3 minute cake

mug cake

It all started 2 months ago when I, as usual, was strolling though a
Chinese supermarket for fun. I found an intriguing box called 'Easy Cake' in the shape of a mini-size microwave oven, which claimed on the box to produce a lovely chocolate cake in the microwave in just 2,5 minutes. Of course I found it irrestistible and bought it right away. I took it home, much to the delight of my daughter. We made the cake a few weeks back. All it said on the package was to mix the ingredients with some milk, oil and a fresh egg, pop it in the microwave and then to see it rise. It was very exciting to see it go up, almost going over the plastic bowl provided, and then set. Indeed, after 2.5 minutes we had a chocolate-y, puddinglike cake which tasted surprisingly OK. Child's play.

In the back of my head the riddle kept coming bak what the ingredients were. Surely there couldn't be that many secret ingredients, could there? What did they put inside anyway? Then, quite unexpectedly, I found the recipe of a similar cake on the web. It wasn't called 'easy cake' but 'mug cake'. All over YouTube and other places I found movies of people making chocolate cakes in large coffee mugs, sometimes with self raising flour, sometimes with chocolate powder instead of cocoa, sometimes with extra chocolate chips or marshmellows added... They looked pretty much the same as the 'easy cake' from the Chinese store to me. So I tried the mug cake recipe - and it worked beautifully. Anyone can make a chocolate cake in 3 minutes flat!

For the 3 minute cake, you will need:
1 large mug (I used a 'soup mug' for this)
some oil to grease the mug with
3 tablespoons of cake flour or self-rising flour
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of milk
1 egg

Grease the mug. Then put in all dry ingredients and mix together. Add oil, milk and mix again. Finally, break the egg and stir it in until everything is a smooth batter. Put microwave on highest setting (mine was on 800 watt) and put the mug inside. Put it on a plate or something in case something goes wrong. Put the microwave on 3 minutes. After about 1.40 minutes the mixture will rise to the rim of the cup, then it will rise spectacularly above the rim, looking as if it might wobble and spill over any minute. If all goes well, it won't. Although high above the rim of the cup, it will set and cook.

After 3 minutes take out your mug (hot!) and spoon out the cake. Cut up in slices and eat with whipped cream. Of course you can bake a cake the traditional way in the oven and get probably better results. But there is something truly satisfying in knowing it takes as long to make a chocolate cake as it takes to brew a cup of coffee, so you can enjoy both of them at the same time. Or get this together for a last-minute dessert !

coconut macaroons

coconut macaroons by kattebelletje.

I didn't think making these coconut macaroons would be this easy. I love things with coconut flavour, and sometimes in the shops I buy these ready made. But these macaroons are so extremely quick and easy to do at home, that next time I'll just stock up on the ingredients.

Start by heating your oven at 200C. Take 125 grams of soft white sugar and two egg whites. Beat with a whisk to combine. You don't need to stiffen the egg whites, just whisk it together until creamy looking. Mix in 125 grams of dry grated coconut (from a package) and blend well. For some extra flavour, you can add grated lime zest or a drop of vanilla extract at this stage.

Use a small spoon to make about 12 to 20 drops of the mixture on a baking sheet. Try to space them regularly, and don't go too close to the edge, because the macaroons will flatten while baking. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes until golden, then take out to cool.

I'm a coco girl. I just love the macaroons' chewiness with the sweet coconut flavour and the hint of lime. I don't know if these keep well, there are 4 left now and they sure won't last until Monday!

pastilla no! we will not let you go!

pastilla by kattebelletje.

Last Monday I was lucky to be treated to my first taste of an Algerian pastilla, made by some fellow foodies (thanks again, guys! it was great!). A pastilla is a pie of filo (phyllo) dough, filled with chicken, eggs and almonds and with very subtle flavorings, with traces of coriander, cinnamon and other spices. I was intrigued and couldn't get the flavor out of my head.

The next day, I hunted for some ingredients and started searching the web. There were many recipes saying one should start a pastilla preferably the day before, and that is not my favorite time to start a recipe. I want to cook NOW, I don't want to read I should have started cooking chickens or soaking beans 14 hours before, or things like that. So I put together a pastilla with the recipe of Algerian chef Zaid, who had an easy looking pan-fried pastilla recipe.

You will need: 4 chicken legs (or 2 chicken thighs and 2 drumsticks); 5 eggs; 200 grams of almond flakes (although I only put in half the amount because I didn't want to go to the store AGAIN); 1 onion, 1/2 lemon; 1 clove of garlic, butter, filo pastry (some large sheets are best); rosewater (go to the Moroccan-Turkish store for this) some sprigs of fresh coriander (cilantro); turmeric, saffron, sugar, salt.

Start by putting the chicken in 2 cups of water in a saucepan with the coriander, chopped onion, chopped garlic, a pinch of saffron, half a tablespoon of turmeric and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and cook on low heat for 1 hour. It will smell delicious! Then take the meat off the bone and reduce the liquid to about 1 cup.

Roast the almond flakes in a dry saucepan and roast until nut brown. Cool, then mix with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of rosewater. Set aside.

Put about 100 grams butter in a small saucepan and heat until it has melted. Put aside. Thaw your filo pastry, take care not to dry it out. Cover with a damp cloth if necessary.

Whisk 5 eggs in a bowl and add half a lemon. Then add the mixture to the reduced chicken liquid. Turn the heat up and keep stirring. The eggs will curdle and set; then turn off the heat. Put over a sieve to get rid of the superfluous juices (to prevent the pastilla of becoming soggy later on).

Now take a smallish size flat frying pan and brush with butter. Take your filo pastry and put 2 round sheets in the center of the pan, brush with butter. Put 4 square sheets of filo pastry on top, so they can make up the sides (and top) of the pastilla. They will hang over the edge of your pan.

Start to assemble the pastilla: put a layer of almonds as the first layer. Then a layer of eggs, then a layer of chicken. Repeat with almonds, eggs and chicken, then repeat again. Fold over the filo sheets over the top, cover tightly, and brush generously with butter. Then turn on the heat and fry gently.

My filo pastry could hardly be called sheets and flaked terribly, because it had been sitting in the freezer far too long. The beautiful layers of filo pastry as described didn't happen at all. But still, even tough it looked like it might disintegrate, the pastilla didn't turn out bad at all. After frying gently I flipped it over, using a plate (see picture), and baked it on the other side until crispy and delicious. Will definitely be making this again, but then with fresh filo sheets!

For more pastilla assembly pictures, look here.