Kanelbullar.

I think I wrote- or better I tried to write- this post at least three times. Even four perhaps.

It's incredible how things have changed in those months and how far this place seems to be from me. Sometimes it's hard to understand what happened, I found no answer to that question.

Thus, I just accept the fact that even coming here, posting and shooting recipes has become a bit unusual and unnatural to me. It's the normal stage each change has to experience, I think. And there's no escape to this.

I wanted to talk about lovely autumnal feelings and amazing Nordic sceneries, about simple and small things in life, about breathing the very first biting breeze of Fall. But none of these seems to be available for now. Anyway. I just couldn't resist to let these amazing pictures and subjects in a forgotten folder of my laptop. So here there is the story:

Everything started with my huge nostalgia of the happy times I lived in Stockholm. I've already told the people of Instagram, that this episode already took place while I was living in London. I remember I was at Ally Pally's farmers market, North London (I could show you some of my shoots there, actually. It's just one of the loveliest farmers market in whole London). I was shooting and looking at each of the stands. With bright eyes, I was so happy in front of all those organic products. And my belly was trying to resist to that large number of yummy things -there was no match, indeed. Ops! ;) When I noticed the Nordic-inspired bakery stand, I was just like in heaven. The nostalgia of Scandinavia went along me during the whole summertime and that stand made me feel a bit back to Stockholm. When I saw cinnamon buns I was even more exited to have finally the chance to eat those delish buns again. I immediately bought a very big one. Well. What I can say is that even though the all fact of finding them in the UK was great, unfortunately all the sweet memories of Sweden which came with it suddenly disappeared - at the first bite. I don't know if it was 'cause of the hot weather of this weird British summer or what (else), but the taste was just different. It was a quite nice bun with a very light hint of cinnamon, but nothing that could be named Kanelbulle. It didn't help with my nostalgia and after that I just quit with the idea of finding original Nordic cinnamon buns out of Nordic countries.

It was two weeks ago, I think. My huge need of cinnamon-after all it's Fall now, which means cinnamon (basically) everywhere – was getting stronger and stronger and it was a terrible long time I wasn't baking anything delicious for my dears. Ally Pally's adventure has been a useful lesson and fresh memory, so I was pretty undecided on what to do. At the end I actually just said: “Let's do this.” They couldn't turn out worst than Ally Pally's ones, I didn't have anything to loose. And I have never regret it. 'Cause although it was my very first attempt with them, my kanelbullar were simply amazing. I don't say they were perfect – I have to practice with shaping them better and I didn't find the right pearl sugar you need to top them – but the taste was really close to perfection. And they tasted really as the originals. :)

You can imagine how enjoyable those breakfasts have been. After a pretty long time I finally felt the same emotions of my trip to Sweden. I remember those chilled and lovely breakfast and fikas I had. I remember how well I felt in that culture and life. I'm so eager to go back there soon. 
And Rosendals Trädgård, with that coffee, daisies and one of the best bullar of Stockholm, this one here. 

| This picture below was a shoot of my improvised styling workshop in Rosendals T., Stockholm. Vette's bulle + swedish latte + wild daises from the lawn. :) |

If you have never tried them, then it's time. Swedish ones are the top, but I've learned you can feel a bit of North even if you bake them at home, no matter where you live. They are truly easy to prepare. You just need patience and practice. As for everything after all. :)

ps. I apologize for not replying at your last comments on the blog, unfortunately there is a problem with the platform. I'm trying to fix it since a while but without nice results. I hope you'll understand and that it will be solved soon. Nevertheless, I want to remember all of you I am so grateful for your comments or simple silent presence. I know you are with me, always. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Kanelbullar (swedish typical cinnamon buns)

adapted from Scandilicious | Baking, Signe Johansen

makes 20-22 buns

Ingredients:

for the dough:

225 ml whole milk

75 g butter

425 g plain flour

80 g sugar

1 tsp freshly ground cardamom

1 pinch of salt

20 g fresh yeast

1 egg, beaten

for the filling:

75 g butter, softened

50 g brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch of vanilla bean powder

to finish:

1 egg, beaten

sugar or pearl sugar

Heat the milk in a saucepan together with the butter until it is almost boiling and let it cool.

Sift the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix them. Cream the yeast with one or two tsp of sugar until it is almost liquid. Add it to the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, add the beaten egg and the milk-butter mixture. Stir everything together until you get a moist and soft dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth and leave it to rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour.

In the meantime, prepare the filling by creaming the butter, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla bean powder in a bowl and let aside.

When the dough has rested, pour it over a well-floured surface and start working it with the hands until it doesn't stick anymore. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it forms like a rectangle of 35x25 cm. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, starting from the middle to the edge. Fill the whole surface until the extreme edge of the rectangle.

At this point, fold the dough two times like if you were packing a letter. Cut the roll into pieces and twist them around your hand to create knot buns. Place them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Repeat until you end the whole dough. Cover the trays with a kitchen cloth and let the buns rest for further 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°. Glaze the buns with beaten egg and sprinkle the sugar or pearl sugar. Bake them for 15-20 minutes or until the surface as well as the base are golden brown.

Allow to cool and serve.

Notes:

• these deliciousness last easily for two-three days. Conserve them into a Tupperware or wrapped into aluminum foil.

 

Summer swiss roll cake :)

So, here we are again.

I can't even describe how weird is coming back here (and at home as well). It was a very long time I didn't visit the blog anymore. For once again, I disappeared somewhere in the world looking for new things and ideas. ;)

Joking apart, many things have changed in these three months of stillness. It is always the same: when changes take place in my life I explain and show them after a while. I think it is mainly a matter of understanding what's going on. And I have to do it by myself, alone. Far away from my normality.

I missed the blog-routine. I missed writing above all, and cooking. That's what I was thinking about most of the time. The desire to bake a yummy chocolate cake or an unlimited tower of pancakes was so strong. With some new fabulous cookbooks in my hands, I thought I could get crazy at all. Thanks God I had my camera with (actually almost new camera. Yes, finally it turned into a 5d Mark II!!) and my lovely chubby Fuji as well, with which I took tons of pictures. I think it was a silent way to express my feelings in completely (or almost) unknown places of a huge metropolitan city. I really felt I lost words sometimes and pictures could say them better than me. And I learned it, with this experience. A camera was all what I needed. The rest was unnecessary.

I still have to realize so many things about what happened. I'd like to understand the meaning it had for me and who I am now thanks to it. Here I said that you would have understood one day, but actually I think it is not the right moment yet.

Patience and time. These the two things I still have to learn about life.

I will introduce news once at time, calmly. I need to stop and breathe. For a little only.

Tidy up all the mess around and inside me and keep going with this new chapter.

New things will happen here too. I promise I'll tell you everything. But not now. I think we have time, don't we?

The swirly swiss roll cake you see is the one I baked some days ago for my dad's birthday party. It was such a lovely family party my sister and I organized in one of our fav places located in our valley. It was a pic-nic party with tons of good and healthy food, great beer and sun which my place hasn't seen for a long time during the Summer (and which seems totally disappeared even now).

I was thinking of this pic-nic since the whole Summer and I was happy we could enjoy it together. The menu was pretty off topic (I mean, I decided to prepare falafel and cous cous for a pic-nic at 2040 m of altitude!) and definitely far away from the traditional dishes in my area, but in the end it turned into the perfect choice for the occasion. Summery and fresh flavors for one of the unique sunny day of this crazy italian Summer (I was told about this by family, of course).

The cake was my very first attempt with the genre (yep, I like making my life complicated ;) ). The idea of baking a swiss roll cake has always scared me, mainly because I heard about the delicate dough you have to work with and that it could easily go broken when you are rolling it. Actually, I can say I was very lucky with the crucial passage (and you will say it's the beginner's luck. And I will say “yes it is”, 'cause I basically followed the wrong order of steps all the recipe long but this didn't compromise the result, don't ask why since I really don't know the answer!) and I think the final result can prove it was the first time. It is a bit flattened/pressed and not very round or swirl, but it was incredibly delicious so that I decided to post it anyway. The base was moist and fluffy and the filling so yummy. I avoided cream since I don't like very creamy (I mean with tons of whipped cream) sweets and I used ricotta instead. I found out it is a super valid substitute, healthier and lighter. I simply added a homemade blackberry compote a friend gave me and the cake was done.

You can put every ingredient you prefer, such as fresh fruit pieces with the sugared ricotta. It would work for sure! And if you want to overdo, let's put a (moderate) layer of chilled Nutella or chocolate cream. And with a swipe of icing sugar heaven is almost there.

It is so great being back here, folks.

I really missed this place.

Enjoy :)

Summer swiss roll cake (with ricotta and blackberry compote)

Ingredients:

for the swiss roll cake base:

120 g sugar

60 g plain flour

2 eggs

butter for the baking tray

for the filling:

250 g ricotta

some tbs sugar

blackberry compote or any other pretty liquid jam

to serve:

icing sugar

Whip the egg yolks with 60 g of sugar until you get a very whipped and fluffy mixture. Beat the white eggs with the left sugar until stiff. Mix the two mixtures lightly with delicate movements (keeping a whipped texture). Add the flour slowly, sifting it in the dough and keep mixing.

Grease a baking tray with butter and cover it with waxed paper and roll out the pastry until you have a thickness of 1.5 cm. Bake it to 180° for around 10 minutes.

Take the base off the oven and turn it upside down on a kitchen cloth (with the waxed paper upwards). Remove the paper quickly from the base. Roll the pastry tight to the cloth and let the base completely cool. Unroll carefully the cake.

Mix ricotta with sugar until in order to have a soft cream. Spread a first layer with the sugared ricotta and then add some spoons of compote swirling the two stuffings. Roll the cake again.

For a top result: at this point, put the swiss roll cake inside a piece of waxed paper and roll it tight. Close the edges of the paper as a candy packaging. Leave it in a cool place for one hour.

When you serve: sift some icing sugar on the top of the cake. It is undoubtedly better with it.

Tips:

• if you are in a hurry (as I was ;) ), you can skip the hour of rest at the end of the preparation. Simply sift some icing sugar and serve. It goes without saying that in this case the result won't be perfect at all (you will have the flattened cake I had ;) ) but the taste won't suffer for it. It is an aesthetic matter which is important to consider. Doubtless if you follow every right step you will get a top swiss roll cake. Which is better! :)

One day you will understand :)

  Ok. Ci siamo.

È arrivato il momento di quel famoso post. Quello delle spiegazioni (forse confessioni?!), delle novità e aggiornamenti, quello dei cambiamenti. Quello che vi devo, ormai da un po'.

Tempo fa, esattamente qui, avevo parlato di rivoluzione. Una rivoluzione che sentivo stesse accadendo, stesse per arrivare. Non capivo cosa fosse in atto, cosa mi aspettava e cosa avrei trovato. Dopo aver tentato di fingere, di non ascoltare questo stimolo e quei pensieri, ho ceduto ad una forza più forte di me. Ho imparato a sentire la mia anima. In ogni sua vibrazione. Ho imparato ad interpretarne i segnali. E forse ad accettarla. Sebbene contorta, a momenti. Vivace. Più di quel che pensavo.

'cause it's not just a recipe. It's a story.

Ve lo confesso: non avrei mai pensato di riuscirci davvero.

Avevo aspettato questo momento da tempo, credo dagli albori di Me and food.

Ho tenuto tanti piccoli progetti (ambizioni?!) nascosti in un cassetto, che forse per troppo tempo avevo abbandonato e chiuso a chiave. Pensare di aprirlo mi spaventava. Credevo di interrompere un equilibrio, che poi così stabile non era.

Non ne avevo il coraggio. Il coraggio. Forse la chiave che ha fatto in modo che lo riaprissi. Mi ci sono persa e ho avuto paura per qualche istante. Poi però ho trovato un mondo nuovo, che non avevo immaginato.

Il mio di mondo. Il mio posto, le mie risposte. Li vedevo.

Non lo so se sono pronta, però una cosa l'ho imparata.

Ascoltarsi è l'unica soluzione. E non c'è via di uscita.

Il video, quindi. Questa la sorpresa che vi avevo accennato qualche mese fa. Non potete immaginare quanto sia soddisfatta del mio primo post con video (disponibile su Vimeo). Il mio primo esperimento con delle riprese. Un'esperienza che non dimenticherò. Con risate, sacchi di farina e props appiccicosi. Un'assistente speciale e paziente, che ha saputo supportarmi e aiutarmi.

Un video casalingo e spontaneo. Con sviste ed imperfezioni.

Sincero, semplicemente.

È una storia (non chiamatela video-ricetta), che racconta di una giovane ragazza che ha sempre amato le cose semplici e genuine. Che impazzisce per i vestiti di jeans e le trecce di lato. Che non cucina mai senza grembiule. Che sorride vedendo un vaso di fiori freschi.

E che in un pomeriggio di primavera ha cucinato delle soffici shortcakes al latticello.

Poi le ha mangiate con frutti rossi freschi e panna montata.

E una spolverata di zucchero a velo, sì.

Come dimenticarlo. :)

Ecco, questa è la mia storia:

(cliccate sull'immagine-video per riprodurlo oppure guardatelo qui)

 

(click the image-video below to reproduce it or watch it here)

 

 

 

 shortcakes al latticello con frutti rossi freschi e panna

tratta e modificata da The Kinfolk Table, Recipes for small gatherings, Nathan Williams

ingredienti:

210 g di farina, setacciata

50 g di zucchero

6 g (2 cucchiaini circa) di lievito bio per dolci

un pizzico di vaniglia Bourbon in polvere

115 g di burro a tocchetti, morbido

80 ml di latticello

1 uovo, sbattuto

in più:

burro sciolto

zucchero

per servire:

frutti rossi misti freschi, lavati ed asciugati

panna semi-montata

zucchero a velo

In una ciotola capiente mescolare con un cucchiaio di legno la farina, lo zucchero, il lievito e la vaniglia. Aggiungere il burro a pezzi e con la punta delle dita iniziare ad impastare, incorporandolo agli ingredienti secchi. Continuare fino a che si ottiene una consistenza molto granulosa, somigliante al pangrattato. Unire il latticello e l'uovo, continuare a mescolare con un cucchiaio di legno. Quando l'impasto ha una consistenza soda ed omogenea trasferirlo su un piano di lavoro ben infarinato e lavorarlo, per ottenere una palla liscia. Dividerla in sei parti uguali, formando palline della stessa dimensione. Schiacciarle leggermente e metterle su una teglia rivestita di carta forno. Spennellarle con il burro fuso e spolverizzarle con dello zucchero. Infornare a 180° e cuocere per circa 20-25 minuti. Controllare la cottura con lo stecco.

Servire le shortcakes tiepide con qualche cucchiaio di panna semi-montata e qualche cucchiaio di frutti freschi. Spolverate con abbondante zucchero a velo.

Note:

• la base del dolce non è molto zuccherata se mangiata singolarmente. I frutti, la panna e lo zucchero a velo completano e bilanciano perfettamente il piatto. È comunque possibile aggiungere un po' di zucchero all'impasto, soprattutto se avete intenzione di mangiarli da soli. Le vere shortcakes però desiderano sempre un po' di panna e frutti rossi (anche delle semplici fragole vanno bene). ;)
• usate gli ingredienti a temperatura ambiente.

English version:

I confess it: I've never thought to really succeed in it.

I've been waiting for this moment since a lot of time, I guess from the dawn of Me and food.

I held many small projects (ambitions?!) hidden in a drawer, which I left abandoned and locked up. The thinking of opening it scared me. I believed I would have broken a balance, which actually wasn't so steady.

I hadn't the courage. Courage. Maybe the key which made me opening it again. I was lost in it and I was frightened at first. But after that, I found a new world which I didn't imagine.

My world. My place, my answers. I was seeing them.

I don't know if I'm ready, but I learned a thing.

The only solution is to hear your inside soul. There's no way out.

So, the video. This the surprise I roughed out some time ago. You can't imagine how happy and satisfied about my first post with video (available on Vimeo) I am. My first attempt with shots. An experience I won't forget. With tons of laughs, flour sacks and sticky props. A special and patient assistant, who was able to support and help me.

A home-made and spontaneous video. With slips and imperfections, for sure.

It's honest, in a so simple way.

It's a story (not a video-recipe) which tells about a young girl who has always loved simple and true things. She gets crazy for jeans dresses and braids by a side. She never cooks without apron. She smiles watching a flower bunch in a vase.

And during an afternoon of Spring she baked some spongy and fluffy buttermilk shortcakes.

And then she ate them with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Oh, and a huge wipe of icing sugar.

How to forget it. :)

Well, this is my story:

(video)

 

Buttermilk Shortcakes with whipped cream and fresh berries

adapted from The Kinfolk Table, Recipes for small gatherings, Nathan Williams

Ingredients:

210 g plain flour, sifted

50 g sugar

6 g (circa 2 tsp) bio baking powder

one pinch vanilla Bourbon powder

115 g butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

80 ml buttermilk

1 beaten egg

plus:

melted butter

sugar

to serve:

fresh berries, washed and dried

whipped cream

icing sugar

Combine in a large bowl flour, sugar, baking powder and vanilla. Mix with a wood spoon. Add the butter and start kneading with the top of your fingers, incorporating it to the dry ingredients. Keep working until you get a nubby consistence (crumbled). Add buttermilk and the egg, keeping mixing with the spoon. When the dough is homogenous, move it on a well-floured working board and work it to obtain a smooth ball. Divide the mixture into six same parts, shaping balls with the same size. Press them a bit and put them into a baking tray covered with wax paper. Brush the shortcakes with some melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake to 180° for 20-25 minutes, checking the baking with a toothpick.

Serve the shortcakes lukewarm with some spoons of whipped cream and some berries. Sprinkle with lot of icing sugar.

Notes:

• the cake base isn't very sugary if you eat it alone. Berries, cream and icing sugar complete and balance perfectly the shortcakes. Anyway you can add some sugar (don't exaggerate) if you want to eat them as they are. Actually the real version of the cake wants a bit of cream and some berries (even strawberries are so good). And trust me, there's a why! ;)
• use ingredients at room temperature.

Ode to Spring.

 Avrei molte cose da dirvi.

Tante, forse troppe, sono in ballo.

Mi sembra quasi di non riuscire a seguire questa storia, che poi è la mia.

Respiro l'aria di primavera, una primavera così diversa. Intensa, non c'è dubbio. Piena di qualcosa che nemmeno io so interpretare. Una primavera che mi fa perdere le parole. Che non dimenticherò.

Voglio che significhi rinascita. L'inizio di un nuovo capitolo. 

Questo post sarà un'ode a questa stagione. Pieno di colori, rosa pallido e fiori. Diverso dal solito, oltre ad essere più ricco. Perchè adesso molte cose cambieranno, anche qui. Forse è giunta l'ora che pian piano vi prepari a questa rivoluzione. :) Un passo per volta. Prometto che vi spiegherò tutto, magari in un post ad hoc. Credo lo meritiate.

it's so fluffy I'm gonna dieeee! :)

 

Oggi voglio lasciarvi poche parole. Ho imparato a capire il valore del silenzio.

Anche se l'ho sempre detto che uno sguardo o uno scatto, a volte, sanno dire molto più di lunghi fiumi di parole (lo dice una che davvero, il dono della sintesi non l'ha ricevuto ;) ).

Un saluto velocissimo, con questa dolcissima torta-agnello, decorata in due versioni. Perfetta per il pic-nic di Pasquetta. :)

Credetemi, la seconda, riuscirebbe quasi a superare l'unicorno di Agnes (cfr. Despicable Me, Cattivissimo Me) ;)

Per il momento vi auguro buona Pasqua e dei bellissimi giorni di primavera.

Tanti fiori, freschi. Uova, raccolte da un pollaio in campagna. Qualche instantanea e un prato verde. Dove sdraiarsi e respirare.

A volte basta solo quello.

...you never know what you're gonna get. :)

“Mama said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.”

“Mamma diceva che la vita è come una scatola di cioccolatini. Non sai mai quello che ti capita.”

Forrest Gump

Ho imparato a farmi sorprendere dalla vita. Fino a poco tempo fa credevo fosse solo questione di programmi. Organizzazione e metodo. Una sorta di scaletta, a punti.

For the love of burgers ❤

Non sono tipo da junk food.

Dopo alcuni (peraltro pochi ed unici) tentativi a 10 anni da “McTutto” (ricordo che allora andare in città al fast-food era il passatempo domenicale più in voga, sinceramente dalla ancor dubbia utilità e incerto fascino), per lunghi anni ho abbandonato qualsiasi pietanza che si avvicinasse al concetto di cibo spazzatura.

Portland (OR).

Immaginavo di mangiare queste quesadillas in un picnic. Sì, uno dei miei leitmotiv “narrativi” preferiti.

Con gli amici, di sempre. Un tavolo basso, preso ad un mercatino vintage di Portland, apparecchiato in un'affascinante e caratteristica (terribilmente strampalata) maniera. Con bicchieri, posate e piatti spaiati, anch'essi di un mercatino dell'antiquariato. I taglieri di legno antichi, una tovaglia di cotone leggermente stropicciata beige e tovaglioli ricamati a mano. Un vaso sbeccato con peonie fresche, al centro. Bianche, rosa pallido e fucsia. Un telo e qualche cuscino sparso dove sedere. Qualche istantanea di una polaroid. Il cestino di vimini con la tracolla di pelle. La birra fredda, doppio malto, belga.

Su un prato verde, ovviamente. Con l'erba un po' alta, incolta.

Non troppo lontano dal faro però. Quasi a picco sul mare dell'Oregon. 

S'mores (brownies) :)

 

L'erba umida, l'aroma del legno e dei boschi, il suono del falò, acceso.

Un cerchio di amici, il vestitino di jeans, una coperta a scacchi, i ceppi di albero su cui sedersi.

Il lago, calmo ed immenso.

Note di nostalgia, guardando il cielo stellato. I mitici '60.

Una ghirlanda di fiori di campo tra i capelli.

Una mano, quella mano, vicina.

Il profumo della gioventù.

Di un sorriso incerto, una timida speranza, un impulso del cuore.

Una candela accesa, un diario ingiallito colmo di insensate parole.

E poi l'universo. In un solo respiro.