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Sweet food & photography

Chocolate

The Journey 2020 Workshop Announcement + A Salted Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

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Beautiful styling by Mandy Couzens

THE JOURNEY 2020 – June 3-7 in France

I’m so incredibly excited to announce this year’s The Journey Workshop, with me, Sissel, Christian, Elle-May and Olivia.

We will stay in the country side of the Loire Valley in France, in the most beautiful artist home and painting studio with sooo many fantastic opportunites for photography, painting, creating cinemagraphs or short films, branding, or perhaps you’d like to cook or bake something special? This is what The Journey is about, you work on your dream project and we are there to guide and assist you with whatever you need.

We had an incredible experience last year, and were lucky enough to have Elle-May and Christian come for a day as guest teachers but now they are back as hosts! Tickets are released to our mailing list on February 19 and the website on February 20, so make sure to sign up to our mailing list now! If you’d like more information, you can find it here!

Ahh, where do I even begin? It has taken me ages to get this post up for some reason. I don’t even have words for how amazing this experience was! Just incredible and so inspiring. Sissel was kind enough to invite us all into her home in the Loire Valley in France, and it is just the epitome of France – for me, that is, haha. A beautiful old, stone building with so much charm and many quirks. I love that.

I think you all know by now that I’m a woman of few words, so I will let the photos speak for themselves. Hopefully I’ll see you in France instead, and we can experience it together!

Part of the group! Here is Mandy, Christian, Elle-May, Aurore, Kiri, Olivia and Sophia. Outside the frame is Sissel, Didi, Stella and Egle. <3 And I was also lucky to meet Ruth and Melanie on the last day!
Beautiful ceramics by Tina Kami. Drinking my coffee from one of those cups as I’m writing this!

Salted Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Yields one bundt cake, serves 10-12

Some notes about this recipe: I suggest using coffee in the cake as it heightens the chocolate flavor, but water works too. I suggest making it a day ahead of when you plan on serving it because it honestly gets even better after a day or too!

 

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

  • 200 g (~1 3/4 sticks) salted butter
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup + 1 tsp) milk
  • 240 g (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 68 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder
  • 300 g (barely 1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream or thick yogurt
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup + 1 tsp) hot coffee or hot water

Dark chocolate glaze

  • 100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
  • 50 g salted butter
  • Extra salt to sprinkle

Instructions

Chocolate cake

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 10-cup bundt pan (2.4 liters) and dust with flour or cocoa powder.
  2. Melt the butter, add milk and set aside to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter mixture, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth.
  4. Add the hot coffee and stir until smooth (batter will be quite runny).
  5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the lowest rack for about 45 minutes (but start checking around 35 minutes) or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Dark chocolate glaze

  1. Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a saucepan and place it over low heat. Stir until everything is completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Pour the glaze on top of the cake. Sprinkle with extra salt if desired.
 
Gorgeous dreamware from Polders Old World Kitchen
Sissela and Egle painting on a Son de Flor dress
Beautiful pandan chiffon cake by Aurore

Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Dark Chocolate Glaze – The Swedish Grace cake

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This post is a paid collaboration with Rörstrand.

A few months ago, Swedish iconic brand Rörstrand reached out to me and asked if I wanted to create a cake for their new Swedish Grace cake stand (you’ve probably already seen this beautiful cake stand in my Gingerbread Village cake post). I think it’s pretty clear what my answer was?! YES!

At first it was difficult to think of something other than a classic Swedish princess cake or a cream cake with strawberries. I wanted to create something that felt like me, something that looked fantastic but wasn’t overly complicated and that you could bake all year round with either fresh or frozen berries. This chocolate cake is my very favorite, and the swiss meringue buttercream tastes like the best strawberry ice cream ever, paired with a dark chocolate glaze. Simple yet oh so delicious! And this cake will feed a LOT of people.

I find that this cake tastes even better after a couple of days in the fridge (but definitely make sure you don’t have strong smelling foods in the fridge, or place a cake dome/cover over the cake if possible), there’s just something about chocolate cake that’s been allowed to rest for a couple of days. You can make the cake layers a day or two ahead if you want!

