A visit to a beautiful garden….

A few days ago I visited with members of a garden club the…..

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens and Mansion

in Georgetown, Maryland

It was a spectacular Spring day, clear sky with sunshine and warm rays that accompanied us up and down pathways, steps, trails through the most spectacular gardens… The gardens were designed and cultivated by one of the first woman landscape artists during the 1920 era…Beatrix Farrnad.

Beatrix’s special imagination for gardens was to create “garden rooms.”  Therefore, when you walk through this huge property you walk from one “room” to another, and each has its own spectacular moment when you enter it….

Here are some photographs that I took while spending a morning walking through a dream of plants, trees and flowers that never ended….

I hope you have enjoyed this walk through this beautiful garden with me….and I hope you will come back whenever your spirits are down…..because, it is a most uplifting place to find peace….

****************

Copyright:

Maria Reisz Springer

Maja’s Kitchen LLC….

http://www.majaskitchen.com

maria@majaskitchen.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: maria@majaskitchen.com   Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, http://www.majaskitchen.com

Find me on Face Book and Pinterest

Some of Maja’s Cakes….throughout the years….!

Here are some of my best cakes that I have crated throughout the years……Hope you enjoy seeing them and can imagine me working in my kitchen composing them one at a time….

These cakes were made with love and much thought about every occasion that they played a role while celebrating a person or honored someone’s special moment…

******************

Copyright:

Maria Reisz Springer……..

Maja’s Kitchen LLC….

http://www.majaskitchen.com

maria@majaskitchen.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: maria@majaskitchen.com   Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, http://www.majaskitchen.com

Find me on Face Book and Pinterest

Kulic or Babka for Easter is a Slavic Tradition!

Easter in Slavic families is

celebrated with a Babka or Kulic!

In Eastern and Central European Countries (like the area of the former Polish-Lihuanian Commonwealth, which includes Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Belarus, Ukraine, Western Russia and a part of northeastern Hungary) a special cake is prepared to celebrate Easter.  It is the Babka, also called Kulic, served with a cheese mixture that is called Paskha….

Babka or Kulic is a tall cylindrical sweet yeast cake.  It is flavored with rum soaked raisins, and candied fruit.  Sometimes Saffron is added to make the cake more yellow. However, I feel that the egg yolks give me enough yellow color therefore I do not add the Saffron.

I remember my grandmother adding saffron to her yeast cakes at Easter.  When I was a little girl I watched her making the cakes  and asked her why she added the red strings to the dough…she answered:  “Saffron macht den Kucha gel,”  speaking in her Swabian dialect.   (Saffron makes the cake yellow.)

This cylindrical cake when baked is traditionally crowned with a white icing, Royal Icing, and is sprinkled with chopped candied fruit and almonds.

Babka is also traditionally served with Paska, a creamy cheese mold.  It consists of a combination of sweetened Pot Cheese, or cottage cheese, nuts, mostly almonds and candied fruit. It is molded into a four sided pyramid, and decorated with nuts or candy to form the letters XB, which stands for “Christ is risen.”  Paskha is the traditional and classical accompaniment for this sweet  yeast bread, Babka, also called Kulic.

Paska

I make my Paska with a tub of whipped cream cheese and add:

Rum or brandy soaked chopped apricots – do not add the run or alcohol that the fruit has soaked in

1 Tbsp Candied lemon and orange peels

1 Tbsp Chopped almonds or hazelnuts

1 Tbsp chopped chocolate

1 tsp  Zest of a lemon

1 tsp Zest of an orange

1 tsp of either brandy or rum

Mix all the ingredients together and serve it in a bowl with the Babka,

or form the pyramid and design the letters XB on one side of the Paskha.

One can also add the letters XB on top of the Paska when served in a bowl.

Note:

If one does not like the alcohol…. brandy or rum flavoring can be added in stead,

1 tsp of either one.

The Easter Babka

To make it simple….

I sometimes serve the Babka with whipped cream cheese and home made jam!

Prepare the yeast:

2 pkg dry yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

1 ½ cups milk, warmed

1 cup flour

Warm the milk in a glass bowl in the microwave…to lukewarm. Gradually stir into the milk the two packets of dry yeast, sugar and the flour using a whisk or a fork whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Cover the mixture with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place until it doubles in bulk.

Ingredients for the cake batter

½ cup softened butter

1 cup of sugar

7 egg yolks

4 cups of flour

¼ tsp salt

Zest of one orange

2 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Orange Flavoring

1 cup rum soaked raisins or craisins, discard the soaking alcohol

½ cup sliced almonds

In an Electric Mixer

Cream butter and sugar until very creamy and add the 7 egg yolks, one at a time and mixing well between each one.  Add the vanilla and the orange flavoring.  Mix well.

Add the risen yeast mixture and add the 4 cups of flour/salt mixture and beat well.  The dough will be quite soft.

Leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and, place it in a warm spot in your kitchen

to rise until it is double in bulk.

Baking the Babka

I have saved some of the metal coffee cans from the past and bake the Babka in them.  However you can bake it in a Bundt pan or Kugelhupf form or even in loaf pans.  It is, after all a breakfast bread.  But, if you are from Russian decent and want to be traditional, look and see if you have some old 2 pound metal coffee cans in some of your kitchen cabinets hidden away.

Whatever baking form you will use, you will probably need two of them, grease them; you do not need to dust them with flour and set them aside until the dough is risen and is ready to be baked.

While you wait…heat the oven to 350 F

When the dough has doubled in size, mix it gently and bring it down to almost the original bulk.

Fill each prepared baking form about half full with the dough, and let it rise again until it doubles in bulk.

Now place it into the pre-heated 350 F oven and bake the cake about 50 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven.

Watch that the top does not brown too quickly, if it does place a piece of foil over each of the cakes to slow down the browning.

At about 45 minutes into the baking time, I usually check the cakes with a thermometer to see if the cakes are close to be baked.   The thermometer needs to read between 190 F and 200 F to be completely baked.

When done, remove from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.

Do not take it out of the baking pans until it is almost completely cooled.   This is a very delicate cake it will break into pieces if taken out too soon.

When it is out of the baking pan let it completely cool before glazing it with Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

1 egg white

½ pound powdered sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Place egg white and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until very white in color and thick, but runny.

Now add the 2 Tbsp of lemon juice and mix again. The icing has to be thick but able to run down the sides of the cake. Place the cake onto a plate or platter to ice them, not on the platter that you will serve the cake on your buffet.

With a big spoon drop the icing on top of the cake and help it a little to run down the sides. The drips do not have to drip all the way to the bottom of the cake, but do not be too concerned when they do in some cases and puddles collect at the bottom.

When the icing is quite dry, I usually let it dry uncovered overnight on my kitchen counter.

Next day I gently lift it off the plate and place it on a pretty platter ready for the occasion I have planned it for.

Hope you have fun preparing wonderful, not too sweet, yeast bread that will go well with either tea or coffee and the rest of your Easter Breakfast.

Cutting and Serving the Babka

This cake can be cut into large rounds and then the rounds can be cut in half

Or………..it can be cut from the top down and then cut into little triangles.

The Babka can be made a couple weeks in advance because it freezes well, however the decoration with the Royal Icing needs to be done after the cake is thawed and before it is served.   I do it the night before the breakfast.  To freeze it I wrap the cake with three layers of plastic wrap before I place it into the freezer.

I wish you all a wonderful and Happy Easter!

~~~~~~~~~

Copyright:

Maria Reisz Springer……..

Maja’s Kitchen LLC….

http://www.majaskitchen.com

maria@majaskitchen.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: maria@majaskitchen.com   Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, http://www.majaskitchen.com

Find me on Face Book and Pinterest

Winter In Maryland, March 2013!

Winter Wonderland in March, 2013!

This morning I woke up to a white world outside…Everything was covered with snow giving the feeling of peace and quiet.   There was no sound of the birds, no deer to be seen in the woods, the squirrels thought better not to frolic in the snow since the acorns were further down in the ground…they turned over and went back to sleep….I too slipped under my covers and thought about today….

But going over the beauty that was outside the windows…..I got up, took my camera and for a stroll. Here is what I saw…..

The Chocolate Linzer Torte…

Chocolate Almond Linzer Torte

Thinking about chocolate dipped strawberries while baking little 
LinzerSchnitten made me think of baking a Chocolate Almond Linzer Torte.

As it happened I had a friend visiting over lunch whom I had not seen for almost a year.  It was a busy morning with plumbers fixing our well and having to assist them with opening doors and letting them in and out of the basement…….I struggled a little with time.  I had about half an hour to fix little Frittatas in ramekins with a some butter lettuce salad which had a few cantaloupe chunks mixed in at the last minute and dressed with an Italian vinaigrette…..

I was just about to put the Frittatas into the oven when my friend arrived…it was so lovely seeing her.  I was happy that I had time to set the table before she came, because she brought me the most exquisite tulips that graced the table so cheerfully.

 

For dessert I served the Chocolate Almond Linzer Torte with strawberry jam filling, and served it “mit Schlag” of course…….

Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Almond Linzer Torte

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

1 cup unsalted butter – at room temp

½ cup Cocoa Powder

1 cup sugar

½ tsp cinnamon….or more

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 egg + 1 yolk

1 Tbsp Brandy

1 tsp Vanilla

1 ½ cups of Strawberry Jam

Confectioner sugar

Whipped cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease a 10 inch tart form….with a removable bottom – with Crisco….and set aside.  I find that Crisco works the best for greasing pastry pans……butter contains too much water and I do not like to use oils because the residue of them make the baking pans very sticky………

Into a food processor ……add the flour and sliced almonds and process until the almonds are very finely ground.  Add the butter and quickly process with On-Off intervals…..just to break up the butter into clumps.

Add the cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and cloves, give it a quick stir.

In a small bowl combine the eggs, brandy and vanilla…..whisk until mixed well.  Add this mixture to the other ingredients in the food processor and process until it forms a dough. It takes less than a minute.

Empty the dough unto a flour dusted surface and sprinkle a little flour over it, since it might be a little sticky.  Having dipped your hands into the flour knead the dough briefly and divide it into two equal parts.

Press one half of the dough into the tart pan with making sure that the rim is pushed up to the edge of the pan…….now fill the pan with the Strawberry jam

Cut the remaining dough into two equal parts.  Roll them into long strings about ½ inch in diameter and place them onto the jam about 1 ½ inches apart, then roll the remaining dough into strings and layer them cross wise over the first layer……creating a lattice design.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 35 to 45 minutes… or till it has a light golden color

Note:  This being a chocolate cake…..it is difficult to see the browned crust……so be careful not to brown it too much.  Look for a brown crust around the edge of the cake……..

When baked and cooled…….place the cake onto a platter and dust it with confectioner sugar and serve it with “Schlag.”  Whipped cream!

*******************

Maja’s Kitchen ……… http://www.majaskitchen.com …….

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: maria@majaskitchen.com   Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, http://www.majaskitchen.com  

Thank you!!

Eater Eggs Colored with Natural Colors!

The Colorful Easter Egg!

The history of the Easter egg varies, depending on the historian.   One story tells about the Roman Empire when people believed in many gods and how they obtained favors from them.  The Spring Goddess Ostara or Eastre was worshiped and honored by offering her baskets of colored eggs, and it is also said that her favorite pet was a hare.

During the early Christian era, and particularly during the time of Charlemagne (800-814 AD), Lent was observed by abstaining from eggs.  This practice lasted until 1784.  During the time of Lent all eggs that were collected from the hen houses had to be kept either for hatching, or were kept safely to be eaten at Easter.  To be kept edible for several weeks the eggs were dipped into melted mutton fat or wax.  At Easter they were then decorated to make them more attractive.  According to folklore these pretty eggs were given to children, because it was a pleasant and enjoyable  way of getting rid of the surplus.  It was always felt that “A pretty egg tastes better” and as time went on through the ages eggs began tasting even better when they were made from chocolate.

Color Easter Eggs with Vegetables,

Fruit and Spices!

Today I imagined I lived in the age of Charlemagne and was preparing to give gifts to the Goddess Eastre to obtain from her some special favors……I will not tell you my secret wish, but will tell you how I will entice this beautiful goddess to look upon me favorably.  I will beguile her with a gift that she would love most……..a basket of colored eggs.

Several days ago I stated to collect onion skins, and red cabbage leaves.  However, as I pretend to live in another era, yet live in the 21^st century, I  went to the freezer and found frozen blueberries, and in the pantry Instant coffee and Turmeric which give nice colors to the eggs.  A bottle of Burgundy that went slightly bad in my non-refrigerated pantry, heavens… it was not stored in the wine cellar……..will give me a nice deep brown color.

Oh, yes, I also found packets of Raspberry Herbal Tea……and wonder what that color would be?  It was a deep, pretty  gray that reminded me of a dove.

First step is to boil the WHITE eggs……..you have to use white eggs only……

Wash them in some sudsy, warm water to get any oils off that may have stayed on them before they were packed into the cardboard egg carton……..and rinse them well with cool water.

I like to poke a little hole – with an egg poker – to ensure that they do not break while cooking.  One can get that little gadget either in the grocery stores on the gadget wall or any kitchen store.

Proceed with your favorite method of cooking hard boiled eggs.

When cooked placed them into iced water to give them a quick cooling which helps with removing the shells more easily. This you can do a day ahead and refrigerate the eggs……..

To make the dyes………..

Note……use only stainless steel pots….enamel or china will be discolored with these dyes…..one can use glass containers/bowls or glass coffee cups……..

Yellow eggs with Turmeric

Add 2 cups of water into a 1 quart stainless steel pot…

Add 4 heaping Tbsp of Turmeric, mix and stir until all powder is mixed into the water

Add 1 tsp of vinegar

Bring this mixture to a boil and add your eggs, remove from heat and let the eggs be submerged for about 1 hour or longer.   The longer you keep the eggs in this dye the deeper the yellow color will be….

Rinse the eggs with cold water to remove any spice particles.

Pale blue to deep blue and purple eggs with Blueberries…..

Add 2 cups of frozen blueberries into a 2 quart pot

Add 3/4 cup of water

Add 1 tsp vinegar

Bring mixture to a boil and cook the berries until they start popping, while mixing frequently

Mash them with a potato masher to make a thick sauce like consistency.  If it seems too thick add a little more water

When the berries are cooked, strain them into a glass coffee cup, it  will submerge  one egg .

For a pale blue color – leave the egg in the juice for about 20 minutes.  For a darker blue color leave it in the juice for about an hour…or longer.

Rinse the egg from any residue of the juice in cold water

Brown eggs with Instant Coffee…….

Use a glass cup and add about 4 heaping Tbsp of instant coffee, and pour hot water into the cup.  Mix well.

Add the egg and let it sit in the coffee for about an hour or longer

Rinse the egg briefly and let it dry

Red Cabbage leaves for Robin’s Blue eggs….

Place about 2 cups of chopped red cabbage leaves into a stainless steel 2 quart pot add water to cover the leaves.

Bring them to boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or longer, until the cabbage is pink in color and has released just about all the color.  Strain the liquid into a glass bowl or cup and place the egg into the dye….let it be immersed for about an hour……or longer.  Check periodically for the color intensity….if you like a light blue color on the egg take it out earlier if you like the blue color be darker……keep it in the dye longer…..it is your choice.

Onion Skins for a nice pinkish/brown color…….

You will need about a cup of packed onion skins to make a deep enough dye to color your eggs…….

Place 1 cup of packed onion skins into a stainless steel 1 quart pot and add enough water to cover the skins.

Bring them to a boil and let them simmer for about 30 minutes or longer….making sure that the water does not totally evaporate……..if the water level reduces add more water to cover the onion skins.

When the color of the dye is a deep brown strain it into a glass cup, and add the hard boiled egg

Keep the egg in that dye for about an hour or more…….the longer you keep it submerged the darker the color will be.  I like them lighter in color…..with less time they come out almost a pinkish brown color.

A drop of olive oil in your palm……….

When all the eggs are dyed and dried………place a little oil into the palm of your hand and rub it into your hands

Now pick up every colored egg and oil them to make them shine……….

You need just a small drop of oil……do not make them too greasy.

Here is my basket of colored eggs for the Goddess Eastre………who will hopefully bestow favors upon me and grant my secret wish!

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: maria@majaskitchen.com   Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, http://www.majaskitchen.com

Thank you!

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

May this be one of your happiest

Valentine’s Days Ever!

Full of  “loving” moments, big hugs,  laughter,

joy and wonderful surprises!

Thank you for all your support

with my blogging experience!

Love and hugs to all!

Maria

@Maja’s Kitchen