Nueces

Esta es una forma diferente de hacer una pseudo quiche o una tarta salada que además supone una gran alternativa para aquellos que no pueden o no quieren tomar gluten. Respecto a una quiche tradicional le falta el crujiente de la masa quebrada pero como ventaja es que se trata de algo menos calórico y aporta un punto dulce bastante agradable.

Ingredientes

• 1 batata grande
• 4 huevos
• 350 ml de leche
• 85 g de espinacas frescas
• 100 g de tomates secos
• 110 g de queso de cabra
• Un puñado de nueces troceadas
• 2 cucharadas de queso crema (yo usé Skyr)
• Sal, pimienta y AOVE

Elaboración

1. Precalentamos el horno a 190ºC.
2. Lavamos la batata, le hacemos unas incisiones en la piel y metemos al microondas durante un par de minutos (os podéis saltar este paso pero así la ablandamos un poco y resulta más fácil cortarla).
3. Sacamos la batata con cuidado de no quemarnos, la pelamos y la cortamos en rodajas muy finas (de unos 3 mm).
4. En un bol mezclamos las láminas de batata con sal, pimienta y aceite de oliva y las colocamos solapadas sobre un molde redondo apto para horno cubriendo el fondo y las paredes.
5. Horneamos durante 20 minutos aproximadamente.
6. Mientras tanto, batimos los huevos en un bol, salpimentamos, añadimos el queso crema, la leche y los tomates secos y mezclamos bien.
7. Cuando haya pasado el tiempo de horneado y la batata esté blandita, sacamos el molde, colocamos las espinacas crudas ligeramente troceadas sobre la base de batata y añadimos la mezcla de leche y huevos.
8. Por último, repartimos por toda la superficie el queso de cabra cortado en trozos y las nueces.
9. Horneamos unos 30 minutos y ya lo tenemos listo para disfrutar.

Consejos PiC

• El queso crema no es necesario, lo eché por aprovecharlo ya que llevaba rondando en nuestra nevera unos días. Si en vez de leche quieres usar nata como las quiches tradicionales puedes hacerlo sin ningún problema, quedará algo más sabroso y cremoso.
• Cuando hablo de tomates secos son aquellos que están deshidratados pero ya han sido rehidratados y suelen estar en aceite aliñados. Si tienes tomates deshidratados sin más pero los quieres «revivir» y aliñar tú mismo para usar en cualquier receta es muy fácil. Pon a hervir 700 ml de agua y cuando empiece a hervir, apaga el fuego, añade 50 ml de vinagre blanco y los tomates deshidratados. Deja reposar media hora. Pasado el tiempo, saca los tomates y sécalos bien con papel de cocina. Luego pásalos a un bote con aceite de oliva, ajo y hierbas aromáticas a tu gusto y en un par de días todo habrá cogido un sabor delicioso.

This is a different way to make a pseudo quiche or savory tart, and it's also a great alternative for those who can't or don't want to eat gluten. Compared to a traditional quiche, it's missing the crunch of the shortcrust pastry, but on the upside it's less calorie-dense and adds a really pleasant hint of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 4 eggs
• 350 ml (1.5 cups) milk
• 85 g (3 oz) fresh spinach
• 100 g (3.5 oz) sun-dried tomatoes
• 110 g (4 oz) goat cheese
• A handful of chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (I used Skyr)
• Salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Wash the sweet potato, make a few slits in the skin, and microwave it for a couple of minutes (you can skip this step, but it softens it up a bit and makes it easier to slice).
3. Take the sweet potato out, careful not to burn yourself, peel it, and cut it into very thin slices (about 3 mm / 1/8 inch).
4. In a bowl, toss the sweet potato slices with salt, pepper, and olive oil, then arrange them in an overlapping pattern in a round oven-safe pan, covering the bottom and the sides.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add the cream cheese, milk, and sun-dried tomatoes, and mix well.
7. Once the baking time is up and the sweet potato is soft, take the pan out, place the lightly chopped raw spinach over the sweet potato base, and pour the milk and egg mixture on top.
8. Finally, scatter the chopped goat cheese and walnuts evenly across the surface.
9. Bake for about 30 minutes and it's ready to enjoy.

PiC Tips

• The cream cheese isn't necessary — I threw it in to use up some that had been sitting in the fridge for a few days. If you want to use cream instead of milk like in traditional quiches, go for it; it'll come out a bit richer and creamier.
• When I say sun-dried tomatoes, I mean the ones that have been dehydrated and then rehydrated, usually packed in seasoned oil. If you only have plain dehydrated tomatoes and want to "revive" and season them yourself for any recipe, it's super easy. Bring 700 ml (3 cups) of water to a boil, then turn off the heat, add 50 ml (3.5 tablespoons) of white vinegar and the dehydrated tomatoes. Let them sit for half an hour. Then take the tomatoes out and pat them dry with paper towels. Transfer them to a jar with olive oil, garlic, and whatever herbs you like, and in a couple of days everything will have soaked up a delicious flavor.

It’s not just that it seems like we haven’t published anything in ages — it’s actually true… almost three months without any blog action on PiC! The summer has been a bit hectic but here we are, back and loaded with new finger-licking recipes. Today I’m bringing you a recipe that could be considered the Nordic roscón de Reyes, and some say its shape is reminiscent of pretzels and the dough is brioche-style. In short, a sweet wonder we pulled from a Thermomix magazine but made without one to prove that any recipe is adaptable.

What do we need?

For the dough:

• 30 g (2 tbsp) sugar

• The peel of 1/2 lemon (yellow part only)

• 120 g (1/2 cup) milk

• 30 g (2 tbsp) butter

• 15 g fresh yeast

• 1 egg yolk

• 300 g (2.5 cups) bread flour

• **1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 50 g (3.5 tbsp) butter (room temperature)

• 60 g (1/4 cup) sugar

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

• 50 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts

For the glaze:

• 20 g egg white

• 50 g (1/2 cup) confectioners’ sugar

How do we make it?

• If we have an electric coffee grinder or a food processor, we put the sugar with the lemon peel and grind it well until the lemon is incorporated into the sugar and we get a sort of paste. If we don’t have one, we can just grate the lemon peel and mix it with the sugar.

• We heat the milk a little in the microwave and add it to the bowl with the sugar and lemon peel.

• We add the butter and the yeast and stir until everything comes together nicely.

• We add the egg yolk and mix well again.

• Finally, we add the flour and the salt. We stir with a spoon or fork and then transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead by hand.

• We form a ball with the dough and let it rest in the bowl covered with cling film until it doubles in size.

• In the meantime, we prepare the filling. To do this, we mix the room-temperature butter with the sugar and the cinnamon.

• We preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).

• Once the dough has doubled in size, we place it on a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until we have a rectangle of about 40 x 50 cm (16 x 20 in).

• We spread the filling cream over it and sprinkle the walnuts on top.

• We roll up the dough (starting from the wider side).

• Once we have a sort of thin Swiss roll, we cut the log lengthwise down the middle, leaving one of the ends joined. When we cut it, we should see the alternating layers of dough and filling.

• We cross each piece of dough to form a kind of braid (always keeping the layered side facing up).

• Once everything is ‘braided’, we form a wreath and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

• We bake for about 20 minutes.

• While it’s baking, we prepare the glaze. To do this, we beat the egg whites a little with a fork and mix them with the confectioners’ sugar.

• When we take the kringle out of the oven, we brush it with this glaze.

Tips:

• The lemon peel is optional. You can skip it or swap it for orange peel — for sure it’ll be delicious too.

• If you want a whiter, thicker glaze, you can beat the egg whites with the sugar using an electric whisk. That’s how we made it, and that’s why the glaze looks like it does in the photo. If you beat it just with a fork, it’ll give the kringle a certain shine but it won’t be white and as thick.

• Starting from this base, you can fill the dough with other nuts or even jam.

[English version] ESTONIAN KRINGLE* *Ingredients: For the dough:

• 30 g sugar

• 1/2 lemon peel (only the yellow part)

• 120 g milk

• 30 g butter

• 15 g fresh yeast

• 1 egg yolk

• 300 g strength

• 1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 50 g de butter (room temperature)

• 60 g de sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

• 50 g chopped walnuts

For the icing:

• 20 g egg white

• 50 g confectioners’ sugar

• If you have a coffee grinder or food processor, place the sugar and the lemon peel on it and grind it until getting a sort of paste. If you don’t have a grinder, just mix sugar with grated lemon peel.

• Heat the milk in the microwave and pour over the sugar.

• Add the butter and yeast and stir well.

• Add egg yolk and stir well again.

• Then, add flour and salt. Mix with a spoon and fork and then knead the dough on a floury surface.

• Make a dough ball and leave to rise into the bowl covered with cling film (until the dough has doubled in volume).

• In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. Mix butter (room temperature) with sugar and cinnamon.

• Preheat oven at 180º.

• When the dough has doubled in volume, place on a floury surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until getting a rectangle (40 x 50 cm aprox.)

• Spread the filling and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

• Roll up the dough (starting by the wider side).

• Cut the log in half length-wise leaving one edge uncut.

• Start braiding the two pieces, trying to keep the open layers exposed so the cut ends remain on top.

• Pinch the ends together and form a wreath.

• Bake for 20 minutes.

• Prepare the icing. Whisk white eggs with a fork and add confectioners’ sugar. Mix well.

• Out of the oven, brush the kringle with the sugar icing.

• *Tips: - Lemon peel is optional. You can leave it out or use orange peel. For sure, it will be delicious too. - If you want a thicker and whiter sugar icing you can use an electric mixer with whisk attachment. The result will be more similar to our kringle shown in the picture. If you whisk only with fork you will have a lighter and clearer icing. - You can change the filling and use any nuts or jam you like.

No solo es que parezca que llevamos siglos sin publicar sino que es cierto… ¡casi tres meses sin actividad bloguera en PiC! El verano ha sido un poco ajetreado pero aquí estamos de vuelta cargaditos con nuevas recetas para chuparse los dedos. Hoy os traigo una receta que podría considerarse el roscón de Reyes nórdico y que algunos dicen que su forma recuerda a los pretzels y la masa es tipo brioche. En fin, una maravilla dulce que hemos sacado de una revista de Thermomix pero que la hemos hecho sin ella para demostrar que cualquier receta es adaptable.

¿Qué necesitamos?

Para la masa:

• 30 g de azúcar

• La piel de 1/2 limón (sólo la parte amarilla)

• 120 g de leche

• 30 g de mantequilla

• 15 g de levadura prensada fresca

• 1 yema de huevo

• 300 g de harina de fuerza

• **1 pizca de sal

Para el relleno:

• 50 g de mantequilla (a temperatura ambiente)

• 60 g de azúcar

• 2 cucharadas de canela

• 50 g de nueces picadas

Para el glaseado:

• 20 g de clara de huevo

• 50 g de azúcar glas

¿Cómo lo hacemos?

• Si tenemos un molinillo eléctrico de café o una picadora, ponemos el azúcar con la piel de limón y trituramos bien hasta que el limón se integre en el azúcar y quede una especie de pasta. Si no lo tenemos podemos rallar la piel del limón y mezclarla con el azúcar.

• Calentamos un poco la leche en el microondas y la añadimos al bol donde tenemos el azúcar con la piel de limón.

• Añadimos la mantequilla y la levadura y removemos hasta que se integre bien.

• Agregamos la yema de huevo y volvemos a mezclar bien.

• Por último, incorporamos la harina y la sal. Removemos con la cuchara o tenedor y luego pasamos la masa a una superficie enharinada y amasamos con las manos.

• Formamos una bola con la masa y la dejamos reposar en el bol tapado con film transparente haste que duplique su volumen.

• Mientras tanto, vamos preparando el relleno. Para ello, mezclamos la mantequilla a temperatura ambiente con el azúcar y la canela.

• Precalentamos el horno a 180º.

• Cuando la masa ya haya duplicado su volumen, la ponemos sobre una superficie enharinada y la extendemos con un rodillo hasta obtener un rectángulo de 40 x 50 cm aprox.

• Untamos la crema de relleno sobre ella y distribuimos las nueces por encima.

• Enrollamos la masa (empezando por la parte más ancha).

• Cuando tengamos una especie de brazo de gitano delgado cortamos el rollo por la mitad (de forma transversal) y dejando uno de los extremos unidos. Al cortarlo, tendremos que ver las capas de masa y relleno que se alternan.

• Cruzamos cada parte de la masa para hacer una especie de trenza (siempre con la parte de las capas visibles hacia arriba.

• Cuando esté todo ’trenzado’ formamos una rosca y la colocamos en una bandeja de horno con papel de hornear.

• Horneamos durante 20 minutos aproximadamente.

• Mientras se hornea, preparamos el glaseado. Para ello, batimos un poco las claras con un tenedor y las mezclamos con el azúcar glas.

• Cuando saquemos el kringle del horno lo pintaremos con este glaseado.

Consejos:

• La piel del limón es opcional. Podéis omitirla o cambiarla por piel de naranja, seguro que también está riquísimo.

• Si el glaseado lo queréis más blanco y consistente podéis batir las claras con el azúcar con una batidora de varillas eléctrica. Así es como lo preparamos nosotros y por eso el glaseado se ve en la foto. Si lo batimos simplemente con un tenedor le dará cierto brillo al kringle pero no será de color blanco y tan espeso.

• Partiendo de esta base podéis rellenar la masa con otros frutos secos o incluso mermelada.

[English version] ESTONIAN KRINGLE* *Ingredients: For the dough:

• 30 g sugar

• 1/2 lemon peel (only the yellow part)

• 120 g milk

• 30 g butter

• 15 g fresh yeast

• 1 egg yolk

• 300 g strength

• 1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 50 g de butter (room temperature)

• 60 g de sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

• 50 g chopped walnuts

For the icing:

• 20 g egg white

• 50 g confectioners’ sugar

* *

• If you have a coffee grinder or food processor, place the sugar and the lemon peel on it and grind it until getting a sort of paste. If you don’t have a grinder, just mix sugar with grated lemon peel.

• Heat the milk in the microwave and pour over the sugar.

• Add the butter and yeast and stir well.

• Add egg yolk and stir well again.

• Then, add flour and salt. Mix with a spoon and fork and then knead the dough on a floury surface.

• Make a dough ball and leave to rise into the bowl covered with cling film (until the dough has doubled in volume).

• In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. Mix butter (room temperature) with sugar and cinnamon.

• Preheat oven at 180º.

• When the dough has doubled in volume, place on a floury surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until getting a rectangle (40 x 50 cm aprox.)

• Spread the filling and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

• Roll up the dough (starting by the wider side).

• Cut the log in half length-wise leaving one edge uncut.

• Start  braiding the two pieces, trying to keep the open layers exposed so the cut ends remain on top.

• Pinch the ends together and form a wreath.

• Bake for 20 minutes.

• Prepare the icing. Whisk white eggs with a fork and add confectioners’ sugar. Mix well.

• Out of the oven, brush the kringle with the sugar icing.

* *Tips: - Lemon peel is optional. You can leave it out or use orange peel. For sure, it will be delicious too. - If you want a thicker and whiter sugar icing you can use an electric mixer with whisk attachment. The result will be more similar to our kringle shown in the picture. If you whisk only with fork you will have a lighter and clearer icing. - You can change the filling and use any nuts or jam you like.

Whole Kitchen’s Sweet Proposal for October invites us to make an American classic: brownies

And what a treat, seriously. I’ve made dozens of brownies in my life and I have to confess I almost always pull out a different recipe and they all turn out delicious. The secret is that a brownie is a compact but fluffy cake (sometimes even moist), since it usually doesn’t have any leavening and therefore doesn’t rise. I read somewhere that the brownie was actually discovered thanks to someone forgetting to add the leavening to a chocolate cake. All I can say is… blessed mistake!

What do we need?

• 200 g (7 oz) baking chocolate

• 100 g (3.5 oz / 7 tbsp) butter

• 2 eggs

• 100 g (1/2 cup) regular sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 80 g (2/3 cup) flour

• 100 g (3.5 oz / about 1 cup) walnuts

How do we make it?

• Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave-safe bowl together with the butter. Melt in 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time so it doesn’t burn.

• In another large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until you get a foamy mixture.

• Add the chocolate to this foamy mixture and stir well.

• Mix the flour with the salt and baking soda. Sift it and add it to the previous mixture.

• Stir well and add the walnuts.

• Prepare a baking pan, greasing and flouring it so the cake doesn’t stick, and pour the mixture into it.

• Put it in the oven (preheated to 180°C / 350°F) and bake for about 30 minutes.

• It’ll be ready when you see a light brown crust has formed on top. Remember that the toothpick won’t come out perfectly clean since this is a moist cake. The important thing is that it’s not completely liquid.

Tips:

• Even though brownie batter is pretty dense and it’s usually not necessary, a trick to keep the walnuts from sinking to the bottom of the pan is to coat them in flour or cocoa first.

• To turn the brownie into a proper dessert, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce on top.

[English version] BROWNIES* *Ingredients:

• 200 g chocolate

• 100 g butter

• 2 eggs

• 100 g sugar (sugar or confectioners’ sugar)

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 80 g flor

• *100 g walnuts *

• Cut chocolate into chunks and put into a microwave bowl with butter. Melt it slowly (stop every 20-30 seconds and stir with a spoon).

• *In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar together to get a fluffy mix. *

• Add chocolate cream and stir well.

• *Mix flour, salt and baking soda. Sift the flour mix and add to the previous cream. *

• *Stir well and add walnuts. *

• *Prepare the baking pan (butter and flour it!) and pour the mixture on it. *

• *Put into oven (preheated at 180ºC) and bake for 30 minutes. *

• *It will be ready when you see a brown crust created on the top. If you insert a needle or knife to check the baking, it might not be clean because it’s supposed to be a ‘wet’ cake. *

• ** Tips:- Normally this tip is not needed with brownies recipe because the dough is very thick. However, when you add nuts to a cake and you don’t want to have all of them at the bottom of your baking pan, you can coat the walnuts in flour or cocoa powder. *- For a perfect dessert result, serve the brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce over it!

Whole Kitchen en su Propuesta Dulce para el mes de octubre nos invita a preparar un clásico estadounidense: brownies

Y qué cosa más rica, por favor. He hecho decenas de brownies en mi vida y he de confesar que casi siempre rescato una receta diferente y todas salen riquísimas. El secreto es que el brownie es un bizcocho compacto pero esponjoso (en ocasiones, incluso húmedo) ya que no suele llevar levadura y por tanto no crece. En algún he leído que el descubrimiento del brownie fue precisamente gracias a haberse olvidado echar la levadura a un bizcocho de chocolate. Sólo me queda decir… ¡bendito error!

¿Qué necesitamos?

• 200 g de chocolate para postres

• 100 g de mantequilla

• 2 huevos

• 100 g de azúcar normal

• 1/2 cucharadita de postre de bicarbonato

• 1/2 cucharadita de sal

• 80 g de harina

• 100 g de nueces

¿Cómo lo hacemos?

• Troceamos el chocolate y lo ponemos junto con la mantequilla en un bol apto para microondas. Lo derretimos en intervalos de 20-30 segundos, removiendo cada vez para evitar que se nos queme.

• En otro bol grande, batimos los huevos con el azúcar con ayuda de unas varillas para que nos quede una mezcla espumosa.

• Agregamos el chocolate a esta mezcla espumosa y removemos bien.

• Mezclamos la harina con la sal y el bicarbonato. Lo tamizamos y echamos sobre la mezcla anterior.

• Removemos bien y añadimos las nueces.

• Preparamos un molde de horno, engrasándolo y enharinándolo para que no se nos pegue y vertemos la mezcla en él.

• Lo introducimos al horno (precalentado a 180º) y lo horneamos durante 30 minutos aproximadamente.

• Estará listo cuando veamos que se ha formado una costra por encima de color marrón claro. Recordad que la aguja no saldrá perfectamente limpia ya que se trata de un bizcocho húmedo. Lo importante es que no esté completamente líquido.

Consejos:

• Aunque la masa del brownie es bastante densa y no suele hacer falta, un truco para que las nueces no se vayan al fondo del molde consiste en rebozarlas antes en harina o cacao.

• Para hacer del brownie un auténtico postre se puede servir con una bola de helado de vainilla y chocolate caliente por encima.

 [English version] BROWNIES* *Ingredients:

• 200 g chocolate

• 100 g butter

• 2 eggs

• 100 g sugar (sugar or confectioners’ sugar)

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 80 g flor

• *100 g walnuts *

* *

• Cut chocolate into chunks and put into a microwave bowl with butter.  Melt it slowly (stop every 20-30 seconds and stir with a spoon).

• *In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar together to get a fluffy mix. *

• Add chocolate cream and stir well.

• *Mix flour, salt and baking soda. Sift the flour mix and add to the previous cream. *

• *Stir well and add walnuts. *

• *Prepare the baking pan (butter and flour it!) and pour the mixture on it. *

• *Put into oven (preheated at 180ºC) and bake for 30 minutes. *

• *It will be ready when you see a brown crust created on the top. If you insert a needle or knife to check the baking, it might not be clean because it’s supposed to be a ‘wet’ cake. *

* **  Tips:- Normally this tip is not needed with brownies recipe because the dough is very thick. However, when you add nuts to a cake and you don’t want to have all of them at the bottom of your baking pan, you can coat the walnuts in flour or cocoa powder. *- For a perfect dessert result, serve the brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce over it!