Zesty & Spicy

If you like food, we'll get along *^_^*

Twisted matcha tea buns (and a cinnamon version)

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I havent had good quality matcha to cook with in ages.

Call it pure laziness on my end, I just hadn’t taken the time to shop around for a decently priced alternative since my last matcha plug stopped shipping to Canada.  Luckily, the universe has been on my side and clearly heard my prayers because the Canadian company Yupik contacted me on Instagram, about a month ago, to send me some of their delicious matcha tea along with other goodies.

May I say that I’ve been happily surprised with the quality of organic products that was sent to me and their matcha is no exception!

If you’re ever shopping on Yupik.com, make sure to use the code: ARIEL12 at checkout for a nice discount.

Now, this recipe for matcha twisted buns is a nice twist (pun intended) on the classic and oh so delicious cinnamon buns but because when they are baked in a giant muffin pans, they come out with a crunchy exterior and a nice soft interior.  The brightness of the matcha, when you cut right through, is not only pleasing to the eyes but also so bursting with flavours.

Along with these gorgeous green buns, I’ve added the recipe for the classic cinnamon version (but still twisted) and baked in a regular rectangle oven dish.  You’ll noticed that both recipes are slightly different in execution than what you might be used to but, this minor extra step makes such a difference in the potency of your preferred flavours, in the end.

Obviously, both baking methods can be used for either one of the fillings, it only depends on the final texture you prefer.  As mentioned above, baking them in individual portions in giant muffin pans makes the outside crunchier while baking them in the classic rectangle oven dish will make keep them more hydrated and chewy.

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Two ways dinner rolls

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I’m combining “two recipes” in one today.  The reason why I’m using “…” it’s because the two recipes aren’t really different but the images displayed in this posts will show you two fun versions for these sweet, airy and soft dinner rolls.  The first version is made with fancy molasses which gives the buns an incredible taste and dark colour.  The second version, which I think is the most common one, is made with honey and brushed up with an egg wash, topped with Maldon salt flakes, black sesame seeds & hemp seeds.

For freshness, keep them in the fridge or the freezer (even better) and warm up what you need at dinner time.  They will feel very hard and stale (even kept in the fridge) but don’t worry because the second you’ll warm them up, the soft texture will come back.

I don’t think I need to say how amazing they are warm, coming out of the oven with only salted butter O_O

This is what life is all about, warm bread with butter.

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Philadelphia Tomato Pizza Pie

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I had no idea this pizza style, usually eaten at room temperature, came from Philadelphia.  Originated from a Sicilian recipe topped with anchovies and cheese, the Philadelphia version is simply garnished with a rich homemade tomato sauce.  You might have seen it at your local grocery store or the Italian bakery shop, because these tomato pizza (also known as: church pie, square pizza, red pizza, granny pizza, and red pie) were apparently created to finish left over hoagie dough hence the chewy, “breadish like” texture of the crust.

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Maple & Carrot Semolina Cake

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Just tasted this beauty I made yesterday.

Usually, it’s not my style to let some freshly baked goods wait on the counter before being honoured by our palates but, by the time it had come to the right temperature, it was getting way too late for me to indulge in such decadence.  As a first “fall baking” project, I’m very pleased with the results and I’m sure you’ll be pleased to.  The final texture is extremely silky soft and dense, very close to a pound cake but with a nice variation because of the semolina flour.

Cut yourself a slice, toast it the traditional way or put in the oven for a few minutes before devouring it with melted butter or cream cheese spread on top..  It’s worth it.

Bon Appétit!

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Ricotta Orange, Cardamom Pound Cake

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Ohhh pound cakes…  It’s so easy to do and so comforting.  Before this one, I had never made pound cake myself but I always bought slices at the cute little coffee shop down the street.  Some people call it pound cake, other bread.  As far as I’m concern, I could easily put it in the same family as the banana and walnut bread or even the Anastasia bread I made last year.

Although the only difference is that this batter create a much softer cake/bread compare to the two other ones.  It has the feeling of a little pillow in your mouth, thanks to the ricotta and the added egg white.

I hope you’ll also enjoy this orange and cardamom mix.  It’s a new obsession of mine (I seem to develop obsessions pretty easily).  I recently made a tapioca pudding flavored with orange blossom flower and cardamom and it was out of this world!  Definitely a match of flavor to remember for future recipes.

On this, enjoy this soft and silky ricotta, orange & cardamom pound cake with a nice cup of tea as a fun afternoon snack or as a desert topped with ice cream!

Have a great Tuesday everyone 🙂

PS:  You can even toast it and add butter on it.. it’s divine! 😉

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Anastasia Bread…

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My boyfriend bought me this book where some professional cook from Quebec are cooking great meals and deserts with the famous Kusmi teas. I am for myself a HUGE fan of all sort of tea (drinking tea is my almost my only way to drink water in a day) in general and I find the Kusmi tea incredible so I absolutely wanted to created my own Kusmi recipe 🙂 I hope you enjoy this quick and easy bread!

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Mini Banana & Walnuts Breads

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It’s the end of August already and once we start September, we can officially said that fall is coming up and then the cold and dark season of winter.. boohooo….  But no need to get all depressive YET because the season of fall bring us a TON of tasty goodies and between you and me, it’s my favorite season.

To celebrate the end of the summer and the beginning of fall, I decided to be make 3 mini loaf of  delicious banana bread with 2 of my favorite spices; cinnamon and nutmeg.  I don’t know about you but I like to eat my bread warm with a bit of butter… I know it’s not the healthiest way but it’s so worth it!!  Hope you enjoy this recipe and happy baking!

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Wholewheat Braided Bread…

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Making bread can be intimidating but it’s really not THAT complicated as long a you follow the instructions.  Plus there is such gratification that comes from taking your homemade bread out of the oven.  Also don’t even get me started on the amazing smell that it will fill your house with.  MMmmmm just to think about it, I’m seriously melting.

I hope you’ll enjoy this basic recipe.  It’s actually one of the easiest bread recipe I’ve made so far and the result is a hit every time!  You only need a few basic ingredient that you can find anywhere and some upper body strength for the kneading.  Most bread recipes I will be posting are all to be made by hand without a bread machine like in the good old days 😉  It’s after making your first bread that you realize how comfortable we are these days to have everything so easily accessible and worry free.  I think we should all be very grateful for what we have and to live in such comfortable era…

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