This recipe is from the BBC Good Food Magazine and is simply delicious.

Brazil nuts & banana bread

Ingredients

• 100ml sunflower oil , plus extra for greasing
• 140g caster sugar
• 140g plain flour
• 140g Brazil nuts , roughly chopped
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp butter , diced
• 2 large, very ripe bananas (about 175g peeled weight)
• 1 large egg , plus 1 large egg white
• 5 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g loaf tin, then line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment. Stir together 2 tbsp each of the sugar, flour, nuts and coconut. Add the butter and rub together to sticky crumbs. Set aside.  
2. Mash the bananas well, then stir in the sunflower oil, egg and milk. In a separate large bowl, mix half of the remaining sugar, followed by the remaining flour, nuts and coconut, then the baking powder and cinnamon.
3. Whisk the egg white to stiff peaks, add the final bit of sugar and whisk again until stiff and shiny. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, then lightly fold in the egg white mixture. Gently scrape into the tin and scatter over the crumb mixture.
4. Bake for 40 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean, covering with foil if the bread starts to go too brown. Cool in the tin, then remove and thickly slice, eating with butter, if you like. 

Delicious Chocolate Brownies

No final de semana fomos passear pelo centro de Berlin e paramos para um café. Pedimos um pedaço de brownie e estava delicioso.
Aí pensei pra mim: Porque eu não faço em casa, não deve ser tão complicado..

Hoje dei uma procurada e fiz a primeira receita que apareceu na tela!

Primeiro, porque é no meu site de receitar preferido!
Segundo, porque os feedbacks eram muito bons :)
E terceiro, porque tinha todos os ingredientes em casa!! (detalhe, não usei chocolate branco pois não tinha, mas substituí com o chocolate 70% cacao, achei um pouco forte, mas tá uma delícia mesmo assim!)

*Essa foto é do meu brownie e a receita estou copiando do site(em Inglês, sorry!!) Quem não entender, usa o google translator please(to morrendo de preguiça de fazer a tradução!)

Ingredients

• 185g unsalted butter
• 185g best dark chocolate
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 50g white chocolate
• 50g milk chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 275g golden caster sugar
  
  

  

• Cut 185g unsalted butter into smallish cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Break 185g best dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl. Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl on top so it rests on the rim of the pan, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them. Now remove the bowl from the pan. Alternatively, cover the bowl loosely with cling film and put in the microwave for 2 minutes on High. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
• While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn the oven on to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 (most ovens take 10-15 minutes to heat up). Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cut out a square of non-stick baking parchment to line the base. Now tip 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl, and tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.
• With a large sharp knife, chop 50g white chocolate and 50g milk chocolate into chunks on a board. The slabs of chocolate will be quite hard, so the safest way to do this is to hold the knife over the chocolate and press the tip down on the board, then bring the rest of the blade down across the chocolate. Keep on doing this, moving the knife across the chocolate to chop it into pieces, then turn the board round 90 degrees and again work across the chocolate so you end up with rough squares.
• Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is, so don't lose heart. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you're there.
• Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Plunge the spatula in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle. Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air, so be as gentle and slow as you like - you don't want to undo all the work you did in step 4.
• Hold the sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly. Gently fold in this powder using the same figure of eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first, and a bit unpromising, but if you keep going very gently and patiently, it will end up looking gungy and fudgy. Stop just before you feel you should, as you don't want to overdo this mixing. Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they're dotted throughout. Now your mixing is done and the oven can take over.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it. Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes. When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.
• Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then, if you're using the brownie tin, lift up the protruding rim slightly and slide the uncut brownie out on its base. If you're using a normal tin, lift out the brownie with the foil. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares and finally into triangles. These brownies are so addictive you'll want to make a second batch before the first is finished, but if you want to make some to hide away for a special occasion, it's useful to know that they'll keep in an airtight container for a good two weeks and in the freezer for up to a month.

Receita de Orlando Murrin - BBC Good Food

Chocolate & Oats Cookies

 

This recipe is Easy and delicious!
From the Good Food Magazine!

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 125g unsalted butter
• 175g soft brown sugar
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50g walnuts , chopped
• 175g porridge oats
• 50g dark chocolate , chopped into small chunks 

 (I did not have the walnuts an the bicarbonate of soda at home, and they came out quite good!)

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Mix the flour, bicarb, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cream the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla with electric beaters. Stir in the flour mixture, then add the nuts, oats and chocolate.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment and drop large tbsps of dough onto them. Press down gently. Bake for 8-10 minutes until light golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. underdone but will finish cooking on the hot tray. Wait until they are completely cool then pack into a tin lined with baking paper. 

 
 
 Enjoy!!
 
 
 

Scones with raisins - Scones com passas

After living 3 years in Britain, I decided that it was time to bake some traditional recipes, and Scones was one of my first attempts to get more involved in British cookery!
Here is my favourite an easiest recipe:

Ingredients:

225 gr self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

30 gr caster sugar
55 gr butter
55 gr raisins or sultanas
150 ml milk

1 tbsp baking powder

Preheat oven 200 degrees.
Mix flour, salt, sugar, add butter with hands(like making crumble). Add raisins and slowly add milk (you might don't need all of it). Open the dough with a rolling pin,  1 cm thick, and cut out in circular shape. Put them on  a tray and brush with milk, to give them a golden colour. Oven bake for about 15 min, until golden!! Enjoy with a lovely cup of tea!!

I love to eat them with some whipped cream and jam!! Yummi...


Scones com passas

 
Depois de viver três anos na Inglaterra, eu decidi que era hora de preparar alguns pratos típicos, e Scones foi uma das minhas primeiras tentativas de se envolver mais na culinária britânica!
Esta é a minha preferida e a mais fácil:


Ingredientes:
225 gr farinha com fermento
1 / 2 colher de chá de sal
30 gr de açúcar refinado
55 gr de manteiga
55 gr de passas ou sultanas
150 ml de leite
1 colher de sopa de fermento em pó

Pré-aqueça o forno a 200 graus.
Misture a farinha, o sal, o açúcar, acrescente a manteiga com as mãos (ate parecer uma farofa). Adicione as passas e adicione lentamente o leite (você pode não precisar de tudo). Abra a massa com um rolo de macarrão, 1 cm de espessura, e corte em forma circular. Coloque-as numa forma e pincele com leite, para lhes dar uma cor dourada. Assar no forno por aproximadamente 15 minutos, até dourar!

Gosto de comê-los com chantilly e geléia! Yummi ...

 

BOLO DE LIMÃO - Lemon Cake

Delicioso e refrescante, esse é o meu bolo favorito!!

Você vai precisar de:

• 175 gr de manteiga sem sal, temperatura ambiente
• 175 gr açúcar refinado
• 3 ovos
• 250 gr de farinha de trigo
• 1 colher de sopa de fermento em pó
• 2 ou 3 colheres (sopa) de leite
• raspas de um limão siciliano

Cobertura:

• 1 lata de leite condensado
• suco de um limão siciliano

(misture bem os dois ingredientes e pronto!!)

Modo de preparar:

1. Pré aqueça o forno á 180 graus. Prepare a forma a ser usada, preferencialmente  redonda e que vc consiga retirar o bolo inteiro.

2. Bata a manteiga com o açúcar até ter uma massa leve e mais "pálida". Acrescente os ovos, um de cada vez.

3. Peneire a farinha e acrescente aos poucos, com leite o sufiente para que a mistura caia da colher.

Acrescente as raspas do limão e misture com cuidado.

4. Coloque a mistura na forma e asse no meio do forno por 30-40 minutos, ou até que estiver dourado e inserindo um palito ou faca no meio do bolo, ela saia limpa.

5. Deixe esfriar antes de desenformar.

Quando o bolo estiver frio coloque a cobertura sobre o bolo.

Lemony Biscuits - Biscoitos de Limão

Makes about 30 biscuits/ Faz mais ou menos 30 biscoitos

Ingredientes:

250 gr butter unsalted / manteiga sem sal

140 gr caster sugar / açúcar

1 egg yolk / 1 gema de ovo

300 gr plain flour / farinha

zest of 2 lemons / raspas de 2 limões sicilianos

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Mix the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add the egg yolk and briefly beat to combine. Sift over the flour and stir until the mixture is well combined - you might need to get your hands in at the end to give everything a really good mix and press the dough together. Roll it out or make a "sausage" shape to cut the biscuit. You can chill them on the fridge before cutting(use cling film), its much easier to handle the dough!!
Use a non stick tray and cool them in a cooling rack.

Bake them in the oven for about 15 min. 

Aqueça o forno a 200 graus.

Misture a manteiga, açúcar e raspas de limão em uma tigela grande com uma colher de madeira. Adicione a gema e misture. Adicionar a farinha aos poucos misturando bem. No final é bom misturar com as mãos e amassar bem a massa, adc mais farinha se precisar, mas não muita.
Abra a massa ou faça um rolo para cortar os biscoitos em circulo. A maneira mais fácil, é fazer um rolo, levar a geladeira(envolto em filme plástico) por cerca de 30 min., corte e leve ao forno por cerca de 15 min.   Esfriar em "cooling rack".

Enjoy!!

** Receita publicada em homenagem a minha amiga Carla Souza, que adora esse biscoitinho!!

Trufas de chocotone!

Deliciosas trufas para essa época Natalina!!


Você vai precisar de:
1 chocotone de aprox 300 gr 
500 gr de chocolate (Genuine Blend da marca Cargil) ou outro similar
250 gr de creme de leite(sem soro)
1 colher sopa, essência de rum

Derreter o chocolate, juntar o creme de leite, a essência de rum e os farelos do chocotone. Levar a geladeira até a consistência de trufa (que vc consiga fazer com as mãos as trufas!)
Levar a geladeira mais um pouco. Depois "mergulhar" as trufas em chocolate ao leite derretido!
Levar a geladeira para endurecer o chocolate!

Pode tbm enfeitar com chocolate branco derretido, dá um toque especial!!Chocolate branco deve ser próprio para isso, de culinária!

*Coloque as trufas molhadas sobre papel aluminio, pois fica facil de remover depois de prontas.

Enjoy!!!

Beijinho de coco ( little coconut kiss)

This sweet  is a must have at all children parties in Brazil. Every time I cook them, it takes me right back to childhood, growing up in the Brazilian countryside and in special: going to friends parties.

I only started to cook them myself while living away from home. And now is not only for parties that I make them, it's to share with friends at any time and also to bring some lovely memories back when you are so far away from your loved ones. This recipe is dedicated to my international friends Cristina, Manuela, Kelly and Nadia. The sisters that I chose!!

Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• 100g unsweetened grated coconut
• grated coconut for decorating
• whole cloves for decorating

On medium heat, combine Condensed milk and butter in a deep bottom pan.
Stir until the mixture starts reducing and leaves the sides of the pan while stirring.
Take off the heat and add the coconut and stir until well combined.

Transfer to a bowl, let it cool. Keep it in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Then take out and the mixture should have hardened. Now using a spoon  form even size balls, and coat each ball with  unsweetened coconut.

As a serving suggestion , you may insert a clove on the top of each ball ...just remember to take out the clove before eating the sweet.

Cool it in the refrigerator for few more hours for the coating to harden a bit. Beijinhos taste better the next day when a slight flavour of the cloves penetrate the sweets.

Norwich, 22 march 2011.

Scones with raisins

After living 3 years in Britain, I decided that it was time to bake some traditional recipes, and Scones was one of my first attempts to get more involved in British cookery!
Here is my favourite an easiest recipe:

Ingredients:

225 gr self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

30 gr caster sugar
55 gr butter
55 gr raisins or sultanas
150 ml milk

1 tbsp baking powder

Preheat oven 200 degrees.
Mix flour, salt, sugar, add butter with hands(like making crumble). Add raisins and slowly add milk (you might don't need all of it). Open the dough with a rolling pin,  1 cm thick, and cut out in circular shape. Put them on  a tray and brush with milk, to give them a golden colour. Oven bake for about 15 min, until golden!! Enjoy with a lovely cup of tea!!

I love to eat them with some whipped cream and jam!! Yummi...


Scones com passas

 
Depois de viver três anos na Inglaterra, eu decidi que era hora de preparar alguns pratos típicos, e Scones foi uma das minhas primeiras tentativas de se envolver mais na culinária britânica!
Esta é a minha preferida e a mais fácil:


Ingredientes:
225 gr farinha com fermento
1 / 2 colher de chá de sal
30 gr de açúcar refinado
55 gr de manteiga
55 gr de passas ou sultanas
150 ml de leite
1 colher de sopa de fermento em pó

Pré-aqueça o forno a 200 graus.
Misture a farinha, o sal, o açúcar, acrescente a manteiga com as mãos (ate parecer uma farofa). Adicione as passas e adicione lentamente o leite (você pode não precisar de tudo). Abra a massa com um rolo de macarrão, 1 cm de espessura, e corte em forma circular. Coloque-as numa forma e pincele com leite, para lhes dar uma cor dourada. Assar no forno por aproximadamente 15 minutos, até dourar!

Gosto de comê-los com chantilly e geléia! Yummi ...