A New Year without Gluten

If you follow me on Pinterest, you might have seen that I've been posting one, lots of wedding stuff, and two, a number of gluten free recipes. As I mentioned in my last post, I've started to go gluten free and will try it for 2014. I'm not going on a paleo diet or a low carb diet. I've just had some symptoms in the last year that I haven't been able to fix with other methods and I've read that these could be symptoms of gluten intolerance so I'm testing it out.

Eating gluten free isn't going to be a huge change for me except for when it comes to baking. I've started to experiment with some gluten free flour from Doves Farm and I already use almond flour on a regular basis. I've also bought some xantham gum, brown rice flour, white rice flour, buckwheat flour, etc. etc. to start making my own gluten free flour mix. One of the things I will really need to get used to is the difference in texture when baking with gluten flour. So far I've made banana bread and snickerdoodles with my flour from Doves Farm and the texture is sandier and it just feels different when I am eating it.

But there are also many recipes, some of them I've shared on here, which don't contain any flour at all. So I don't even need to make substitutions! Some of my favorite treats like macarons, gateau marcel, and panna cotta are naturally gluten free. I'm looking forward to share more recipes like these in the new year!

So, I am going gluten free in 2014! What have you set out for yourself in the new year?

Vaniljekranse

Right before Christmas I made some Danish Christmas cookies including these vanilla wreaths, or vaniljekranse in Danish, because the fiance and I were given the responsibility of making some cookies for one of the family Christmas lunches that we went to this week. I haven't eaten too many of these vanilla cookies before this so I had no idea how they should taste or what their texture should be like. Thankfully, the fiance's relatives seemed to really like them! Phew! 

Making these vaniljekranse took quite a bit of arm power. Normally Danes make the cookie dough, refrigerate it, and then force the dough through a kødhakker or meat mincer with a star shaped piece. It sounds weird when I write it out like that, but that's what they do! Because we don't have a meat mincer, I had to pipe out the cookie dough with a star shaped piping tip. I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy. The dough is pretty firm so it took a bit of power (and a few split piping bags!) to pipe out all of the dough. The cookies were buttery and full of vanilla flavor and a great treat during the holidays! Christmas is coming to an end but keep these in mind for next year! 

Vaniljekranse (adapted from Copenhagen Cakes)

Makes about 80 cookies

500g all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

375g butter softened (I used 250g unsalted butter and 125g salted butter)

1 large egg

250g sugar (I used 125g homemade vanilla scented sugar and 125g regular white sugar)

1 vanilla bean split and scraped

1 tbsp vanilla extract

125g almond flour 

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Slowly combine the softened butter into the flour with the help of a mixer. 

In another bowl and with a mixer, beat the egg, sugar, vanilla bean and vanilla extract until it is light and fluffy. 

Slowly add the dough into the wet egg mixture and mix until everything is combined. I found it easiest to start this process by working the dough with my hands first before switching to my mixer. Finally, fold in the almond flour.

Cover the cookie dough with some cling film and let it sit on the kitchen counter for at least 1 hour so that the vanilla flavor can really work its way into the dough and so that the dough will be easier to work with later.

Preheat oven to 175C or 350F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. 

Prepare your piping bag and piping tip and fill the bag 1/3 to 1/2 way with cookie dough. It is easier to work with small amounts here. Slowly and carefully pipe out long lines of dough on your baking sheet. Cut piped dough to desired length (mine were about 8 to 10 cm long) and form it into a circle or wreath shape. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. They are ready when their bottoms are a light golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet and let them cool on a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container and nibble away!

PS. This will be my last "gluten" recipe for awhile. My plan for the new year (well actually starting now) is to go gluten free! (Sort of impossible to go gluten free during a Danish Christmas...) I'll still be sharing treats on here, but the ingredients might be a little different. More on that in a day or two!

Merry Christmas + God Jul

I might be a little late to say Merry Christmas, but it's still Christmas day at home and we're celebrating here today still so Merry Christmas and God Jul! I hope you are having a wonderful time celebrating this holiday season with your family and friends!

