Czech Cakes

The geographical name of this yummy bar cookie puzzles me.

Are they really Czech?  I have no idea.  Neither did my Latvian grandmother, who baked them all of her adult life.  (And she lived to be 103!)  Where did the recipe come from?  She didn't know.  It just seems to be a part of the collective consciousness of her culture.  Every Latvian woman I know makes these.

This recipe was one of the first things I learned how to bake, many eons ago.  I'm visiting my brother tomorrow and this batch is for him.  I'm such a considerate little sis.  :)

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons good-quality, potent, ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped pecans
(I suspect the original recipe used a different type of nut.  But she always used pecans.)
Strawberry or raspberry preserves, approximately 1/2 cup

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the butter with the egg yolks and sugar; use medium-high speed setting on your stand mixer (preferable) or electric mixer.  I cream the mixture for five minutes.  This needs to be really light and fluffy.

Combine flour, cinnamon and pecans.  Stir into the creamed mixture until well incorporated.  (This is a very stiff dough!)

Pat half the dough into the prepared pan.  Spread preserves over the surface, leaving a 1/2" border around the pan plain.  Break off pieces of the remaining dough and scatter on top of the preserves.  Spray your hands with cooking spray and spread the dough evenly over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until pale golden.  The dough should be just cooked through.

Right after removing the pan from the oven, I score the the baked loveliness into 16 squares with sharp knife.  Cool completely before removing them from the pan.  Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Rice: Savory and Sweet

I.love.rice.

A buttery pile under a puddle of gravy?  Sign me up.  In a pudding?  You betcha.  The intensely nutty aroma of a perfectly steamed basmati with spicy Indian food?  Heavenly.

How about mixed with cheese and bacon, formed into patties and FRIED.  Oh, yeah.

These are Rachael Ray's fab Cheesy Rice Fritters as mentioned in the previous post.  I made two changes, though.   She called for shredded mozzarella cheese; I used a four-cheese Italian cheese blend to bump up the flavor.  She also called for frying said patties in bacon drippings.  I will try that eventually.  I used olive oil here--a little more heart-friendly, especially since these accompanied the rich beef entree.

The ingredients and equipment (parchment-lined baking sheet, hot skillet) must be assembled before preparing the recipe.  Use a light breadcrumb coating on the patties.  If you really pack on the crumbs, they will just fall off into the oil and burn.   I'm happy to report that they reheat beautifully (midnight snack, wink, wink) and they freeze well.

Rice should be stored in a tightly-capped glass jar or plastic container.  Only wooden utensils should touch cooked rice.  The grains are delicate and easily smashed.  I love my Mario Batali risotto spoon.  I love it even more because Kitchen and Company had it on clearance for $5!

Rice is nice when it's sweet, of course.  My very favorite rice pudding is found at the Norway pavilion at EPCOT (Disney World in Orlando, FL).  For almost twenty years now, it's the first thing I seek out when I get there.

It's made with arborio rice as well.  The dense quality of the rice is lightened with freshly whipped cream, just enough sugar and topped with a tangy sauce made with strawberry preserves and fresh lemon juice.  The rice pudding is served well-chilled in wine glasses and topped with a thick layer of the sauce.  At home, I usually lack the patience for this.  I just scoop it into a bowl and drizzle on the sauce.

Click here for the recipe:  Rice Cream with Strawberry Sauce.  A pinch of nutmeg is delicious in this recipe.