Happy New Year 2019!

Happy Sunday everyone!

No new recipe today, I just would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year 2019!

Thank you all for supporting my little blog and to all those who always leave a lovely comment, I really appreciate it, always puts a smile on my face!

If you are still looking for a tasty appetizer or snack for New Years Eve, these Spinach and Cheese Dip Bites might be just the perfect thing!

 

Here are some of my favorite recipes from 2018:

Pictures from my trip to Switzerland during Summer:

 

Looking forward to sharing new recipes in the New Year!

Love,

Ursula

 

Follow me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Sweet Almond Buns

Hi there, happy Wednesday!

I was planning on making my Almond Croissants, using up some almonds I have left from Christmas baking, and I like to try out some new recipes or just play with ingredients a little. For this recipe I used only white Spelt flour and used coconut oil instead of butter. The yeast dough turned out pretty nice, maybe a little to soft to work with. After rolling it out and spreading with the nut filling, it was a little tricky to roll it up and did not stay nicely in shape, thaaats when I had to improvise a little and just turned them into little knots/buns, lol:)

Anyways…they are delicious. The dairy-free yeast dough is really nice and soft.

 

Sweet Almond Buns

Sweet yeast dough and almond filling:

Please refer to the following link for recipe and instructions.

Almond Croissants

• Using: 300 g white Spelt flour, instead of all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted, instead of butter

(I should mention again that I write down milk in my recipes but I usually use cashew, almond or coconut milk.)

-Once you rolled them into croissants, form them into little knots/buns.

These are dairy-free and refined sugar-free.

 

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

You can find me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peach Tart

Simple, rustic, delicious fruit tarts, in this case I used peaches. Niagara peaches are in season now and they are so yummy. Of course I had to make some kind of dessert!

This is how you make pies in Switzerland. It is the Swiss version of North American pies I guess;) I just like to call it a tart, rather. This is a very traditional “meal” in Switzerland, documents writing about tarts dating back to as early as 1556!

Easy pie crust filled with either fruit, veggies, cheese or meat. I slightly changed the usual crust, adding some ground almonds. We also add some ground nuts onto the crust before adding the fruit to absorb some juice while baking. And maybe the filling is different as well, a egg-milk-sugar filling.

 

 

 

 

Delicious Niagara Peaches

 

Peach Tart

Pie dough:

• 100 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 100 g almonds, ground
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 85 g butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp honey
• 4-5 tbsp cold water

-In a small bowl mix together flour, almond, salt and honey, add the butter and mix with your hands until resembles fine crumbs. Add the cold water and knead quickly until dough holds together. Wrap into plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Filling:

• 5-6 peaches thinly cut into slices
• 100 ml milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp honey
• optional: cinnamon, vanilla sugar or extract
• 2 tbsp ground almonds or hazelnuts

-Whisk together milk, egg and honey.

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease a 8 or 9-inch pie form.

-Roll out dough and put into prepared form. Sprinkle the nuts onto the dough then add/layer the peach slices. Pour milk-egg-honey filling over the fruit.

-Bake for about 45 minutes or crust is golden brown and liquid is set. Enjoy warm with some vanilla ice cream or let cool completely.

 

 

Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Ursula

 

 

You can find me on Instagram: @littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

Peach-Crumble-Cake/ Pfirsich-Streuselkuchen

Here is another Streusel cake I’ve made. You can find my Apple-Crumb-Cake here: Apple-Crumb-Cake/ Apfelstreuselkuchen. With all the amazing summer fruits and berries in season now, we just had to have another Streuselkuchen:) This time I used peaches and it was so good. It is not quit the same recipe as the Apple-Crumb-Cake, I think it was even better:)

My kids are having their long summer vacation now, that means we have more time to do things together like baking! These are some of the things my daughter and I’ve created so far;)

Maple-Almond-Buns

Giant Cinnamon Bun Cake

Strawberry-Banana-Pops

 

 

My Peach-Crumble-Cake/Pfirsich-Streuselkuchen

 

Peach-Crumble-Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 120 g honey
• 2 pk vanilla sugar or 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 100 g butter, soft
• 250 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• about 600 g peach slices

Streusel:

• 250 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 120 g honey
• 150 g butter, soft
• 1 pk vanilla sugar or 1 tbsp vanilla extract

-Line a 9×13-inch (23x32cm) baking dish with parchment paper.

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

-Cream together eggs, honey, vanilla sugar and butter. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to wet ingredients, mix well.

-For the Streusel: mix flour, honey, butter and vanilla sugar until crumbly.

-Fill batter into prepared baking dish. Top with peach slices and then cover with the Streusel.

-Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Tip: I’ve used frozen peaches from last summer, just left them to thaw a bit.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

You can find me on Instagram: @littleswisslittlecanadian

 

Black Cherry Cinnamon Buns

Happy weekend everyone!

Have I ever mentioned that I love cinnamon buns?! Well, there is just something about it, I can’t help it. In Switzerland we make cinnamon buns with a hazelnut filling, which is amazingly good;) Checking online you can find cinnamon buns with all kinds of fillings and crazy toppings! It is certainly a treat to be indulged once in a while only-wright?

My husband and I have some trouble digesting wheat products. I personally had to cut back on eating bread (sniff) and pasta. We seem to have less problems mixing white or whole wheat flour with a greater amount of spelt flour, especially for breads and quiches.

Summer is such a great time for many reasons but also for all the berries that are growing. We have strawberries, raspberries, red currants, black currants, gooseberries, cherries, plums and apples in our garden. For now everything is growing great, except the black currants, plums and cherries, (well, there is one cherry growing! LOL) because of frost.

These cherry cinnamon buns were so good. It definitely makes it easier and quicker using frozen pitted cherries. Soft dough and sweet fruity cherry filling-yum!

 

 

You can find the sweet yeast dough recipe here: Almond Croissants I just changed the flour ingredients to 100g spelt flour and 200g unbleached all-purpose flour.

 

Black Cherry Cinnamon Buns

Yields: about 8

Sweet yeast dough:

Almond Croissants

 

Black Cherry Filling:

• 300 g frozen black cherries
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

-In a small saucepan mix all ingredients together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

-Remove from heat. Let cool completely.

 

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease a baking dish or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

-On a floured surface roll out dough into a rectangle. Spread cherry filling evenly, leaving a 2 cm space from the outside. Roll up gently, this might get a bit messy, and cut into even rolls. Carefully place onto prepared dish or sheet. Cover and let rise again.

-Bake for about 30 minutes or golden brown.

-I glazed the still warm buns with a mix of honey and milk. You could use icing sugar mixed with milk. Use a traditional cinnamon bun icing if desired.

 

Recipe by: a little Swiss, a little Canadian

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

You can find me on Instagram: @littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Shortcake Cups

This has been a bit of a crazy week. My teenage son injured himself on his hip during a track and field race at school. Brought to the emergency by ambulance was his first and hopefully last time…Lucky he does not need surgery for his torn tendon and small broken piece of bone. Takes about 6-8 weeks to heal. But I have to say, he is taking it very bravely and is making the best out of it! So proud:)

For Fathersday my daughter made some strawberry cream cheese cookies, (so good!), and I made these Strawberry Shortcake Cups. These are so simple to make and taste amazing!

Ontario Strawberries

 

I’ve made the cake dairy free and refined sugar free and used the thick part of the coconut milk instead of whipped cream. That was not planned but I ran out of real cream and I usually have coconut milk at home, so…it was really good:)

 

Strawberry Shortcake Cups

Yields: about 8

Cake:

• 2/3 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or butter), melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cashew milk (or dairy)

 

-about 200 ml (for 4 cups) coconut cream or whipped cream

-Strawberries

 

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

-Cream together sugar, egg and coconut oil. Mix in vanilla and salt. Mix together flour and baking powder and add, alternating with the milk, to the egg mixture. Do not overmix.

-Fill in greased baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool completely.

-To assemble: Layer cups with cake pieces, strawberry slices and whipped cream, to your liking.

–There will be cake left. I’ve made only 4 cups, but I think I would have been able to make another 4 cups.–

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

 

You can find me on Instagram @littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Cake

We`ve been having very nice and warm days, with some thunderstorms in between, but overall we can`t complain. I really enjoy the warmer weather!!

I truly love lemons; in my morning water, in desserts, and just the bright yellow color:) I have made this refreshing, lemony cake many times before, it is so yummy!

 

The lemon balm is from my herb garden, which I have been passionately taken care of for many years now:) I love smelling and using all the different herbs;)

Recipe is adapted from: the best of milk calendar recipes, Desserts&Entertaining

 Lemon Cake

• 1 ⁄ 2 cup butter
• 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ⁄4 cup plain yogurt
• grated rind of 2 medium organic lemons
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup fresh lemon juice

-Preheat oven to 350F ⁄180C. Grease and flour a 10-inch (3 L) Bundt pan or 13X9-inch (3 L) cake pan.

-In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with 2 cups of the sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, yogurt and lemon rind.

-In a separate bowl, stir flour with baking powder. Stir into egg mixture alternating with milk.

-Spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 50 min. or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.

-Stir remaining sugar with the lemon juice until dissolved. Invert cake onto rimmed plate then, using a toothpick, poke 1-inch deep holes in top. Drizzle lemon mixture over cake. Let cool.

 

— I did use coconut sugar for the cake batter and a lemon and honey mixture to drizzle. Decorate with fresh lemon balm and lemons.–

 

Enjoy!

 

Ursula

 

 

You can find me on Instagram: @littleswisslittecanadian

 

 

 

Bee Sting Cake/Bienenstich

Hi there, I am finally back! I’ve had a wonderful trip to Switzerland-visiting my family, I really really enjoyed it:)

I thought you might like to see some photos I took:

 

Lake Thun

Eiger, Moench, Jungfraujoch

Beatenbucht, Lake Thun

Schloss/Castle Schoenau

Spitzbub Cookie

Nussgipfel

Bienenstich/Bee Sting Cake

Seeing all the yummy stuff over there, I thought of making Bienenstich, Bee Sting Cake. A famous German Cake.

 

Bienenstich

Yeast Dough

• 250 g all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar or honey
• 50 g soft butter
• 1 tbsp quick instant yeast
• 200 ml milk, warm
• 1 egg

For the topping:

• 50 g butter
• 2-3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp milk
• 100 g almond shavings

Vanilla Pastry Cream:

• 3 tbsp corn starch
• 400 ml milk
• 3 tbsp sugar or honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 vanilla pod

For the dough: In a bowl mix together flour, salt, sugar, add butter and mix well. Add Yeast, milk and egg. Knead dough well until smooth dough forms. Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size.

For the Almond topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together butter, honey, milk and almonds until warm, remove from heat.

For the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan mix together, and bring the milk, corn starch, sugar, egg and vanilla pod to a boil, while whisking. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap touching the cream to prevent a “skin” forming on top. Let cool down a bit then put in the fridge until set.

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C. You can use a round cake pan or a square pan.  Line with parchment paper.

-Roll out dough to fit the pan, let rise again. Cover with almond topping and bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

-Cut cake in half. Spread pastry cream on bottom then cover with top. Cut in desired slices. Store in Refrigerator.

 

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

Follow me on Instagram: #littleswisslittlecanadian

Maple Coconut Tarts

Happy weekend everyone!! My kids had a week off from school for Spring (March) Break. Unfortunately the weather did not turn out to be so great…in other words, winter returned! For most of the week it was snowing and cold.

Anyway I found another way of using Maple Syrup in a recipe…I promise I will stop soon, but it is still the season right!;) These Coconut Tarts were soooooo good! I will definitely make these again soon.

Use with your favorite pastry. Makes enough filling for 7 tarts. I will add the pastry I used.

 

Maple Coconut Tarts

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup coconut, shredded, unsweetened

 

-Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Grease 7 muffin tins and line with your favorite pastry.

-In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together well. Fill in prepared tart shells only 3/4 full. Bake at 400F/200C for 15 minutes.

 

 

Following recipe is adapted from my 1985 Betty Bossi book “Dessert Traeume”.

Pastry

• 125 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 3 tbsp honey or sugar
• 50 g butter, cold, cut in small pieces
• 50 g coconut, shredded, unsweetened
• 1 egg

-Mix flour, salt and honey or sugar. Add butter pieces and using your hands rub everything together until it resembles fine crumbs. Mix in coconuts then add the egg and mix everything well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

-On a floured surface roll out dough and cut out circles to fit 7 muffin moulds.

 

Coconut Dream!!

 

Enjoy!

 

You can find me on Instagram: #littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Lovely Blog Award

 

 

This has been a week full of surprises! I was nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by Bernadine from Bern Bakes!!!

Thank you very much, I truly appreciate it:) Make sure you check out her amazing blog!!! You’ll find delicious sweets and treats:)

https://bernbakes.wordpress.com

 

Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you and leave a link to their blog.
• Post about the award.
• Share 7 facts about yourself.
• Nominate at most 15 people.
• Tell your nominees the good news!

 

7 Facts About Me:

1. I love trying out new recipes from around the world.
2. Nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread or other baked goodies:)
3. I love cook/baking books and magazines (or blogs). I can look through those for hours;)
4. I make cold process soap that look like cakes and cupcakes.
5. Another hobby of mine is calligraphy writing and drawing.
6. I prefer warm over cold temperatures.
7. I like to make my own natural face masks, salves, etc.

 

My Nominees:

• The Cooking Spoon
• Snapshotsincursive
• Eartha Cooks
• ruffles&macarons
• coniferes&feuillus
• lili’s cakes
• Baking with Soul
• the dutch baker
• ice and lettuce
• Frugal Hausfrau
• drizzledsite
• Teasty Eats Ronit Penso
• L.E.E. Bakers
• Real Food, Simple Life
• The Misfit Baker

 

Thanks again! And congratulations to the nominees!