Pasteis de nata!!!!

Ceramics from GreenGate

For the Italian version click here!!!
I've been trying to write this post for 3 days now....hopefully I'll be able to publish it in just a few minutes.... During our trip to Lisbon in november I had the chance to try the famous and original "pasteis de nata" or pasteis de belem.... I felt in love with them immediately, they are so delicious and of course I had to try them at home! They are quite easy to make, even tough the original recipe is a secret but I think these ones were delicious too. The only problem is that I can't find the proper moulds, so the edge didn't get the chance to open up properly (mine are to high) and from the picture you can't really see the layers of the pastry. I've made them a few times now...the first time I used ready made puff pastry, but definitely the pastry was not right....Then I made  pastry myself...and are much better. I just need to find the proper moulds to try again...hopefully soon!!
INGREDIENTS:
Pastry:
175g flour
100g water
100g soft butter
A pinch of salt
Custard cream:
250g sugar
125ml water
1-2 cinnamon sticks
lemon zest
250ml whole milk


I've mixed for a few minutes the flour with the pinch of salt and water with my food processor Clatronic km3323. Add the water little at the time, the result should be a soft and smooth dough, not sticky. Let rest for 30 minutes and divide the soft butter in 3 equal parts. Roll out the dough in a well floured surface to a 2 mm thickness and spread the first part of butter over all surface. Fold the pastry in 3 and turn 90º. Roll out the pastry again and repeat the same procedure for 2 times until you have finished the butter. Finally roll out the pastry again into a 2-3 mm thickness, roll up the sheet like a swiss roll (see picture underneath). Wrap in cling film and chill for a few hour or you can freeze it.
Prepare the custard cream: Tip the sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon into a pan with the water and bring to a boil. Mix the flour and cornflour with a small amount of milk until you have a smooth paste. Bring the rest of the milk to a boil, then pour it onto the flour mixture, whisking continuously. Pour back into a clean pan and bring to a simmer, whisking until the mixture thickens. Remove the cinnamon and lemon then stir both mixtures together and add the eggs, bring back to a simmer and whisk until smooth. Allow to cool. Cut the pastry roll into slices about 1 cm - 2cm thick and cover each mold or muffin case. Divide the custard into each case and bake in a warm oven at 250º- 230º for 18-20 minutes until the custard is golden brown. Serve warm dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon.

Ceramics from GreenGate

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Semolina flour bread with a dried sourdough starter!!!

To knead I used my Clatronic km3323

For the Italian version click here!!! 
Last week in an organic shop I saw this dried sourdough starter and of course I had to buy it!!! So yesterday I baked this fantastic bread and a fabulous pizza.  


INGREDIENTS:
For the biga starter
100g flour
50g water
10g dried sourdough starter
Dough
200g semolina flour
100g water
1 tsp salt


First of all prepare the biga starter the night before, simply mix the flour with water and sourdough starter  and let rest overnight (mine rested about 10 hours).
In the morning mix the rest of the semolina flour, water and salt and add the fermented biga. Knead well until you get a smooth and soft dough. Fold the dough twice, form a ball, place it in a bowl and cover with cling film. Let raise for about 3 hours. Flatten the dough lightly with your hands and fold it again. Give a round shape and place in a oven paper lined baking try. Cover with a lightly oiled cling film. Let rest for 90 minutes. Bake in a warm over at 220º for 10 minute. Slide the bread in an oven rack, turn the temperature down to 200º and bake the bread for a further 30 minutes. 

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My Xmas Macarons with a white chocolate ganache!!!

Plate from Greengate

For the Italian version click here!!!
Here I am with the first post of the year!!!! Happy new year everyone, hope the 2012 will be rich of emotions, peace, and all you want. I have to say a big thank you to all of you that in the past year have followed me. Thanks to this blog I got to know amazing people and I even started the new adventure with Open Kitchen Magazine. On the 15th of december we published the 3rd issue of the magazine and I have to say I'm really proud of it, On the 17th we even published the English version. I'm the translator of the magazine, so I have to apologise if I made many mistakes, Hope you will be able to understand everything....if not...write to me and blame me!
Todays recipe is yet again Macarons... I love them so much and were part of my xmas presents for my relatives in Sardinia. I wanted to show off a bit....I was so happy of the result, and everyone loved them. I received so many compliments. It's a shame that i didn't manage to take decent pictures.
I will give you the same recipe I published a while ago and in brackets you will find the amount of ingredients I used for 33 macarons.

INGREDIENTS:

200 gr. of almond flour (133,33g)

200 gr. of icing sugar (133,33g)

150 gr. of eggs white aged 48 hours (I used 3 eggs 100g. aged for 18 hours)

200 gr. of caster sugar (133,33g)

50 ml of water (33,33 ml)

White chocolate ganache:

100ml double cream

100g white chocolate

a small knob of butter

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and leave to stand.

Divide the total egg white into two equal amounts, placing one half in a small bowl or glass and the other half in the bowl which you will use for making the meringue. It is preferable to weigh the amounts, not do it by volume or eye.

Process the almond meal and icing sugar at high speed to achieve a fine powder. Sift to break up any lumps of powder and place in a large bowl.

Place the saucepan for the syrup over low heat and bring to a simmer. Start to measure the syrup temperature after it has been simmering for a minute or two.

If you are using an electric hand beater rather than a kitchen machine, beat the egg white until it makes soft peaks. If you are using a kitchen machine you can start the machine when the syrup is a few degrees below the final temperature (see below).

The final temperature you want the syrup to reach is 118C (no drama if you overshoot slightly). Beat the egg whites to firm peaks just before the final temperature is attained.

Set the beater/machine to slow speed and slowly pour the hot syrup into the bowl of beaten egg whites in a thin stream. The syrup may splash a little. If you are too slow to do this, the syrup might harden in the saucepan… there is always some wastage.

As soon as all the syrup is in the egg whites, increase the beating speed to maximum and beat for several minutes until the meringue is just warm to the touch. Add the colouring at this stage. The final product should be a stiff, compact meringue with a lovely satiny consistency.

Pour the unused amount of egg white onto the dry ingredients and mix well, until is all incorporated. Then scoop the meringue on top of that. Mix the ingredients with a spatula using a circular motion around the bowl and under the batter. It’s important to mix the ingredients quickly to avoid over mixing.

Spoon the batter into a sac a poche with a 8-10 mm nozzle and pipe evenly onto the baking paper. Leave them to dry for about 30 minutes.

Bake the macarons at 145º for about 15 mins ( I baked mine at 135º).

For the ganache, cut the chocolate into small chunks. In a small saucepan bring the double cream to the boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and 

add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

 Add a small knob of butter and mix until the ganache is smooth and shiny.

Transfer the ganache into a small bowl and let cool down. I refrigerate it over night  and in the morning I whipped the ganache with a whisk. 

This time I used my food processor Clatronic KM3323

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