Classic Apple Pie / Pie clássica de Maçã.

This month, the Sweet World has gone to America and invited us to make a "Fruit Pie".

A pie is nothing more than a baked dish of fruit, meat and/or vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.

Searching about the pie origins and its history, I found this amazing article that I think, is worth a good reading because it's very well written and also very interesting.

I truly adore savoury pies but, this is Sweet World and the challenge was to make a sweet pie...

Although I love all kinds of fruit pies, my kids are very picky "fruit pie wise".

I really, really wanted to make a cherry pie but, I didn't risk having to eat it all by myself (which wouldn't have been a problem by the way...) and so I decided to make a simple, classic but very delicious apple pie because it's a favourite here at home and I knew it would go down really happily and quick (which in fact did).

The recipe is from Hannah Miles "Sweetie Pie" gorgeous book.

Saying that, here it is, an Apple Pie for the 19th edition of the Sweet World challenge.

Oreo Pancakes with Chocolate Fudge Sauce / Panquecas de Oreo com Molho Fudge de Chocolate.

28th of February!

That special day. My niece's birthday and the day that I always post something to celebrate her birthday.

Being far away from her makes it very hard but making something special to celebrate the day, makes the distance less painful.

I'm not going to write again about how much I love my niece and about how much she means to me. If you read the last two years posts, you already know everything that is to know about my feelings for this gorgeous girl that has always been my ray of sunshine.

Two years ago I made her these meringues and last year I made her this upside down meringue pie.

Today she's 19 years old and I decided to celebrate with something more indulgent. As today it's also Pancake Day, I made these delicious Oreo pancakes with a decadent chocolate sauce. Something easy to make and that will appeal to my niece and her friends and colleagues from the Medical School as it is something that they all can cook and enjoy together as a very special treat. The recipe is from Hannah Miles, "Pancakes, Crêpes, Waffles & French Toast" book.

Happy Birthday my lovely sweet niece! Love you from here to the Moon and miss you a lot!!!

Buttermilk and blueberry pancakes with blueberry and lime sauce / Panquecas de buttermilk e mirtilos, com molho de mirtilos e lima.

Last week, we had these Nutella pancakes for Nutella World Day.

Today  is Pancake Day and we're having pancakes again!!
These delicious fruity pancakes are from one of Hannah Miles books.
They were super delicious and the kids, they just adored them!.

ingredients for the pancakes (makes 12):

160g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg, separated

60g caster sugar

a pinch of salt

200ml milk

80ml buttermilk

3 tbsp butter, melted + extra for frying

100g fresh blueberries
whipped cream, crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt, to serve

method:

Put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, sugar, salt, milk and buttermilk in a mixing bowl and whisk everything together.

Add the melted butter and whisk again until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula.

Cover and refrigerate to rest for 30minutes.

Put a little butter in a large frying pan or skillet set over a medium heat.

Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan. Ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each one.

Sprinkle a few blueberries over the top of each pancake and cook until the underside is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top. Turn the pancakes and cook on the other side.

Repeat until you finish all the batter, keeping the cooked pancakes warm.

for the sauce:

300g blueberries

3 limes, juice squeezed

100g caster sugar

90ml water

method:

Place the blueberries, lime juice and sugar in a saucepan with the water and simmer over a gentle heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the sauce is thick and syrupy.

to finish:

Serve the pancakes in a stack, drizzled with the blueberry sauce and a dollop of the whipped cream.

__________________

A semana passada tivemos estas panquecas de Nutella, para celebrar o Dia Mundial da Nutella.
Hoje é o Dia das Panquecas e, como tal, mais umas panquecas deliciosas saíram desta cozinha.
Estas, com bastante fruta, foram servidas para um pequeno almoço relaxado e todos, (especialmente os miúdos), adoraram!!

ingredientes (para 12 panquecas):

160g farinha de trigo com fermento

1 colher chá de fermento em pó

1 ovo, separado

60g açúcar refinado branco

uma pitada de sal

200ml leite

80ml buttermilk

3 colheres sopa de manteiga derretida + extra para fritar

100g mirtilos frescos
natas batidas, crème fraîche ou iogurte grego, para servir

preparação:

Numa taça grande, colocar a farinha, o fermento, a gema de ovo, o açúcar, o sal, o leite e o buttermilk e misturar tudo muito bem.

