Tamarind and fresh ginger cake (vegan version)

This time of the year I constantly feel like something spicy. This cake came out very Asian - with intense sweet dark muscovado sugar and sour tamarind. Fresh ginger, cinnamon and black pepper create a spicy explosion, but there is almost no texture, it disappears right after it gets into your mouth.
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Apple and walnut muffins (vegan version)

There are definitely nice things about starting autumn. My dad came home with a case of Antonovka apples he got at the farmers market. I could tell what was in his bag standing 5 meters away from him. The apples instantly filled the house with their strong aroma. I couldn't help baking apple something. Not that I don't like them fresh, but I can't stand cold food this time of the year. These apples beautifully develop their flavor when baked and they are strong enough for you to taste them in muffins.
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Basil and olive oil muffins (vegan version)

In my series of vegan muffins I had to come up with something savory sooner or later. My dad is especially fond of low sugar food, but everybody else also seems to enjoy savory cookies, pies etc. That's why quiches got so much traction with us. Anyhow one day I thought about something like pesto muffin. Intense green and with mind blowing basil aroma.
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Suki Maman cupcake class at Afisha Eda Food feast (Афиша: Праздник Еды)

In the last post I already said a lot about the Food feast, an amazing food festival organized by Afisha Eda magazine in Moscow last weekend. Now I would like to say more about the master class of Suki Maman (the pastry chef of Upside down cake bakery and Montalto pizza). The class was about mini cupcakes, the key speciality of Upside down cake, which I'm completely addicted to. That was something I just couldn't miss.
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Steamed lemon puddings

I used to be averse of making steamed puddings before last week. Even despite how much I adored eating them. To me there was always some magic about their moist texture, which is so dense and soft at the same time. These lemon puddings changed this and I can't tell you how happy it makes me.
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Pumpkin and walnut muffins (vegan version)

It looks like there is a pattern in my vegan baking. Things work out exactly from the second attempt. That was the case with banana upside down cake as well as oatmeal cookies. Now the pumpkin muffins did the same and I can’t tell you how happy I am at breakfast time.
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Chewy oatmeal cookies (vegan version)

The crispy oatmeal cookies I got last time were fine, but I’ve always been much bigger on soft and chewy cookies. So since then I’ve been thinking about developing a chewy version. These chewy (almost gooey) cookies worked right from the first attempt. This must be because I finally got a good book on American baking.
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Polish style szarlotka (apple pie)

I used to think I’m not someone who easily gets provoked. However after this article in NY Times Dining made me cook I’m not that sure any more. The result was that I discovered a delicious apple pie which is very different from whatever I tried before. Given that I’m a complete apple pie freak and try different apple pastry wherever I find it, I feel impressed and simply happy about it.
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Spicy hot cake with sticky toffee sauce

Last weekend I made this Nigella's Spicy hot cake. I knew I'll have to make it once I saw the video of her making it. The batter goes into the baking dish, lots of muscovado sugar goes on top and - oops - all that goes flooded by boiling water from the kettle. But magic! - a great looking pudding in boiling sticky toffee sauce comes out of the oven.
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Crispy oatmeal cookies (vegan version)

I'm getting more and more enthusiastic about vegan baking. After the banana upside down mini cakes worked I got these wonderful oatmeal cookies. My first attempt one them I'm embarrassed to describe. At the second one however they even surprised me. They came out deliciously light, crispy and airy. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and orange gave them a touch of heat and feast.
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Banana upside down mini cakes (vegan version)

I recently got interested in vegan (eggless and dairy free) pastry. After my several unsuccessful attempts on this, banana upside down mini cakes finally worked perfectly. They came out really flavorful and full of aroma, airy, tender and moist at the same time. I had a great breakfast. So for the first time since these experiments started I really feel like sharing a recipe.
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Picture perfect Tarte Tatin

I keep making Tarte Tatin since I came back from France. Last time I made a pretty innocent one, with not much sugar and butter. This time I wanted it to be rich and really pretty. The idea was to make a thick apple layer. Like the one I saw in Berthillon Paris cafe.
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True Australian Pavlova

Couple of weeks ago I got really lucky on LiveJornal. An Australian working in a pastry kitchen shared her Pavlova recipe with me. Since then I was eager to try it and finally did.
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Tarte aux poires normande (French pear tart)

While I was living in Fontainebleau Tarte Normande was one of my favorite desserts. In one of the bakeries I frequented it was just incredible. I tried it once and got addicted forever. Since then I was almost never able to leave this bakery without a piece.
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Petits sablés (French butter cookies)

I love making cookies since I was a little girl helping my mother in the kitchen. Every Christmas we would stock lots of nuts, butter, sugar and flour and start mixing the short pastry. Then we'd roll it, take out the little shapes and start cutting out the stars, hearts, rounds, rhombs and crescents.
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Just apple and strawberry crumble

It's been a long time since I made my last crumble. I'm a big fan of cheese and apple cobbler in Coffee bean. Since I first tried it I made several attempts to replicate it at home. None of them worked. Once I'll have to find a way to get access to their recipe. However because of these trials I got enthusiastic about making fruit crumbles.
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Savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers)

To complement the Sabayon I made last night I also made savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers). Besides the fact that they are perfect with sabayon and as part of tiramisu, there is nothing better for a morning cup of espresso.
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Pull me up (all time tiramisu)

Tiramisu is my second contribution the Valentine's day celebration. The first was Valentine's sparkling strawberry cocktail I published yesterday. I'm making tiramisu like in those good old times when I was working in a Moscow cooking school organized by Gastronom magazine. I wish once I went back to this job.
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Soft brownies

Since my recent failure with brownies I just couldn't wait to give them a second go. This time I made really soft brownies with Dulce de Leche following David Lebovitz recipe. Yes, second time. Some things I only learn from my own mistakes.
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