Daring Bakers - April 2012

Good morning!

OK, I am very happy today. I get to post about my very first Daring Bakers Challenge!!!

I saw in other blogs from time to time posts on Daring Bakers Challenges and I was intrigued. It was really interesting as a concept.
People from all over the world, who love baking, come together once a month and bake the same recipe and compare results! Who wouldn't love this idea?

So I took part in the April Challenge.
The recipe was chosen by Jason at DailyCandor.com.
Two Armenian recipes that look amazing: Nazook and Nutmeg Cake.

I only had time to make the Nutmeg Cake. But I will surely try the Nazook at some point, because the comments and pictures of the fellow Bakers are so yummy!!!

It sunk a little in the middle...

The only change I made was that I ommited the nuts. Also it took longer to bake than the given time.
The result is a moist cake, very tasty with mouthwatering fragrance.
The crust is so good! Good enough to eat on its own!

The nutmeg is intense, but I liked it. Next time I will try it with cinnamon or even with cocoa? We will see..
This recipe is a keeper!

I can't wait for the next Challenge!!!!!

Chocolate cupcakes!

It was G.'s Name Day a couple of days back and I wanted to make something for his co-workers at the office.
I always try to find reasons to bake, so I took advantage of that!!!

I decided to go for chocolate, as everyone loves it. Any other taste would not be certain, but you can never go wrong with Chocolate. And Nutella.....

I made Chocolate cupcakes with Nutella filling and Nutella Buttercream.
(That's a lot of chocolate...).

It is super easy to make them.

Use any kind of chocolate cake recipe, fill with Nutella and frost with a simple buttercream with Nutella in it. There you have it!

I filled the cases using a small ladle.

Fresh from the oven.

I used an apple corer to make a small hole.

See? I didn't go all the way down.

Filled with Nutella...

Ready to be eaten!!!

I put them in boxes for safe transportation.

I decorated with chocolate covered hazelnuts!!!

They are so yummy and everybody at G's office loved them!

A combination I can't wait to wear!

I love these colours so much! So "summery"!

Easter Holidays!

Easter Holidays are over.... I am back in the office....

It was relaxing and I got to spend a lot of time playing with Ioanna.

We went to my parents' summer house.
The weather was rather cold, cloudy, a little rain now and then. At 1.000 m. altitude Spring is just appearing!

Thankfully the weather was fine on Easter Sunday, so the barbeque was "on fire".

We had a very traditional feast with young goat on spit, kokoretsi and frigadeli.
I don't eat these last two dishes, but the whole situation was nice, traditional Greek music was playing, we were having some wine and meze while waiting for the meat to be ready!
We also had a couple of salads, slices of bread roasted on the barbeque drizzled with olive oil, my mom's famous roasted potatoes, spanakopita made by my mother-in-law (amazing!!) and no bake cheese cake by me!

I like spending Easter Holidays in the country with family and friends!

Lemony Lemony Scones!

I regularly check a blog called “Top with cinnamon”. 

It is really nice and I like the recipes very much.

I saw this recipe for scones with lemon and I gave it a try, because I went to visit my sister and well, I kind of have the habit of baking something every time I go to her house.

I basically followed the recipe and only changed a few things on Izy’s instructions.

- I omitted the ginger.

- I doubled the salt

- I added sprinkles

- I colored the glaze yellow!

- I put the log in the freezer for at least 30 min. before cutting it into pieces

I rolled my pastry.

I spread the filling.

See the sprinkles? I love them!

I rolled the log and put it in the freezer.

I used the dental floss method to cut the pieces.

They look small, but they will spread a little with baking.

I drizzled the glaze. 

See the caramel that ran during baking?

Don't you just love the colors?

And they are so tasty!! Everyone enjoyed them!!

Bread Pudding!

I have to say that I am on a strict diet. 

So is G. because I need the support and he needs to lose a few kilos as well.

Thankfully we have a free day in the week and we can eat like normal people do (I think…). 

So, we ate some bread for breakfast, had fries with our lunch and DESSERT!

I made a bread pudding (whole wheat, so healthy, right?)!

What I love about them is that you don’t need special quantities and ingredients, well except bread, milk and eggs of course. This is what I used:

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD PUDDING

1 pack of whole wheat sliced bread, cubed

2 eggs

250gr margarine

raisins

milk chocolate chips

1 can of evaporated sweetened milk

caramel syrup

cinnamon

I melted the margarine and tossed in the cubed bread and cooked until rather brown. I lightly beat the eggs, I added the milk and whisked again.

In an oven safe bowl I put half the bread, then half the chips and raisins, then the rest of the bread. I poured the milk/eggs mixture, I sprinkled with the rest of the chips and raisins and finally I added the caramel syrup and some cinammon.

I baked it until it was bubbly and creamy, I think it was around 20-25 minutes.

Note: As I was in need for chocolate I added more chocolate chips after I took it from the oven!!!!! You can also use any kind of bread or plain milk or heavy cream, etc.

Almost ready for the oven!

 

Right out of the oven!!!!

See how the chocolate melted with the caramel?

 You cannot believe the smell and the taste.... I wish I could have it everyday and not gain any weight.... (the diet is going well, though, so I shouldn't complaint).