the hungry expats

I've been looking at tiramisu recipes for a long time now, trying to find a way to replicate the amazing version that was served to me at a Sardinian restaurant last Summer. This is not it unfortunately, but it is a damn good classic tiramisu, slightly tweaked to please our palates. INGREDIENTS 4 large egg yolks   ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, divided   1 cup heavy cream (at 30% fat)   1 container (250 grams) mascarpone ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 cup espresso or very strong coffe   3 tablespoons Marsala wine (or rum or cognac)   3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder About 24 ladyfingers   Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, whip together egg yolks and 1/4 cu...

It is now the season for cherries, and they are absolutely delicious this year. I already made a classic clafoutis last week, so I felt like trying something new and my partner found this great recipe online for strawberry shortcake roll. Turns out, it works just great when you substitute freshly stoned cherries for strawberries! Here's my recipe. CAKE   3 large eggs   3/4 cup granulated sugar   1 tablespoon vegetable oil   1 teaspoon baking powder   1/4 teaspoon salt   1 teaspoon vanilla extract   3/4 cup all purpose flour FILLING/FROSTING   16 ounces PHILADELPHIA cream cheese 3/4 cup confectioner's (icing) sugar   1 teaspoon almond extract   1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream 1 pound fresh black cherries, stoned Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15x20 inch pan with baking paper or a silicon sheet and spray or spread with butter. Place eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat ...

Living in Amsterdam, you cannot escape its famous appeltaart, and one of the best places to enjoy it is a little corner café named De Winkel 43. The line of people waiting outside on Saturday morning (across the weekly organic market) doesn't lie! Even though the original recipe is kept secret, there is a number of versions available on the net. I tried a couple of them (disappointing) and after tweaking a few measurements here and there, I finally came up with something extremely close to the original. CRUST 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 250 grams unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature (approx. 1+1/8 cups) 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (I used sunflower) 4 cups of all-purpose flour  2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg   FILLING 7 apples ( I used Elstar, but a combination of sweet and tart apples works great too ) 2 Tbsp cinnamon Zest of ½ orange Zest of  ½ lemon Juice of ½ lemon 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tables...

This is one of Mark's favorite cakes, and there are not that many. Since Smith & Wollensky in New Orleans does not share their famous dessert's recipe, I've experimented with several recipes online. This one is based on a yogurt cake recipe which gives it a dense and moist texture.  CAKE 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 6 slices of canned pineapple + 2 tablespoons juice (save the rest of the juice for later) FROSTING 10 oz. cream cheese (PHILADELPHIA) 10 fl. oz. heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup confectioners sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a standard 9-inch round pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ...

Yesterday at Amsterdam's Noordermarkt (organic market every Saturday), my partner and I came upon this beautiful old cast-iron bundt cake pan with a white enamel coat inside. This gave me the idea to try my panettone recipe in a bundt-shaped brioche. It is definitely not the traditional panettone, but rather a sort of hybrid between Italy's panettone and Alsace's Kougelhopf. Takes a whole night to rise, but the result is worth it! Before you tackle it, let me specify that my bundt pan is extremely large (the following directions normally yield 2 regular-size panettones) and it is better to start the day before serving (in case the dough takes a long time to rise). INGREDIENTS 1 cup raisins (5 oz) 1/2 cup sweet Marsala 1/2 cup warm milk (105–115°F) 2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar 4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I used 20 grams of fresh yeast) 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 large eggs at room temperature 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (I used orang...

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and even though the Dutch don't celebrate it, fresh cranberries are found everywhere in grocery stores and market stalls this week. I bought some to make cranberry jam, but Mark suggested a coffee cake instead. This is the recipe I used. The tartness of the berries worked wonderfully with the sweetness of the cake and the crunchiness of the nutty streusel! STREUSEL 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt   5 tablespoons   unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 3/4 cups pecan nuts, chopped CAKE 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange zest   2/3 cup buttermilk 2 cups fresh cranberries BUTTERMILK GLAZE 1 cup confectioner's (icing) sugar 1/4 cup (or less) buttermilk ...

It's the middle of november here in Amsterdam and Dutch blueberries are still in season. So, why not enjoy these delicious berries with a buttery crust underneath and a streusel on top! INGREDIENTS 3 cups (390 g.) all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (100 g.) granulated sugar   1/2 cup (100 g.) brown sugar   1 teaspoon baking powder   1/4 teaspoon salt   1 large egg   1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract   1 cup (226 g.) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes FILLING 1 tablespoon (9 g.) cornstarch   1/2 cup (100 g.) granulated sugar   1 1/2 tablespoon (22 ml) lemon juice   4 ...