King Cake

The dessert that we recommend you to celebrate the Epiphany is the King cake, also called kingcake, kings’ cake or three kings cake.

It's a sweet bun, in the shape of a hollow circle, made with colourful candied fruit that you can find not stuffed or with cream, truffle or chocolate.

It is a tradition in many countries to eat it as a dessert or afternoon snack on January 6^th, closing the last of the Christmas celebrations, despite not having a religious origin.

It seems that this cake was already prepared for the Roman Saturnalia (in the second century BC), dedicated to the god Saturn (god of agriculture and harvest), when it was celebrated that the days began to grow longer, after the winter solstice.

Since then a dry bean is hidden into the cake and subsequently it is also included a small figure. In its beginnings who receives the dry bean in his/her portion of bun was named king of kings for the day, but with the introduction of the figurine and to date, who receives the bean will be the one to pay the cake and who receives the figurine will be the king of kings that day.

Who will be King of Kings this year?

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Orange cream with berries

One of the digestive desserts that I like after the New Year's Eve is an orange cream with berries. It is very soft, light and easy to do.

For 4 servings you will need:
4 oranges

1 lemon

125g sugar

140g of butter

2 egg yolks

2 eggs

20g cornstarch

To decorate you need a handful of some red fruit such as raspberries, blueberries or small strawberries. Being New Year’s Eve, we have chosen icing cherries.

The steps are:

1. First grate the skin of an orange and reserve it;
2. In a separate bowl, beat very well the 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 75g sugar and 20g cornstarch, until you get a smooth cream; 
3. Then squeeze the juice of 3 oranges and lemon; 
4. Strain the juice and add 75g of sugar and 140g butter. Heat the mixture until it begins to boil;
5. Add to the cream the juice and the zest of the orange that we have previously reserved, beat very well and cook the resulting cream over low heat, stirring until the cream thickens;
6. Once the cream thickens, let it cool and then put it in the refrigerator until it will be completely cool; 
7. Finally decorate it with red fruit that you like.

Enjoy!

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Christmas strawberries

Christmas is time of nougat, marzipan and chocolate but we can not forget to keep eating fruit. Therefore, our recommendation is a fruit dessert with a funny figurine: Santa Claus strawberries.

Besides, it is a very easy and quick dessert to make that lets you spend more time on other preparations.

The ingredients needed are the following:

• strawberries
• cream
• colorful noodles of sweet shop

The steps to make it are the following:

1. First of all, wash the strawberries and do a horizontal cut to have in one hand the body of Santa Claus and secondly the cap.
2. Put the cream in the strawberry base representing the body of Santa Claus and then, put on it the other piece that represents the cap.
3. Finally, put the brown noodles as eyes and the red noodles as mouths. 

Ah do not forget to put some cream in the cap of Santa Claus!

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Argentine Alfajores

The dessert that we recommend you to celebrate the National Day of Tango are Argentine Alfajores, you can find them in bakeries or even in supermarkets (see in bakery section or in latin products).

There are several types of alfajores, although we prefer the Havanna alfajor, and we also like Mardel (below some pictures of the latter).

And if you are inspired to make them yourself, here you have the recipe, you need: flour, yeast, eggs, vanilla essence, sugar, lemon, powdered cocoa, covering chocolate, and butter. The filling is made with caramel.

1. To prepare the dough mix 350g of flour with a teaspoon of yeast. Then make a kind of volcano with the mixture and, in the centre, add a teaspoon of powdered cocoa, 150g butter, 3 egg yolks, one teaspoon of vanilla essence, 100g sugar, and zest of a lemon.

Work the dough until it is thick.

After mixing the dough stretch it and cut it to form small "caps" or biscuits. In a greased baking tray, put the "caps" and bake until swell, without being toasted.

2. Once the "caps" are cold, fill two with caramel and cover them with covering chocolate.

To see the recipe of "dulce de leche" (caramel) click here.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin pie

One of the most traditional dessert at Thanksgiving is the pumpkin pie.

Here you are the recipe:

Ingredients for the sweet dough:

• 225 g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 150 g butter
• 75 g icing sugar
• 1 free-range egg

Ingredientes for the filling:

• 700 g mashed, cooked pumpkin passed through a sieve
• 200 ml evaporated milk
• 3 free-range eggs, beaten
• 2 egg yolks
• 200 g dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Nutmeg to grate

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4.

2) For the pastry. In a food processor mix together the flour and sugar then add the butter, and whiz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Empty into a bowl then beat together the egg and slowly add, mixing until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for two hours.

3) Turn the oven down to 170c/gas mark 3.

4) Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 2mm thickness. Use to line a 28cm tart ring placed on a baking sheet. Rest the lined tart ring in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5) Line the tart ring with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans to keep the base's shape, and bake blind for about 20 minutes. Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the pastry starts to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with egg yolk and allow to cool.

6) Turn the oven down to 160c/gas mark 1.

7) For the filling. Bring the cream, sugar and spices to the boil then quickly whisk onto beaten eggs. Add the pumpkin mix and gently beat in until everything is mixed.

8) Fill the pastry case with the pumpkin mix. Carefully place in the middle of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the mix appears set but not too firm. Remove from the oven and cover the surface liberally with grated nutmeg.

9) Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

If you want to see all our posts about Thanksgiving, click here.

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Inventors cupcakes

To celebrate the International Inventors' Day, on November 9^th, we propose you small cakes shaped of great inventions.

We have chosen two inventions:

The locomotive.

The first locomotive was built by Richard Trevithick in the early nineteenth century. These were steam locomotives until mid-twentieth century.

