Tag Archive for: autumn

Festive Prosciutto Rolls

This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you’ll be making year after year for New Year’s Eve dinner.

This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.

We’re nearing the end of the year, and it’s always nice to have some easy finger food recipes on hand. Ever since I remember, my family has served prosciutto in one form or another for New Year’s Eve dinner. So let me know in the comments what is your family’s traditional food!

This recipe for the festive prosciutto rolls is super easy. I made these with my homemade phyllo dough, but if you’re in a hurry or don’t feel like making your own, a store-bought one works just as well. But I promise it is easier than it seems to make and always a fun activity for the kids and the entire family.

What is inside these festive prosciutto rolls?

Well, I don’t think I need to mention it, bis a layer of thinly sliced prosciutto accompanied by thinly sliced zucchinis, which add a lovely freshness to the rolls, and a generous amount of cheese. I’m using brie, but any other cheese that melts nicely is great too!

This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.
This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.
This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.
This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.

Festive Prosciutto Rolls

Course Appetizer, brunch, Side Dish
Keyword Christmas, easy appetizer, new year’s eve
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 20 rolls
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 5 phyllo dough sheets (Recipe for homemade phyllo dough in recipe notes below.)
  • 20 slices prosciutto thinly sliced
  • 300 g brie cut into small chunks
  • 2 small zuchinnis thinly sliced lenghtwise
  • 20 g parmesan cheese
  • vegetable oil for brushing

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

  2. Start with 5 phyllo dough sheets of a rough size of 30×40 cm.

  3. Cut each phyllo dough sheet into four equal rectangles.

  4. Place one slice of prosciutto, two halfs of zuchinni slices and a chunk of brie..

  5. Fold sides of the dough over the filling then fold one of the other two sides of the phyllo dough over the filling and roll into a roll.

  6. Place the rolls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and grate over parmesan cheese.

  7. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 monutes until golden.

Notes

Find the recipe for phyllo dough here. (The same amount as you need for this recipe!)

Looking for other festive dishes?

I like to pair these rolls with salads. Fruity Winter Salad with Mustard Dressing or Persimmon Salad With Orange Dressing are perfect for that!

This easy and quick festive prosciutto rolls recipe is what you'll be making year after year for New Year's Eve dinner.

Spooky Chocolate & Meringue Ghost Cupcakes

A spooky Halloween recipe – chocolate & meringue ghost cupcakes! Learn how to make these easy and fun decorated cupcakes with a meringue topping and make the spookiest treat of the season.

A spooky Halloween recipe - chocolate & meringue ghost cupcakes! Learn how to make these easy and fun decorated cupcakes with a meringue topping and make the spookiest treat of the season.

Super excited to be sharing this recipe with you, guys. I got a ton of requests last year when I posted them on Instagram in collaboration with Kenwood Slovenija. Back then, the recipe was posted in Slovene.

And now I get to share it in English, and I can’t wait to see you make it!

I’m always fascinated by beautiful Halloween designs, so I thought I’d try making meringue ghost cupcakes. We’re big fans of meringue in my family. Yeah, I know it’s too sweet, but to be honest, we don’t have it all that often!

We get to splurge every now and then, right?

You know I’m all about simple recipes, and this one is no exception. The sponge is made in one bowl, so you have minimal cleaning. You’re only left with a bowl where you beat the meringue and a few extras, and that’s it. I’ve been very lazy with my cleaning lately, so I’m trying to make recipes that require less cleaning.

A spooky Halloween recipe - chocolate & meringue ghost cupcakes! Learn how to make these easy and fun decorated cupcakes with a meringue topping and make the spookiest treat of the season.
A spooky Halloween recipe - chocolate & meringue ghost cupcakes! Learn how to make these easy and fun decorated cupcakes with a meringue topping and make the spookiest treat of the season.

The recipe makes 12 middle-sized ghost cupcakes, but I assure you they will be gone fast. So if you’re making it for a party, I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe.

Spooky Chocolate & Meringue Ghost Cupcakes

Course Dessert
Keyword cake, chocolate cake, halloween, muffins
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 43 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Chocolate Sponge

  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 50 g ground hazelnuts
  • 50 g unsweetened cocoa
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 150 g sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 5 TBSP milk
  • cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 60 g chocolate chips

Meringue Ghost Topping

  • 3 egg whites
  • 140 g white sugar
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar

Decoration

  • chocolate chips

Instructions

Chocolate Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F)

  2. Mix flour, hazelnuts, cocoa, cinnamon, and baking powder in a bowl.

  3. Beat the eggs and sugar with a stand mixer for 1-2 minutes to get a fluffy batter.

  4. Add milk and oil and mix again to get a uniform mixture.

  5. Add the dry flour mixture and fold it with a spatula, just enough for the ingredients to combine.

  6. Add chocolate chips and gently fold in.

  7. Pour the batter into 12 muffin molds ¾ high and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

  8. Leave to cool entirely before decorating.

Meringue Ghost Topping

  1. Pour egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot with simmering water (a double boiler).

  2. Whisk for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, and all sugar is dissolved.

  3. Add the egg whites mixture to a clean and dry bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for 5-7 minutes to get stiff peaks, the mixture is silky, and all the sugar has dissolved.

  4. Use a round piping nozzle to decorate cooled-down cupcakes in ghost shapes.

  5. Use chocolate chips to create eyes.

Looking for other delicious chocolate recipes?

Take a look at these:

A spooky Halloween recipe - chocolate & meringue ghost cupcakes! Learn how to make these easy and fun decorated cupcakes with a meringue topping and make the spookiest treat of the season.

Clementine Aperol Spritz

I can’t get over this delicious clementine Aperol spritz. It’s mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.

I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.
I can't get over this delicious clementine Aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.

Are you up for an amazing Winter cocktail?

I’m catching the last days of some fresh clementines, that are super delicious in cocktails. I’m a huge fan of citruses like grapefruit or oranges in cocktails. And I just realized I haven’t posted a cocktail recipe with clementines yet. So let’s do that!

Ready?

All you need is some Aperol, which is a bright orange, bittersweet low-alcohol liqueur. I’m changing the original recipe a bit and trust me, it’s worth it, even though I love the original as well. The original is just Aperol liqueur, Processo wine and sparkling water. The citrus flavor adds so much to this drink.

Can you make this clementine aperol spritz less alcoholic?

Yes, absolutely. Simply change a part of Prosecco with clementine juice or apple juice and your cocktail will be less boozy.

I don’t suggest replacing Prosecco with sparkling water, because the taste will be too diluted.

I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.
I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.
I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.

Are you ready to have a drink?

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 2 parts Aperol (6 cl or 2 oz)
  • 2 parts freshly squeezed clementine juice (6 cl or 2 oz)
  • 1 part Prosecco (3 cl or 1 oz)
  • 1 part soda water (3 cl or 1 oz)
  • ice
  • clementine slices for garnish

Instructions

  1. Fill a large glass with ice.

  2. Pour Aperol over the ice followed by freshly squeezed clementine juice.

  3. Add soda water and garnish with a clementine slice.

I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.
I can't get over this delicious clementine aperol spritz. It's mixed with two parts Aperol, clementine juice, Prosecco and soda water.

The best no-bake lemon cheesecake

This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.

This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.

Less than two weeks from Valentine’s day!!! Whoa! I feel like I’m saying this in every single post, but man does the time fly these days! Am I right?

Are you already planning your Valentine’s day dinner? We don’t really celebrate Valentine’s day, but a dessert is always welcome. There’s nothing like a sweet but delicate dessert to share with someone you love. OR just eat on your own. That’s perfectly fine too 🙂

I can’t think of any better dessert but this fluffy cheesecake with lemon curd. I guarantee it’s gonna be a hit!

So how does the lemon pie look like?

The filling for this cheesecake was modified from Sally of Sally’s Baking Addiction blog. She’s a goddess when it comes to dessert and this filling is truly one of the best – if not the best – cheesecake filling I’ve ever tasted. IT’s the softest and creamies, I can’t stress this enough 🙂

I’ve topped the filling with some homemade lemon curd, which is just a fantastic way to brighten up the filling. Actually, I love it so much, I can easily eat it on it’s own 😉

You might think it’s hard to make lemon curd. I feel like people are scared of it. But it’s super simple. I promise! Just make sure you cook it long enough, to make sure the yolk is done. I prefer to err on the side of overcooking here.

As for the crust, I like to use butter cookies, but you can easily swap this for any kind of cookies you like or graham crackers. It’s really a very forgiving crust. You can even add some spices to it! The sky is the limit.

This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.
This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.
This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

The best no-bake lemon cheesecake

Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Cookie Crust

  • 150 g plain cookies
  • 1/3 stick unsalted butter (40 g)

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 12 oz cream cheese (350 g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (50 g)
  • 2 TBSP creme fraiche (30 g)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream (115 ml)

Lemon Curd

  • 2 TBSP sugar (25 g)
  • 2 TBSP lemőn juice (25 ml)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • zest of half of a lemon
  • 1/4 stick unsalted butter (25 g)

Instructions

Cookie Crust

  1. Add cookies to a food processor and pulse a few times until you get a chunky sand texture. Move to a small bowl.

  2. Melt butter in a saucepan and add it to the bowl with cookies. Mix with a spoon.

  3. Line a cake tin with baking paper and add the cookie mixture.

  4. Use a spoon to distribute it around the bottom evenly and firmly press.

  5. Place into the fridge while you are preparing the fillings.

Cream Cheese Filling

  1. Using a stand mixer with a pedal attachment mix together the cream cheese and sugar until well combined.

  2. Add creme fraiche and lemon juice and beat for a few minutes, until the cream becomes smooth.

  3. Using a hand mixer whip the whipping cream separately until you get stiff peaks.

  4. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold it in gently with a rubber spatula.

  5. Spread evenly over the firmed crust and place in the fridge while you make the lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

  1. Place sugar, egg yolk, lemon juice and lemon zest in a heat-proof bowl and place over a pot with simmering water to create a double boiler.

  2. Cook while whisking for about 10 minutes or until the mixture gets thick resembling a homemade mayonnaise consistency (not extremely thick).

  3. Remove from the heat and add butter. Whisk until the butter completely melts and incorporates.

  4. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is touching the surface of the curd. Keep at room temperature to cool down.

  5. Once cooled, pour over the cheesecake and decorate with toppings of your liking (I used candied lemons here).

Loving the no-bake pies? I have a few other options:

This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.
This no-bake lemon cheesecake has the softest fluffiest cream cheese filling and the most delicious lemon curd on top.

Persimmon Panna Cotta

Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta – spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.

Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.

Time for a cozy and comforting dessert.

I find panna cotta to be such an easy dessert for whenever you have guests coming over and you don’t have much time to do some proper baking. Plus I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like panna cotta.

This one today is inspired by the cool autumn weather we are having these days. I added a bit of cinnamon and vanilla into panna cotta. And then topped the panna cotta with homemade persimmon jelly, which basically requires only two ingredients.

Did you know that persimmons contain very high amounts of pectin? This means that they can be used as a hardening agent for homemade jams and you can use this knowledge to create a persimmon jam. And you don’t need any gelatine or agar. The persimmon pulp will harden on its own. I have used this in one of my very old recipes for persimmon coffee pudding.

So I just added a bit of sugar to make the process of solidifying even more pronounced. And that’s it, a very simple homemade persimmon jelly.

One word of caution though. Make sure that the persimmons you are using are ripe otherwise the tannins in the fruit will make your mouth dry. And that’s not a pleasant thing to feel.

Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.
Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.
Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.
Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.
Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Persimmon Panna Cotta

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Resting time 3 hours
Servings 6 servings
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Panna Cotta

  • cups heavy cream (600 ml)
  • 2 TBSP caster suagr (30 g)
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp vanilla seeds or vanilla extract
  • 3 gelatine leaves (5 g)

Persimmon Jelly

  • 2 hachiya persimmons
  • 2 TBSP caster sugar (30 g)

Instructions

Panna Cotta

  1. Place gelatine leaves into a bowl with cold water to soften.

  2. Place heavy cream, caster sugar, ground cinnamon and vanilla beans (or vanilla extract) into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. The mixture should not boil.

  3. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the softened gelatine leaves and whisk to combine.

  4. Pour the mixture into serving cups and keep refrigerated until it sets. This should take an hour or two.

Persimmon Jelly

  1. Scoop out the flesh of the persimmon and discard the skin. Remove seeds, if any.

  2. Place it in a food processor and add caster sugar.

  3. Mix until smooth.

  4. Pour over the chilled panna cotta.

  5. Place into the fridge for an hour, which will let the pectin do its magic and create a jelly.

Feeling all cozy with a persimmon panna cotta - spiced panna cotta with a delicious a surprising persimmon jelly.

Fudge Brownie Cake with Chocolate Ganache

I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all, make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.

I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.

Anyone else here dreaming about chocolate desserts now that it’s become moodier and cooler?

I’m not normally the one dreaming about anything chocolate (many desserts come before chocolate!) but this year I can’t help myself 🙂

So the other day I made a chocolate fudge brownie cake and it was utterly drool-worthy. It would be a shame not to share the recipe with you guys. And I actually added a simple chocolate ganache recipe to use on the cake. Because more chocolate is just better (again, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I guess times are changing!).

Here I used a bunch of fruits from the garden (I shot these a while ago when we still had some blueberries and raspberries in the garden). You can add any fruit you like such as banana, figs, pears and similar or just keep it a simple chocolate cake. Be creative!

I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.
I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.
I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.
I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.

Like I’ve said here probably a million times, the best recipes are simple ones that don’t require a bunch of ingredients and equipment. This is a recipe just like that. And that’s why I’m such a huge fan of brownies. So simple and everyone always likes them. Win-win!

If you’re not into fudgy brownies and prefer a cakier one, I have another amazing recipe here.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Fudge Brownie Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Fudge Brownie Cake

  • 200 g bitter-sweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter cubed
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate ganache

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (110 ml)
  • 150 g bitter-sweet chocolate very finely chopped

Instructions

Fudge Brownie Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and butter the sides and bottom of a 6-inch cake pan.

  2. Place chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water. Stir often until chocolate and butter have melted completely.

  3. Remove from the stove and add sugar and salt. Mix well.

  4. Once the mixture is not anymore, add eggs one at a time and use a whisk to mix them in well. The mixture should not be too slimy.

  5. Finally, add flour and mix it in to get a uniform batter.

  6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. You can do a toothpick test, however you will see it be brown and sticky even when the cake is done. Just make sure the toothpick shows the sticky inside and not a runny inside.

  7. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

  8. Cool it to room temperature or keep in the fridge before decorating with chocolate ganache.

Chocolate ganache

  1. While the cake is cooling, prepare the chocolate ganache.

  2. Pour heavy cream into a pot and heat until steaming but DO NOT LET IT BOIL!

  3. Pour the steaming hot heavy cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir with a spatula to create a smooth cream.

  4. The cream will be pretty runny and it's okay to use it like this if you prefer.

  5. To create a cream like in the photos, wait until the cream cools down to room temperature to become thicker and spreadable. If it still feels too runny, place it in the fridge until it gets the right consistency.

  6. You can prepare the cream in advance and store it in the fridge, then take it out an hour before using it.

I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.
I love it when you can make the most chocolaty fudge brownie cake with the simplest of ingredients. And to top it all make a simple and most delicious chocolate ganache.

White chocolate & matcha chia pudding with figs

This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.

This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.

Even though it has been around for a while, I’ve just recently discovered chia pudding. For whatever reason, I steered away from it for so long, even though I live chia seeds.

So during the lockdowns, we were making puddings in all shapes and sizes so I said why not try one with chia seeds. And it was amazing. The first one I made was with dark chocolate and peanut butter, which is also a recipe I need to share one day.

However this Summer I felt like making something just slightly brighter so I made a white chocolate and matcha chia pudding and some freshly made fig jam for that extra punch in flavor.

What I loved about pairing figs with chia pudding is the fact that they both have a crunch to them.

For me anything with small seeds paired with something very smooth is annoying (maybe that’s just me). But here both the pudding and the jam have actual seed in so it’s just a perfect combo texture-wise as well.

This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.
This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.
This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.
This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.

So we’re just enjoying the last days of Summer. It’s getting pretty cold here these days in the morning so I’m bringing my warm clothes out and dreaming about pumpkins and apple pies. Is this too soon?

Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe. Let me know in the comments if you try it.

This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

White chocolate & matcha chia pudding with figs

Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • 2 cups plant-based milk (animal milk works okay too if you're not vegan)
  • 100 g vegan white chocolate (regular white chocolate works too, if you're not vegan)
  • 1 TBSP matcha powder
  • chopped nuts

Fig jam

  • 200 g fresh ripe figs
  • 3 TBSP white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla seeds or vanilla extract
  • 2 TBSP water
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

Chia Pudding

  1. Place a small pot over medium heat.

  2. Chop white chocolate in small chunks and place them in a heat-proof bowl.

  3. Place the bowl over the pot and stir the chocolate constantly and remove from heat as soon as it completely melts.

  4. In a medium-size bowl mix milk, matcha powder and chia seeds using a whisk.

  5. Pour in white chocolate slowly whisking quickly to incorporate it into the pudding mixture.

  6. Place in the fridge for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight, to set.

Fig jam

  1. Remove hard parts of the fig stem and cut figs into small pieces.

  2. Place them in a small pot and add all other jam ingredients.

  3. Cook for five to ten minutes or until figs become really soft.

  4. Move to a food processor and mix until you get a smooth jam.

  5. Jam will become thicker when it sets.

Assembly

  1. Once the jam and the pudding have set place the pudding into two glasses halfway up. Then add the jam and finish with the rest of the pudding. If you wish, you can add some fresh figs into the glass and on top and top everything with chopped nuts.

If you’re into pudding recipes you might also like:

This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.
This deliciously rich white chocolate and matcha chia pudding with a homemade fig jam is such a wonderful dessert for late Summer.

Vegan Rainbow Tofu Spring Rolls

Enjoy these refreshing and delicious tofu spring rolls filled with crisp vegetables, creamy avocado, and flavorful marinated tofu.

When it comes to fresh veggies there’s nothing better than spring rolls. And what is more, I’m not focusing on anything too traditional here. And that’s the fun part because you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and whatever is in season.

For this recipe, I’ve joined forces with my dear friend Kristina from Story on a plate. I have provided the recipe and food and together we’ve created this beautiful scene and photos! So credit for those to her as well and if you’re not following her on IG yet, go ahead and do that right now.

Whenever I make spring rolls I make sure to use veggies of different colors because that’s how we get different vitamins, right? And it’s just so pretty to see a beautiful rainbow of colors.

We come to the best part of these tofu spring rolls and that’s the marinated tofu. This marinated tofu is gold and this is coming from not such a huge tofu fan. Once I tried tofu marinated like that, I was hooked. And from now on I’ll be experimenting with flavoring tofu heaps more. What about you? What’s your favorite tofu recipe? I really wanna know!

If you’re a fan of tofu, I have a recipe for a Vegan Asparagus Quiche with tofu as well or Vegan roasted pumpkin curry with tofu.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Vegan Rainbow Tofu Spring Rolls

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Tofu Marinade

  • 3 TBSP thai sweet soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP fresh or dried lemongrass chopped very finelly
  • 1/2 TBSP chili flakes

Rainbow Tofu Spring Rolls

  • 350 g medium or firm tofu drained and thoroughly dried/pressed
  • 8-10 sheets of 22cm/8.5" round rice paper 
  • 8-10 small letuce leaves
  • 5-7 radishes
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 small piece red cabbage
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • juice of 1 lime for preventing avocado to brown

Dipping Sauce

  • 2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP thai sweet soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP hoisin sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Rainbow Tofu Spring Rolls

  1. In a rather large bowl mix all tofu marinade ingredients.

  2. After your tofu has beed drained and dried cut tofu into rectangles about 1 cm (0.5 inch wide).

  3. Place the tofu into the marinade and carefully toss to coat all sides.

  4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a TBSP of cooking oil to the pan and cook tofu for 4-5 minutes or until all sides are golden.

Dipping Sauce

  1. Bring all the ingredients together mix well to combine.

Rainbow Tofu Spring Rolls

  1. Cut carrots into shin sticks (julienne) and red cabage into thin slices. Also thinly slice the radishes.

  2. Thinly slice avocado and as soon as you cut it squeeze some lime juice over the avocado to prevent it from oxidizing.

  3. Prepare your lettuce leaf and place some carrots, red cabbage and tofu inside and roll it into a tight roll.

  4. Prepare a large bowl with cold water for 2-3 seconds then drain for a second and place it on the counter smooth side down.

  5. Add the lettuce roll to the center of the soaked rice paper. Then add radishes in a row above the lettuce roll. This will be your outer side of the roll. Place some avocado on top of the radishes.

  6. Begin rolling your spring rolls. First, bring in the left and right sides. Then bring in the bottom side of the rice paper and begin rolling while maintaining some pressure. Be sure not to be too firm, otherwise, the rice papers might break.

  7. Serve immediately.

Sauerkraut Börek

These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and the soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on their own.

These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.

Today, I’m sharing a dish we’ve been making a lot this Winter. And it’s honoring the deliciousness of sauerkraut, which we have on the menu at least once a week during the cold months.

What is sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage, that is usually cut finely, but you can also get the whole cabbage heads. I’m not sure if these can be purchased everywhere, but they are quite common in the Balkans.

The name sauerkraut comes form German and means sour cabbage.

While sauerkraut is not a traditional filling for börek, we can’t stop making it after tasting the sauerkraut börek. It is created with very simple ingredients, and the process is straightforward.

This recipe also includes the recipe for homemade phyllo dough, although the storebought is just as fine. Whenever I use the storebought, I prefer finding phyllo dough that’s very thin. It creates a very crispy and flaky skin on the börek.

These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.

How do you make the homemade phyllo dough?

Although it might sound intimidating to make your own phyllo dough, it’s actually not that difficult. Take it from me, I’m by no means an expert. If you ever stop by YouTube and check the professionals, you might easily be discouraged, but it really only takes a gentle hand while stretching the dough.

The dough is basically just flour, water, and salt. Optionally you can a little oil for flavor. I used olive oil for this sauerkraut börek, however, I don’t even put oil every time I make phyllo dough. The dough is very soft and is very easy to knead by hand. It might stick a bit at first, but once you get the gluten going you’re good!

Then all it takes is to rest the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with some foil, so it doesn’t dry out. After you’ve left the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes, you roll the dough just a little bit, oil the surface, and let it rest covered for about 20 minutes. This lets the gluten relax. After that, the dough is ready to be stretched. Gently slide your fingers under the dough, right to the center, and gently stretch towards yourself. Move around the dough and stretch. Always make sure you stretch the thicker parts and not the parts that are already very thin.

Some people also use the rolling method, however, I don’t own a long thin rolling pin, so I use this method, which is very common for the Balkans anyway. Here’s a nice video to show you how this method works.

While you can stretch the entire dough in one go and get one huge piece of dough, I find it easier to divide my dough into smaller doughs right before resting and then stretch each one separately.

Time to fill the börek

After you’ve stretched the dough you can fill it with the most delicious sauerkraut filling. I have to be honest with you. The person who actually created the filling recipe for this sauerkraut börek is my husband with a bit of help of my son. I’m usually responsible for making the dough and they get to do the fillings when we make any kind of börek.

These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.

