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As essential to fall as the changing leaves, these Spiced Apple Cider Doughnuts are a warm, lightly crisp treat that captures the essence of the orchard in every bite. Reduced apple cider and apple butter are paired with cinnamon and apple pie spice to create a sweetly spiced dough that fries into delightfully tender, craggy-topped […] LEGGI TUTTO
For this adaptation of , rich, double-cream ricotta works as the luxurious filling while honey, mixed into the filling and drizzled on top, sweetens the deal. A sourdough starter or culture isn’t necessary; instead, a combination of active dry yeast and apple cider vinegar brings a bit of lift and tang to the mix. Finally, fresh […] LEGGI TUTTO
A sweet twist on a classic, these vanilla bean seed-speckled soft pretzels are coated in a crunchy sugar blend punctuated with the aromatic flavors of cinnamon and Heilala Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. ¾ cup (150 grams) plus 3 teaspoons (12 grams) granulated sugar, divided 1⁄4 cup (55 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (14 grams) firmly packed […] LEGGI TUTTO
Method
1 Preheat oven and line baking pan: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C), with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper in such a way as there is an overhang on two opposite sides to make it easy to lift the brownies out when they’re done.
2 Heat butter, cocoa, sugar, salt in a bowl over simmering water: Place the butter, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized metal bowl. Fill a large skillet halfway with water and bring to a bare simmer. Set the bowl of the butter cocoa mixture in skillet of simmering water.
Stir the butter cocoa mixture until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and hot to touch.
Remove the bowl from the skillet and let it cool down a bit, from hot to warm.
3 Stir in almond extract, eggs, flour, beat with spoon, add pecans: Stir in the almond extract. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, beating strongly after each addition.
Once the batter is well mixed and shiny and thick, stir in the flour. Beat for 40 strokes with a wooden spoon.
Mix in the pecans.
4 Pour batter into lined pan: Pour the batter into the prepared lined pan and smooth the surface evenly.
5 Bake: Bake 25 minutes at 325°F (160°C), or until a bamboo skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out still a little moist with the brownie batter. Cool completely on a rack.
6 Cut: When the brownies have completely cooled, lift up the sides of the foil or parchment liner to remove them from the pan. Place the brownies on a cutting board and cut into squares or rectangles.
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you! LEGGI TUTTO
Cupcakes:
1 Preheat oven and prep muffin tin: Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2 Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps (cocoa tends to clump up).
3 Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the coffee (or water plus coffee granules), vinegar, vanilla extract, and olive oil.
4 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until they just come together. Do not over-beat! The mixture should be thin and rather lumpy.
5 Ladle the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about two-thirds of the way full.
6 Bake: Place in oven and bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7 Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Once cool, you can eat plain, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or drizzle or coat with frosting.
Frosting:
While the cupcakes are cooking, make the frosting. Melt butter in a small saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in the cocoa until smooth. Sprinkle in about a third of the powdered sugar, stir, then sprinkle in about a half of the milk. Keep alternating with the powdered sugar and either milk or vanilla, stirring after each addition, until the frosting is the consistency you want, and smooth. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar. If too stiff, add a little more milk or vanilla extract.
To pipe in a decorative pattern, scoop the frosting into the corner of a ziplock freezer bag. Use scissors to cut away 1/4-inch or so from the tip of the corner. Then just squeeze the frosting out of the bag onto the cupcakes in any design you like. LEGGI TUTTO
1 Brown the ribs: Preheat oven to 350°F. Season ribs to taste with the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed ovenproof pan over high heat. Add ribs and brown on all sides. Work in batches if you need to so that the ribs don’t get crowded (this will help with browning).
2 Sauté vegetables: Transfer ribs to a plate. Pour off the excess fat (do not put down the drain or you will clog your sink!). Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan, set aside.
3 Deglaze pan with wine, then reduce sauce: Add the wine to the pan, deglazing the pan, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by three-quarters until thick and slightly syrupy, about 15 minutes on high heat.
4 Braise ribs in oven: Return the ribs to the pan, add the veal stock and enough water to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover with foil, and place in the oven. Braise, cooking in the oven, until the meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, add back in the vegetables.
5 Chill overnight: Allow the ribs to cool in the liquid, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
6 Remove excess fat: The next day, remove the excess fat that has solidified at the top from the overnight chilling.
7 Reduce sauce with ribs: Place the pan with the ribs and cooking liquid over medium heat, uncovered. Cook until the liquid has reduced by three-quarters, about 1 hour. Continue to cook, spooning the sauce over the ribs, until the sauce is thick and ribs are glazed. Take care not to burn the glaze; move the ribs around in the pan to keep them from burning.
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. LEGGI TUTTO
Craving Hot and Sour Soup just like your favorite Chinese restaurant? This recipe will hit the spot! It’s made with Chinese mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and a beaten egg.
Hot and sour soup is a lot like chili; every family has their own recipe, and each family thinks that theirs is the best.
When I was in the local Chinese market perusing the mushrooms I asked one of the other shoppers, a tiny and ancient woman half my height whose etched wrinkles framed a friendly smile, where the wood ear mushrooms were.
“What are you using them for?”
