Cream and Strawberry Cake

Once again dear readers I have not written for a while. I put this down to two things: 1- most of my students are preparing for exams and therefore I have been up to my ears in practice papers and all sorts of very boring grammar and vocabulary stuff. And 2- it has been FREAKING HOT. All of a sudden we have been catapulted into the mid-thirties (not the era, the temperature...) and this Brit is doing her fair share of sweating (ew). But never fear, because I am back with a ridiculously good birthday cake recipe. If you're counting calories, I'd look away now...

Torta di crema e fragola

First, let's start with the sponge cake. You will need:

Either some ready made sponge cakes (cheater!) or the following:
6 eggs
2 egg whites
250g sugar
250g plain flour
raising agent (I used a small sachet and a half)

Mix the eggs and sugar (it will seem oh-so-eggy, but don't worry- it tastes great in the end) before sifting in the flour and raising agent. I put the mixture into one large tin, but you can divide it into two if you like. After about 30 minutes (approx- keep checking it but be careful when opening the oven door so as not to make the cake sink) at around 180°C (if you have a fan oven don't use it- 'normal' oven will do), take it out and check it's cooked through by using a skewer. If it comes out clean and minus gloopy cake mixture, it's done! I left my cake to cool before carefully slicing it in half to create two 'levels'.

For the rest you will need:
A punnet of strawberries
a big lemon
some sugar
a splash of limoncello
white chocolate
whipping cream (about 500ml)
creama pasticcera
crema chantilly (see below for how to make these)

Then you will need to 'wet the cake'- Italians say 'bagnare la torta', and this is often done with some kind of alcohol. I cleaned and chopped half the punnet of strawberries (small pieces) and put them in  bowl with some sugar (taste test to how sweet you want the strawberries), and the juice of one big lemon. I added a little cold water too. I actually left these overnight in the fridge, and the next day, they had produced the most delicious 'strawberry juice'- perfect for 'wetting' the cake! I added a cheeky drop of limoncello too...

I evenly distributed the juice and the small pieces of strawberry over the bottom layer of sponge and then on the top layer. At this point the two halves were on separate plates; I hadn't yet put them together. After doing this, I spread some crema pasticcera thickly on the bottom layer (see below) and then popped the other half of the sponge on top.

I covered the entire cake with whipped cream (which I whipped to within an inch of its life to ensure it stayed put on the cake) and dollops of crema chantilly (again, see below- this is just a variation on the crema pasticera). I used the other half of the punnet of strawberries to decorate the cake, and I also grated some white chocolate on top too.

This may be stating the obvious, but make sure you keep the cake in the fridge until it's ready to be eaten.

Creama Pasticcera

The recipe and instructions to make this sweet, custard-like filling that Italians use in all sorts of cakes and biscuits was given to me by an Italian friend of mine and was therefore written in Italian. To prevent any translation errors (of which there would be several) here is a link to a great little blog which carefully describes the crema pasticcera process. With pictures and all!

http://cosabolle.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/how-to-make-crema-pasticcera-or-pastry-cream-illustrated/

Creama Chantilly

 Creama Chantilly, for those of you who don't know (until a very short time ago I was amongst you),  is actually just another name for sweetened, whipped cream. I whipped up some cream and added a few dollops of crema pasticcera to sweeten it more. Whether I was doing this correctly I'm not sure; but what I do know, is that it tasted delicious.

Kinder Bueno Cheesecake

Hi folks! I hope you all had a great weekend. On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending my very first southern Italian wedding; my stomach is now in recovery, and I will be posting all about it in the very near future! For now though, check out this delicious (and very simple) Kinder Bueno Cheesecake recipe, which I recently made to try and impress my boyfriend's family, along with a couple of other calorific treats (have a look at that blog post here)

  To give credit where credit is due, I actually took this recipe from boutiquebake.com. I only made one little alteration: just a little extra butter. I found that the original amount didn't quite bind the biscuit together as much as I wanted.

Here's what you'll need:

For the biscuit base: 300g of digestives and 200g of butter

For the cheesecake: 350ml of whipped cream, 450g of cream cheese, 150g of sifted icing sugar and 6 single Kinder Bueno bars. You can obviously use more Kinder Bueno bars if you wish!

 First, place a sheet of greaseproof paper in a circular spring clip tip. You could use a normal tin, but it might be a little tricky taking the cheesecake out later. Melt the butter and then crush the digestive biscuits well. Then mix them together and press into the tin. Make sure they are nice and compact.

Whip up the cream, and in a separate bowl mix the cream cheese and icing sugar. You can do this by hand but I found it much easier using an electric whisk! Melt the broken up Kinder Buenos either in the microwave or over a saucepan of hot water, then mix all of the ingredients together. Spread the mixture over the biscuit base, making sure it's smooth and level.

Put the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 or 5 hours to set properly. I left mine in there overnight at this was perfect. I then topped it with chocolate sauce and some extra Kinder Bueno chunks.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can modify it easily. In the future I'm going to use the same basic recipe to make an Oreo or Snickers cheesecake. It's making me hungry just thinking about it....

Buon appetito! :D

May days

So far, May has been a pretty good month (apart from the bureaucratic nightmare that I have been struggling with...more on that in the near future). Not only has the warm weather finally decided to arrive (it was taking its sweet time...let's hope it sticks around) but I have also managed to meet up with a very special friend of mine. Valentina and I have been friends for about three years now, and she was the first real friend I made here in Italy. Every time she's around in the city, we make sure that we can squeeze in a good gossip.

As well as this lovely meet up, I received a very special gift from my aunt in the UK: a beautiful painting done by her own fair hands. And the Italian courier didn't make so much as a smudge on the package- hooray! Isn't it fantastic??

And finally, (as all good things come in threes) I had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into this very sweet treat:

What you can see here, dear readers, is a strawberry tiramisù. Words simply cannot describe how delicious it was, so here are a few more photos for you to enjoy/salivate over.

Have a great day!

Easter treats

Well would you look at that. Easter is almost upon us! It's almost time to start scoffing chocolate eggs, which makes me very excited indeed. What makes me even MORE excited than consuming vast quantities of chocolate however, is that soon my parents will be arriving. It's been several months since I've seen them, and so it's about time that we saw each other. There are already several family meet-ups organised, the majority of which involve lunches or dinners (of course), and I'm once again looking forward to witnessing the (amusing) reliance on non verbal communication. Mine don't speak Italian, his don't speak English; you get the idea. In all seriousness though, it's amazing how much a big smile and a warm embrace can show affection and can create bonds. My boyfriend's dad does have one token phrase though; the ever-useful 'WHAT TIME IS IT?!'. I'm quite sure he doesn't know how to actually tell the time in English...but at least he's making an effort.

In other 'news', it has been a while since I've posted some pics of delicious dolce, so I thought I'd better deliver. The other morning, myself and my man went out for breakfast, and instead of a nice healthy colazione, we went for nice and unhealthy instead. Cappuccino? Check. Crostata alla nutella? Check. Small, cream filled croissant? Ohhh yes.

As I was enjoying my sweet breakfast, I also snapped a few pics of the cream cakes on offer at the bar. Sunday is the day of dolce, and so the counter was filled with all sorts of tasty treats.

And finally, a little while ago I discovered a cute little bar which serves great cocktails. Not only this, but their aperitivo is also pretty impressive.  And all for €6, cocktail included? Yes please! I recently went there with a friend and we had a very nice evening indeed.

Have a happy Easter folks! :D

Sweet Monday...

So, it's Monday again. How on earth does this day manage to come round so quickly? Everyone needs a little pick-me-up on Monday mornings, so here's a little treat for you all. It occurred to me that I haven't posted a photo for some delicious dolce for a while, so I thought I had better remedy that immediately. Behold! A selection of  mouth-watering delights from one of the best bakeries in the local area, Saint Honore....

Cassata, Torta alla ricotta and two creamy chocolatey creations that tasted SO. DARN. GOOD.

Have a great day!!

More food please!

Good afternoon from wet and windy Puglia! I hope you are all having a nice, relaxing Sunday so far. This blog post is, surprise surprise, a food one, and also provides further evidence of my ongoing culinary development. This week I made some nice little vanilla cupcakes (the icing didn't turn out perfectly, hence a photo senza drippy frosting mess) and, with the help of my incredibly patient man, I assisted in preparing a traditional Pugliese Sunday lunch. I have been told that, even if you are rubbish at preparing other dishes, the Sunday lunch is one that you must perfect. Best get to work then...

I used a recipe from the BBC website for these moist, tasty cupcakes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cupcakes_93722 

 

This is definitely a Southern delicacy: the Pancotto. I tried this one at La Locanda di Hansel in Foggia (Trip Advisor reviews here)

The Pancotto had to be followed by dolce of course. This was the torta Kinder. One word: YUM.

Couldn't have put it better myself....

Yes, all of this went into making a delicious sugo for our Sunday lunch

We also made involtini using beef, parsley, Parmesan, a little garlic and salt.

Sugo in progress

Meaty sugo plus traditional pugliese orecchiette makes one happy Amy.

Buona Domenica!

The best way to end a weekend...?

This weekend I spent time with my boyfriend at his parents' little house by the sea. We had an incredible barbecue, spent some time lazing on the beach and generally enjoyed a bit of r&r. But if you think this is going to be a 'what I did this weekend' post, you are very much mistaken. Because there's really only one thing you need to know about this weekend: we went to Pizzicato.

If you are unsure about what Pizzicato is, please click here for more info (it's seriously worth it to click on the link...hunger inducing pics do await you). Myself and the man well and truly indulged, and picked up this box of tasty treats. I can't think of a better way to end the weekend, can you?

Have a great week folks!

Sweet treats and naughty pets...

Hi folks!

It's been a little while since I posted a hunger-inducing pic of some sweet treats. Actually that's not true at all; my most recent post definitely included some cake photos. Several of them. And to be honest that's probably the topic I blog about most...Anyway, who cares, everyone loves dolce! So here's a snapshot of my most recent indulgence, provided by my boyfriend's zia, who happens to be UNBELIEVABLY good at making dolce. And antipasto. And pasta. And...well, you get the picture...

Coconut cake, some yummy fruity thing and of course, tiramisu...

Moving away from sugary treats, I also have a little terrapin update. Remember Tim and Jennifer? My cheeky little pet terrapins? Well, one of them recently made a bit for freedom. As they were temporarily and 'safely' (ahem) housed in a slightly smaller container as I cleaned out their regular home, a certain male terrapin somehow made his way out of the container and had a wander around the dining room. When I returned, he was there to greet me. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I may have also said the following:

TIM!! What on earth are you doing on the floor?! 

Yes, I do talk to my terrapins. Occasionally. Only when they've behaved badly. Ahem. I concluded that he must have clambered on top of Jennifer (again, ahem) and toppled his way over the side of the small container. Maybe he and Jennifer had had a falling out. Or maybe he just wanted to have a mooch around. I guess we'll never know...

That's all for now, have a great day! :D

Food glorious food...

I'm sure you're all aware of my 'Italian family'. You know, the ones who, if they had their way, would continuously feed me 24/7 and even then would declare that I'd 'barely eaten a thing'? Yes, I'm talking about THAT amazing family.

Well, I recently had another encounter with the whole clan, as it was my boyfriend's nephew's third birthday. So naturally, this called for balloons, lots of family photos and of course, FOOD. Mountains of the stuff. The 'first course' was literally a table full of carbs. There was no second course, as this was an evening meal, and one always eats 'lighter' at dinnertime. Ha! We then had some of the most delicious strawberries I think I have ever eaten, followed by what can only be described as an ONSLAUGHT of desserts. I felt like I was putting on the kilos just by LOOKING at the table of goodies. Tiramisu, pear and ricotta tart, a big green sugary birthday cake...oh my. All homemade, and all INCREDIBLE. Needless to say, once I had been 'forced' (ahem) to sample these sweet delights, I may have been shaking ever so slightly from a sugar overdose. I may have also literally grabbed hold of my boyfriend's sister-in-law and, with moist eyes, told her that she had made me so incredibly happy. And because this kind of food-induced emotion is not uncommon in these parts of Italy, she didn't think I was weird. At least, I hope not...

Buona Pasquetta!

A big fat HELLO and Happy Easter to all you lovely readers. Whether you're followers (thanks!), regular readers or just happen to have stumbled on my little blog, I hope you're all having a nice Easter break.

I have been simply AWFUL recently and haven't been blogging at all. BUT! Never fear because even though I may only be blogging a couple of times a week now, I'm HERE!

So today in Italy the Italians are all celebrating 'Pasquetta', or little Easter. Usually, big groups of friends head to the beach or woods or someone's house, to eat, drink, socialise and eat a bit more. Today has been a bit different for me though, as my Pasquetta didn't involve friends- it involved my parents!!! They have been in Italy for over a week now and I've been showing them around. Today, we headed to the beautiful Gargano (me, my man, my parents and his parents too!) and spent some time enjoying the sunshine in the towns of Rodi and Vico.

 On our way to Vico however, my boyfriend's dad's car broke down....and we ended up pushing it halfway up a hill!!! The journey back was definitely a good 'getting to know you better' task, as there were 6 of us crammed into one little Fiat! Needless to say, we had a good giggle, despite being cramped up in the back!

And do you know what, I think it was all worth it just for the fabulous cakes we picked up at the Pasticceria Pizzicato (Via del Risorgimento, Vico del Gargano)

 Buona Pasquetta! :D

Terrific Torta!

It is a well known fact that Italians love their dolce. It is also a well known fact that I love dolce. And so, I recently went on a mission to create the perfect Italian sponge cake- which of course, must include yoghurt. When I make sponge cake, it always involves eggs, sugar, flour and butter. But the Italians aren't too fond of adding lots of butter, so instead they use yoghurt. I've tried several many yoghurt cakes whilst in Italy, so decided to have a go at making one myself. I used an orange and lemon yogurt which gave a subtle tangy flavour, and then dusted it with icing sugar for added sweetness. What do you think??

And here's the recipe:

A small pot (125g) and a half of yoghurt (if you want a stronger yoghurt flavour. If not, use one pot, then half a yoghurt pot of milk) You can experiment with various yoghurt flavours.
250g flour
250g sugar
3 eggs
a small sachet of baking powder (probably about half a teaspoon or so)
a teaspoon of oil (vegetable or olive)
grated lemon
icing sugar to dust

Mix the flour, baking powder, eggs and sugar together, before adding the oil, yoghurt and lemon. The mixture may seem a little runny but don't worry about this.

Put into circular baking tins, and bake for about 15 minutes (exact time will depend on your oven) until the cake is no longer runny in the middle. Take out and leave to cool, before sprinkling some icing sugar on top.

This cake turned out really light and moist, and will keep for about 3 or 4 days in an airtight container. Although to be honest, you'll probably have scoffed most of it after a day or so anyway... ;)

Happy Monday folks!