How to make the Swedish Pastry Sockerbullar

Living in Denmark, it is easy to go to Sweden. It takes only 40 minutes from Copenhagen by car. So I sometimes go there, and I have enjoyed every pastry I have tried. The last time I went to Sweden (this last weekend), I picked up a Swedish pastry cookbook by the pastry chef Helene Johansson, so I could make these pastries I love at home.

The first recipe I tried to make was for the pastry called Sockerbullar (Sugar Buns). It is this light sweet bread with vanilla cream in the middle, rolled in sugar. The cream is suppose to represent the sun, and it is one of my favorite pastries to eat when I visit Sweden.

This recipe was actually pretty easy. I will translate the recipe below from Swedish to English so you can try it. I also made a video on how I made Sockerbullar, which you can see below.

           

The original recipe makes 35 sockerbullar, so I scaled it down to 6. If you want to make more than that, feel free to double the recipe. I hope you enjoy these. :o)

Sockerbullar
(makes 6 - 8)

Ingredients
(vanilla cream)
1 tsp. vanilla sugar or 1/4 vanilla bean
125 grams milk
1.5 egg yolks
31.25 grams sugar
12.5 grams corn starch
12.5 grams butter

butter for brushing
sugar for garneshing

Directions
1. Start this recipe by making the vanilla cream. First, mix milk and vanilla together in a saucepan, and bring it to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, corn starch, and sugar together.

3. Then, pour in the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, and combine.

4. Next, pour everything back into the saucepan, and whisk together until it thickens.

5. Then, add in the butter until melted.

6. Place it in the fridge to cool, until ready to use.

Ingredients
(bread)

18.75 grams yeast
125 grams cold milk
300 grams flour
50 grams sugar
50 grams butter (room temperature)
5 grams cardamom
1.25 grams salt

Directions
1. In a large bowl mix the yeast and milk together. Set aside

2. In a separate medium size bowl mix the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt together. Then, add in the butter, and mix it into the dry ingredients until it resembles bread crumbs.

3. Next, add the flour mixture to the milk/yeast mixture. Stir together until a dough forms.

4. Knead the dough by hand for 12 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

5. Then, let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

6. Next, split the dough into 6 - 8 pieces, roll into balls, and place on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

7. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and a towel, and let rise for at least 1 hour.

8. Then, pre-heat the oven to 225 C/437 F.

9. Next, put the vanilla cream in a piping bag, and push it down into the center of each ball of dough, piping out the cream into the center as it's being pushed down.

10. Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes.

11. Finally, after the bread has cooled a bit, brush the sides with melted butter, and roll into sugar.

That's it! I feel like the hardest part of this recipe is kneading the bread, and it's a bit tricky to roll into sugar, but hopefully the video I made will help.

Note: After making this recipe once, I think next time I will flatten the balls of dough just a bit so they aren't as tall. Also, I would like to try letting the dough rise for more than an hour, so the bread is even more light. I probably will also reduce the cardamom by half since it was a little strong. You can make these changes if you want, and let me know how it turns out. I hope you like this recipe.

Luby's Baked Potato Soup Recipe

In Texas, there is a chain called Luby's Cafeteria. It was a place I often ate at growing up, and I loved the food. So when I saw Luby's released a cook book with their recipes, I bought one, and have been cooking with it ever since. One recipe from this book I use the most is the Baked Potato Soup recipe. I never actually ordered any soup at Luby's, but if you want a great recipe for potato soup, this is it!

I usually divide the recipe in half, since it is just me and my boyfriend here, but I will type the full recipe below and you can divide it in half, if you wish. I modified the recipe a little bit so I will note what I leave out or do different.

I also made a video on how I make this recipe, that you can watch here:

           

Hope you enjoy it!

Luby's Baked Potato Soup Recipe
(serves 10)

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped raw bacon
4 tblsp (56 grams) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinched dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 chicken bouillon cube
10 cups chicken broth
8 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 large potatoes, baked, peeled, and diced
1 dried bay leaf (optional)
1/2 cup sliced green onions (optional)
1 cups shredded american/cheddar cheese (optional)
1 cup diced white onions (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Place bacon and butter in a large saucepan/pot and cook bacon over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy. Stir often.

2. While the bacon is cooking, you should peel and dice the potatoes. 1 large baking potato usually equals 1 cup chopped potatoes. You can set them aside until you are ready to use them.

3. You can add white onions, if you want, and cook them for 3 minutes.

4. If you want bacon with a little crunch in your soup, then remove the bacon from the pot, and place it in a bowl lined with a paper towel, once it is crispy. Otherwise, just leave the bacon in the pot and continue the recipe.

