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NEW IN BAKING Berry Pastries ![]() SPONGE CAKE 1. Preheat oven to 356F (180C). 2. In a bowl, mix 5 eggs, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 1/2 cup sugar until white and fluffy. 3. Take 170 g of flour. Sift half of this flour into the dough and mix it gently with a spatula. Add the remaining flour and sift it into the dough and mix it again with a spatula. 4. Wet the baking sheet with water to help the parchment paper spread better. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the dough evenly on the baking sheet. 5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. 6. Cool on a rack. Do not remove the parchment paper, just release the sides of the sponge cake from the parchment paper. Cover the sponge cake with a clean kitchen towel and let cool at room temperature. BERRY FILLING 7. In a saucepan: Combine 2 cups of berries and 1/4 cup of sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the filling is juicy. 8. Combine 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and 50 ml of water in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the saucepan with the berries, stir, and simmer until it thickens slightly. Place the filling in a clean bowl, cover with a cling'n seal in contact, and let cool at room temperature. CUT 9. Cut out the sponge cake into the shape you want. (I prefer a circle or heart shape). The diameter is about 2-2.5 inches. You can use a cookie cutter or just a glass. 10. Grind the remaining sponge cake scraps in a blender into coarse crumbs. CREAM 11. In a large bowl. Mash 300 g of cream cheese with a fork. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 200 ml of cold heavy cream. Beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form. ASSEMBLY 12. Place the cream in a pastry bag. The filling can also be placed to in a separate pastry bag. Take one sponge cake cut. Make a border along the edge 1cm high and 0.7 cm thick. Place the filling in the middle. Cover with the second sponge cake cut. Carefully grease the pastry on the sides and top with cream and sprinkle with sponge cake crumbs. If desired, decorate the cake with cream. Repeat with all the sponge cake cuts. THE MOST POPULAR IN BAKING Pirozhki with cabbage ![]() PREPARE THE DOUGH: 1. In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cup flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. 3. Let rest around 10 minutes. 4. Melt a butter in a sauce pan. Add butter to the dough. Mix everything together to form a dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. 5. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours or until it doubles in size. CABBAGE FILLING: 6. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped cabbage and sauté about 2-3 minutes. 7. Add the salt. Sauté for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and slightly caramelized. 8. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool. ASSEMBLE THE PIROZHKI: 9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 10. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into small portions (about the size of a golf ball). 11. Roll each dough portion into a small circle, about 4-5 inches in diameter. 12. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the center of each dough circle. 13. Fold the dough over the filling to create an oval shape and pinch the edges to seal the pirozhki. 14. Place the assembled pirozhki on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with ready pirozhki with a kitchen towel and let to rest about 30-40 min. BAKE: 15. Preheat your oven (gas) to 395°F. 16. Brush the tops of the pirozhki with a beaten 1 egg + 1/4 cold milk for a golden finish (optional). 17. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until the pirozhki are golden brown. 18. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving. |