Bread Roll Blossom

Do you know that moment in the morning when you still lie in bed – not full asleep but not yet quite awake? The duvet has just the perfect temperature. Not too warm and not too cold and your thoughts go into wondrous directions bordering from sheer fantasy to deep discussions with yourself, salutary and bright – gone within a gasp. I like to think of that moment as the closest overlap between conscious and subconscious possible. Between what is really going on in my mind and what it wants me to believe is going on.

My feelings about that moment are rather bittersweet. Mostly because it usually happens just a wee moment before the alarm goes off and the rough and unforgiving tristesse of reality hits your face like you have never seen it coming. As you may have realised by now, I am a sleep person - not a morning person. In fact, I would love being a morning person, with the day still calm and young, everything and everybody just waking up. But I am simply not. I am a mess. I'm nauseous, my head hurts and I am so far away from mental clarity that nothing else but grunts and moans are able to leave my mouth. Please don't ask me questions right after I woke up. Please don't bother me too much for at least an hour, actually. I will hate you. I may hurt you. But probably not. I will hurt you in my mind, indeed, and debate about it with my subconscious the next morning at 7:59 am right before the alarm sets off.

Breakfast. Thank you for existing. This post's recipe is nice for a Sunday breakfast or brunch. Cut into halves and piled on with whatever is needed to fix your matutinal cravings. While it looks special, it is ridiculously easy to bake – there is most probably no other way to use yeast more fool-proof than here. I can also see them on a picnic (spring cannot come fast enough...) or for a party.

Bread Roll Blossom

Adapted from here (German).

Makes about 3 blossoms or 21 single bread rolls à 75g (2.6 oz). I halved the recipe and made one blossom and some single rolls.

• 42g fresh yeast (also called cake yeast. This would make 1.5 oz. Can be substituted with 0.6 oz/18 g/ 6 ¼ ts active dry yeast)
• 500ml (17 fl. oz) warm water
• ½ tbsps. sugar
• 1kg (35.3 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsps. salt
• 8 tbsps oil (I used sunflower seed oil)

• Topping of choice (I used poppy flower, sesame and sunflower seeds; optional)

1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar.
2. Add flour, salt and oil. With your hands, knead until well combined.
3. Let dough rise for half an our, knead well again afterwards.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
5. Form dough into balls the size of your choice (mine were about 75g or 2.6 oz).
6. Dip rolls in topping of choice and then lay on baking sheet lined with parchment paper in shape of a blossom - one in the centre and six around – with the edges barely touching (you can lay them in any shape you want of course or add another row to make it bigger. You can also skip the dipping part and sprinkle topping onto rolls, just make sure it sticks a little).
7. Bake on centre rack for 25-30 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Rumkugeln

It's give a little, take a little, right?

I love the concept of food blogs because you can be sure there is at least one person who has tested and approved the recipes and likes them enough to recommend them to you. Everybody has been given a great, well-tested recipe from a good friend, family member or neighbour he or she swears by and this is a bit like having a gigantic neighbourhood. Sure, everybody lives in certain streets and you cannot be friends with all there are but somehow, a community sticks together. 

Recently, the nice people over at Onion Goggles knocked on my door and told me they liked what I'm doing here over at mi casa and passed along the Liebster Blog Award to me! 'Liebster' is German (I know, right?!) and can either mean “dearest”, “favourite” or “darling” and is meant to be paid forward to blogs that have 200 followers or less and you think deserve to be noticed.

Following rules apply:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
3. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.

Thank you so much!

I also want to thank my followers and all the people who read my humble little blog as well as the fellow bloggers who support and inspire me. Thank you, neighbours and friends. 

These are the neighbours whose doors I'll be knocking on one after another like a jehova's witness:

http://iamafoodblog.com/- sure seems like the new troublemaker on the block! Kinda bold and awesome and I'm already loving it big time!

http://annacostafood.wordpress.com/- gracious Anna also just recently moved to our neighbourhood and someone better tell her to shut the blinds at night as some teenage boy's are already lurking outside her window! If she and her husband ever invite you over for dinner – you will dine with style so wear your Sunday's best.

http://theintrepidbaker.wordpress.com/- don't be fooled by her name. The intrepid baker does much more than just baking! I have only 'met' her recently and she comes off as the serene and creative type. What she does is often cute but never kitschy. Something I appreciate.

Both http://www.unhipsquirrel.com/and http://avocadopesto.wordpress.com/have already been around longer than I am (which does not say a lot. Haha.) but somehow managed to stay under my radar for a long time. While jovial Nicola from the unhip Squirrel is versatile in her cooking and has a productivity I'm jealous of, the equally versatile blog Avocado Pesto has a stronger emphasis on savoury and healthy meals.

Yes, and there are yet more news from my side! I have recently joined Pinterest and have been pinning away quite a bit already! I am planning on pinning more than just recipes so it's a bit like I give you entrance to my mind. Let's see how long it will take you to realise how boring I am! ;)

I am also glad to share with you another traditional pastry that you can find in every bakery around Northern Germany - Rumkugeln! Rumkugeln are cake balls made with rum and you know what the best part is? There is no active baking involved. Rumkugeln are a baker's dirty little secret. They consist of leftover cake, trims and failures. Anything that's dried out or not presentable – toss it in a bowl and make some of these! Mine are made of some of last week's Cherry and Red Wine Chocolate Cake as well as marble cake from the supermarket that was already kind of dry the day I bought it.

Funny thing not even most Germans are aware of: Southern Germany has something called Rumkugelnas well that looks just like their northern counterparts except they are smaller and mainly consist of butter, sugar, cocoa and nuts and belong more in the category of confections.

Rumkugeln are also known in Denmark and are similar to Swedish Arraksbol – except that these are made with Arrack liquor instead of rum.

There aren't even exact amounts of ingredients this time. No measuring. No baking. No fuss.

Rumkugeln (Rum Balls)

500g leftover cake make about 5 balls.

• Leftover cake
• rum or rum aroma
• jam/jelly of choice (just avoid chunks. I used apricot jam.)
• chocolate (I used some dark chocolate but you can use whatever you have on hand. If you don't have any, just leave it out. The sprinkles stick better to the ball when you cover it very thinly with chocolate and you will have to miss out on that very satisfying 'crack' when you dig in with a fork, but there will hardly be any change in flavour)
• chocolate sprinkles

• dutch process cocoa (optional. If your leftovers don't have any cocoa but you want some, there you go)
• cupcake baking liners (optional)

1. In a bowl, crumble leftover cake (if you use different kinds of cake together, make sure that all crumbles are mixed well).
2. Add rum.
3. With your hands knead into dough (Amount of rum and jelly depends on the amount of leftovers you have so I would suggest to add little by little. The mass should be nice and stiff. Not too dry of course but it should keep its shape when formed. Without wanting to sound unappetizing, but think Play-Do).
4. Knead in jam/jelly (You can either start with rum or jam. However, to make sure that I get a nice strong flavour of rum, I like adding it first and then add jam).
5. When paste is homogeneous, put in fridge for a little while.
6. In the meantime, melt chocolate in microwave (It does not really matter if it gets too hot as you won't see it later, but it is easier to use when it is just molten).
7. Take paste out of fridge, form balls about the size of golf balls or tangerines. Thinly brush with chocolate or spread some on either with a spoon or even your fingers, roll in sprinkles and put in cupcake baking liner (optional. This is the classic way of serving.) Repeat until all paste is gone.
8. Keep in fridge for at least half an hour.

Enjoy! 

It took me less than half an our to make 10 Rumkugeln.

Divine Cherry & Red Wine Chocolate Cake

As most of you may already know, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. At first, I did not have the intention of covering this oh so essential day for baked goods - from the bland perspective of food blogger-me, that is. The reason why is the me-me. Mixed feelings.

February 14^thhas never really been the day for lovers, but more the day for love in a different way, as it was my grandfather's birthday. A man I have more respect, admiration and appreciation for than I could never form into words that would not fall short to what he really deserves. A man who was kind and honest. Benevolent. A man who met not the fate in a way he deserved.

This day will always be his birthday but of course, Valentine's Day is becoming more important as well. Giving it a bit more thought, the idea of a day that reminds happy couples how great and valuable it is what they have is quite appealing in its essence. However, the execution fairly often somewhat questionable. When shiny things and expensive gifts become the main focus – and especially when the lack of such result in tears and tantrums – maybe the relationship is not so valuable after all. Like I said, mixed feelings on so many levels.

But yes, in the end, I have decided to think up something for Valentine's Day.
Something that I am sure you are happy to know is rather quick to make (considering the date, it is last minute, isn't it?) but does not come short in decadence and sophistication. The ingredient that certainly makes it a grown-up cake is red wine and you will only need so much that there is still enough left to enjoy along with it. Cherries and red wine go together perfectly.

Oh yes, before I forget. Over the week-end, I finally found some time to do minor additions to the blog that were more than needed. For one thing, there now is a 'About'-page where you can read a little bit about the author of this blog, who would be me. For another thing, there now is a Facebook page for this blog. So if you like what you see and read, feel free to like me on FaceyB and be informed about every update and maybe some tidbids that come to my mind. :)

The only tricky thing with this recipe is that you need to flip the first cake over.

Cherry & Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Makes 16 slices

For the cake:

As you bake two layers, you will need this amount of ingredients TWICE. I would not recommend making the double amount at once.

• 250g (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
• 50g (1.8 oz) dutch process cocoa powder
• 150ml (5 fl. oz) oil (I used canola oil)
• 1tblsp. (15g or a sachet) baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 75ml (2.5 fl. oz) strong coffee
• 275ml (9.3 fl. oz) milk
• 250g (8.8 oz) sugar

For the filling:

• 150g (5.3 oz) sugar
• 200ml (6.8 fl. oz) red wine
• 4-16g (0.15-0.56 oz) agar agar (this depends crucially on the kind and brand of agar agar you are using. Best thing you can do is to read the instructions on the package. I used the amount needed for 1000ml or 33.4 fl. oz. The amazing thing about agar agar is that the process can be undone, which means that you can simply re-heat the mass and add some more of it in case it was not firm enough. So all you can basically lose is time but no ingredients!)
• 1 complete jar of cherries (mine had 680g including the juice which I used as well. The complete filling for the cake should make about 1000ml or 33.4 fl. oz, so when your jar contains more or less than mine, I would simply balance it out with red wine)

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients for the cake with a wooden spoon. 
3. Spread on a sheet pan about 42,5x36x3cm in size (the equivalent would be 13x18x1''. It does not matter much if the size of the pan is slightly different) lined with parchment paper. Bake on centre rack for 10 minutes or until a stick comes out clean. Let the whole pan cool down.
4. In the meantime, repeat step no. 2.
5. Remove first cake from pan, lay on a flat and clean surface.
6. Use the now empty sheet pan again for step no. 3.
7. While the second layer cools down,  blend cherries along with the red wine until smooth either in a blender or with a hand blender (before you do this, you may want to check whether there are still some pits left in some of the cherries).
8. In a medium pot, pour in mixture,combine with sugar and agar agar. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. 
9. Pour over the layer of chocolate cake that is still in the pan. 
10. Let it cool off completely until it is firm (This will probably take way less time than you would expect).
11. Carefully lay first cake layer on top of the filling.

Enjoy!

Sesame Rice Noodles with Honey-Soy Drizzle and Chicken

Where has time gone?

No worries, this is no whimsical post about the finiteness of life.

I mean, seriously? Where did the last weeks go? Christmas, New Years, BAM! Exam time.

It has just been a bit too busy to really catch up. Does anybody else get that feeling sometimes that it is all just an endless stream of overlapping tasks, appointments and work? One little unforeseen bump in the road and the little car that is trying to bring me from A to B is up sh*t creek without a paddle (pardon my French).