I know, you’re probably waiting anxiously for the recipe, so let’s just dive in! If you’re interested in making another similar dish with phyllo dough, I also have a recipe for Chicken Spanakopita.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Sauerkraut Börek

Course Appetizer, brunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Baking Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • homemade phyllo dough (recipe below) or 500g store bought phyllo dough
  • 1 kg thinly cut sauerkraut
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 TBSP paprika
  • 1 TBSP turmeric
  • crushed black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp anis seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground carraway seeds
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 red onion
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • cooking oil for frying the filling, brushing the pan and top the börek
  • 1 small egg + 1 tsp water for egg wash (optional)

Instructions

  1. Finely slice shallots and red onions and fry them on a tablespoon of cooking oil for a few minutes until translucent.

  2. Finely slice or crush the garlic. Add to the pan and fry for an extra two to three minutes.

  3. Add all the spices and fry for another minute.

  4. Drain the sauerkraut. Taste the sauerkraut to see how sour it is. If you find it too sour for your liking, you can wash it quickly under running water and then leave it to drain.

  5. Add drained sauerkraut to the pan and fry on medium heat for about 20 minutes. It should become a bit dryer and softer.

  6. Divide the filling phyllo dough into the same amount of parts as you have phyllo dough sheets.

  7. Spread one part of the filling onto one sheet of phyllo dough, but cover only one third starting from the edge. Start rolling from the side, where he filling is, then roll it.

  8. Shape it into a snail shape and continue filling another sheet of phyllo pastry. You can either add it to the snail, to ultimately create a large börek or create small separate böreks. If you create separate böreks, reduce baking time for 5-10 minutes.

  9. Generously oil the pan you'll be using to bake and place the börek onto the pan.

  10. Brush some oil on top of the börek. If you're doing an egg-wash, brush it over oiled börek.

  11. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.

Homemade Phyllo Dough

Prep Time 15 minutes
Resting + Stereching Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g high protein white flour (all-purpose flour works as well)
  • 300 g water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 TBSP olive oil (omit if you're using all-purpose flour)

Instructions

  1. Sift flour into a large bowl.

  2. Make a well and pour in the water. Add salt and oil to the water.

  3. Start mixing from the center with your fingers. It will be sticky, but once it all comes together it will go off your hands easily.

  4. Mix until you can see the dough coming together a bit, then you can start kneading to incorporate the flour in. Every flour needs a different amount of water, so you might end up adding more flour or leaving some flour in the bowl at the end.

  5. When the dough starts to become uniform transfer (this will usually take somewhere from 3-4 minutes) it to the bench and continue kneading for another 8 minutes. The dough should be soft and uniform. It will stick to your hands just a little bit, that's okay. If it sticks too much add a little more flour and knead it in.

  6. You can either leave the dough whole and end up creating a large piece of phyllo. I prefer dividing it into three parts, to make it easier when I'm stretching.

  7. Whatever method you use. Place the dough into an oiled bowl (or three oiled bowls) brush a little oil over the dough and cover with plastic wrap right on the dough. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes. You can prepare the dough a day before, and store it in the fridge, then take it out and leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before proceeding.

  8. After resting, place a large sheet onto the table and generously sprinkle it with flour. Place the dough onto the floured sheet and roll it out a little bit. If I'm making one large dough I like to roll it out to about 40 cm (15 inches) or 20 cm (8 inches) if I divide the dough into three parts. The precise measurements don't really matter, just to give you a rough idea. Generously pour oil over the rolled dough and brush all over the surface. Be sure to cover the edges too. This will prevent the dough from drying out. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

  9. After that, you can start stretching. Make sure you cover a large area of the sheet with flour, so the dough will not stick.

  10. Place your hands under the dough and gently pull towards yourself. You will immediately see stretching happening. Move around the dough and to the same. Make sure, that you don't stretch the parts that are already very thin and continue stretching the thicker parts. In the end, you will end with edges that are a little bit thicker. You can continue stretching them for as long as the dough can handle it.

  11. Leave the dough to dry for a minute or two then you can start adding the filling.

These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.
These delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough and soft fragrant sauerkraut flavor of this sauerkraut börek are a perfect side dish or a meal on its own.

The Softest Sourdough Doughnuts

Once you’ve tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you’ll never try any other! This one-and-a-half-day recipe is well worth the time it takes.

Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.

Here in Slovenia, we’ve had our carnival festival these past few days. And there is no carnival without some soft and fluffy doughnuts. Just like last year, I’ve made my sourdough doughnuts. While the ones from last year were okay considering I made them just a month after making my first sourdough starter or ever baking anything sourdough. However, the ones that I made this year were to die for!

I’m not exaggerating. The perfect size, the perfect shape, the softerst texture and the sweetest flavor. So good!

Lessons I’ve learned about sourdough in a year have paid off.

So if this is the first time making sourdough doughnuts, my number one advice is to be patient. There’s a lot of waiting involved and it’s easy to get very excited and not leaving the dough to rest or rise long enough. You just wanna go in there and work, right? However, it is really important to just watch your dough and wait, without really looking at the clock. This is also the reason there’s no very specific time frame in my recipe. The fermentation works very differently at different temperatures.

I will share my times and temperatures just so you can have some ideas of how long you should really wait.

One more thing. Be gentle with your dough. The more gentle you’ll be the more air will stay inside your dough, creating the sof center.

And the second thing, make sure to create enough dough strength so it can hold its shape. This is especially important when you’re shaping doughnuts into small balls. Take your time!

Note: if you’re not the sourdough type, I also have a very delicious yeast doughnut recipe here.

Okay scroll down for my timetable 🙂

Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.
Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.
Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.

My sourdough doughnuts making timetable:

9 am – First Levain Feeding

9 am – 3 pm levain fermenting at a variable temperature from 23-25 °C until doubled in size

3 pm – Second Levain Feeding

3 pm – 8:30 pm levain fermenting at a variable temperature from 23-25 °C until doubled in size

8:30 pm – Making the dough (first mixing, resting, kneading, first coil fold)

9 pm – 10 pm – Bulk ferment at 23-25°C (I did a coil fold at 9:30 pm and 10 pm)

10 pm – Transfering the dough into the fridge (with around 8°C)

10 pm – 8 am – Bulk ferment in the fridge

8 am – Moving the dough back to room temperature

8 am – 11 am – Bulk ferment at 23-25°C (I waited for the dough to get to room temperature)

11 am – Shaping

11 am – 9 pm – Proofing at 23-26°C (I waited for the doughnuts to double in size!)

9pm – Frying and eating two hot doughnuts 🙂

Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.
Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.
Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

The Softest Sourdough Doughnuts

Adapted from sourdoughmania.com

Servings 20 small doughnuts
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Sweet Levain – First Feeding

  • 20 g water at room temperature
  • 50 g strong white flour (all-purpose flour works as well)
  • 10 g sourdough starter (100% hydration)
  • 10 g white sugar

Sweet Levain – Second Feeding

  • 40 g water at room temperature
  • 90 g strong white flour
  • 20 g white sugar

Dough

  • 400 g strong white flour
  • 120 g milk room temperature
  • 2 larger eggs room temperature
  • 70 g white sugar
  • 4 g salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla seeds or vanilla extract
  • 60 g softened unsalted butter room temperature

Instructions

Levain Feedings

  1. First Feeding: Mix all ingredients for the first levain feeding. Mix just enough for all ingredients to bind. No need for kneading.

  2. Let sit at room temperature until the levain doubles in size. Anywhere from 21-28°C or 60-82°F is okay, but keep in mind that the levain will mature quicker at higher temperatures. This stage should take anywhere from 3-10 hours.

  3. Second Feeding: After the levain has doubled in size, it is time to feed it the second time. Add water to a bowl and shred in your levain. Mix a little to dissolve the levain. It won't dissolve entirely. Add all other feeding ingredients and knead just enough to make the levain come together in a dough.

  4. Let sit at room temperature until the levain doubles in size. Anywhere from 21-28°C or 70-82°F is okay, but keep in mind that the levain will mature quicker at higher temperatures. This stage should take anywhere from 3-10 hours.

Dough

  1. For the times and temperatures I used for this recipe, check the article!

  2. Making the dough: After the levain has doubled in size the second time, it's time to mix our dough.

  3. Dissolve the levain in milk.

  4. Add flour, sugar, eggs and vanilla seeds or vanilla extract.

  5. Using a stand mixer, mix the dough just enough to bring the ingredients together. Leave covered for 10-15 minutes.

  6. After resting, add salt and knead the dough in a stand mixer for 8 minutes.

  7. Then add softened butter and knead until the dough can pass the windowpane test (link to see how the windowpane test works in the recipe notes). The dough will separate at first, but will come back together quickly.

  8. Bulk ferment: Transfer the dough to your bulk ferment container and do a coil fold (link to the coil fold method in the recipe notes).

  9. Cover the container and leave to ferment until doubled in size. This should take anywhere from 4-10 hours at room temperature. You can do a part of the bulk ferment in the fridge to slow the ferment. Do a coil fold every 30 minutes for the first two hours.

  10. Shaping: After the dough has risen about 50% in size, transfer it to your counter, but be very gentle to not release too much air from the dough.

  11. Divide the dough into 50g pieces and roll them into small balls. Make sure to create enough tension on the balls so they keep a nice shape.

  12. Proofing: Leave the doughnuts to rise at room temperature until doubled in size. This stage will take anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on the temperature.

  13. Frying: After the doughnuts have doubled in size, prepare the oil for frying.

  14. Use about 1 inch or 2.5 cm of oil and fry at a temperature between 160-170°C (320-340°F). A good indicator the temperature is perfect is to check with a wooden spoon. If little bubbles start to form around the spoon handle the oil is ready to go.

  15. Place doughnuts top side down in hot oil, but prior to that brush away the flour. A lot of flour will burn your oil and it will not be re-usable. Fry the doughnuts for about 3 minutes covered. When they turn golden, turn them around away from yourself, so you don’t burn yourself! Fry for about 3 more minutes on the other side uncovered.

  16. Transfer the doughnuts to a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

  17. Fill and decorate to your liking. Enjoy!

Notes

Link to the windowpane test here.

Link to the coil fold method here.

Once you've tasted these irresistibly soft and fluffy sourdough doughnuts, you'll never try any other! This one and a half day recipe is well worth the time it takes.

Elderflower And Passion Fruit Gin And Tonic

Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine’s day twist.

Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.

Did you notice that Valentine’s day is next week!!!??

Luckily I have a lovely cocktail ready for a romantic dinner. Even though most of the world is still in one or another form of lockdown, we still deserve some splurging, right?

A nice dinner with the best dessert ever. And of course this elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic!

I love gin and tonic because it’s so easy to make. Basically, all you need to do is add some ice in your cocktail glass, add all the ingredients and enjoy 🙂

This time, I’ve given it a bit sweeter twist with fresh passion fruit, which I absolutely love, and homemade elderflower syrup. However, if you don’t have a homemade one, a storebought is just as fine.

This combination of flavors and sweetness with the biterness of gin and tonic is in my opinion the biggest selling point of this cocktail.

If this floral flavor is not your jam, I have a more citrusy grapefruit gin and tonic recipe as well.

Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.
Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.

A good gin and tonic is made with quality gin and quality tonic as well. Keep in mind that your gin and tonic will only be as good as the ingredients put in. This doesn’t mean you need to go with the most expensive stuff. However, the cheapest plastic bottle drinks are probably lower quality than you want in a gin and tonic. So, I encourage you to explore, which flavors you like.

Most of simple gin and tonics include some amount of citrus flavor. For my Valentine’s day elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic, I passed on adding citruses. I used my elderflower syrup that already included some lemons. Most elderflower syrups do.

Plus, I really wanted to create a more feminine floral/tropical cocktail. But, if you feel like adding a hint of citrus go ahead and squeeze in a bit of lemon juice!

Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.
Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.
Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Elderflower And Passion Fruit Gin And Tonic

Course Cocktail, Drinks
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • ice
  • 2 ounces quality gin (1/4 cup / 60ml)
  • 4 ounces quality tonic water (1/2 cup / 120ml)
  • 1 fresh passion fruit
  • 1-2 tsp elderflower syrup

Instructions

  1. Fill the cocktail glass with ice.

  2. Add the flesh of fresh passion fruit and elderflower syrup to the glass.

  3. Pour over gin and finish with pouring over the tonic.

  4. Gently stir to combine.

Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.
Fresh passion fruit and delicious floral elderflower syrup give this refreshing elderflower and passion fruit gin and tonic recipe a sweet valentine's day twist.

Bacon & Radicchio Risotto

A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!

A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!

Hi guys!

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite risotto recipes. I’ve cooked and improved it over the years. Although it has some pretty basic ingredients it has so much flavor and attitude.

It’s the season of radicchio and we eat it almost every day. Mostly in salads, but now and then we love to cook this creamy delicious risotto.

And in case you’re wondering if risotto is hard to make, because it needs to be of a specific consistency, it’s not hard, you just need to keep an eye on your risotto.

A perfect risotto should have be a bit on the ofter side of al dente and have a little bit of a creamy, not too runny, sauce.

A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!
A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!
A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!
A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!

Does radicchio risotto taste bitter?

It does, a little. Certainly far less than the raw radicchio. With cooking it looses a lot of its bitterness and the flavor is enhanced.

All other flavors that are in this risotto help elevate the flavor of radicchio and they also tame the bitterness. So you shouldn’t worry about the risotto being bitter, you probably won’t even notice it.

I have been making this risotto using bacon for ages. The traditional Italian version doesn’t include any meats and if you’re not a fan of bacon, you can substitute it with pancetta. You would still get the meaty flavor without the smokiness. Or you can omit the meat and get a rather traditional risotto, which is also very delicious.

A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!
A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!

In case you love risottos as much as I do, I have some other amazing recipes:

Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese

Wild Garlic Risotto

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Bacon & Radicchio Risotto

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings as a side dish

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice (200 g)
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick finely chopped
  • 50 g bacon cubed into 0,5cm (1/4 inch) cubes
  • 150 g radicchio cut into small pieces (2.5 cm / 1 inch)
  • 2 TBSP pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 4 cups vegetable broth simmering
  • ground pepper
  • 1 TBSP butter or olive oil for finishing

Instructions

  1. Place bacon cubes into a frying pan and cook over medium-low heat until golden and crisp.

  2. Continuing cooking over medium-high heat, add finely chopped onions and celery. Cook until translucent.

  3. Add radicchio, pine nuts, and rice cook for a minute until the radicchio wilts a bit.

  4. Add wine and wait until it evaporates. Season with some black pepper and continue cooking by adding one ladle of simmering broth at a time, waiting to completely absorb into rice before adding another ladle. When rice is on the soft side of al dente, the risotto is done.

  5. Remove from the stove and add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil.

  6. Serve immediately.

A creamy and smokey radicchio risotto with bacon is a cozy winter dish that everyone will love! A traidtional Italian recipe with a twist!

Dried Fruits And Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It’s the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!

This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!

I tried not to bake too much this year, since we’re in a lockdown and we have no one to share the sweets with. But I couldn’t resist baking another Christmas bundt cake. Do you remember the chocolate hazelnut bundt cake from last year?

I had the idea of making a bundt cake and then my son insisted on us baking a cake. He’s not very friendly with bundt cakes, since they don’t usually include any cream filling. So I tried to find a way to make him love it. And found the perfect solution.

Adding lots of chocolate and dried fruits did the job. He’s a big fan of both! And I love how they made the cake a bit juicier and creamier. We also added some orange zest, because it’s almost Christmas and you can’t have Christmas without some orange zest, right? For me, it’s one of the most distinct flavors of Christmas.

This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!
This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!
This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!

It’s super easy to make this dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake!

One of the reasons I love bundt cakes is how easy they are to make and how well they usually last in terms of freshness. Definitely not in terms of not-eating them, because we finished it in a day!

All you need to do to make a perfect bundt cake is beat sugar and butter together. There’s not so much butter in this recipe, so don’t get scared if the mixture is not as fluffy as for example a buttercream. It still needs to get airy and brighter, though. You add the eggs one at a time and finish with flour and milk. At the very end, you add chocolate chips and dried fruits and pour it all in a bundt pan.

It’s a very simple cake and you can eat it as is or make a simple glaze with icing sugar and milk.

This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!
This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Dried Fruits And Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • cup all-purpose flour (180 g)
  • ¾ cup sugar (150 g)
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (110 g)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla seeds (or vanilla extract)
  • zest of half an orange
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnammon
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (80 g)
  • ¼ cup raisins (35 g)
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries (35 g)

Simple glaze

  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1-2 TBSP milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 6-cup bundt cake pan with butter.

  2. In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy.

  3. Add eggs one at a time, and make sure to incorporate the first fully, before adding the second.

  4. Add vanilla and orange zest and mix quickly.

  5. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

  6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Then add 1/2 of the milk and mix on low speed. Continue with 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the milk, and finishing with the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture.

  7. Add chocolate chips and dried fruits and use a spatula to gently incorporate them in the batter.

  8. Pour the batter into a greased bundt cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. If you're doubling the recipe add 10-15 minutes to the bake.

  9. The bundt cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean.

  10. Wait for 10-15 minutes before removing the bundt cake from the pan.

Simple glaze

  1. For the glaze mix together icing sugar and milk to get a smooth paste. First, start with 1 TBSP of milk and add more, little by little, until you get the consistency you like.

You can find the recipe in Slovene here.

This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!
This dried fruits and chocolate chip bundt cake is packed with Winter flavors and rich chocolate, topped with a quick and simple glaze. It's the most delicious Christmas bundt cake!

Gingerbread Spiced Tiramisu

If you’re craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.

If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.

We’ve got our first snowfall of the season. And it’s already more than the previous season all-together. So I’m feeling happy.

Me and snow are big buddies, I turn into a kid when I see it. What about you?

My dream is to have a big closed terrace in my home one day and observe snow falling outside while I sip on a warm drink under a blankie. All calm and peaceful.

If I had a piece of this gingerbread spiced tiramisu, I definitely wouldn’t mind. Or the whole tray, while I’m at it 🙂

So I thought since Christmas is approaching I’d try and make tiramisu and add some spices to make it more seasonal. And it turned out to be such a good idea. We ate it a snap and I had to make another one again immediately the next day.

And that’s why I’m sharing it with you today.

If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.
If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.

What do you need to make this gingerbread spiced tiramisu?

Cookies

You need some ladyfinger cookies. I know some people make sponges for tiramisu, but I’ve never eaten one without the ladyfingers. Ladyfingers are the original cookies used in tiramisu and for a good reason. They turn into such delicious almost sponge-like goodness when you soak them. I used store-bought cookies since I’ve never tried making them at home (my mission for next time I make tiramisu!).

But I found a good recipe for ladyfingers from Kayley from The Kitchen McKabe in case you want to make your own or don’t have access to any in your store.

Coffee

You also need some coffee. Typically you’d use espresso. I used Turkish-style coffee and strained the coffee afterward. I also tried cold brewing, but I felt like the taste was a bit too mild and sour for my liking. If you like that, then that’s also an option.

I can’t have caffeine and if you have the same issues, decaf is perfectly fine.

Spices

You also need gingerbread spices. I have a recipe for the mix down below, but if you have your own, go for it.

Cream

Italians traditionally make the cream with raw eggs and mascarpone.

I’ve made this cream many many times and it’s amazing. However, since we have a kid and in the midst of a pandemic I certainly don’t want anyone, let alone a kid, to get food poisoning, I decided to do a pasteurized version.

For my cream, you need egg yolks, mascarpone, and whipping cream. The cream is going to substitute the egg whites from the traditional recipe. I included the recipe for pasteurizing the egg yolks in the recipe below.

Dusting

Traditionally that’s cocoa. But I mixed it with some gingerbread spices to add more of the Christmasy feel.

Jump to Recipe
If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.
If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.
If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Gingerbread Spiced Tiramisu

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Gingerbread Spice Mix

  • 2 TBSP ground cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP ground ginger
  • TBSP ground allspice
  • ½ TBSP ground cloves
  • ½ TBSP ground nutmeg
  • TBSP a pinch of ground black pepper

Cream

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 250 g or 8 oz)
  • ¾ cup whipping cream

Other

  • 20 ladyfinger cookies
  • 3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
  • cup coffee room temperature
  • 1 TBSP rum

Instructions

Gingerbread Spice Mix

  1. Mix all spice mix ingredients together. Set aside.

Cream

  1. Place eggyolks in a heat-proof (non-metal) bowl and place it over a sausepan with simmering water.

  2. Use a whisk to constantly stir the eggs. They should heat very slowly, so they don't get cooked. They are done when they reach 60°C (138°F). If you don't have a termometer, you can either use raw eggs and skip this step or see how you can troubleshoot in the notes.

  3. Place the pasteurized eggs into a mixing bowl, add sugar and whip for 5 minutes, until slightly lighter (the pasteurized eggs don't get as fluffy as the raw eggs).

  4. Add mascarpone and mix on medium speed.

  5. In a separate bowl whip the whipping cream and fold it gently into the egg mixture.

Assembly

  1. Pour room temperature coffee onto a soup plate. Add rum and 3/4 of the spice mix.

  2. Soak ladyfinger cookies on both sides in the coffee and rum mix. Less if you want less soaked tiramisu and more if you want a more soaked tiramisu.

  3. Place ladyfinger cookies in a serving dish in one layer, covering the entire dish.

  4. Spread half of the cream over.

  5. Add a second layer of ladyfinger cookies on top and then spread the remaining cream over the cookies.

  6. In a small bowl mix the remaining 1/4 of the spice mix with cocoa and sprinkle it on top of the tiramisu.

  7. Place in the fridge to set for a few hours.

Notes

No termometer?

You can substitute the egg yolks with a chocolate spread like Nutella. You can add 2-3 TBSP, but omit the sugar.

This is also a nice kid-friendly version.

If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.
If you're craving a non-traditional Christmas dessert this gingerbread spiced tiramisu will be the perfect treat.

Persimmon Salad With Orange Dressing

When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.

When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.

Time for another hearty salad. I posted a recipe for a fruity winter salad in the winter and now I’m posting another recipe for a salad that uses delicious seasonal fruits. This time it is persimmons. One of my favorite fruits of the season. One other way I like preparing them is to make homemade pudding, with no starch whatsoever.

Okay, back to the salad. For this salad you can use any variety of persimmons that has a solid center when ripe, so you can cut it in slices or wedges. The varieties that are only ripe when gooey are not okay, since they won’t hold its shape and honestly the texture would probably feel awful in a salad. So let’s stick with a solid meat persimmon! But make sure they are ripe.

When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.
When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.

What other ingredients are in this persimmon salad?

Lots of green leafy lettuce. You can uuse any variety you like or have in your garden. I used endive in my salad. The other leafy lettuce I used is radicchio. I love it both for color and its flavor.

There’s also some thinly shaved carrots for bite and freshness. And I topped it all with some chopped almonds and goat cheese.

And now the best part…

The orange dressing. This persimmon salad wouldn’t be so delicious without the orange dressing. The orange adds a nice freshness to the salad and I also added a little turmeric, just because we all need to boost our immune systems right now, do you agree?

When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.
When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.
When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Persimmon Salad With Orange Dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Persimmon Salad

  • half of a green leafy lettuce chpped into bite sizes
  • half of a radicchio chopped into bite sizes
  • 1 small carrot sliced with a peeler
  • 2 small persimons cut into thin slices or small wedges
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese (100g)
  • 2 TBPS almonds chopped

Orange Dressing

  • 2 TBSP freshy squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pinch of turmeric
  • pinch of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Add all dressing ingredients in a mason jar, close the lid and shake util well blended.

  2. Place all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl, pour over the dressing and toss to coat all the ingredients.

You can find the recipe in Slovene here.

When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.
When it comes to fall salads this persimmon salad is a winner. With the smoothest dressing made with olive oil and fresh orange juice this is a perfect fall lunch.