“Hot and sour soup,” I replied.
“What? You don’t want those. Here,” she grabbed a bag of dried shiitake, “use these.”
“No! You don’t want those for hot and sour soup!” cried another, more stout lady behind me. She said something in Cantonese to the first lady before grabbing a fresh bunch of enoki mushrooms and throwing them in my basket. “This is better.”
Soon, nine women were having an all out argument in the middle of the aisle. I was stuck in the middle, caught between volleys of angry insults and defenses of cherished family recipes for hot and sour soup, both in Cantonese and English.
People insulted each other’s families, critiqued the various provinces of China (all were in agreement that the people in the North, apparently, can’t cook good soup), and altered the contents of my shopping basket at whim.
Eventually, a decision was reached that you absolutely have to use black fungus—an apt, but unappetizing name for a delightful ingredient—and lily buds. The other mushroom is up to you. Whatever one you decide on be sure to be ready to defend your choice.
What Is Hot and Sour Soup?
Hot and Sour Soup is a favorite Chinese menu item, and it has a long history in traditional Chinese cuisine. As you can tell by the story above, there are many “right” ways to make it!
The predominant flavors in the soup are a spicy and sour, with earthy flavors from the mushrooms. The textures are also a contrast between silkiness from the tofu and egg and the crunchy, chewiness of the mushrooms.
What are the Ingredients for Hot and Sour Soup?
The hardest part about making hot and sour soup is really just collecting all the ingredients. Once you have those, you can have a bowl of restaurant-worthy soup on the table in under an hour!
Here are some of the specialty ingredients you’ll need:
Dried Chinese black fungus
Dried wood ear, black, cloud, straw or shiitake mushrooms (or one bunch fresh enoki mushrooms)
Lily buds
Can of bamboo shoots
Rice vinegar
White pepper (do not substitute black pepper)
Tofu
You can sometimes find these ingredients at a well-stocked gourmet grocery store, but your best bet is to head to your closest Asian supermarket.
BONUS: The mushrooms and lily buds will keep for quite some time in the pantry. You can have hot and sour soup whenever the craving hits!
Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup
My version of hot and sour soup is made with chicken broth, but you can easily substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
Storing and Freezing
This soup is really best eaten as soon as its made and does not freeze well. If you have leftovers, reheat them gently on the stovetop over low heat.
More Classic Chinese Recipes!
Updated January 31, 2021 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the original recipe. LEGGI TUTTO
Classic homemade pizza recipe, including pizza dough and toppings, step-by-step instructions with photos. Make perfect pizza at home! Continue reading “Homemade Pizza” » LEGGI TUTTO
Traditional chai tea recipe, prepared with full-bodied black tea, star anise, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, white peppercorns, cardamom, whole milk and sugar.
Photography Credit: Elise Bauer
The first time I had chai, I was in a small rented room in the Chungking Mansion in Hong Kong (notoriously cheap accommodations). Our little cel block area probably had 4 bedrooms, and one little old Chinese lady who sat in the entryway and managed them.
The morning after my arrival I was still reeling from the shock of my expectations when I booked the place (“Chungking Mansion, my that sounds quite nice”) compared to the reality of the place, when the little old lady asked me, “Chai?”, pointing to a pot on the stove.
“Sure,” I replied, not knowing exactly what was coming, perhaps tea?
Boy was I surprised, and in the best possible way. Chai is tea, black tea, but tea steeped in milk, flavored with spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise, and sweetened with sugar or honey.
This wonderful chai was the best discovery in Hong Kong; I couldn’t wait to spend another night in the Mansion, just to have some more chai in the morning. That was over 30 years ago and since then chai has become much more popular here.
The other day my friend Suzanne served up some delicious chai and told me more of her experiences with it while in the Peace Corp in Africa. According to Suzanne, families have chai recipes the way they have curry recipes, every one a little different and each particular to a family.
It can conveniently be made all in one pot, and you can use sweetened condensed milk from a can – important in the tropics. If you really want the authentic experience, drink it from a tin cup. Here is the way that Suzanne makes her chai:
Chai Recipe
Ingredients
Spice ingredients for one pot of tea:
1/2 of a star anise star
10-12 whole cloves
6-7 whole allspice
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks)
6-7 whole white peppercorns
1 cardamon pod opened to the seeds
Other ingredients:
1 cup water
4 cups whole milk
2 heaping tablespoons of a high quality full-bodied broad-leaf black tea (Ceylon, or English Breakfast if a broad-leaf Ceylon is not available)
Sugar
Method
1 In a 2-qt saucepan, add spices to 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil; remove from heat; let steep for 5-20 minutes, depending on how strong a spice flavor you want.
2 Add 4-6 cups of whole milk to the water and spices. If you don’t have whole milk, you can also use non-fat or low-fat milk, just add some cream to it, a few tablespoons. Bring the milk and spice mixture just to a boil and remove from heat.
3 Add the tea to the milk and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes to taste. (Option at this point – reheat to a simmer and remove from heat.) You can add sugar at this point, or serve without sugar and let people put the amount of sugar in they want. Traditionally, sugar is added before serving.
4 Strain into a pot. Serve. Add sugar to taste.
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Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
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