We travelled to Naples and its surroundings in March, for Marcel’s birthday. On Procida, an island I had wanted to explore for a long time, we were gifted many lemons. So, when we returned home, Marcel made limoncello.

What did he use?

8-10 organic lemons

1 litre of 96% alcohol

750g sugar

1 and a half litres of water

Carefully peel 10 medium organic lemons (as the Procida kind is large, we peeled 8), not to add the white part (which turns the drink bitter and cloudy). In a three-litre jar, pour the alcohol. Leave to set for at least 2 weeks (preferably 3) in a cool spot (but not the fridge); stir every 2-3 days.

After 2 or 3 weeks, melt the sugar in the water. Let it cool. Then, pour it over the mix in the jar (strained from the lemon skins). Leave another week to set fully.

We had two naughty girls to celebrate; however, I got 3 glasses. This way, we also celebrated Tedy, their brother.

You need—

75g blueberries

15g sugar

+

1 teaspoon of organic lemon zest

100ml whipping cream

15g sugar

Even if we’re talking about cats, our little ones love citrus fruits very much, especially lemons.

Blend the blueberries (I always store some over winter) with the lemon zest and sugar. After the latter dissolves, you’re ready to assemble the dessert.

Beat the whipping cream and the sugar.

Alternate the fruit and cream layers in Turkish tea glasses.

The result was light, fluffy, and spectacular!

As a surprise, Bundi didn’t hide her cravings and started the tasting!

One year ago, right before Christmas, I discovered a recipe for some Italian almond cookies by Nonna Fina. They turned out so great that they became a popular treat in our family. I adapted my ricciarelli recipe; you could try it out these Holidays!

You need:

225g almond flour

150g sugar

2 egg whites (room temperature)

*Vegan ricciarelli are possible, with 6 tbsp of water + 2 tbsp of psyllium or flaxseeds.

a dash of salt

the lemon zest from half a lemon

3 drops of almond extract (optional)

How to bake them?

Beat the egg whites with the salt. Add the almond extract if you decide to use it.

In a separate dish, mix the almond flour, sugar, and lemon zest.

Add the foam to the mix; stir easily. The dough will be slightly sticky.

Split the dough into two parts; shape them into two rolls. Cut the dough slices with a knife. Shape them into diamonds. Then, place them into a baking pan lined with baking parchment. You will get 13-14 ricciarelli from a roll.

Bake them for 15-20 minutes at 180°C. After 10 minutes, supervise them so you don’t burn them. ;-)

Enjoy them! ♥

On Ciuchi’s second anniversary in our home, we disregarded the part of the detox connected to all types of nuts (yes, the detox was difficult!) and baked her a fine dessert (there were still strawberries available; we had strawberries until December anyway!). She runs the entire house, so she deserves everything! ♥

Use and shape as follows—

🥄 The shells

1 & ½ tbsp of psyllium seeds -> 5’ in 2 tbsp of hot water

60g gluten-free oatmeal

30g tapioca flour

a pinch of sea salt

30g Cajoont

1 tbsp of apple vinegar

Knead • Divide into 6 tartlet moulds • Cover with baking parchment • Place baking beads above • Bake for 25’ at 170°C

🥄 The filling

1 x Caju Fresh from NoMoMoo (the star ingredient)

4 tbsp of maple syrup

an organic lemon’s zest

🍓 Decorate with strawberry slices

May you live long, Ciuchi! ♥

P.S.

You can fill the above tartlets with chocolate and decorate them with raspberries; they are delicious!

🥄 Filling 2

140g vegan chocolate

50g Cajoont

10g Svmântână

100g raspberries

15g almond flakes

It is easy: melt the chocolate (bain-marie); then, mix in the cashew butter and sour cream from NoMoMoo. Fill the tartlet shells. Decorate with raspberries; the almond flakes are such a nice addition.

I believe that each family has a recipe of delicious plain cookies that moms and grandmas would bake. My recipe’s in my Mom’s handwriting but has been adapted from my Godmother Maria.  

So, I baked these cookies last night. They turned out great and reminded me of the tranquil moments of my childhood!

Do you want to bake them?

For 18 cookies, you’ll need—

250g flour

100g sugar

4g baking powder

lemon zest from 1 organic lemon

2 tbsp milk

1 egg

50g butter

Mix all the ingredients in the above-specified order. Knead well. You’ll feel like you can’t incorporate all the flour, but you will.

The dough will be balanced, so you won’t need flour when you roll it out (its thickness should be 4-5mm).

Use the cutters of your liking and place the cookies in a baking pan lined with baking parchment.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180⁰C for 15 minutes.

So, how are they? J

2 rhubarb stalks

300g strawberries

4 large eggs

250g sugar

a pinch of salt

lemon zest from 1 lemon

a drop of vanilla extract

100g (melted) butter

200ml milk

350g flour

4g baking powder

a drop of rum essence

+4 tbsp of breadcrumbs

This recipe (I adapted it in the meantime) was given to me by an ex-girlfriend. I am grateful to her because I love rhubarb and strawberries; it is their season!

Clean the rhubarb and the strawberries and cut them into pieces. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of sugar on top of the rhubarb pieces. Let them sit while you make the batter (they will lose juice and won’t be that sour anymore).

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with 100g of sugar. Add the salt, the (organic) lemon zest, the vanilla extract, and the melted and cooled butter. Then, add the milk, the flour, and the baking powder. Mix everything well with a spoon.

Beat the egg whites stiff with the remaining sugar and the rum essence.

Mix the foam into the batter, with light upward movements, until the mixture becomes homogenous.

Transfer the batter onto the large oven baking pan (44x37 cm) lined with baking parchment and level it. Sprinkle two tablespoons of breadcrumbs into each fruit piece bowl. Place these fruit pieces on the batter (the breadcrumbs will not let them sink into the batter).  

Bake the cake in the preheated oven, at 170⁰C, for 30 minutes.

P.S. From one-fourth of the ingredients, I baked the same cake as a name day cake for my Dad in a smaller baking pan.

I dedicate it to you, dear children, on our day! Happy Children’s Day! ♥

32 cookies

550g sweet soft cheese

230g sugar

lemon zest from 2 organic lemons

2 eggs

1 drop of vanilla extract

½ sachet of baking powder

350g flour

+ flour for rolling the dough

I had lots of urdă (=Romanian sweet soft cheese that I love) /the closest equivalent is ricotta, but you can use any sweet soft cheese). And I also had my mother’s cookie recipe – which listed, however, butter.

So, I replaced butter with sweet soft cheese.

First, mix the sweet soft cheese with the sugar and the lemon zest and let the bowl sit in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Then, add the eggs, the vanilla extract, the baking powder, and the flour.

Knead until the dough absorbs all the flour and it isn’t soggy anymore. Then, transfer it from the bowl onto the baking mat.

Divide it into 4 pieces and shape a 15-16cm-long roll from each piece of dough. Cut 2cm-thick slices from this roll of dough. Round the slices a bit and place them into 2 large baking pans.

Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes in the preheated oven, at 200°C.

When your week is really hard (and you’re like me), you will crave some comfort food.

I made fried bananas, for 2, as follows:

50g flour

2 teaspoons of sugar

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 tbsp of cornstarch

zest from half a lemon

60ml milk

2 medium-large bananas

6 tbsp honey

+oil for frying

Mix the flour, the sugar, the salt, the cinnamon, the cornstarch, and the lemon zest. Add the milk.

Cut the bananas into larger pieces and roll them through the batter.

Fry them until brown when the oil is hot.

We ate them with honey... yum!

…hoping for a better week ahead! ☼

Tart mould, 29 cm

235g flour (+flour for the mould)

1/2 sachet baking powder

150g sugar

a pinch of salt

450g ricotta (or urdă)

zest from half a lemon

a drop of vanilla extract

3 eggs

85g butter (at room temperature or melted)

30g sour cream

250g strawberries

4 rhubarb stalks (+3 tbsp brown sugar)

I’ve rediscovered ricotta this year and I use it in my bakes as much as I can. Because it’s still rhubarb and strawberry season, this cake is fresh and it’s wonderful on a summer’s night. And it’s so easy to make! J

First, clean the rhubarb (I cut the stalks into pieces and placed them in a bowl, sprinkling brown sugar on top of them and I let them sit for half an hour) and the strawberries (I suggest you cut them into 4).

Mix the dry ingredients – the flour, the baking powder, the sugar, and the salt – and the wet ones – the ricotta, the lemon zest, the vanilla extract, and the whole eggs –separately. Then, pour the wet mix into the dry mix. When the batter is homogenous, add the butter and the sour cream. Finally, mix in two-thirds of the strawberry and rhubarb pieces.

In the end, place the strawberry and rhubarb pieces left on top of the cake.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven (I chose a tart mould, which I buttered and floured) for 40 minutes, at 180°C.

Enjoy summer! ☼

P.S. Store the pieces that are left in the refrigerator (they keep well for 2-3 days).

Here is another cozonac recipe. The recipe of the dough is the same as in the case of the plain and walnut cozonac – and you can find it here. The only difference is the filling.

For 1 poppy seed cozonac you will need:

175g poppy seeds (ground)

70ml milk

40g sugar

Mix all the ingredients in a pan, on medium heat, and then spread half of the filling on each of the sheets. Work carefully and fast, the dough will become soggier.

The poppy seed cozonac is my favourite right after the plain one; it's the perfect reminder of the Easters I used to spend with my grandparents in Bod, year after year.

Happy Easter to all of you celebrating! ♥