Homemade Mulled Wine

With the holidays approaching and cold weather outside, it is the perfect time to turn on your fireplace and enjoy a cup of smooth, full-bodied homemade Mulled Wine. It is an old fragrant European concoction that is consumed during the Christmas Season, starting with the first of Advent and is served hot, traditionally at German Christmas Markets. It makes a nice drink also on New Year’s Eve.

You will need:

• 1/4 liter red wine (1 cup), like Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 slice of a lemon (rinse the lemon before use)
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice or 1 slice of an orange, optional (rinse the orange before use)
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• pinch of ground clove
• pinch of ground anise or 1 star anise, either one – not both
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar (or 4 teaspoons white granulated sugar) or to taste

This recipe makes 1 cup of Mulled Wine. Multiply the recipe for more. If using very dry wine, you might want to add more sugar to taste.

Directions:

Heat the red wine with the rest of the ingredients in a pot over medium/medium low heat until very hot, but do not allow the wine to come to a boil, for about 20 to 30 minutes. Sieve the wine using a fine mesh strainer or spoon out any fruit slices or dried spices that are used and pour it into a porcelain mug or a glass coffee mug and serve it hot. Leftovers can be reheated. Store leftover Mulled Wine without any fruit slices, cinnamon sticks, or star anise.

Grab some Macaroons or Butter Cookies and a cup of hot Mulled Wine late in the afternoon. This heavenly tasty concoction is knock-your-feet-off delicious and warms up your body, heart, and soul!

Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes. Themed, photo-illustrated inspiring eBooks by Tastelishes for the home cook & home baker are available at Amazon and Smashwords.

All writing, illustrations, and photography is Copyright Tastelishes 2014, unless indicated otherwise, and may not be reproduced. All rights reserved.

Tastelishes recipes feature both simple and extraordinary dishes that tempt the palate and delight the senses to create memorable moments that last a lifetime.

14 photo-illustrated themed Tastelishes eBooks showcase gorgeous, easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes. Available at Amazon and Smashwords.

                                               

All writing, illustrations, and photography is Copyright Tastelishes 2015, unless indicated otherwise, and may not be reproduced. All rights reserved.
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German Black Forest Cake

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Dream Cakes by Tastelishes available at Amazon and Smashwords

$0.99 Book Sale Event

Tastelishes Christmas Cookies & More – Festive Baking/Special. Pay only $0.99 with coupon code YW64J at Smashwords. Offer expires 1/2/14. Get inspired with these exquisite, high-quality cookie recipes showcasing a variety of the finest handmade European cookies made from scratch with natural ingredients to enhance festivities.

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Tastelishes Christmas Cookies & More: Book Release at Smashwords on November 23.

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Tastelishes Baking Classics Book Promotion

“Tastelishes Baking Classics – From Scratch” is now offered 25 % off exclusively at Smashwords. Regular price: $3.99, Promotional price: $2.99. Use the code SSW25 and receive the discount at checkout.

The recipes will yield: Old-world Yeast Dough, Plum Cake with Italian Prunes, Rhubarb Cake with Classic Meringue and Hazelnut/Almond Meringue, Horseshoe Yeast Sponge, Easy Homemade Almond Paste Filling and more. All recipes contain enticing full-color photo-illustrations, are easy-to-follow with detailed instructions for high transparency, precise measurements, tips, and how-to. Tastelishes uses natural ingredients and all dishes are made from scratch while keeping the process and techniques simple. Tastelishes Classic Cakes are truly a spa for the senses.

Tastelishes recipes feature both simple and extraordinary dishes that tempt the palate and delight the senses to create memorable moments that last a lifetime.

14 photo-illustrated themed Tastelishes eBooks showcase gorgeous, easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes. Available at Amazon and Smashwords.

                                                

All writing, illustrations, and photography is Copyright Tastelishes 2013, unless indicated otherwise, and may not be reproduced. All rights reserved.

Tastelishes Cocoa Meringues

These heavenly light and crisp cocoa meringues (also called Baiser in French) are a breeze to make and they literally melt in your mouth. Although they need to bake for 2 hours, the sweet reward is well worth it.

You will need: (Makes 20 Meringues)

3 egg whites, at room temperature
120 g white, fine granulated sugar or powder sugar (4.23 oz)
1 pinch fine salt
2 – 2 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 – 2 pinches of ground cinnamon (or very lightly heap the tip of a kitchen knife), optional

Pre-heat the oven to 225 Fahrenheit (100 – 105 Celsius)
Use a large baking tray covered with parchment paper

Beat the egg whites with an electric hand/stand mixer. Whisk on low for the first 30 seconds, then switch to the highest speed and beat for a total of 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and incorporate. Lower the speed a bit to add the sugar. Whisk on high for another minute. Add the cocoa and cinnamon and incorporate. You can either fully incorporate the cocoa or only roughly with a few strokes to create a marble effect. Fill the meringue into a large pastry bag with a tip attached (I used a flower tip). Pipe 20 meringues onto a large baking tray covered with parchment paper.  Leave a little bit of space in between. Bake in a pre-heated oven, at 225 Fahrenheit (100 – 105 Celsius) for 2 hours, on the middle/center oven rack. Each baked meringue is about 2 – 2 1/4 inches (5 to 5.5 cm) in size. They will be light and airy, crisp and crunchy, slightly softer inside. They literally melt in your mouth with a burst of flavor. When stored in a cookie jar or in an enclosed tupperware bowl, the meringues will last up to a few weeks.

To add even more flavor and crunch, you could pipe the meringues onto the baking tray/parchment paper and sprinkle some chopped-up pistachios over each meringue, then bake.

Beaten egg white

Beaten egg white incorporating cocoa and cinnamon

Beaten egg white with cocoa and cinnamon

Piped meringue and a filled pastry bag with a tip attached

Piped meringues (raw, not baked yet)

For more information, kitchen basics, helpful tips, basic recipes, visit the website at Tastelishes. Tastelishes recipes feature both simple and extraordinary dishes that tempt the palate and delight the senses to create memorable moments that last a lifetime.

14 photo-illustrated themed Tastelishes eBooks showcase gorgeous, easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes. Available at Amazon and Smashwords.

                                                

All writing, illustrations, and photography is Copyright Tastelishes 2013, unless indicated otherwise, and may not be reproduced. All rights reserved.

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Tastelishes Sandtorte

This is an easy-to-make fine cake with a tender crumb; a scrumptious afternoon snack, perfect to a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of ice-cold milk and a spectacular ending to an elegant meal.

Makes about 12 pieces.

You will need:

250 g unsalted butter or unsalted margarine, softened (8.82 oz)
250 g white fine granulated sugar (8.82 oz)
1/2 – 1 envelope DrOetker vanilla sugar or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon white Rum (e.g. Bacardi)
4 large eggs (at room temperature works best)
125 g unbleached, all-purpose flour (4.41 oz)
125 g cornstarch (4.41 oz)
1 leveled teaspoon baking powder

Prepare the baking pan first. Lightly butter (use unsalted) and flour the edges (inner wall belt) of a 22 cm (8.5-inch/9-inch) Springform pan. Tap off any excess flour (turn the cake pan upside down and tap on the base). Cover the bottom of the baking pan with parchment paper (cut a circle to size). Set aside until further use. Pre-heat the oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the unsalted butter or margarine in a kitchen bowl on the highest setting of an electric hand/stand mixer until smooth, for about 2 minutes. Lower the speed and, while whisking, gradually add sugar, vanilla sugar or vanilla extract (if used), lemon zest, and Rum. Switch to the highest setting and keep whisking until fully incorporated and creamy (takes a few minutes). Add one egg at a time and whisk for about 30 seconds per egg. Mix in each egg thoroughly before adding another one. Once all four eggs are incorporated, mix the measured flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Sift it into a separate bowl. Spoon it into the batter and whisk, quickly mixing it in, using the lowest speed. Fill the batter into the prepared Springform pan. Smooth the surface with a spatula or a large spoon. Bake in a pre-heated oven, at 340 degrees Fahrenheit (170 Celsius), on the lowest oven rack, for 50 minutes. A tester (toothpick) inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it onto a wire rack. Carefully open and remove the wall belt of the Springform pan. Let the cake cool to room temperature, the base of the Springform pan still attached, about 30 minutes. Once the cake has cooled off, remove the base of the Springform pan. Carefully tear off the parchment paper and transfer the cake onto a cake plate. Sift the cake with powder/confectioners’ sugar. To create a design, place a stencil atop of the cake and sift over it. This is a simple, easily whipped-up exquisite cake, fine-flavored, with a crisp texture, and a light and tender crumb. Surprise your friends and invite them over for a fabulous piece of cake and serve it with some freshly brewed coffee or a glass of wine, then sit back and enjoy the compliments!

Flour mixed with cornstarch and baking powder, sugar, soft margarine (unsalted), and eggs

Springform pan lined with parchment paper

Batter in Springform pan (edges of cake pan lightly buttered and floured)

Freshly baked cake in Springform pan

Freshly baked cake resting on a wire rack (wall belt of Springform pan removed and base still attached)

Cooled cake turned upside down with parchment paper still attached to the bottom of the cake (base of Springform pan removed)

Cake upside down with parchment paper removed

Cake on a wire rack upside down with another wire rack on top to easily turn over the cake

Cake resting on a wire rack (top side up)

Cake dusted with powdered sugar (I used a stencil to make a design.)

Cake on a cake plate

A piece of the cake

For more information, kitchen basics, helpful tips, basic recipes, visit the website at Tastelishes. Tastelishes recipes feature both simple and extraordinary dishes that tempt the palate and delight the senses to create memorable moments that last a lifetime.

14 photo-illustrated themed Tastelishes eBooks showcase gorgeous, easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes. Available at Amazon and Smashwords.

                                                

All writing, illustrations, and photography is Copyright Tastelishes 2013, unless indicated otherwise, and may not be reproduced. All rights reserved.
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Flourless Egg Liquor Torte

This light, silky smooth Egg Liquor Cake is special for any occasion, festivity & holiday or for simply spoiling yourself, your family, and friends. It is a flourless, full-bodied cake with a velvety cream topping and a touch of rich golden dazzling Egg Liquor. It is out-of-this-world tastelicious. To make it completely gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free baking powder or completely omit (works well without it) and choose gluten-free eggs from chickens that are not fed gluten grains.

Cake:

Ingredients:

80 grams unsalted butter or unsalted margarine (2.8 oz)
80 grams white fine granulated sugar (2.8 oz)
1 envelope DrOetker vanilla sugar or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
(DrOetker vanilla sugar is available in the baking aisle of local supermarkets.)
5 large eggs (in whole, or separate the egg yolk from the egg white)
100 grams chocolate sprinkles or finely chopped semisweet morsels (3.5 oz)
200 grams finely grinded almonds or hazelnuts (7.1 oz)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons Cognac

Whisk the butter for a few minutes until creamy and yellowish in color. Add sugar and vanilla sugar or vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add one egg at a time until completely mixed in. For an even lighter and airier cake, separate the egg yolk from the egg white and only add the egg yolks (one at a time) at this point instead of the whole eggs. Add the sprinkles, nuts and baking powder and mix. Add the Cognac and incorporate. In case you separated the eggs, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, for about 6 minutes, and incorporate it into the batter at the very end, using a wire whisk. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, going in an up and down circular motion, do not stir. Lightly butter (with unsalted butter/margarine) and flour an 11–inch Springform pan, or line the baking pan with parchment paper (cut to size), and fill in the batter evenly. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 – 180 degrees Celsius), about 25 to 30 minutes, on the lower oven rack, or until a tester (e.g. toothpick) inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the Springform pan and transfer it onto a wire rack. Release the cake onto the wire rack and let cool completely. Once the cake has cooled, transfer it onto a cake tray. Prepare the topping.

Topping:

Apply the topping to the baked and completely cooled cake. Chill the bowl and whisk for whipping the heavy cream beforehand.

Ingredients:

500 ml heavy whipping cream, chilled (2 cups)
3 – 4 tablespoons white fine granulated sugar (recommended) or confectioners’ sugar
Verpoorten Original Egg Liquor (20 % vol.), as needed (a few tablespoons)

Whip the heavy cream in a large chilled kitchen bowl with an electric hand/stand mixer and a chilled whisk attached, using a low setting for a minute. Using chilled utensils helps stabilizing the cream and speeds up the process. Switch to the highest speed setting. Add the sugar after about 2 minutes. Whisk the cream until frothy, about 3 – 4 minutes in total. Reserve about 5 – 6 tablespoons of whipped cream to make decorative swirls and set it aside (or cover and chill). Spread the big batch of cream evenly over the cake and also cover the edges using an icing spatula. Fill the reserved cream into a pastry bag with a decorative tip attached and arrange continuous decorative puffs on the outer rim around the entire cake (see photograph). Shake the bottle of Egg Liquor well before using. Spoon or pour some Egg Liquor by Verpoorten inside the circle of cream puffs, just enough to apply a thin layer over the entire surface. The cream puffs will keep the Egg Liquor enclosed. Do not apply any Egg Liquor outside of the cream puffs. Serve immediately or cover and chill before serving.

Tip: In case the whipped cream will not reach a frothy consistency or is too soft, add 3/4 to 1 envelope of unflavored Gelatine or 2 envelopes of DrOetker Whip It and whisk to incorporate. It will be completely neutral in flavor and gives the cream extra and lasting stability. DrOetker Whip It is available in the baking aisle of local supermarkets.

For more information, kitchen basics, recipes & more, go to Tastelishes. Tastelishes cooks and bakes flavorful homemade dishes from scratch with natural ingredients. Enjoy Life. Eat Tastelishes.

The following high-quality, themed, photo-illustrated Tastelishes eBooks for the home-cook and home-baker are available at the Amazon Kindle Store:

Baking Bread – Fresh from the Oven
Baking Classics – From Scratch
Cake Buffet – New Trend Recipes
Christmas Cookies and More – Festive Baking
Cupcake Revolution – Ultimate Pleasures
Dips and Sauces – Classic Party Favorites
Dream Cakes – Heavenly Light
Home Cooking – With Natural Food
Hors d’Oeuvre – Gourmet Style
Modern Cake Decor – Fashionable Toppings and Fillings
Salad Bouquet – A Four-Season Variety
Side Dish Delight – Festive Traditions
Soup Lovers Delight – Hearty and Healthy
Sweets and Desserts – Irresistible Temptations

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Tastelishes Zebra Cake

This Tastelishes Zebra Cake is not only an eye catcher, but a light and tender cake, as well. The zebra design is very easy to make.

Ingredients for the Cake:

375 grams unbleached, all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended) (13.23 oz)
3 – 4 teaspoons baking powder
250 grams white fine granulated sugar (8.8 oz)
1 envelope vanilla sugar (vanilla sugar by DrOetker is available in the baking aisle of local supermarkets), optional, but recommended (or use 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract)
5 large eggs
125 ml lukewarm water (4.23 fl. oz)
250 ml corn oil or vegetable oil (8.45 fl. oz)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
for extra flavor, you could add 1 tablespoon white Rum (e.g. Bacardi), optional

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients – except for the cocoa – and mix with a hand or a stand mixer shortly on the lowest setting, then switch to the highest setting and mix for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth. Split the batter in half and transfer one half into a separate bowl. Mix the cocoa into one half of the batter (you could also sift it in and it blends in easier and quicker). Prepare a Springform pan (28 cm = 11 inches). Butter (use unsalted butter only) the cake pan and dust it lightly with flour. Start by adding 1 – 2 tablespoons white batter and place it into the center of the Springform pan. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of dark batter directly onto the white batter. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of white batter onto the dark batter, then add 1 – 2 tablespoons onto the white batter and so on. Repeat with the rest of the batter. This pattern will achieve the zebra design. Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175/180 degrees Celsius), on the lower oven rack, for about 40 minutes or until a tester (e.g. toothpick) inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and release the wall belt of the cake pan. Let cool completely. Transfer the cake onto a cake tray. This cake is also delicious when baked a day ahead.

To sweeten the cake, you could add an icing on top of the cake or simply sift powder/confectioners’ sugar over it.

For a Homemade Icing, you will need:

approx. 150 grams powdered sugar/confectioners’ sugar (5.29 oz)
4 tablespoons white Rum or for a zesty icing, use lemon juice instead of Rum

Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl and spread it atop of the cake, using an icing spatula.

All Writing, Photography and Illustration is Copyright Tastelishes 2013. All rights reserved.

Fabulous recipes for cooking and baking from scratch don’t have to be complicated. The following full-color photo-illustrated eBooks for the home cook and home baker are available at the Amazon Kindle Store for quick, simple, easy recipes with style:

Baking Bread – Fresh from the Oven
Baking Classics – From Scratch
Cake Buffet – New Trend Recipes
Christmas Cookies and More – Festive Baking
Cupcake Revolution – Ultimate Pleasures
Dips and Sauces – Classic Party Favorites
Dream Cakes – Heavenly Light
Home Cooking – With Natural Food
Hors d’Oeuvre – Gourmet Style
Modern Cake Decor – Fashionable Toppings and Fillings
Salad Bouquet – A Four-Season Variety
Side Dish Delight – Festive Traditions
Soup Lovers Delight – Hearty and Healthy
Sweets and Desserts – Irresistible Temptations

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