Bolludagur

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.

Baked Chicken & Mushroom Pasta

This is a great recipe for the family! Simple and easy to eat…..try it ;-)

4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

300g fresh mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2tbsp olive oil

2dl white wine, or chicken stock

5dl cream

400g spaghetti

200g parmesan, grated

fresh basil, chopped

fresh sage, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200˚C. 

Put the spaghetti in some boiling salted water.

Put some olive oil into a hot pan and fry the chicken until brown. Add the mushrooms to the chicken along with the red onion, garlic. Stir together. Add the white wine to the pan, lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for a few minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the wine has reduced a little. Add the cream and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

Pour the water off the spaghetti when it´s al-dente and add it to the chicken. Add ¾ of the parmesan cheese and all the fresh herbs and stir together. Grate the rest of the parmesan cheese over and bake in the oven in an oven-proof dish or the same pan (if it has a steel handle) until bubbly and golden (approx. 10 min) 

Alveg Mögnuð Lauksúpa!

Það eru tíl ýmiss útgáfur af lauksúpum og spurningin er hvaðan hún kemur í rauninni, en sumir segja að hún komi frá Frakklandi en Bretarnir segja að hún sé bresk. Mér finnst það kannski ekki skipta höfuð máli, en mín súpa er kannski blanda á milli þess að vera frönsk og bresk, þ.e.a.s. ef maður vill setja einhvern stimpil á hana. Mér finnst hún allavega rosalega góð og ég veit að ykkur á eftir að finnast það líka.

olívuolía, til steikingar

20 gr smjör, til steikingar

3 rauðlaukar, sneiddir

3 laukar, sneiddir

1 blaðlaukur,  snyrtur og sneiddir

3 rif hvítlaukur, saxaðir

skvetta af koníak eða viskí

1 ½ til 2 L Kjúklingasoð

5 blöð salvía

200 gr cheddarostur, rifinn

salt og pipar

Chiabatta brauð, skorið í 4cm þykkar sneiðar

1. Setja olivuolíuna og smjörið í djúpa pönnu eða pott og byrja á að svita hvítlaukinn og sage blöðin létt í ca 1 min. Setja svo allan laukinn saman við og salta og pipra vel. Láta laukinn malla í ca 5 min og hræra í lauknum annað slagið. Setja svo kvettu af brandí eða koníaki  saman við og flambera (kveikja í víninu). Þegar loginn hefur slokknar, setja þá lokið á og lækka hitan og láta malla í 25 min.

2. Setja kjúklingasoðið saman við og láta krauma áfram í 15 min. Það er ráðlagt að hafa kjúklingasoðið heitt áður enn það er sett saman við laukinn. Kveikja svo á ofninum og setja á grill stillingu á mestum hita.

3. Setja svo súpuna í skálar(eldfastar). Skera brauðið í sneiðar og setja eina sneið í hverja skál og rífa vel af osti yfir. Setja skálarnar í ofnskúffu og svo undir grillið í ofninum þar til osturinn er bráðnaður og aðeins brenndur.

Greek Yogurt with Mango & Banana purré

This is a fresh dessert or as a breakfast on a sunday morning. 

2 mangos 
2 bananas
4 tsp honey
3 dl orange juce

300g greek yogurt
3 tbsp vanilla sugar, (sugar and seeds from 1 vanilla pod)

1 tbsp honey

25 g pistachio kernels, chopped

 6 servings
1. Peel and dice the mangos and the bananas and freeze for 1 hour. Then put the frozen fruit, honey and orange juice into a food processer. Mix until smooth.

2.  Mix the yogurt, vanilla sugar and honey in a bowl. 

Brothers in arms!

Me and my little brother are working on a recipe book with will come out someday in the near future. He takes the pictures and eats everything I bake or cook. Works well for both ;-)

Espresso and Icecream

This is the best and easiest dessert I know! So simple yet so good…

For 4 people:

8 scoops vanilla ice cream

4 shots hot espresso, unsweetened
1 handfull toasted flaked almonds

For each serving, place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream into a glass. Pour hot espresso over ice cream and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top. Serve immediately before the ice cream melts.

