While complaining about Dublin weather and how much I need my summer, I kind of love that I can comfortably bake all year long. I remember back in the days when I was living in Albania, that baking in summer was mission impossible – to hot to switch the oven. Almond cake recipe Ingredients 100g…
Sweet
Chocolate and walnut cookies – recipe for the classic little bites of heaven from Double Tree Hotel
I am having a cookie while writing this story, and thinking : “Damn, these are gooooood, I should post this recipe asap.” What makes a recipe special, or food special is not just the taste of it, it’s the memory it brings, and for me this cookie brings back the sweetest memories: first time in…
Petulla – Albanian donuts
It was about time, I had to post Albanian donuts recipe in the blog. I’m sure everyone in Albania knows how to make it, and every family has their own little secret on how to make the best petulla in the world ? here’s my family recipe, simple, quick and big enough to feed a…
Chocolate & walnuts baklava
These holidays I’m not going home to celebrate with my big family, which isn’t ideal. To make the festive atmosphere as vivid as possible I’ll cook food that reminds me home and my people. Baklava was definitely at the top of the list. I kind of have this unusual relationship with baklava ?I used to…
Crème brûlée with caramelized walnuts
I’m training for Dublin marathon and my body is burning sugar and naturally craving sugar ? While it’s not the best to feed your body with simple carbs regularly, a nice treat here and there doesn’t hurt. Why crème brûlé among so many choices? Recently I bought these super nice ramekins, which are pretty useless…
Homemade strawberry jam
Remember the day I went to Wexford and bought lots of strawberries ? I turned some of them into this beautiful summer jam. Top a slice of toasted bread with some butter and this jam and you’re up for a treat. I followed my mom’s technique here, leaving the sliced strawberries sleep in the fridge…
Raspberry crumble
Fruit crumbles are so good, light with an intense fruit flavor, and so forgiving. You can endlessly play with them, try different fruits, grains, sweeteners, nuts and spices. I like to use honey, instead of sugar, especially with winter fruits. I play with flavors, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, rose water, you name it 🙂 this time…
Macarons- a story of love and persistence
I’ve talked about my struggle to make macarons so many times ? They were my mission impossible until few weeks ago, when my babies decided to raise on their own feet, nice & cute. When I shared my struggles on Instagram and asked for help, my inbox went crazy and my heart was full of…
Albanian honey cake
I guess when we miss traditional food, it’s not only the food we’re craving but also that feeling of wanting to relive some moments, memories, flavors. That’s exactly what happens to me whenever I crave this Albanian honey cake. I used to love it when I was a child, and I was looking forward to…
Easter bread – Tsoureki
It’s that time of the year when making this pillowy sweet bread is mandatory, it’s Easter time. Easter bread is one of my first bakes ever and one of my first Instagram photos. I still remember all the research that I made, all the dough testing and spice hunting and the aromas filling my kitchen….