Janssons frestelse (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈjɑːnˈsɔns ˈfrɛstɛlsə], Jansson's temptation) is a traditional Swedish casserole made of potatoes, onions, pickled sprats, bread crumbs and cream. It is commonly included in a Swedish Christmas dinner table, but can be eaten on other occasions such as Easter. The dish is also common in Finland as Janssoninkiusaus.

• 270 g granulated sugar
• 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks
• 400 g fresh milk
• 400 g heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 package of phyllo dough
• 150 g butter
• soft brown sugar, for sprinkling
• caster sugar, for serving
• ground cinnamon, for serving

Choux pastry is usually baked but for beignets it is fried. In Spain and Latin America, churros are made of fried choux pastry, sugared and dipped in a thin chocolate blancmange for breakfast. In Austrian cuisine, it is also boiled to make Marillenknödel, a sweet apricot dumpling; in that case it does not puff, but remains relatively dense. They are sometimes filled with cream and used to make cream puffs or éclairs. A profiterole, cream puff (US) or choux à la crème is a choux pastry ball filled with whipped cream, pastry cream, or (particularly in the US) ice cream. The puffs may be decorated or left plain or garnished with chocolate sauce, caramel, or a dusting of powdered sugar. source: wikipedia

For a low-fat version, I realized that it is possible! Nonna Marcella (Giulia's grandma) has shared such a recipe! It is an Italian family recipe, takes 15 minutes to prepare, and 25 minutes to cook it. The main ingredients for the choux pastries are extra virgin olive oil, water, flour and eggs! 

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar or icing sugar
3/4 cup Almond Flour (Ground/Powder)
2 egg whites room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Your choice of Food coloring (optional)

Lemon Yoghurt Buttercream Filling:
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp Yoghurt
100g or 7 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 tbsp lemon juice





French Macarons:




Preparation of Macaron Shells:

1. Place the ground almonds and confectioners sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground (about 1 - 2 minutes). Sift the mixture to remove any lumps.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (can use a hand mixer), beat the egg whites and a few drops of lemon juice, on medium speed until foamy. 
3. Gradually add the granulated sugar, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue just holds stiff peaks (when you slowly raise the whisk the meringue is straight up, no drooping, called a 'beak') *Be aware to not overmix the meringue or it will 'break'.
4. Then, in three additions, sift the ground almond/sugar mixture over the meringue. When folding, cut through the meringue and then fold up and over, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 
5. Once the almond mixture is completely folded (called macaronage) into the meringue (the batter will fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon) it is time to pipe the Macarons.

1. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with 1/2 inch (1 cm) tip, with about half the batter. Pipe about  3 cm rounds onto the parchment paper, using the circles you've drawn as a guide. 
2. Then gently tap the baking sheet on the counter to break any air bubbles (can also break air bubbles with the end of a toothpick). 
3. Let the Macarons sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes (depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen) or until the tops of the Macarons are no longer tacky.
4. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees C with the oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.
   Bake the cookies (two sheets at a time) for about 14 - 16 minutes. The Macarons are done when you can just barely separate the cookies from the parchment paper. 
5. Remove from oven and let the Macarons cool completely on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack. 

1. To assemble the Macarons, take two cookies and sandwich them together with your filling (place filling on flat side of cookie). 
2. Popular choices are a Swiss buttercream frosting, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, jam, or dulce de leche (Caramel). 
3. While you can serve the Macarons the day they are made, these cookies really need to mature for a day or two in the refrigerator. Best served at room temperature.

Pietro's is an Italian restaurant chain from Japan with Italian and Japanese flavored pastas. prawns, mussels, salmon, and squid on top of a tomato-flavored rice base, covered in a Bechamel sauce and run under a broiler. Check out my Lasagna recipe using my own Bechamel sauce and taste the difference!

Originally uploaded by rosey sugar
Halloween (also spelled Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31. Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.

On every Tuesdays for the next six weeks, we will feature a Halloween recipe. Hope it will give you some ideas, preparing you for the Halloween party :)

Here's the first video recipe for decorating the Halloween Mummy Cookie.

Pumpkin pie is a traditional North American sweet dessert, eaten during the fall and early winter especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and also featured at Halloween.

The pie consists of a pumpkin-based custard, ranging in color from orange to brown, baked in a single pie shell, rarely with a top crust. The pie is generally flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Ingredients:
Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Sugar Filling
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

Directions:
1. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
3. Heat oven to 425ºF. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate. Cut scraps of rolled pastry with tiny leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Sprinkle cutouts with sugar; press on pastry edge.
4. In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk or hand beater. Beat in all remaining filling ingredients until well blended.
5. To prevent spilling, place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack. Pour filling into pie plate. Bake 15 minutes.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 4 hours or until chilled. Store in refrigerator.

Finally. These yummy steamed buns which are the second batch that I made is a success. I like the minced to be chicken, but these ones made with beef are good too. Honestly, it is very easy to make. I didn't have a good luck for one batch prior to this as the yeast did not really work as it should. My recipe for Steamed Buns as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Enjoy!

Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns) is made similarly. The meat inside is Pork and cabbages, as well as mushrooms and shrimps are added.