Spekulatius - Spelt Gingerbread Cookies

Speculoos Spekulatius, Speculoos or Speculaas. Popular in Belgium and the Netherlands, but also in the Rhineland and Westphalia. In Germany spekulatius are typical gingerbread Christmas cookies, and in Belgium, the Netherlands and Indonesia, as well as in former Dutch colony, they are eaten throughout the whole year.Its distinctive flavor spekulatius owe to cardamon, cloves and cinnamon. An important role is played by almonds to soften the spicy taste spicy. Sometimes, almonds flakes are on placed the bottom of the cookies.Cookies in bulk are cut by using a rectangular - wood or metal - matrix. The photos on cakes traditionally depict the story of Santa Claus, and today there are also motifs such as ships, farmhouses and windmills.Before World War II, production of gingerbread due to the high price of spices were expensive and only a part of society could enjoy their taste. Fortunately, today, all the ingredients - once called exotic - are generally available and we can all enjoy them.

 Ingredients for about 30 gingerbread:

250 g spelt flour*
 100 g butter at room temperature
 70 g brown sugar
 50 g ground almonds
 2 eggs, organic 
1 tsp lemon zest  (I used homemade)
1 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
1/2 tsp cardamom 
1/2 tsp ground cloves 
1/2 tsp of ginger powder

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients, in a large mixing bowl, next add all the rest and knead well. (you can use food processor). Then roll the dough in plastic foil and chill in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 hours. After the time sprinkle the flour over pastry board and roll out the dough on it. Molds of any patterns you like/have. Line the cookie sheet with a baking paper and lay cut-outs. Put into preheated to 180°C oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, wait a few minutes and then place on cooling rack. Spekulatius can be store up to a month.

* For healthy reason I used spelt flour

 The recipe was inspired by kochabar.de.

Elisenlebkuchen - the Original (flourless) Nuremberg Cookies

This original Nuremberg gingerbread cookies recipe is a top secret, and the one which will share with you today is very close to the original. Cookies are childishly easy to make, and at the same time healthy, if you reduce more than half of sugar, as I did, and of course replace it with a healthier substitute. Very helpful if using "Backoblaten". or if you like waffles, cakes or gingerbread pads. With spelt ones haven't come across yet, and for this recipe I used wheat, but it is such a small amount that almost imperceptible. These waffles are also made out of whole-wheat.
And what is the taste of Elisenlebkuchen? Perfect. Delicious. The best Christmas cookies I ever had. 
Will not write more, you have to try it yourself.
Elisenlebkuchen can be stored for several weeks in well tightly closed in a box.

Ingredients for 25 cookies:

300 g ground almonds
120 g brown, unrefined sugar
25 wheat waffles, I used 70 mm ones
4 eggs, organic
4 drops lemon oil

2 tbsp candied lemon peel, preferably homemade
1 tsp almond essence
1 (2 mm) rum essence oil
1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves, minced

 
Additionally:

 
Lemon glaze:

 
50 g brown, unrefined sugar milled to powder
Juice of half large lemon
A few teaspoons of boiled water

 
Everything mix together and spread over half of cookies.

Chocolate glaze:

75 g dark chocolate, 85% or more
3 - 4 tsp maple syrup, genuine
A few teaspoons of boiled water

 
Melt the chocolate in a water bath or in oven. Add the syrup and water. Spread over other half of cookies.

Directions:

Beat the eggs until white, add sugar, reduce the speed, and add all remaining ingredients. Cover cookie sheet with a parchment paper and lay out pads. Each pad cover with a dough, flat/even it with a wet finger.
Cookies sheet place in a heated convection oven to 150°C with (175°C standard) and bake for 20 minutes. Dry cookies on a cooling rack.

Inspired by a recipe found in a German magazine.

Pumpkin - Coconut Cake from a Slow Cooker

Perfect pumpkin cake. Moist. Has an excellent taste, but topped with delicious caramel powers the taste 
and changes to an extra ordinary. I heartily recommend it.