Snebolde + Snowballs

Nope. Not snowballs made out of snow. Danish snowballs! Little round marzipan confections covered in chocolate. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of marzipan. I can eat a few little marzipan chocolates over the holidays but that's about it. I don't know what it is about marzipan that I don't like. The strong almond flavor? The grainy texture it has? I think it is mainly a mix of those two things. But then I was at Strangas the other week to pick up some cakes and other sweets and Strangas threw in a pack of their marzipan for me. I made snowballs/snebolde last year and I wasn't really planning on making them again this year, but then I got Strangas' marzipan so I made snebolde again this last week!

I don't know if it is because I just love everything from Strangas, or if their marzipan is actually different. It has a much, much, much smoother texture than the regular Danish brands of marzipan that you can get at the grocery store and I find the almond taste to be a bit subtler. I'm not saying I love marzipan, but I have been able to eat a few more snebolde these past few days.

I like this snebolde recipe from Chocolat because it combines marzipan and nougat. Her recipe calls for a lower ratio of nougat to marzipan but since I'm not the biggest marzipan fan and we had a lot of nougat to use up, I decided to go for a higher nougat to marzipan ratio. But it's all up to you and what you prefer!

Snebolde (adapted from Chocolat)
Makes about 20 to 25 snebolde (depending on the size you make them)

200g marzipan
100g nougat (soft nougat, almost like a praline filling)
200g white chocolate
zest from one organic lemon or clementine
some edible gold flakes or sprinkles to decorate with

Divide your nougat into 20 or so small pieces and roll them into circles.

Combine the lemon or clementine zest with the marzipan in a bowl before rolling the marzipan out over some baking paper. If the marzipan is really sticky, sprinkling some icing sugar/powdered sugar over it will help it not stick to the rolling pin. You want the marzipan to be about 1/2 cm in thickness. Divide the marzipan into 20 small squares.

Place a piece of nougat into the center of each marzipan square. Fold the marzipan around the nougat and roll again to get a nice round shape. When you have completed this, place the sweets in the fridge for a few minutes while you prepare the chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate in a double broiler (water bath) and temper it. When the chocolate is ready, take the marzipan treats out of the fridge and dip them in the white chocolate. Place them on a baking sheet and place some gold flakes or sprinkles on top before placing them back in the fridge to cool and harden the chocolate coating.

Store the snebolde in a airtight box in the fridge. They should keep for about a week.

There are two more days until Christmas here and three for those of you celebrating on the 25th so you still have time to make these! And if you are living in Copenhagen, I would definitely recommend trying Strangas' marzipan. (You can still buy his marzipan at his pop-up location in Magasin at Kongens Nytorv.)

Have a lovely Sunday!

Risotto Rice Pudding With Brown Sugar and Vanilla

During Christmas, the Scandinavians like to eat risengrød, or rice porridge. And then on Christmas Eve, they turn risengrød into ris a la mand. I actually haven't made risengrød or ris a la mand. Once a year or so we'll buy a bowl of warm risengrød while we visit Tivoli at Christmas and sometimes we'll buy pre-made ris a la mande as a dessert and eat the homemade one we get on Christmas Eve. I like risengrød and ris a la mande, I just have never wanted to make it. But for some strange reason, I've really enjoyed making this risotto rice pudding. It is more work making this rice pudding because of all the stirring you have to do but I just love it. I love making risottos and the whole risotto making process. Plus there is brown sugar, cinnamon, and a whole vanilla bean in this rice pudding making everything tasty and delicious!

Risotto Rice Pudding with Brown Sugar and Vanilla (adapted from Joy the Baker)
Makes 4 servings

2 tbsp butter
1 cup arborio rice, or other risotto rice
31/2 to 4 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 tbsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, scald the 4 cups of milk. Bring the milk to just under boiling. Turn off the heat and let it rest.

In a large pot, melt the butter over a medium low heat. Add the rice and stir it in the butter to coat. Ladle in just enough milk to cover the rice. Stir over a medium low heat and the rice will begin to absorb the milk. When the milk has been absorbed, ladle in just enough milk to cover again. Continue to stir and repeat until almost all of the milk has been used up. As you add the last bit of milk, also incorporate the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the vanilla. Stir well to combine.

