Churros.

This month's Sweet World Challenge, the chosen theme is Churros.

Although they are mostly connected to Spain, the origin of churros is unclear.

One theory suggests they were brought to Europe from China by the Portuguese. The Portuguese sailed for the Orient and, as they returned from Ming Dynasty China to Portugal, they brought along with them new culinary techniques, including altering dough for youtiao, also known as Youzagwei in southern China, for Portugal.

The new pastry soon crossed the border into Spain, where it was modified to have the dough extruded through a star shaped die rather than pulled.

Another theory is that the churro was made by Spanish shepherds, as a substitute of fresh bakery goods. Churro paste was easy to make and fry in an open fire in the mountains, where shepherds spend most of their time.

Meanwhile, in Spanish towns, an exchange occurred which transformed the snack from shepherd’s fare to a royal delicacy.

While the conquistadors took churros to South America, they brought back chocolate and plentiful sugar, turning dull dough sticks into a sweet sensation.

Once in South America, the churro continued to evolve from a plain, thin stick to a more rotund stuffed specialty, varying according to region.

While the Brazilians prefer a chocolate filling, the Cubans like their churros with Guava stuffing while the Mexicans, with dulce de leche or vanilla.

In Uruguay the churros are stuffed with cheese and in South Eastern Spain they are still eaten with salt rather than sugar, which makes them closer relatives of the original youtiao.

Mexican churros are said to be the bridge between dessert and savoury churros as salt is added to the dough before kneading, while the filling is over sweet.

After all these very interesting contradictions, flavour variations and facts, the most important thing to retain is that, churros are a very addictive and delicious delicacy.

The recipe I chose today, is this one, from the brand new Michael Rantissi & Kristy Frawley, Hummus and Cº. book "Middle Eastern food to fall in love with" and, I have to say, they were pretty amazing!

This is the second time I make churros. The first time I've made them was this recipe here and, although they were absolutely delicious, this time I wanted to try a different recipe and that's why, I chose the one I'm leaving you today.

I served my churros with a choice of this chocolate sauce and this salted caramel sauce but, you can serve them with either, both, just one, none, or other sauces to your own liking.

I just made half of the recipe but, as always, I'm regretting it now and so, I'm leaving you the full recipe.

Hope you give these churros and both sauces a try because, they are a well worthy "path of calories" to heaven :))).

Churros with Chocolate sauce / Churros com molho de chocolate.

I hate frying or deep frying stuff. Not just because health wise is not very appropriate, but also because I'm very bad at frying stuff. It's like, deep fryers and me, we're not a good match. I burn myself, I spatter oil everywhere... a mess!!

Saying that, one day it's not a lifetime and there's stuff that you have to deep fry or else, it's not the same and not worth being made...

That's what happened the day my kids wanted churros and I made them churros.

Of course - mess apart - I had to fry them and I think I did a pretty good job and they turned out very yummy.

Samantha Linsell is the author of the beautiful blog Drizzle & Dip and this recipe is from her gorgeous "Sweet" book from which, I already made these fabulous Spicy salted caramel popcorns.

Spicy salted caramel popcorn / Pipocas com especiarias e caramelo salgado.

Popcorn is something that I very rarely make for the kids and something that we NEVER have when we go to the cinema or even at home while watching a movie.

I can't understand why people love so much popcorn and the ritual of a huge bucket of popcorn while trying to pay attention to a movie. In my opinion, that is so unfashionable and such a cliché.

Maybe there's something very satisfying about it but, honestly, until today, I couldn't understand what is it.

The noise that people make while munching their popcorn at the cinema and the constant wrestling with the popcorn bags or buckets, it's something that really annoys me. Not to talk about all the amounts of rubbish they leave behind when the movie finishes of course...

I really hope that the popcorn/movie lovers forgive me but we are all different and this is my opinion and how I feel about the combination.

Well, writing all of this in a popcorn post, might sound very strange for who's reading it right? but the reason I made these popcorn is that I wanted to use them in a recipe that calls for popcorn and instead of buying the supermarket version, I decided to make them at home.

Actually, the recipe where I used them, calls for lightly salted popcorn but I thought that these, with lots of flavour and texture, would be a better choice for the recipe that I'll publish here on Wednesday.

