Sfogliatelle

I'm always looking for new Italian recipes to try. I often find myself scrolling through Italian websites deciphering old techniques and instructions. When I came across a recipe for one of my favourite pastries, Sfogliatelle, I knew they would be the next mess in my kitchen ;)

So many layers!

Nice Buns ♥

I'm always baking. I usually use the free time I have on the weekend to set out on baking adventures, however there are times when I find myself whipping something up on a Tuesday morning. That reason, would be my husband. He seems to be at the root of my mid-week baking projects. What's even better, is that he'll eat just about anything I bake (where he puts it, I have no idea).

He loves hot cross buns, and since I'd made them before (a while back), I figured it wouldn't be too hard to try them out again :)

En Francais, S'Il Vous Plait

I'm in love with the delicate look of French macarons, and this past Easter I was determined to make my own. I researched every recipe, and watched every youtube video I could find. It took a few tries, and was quite the culinary adventure ;) Who knew something so sweet and cute could be so tough! 

Raspberry macarons with raspberry buttercream &
Pistachio macarons with pistachio lime buttercream

Ciabatta di Carmellina

This past summer my daughters and I spent some time in Italy visiting family. We traveled around a little, and the food was delicious :) (of course). Despite tasting food from the country's different regions, the best and most memorable dishes came from my brother in law's mother's kitchen. She used to work in a restaurant and is an amazing cook, I will definitely be posting the few recipe's I managed to learn from her.

Recipe for Ciabatta:

600 g all purpose flour

350 g water

10 g fresh yeast

2 boiled and mashed potatoes

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Mix everything in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, and put in the oven to rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Take the dough out and form it into long loaf shape on parchment paper. With olive oil on your hands, press dimples into the dough with your fingers. Leave these to rise. 

Set the oven to 375-400 degrees F. 

Put the ciabatta in the oven, and bake until brown.

When they come out of the oven, cover them a tea towel 

Happy Birthday To Me

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago, and when my oldest daughter asked what she could make me, I knew that "cheesecake" wasn't the answer she'd want to hear. My youngest daughter and I are the only ones who like cheesecake, and so the only time I find myself making one is for other people. Despite her (and my husband's) dislike for this cake, she still tried her hand at making one :) Of course, a round of ever so necessary cupcakes made their way to the party too, mmmm!

New York style cheesecake with a chocolate ganache & 

Vanilla bean cupcakes with a blackberry curd filling

The cheesecake was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!

As the days grow shorter, and my garden seems more red than green, I am reminded that there is one last thing I've got to do before summer comes to an end- TOMATOES. Being Italian, a good tomato sauce is the backbone of my culinary resume and reputation. Since I was a kid I've been doing these tomatoes, and despite  my love for my more modern machinery, its those old recipes and traditions that make this end of summer ritual special... and delicious! :)

six bushels and four hours later - goodbye tomatoes, hello sauce!

My filling and jar sterilizing set up in the kitchen 

My husband manning the boiling jars out in the garage :)