5. Next, add in the flour, and using a whisk stir it. Cook the flour for about 1-2 minutes.

6. Then, add in the chicken stock, bouillon cube, thyme, nutmeg, and diced raw potatoes. I usually use water and extra bouillon cubes to make chicken stock, if you don't have chicken stock.

7. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

8. While the soup is cooking, you can prepare the baked potatoes.

9. Pre-heat the oven to a high heat around 220C/428F. Then peel, and dice two large baking potatoes.

10. In a plastic food safe bag, place the diced potatoes, and drizzle them with olive oil. Then, season them with thyme, salt, and pepper.

11. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or an oiled baking pan, and bake them in the oven until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. You should check on them as they cook.

12. Next, if the potatoes in the soup are tender, then mash them with a potato masher. For a creamier soup, you can also use a hand mixer/chopper, but be careful.

13. Then, add in the cream, and bring the soup to a boil. This will thicken the soup. You can add more cream if the soup is not thick enough.

14. Next, lower the heat, and season the soup with salt, and pepper. Taste the soup. You can also add in more thyme.

15. The soup is done now. Check on the oven baked potatoes, if they are finished then remove them from the oven.

16. Now for serving. Put some oven potatoes in a soup bowl, and add in hot soup, and some toppings like bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions.

That's it. I hope you enjoy this recipe. In the Luby's cookbook, instead of baking diced potatoes in the oven with seasonings like I do, it says to peel the potatoes, bake them whole, then dice them. You can do that as well if you want. It might take a bit longer, and the potatoes will be flavorless. I like my way better. :)

Happy Eating! :o)

Pizza Dough Recipe

This pizza dough has two different kinds of flour. It makes a really good thin and crispy pizza. It is a recipe by two Danish chefs that host a cooking show in Denmark called Spise med Price. I will translate the recipe to English below, and I also made a video showing you how I made this pizza. Hope you enjoy it!

            

Pizza Dough Recipe 

Ingredients
300 grams pizza flour (type 00 flour)
200 grams Plain flour or Durum Flour
1/2 tblsp. sea salt
2 tsp. dry yeast
2 tblsp. olive oil
3 deciliters water

Directions

1. In a tall glass or small bowl mix the yeast and warm water together. Cover and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes.

2. Then, in a large bowl mix both kinds of flour, and sea salt (crushed).

3. Then, make a well in the center of the flour, and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.

4. Mix together until a dough forms.

5. Next, form the dough into a ball, and on a floured surface, knead the dough for 5 - 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

6. Place the dough in a large bowl drizzled with olive oil, and coat the dough in the olive oil.

7. Cover the dough and let it rise for 2 hours or overnight.

8. Then, after the dough has risen, pre-heat the oven to the highest heat. If you are using a pizza stone, place it in the oven as well.

9. Next, punch down the dough and divide it into 3 or 4 if you want a super thin pizza. If you aren't using all the dough now, then place the dough you aren't using in a food safe plastic bag and put it in the fridge.

10. Then, stretch out the dough you are using or roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.

11. Move the flattened dough to a baking tray, or baking paper, once finished. You can also roll it out on a piece of baking paper but it's not that easy.

12. Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings, and then place in the oven. If you are using a pizza stone, then remove that from the oven, and carefully place the pizza on the stone.

13. Bake the pizza for 10 minutes or until it looks ready.

Tip: To avoid the dough having too much flour, you can add the yeast/water mixture to a large bowl first, then olive oil,  and then add in the flour/salt mixture little by little until a dough forms.

Jam Filled Butter Cookies Recipe

These cookies are a favorite of mine. They are buttery, slightly sweet, and with jam in the middle. I think they are called different names across the globe but I know them as Linzer cookies, and they are thought to have originated from Austria. I made a video on how I make these cookies, and the recipe is below the video. Hope you enjoy them! :)


           


Jam Filled Butter Cookies 
Ingredients
250g flour
200g butter, cut into small cubes
100g powedered sugar
pinch of salt
2 egg yolks
jam

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F

2. Place the flour, butter, icing sugar and salt into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the egg yolks and mix until a dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a thickness of about 0.5cm. Cut out shapes using a 4cm/1½in cutter.

4. Cut out the middle of half the cookies.

5. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake them for 10 - 12 minutes.

6. After the cookies have cooled, place a small dollop of jam or spread jam on the whole bottom half of a cookie.

7. Then, place the top half of the cookie onto the bottom half spread with jam.

8. Repeat until all the cookies are complete.

Note: The original recipe can be found here.

