Author: jadwiga49hjk

I love cooking and baking. I love trying out new recipes and currently am trying out many old favourites from my Polish cookbooks and family recipes. I am trying out many variations, often to make them easier but still delicious. I collect glass cake stands and china tableware, mainly tea plates, jugs and serving dishes, many of which I use on a daily basis. They are an eclectic mixture from the 20th & 21st century.

St Martin’s Croissants

  • St Martin’s Day (swietomarciński) is 11 November.*
  • These rogaliki – crescents or horns  or Marcińki are traditionally eaten around that day.
  • The recipe originates from Poznań – but the bakeries in Gdańsk had many for sale at the end of October when I was there.
  • The ones in the bakeries were much smaller than ones I have made in the past – see photo at the bottom right hand side.
  • *
  • The pastry is a flaky yeast pastry.
  • The filling is a poppy seed and dried fruit filling (some recipes add chopped nuts as well).
  • They are delicious.
  • White poppy seeds are often used  – I have not seen these here in England.
  • * Since 1918 – 11 November is also Independence Day
  •  

INGREDIENTS – Filling

  • 100g poppy seeds
  • 300ml milk
  • 2 tablespoons of runny honey
  • 1 tablespoon of semolina
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 50g mixed peel
  • 75g sultanas

Method

  • Put the poppy seeds and milk into a saucepan and simmer then together for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop any sticking or burning.
  • The aim is to cook the seeds and adsorb as much of the milk as possible.
  • You need to watch this carefully and keep adjusting the heat to stop the mixture burning.
  • Keep stirring and heating until the milk is absorbed.
  • The poppy seeds then need to be crushed, I use a hand held blender for about 5 minutes which I find is the easiest way.
  • Once crushed, add the semolina, mixed peel and sultanas
  • Whisk the egg yolk and honey together until this is thick and creamy and then add this to the mixture.
  • Leave to cool before using.

Ingredients – Pastry

Leaven – Starter

  • 150g plain flour
  • 200ml warm milk
  • 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 1 pkt of dried yeast (= 1 tablespoon)

Rest of Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour
  • 100g butter
  • 2 yolks
  • *
  • a little more milk might be needed 
  • Egg white to glaze
  • For layering
  • Around 180g of butter

Method

  • Mix the yeast and sugar into the hand hot milk.
  • Put 150g of flour into a bowl and mix in the milk mixture until it is like double cream.
  • Cover the bowl and leave it to rise.
  • *
  • Rub the butter into the 300g of flour until it is like breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg yolks and the yeast starter.
  • Mix till you get a soft dough – you might need to add a tablespoon or so of milk – depends on the flour.
  • Knead the dough till you have a nice smooth ball.
  • Leave in a bowl, covered, to rise and double in size.
  • *
  • Place the butter into a dish and leave at room temperature to soften.
  • Knead the risen dough lightly for a few minutes.
  • **
  • Roll out the dough out thinly into a large rectangle.
  • Spread a around a sixth of the butter over 2/3rds of the surface.
  • Fold the dough without the butter over a third of the dough.
  • Fold the rest of the dough over this – making a rectangle.
  • Turn the dough by 90°.
  • Repeat the rolling, butter spreading and folding
  • Leave to rest for around 10 minutes.
  • ***
  • Repeat from ** to *** twice.
  • *
  • Cover the dough in greaseproof paper and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes or longer if you do not want to use just straight away.
  • When you want to use the dough take it out of the fridge for 20 minutes first.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C
  • Grease two baking sheets.
  • Roll the dough out into a rectangle to use.
  • *
  • With a knife or pizza cutter divide the dough into 8 or 16 triangles.
  • Place a teaspoon of filling at the fat end.
  • Roll up the triangle from the fat end to get the horn shape.
  • You can curve it slightly.
  • Place them on a baking sheet – as far apart as possible.
  • Repeat with the rest of the dough.
  • Brush the tops with egg white.
  • Cover loosely and leave for about 15 minutes.
  • Bake for around 14 – 15 minutes.

NOTE

Back from Gdańsk

  • I am back from a short trip to Gdańsk.
  • This year is was dry nearly all the time – often with blue skies.
  • We went to some old favourite restaurants, bought pastries from bakeries and tried new places to eat.
  • I read that the local food here is fish and wild game and tried some duck pierogi again as well as wild boar – dzik in Polish.
  • The sign translates as – Sooo delicious because they are Polish.
  • In my next posts I will look at some recipes from my last visits and some new ones discovered this time.

