A MID-SPRING AFTERNOON

Open windows, and breezy air.
Rich dark chocolate cupcakes, and loved ones to share.
African Violets in full bloom, and better days to hail.


---

TWENTY SEVEN

Happy birthday, love!


---

NOWROOZ COOKIES

Good afternoon, lovelies.

Today is a very delicate rainy day here with beautiful clouds. A real Spring day! So my friend and I took a long walk and enjoyed each other's company.

And these cookies are homemade by mom and me. Our every year's tradition for Nowrooz. Almond, saffron and pistachio! :-)

Have a beautiful day! xo

---

TWENTY SIX CANDLES

Guess what?
I am twenty six now!
:-)



---

CHEESE FAIRY CAKE

Hello friends.

Tonight I am here to share a little recipe with you. (Dear friends who had asked for it, here it is!) 

I found the original recipe by way of Martha Stewart's website. Unfortunately I don't have the link but I bet you can find it if you search  "Raspberry Marble Cheesecake" or something like that. But it's not important because  my recipe might be a whole different thing! ;)

Anyway! I baked this heavenly delicious cheesecake many times, and every time, I tried to change amount of ingredients. I don't know why I do this, but I think the result will always have a little surprise for you. 

What you need : 

- 1 cup finely ground crackers/biscuits. I've used Petit beurre or a kind of Digestive biscuits. (If you live in Iran, you should definitely use biscuit e madar! It's great.)

- 50 grams melted butter

- 1 cup sugar. You can increase this amount but I like it this way. 

- 500 grams cream cheese. (I use Hochland)

- 1 cup creamy yogurt

- 4 eggs

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions : 

- Preheat oven to 160°C. 

- Place the paper liners onto the muffin tins. 

- Stir together ground biscuits and melted butter. Place 1 tablespoon crust mixture into bottom of each lined cup and press it firmly. (You can use a drinking glass to press the crumbs down) Bake for about 5 minutes. Leave to cool. 

- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. With mixer on low speed, add sugar in a steady stream. Add vanilla; mix until well combined. Add Creamy yogurt and mix. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. 

- Fill the cups with the mixture. Bake until filling is set. 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate, in tins, at least 4 hours. 

Enjoy it with a hot cup of hazelnut flavored coffee! xoxo


 ---

P.S. Some readers think that I am Egyptian. Maybe because of the previous post, which I wish I were more clear about. But anyway, I am one proud Iranian girl, people. And my heart is with anyone who speaks for freedom.

CUPCAKE ANYONE?!

Hello everyone! 

How are you today? I am doing very well. Finally very well. And I baked cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They taste so good.

Now I am off to two cups. My second cup of tea and the world cup! Do you watch? Has your country been in this year?! It's exciting if so.

See you soon! xo

---

CAR SHAPED BIRTHDAY CAKE

Dario will be three in about two weeks. But since they are leaving here two days later, we decided to throw him a little birthday party here in Tehran. We can't miss his birthday, can we?!

Will share tonight's photos later.


And... Life is beautiful as it is!
Love you, reader friends! xo







---

THE UPSHOT + ICING RECIPE

See the cupcake recipe on the previous post.

Ingredients for icing :

2 cups of milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons corn flour

2 egg yolks

50 grams unsalted butter

------------------------

In a saucepan bring the milk, cinnamon stick, vanilla sugar and one tablespoon of sugar to a boil.  In another bowl whisk the egg yolks, the other spoon of sugar and corn flour together. Pour a little of milk mix to egg yolks mix and then stir all the ingredients back to the saucepan and whisk until  thick. 

Add butter at the end.  Let it cool completely, and ... enjoy!

:)
---

MAKING CUPCAKES

We celebrated our belated Valentine's day last night. It was lovely, full of kisses and cupcakes! I must admit that the cupcakes turned out really well! :-) Oh and we watched Up. One of the most darling animations I had ever seen. Have you seen it? Did you cry over the first thirty minutes, or it is just me?!

Okay... Here is the recipe for you :

Ingredients:

3 eggs
200 grams sugar
300 grams (2 medium) apples
100 grams unsalted butter
50 grams vegetable oil
50 grams hazelnuts (powdered)
15 grams cocoa powder
100 grams plain flour
50 grams rice flour
2 tablespoons baking powder 
And a pinch of salt...

First peel off the apples and mash them. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs for about two minutes, then add the mashed apples, sugar, melted butter and oil, and whisk for two more minutes.

In another bowl mix together the plain flour, rice flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and hazelnuts powder. It's better if you do it by a sifter. 

Mix all the ingredients and whisk until all combine. 

Bake at 350F for about half and hour. 

I will share the upshot photos and icing recipe soon today.

Have a deliciously beautiful day, lovelies!

xo

---

WHAT ABOUT THIS HOMEMADE NEW YORK CHEESECAKE?!

It was heavenly yummy!
but... it's not as good as my number one cheesecake in the town yet!
well maybe I should try other recipes.
oh but it was so good... Mmm!

Yes, I do share recipes!

I've always loved the sweet smell of my mom's cookies in the house during the spring days.
and it's been so enjoyable to help her while baking :)
well...I knew that mine wouldn't be as fabulous as hers but I tried this year and since I had the baking experience:
the result was pleasant!
:)

*and here is the recipe for you:

{Oscar cookie}
makes 50
..........................................................................................
125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar crystals
2 eggs (yolk and white separated)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup plain white flour
1/2tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 180'C (350'F)
• Place the butter and the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. process until the mixture is creamy.
• then mix in the yolks and vanilla extract and process again.
• Sift the flour and add to the mixture, then process until the dough is smooth.
• Remove the dough from the processor.
• shape it into small balls.
• place the balls into white and then roll in chopped walnuts.
• Put the balls onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment
• Bake the cookies until they are golden brown, 20-22 minutes.

Enjoy with tea or coffee!

I love the noisy side!!!

oh, I didn't mean it!

as Farshad said it was just a common headache!
and...
Dario's laugh is the most beautiful and delectable voice in this world!!! and I wouldn't change it with anything!!! I mean it, anything!!!!
and My {love}; I want to jump with you now!!! 1-2-3 ... Yessss!
:)

{some pictures of tonight with Farshad & Setareh}

Coffee and cheese cake ... for two!

{happy Valentine's Day to us!}

and 2 pretty images[flickr found] for you:

This is what I made tonight !

[made of: simple sponge cake+vanilla sauce+melted chocolate+almond nuts]