Simple Curd Cake

Oh, everything is just great!

I keep doing my workout each morning and afterwards I always feel so energetic, so capable of doing anything. I just love that feeling, as it makes me more concentrated on my future!

Also, today is very warm(22 degrees!!!), it seems that summer came back, doesn't it?

I am really in a good mood, that's why right now it doesn't matter that I didn't pass my driving exam yesterday. I am an optimist and I know that I'll do it next time. I'll get that fuc*ing driving license!

Today I wanted something simple and quickly made, so I baked curd cake. And while waiting until the top of the cake gets a golden colour, I've spent the afternoon in my cosy balcony reading one of my favourite books - 'Jane Eyre' written by Charlotte Brontë(an old version(released in 1954) of the book, which belongs to my grandmother). I think I should also watch a movie, may be in the evening or tomorrow. 

Simple Curd Cake

Ingredients:

base:

1 egg yolk

1,1/2 cups wheaten flour

1/2 cup butter

pinch vanilla

1 tablespoon white sugar

6-7 tablespoons cold water

curd filling:

1/4 cup wheaten flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

pinch vanilla

2 tablespoons cream

3 eggs

450 g curd

Instructions:

1.Base making process: Take a bowl and combine the butter with the flour. Blend until it becomes a crumbly pastry. Add the egg yolk, the vanilla and six tablespoons of the water. Whisk for a few minutes. Then knead a paste for more than 5 minutes and roll a medium-size circle.

2.Curd filling making process: Mix the butter and sugar. Add the curd, flour, cream, egg yolks and vanilla. Beat for a while. In another bowl froth egg whites. Pour them in the curd mixture and slowly beat.

3.Heat the oven to 200 degrees(Celsius). Butter and flour a cake pan and put the rolled batter round in it. Fill with the curd cream mixture. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

YUUUMMI!!!

Cabbage Soup

A while ago, a friend of mine(actually, my BFF) reminded me the name of my blog: 'Cookbook&other notes'. Yes, OTHER NOTES.

But until now, I've posted just recipes, there were no other notes.

So there is a time for some small changes.

From now I am going to write not only about food, but also my daily life(no too much personal information, just some notes to make the blog more interesting to read).

So here we go:

Today is a big day for me, as I am starting running.

I mean RUNNING, not just jogging some rounds in the stadium.

I have found(on the Internet)  runners' training plan for a half marathon race and now I am so excited.

It will take 18 weeks to prepare, but I am sooo ready to start it right now!!

And today I am having a strength train.

I hope my muscles won't hurt very much tomorrow, as I haven't done sports for a long time.

Of course, I add one recipe(it's still a food blog, right?) - a cabbage soup.

Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

half cabbage(not a large one)

4 carrots

4 potatoes

2 onions

2 cups chicken bouillon 

pinch salt

pinch pepper

pinch dried herbal(I used basil and parsley)

1/4 cup butter

Instructions:

1.Peel potatoes. Chop them and the cabbage. Take a pot, pour in some water, boil it and then put chopped vegetables, add salt and pepper.

2.Peel carrots and onions, chop them. Take a frying-pan, melt butter, put veggies and fry for about 30 minutes. Then put everything into the pot. Add the chicken bouillon and the mixture of dried herbal. Cook for more than 30 minutes. Also you can add some cream(according to your taste).

YUUUMMI!!! 

P.s. Wish me luck for my new challenge.

Chicken Lasagna

Sadly, my mother and I got sick. It feels that we are in hospital. So, I think, there is no need to say how we feel right now.

And may be it seems that we are insane, but the only one thing which helps us these days is FOOD.

Cooking and eating really increase our moods.

Today I baked lasagna with chicken. I tried it for the first time. Earlier I cooked lasagna with vegetables or pork/beef. But I can say that this version of lasagna is the best. It tastes so good!

Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:

12 lasagna noodle leaves

350g chicken breast without skin

2 onions 

half leek

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup wheaten flour

150g grated cheese

2 tablespoons cream

pinch salt

pinch pepper

a few laurel leaves

chicken spice

a few cups chicken bouillon

olive oil

Instructions:

1.Chop the chicken breast. Take a pot, pour in some water, put the chicken in, add a few laurel leaves, some pinches of salt, pepper and chicken spice. Boil for about 30 minutes.

2.Chop onions, garlic and leek. Take a frying-pan, melt half of the butter, put chopped vegetables in and fry until veggies get the golden colour.

3.Take another frying-pan, melt the left butter, add flour and mix for about 5 minutes. Then pour in chicken bouillon, cream and a quarter of cheese. Fry for 5 minutes. Then take from the heat and mix for a few times.

4.Boil the water in a pot, add a pinch of salt and one or two tablespoons of olive oil. Put the noodle in, cook for less then 10 minutes and take it out one by one. Pour cold water in the pot and put noodle in once again. After 10 minutes take it out.

5.Take a square-shape pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with some tablespoons of the butter-flour-cream-bouillon-cheese sauce, then put two leaves of lasagna noodle, then add some chicken, grated cheese and again sauce, noodles and etc. On the top of the lasagna should be the sauce layer with some pinches of cheese.

6.Heat the oven to 200 degrees(Celsius) and bake about 40-50 minutes until the lasagna gets golden/dark brown colour.

YUUUMMI!!!

Dark Creamy Hazelnuts Filling Cake

Today's my Dad's celebrating his birthday, so I baked this wonderful taste cake!

Dark Creamy Hazelnuts Filling Cake

Ingredients: 

cookie:

1,3/4 cups wheaten flour

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup strong brewed coffee

1 cup buttermilk(you can buy it or make by yourself(you'll need 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice))

1/2 cup oil(I used sunflower oil, but you can also use olive oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla

filling:

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

frosting:

1,1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup softened butter

pinch salt

half bar melted chocolate

1,1/2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1.In a bowl combine flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

2.In a cup of milk pour in the lemon juice and wait for a few minutes.

3.Add eggs, brewed coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in the bowl with flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.

4.Heat the oven to 175 degrees(Celsius). Butter and flour two cake pans(I used 18,5x18,5cm) and put the batter in. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans.

5.Filling making process: In a small saucepan or pot combine sugar, flour, salt, cream, milk and butter. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is creamy. Remove the saucepan/pot from heat, and stir in chopped hazelnuts and vanilla. Cool completely. Then spread this mixture on the cookie and put another one on.

6.Frosting making process: In another bowl mix sugar, softened butter and salt until fluffy. Add melted chocolate, milk and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Then frost the top and all the sides of the cake.

YUUUMMI!!!

P.s. Baking this cake requires a lot of patience, as it takes plenty of time. But I can say: it definitely worths that!