Vanilla Rooibos Tea Cookies

A relatively light and buttery sweet tea time biscuit that is between a shortbread and a sugar cookie. What's enjoyable about this recipe is that it makes a small batch therefore being able to whip up a batch without much time or effort and move on to something else. The rooibos tea I used was a vanilla rooibos which came in individual teabags; I cut open 4 teabags to use the tea inside which resulted in 2 tablespoons of loose tea however feel free to adjust the amount of loose tea according to your taste. 

Vanilla Rooibos Tea Cookies

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makes approximately 12 cookies

2 tablespoons loose rooibos tea

1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly melted

3 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

vanilla lavender sugar, on a plate, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350ºF (190ºC). Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment. 

In a large bowl combine the flour, caster sugar, icing sugar, salt, ground vanilla bean and loose rooibos tea. Stir together. 

Gently melt the butter until almost completely melted, in a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, do not cook the butter, allow to cool for a few minutes. 

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the butter, milk and vanilla extract. Stir together until a dough is formed. If you find the dough seems to be a bit dry add another teaspoon of milk. Once a dough is form, roll into balls, no larger than a walnut, and dip them into the vanilla lavender sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inch apart. Gently flatten the tops with the bottom of a smooth glass or use the back of a fork to flatten, not to worry if the sides aren't smooth as being imperfect is part of their charm and place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are firm but slightly soft in the centre. Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.    

It has been extremely hot here since the weekend and today hitting record breaking temperatures; the temperature will reach a high of +38ºC! Not much baking or cooking in the kitchen I'm afraid. Stay safe and stay cool! - JD 

Orange Chocolate Walnut Loaf

This aromatic sweet loaf gives you all the warmth and sunshine of summer in every slice. Perfect plain, however a lashing of butter would not go a miss; making it so easy to settle down with a slice and a cup of tea.  

Orange Chocolate Walnut Loaf

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1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup brown sugar, packed

juice and grated rind of 1 orange

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon maple extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup dark chocolate chips

extra chopped walnuts to scatter over the top

extra grated orange rind 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a loaf tin and line with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, sugar, oil, orange juice and grated orange rind. Stir to combine. Add the milk and maple flavouring. Stir. 

In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, walnuts and chocolate chips. Stir together and then add the flour mixture, in 3 equal additions, to the milk mixture. Stirring after each addition. When all the flour has been incorporated and blended together, pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the top, sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly before removing the loaf from the tin and then allow to cool further on a wire rack. Sprinkle with freshly grated orange rind before slicing.

The temperatures have been hot, +30ºC hot! and with that comes plenty of blue skies and sunshine. With more days of rising temperatures ahead, it does not make one retreat to the kitchen to cook or bake. We will be doing what we can to beat the heat. - JD 

Litha ~ Summer Solstice ~ Midsummer

Litha/Summer Solstice or Midsummer, June 19th to June 23rd, celebrates the beginning of summer and marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year. As sunlight reaches its peak; it is also the moment when the power of the sun begins to wane. The days begin to grow shorter and the nights grow longer. It is a return to dark. On midsummer the veil between worlds becomes thin making it an optimal time for divination. With the separation of light and dark, both are necessary and signify growth and expansion (light) and withdrawal and rest (dark). 

Nature is also at its peak. Crops are growing, the earth has warmed up and everything outdoors is alive, green and bursting with colour and fragrance. Butterflies are fluttering, bees are buzzing and robins are full of song. It's a time to get back and reconnect with nature. Honour and reflect the power of the sun and celebrate abundance, renewal, life, fertility and the beauty of nature. Summer is the time for bees, butterflies, robins, wrens and all Summer birds, horses and cattle. 

Colours associated with Litha are red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Along with sunflowers and a multitude of other flowers; oak, rowan, pine, fir and elder trees are also associated with this turn of the wheel. Using herbs such as basil, lavender, chamomile, rosemary, and mint are encouraged and gathering them on this day is said to be most powerful. Foods to honour Litha are, sun coloured foods, lemons, honey, seasonal fruits and vegetables, mead, pumpernickel bread, and grilled foods, as fire is the symbol to celebrate the power of the sun. 

Things you can do to celebrate Litha/Summer Solstice are: reconnect with nature... go for long walks and hikes, listen to birds, tend to your garden, celebrate family and those that are close to you, safely create a bonfire and reflect on the year so far and think about plans for the upcoming months, stay up on Midsummer's Eve and watch the sunrise, dance, light sun coloured candles and cook or bake something to honour the sun. Think nurture, nature and love! 

This biscotti recipe is perfect to celebrate Litha not only because biscotti itself is twice baked but rather using seasonal ingredients such as lemon and lavender for a heighten summery taste.  

Lemon, Lavender, Almond Biscotti

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makes approximately 3 dozen

3 eggs

1/2 cup (125ml) light olive oil

1 cup (250ml) caster sugar 

2 1/4 cups (5550ml) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder

1 to 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds

1/2 cup (125ml) chopped almonds

grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a cookie sheet or simply line  a cookie sheet with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the oil; add the sugar and continue beating for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick and pale.

In another bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder. Add the dried lavender buds, chopped almonds and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix using a wooden spoon.

Shape the dough into 2 logs, about 3 x 10 inches (7.5 x 25 cm). Arrange on the prepared cookie sheet. Using a wet spatula or knife to flatten the top and smooth the sides of the formed logs.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and lower the ovens temperature to 300ºF (150ºC). Let the logs to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. Cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) slices using a serrated knife.

Arrange slices flat on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the surface is dry and crisp. Transfer biscotti to wire racks and let cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Wishing everyone a lovely Litha/Summer Solstice/Midsummer celebration! - JD   

Food Photo of the Day ~ Tomato and Ricotta Cheese Pesto

 

Leftover pesto pasta can be spruced up by a handful of rocket (arugula), a delicate sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce. This tasty leftover may be lunch or dinner easily within minutes and makes the next day pesto just as delicious as fresh pesto! 

- JD 

Mango Coulis

A coulis is a thick sweet sauce made from fruits that have been cooked, blended and optionally strained. Making a coulis is quite simple as it is only three ingredients, fruit, sugar and lemon or lime juice; and can be used as a topping or a sauce for a variety of foods such as on yoghurt, ice cream, cakes and toast. I made a lime cheesecake and decided that a mango coulis would be the perfect tangy finish to this cheesecake's subtle citrus flavour. I had enough leftover to spoon over Greek yoghurt and the rest was happily added to a curry sauce. 

Mango Coulis

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400 to 600g mango - fresh or frozen

juice of 1 small lime or lemon

30g (1 1/2 tablespoons) caster sugar 

Cook all three ingredients on low to medium heat in a medium saucepan, for about 15 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool down for 5 minutes. Using an hand held (immersion) blender, blend until very smooth. You could also strain through a mesh sieve instead of blending however a hand blender saves time. 

Once smooth and blended, taste and adjust the sweetness if you wish and if  the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water, at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. 

Allow to cool down then transfer to a jar or container with a tight seal. Keep in the refrigerator for a week. 

Hope everyone's week has been a good one. It's been heavily overcast with a few showers here and there although plenty of sunshine for the weekend! - JD 

Leftovers #56 ~ Lentil Dal and Halloumi Wrap

 

Made another lentil dal and had leftovers this time. Found herbed halloumi cheese and lettuce in the refrigerator, saw the spinach wraps on the counter and decided that was it! It was enough to create a quick bite sized lunch. I quickly fried the halloumi cheese, warmed up the lentil dal and washed the lettuce Layered it all into a spinach wrap with some lovely apple chutney on top before folding. Delicious and spot on!  

After a few days of extremely hot temperatures, rain and thunderstorms are the way. Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

 

By far these are the easiest cookies you will ever make and the most delicious cookies you will ever make. They didn't last long in our house but most cookies never do. An update on a classic that will satisfy and delight!

 

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

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makes 20 to 24 cookies

1 cup (270g) natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

1 cup (1902g) coconut sugar or pure can sugar

6 tablespoons almond milk, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (120g) unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

a pinch of mineral salt, only if using an unsalted nut butter

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment paper or use a silicone mat.

In a large bowl add the peanut butter and coconut sugar and mix until creamy. Stir in the almond milk and vanilla. Then, add the flour, baking soda and mineral salt. Mix until combine. If you find the dough is too tough to stir, then use your clean hands to mix together.  

Using a 1.5 tablespoon scooper, scoop out the dough and roll into balls that are 1 1/4 inches, no larger than a walnut. Place the dough balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Use the back of a fork to flatten in a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle with sugar or coarse salt. 

Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store cookies in an airtight container.  

Plenty of sunshine and blue skies made for another glorious weekend. Temperatures set to rise over the next few days so we will be do our best to stay cool.  - JD