IN THE MOOD for Christmas
december 2017
Welcome to our new edition of In the Mood! Christmas is just around the corner, this will be a shorter issue, with fewer pages than usual, a special edition just to wish you, with all our heart, to spend happy holidays, waiting for the next In the Mood: the winter issue of the magazine is coming soon, we're already working on it, wait for us! We want to celebrate this holiday by proposing you three ideas of edible gifts, made with love, because Christmas means giving and means receiving, it's the wonderful time of the year when we make gifts, bake cookies and smell the scent of cinnamon and ginger spreading around our homes full of lights. We are going to celebrate also an anniversary: a year ago was beginning of this important adventure and the first issue of this magazine was published, we love the idea of making a toast to this little goal in the most magical and joyful time of the year! So, dear friends, this is our personal gift to you, we hope your days will be as warm and sweet as a cup of hot chocolate. May all of your wishes and dreams come true, and may you feel this happiness all year round.
Merry Christmas!
ph by Antonella
Editorial staff Antonella Pagliaroli www.fotogrammidizucchero.com Daniela Tornato www.smilebeautyandmore.com Ilaria Guidi www.campidifragolepersempre.com
Graphic design Antonella Pagliaroli Ilaria Guidi
Translations Antonella Pagliaroli
Cover Daniela Tornato
Back cover Ilaria Guidi
ph by Daniela
ph by Antonella
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Index Pasta frolla mince pies
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Light almond cookies
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Lemon poppyseed cookies 38
ph by Daniela
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Pasta frolla mince pies by Antonella
for about 10 mince pies for the crust 240 g all-purpose flour 140 g sugar 80 g cold butter 2 big yolks (or 3 medium yolks) ½ organic orange, the zest for the mincemeat 50 g dried raisins, 50 g candied orange, chopped 200 g apples, cored and finely chopped 100 g dried currants, 50 g dried apricots 50 g dark brown sugar 2 tsp honey finely grated zest and juice of 1 clementine finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange 2 tablespoons rum 1 tsp ground cinnamon,1 tsp ground ginger, a pinch of ground cloves Make the mincemeat: in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir well making sure they are all evenly distributed. Cover with clingfilm and leave for 2 days for the flavors to melt together. Make the crust: mix together, with a pastry blender or hands, the flour and the cold butter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the yolks, the sugar and the orange zest and mix until just combined and you have a ball of dough. Remember not to work the pastry too much. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerateat for at least 1 hour. Remove the pastry from the fridge. Place the pastry on a floured surface and press it into a flat circle. Preheat the oven to 180°. Unwrap the pastry and roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of about 6 mm. Stamp out 12 circles with a 10cm biscuit cutter and use them to line a buttered 12 hole muffin tin.Fill each pie with the mincemeat mixture. Scrunch up the pastry trimmings and re -roll to the same thickness as before. Stamp out 12 stars and place the tops lightly on the pies. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then scoop out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Store in an sealed container for 3-4 days. 11
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ph by Ilaria
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Light almond cookies by Daniela
for about 30-35 cookies 130 g egg whites, room temperature 130 g sugar 130 g all-purpose flour 200 g almonds 1 vaniglia pod knob of butter for greasing 100 g extra dark chocolate (optional) Preheat the oven to 170°. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture looks foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating on high until until mixture is stiff and glossy. Gradually and gently incorporate the sifted flour, with a scooping and folding motion using a spatula. t’s important to take your time and do it gently. Add the almonds and pour the mixture into a plum cake mold greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Leave it to cool completely and then using a sharp knife, cut it diagonally into 1.5 cm slices. Put the cookies back on a rack lined with baking sheet and bake them for 15 minutes at 160° (fan-assisted oven) or until golden. Let them cool on a wire rack. Melt the chopped chocolate in a bowl over simmering water and quickly dip half of the cookies into the melted chocolate. Let them cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to several days.
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Lemon poppyseed linzer cookies by Ilaria
for about 25 cookies for the shortbread 300 g all-purpose flour 60 g hazelnuts, chopped 125 g butter, cold 60 g granulated sugar 60 g brown sugar 1 medium egg 1 organic lemon 40 g fresh ginger, grated 2 tablespoons poppyseeds a pinch of salt for the lemon curd 120 ml lemon juice 90 g granulated sugar 15 g cornstarch 1 big egg 1 organic lemon, the zest Mix together, with a pastry blender or hands, the all-purpose flour and the cold butter, cut into cubes, add chopped hazelnuts, salt, brown and granulated sugar and mix again until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, the ginger, the poppyseeds, the lemon zest and mix again until just combined and you have a ball of dough. Remember not to work the shortbread too much. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerateat for at least 1 hour. Make now the lemoncurd: in a small saucepan, whisk the whole egg with the sugar and the lemon zest, add the cornstarch and drizzle in the lemon juice, combine well. Set over the saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk the mixture constantly, until the mixture thickens. Let it cool completely. Preheat oven to 170°. Roll out the dough to about 4-5 mm of thickness, form the cookies using a star cookie cutter, chill them in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Bake the cookies about10 minutes or until the tops are light golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks. To fill, spread desired amount of lemon curd on the bottom of the cookie. Lightly press on a top cookie to sandwich the curd. Repeat with remaining top and bottom cookies and lemon curd. Store in an airtight container. 39
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ph by Antonella
ph by Ilaria
ph by Antonella
IN THE MOOD Christmas 2017