The bed.

Considered by many the greatest human fabrication, its invention is attributed to Egyptians and Assyrians.

To make the cakes we bought cake bases what we filled with raspberry jam. Finally we decorated them with black and white chocolates.

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Bones of Saint

One of the most traditional sweet for Hallow-eve, the first of November, are the Bones of Saint which consist in small tubes of marzipan stuffed with egg yolk cake.

Ingredients for the marzipan:
200 grammes of sugar
200 grammes of water
150 grammes of ground almond


Ingredients for the egg yolk cake:
90 grammes of sugar
100 grammes of water
6 yolks

Elaboration for 4 dinner guests:

First of all, we elaborate the marzipan: Put the saucepan on the fire with the water and sugar and elaborate the syrup. Once the syrup is finished, put the ground almond and stir until form a dough. Cool and reserve.

In a second step, we elaborate the egg yolk cake:Put the saucepan on the fire with the water and sugar and elaborate the syrup. Then, add the yolks properly beaten and wait until it becomes dense. We should cook over a low heat to avoid boiling because the yolks can separate. Cool.

And finally, on a clean kitchen table, sprinkle the sugar and extend the marzipan mass with a rolling pin. Cut rectangles from the mass and roll it into a special metal tube of pastry. Cool and dry. When dry, fill them with the mass of yolk.

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Autumn dessert - Chestnut cream with chocolate

If you want to surprise with a great and very easy to prepare dessert, in Autumn we recommend you a chestnut cream with chocolate and caramel.

·   To make the chocolate sheets:

Melt some squares of covering chocolate with a small jet of milk. Once melted, layer it on tracing paper with the shape that you like (we've decided squares), and put them immediately in the refrigerator. Let it cool a few hours.

·   To prepare the chestnut cream you need: chestnuts, milk, sugar, vanilla (or failing that sugar flavoured with vanilla) and salt:

Depending on the portions you want, estimate the same grams of chestnuts than millilitres of milk, a little less than a half of sugar, a pinch of salt and a half of a vanilla pod.

For example, for 500 gr. of chestnuts, you need 500ml of milk, 200 gr. of sugar, salt and vanilla. Add more or less milk to achieve a more or less dense texture.

Take all the ingredients in a saucepan, boil until the chestnuts are tender (when the chestnut can be easily crushed).

Then remove the vanilla pod, and blend the mixture up to achieve a smooth cream.

If you always go in a hurry, you can buy the chestnut cream, it is sold all the year.

·  Finally, prepare caramel and make small decorations to complete the dessert.

Be careful when you prepare the caramel as it gets very hot.

Now only remains to stack the tiers with the chocolate sheets and the chestnut cream.

Enjoy it!

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Dulce de leche (caramel)

One of the most typical candy in Latin America is the "Dulce de leche" (caramel); therefore to celebrate the Columbus Day we propose to make this rich product.

The "dulce de leche" (caramel) is different called depending on the country: cajeta en México, arequipe en Colombia y Venezuela ó manjar en Chile y Ecuador.

The ingredients needed are:

• 1 litre of whole milk;
• 300 grams of sugar;
• half spoon of baking soda;
• 1 spoon of vanilla extract.

The steps for processing are:

1. Heat the milk with the sugar (medium heat) until it is melt;
2. Add the baking soda and vanilla and continue stirring;
3. Boil the mix (low heat) for a couple of hours, stirring it with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan;
4. When the mix has a similar consistency like a custard, remove it from heat and leave it to  cool.

Finally, you can serve it with some delicious pancakes or ice cream.

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San Fermin dessert

In Navarre all desserts related to milk are typical; therefore, this time we propose you a delicious homemade curd, locally known as "gaztanbera" that is made in the traditional "kaikus" made of wood with hot stones.

The two basic ingredients are milk of "latxa" sheep and rennet. You can accompany it with honey or jam and decorate it with meant leaves. 

Here you are some pictures of this great dessert. Enjoy! 

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Cookies & cream icecream

Following with the more representative colors of magic, black and white, we propose you a delicious dessert: cookies and cream icecream.

Give it your magic touch with two oreo biscuits....mummm

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

 

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Flambé bananas

The dessert that we recommend 

you inspired by the bonfires 

of the night of Saint John 

is flambé banana. 

It is very easy to do, in a frying pan melt a bit of butter, then brown the bananas (previously cut). 

Then dish up, pour a squirt of brandy,

flambé, 

and if you want, accompany them with chocolate syrup:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Do you want to see all our posts related to the Night of Saint John? Click here                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                              

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Chocolate fondue

Chocolate is my weakness... so I propose a delicious dessert: chocolate fondue waterfall.

There are several sizes of waterfalls depending on the type of event. The big ones are great for parties or weddings and the smaller ones for snacks or dinner at home.

Choose your favorite chocolate and fruit and enjoy it!

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

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European Music Day Dessert

Celebrate the European Music Day with our proposal for dessert: cupcakes decorated with musical notes...mumm!

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

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Dessert for summer

Nothing better for summer than fresh fruit in the garden, here you have an attractive proposal...

                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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Dessert for the World Cup 2014

After doing a sport such as football, it is needed to replace proteins and minerals. One of the desserts than can help to this is the homemade egg custard.

Give a soccer touch decorate it with cream and chocolate pearls like a soccer ball. Delicious!

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

                                                                                               

                                                                                              

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Quindim

One of the most typical Brazilian dessert is quindim. 

It is made with sugar, egg yolks, grated coconut and yellow colouring to give it a bright yellow colour.

Its taste is sweet and creamy. Really great !

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