Adicionar a manteiga derretida e voltar a mexer.

Numa taça à parte, bater a clara em castelo e muito delicadamente, envolvê-la na mistura anterior, até obter uma mistura macia e cremosa.

Tapar e refrigerar por 30 minutos.

Colocar uma noz de manteiga numa frigideira ou skillet sobre lume médio e deixar a manteiga derreter e cobrir toda a base da frigideira.

Colocar colheradas da massa na frigideira, deixando espaço entre elas para que não se colem umas às outras.

Polvilhar a superfície de cada panqueca com alguns mirtilos e deixar cozinhar, até que as panquecas estejam douradinhas por baixo e umas bolinhas comecem a aparecer na superfície das mesmas.

Virar e deixar fritar do outro lado.

Repetir o processo, até acabar toda a massa, tendo sempre o cuidado de polvilhar as panquecas com mirtilos e de manter quentes as que já foram fritas anteriormente.

para o molho:

300g mirtilos

sumo de 3 limas

100g açúcar refinado branco

90ml água

preparação:

Colocar todos os ingredientes num tachinho sobre lume brando e cozinhar por 5 ou 10 minutos, ou até que a fruta esteja macia e o molho tenha engrossado e tenha uma consistência de xarope.

para finalizar:

Servir as panquecas empilhadas, regadas com o molho e uma colher de natas batidas ou iogurte natural.

Recipe / Receita:

Blueberry pie / Pie de mirtilos.

Blueberry pie, a classic that I had to try as blueberries are one of my favourite berries of all times.

Very delicious and easy to make, this pie is just perfect!

ingredients for the crust (serves 6 to 8):

500g ready-made puff pastry

plain flour, for dusting

1 egg, beaten

for the filling:

600g blueberries

freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 2 lemons

100g granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 tbsp cornflour, sifted

method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC and grease a 23cm pie dish.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry thinly using a rolling pin until you have a circle about 6 cm larger then the size of your pie dish.

Using the rolling pin to help lift it, carefully move the pastry into the dish and press it down so that it fits snugly in the dish with some of the pastry hanging over the top edge.

Brush the inside of the pastry case with some of the beaten egg using a pastry brush.

Place the blueberries, lemon juice and zest, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Stir well so that everything is mixed together.

Spoon the blueberry mix into the pie dish.

Lift the edges of the pastry up over the blueberries and crimp together with your fingers to make a decorative pattern.

Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the pie for 40 to 50 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.

Serve the pie warm or at room temperature.

__________________

Pie de mirtilos, um clássico que eu tinha de experimentar, tendo em conta que mirtilos são um dos meus frutos preferidos.

A receita é super simples de fazer e o resultado é algo de extraordinariamente delicioso!

ingredientes para a base (para 6 a 8 pessoas):

500g massa folhada

farinha, para a bancada

1 ovo, batido

para o recheio:

600g mirtilos

sumo e raspa de 2 limões

100g açúcar granulado branco + extra para polvilhar

2 colheres sopa de Maizena, peneirada

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 200ºC e untar um recipiente para pie, com cerca de 23cm de diâmetro.

Polvilhar a bancada com farinha e esticar a massa, até obter um círculo 6cm maior que o diâmetro do recipiente da pie.

Forrar o recipiente da pie com a massa esticada, deixando o excesso de massa cair sobre as extremidades do recipiente.

Pincelar o interior da massa com o ovo batido.

Numa taça, colocar os mirtilos, o sumo e a raspa dos limões, o açúcar e a Maizena. Misturar tudo muito bem.

Deitar a mistura dos mirtilos sobre a massa pincelada e dobrar o excesso de massa sobre o recheio dos mirtilos, por forma a que o centro do recheio fique descoberto.

Pincelar o topo da massa com o restante ovo batido e polvilhar com açúcar.

Levar ao forno por cerca de 40 a 50 minutos, ou até a massa estar estaladiça e douradinha.

Retirar a pie do forno e deixar arrefecer ligeiramente se quiser servi-la morna, ou completamente, se quiser servi-la à temperatura ambiente.

Recipe / Receita:

Grapefruit tart / Tarte de toranja.

