Chocolate Snickers Cookies

I made these awesome cookies for a party. Super simple to make and so delicious. I love the combination of sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy and of course, chocolate. Never too much chocolate! In fact, I think I'll drizzle these with dark chocolate next time...

I'm also thinking you can vary these with other candy bars - as long as you cut the into thin strips that will fit along the middle of the dough, you're golden.

I found the recipe at a Swedish baking blog - Fridas bakblogg. 

Chocolate Snickers Cookies
about 30

150 g butter
150 g sugar
225 g flour
3 tbsp golden syrup
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1,5 tsp baking powder
1,5 tsp vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

3 Snickers bars, each cut into three thin slices, length-wise
1 egg
handful of salty peanuts, coarsely chopped

Cream the butter and sugar. Add flour, syrup, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla. Mix into a nicely uniform dough - I use my Kitchen-Aid for this.

Shape two long, thin rolls of dough and place on a baking sheet. Score both down the middle. In this score, insert the thin planks of Snickers, and pinch slightly so that the rolls hold together.

Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with lots of salty peanuts.

Bake at 175�C for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly before cutting them at an angle, then let them cool completely before you attempt to move them. (Or eat them.)

Frozen Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche drizzle

This recipe is a real oldie. I've had it for ages and my mom often made it when I grew up - I think she got it from a neighbor when Philadelphia cream cheese was first introduced to Sweden. I've actually blogged about it before, but considering that was NINE years ago I think it's fine to do a re-post. I recently made it again, and inspired by a very similar-tasting paleta I had in Copenhagen last summer at Hija de Sanchez I decided to top the whole thing with a drizzled Dulce de Leche and some raspberries. Delicious.

Frozen Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche drizzle 
serves 12

200 gram cream cheese
3 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
200 ml sugar
300 ml heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
finely grated peel of one big lemon

150 g digestive biscuits
50 g butter, melted

Use a springform pan. Blitz the digestive biscuits in a food processor. Add in the melted butter. Press this firmly into the base of your pan. Place in the fridge while you proceed.

Cream the cheese, egg yolks and the sugar with the lemon peel. Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Carefully blend with the cheese cream. Beat the egg whites until stiff, and fold those in too. Pour carefully on top of the crust in the pan. Put in the freezer for at least six hours or overnight. On the day of serving, take it out and remove it from the tin - you might need to carefully run some hot water on the outside. Place on a serving plate and drizzle with dulce de leche.

Take out about twenty minutes before you want to eat and top with the berries. This keeps well in the freezer (but better without the fruit).

Cheesecake brownies with red currants

An update on my previous recipe for cheesecake brownies! These are less sweet because of the berries and a great afternoon treat with coffee.

Cheesecake brownies with red currants
makes a large pan - about 40 small pieces

Brownie base:
180 g butter
300 g sugar
140 g dark chocolate
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
150 g flour

Cheesecake topping:
400 g cream cheese
2 egg yolks
120 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Red currants - mine were frozen but fresh are fine. Use as much as you want - I had two large handfuls.

Start with the brownie part - melt together butter and chocolate. I always do this in the microwave, but feel free to use a double boiler if you want to. Stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and finally the flour. Pour into a well-lined pan.

Sprinkle over the berries.

Stir together all the ingredients for the cheesecake topping, and dollop on top of the brownie. Use a stick, or a knife, to swirl the together for a marble effect. (If you can be bothered. Honestly it's ok to skip it.)

Bake at 175�C for 30-35 minutes. It should just feel set, and a tester should come out fairly clean.

Cool completely before slicing.

Sweet and spicy carrots with feta

I made this side dish to go with bbq pork and a cole slaw, and it turned out to be so delicious I couldn't even take a photo before it was pretty much gone. As any food blogger knows, that means it was huge successful. I did have some on my plate so I managed to snap this measly pic - but I have to make it again, for sure. And soon! It's a perfect fall side dish and goes well with just about anything.

I really didn't measure my spices - I just can't be bothered but just sprinkle on a bunch and I'm sure you'll be fine. I used mostly cumin and chili, and just a little coriander and garlic.

Sweet and spicy carrots with feta

1 kilo of carrots (about 2 pounds) - ideally organic, they have much more flavor
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp runny honey
salt
cumin
ancho chili powder
ground coriander
garlic powder

150 g feta cheese

Peel the carrots and cut into smaller pieces - I split most of mine in 2 or 3 pieces and then halved them. Place in a large oven proof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and honey, and sprinkle on all the spices. Give it a good toss.

Bake at 175�C for about 30-35 minutes. The carrots should be fairly softened.

Crumble over the feta and bake for about 10-15 more minutes. And serve. You're done!

Titus' Vanilla Cake

Titus and Dante wanted to make a cake. I had them make this  classic quatre-quarts plus a little vanilla, but you can add whatever you'd like. For vanilla though, use vanilla extract or the scraped out seeds from a fresh vanilla pod if you have it - that's the best.

This is, literally, easy as cake. Easy enough for kids, for sure. And delicious! Leftovers? Well, this keeps well-wrapped in the fridge for several days. Or you can toast a slice or two, top with with berries and whipped cream perhaps?

Titus' Vanilla Cake

200 g eggs (3 or 4, depending on how large they are) 

200 g sugar

200 g flour
1 tsp baking powder
200 g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour and baking powder, and the melted butter and the vanilla. Pour into a well-lined cake pan and bake in a 200�C oven, for 30-35 minutes. Check to make sure it's baked through.

Colorful nacho dinner!

There are nachos, obviously, topped with beef, avocado, tomatoes, a lovely cheese sauce from Stonewall Kitchen, cilantro, pickled onions and sour cream. Yum!

Lunch

A simple lunch from last weekend. Sausage from one of my favorite stores - Urban Deli - with parmesan, and a simple salad with apples, fennel, red onion, cucumber and snow peas.