Alright whiny little boy, it is time to get yourself together again.

Anyways. When times get tough, the tough get going (and I throw around idioms like they are on sale). And when it comes to cooking, I tend to rely on semi self-made (there may be something in that direction coming up in near future), unmentionworthy or quick and simple. This one is in the last category.

While it certainly is inspired by asian/oriental cuisine, it is by all means no authentic dish but that does not mean that it isn't delicious. Because it is. And quick. In fact, if you leave out the chicken, it can all be prepared in about 30 minutes! I know, the instructions seem a little lengthy but that is only because of all the little steps and preparations that need to be done.

Roasted sesame seeds may become one of my favourite ingredients. Like almonds, they are kinda meh when raw but once you give these bad boys some toasty action they just boast of deep flavour that complements perfectly the salty-sweet drizzle.

Sesame Rice Noodles with Honey-Soy Drizzle and Chicken

• 5 tblsp. water
• 5 tblsp. black soy sauce (also called dark thick soy sauce)
• 1 tblsp. brown sugar
• 2 tblsp. honey
• 1/2 ts chili flakes (the amount of heat the chili flakes are providing heavily depends on the kind you are using.)

• 400g (about 14 oz.) rice vermicelli (Bún tươi)

• 2 big carrots
• 150g (5.3 oz.) mung bean sprouts, washed and drained
• A dash of lime or lemon juice

• 1 chicken fillet (or to taste, customise amount of marinade accordingly.)
• 3 tblsp. thin soy sauce (the ordinary kind)
• 1 tblsp. oyster sauce

• 3 tblsps. sesame seeds

• thinly cut scallion for garnish (Highly optional. Frankly, I just put some on top because it adds some colour.)

• More soy sauce and honey for cooking as well as a bit of oil (I use either light sesame or rapeseed oil)

Before the actual cooking:

1. In a large heat proof bowl, soak vermicelli in boiling water. The good thing about rice noodles is that most of them do not need to be boiled, making the whole process a lot quicker. From my experience, even the ones asking to be boiled do not have to as long as you soak them long enough. That is why this is the very first step. When your are not sure, try one before using in cooking process.
2. Slice chicken fillet as thin as possible. Set aside, letting it marinade in 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and  1 tablespoon of oyster sauce.
3. Cut carrots diagonally, slice them in about 5mm thin sticks. Add dash of lime juice, stir until all sticks are covered. Set Aside.

For the drizzle:

1. In a small pot, combine all ingredients for the drizzle and cook on medium heat until big bubbles develop, stirring occasionally. To check whether it is done. Drop a bit of the drizzle on a plate. If it thickens at becomes syrupy when it cools down, it is good to go.
2. In the meantime, put a small pot on high heat. Pour in sesame seeds, stirring them continuously. Once the seeds starten to brown, instantly remove from heat. Remain in pot but keep stirring until pot cooled down a little and the roasting process stopped. Set aside.

Main Part:

1. Heat up either a pan or a wok to medium heat. Put in carrot sticks, add another shot of black soy sauce. With a wooden spoon, stir continuously until all liquid has evaporated and carrots are heated through well (the carrots will be cooked but still on the crunchy side. If you want them to be softer in texture, add a bit of water in the process so they cook longer). Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add chicken along with the marinade to pan/wok, stirring continuously. Make sure that it does not brown at all. The moment they are done (it will not take too long and is easy to see as it is sliced so thin), remove from heat and set aside.
3. Add a bit of oil to pan, strain noodles and pour them in.
4. Add about 2-3 dashes of black soy sauce to the vermicelli, as well as another tablespoon of honey (the amount of soy sauce depends on how salty you like it. Remember that the drizzle will give the majority of flavour. 2-3 dashes will not make it too salty but will add a nice and deep colour).
5. Add 2 of the 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds as well as the carrots. Turn of heat and carefully fold in mungo bean sprouts.
6. Put servings on plate or into a bowl, lay slices of chicken on top.
7. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish with remaining sesame seeds and a bit of scallion.

Enjoy!