Papaya in Syrup

Papaya in Syrup 2

I am posting the recipe for papaya in syrup for a second time since so many people (from my own country ) stole my pictures so googlebot banned my posts containing the stolen pictures and they are not indexed in the google search page so I’ll have to repost those posts again and I hope they do not steal my pics again……

Ingredients:

1 green (not ripe) papaya mine had 950 grams

950 grams water

800 grams sugar.

1 tablespoon glucose 

20 whole sweet cloves or to taste

A pinch of alt 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Soaking solution.

1 tablespoon baking soda

Water.

1-       Peel the papaya and cut in halves using a vegetable peeler make long stripes from the cut sides of the papaya.

2-      Rinse the papaya stripes in water and then place them in a glass bowl sprinkle with baking soda and add water until all the papaya is covered then toss then to dissolve the baking soda and let rest for about 30 minutes (the longer they rest in the solution the crispier they will be so don’t let them rest more that 45 minutes) then thoroughly rinse with water.

3-      Place the papaya in a heavy bottomed casserole and cover with water, boil until the papaya stripes are soft enough to roll them over and not break, that would be about 25 minutes  then strain them (but don’t throw the water, set aside) , roll them over like you would for a jelly roll and secure them with a toothpick, let aside

4-      In the same heavy bottomed casserole add 950 grams of the water you reserved, salt,   sugar, cloves and glucose and boil until the consistency of a light simple syrup, then add the rolled papaya and let cook at slow heat until the papaya is translucent and the syrup gets the consistency of a thick cough syrup, add the vanilla extract when the syrup I warm.

French Country Bread

The Daring Bakers' Dicember Challenge

French Country Bread

Happy New Year… I know it is a bit late but I cached a flu called influenza and it was terrible: pain all over my body, high fever, and a splitting headache so the light hurt my eyes too.

I am sorry I could not post my December challenge when it was due, I completed my challenge about a week before Christmas but by Christmas Eve the fever began ….

I dressed my country bread with a poinsettia because I was expecting a Christmas challenge so I decided to twist my bread shape a little, I decorated it with some of the dough and then painted it with egg yolk and food colors, the two only picture I could take are very ugly because that day we had a long loooong power cut in the entire town so double sorry

Jessica thank so much for this challenge, if you want to make this wonderful bread please click here

Our Daring Bakers Host for December 2011 was Jessica of My Recipe Project and she showed us how fun it is to create Sour Dough bread in our own kitchens! She provided us with Sour Dough recipes from Bread Matters by AndrewWhitley as well as delicious recipes to use our Sour Dough bread in from Tonia George’s Things on Toast and Canteen’s Great British Food!

Ricotta cheesecake (my way)

Ricotta Cheesecake (my way)

I love this cheesecake because its texture is soft but it is compact and you don’t need to make a crust, you can substitute white sugar for splenda , it is easy  and you don’t need a water bath to bake it,  the two bad points to this cheesecake is that it can be baked in the microwave oven too so is makes this recipe very dangerous for those trying not to eat too much sweets because in about 12 minutes you have a dessert (about 6 for the mise en place and mixing, 3-4 for baking and 2 for the topping) and If you have a very fresh ricotta you need to drain it overnight (as in my case but I prefer my ricotta super fresh).

 Ingredients.

600 gr unsalted fresh ricotta

1 can sweetened condensed milk.

1 pich salt.

1 teaspoon lemon peel grated.

2 tablespoons corn starch

5 eggs.

½ tablespoon vanilla extract.

¼ cup white sugar. (op)

Marmalade sauce.

½ cup apricot marmalade

2 tablespoons dark rum

1 tablespoon  fresh lemon juice

¼ cup water or apricot juice

½ cup raisings

1-      Mix all the ingredients with a handheld mixer until smooth.

2-      Place in buttered ramekins or oven proof glass bowl.

3-      Bake 180°C until golden but the center remains a bit soft when you move the bowl.

4-      Let cool (better overnight)and spread the top with the marmalade sauce

For the sauce

1-      soak the raising in the rum for about 1 hour

2-      Mix all the ingredient and cook over low heat until the marmalade is hot

Microwave Version

 For the microwave oven version

1-      Use buttered ramekins and bake the cheesecake for 3.5 to 4 minutes, the center will always look kind of wet so insert a wooden stick in the center and should come out clean.

For the sauce

1 small jar cherries in syrup

1 1/2 tablespoon corn starch

½ cup cherry syrup

4 tablespoons water

1-      mix water and  corn starch then add the  cherry syrup, place in a micro wave oven safe bowl or mug  and cook for 30 second take the bowl out and stir the sauce and cook for other 30 seconds stir until is thickens and it looses the milky color (due to corn starch) 

Splenda Cheesecake

For the splenda cheesecake

Substitute the sweetened condensed milk for 300 ml cream or milk and the white sugar for 1 cup granular splenda or to taste and bake until a wooden stick comes out clean, as this doesn’t have sugar it won’t get a golden color

For the topping

1 red or green apple diced

1 cup water or unsweetened apple juice

Splenda to taste

1 pinch cinnamon

1 pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon corn starch

Raisins to taste

1-      In sauce pan cook apple, raisins, salt and water until the apple Is soft smash some of the apple cubes and add the corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water.

2-      Stir until the sauce thickens; add the vanilla when the sauce is warm.

The Daring Bakers' October Challenge Povitica

The Daring Bakers' October Challenge

Povitica

The season for all kid of nuts in my country is December…IMPORTED HA HA HA, soooo as we the Latin American have the biggest nut in the world: COCONUT, I decided to combine it with other products from this part of the world….CHOCOLATE and VANILLA, the scent and flavor ... so delicious.  I loved this challenge and I learnt a lot, THANK YOU JENNY :D

Original Recipe:

Povitica (makes 4 loaves)

Ingredients

To activate the Yeast:

2 Teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) Sugar

1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour

½ Cup (120ml) Warm Water

2 Tablespoons (30ml/14 gm/½ oz/2 sachets) Dry Yeast

Dough:

2 Cups (480ml) Whole Milk

¾ Cup (180 ml/170gm/6 oz) Sugar

3 Teaspoons (15 ml/18 gm/2/3 oz) Table Salt

4 Large Eggs

½ Cup (120ml/115 gm/one stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted

8 cups (1.92 l/1.12 kg/39½ oz/2½ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Walnut Filling:

7 Cups (1.68 l/1.12 kg/2.5 lbs) Ground English Walnuts

1 Cup (240ml) Whole Milk

1 Cup (240ml/225 gm/2 sticks/8 oz) Unsalted Butter

2 Whole Eggs, Beaten

1 Teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract

2 Cups (480ml/450 gm/16 oz) Sugar

1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) Cinnamon

Topping:

½ Cup (120 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee

2 Tablespoons (30 ml/28 gm/1 oz) Granulated Sugar

Melted Butter

Directions:

To Activate Yeast:

1. In a small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, and the yeast into ½ cup warm water and cover with plastic wrap.

2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes

To Make the Dough:

3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk up to just below boiling (about 180°F/82°C), stirring constantly so that a film does not form on the top of the milk. You want it hot enough to scald you, but not boiling. Allow to cool slightly, until it is about 110°F/43°C.

4. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, ¾ cup (180 gm/170 gm/6 oz) sugar, and the salt until combined.

5. Add the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and 2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz) of flour.6. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until the dough starts to clean the bowl.

7. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead, gradually adding flour a little at a time, until smooth and does not stick. Note: I did not use all 8 cups of flour

8. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (they will each weight about 1.25 pounds/565 grams)

9. Place dough in 4 lightly oiled bowls, cover loosely with a layer of plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and let rise an hour and a half in a warm place, until doubled in size.

To Make the Filling

10. In a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa.

11. Heat the milk and butter to boiling.

12. Pour the liquid over the nut/sugar mixture.

13. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.

14. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to be spread on the dough.

15. If the mixture thickens, add a small amount of warm milk.To Roll and Assemble the Dough:

16. Spread a clean sheet or cloth over your entire table so that it is covered.

17. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons to a handful of flour (use flour sparingly)

18. Place the dough on the sheet and roll the dough out with a rolling pin, starting in the middle and working your way out, until it measures roughly 10-12 inches (25½ cm by 30½ cm) in diameter.

19. Spoon 1 to 1.5 teaspoons (5ml to 7 ½ ml/4 gm to 7 gm) of melted butter on top.

20. Using the tops of your hands, stretch dough out from the center until the dough is thin and uniformly opaque. You can also use your rolling pin, if you prefer.

21. As you work, continually pick up the dough from the table, not only to help in stretching it out, but also to make sure that it isn’t sticking.