As for the frosting, if you’re unfamiliar with swiss meringue buttercream PLEASE don’t throw it out if it curdles. That is completely normal! It happened to me the first time I tried it too (actually it happens quite often, but I know now it will come together) and I swore there was something wrong with the recipe. So I piped the curdled buttercream onto my cupcakes and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. So please just keep beating and it will come together eventually. I promise, it’s so worth it! It’s the best buttercream ever. You can totally use raspberries instead of strawberries if you prefer the flavor combo of those two. Or why not a mix of strawberries and raspberries!?

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CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM AND DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Makes one 20 cm cake – serves 15-20

This cake can be made 1-2 days ahead (actually it gets better after a day or two), wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a airtight container. If strawberries aren’t in season, frozen work too! You can find the recipe in Swedish on Rörstrand’s website.

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • 300 g (2 3/4 sticks) salted butter
  • 175 ml (3/4 cup) milk
  • 360 g (2 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
  • 100 g (1 cup) cocoa powder
  • 2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. flaky salt
  • 450 g (2 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 250 ml (1 cup) sour cream
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) freshly brewed, strong coffee

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  • 225 g fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 8 medium egg whites
  • 400 g (barely 2 cups) granulated sugar
  • 500 g (2 1/4 cups / 4 1/2 sticks) butter (I use salted butter but go ahead and use unsalted if you prefer)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

  • 125 g dark chocolate (70%), chopped
  • 75 g salted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour/breadcrumb two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pans.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the milk to the pan.
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter mixture, sugar, eggs, sour cream and coffee and stir until smooth.
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
  5. Bake on the middle oven rack for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  1. If you’re using fresh strawberries, rinse and hull them and use an immersion blender to make a puree. If you’re using frozen strawberries, heat them in a sauce pan or microwave, then mix into a puree. Strain the mixture for a smoother buttercream, but this step isn’t necessary.
  2. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a clean and heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel or glass). Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly, and the water should not be touching the bowl.
  3. Constantly whisk the sugar and egg white mixture with a whisk until the mixture reaches about 65°C (about 140-150°F). If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar has melted and mixture is hot to the touch, it’s ready.
  4. Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool with a stand- or electric mixer. This step will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
  5. When the bowl feels cool to the touch, start adding the butter, piece by piece. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled and soupy just keep beating – eventually it will become smooth! Add the vanilla and strawberry puree and beat until completely smooth.

ASSEMBLY & DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

  1. Split both cake layers in half using a serrated knife. Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with a layer of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
  2.  Spread the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula. Check out my guide on how to fill and cover a cake here. Save some of the buttercream for piping on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge while you prepare the glaze.
  3. Glaze: Place the chocolate and butter in a sauce pan and place it over low heat. Stir often until everything is melted. Let cool to room temperature (but make sure it doesn’t thicken too much, it should still be liquid). Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides. Let stand for a few minutes before piping the leftover frosting on top of the cake.
 

Banana bread with brown butter chocolate spread

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I’ve been thinking about making banana bread for some time now, but haven’t been patient enough to wait for bananas to become ripe. Hehe. Sounds silly, I know! I even tried making a banana bread using roasted banana but it was definitely not the same. The bananas simply NEED to be very ripe to get the right sweetness and flavor. I know there are some tricks for speeding up the process but I haven’t tried them myself.

I’m not sure what else to say about this recipe other than it’s seriously dangerous and you will want to eat the whole thing by yourself. Especially slathered in that creamy brown butter chocolate spread. Yuum. It’s perfect for the beautiful autumn weather we’re having – accompanied by a cup of coffee or chai tea.

If you’re looking for other banana recipes, you can find my Banana bundt cake with butterscotch sauce HERE and my Banana upside down cake HERE. I very much encourage you to try those too as they are two of my favorite recipes ever.

BANANA BREAD WITH BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE SPREAD

Makes 1 loaf cake

This cake can be made 1-2 days ahead (actually it gets better after a day or two), wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a airtight container.
Recipe from my book “Sweet food & photography” / My Sweet Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

BANANA BREAD

  • 125 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 210 g (1 scant cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 210 g (1 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
  • 1 cup (about 2-3) very ripe mashed bananas
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream or thick yogurt
  • 1 banana, for topping

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE

  • 225 g (1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 75 g semi sweet chocolate (55%), chopped
  • pinch of salt
  • 1-2 tbsp. powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

BANANA BREAD

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour/breadcrumb a 5 cup (1,2 liter) loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Combine the mashed banana and sour cream and add to the batter, then stir until smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Split a banana in half lengthwise and place on top of the batter, dot the bananas with a little extra butter if desired.
  6. Bake on the lower rack for about 60-67 minutes (but start checking a little earlier) or until a cake tester comes out clean. Keep an eye on the cake so it doesn’t brown too much on top. If it does, cover the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper (make sure to not seal it, the cake needs room to breathe and rise!). Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool.

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE

  1. Place the butter in a light colored saucepan (so you can see the butter change color) over medium heat and leave until it melts and start bubbling.
  2. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5-10 minuter longer. Take care not to burn the butter (it will continue to brown even after you remove it from the heat, so take it off in time). Pour the butter into a bowl and let cool for a few minutes, then add the chopped chocolate and salt and stir until smooth.
  3. Either leave at room temperature or place the bowl covered in the fridge until the spread thickens to a soft butter consistency. Beat the mixture until fluffy, and add in powdered sugar if desired.

Chocolate cake with chocolate chip mascarpone filling and chocolate fudge frosting

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Sponsored post.

Spring is nowhere to be seen, which also means there is no produce yet. Chocolate to the rescue! I don’t mind at all, although I do long to see the first rhubarb stalks at the market. Sooner than later, I hope. But for now, I have chocolate and that’s pretty great.

This chocolatey beauty of a cake is perfect for anyone who loves chocolate as it’s super rich and moist, made with chocolate from Tales chocolate. The chocolate bar, “Gamla Stan” is created to tell a story of Stockholm’s Old Town with a sculptural map on the bar itself, but also through the flavour and taste experience. This is their first chocolate bar, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next! They’re sold at selected Designtorget stores in Stockholm and they also have an online shop with worldwide shipping, in case you yourself would like a small piece of Stockholm!

I rarely buy 85% chocolate because I tend to think it’s too strong for me, but I was so wrong! This one is smooth and fruity, perfect to eat as is, and also wonderful for baking. It looks good, it tastes good, and it’s also organic, fair trade and additive free. I mean, what more could one wish for?

As for the cake, I had one piece the day I made it, and one piece the day after and I must say it keeps getting better and better. I gave the leftovers to my mom, and she’s been eating it for a few days now. She says it gets even better, especially with a little sprinkle of salt.

*This post was made in collaboration with Tales chocolate. All opinions are as always, my own 🙂

Chocolate cake with chocolate chip mascarpone filling and chocolate fudge frosting

Makes one 8-inch cake, serves 10-12

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

  • 200 g (~1 3/4 sticks) salted butter
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
  • 240 g (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 68 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder
  • 315 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. flaky salt
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) hot coffee

Chocolate chip mascarpone filling

  • 250 g mascarpone
  • 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) heavy cream
  • pinch of salt
  • 80 g (2.8 oz) dark chocolate (85%), finely chopped

Chocolate fudge frosting

  • 100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (85%), chopped
  • 175 g (~1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
  • 150 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
  • 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) sour cream (can be omitted, but tastes really nice with the chocolate)
  • flaky salt, to sprinkle

Instructions

Chocolate cake

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter two 20 cm (8-inch) cake pans and dust them with flour or cocoa powder.
  2. Melt the butter, add milk and set aside to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter mixture, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth.
  4. Add the hot coffee and stir until smooth (batter will be quite liquid at this point).
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake the cakes on the lowest rack for 22-26 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  6. When cakes are completely cool, split them in half using a serrated knife.

Chocolate chip mascarpone filling

  1. In a medium bowl, beat mascarpone and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the cream and salt and beat until mixture thickens. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

Chocolate fudge frosting & assembly

  1. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
  2. Beat butter, powdered sugar and cocoa powder until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Add milk or heavy cream and sour cream and beat until incorporated. If frosting feels loose, put the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes.
  3. Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with a layer of mascarpone filling. Repeat with remaining layers.
  4. Spread the chocolate frosting on the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula. If you have chocolate frosting left over, feel free to pipe it on top of the cake. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Gluten free chocolate chip pancakes

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This weekend has been all about work, but yesterday I had some free time to actually prepare a good, hearty breakfast which we had in bed. Mozart decided to join us too, as he always does. Especially when there are pancakes.

