Mantecadito cookie from Puerto Rico

Mantecadito koekje uit Puerto Rico

Mantecadito koekje uit Puerto Rico

The classic mantecadito cookie from Puerto Rico was brought to this Caribbean island by the Spanish.The name comes from the Spanish word manteca that means butter or shortening.  This cookie resembles the polvoron, that crumbly Spanish Christmas cookie made with almond flour and covered in icing sugar. The mantecadito cookie from Puerto Rico is also traditionally baked around Christmas, but you make the dough without almond flour. An indentation is made in the middle of the cookie to make room for some jam. In Puerto Rico that is often a tropical jam made from guava or pineapple. But you can also fill this cookie with a tasty jam of strawberries or raspberries. Leave these buttery biscuits to cool in the refrigerator after you have formed them. That will help them keep their shape during baking.. Read more »

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Phaklava apricot pastry

 phaklava apricot pastry georgia

phaklava apricot pastry

For my variation on the classic phaklava pastry from Georgia, I used hazelnuts and dried apricots instead of walnuts. These are two ingredients that are also widely used in Georgian cuisine. They make the phaklava apricot pastry lighter and fruitier than the classic pastry with walnuts on which this recipe is based. I also like to knead some lemon zest into the dough for an extra zingy touch. But just like the version with the walnuts, it is a rich treat and a small piece of this phaklava apricot pastry goes a long way.

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Phaklava pastry from Georgia

Georgië phaklava koek

When I was looking for a tasty cookie from Georgia, I came across this beautiful walnut tray bake. I thought I had found a regional variation of baklava, but phaklava pastry from Georgia is very different. It is made with nuts, but the pastry is firm with no layers. The filling is made with egg whites and no sugar syrup is used. Phaklava is a tasty nutty treat. The dough gets its delicate flavour and texture from sour cream, a widely used ingredient in Georgian pastry. The walnuts are also typically Georgian. They provide taste, texture and body in many sweet and savory dishes.

Phaklava is not the lightest of pastries. I made it in a fairly small tin, so the pieces are quite thick. The next time I make phaklava I will use a larger tin so the pieces are a bit more manageable. But I must say I had no complaints about the size from my cookie testers.
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sesame cardamom cookie

mali meni meniyon Sesam-kardemom koekje

sesame cardamom cookie

For my variation on the classic meniyong biscuit from Mali I used a mixture of white and black sesame seeds for a nice contrasting color. I mixed some ground cardamom and cinnamon with the sesame and stirred through a generous amount of salt flakes for a nice kick. The result was very tasty. The spices give off a subtle aroma and the salt gives some balance to the sweetness of the biscuit. You can choose any shape you want for this cookie. But do grease the molds well, otherwise it is difficult to get the cookies out again. I used a silicone form for the pretty flowers in the picture and that worked very well. Even without greasing, you can flip the cookies out of the mould again easily. This sesame cardamom cookie is a very tasty cookie that gives a nice snap when you break it in two.

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Jugu cake cookie from Tanzania

Jugu cake cookie Tanzanie

Jugu cake cookie from Tanzania

This traditional jugu cake cookie from Tanzania is very similar to Italian biscotti. The word jugu means nut in Kiswahili and peanuts are the most important ingredient in this recipe. The peanut was probably brought to Tanzania from South America by the Portuguese and thrives well in the tropical climate. The peanut is not really a nut but a legume and grows underground. In Tanzania, this nutritious ‘groundnut’ is used in both sweet and savory dishes. Foreign influence has always been strong along the east coast of Africa. Arabs, Persians, Indians, Portuguese, the British and the Germans left their mark in all sorts of ways, including new ingredients and cooking techniques. How this Italian-style double baked cookie ended up in Tanzania is not exactly clear, but you can find it almost everywhere nowadays. The cookie is usually baked twice, but you can also find it baked only once resulting in a softer more cakey bite. I like the crunchy version best as it is perfect for dunking! Read more »

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