Runeberg’s cakes

Runeberg's cakes Natalya Laragan

Recipe yields about 20 medium sized cakes depending on your muffin cup size.

2 eggs 3 dl (1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar 2 dl (0. 85 cups) cream (or whole milk, we used half&half in the US) 200 g (a little less than 2 sticks of) butter (Few drops of almond extract - only FEW!)

Dry mix: 1 dl (0.4 cups) almonds, finely chopped (or almond powder if you find it) 4 dl (1 2/3 cups) bread crumbs (out of which about fourth is gingerbread cookie crumbs or cinnamon-spice cookies crushed (LU Le Bastogne)) 4 dl (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder

Moistening Water, sugar to taste, Amaretto or Brandy.

Decoration: Raspberry jam 1 dl (0.4 cups) powdered sugar 1-2 tsp water (or lemon juice)

Muffin/cupcake paper cups

Pre-heat oven to 200 C (390 F)

Chop the almonds finely, if they aren't yet, melt the butter.

Mix eggs and sugar until light.

Mix all the dry ingredients together. I

Mix butter and cream and the dry ingredients to the eggs-sugar mixture, taking turns in pouring in liquids and dry ingredients. Mix well with fork or some such. The batter should be fairly stiff.

Spoon the batter into paper cups you have arranged nicely on a cookie tray (no greasing needed). Do not overfill! Bake 15 minutes or until the cakes are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Make the frosting for the cakes. Mix powdered sugar and a teeny bit of water (add water drop by drop until the consistency is good - It can be fairly thick. Spoon the mixture into a clean plastic bag, cut out a corner and you have a method for adding the frosting easily.

Let cool, and moisten with sugar syrup (add amaretto/brandy according to taste). Add an 'eye' of raspberry jam on top of each, and add a circle of the frosting around the jam.

Enjoy!

It’ll be ALL WHITE on the night … WHITE themed dinner party menus Dinner party menu for six people #1 – from Elin al’Nia • Starter: Vichyssoise soup • Main course: Chicken in WHITE wine • Pudding: Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients Starter: o 50g butter o 450g leeks, finely sliced o 225g potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced o 570ml water o 275ml milk o 75ml single cream o Salt & pepper

Main o 2 tables garlic oil (or olive oil and a squeeze of garlic paste) o 150 bacon/pancetta lardoons (or chopped up rashers) o 1 leek, sliced o Boneless chicken thighs or breast (2 thighs per person or one breast each), cut into largish pieces. o 300 mushrooms, sliced o Herbs (a couple of bay leaves and some thyme) o 1 75cl bottle WHITE wine o Double (heavy) cream o Cooked pasta and butter to serve.

Pudding o 60 ml water o 2.5 tsp gelatine o 720 ml (16 fl oz) whipping (heavy) cream o Half a vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract o 8 tablsp powdered sweetener (guess you could use sugar, but I’ve used sweetener such as Splenda)

Instructions Starter Melt butter & cook leeks and potatoes gently for ten minutes in a covered saucepan without colouring. Add water, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the vegetables are tender. Cook a little, then puree in blender. Stir in milk & cream and season with salt & pepper. Either reheat or chill in ‘fridge for the traditional cold version. Main Heat oil in casserole or large pan, fry bacon/pancetta till crisp. Add leek and fry gently till softened. Add chicken, herbs, mushrooms and wine. Season with salt & pepper and bring to boil. Cover pan and simmer for half an hour to forty minutes. Stir in cream for last few minutes. Eat with buttered pasta. Pudding Place water in small bowl & sprinkle with gelatine. Allow it to stand for 2 minutes to soften. Place half cream in a medium saucepan. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and add to pan (or stir in vanilla extract). Bring gently to boil, add gelatine, remove from heat and stir till gelatine dissolves. Remove vanilla bean (if using) and scrape little seeds into mixture using the tip of a small knife. Stir in sweetener/sugar and the remaining cream. Pour mixture into 6 small dishes (ramekins or you can use wine glasses). Leave in fridge till set (four hours or so). Eat from dishes or turn ramekins out by first dipping each in hot water almost to rim for 30 seconds, run a thin knife round inside, place small plate over top, turn over, shake and pudding should fall out onto plate (have to admit, I don’t chance it, I just serve in the dishes!).

Dinner party menu #2 for four people(for those who are watching their WHITE – sorry, weight) – from Elin al’Nia o Starter –Ham & Melon Salad o Main –Chicken in Peppercorn Sauce o Pudding –Meringue with raspberries Ingredients Starter o 12 Slices of Parma or Serrano Ham o Mixed Salad Leaves o Balsamic Vinegar Main Course o 4 Skinless Chicken Breasts o 2 Glasses of WHITE Wine o Fresh Herbs o Freshly Milled Pepper o Tub of Half Fat Creme Fraiche Pudding o 4 Meringue Nests o Raspberries o 0% Greek Yoghurt

Instructions Starter - Ham and Melon Salad: Arrange 3 slices of ham and melon (balled for presentation) on a bed of mixed salad leaves and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar Main - Chicken in a Creamy Peppercorn Sauce Place the chicken with the fresh herbs (of your choice) in a baking dish, pour over the wine and cover with foil. Bake at 200c for 20 - 25 mins.

When the chicken is cooked through, transfer the wine juices to a large saucepan (re-cover the chicken with the foil to keep warm). Bring the liquid to the boil and add lots of crushed black pepper and a few whole peppercorns. Add the Creme Fraiche and boil until sauce has thickened. Before serving, put the chicken in the sauce for a few minutes. Pudding – Meringues with raspberries: Spoon some Yoghurt into the Meringue Nest and top with Raspberries. This is also good with the meringues crushed into fruit flavoured yoghurt and the fruit mixed in – a sort of low calorie Eton Mess.

WHITE-Watching – for those who’d like to be half the White they are … The healthier blueberry pie Natalya Laragan Since my mother had the heart attack, she's been avoiding all things that raise her cholesterol level. This is one of the recipes they came up with with only good fatty acids, if the quark used is non-fat.

The pie crust:

1 dl rye flour 1 dl all-purpose flour a handful of quick oats 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1 dl (brown) sugar 1 dl of good quality vegetable oil (e.g. canola, NOT olive oil!)

200 g of (frozen) blueberries 1-2 teaspoons of corn or potato starch

200-250 g low-fat [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(cheese) ]quark[/url] (this could be probably replaced by low-fat sour cream or something like that, not cream cheese, though!) 1-2 eggs 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste) vanilla extract or vanilla sugar (the real vanilla IS better).

Mix the dry ingredients for the crust, add in oil and mix until crumbly. Grease a largish pie plate (mine is 28 inch in diameter), press the crust into the plate. Add the quark mixture and sprinkle the blueberries on top. Bake in 200 C for about 45 min.

Eat and enjoy yes, deciliter, a tenth of a liter)

Crispy baked chicken Elin al’Nia Serves two people 1 large chicken breast 1 egg white 40g fine polenta (i.e. cornmeal) meal 15g finely grated Parmesan Large pinch of cayenne pepper (or use Cajun seasoning) Quarter tablesp olive oil Salt & ground pepper

Cut the chicken into thin strips. Lightly whisk egg white in a medium sized bowl In another bowl, combine Parmesan, polenta and Cayenne/Cajun seasoning. Dip chicken strips into egg, then polenta mix. Set aside onto large plate. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan, cook chicken for 7 minutes each side, season to taste and serve with low calorie coleslaw and baked potato.

p.s. I’ve used the same mix to coat chicken pieces, sprayed with oil from my oil spray and baked in a medium oven until cooked (about 25 minutes).

Chicken jambalaya Elin al’Nia

300g dried rice 2 teasp vegetable oil 450g chicken breast, skinless 3 sticks celery 1 large onion 1 medium red, green or yellow (bell) pepper 2 cloves garlic 10g Cajun seasoning 1 sprig fresh thyme of pinch of dried 4 medium tomatoes Pinch salt Cook the rice in plenty of boiling, lightly salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok and add the chicken. Cook, stirring, for about 6-8 minutes, until browned all over. Add the celery, onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened slightly. Add the Cajun seasoning, thyme and tomatoes. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes. Drain the rice thoroughly, then add it to the frying pan or wok, stirring well to mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper, then serve

Cabbage recipes Elin al’Nai WHITE cabbage is a great filling vegetable and basis for a slimming meal. Three ideas below: Cabbage is delicious sauteed with grated apple and a little cider vinegar. This recipe goes well with lean grilled pork cutlets. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a finely sliced onion and 2 cloves crushed garlic. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add 4 cups finely shredded cabbage and 1 finely grated apple. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the vegetables from sticking. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbs of cider vinegar and 2 tbs maple syrup, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for a further 15 minutes or until the vegetables have wilted and are tender. Serves 4. Try cutting cabbage into wedges and steaming it. The key is to garnish it with a big flavour like grilled chopped bacon bits. Cut half a Chinese cabbage into 4 neat wedges. Place in a steamer basket and steam for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile slice 100g lean middle rasher bacon into thin slices. Cook in a non-stick frying pan placed over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add 2 tbs chopped chives and 2 tbs pinenuts. Season with cracked pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes or until pinenuts are golden. Spoon mixture over steamed cabbage and serve. Serves 4. Cabbage, potato and lima bean stew is a great vegetarian dish to enjoy in the colder months. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add 1 finely sliced onion and 2 cloves crushed garlic and cook for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Add 3 cups chopped cabbage, 2 peeled and diced potatoes, 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves and a bay leaf. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add 1 cup vegetable stock, cover and transfer to a moderate oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add 1 can drained lima beans and cook for a further 10 minutes or until heated through. Taste for seasoning and serve with a medium crusty wholegrain bread roll. Serves 4. Parmesan glazed sole fillets with grilled tomatoes Elin al’Nia Serves two people 4 large tomatoes 1 portion shallots 3 teasp olive oil Half teasp caster sugar 2 fillets lemon sole 1 tablesp lemon juice 1 tesp parsley Grated parmesan cheese Method Preheat the grill to medium. Arrange the tomatoes in the centre of the grill pan, cut-side up, and sprinkle each with some shallots, ¼ teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of sugar. Season well with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 minutes. Lay the sole fillets on either side of the tomatoes. Season well with salt and pepper. In a basin, mix together the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the parsley. Brush on the fillets. Grill the sole and tomatoes for 5 minutes. Baste the fish with the remaining lemon mixture. Sprinkle over the grated parmesan cheese. Turn the grill up high. Top the tomatoes with the oregano or marjoram and basil. Pop the grill pan back under the grill for 1 - 2 minutes, just to melt the parmesan and wilt the herbs. Serve at once.

Cranberry-nut Wheat Loaf Andra Mikolan This one is also from the low-fat cookbook, but again, you can't tell! It's also only 153 calories a serving.

Makes 1 loaf (16 servings)

1 package active dry yeast 3/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees) 3 Tablespoons honey 2-3 Tablespoons margarine or butter, room temperature 1 egg 1-2 cups all-purpose flour, divided 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup dried cranberries (I used some frozen ones from last fall that I thawed in the oven for about 15 minutes... they worked just fine.) 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts Fat-free milk (to brush across the top and make it shiny)

Gently mix yeast, warm water and honey in large bowl. Let stand five minutes. (Try not to be creeped out by the yeast practically swarming to the honey) Add margarine, egg, 1 cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt, mixing until blended. (I used a wooden spoon rather than a mixer. Then I got my hands in it.) Mix in cranberries, and walnuts and the remaining flour until it makes a smooth dough. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; let rise, covered in a warm place until it doubles in size. 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down. (It doesn't take much but it's fun too!) Shape into loaf and place in greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Let stand, covered until double in size, about 45 minutes. Brush top of loaf with the milk. Bake at 375 degrees until loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack or plate.

It's yummy with a smidge of butter! It takes about 3 hours but it's so worth it

Ajah cocktails & Bubbly Drinks Classic Champagne Cocktail Put a sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flute. Add 4 drops Angostura bitters, then 20ml Cognac. Top up with Champagne and serve. WHITE Ajah - WHITE lady cocktail Ingredients 50ml/2fl oz gin 25ml/1fl oz orange liqueur ½ free-range egg white 25ml/1fl oz lemon juice 1 tsp sugar syrup Method

1. Place the gin, orange liqueur, egg white, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well.

2. Strain into a sour glass

Yellow Ajah cocktail – Mimosa 5 oz sparkling wine & 1 oz fresh orange juice

Red Ajah cocktail – Red Mist 1 shot of cherry brandy 1 shot of cranberry juice Pour cherry brandy and cranberry juice into champagne flute glass, top up with champagne. Stir gently and serve.

Green Ajah cocktail – The Ghost 15 ml (half an ounce) of Midori liquer Top with champage

Blue Ajah cocktail – Blue Disco Fizz 0.5 shot blue Curacao 1 shot pineapple juice 1 dash lemon juice 0.5 shot elderflower cordial Pour all ingredients into a champagne flute glass & top up with champagne

Brown Ajah cocktail – There Will Be Rum • oz Malibu Rum • 1 oz ruby red grapefruit juice • dash of grenadine syrup • chilled champagne • strawberry slice for garnish 1. Shake the rum, grapefruit juice and grenadine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 2. Strain into a Champagne glass. 3. Fill up with Champagne. 4. Garnish with a strawberry slice on the rim.

Gray Ajah cocktail – Earl Grey Fizz 1 oz vodka 3/4 oz Earl Grey Tea Syrup* 3 oz champagne Shake Vodka and syrup on ice and strain into a chilled champagne flute. top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

• make 1 cup of Earl Grey tea and add 2 cups of sugar to make syrup.

Black Ajah cocktail – Black Velvet Equal quantities of Guinness and champagne.

Home-made Lemonade Makes 3 pints (1.75 litres) Ingredients 6 large lemons about 5 oz (150 g) granulated sugar

First scrub the lemons in warm water, then thinly pare the coloured outer zest from 3 of them using a potato peeler or zester. After that any white pith will need to be pared from the strips of zest with a sharp knife – this is important to prevent the lemonade tasting bitter. Now put the zest in a large bowl and add the squeezed juice of all the lemons (don't bother to strain the juice at this stage) and the sugar.

Next pour in 2½ pints (1.4 litres) of boiling water, then stir well, cover and leave overnight in a cool place. Next day stir again and taste to check the sweetness, adding a little more sugar if it needs it. Now strain through a fairly coarse sieve, as it's nice if some of the lemon remains. Pour it into bottles, using sterilised corks, then chill thoroughly.

Serve the lemonade either straight or diluted with soda water (for maximum bubbliness), with lots of ice.

Bubble Milk Alex & Lizzie Chang via Natalya Laragan

1 tall glass of milk

straw.

Blow through the straw to the milk.

Enjoy the bubbles.