Ingredients for a cake cooked in 3.5 liter slow cooker:

250 g mashed pumpkin,I used Hokkaido* 
120 g spelt flour 
100 g coconut butter 
60 g of brown sugar unrefined
 3 eggs, organic 
1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice 
1/2 tsp baking powder, organic
 1/2 tsp baking soda, organic 
1/2 tsp sea salt

Caramel:

250 ml coconut milk 
2 tbsp maple syrup, real
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 Pinch of sea salt 

Directions:

Grease the slow cooker with coconut butter and set on the highest temperature. Combine the dry ingredients. Beat sugar, butter (3 minutes), add the eggs and little later, pumpkin puree. At the end, slowly add the flour and beat until all is smooth. Pour into slow cooker, cover, and cook for two hours. After this time, remove lid and allow the slow cooker be open for 10 minutes. Then, turn upside down to put the cake on the plate. From my experience I can add that is easier to remove the cake when is completely cooled. 
Usually I make it in the morning or even a night before.
Serve the cake with warm caramel poured over. 
Caramel prepare shortly before the cake is served. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium heat until boiling. From time to time stirring occasionally so long until it thickens and turns darker (20 - 30 minutes). After this time, remove from the gas, allow to cool slightly use it. You can also pour the caramel into a glass container and store in the refrigerator up to one week.

* Fresh pumpkin (approx. 600 - 700 g), cut into quarters and cook steamed until tender, approx. 20 minutes.  
Allow to cool and blend to puree.

The recipe is inspiration by pilcookbooks.

Slovene Tagliatelle with Pumpkin

The original name is "Rezanci z Bučo". I found the recipe in a culinary guide about Slovenia, by Heike Milhench. The author analyzes and presents dishes of specific region of the country and tells their genesis. When I rolled another page I read the ingredients for tagliatelle with pumpkin, I immediately knew that I will prepare the dish. Except the fact that this pasta dish sounded delicious it perfectly fits into the current season.
(Pictures first appeared on my old blog, over two years ago, that's why different logo)

Ingredients for 4 people:

500g tagliatelle (I used spelt wholemeal)

Pumpkin sauce:

1 kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into small pieces
500 ml vegetable broth
250 ml of white wine, dry
4 shallots
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp nutmeg
Sea salt and color pepper to taste

In addition:

100 g Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

In a large, deep skillet melt the butter over medium heat, add sliced shallots and fry until they turn translucent (approx. 8 minutes). Then add the pumpkin and broth. 
Cook over low heat until pumpkin is tender, approx. 30 minutes. In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package's directions. Soft pumpkin can be mashed in a blender, or you may leave it in pieces as I did. When the sauce is ready, spices it. Serve Tagliatelle with the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

* The method of peeling the pumpkin. 
Cut the pumpkin in half and hollow out the seeds, then cut into the shape of "moons". Peel "moons", preferably using a scraper. One kilo of pumpkin gives approx. 650 g edible pumpkin.

Recipe inspired by Heike Milhench.

Pumpkin - Coconut Pancakes

Season for low caloric pumpkin is opened. Pumpkins are not heroes of upcoming holiday which some celebrate, but most of all, it's a very valuable vegetable, rich in vitamin A, B1 B2, C and PP. Contains magnesium, iron, calcium and phosphorus, and is an excellent source of protein and fiber. The most nourishment pumpkins are the ones in deep, orange color (such as Hokkaido), because they have the most beta-carotene. Other crucial information is that cooked pumpkin does not lose its value, and the puree can be frozen and stored for several months.

Ingredients for approx. 60 pancakes:

500 ml coconut milk
200 g coconut flour
100 g spelt flour
300 g pumpkin puree*
3 eggs, organic
1.5 tsp baking powder, organic
1/8 tsp Bourbon vanilla, powdered
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of sea salt

Additional:

100 ml maple syrup, organic
50 g toasted coconut flakes
Oil for frying, I used the coconut oil

Directions:

All ingredients place in mixing bowl and mix well. Heat the pan, reduce heat, add a little oil and fry pancakes on both sides until golden brown. Serve topped with maple syrup and sprinkled with coconut flakes.

* I make my own puree form a Hokkaido pumpkin

Recipe was created in my head and comes from my heart 

Sugarless Pumpkin Cheesecake with an Orange Juice

Autumn. Time for another "pumpkin" recipe. What would you say for a cheesecake with pumpkin? The cheesecake (after many tries, the recipe is finally mastered) is light and delicate, despite its intense yellow color, which may indicate otherwise. The juice squeezed from fresh orange gives a pleasant sweet - sour flavor and breaks a little bland pumpkin. I serve the cheesecake with pomegranate, which in my opinion, perfectly fits into this dessert.

Ingredients for 24 cm/10 in cheesecake:

500 g homogenized cheese, like "Quark" *
 400 g pumpkin puree*
4 eggs, organic 
3 tbsp honey 
3 tbsp tapioca* 
1 tsp cinnamon
 Juice of one orange

Crust: 
200 g of almonds*, minced 
3 tablespoons butter

Ganache: 
75 grams of dark chocolate (85%+) 
1 - 2 tablespoons honey
Juice of one orange

In addition: 
1 pomegranate (optional)

Directions:

Lightly grease a springform. Mix almonds and butter until well combined. Place the mass (forming a crust) on the bottom of the springform. Set aside. Eggs, beat with an electric mixer until they are almost white. Add honey. Reduce speed, add cheese/quark, pumpkin puree, tapioca, cinnamon, and juice. Pour the mixture on the crust. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the springform and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Remove and cool down. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Place it in a small oven proof bowl. Bake in the heated to 150°C oven for 5 minutes. Remove, add honey and orange juice, mix well. Remove the cake from the springform, place on a serving plate. Top it with a ganache and sprinkle with fruit grant.

* The quark can be substituted with any cheese suitable for a cheesecake
* The best pumpkin puree is form Hokkaido pumpkin, you don't have to peel it off, just halved it, pick the seeds and cook until soft (about 20 minutes)
* I used unpeeled almonds 
* If you have no tapioca use potato flour

 Recipe was created in my head and comes from my heart

Pumpkin - Vegetable Cream Soup

First, apologies to those who were waiting for new recipes. Very delicate, personal issues stopped me from posting, but now, there is a green light in a tunnel, so I hope, I will able to be present here more often.

Gorgeous, braided by all possible shades of gold, yellow, green, red and orange - Fall - began. Many associates Fall with pumpkin and pumpkin (mostly) with Halloween. Not me! I like pumpkin but only as a very nourishment and tasty, seasonal food, nothing else. Today, will share a recipe for very easy and very little time consuming cream - soup. Depending on your desire, the soup may be more spicy or more sweet. 

I chose the second version, by adding less hot pepper and more cinnamon.

Ingredients for about 2 liters of cream - soup:

2 kg Hokkaido pumpkin

1 l veggie broth
4 carrots

2 potatoes
2 garlic cloves 
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, large

1 tsp hot/cayenne pepper

1 tsp sweet pepper
Sea/Himalayan salt and color pepper to taste

In addition:

Cinnamon, minced

Spelt pasta 

Directions:

Wash pumpkin well, cut into quarters, extract seeds (save them!) and cube. Heat oil olive in a large cookware. Add peeled and sliced onion and garlic, saute. Next, add cubed (don't peel to keep more nourishments) potatoes and peeled, cubed carrots, at the end add pumpkin. Saute everything together for about 5 minutes. Pour broth over veggies, add spices and let it cook for about 30 minutes. When veggies are soft, the soup is ready. Blend it until well combined. Ready. Server with pumpkin seeds, brown rice or spelt pasta. 

 
Recipe inspired by one founded in a food magazine.