Author: Fanny

  • Nigella’s butter cut-out cookies

    Nigella’s butter cut-out cookies

    Nigella's butter cut-out cookies

    Time stood still as Sienna and I flipped through the pages of Nigella’s Feast, searching for our next baking project; she stumbled upon numbers cut-out cookies, iced in vibrant colors, and I was immediately transported to the first time I ever baked these cookies, years ago.

    We’d just gotten back from a weekend getaway in London where I had bought snowflake cutters and silver sugar pearls from a quaint little cake decorating shop that lined a square, which name I’ve since forgotten, in Chelsea.

    I think I might have even shared the recipe on my first blog foodbeam, do you recall it too?

    Iced butter cut-out cookies.

    Fast-forward to last January, when Sienna and I eagerly pulled out our pepparkaksformar [gingerbread cutters] from the pantry. The countertops were soon covered in a dusting of flour as we mixed, rolled, and cut out the dough into – very much our of season – Christmas figures.

    Sienna’s eyes lit up with excitement as she iced the cookies and sprinkled them with violet sugar and snowflake sprinkles, a combination I can only recommend.

    Nigella's butter cut-out cookies

    We had the most wonderful time and the perfect fika, I couldn’t help but wonder why I had waited so many years to bake these cookies again. As I wiped clean the countertop, I promised myself it wouldn’t be long until the next time.

    To be continued!

    Nigella's butter cut-out cookies

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    Nigella’s butter cut-out cookies

    This classic recipe, adapted from Nigella Lawson's Feast, is celebration of buttery goodness and irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture. Only using kitchen staples, these cookies are wonderful to make for every occasion – from everyday to birthday parties, from Christmas weekends to care packages – and the perfect recipe to make with children.

    Notes

    On baking iced cut-out cookies with children:
    – I find that piping a thin line of icing around the edge of the cookie and letting Sienna fill the cookies with a small piping bag of icing works best for everyone. 
    – I usually fill a disposable piping bag with a few tablespoons of icing for Sienna and then tie a knot or use a clip to seal the bag. 
    – Nigella says to ” colour as desired […] remembering with gratitude that children have very bad taste”; I most often opt not to use food colourings and will only give Sienna a few different scented sugars or sprinkles. And if I’m using food colourings, they have to be natural!
     
    A note on salted butter and salt:
    If you’d asked me years ago about my thoughts on salted butter I might have uttered a plain: “Non!”.
    But now, after living in Sweden for the past eight years or so, I almost exclusively bake using salted butter. And really, ‘m not ever going back, although I must admit it makes writing recipes harder as the salt content in butter varies greatly across the globe. Here in Sweden it is usually 1.2%.
    But that’s the reason why I reduced the amount of salt from the original recipe. If using unsalted butter, I’d recommend using a total of 1/2 tsp salt. 
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time20 minutes
    Cook Time12 minutes
    Total Time1 hour 32 minutes
    Makes 30 cookies

    Ingredients

    For the cut-out cookies

    • 90 g salted butter room temperature
    • 100 g caster sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
    • 200 g plain flour
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt read note above

    For the sugar icing

    • 150 g icing sugar
    • boiling water

    Instructions

    • Prepare two baking trays lined with baking paper.
    • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
    • In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and eggs, and mix it just starts to form a dough.
    • Shape into a thin disk and wrap in clingfilm. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
    • When you are ready to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 180ºC/fan 160°C.
    • Sprinkle your work bench flour, place the disc of dough on it, and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Roll out to a thickness of about 5mm. Cut into shapes using cutters. If you find that the cutter sticks to the dough, dipping the cutter into flour as you go usually helps.
    • Place the biscuits a little apart on the baking sheets.
    • Bake for 8–12 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Place on a write rack to cool.
    • When the cookies are cooled, get on with the icing. Place the icing sugar in a bowl, and add just-boiled water – a teaspoon at a time – until it forms a thick icing.
    • Decorate the cookies. I find that it’s easier to pipe a thin line of icing around the edge of the cookies, then fill in. At home, I’ll usually pipe the outline and then let Sienna fill the cookies in and add sprinkles.
    • Let the icing harden. When completely hard, transfer the cookies to an airtight container. They will keep for a week or two at room temperature.
    The aftermath!

    Nigella's butter cut-out cookies, the aftermath

  • Västerbottensostpaj med spenat

    Västerbottensostpaj med spenat

    [Spinach and Västerbotten cheese quiche]

    Spinach Västerbottenpaj, a Swedish quiche

    Quiche crust made with 3:2:1 pie dough

    Spinach Västerbottenpaj, a Swedish quiche

    Spinach Västerbottenpaj, a Swedish quiche

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    Spinach and Västerbotten cheese quiche

    Indulge in a Swedish classic with this Västerbotten cheese quiche, which I almost always make using my favourite: Svedjan cheese, a local artisan cheese made by the ever wonderful Pär And Johanna in Storkågeträsk.
    A buttery crust, creamy spinach filling, and distinctively tangy cheese, this quiche is amazing as part of a lunch buffet or served in wedges with a dollop of crème fraiche and some smoked salmon.

    Notes

    I like to bake my quiches in a 25cm tart tin; it makes for a slightly thicker quiche, although you could bake it in any tart tin 25 to 30cm wide. Just keep in mind that a deeper quiche will take longer to bake, so you might have to reduce the temperature slightly if your quiche gets brown too quickly.
    As mentionned above, I like to use Svedjan hard cheese, although you could easily replace it with Comté, Emmental or another had cheese of your choice. Follow Svedjanost’s instagram: @svedjanost.
    You’ll find my recipe for 3:2:1 pie dough here: https://fannyzanotti.com/321-pie-dough/.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time25 minutes
    Cook Time35 minutes
    Total Time1 hour
    Makes 1 25-30cm quiche, serving 6-8 people

    Ingredients

    • 1 25-30cm quiche crust of your choice, I like both pâte brisée and 3:2:1 pie dough

    For the filling

    • 200 g fresh baby spinach
    • 2 tsp neutral oil
    • 3 eggs
    • 300 g whipping cream
    • 120 g grated Svedjan hårdost replace with Comté, Emmental or the hard cheese of your choice
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.
    • Blind-bake your 25-30cm crust using your favoruite method, at home, I'm partial to baking paper and rice, for 15 minutes. Remove the rice and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until matte and light golden brown.
    • In the meantime, make the filling. Sauté the spinach in a hot frying-pan with a teaspoon of oil until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and squeeze through a sieve to get rid of excess moisture. Cut into smaller pieces if you wish.
    • In a bowl, combine the eggs, cream and half the cheese, Mix using an immersion blender and season to taste.
    • When the crust is ready, reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/fan 180°C.
    • Arrange the spinach at the bottom of the crust, top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven. Carefully pour the egg mixture on top.
    • Bake the quiche for approximately 25-30 minutes until the filling is set and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before slicing into wedges.
  • 3:2:1 pie dough

    3:2:1 pie dough

    pie dough in a form

    I recently stumbled upon a new-to-me pie dough recipe thanks to the talented American baker, Cecilia Tolone, who has made Stockholm her new culinary playground.

    Cecilia, who previously worked as head pastry chef at the 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Frantzén, has since embarked on her own culinary adventures, which she chronicles in short vlogs. For one of her latest dinner parties, she made charming Västerbotten cheese quiches, baked in mazarin tartlet pans. The dough? A 3:2:1 pie dough that she calls “a classic ratio that every baker should know”. Of course, I can only agree.

    What struck me about this dough is its remarkable simplicity. The 3:2:1 ratio – with three parts flour, two parts fat, and one part water – creates a dough that is easy to work with and makes for a flaky pastry crust. It is also immensely versatile – add a couple of tablespoons of golden caster sugar when making a sweet tart, or maybe some finely chopped herbs and a handful of grated cheese for a quiche.
    Oh yes, the possibilities are endless!

    Of course, I couldn’t help but draw a comparison with a French classic, and perhaps the very first recipe my grand-mère ever taught me: pâte brisée.

    Now, don’t get me wrong, pâte brisée will always have its unreachable first-love status, with its indulgent, buttery flavor and delicate texture. But this 3:2:1 pie dough offers a simplicity that can’t get matched – and no eggs to separate!

    IngredientsPâte Brisée3:2:1 Pie Dough
    Plain Flour100%100%
    Salt1-2%1-2%
    Butter50%67%
    Egg Yolks8%0%
    Water25%33%

    This pie dough felt slightly flakier compared to pâte brisée. Let’s have a look at a few points:

    – fat content: the higher fat content in the 3:2:1 pie dough (67% fat) compared to pâte brisée (50% fat) contributes to a flakier texture. The fat creates pockets of air when it melts during baking, resulting in more layers.

    – water content: pâte brisée (25% water+8% egg yolks – for reference, egg yolk contain 45-50% water) has a slightly lower water content than 3:2:1 pie dough (33% water). This could explain why pâte brisée feels shorter and crumblier, as gluten development is reduced.

    – mixing technique: the mixing technique used for the 3:2:1 pie dough, which involves letting the butter in larger pieces, is one I will apply to pâte brisée in the future. Often, I will give the dough a single turn – when it isn’t quite a dough yet, more like a lumpy, floury mess -, as I find that it helps the dough come together and creates the flakiest pastry.

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    3:2:1 pie dough

    Adapted from Cecilia Tolone.
    This recipe is a wonderful base for all your tarts and pies. It makes for a great dough that's easy to work with, and a crisp and flaky pastry crust that is very versatile. Perfect for both sweet and savoury fillings!

    Notes

    As mentioned above, I almost always give the dough a single turn – when it isn’t quite a dough yet, more like a lumpy, floury mess -, as I find that it helps the dough come together and creates the flakiest pastry, not unlike a rough puff pastry. 
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time25 minutes
    Total Time4 hours 25 minutes
    Makes 1.2 kg dough, enough for 3x25cm pies

    Ingredients

    • 600 g plain flour
    • 400 g cold salted butter
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 200 g ice-cold water
    • butter extra to butter your tart pan

    Instructions

    • Start by grating the butter onto a piece of baking paper. it is easier to do so if the butter is really cold. Set aside in the fridge – or better yet, in the freezer – while you get on with the rest.
    • In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together.
    • Add the grated butter to the flour mixture, and quickly mix it together using your hands. The mixture should be very coarse.
    • Add in the water, and mix until the dough just comes together. It should feel dry and lumpy.
    • Form the dough into a ball – sometimes, I will give the dough a single turn before it even comes together, read note above.
      And wrap in clingfilm. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour, or even better, overnight.
    • Once the dough is cold, generously butter your tart/pie pan and set aside. Lightly flour your work bench, and roll the dough out to the desired thickness. Line your prepared pan.
    • Chill in the freezer while you pre-heat your oven. This dough bakes beautifully at 200°C/fan 180°C.
  • Cardamom ice-cream

    Cardamom ice-cream

    When I decided to write about cardamom ice-cream, I knew I had to begin by tracing the spice’s origins in Swedish baking. And it’s been a journey, one possibly even longer than cardamom’s itself!

    From what I’ve been able to gather, its path to Sweden is shrouded in mystery, starting in the distant lands of South Asia and the Middle East. As trade routes expanded, the spice eventually found its way to Europe and the Nordic countries, carried by the Moors, perhaps, or by Roman or Byzantine traders.

    Magnus Nilsson, chef-owner of the – closed – restaurant Fäviken, wrote that “cardamom is a spice that has been used in the Nordic countries since the Middle Ages, most likely because of trade links with the East. It was and still is a very expensive spice, and historically it was a marker of wealth and status.” (Nilsson, 2015, p.96).

    Fast-forward many centuries, and cardamom has found a home in every Swedish kitchen. From kardemummabullar to semlor, from pepparkakor to vörtbröd, cardamom is most definitely not used scarcely.

    Is it its warming and pungent flavour that pairs so perfectly with the harsh winters. Or Sweden’s history as a trading nation, where spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron were highly sought after?

    Whatever the reason may be, there is one thing I know for sure. Cardamom’s journey as a staple in Swedish baking is as fascinating as it is delicious.

    I then proceeded to research its etymology and first documented appearance – a glögg [mulled wine] recipe from Åke Rålamb’s dating 1690!
    By the mid 18th century, cardamom was used in many recipes as pictured by Cajsa Warg’s 1755 book Hjelpreda I Hushållningen För Unga Fruentimber.

    From Hjelpreda I Hushållningen För Unga Fruentimber, Cajsa Warg (1755)

    In a recipe for små pepparkakor [small gingersnaps] she writes about cardamom – cardemummor [modern spelling: kardemumma] along with cinnamon, lemon zest, and bitter orange zest.

    For a reason I quite can’t grasp the name of these spices are written in a different typography and other ingredients – like flour or cream of tartar – are not.

    “Make a sirup using 5 pounds sugar and one liter water, which is beaten in a trough. Then, add 5 pounds good flour in there and mix immediately with 1 1/2 lod* cardamom, 1/2 lod mace, 1 1/2 lod cinnamon, 1/2 lod cloves, 3 lods broken bitter orange peel, 3 lods broken lemon peel, 1 1/2 lod grains of paradise, and 1 1/2 lod cream of tartar, which is first strained and mixed with rose water. Then stir it all into the syrup, while it is still warm, for a full hour using a wooden pestle, and let it ferment for half a day.”
    ー Hjelpreda I Hushållningen För Unga Fruentimber, Cajsa Warg (1755)

    * Lod: an old Swedish weight unit, approximately 13 grams or 1/32 pound.

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    Cardamom ice-cream

    Spring is very much on the way in Northern Sweden. Today my raised beds made an appearance for the first time in months – just last week they were coevred in over half a meter snow.
    Of course, spring only means one thing: rhubarb – although I must admit it won't grow up here until well into the month of May. In Sweden, rhubarb is almost always paired with cardamom, a combination that is so beloved it's alsmot become a tradition.
    This cardamom ice-cream is the perfect à la mode accompaniment for your favourite rhubarb cake or crumble.

    Notes

    – I like to use both cardamom seeds and green cardamom pods when making cardamom ice-cream as I find it creates a more complex and layered flavour profile. By combining the two, a delicate balance between the warm pungency of the seeds and the sweet floral tones of the pods is achieved.
    – I will always freshly grind the cardamom seeds – there is no comaprison between freshly ground and shop-bought-ground. You can easily do this using a mortar. I like to pass my ice-cream base through a sieve coarse enough to let the small ground seeds through but catch the cardamom pods. 
    – In case you couldn’t get your hands on cardamom seeds, simply use a total of 1-2 tablespoons of cardamom pods, depending on how strong you want your ice-cream to be. 
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes
    Total Time25 minutes
    Makes 1.4 L ice-cream base

    Ingredients

    • 500 g whole milk
    • 500 g whipping cream
    • 2 tsp cardamom seeds finely ground
    • 1 tsp green cardamom pods coarsely crushed
    • 200 g egg yolks
    • 200 g golden caster sugar
    • a pinch of sea salt

    Instructions

    • Bring the milk, cream, and ground cardamom seeds and crushed pods to the boil. Cover and allow to infuse for one hour.
    • Bring to the boil again.
    • In the meantime, combine the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a bowl using a whisk. When the cream has boiled, pour it over the egg yolks, whisking as you do so; then return the egg yolk mixture back into the pan.
    • Heat gently, mixing with a heatproof silicone spatula until the ice-cream base is 81°C – thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    • Pass through a coarse-sieve – you just want to remove the cardamom pods.
    • Immediately transfer into a heat-proof container. Clingfilm to the touch and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
    • Churn the ice-cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
    Sources

    – America’s Test Kitchen. (2020, January 13). Cardamom: How Did It Become Scandinavia’s Favorite Spice? https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/3076-cardamom-how-did-it-become-scandinavia-s-favorite-spice

    – Lundtan. (2018, December 12). The History of Eastern Spices in Swedish Baking. Lundtan. https://lundtan.lundaekonomerna.se/the-history-of-eastern-spices-in-swedish-baking/

    – Nilsson, M. (2015). The Nordic Cookbook. Phaidon Press.

    – SAOB. (2023). Kardemumma. In Svenska Akademiens ordbok. Hämtad 2023-04-14 från https://www.saob.se/artikel/?seek=kardemumma&pz=6.

    – Swedish Spoon. (n.d.). Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://swedishspoon.com/cardamom-buns/

  • Simple focaccia

    Simple focaccia

    The Easter weekend arrived like a much-needed balm for our souls. A few days off with no plans; just the three of us enjoying sunny skies, walks through the snow, and, of course, good food.

    Our holiday began on skärtorsdag [Holy Thursday] with a dinner that I had had in mind for days. Nutty coppa, served alongside a creamy burrata, roasted Marcona almonds, and blanched white asparagus. The combination was wonderful, with the savory notes of the coppa balancing out the mild sweetness of the almonds and the delicate flavor of the asparagus. I couldn’t help but think something pickled would have made it even better – perhaps some tangy cornichons, capers, or pickled baby onions.

    On the side, a focaccia, which had no other choice than to be quick-to-make, as it was very much not planned.

    As with most thing bread, I turned to baker-extraordinaire Dan Lepard, of which I’ve already shared a fantastic focaccia recipe. And while it is everything I want and more, it unfortunately takes many hours to prepare. So I looked through my notebooks and found one of his recipes for a simple focaccia that happened to be gloriously pillowy, and the perfect complement to our dinner.

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    Quick and simple focaccia

    The recipe that is on its way to becoming my go-to!
    A little more hydration and yeast makes for a quick and simple focaccia- 2 hours-ish from the cupboard to the table.
    And by adding a bit of old dough or some sourdough discard, the flavour is just as wonderful!

    Notes

    – My favourite flour for focaccia comes from a Swedish mill. It is a high-protein organic flour made with a spring-wheat sort, called Quarna. A must try if you ever find your way to Sweden. You can order their flours and grains here.
    – I like to use a bit of old dough, or even some sourdough discard, when making bread that only relies on yeast as leavening agent. I find that it adds complexity to the bread, creating a unique flavor profile that is not possible with just yeast. The longer the old dough or sourdough discard has been fermenting, the more complex the flavour will be. I also think that it helps to improve the texture of the dough, making it more elastic. And of course, it is a wonderful way to use your discard and reduce waste in your kitchen.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time30 minutes
    Cook Time30 minutes
    Total Time2 hours 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 500 g Italian 00 or strong white flour read note above
    • 400 mL warm water
    • 21 g fresh yeast or 7 g instant yeast
    • 2 tsp sea salt
    • 125 g old bread dough/starter discard optional, read note above
    • olive oil
    • flaky sea salt to sprinkle

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients to a very soft dough. I like to add a bit of old bread dough from the restaurant for added sourness, but you could leave it out or use a sourdough starter/discard.
    • Give the dough a vigorous beating with your hand for 30 seconds. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
    • Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough and on top of your workbench, and rub liberally.Flip the dough on to it, using a scraper to gently pull the dough away from the bowl. Pull the dough into a 30cm or so rectangle, fold in by thirds and then a second time. Return to the bowl for 30 minutes.
    • Line a baking tray with nonstick paper and rub a little olive oil over it.
    • Heat the oven to 225°C/fan 200°C.
    • Place the dough at the centre of the prepared tray, and repeat the stretch and fold of the dough. With the tips of your fingers pointing straight down, dimple the dough about a dozen times, then leave for 30 minutes.
    • Stretch out the dough again to cover the tray. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top. reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/fan 180°C and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden.
    • Allow to cool on a wire-rack.
  • Pinar Bakirdan

    Pinar Bakirdan

    I discovered Pinar Bakirdan @petite.foods last week, and I have been obsessed with her colourful world every since. A wonderful mix of everyday life in Sweden and beauty from her native land – Turkey.
    I virtually want to make everything she posts about. From beetroot cured salmon to boiled artichokes, boquerones to lavender sours.

    Pictures © Pinar Bakirdan @petite.foods

  • Rhubarb tiramisu

    Rhubarb tiramisu

    Something shifted in the air last week. Whispers of a spring hidden under the thick mantle of snow that covers everything around us. It is perhaps the soft sound of water drops gently echoing through the stillness of the pine forest. Or the rich smell of the earth stirring from its winter slumber. The birds, chirping from the treetops not unlike a celebration of the changing of the seasons; their joyful songs filling the air with a sense of wonder? Yes, maybe it’s all that.

    And as spring is slowly emerging, I cannot help myself but bake with rhubarb. At the restaurant it means a crème brûlée; topped with a rocher of cardamom ice-cream, roasted rhubarb, a rhubarb gel, and soft and chewy kola kakor on the new menu. And a rhubarb crumble with vanilla ice-cream, Campari fluid gel and olive oil jelly on our tasting menu.

    At home, I put together a simple rhubarb tiramisu. Delicate lady fingers, rhubarb roasted in a vanilla sugar syrup just so, a rich and velvety mascarpone cream and a dollop of whipped cream with a hint of amaretto. It was the perfect dessert for our Easter lunch.

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    Rhubarb tiramisu

    What better way to celebrate the new season than a delicious rhubarb tiramisu that captures the essence of spring?
    Picture this: a luscious mascarpone cream, layered with ladyfingers and roasted rhubarb, almost like a sweet and tangy dream.
    I like to make mine almost like a trifle, with the sponge at the bottom, topped with rhubarb, and then a thick layer of mascarpone cream and a dollop of cream – whipped with some vanilla and a hint of amaretto, which I of course left out for Sienna.
    You could make thinner layers if you wanted to. In that case, I'd recommend to start with just one ladyfinger at the bottom topped with the rhubarb and mascarpone cream, and then repeat with one more layer of all three before adorning with the amaretto cream.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time45 minutes
    Cook Time30 minutes
    Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
    Makes 6 ramekins.

    Ingredients

    For the roasted rhubarb

    • 600 g rhubarb washed and trimmed
    • 125 g caster sugar
    • 100 g rhubarb juice or water
    • a pinch of salt
    • 1/2 vanilla pod or a little vanilla paste

    For the mascarpone cream

    • 3 eggs
    • 450 g mascarpone
    • 85 g caster sugar

    To assemble

    • 12 ladyfingers

    For the amaretto cream

    • 125 g whipping cream
    • seeds from half a vanilla pod
    • a dash of amaretto optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.
    • Cut the trimmed rhubarb into 2cm pieces. Put into a large baking tin and sprinkle with the sugar. Add the rhubarb juice, and the vanilla pod and seeds.
    • Cover the tin with foil, sealing the edges, and bake for 30 minutes or until the rhubarb is very tender and just holding its shape.
    • Allow the rhubarb to cool down completely before getting on with the rest.
    • When ready to assemble, start by gently transferring the rhubarb into another dish using a slotted spoon. Save the liquid.
    • Make the mascarpone cream.
    • Separate the eggs and set aside the yolks until needed.
    • Using a hand-mixer or a stand-mixer fitted with the whisk attachement, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Then add half the sugar and keep on whipping until the sugar has dissolved, and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy, around five minutes.
    • Now add the mascarpone, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk together until smooth.
    • Add a large spoonful of the meringue into the mascarpone mixture and mix in energetically using a silicon spatula. Now add the rest of the meringue and fold in delicately until fully incorporated.
    • To assemble the tiramisu, prepare 6 ramekins.
    • Briefly soak two ladyfingers (read note above in case you want to make thinner layers) into the rhubarb syrup and arrange at the bottom of a ramekin. repeat with the remaining ones. I like to break my ladyfingers into halves.
    • Top with a dash of extra syrup. And a generous spoonful of the roasted rhubarb.
    • Finally, pipe the mascarpone cream onto the rhubarb. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Before serving, whisk the whipping cream with the seeds from half a vanilla pod and a dash of amaretto – if using, until lightly whipped. Spoon a dollop of the cream onto your tiramisu, and serve.

  • Galette des rois

    Galette des rois

    [Almond king’s cake]

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    Galette des rois

    The galette des rois is traditionally eaten throughout January to celebrate the Epiphany. Although, the its origin can be traced back to pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. In these celebrations, a cake was baked with a hidden bean inside, and whoever found the bean was crowned king of the feast.
    These days, galette des rois is composed of two disks of puff pastry encasing frangipane – a cream made by mixing both crème d’amandes and crème pâtissière, with a ceramic fève [trinket] baked into it.
    A southern version, called brioche des rois is a rich orange blossom brioche adorned with gorgeous candied fruits.
    When making galette, I like to freeze the shaped pastry for an hour or so, and then ALWAYS turn it upside-down on my baking mat/baking paper lined baking tray to provide a nice flat surface for scoring.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time45 minutes
    Cook Time45 minutes
    Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
    Makes 1 large galette, enough for 8-10.

    Ingredients

    For the crème pâtissière

    • 185 g whole milk
    • seeds from 1 vanilla pod
    • 60 g egg yolks
    • 35 g demerara sugar
    • 20 g cornflour
    • a pinch of salt

    For the crème d’amandes

    • 125 g butter at room temperature
    • 150 g icing sugar
    • 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
    • 200 g ground almonds
    • 2 eggs
    • 20 g cornflour
    • a generous pinch of salt

