Most beautiful Biscuits for upcoming Festive Seasons

Did you start planning what to make for Holidays? Biscuits can be baked a few weeks in advance; some of them are even better after 'resting time'. Here are links for all my recipes for biscuits, slices and other festive cakes. Enjoy!

Jeste li otpočeli planirati šta da servirate za predstojeće praznike? Keksici se mogu pripremiti nekoliko sedmica prije praznika; neki od njih su cak bolji nakon 'odlezanog vremena'.  Evo linkova za sve moje recepte keksića i rezanih kolačića. Uživajte!

 Chocolate Hazelnut meringues

 Peanut Butter filled biscuits

 Jewels in white chocolate

 Caramel, Macadamia and Hazelnuts slice

  Green Tea Biscuits

   Lebkuchen Harts

  Parachuters

  10 Minutes Truffles

Raffaello Truffles 

 Quick Mini Strudels

 Chocolate Cherry Beauties 

  Little Peaches

   Chocolate Roses

 'Zimtsterne' 

 Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Biscuits 

 Coconut biscuits 

 Honey nuts / medenjaci 

 Poppy Seeds Spirals 

 Shortbread Bells 

 Wiener Poppy Seed Cake 

Paws 

  Lebkuchen slice  (Medeno srce)

Gingerbread Dough 

 Sesame Wafers 

 Lemon Curd filled biscuits

 Anzac Biscuits

 Choco-mint slice

  Gingerbread dough

 

Gingerbread House with 'Glass' Windows (and Light)

 Two-toned coffee biscuits

 Lemon slices

 Shortbread

 Waffle, caramel and walnuts slice

 Chocolate eggs / Easter Cupcakes

 Jaffa Cupcakes

 Date and oat crumb squares

 Mississippi Mud slice

 Parisian Pastry

 Carob Slices

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

Apricot and Coconut Truffles

Bosnian Pot

It was beginning  of October when we returned to my birth town. Weather was still warm, and my parents' garden full of vegetarian goodness. Much loved 'Bosnian Pot' was waiting for us at the table - my mom's creation. According to Wikipedia -" Bosnian Pot (Bosanski Lonac) is an authentic Bosnian culinary speciality, appreciated for its rich taste and flexibility. It is impossible to define the recipe for Bosanski lonac, as there are many variations, but the main ingredients are mostly the same: meat and various vegetables."

Traditionally, it's made in a clay pot, cooked slowly using any vegetable / meat available at the time. 

Some sources show that this kind of food was first created by Bosnian miners, who would dig a hole in ground before their shift, make fire, layer large earthenware pots with chunky cut vegetables and some meat and leave it for 8 hours while they're underground doing their job. The dish became very popular for it's flexibility, 'no attending time' and taste. 

I like Bosnian Pot with lots of potatoes, cabbage, lamb and beef and flavoured with parsley and garlic.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil

2 onions, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped 

1/2 kg lamb with bones

1/2 kg beef, chunks

carrots, parsnip, celery

tomatoes (4-6)

6-8 potatoes

2 capsicums

1 eggplant

1/2 small cabage

8-10 black pepper corns  (whole)

Paprika and bay leaves (optional)

salt  / vegetable stock powder

2 dl white whine or water

parsley leaves and crushed garlic for topping

Method: 

Heat oil in a large pot. Layer all chunky cut vegetables and meat according to your likings. Put all spices and wine on top, cover tightly and leave to cook slow for few hours. Garnish with parsley and garlic when served.

Bosanski Lonac

Bio je pocetak oktobra kad smo se vratili u moj rodni kraj. Vrijeme je jos uvijek bilo toplo, a basta mojih roditelja puna vegetarijanske dobrote. Veoma zeljen Bosanski Lonac nas je cekao na stolu - kreacija moje mame.

Prema 'Wikipediji': "Bosanski Lonac je autenticna Bosanska kulinarska specijalnost, cijenjena zbog bogatog ukusa i fleksibilnosti u spremanju. Nemoguce je dati tacan recept za Bosanski Lonac, posto postoje mnoge varijacije, ali glavni sastojci su uglavnom meso i razlicito povrce."

Tradicionalno. ovo je jelo pripremano u zemljanim posudama, krckajuci dugo na nizim temperaturama i koristeci bilo koje povrce i meso koje je dostupno.

Prema nekim izvorima, rudari su bili prvi koji su pripremali ovakvu vrstu hrane. Kopali bi rupe u zemlji prije odlaska u rudnik, lozili vatru, slozili slojeve krupno rezanog mesa i povrca u zemljanim posudama i ostavljali ih pokrivene 8 sati  da kckaju (za vrijeme radnog vremena).

Ovakav nacin kuhanja je postao popularan sirom Bosne iz vise razloga - fleksibilnost u namirnicama, nema potrebe za nadziranjem, kao i ukus.

Ja licno ga volim sa mnogo krompira, kupusa i mjesavinu jagnjetine i govedine, zacinjenu persinom i bijelim lukom.

Sastojci:

1/4 solje ulja

2 crvena luka, sjeckana

3-4 cena bijelog luka

1/2 kg jagnjetine s kostima

1/2 kg govedine, veci komadi

mrkva, persun, celer

paradajz (4-6)

6-8 krompira

2 parike

1 patlidzan

1/2 manjeg kupusa

8-10 zrna crnog bibera

mljevena crvena parika i lovor (po zelji)\

so / vegeta

2 dl bijelog vina ili vode 

lisce persuna i protisnuti bijeli luk za serviranje

Nacin:

Zagrijte ulje u vecoj posudi (sa poklopcem), dodajte slojeve krupno rezanog povrca i mesa. Ubacite zacine i zalijte vinom / vodom. Poklopite i krckajte nekoliko sati. Pri sluzenju pospite persunovim liscem i protisnutim bijelim lukom.

Robinson's Ushtiptci ('Uštipci')...back on the road through Bosnia

Modrac Lake  near Tuzla/ Jezero Modrac kod Tuzle

On our way back home to Brcko (from Montenegro) , we stopped on Modrac lake to meet my hubby's cousin and his family. They took us to a restaurant called Robinson. It looked very rustic, like real place of Robinson Cruso - all built with wood and palm leaves; there was even a ship placed on the side of lake, to  make the whole story believable.

For dinner we had great platter of local fish and some much-loved ushtiptci. I got more than I bargained for; a huge hornet flu into my glass, so I got another (small) bottle of wine for free.

Ushtiptci / Uštipci

Upper row SR flour, Lower row Yeasted dough 

Gornje su sa praskom za pecivo, donje sa kvascem

Ushtiptci are basically fried bread dough; kind-of  savoury version of doughnuts They're usually eaten for breakfast, as snack or  as entree served with sour cream and cheese.

Any plain (white bread) dough can be used - proven dough is cut, stretched and fried in hot oil.

For a quick method, self raising flour and yogurt is mixed with sparkling water, rolled, cut and fried.

I prefer more ones with yeasted dough .

Ingredients ( for quick ones with SR flour)

2 cups SR flour 

1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk

1 tsp salt

sparkling water (cca 1/2 cup); or plain water with a tsp of vinegar

Oil for frying

Method:

Mix all ingredients; knead slightly. Dust working surface and roll out the dough to thickness of 1,5 cm. Cut into squares (or other shapes) and fry on medium high both sides, a couple at a time (oil must be deep enough - at least 3 cm). Repeat with the rest.

Sprinkle with salt (optional) and enjoy while warm.

Restaurant 'Robinson'

Na putu nazad u Brčko (iz Crne Gore), zaustavili smo se na Modračkom jezeru da se nadjemo sa dragim rodjacima. Odveli su nas u restoran 'Robinson'. Restoran je izgledao veoma rusticno, bas kao pravo Robinzonovo mjesto. Sagradjen je od drveta i palminog lisca, cak je i jedan jedrenjak bio postavljen na obali jezera, kako bi cijeli dozivljaj bio sto ubjedljiviji.

Za veceru smo imali ogromnu servu lokalne ribe, a za predjelo ustipke. Ja sam dobila vise nego sam narucila - u vino mi je uletio ogroman strsljen, tako da su mi donijeli jos jednu (malu) bocu vina.

U Bosni se ustipci prave na 2 osnovna nacina - Bilo koje tijesto za bijeli hljeb / kruh moze biti upotrijebljeno (odrezano /otkinuto i isprzeno), ili se umijesi brzo tijesto sa praskom za pecivo. Uvijek se serviraju sa kajmakom (i sirom) .

Evo recepta za ovu brzu verziju!

Potrebno:

2 solje brasna sa praskom za pecivo (samodizajuce)

1/4 solje jogurta ili tecnog kiselog mlijeka

1 k soli

oko 1/2 solje kisele vode (ili obicna voda sa 1 k sirceta)

ulje za przenje

Nacin:

Umijesite tijesto, razvaljajte ga na 1,5 cm i izrezite na zeljene oblike. Przite u srednje vrelom ulju (mora biti bar 3 cm duboko) obje strane. Pospite sa malo soli (po zelji) i servirajte toplo.

Hornet in my glass / Stršljen u mom vinu

'Parachuters' (Padobranci) - Macaroons of Balkan

This is one of favourite desserts in Balkans. Very similar to Macaroons...

Ingredients:

Macaroons-

4 egg whites

220 g icing sugar

200 g ground walnuts

2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

1 tbs corn flour (or fine biscuit crumbs)

Cream-

100 g butter, soft

100 g icing sugar

2 yolks

50 g chocolate, melted

Method:

Beat egg whites until soft peak forms; add sugar, spoon by spoon. Beat until sugar dissolved and egg whites thick. Fold in lemon juice, corn flour, walnuts  and corn flour.

Preheat oven to 150*C; line biscuit tins with baking paper (or al - foil).

Pipe or spoon meringue into little circles, with some space between them. Bake / dry for 1 hour; switch oven off and let macaroons cool inside ajared oven.

For cream; beat butter, sugar and yolks until thick and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, mix well.

When macaroons are cooled, place some of cream on one and top with another-one. 

Keep in a cool, dry spot.

Padobranci

Potrebno:

Puslice-

4 bjelanca

220 gr secera u prahu

200 gr mljevenih oraha

2 k soka limuna ili sirce

1 K 'Gustina' ili mrvica  obicnog keksa

Krema-

100 gr maslaca, omeklsalog

100 gr secera u prahu

2 zumanca

50 gr cokolade, otopljene

Nacin:

Umutite bjelanca u cvrst snijeg, dodajte kasiku po kasiku secera i limunov sok. Umutite dobro, zatim dodajte ostale sastojke, rucno mijesajuci. 

Ukljucite renu na 150*C, pripremite plehove, oblozite ih papirom za pecenje ili al- folijom.

Kasicicom ili pomocu slasticarske vrecice nanesite male hrpice umucene smjese, pazeci da ostavite razmak izmedju njih.

Susite oko 1 sat, iskljucite rernu i ostavite odskrinutu da se padobranci ohlade u njoj.

Za kremu, umutite secer sa maslacem i zumancima u gustu smjesu. Dodajte cokoladu i dobro promijesajte. 

Sastavljajte po dva padobranca sa ovom smjesom.

Drzite na hladnom i suhom mjestu.

Montenegro and Njegus pizza

Through Montenegro 

Njegus Pizza

During my  travelling in September and October, I was most looking forward to visiting Podgorica, capital of Montenegro. I spent a few years of my childhood  there, starting primary school and carrying best memories from that city (it was called Titograd at that time).

On our way (from Korcula to Podgorica) scenery was unforgettable; especially around Boka Kotorska.

We stopped in a small city called Morinj for lunch. The restaurant ('Catovica Mlini') was set in an old mill with beautiful surroundings. The owner obviously had great eye for details and didn't mind spending a lot of money to fulfil his dream.

We arrived in Podgorica in the afternoon, had a quick shower and got out for an evening walk. I enjoyed seeing this beautiful city and sensing the smells from old conifer trees and Moracha river.

For dinner we had 'Njegus pizza' - with fresh local toppings like Njeguska prsuta, Montenegrin kajmak and olives. (Njegusi is a village where Petar Petrovic Njegos, great poet and philosopher of Montenegro  was born. I don't know if pizza got the name from that village and it's prosciutto, or from famous poet.)

Ingredients:

Pizza base

Passata (tomato sauce)

Oregano 

Prosciutto

'Kajmak' (very heavy cream-cheese-like salty spread)

Olives

Tomatoes

Method: 

Spread passata onto base, sprinkle with oregano; bake for 10-15 minutes. Place fresh ingredients on top, cut into wedges and enjoy!

Boka Kotorska

Restaurant  'Catovica Mlini' (Morinj) 

Podgorica

Crna Gora i Njeguševa Pizza

Za vrijeme moga putovanja u septembru i oktobru, najvise sam se radovala posjeti Podgorice. Tamo sam provela nekoliko sretnih godina moga djetinjstva, krenula u skolu i ponijela sa sobom divne uspomene. Tada se Podgorica zvala Titograd.

Prirodne ljepote (od Korcule do Podgorice) su bile nezaboravne, posebno oko Boke Kotorske. Zaustavili smo se u Morinju, nabasavsi na tablu na kojoj je pisalo Konoba 'Catovica mlini'. Bio je to restoran postavljen na divnom imanju nekadasnjeg mlinara. Sadasnji vlasnik ocito ima mnogo smisla za detalje i ne zali novac na izgradnju njegovih snova.

U Podgoricu smo stigli predvece, na brzinu se istusirali  i izasli u vecernju setnju. Uzivala sam gledajuci ovaj lijepi grad, i udisuci mirise starih cempresa i Morace.

Za veceru smo narucili "Njegusevu picu', sa lokalnim proizvodima: Njeguska prsuta, Pljevljanski kajmak i crne masline. (Njegusi su mjesto gdje je poznati Petar Petrovic Njegos bio rodjen. Nisam sigurna je li pica dobila ime po selu i prsuti ili po slavnom poeti i filozofu.)

Sastojci:

Pica podloga

Pasata / paradajz sos

Origano

Prsuta

Crnogorski kajmak (oko 60-70% masnoce, zasoljen)

Crne masline 

Paradajz

Nacin:

Premazite podlogu paradajz sosem, pospite origanom i ispecite. Postavite svjese ostale sastojke po povrsini, isjecite i uzivajte.