Monthly Archives

April 2022

Appetizers/Starters, Breads, Dinner, Lunch, Savory Snacks, Sides

Sourdough Pretzels (Brezn)

Today is National Pretzel Day (this should really fall on the same day as Beer day!) and these are a massive labor of love. Despite being German — and Southern German at that! — I am not a very good pretzel maker. My Opa, the Bäckermeister. wouldn’t be too terribly impressed with my shaping abilities. The dough is great — high protein flour from Kin Arthur is great — and these are sourdough, though if you search my site, you will also find the yeast version. The first batch, the “arms” kept on coming off the sides, so I started tucking them under and that worked better. The pretzel salt (also from KA) kept on falling off the bottom bit when I made the slits, so I put it on the side. Not traditional, but they’ll do.

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26. April 2022
Cookies, Sweet Snacks

Varenyky-style Dumpling Cookies

The Ukraine’s “national dish”, I have been told, are Varenyky. Varenyky are very very similar to Polish Pierogies. Like almost identical. The one thing that I did find unique is that in some places, and in some cases, there are also sweet dumplings in the style of Varenyky, however, they are filled with jam fillings and baked. That is what these are: Varenyky-style Dumpling Cookies, filled with black currant, peach and tart cherry jams. The dough itself isn’t sweet at all (barely any sugar) however once dusted with a bit of powdered sugar and the jam of course, they are lovely. Very flaky dough. I happen to have a ravioli press that I used to form these, but you can also just use a round cookie cutter and the tines of a fork to seal them.

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24. April 2022
Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Passion Fruit Meyer Lemon Tart with Fresh Berries

It’s Easter Weekend, and in addition to all the breads that I have been making, and cookies, of course, I decided to make this little Passion Fruit Meyer Lemon Tart with Fresh Berries for Easter Dinner dessert. Something a little different but I am pleased with the result. If you’ve never used fresh passion fruit before, do seek them out (and pick the super ripe ones) as they are delicious!

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16. April 2022
Breads, Breakfast/Brunch, Sweet Snacks

Makivnyk – Sourdough Poppy Seed Crescent (маківник)

Back to baking things that are “Ukrainian-inspired” although this could also be Polish, Hungarian, Slovak, Czech, or from the Baltics (did I cover everything?!?) …. this is Makivnyk (маківник): a sweet, poppy seed filled sweet bread, with a dough similar to a cinnamon roll, although not nearly as sweet and cinnamony. It’s often baked as a breakfast bread or something for afternoon tea, and often during celebratory seasons like Christmas or Easter. I’ve sprinkled it with raw sugar, but you can also add coarse pearl sugar or confectioners sugar. I love it because it isn’t overly sweet. The original recipe that I found was yeast-based but I converted to sourdough.

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12. April 2022