In Search of Exciting Breakfasts – Baked Blackcurrant Ryemeal

"I only want to live in peace and plant potatoes and dream!"

– Tove Jansson, Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip, Vol. 1

 

The past couple of weeks have been a mess. I find it hard to blame life cause, after all, this is the life I've chosen. I don't want to bother you too much with my every day breakdowns but I can pretty much sum it all up in one single word: thesis. If you have done yours or are in the midst of it, like I am, you probably know what I'm talking about. I'm like one awkward crazy brain. I feel like there's always more to do than what I actually manage to accomplish, and there are always new obstacles in the way. "I only want to live in peace and plant potatoes and dream!" has been my personal mantra lately. But deep inside I know this won't last forever. Everything will eventually come to an end. And then there will be a new thing to stress about. It's called life, and it's good as it is.

Today, I want to talk about breakfast. Breakfasts are a rather boring affair in this home. Not bad but boring. Usually it's a slice of rustic country bread, or a bowl of homemade granola with plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey. There's always coffee with milk; usually two cups (at least). On weekends, I may make some eggs or enjoy a croissant and freshly squeezed orange juice, but, to be honest, that happens way too seldom. I'm not the one making pancakes or waffles early in the morning, neither do I make breakfast frittatas. Like I said, boooooring. If there's one thing I want to change about my eating routine, it would be making more exciting and satisfying breakfasts.

Today's recipe is a result of cravings. First, I saw this breakfast post from Yossy Arefi at A Cup of Jo. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to make it. An exciting breakfast! I started to wonder if rolled rye would work in this dish. You know, this is the first time I've used them. Would it be too "heavy"? I decided to give it a go. I still had a lot of blackcurrants from last summer in my freezer waiting for their destiny, and I felt like this would be a dish that would do them justice. Furthermore, I used cardamom instead of cinnamon cause, well, I'm a cardamom girl. Cardamom also felt like the perfect pairing with the deep flavors of rye and blackcurrants. "Plain yogurt would be great too", I thought. So I made it last Friday. I knew, I did everything right the moment I had the first mouthful of it. Comforting, delicious, nutritious, exciting. Everything I asked for, really. I found a new breakfast favorite. One to break my boring morning routines.

More breakfast inspiration:

• The posts on Suvi Sur Le Vif are like poetry, and her At the Breakfast Table series is a constant source of inspiration.
• Egg in a Hole by the awesome Molly from My Name Is Yeh. I'm obsessed. Have made this with rustic country bread on several mornings already.
• Lindsey from Dolly and Oatmeal is such a talented lady. And she knows how to make amazing breakfast! Can't wait to make this Cardamom-Toasted Millet Breakfast Bowl with Summer Blackberry Compote.
• This Chocolate Granola on My New Roots. Drool. Speaking of granola, this one has been my favorite lately. Going to make a new batch today!
• Actually, the granola recipe is from Megan, the creative soul behind A Sweet Spoonful. Her Spiced Steel Cut Oats Porridge calls my name. [And her book, Wholegrain Mornings, is definitely one of my must-have cookbooks.]
• Valentina's Moufflèes are perfect for a Sunday brunch or to take with you on one of those mornings when you don't have time to eat breakfast at home.

More breakfast inspiration can be found on my Breakfast Board on Pinterest! And for more berry breakfast love, don't forget my Whipped Lingonberry Porridge. It's not only damn beautiful but also a luscious way to start your day.

What do you have for breakfast? I would love to hear about your mornings!

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Baked Blackcurrant Ryemeal

adapted from this recipe from Yossy Arefi (who adapted hers from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson, p. 44)
serves 3–4 

I think, this also makes a comforting dessert if served with vanilla ice cream! Feel free to play around with different berries, sweeteners, and grains. Furthermore, the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. In other words, perfect to serve a big crowd!
 

75 g (2.6 oz; 2 ½ dl; 1 cup) rolled rye
½ tsp ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
½ tsp baking powder
2 pinches of fine sea salt
2 ⅔ dl (1 1/8 cups) whole milk
1 egg (S)
2 ½ tbsp maple syrup
60 g (2 oz; 1 ⅓ dl; ½ cup) pecans, toasted & roughly chopped
140 g (5 oz; 2 ½ dl; 1 cup) frozen blackcurrants (you can use fresh ones too)
30 g (2 tbsp) butter, melted + more to butter the baking dish

plain yogurt, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a 16 cm (6") round baking dish.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rolled rye, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. In another, small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and maple syrup.

Spread half of the rye mixture in the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the pecans and blackcurrants, then cover with the remaining rye mixture. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the rye. Top with the remaining pecans and blackcurrants, and drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake on the middle rack for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the ryemeal has set. Serve warm with plain yogurt, and drizzle with maple syrup if you feel like it.

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I also wanted to thank you for all the support you're giving. I was amazed by all the positive feedback on my last post. Your words mean the world to me. I feel blessed to be able to share my heart and passion with you all and to do something that others really love as well. So thank you. A thousand times thank you.

For the Love of Food: Pulla – Finnish Cardamom-Spiced Sweet Buns

I feel like we have lost our connection with food. Our relationship with it is often confused and twisted. We tend to malign certain foods, like carbs, sugar, fat, dairy, and meat, while, at the same time, praise others. It's like we want to set strict rules so we can control at least one aspect of our lives. It's harsh, nasty, and, at the very least, exhausting.

I often find myself in places of confusion as I follow the talk about food around me. You know, I've never been a girl of extremes. I like moderation in almost any aspects of life. Food has never been a way for me to control life. Neither has it been an enemy I need to make strategic plans against. Food has been and still is my passion. I was fortunated enough to grew up in a family of food lovers where quality of food was always a priority. It was always about gusto. Never ever was it a thing to be fanatic about.

I want food to be exciting. I want it to inspire. I want food to bring joy, to give you butterflies in your stomach and make you smile. I want it to be a place of peace and comfort. I want food to leave a trail in your brain because memories built around food are special. I want food to take us to places yet unknown to us, to open the doors to different cultures. I want it to bring people together, to connect. I want it to challenge, not to stress. I want food to be the happy unicorn zebra you want to hug and hold dear. I want it to nourish both body and soul.

That's what I want food to be for me, for you. That's what I want this blog to convey.

For the love of food.

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Pulla | Finnish Cardamom-Spiced Sweet Buns

makes about 16 pulla

I could make these in my sleep. That's how well I know this lovely, traditional Nordic treat. Pulla, or bulle in Swedish, are probably the most loved baked good both in Finland and in Sweden. After 7 months (!!) of blogging, it's unbelievable that I haven't posted a single pulla recipe yet. Pulla are slightly sweet and spiced with cardamom, which is, with cinnamon, one of the most used spices in Scandinavian baking. Yes, Scandinavian cuisine is full of surprises as you would rather expect to come across these kind of spices in Indian rather than Scandinavian food. You can find pulla at every bakery, café, and shop around here. If there's a celebration, a variation of this Scandinavian sweet bread is most probably found on the coffee table. But by no means is this treat solely reserved for special occasions. The Swedes call it fika – you sit down together, drink coffee, chat, and usually eat something sweet. You know, here in the North coffee isn't just coffee. It's a way of life. [The average Finn drinks 12 kilos of coffee per year which makes Finland the country with the heaviest coffee consumption in the world.] But no worries: if you aren't that into coffee you can serve them with tea or a glass of cold milk. They will taste equally delicious.

This is the most basic pulla recipe but there are endless variations to discover – cinnamon rolls, braided loaves, "Boston cake" (which has, at least to my knowledge, nothing to do with Boston itself)... I'm eager to share them with you in the future!

A few notes:  For the best result, make sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature. You can leave the egg out and, furthermore, substitute the milk with water if you follow a special diet. However, as you can imagine, the most delicious and flavorful result is made with eggs and milk.
 

5 dl (2 cups + 2 tbsp) lukewarm milk (preferably whole milk)
50 g (1.8 oz) fresh yeast (or alternatively 16 g / 0.6 oz instant active dry yeast)
180 g (6.5 oz; 2 dl; ¾ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
1 egg (M)
910 – 1050 g (32 – 37 oz; 13 – 15 dl; 5 ½ – 6 ⅓ cups) bread flour
170 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

for the egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp water

pearl sugar, to sprinkle
 

To make the dough
In a large mixing bowl (you can make the dough by hand, like me, or in a stand mixer), combine the lukewarm milk and crumbled yeast. [If using instant active dry yeast, skip this step. Combine the yeast with some flour and add to the warm, 42°C / 108°F, milk mixture before adding the rest of the flour.] Stir with a spoon until the yeast is completely dissolved. Add sugar, salt, cardamom, and egg and mix until combined. Gradually add about two thirds of the flour and knead. Add butter and knead until well combined. Continue to knead the dough, and gradually add just enough flour so the dough comes clean off the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hand.

Don't overwork the dough or you'll end up with hard buns, not soft as we want them to be. Shape into a ball and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it's double in size.

To shape and bake the buns
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape the dough into about 16 equally sized buns and place them on the two baking sheets, spacing them about half the diameter of a bun apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for further 30 minutes, or until they're double in size.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 225°C (435°F).

For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water until combined. Before baking, brush each bun with the egg wash and generously sprinkle them with pearl sugar. Bake the buns on the middle rack for 10 – 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat with the other sheet of buns.

Pulla are best eaten still slightly warm, on the same day. However, you can freeze them once baked and warm them up again when ready to serve.

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Real-life notes from a food blogger #1: Taking action photos solo is challenging, to say the least. But I love them too much to be able to stop taking them! Hope you like them too :)

Real-life notes from a food blogger #2: That spring light! Pure magic.

Last Breath – Beet & Potato Latkes

Do you still remember how I told you that February is my favorite winter month? Well, that was before this February. It has been a letdown. A total bummer. Where are the freezing temperatures? Where is the bright sunshine? I wanted to take long walks on the lake ice. I wanted to wear sunglasses because the harsh light that would be reflected by the white snow would otherwise hurt my eyes. I wanted to go sledding with my friends and drink Lumumba from a thermos. Instead, it has been gray and wet. Snow? Gone. February 2014, nul point.

I don't want it to be winter anymore if it looks like this. Spring. I want it to be spring.

At the same time as I wish this season would be already over, I realize (with a slight feeling of terror) that I don't have much time to enjoy the wintery foods. Like beets. I've had them way too seldom. I haven't made borscht. I haven't baked a chocolate beet cake yet. I've not eaten enough of beet salad with arugula, chèvre, and walnuts.

This is me taking my last breaths of winter. This is me shaking off the gray dust of February. This is me making beet & potato latkes.

Will you join me?

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Beet & Potato Latkes

makes about 20 latkes, enough to serve 4–6 hungry souls

The ruby red latkes topped with creamy sour cream, salmon with a subtle smoke note, crispy apples to fresh it up, and the classic pairing of dill. These latkes aren't only gorgeous to look at but also damn delicious. I think they are perfect served at a get-together with a simple green salad and a glass of sparkling wine. I used blazing salmon as I really love its flavor but you can substitute it with regular cooked salmon. Blazing salmon is a traditional Finnish fish preparation, in which the salmon is nailed to a wooden plank and partly smoked, partly cooked over an open fire. It's one of my most favorite ways to enjoy salmon, especially in salads, as smoked salmon often has a too strong flavor for my liking.

For the latkes:
375 g (13 oz) red beets, peeled
900 g (2 pounds) starchy potatoes, like Russet, peeled
2 eggs (M)
40 g (1.5 oz; 0,6 dl; ¼ cups) fine plain tried breadcrumbs
1 tbsp fine sea salt

vegetable oil, for frying

To serve:
~ 375 g (12 oz) salmon (preferably blazing salmon)
~ 300 g (10 oz) sour cream
2 tart apples, cubed
dill sprigs
 

Preheat the oven to 150°C (325°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top of it. Line another baking sheet with paper towels.

Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the beets and potatoes. Place in a colander and let drain for 10–15 minutes. Press the shreds firmly against the colander a couple of times to draw out excess moisture. We want the shreds to be as dry as possible to ensure crispy latkes!

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, breadcrumbs, and salt. Add the beet and potato shreds. Using your hands or a silicone spatula, mix until well coated.

Generously coat a large frying pan with oil (about ⅓ cm / 1/8" high) and heat over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into the pan – if the oil sizzles around the edges, it's ready. Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls of the latke mixture into the hot pan and press slightly with the back of your spoon to flatten. My latkes were around 1 cm / ½" thick and 7,5 cm / 3" in diameter. Fry until brown and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side.

Transfer the latkes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to the prepared wire rack. Place the sheet with the wire rack and latkes in the oven to keep warm and crisp while continuing to fry the remaining latkes.

Serve the latkes warm with sour cream, salmon, apples, and dill as well as a simple green salad.

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Real-life food blogger note: The day I shot this post (last Tuesday) was one of those nasty, gray days. The secret behind these sunny looking pictures? A foam board. Praise the foam board!

That boat thing - Whipped Lingonberry Porridge

For the last two weeks, the web has been full of all things pink. Cute cupcakes, satin ribbons, chocolate hearts, and gooey goodness. I guess you're expecting the same from me, from this small space I've created. But I'm afraid I have a confession to make. I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. I don't even like it. There's certainly nothing wrong with the message itself. Love and friendship. I'm all yours. However, I can't cope with the commerciality of February 14. It makes me feel anxious.

Somehow the day feels fake to me. Like I would appreciate the people I love only if I do something special on this specific day. I don't like that it's expected from me to do something special. I don't like "should-dos". Maybe I'm a bit of a rebel when it comes to things like this.

Love is less about showing and acting but more about being. Being there for each other, sitting in that same boat. Enduring the mighty storms when the waves crash against the sides of your boat, watching the light rain falling down on you both, and trying to find the right direction when the morning mist makes it hard to see. Enjoying the gorgeous dawn together and sunbathing in the bright sunshine. It also means being there when the time has come to raise the sails and travel to places yet unknown.

I hope you get what I mean.

I didn't plan to post a pink dish this week. It just happened. And well, I guess this would be the perfect Valentine's Day breakfast, right? You could totally serve it next Friday. Cause after all, although it isn't my kind of day it totally could be yours. But don't label this as a Valentine's Day porridge. It's so much more than that.

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Whipped Lingonberry Porridge

serves 4–6

Sooo....you didn't know you can actually whip porridge? Well, here's the good news: yes you can. We people of the North do it all the time. It keeps us warm. Okay, just kidding. The reason we do it is because it gives you a bowl of fluffy goodness. Fluffy, pink porridge! That's what dreams are made of.

For most Scandinavians whipped porridge is a dessert. I however like the not so sweet version that can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a midday snack. So folks, you're welcome to add more sugar if you feel like it and call it a dessert. No one will judge you. You could also substitute regular wheat farina with whole wheat or spelt farina if you want to go an even healthier route. One more note: I made this with lingonberries which is the traditional take on it BUT you can totally use other berries if you want to. Black or red currants, sea buckthorns, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries... And if you can't decide, just mix them! I wonder if cranberries work as well. My guess is, yes. Just adjust the sugar amount according to the sweetness of the berries you use. Lingonberries are quite tart so I would use less sugar for a whipped strawberry porridge.

EDIT: Anita made a batch and served it with coconut milk. According to her, it "is terrific on top". So, by all means, do try it with coconut milk instead of regular milk.

8 dl (3 ¼ cups) water
250 g (8 oz; 4 ½ dl; 2 cups) lingonberries (fresh or frozen, no need to thaw)
pinch of fine sea salt
100 g (3 ½ oz; 1,2 dl; ½ cup) granulated sugar (+ more to taste)
120 g (4 oz; 1 ½ dl; ⅔ cups) farina (Cream-of-Wheat)

whole milk, to serve
 

In a medium-sized pot, combine the water and lingonberries. Bring to a boil and boil for 10–15 minutes.

Add the salt and granulated sugar. Gradually whisk in the farina, making sure there are no lumps. Let simmer for 5–10 minutes (depending on how long your farina needs to be cooked), stirring constantly. Taste and add sugar if you feel like it could be sweeter to your taste. Remove the pot from the heat and let the porridge cool to room temperature.

When the porridge has cooled, beat it with a whisk or a hand mixer, until light and fluffy.

Serve at room temperature or cold with milk.

The porridge can be stored, covered, in the fridge for a couple of days. Just beat it again before serving.

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P.S. Join me and other food bloggers and help to provide a nourishing school lunch for South African children. Read more about it here, here, & here (just to name a few contributing posts). You can donate here. Thank you for The Lunchbox Fund and The Giving Table for making this happen.
 

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Sesame² & Poppy Seed Crispbread

“There are such a lot of things that have no place in summer and autumn and spring. Everything that’s a little shy and a little rum. Some kinds of night animals and people that don’t fit in with others and that nobody really believes in. They keep out of the way all the year. And then when everything’s quiet and white and the nights are long and most people are asleep
— then they appear.”

– Tove Jansson, Moominland Midwinter

Crispbread, the Scandinavian take on crackers, has been baked for centuries and can therefore be considered as a staple of Nordic cuisine. The most traditional version is shaped into a large round with a hole in the middle – this way the bread could be stored on long sticks under the roof. To sleep in an old log house under a crispbread sky...I definitely like the idea. And maybe, just maybe, one crispbread would have been offered to the shy creatures of winter.

You won't find many Scandinavian families who don't have a pack of crispbread at home at all times. It is one of the secrets of how we people of the North survive the long, dark winters. Forget its reputation as low-caloric diet food. It's so much more than that (and to be honest, I doubt any Scandinavian enjoys it because of it being "health food"). Crispbread is enjoyed as a midday snack simply buttered or with cheese and thin slices of cucumber. It's also great alongside a bowl of soup, like a hearty pea soup, or a green salad.

Nowadays, few people make homemade crispbread anymore. Maybe it's because you can find a ton of different varieties at your local grocery store. However, homemade crispbread is not only tastier but also easy and relatively quick to make. So why not make your own crispbread at home?

This slightly luxurious seed crispbread pairs especially well with cheese and a glass of full-bodied red wine...the kind of winter night I like the most.

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Sesame² & Poppy Seed Crispbread

dough slightly adapted from Elle Mat och Vin 1/2014, p. 90

3 dl (1 ¼ cups) lukewarm milk
25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast [OR 8 g / 0.3 oz instant active dry yeast]
1 tsp fine sea salt
165 g (6 oz; 3 dl; 1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
245 g (8.6 oz; 3 ½ dl; 1 ½ cups) coarse wholegrain rye flour

1 egg white
1 tbsp cold water
white & black sesame seeds + poppy seeds

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the lukewarm milk and crumbled yeast. Stir with a spoon until the yeast is completely dissolved. [note: if you use instant active dry yeast, mix it with the dry ingredients and heat the milk to about 45°C / 115°F} Gradually add the dry ingredients until the dough comes together enough for you to start kneading it. Knead until it comes clean off the sides of the bowl. Add more all-purpose flour if it sticks to your hands. Shape into a ball and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250°C (475°F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take about a third of the dough and roll it into a very thin rectangle. The thinner you roll it, the crispier it becomes. With a knife, cut the rolled out dough into about 21x2,5cm (8x1") strips. You can also cut it into different shapes, like triangles (mine were about 6,5 cm / 2.5") or rounds. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Prick each piece all over with a fork. This will keep the crispbread from puffing up in the oven. In a glass, whisk together the egg white and water. Brush each piece of crispbread with the mixture and sprinkle generously with the seeds.

Bake for about 6 minutes. The crispbread will be crisp and start to brown at the edges. Let cool on a wire rack. Continue to prepare the rest of the dough but remember to keep an eye on those in the oven.

Once cool, store in an airtight container. They will keep for a couple of weeks, even for several months.

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Hope you all have a great start to the first week of February which, by the way, is my favorite winter month!

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