Is there anything better than warm, fluffy brioche bread on a cold fall morning? The richness, texture, and softness - brioche bread is always a good reason to have a slow breakfast. With pumpkin season in full swing, I have been making a lot of pumpkin puree. It has become my go-to ingredient for both sweet and savory recipes, and this time I wanted to make a fall version of regular brioche bread. With notes of cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup, this brioche bread is sweet, soft, and delicious.

Did I mention it's completely vegan?

Whereas regular brioche recipes call for eggs and butter, this version is egg and butter-free, completely vegan, and has a light, airy texture. It can be prepared in a few hours (including the rising time) and savored for many days after the baking. After 2-3 days, it becomes perfect for making french toast, and today I will reveal to you how to make the perfect, most delicious French toast without using any eggs.

how to prepare vegan brioche bread

You will need a few essential ingredients - flour, yeast, salt, a dash of cinnamon, plant-based milk, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup for this recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree. Using a spatula, fold until mostly combined. Sprinkle a little more flour if needed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until elastic and smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until doubled. Once the dough has doubled, divide it into three parts and make balls from each part. Gently knead every dough ball until elastic and smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Prepare a rectangular loaf baking pan by greasing the loaf or covering it with parchment paper. Place the three dough pieces in a row and cover them with a kitchen towel. Keep them in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes. Brush with maple syrup and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.

how to make homemade pumpkin puree

I prefer making my own pumpkin puree instead of buying canned one, as it is a much healthier and tastier option to add to your sweet and savory dishes. Making a homemade version is very simple and straightforward, and all you have to do is:

• Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half. If your pumpkin is too big, try cutting them into four or six pieces.

• Preheat your oven at 200 C or 395 F. Place the halves cut-side-down onto a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is soft and coming away from the skin (About 40 to 50 minutes). Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then take a spoon and gently transfer the pumpkin flesh to a food processor.

• Blend for 30 seconds or until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the glass jars and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

how to eat pumpkin brioche bread?

Right out of the oven, toasted, alone, or with some hazelnut spread, this pumpkin brioche is a perfect way to start your morning. If you forgot to put it away correctly or had it for a few days and it dried out, don't throw it away but instead prepare French toast, the vegan way.

French toast is one of my favorite breakfast options as it reminds me of a lot of Saturdays at home, my childhood, and the beautiful aroma filling up the house. Any bread can be used for french toast, but regular white bread or brioche bread brings the best results. And where you would need eggs and milk for a regular recipe, today we will be making a vegan kind, superb in taste that you can not even tell it is completely made without eggs.

For this recipe, you will need some plant milk of your choice, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast (it will give that egg flavor to your toast), ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and some coconut oil for the pan. Gently whisk the ingredients and soak every piece of bread on both sides. Transfer to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drizzle with maple syrup, add cinnamon, whipped cream, and enjoy. You can omit the spices if you don't have them, but I like the cozy, cinnamon aroma this french toast has. This vegan french toast recipe is so easy to make and perfect for the cozy weekend breakfast at home.

CAN i FREEZE BRIOCHE BREAD?

If you have leftover brioche bread, let it cool completely, then slice it and place the slices into freezer ziplock bags and freeze. They can last up to 3 months in the freezer; make sure to take them a few hours before consuming and heat in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 180 C (350 F) until warm and tender. I don't recommend freezing the french toast. Instead, freeze only brioche bread and make french toast the same day.

TIPS FOR MAKING A PERFECTLY SOFT BRIOCHE BREAD

1. Do I have to use bread flour? 

No, you don't have to. I mix it with all-purpose flour for better rising, but you will have a perfect result if you use only all-purpose flour as well.

2. Can I use a store-bought pumpkin puree? 

Of course, just make sure it's 100% pumpkin and not a pumpkin pie mixture.

3. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast? 

Yes, use 7g of dry yeast or 25g of fresh yeast. However, make sure to use it properly. Dry, instant yeast is added directly to the rest of the ingredients without leaving it to bloom. Fresh yeast should be melted in some warm milk before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Also, it is very important to have your milk mild, not hot ( 37 C or 100 F), so you don't kill the yeast.

4. Can I omit the maple syrup?

Yes, but the bread won't be sweet. In case you don't have it, add 3-4 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients.

VEGAN PUMPKIN BRIOCHE BREAD
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 

300g all-purpose flour

200g bread flour

320ml dairy-free milk

50ml maple syrup + more for brushing

7g yeast

Pinch of salt

130g pumpkin puree

1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree. Using a spatula, fold until mostly combined. Sprinkle a little more flour if needed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until elastic and smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let sit for 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until doubled. Once the dough has doubled, divide it into three parts and make balls from each part. Gently knead every dough ball until elastic and smooth.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Prepare a rectangular loaf baking pan by greasing the loaf or covering it with parchment paper. Place the three dough pieces in a row and cover with a kitchen towel. Keep them in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes. Brush with maple syrup and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden. Serve warm. The dough can remain fresh for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container. 

VEGAN PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS

Yields 6 slices
1 cup (240ml) plant-based milk
1 tbsp maple syrup plus some more for serving
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (gives that egg-flavor)
1 tsp cinnamon
 ¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground flax seeds
Pinch of salt
Coconut oil for pan

METHOD

In a deep bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, flaxseed meal, and salt.
Heat the pan with some coconut oil on medium heat. Dip each slice of bread in the batter for a couple of seconds on each side (If your batter is too thick, thin with a bit of dairy-free milk). If your bread is dry, leave it in a little longer.  Transfer to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drizzle with maple syrup, add cinnamon, and some whipped cream. Enjoy!

We are just a few days away from summer, and I actually can’t believe it!
It seems that our country is going back to a semi-normal life, and our town is breathing again. We can enjoy an occasional coffee at the local bar, green markets are back during the weekend, and streets are filled with children’s laughter. It is lovely to have some old habits again, even if they still need precautions. You can feel the summer in the air, and warm, sunny days make everything more enjoyable.
Last Sunday, we spent our morning by the lake nearby, and I was so happy that local farmers were back with their delicious, seasonal produce. With peaches being in season again, I decided to prepare this delicious peach berry tart as a refreshing dessert perfect for hot summer days ahead of us.

how to make peach berry tart

Making this summer tart is very easy, both when it comes to baking the crust and preparing the filling.
The recipe is gluten-free, and we are using gluten-free oat flour and almond flour as the basis for the tart. The dough should feel crumbly but, at the same time, sticky and easy to work with. I find that using a ring pan with removable bottom makes everything easier for these types of desserts and will always give excellent results. They are great for both baked and no-bake desserts, and once they have been in the fridge, you can easily remove the ring without ruining the look of your cake. I had mine for a while, but if you are looking for something similar, check this pan here.

The silky lemon filling is obtained by blending coconut milk with cashews, lemon juice, lots of lemon zest, and coconut oil until very smooth. The filling might be a bit runny at first, but it will thicken after a few hours in the fridge. As this recipe is refined sugar-free, I use maple syrup as a sweetener in both the crust and the filling. My all-time favorite is Organic Maple Syrup from Maple Farm. I love adding maple syrup as a sugar substitute, and the robust flavor of this maple syrup gives a beautiful note to my desserts.

For this recipe, you can use any fresh fruit you have, but peaches together with fresh berries make this dessert so refreshing and tasteful. I’ve used peaches, raspberries, and blackberries, but strawberries and blueberries could work as well.

The recipe is really easy to make, and the only hard part is waiting for the dessert to chill. After it has been in the fridge for a few hours and the filling has been set, you can cut fresh fruit, assemble the cake, and serve it immediately. It’s a perfect summer delight, I promise!

Summer Peach Tart with Berries
(vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free)
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

For the crust  

100g gluten-free oat flour

60g almond flour

40g quick gluten-free oats

5 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tbsp maple syrup

1-2 tbsp almond milk, if needed

Pinch of salt

FOR THE cream

½ can full-fat coconut milk (200ml)

110g raw cashews, soaked overnight

Zest of 2 lemons

3 tbsp lemon juice

70ml maple syrup

25g coconut oil

2-3 fresh peaches, sliced

Fresh blackberries

Fresh raspberries

Fresh mint leaves for decoration

METHOD

Preheat your oven at 160 degrees Celsius (320 F). In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, almond flour, quick oats, and a pinch of salt. Mix with a spoon then add maple syrup and coconut oil. Using the top of your fingers, knead the dough until firm. If the dough results too dry, add 1-2 tbsp almond milk. Place the parchment paper in a round pan (22-24cm diameter) with the removable bottom. With fingers, press the dough firmly, making sure you cover the whole pan, including the edges. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely before adding the filling.
In a blender, add coconut milk, soaked cashews, lemon juice and zest, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Blend on high speed until it's creamy. Pour over the cooled crust and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you forgot to soak your cashews overnight, you can soak them for 2 hours in boiling water. This will speed up the process. Once the cream has firmed, decorate your tart with peach slices, fresh raspberries, blackberries, and mint leaves.

With warmer nights and summer on our doors, we are dining al fresco and craving light dinners that are both easy to prepare and refreshing at the same time. Chickpea farinata is one of those easy recipes that can be quickly whisked as you only need chickpea flour, water, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil to make it. Together with asparagus hummus, spring veggies, and fresh basil, this recipe is perfect for light dinners, brunch with friends, or even a picnic.

Farinata is a traditional flatbread from Liguria, with some variations depending on where it is made. It requires very few ingredients, and once baked, it has a soft, custardy texture with lightly crisped edges. It is usually served as flatbread in Italy, savored with some fresh rosemary, but I prefer using it as a base and top it with some fresh or grilled veggies and hummus.

THE SECRET OF A GOOD FARINATA

Preparing a farinata is fast and easy. All you have to do is mix water and chickpea (or garbanzo bean) flour to obtain a fairly liquid batter. Add extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper. You can decide to add rosemary or other dry herbs, but I usually go for a simple version. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes in a hot oven. That's pretty much it!

The secret to a good, tasty farinata is to leave the batter to rest for at least 1-2 hours for flour to absorb the water. This will prevent creating lumps and bubbles in your farinata. Also, salt, pepper, and olive oil are added just before pouring the batter into the pan.

