colocada nas cascas e decorar o centro do topo do bolo com as mesmas.

Refrigerar o bolo até ao momento de servir, retirando-o do frigorífico cerca de 1 hora antes de o cortar.

Recipe / Receita: BBC Good Food magazine (July 2015).

Salted coconut macarons / Macarons de coco com sal preto.

Macaroons!

My nemesis and, I believe, a nemesis for lots of people.

They're so temperamental these little things...

First time I made them was at this cookery course in Edinburgh. They were perfect and top of the class!

Back home, I tried exactly the same recipe, but I end up with a tray full of almond mush.
Since then, I tried to make different recipes and I tried all the tricks and tips possible but disaster after disaster happened. Only one batch was fabulous but at the time, because I think I was waiting for another disaster to happen, I didn't take pictures of them.
I stopped trying because all those trials were becoming very expensive and my "cook confidence" was getting bruised.
Last week I decided to restart the trials again and this Donna Hay recipe was just the one that made me go back into the kitchen and face the battle against the macaroon.
I can't say they're perfect but they're presentable and that's why I'm sharing them with you.
Flavour wise they're delicious and because I'm a coconut lover, for me, they are fabulous!!
Let's just say that this little success brought back the fight against the macaroon and, hopefully,  you'll see more of them here on the blog.
ingredients (makes 25 sandwiches):
200g icing sugar
120g ground almonds
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp coconut essence
black sea salt, for sprinkling
for the chocolate ganache:
80ml single cream (I used double cream)
150g dark chocolate, chopped
method:
To make the ganache, heat the cream in a pan over high heat until just boiling.
Remove from the heat and stir through the chocolate.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes before stirring until smooth.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 150ºC.
Sift the icing sugar and almonds into a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high for 30 seconds.
Add the caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites through the almond mixture in 2 batches, along with the coconut essence until smooth.
Place the mixture in a pipping bag fitted with a 1 1/2cm plain nozzle and pipe 4cm rounds onto baking trays lined with baking paper.
Lightly tap the trays and allow to stand for 20 minutes or until a "skin" forms on the top of the macaroons.
Sprinkle with black sea salt.
Reduce the oven to 130ºC and bake the macaroons for 14 to 16 minutes or until crisp on the outside and moist in the centre.
Allow to cool completely on the trays.
Spread half of the macaroons with the chocolate ganache and sandwich with the remaining ones.

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Macaroons!
O meu pesadelo e, acredito, o pesadelo de muita gente. São tão temperamentais estas coisinhas, que é quase como se tivessem vida própria, lol.
A primeira vez que os fiz, foi neste curso de cozinha que frequentei em Edimburgo. Ficaram perfeitos. Os mais perfeitos do dia e toda a gente andava de volta deles a querer fotografá-los.
Chegada a casa e em posse das receitas que tínhamos confeccionado no curso, repeti exactamente a mesma receita e acabei com um tabuleiro cheio de pasta de amêndoa nas mãos. Por isso vos digo que são temperamentais.
Tentei várias outras receitas, truques e dicas que ia lendo e vendo em programas de televisão e nada. Desastre atrás de desastre. No meio de tantas tentativas, houve um tabuleiro que sobreviveu e estavam lindos, mas como acho que já estava à espera de outro desastre, na altura nem os fotografei.
Bom, decidi parar, até porque as experiências já estavam a ficar caras em termos de gás e ingredientes e o meu amor próprio já estava a ficar beliscado.
A semana passada, ao andar de volta das revistas da Donna Hay, dei de caras com esta receita e pensei que estaria na hora de voltar a tentar.
O resultado é o que está à vista. Não estão perfeitos, mas acho que estão apresentáveis e por isso os partilho convosco e com esta pequena batalha ganha, acho que mais macaroons aparecerão por aqui no blogue, pois voltei à guerra do macaroon, mas desta vez, para vencê-la (espero eu, lol)!!

ingredientes (para 25 pares):
200g açúcar em pó
120g amêndoa ralada
3 claras de ovo, à temperatura ambiente
1 colher sopa de açúcar refinado branco
1/2 colher chá de essência de baunilha
sal preto, para polvilhar
para o ganache de chocolate:
80ml natas para culinária
150g chocolate amargo (70%), picado
preparação:

Para fazer o ganache, aquecer as natas num tacho sobre lume alto, até este quase levantar fervura.
Retirar do lume, adicionar o chocolate e mexer.
Deixar repousar por 5 minutos, antes de mexer novamente, até obter uma mistura cremosa e macia. Deixar arrefecer à temperatura ambiente.
Aquecer o forno a 150ºC.
Peneirar o açúcar em pé e a amêndoa ralada e misturar bem.
Na taça de um batedor eléctrico, bater as claras por 30 segundos.
Adicionar o açúcar refinado e bater até as claras estarem em castelo firme.
Misturar as claras batidas com a mistura de amêndoa em 2 vezes, adicionando-lhes também a essência de coco, até a mistura estar cremosa e macia.
Colocar a mistura num saco de pasteleiro equipado com um bico redondo de 1 1/2cm e fazer círculos de 4cm de diâmetro sobre um tabuleiro forrado com papel vegetal.
Bater levemente o ou os tabuleiros, por forma a retirar o ar dos macaroons e deixámos repousar por 20 minutos, ou até que uma "pele" se forme na superfície dos mesmos.
Polvilhar os macaroons com o sal preto, baixar a temperatura do forno para os 130ºC e levar o tabuleiro ao forno por cerca de 14 a 16 minutos, ou até os macaroons estarem crocantes no exterior e húmidos no interior.
Deixar os macaroons arrefecer completamente nos tabuleiros.
Rechear metade dos macaroons com o ganache e, colocar os restantes macaroons sobre estes, por forma a obter sanduíches.

Recipe / Receita: Donna Hay magazine (Aug. - Sept. 2013).

The Kitchn granola / Granola do livro The Kitchn.

Granola is something that I love to make and I'm always trying to make different versions.

Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I buy it as now, we can find some fabulous and healthy brands and options on the market.

This recipe is fabulous and full of fantastic ingredients.

ingredients (makes around 6 cups):

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

1 cup dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup seeds (sesame, pumpkin)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup oil (light olive oil or walnut oil)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, apricots, blueberries)

method:

Preheat the oven to 150ºC.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, sugar, salt and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey or maple syrup and vanilla.

Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine.

Add the egg whites and combine throughly.

Scrape the mixture out onto a sheet pan and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the mixture is light brown and toasty.

Stir after 20 minutes, moving the crispy bits from the perimeter into the center and distributing the granola in the center out toward the edge of the pan.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the dried fruit.

Using a spatula, stir to combine the mixture and let the granola cool.

Transfer to an airtight container.

The granola will keep fresh for 7 to 10 days.

__________________

Granola é algo que adoro fazer e tento fazer sempre receitas diferentes, pois gosto de variar sabores e combinações.

Quando a preguiça ataca, compro granola de pacote, pois felizmente, hoje em dia já se conseguem encontrar no mercado, marcas com opções magníficas e saudáveis.

ingredientes (rende cerca de 6 chávenas):

3 chávenas de flocos de aveia

1 chávena de frutos secos (amêndoas, nozes, pecãs, etc.)

1 chávena de coco seco ralado, sem adição de açúcar

1/2 chávena de sementes (papoila, sésamo, abóbora, etc.)

1/2 chávena de açúcar amarelo ou moreno claro

1 1/2 colheres chá de sal

1/4 colher chá de canela em pó

1/2 chávena de óleo (azeite light ou óleo de noz ou outro à escolha)

1/2 chávena de mel ou maple syrup

3/4 colher chá de extracto de baunilha

2 claras de ovo, ligeiramente batidas

3/4 chávena de frutos secos picados (cerejas, alperces, mirtilos, arandos, etc.)

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 150ºC.

Numa taça grande, misturar os 7 primeiros ingredientes.

Numa taça à parte, misturar o óleo, o mel ou maple syrup e a baunilha.

Adicionar os ingredientes líquidos aos sólidos e misturar tudo muito bem.

Adicionar as claras de ovo e mexer tudo muito bem, a fim de que todos os ingredientes fiquem bem incorporados.

Deitar a mistura para dentro de um tabuleiro de ir ao forno, por forma a que fiquem bem espalhados e levar ao forno por cerca de 45 a 50 minutos, ou até a granola estar douradinha.

Mexer ao fim dos primeiros 20 minutos, movendo a combinação do centro do tabuleiro para as extremidades e vice versa.

Retirar o tabuleiro do forno e adicionar os frutos secos picados.

Misturar bem com a ajuda de uma espátula e deixar arrefecer.

Transferir a granola para um recipiente de fecho hermético.

A granola conserva-se fresca por 7 a 10 dias.

Recipe / Receita: