Guirlache... Spanish sweet treat...

Mallorca (or Majorca) is famous for many things, one of them being almonds. Almonds are a purely Mediterranean product. They are an important fruit for the Balearic economy and for the islands' agriculture and are mainly used for making sweets. The main almond crops are in Ibiza and Majorca. During my recent visit to Majorca almonds were something I enjoyed a lot! Bought a lot of different kinds of sweets to bring back home but... They were finished (eaten!) pretty quick ;) So to keep enjoying them and to keep those memories of that beautiful Spanish island alive... why not just make some of the sweets at home?! Which turned out to be pretty easy actually... Again, sweets didn't last long... ;)

"Guirlache is made of almonds and solidified caramel and all sort of dried fruit and nuts are added. It's origins goes back to the medieval Arabs, as they cooked it with whole or cut up almonds and sugar. Nowadays there are people who substitute the almonds for other nuts and use honey instead of sugar." - by spanish-food.org

How to make it...

Spanish Churros...

First time making churros and... a good time! Perfect little doughnuts, perfect as an accompaniment to your coffee, or better yet - a hot, thick hot chocolate! In Spain it's something for breakfast and you can't blame them - indeed it's a great way to start any day! The recipe is very easy and process which leads to making those little treats is even easier. But they are addictive - even my 1 year old is addicted by now! ;) So consider yourself warned... By they way - they reminded me a little of Italian struffoli, which I completely adore!

"A churro, sometimes referred to as a Spanish doughnut, is a fried-dough pastry - predominantly choux-based snack" - by Wikipedia.org

How to make it...

The Daring Cooks #24 Ballotine of chicken...

For the April Daring Cooks Challenge, Lisa from Parsley, Sage and Sweet has challenged us to debone a whole chicken, using this video by Jacques Pepin as our guide; then stuff it, tie it and roast it, to create a Chicken Ballotine.
Better late than never... I know that the reveal date is on the 14th of each month but... My life was a little bit disturbed from its normal routine recently, that's why I had to "neglect" my lovely Anula's Kitchen, but just for few days - hope you'll forgive me... Back to the recipe! I loved the chicken ad I really loved the red rice stuffing too! The chicken (to my huge surprise) was still nice and moist, not dry at all (as it can be the case with chicken, very often...) and the sauce complimented the whole dish beautifully. This one is definitely a keeper! And it's nice for a change, not to be bothered with the whole "bone thing" while eating, just enjoy.

How to make it...

The Daring Bakers #23 Walnut kidney bean chocolate brownies...

Ruth from Makey-Cakey was our March 2013 Daring Bakers’ challenge host. She encouraged us all to get experimental in the kitchen and sneak some hidden veggies into our baking, with surprising and delicious results!
I was quite excited by this month's challenge. Having two 'little ones' at home I know how important it is for the kids to eat plenty of fruit and veg. Luckily I don't have to 'sneak' anything as my girls like fruit and veg (well fruit more than the latter but still I don't have a big problem when it comes to dinner times). This recipe was quite simple and I was pleasantly surprised by the result! Nice, moist, but not dense, brownies! I also planned making courgette cupcakes but ran out of time. Nothing lost tho - as I'll be making them later on! I am definitely more encouraged to experiment with 'veggie cakes/sweets' more now and I'll definitely be making more of those kind of bakes in the future :)

Tried this cake on few of my friends and no one had any idea that they are beans inside it - unfortunately when some of them learned the truth they stopped eating the brownie all together... Well - more for me! :)

How to make it...

Easter hot cross buns... recipe by Paul Hollywood...

I'm always looking for Easter with anticipation.... It's a great time of the year and more so there are few dishes/foods that we would enjoy only around that time. My "affair" with the cross hot buns is like the one with the mince pies during Christmas - I just love them and can't get enough of them! It's the first time ever tho that I was able to try the home made version, and as with everything - way better that the shop bought one! Those little sticky buns are sweet and just loaded with sultanas, mixed peel and cinnamon - oh sooooo good! :) I admit that there's a bit of work involved in making them, but nothing too complicated, and the result is well worth it!!!

"A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with currants or raisins and marked with a cross on the top, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten hot or toasted during Lent, beginning with the evening of Mardi Gras (the evening before Ash Wednesday) through Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the Crucifixion. English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. One of them says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or mold during the subsequent year. Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover. Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be" is said at the time. Because there is a cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year." - by Wikipedia.org

How to make it...