The batter is supposed to be very liquid (on 150g flour, we are using 400ml water), and if you change the amount of flour, make sure to pay attention to the water-flour ratio. This is very important for the final result - soft, custardy farinata.

Besides being so easy to make, another great thing about this recipe is that it is entirely gluten-free. Chickpea flour lacks gluten and is loaded with chickpea flavor, which makes it perfect for baking savory recipes.

how to make aSPARAGUS HUMMUS

As asparagus are in season, I decided to make a new, more refreshing version of hummus by adding lots of fresh basil, fresh baby spinach, and blanched asparagus to my standard hummus. The result was divine!
I love changing recipes, and my hummus always has a twist - this version is maybe one of my favorites, so refreshing and perfect for summer!
All you have to do is proceed as you would with your basic recipe. Add cooked chickpeas, some cooked asparagus, garlic, lemon juice, fresh basil, a small handful of fresh baby spinach, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend at high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth. I am adding baby spinach for a more vibrant, green color, but you can skip this step if you don't have it. It will not affect the final taste of the hummus. Drizzle with some olive oil and add some freshly chopped basil, and your asparagus hummus is ready to go.
Once the farinata is baked, let it sit for 5 minutes, then cover with hummus, fresh baby spinach, cooked chickpeas, and asparagus.
Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. For decoration purposes, you can also cover it with some sunflower and toasted sesame seeds, along with few leaves of fresh basil.

Italian Chickpea Farinata with Asparagus Hummus and Fresh Basil
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4 

400ml water

150g chickpea flour

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Pinch of black pepper to taste

200g fresh asparagus

200g cooked chickpeas

1 small garlic clove

Juice for ½ of lemon

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

A handful of fresh basil

A handful of fresh baby spinach plus some more for topping

Sunflower and sesame seeds for topping, optional

METHOD

In a large bowl whisk together water and chickpea flour. Let it rest for 1-2 hours. Prepare asparagus by washing them well and removing the end parts (about 2cm). In a large pan place water just enough to cover your asparagus and add a pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling, place the asparagus and let them cook for 8 minutes. Once soft, remove them from the pan and rinse with cold water. Preserve a bit of asparagus water for hummus.

Prepare the hummus by placing cooked chickpeas, a third of your cooked asparagus, garlic, lemon juice, fresh basil, fresh baby spinach, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend on high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth. Depending on the speed of your blender, you will maybe need to stop several times and scrape the sides. For more smooth hummus add 1-2 tbsp asparagus water.

Preheat your oven at 200 degrees Celsius ( 390 F). Whisk the chickpea flour mixture once more, add 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the parchment paper in a round pan (diameter 26cm), pour the mixture, and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until set on the top and golden. The mixture is very runny so be careful not to use ring pans that may leak. When farinata is baked, place it on a serving plate, cover with asparagus hummus, a layer of fresh baby spinach, cooked asparagus, a handful of cooked chickpeas, fresh basil. Sprinkle with sunflower and sesame seeds and some olive oil. Serve warm.

Asparagus season is in full swing, and we have been buying them every week. With the whole lockdown situation we had in the past three months, seasonal food and spring produce were my escape from reality. Being able to order from local farmers or finding beautiful, fresh produce in the stores has been my salvation somehow. There is a whole process behind preparing food - from going to the green market, choosing your products, knowing how they are cultivated, combining the textures and tastes to prepare the meal. Buying ingredients and cooking them for my family and friends is something that I enjoy and relaxes me.

I believe that the current world situation brought more responsibility and appreciation for fresh food and made us have a deeper connection with what we cook and prepare for our families. It's something that brings us closer wherever we might be.

Fresh green asparagus is one of my favorite spring veggies as they are so delicious and easy to prepare. They are amazing and so versatile - you can use them as an appetizer, in salads, risotto, or as a side dish with other roasted veggies.

Today I am sharing my new recipe for an easy, delicious appetizer - Vegan Puff Pastry Asparagus Tart with creamy asparagus, tofu, fresh onion, and basil filling. Tarts are one of the easiest delicious things you can prepare and bring so much joy to your brunch table or summer dinners. For this Asparagus Tart, we are using store-bought vegan puff pastry, so the whole process of preparing this meal will take less than 15 minutes. Of course, if you prefer making your puff pastry, you can do that as well.

Asparagus are firstly sightly blanched, then added to the tart both as the decoration on top and in the creamy tofu filling. If you don't like tofu or are not vegan, you could substitute it for the same soft or cream cheese. With the summer approaching, my house is filled with different herbs, especially fresh basil. Italians use it a lot in their kitchen, and I must say I love the unique taste it gives to many meals, both raw and cooked. This is why I decided to use it as it goes well with asparagus, and together with spring onions, it gives that refreshing tone to the overall quiche. To give the filling a boost of color, I added fresh baby spinach. If you don't have it, don't worry as it will not affect the taste, just the tart may have a less bright green color.

This recipe is a perfect last-minute meal that you can prepare for your dinners with friends, for weekend brunch, or even a picnic. With store-bought puff pastry, all you need to do is cook asparagus slightly, put all ingredients in a blender, and blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. After 35-40 minutes of baking, you will have the most delicious spring tart you can serve. Asparagus season is not that long, so I invite you to try this recipe out and let me know what you think!
If you have some more asparagus on your hands, try this Strawberry Feta Asparagus Salad as well. Both recipes are perfect spring dishes to enjoy every day!

Simple Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry (Vegan)
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

1 round vegan puff pastry

250g natural tofu

200g fresh asparagus

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

6-7 fresh basil leaves

A handful of baby spinach

Pinch of nutmeg

The green part of one smaller green onion

1 small garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 F). Wash the asparagus and cut the end parts (about 2cm). In a large pan place water just enough to cover your asparagus and add a teaspoon of salt. Once the water is boiling, place the asparagus and let them cook for 5 minutes. They don’t have to be soft as they will finish cooking in the oven.

In a blender add tofu, half of the asparagus that you additionally chopped in 2, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped green onion, garlic, basil leaves, and baby spinach. Add salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and blend everything until you get a smooth mixture.

Place the puff pastry in a round pie pan and fill in with asparagus-tofu mixture and decorate with the rest of your asparagus. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

It's Friday, and we are longing for a slow weekend in the countryside. The day was warm, and it feels that summer is just a step away from us.

Even though we have been on lockdown for more than two months, the time has been passing so quickly. Between projects, work, house, family, and blog, life seems to fast-forward. There are moments where I need a break, a day of doing nothing, but then I quickly change my mind. The opportunity of being a freelancer and regularly working from home comes as a blessing right now.
After a long day of staring at the computer and working, we try to fill our eyes with nature and the beautiful panorama our countryside offers. A short walk in the woods, just before dinner, seems to relax every cell in my body. The stillness of the countryside. Gentle evening light, just before sunset. The soft wind moves plants, and birds sing continuously. I take a deep breath and know that things will be alright.
 
If you look closely, you may find secret treasures nature offers you. Even though I am very new to foraging spontaneous herbs, our fields provide us with a beautiful plant that we use in our kitchen almost every week, and that is wild chicory.

THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE INGREDIENTS AND FORAGING

One of the things you will notice in Italian cuisine is the beauty and importance of simplicity. We all know that Italians are famous for their food, but only when you spend some serious time with the Italians, you can understand how important role food actually has in their homes.
Simple, fresh, and high-quality ingredients are essential for any dish you want to prepare. The one rule I've learned is that if you're going to test the quality, you should go for the simplest dish on the menu. For example, if you want to taste if pizza crust is perfect, go for a simple Marinara or Margherita. If made right, they will be glorious even if they have few, very simple toppings.

Today's recipe is inspired by Italian simplicity, our fields, and how two simple ingredients can bring out the flavor and make a dish perfect. Slightly spicy sautéed chicory with a touch of bitterness, hugged by two fluffy pieces of focaccia, is a dreamy combination for summer brunch or aperitivo time with friends.

If you haven't been using chicory in your kitchen, now it's time to start. Spontaneous, very healthy, and easy to find. Chicory is one of those leafy vegetables you want to add to your menu, as it has so many purifying and draining properties. This recipe makes part of a beautiful project, "Parliamo di erbe spontanee" (Let's talk about spontaneous herbs), created by my lovely friend Lucia (www.frollemente.it). With this little project, we want to bring those forgotten herbs and flowers back to your menus and spring on your plates. If you are interested to see recipes from other bloggers that include spontaneous herbs and plants, check for #parliamodierbespontanee #discorsispontanei on Instagram and find out which spontaneous plants can be used in our kitchens as well.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHICORY

Chicory (Italian: Cicoria) is a perennial herbaceous plant with soft blue or lavender flowers. Young leaves are the tastiest in spring, with their slightly bitter taste but can be eaten throughout the year as well. Its leaves are pointy, clustered at the base. You can easily find them in abandoned fields or even near the roads, but if you decide to go foraging, I recommend going to places away from cities and pollution.
Chicory can be bought at the farmer's market as well, and actually is a plant that is very popular in Italy and Mediterranean countries. Their bitter taste can range from mild to pretty strong, which depends on the foraging time. If you forage it in fall and the taste is too bitter for you, try mixing it with different greens like spinach or Swiss chard for a more mild flavor.

how to PREPARE/EAT CHICORY

Even though the leaves are the most used part, the roots of this plant can be used to make chicory coffee.
Didn't know that? Well, chicory coffee has been appreciated since ancient times for its digestive functions. The powder is obtained by drying the roots grown in the autumn, which are then lightly toasted. My parents have been using chicory coffee as a healthier version of regular coffee for years now. It is very similar to the Turkish coffee we drink at home, with a more mild flavor.
Chicory is a precious ally in our light meals and is perfect for preparing low-calorie dishes but with a powerful taste. Just bitter enough, this leafy plant enriches soups, risottos and can accompany many of our recipes.
Today I will show you how I prepare it most of the time. It's a typical recipe from the Lazio region and the way my husband's grandma thought me. It will take you only a few minutes to blanch chicory leaves into boiling water. After you squeeze the remaining water from the plants, you can sauté them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, salt, and chili pepper (Italian peperoncino). This is our favorite way of preparing it as it is both easy and full of flavor.

Today's recipe has Italy in its heart. Soft focaccia with sautéed chicory is glorious for its simplicity and unique taste.

Who doesn't love focaccia? Since I moved to Italy, carbs have become my best friends. With all pasta, pizza, and bread how can I avoid them? I attempted to make focaccia several times, but this overnight, refrigerated dough definitely wins!

Even with my pizza dough, I try to leave the dough to rise for 24 to 48 hours before making it as the crust has a better crunch to it and is more tasteful and easier to digest. The same goes for this focaccia - prepare it the night before, put it in your fridge. About 4 hours before baking, take out the dough and let it warm up to room temperature. This slow process of rising will be a game-changer and will result in the fluffiest focaccia bread you have ever made. I usually make the dough the night before, so it has good 14-18 hours in the fridge, and then I leave it for about 3-4 hours until it rises again and forms beautiful bubbles.
Even though if it will take several hours before enjoying this delicious bread, the whole process of making focaccia is effortless and so easy.
All you need is flour, salt, yeast, and water for this recipe. Oh, and of course, olive oil. To prevent sticking your dough to the pan, you want to put either some parchment paper and some olive oil or a good layer of olive oil only. I usually go for the paper + oil, so I don't oil the bottom too much.
After about 4 hours, your dough is ready, and the best part comes in - making those little holes in the dough with your fingers. Is it only me, or going through that fluffy, bubbly dough is so relaxing? A good sprinkle of sea salt flakes, and the focaccia is ready for the oven.

Warm focaccia combined with sauteed chicory is something we love to prepare on the weekends. It's an easy, simple recipe with a fantastic taste that will make you eat the whole thing in one night!
The focaccia is best out of the oven, but it can last for two days (in our house doesn't last more than 3 hours) if kept in a ziplock bag.
If you decide to prepare this recipe, make sure to tag me along @thehungryapron and use #makingordinarymagical, so I can easily find your creations! Don't forget to follow us along on #parliamodierbespontanee #discorsispontanei, as you can find many different recipes prepared by other food bloggers in Italy.

No-knead overnight focaccia
with sautéed chicory
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

FoR FOCACCIA

512 g all-purpose flour (00)

2 tsp fine salt

2 tsp dry yeast

470ml warm water

sea salt flakes to sprinkle

olive oil

FOR THE SAUTÉED CHICORY

300g blanched chicory

2 medium garlic cloves

2 smaller dried chili peppers

salt to taste

METHOD

Prepare focaccia:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan on baking it. In that way, the dough can warm up to room temperature and rise again. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan (I baked mine in a round aluminum pan with a diameter of 30cm, but the same dough can go into rectangular pan size 30x24cm approximately). Oil your fingers with some olive oil and gently release the sides of your dough from the bowl and knead it gently once, forming a ball. Roll the ball into an olive oil you have poured in your pan and leave it there for 2 to 4 hours. There is no kneading or stretching required at this point. The dough will start to spread and you should wait until it has covered the whole pan.

Preheat your oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Drizzle your dough with some olive oil and coat your hands with oil as well. Using your fingers, press down to create deep holes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool for several minutes before cutting and serving.

Prepare sautéed chicory:

Wash your chicory thoroughly and remove any dirt or other weeds. Blanch the leaves for several minutes in boiling water, remove and wash under the cold water. Squeeze well to remove the remaining liquid. Sauté them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, salt, and chili pepper.

Once the focaccia is ready cut the small squares and filled them with chicory. Serve warm.

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. To be honest, there are days that I have no idea which date or day is. It seems like March 57th. We have been social distancing for six weeks now and despite the quarantine, days have been flying extremely fast by. From working, to cooking and experimenting with new recipes, gardening and sowing first tomato seeds, we have been enjoying the spring in the countryside, fresh air in the woods and sunshine. 

In the kitchen, I've experimented with lots of pantry friendly recipes as I know that nowadays not all the ingredients are actually always available. This cake is one of those recipes that requires simple ingredients and can be easily adjusted to what we actually have at home.

The strawberry season has begun in Italy, and I had to stock my fridge with these red beauties before they were all out. Their sweet taste goes so well with refreshing notes of lemon and coconut cream gives that extra creamy texture to the whole cake. The cake itself is very soft and moist and has a zesty lemon taste. 

Even though this recipe is very simple, here are some pantry friendly options if you don't have all the ingredients at home:

• If you don't have strawberries, top the cake with fresh or frozen berries. In case you use them frozen, cook 200g of mixed frozen berries with 4 tbsp sugar. Leave to cool and then drizzle over the coconut cream.

• If you don't have coconut cream, you can top it with some regular whipped cream or heavy cream. If neither of these is currently in your fridge, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and slice fresh fruit on top. If you don't have powdered sugar, it can be obtained by grinding some regular granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.

• If you don't have either fresh/frozen fruit or cream, cut the cake horizontally and add some strawberry marmalade in between the layers. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and serve.

As you can see, this recipe is very versatile and you can enjoy several varieties of this cake during the spring. I know that this Easter will not be the usual extended-family gathering as we all are staying home, but there is always room for celebration and a good refreshing cake for dessert.
 
If you decide to bake it, tag me on Instagram @thehungryapron and use #makingordinarymagical so I can repost your creations! Stay home and take care.

Vegan Lemon Cake with Coconut Cream
and Strawberries
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8  

For the  cake 

140g fine brown sugar

260ml sparkling water

120ml sunflower oil

zest of 1 lemon

200g all-purpose flour

1tsp vanilla sugar

1tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

FOR THE coconut cream 

1 can (400g) full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight

2 tbsp sweetener (maple syrup or powdered brown sugar)

TO GARNISH 

fresh strawberries 

METHOD

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 °F).

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, water, sunflower oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla sugar. Mix well until incorporated. The cake batter will be liquid, but that is fine.

Grease and flour a 20cm round pan or line your pan with a parchment paper. Pour the mixture and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is set and the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place it on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before serving.

Prepare coconut whipped cream by taking out the can of coconut milk (that you had in the fridge overnight). You need to chill the coconut milk until it’s very firm. Open the can and scoop the solid white coconut cream in your mixing bowl. Pour the remaining liquid part in a separate bowl and reserve it for making smoothies or other desserts. With the help of an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the cream until smooth and fluffy. Add in the sweetener of your choice to taste. Place whipped cream back to the fridge until ready to use. It will firm when chilled and soften at room temperature.

Once the cake has cooled down and is ready to serve, top it with some whipped coconut cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

February has always been about desserts. Between Valentine's Day and my birthday, February is definitely our chocolate month. We all love a good piece of cake for a dessert, but as a sweet tooth person, I like always to have something sweet that I can snack on during the day. Something delicious, simple to make, so I can prepare it and eat it right away.

Today I am sharing with you a recipe for a perfect chocolate dessert - that is also healthy! Yes, you've heard me. Not only these Chocolate Bliss Balls are irresistible end so delicious, but they are also packed with great ingredients that will bring you energy and so much joy!

These no-bake Chocolate Bliss Balls are made in 10 minutes with only 8 ingredients and taste insanely good! They are vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free as well!

They are basically a superfood in one, delicious bite.

Bliss balls are often called energy or protein balls as they are packed with good fiber and a combination of ingredients gives you that extra energy kick when you need it. Whether that is after a workout, in the morning or just when you crave something sweet, these chocolate energy balls will become your thing. The best part is that you can make them from scratch in just a couple of minutes and take them with you for your power snack. The recipe is very versatile as well, so you can mix and match your favorite ingredients and turn them into a perfect healthy dessert!

For this recipe, I used whole almonds as the base of the mixture, but you can also go for toasted hazelnuts or cashews. Being refined sugar-free, in this recipe, we are using dates as our main source of sweetness. Make sure to soak them in hot water for at least one hour before blending everything together. In this way, your date paste will be much smoother and easier to work with.

how to PREPARE CHOCOLATE BLISS BALLS

This might be the easiest recipe you will ever prepare. All you have to do is toss all your ingredients into a blender and blend, blend, blend! It will take from 3 to 5 minutes to get a smooth mixture, depending on how strong is your blender. You will know that the mixture is ready as all ingredients are blended in a cacao mixture that holds well when you grab it with your fingers.

For the presentation purposes, you can step up your decoration game and cover the bliss balls with some melted dark chocolate, dried rose petals, crushed pistachios, and almond slices. If you prefer, you can roll them in your favorite seed mixture, shredded coconut or dark cacao powder. They will be pretty and delicious in any case!

In case you make this recipe make sure to tag me on Instagram @thehungryapron and I will be happy to share your creations! Make sure to leave a comment below as well, I would love to hear how they turned out! 

Fudgy Vegan Chocolate Bliss Balls Recipe
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 16
Prep. time: 15 minutes

16 dates, pitted

150g whole almonds

4 tbsp coconut flakes

25g cocoa powder

2 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp orange zest

2-3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Pinch of salt

METHOD

Clean the dates (if not unpitted already) and soak them in hot water for 1 hour.
In a blender add dates, almonds, coconut flakes, cacao powder, chia seeds, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes, or until all ingredients are mixed in a soft cacao mixture. With the palm of your hands make little balls (this mixture makes 16 bliss balls). Roll them into cacao powder, coconut flakes or dip them into some dark melted chocolate. For presentation purposes, I used dried rose petals and almond slices as well. Enjoy!

When winter mornings are foggy and cold, we light the fireplace, stay in our pajamas, and eat pancakes. During the week, we don’t have as much time for a proper breakfast together, but when the weekend vibes kick in, we are all about slow morning, cups of coffee, and homemade pancakes.

Even though we love traditional pancakes, from time to time, we try new flavors, always trying to eat more healthy but not giving up great taste, and when it comes to pancakes, their softness.

Today I am sharing with you a very easy recipe, totally gluten-free, and vegan! Yes, this pancake mix has no eggs, regular milk, or butter and still is superb!

Even if you are not vegan, you have probably been in that situation where you wake up craving fluffy pancakes but you don’t have eggs at home. This recipe will be a perfect substitute for your regular pancakes and is totally worth trying.

I am using aquafaba (chickpea water) as an egg substitute and it performs as a perfect binder of all your dry ingredients. Aquafaba is vegan-friendly and suitable for those who are allergic or intolerant to eggs. Even if it is not the most attractive ingredient, you will definitely not taste it once the pancakes are ready! I would recommend always buying chickpeas that come in a glass container instead of the ones in a metal can, so you can preserve both chickpeas and aquafaba for your recipes.

For this recipe I am using rice and almond flour, but if you would like to use regular wheat flour, substitute the amount in 1:1 ratio (use a total of 140g wheat flour for the recipe).

A combination of rice and almond flour makes these pancakes more airy and light, and I must say that I prefer them for breakfast over the ones made with regular white flour. Almond flour gives extra nutty taste to the pancakes, which goes so well with chocolate chunks that will melt with each bite!

A generous amount of maple syrup and your day will start off amazingly! Healthy, nutritious and tasteful, why should you resist them? 

Try baking a batch this weekend and let me know what you think! Tag me on Instagram or use #makingordinarymagical and show me your slow weekend breakfast! 

Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Chip Pancakes   
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

70g almond flour

70g white rice flour

1 tsp maple syrup or brown sugar

 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

Pinch of salt

5 tbsp aquafaba, lightly whisked until foamy

5-7 tbsp plant-based milk

30g dark chocolate chips

METHOD

Whisk aquafaba until foamy, then add milk and maple syrup. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in gently chocolate chips and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat and pour about 1 tbsp for one pancake. Brown on both sides and serve warm with maple syrup or topping of your choice.

Is there a better way to start off Monday than with a chocolate layer cake accompanied with soft poached pears? What if I told you that this cake is vegan (no butter or eggs in that filling), has soft chocolate layers and frosting to die for?

Chocolate and pears go so well together, and this cake confirms it. With autumn and colder days in the countryside, I love mixing up the spices and warming up the house with a cinnamon scent. Making poached fruit is one of those cozy rituals that we love tasting near the fireplace.

Spiced poached pears make an easy and elegant autumn dessert, eaten either alone or accompanied with whipped cream and a splash of melted chocolate.  Or for an even more indulging autumn dessert, try pairing it with spiced chocolate cake. You will not regret it, I promise!  

After a long hot summer and many fruit cakes, I was craving a good old chocolate layer cake. Soft chocolate layers, creamy chocolate frosting, and spiced poached pears make this cake an ultimate dessert for the upcoming holidays.

This chocolate layer cake is a quick and easy one-bowl recipe that happens to be egg-free and dairy-free. 

I know, baking vegan cakes can be a bit scary to those who usually go for traditional recipes with butter and eggs. But don’t let this stop you from making it - these chocolate layers are so moist and soft that no one will actually notice the difference! And what will surely happen, they will compliment your shiny and delicious frosting and ask for the recipe. 

Instead of butter and eggs, this time our frosting is made with one of my new favorite ingredients, Acquafaba. 

Acquafaba or chickpea water is a perfect egg substitute in all your recipes, not just vegan. 

It can be obtained in two ways. Either you buy pre-cooked chickpeas (I recommend buying the ones in a glass container instead of cans), drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid. Or, if you prefer you can cook your own chickpeas and reserve the leftover cooking liquid. I prefer using the first option as the cooking liquid is never as silky and thick as the one you buy in stores and might not whip perfectly.

Acquafaba can be added to the recipes unwhipped as an egg replacer and binder of your dry ingredients, whipped into semi-stiff peaks and added to the recipes that call for an egg-white or whipped into stiff peaks for making desserts such as meringues and macaroons. 

Instead of throwing the aquafaba away preserve it and try using it in your recipes. You will be surprised how it turns out. I know I was. Whipped with hand or stand mixer, this silky chickpea water transforms in white firm peaks that will look just like egg whites. Mix in a good quality dark chocolate and you will obtain this delicious, shiny chocolate frosting that will become your new favorite. So rich in flavor and with a great texture, this frosting can be used for many recipes - from covering the layer cake, making brownies, chocolate mouse and many others. Quick note - it is important that your aquafaba is cold as this will make it easier when whipping the frosting. The result should be silky, chocolate frosting that has a nice firm consistency. 

A few very basic ingredients will make this cake irresistible and perfect for the upcoming holidays. If you decide to make it, tag me on Instagram @thehungryapron or comment below this post - I can't wait to hear your opinions! 

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Poached Pears and delicious Chocolate Frosting
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 1O 
Prep. time: 1hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes

For the cake 

180g brown sugar

400ml mineral sparkling water

180ml sunflower oil

4 tbsp pear sauce (find instructions below)

300g all-purpose flour

4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

65g roughly chopped vegan chocolate (at least 50% cocoa)

FOR THE pear sauce  

2 medium pears, peeled and chopped

4 tbsp water

1 tbsp brown sugar

½ tbsp cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

FOR THE FROSTING

20ml acquafaba (Chickpea water), cold from the fridge

3 tsp powdered brown sugar (you can also use maple syrup)

120g vegan dark chocolate

FOR THE POACHED PEARS

1l water

120g sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

2-3 cloves

1-star anise

4 pears

METHOD

Prepare the cake:

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 °F). Prepare the pear sauce by adding all the ingredients to a blender and mixing until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, water, sunflower oil, and pear sauce until combined. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and spices. Mix well and then add the chopped chocolate. Grease and flour your pan (or line your pan with baking paper). I used a 20cm round pan for this recipe. Divide your baking mixture and bake two cake layers for 20 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack until completely cooled down.

Prepare the poached pears:

Poach the pears by putting water, sugar, and spices in a large cooking pot. Bring to simmer until the sugar dissolves. Peel the pears and gently add them to the simmering water. Cook until soft, for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Once ready, remove them and continue to simmer the water until it becomes syrup.

Prepare the chocolate frosting:

Melt the chocolate for the frosting and cool it down before adding to aquafaba. In the meantime, place aquafaba in a medium bowl and whisk with a hand mixer. Once foamy, add sugar and continue mixing until it forms soft white peaks. Add melted chocolate and whisk for another 2 minutes. Your aquafaba must be cold (the best thing is to leave your chickpea can in the fridge overnight), as this will make it easier when whipping the frosting. The result should be silky, chocolate frosting. If your frosting seems too liquid, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until it gets a nice, smooth consistency.

Assemble the cake:

Assemble the cake by spreading a light layer of frosting in between the cake layers. Cover the whole cake with remaining frosting and decorate with poached pears. Serve the cake with pear slices. If you prefer, you can serve pears in halves or even whole. In that case, cover your pears with the remaining syrup for extra taste and sweetness.

Autumn has finally revealed her self, among yellow leaves, walnuts falling on the ground and foggy mornings. It seems just yesterday that September arrived, and now we have fully stepped into October. Autumn is here, which means lots of fresh apples are starting to show on our markets. 

Apples are my favorite fruit, and I can't imagine a day without them (literally, I eat them at least once a day :)). Not to mention all the autumn baking that includes this wonderful fruit. Easy weekend cakes, cinnamon rolls, pies, or simply baked, apples always find their place in my kitchen!

Today I am bringing a special recipe that comes all the way from the Balkan countries, and calls for poached apples and walnuts. Tufahije (singular Tufahija) is a traditional Bosnian recipe, which is spread out through the whole Balkan and is one of the homemade desserts I would often eat as a child. Soft poached apples, walnut filling and cream on top, go so perfectly together and result in a delicious, elegant dessert you can enjoy throughout the whole year. 

There's nothing more that feels like home than preparing desserts from my mother's journals and adding walnuts to practically everything. If you ever go to any Balkan countries, you will notice how we love walnuts. From layer cakes to simple recipes like this one, you will often find them listed among the ingredients. 

For me, apples and walnuts make a perfect autumn symphony, and this simple recipe for poached apples confirms it. Soft apples, creamy walnut filling, and lots of cream on top, this dessert definitely goes on top of my autumn comforting food! 

Poaching apples is easy, but if you are making them for the first time, there are few things you should think of:

• Buy a few apples more just in case one overcooks or brakes during the cooking
• When coring the apples, make sure not to make the hole through the apple - you want to remove the seeds but not cut through the apple as in that way your walnut filling will stay in place
• Make sure not to overcook them - apples need ten minutes to soften. We need soft apples that will not break
• Don't throw away the water in which you cooked apples! We will be covering our apples with the remaining syrup later on (trust me on this one, you will thank me later:))

You can even poach the apples in advance as in that way, they will soak all the juices and be even more delicious. Serve them warm or room temperature, with regular cream (if not vegan) or coconut cream. A few tablespoons of the apple juice released during the cooking and a sprinkle of walnuts will give them extra taste and make them so good! This recipe is perfect when you have many people over for dinner, and you need something tasteful but easy at the same time.

My recipe is a vegan version as I use water instead of milk when making the walnut filling and coconut cream instead of regular whipping cream, but feel free to change. This recipe you can also find in the printed version of the latest issue of Origin Magazine, along with many other vegan recipes perfect for the Fall! 

Are you ready to give these delicious apples a try? 

Poached Apples with Walnuts and Cream
( Tufahije )
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8
Prep. time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

8 larger apples (the best apples for this recipe are Golden or Red Delicious)

1l water for cooking the apples

200g sugar

Juice from one lemon

120g ground walnuts + some for decoration

3 tsp sugar for the walnut filling

70ml water for the walnut filling

Coconut whipped cream for decoration

METHOD

In a large pot, add sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes constantly stirring until all sugar is dissolved. Peel and gently core the apples, but make sure not to break them. Use a slice of lemon for brushing the apples before cooking. In this way, they will not turn brown. For this recipe, you will need whole apples. Add 3-4 apples to the simmering syrup and cook for about 5-10 minutes (depending on their size) or until they are soft enough to poke with a fork. If you have a large enough pan, you can also put all the apples together. Be careful while cooking them, as you don’t want to overcook them. The best way is to cook them for 5 minutes and then flip the sides. In this way, your apples will cook evenly and will not break.

In a smaller pan add water and sugar for the filling and cook on medium heat just for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, add walnuts and stir until combined. Once the apples are ready, put them on a serving plate and leave to cool. Preserve the liquid as we will use it later on.

When the apples cooled down, fill them with the walnut mixture and cover with a few spoons of remained syrup. This will make your apples more soft and tasty. Put them in the fridge until serving. Whip the coconut cream, decorate apples and sprinkle with some ground walnuts. Enjoy!