As we are getting closer to Easter I was wondering what kind of recipe I should prepare for you, dear Readers. If you take a look at the archives you can find the recipe of stuffed eggs or the challah which goes very well with braised ham, that we usually have at Easter.
However this time I was looking for something different and some unexpected accidents led me to the solution.
In our orchard our fruit trees are blooming one after the other one, and now I already know the order by heart. First blooms the cherry plum than apricot which is followed by the cherry, sour cherry, then apples and pear. The nut trees close the period, that only open their first leaves right now. I am watering our radishes with full enthusiasm, because I learnt from my neighbour that they needs a lot of water to produce the right taste and texture. To be able to eat green peas several times this spring, I sowed two rows but in two weeks difference in time. We got a branch of rosemary from Erzsi, so I try to raise new little plants from it because our rosemary bush froze last winter.
Every time I go to the orchard I feel I should spend the whole day there because I just cannot get enough of it. I would like to make the most out of each moment and not let it rush away. I have similar feelings concerning Easter. It is wonderful to create delicious dishes and sweets in the kitchen, but I also would like to be present in the moment and enjoy the time with our families.
But…baking is a must, not because of any expectations but because something inside of me urges me to do so. I was looking for an idea which is easy to prepare but tastes and looks amazingly. Surprisingly I found the right recipe in the very basic Hungarian cookbook written by Ilona Horváth, a book which each Hungarian family has on its bookshelves. It said it is a cone filled with cream however for me it was impossible to create a cone shape although I was trying really hard. I took a look at my “cones” which looked like cookies, crunchy outside, soft inside, a little bit sticky, and the taste was really similar to sponge cake.
I decided to bake another bunch of them, but this time I changed the recipe a little bit. I added lemon zests and vanilla extract to the mixture and instead of a cone I made a sandwich filled with whipped cream and strawberries. Like a whoopie pie, in Hungarian version.
After testing I am really satisfied with the result, but I must say it has a weakness: because of its stickiness you should deal with it carefully and transfer them with a spatula or knife and fill them just right before serving.
But after the first bite I am sure you will forget about this tiny little detail.
Strawberry and cream filled sandwiches
(7 pieces)
Ingredients:
50 g caster sugar
25 g flour
1 egg
1 drop of vanilla extract
lemon zest of a half lemon
7 strawberries
200 ml cream
2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 200°C. Beat egg with caster sugar until it gets foamy, add flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Using a teaspoon spoon the mixture on a paper-lined baking sheet and bake it for a couple of minutes until the edges start getting colour. Leave them cool down on the baking paper, then remove them carefully with a spatula. Slice strawberries, beat cream with confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form. Fill the biscuits with strawberries and whipped cream. Decorate the top with sugar and- if available- edible flowers.