Orange Chocolates /Cioccolatini all'arancia

Since everyone loved my Coffee Chocolates...I thought to make new ones...With an orange filling this time around!

Siccome i miei Cioccolatini al Caffe' sono stati un successone...ho pensato di farne di nuovi...questa volta con ripieno all'arancia!

To make the chocolates please follow the instructions described in the recipe for Coffee Chocolates.

This is what you need for the orange filling:

Per creare il cioccolatino seguite le istruzioni descritte nella ricetta dei Cioccolatini al Caffe'.

Questo è cio' che vi serve per il ripieno all'arancia:

1 orange grated zest /buccia grattuggia di un arancio

2 tablespoons of sugar / cucchiai di zucchero

3 tablespoons of melted ciocolate / cucchiai di cioccolato fuso

1/2 tablespoon of butter / cucchiaio di burro

Use a non-sticky pan, patiently add in all the above ingretiens but the melted chocolate, this will be added at the very end of the recipe.

Usate una padella antiaderente, pazientemente aggiungete tutti gli ingredienti tranne il cioccolato fuso, questo sara' aggiunto alla fine della ricetta.

The zest must get caramelized into the sugar and butter, keep cooking it with a very low flame for at leat 20 mins.

La buccia deve essere caramellata nello zucchero e nel burro, usando una fiamma molto bassa, per almeno 20 minuti.

At the end add in the melted chocolate, you must obtain a creamy but firm mixture.

Alla fine aggiungete il cioccolato fuso, dovrete ottenere un composto cremoso ma denso.

Use this mixture as the filling for your chocolates, exactly like in the recipe for coffee chocolates. It will remain soft inside and will be absolutely yummy with the dark chocolate!

Usate questo composto come ripieno per i vostri cioccolatini, esattamente come nella procedura per quelli al caffe'. Rimarra' un ripieno morbido e assolutamente ottimo con il cioccolato!

Pancakes

This is what we had for breakfast on XMas day ! Easy to make pancakes!

Questa e' stata la nostra colazione la mattina di Natale!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of baking soda/ cucchiaini di bicarbonato

3 tablespoons of caster sugar / cucchiai di zucchero semolato

1/2 teaspoon of salt / cucchiaino di sale

1,5/2 glasses of milk / 1,5-2 bicchieri di latte

1,5 teaspoons of baking powder/ cucchini di lievito per dolci

2 tablespoons of melted butter / cucchiaini di burro fuso

2 eggs / uova

200 gr flour / farina

Stir in the baking soda + sugar + salt + baking powder and the flour into a bowl. Mix well.

Mettere e sbattere bene in un recipiente: il bicarbonato, lo zucchero, il sale, lievito e la farina.

Beat egg whites in another bowl until stiff peaks form.

Sbattete a neve i bianchi d'uovo.

Use another bowl and stir in the egg yolks and the milk, when it gets creamy add in the melted butter.

Usate un'altro recipiente e mettete dentro i rossi d'uovo e il latte, mischiate bene finche' cremoso, poi aggiungete il burro fuso.

Pour in this mixture into the first one you prepared, gently adding in the beaten egg whites.

Versate questo composto nel primo che avete preparato, aggiungendo gentilmnete i bianchi d'uovo sbattuti a neve.

Use a non-sticky pan, buttered with 1/2 teaspoon of butter.

Usate una padella antiaderente imburrata con mezzo cucchiaino di burro.

Pancakes can be garnished with maple syrus, honey, chocolate spreat, jam...and anything you like!

I pancakes di farciscono con sciroppo d'acero, miele, crema di cioccolato, marmellata... e tutto cio' che vi piace!

PLEASE NOTE: I also made a small amont of pancake mixture and added ricotta cheese ( 3 tablespoons) into into. I abtained soft and creamy inside pancakes, give it a try! :)

NOTARE: Ho anche fatto una piccola quantita' di composto dei pancakes ed aggiunto ad esso 3 cucchiai di ricotta, ne ho ottenuto dei pancakes soffici e cremosi dentro...da provare! :)

Fluffy walnut muffin /Soffice muffin alle noci

It was XMas Eve and we had a craving: muffins. I made a few...very quickly and making up some sort of cream to be spread over the muffins. This is what we had the chance to indulge into...something we will never ever forget...so-ooo yummy and fluffy! The inside was amazingly soft and "walnuty"...!!

Era la vigilia di natale ed avevamo una voglia: muffins. Ne ho fatti alcuni....molto velocemente ed inventando una sorta di crema da spalmarci sopra. Questo e' cio' che abbiamo avuto la possibilita' di gustare....qualche cosa che non scorderemo facilmente....erano cosi' soffici e buoni!! Il dentro era soffice da matti e molto "noccioloso" ...!

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda/ cucchiaino di bicarbonato

80 gr of chopped dark choc / di cioccolato fondende a pezzetti

6 tablespoons of finely chopped walnuts/ cucchiai di noci macinate

100 gr of butter / di burro

180 gr flour / di farina

1/2 sachet of baking powder/ sacchettino di lievito per dolci

1 pinch of salt/ un pizzico di sale

2 eggs / uova

110 gr of sugar / di zucchero

For the cream on top: /per la crema bianca

100 gr of mascarpone cheese/ mascarpone

40 gr of sugar / zucchero

Mixed well all of the above ingredients ( not the ones for the cream, of course!) till it gets creamy, not liquid, just creamy. Use some milk if you see that the composte is too thick.

Mischiate bene tutti gli ingredienti (tranne quelli per la crema, ovvio!) fino a quando ottenete una crema morbida, non liquida. Usate del latte se vedete che il composto e' troppo spesso.

Distribuite the mixture into the holes of a muffin tray ( butter them!).

Distribuite il composto nei buchi di una teglia per muffuins. (imburrata!).

The Cream: / La Crema:

Simply whisk the mascarpone cheese with the sugar...thats it, nothing more, quick and easy!

Semplicemente sbattete bene il mascarpone con lo zucchero, tutto qui, nulla di piu', veloce e facile!

Bake the muffins in a preheated oven at 180 degrees, till the get high and soft. Use a stick to check the inside and see when the mixture is properly cook. Leave to finish off the cooking by leaving then in the oven, turned off.

Infornare in un forno pre scaldato a 180 gradi, finche sono alti e soffici. Usate uno stecchino per controllarne la cottura interna. Lasciate terminare la cottura in forno, spento.

Enjoy !

Cupcakes !

Here we go, they are the cutest little things we can make in the kitchen, really :-)
Ingredients:
480 gr of unsalted butter
120 gr all purposes flour
1 sachet of baking powder ( the one designated for sweets )
1 sachet of vanilla extract
120 grams of sugar
1/4 cup ( 1 small glass ) of heavy cream or whole milk
700 gr of icing sugar
grated lemon peel

Mini Cakes Preparation:
Mix well the flour, the sugar ( sugar, not icing sugar!! ),grated lemon peel and the baking powder.

Place the mixure in 12 paper muffin-cases a muffin tray when finished.
Place in the oven for 15 mins. Place aside when cooked.

Buttercream Preparation:
Cream the butter for a couple of minute, till very creamy.
Add in in the mixer the followings : creamy butter , icing sugar, vanilla extract, salt. Mix well on a low speed till sugar and butter are well blended. Increase speed to medium, add in the heavy cream in a thin stream. Whip till buttercream gets very smooth, with a spreading consistency.
Feel free to add more heavy cream /whole milk if the buttercream in not smooth enough.
Add the food colouring you prefer and start decoring your cupcakes !

If you wish to you can freeze the buttercream and reuse it in the future, just take it out of the freezer and let it melt a little at ambience temperature.

Brownies!

Unfortunatelly I do not have "during preparation" pictures, but just some pics of the end result. Anyhow, lets start:
Ingredients:
140 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
120 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
15 grams cocoa powder
200 grams granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
100 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
125 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)


Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Rack in the center of the oven.
Butter a 20cm pan ( or use the untistick spray )
Melt the chocolate and butter at "bagnomaria".
Remove from heat and add in the cocoa powder and sugar .
Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs.
Add in the flour, salt and chocolate chips.
Pour into the buttered pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, check with a toothpick inserted in the center , if it comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it. Be carefull not to overbake it. Brownies must be soft and with a bit of moisture inside. Remove from oven and let cool.
Serve warm or chilled, best if with a side of vanilla ice-cream !