Enjoy! :o)

Italian Parmesan Oregano Bread Recipe

This bread recipe is similar to the Parmesan Oregano Bread at Subway, a sandwich chain from the U.S.. It is so delicious and great for sandwiches, tapas, or simply just sliced on the side of a meal. It is really flavorful, crunchy on top, and soft on the inside. I usually just make one baguette or two small breads, but if you have a large family or simply just want two loaves of bread, then make sure to double this recipe. If you want to see a video on how I make it check it out here, otherwise the recipe is below. Hope you enjoy it!


        

Italian Parmesan Oregano Bread Recipe
(makes 1 baguette or 2 small loaves)

Ingredients
(For the dough)
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. sea salt
2 cups all purpose flour

(for the topping)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tblsp. oregano
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Place the yeast, honey, and warm water in a large bowl. Cover and let it stand for 5 - 10 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the salt and flour together. Then mix the flour into the yeast mixture, a little at a time, until it forms a dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 5 - 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn once to coat.

5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

1. 6. Gently punch down the dough, and shape it. You can shape it into one baguette or two small round breads, if you decided to follow this recipe exactly.
2. 7. Then, in a small bowl, combine the parmesan, oregano, and garlic powder together. Then, mix in the olive oil.
3. 8. Next, rub a little olive oil on top of the bread, and rub on the parmesan mixture.
4. 9. Let the dough rest for an additional 30 minutes.
5. 11. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F.
6. 10. Finally, in a preheated oven bake the bread for around 25 minutes.

Note: If you double the recipe, you don't need to double the yeast amount.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

Growing up in Texas, my mom occasionally made Hamburger Helper for dinner. It came in a box, and was so tasty, and easy for her to make. I loved it, and I still love it. Now I live in Denmark, and Hamburger Helper is not here, so I had to learn how to make it myself, from scratch. I was surprised how easy it is to make, and how it tastes even better than the original. I made a video on how to make it from scratch, which is below, and the recipe is below this video. I hope you like it. :o)


      

Hamburger Helper Recipe
(serves: 2 - 3 people)

Ingredients
1/4 lb ground beef (or more)
1/4 small onion (cut thick)
1/4 tsp. garlic (minced)
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup hot water (or more)
1 cup elbow macaroni
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
pinch chili powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef in a pot or skillet over medium/high heat until cooked.

2. Add thick slices of onions, and minced garlic to the cooked meat and stir. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the onions, and drain the meat, if necessary.

4. Add the seasonings/spices, the whipping cream, and hot water to the pot.

5. Bring it to a boil, then add in the pasta.

6. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

7. Then, add the shredded cheese, and stir until melted. If the sauce is not thick enough, let it cook a little bit longer before serving.

8. Taste the hamburger helper and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Tip1: When you add water to the pasta, just add enough so the pasta has enough liquid to cook in. If you cover the pot while it is boiling, then reduce the heat, and watch it closely so it doesn't spill over. I found that the longer the pasta needs to cook, the more water you need. You can always add more water while the pasta is cooking if it becomes too dry, but if you end up adding too much water it might dilute the flavor.
Tip 2: If the sauce is not thick enough, then let the finished hamburger helper cook a little bit longer before serving.

Happy eating!

Best Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

I have tried so many recipes for buttermilk biscuits, and finally found one that I love. They are so easy to make, and I often just whip them up quickly when I want to have some biscuits.

So the other day I made a video showing how I make my favorite buttermilk biscuit recipe. I uploaded it to my new YouTube channel. You can watch it below and make sure to subscribe if you want to see more cooking videos. The recipe is below the video. Note: In this video I only make half the recipe.

       

Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
(makes 10 - 12 biscuits)

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1⁄4 tsp. baking soda
1 tblsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
6 tblsp. salted butter
1 cup buttermilk (or less)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 232°C/450°F.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk. Then, cut the butter into chunks and mix with dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Next, add just enough buttermilk to form a dough (You might not use all the buttermilk). 

4. Then, turn the dough out onto a floured board and gently pat dough until it's about 1/2" thick. Do not use a rolling pin. Fold the dough about 2 - 3 times, and gently press the dough down until it is about 1 inches thick.

5. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds. Then, place the biscuits on a baking tray. Note: If you place the biscuits close together (touching each other) they will rise more in the oven. 

6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip 1: To make drop biscuits, use all of the buttermilk. It will make a wet dough. Simply spoon balls of dough, a few inches apart, onto a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown.


Tip 2: To make buttermilk, put 1 tblsp. vinegar or lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and fill the rest of the cup with milk. Let stand for about 5 minutes before using.

Tip 3: The biscuits rise even more if the dough is not too dry. So it's best to dust a slightly wet dough in flour before you cut out the biscuits.