Tag: Ciasteczka

Oat & Rye Biscuits

  • I have been able to buy lots of second hand Polish cookery books in the past few weeks.
  • Inside one of them was a handwritten recipe for these biscuits.
  • It is written in the lovely handwriting people are taught in Poland.
  • I wish my writing was clear and neat as this.
  • I decided to try these biscuits and was very pleased with the result.
  • They only have a small amount of sugar so they go well with cheese.

Heathcote cake plate – Made in England

INGREDIENTS

  • 120g butter – softened
  • 70g soft brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 100g rolled oats
  • 140g rye flour
  • ½ teaspoon of baking powder.

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Grease two baking sheets.
  • Beat the butter and sugar together
  • Add the egg and carry on beating.
  • Mix the oats, rye flour and baking powder together.
  • Add this dry mixture to the butter mix.
  • Mix together until everything is combined.
  • Make small balls of the mixture and place these on the sheets.
  • Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
  • About half way through the baking – flatten the balls with a spatula.
  • Leave the trays to cool on a wire baking rack.

Cakes from Poland

  • I am back from a short trip to Gdańsk on which I bought a couple of Recipe books.
  • One of these was was a book about cakes – ciasta – and small cakes – ciasteczka -(or buns or biscuits).
  • I got a book by the same author on my last trip, which was to Wrocław in February, – Wioleta Wójcik.
  • I am really looking forward to trying some of these out.
  • Whilst in Gdańsk I had a piece of cake called pleśniak – which was super – the name means mildew or mouldy! – there is a recipe for this and I will be trying it out soon.

Ciasteczka

  • 4 July celebration – I have just done 8 years of Blogging!
  • My first two posts were My Polish Background and then Polish Cakes.
  • I have still got lots more recipes to write about as I find more books and magazines, and friends and family give me some of their recipes.
  • Today this is post number 600.
  • It is a simple recipe, which I would have made when young.
  • Ciasteczka is the Polish for small cakes or biscuits,
  • These are soft and crumbly.
  • The secret is not to over work the soft dough.

Ingredients

225g plain flour

2 & ½ teaspoons of baking powder

125g butter

¼ teaspoon salt

80g granulated sugar

80g currants

1 egg – beaten

Milk to mix – around 5 to 6 tablespoons

Method

Pre-heat the oven to GM7 – 220°C.

Grease  two baking trays.

Rub the butter into the flour.

Add the currants, sugar and salt.

Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg

Mix in the milk bit by bit to make a soft dough – you might not need it all.

Press out the dough on a floured board to about 1cm thickness.

Use a 7cm cutter to cut out circles.

Gather up the scraps together and cut more circles.

This should make around 12 circles.

Bake for 10 -14 minutes till lightly golden on top.

Remove from the tray and cool on a cake rack.

Caraway & Cinnamon Biscuits

  • I came across this recipe in an English book about the Lake District.
  • I thought the spice combination was a little unusual and would be liked in Poland.
  • I changed soft brown sugar for granulated sugar, which is used in Poland.

INGREDIENTS

  • 125g butter
  • 125g granulated sugar
  • 175g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg – beaten

METHOD

  • Grease several baking trays.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Mix the baking powder and flour together.
  • Rub in the butter until you get breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar and spices.
  • Slowly add the egg (you might not need all) and mix to give a soft dough.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured board till thin.
  • Use a 6 cm diameter cutter to cut out the biscuits.
  • Leave space on the trays as they will rise a little.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  • Leave to cool slightly and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  • These could be made using Christmas cutters for Christmas

Belgian Buns

  • These would be called ciasteczka belgijskie in Polish
  • This is a  recipe that was popular in the 19th century in Belgium.
  •  The mixture of spices is slightly different than in many Polish or English recipes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 80g blanched almonds
  • 85g butter
  • 225g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 125g icing sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 75g currants
  • 40g mixed peel
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • (a little milk maybe needed)
  • *

  • 1egg yolk & 1 tablespoon of milk for egg wash

METHOD

  • Pre-heat oven to GM3 – 160°C.
  • Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  • Chop the almonds into 4 and keep around 36 pieces back for the tops.
  • Mix the flour and baking powder together.
  • Rub in the butter until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Mix the icing sugar and the spices together.
  • Mix the sugar mixture into the flour mixture.
  • Mix the currants, almonds, peel and lemon zest together.
  • Mix the fruits with the other ingredients.
  • Add the eggs, mixing until you have a soft dough.
  • (You might have to add a dash of milk – depending on the size of the eggs.)
  • With floured hands divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
  • Form these into balls.
  • Space these out on the baking tray and flatten them slightly.
  • Brush the tops with the egg wash.
  • Put 3 pieces of almonds on the top of each.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.
  • Leave to cool for a while on the tray before putting them on a wire rack.

Vintage cake plate on a chrome foot.

Ciasteczka – Francuskie

    • Ciasteczka -francuskie – means little French cakes
    • This recipe originated in France in the 17th century and they were first called “financiers” and later “friands”.
    • They are small cakes baked in oval moulds.
    • These moulds are bigger than madeleine moulds.
    • These moulds can still be purchased nowadays.
    • You could use small tart tins and even small bun cases.
    • Friands have become very popular in Australia and New Zealand but it is not known when this started.
    • Alpine (wild) strawberries are used in this recipe and as I have lots of these in my garden I thought I would have a go!
    • This amount makes 6.

Ingredients

  • 70g ground almonds
  • 30g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 120g icing sugar
  • 100g butter
  • 3 egg whites
  • 80g alpine strawberries
  • *
  • Icing sugar to dust

Method

  • Greased the moulds.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Mix almonds, flour, salt and sugar.
  • Melt butter in a small saucepan and leave to cool.
  • Whisk whites till frothy but – not as stiff as for meringues.
  • Trickle butter into the dry mix.
  • Add ½ the whites and mix lightly.
  • Add the rest of of the whites until everything is mixed thoroughly.
  • Spoon the mixture into moulds.
  • Scatter the alpine strawberries on top.
  • Bake for 16-18  minutes.
  • Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Option

If you do not have any alpine strawberries use fresh strawberries cut into quarters or slices or use raspberries.

Chocolate Cookies

  • I was given this recipe recently and it is amazing how the icing sugar comes out crinkled.
  • They are so chocolatey 
  • Cookies would be called ciasteczka in Poland.
  • After mixing up the ingredients you have to refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  • I always mix this in the evening and leave it overnight.

Ingredients

  • 30g cocoa
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 65g plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 30g walnuts – chopped
  • *
  • 2 -3 tablespoons icing sugar

Method

  • Mix the cocoa and sugar together
  • Add the oil, beaten egg and vanilla essence.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Mix the flour mixture with the cocoa mixture until combined.
  • Mix in the walnuts.
  • Cover the bowl and place in the fridge.
  • Leave overnight.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 150°C.
  • Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  • Put the icing sugar into a small/medium bowl.
  • Using a spoon divide the mixture into 12 even pieces.
  • Place these onto a large plate.
  • Drop 3 pieces into the icing sugar.
  • Roll them a little in the sugar to coat.
  • Pick each one up and roll in your palms to make an even ball.
  • Roll the ball in the icing sugar again.
  • This initial coating really works to stop the mixture sticking to your hands.
  • Place the ball on the baking sheet.
  • Leave space as these will spread.
  • Repeat with the other balls.
  • Bake for 11-12 minutes.
  • They will be soft and firm up once they cool.
  • Leave them to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes.
  • Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. 
Crown Staffordshire Serving Plate

Coconut Macaroons

  • I think coconut is a relatively new ingredient in Polish cookery.
  • I am sure my mother did not use it.
  • Most Polish recipes that I that I have seen are for cakes that are similar to sweets called  Raffaello  – introduced by Ferrero in 1990.
  • This recipe is the same  as Makaroniki  –  Almond Macaroons with coconut instead of almonds.
  • They are so easy to make and a good use for spare egg whites.
  • Did you know that botanically coconuts are not a nut but a drupe (stone fruit) similar to a plum or a peach?

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 egg whites
  • 170g caster sugar
  • 170g desiccated coconut

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 3 – 160°C
  • Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper
  • Mix the sugar and coconut together.
  • Whisk the egg white till they form stiff peaks.
  • Fold in the coconut mixture carefully until well mixed.
  • Place tablespoons of the mixture on the baking sheets.
  • Flatten them down with the back of a spoon.
  • Bake for 20- 25 minutes.
  • Leave to cool slightly before removing them onto a wire rack.

Vintage Glass Dish

Ciasteczka

  • This recipe is based on an English recipe 19th century recipe for Rout Biscuits.
  • A rout is a large gathering or party and was often used to describe a card party.
  • They are intended to be eaten in one or two bites.
  • The original recipe was for around four times this amount as the baking was to cater for a large number of people.

INGREDIENTS

  • 225g plain flour
  • 110g butter
  • 90g granulated sugar
  • 110g currants
  • 1 egg – beaten
  • Grated rind of 1 orange
  • 2-3 tablespoons of brandy

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 220°C
  • Flour several baking trays.
  • Rub the butter into the flour.
  • Stir in the sugar, currants and the orange rind.
  • Stir in the egg and enough brandy to make a stiff dough.
  • With your hands make small balls from the dough and place them on the baking sheets.
  • Flatten then slightly.
  • They do not spread when cooking so they can be fairly close together.
  • Bake for 14 – 15 minutes.

Bay Biscuits

  • I came across this recipe for rich buttery biscuits flavoured with bay leaves, which sounded interesting.
  • You use dried bay leaves.
  • I think they are super.

Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 100g butter
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons of water (approx.)
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180ºC.
  • Grease some baking trays.
  • Take a tablespoon of sugar out of the 100g.
  • Grind with the bay leaves.
  • *
  • Rub the butter into the flour to get breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the sugar and the bay leaves and sugar.
  • Slowly add the egg yolks and enough water to make a stiff dough.
  • Roll out thinly on a floured board.
  • Cut out circles using a 7.5cm round cutter.
  • Bake for around 12 minutes.
  • Leave to cool on a wired rack.