22. When you think it the dough is thin enough, try to get it a little thinner. It should be so thin that you can see the color and perhaps the pattern of the sheet underneath.

23. Spoon filling (see below for recipe) evenly over dough until covered.

24. Lift the edge of the cloth and gently roll the dough like a jelly roll.

25. Once the dough is rolled up into a rope, gently lift it up and place it into a greased loaf pan in the shape of a “U”, with the ends meeting in the middle. You want to coil the dough around itself, as this will give the dough its characteristic look when sliced.

26. Repeat with remaining three loaves, coiling each rope of dough in its own loaf pan.

27. Brush the top of each loaf with a mixture of ½ cup (120 ml) of cold STRONG coffee and 2 tablespoons (30ml/28 gm/1 oz) of sugar. If you prefer, you can also use egg whites in place of this.

28. Cover pans lightly will plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.

29. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.

30. Remove plastic wrap from dough and place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.

31. Turn down the oven temperature to slow 300°F/150°C/gas mark 2 and bake for an additional 45 minutes, or until done.

32. Remove bread from oven and brush with melted butter.

33. Check the bread at 30 minutes to ensure that the bread is not getting too brown. You may cover the loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil if you need to.

34. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes, still in the bread pan. Remember, the bread weighs about 2.5 and it needs to be able to hold its own weight, which is difficult when still warm and fresh out of the oven. Allowing it to cool in the pan helps the loaf to hold its shape.

35. It is recommended that the best way to cut Povitica loaves into slices is by turning the loaf upside down and slicing with a serrated knife.

Blog-checking lines: The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

Venezuelan Patacones

Venezuelan Patacones

Patacones are delicious they are mostly eaten in Zulia state, they are a kind of sandwich made with fried plantain instead of bread, the filling is up to your imagination I made fried pork with potato, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese (Monterrey Jack or mozzarella or the one you like best),  fried bacon, white sauce and green sauce, ketchup. The plantain can be ripe or not it depends on how crispy you want your “sandwich” 

 Cut the plantain lentghwise and not very thing, one plantain three slices

 Fry and then the best part, hit them until they are thin

 Beautil, crisp outside but tender inside

 Cover one slice of plain with cheese and the filling you chose

 Serve

Green Sauce.

About one cup of coriander leaves, about ½ cup parsley leaves, about ¼ cup chopped onion, 2 tablespoon sweet chili, 1 tablespoon jalapeño (optional), ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cappers, 1 tablespoon chopped celery, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, about ¼ cup oil (corn or sunflower), 3 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, and enough water to make a sauce the consistency is lighter that a pesto sauce, I like it thick, keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve

White Sauce.

Mayonnaise, plain yogurt, roasted bell pepper cut in mall squares, sweet and sour pickles chopped mix everything and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve

Croissants: The Daring Bakers' september Challenge

Croissants: The Daring Bakers' September Challenge.

Thank you Sarah for this wonderful challenge. I made the original recipe and other using carob flour and filled them with quince, for the white ones without filling I garnished them with homemade guava in syrup and MORE butter.  Posted at last I think the problem is caused by the internet company and not blogger...well I am nor sure I'll keep traying to find the cause why I can't post or comment :(

They look like wet inside but they were not...

Ingredients

¼ oz (7 gm) of fresh yeast, or 1¼ teaspoon (6¼ ml/4 gm) of dry-active yeast (about ½ sachet)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) warm water (less than 100°F/38°C)

1 teaspoon (5 ml/4½ gm) sugar

1 ¾ cups (225 gm/½ lb) of strong plain flour (I used Polish all-purpose flour, which is 13% protein)

2 teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) sugar

1½ teaspoon (7½ ml/9 gm) salt

½ cup (120 ml/¼ pint) milk (I am not sure if the fat content matters. I used 2%)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) tasteless oil (I used generic vegetable oil)

½ cup (120 ml/1 stick/115 gm/¼ lb) chilled, unsalted butter

1 egg, for egg wash

Directions:

1. Mix the yeast, warm water, and first teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Leave aside for the yeast and sugar to dissolve and the yeast to foam up a little.

