lördag 16 februari 2013

Torta paradiso

The original recipe seems to be from Lombardy, Italy, where I actually come from. I found the recipe on a book I got from my parents that is focusing on Lombardy food.
Torta paradiso 2013-02-16


Talked to my Mom on the phone that spoke about having baked it for Valentine's and my "dinner plans" just materialized. Had butter at home as I have been thinking of baking another Lombardian recipe called "Cremonesi" but as I do not have any malt at home, I decided to wait until I could get fetch of it first. So butter needs to be used in other contexts..
Slice of torta paradiso 2013-02-16

As I know the more cake I bake the more I eat, I decided to do half the recipe. The original recipe is actually based on potato starch and not corn starch... But, hey, you take what you have at home...

And, of course, before shaking it out of the pan, it needs cooling. But desperation and hunger does not really always allow for patience... So if you wonder why it looks mistreated, then guess how hungry I was when I pulled it out of the oven... ;)

Ingredients
115gr butter
115gr sugar
60gr flour
60gr corn starch (original recipe calls for potato starch actually...)
1 egg
2 egg yolks
salt
vanilla powder

Instructions
I whipped the butter until soft with the sugar. Original recipe does not contemplate whipping but only mixing butter soft and then adding the sugar. I kept whipping in the one egg first and then each egg yolk at the time. No whipping is implied in the original recipe, only mixing together slowly. Add the flours and mix. Add salt and vanilla powder at the end.
I baked it at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes but the original recipe says 180 degrees for 35 minutes. I changed it as the quantity was halved.
Put the mixture in a buttered spring form
When done, remove from the pan

I personally felt it turned out dry. Could though be due to the fact that the eggs were too small.

So let us recap for next time:
- Use big eggs
- Use either smaller pot or do full size
- Use the 180 degrees oven temperature
- Use potato starch and not corn starch
Not sure these were the errors but we have to start from somewhere?!


onsdag 6 februari 2013

Black rice risotto

This is the weirdest recipe I have come up with for a while now. But I personally think it did not taste that bad. The concoction was born on a day with focus on savings. Used black rice that went old one year ago or two, used coconut milk that went bad for some reason (even though the Best before date was actually still "ok"), re-used the rests from juicing apples and carrots, took the chocolate that was stuck in a pot since last baking and I have not had any chance of actually using it. It was not going to make it to a three star in the Michelin guide, but well.

Ingredients
3dl black rice
6dl water
5dl water
4 stock cubes
2 cans of coconut milk
50gr dark chocolate
1kg carrots (remains after juicing 1kg carrots)
1kg apples (remains after juicing 1kg apples)

Instructions
Boil up 6dl water and rice for 15 minutes. Top the rice with the rests of the carrots and apples. Let it cook for 5 more minutes so the rests become warmer and mix it in. Add at the top the 2 cans of coconut milk.  Let it cook some minutes until the milk "melts" and add the remaining 5dl cooking water and the stock cubes. Mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate. The rice should cook in total around 30 minutes.