Suzie's Condensed Christmas Recipe Collection

Suzie's Recipe Collection Featuring all of the favorite sweets we always make during the holidays.

NANA'S NEW FOOLPROOF PEACHES 1. Combine with a whisk 2 egg yolks and sugar. Add oil, a little at a time, Yields 50-65 peaches then add 3 TBSP flour, baking powder and milk. Cover with saran wrap Dough starter and let rest in fridge for 3 hours.

2 eggs 2. To make the dough, add the remaining flour to the starter and combine 180g sugar until a smooth dough forms. Knead dough until it is no longer sticky.

225 ml oil 3. Divide dough into roughly 10 parts. Roll out a sausage from each part, cut 3 TBSP (from 425 g flour) 2 tsp baking powder into equal pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place on 3 TBSP milk parchment paper and bake in 350 F oven for 5-8 minutes. Time may vary Dough depending on the size of your peaches. Try to make them as even as dough starter possible. The peaches should remain white, and have a golden bottom. remaining flour 4. Once the peaches are almost cool, dig out center from each half. Reserve Filling the centers for the filling. crumbs from peach halves 5. To make the filling combine in a bowl the crumbs of the centers, with jam 2 TBSP pure jam (we use and the rum. Fill each half of peach with filling. Join to halves to make a apricot) peach, twisting together to make the halves stick.

2-3 TBSP Captain Morgan's 6. Dip each half (top & bottom) quickly into yellow food color water (optional), spicy rum Coating then dip half (side)in red and the other half (side) in green food color water. crystal sugar Do not keep the peach in the water bath long...only a second, otherwise food colors of choice (usually the peaches will get too wet and soft which will result in them falling apart. red, green and yellow) in a small 7. Toss each colored peach into crystal sugar and leave on parchment paper bowl with water. You can add to dry. Once dry, place peaches in an air tight tin or Tupperware container, food color drops to your taste. placing parchment paper in between each row.

NANA'S CREAM CHEESE CRESCENTS Yields 64 crescents

1. Combine butter, cream cheese, baking powder and 4 cups flour.

Make sure that the butter and cream cheese are at room Dough temperature. For best results, sift the flour before incorporating.

454 g (1lb) unsalted butter Add the last cup of flour as needed to get a smooth dough. You 8 oz (250g) Philadelphia can have as much as a half a cup of flour left and that is ok. It all cream cheese (one depends on the flour. Just get a smooth dough, that is what is package) important.

1 tsp baking powder 2. Divide dough into four even balls. Roll each ball into a circle. Use 1-1.2 L (4-5 cups) flour the remaining flour to coat your surface, but do not put too much flour, just a little.

Filling (2 types) 3. Cut each circle into 16 pieces, each will be a crescent.

250ml (1 cup) finely 4. Make the filling by incorporating boiling milk and finely ground ground walnuts walnuts (flour) or almond flour. You will get a paste, make sure it 250ml (1 cup) boiling milk is not too thin.

OR 5. Place filling onto wide end of crescent triangle, roll and shape any type of jam, usually crescent. plumb or apricot 6. Bake crescents in a 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes.

7. Toss warm crescents into sugar to coat on all sides. Let cool Coating completely. Store in an air tight tin with parchment paper in icing sugar between rows.

NANA'S VIENNA CRESCENTS Yields 50-70 crescents, depending on how big or small you make them.

50 g blanched almonds 50 g hazelnuts 280 g plain flour 70 g sugar pinch of salt 200 g butter, cut into flakes 2 egg yolks 75 g vanilla sugar 25 g icing sugar

1. Finely grate the almonds and hazelnuts.

Place the sifted flour in a mixing bowl with the nuts, sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks, and knead to a soft dough. Wrap in foil or cling film and leave for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven 375 F. Form the dough a little at a time into small rolls the thickness of a pencil. Cut the rolls into 5 cm pieces and curve in crescents. Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes until golden.

3. Mix the vanilla sugar with the icing sugar and toss the biscuits in this while still warm.

4. Store the biscuits in layers between wax paper in a tin or sure lock Tupperware container.

NANA'S VANILICE Serbian Vanilla Cookies

Srpske vanilice proglaĹĄene su za najbolje sitne kolaÄ?e na svetu prema istraĹživanju poznatog kulinarskog sajta Food52.com.

Serbian vanilla cookies were declared the best cookies in the world according to the research of the well-known culinary site Food52.com.

Dough 500g (4 cups) flour 15g (1 TBSP)vanilla sugar package 2 eggs (save 1 egg yolk for egg wash before baking) zest of 1 lemon 100g (3.5 oz) butter 100g (3.5 oz) Tenderflake 200g (3.5 oz) icing sugar (reserve 100g for coating once baked) 7g (1 TBSP) baking powder Filling pure apricot jam (used to glue two sides of cookies) Method 1. In a hand held mixer, combine butter, Tenderflake and sugar until fluffy.

2. Add lemon zest, 1 whole egg and 1 egg white.

3. Add baking powder, vanilla sugar and flour a little bit at a time. you will need to add this by hand until a dough forms. Transfer dough to wooden cutting board or silicone sheet. Knead to make a smooth ball of dough.

4. With a rolling spread out dough to desired thickness, about 1/4 inch thick (about 6-7 mm) rounds that are 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Transfer cookies onto parchment paper and bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes. They should remain white when cooked.

5. Cool slightly and spread jam onto one half, and stick another half on top to stick together.

6. Toss assembled cookie into icing sugar to coat on all sides and place on a plate to cool completely. Note that if the cookies are too hot, the icing sugar will melt. If the cookies have cooled too much, the icing sugar will not stick.

7. Store cookies in an air tight tin or Tupperware container with parchment paper in between layers.

NANA'S OBLATNE (WAFER COOKIES) Filling 4 cups (1L)milk 2Âź cups + 1 TBSP (500g) sugar or more if you like it sweeter 6-8 cups (720-960g) ground walnuts (walnut flour) Wafers: one package 1. Mix milk and sugar in a stainless steel pot and bring to a soft boil. Boil for at least 30-60 minutes...until the mixture starts to bubble. This makes the caramel base.

2. Add the nuts to the caramel and combine well.

3. Place one wafer on a tray. Put filling over it, and spread it out evenly. If you have 6 wafers, then you divide the filling into 5.

The top wafer is not covered with the filling.

4. Wrap the wafers in aluminum foil and top with another tray.

Place a weight over the tray and let it press the wafers together overnight.

5. Cut the wafers into desired shapes and sizes.

6. Place in an air tight container or tin. It is best to leave the wafer wrapped in aluminum foil in the fridge and cut as you need.

CREPES (PALACINKE) This has got to be the easiest recipe for dessert ever. It is a classic and a go to in a typical Serbian family when you get that craving for a sweet, but have nothing baked or bought from the local bakery.

Ingredients For 24 crepes 3 cups flour 6 whole large eggs 2 cups milk 2 TBSP vanilla extract, real 4 TBSP sugar 2 TBSP oil 2 cups water Instructions 1.

2.

3.

4.

In a large Pyrex bowl beat eggs until fluffy using a hand held mixer Add sugar and beat with hand mixed until dissolved Combine all the liquid ingredients and pour into egg & sugar mixture Once well combined, add the flour a little at a time until completely smooth batter is obtained 5. Cover and let rest for at least 2 hours or 24 hours (overnight) in the refrigerator.

6. Before you are ready to make the crepes check the consistency. They batter should be runny (not too thick, otherwise you will get pancakes). If the batter is too thick, add water to obtain the right consistency. If the batter is too thin, add a bit of flour, to obtain the correct consistency Tip: The flour in the 7. Heat your crepe pan, and pour batter needs time to completely "bloom", crepe batter onto it, making sure which means that it to spread it around the entire pan soaks up all the 8. Cook crepe on one side until it unsticks from the pan water and plumps up!

9. Flip the crepe onto the other side and cook until done.

Once all the crepes have been cooked, enjoy with jam, jelly, Nutella, nuts, sugar, honey, cream cheese and lemon zest with icing sugar....whatever you like!

NANA'S ORIGINAL PEACHES A classic Christmas cookie that must be prepared for the holidays are the peaches or as we call them "breskve". They look time consuming but they are really not. It is fun to make them in a group once the cookies are done. An assembly line is best, with one digging the hole in the cookie, the next filling the hole with the rum mixture; the next person dipping the cookies in colored water and the last person rolling the cookies in crystal sugar.

Ingredients Cookies

2 eggs 125 ml oil 125 g sugar 2 TBSP flour 1 TBSP packages vanilla sugar 1 TBSP baking powder Mix all ingredients with mixer and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.

Measure out 500g of flour. Measure 310g from this amount and add it slowly to the mixture until well incorporated. Keep adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment.

Prepare dough into balls the size of a small walnut. You can shape bits of dough into balls, but wet your hands first....or you can roll out dough into snakes, then cut pieces and roll into balls. Place balls onto cookie sheet 5 cm apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool. Once almost cooled, scoop out middle of cookie (this is where the filling will go). e h t e r a p e pr n a nd uc a o e Y c : n a p v e d T a n i s ie k o ie . o k c o m o e c th ll e a z s e a m e s e r s f ke ri a y e M th : h p e i c s a u T e ca y l e l b a s e , d e t I i ball b ke. one a b e b y o ld the n u , o s h s ite h b c o a w pe t m mu i x a m r. e g g bi

Filling for cookies

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients below: crumble of cookie centers (make sure that all the centers you scooped out are broken down. The crumble should look like breadcrumbs).

375 ml of apricot jam (not jelly) Kraft is best.

1-2 shots of real dark rum (Captain Rum is best), or rum essence if you do not want to use alcohol 1 heaping cup of ground walnuts or almond flour (or a mixture of the two) 1 small bowl of water with red food color 1 small bowl of water with green food color 1 pastry brush

Assembly of peaches

After the filling is well combined, take a small amount of filling and place it in the hole of one half of the cookie, making sure to fill the hole and spread filling around.

Repeat with second half of cookie. Now take each half and make a sandwich. Place on a cookie sheet.

Once all the cookies are sandwiched, brush one half of the cookie with red water and the other half with green water, then roll cookie into sugar until the entire cookie is covered.

Place finished cookie onto a cookie rack to dry overnight.

The next day, place dried cookies in sealed glass container or cookie tin, making sure to line with parchment paper or wax paper between rows.

Nana's traditional Xmas cookie platter?

Peaches are a must!

Nana's Donuts (made fresh every new year's eve!)

Ingredients

for about 30-40 donuts 400 ml milk 15 ml sugar 50 ml oil (plus oil for frying donuts in) 700 g hard flour pinch of salt 2 whole eggs 40 g fresh yeast

Method

1. In tepid milk crumble the fresh yeast and add sugar. Mix until dissolved and add 350 g flour and continue mixing.

All could be done in a large mixer.

2. Add oil, salt, 2 eggs and continue to mix.

3. Add remaining flour and continue to mix until well incorporated.

4. If the dough is too soft, add flour, 50 g at a time. The dough should be soft, not hard.

5. Take the dough out and knead into a ball.

6. Place in a bowl, dust with flour on the top and cover with a clean kitchen towel until doubled in size.

7. Dust wooden board with flour, and put the dough on it.

Roll out with rolling pin to 1 cm thickness. Using a glass or round cutter of desired size, cut out donuts.

8. Line donuts onto a tray and dust with flour. Cover with clean kitchen towel for about 20 minutes.

9. Repeat making donuts with the remaining dough.

10. Add enough oil into a pot (or use a deep fryer). Do not overheat the oil.

11. Place donuts in oil, with floured side up and cover. This way you will ensure getting a white ring in the donuts.

12. Uncover and flip the donuts. Finish frying donuts without covering.

13. Place finished donuts onto a tray lined with paper towels to drain.

14. The donuts will be fluffy and hollow inside.

15. Dust donuts with icing sugar and serve.

16. You can put jam of choice on the donuts instead or even eat them with feta cheese.

Nanine krofne (sveže svake nove godine)!

Sastojci ...oko 30-40 krofni 400 ml mleka 15 ml šećera 50 ml ulja (plus ulje za prženje krofni u) 700 g tvrdog brašna prstohvat soli 2 cela jaja 40 g svežeg kvasca Način Rada 1. U mlako mleko izdrobi kvasac svež sa šećerom. Mešaj dok se rastopi i dodaj 350 g brašna, i ponovo izmešaj. Sve se može direktno sa mixerom. šćčžđ 2. Dodaj ulje, so, 2 jaja i nastavi mešati.

3. Dodaj ostatak brašna i dobro izmešaj sa mixerom.

4. Ako je testo pre-mekano, dodaj 50 g brašna pa nastavi d mešas.

5. Izvadi testo, premesi i napravi u loptu. Stavi u činiju, ma pobrašnjavi i ostavi da naraste duplo. Prekri sa krpom, oko pola sata.

6. Pobrašnjavi dasku, pa istresi testo na brašno. Premesi testo gurajuči prema sredini. Testo netreba da se lepi i nesme biti trvdo.

7. Oklagijom razvuci testo na 1 cm debljine. Vadi krofne sa časom po zelji velicine.

8. Redđaj na pobrašcnavu tacnu i ostavi da kisnu krofne ok 20 minuta, prekrivene krpom.

9. Ponovi sve sa ostacima testa.

10. Meti dosta ulja u sud gde ćes krofne, ali nesme da pregrejes ulje (na srednju vatru).

11. Stavi u zeljtin krofne, brašnjava strana da bude gore, pa poklopi posudu poklopcem. Tako ćes dobiti belu liniju po sredini krofne.

12. Skini poklopac, okreni krofne i nastavi da pržis bes poklopca.

13. Slaži pečene krofne na papir da se ocede.

14. Krofne budu unutra šuplje.

15. Pospi krofne sa prax šečerom.

16. Mozeš da jedeš krofne sa pekmezom po želji ili sa feta sirom.

Nana's Mekike Nana has been very busy testing her recipe for "mekike" or a quick version of fried dough that can be eaten with savoury or sweet toppings...or enjoyed plain. They do not absorb a lot of oil and are super quick to make. Here is her adapted secret recipe!

Ingredients 300 ml warm water 1 tsp dried instant yeast (or 20 grams fresh yeast) 1 tsp sugar 1.5 tsp salt 50 ml oil 600 grams of flour (she uses Five Roses) 500-600 grams of oil for frying Method 1. Add sugar, water(about 50 ml of your 300 ml) and yeast to a Pyrex cup and mix with a fork. Add 2 TBSP of flour (from your 600 gram). Cover and let stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.

2. In a large bowl pour the remaining warm water, add 50ml of oil and salt. Add flour gradually, about 5-6 tablespoons. Make a well in the centre of the dough and add the yeast mixture.

3. Continue adding flour 5-6 tablespoons at a time until and mixing with a spoon until you get a ball. Continue adding all the flour, and at one point you will need to work the dough with your hands. Be patient, this is the longest part.

4. The dough should be fluffy and when it separates from the sides of the bowl, you can stop kneading it. Once it has come together and separates from the wall of the bowl, take 2 tablespoons of oil and pour over the dough on all sides.

5. Cover the dough with saran wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles (about 30 minutes).

6. In a small bowl add warm water (about 0.5 cup) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix until salt has dissolved. You will use this liquid to immerse your fingers into and then pinch the dough (as shown in picture below), to deflate and pop any bubbles.

This step is important to ensure that once you are frying the mekike they will not spatter.

7. Heat in a deep enamel covered cash iron casserole dish (as seen in picture) the oil until it reaches the right temperature (it has to be hot but not smoking, ~ 450 F).

8. Wet your hand in the salt water and pinch a ball of dough. Shape it by stretching it (see below) and fry both sides in the oil. Place mekike on paper towels to drain and enjoy warm. (You can also pour out the entire ball of dough and stretch it out by hand onto a silicone mat. Then you can use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into desired sizes (rectangles). You can make a cut in the stretched dough if you like (as seen in far right picture below).

Jelly Rolls

Omama's Banana Cake

for one jelly roll...

5 whole eggs, seperated 5 TBSP sugar 5 TBSP Robin Hood Flour Preheat oven to 375 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs whites (best when left to warm up to room temperature) until stiff.

Add sugar, one TBSP at a time and continue beating until stiff.

Add one egg yolk at a time and continue beating until well incorporated.

Add flour, 1 TBSP at a time on low speed until well incorporated.

Pour out dough onto parchment paper and spread evenly across entire cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven for 12 minutes.

Once baked, take out immediately. Take out the baked sheet of cake and flip over onto another parchment paper. Peel off of the parchment paper from the dough. The dough is now sandwiched between two parchment papers.

Take some whipped apricot jam and spread a thin layer over top of sticky side of cake dough.

Roll cake dough into jelly roll on the long side. Once rolled, wrap jelly roll with parchment paper and then wrap in a clean dish towel. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled, cut jelly roll into even thicknesses...see picture below.

Make 2 jelly rolls but in the second dough, add some cocoa powder or food colour (optional).

You can make more jelly rolls if needed, depending on the size of the cake you wish to make.

Filling

Assembly of Banana Cake

for 2 jelly roll cake...

Use a container with a cover...see Custard (part 1) below, on which your cake will be 4 egg yolks assembled. It is best to use a 4 TBSP sugar rectangular shaped container.

250 ml milk 1. Line bottom of container with with 1 1/2 TBSP instant fine cream of cut pieces of jelly roll (alternating wheat colours). For example, use 4 slices In a stainless steel pot... per row, and calculate how many Using a hand held mixer, beat egg rows your jelly rolls will yield for two yolks and sugar until they change layers. In the picture below, I had 4 colour (become lighter). x 6 (24 slices) per row. My 2 jelly Add milk and cream of wheat and rolls yielded 48 slices total. mix until well combined.

2. Use 1/3 of the filing to line the first Cook over medium heat, stirring row of the cake. constantly with a spatula, until 3. Top with evenly thinly sliced custard comes to a boil. The banana pieces (do not use over or custard is done when you pass the under ripe bananas). spatula, and you can see the bottom 4. Top banana layer with 2nd third of of the pot. Quickly cool the custard the filling. in the sink filled with cold water, 5. Top this layer with bananas. stirring constantly.

6. Top with remaining filling.

Butter (part 2) Final touches...

200 g of softened, unsalted butter 1. Whip up some 35% whipping 2 packages of vanilla sugar cream, until stiff. Whip in some 2 TBSP Captain Morgan Rum (or icing sugar...to taste. I usually add extract) 3 TBSP for about 3 cups of In a large bowl... whipped cream.

Beat butter, vanilla sugar and rum 2. Top entire cake with whipped until well incorporated and fluffy cream, making sure to cover all Banana cake filling... sides as well.

Using a spatula, combine part 1 and 3. Decorate whipped cream topping part 2 until well incorporated. as you wish...you can make a Remember to double the recipe pattern, or just leave it plain and if you make a cake with 4 jelly dust with chocolate shavings, edge rolls. with blackberries etc. You decide, it is your cake!

Cover cake with top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Tip: You can colour jelly roll dough with food colour and add extract of choice if you do not like chocolate. In the picture I made one jelly roll with orange extract and a few drops of red food colour. I have also made the banana cake without adding any colour to the jelly rolls...all were the same colour.

NANA'S VIENNA CRESCENTS Yields 64 crescents Dough 454 g (1lb) unsalted butter 8 oz (250g) Philadelphia cream cheese (one package) 1 tsp baking powder 1-1.2 L (4-5 cups) flour Filling 250ml (1 cup) finely ground walnuts 250ml (1 cup) boiling milk Coating icing sugar

1. Combine butter, cream cheese, baking powder and 4 cups flour.

Make sure that the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. For best results, sift the flour before incorporating.

Add the last cup of flour as needed to get a smooth dough. You can have as much as a half a cup of flour left and that is ok. It all depends on the flour. Just get a smooth dough, that is what is important.

2. Divide dough into four even balls. Roll each ball into a circle. Use the remaining flour to coat your surface, but do not put too much flour, just a little.

3. Cut each circle into 16 pieces, each will be a crescent.

4. Make the filling by incorporating boiling milk and finely ground walnuts (flour) or almond flour. You will get a paste, make sure it is not too thin.

5. Place filling onto wide end of crescent triangle, roll and shape crescent.

6. Bake crescents in a 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes.

7. Toss warm crescents into sugar to coat on all sides. Let cool completely. Store in an air tight tin with parchment paper in between rows.

JEDNOSTAVANI NISKO HIDRATA KEKSI! SAMO 6 SASTOJA / PRIPREMA 10 MINUTA / 15 MINUTA U RERNI / 1 GR NET HIDRATA PO KEKSU/ BEZ SEČERA

Serviranje 24 kolača od 5 cm

Autorica Maja Krampf sa sajta VholesomeIum.com

RECEPT 1/4 šolje putera (omekšano) 2 oz krem sir (omekšan) 1/3 šolje Besti Monk Fruit Allulose mješavina (ili do 1/2 šolje ako ih volite vrlo slatko) 1 veliko Jaje 2 kašike ekstrakta vanilije 1/4 kašike morske soli 1 kašika pavlake (neobvezno) 3 šolje Blanširano brašno od badema POSTUPAK 1. Zagrejati rernu na 175 stepeni C. 2. Poravnajte veliki lim za kolače pergamentnim papirom.

3. Upotrijebite ručni mikser ili samostojeći mikser kako biste zajedno savladali puter, krem sir i zaslađivač, sve dok ne budu penasti i svjetle boje.

4. Umutite ekstrakt vanilije, sol i jaje.

5. Umutite u pavlaci, ako je koristite (po izboru).

Umočite u bademovo brašno, 1/2 šolje (64 g) odjednom. (Testo će biti gusto i malo lomljivo, ali treba da se lepi kada se pritisne zajedno.)

6. Upotrijebite srednju lopaticu za kolačiće (oko 1 1/2 kašike, 22 ml zapremine) kako biste narezali kuglice testa na pripremljeni lim za kolače. Ispravite se dlanom.

7. Pecite oko 15 minuta, dok ivice ne postanu blago zlatne boje. Pre rukovanja ostavite da se potpuno ohlade u tavi (kolačići će se očvrsnuti kako se hlade).

NATALI JE PRONAšLA OVAJ RECEPT! MNOGO JE BRZ I JEDNOSTAVAN RECEPT

NATALIE FOUND THIS RECIPE! VERY QUICK AND EASY RECIPE

LOW CARB CREAM CHEESE COOKIES! 6 INGREDIENTS / 10 MINUTES PREP / 15 MINUTES IN THE OVEN / 1 GR NET CARB PER COOKIE / SUGAR FREE

Servings 24 2" cookies

Author Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup Butter (softened) 2 oz Cream cheese (softened) 1/3 cup Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (or up to 1/2 cup if you like them very sweet) 1 large Egg 2 tsp Vanilla extract 1/4 tsp Sea salt 1 tbsp Sour cream (optional) 3 cups Blanched almond flour INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

3. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sweetener, until it's fluffy and light in color.

4. Beat in the vanilla extract, salt and egg.

5. Beat in sour cream, if using (optional).Beat in the almond flour, 1/2 cup (64 g) at a time. (The dough will be dense and a little crumbly, but should stick when pressed together.)

6. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp, 22 mL volume) to scoop balls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.

7. Flatten with your palm.

8. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling (cookies will harden as they cool).

Zoran's Cake This super easy cake recipe is one of my Mom's originals that she used to make often when Zoran and I were dating. He liked it so much that we named it "Zoranova Torta". The cake will need two recipes of cake batter, which will yield 4 layers, because you will need to cut each one into two. The filling was originally with dark chocolate but you can also make it with white chocolate if you prefer. It is best made the day before so that all the flavors can marry together and yield the best version of the cake.

Ingredients for the cake batter For one cake batter (you will need to do this two times) preheat oven to 350 F / 9" spring cake pan / parchment paper 3 whole eggs, separated 80 g sugar 1 package of vanilla sugar (1 Tbsp) or 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g flour 1/4 tsp baking powder

Instructions

Mix egg whites until stiff.

Add sugars and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Add one by one egg yolk until incorporated.

Mix the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

Fold in flour mixture into egg mixture util well incorporated.

Pour batter into well greased spring pan (on sides) with a parchment paper on bottom and place in preheated oven.

Bake 15-17 minutes until cake separates from sides and skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Remove cake from spring form pan and place on rack to cool.

Repeat the entire process again so you will end up with two cakes, which you will let cool and then cut in half. I use unflavoured dental floss, or you can use a large serrated knife.

Tip: if your oven is large enough and you have two 9" spring cake pans, you can prepare double the batter recipe and bake both cakes at the same time Tip: use any filling you White vanilla chocolate cake with rum cut by Milan like such as just whipped cream and berries; Chantilly cream; custard etc. You can customize the flavors. If you like orange and dark chocolate then use orange juice, dark chocolate drizzle and top with orange slices. The possibilities are limitless.

Ingredients for the filling

This is the recipe for the filling that should be enough for the entire cake (all 4 layers) 4 egg yolks 4 Tbsp sugar 1 package of vanilla sugar (1 Tbsp) or 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) 100 g unsalted butter mixed with 2 Tbsp butter 125 g of dark or white chocolate (optional) 1-2 cups of whipped whipping cream some kind of liquid for drizzling over the cake layers like orange juice, lemon juice, rum etc. to moisten the layers before applying the filling 1/2 cup almond or walnut flour (optional)

1) in a double boiler, when the water reaches a slow simmer, cook egg yolks and sugar, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted and the custard changes color and become thick (about 15 minutes) 2) take off the double boiler and add unsalted butter until melted 3) add chocolate (it is best if you cut the chocolate into pieces or use chocolate chips) and stir until melted 4) while the custard is cooling, prepare whipping cream 5) fold in the whipping cream into the custard once it has cooled completely

Assembly of Zoran's Cake 1) Once both cakes have cooled, use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife to cut each cake into two layers. You should now have 4 layers of cake.

2) Place bottom layer of cake onto serving tray (pedestal cake stand for eg.)

3) Drizzle the liquid of choice onto the cake layer to moisten it (my favourite is Captain Morgan Dark rum) 4) Apply approximately 1/4 of the filling 5) Repeat with the remaining three layers 6) Apply the filling over entire cake 7) Decorate the top as desired/ drizzle with grated or melted chocolate/ or decorate with whipping cream and add berries etc.

8) Cover cake with a dome and store in refrigerator overnight if possible 9) Let cake stand out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving

NANA'S FAMOUS APPLE CAKE

Ingredients 3 eggs 1 1/3 cups sugar 1 cup oil 2 1/3 cup flour 1 package vanilla sugar (or 1 Tbsp) 1 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 Tbps jam (we use apricot jam) 1/3 cup milk 3 apples, peeled, cored and shredded Method (muffin method) 1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl 2. Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl (except apples) 3. Combine all ingredients together well.

4. Add the shredded apples at the end and mix until evenly distributed.

5. Pour batter into a deep baking dish(32 cm x 18 cm) that has been lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake in a 200 C preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until skewer comes out clean when poking cake in the middle and the side of the cake separate from the pan.

7. Let cool and sprinkled with icing sugar on top if desired.

Chef Oliver's Famous Apple Pie! Chef Oliver DeVolpi shared his recipe for apple pie. As many of you may already know, Oliver is the Executive Chef at McGill Residence Dining Halls.

He has an amazing recipe for this apple season. It is 100% foolproof and delicious. Enjoy!

Crust 3 cups of all-purpose white flour 1 cup cold butter cut in small cubes ½ cup ice water 1 tsp vinegar ½ tsp salt Using a food processor, combine the flour and butter. Process until you obtain a granular texture (approximately 20-30 seconds) so that you are still able to see small pieces of butter in the mix. Add ice water, vinegar and salt. Pulse 3 or 4 times for 3 seconds. Remove and form a ball, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate at least one hour.

Crumble 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup butter 1 cup of oatmeal 1 cup of flour 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract Again in the food processor, cream butter and brown sugar together (approx. 1 minute). Add vanilla extract, flour and pulse 3-4 times, 1 second each. Add oatmeal and repeat the pulsing 3-4 more times. The texture should resemble a lumpy cookie dough texture. Remove and place in freezer a few minute to help handle.

Filling 5 lbs peeled, cored and sliced apples ½ cup sugar 1 heaping TBS flour 1 tsp Cinnamon Alternatives: reduce 1 ½ lbs apples and add any of the following: Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries or Peaches

Method 1. Preheat oven to 325F. 2. Using a 9-inch pie pan, divide dough into two.

3. Roll out dough to 13inches diameter round.

4. Place in pie pan and roll excess dough underneath itself to help form a raised crust on the sides (helps hold in 5 LBS of apples).

5. Place filling inside. If it seems like too much, just keep piling on!

6. On a large table space, cover apples with crumble mixture. This takes time and a lot will of the crumble will fall on to the table, but just keep putting it back on top and cover all the apples. The pie should be as high over the top of the pan as the pan is deep (at least).

7. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet because some juice might leak out during the cooking. Place near to the bottom of the oven.

8. Cook for 1.5 hours at 325F.

This is a recipe submitted by Alex. It is the go to brownie recipe of Alex and Christine. I have included the website as well if you wish to see the video that accompanies the recipe. Enjoy