Pancakes are his favorite thing in the world, except maybe bacon and cheese, but unfortunately he didn’t get to taste these ones as they had chocolate in them. I bet he’d love some bacon/cheese pancakes! Hmm, possibly for his birthday.

And guys, seriously, this bedding from By Mölle!! I must say this is the most beautiful bed linen I’ve ever seen, and the most comfortable too. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever slept more comfortably. Mozart completely agrees, and he’s quite picky 🙂

They also come in the most beautiful range of muted colors, I decided to go for almond for the duvet and hazelnut for the cushions, and an almond linen throw. I’ve had grey bedding for a while and I must say these give a warmth to the room, it’s way more inviting now.

As for these pancakes, they’re definitely perfect for an indulgent Saturday breakfast!

*This post was made in collaboration with By Mölle, but as always, all opinions are my own!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES

Serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS

  • 100 g (1 cup) almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 75-100 ml (5-7 tbsp.) water or milk of choice
  • 30 g dark chocolate, chopped
  • salted butter, for frying
  • maple syrup, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda and salt. Add honey, egg and egg white and stir until smooth.
  2. Add water or milk to the batter until consistency becomes a bit more runny, but still thick (you might need to add a little bit more to the bowl while you’re frying as the batter thickens). Stir in the chopped chocolate.
  3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Grease with butter. Ladle a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake into the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about two minutes, then flip the pancake and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with maple syrup.

A trip to Norway + Brownies with salted caramel and toasted meringue and a gingerbread bundt cake

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Last week, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in winter wonderland… errr, I mean at Melgården in Norway with some wonderful friends, Olivia of Adelasterfoodtextures, Samantha of The Botanical Kitchen, Kati of Blackwhitevivid and of course, the lovely lady of the house, Live of Melgården. Only sweet Krissy of Cottage farm missing!

Melgården truly looked like my idea of winter wonderland, SO cold (-19°C one day, brrr) and lots and lots of snow. Rolling hills, fog and frost on the windows. Like a dream come true. It made me feel like a kid again on so many levels. My fingers and toes weren’t as excited as I was though, nor was my camera gear or my phone battery which died within 10 minutes outside.

Melgården is like something out of a fairytale, or possibly a Wes Anderson movie, and I dare to say it’s every food photographer’s dream with all the rustic backdrops and props, and that GORGEOUS scenery. We drove through a snowy Sweden all the way up to snowy Rena, Norway, with the car full of fresh vegetables and props. We almost couldn’t fit in there!

I couldn’t believe how efficient we were. With about 5 hours of daylight each day and in two days, I shot FOUR cakes (I can only share two of them here though.. 🙂 ) and a whole bunch of other beautiful things that you can see in this post. That’s why I love working in a team so much, especially this team <3

And this is why I’m delighted to share that Olivia, Krissy and I will be hosting a workshop again, at Melgården in 2018! I literally can’t wait!! If you’re interested, make sure to subscribe by e-mail for more details and prerelease. You can fill in your e-mail address in the sidebar on the right 🙂

I’d also like to take the time to thank you for your continued support this year! It wouldn’t have been the same (or at all!) without you. Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a very Happy 2018!

BROWNIES WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND TOASTED MERINGUE

9-12 servings

Some notes about this recipe: If you’re not a fan of hazelnuts, you can definitely make these brownies with walnuts, pecans or almonds (I’ve tried all and they’re all delicious!). The brownies are also super delicious without caramel and meringue if you prefer that. When test baking, I baked my brownies for 32 minutes – it was almost set, slightly wobbly in the middle and it came out gooey and delicious. After a day in the fridge it has exactly the consictency I like in brownies! Make sure to have a look HERE in case you’d like to make an edible gift out of this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Brownies

  • 100 g (3.5 oz) hazelnuts
  • 150 g (about 1 + 1/3 stick) salted butter
  • 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) coffee
  • 150 g (1 cup) all purpose four
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 30 g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
  • 135 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
  • 110 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.) light brown muscovado sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 150 g (5.2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

Caramel

  • 110 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 50 g (3 tbsp.) salted butter, in small cubes
  • 75 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp. flaky salt

Meringue topping

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 90 g (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
  • zest from 1 orange

INSTRUCTIONS

Brownies

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Place the nuts in a baking dish and toast for 10-12 minutes or until fragrant and slightly browned. If the nuts aren’t already skinned, wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub until most of the skins come off. Let cool completely, then chop them coarsely.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and set aside to cool.
  3. Butter a baking pan, approximately 17 x 17 cm (measured at the bottom of the pan, the top is 20 x 20 cm) and cover it with baking paper.
  4. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add the melted butter, coffee, eggs, chopped nuts and chocolate and stir until completely smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake is almost set but the center wobbles slightly.
  6. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan.

Caramel

  1. Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium to high heat until the sugar starts melting around the edges. Turn the heat down to low and stir gently with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely melted and golden brown. Be careful not to burn the sugar! Stir in the butter, piece by piece, stirring between each addition.
  2. Little by little and very slowly pour the cream into the saucepan with the melted sugar and butter (it will bubble up so make sure to be careful as this stuff is hot!). Stir until smooth. Pour caramel into a heat proof bowl and let cool completely.

Meringue topping

  1. Place egg whites, lemon juice and sugar in a clean and heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel or glass).
  2. Put the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly, and the simmering water should not be touching the bowl. Whisk the sugar and egg whites constantly with a whisk until the mixture reaches about 65°C (about 140-150°F). If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar has melted and mixture is hot to the touch, it’s ready.
  3. Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool to the touch with a stand- or electric mixer. This step can take about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the orange zest.

Assembly

  1. Place the cake on a plate or serving platter. Drizzle/spoon caramel on top, then spread the meringue over the caramel. Brown the meringue using a kitchen torch.

GINGERBREAD BUNDT CAKE

Makes 1 bundt

Some notes about this recipe:I used a 10 cup bundt pan to bake this cake and it was actually slightly too small for the batter so I would suggest putting a piece of baking paper underneath the pan while baking so the batter doesn’t end up on the floor of your oven, or reserving some of the batter to bake some muffins. A 12 cup pan would probably be more suitable.

 

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread bundt cake

  • 540 g (3 3/4 cups) all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground bitter orange peel (can be omitted)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 240 g (1 1/4 cup) light brown muscovado sugar (or regular light brown sugar)
  • 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) cane syrup
  • 250 g (2 + 1/4 stick) salted butter
  • 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) heavy cream
  • 300 ml (1 1/4 cup) milk

Cream cheese glaze

  • 120 g (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) powdered sugar
  • 100 g cream cheese
  • 1-3 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Gingerbread bundt cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a large bundt pan with 10-12 cup (preferably 12 cup) capacity. Set aside.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, spices and ground bitter orange peel in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3-4 minutes. Add cane syrup and beat until smooth.
  4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in cream and milk.
  5. Add dry ingredients and butter mixture to the egg mixture in additions, and stir until completely smooth.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the lowest oven rack for 55-65 minutes, but start checking doneness after 50 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake during the whole baking time so the top won’t brown too fast (if it does, carefully place a piece of baking paper or aluminum foil on top).
  7. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely. The cake will most likely come out domed, so feel free to even that out with a sharp serrated knife once the cake is cool.

Glaze

  1. Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese in a bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  2. Stir in orange juice to desired consistency. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.

Vegan chocolate mousse

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Also known as the best chocolate mousse I’ve ever made. Super fluffy, smooth and delicious. It’s SO easy to make and no one will ever suspect that you made mousse from chickpea brine. It’s funny how I now have two open packages of chickpeas in the fridge after making this mousse a couple of times (I’ll make hummus, win win!). Every time I open a package of chickpeas or beans from now on, I’ll be making this chocolate mousse instead of getting rid of the brine. It’s a good excuse, and nothing goes to waste!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Serves 4

Some notes about this recipe: It’s absolutely crucial that both the melted chocolate and  aquafaba is at room temperature, or the chocolate might seize when mixing the two together. If you don’t have chickpea brine, any other bean brine should work – just make sure it’s unsalted. As for the coconut cream, I used a brand named Garant, which is so smooth you can basically whip it straight from the can. You can also use a can of coconut milk which has been in the fridge overnight. Scoop out the firm part and beat until fluffy and smooth.

INGREDIENTS

  • 100 g dairy free chocolate (70%), chopped
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) unsalted aquafaba, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • Flavoring, if desired, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or peppermint extract, or zest from 1/2 orange
  • Flaky salt, to top
  • Whipped coconut cream
  • Grated dairy free chocolate

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Let cool.
  2. In a large clean bowl, combine aquafaba and lemon juice and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
  3. Add 1/4 of the whipped aquafaba to the chocolate and stir gently with a spatula until almost combined. Add the rest of the aquafaba in three more batches, stirring gently to not deflate the mixture.
  4. Add flavorings if desired, then spoon into ramekins or serving glasses. Place the ramekins in the fridge until mousse is set (which only took 5 minutes for me but it might take a little longer than that).
  5. Top with whipped coconut cream, some flaky salt and grated chocolate.

Cheesecake filled chocolate bundt cake with white chocolate matcha glaze

By 34 Comments

I knew from the moment I opened the box to this bundt pan that I was going to bake a chocolate bundt cake in it, and then top it with a matcha glaze. The cheesecake filling idea popped into my head as I was making the batter for the chocolate cake. It was a good idea, to say the least. This is probably my most favorite chocolate cake ever, it’s like a fudgey, delicious brownie in consistency. Mmmm. And I swear it gets even better after a couple of days in the fridge, which is awesome because to be honest, who can eat such a huge cake in one go?

And guys, I bet you already know them, but if you don’t, you need to know about Nordic Ware bundt pans (they did not pay me to say this, I just adore their pans and want to share). Now, I love my vintage cake pans but I’ve had so many cakes stick to the pans and it’s just such a waste of time and good ingredients. I’ve not had a single cake stick to the pan with my NW pans. So there you go.

Anyway, if you’re making this recipe, make sure to read up on the notes right before the ingredients and instructions in the recipe. 🙂


Cheesecake filled chocolate bundt cake with white chocolate matcha glaze

Yields one bundt cake, serves 10-12

Some notes about this recipe: I suggest using coffee in the cake as it heightens the chocolate flavor, but water works as well. I used a white chocolate with lemon flavor because I couldn’t find regular white chocolate, and I think that made the cake taste even better! So adding some lemon or orange zest to the cake, cheesecake batter or glaze definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing.  If you don’t like matcha, you can absolutely omit it from the glaze. If the cake isn’t eaten the same day, wrap it well and store it in the fridge, I actually find that the cake becomes better after a day or two in the fridge!

Ingredients

Cheesecake filling

  • 200 g full-fat cream cheese
  • 1 medium egg
  • 60 g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder

Chocolate cake

  • 200 g (~1 3/4 sticks) butter
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
  • 240 g (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 68 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder
  • 300 g (barely 1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream or thick yogurt
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) hot coffee or water

White chocolate matcha glaze

  • 100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate, finely chopped
  • 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) heavy cream
  • 1-2 tsp. cooking grade matcha powder

Instructions

Cheesecake filling

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour and vanilla. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Chocolate cake

  1. Grease one 10-cup bundt pan (2.4 liters) and dust with flour or cocoa powder.
  2. Melt the butter, add milk and set aside to cool.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter mixture, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth.
  4. Add the hot coffee and stir until smooth (batter will be quite runny).
  5. Pour about 1/2 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon about 1/2 of the cheesecake filling over the cake batter, trying to not let it touch the pan (a little bit is ok though, just make sure to use a high quality pan so it doesn’t stick to the pan). Pour a little bit of the chocolate cake batter over the cheesecake mixture, just to cover it. Spoon in the rest of the cheesecake mixture, and then cover with the remaining chocolate batter.
  6. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool inside the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

White chocolate matcha glaze

  1. Place the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
  2. Pour the cream into a saucepan and whisk in the matcha powder. Place the saucepan over medium high heat until cream is very hot but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate – make sure all the chocolate is covered with cream, if not, press chocolate down with a spoon. Let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is melted and glaze is completely smooth.
  3. Let glaze cool completely, then drizzle over cake.


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Havreflarn – Thin oat cookies with chocolate and sea salt

By 38 Comments

I know these cookies don’t look like much, but they are just about the easiest cookies you’ll ever make. They’re SO chewy. And very, VERY addictive. I’ve been eating these cookies so many times throughout the years. It’s a classic old school type of Swedish recipe – and it’s definitely a classic for a reason. Now if you want to be really serious with your cookies you should temper the chocolate. I just sort of wanted to eat them so I simply melted the chocolate. I’ve tried tempering chocolate a couple of times but for me it just wasn’t worth while even though the chocolate hardens SO fast and it looks so much better. It totally makes sense if you’re into making fancy desserts though! I’ll leave that up to you!

HAVREFLARN – THIN OAT COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT

Yields approximately 30 cookies

Some notes about this recipe: A classic way to make them more IKEA-esque is to brush melted chocolate on the back of one cookie and then sandwich it with another cookie. In that case you might want to up the chocolate to 100-125 g.

INGREDIENTS

  • 75 g (2/3 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. honey (or golden syrup)
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 60 g (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 45 g (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) rolled oats
  • 90 g (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder
  • 75 g dark chocolate, melted
  • flaky sea salt, to sprinkle

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Prepare two baking sheets with baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in honey and milk.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder, rolled oats and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture and the vanilla to the butter mixture and stir until combined – batter will be quite loose.
  4. Spoon about one heaping teaspoon for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving lots of space between each cookie.
  5. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cookies are browned around the edges. Let cool completely, then brush with melted chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt. Best eaten on the day they’re made.

Vegan Chocolate Meringue Pie

By 25 Comments


Fall is by far, my favorite season. Maybe not always weather-wise (I live in Sweden you guys), but definitely inspiration-wise. It feels like starting over somehow, and I get so many new ideas that I often don’t even know where to begin. One of the many things I enjoy most about fall are all the beautiful, colorful leaves. I become obsessed with finding the most beautiful ones and preserving them between pages in old books. I keep some books solely for this purpose. And I enjoy the baking too, of course. All the beautiful apples and pumpkins and all my favorite spices. Long walks in the forest and lots of chai tea and hot chocolate. I could go on.

This pie has been lingering in my mind for a while. Actually since the first time I tried making vegan meringue which was.. almost a year and a half ago now. I find it absolutely fascinating that chickpea brine (which is sort of gross) can turn into a beautiful, luscious meringue. Mind blown! Now I’m curious to know, have you ever tried making or eating vegan meringue?


VEGAN CHOCOLATE MERINGUE PIE

Yields one pie, 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

  • 225 g dairy-free graham crackers (such as digestive)
  • 5-6 tbsp. coconut oil, melted

CHOCOLATE FILLING

  • 200 g dairy-free dark chocolate (70%), chopped
  • 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut cream
  • 1-2 tbsp. maple syrup, can be omitted
  • finely grated zest from 1/2 orange
  • pinch of salt

MERINGUE TOPPING

  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) unsalted aquafaba/chickpea brine
  • 3/4 tsp. lemon juice
  • 115 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder
  • finely grated zest from 1/2 orange

INSTRUCTIONS

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
  2. Add graham crackers to a food processor or blender and mix into a fine meal. Add melted coconut oil and pulse to combine.
  3. Press mixture into a pie pan, then bake for 9-11 minutes until nicely browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE FILLING

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
  2. Combine coconut cream, maple syrup (if desired), orange zest and salt in a saucepan and place it over medium high heat until mixture is very hot but not boiling.
  3. Pour the mixture over the chocolate – make sure all the chocolate is covered, if not, press the bits of chocolate down with a spoon. Let stand for 30 seconds, then stir with a spoon until chocolate is melted and ganache is completely smooth. Make sure to stir carefully, or you’ll get lots of air bubbles in your ganache. Let cool to room temperature.
  4. Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared crust, then place it in the fridge until chocolate is set.

MERINGUE TOPPING

  1. Pour the liquid from a can of unsalted chickpeas into a bowl, add lemon juice and beat with an electric hand- or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and orange zest and beat until just combined.
  2. Spread meringue topping over chocolate filling and brown the meringue with a kitchen torch. This pie is best eaten the day it’s made.
 NOTES: The coconut cream I’m using for this recipe is 80% coconut and 20% water with a 22% fat content. Full fat coconut milk might also work, but I haven’t tried it myself. I used 3/4 of a can as one can contains 400 ml. For the aquafaba/chickpea brine, make sure to use a brand that has no salt added. I used the brine from one 380 g can of chickpeas.

 

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