Fylltur bringur með thai gulrótum

Hrikalega góð uppskrift fyrir fjóra. Endilega prufið þessa og látið mig vita hvernig ykkur finnst :-)

4 kjúklingabringur

 4 sneiðar taleggio ostur

 4 sneiðar mozzarella,

¼ rauð paprika (skorin í þunna strimla)

¼ græn paprika

(skorin í þunna strimla)

2 pakkar beikon

Thai Gulrætur

6 gulrætur

 1 rauðlaukur (fínt saxaður)

 ½ msk karrí

 smjör til steikingar

 5 dl kókosmjólk

 1 dl ferskur kóríander

 salt go pipar

 safi úr ½ sítrónu

1. Settu ofninn á 180˚C. Saltaðu og pipraðu bringurnar og skerðu litla vasa í hverja bringu. Fylltu bringurnar með einni sneið af taleggio og einni af mozzarella og tveimur strimlum af hvorri paprikunni. Vefðu 2-3 sneiðum af beikoni utan um hverja bringu og steiktu í ofninum í 15 – 20 mín.

2. Snyrtu og skerðu gulræturnar í litla stafi. Settu klípu af smjöri á heita pönnu og léttsteiktu gulræturnar, laukinn og karríið upp úr smjörinu. Helltu síðan kókosmjólkinni saman við og hristu pönnuna örlítið. Settu lokið á og láttu malla þar til gulræturnar eru orðnar mjúkar. Smakkaðu til með salti, pipar og sítrónusafa. Blandaðu ferskum kórander saman við rétt áður en rétturinn er borinn fram.

Sunday morning pancakes

                                          Mynd: Hlynur Pálmason
Sorry guys, this one is in Icelandic ;-) 
Ég hef séð margar uppskriftir af amerískum pönnukökum en þessi finnst mér sú allra besta. Ég held að það sé vegna þess að maður þeytir eggjahvíturnar sér og blandar þeim varlega saman við deigið og það gerir pönnukökurnar svo léttar og fallegar. 

115g hveiti

2tsk lyftiduft

3 egg

140ml nýmjólk/léttmjólk

salt

100g smjör

3msk sykur

4 bananar

sýrður rjómi, til að bera fram

1. Setja hveiti, lyftiduft, mjólk og eggjarauður í skál og þeyta vel saman. Setja eggjahvíturnar og hnífsodd af salti í aðra skál og þeyta þar til stífar. Velta síðan eggjahvítunum varlega saman við pönnukökudeigið. Baka síðan á pönnu eina í einu.

2. Setja smjörið og sykurinn á heita pönnu og bræða þar til orðið að karamellu. Skera bananana í stóra bita og bæta þeim saman við karamelluna. Velta þeim í örlitla stund og bera svo fram með pönnukökunum og sýrðum rjóma.

Jólin eru að koma!

mynd eftir: Guðmund B Pálmason

Tími til kominn að byrja gera eitthvað aftur á blogginu! Er með uppskriftirnar á ensku svo vinir okkar erlendis geti fylgst vel með.

Prufið þessa uppskrift fyrir jólin...hrikalega góðar!! Svo líka sniðugt sem gjöf, spurning að setja þær svona saman í sellófan eða glæra poka eða eitthvað!

100g special K cornflakes, bashed into fine crumbs
90g flaked almonds
50g dried blueberries
50g dried apricot, chopped
397g condensed milk (niðursoðin mjólk í dós)
300g milk chocolate
60g dessicated coconut

Heat the oven to 180˚C and line a baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment. Put the crushed cornflakes, almonds, blueberries and apricots in a bowl and mix well together. Stir in the condensed milk until all the ingredients are sticky. Spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto the sheet and leave some room for spreading. Flatten each spoonful with the back of the spoon and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Melt the chocolate over simmering water. When the cookies are cool, spoon or brush the base of the cookies with the melted chocolate and dip in the dessicated coconut. Leave until the chocolate has set and serve or put in a box as presents. Will keep for 5 days in a airtight container.

Banana & Coconut Bread

400g flour

80g unrefined sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsk cinnamon

150g shredded coconut

3 dl milk

1 egg

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

2 bananas, mashed

1. Set oven to 160 C. Add the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients in another bowl and mix well. 

3. Add the liquid mix to the dry mixture and mix together. Pour into a buttered bread mould and bake for about 60 minutes. 

Mini Walnut Tarts

Mini Walnut Tarts

Serves 6
1 recipe for pie crust!

the filling:
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
grated orange zest of 1 orange
2 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
pinch of salt

1. Set owen to 180 C. Cut pastry into 6 pieces and roll each out to fit the moulds you are using. Press the dough gently into the moulds and freeze for 30 minutes. Butter lightly 6 pieces of foil and press them onto the dough. Bake the dough crust for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the foil. Bake for another 5 minutes and then the crust is ready.