Mad as I am about citrus and brûlée, as soon as I saw this recipe in this adorable Hannah Miles book, I knew it would be the first to be tried.

The combination, even if not a classic one, is just amazing and surprisingly delicious.

ingredients for the pastry:

(if you don't want to make your own pastry, use 500g of shop bought shortcrust pastry)

280g plain flour

pinch of salt

115g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

plain flour, for dusting

method:

Sift the flour into a bowl and add the salt.

Rub the butter into the flour until you have the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

Add 1 to 2 tbsp of cold water and mix in with a round bladed knife, adding a little more water if the mixture is too dry.

Bring the dough together into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.

Grease a 23cm loose bottom, round fluted tart pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle and line the prepared tin with the rolled pastry, trimming the edges.

Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Low the oven temperature to 180ºC.

Remove the beans and baking paper.

for the custard:

9 eggs

350g caster sugar + extra for sprinkling

juice of 2 red grapefruit, sieved

1 tbsp mint leaves

1 tbsp lemon and mint cordial

300ml double cream

method:

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, grapefruit juice, mint and cordial in a bowl.

Slowly pour in the cream, whisking all the time.

Place the bowl of a pan of simmering water until the mixture becomes just warm. This will take about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the mint and then pour it into the pastry case.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the top of the custard is lightly golden and has risen.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Just before serving, sprinkle the top with a thin layer of caster sugar and caramelize into a brûlée using a blowtorch.

Serve immediately.

__________________

A minha paixão por citrinos e brûlée é já sobejamente conhecida e assim que vi esta receita  neste livro lindo da Hannah Miles, decidi logo que seria a primeira a ser testada.

A combinação de ingredientes, embora não sendo uma combinação clássica, é absolutamente surpreendente e deliciosa.

ingredientes para a massa:

(caso não queiram fazer a massa, podem usar 500g de massa quebrada de compra)

280g farinha

uma pitada de sal

115g manteiga, fria e cortada em cubos

farinha, para a bancada

preparação:

Peneirar a farinha e o sal para uma taça.

Adicionar a manteiga e esfregá-la na farinha, usando as pontas dos dedos, até obter uma mistura areada.

Adicionar 1 ou 2 colheres de sopa de água gelada e misturar com a ponta de uma faca de mesa. Adicionar mais um bocadinho de água se a massa parecer muito seca.

Juntar a massa numa bola, enrolar em película aderente e refrigerar por cerca de 1 hora.

Untar uma forma de tarte de fundo amovível com cerca de 23cm de diâmetro.

Estender a massa sobre uma bancada enfarinhada e forrar a tarteira com a massa, aparando as extremidades para que a massa fique direitinha em toda a bordadura da tarteira.

Furar a base da massa com um garfo e refrigerar por 30 minutos.

Aquecer o forno a 200ºC.

Forrar a massa da tarteira com papel vegetal e encher com bolas de cerâmica, arroz ou feijão.

Levar ao forno por cerca de 15 a 20 minutos, ou até a massa estar douradinha.

Retirar a tarteira do forno e baixar a temperatura para os 180ºC. Retirar o papel vegetal e as bolas de cerâmica da tarteira e reservar.

para o creme:

9 ovos

350g açúcar refinado branco + extra para polvilhar e caramelizar

sumo de 2 toranjas (de preferência das de polpa vermelha), coado

1 colher sopa de folhas de menta

1 colher sopa de concentrado de menta e limão (cordial)

300ml natas para culinária (double cream)

preparação:

Numa taça, bater os ovos com o açúcar, o sumo das toranjas, as folhas de menta e o cordial.

Adicionar as natas devagarinho, batendo o tempo todo.

Colocar a taça sobre um tacho de água a ferver, até a mistura aquecer. Este processo poderá demorar cerca de 5 minutos.

Coar a mistura para retirar as folhas da menta e deitar o creme sobre a massa.

Levar ao forno por cerca de 30 to 40 minutos ou até a superfície estar douradinha e tiver crescido ligeiramente.

Retirar do forno e deixar arrefecer.

Antes de servir, polvilhar a superfície da tarte com uma camada fina de açúcar refinado branco e caramelizar com a ajuda de um maçarico.

Servir imediatamente.

Recipe / Receita: