Monday 22 February 2010

Apple & Calvados Crépes

1 cup flour
1 egg
1tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
350ml milk
1 dl calvados
1tsp cinnamon
4tbsp sugar
2 apples, peeled and sliced
maple syrup, as much as you like

1. In a bowl, combine flour, egg, olive oil, salt and half the milk. Whisk the batter well, adding the remaining milk, a little at a time, until the batter is silky smooth in consistency.

2. Add a ladle of batter to a hot non-stick skillet. Evenly smooth out the batter. Cook until the batter sets and the underside is lightly browned. Run a spatula underneath the crepe and flip over. Cook until the other side is lightly browned. Remove from heat.

3. Add the apples to a hot non-stick pan and add the sugar and cinnamon. Move around with a spatula. When the apples have mixed with the sugar and cinnamon add the calvados wine to the pan and flambere so the alcohol evaporates. Cook the apples until soft. Put the apples on each half of the pancakes and fold the other half over. Serve with some vanilla ice cream and maple syrup.

Sunday 14 February 2010

Icelandic Profiteroles

Once a year in Iceland we dedicate a whole day for these treats.... it's called "Bolludagur". Everyone goes crazy for them and they come in all kinds of different flavors.

125ml milk
200ml water
150g flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
100g butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten

strawberry jam
5dl simple cream

chocolate sauce:
200g dark chocolate
30g butter
125ml full fat milk

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Place the milk, cold water, salt, sugar into a pan and set over a low heat. Once the sugar and salt has dissolved add the butter. Once the butter has melted, bring to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat then tip in the flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. As soon as the mixture starts to come away from the side of the pan, stop beating and tip onto a plate to cool.

2. Return the mixture to the pan, then gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, mixing well between each addition, until you have a smooth paste.

3. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Spoon the pastry into a piping bag. Now pipe small balls onto the baking sheet, spaced well apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

5. Whip the cream until fluffy. Cut each one in half. Add a teaspoon of strawberry jam on the bottom then the cream and close with the top.

6. For the chocolate sauce, break the chocolate into small pieces in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave. When the chocolate has melted add the butter and stir. Gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Serve the cream-filled profiteroles with the hot chocolate sauce drizzled over.

Monday 8 February 2010

Lemon Meringue

This recipe is for my brother who just came back from paris. He had a lemon meringue every day for dessert.......you could say that he has a sweet tooth. This recipe is adapted from chef Gordon Ramsay. The photo was taken by Marius Johannesen when I invited my friends from school to a dinner party.

125g unsalted butter
90g sugar
1 egg
250g plain flour

50g dark chocolate, melted
6 eggs, (2 whole and only 4 yolks)
180g sugar
200ml cream
2 lemons, juiced

3 egg whites
4 tbsp sugar


To make the pastry put the butter and sugar in a food processor and whizz until just combined. Add the egg and whizz for 30 seconds. Add the flour and process for a few seconds until the dough just comes together, (add 1 tbsp cold water if the dough seems too dry). Knead lightly on a surface dusted with flour then shape into a flat disc and chill for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 190C. Roll the pastry out and use it to line a 20cm loose-based tart ring. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge. Rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. Line the pastry with baking parchment and dry beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and bake another 5 minutes until the base is cooked and lightly golden.

Brush the base with the melted chocolate and cool. Lower oven to 110C.

Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together in a bowl and stir in the cream. Finally, add the lemon juice - this will thicken the cream.

Pour the filling into the pastry case and carefully push the shelf back and bake for 50-60 minutes until the filling is almost set. It should have a slight wobble in the centre. Trim the pastry level with the top of the tin and leave it to cool completely.

Whisk the egg whites untill stiff and add the sugar slowly. Continue whisking untill the egg whites make stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the pie and run a cook's blowtorch over the surface to give a baked effect.

Friday 5 February 2010

Asparagus & Potato Pie

Once you try this one it is going to be a classic that you do regularly. This pie goes really well with some fresh salad.

500g fresh asparagus
5 sheets filo pastry
50g melted butter
600g potato, peeled
100g cheddar cheese
100g gryere cheese
300ml double cream
3 eggs
handful fresh sage, chopped
½ tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

Turn on the oven to 190˚C. Start boiling the potatoes in some salted water. Brush the filo pastry with the melted butter and layer into an oven-proof dish (work quickly so the filo pastry doesn´t dry).When the potatoes are ready, pour off the water and add the cheese to the potatoes in a bowl and mash together. Add the cream, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add the eggs and work together with the potato.


Put the asparagus in some boiling salted water for a few minutes until half-cooked and then take them out of the water.Pour the potato-cheese mix into the oven-proof dish, layer the asparagus over and scatter the sage on top. Brush everything with some melted butter and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.