2. To make the filling. Stir in the cream and next 5 ingredients i a pan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and let the sugar bubble for about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts and then the salt. Increase the heat to 200 C.

3. Divide the filling evenly onto the crust and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, dust with some icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Tuna with Mango Salsa

This recipe is so quick and easy, and very refreshing especially in the summer time when you really don't feel like eating something heavy. Although I love grilling my red meat In the summer time, this is a great alternative when the misses starts complaining.

As I am from a small lobster-fishing town in Iceland I had the luxury of adding some grilled lobster to my recipe. This is off course not necessary but it does make it very exclusive.

Mango Salsa

1/2 a mango, peeled and diced

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

1 tbsp soy sauce

handful fresh coriander, chopped

2 tbsp honey

Tuna Steaks

2-3 cm thick tuna steaks

coriander seeds, crushed

olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Place the mango, chill, onion, lime juice, soy sauce, coriander and honey into a bowl and mix well.

2. Season the tuna steaks lightly with salt on both sides. Mix some pepper with the crushed coriander seeds and sprinkle on both sides of the tuna. Drizzle some olive oil over the steaks and place them on the hot grill for 1 - 2 minutes on each side.

3. Slice the tuna in 2 cm slices and serve hot with the mango salsa.

Icelandic Profiteroles - Isländska Semlor

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.

Chocolate and Almond Cake

This cake is really fantastic! Light, yet rich and terribly simple to make. I wish I took this picture but my friend Marius "the gentle giant" from Norway took a series of pictures for a dessert book which is still to be published!

225g butter, room temperature

2 dl caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out

1 dl brown sugar

4 eggs, separated

200 g sweet almonds

200g dark chockolate 70%

icing sugar to dust

1. Butter a round loose based pan (25cm) and put baking paper in the bottom so it will be easier to remove the cake from the base.

2. Put the butter, 1 ½ dl sugar, vanilla seeds and brown sugar in a bowl and whisk together until fluffy. Then add the egg yolks and stir together with a spatula.

3. Put the almonds in a food processor and pulse until fine sandy consistency. Add the almonds and chockolate to the bowl and mix together

4. Whisk the egg whites with the rest of the sugar until stiff in a separate bowl. Add ½ the egg whites to the cake mix and fold together, then add the other half and fold again. Pour the cake mix in the baking pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes and shift some icing sugar on top. Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.

Blueberry Skyr Muffins

In the events of Sweden advertising and selling Icelandic Skyr, I made some SUPER HEALTHY Blueberry muffins. NO white flour, NO sugar, NO butter......sound awful!! Actually they were pretty good, high in protein and only slow carbs.

Makes 12 muffins

100 g spelt flour

100 g rolled oats

100 g whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

150 ml yogurt

250 g skyr (if you don´t have skyr then just use yogurt)

200 ml sunflower oil

2 large eggs

150 ml agave syrup

100 g blueberries

1. Set oven to 180C

2. Mix the dry ingredients well together in a bowl.

3. Mix the yogurt, skyr, oil, eggs and agave syrup in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix, as usual with muffins do not over mix.

4. Add the frozen blueberries to the batter and fold 3 - 4 times. If you fold too many times the batter turns purple.

5. Spoon the batter evenly into a muffins mould and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Vanilla Custard & Rhubarb Soufflé

When I want to impress I bring put the Big Guns!! ...no not my biceps, I mean my absolute favorite desserts. Don´t be scared of souffles, this recipe is very easy and all you have to do is be well prepared. The special thing about this recipe is that when you take a spoon full of soufflé you all kinds of different flavors and texture. You have the hot creamy vanilla soufflé, cold custard, crunchy biscuit and sweet and sour rhubarb all at the same time!

Serves 6

400 g rhubarb, cut into small chunks

100 g caster sugar

25 g butter, softened

6 gingerbread biscuits, smashed to fine crumbs

150 g readymade vanilla custard, plus extra for serving

1 large egg yolk, plus 4 egg whites

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp plain flour

pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Put the rhubarb into the saucepan with the 100g sugar. Put the lid on and let it simmer on a medium-low heat for about 10 - 15 minutes, or untill the rhubarb is soft. Set it aside and let it cool down.

2. Butter the inside of 6 ramekin dishes and dust the inside with the smashed gingerbread biscuits. Then shake out the excess crumbs. Then put one tablespoon of the cooled rhubarb on the bottom of the ramekins.

3. Mix the rest of the stewed rhubarb with the custard, egg yolk and flour in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg whites, salt and granulated sugar until you have soft peaks.

4. Working very gently, fold 2 spoonfuls of the stiff egg whites into the rhubarb mixture. Then tip this into the bowl containing the rest of the egg whites and fold together very carefully.

5. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and level the tops. Bake the souffles in the preheated oven for 18 - 20 minutes, or until the souffles are lovely golden and have risen nicely.

6. Remove from the oven and directly make a hole in the middle of the soufflé with a spoon and dollop two or three tsp of vanilla custard into the hole. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve!

Oatmeal Crumble Muffins

I love having newly baked muffins on a sunday mourning but I think it is important that they are at least semi healthy, just so your blood sugars don't go on a roller coaster ride. These muffins are a bit custerd-y when hot but firm and soft when cooled. Although the muffins have sugar in them they are not at all to sweet, but the crumble adds the slightly sweet and buttery taste which is crucial I think.

Makes 12 large muffins

Crumble Topping

80 gr whole wheat flour

40 gr rolled oats

50gr sugar

pinch of salt

60gr butter, cold

1. Add everything into a bowl and work together with your fingers, pinching the flour and butter together until a sandy texture. But the topping into the freezer until you make the muffins.

100 gr rolled oats

100 gr whole wheat flour

100 gr all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

200 gr butter, melted

70 gr cane sugar or brown sugar

350 ml plain yogurt

2 large eggs, whisked

1. Set oven to 180 C and butter a 12 muffin mould.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Melt the butter in a pan, then add the sugar and let it dissolve in the warm butter. Add the whisked eggs and yogurt and mix together.

4. Add the whet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. Do not overmix!

5. Pour the batter into the muffins mould and sprinkle the frozen crumble topping on top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes depending on your oven. Let the muffins cool down before you remove them from the mould.

Lemon-Banana Cake

This is such an easy cake to make, and I love how you just mix the dry, the whet ingredients together and your done. We Icelanders traditionally make the banana bread more like bread that you eat with butter but I actually like this twist on it. Quick and easy...thats how I do it!

120 gr all-purpose flour

140 gr whole wheat flour

125 gr brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

100 gr dark chocolate

80 ml olive oil/sunflower oil

2 large eggs, beaten

3 large bananas

60 ml yogurt, 3%

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of one lemon

For the glaze

80 gr brown sugar

50 gr powdered sugar

juice of one lemon

To make the glaze: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit for at least 45 minutes.

1. Set oven to 180 C

2. Mix the dry ingredients well together in a large bowl.

3. Mix the whet ingredients well together in a another bowl.

4. Pour the whet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a spatula. Do not over-mix!

5. Bake for approx. 60 min. Its better not to overcook the cake as you want that soft middle. Let it cool before you pour on the glaze.

Mascarpone and Espresso Mousse

A dessert to impress with tomorrow night at the new year party. This combo of chocolate and mascarpone with the coffee works really well and is the perfect ending to a new years feast!

For 4 greedy people

100 gr dark chocolate, 70%

125 gr mascarpone cheese, room temperature

2 tbsp powdered sugar

4 tbsp espresso, cooled

1 1/2 dl cream

decoration

4 tbsp cream, whipped

chopped dark chocolate

2 macaroons

1. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie (waterbath). Whip the mascarpone and the sugar together in a bowl. Add the espresso coffee and melted chocolate and mix well with a spatula. Whip the cream and then fold it together with the cheese and chocolate mixture. Pour into serving moulds and cool over night in the fridge.

2. Decorate with the whipped cream, chocolate and macaroons before serving.

Portobello Starter

This is a great little amuse bouche or starter on some thinly sliced sourdough bread for the new years party.

For 4 -6

3 - 4 large portobello mushromms, sliced

50gr butter

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

150ml cream

zest from 1 lemon

handful of chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Start of sauté-ing the mushrooms in the butter and garlic in a pan and season well with salt and pepper. Make sure not burn the garlic!

Add the cream and let it come up to the boil. Take of the heat and let it cool slightly until the cream has thickened. You may need to add a little cream depending on how much sauce you want.

Chop the parsley and zest together and sprinkle over just before you serve.