Whenever I’ve taken a trip to Poland to see relatives, each household I’d visit–even if I only would be dropping by for a couple of hours–would always offer and serve tea or coffee with a homemade dessert. Yes, that’s right, a homemade dessert. ALWAYS. HOMEMADE. It’s almost like it would be committing the highest sin […]
A Beginner’s Polish Berry Tart (Kruche ciasto z truskawkami i malinami)
If you lack the time and energy to make up a sweet pastry dough the normal way–by cutting butter into flour, etc, etc–then try out this recipe to make a quick Polish tart. The most time consuming part is preparing the fruit (and washing the dishes afterwards!). The mixer does all the work to make […]
Double-Crust Polish Plum Pie (Półkruche ciasto ze śliwkami)
The closest equivalent to an American pie in Polish cuisine is a double-crust, sweet pastry filled with summer fruit, usually apples or plums, and baked in a large, rectangular baking pan. The apple version is called szarlotka. It’s like Polish apple pie. The pastry that forms the base of the pie is “półkruche” or “half […]
Chicken and Ham Salad Pastry Puffs
So you’ve gotten an invitation for an elegant, standing room only party and have been asked to contribute a cold appetizer. I suppose little sandwiches are an option. I haven’t quite mastered elegant sandwiches though. Jumbo shrimp? I might need to break open the piggy-bank for that one. What to do? If you want to […]
For the Party Tray: Profiteroles with Lemon Custard
If you are regularly a cookie/cake home baker but have an adventurous spirit, try making custard-filled cream puffs! They are an elegant dessert to take to a party potluck and really not so bad in terms of difficulty. They just need a chunk of your time and attention. See my post on making the basic […]