Tag Archives: hazelnuts

“Snowflake” Cookies

26 Sunday May 2013

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Yes, I made snowflake cookies. Or at least, that’s what I chose to call them. I do know it’s May. Or, it’s supposed to be May. I’m not sure if the weather right here in Germany knows that it’s May. There was night frost in some areas this week! Kind of crazy…

Schneekekse_1

Okay, I will stop complaining. We’ll be on vacation the next two weeks. I decided to make some cookies as a little supply and as a present for the person with whom we’re staying. As they are snowflake cookies, they’ll remind us of the cold that we espace…

And just to give you some facts: They’re whole wheat, or at least, they can be. They can be made using either xylit, regular white sugar or whole cane sugar. Whole cane sugar yields a malty, caramel like flavor which I really like.
And of course, you don’t have to use the same kind of nuts I used. Actually, you could also use just hazelnuts or just walnuts or you use almonds… it’s up to you!

Schneekekse_3
That’s a big cookie for a tiny Lego girl, if you ask me…

Snowflake Cookies
yields about 60 cookies, whole wheat and can be sugar-free

  • 200g / 1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry)
  • 120g / 3/4 cup ground nuts (I used half hazelnuts and half walnuts)
  • 100g / 1/2 cup cold margarine (earth balance / alsan)
  • 100g / 1/2 cup sugar (whole cane, white or xylit)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 packages bourbon vanilla sugar
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • pinch of salt
  • optional: confectioners’ sugar for decoration OR powdered xylit

Mix all the ingredients, using either your hands or a food processor. I think using your hands is much more fun and better for taste testing the dough… ;)
The dough is supposed to be smooth and it shouldn’t stick to your hands. Add some more flour if it’s too sticky, add a little more cold water if it’s too crumbly.
Form a roll and cut of slices, about 0,5 cm thick. Put on a baking tray, lined with baking paper. Bake for about 12-15 minutes at 350 F / 180 C. Decorate with confectioners’ sugar while still warm! Enjoy and hope for better weather!
Note: you can easily make powdered sugar from xylit in your food processor or blender. Just put 2 cups in your blender and mix, that’s it. It’s a great sugar-free alternative for decorating cookies and other desserts.

Schneekekse_2
No problem… since she has a fancy Lego phone, she’s just calling a friend…

2013-05-26 Schneekekse_4So they can enjoy that cookie together!

I’ll see you in two weeks. Hope all the “snowflakes” are gone when we’ll get back!

Healthy Date Nougat

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Nougat – a divine combination of cocoa, hazelnuts and sugar!

Date Nougat

Usually, it contains a lot of sugar. Just like the famous spread from Europe that starts with a “N” and ends with “utella”. Here’s the good message: These little pralines taste just like that spread! They are perfect for cold winter days. Maybe enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa? Or as a snack, to keep you going!

I love any kind of date-nut candy when I am studying. They give you lots of energy and help to concentrate. And they taste delicious without any white sugar or artificial flavors. It’s nature’s best candy!

Okay… this candy is not only for winter time… however, let’s have a look at the winter village…

Date Nougat Lego

Transporting the date nougat! Destination: Tanya’s desk. Oh, I like that. The little guys still have to learn how to cook, though…

Date Nougat Lego 2

Another transport! Now, this is urgent! Had to take the post van!

Okay… we’ll go back to winter wonderland! But I guess I should share the recipe first! Well, here you go.

Delicious Date Nougat

Date Nougat 

  • 1 cup soft dates 
  • 3/4 cup coarsely ground, roasted hazelnuts *
  • 3 tbsp cocoa
  • optional: 1/2 tsp  cinnamon or pumpkin spice (recommended for a lovely winter candy!)

Chop dates with a sharp knife into very small pieces. Add ground hazelnuts, cocoa and spices and mix the dough with your hands. Add more nuts if it’s too sticky. Form small balls  with your hands and put on a plate. Don’t store these candies in a box or jar, they need some fresh air. You could either store them at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Of course you could make the dough using your food processor. However, I wanted to try not using any expensive, fancy tools… it works just as great using a knife and your own two handy! And hands are easier to clean than your food processor, keep that in mind!

* Roast hazelnuts: Put raw hazelnuts on a clean baking tray. Roast in the oven at 200 C / 36o F for about 10-15 minutes. Let them cool down and put them in fridge or refrigerator for a few hours. Now put your roasted nuts in a blender or food processor and grind them coarsely (pulse works best). Cooling the nuts in the fridge before grinding them helps to prevent them from turning into nut butter! I love nut butter – but it’s just not what you need in this recipe…
Don’t have a blender / food processor? I recommend using one part store bought chopped hazelnuts and one part store bought ground hazelnuts (hazelnut flour / meal). Carefully roast the ground and chopped nuts in a pan or use them straight from the bag.

* Want to keep it RAW? Just don’t roast the hazelnuts! It’s a little different, but still delicious!

Date Nougat Winter Village

Back to winter wonderland. It’s been snowing. It’s been snowing date nougat pralines! Oh, I like that kind of weather… Winter and I could become friends…

Actually, that reminds me of that movie. Cloudy with a chance of… date balls!

Date Nougat Winter Village

Time to shovel the snow (or date balls!). Hey, Guys… could you tidy up the kitchen, too? Please?

Frosty the Snowman – Lunch before Christmas

16 Sunday Dec 2012

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Time for some easy food art!

Frosty the Snowman

 

Here’s Frosty the Snowman for lunch!
Food can be so much fun, why shouldn’t you play with it ;) .

You don’t need much to make your snowman lunch, but it looks great. It’s a nice idea for kids – or for yourself.

Frosty

This is more an idea than a recipe, but here’s what you need!

Frosty the Snowman

  • 2 slices whole wheat bread
  • chocolate spread
  • cream cheese (I used my homemade cream cheese, you could use tofuti, too)
  • 1 hazelnut, cut in two halves (eyes)
  • 2 small carrot (nose)
  • small raisins (mouth)
  • lettuce or baby spinach (scarf)

Lego and Frosty

 

Time for a snowball fight – I prefer the Lego version, as it’s less cold…

Oh, the chocolate spread I used for the head is homemade, too! I will post the recipe some time soon!

Have a great Christmas time!

Apricot Bars – Snack time!

01 Saturday Dec 2012

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I was a little unsure about the naming – are they energy bars? But why do all things to be functional? And no, they are way to delicious to be no more than energy bars…

Are they pop tarts? They are similar – but there is way more stuffing! (Which is the very best part…)

So… Apricot Bars it is. Because… that’s what they are, after all. And delicious, they are really delicious, of course. But delicious is not really descriptive…

Apricot Bars

 

Oh, don’t let those Bars deceive you. They are definitelly not the most pretty thing… But one of the most tasty ones I’ve made lately. And, remember, if things are not that visually appealing, you might not have to share that much…

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Apricot Bars 

For the dough:

  • 225g  / 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour 
  • 50g / 1/4 cup ground hazelnuts
  • 100g / 1/2 cup margarine or vegan butter
  • 2-4 Tbsp water
  • soy cream or soy milk

For the filling:

  • 225g / 2 cups dried apricots 
  • 250ml / 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 50g / 1/3 cup raisins

Coat a baking pan with baking paper or slightly grease it with margarine. Mix the whole wheat flour and ground nix. Add the margarine and as much water as needed. Knead either with your hands or the food processor until combined. Put the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 min.

For the filling, put the dried apricots, apple juice and cinnamon in a pot and boil the mixture for a few minutes until the apricots are really soft. Let it cool down and blend in your blender (or food processor) until really creamy. Stir in the raisins. That’s your filling!

Roll out one half of the dough and cover the ground of your baking pan with dough. Put the filling on top of it, roll out the second half of dough and cover the bars. Brush some soy cream or milk on top (it adds a nice glaze) and bake for 20-25 min at 200 C or 350 F.

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Remember this guy? Yes, he also loves apricot bars. Maybe it’s the golden orange color that appeals to him? And don’t worry, he didn’t need his axe to cut them… they are rather soft.

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All those secret beauties! I am getting hungry looking at this picture, honestly! This is actually a really old recipe, an accidentally vegan one, which I already made before I was vegan! And I don’t know why I haven’t made those bars in such a long time…

 

The one and only female knight. I think she looks angry. She needs something to eat. People always get grumpy when they are hungry!

Bon appetit!

Chocolate “Rocher Mousse” – or cup cream!

26 Wednesday Sep 2012

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You know Ferrero Rocher? Those golden balls with the hazelnut in the center? (For smarty pants: rocher is French for rock).

I always wondered who cared for the crispy outside anyway… the cream is what matters! Very good message: You can have all the cream for yourself. It’s vegan, raw and healthy. It doesn’t taste vegan, raw or healthy (don’t ask me what vegan, raw or healthy actually tastes like… but you know, sometimes you serve something made from whole wheat and people tell you it tastes healthy. Most of the time, it’s not a compliment).

It’s easy and quick, too.

Do I have to say more?

Thinking about it… I guess this is cup cream. Hey, there are cup cakes, too. Old story. Now it’s time for cup cream!

Chocolate Rocher Mousse 

  • 1 large, ripe avocado
  • 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2-3 tsp cane sugar
  • 1-2 tsp agave syrup
  • 3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
  • dash of salt

Mash the avocado (I just used a fork, to special tools here!) and mix in the cocoa, cane sugar, agave syrup, hazelnuts and salt. Serve in a cup (otherwise it’s no cup cream, you know…). Decorate with chopped hazelnuts.

Smile! It’s chocolate!
Did you ever think of using this cream as a spread? I put some of it on a slice of bread – similar to nutella! Yummy!

I can tell you, it’s always a mess when legos are stealing food…