    To assemble

    • 600 g puff pastry
    • one egg yolk beaten, to glaze

    For the glazing syrupe

    • 50 g demerara sugar
    • 50 g water
    • a pinch of salt

    Instructions

    • Make the crème pâtissière. Bring the milk and seeds from a vanilla pod to the boil.
    • in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour and salt using a whisk.
    • Temper the egg yolk mixture with the just-boiled milk and return to the sauce pan. Bring to the boil over low heat, whisking constantly.
    • Pour the crème pat into a heatproof container and cover with clingfilm to the touch.
    • Refrigerate until cold.
    • When the crème pat is cold, get on with the crème d’amandes.
    • Cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachement until light and fluffy.
    • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    • Add the ground almonds, cornflour and salt and mix to combine.
    • Then add the crème pâtissière, in three times, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl as you do so.
    • The frangipane is ready to be used.
    • To make a galette des rois, you will need around 600 g puff pastry. Roll into into two large discs, around 4-5mm thick. Pipe the frangipane in the center leaving a 2cm edge. If you wish, place a ceramic fève in the frangipane – the one who gets it in its slice will be crowned king/queen. Brush the edge with water and top with the second disc of puff pastry, pressing the edges together well.
    • For a perfect finish, cut around the galette – through both layers of puff pastry to create a neat edge. Use a large plate with the right diameter and a small sharp knife.
    • If you want, you can then freeze the galette as is for 1 hour, you just want the puff pastry to harden so that it creates a nice flat surface for scoring later.
    • Then pre-heat the oven to 190°C /fan 180°C. And prepare a baking tray lined with a silicon mat or baking paper.
    • Place the galette upside-down onto the prepared tray. Brush with a beaten egg yolk and allow to dry 10-15 minutes. Score using the tip of a small knife.
    • Poke a few holes as well to let the steam escape.
    • Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
    • In the meantime, make the glazing syrup: bring the water and sugar to the boil, with perhaps a pinch of salt. When the galette is ready, brush immediately with the syrup.
    • Leave to cool slightly and serve in wedges.
  • Hovmästarsås

    Hovmästarsås

    [Swedish mustard sauce for gravlax cured salmon]

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    Hovmästarsås

    Hovmästarsås is a sweet and tangy mustard sauce served with cured salmon. I like to use a combination of three different mustards: Dijon, Swedish sweet and strong, and a coarse mustard from Skåne; however you could easily just use 100g of Dijon mustard if that’s all that’s available to you. You might need to add a touch more sugar to balance it out.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time10 minutes
    Total Time10 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 40 g Dijon mustard
    • 30 g sweet mustard
    • 30 g coarse mustard
    • 40 g dark brown sugar
    • 40 mL white wine vinegar
    • 200 mL neutral oil
    • salt
    • black pepper freshly ground
    • 30 g dill thinly chopped

    Instructions

    • Place all of the ingredients, except for the dill, in a jug.
    • Mix using smooth and emulsified using a hand-blender.
    • Add more salt, pepper, sugar or vinegar to taste.
    • Add the chopped dill.
    • This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
  • Homemade cured salmon gravlax

    Homemade cured salmon gravlax

    One of my dearest food memories is the time I had my first taste of gravlax. It was a warm and sunny day in the late nineties. We’d gathered around a table placed in the middle of our street. Paper tablecloth, and rosé bottles in an ice bucket. On the table sat many beautiful dishes. Petits farcis and courgette flower beignets, polenta squares and Nice olives. But really, one stood out with a radiance that was hard to ignore. A whole side of salmon that had been cured to perfection by a dear family friend from Sweden. Its coral-hued flesh glistened in the sun and was adorned with plenty of chopped dill; fennel seeds too!

    The gravlax was served with slices of rye bread, garnished with delicate dill flowers, and accompanied by a sweet and tangy mustard sauce that was unlike any other. And its name? Hovmätarsås, a mouthful in more ways than one.

    Years have passed since that magical day, but the memory of that perfectly cured salmon has lingered in my mind ever since. And it almost feels natural that I would find myself now living in the north of Sweden. Here, gravlax is called gravad lax – literally, buried salmon. During the Middle Ages, fishermen would indeed salt and bury their catch in the cold ground to preserve it and make it inaccessible to animals.

    Although it is eaten throughout the year, it is a compulsory addition to the Swedish Christmas and Easter tables, and I’m more than happy to oblige.

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    Homemade cured salmon gravlax

    This gravlax recipe still transports me to that sunny al fresco lunch in the street down our house in the village of Valbonne. And yet, I'm hoping it will give you a hindsight into what we're eating for Easter, almost thirty years later in the north of Sweden.
    The salmon – and I like to use sahimi-grade fish for this recipe – is cured with salt and sugar. I like to add pink peppercorns, coriander and fennel seeds too, but you could use any spice you'd like.
    After curing, I like to drizzle my gravlax with a dash of aquavit – cognac and gin are an equally excellent choice but just as optional – before dressing it with a thick layer of finely chopped dill, plenty of crushed pink peppercorns, and a sprinkle of fennel and coriander seeds.
    The gravlax is usually served with a sweet and tangy mustard sauce – hovmästarsås -, crisp tunnbröd – a very thin flat bread – or thin slices of rye bread, a generous amount of soft salted butter, and sometimes, boiled new potatoes.
    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Total Time2 days 15 minutes
    Makes 1 kg cured salmon, serving 8-10.

    Ingredients

    For the curing mix

    • 80 g caster sugar
    • 80 g fine sea salt
    • 1 tbsp pink peppercorns slightly crushed
    • 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
    • 1 tsp coriander seeds

    For the gravlax

    • 1 kg sashimi-grade salmon trimmed and boned, with skin on
    • all of the curing mix above

    To garnish

    • dill finely chopped
    • zest from 1 lemon and 1 lime
    • pink peppercorns crushed
    • fennel seeds
    • coriander seeds
    • cognac, gin or aquavit optional

    Instructions

    • Make the curing mix by mixing all the ingredients together.
    • Place two large pieces of clingfilm on top of each other on your work bench, press down using a clean kitchen towel to “seal” them together. Repeat with one more double piece, slightly overlapping with the first one to create a large rectangle, big enough for your salmon side to sit on top of.
    • Sprinkle a little less than half the curing mixture on top of your prepared clingfilm, on a surface as big as your salmon side.
    • Place your salmon on the curing mix, skin side down, and top with remaining curing mixture.
    • Lift into a large tray and leave uncovered.
    • Refrigerate for 36-48 hours, turning your gravlax over a couple of times and removing the liquid that builds up.
    • When ready, rinse the gravlax briefly under cold water. Pat dry using kitchen paper or a clean kitchen towel, place on a clean tray and return to the fridge, uncovered for 3-6 hours for the surface to dry further.
    • If using any, drizzle with cognac, gin or aquavit. Then top with freshly chopped dill, crushed pink peppercorns, fennel and coriander seeds.
    • When ready to serve, slice thinly at an angle, detaching the slices from the skin. Serve with boiled new potatoes, soft salted butter, crisp tunnbröd [Swedish flatbread] or rye bread, and hovmästarsås – the sweet and tangy mustard sauce – recipe to follow!
  • My ultimate Swedish kladdkaka

    My ultimate Swedish kladdkaka

    I’ve shared this recipe before. Almost six years ago to the day. The first snow had just fallen down, and we had just moved into our then-flat, the one where our bedroom windows overlooked the rooftops of Skellefteå.

    Six years later, we now live in another flat, waking up to a forest of pines every morning. And although it is already late in the year, the first snow hasn’t come yet.

    Over these years, I’ve baked kladdkaka countless times, although the recipe has evolved a lot since I first posted it here. Nowadays, I always make it using three eggs. And I’ve reduced the amount of sugar I use – anywhere from 300 to 350g. The former gives more a fudgy cake, while more sugar means a cake on the soft, creamy side.

    But no matter how much sugar you decide to use, it is such a versatile cake and the batter comes together in minutes, with minimal dishes.

    Served with barely whipped cream and freshly picked berries in the summer, roasted pears and vanilla ice-cream in the autumn, and if you’re lucky enough to have wild blueberries in your freezer, then you could make my favourite version all-year-round: kladdkaka with blueberry compote and vanilla custard.

    Here is to many more years of kladdkaka!

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    My ultimate Swedish kladdkaka

    Author: Fanny Zanotti
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time45 minutes
    Total Time1 hour
    Makes 22 cm cake, serving 8-10.

    Ingredients

    • 190 g salted butter
    • 300-350 g golden caster sugar
    • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 135 g plain flour
    • 55 g cocoa powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 175°C/fan 160°C. Butter a 22cm tin and line its bottom with baking paper.
    • Melt the butter in a pan set over medium heat. Off the heat, add the sugars and allow the mixture to cool down slightly for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    • Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and mix until just smooth.
    • Pour the batter in the prepared tin, and bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on how runny you want your cake to be. Allow to cool slightly down before serving.