Believe me, that they really are insanely delicious on their own, but again, for me, not while trying to pay attention to a movie.

The recipe is from Samantha Linsell new book and it really is a delightful book!

ingredients (makes 10 to 12 cups):

125g corn kernels

10ml coconut oil or other neutral oil

5ml ground cumin

5ml ground cinnamon

3ml paprika

5ml salt

2ml bicarbonate of soda

150g butter

200g granulated sugar

30ml golden syrup

5ml vanilla extract

method:

Preheat the oven to 120ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Make the popcorn according to the packet instructions.

Transfer the popcorn to a large, deep bowl.

Mix all the spices and bicarbonate of soda together.

Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it bubble, stirring continuously, until the mixture turns golden brown and reaches 155ºC on a sugar thermometer.

Add the vanilla extract and the spice mix and stir vigorously for a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.

Pour the sauce over the popcorn and toss until evenly coated.

Spread the popcorn evenly on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, toss them well and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Remove the popcorn from the oven, toss again and leave to cool.

Once cooled, break them up and store in an airtight container.

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Pipocas é algo que raramente faço em casa, ou compro e pipocas no cinema, ou a ver filmes, decididamente NÃO!!!

Sinceramente, não consigo perceber o prazer que pode haver no acto de comer pipocas enquanto se tenta prestar atenção a um filme.

Em Portugal, sempre tentei fugir para cinemas alternativos, onde os baldes das pipocas ainda eram proibidos, pois a barulheira que as pessoas fazem a comer as ditas pipocas e a luta constante com os sacos ou baldes das pipocas, é algo que sinceramente me complica com o sistema nervoso, retirando-me o prazer de me focar no principal, ou seja, o filme.

Isto, já para não falar na lixarada que as pessoas deixam para trás quando os filmes acabam.

Acho, sinceramente, que é algo tão fora de moda que já virou clichê e perdoem-me os amantes da combinação pipocas/cinema, mas esta é a minha opinião. Todos somos diferentes e temos identidade própria (ou não), mas eu tenho e não vou deixar de expressar a minha opinião, só para agradar a gregos e troianos.

Escrever esta minha opinião num post de pipocas, pode parecer uma contradição mas acreditem que não é, pois adoro pipocas mas sem a companhia dos filmes, lol!

A razão porque decidi fazer estas pipocas, foi uma outra receita que publicarei na 4ª feira e que me perseguia desde o dia que comprei o livro onde vem a dita receita.

Na verdade, a receita em questão, pede pipocas ligeiramente salgadas, mas eu achei que estas, com a mistura do caramelo e das especiarias, seriam uma melhor opção e então, ao invés de ir comprar pipocas ou fazer as pipocas salgadas, decidi fazer esta receita do novo livro da Samantha Linsell e utilizar as pipocas na receita que aí vem.

Acreditem que por si só (e sem a companhia do filme), estas pipocas são algo de divino e por isso a partilho convosco e as que não foram utilizadas na receita que aí vem, foram alegremente devoradas por quem lhes pôs a vista em cima.

ingredientes (faz 10 a 12 chávenas de pipocas):

125g milho para pipocas

10ml óleo de coco, ou outro óleo neutro

5ml cominhos em pó

5ml canela em pó

3ml paprika

5ml sal

2ml bicarbonato de sódio

150g manteiga

200g açúcar granulado branco

30ml golden syrup

5ml extracto de baunilha

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 120ºC e forrar um tabuleiro com papel vegetal.

Fazer as pipocas de acordo com as instruções da embalagem e colocá-las numa taça grande.

Misturar as especiarias com o bicarbonato de sódio e reservar.

Num tacho, colocar a manteiga, o açúcar e o golden syrup. Levar ao lume e quando levantar fervura, deixar ferver mexendo constantemente, até a mistura estar douradinha e tiver atingido os 155ºC num termómetro de açúcar.

Adicionar a baunilha e a mistura das especiarias e mexer energicamente por uns segundos.

retirar o tacho do lume e deitar esta mistura sobre as pipocas, envolvendo-as bem no molho, a fim de que fiquem todas cobertas.

Espalhar as pipocas uniformemente no tabuleiro e levar ao forno por 15 minutos.

Retirar o tabuleiro do forno, mexer bem as pipocas e voltar a levar ao forno por mais 15 minutos.

Retirar do forno, mexer de novo e deixar arrefecer.

Quando completamente frias, separar as pipocas e guardá-las num recipiente de fecho hermético.

Recipe / Receita:

Bacon and leek croissant pudding / Gratinado de bacon, alho francês e croissants.

Manuela's blog celebrates 3 years this month and Manuela invited us to prepare something suitable for a virtual brunch party. 
When I saw this Sam (Drizzle & Dip) suggestion, I immediately thought that it would be more than perfect for a delicious brunch and so, that's my contribution for Manuela's celebration.

ingredients (serves 6):

400g (about 4) stale croissants
200g bacon, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 leeks, white part only, finely sliced
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
3 large eggs (preferably organic)
1 cup cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated cheese (I used Gruyère but you can use Cheddar or a mix)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
a pinch grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper

method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Tear the croissants into small chunks and place them in a large bowl.
In a large frying pan, fry the bacon until crispy and then set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan and sauté the onion and leeks over a low heat until softened.
Add the bacon back into the pan, alongside with the parsley and thyme and remove from the heat.
Whisk the eggs in a different bowl. Stir in the cream, milk, cheese, chilli, nutmeg and paprika.
Add the bacon mix to the egg mix and pour everything over the croissants.
Mix well, allowing the croissants to soak in the liquid for a few minutes.
Pour the mixture into a ovenproof dish and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, depending on if you like it crispier or softer.
Cover the dish loosely with foil after 30 minutes of baking to prevent it from over browning.

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O blogue da Manuela celebra este mês o seu terceiro aniversário e a Manuela pediu para celebrarmos com ela, confeccionando algo para um delicioso brunch virtual.

Ora, andando eu à procura de ideias, assim que ao folhear o livro da Sam - o lindíssimo Drizzle & Dip - vi esta sugestão salgada, nem pensei mais e ficou logo decidido que seria esta a receita que iria à mesa da festa da Manuela.

Assim sendo, esta é a minha sugestão para a grande festa que vai ser o brunch do aniversário do Cravo e Canela - uma cozinha no Brasil. 

ingredientes (para 6 pessoas):

400g (cerca de 4) croissants duros

200g bacon, em cubos

2 colheres sopa de manteiga

1 cebola, picada finamente

parte branca de 4 alhos franceses, fatiados finamente

1 colher sopa de salsa, picada

1 colher sopa de tomilho, picado

3 ovos grandes (de preferência biológicos)

1 chávena de natas

1 1/2 chávenas de leite

1 chávena de queijo ralado (eu usei Gruyère, mas podem usar Cheddar ou queijo da Ilha, ou uma mistura).

1/2 colher chá de flocos de malagueta

1 colher chá de paprika fumada

uma pitada de noz moscada

sal e pimenta preta moída na altura

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC.

Partir os croissants em bocados e colocá-los numa taça grande.

Fritar o bacon numa frigideira até estar crocante e com uma escumadeira, retirá-lo e deixá-lo escorrer em cima de papel de cozinha.

Adicionar a manteiga à gordura do bacon que ficou na frigideira, adicionar a cebola e o alho francês e cozinhar até que os legumes estejam macios.

Juntar o bacon à mistura de alho francês, assim como a salsa e o tomilho. Mexer tudo, apagar o lume e reservar.

Bater os ovos numa taça à parte. Juntar-lhes o leite, as natas, o queijo, a malagueta, a noz moscada e a paprika e envolver tudo muito bem.

Misturar a mistura dos ovos à do bacon e deitar tudo sobre os bocados de croissant.

Envolver tudo muito bem e deixar que os croissants absorvam o líquido por uns minutos.

Deitar a mistura num tabuleiro de ir ao forno e cozinhar por cerca de 60 a 75 minutos, dependendo se quer a mistura mais ou menos crocante.

30 minutos depois de a mistura estar no forno, cobrir o tabuleiro com papel de alumínio, por forma a evitar que queime em cima.

Recipe / Receita: