Apricot Dumplings

dough:
60 g butter, softened
1 pn salt
1 egg
250 g curd cheese (quark), 20%
125 g flour
1 1/2 TB farina (cream of wheat)

filling & coating :
12-15 small apricots
brioche (or white bread) from previous day, finely crumbled
flaked almonds (optional)
butter
powdered sugar

Whisk butter and salt until smooth and creamy. One after another, add egg, curd cheese (quark), flour and farina. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. On a slightly floured counter cut the dough into pieces, flatten (with floured hands!) and wrap around the apricots. Cook in slightly simmering water for about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the brioche crumbs (and almonds) in butter until crisp. Lift the dumplings out of the water, drain well and roll in the crumbs. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Cherry & Yogurt Clafoutis

2 eggs, divided
1 ts lemon juice
3 tb sugar, including 1 tb vanilla sugar
250 g plain yogurt
150 g flour
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of baking soda
about 2-3 tb milk
750 g cherries, pitted

Beat the egg whites with salt until soft peaks are formed. Combine egg yolks, yoghurt, sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Mix flour and baking soda and whisk into egg mixture. Add some milk if the batter is too thick. Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour the batter into a greased casserole pan (24 cm diameter) and add the cherries. Bake in preheated oven at 185 deg C for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Let the clafoutis rest for some minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar and serve.

Pear & Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

cake:
1 pear, thin slices
100 g vegetable oil
65 g sugar, including 1 1/2 tb vanilla sugar
1 egg
125 g flour (use 1-2 ts more, if apples are very juicy)
1 tb cornstarch
1/2 ts baking soda
1 pn salt cinnamon & nutmeg, freshly ground, according to taste
150 g apple (tart variety), finely diced

caramel sauce:
50 g sugar
1 1/2 tb water
1 tb butter
1 pn sea salt
approx. 5 tb heavy cream

oven: 190 deg C, preheated; 50 min
pan: loaf pan, 20 cm, bottom covered with greased parchment paper, sprinkled with sugar

Arrange the pears overlapping at the bottom of the pan. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and spices, set aside. Combine oil, sugar and egg, whisk until creamy and light in color. Add the flour mixture and stir until well combined. Add the apples. Spoon the batter over the pears. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate.

For the glaze, mix sugar and water. Heat over medium temperature and caramelize not too dark. Remove from heat. Add butter and salt. Whisk in as much heavy cream as needed for the desired consistency (keep in mind, that the sauce will thicken while cooling). Allow the glaze to cool slightly, then pour it over the cake.

Fig & Rose Pudding Pastry

1 pk puff pastry
250 g milk
20 g cornstarch
10 g vanilla sugar
1/8 ts vanilla powder
1 pn salt
1 ts rose water (or more, according to taste)
2 fresh figs, cut into wedges
3 ts rose petal jam

oven: 200 deg C, preheated; 15+5 min
pan: 6 muffin molds

Cut circles out of the pastry sheet and place them into muffin molds. Fill half way up with beans. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry turns golden. Take out from the oven, discard the beans, bake for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Once the pastry shells are cool, fill them with rose pudding, top with fig wedges and drizzle with rose petal jam.

For the pudding, mix 5 tb of milk, vanilla sugar, vanilla powder, salt and cornstarch until smooth. Bring the remaining milk to a boil. Remove from heat, add the starch mixture, stir well. Bring to a boil again and cook for 30 sec, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.

Zebra Cake

30 g dark cocoa powder
40-50 g strong coffee
2 eggs
75 g sugar, including as much vanilla sugar as you like
100 g vegetable oil
125 g milk
150 g flour
1 1/2 ts baking powder

oven: 180 deg C, preheated; 45 min
pan: springform, 18 cm, bottom covered with parchment paper

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk with a hand-held mixer until the mixture is creamy and pale. Add oil and milk, continue beating until well blended. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir just until smooth. Consistency of the batter should be liquidy.

Divide the batter into 2 equal portions. Stir the cocoa mixture into one portion until well blended.

Using a ladle that holds 3-4 tablespoons, pour alternately plain and dark batter into the middle of the baking pan. Work uninterruptedly - the batter will spread by itself and fill the pan gradually. Bake until golden brown (toothpick test).

Baked Coconut Milk Risotto & Roasted Plums

risotto:
10 g butter
75 g risotto rice
350 g milk
150 g water
2 1/2 tb coconut milk powder
20 g vanilla sugar
1 pn salt

compote:
500 g plums, halved (or quartered) and pitted
2 tb vanilla sugar
1-1 1/2 tb rose water

In a saucepan, heat the butter. Add the rice and sauté until translucent. Transfer the rice into an oven-proof dish. Warm the milk, water, vanilla sugar and salt over medium heat. Add the coconut milk powder and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the rice, stir well. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake at 200 deg C (preheated) until the rice is tender (about 60 minutes, maybe less), add extra milk if needed.

For the compote, place the plums in an oven-proof dish. Add vanilla sugar and rose water, stir to coat. Bake at 200 deg C for about 45 minutes.

Grape Muffins

135 g flour
1 ts baking powder
50 g sugar
1 pn salt
125 g sour cream
1 egg
40 g vegetable oil
100-125 g small seedless grapes

oven: 180 deg C, preheated; 20 min
pan: 6 muffin tins

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk sour cream, egg and oil until smooth. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the grapes. Spoon the batter into muffin tins and bake until golden (toothpick test).

Plum & Yogurt Cake

batter:
1 egg, separated
1 tb water
35 g vanilla sugar
35 g flour
1/4 ts cream of tartar baking powder

filling & coating:
350 g plums, diced
1 large bay leaf, fresh
1-2 tb vanilla sugar [1]
250 g water
agar [1] for 125 ml of liquid (1-2 g)
200 g yogurt, 10%
150 g heavy cream
2 tb vanilla sugar [2]
agar [1] for 250 ml of liquid (2-3 g)

oven: 180 deg C, preheated; 15 min
pan: springform, 18 cm, bottom covered with parchment paper

For the batter, beat egg white and water until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar. Continue beating until the sugar is dissolved. Add the egg yolk and whisk to combine. Mix flour and baking powder. Sift the mixture over the beaten egg white and fold in gently, just until the flour is incorporated. Fill the batter into the springform and bake until golden. Remove the parchment paper and let cool.

Mix water, vanilla sugar [1] and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, add the plums and poach until tender. Lift out and drain well, let cool. Bring the liquid to a boil again. Cook until it is reduced to half. Add agar [1] and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, set aside.

Mix heavy cream, vanilla sugar and agar [2]. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Drain through a sieve, let cool. Add the yogurt, stir until smooth. Fold in the plums. Place an adjustable cake ring around the cake. Spoon the yogurt mixture onto the cake and flatten it with a spatula. Refrigerate until set. Gently heat the plum jelly just until it is liquid again. Pour it over the yogurt, refrigerate until set.

Plum Clafoutis

approx. 600 g ripe plums, halved
45 g flour
55 g vanilla sugar
1 pn salt
250 g heavy cream
3 eggs

oven: 180 deg C, preheated / about 40 min
pan: 3 ovenproof dishes, greased and dusted with sugar

Whisk flour, vanilla sugar, salt and heavy cream until combined. Add the eggs, one after another, and whisk until smooth. Arrange the plums in the dishes (cut sides up). Carefully pour the batter around the plums. Bake about 40 minutes or until the tops are slightly puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot.

Mini Blackberry Muffins

65 g blackberries (or mixed berries)
65 g flour
3/4 ts baking powder
1/8 ts baking soda
1 egg (small)
35 g sugar
1 ts vanilla sugar
2 tb vegetable oil
65 g curd cheese (quark, 20%)
powdered sugar, for dusting

oven: 200 deg C; about 15 minutes
pan: 10-12 mini muffin tins (3 cm diameter)

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda, set aside. Whisk the egg. Add sugar and vanilla sugar and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add oil and curd cheese, whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Carefully fold in the berries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Bake until golden. Allow to cool. Serve with vanilla sauce.

Caramelized Ruby Grapefruit

Press halved grapefruit into a mixture of sugar and finely chopped mint. Place in a hot skillet and cook until caramelized and warm. Serve with yogurt and sour cream.

Lemon Soup with Shrimp

1 lemon
275 g vegetable broth
175 g heavy cream
3 bay leaves, fresh
1/2 tb olive oil
1 handful shrimp, ready-to-eat
1 small red chili, slightly slit lengthwise
1-2 tb lemon syrup (homemade)
salt & pepper

Using a zester, remove the lemon rind. Mix half of it with shrimp, set aside.

Cut the lemon in half. Place, cut-side down, in a hot sauce pan and cook until golden and warm. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour into the pan. Add broth, heavy cream and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let slightly simmer for about 15 minutes.

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Add shrimp and chili, stir-fry for a short while, then put the shrimp to the edge of the pan. Add the syrup, cook to froth, then toss to coat the shrimp. Remove chili, season to taste.

Remove bay leaves from the soup, season to taste. Froth up with an immersion blender. Serve with shrimp, decorated with the remaining lemon rind.

Lime Pudding

1 egg, yolk & beaten egg white
65 g sugar, including 1 tb vanilla sugar
45 g lime juice
3/4 ts lime rind, grated
75 g milk
45 g heavy cream
20 g butter, softened
3 ts flour
1 pn baking powder

oven: 180 deg C, preheated; 30 min
pan: 3 ovenproof cups à 150 ml

Combine all ingredients except the egg white and beat with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Fold the beaten egg white into the mixture. Spoon the mixture into the cups. Place the cups in a baking tray or in a small loaf pan. Fill with enough hot water to come halfway up the cups. Bake about 30 minutes or until the tops are slightly puffed and golden. Serve warm.

Pear Tarte Tatin with Vanilla & Ginger

3-4 firm, ripe pears
1/2 lemon, juice only
2-3 tb water
1 tb butter
1/2 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
2 cm ginger, finely diced
2 tb sugar
1 puff pastry sheet (25x25 cm)

oven: about 225 deg C, preheated; 25 min
pan: springform or tart pan, 18 cm, bottom greased

Peel the pears, cut in half, remove the cores. Place lemon juice and water in a bowl, add the pears, set aside. Cut the pastry sheet into a circle (a bit larger than the diameter of the baking pan).

Heat the butter until it froths. Add vanilla pod, vanilla seeds and ginger. Add the sugar and let it lightly caramelize, stirring constantly. Add the pears (cut surfaces down) and the lemon water. Cover the sauce pan and cook the pears on low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Lift the pears out, drain and arrange in the baking pan (cut surfaces top). Bring the lemon water to a boil and cook until it starts to thicken. Remove the vanilla pod. Pour the syrup into the baking pan. Arrange the pastry sheet on top, tucking the edges in around the pears. Bake until golden brown.

Let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then invert the tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pear and Coffee Panna Cotta

pears & syrup:
80 g coffee, strong
35 g sugar
1 pear, peeled, cut into 8 slices

panna cotta:
225 g heavy cream
50 g milk
25 g sugar
1/2 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
1 g agar powder (or less then half of the amount the manufacturer recommends for 250 ml liquid)

Mix coffee and sugar, bring to the boil. Reduce heat, add the pears and poach until tender. Lift the pears out with a slotted spoon, let drain and place on the bottom of 2 ramekins. Bring the coffee to the boil again and cook until thickened (you should get about 2 tb of syrup). Pour over the pears and refrigerate.

For the panna cotta, heat heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla seeds and the vanilla pod. Let slightly simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add agar and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once the mixture is a bit more then lukewarm (about 45 deg C), pour through a fine sieve over the pears and syrup. Refrigerate until set, then invert onto serving plates.