Baked Apple Roses#Improv

Apple Roses baked in homemade puff pastry. Apple Roses are made by rolling a row of half apple slices with a strip of pastry into a spiral. The end result is that your get a shape of natural rose flower petals.  

Ingredients
2 Medium Apple - sliced
2 -3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 -3 Tablespoons Water
1 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1 -2 Tablespoon Strawberry jam
Puff Pastry Sheet - as required - this is my homemade sheet

Method

Core apples. 

Cut in to halves and cut thin slices. Add this to a bowl add the lemon juice, water and sugar mix it well then microwave for 2- 3 minutes or till they just soften ( do not overcook or else you will not be able to roll them). 

Remove all the slices on to paper towel,

let them dry spread on a plate.

Dust the board with flour generously. Roll the pastry sheet and cut broad strips.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water in strawberry jam mix it well to make it a spreading consistency.

Spread jam on a sheet strip, 

now place slices on it. 

Fold on side of the sheet on to the apple to hold them in place.

Roll it into a rose shape.

Here the rose is ready, like wise make the rest. 

Place them into lightly greased cupcake pan.
Bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes.

Sprinkle icing sugar after baking( this is optional which I did not use).

Beautiful apple roses are ready to serve. These are gorgeous looking and very delicious apple roses. A must try recipe. Enjoy!

Pastry & Fruit is our theme for Improv Cooking Challenge this month. 

Labels: Puff Pastry Sheet, Homemade, Baked, Apple, Improv Cooking Challenge, Jam  

 Improv Cooking Challenge

Pastry & Fruit

• A Day in the Life on the Farm - Lemon Cream Pie
• Magical Ingredients - Very Berry Turnovers
• Pandemonium Noshery - Souvlaki Tvorah Fruit Slice
• Sneha's Recipes - Baked Apple Roses

Choreg – Armenian Easter Bread#BreadBakers

Choreg is a traditional, slightly sweet bread, especially made for Easter. It is delicious for breakfast with a nice cup of coffee. This has an amazing smell and flavor, it's a lovely, tender, lightly sweet bread. 

Ingredients
250 Grams Bread Flour
50 Grams All Purpose Flour
50 Grams Caster Sugar
1 Tablespoon Heaped Milk Powder
1¼Teaspoon Instant Yeast
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Mahleb
¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
50 - 75Ml Room Temperature Water 
1½ Large Egg
45 Grams Butter
For Egg Wash
½ An Egg - beaten
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Method 

Water depends on the size of the eggs and flour so add little at a time
In the bowl of a stand mixer/food processor, combine the flour, milk powder, yeast, sugar, mahleb, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine. Add in the egg, butter, vanilla and water. Knead until dough ball begins to form - mix on medium about 5 more minutes.
Remove dough from the bowl, add a bit of oil to the bottom. Cover bowl with a tea towel and set in a warm place until it doubles in volume. When doubled in size, punch down and cover again. Allow to rise a second time. Check in about 25 to 30 minutes (depending on the country and room temperature).

When it has doubled in size again, split dough into 6 equal pieces. 

Roll each of those pieces into 12-inch ropes. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Re roll into ropes to 12 inch ropes . Pinch the ends of ropes tightly together.

Twist the ropes tightly into a braid.

Then make a ring and pinch the ends. Repeat for the two set of dough.

Place them on a baking sheet, cover and allow to rise again for about 20 to 22 minutes.

In the meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely golden brown all over.

See how perfectly baked they are and smell awesome! 

Enjoy warm!! 

Labels: Breads, Bread Bakers, Armenia, Easter Breads, Egg, International Cuisine

I am hosting this month and asked the others to join me in sharing Easter Breads

• Choreg-Armenian Easter Bread by Sneha’s Recipe
• Chocolate Bunny Bread by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sourdough Choreg-Armenian Easter Bread by Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Sourdough Carrot Cake Waffles with Cream Cheese Syrup by Food Lust People Love
• Orange Blueberry Hot Cross Buns by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Tsoureki by A Messy Kitchen
• Jidase by Magical Ingredients

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Pork Sorpatel - East Indian#SundayFunday

No matter how this is spelt and pronounced by many Sorpotel or Sarpatel or Sarapatel, the dish that makes mouths water and leave you drooling anywhere it’s served. The Goan and East Indians claim theirs it the best, but, that's a debatable issue that will last for every more. Each one is brought up with the taste that their parents or grandparents made for them. 

Today I am, sharing my mother's traditional East Indian version that is made at every feast or celebrations. This is a must dish for every function of ours. In weddings when this is prepared usually country liquor, wine or brandy is added. But I did not add any of these. Even the pork tongue is added to make this dish, here is it's difficult to get it, if you get hold of it do add, it taste good in this dish.

East Indian Sorpatel is like a pickle that stay's long in if refrigerate well. This is side dish that can be had with anything. So vinegar and oil are very important to preserve this dish for long storage. In East Indian weddings this is prepared and stored in large ceramic jars for a long time at room temperature in a cool pantry shelve. But now with weather changes this stored and heated daily or refrigerated.

Ingredients
1 Kg Pork- cut into big pieces
¼ Kg Liver=  cut into big pieces - Optional
2 Full Big Pods Garlic – finely cut lengthwise
3 - 4 Inch Piece Ginger – cut into juliennes
8 green chillies – cut lengthwise
3 Tablespoons East Indian Bottle Masala - adjust spiciness
¼ Cup Vinegar or to taste  

Method

Salt the pork and liver well and leave it aside for at least 20 to 30 minutes then wash it well in fresh water to remove any excess salt.

Boil pork & liver with a little salt till nearly done.

Cut the cooked pork and liver into small tiny pieces.

Slice the ginger, garlic and green chillies.

In a large pan first fry all the fat of the pork till browns and release all it's fat/lard.  

Remove the pork fast once brown then in the same lard fry the meat and liver in batches till brown. Keep aside.

In a large pot/ vessel add the from the frying of the pork and fry the ginger, garlic and green chillies. When they start to soften add in the bottle masala and meat and fry well till the spice coats the meat. Now add in the vinegar and the stock from the cooked meat and let it cook on medium low flame till oil surfaces.

Taste for salt and vinegar adding accordingly for this should be a little sour or else this start to mold. Let it simmer till oil surfaces.
This is best eaten after a day or two as it taste better the next day and gets time for all the flavors to marry.

Enjoy this with crusty bread, taste awesome!!  
Labels: East Indian, Pickle, Pork, Sorpatel, Sunday Funday, Side Dish, Gluten free

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Today we are sharing Easter Side Dishes. 

• Bunny Cupcakes from Amy’s Cooking Adventures 
• Feta and Strawberry Tabouli Salad from Food Lust People Love 
• Fresh Pea Hummus from Culinary Cam
• Pineapple Bread Pudding from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Pork Sorpatel - East Indian from Sneha’s Recipe 
• Potato Salad with Condensed Milk from Palatable Pastime 
• Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots from Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• Veggie Niçoise Salad from Mayuri’s Jikoni 
• Whole Wheat Rosemary Garlic Bread Recipe from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen

Šmorn With Raisins - A Slovenian Pancake#EattheWorld

This is one dish that I really enjoyed for breakfast when I visited Slovenia. This is also had for supper/dinner with a fresh salad... which makes light and delicious meal!

Šmorn (shmorn) a Slovenian-style buttery, double-fried, pancaken it's a traditional Slovenian breakfast/brunch. It’s something of a cross between a crepe and a pancake. It is very easy to make and children will love it.

Serves One
Ingredients
2 Large Eggs - separated
¼ Cup Whole Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Raisins
¼ Cup Rum
Icing Sugar - for dusting the top
Method

Soak the raisins in rum till it covers and let it sit at least for half an hour. 

After that drain all the rum in a strainer and let it drain any excess moisture.
Separate the egg whites and yolks. 

Beat the egg whites till soft peaks.

To the yolks add the salt, sugar and vanilla and milk and whisk till well blended. 

Then fold in the egg whites, little at a time till no white patches are seen. 

The pancake batter is ready!

Heat a 6" dia skillet with 1½ tablespoons butter. Heat until the butter starts to bubble, then pour in the batter mixture, tip the pan back and forth until the bottom is completely covered with an even coating of batter. 

Sprinkle the drained raisins on top. Let is cook on low flame, covered for 5 minutes on one side or until the batter is firm and the edges begin to brown, then turn.

To flip take this on to a plate then flip it back into the pan.

Before adding the pancake back add ½ tablespoon butter and then add the pancake, let it cook till the other sides is golden or has a pretty uniform toast color or has browned, uncovered, although this side will be spotty as the šmorn will crinkle a bit while cooking.

Transfer this to a serving plate.

Dust/sprinkle with icing sugar. 

Enjoy this with jam of your choice and a cup of coffee or tea. This is served open-faced. 

Fruit jams and jellies work well as a filling. So does butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

Labels: Eat the World, Slovenia, Pancake, Brunch, Raisins, International Cuisine,,Serves One

Each month a group of us join Evelyne of CulturEatz as she travels to different countries to Eat the World.

Check out all the wonderful Slovak dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

 Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Slovakian Garlic & Potato Soup (Cesnaková Polievka) 

Sneha’s Recipe : Šmorn With Raisins - A Slovenian Pancake 

Magical Ingredients: Granadir 

Pandemonium Noshery: Mäso v Chreňovej Omáčke - Meat in Horseradish Sauce 

Cultureatz: Štefani Pečenka: Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs 

Kitchen Frau: Bryndzové Halušky (Potato Dumplings with Cheese & Bacon) 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Hemendex