Apple Almond Galette

This is a free form tart. The more rustic and less uniformed the better. The addition of the almond paste makes for a more filling galette with endless options for fruit.  

Apple Almond Galette

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4 cups apples, cored and sliced

1/3 cup caster sugar (white sugar)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1 egg

pie crust, make your favourite recipe and use that or use a ready-made pie crust or ready-made puff pastry.

egg wash

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar 

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Cover a flat surface wit baking parchment paper

Make your favourite pie crust recipe or if you are using a ready-made one; roll it out, on the flat surface that is covered with baking parchment paper. Transfer rolled pie crust with baking parchment paper underneath on to the baking tray. Trim any excess paper from around the edges of the baking tray. Set aside.

In a large bowl gently toss the apple slices, caster sugar and ground cinnamon together. 

In another bowl mix together the almond meal, icing sugar and egg, until a paste forms.

Spread the almond paste in the centre of the pie crust, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges. Place the sugared apple slices over the almond paste. Fold the bare 1/2 inch of crust inward over the apples and almond paste; leaving the centre of the tart uncovered. Crimp down the edges with a fork as you go around the tart, if you wish. 

Make the egg wash, 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush over the edges of the tart and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Notes: to make the spreading of the almond paste easier you may want to use a wet knife or spatula.  

Petit Zinc

Interesting name for a unique drink; that is smooth and mellow.  

Petit Zinc Martini

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makes 2 cocktails

4 oz vodka

2 oz Triple Sec

2 oz Sweet Vermouth

2 oz orange Juice

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracker ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange wedge, if you wish.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Risotto

Another item on my comfort food list is risotto. Perfect as a side or marvellous on it's own. This mushroom risotto with the addition of dry salami adds a pleasant smoky flavour. 

Mushroom Risotto with Mini Chipotle Dry Salami 

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4 cups no salt vegetable stock, room temperature

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pint of brown mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 1/2 cups risotto rice

1 cup dry white wine

1-2 mini chipotle dry salami sticks, sliced 

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil with 2 tablespoons of butter in a deep large frypan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Stir in the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onion and mushrooms are soft and nicely golden. Do not brown.

Reduce heat, add the rice into the fry pan, mix to coat. Cook stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the rice is translucent. Add the wine and cook, stirring continuously until the wine has reduced.

Gradually add in the room temperature stock, a cup at a time. Stirring continuously and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid simmers. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy but still firm. Gently fold the sliced salami into the risotto's last 5 minutes of cooking time. 

Remove the risotto from the heat and add the remaining, 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix well,  then stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts. Season with the salt and pepper, if you wish. Serve.

Notes: You may heat up the vegetable stock and add that to the risotto, instead of it being room temperature. Although it may pose some benefit however by the end of the recipe, I think, either room temperature stock or boiled stock create the same taste. So I go with less dishes and use room temperature stock.     

    

Hope everyone a nice long weekend. - JD 

The Astronomer

Light and crisp as a summer breeze. The Astronomer offers a refreshingly sherberty gaze to any starry night. 

The Astronomer

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin

3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 oz watermelon and star anise syrup

5 pink peppercorns

2 sprigs cilantro, optional

1 thin slice fresh watermelon, optional

1 1/2 oz tonic water

Muddle the peppercorns in a shaker and ass the gin, syrup, lemon juice and sprigs of cilantro, if using. Shake for 10 seconds. Double strain over ice into a highball glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish a sprig of cilantro and or a slice of watermelon. 

Notes: we could not find watermelon and star anise syrup so instead we used a low sugar watermelon juice. We also added a few pomegranate seeds to swirl and float around in the glass.   

Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

This no egg, no milk and no butter cake recipe is absolutely delicious! The addition of raspberries adds tartness while the whip cream on top adds a touch of sweetness to this rich dense chocolate cake. A lovely dessert anytime and especially for that sweet Valentine.   

I doubled the recipe and poured the batter on to a lined jelly roll baking pan and baked for a shorter period of time, 20 to 25 minutes. Allowed the sheet of cake to cool completely. Removed it carefully from the pan and on to a clean flat surface, baking paper still attached, then proceeded to cut out 3'' round shapes, until I had about 10 to 12 cake circles. Do not throw out any discarded bits of cake. Save them. Place in a tin and pop into the refrigerator for future use... cake pops!

Due to doubling the recipe, the batter rose significantly therefore I was able to cut thick round circles, which I halved and spread raspberry jam on the bottom half and sandwiched them back together; to form a lovely mini layered chocolate cake. Similar to a Victoria Sponge however chocolate and mini. 

I arranged fresh raspberries on top of each mini cake and prepared some whipping cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of icing sugar (powdered sugar), and whipped until firm. Placed a dollop on top of the raspberries and then drizzled the cake with chocolate sauce and for  indulgence sake finished with a stick of dark chocolate. You may also use dark chocolate shavings or pieces.

 Chocolate Cake 

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a round cake baking tin. Then line the bottom with baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. 

Create a well in the centre of the now mixed dry ingredients. 

Add the vinegar, vanilla extract vegetable oil, and water the to well. Blend and mix well.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow cake to cool. Icing and decorate, if and as you wish, and serve. 

Notes: the recipe is in it's original format. To double the recipe, like I did, times all measurements by 2. Therefore the measurements would be as follows:

3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups caster sugar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

10 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups water

Still bake in 350ºF preheat oven and adjust the baking time according the baking pan you choose to use.  

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD 

Bittersweet

Surprisingly fruity with a unique blend of sweet smokiness. Very sipable! 

Bittersweet

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makes 2 cocktails

2 oz Whisky

juice of 2 oranges

1/2 teaspoon fine caster sugar

2 dashes of Bitters

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into cocktail glasses. 

It has been one of those weeks... Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Noodle Soup

One of my favourite lunches vegetable noodle soup a fried egg on top. This is an easy way to boost your protein and is very satisfying on a cold day. 

Hope everyone a a lovely weekend. - JD 

The Fitzgerald

A simple yet exceptionally smooth cocktail with a bitter citrus flavour. This cocktail was created by Dale DeGroff, otherwise known as King Cocktail, as he was the mixologist at New York's the Rainbow Room during the 80's. It was called the Gin Thing however it was suggested he give it a more classier name and The Fitzgerald was it!  

The Fitzgerald

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makes 2 cocktails

4 oz gin

1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 oz simple syrup

2 dash of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. 

Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD