Thursday, December 15, 2005

Happy Holidays!


Chestnut Snowballs
Originally uploaded by ozdema2.
It is officially the start of the holiday season for me! I have done quite a few treats, including my favorite Turkish dessert sekerpare, several cookies and cupcakes. Stay tuned for the recipes in the coming days. Many Thanks to Belmin for my Christmas Banner, she is amazing as always! Happy holiday season everyone, eat lots of sweets!

Kestaneden Kartoplari


Bu ayki Ye'nin konusu Kestane, ben de tam yilbasi oncesi herkesin yapabilecegi, pratik ve lezzetli bir tarif bulup denemek istedim. Yilbasi partinizde bu tarifi ikram edebilirsiniz, ya da tatli seven arkadaslariniza guzelce paketleyip hediye olarak da verebilirsiniz.

Malzemeler:

1kg kestane

1/2 kavanoz şokella

2 çorba kaşığı pudra şekeri

100gr erimiş margarin

1 çay fincanı sıcak süt

1 bardak dişli çekilmiş ceviz

Glaze:

1 bardak hindistancevizi sutu (coconut milk) ve ya sut

4 bardak pudra sekeri

Susleme:

Hindistancevizi

Yapılışı:

Kestaneleri yıkadıktan sora üzerlerini bıçakla çizerek içine bir tatlı kaşığı toz şeker ve 1 çay kaşığı tuz koyduğunuz kapta üstünü örtecek kadar suyla çizilen yerlerden ayrılmaya başlayana kadar haşlayin.

Kestaneleri sudan çıkarıp ayıklayın (tüylü zarı üstünde kalmasın).

Ayıkladığınız kestaneleri tekrar yeni su koyarak ve 1 tatlı kaşığı toz şeker ilavesi ile haşlayın.

Kestaneleri ezerek püre haline getirin, pudra şekerini, şokellanın yarısını, erimiş margarini ve dövülmüş cevizi katarak yoğunlaştırın. Karisimi buzdolabinda yarim saat dinlenmeye birakin.

Simdi sira toplarin uzerine dokecegimiz glazenin hazirlanmasinda. 1 bardak hindistancevizi sutu (ya da normal sut) ile 4 bardak pudra sekerini karistirin.

Buz dolabinda beklettiginiz kestaneli karisiminizindan ceviz buyuklugunde toplar yapin ve hazirladiginiz glazeyi uzerine dokun. Toplari ardindan hindistan cevizine baritin, kartoplariniz hazir! Eger vaktiniz varsa, sekilli kaliplardan minik yildizlar ya da bademezmesinden kardanadam yapin.

Umarim begenirsiniz, yorumlarinizi bekliyorum, ne demisler kestane kebap, acele cevap!

Monday, December 12, 2005

Holiday Treats (1)


Peppermint Rocky Road
Originally uploaded by ozdema2.
Here is a super easy holiday sweet treat for all the kids, young and old! It also makes a great gift as it keeps well. For those of you, who keep complaining that you don't have time to bake, the whole thing takes only 10 minutes and no baking needed!

Peppermint Rocky Road

Ingredients:

1 bag, 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

3 cups dry roasted peanuts or almonds or walnuts (I used peanuts)

1 bag, 10.5 oz, mini marshmallows

1 large candy cane, crushed*

* Note: If you are already maxed out with the mint -thanks to the amazing peppermint mochas, you can omit the candy cane, but the mint does add some serious kick to this holiday tradition.

Line a rectangular cake pan, (9*13) with wax paper.

1) Melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and butter in microwave, stirring, until smooth and chips are melted. Use medium power and stir every 30 seconds. If you don't have a microwave, you can use a double boiler and melt everything on the stove.

2) Stir in peanuts and marshmallows.

3) Spread the mixture in the greased pan. Sprinkle crushed candy cane on top.

Refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours. Once firm, you can cut the bars into small cubes and wrap them individually as gifts.

to be cont'd...

More recipes and pictures are on the way, so stay tuned!

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Featured Article on MekanMax

I started writing articles for MekanMax, I am super excited! Only in Turkish though...

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies


Cenk and I were trying to find a cinnamon cookie recipe we had in Istanbul on our bakery tour. They were very simple but still tasted amazing. I decided to give it a shot with this recipe from Lovescool, it was a good start, but the ones in Istanbul were less buttery and more cinnamonny (!)...don't get me wrong, these were very tasty and perfect for tea and I will keep making them...I used round cutters but you can also shape the dough into a log and slice thin rounds. Our hunt for the cinnamon cookies continues! Stay tuned!

Update: Check out the competition from my sister!

Chocolate Ginger Cookies


Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Originally uploaded by ozdema2.
From Martha Stewart Cookie Magazine, they were easy to make and worked perfect with the cut-out shapes. I made the large Turkey cookies for the Thanksgiving table settings and used my new leaf cutouts with the leftover dough. I used a small paring knife to get the details on the leaves and the acorns...They look almost too cute to eat...

Makes 4 dozen


2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 tablespoon peeled grated fresh ginger

Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl.

2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses, and grated ginger; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.

3. Halve dough; shape into disks.Wrap each disk in plastic; refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a G inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft at any time, freeze until firm.) Cut out shapes with 3-inch acorn- or leaf-shape cookie cutters; space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

4. Score designs with a paring knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Update

I haven't written in a week, it seems soo long, but I have a good excuse, I got sick, not too bad, just sore throat and lost my voice, but heavy Vitamin C and Echinacea with DayQuil saved me from the worse. By the way, did you know there is more Vitamin C in half a cup of parsley than an orange? I love Farm Fresh!

In between Thanksgiving rush and getting sick, I managed to squeeze in two cookies: Cranberry-Pistachio biscottis, and Cinnamon Sugar cookies. I will post the recipes and pictures in a day or so! Stay tuned!