2. Measure out the other ingredients

3. Heat the milk until tepid (either in the microwave or a saucepan), and dissolve in the salt and remaining sugar

4. Place the flour in a large bowl.

5. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and milk mixture to the flour

6. Mix all the ingredients together using the rubber spatula, just until all the flour is incorporated

7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and let it rest a minute while you wash out the bowl

8. Knead the dough eight to ten times only. The best way is as Julia Child does it in the video (see below). It’s a little difficult to explain, but essentially involves smacking the dough on the counter (lots of fun if you are mad at someone) and removing it from the counter using the pastry scraper.

9. Place the dough back in the bowl, and place the bowl in the plastic bag (Photos 1 & 2)

10. Leave the bowl at approximately 75°F/24°C for three hours, or until the dough has tripled in size. (Photo 3)

11. After the dough has tripled in size, remove it gently from the bowl, pulling it away from the sides of the bowl with your fingertips. (Photo 4)

12. Place the dough on a lightly floured board or countertop, and use your hands to press it out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches (20cm by 30cm). (Photo 5)

13. Fold the dough rectangle in three, like a letter (fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up) (Photos 6 & 7)

4

14. Place the dough letter back in the bowl, and the bowl back in the plastic bag. (Photo 8)

15. Leave the dough to rise for another 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This second rise can be done overnight in the fridge (Photo 9)

16. Place the double-risen dough onto a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the plate in the fridge while you prepare the butter. (Photo 10)

17. Once the dough has doubled, it’s time to incorporate the butter

18. Place the block of chilled butter on a chopping board.

19. Using the rolling pin, beat the butter down a little, till it is quite flat. (Photo 11)

20. Use the heel of your hand to continue to spread the butter until it is smooth. You want the butter to stay cool, but spread easily.

21. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured board or counter. Let it rest for a minute or two. (Photo 12)

22. Spread the dough using your hands into a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm). (Photo 13)

23. Remove the butter from the board, and place it on the top half of the dough rectangle (Photos 14 & 15)

24. Spread the butter all across the top two-thirds of the dough rectangle, but keep it ¼ inch (6 mm) across from all the edges. (Photo 16)

25. Fold the top third of the dough down, and the bottom third of the dough up. (Photos 17 & 18)

26. Turn the dough package 90 degrees, so that the top flap is to your right (like a book). (Photo 19)

27. Roll out the dough package (gently, so you don’t push the butter out of the dough) until it is again about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm). (Photo 20)

28. Again, fold the top third down and the bottom third up. (Photos 21 & 22)

29. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 2 hours. (Photo 23)

30. After two hours have passed, take the dough out of the fridge and place it again on the lightly floured board or counter.

31. Tap the dough with the rolling pin, to deflate it a little

32. Let the dough rest for 8 to 10 minutes

33. Roll the dough package out till it is 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).

34. Fold in three, as before

35. Turn 90 degrees, and roll out again to 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).

36. Fold in three for the last time, wrap in plastic, and return the dough package to the fridge for two more hours (or overnight, with something heavy on top to stop it from rising)

37. It’s now time to cut the dough and shape the croissants

38. First, lightly butter your baking sheet so that it is ready

39. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for ten minutes on the lightly floured board or counter

40. Roll the dough out into a 20 by 5 inch rectangle (51 cm by 12½ cm). (Photo 24)

41. Cut the dough into two rectangles (each 10 by 5 inches (25½ cm by 12½ cm)) (Photo 24)

42. Place one of the rectangles in the fridge, to keep the butter cold

43. Roll the second rectangle out until it is 15 by 5 inches (38 cm by 12½ cm).

44. Cut the rectangle into three squares (each 5 by 5 inches (12½ cm by 12½ cm))

45. Place two of the squares in the fridge

46. The remaining square may have shrunk up a little bit in the meantime. Roll it out again till it is nearly square

47. Cut the square diagonally into two triangles. (Photo 25)

5

48. Stretch the triangle out a little, so it is not a right-angle triangle, but more of an isosceles. (Photo 26)

49. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle up towards the point, and curve into a crescent shape. (Photo 27)

50. Place the unbaked croissant on the baking sheet

51. Repeat the process with the remaining squares of dough, creating 12 croissants in total.

52. Leave the tray of croissants, covered lightly with plastic wrap, to rise for 1 hour

53. Preheat the oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9.

54. Mix the egg with a teaspoon of water

55. Spread the egg wash across the tops of the croissants. (Photo 28)

56. Put the croissants in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are browned nicely

57. Take the croissants out of the oven, and place them on a rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!