Eat Your Greens – 2

  • This is a lovely recipe for vegetables to eat with a roast dinner or breaded pork.
  • It is a variation on Eat Your Greens – 1.
  • In this recipe cavolo nero is used rather than white cabbage.
  • As this takes longer to cook – it is part steamed first.
  • The amounts are fairly fluid – does not matter to much.

Ingredients

    • 100g of cavolo nero

    • 1 large or 2 medium sized leek(s)

    • 120g of fresh spinach

    • 2 tablespoons of butter

    • 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Method

    • Cut the cavolo nero into fine pieces.

    • Steam this for around 10 minutes.

    • Cut the leek(s) into discs and then halve these.

    • Melt the butter in a large saucepan. (a wok style is good).

    • Stir fry the cavolo nero and leeks gently for around 5 – 8 minutes.

    • Stirring all the while – so they do not burn.

    • Add in the spinach and stir.

    • Cook for around 2 minutes.

    • Sprinkle with the salt and serve.

  • Option 
  • Kale could be used – this has not been tested.

Pumpkin Soup – 2

  • When I came to file away my hard copy of my post for Pumpkin Soup – 1, I realised that I had made a pumpkin soup about  a year ago! 
  • It was a little different with the onions having been fried in butter.
  • *

  • This soup is a little richer than Pumpkin Soup – 1.

  • It has the addition of  soured cream.

  • However tomato purée is not used.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g of pumpkin flesh (peeled and seeds removed).
  • 2 red peppers
  • 2 large onions
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of hot paprika powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of  salt.
  • 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
  • Large handful of flat leaved parsley – chopped
  • 125 – 250ml of soured cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • *
  • Small handful of flat leaved parsley – chopped – to serve

METHOD

  • Remove all the peel and the seeds from the pumpkin.
  • Chop the flesh into small chunks.
  • De-seed the peppers and cut the flesh into small pieces.
  • Chop the onions into small pieces.
  • Place all these chopped vegetables into a large saucepan and add the vegetable stock.
  • Add the lemon juice, salt and paprika powder.
  • Bring to the boil and then add a lid and allow to simmer.
  • Cook until the vegetables are soft.
  • Add the chopped parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Take the pan off the heat.
  • Use a stick blender to liquidise the soup.
  • Season to taste.
  • *
  • Bring back to the boil and take off the heat again.
  • Slowly stir in the soured cream until it is well mixed in.
  • *
  • Sprinkle with the parsley to serve.

Royal Doulton Burgundy soup plate

Pumpkin Soup – 1

  • I have never cooked with pumpkins before – dynia in Polish.
  • This will be my first try with the first of two soups.
  • This one is the easiest.
  • Having said that, peeling the pumpkin can be difficult.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g of pumpkin flesh (peeled and seeds removed).
  • 2 red peppers
  • 2 large onions
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato purée 
  • 1 teaspoon of hot paprika powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of  salt.
  • 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • *
  • Small handful of flat leaved parsley – chopped – to serve

METHOD

  • Remove all the peel and the seed from the pumpkin.
  • Chop the flesh into small chunks.
  • De-seed the peppers and cut the flesh into small pieces.
  • Chop the onion into small pieces.
  • Place all these chopped vegetables into a large saucepan and add the vegetable stock.
  • Add the tomato purée, lemon juice, salt and paprika powder.
  • Bring to the boil and then add a lid and allow to simmer.
  • Cook until the vegetables are soft.
  • Take the pan off the heat.
  • Use a stick blender to purée the soup.
  • Season to taste.
  • *
  • Serve with a little chopped flat leaved parsley.

Royal Standard – Blossom Time soup plate

Eat Your Greens – 1

  • This is a lovely recipe for vegetables to eat with a roast dinner or breaded pork.
  • It is a recipe that you have to make at the last minute – unlike a lot of Polish recipes for vegetables or salads.
  • The amounts are fairly fluid – does not matter too much.

Ingredients

  • ½ a sweetheart cabbage or white cabbage
  • 1 large or 2 medium sized leek(s)
  • 120g of fresh spinach
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Method

  • Shred the cabbage into fine pieces.
  • Cut the leek(s) into discs and then halve these.
  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan. (a wok style is good).
  • Stir fry the cabbage and leeks gently for around 5 – 8 minutes.
  • Stirring all the while – so they do not burn.
  • Add in the spinach and stir.
  • Cook for around 2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with the salt and serve.

 

Simple Chocolate Tort

  • I have called this simple as it is very easy to make.
  • Rubbing in the butter into the flour and then just mixing.
  • I adapted the recipe from an English BeRo cook book.
  • You can adapt it with lots of different fillings and glazes.
  • Here I used a milk chocolate icing using hot milk.
  • You could double the ingredients and make a 4 layer torte
  • or use a larger diameter tin – not tested.
  • *
  • The cake recipe is one I used for Chocolate Babka and for Chocolate Orange Tort

Chocolate Cake – Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 225g caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 100g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tablespoons of evaporated milk
  • 5 tablespoons of water

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm tins.
  • Rub the butter into the flour.
  • Add the baking powder, salt, cocoa and sugar
  • Mix well together.
  • Mix the eggs, milk and water together.
  • Mix the liquid into the dry ingredients.
  • Beat well.
  • Divide the mixture between the 2 tins.
  • Smooth the tops level.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Allow to cool completely before assembling. 

Milk Chocolate Icing – Ingredients

  • 60g butter
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons of hot milk*
  • 2 -3 drops vanilla essence 
  • Around 250g icing sugar**

Milk Chocolate Icing – Method

  • Melt the butter gently in a saucepan.
  • Blend in the cocoa.
  • Add the vanilla essence.
  • Add the icing sugar and hot milk bit by bit.
  • Use a small hand whisk to beat the icing until it is smooth and thick.
  • *
  • * Heat a little more milk and then measure out the amount of milk you need.
  • ** You need to adjust the milk and icing sugar to get the required thickness you need.

Assembling the Cake

  • Place one round of cake onto a serving plate or stand.
  • Spread half the icing over the cake.
  • Place the second round of the cake on top.
  • Press down a little.
  • Spread the rest of the icing on the top of the cake.
  • Smooth or make a pattern with a fork or small spatula.

One of my many glass cake stands.

Placek with Dried Fruits

  • Placek is a thin flat cake.
  • Dried fruits are called bakalie in Polish – fruit from the Balkans.
  • If this were a loaf shaped fruit cake it would be called a “keks” – however it works better in this thin version.
  • Dried apricots are used, which is a bit different.
  • The apricots are soaked overnight in brandy – so you have to start the cake the night before.

INGREDIENTS

  • 175 dried apricots – chopped
  • 3 tablespoons of brandy
  • 175g butter
  • 175g granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 175g plain flour
  • 225g raisins
  • 225g currants
  • 225g cherries*
  • *
  • *Or a mixture of cherries and mixed peel if you are short of cherries

METHOD

  • Put the apricots and brandy in a small bowl.
  • Cover and leave overnight.
  • *
  • Pre the oven to GM3 – 160°C
  • Line 3 sides of a 32 x 22 baking tin.
  • Mix the apricots with the other dried fruit.
  • Cream the sugar and the butter.
  • Add the eggs and beat together.
  • Mix in all the dried fruit.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Spread the cake mixture into the tin.
  • *
  • Bake for 50  –  60 minutes.

“Pepper Pie”

  • I got this recipe from my sister who lives in Manchester.
  • Her daughter, who visits her, often usually makes this for lunch as it is so easy.
  • It is a tinned tuna & pepper tart, rather like a quiche but without any cheese.
  • They have named it “pepper pie”.

INGREDIENTS

  • Shortcrust pastry
  • 1 tin of tuna drained – forked apart
  • ½ a red pepper chopped
  • 150 ml of Greek style yogurt (like 1 small carton)
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  • Per-heat the oven to GM 5 GM 190°C.
  • Grease a loose bottom tart tin – 18/19cm in diameter.
  • Roll out the pastry thinly and line the tin.
  • Put the pepper on the base of the tart tin.
  • Add the tinned tuna.
  • Mix the yoghurt and the egg.
  • Pour this over the tuna and pepper.
  • Season to taste.
  • Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Lovely hot or cold.

Option – blanche and dry the pepper first.

Apple Cake

  • It must be said that I think my mama’s recipe for jabłecznik (apple cake) is the best but I keep on trying other recipes just to give them a try.
  • This one is a more sponge like cake and you only need 2 largish baking apples.
  • NOTE – you need more baking powder than usual.

INGREDIENTS

  • 225 flour
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 225 granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 150g butter – melted
  • 2 medium/large cooking apples – peeled and cored
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • *
  • Icing sugar to serve

METHOD

  • Cut the apples into thin slices and mix with the ground cinnamon.
  • Lightly butter a deep 20cm lose-bottomed cake tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM3 160°C.
  • Melt the butter and leave to cool.
  • In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar.
  • Lightly beat the eggs and vanilla essence.
  • Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture.
  • Beat in the cooled, melted butter.
  • Spread half the mixture on the base of the tin.
  • Put the apples on top with most in the centre.
  • Put the rest of the cake mixture over the apples making sure the middle is covered as the mixture will spread out when baking.
  • Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve.