Christmas Candy 2010

As usual I have cooked up som Christmas gifts for the lucky ones.
This year I dropped some licorice in everything
- because I just bought some licorice syrup from Johan Bulow (http://lakrids.nu/) the other day and had to try it out.

The fruit bars are almost guilt-free - no fat added!

Fruit bars with a hint of licorice
100 g walnuts (31/2 oz)
100 g almonds (31/2 oz)
100 g dried dates (3 1/2 oz)
100 g dried apricots
75 g prunes (2 1/2 oz)
75 g dried cranberries (2 1/2 oz)
1 dl dark brown sugar (6 TBSP)
1 dl flour (6 TBSP)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp licorice syrup or Anise extract

Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with baking paper and preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).
Chop the nuts and fruit (except cranberries) coarsely and toss everything together with flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk the egg together with the licorice syrup and mix it thoroughly into the fruit and nut mixture.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake it for about 35 minutes.
Let it cool 20 minutes in the pan and then lift it out onto a cutting board.
Cut in desired bar-size and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Sesame candy
(80 candies)

250 g sesame seeds (9 oz/11/2 cup)
400 g cane sugar (2 cups)
150 g honey (1/2 cup)
100 g brown sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tsp licorice syrup or Anise extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

Brush two large sheets of baking paper with oil or use silicone mats.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they are golden (5-8 minutes). Pour them into a bowl.
Melt the cane sugar, honey and brown sugar in the pan. Add the licorice syrup, cinnamon and ginger and stir well.
Turn the heat off and stir the seeds into the caramel with a wooden spoon.
Scrape the mixture onto one paper sheet (oil-side up) and place the remaining sheet (oil-side down) on top. Roll the mixture with a roller pin into a square about 1/4 inch thick.
Remove the top sheet of paper and cut the candy into 1-inch squares or diamonds with a sharp knife.
Let the candy cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Plum and blueberry cake

Our garden is boosting with plums and berries - so I just had to bake a cake today:









Plum and blueberry cake

2 large eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
5-6 ounces walnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup plum butter or apple butter
3 TBSP melted butter

1 pound plums
1/4 pound blueberries
3 TBSP cane sugar

Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Sift the flour together with the baking powder and add the walnuts. Fold the walnut-flour into the egg cream and add plum butter and melted butter.
Spread the batter into a pan (14x10 inches) lined with baking paper.
Wash the fruit and slice the plums into wedges. Arrange the plums on the batter along with the berries and sprinkle the sugar over the fruit. Bake the cake at 360 degrees F (180 C) for 45-60 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan.

Easy Rhubarb tart
I brought some fresh rhubarb back from our summerhouse - and made this easy treat for Johannes, Karstens youngest son, who is visiting tonight - after his rugby training.

1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup milk or buttermilk

1 pound fresh rhubarbs
4 Tbsp sugar

Cream butter and sugar and add the egg. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and chopped nuts and add it together with the milk. Spread the batter in the bottom of a 9 inch tart pan.
Wash the rhubarbs and slice them in 1 inch pieces. Layer them on the raw batter and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the tart in the oven at 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C.) for about 1 hour.
Enjoy warm or cooled with whipped cream or sour cream.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Mathilde (my daughter) and I don’t like really ripe bananas – an even if we buy the bananas almost green, we end up with some to ripe bananas we won’t eat.

And that is where this recipe comes in very handy!

1 large egg
(150 g) 3/4 cup brown sugar
(11/4 dl) 1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP oil
3 ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla powder
(300 g) 2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
(75-100 g) 3/4 cup raisins or sundried cranberries
(75-100 g) 3/4 cup walnuts

Whisk the egg and the brown sugar to at thick cream and add the milk and oil.
Mash the bananas with a fork and mix it in the batter together with the vanilla.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and mix it in the batter together with the salt.
Add raisins/cranberries and chopped walnuts. Fill the batter in a buttered tin.
Put it in the oven at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F for about 1 hour.
Remove it from the tin and let it cool on a rack.
Serve in thick slices as an OK after school snack.