home sweet home

scenes from my home (more to come...). i'm  so happy here. i've recently got a home office. i always thought it can look really pretty but that i don't really need it...? well now i've got the space and i just made a go at it. let's see whether i'll ever use it... 

yesterday, the second supper club was taking place. there were 13 guests and 9 courses (with technically speaking 15 dishes). 19 hours on my legs! i'm exhausted. i'll post the menu here soon. but for now, i am putting my legs up...

hazelnut sour cherry cake

we've recently had a discussion about what it means to be single. weather we like it or not, it can be challenging. on that we all agreed. not necessarily because you're unhappy alone, mind. but often, because it isn't socially accepted to be single. people think you're only whole when you're in a relationship, that you're not complete on your own. anywhere you go, to appear in company is virtually the condition. be it a wedding, a dinner, a party or the cinema. 

of course, i wouldn't mind being happily in love with the perfect match, a soul mate, to share life with. but on the other hand... why does everyone have this precondition? why are we expected to be unhappy on our own, and that our only goal must be to find that special someone, to find love? even dean martin sang "you're nobody till somebody loves you". yeah, great, thank you. so i decide to love myself - just like carrie bradshaw showed me (do you remember that episode where she registers for wedding gifts - for 'getting married to myself'? had me in stitches...). is it worth the effort just to convince the others that you're happy - even despite the 'illness singledom'? i should probably just stop caring what anyone thinks. oh shmeck, give me an ice cream. i'm single, i eat dinner in front of the tv, and i'm a-okay.

hazelnut sour cherry cake

recipe from my aunt herta

ingredients:

200 g warm butter (removed from the fridge one hour earlier) + a little more for the pan

200 g sugar

4 yolks

4 egg whites
1 pinch salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

125 g ground hazelnuts

50 g chocolate powder *

1 tbsp. kirsch (optional)

125 g flour, sieved

1 tsp. backing powder

1 large glass sour cherries (canned cherries)
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

directions:

grease a pan and coat it with flour. preheat the oven to 180 degrees f / 320 degrees c. in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high for 5 minutes, until foamy. add one yolk after the other and stir to combine. add the cinnamon, chocolate powder, hazelnuts and kirsch. sieve in the flour and baking powder. beat the egg whites until stiff with the pinch of salt, then fold into the dough carefully. pour the dough into the pan and lay the cherries on top so that they just sink in a little. bake for about 55 minutes, until a stick or needle comes out clean. remove and let cool before releasing from the pan. when cool, transfer to a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar.

* note on the chocolate powder: i used a really good, high quality chocolate powder from a local chocolatier. turns out it didn't really render the chocolate (!) cherry cake quite as chocolatey as it's supposed to be. somehow the chocolate didn't really melt. the taste, however, was still wonderful, hazelnut-ey, fruity and very most. somewhat old-school and classy.

ps: did i mention this cake gets better with time? it stays moist, develops even more flavor and doesn't fail to impress in spite of all its simplicity. this cake really is a winner.

ode to milano

our weekend trip to milano is already way in the past... in fact, i almost forgot about the pictures i took. but then they appeared in the hidden corners of my computer... probably not the best pictures ever taken to do milan justice. but it sure is a nice city, with lots to offer. good food! shoes! charming italian men (huge difference to swiss men... let's just say i've got experience, uhum...)! sunshine! with only a good 2 hours' drive, it's close enough to hop over for a weekend or a day, even. and as i said before: a little italianità goes a long way; and the changes of routine leaves you refreshed and inspired. ready to face whatever challenge.

oh and ps: this is for my new friend, andy, from the us. he's written to me to say he likes my folk favorites and the travel pictures. that's what motivated me to bring up more of each. thank you, andy!

dandelion & sorrel salad with tomato

i love to collect things... i always thought i'm dependent on few things only. but truth is: it gives me a huge kick to know that i've got more things than i need. this holds true for household things, like candle sticks (that i sort of collect), napkins, vases, cookbooks, plates and maybe undies - and not in a dirty sado-maso way. i simply like the lace... that was clear, right? 

and what holds true for tangible things holds true for short-lived things, equally. like: i love to go out (which in our region results in going into the woods) and come back with a basket full of things (well, technically not things, but herbs, plants, edible stuff, pretty stones, shells... you get it). it always used to be like that. my auntie irma taught me how to find parsley piert and what to do with it (tea, e.g.). she showed me where to find chestnut and beechnut, and how to peel the latter. i learned to tell apart the real, wild cherries from false ones, that are toxic. and i used to be able to tell the names of an impressive list of wild flowers and herbs at the age of, say, 6 or 7. i was never much of a walker (in fact, i quite despised it and would rather set myself on fire than to go on a walk...) - but whenever there was some gathering involved i was happy as a ladybug. the minutes became hours when i was bowed over some forest ground, looking for the youngest, most tender wild garlic / ramsons, or for the best spot to find black chanterelles (mostly directly in our backyard). i used to bring home my pickings with a spring in my step and a proud face, flushed from the clean, fresh air and hours of walking. 

we then took to preparing the food. sometimes, it involved canning or jamming (like with blueberries, raspberries, or red currants). sometimes, it involved preserving the goods in oil (like the ramsons paste that i made only last week). and sometimes, when i was lucky, it meant that i got to eat the precious treasures right away. the sweet and sour forest strawberries tasted so delicious, i can still remember it. 

all these memories came back when we went to gather ramsons, dandelions (leaves and buds, that taste amazing; we used them here) and sorrel last week. something i haven't done in too long, for sure. it was pure bliss and it gives you a inexplicable peace of mind. 

dandelion & sorrel salad with tomato

ingredients:

1 bunch dandelion, leaves

1 bunch sorrel, leaves

2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tsp. ramsons paste (or 1/2 garlic clove, minced and squeezed with a knife)

1 tsp. kelpamare (or other vegetable seasoning or a pinch of good vegetable broth)

1 tsp. acacia honey

1 knife point garlic-chili paste (since i don't have this at hand but my mom does, i'd probably use more harissa)

and / or 1 drop harissa (the dressing shouldn't be spicy, so don't add too much, it's just for the 'depth')

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

directions:

wash the salad leaves, and chop them into 2cm wide pieces, roughly. quickly blanch the tomato in hot water, cool it under the running water and then peel the skin off. cut into quarters, deseed and then dice, finely. put aside. in a bowl, prepare the dressing: combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, honey, ramsons paste or garlic, kelpamare or other vegetable seasoning, pinch of chili paste and harissa and season with salt. put the dandelion and sorrel in a bowl, top with the tomatoes and pour the dressing over everything. 

ps: this is only the best salad dressing you'll ever have. and you've never heard me say this. but i only ever love salad with this dressing. 

blueberry maple scones

dear friends, i'm quite happy it's the weekend... how about you? i'd vote for another batch of scones for a casual breakfast in bed, tomorrow. blueberry maple - a definitely delicious despite the (fresh) blueberries rendering the scones a bit runny... still, tried and tested for you and good to go. 

to whip these up, use my (eternal) scones recipe as a basis - and throw in a handful of juicy blueberries, some maple syrup for flavor and a pinch of cinnamon... and you're done! 

so, with a striking credo that's made it to the top of my credo list (yup, it's long...) and dominates my thoughts, currently, i'll let you start, cheerfully, your weekends:

"in the end, only  three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things that aren't meant for you."

happy weekend and much love,

s

vegs with black olives

what makes a date a good date? if you asked me (of course, no one ever does...) the answer would be: 'the food'. and i'm not even kidding (i know... i've come this far...): i honestly think the food makes the difference. not the person you're dating and are spending some time with, mind. because that's obviously totally insignificant. all that matters is: how's that pasta, al dente? and that cake? is it nice and moist? chocolatey? yeah, you got it, i'm food centered and superficial. or maybe i'm just easy to please. also, quite disenchanted. you knew that, right?

but anyway, isn't the main goal of a date to enjoy yourself? well, and i enjoy myself with good food. and i'm talking starter, main and dessert. not some 'pushing the salad around on the plate' and leave hungry... no, no. and i do believe it's legitimate, if not brutally realist, to do so. so - guys, you can get your notepads out at this point - the perfect (not just good) date would involve cheese, maybe. a really nice selection of proper cheese, some baguette, maybe a few grapes. and, hmm, i've also got a scenario for the perfect pick-up... but i'm already over-sharing again (duh... i was so vowing to improve...) - so for now that's it from the scarlett dating diaries. also, you need something to look forward to (i can hear you moan, there, in the last row! tut-tut...). sadly, since i'm not sharing the pick-up story now, there is no link to the recipe. shmeh. 

vegs with black olives

ingredients:

4 white asparagus

8 wild green asparagus

2 carrots

2 purple carrots

1 cup black olives, pitted

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 pinch maldon sea salt (don't use too much, the olives might be salty already)

directions:

heat water in a large saucepan, season with salt. in the meantime, wash the vegs. peel the carrots, and slice in thin, long stripes. blanch the vegs in this order (so you don't spoil their colors): the white asparagus (for 3-5 minutes), then the green asparagus (for 3 minutes), the orange carrots (for 3 minutes) and last but not least the purple carrots (also for 3 minutes). the water will turn completely purple, it's normal. cool down each veg individually in ice cold water. in the meantime, chop up the olives, finely, mince the garlic and combine with the olives and olive oil. season with some salt, if necessary. arrange the vegs on a plate and drizzle with the olives pesto.

satay roasted cauliflower

there is a huge mess in my living room. actually, scratch that: it's all over this entire place... well, the ex-files are finally to be closed, alas: the big moving out of the other part. it's probably indecent to be happy about this, right? sorry... forget i ever mentioned it. all i'm saying is: there might be a party around this house, like, very soon! bring your champagne flutes! actually, scratch that (again): i'll fill the tub with ice and beer. the more the merrier! 

until then: deal with the mess, scarlett. and focus. there is always the weekend to clean, mop, polish, rearrange, get everything back to point zero and feed your ocd...

on to cauliflower, a less slippery topic, that's for sure. whenever i feel i have no inspiration for dinner, i just roast up a cauliflower. and take it from there. this time around: satay sauce. goody-good.

satay roasted cauliflower

ingredients:

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tbsp. sesame oil

3 tbsp. peanut butter

3 tbsp. soy sauce

3 tbsp. water

1/2 lime, juice

1 piece ginger, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees c / 400 degrees f and place a baking sheet with parchment paper. brush the cauliflower florets with the sesame oil. scatter onto the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. in the meantime, combine the other ingredients in a large bowl to make the satay sauce. when the cauliflower is roasted, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. then pour the cauliflower in the bowl and toss to coat with the satay sauce. arrange on a plate and serve warm.

linguini with ramsons paste & roasted dandelion buds

a real forest feast! this past sunday, we went picking 'baerlauch' (called 'ramsons', 'bear garlic' or 'wild garlic', depending on where you live) in the nearby forest. now on baerlauch, we need a little excursus... i used to think it's available everywhere, around the world. but i was told otherwise... it's something utterly european, that's not native in the americas. sorry, guys! but, instead, you've got the 'ramps', which i would love to lay my hands on, as i believe roasting them must be amazing! sadly, it's not available around here in switzerland... so anyway... 

so yes, we went to pick baerlauch, tons of it, really, and brought it home. oh, the sweet joy of picking stuff in the spring woods, with a basket, and to breathe in the clean air. once home, we cleaned it, patted it dry gently and blended it together with the best extra virgin olive oil (from the provence) and the best sea salt (from the guérande) to make a smooth, pesto-like paste out of it: 'baerlauch paste', as we call it. or 'wild garlic oil' - if you want. 

now a whole lot of baerlauch can be rather overpowering, too spicey and too strong. so rather, you'll just use a dollop of the oil and mix it with the pasta of your choice. the rest went into sterilized glass jars, was covered with a layer of the olive oil and went in the fridge. there, it will keep for up to a year (if you make sure to keep covering it with a fresh layer of olive oil every time you use it). it's great in any salad dressing, salsa or sauce, really. it's a bit of my mom's secret; and she does make the best salad dressing.

and while we were at it, we also threw in some dandelion buds (yes, you read correctly...) that we fried, seasoned with a little sea salt and arranged over the pasta. it was a delicious, really surprising little meal, beyond comparison. i wish spring would last longer, so that we could have dandelions in every meal. but maybe, my hay fever (that i've only recently developed, it appears... ugh...) will be happy when either spring is over (sorry, guys, but this sneezing and  nose blowing and eyes running and itching... it kind of sucks...) or the rain is washing everything down. or i'll just keep on dreaming of a cold shower and want to scratch out my eyes all day, no problem. for as long as there a forest feast every day.

linguini with baerlauch (wild garlic / ramps) paste & roasted dandelion buds

for the ramsons paste:

3 cups ramsons leaves, cleaned and patted dry

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. sea salt

more olive oil to cover the paste

sterilized glass jars

clean the ramsons and pat it dry with paper towels (you'll need a lot of that). chop it up, coarsely, with a knife. put it in a food processor together with the oil and salt. blend until you have a smooth paste. season with more salt and add more oil if necessary. fill into sterile glass jars, fill up with a layer of olive oil and seal. put in the fridge and use to pimp your dressings, salsas, sauces, pasta, potatoes, vegs or sandwiches, even. just don't think about the bad breath, because 1) it's entirely worth it and 2) there is always bubble gum...

for the dandelion buds:

1 cup dandelion buds (really just pick the little buds at the bottom of the dandelions, between the leaves)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. fleur de sel

clean the dandelion buds, remove potential sturdy outer leaves and pat dry, thoroughly. heat the olive oil in a skillet, and when it's hot fry the dandelions for 2-3 minutes (they kind of make a popping sound as they go and explode a bit, which is fun to watch; the yellow flower part comes out a bit more after frying). season with fleuer de sel. 

cook pasta of your choice (we used linguini) in salted water al dente, put back into the saucepan (don't shake of excess water, as it will keep the pasta moist). add 1 tbsp. of the ramsons paste already, and stir to coat all the pasta. arrange on a plate, and sprinkle with some more of the green, delicious paste (but be gentle... it's very fragrant). add a few of the precious little dandelion buds and serve immediately. try (and fail...) not to become addicted. 

romanesco all' italiana

maybe i've got a writer's block... have i got writer's block? maybe. it's a sunday, it's beautiful weather, finally spring is here, the birds are chirping, the sky is blue, the sun is shining... i want to go outside, sit in the sun with my new tortoise shades and just enjoy this day. this afternoon we'll go search wild garlic (or is it called ramps?) and make some pesto! i hope you enjoy this sunday, too. 

this romanesco dish is so simple, yet transports you to a little street corner restaurant somewhere in italy.    roast the romanesco, to make it crispy and nutty in taste. the combination of lemon, anchovies (i know... sounds gross, but it just adds the little extra kick...) and capers can't be beat.  

romanesco all' italiana - with lemon, anchovies and capers

ingredients:

1 large romanesco

4 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 lemon, juice 

1/2 lemon, cut into slices (for roasting - to add flavor - and for decorating)

handful parsley, finely chopped

2 anchovies fillets (the ones that are stored in oil)

1 cup large caper apples

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees c / 400 degrees f and line a baking sheet with parchment. cut the romanesco into fillets (or roses, if you prefer), and brush it with 2 tbps. of the olive oil. sprinkle with maldon sea salt. roast for 20 minutes. slice half the lemon up into thin slices and place it on the pan, too. in the meantime, make the dressing: put the anchovies, the rest of the olive oil and the juice of half a lemon in a blender, pulse a few times to receive a creamy sauce. arrange the romanesco on a plate, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with some more maldon sea salt if necessary (be careful, the anchovies add saltiness, too) and add a few caper berries. sprinkle with some parsley to add a pop of colour. you can also decorate with the roasted lemon slices. serve warm or at room temperature. 

cinnamon rolls

readers who visit fork and flower (hi there, i like you!) sometimes come to the following conclusion: this girl clearly has a weakspot for both, salads and sweets. though i try hard to be versatile, i still admit that these are my two fall-back options. or survival foods, if you want. as a toddler and then as a kid, i used to love vegs (especially raw, which, frankly, probably was a blessing), and i used to love sweets (not that much of a blessing, but a good balance) - and not much else. quite a limited diet, one might assume. but you can really live well on the salads and sweet diet, i'm assuring you. and it's versatile, too.

cinnamon rolls

ingredients:

500 g flour

200 ml warm milk + some more (to dissolve the yeast)

50 g butter

70g sugar + 1 more pinch (for the dissolved yeast)

1 cube active yeast (30 g)

1 egg + some water

filling:

50 g butter

100 g sugar

3 tbsp. cinnamon

directions: 

melt the butter and the milk in a saucepan, then put aside (it should be warm not hot). combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. make a well in it. with some more milk (about 5 tbsp), dissolve the yeast and add a pinch of sugar. pour the yeast with the milk into the well, and cover with a bit of the flour. let sit for 15 minutes, until the yeast forms first tiny bubbles. only then, add the warm milk and butter to the well. work from the sides in to shape it into a dough. knead it for at least ten minutes (by hand or with a mixer). the secret to a good yeasted dough is that it's got to be moist and slightly sticky, but not too much so. add more milk or more flour, depending on consistency. now cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm space for at least an hour.

note: if you want to stop the rising process for later use of the dough, put it in the fridge.

preheat the oven to 180 degrees c / 360 degrees f. knead the dough together and roll it into a longish square of about 1cm thickness on a floured work surface. melt the butter and brush it amply onto the dough square. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, generously. now roll the dough up, from the long side (breadth) up. don't roll it too tight or the buns will stick out on the top after baking. cut carefully into 2 cm wide slices. lay them on a baking sheet with parchment paper, with the cut side down. let sit and rise for another 30 minutes, covered under a towel. then brush with egg wash and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. let cool and, if desired, make a simple glaze out of a splash of water and a cup of confectioners' sugar (i like mine sans, because it's definitely sweet enough as is, and i kind of like to see the snakey bun swirls).

sauteed artichokes & peas with fennel seeds

okay, serious case of acute sex and the city longing around here..! today we discussed the sweetest of all sinful and (admittedly often pointless) entertainment: watching series. apparently, there are a few 'must see' (or so people say...) series on the screen. to name a few: true blood, homeland, breaking bad, mad men, girls... to only name a few (note: i'm fully aware you probably know better than me what's up). yup, i never watched any of these, ever. so why do i know they're not for me? duh, they just don't tickle my... mojo? somewhere. so i just know it without ever having to watch a trailer, let alone season one, episode one. so instead, i'm missing carrie, charlotte, miranda and samantha, their tacky, fun, incomparable adventures, their style and of course their sense of humor. it's tough to live without them. sometimes i don't know how we all cope without our daily dose of new york city madness... and i've thought about founding a 'like if you want satc back' facebook page - but then i stopped, because... okay so sjp is probably a little over it. so i mourn, and i guess i could just leave it at that and never watch any other series instead, in fear of being disappointed. but then again, life is change, right? or at least, there's always the hope that some producer gods come up with a new, fabulous and shiny girls-suitable and fabulous series, that is there to comfort us, cheer us up, give us company and make us laugh, to support us and give us something to look forward to (haha, yeah, not too much to ask, right?). you'd really make a lot of us happy, you know, lord of the series? 

on another, more positive, grown-up and in-the-now note, the best things in spring are definitely the first, fresh, sweet little peas. they're like a gift from heaven. i love to pod them freshly before cooking. and i love that they're usually bigger and more firm than the ones you can buy frozen. what i find so funny is that many people don't know what real peas look like. guys, honestly...! that's what peas look like when they don't come in a plastic bag out of the freezer. you have me in stitches, really.

on yet another note, my 'eat healthy food' plan is going so-so... partially great, even, as i made myself a really fresh and healthy dinner of blanched vegs with a black olives pesto and a bowl full of blueberries. and then i ate half a chocolate bar (i'm smearing the chocolate all over the mouse pad as i type...). not that i find the main course part hard, it's not really a big change to what i usually cook. band there is nothing to say about a little sin, either. i just realized it will be so hard to eat less sugar... and milk! gee, i sure love me my yoghurt in the morning. i totally accept almond milk or soy milk in porridge... but yoghurt? has got to be real milk, is what i say... ugh... life's challenges. all induced by myself, no less, so i can't even be mad on anyone! how do i channel my inner vegan, then? any ideas?

sauteed artichokes and peas

ingredients:

6 purple baby artichokes

2 cups fresh or frozen peas

1 cup cherry tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. fennel seeds

4 tbsp. noilly prat

1 cup good vegetable broth

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

directions: 

remove the outer leaves of the artichokes, half them and remove the inner 'hay' with a knife. place in cold water with the lemon juice in it, to prevent from turning brown. heat the olive oil in a skillet or wok. pat dry the artichokes and fry them until golden-brown for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. add the noilly prat, garlic, zest and fennel seeds and wait until the liquid is reduced. then add the vegetable broth and peas and sautee for 2 minutes, until the peas are tender but with a bite. throw in the tomatoes, heat through and season with salt. sprinkle with the parsley and serve warm or cold

asparagus with poached eggs

it's really surprising how in times of hardship you get to appreciate the tiny, tiny things, that you normally wouldn't even really reacognize... within the last few days, i have encountered minor (or major, as i see them now, with my new eyes) blessings. because when you are in a dark place, where everything seems challenging and bumpy, it's easy to expect the worst in everything. and sometimes, the worst things will happen, simply because you were expecting them (self-fulfilling prophecies and all? i believe in it... though i must add i'm not a firm believer of the 'i order xyz in the universe'... it's not my technique. that's rather what i'd call wishful thinking. but still, your thoughts lead the way, so steer clear of the negative, is what i live by for sure). but in all this darkness of the past few months, a few things took unexpected turns... 

you know, i'm surprising myself, more and more... there used to be this insecure (you have no idea how...) little me - and now i'm stronger than ever. it's not a cliche or anything, it's true. for whatever reason (and sweet jesus i don't ask twice) i feel good. not a 'good' the way you answer the upteenth flowery phrase 'how are you?'. but actually and honestly fine, despite or maybe because of the challenges i was offered in life. those challenges make me me feel more alive, more aware and more thankful. and despite of everytthing, i'm strangely happy. when i look closely, and stop to take a deep breath, i find that actually a lot of things still just feel right in my life. i feel relieved, in some ways.

maybe it's true, that thoughts lead the way, and actions will follow. it certainly seems that way. looks like it pays off to be positive. for that i'm eternally grateful. also, that i didn't end up hiding in the desert the way i sometimes felt like doing... i would have missed my daily chocolate fix (just think about chocolate in the desert heat... right, pretty much what nightmares are made of...).

asparagus with poached eggs

ingredients:
1 kg green asparagus, ends trimmed
4 eggs
3 tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 cup  parsley, finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. maldon sea salt

directions:

blanch the asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes in boiling water, drain and cool under the running water. in the meantime, heat a large saucepan with water. add the vinegar. make sure the water isn't boiling (with bubbles) as it will cause the eggs to 'break'. take a small bowl (i.e. a breakfast cereal bowl) to crack the egg into. now, slide each egg carefully from the bowl into the hot (not boiling) water (note: the bowl helps the eggs to stay more compact than when you crack them into the water directly). carefully create a circular movement in the water with a wooden spoon - if for example the eggwhites are drifting off, you can bring them back together like that. poach for about 3 minutes, until the eggwhites are white and solid. remove carefully with a sieve. place on some paper towel for the excess water to be soaked up. make a dressing with the parsley, scallion, olive oil and sea salt. arrange the asparagus on a plate, drizzle over the dressing and top with the eggs, crushing them in parts so that the still liquid center runs out. serve while the eggs are still warm (or later, as i found it was also good enjoyed cold).

strawberry shortcakes

strawberry shortcakes. doesn't it sound so tempting? i'm a sucker for layered stuff, anyway. plus i'm obsessed with scones. so natrually, i fell for these. the result is a not-too-sweet, springlike, rustic but still somewhat refined little treat. my rating: best quick dessert ever. do you think it would be good with something else sandwiched in between two scones halves? i'm thinking maybe the chocolate butter (okay, i'm being a very bad girl today...). or how about a rhubarb compote? or ice cream! yes, definitely next on my list... the first hot (i'm not implying it has to be the temperature, ahem) night will come with some ice cram shortcakes. oh, thank heavens for temptations! and let's enjoy them, shall we?

strawberry shortcakes

ingredients:

350 g flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch salt
(maybe 1 tbsp. sugar)
100 g cold butter
120 ml milk (or buttermilk - which i used)
200 ml cream
2 tbsp. vanilla sugar
500 g strawberries, in slices

directions:
preheat the oven to 180 degrees c (360 degrees f) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar (if desired). rub the butter into the flour, working quickly (i was told this is very important with scones making...). and yes: use your hands. add the milk and combine it to a soft, bread-like dough. form into a ball, lightly press it flat into a circle. cut it into cake-like pieces. bake for 15 to 17 minutes (15 were perfect for me). remove and leave to cool completely.

whip the cream together with the vanilla sugar. clean and slice the strawberries. half each scone, smear some whipped cream onto it, carefully decorate with strawberries and top with the bottom part of the scone.