Stir and add milk until the rice is tender and still has some bite to it. You can control how loose or how thick you want the rice pudding to be by adding a bit more milk to the pudding when it is ready or cooking it longer so that more milk is absorbed.

Top the pudding with some fresh berries and enjoy!

Rice pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. This can be enjoyed warm or cold. To reheat, place it in a small saucepan with a splash of milk and mix over low heat until the milk is incorporated into the rice pudding.

Our Tree

This past Saturday started out with the fiance and I going to buy a tree at the University of Copenhagen's Life Sciences campus in Frederiksberg. We chose to buy a tree at the University because they sold organic and regular fir and spruce trees and the profits that students made from tree sales would go towards supporting their study trips. You can find more information about De Skovbrugsstuderendes Juletræssalg on their facebook page.

This is the first time I've had a real Christmas tree so it was fun going out to pick our tree. We wanted a small tree and the fiance found the one that we brought home. We took our tree home and decorated it right away with the clay ornaments I made last month along with a few ornaments from last year, and some that we bought from Holmegaard. I'm really enjoying the tree in our living room and I can't believe that Christmas is just a little over a week away!

Have you put your tree up or bought your tree yet?

Our Living Room

We got a Christmas tree today and while our living room was looking nice and tidy, I took a few photos of our place. This is where we spend the most time when we are home and I think it is my favorite room in our apartment. I mean, why else would it be called the living room? I don't really know what my home decor/interior style was before moving to Copenhagen. I was living at home and then when I was living in Sweden, I lived mostly in student apartments or places I had sublet from other people. I've really enjoyed having this blank canvas of an apartment to work with!

I think the living room will continue to change in the next year or two. A lot of the furniture, like the couch, the swivel chairs, and the coffee table are from the fiance's parents and we will eventually replace them. We are couch hunting and we've thought about getting a coffee table from Hay but I think we will just take our time and see what we like and what fits in here. My favorite things in this room are our customized Ikea shelves, the fireplace, our strand of lights, and our framed prints. Its been fun seeing our ideas for this room come to life, and for things to actually work out as well!

So yeah! This our living room with a few Christmas decorations added to it. It's the most decorated room in our place right now but at the same time it isn't so in your face. I think I decorated much more last year at our previous apartment. And this is my first real Christmas tree! We've always had a fake one at home so it was fun going out to buy our tree this morning. I'll write more about where we got it in a day or two. For now, have a great Saturday!

Wedding Priorities

I feel like we haven't really planned anything for the wedding. We have found a location we really like and we're just negotiating prices now in regards to food and drinks and all of that. We've also introduced ourselves to the pastor of a church we have been going to and asked him about marrying us. So things are moving along, just at a slow pace. Once those two things are booked, especially the dinner/party location, it will all seem more real and then I can start the rest of the planning.

We have a budget for our wedding and there are two things I prioritize and am willing to spend a good amount of money on for it. First is the location. I think the location is really important because (some) guests will be spending almost 12 hours there (did I mention that Danish weddings are r e a l l y long?), it is going to show up in half of our photos, and it really contributes to the atmosphere. And then there is the photographer. After the wedding, the only thing that really lasts from that day besides being married and having a wife/husband, are the photographs. There is one photographer who I really like here in Copenhagen but she will be away during the time of our wedding next summer so we've asked my friend in Vancouver, Josh, to do our wedding photos. I'm really excited about having someone I am familiar with and whose style I like and someone who knows what style I want, to do our photos. Research photographers and know what style you are looking for. (I have read some stories from some really unhappy brides here in Denmark) I also believe that you get what you pay for in terms of photographers. It's an investment.

We also have templates for our wedding invitations, the fiance has ordered a suit, and we'll be having our second cake tasting (from Strangas this time!) tomorrow. I'm trying on some dresses for the first time ever tomorrow as well and I've talked to my hair stylist here about hair and makeup for the wedding. Everything is sort of just waiting on the wedding ceremony and the wedding party. I really hope we'll have the locations and the pastor booked before Christmas so we can send out our save the dates!

What did you prioritize money on at your wedding? I would love to hear about you guys' planning experiences!

Images: 1/2/3 

I Love

I love...

Weekends with this guy. How silly is he? I was going to take a picture of him napping but then that happened.

Lussekatter and saffron buns. I made a batch of saffron buns this weekend and split the dough in half. I added some crushed cardamom to half of the dough and filled them with a vanilla bean, butter and sugar mixture before twisting them into little knots. I'm so happy I finally mastered the knots! By the way, I've been planning on going gluten free but have been waiting to eat these guys up first before taking the leap! Stay tuned on that!

Finding new lunch spots. The fiance and I had lunch at District Tonkin on Saturday. We shared a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich and a bowl of hot and spicy beef soup. I really liked the modern and slightly industrial feel of this concept restaurant/shop. A great place to grab a bite for a really good price in Frederiksberg. Take a look at their menu here.

We had a really great weekend and I hope you did too. I've got a bit of a busy week ahead with Danish exams two days this week and for something fun I'm going to try on some wedding dresses for the first time on Thursday! What are you looking forward to this week?

Pomegranate Cardamom Panna Cotta

The fiance and I love panna cotta. We could probably eat it every night. I have already shared three panna cotta recipes with you and yes, I am adding another one today! I like to make sure we have something for "dessert" every night at home. Whether it is just a little bit of ice cream with some cut up banana, or some warm apple sauce, I like dessert. It is my favorite meal.

Panna cotta is so easy to put together and you can make it the same day and save the extras for the next day or you can even make it a few days in advance if you're having a busy week. It is flexible, you can substitute some yogurt for part of the cream and you can flavor it with anything from lemon peel to rosewater. I always top my panna cotta with some fresh fruit to lighten up all of that cream and for a little extra indulgence, I sprinkle the top with some chopped chocolate. So here you have it, my fourth panna cotta recipe for you!

Pomegranate Cardamom Panna Cotta (recipe adapted from Spise med Price)

Serves 4

11/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1 deciliter sugar (I used vanilla sugar)

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 2 tsp vanilla extract

3 crushed cardamom pods

3 gelatin sheets

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

chopped chocolate for garnishing

Pour the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla extract or the entire bean with the seeds scraped, and cardamom pods into a saucepan and cook on medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. When it starts to simmer, turn the heat off and place the lid on the saucepan and let it sit for about 10 minutes off the heat. 

Prepare the gelatin sheets according to the directions on the package, usually you need to soak them for about five minutes in cold water. While the gelatin sheets are soaking, remove the vanilla bean, if you have used it, and the cardamom pods from the cream mixture, and place it back on the stove and warm it up over a low heat. Turn off the heat, drain the gelatin sheets, and mix it into the warm cream. 

Pour the cream mixture into four serving glasses or bowls and place in the fridge for at least two hours to firm up. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over each glass and top with some chopped chocolate. And then just sit back and enjoy!

I love cardamom. It is such a strong spice and you don't need much of it, but the flavor is just amazing. I think I love it because of all those cardamom buns I ate while I lived in Sweden. I sat in St. Jakob's a few weeks ago with my friends in Lund and the entire place just smelled of cardamom, amazing!  Do you like cardamom? What do you cook or bake with it? 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

Our Advent Calendar

The fiance and I traded gifts on the four Sunday's leading up to Christmas last year but this year we're sharing gifts on the twenty four days leading up to Christmas. The fiance prepared 12 or so things and I prepared the other half. A third of the gifts are edible items, a third are things, and a third of them are activities and all of them are meant to be shared and enjoyed by the both of us.

We've kept the calendar pretty simple again this year. We put all of our gifts into paper bags that we bought at Notre Dame and sealed it with some advent calendar stickers I picked up from Søstrene Grene (although I can't really recommend them as their sticking power is lacking). And now our advent gifts are all sitting on top of our "bar" shelf in the dining room waiting for their turn.

It's so cozy when the fiance and I open a gift each night with our advent candle burning in the background. Do you celebrate advent and how do you celebrate it? I think it is so lovely and it really builds up the anticipation for Christmas.

Birthday in Photos + A Crepe Cake Recipe

From cocktails on Saturday evening to brunch on Sunday morning, my birthday weekend was wonderful. It was full of yummy drinks, a crepe cake, macaroni and cheese, and most of all I got to spend it with my favorite people here.

Instead of serving a cake at brunch, I made a crepe cake! It was delicious and I can't wait to make it again. I've been wanting to make this berry filled crepe cake after seeing this recipe on Pastry Affair. I use a different crepe recipe normally but I thought I would just follow the recipe on Pastry Affair. Unfortunately, the buttermilk pancake/crepe recipe just didn't work for me. The batter was thick on the pan and it didn't cook properly. It was difficult to flip and the texture just seemed off. So I threw out that batter and turned to my usual crepe recipe instead. After my crepe crisis, everything turned out beautifully! I absolutely loved the addition of skyr to the whipped cream. It gave it more body and the cream held nicely in the cake. Yum!

Crepe Cake with Forest Berries and Cream (adapted from A Tasty Love Story's recipe on Pastry Affair and Cakies)
Enough cake for about 8 people

Crepes (slightly adapted from Sweet and Savory Tooth)

Makes about 10 large crepes

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar (I used homemade vanilla sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp butter, melted

With a blender or with a whisk, blend or mix all the ingredients until smooth. The batter should be the thickness of heavy cream. 

Heat a non-stick pan or skillet on medium high heat until hot and grease the pan with a little bit of butter. Take the pan away from the stove top and pour in about 1/3 cup of batter. Tilt and rotate the pan so that the batter coats the surface. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on the edges, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a spatula and flip the crepe over. Cook the other side for another 30 seconds or so until it is lightly browned. Place the crepe on a plate to cool. Continue with the rest of the batter remembering to grease the pan after each crepe. (I placed a sheet of baking paper between each crepe to ensure that they wouldn't stick together.) Allow the crepes to completely cool on the counter or in the fridge before putting your crepe cake together.

Berry Compote

2 1/2 cups (300g) mixed forest berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, red currants, etc.), fresh or frozen

2 tbsp sugar (I used homemade vanilla sugar)

Place the berries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and gently mash the berries with a potato masher. Allow the berry sauce to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is not runny but also not as thick as jam. Fully cool before using. This can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Topping and Layers

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup greek yogurt or skyr

2 tbsp sugar

fresh berries (I used strawberries and pomegranate seeds)

Whip the heavy cream and when it starts to thicken up, add the sugar. Continue to whip the cream until you get soft peaks. Gently fold in the skyr or whipped cream. 

Assembling the Cake

Place a crepe on a plate or a cake stand. Add a layer of cream or the berry compote or both and top with another crepe. Continue with this until you reach the last crepe. Top with the rest of the cream and pile some fresh berries on top and voila! 

I know this crepe cake sounds like a lot of work, but it is really tasty, perfect for brunch, and it is a great alternative to a birthday cake! What do you think? 

Clay Ornaments

I made some clay ornaments that doubled as birthday favors for my birthday brunch as well as christmas decorations for my friends who celebrated with me. This was a really simple DIY/craft that you can do in under an hour. You can paint them, use a sharpie or something to draw or write on them, or you can form them into different shapes with your hands. Go crazy and experiment and try jazzing them up! I liked the light white color so I left mine really simple. To go with the holiday theme I used a dala horse, moose, star, and heart cookie cutters. I borrowed a set of doily stamps from a sweet friend and used that for some texture and pattern and I also stamped all of my friends' names onto the ornaments as well with a tiny alphabet stamp set I received from my sister.

What you will need is: air dry clay (I got mine at Panduro), some cookie cutters, and different stamps or things to stamp the clay with to give it some pattern and texture

Roll out the clay to your desired thickness. Stamp the clay with different designs and patterns before cutting the clay with your cookie cutters. Carefully remove the clay from the cookie cutter and poke a hole around the center of the ornament with something sharp and round (a straw or a skewer would work). Place clay ornaments on some baking paper and let it dry. It takes about 2 to 3 days for the ornaments to fully dry but check with the brand of your clay and how thick your ornaments are. To finish, place some string or ribbon through the holes in your ornaments and that's it! 

Now that my birthday has come and gone, we can really start bringing Christmas into the apartment!