make life sweeter!

I found these peaches in my supermarket. In Hebrew they're called 'pita peaches'. I presume that's because of their shape. They are about a third of a regular peach but seem to have all of its taste...yum! As you can see on the picture their shape makes it a very convenient peach to pack as you can pile them. I've looked for this peach on the Internet but couldn't find any info...maybe an Israeli variety?

Another recipe from the wonderful Coffee & Bites by Susie Theodorou. These individual tartlets are filled with frangipan and apricot. I didn’t use her recipe for sweet pastry but used my favourite Donna Hay recipe. I was a bit disappointed by the – in my opinion - too subtle almond taste. Maybe it was because I cheated and used slithered almonds instead of whole ones. It could be that slithered almonds have less taste. If you like a stronger almond taste I suggest adding a little bit of almond flavouring or maybe adding one or two bitter almonds to the mixture. The apricot however was really delicious; the baking enhanced its natural sweet- and tartness. They look like they might be a little dry but that’s just appearances.

(Again) I didn’t roll out the sweet pastry, it’s not that I have a rolling-out-dough-phobia but I don’t like doing it. The rolling out part is okay but the whole transferring to the tin is nerve-wracking to me. Donna Hay recommends rolling out the dough between baking paper. Very good tip only in Israel I cannot find baking paper on a roll. They sell it ready cut into rectangles and folded twice. The folds cause problems when rolling out the dough. Rolling it out without the baking paper is not really an option because I only use all-butter dough and my kitchen is pretty hot. I promise that after we move back to the Netherlands I shall practice rolling out dough ;)

Sweet shortcrust pastry (from Modern Classics Book 2 by Donna Hay)

270 g (2 cups) flower
3 tbs caster sugar
150 g (5 oz) cold butter, chopped
2-3 tbs iced water

Process the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough and process until just combined. Knead the dough lightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.


Frangipan tartlets (from Coffee & Bites by Susie Theodorou



150 g (5 oz / 1 ¼ cup) whole blanched almonds
115 g (4 oz / ½ cup) butter, softened
75 g (3 oz / 1/3 cup) caster sugar
2 medium eggs
6 large fresh apricots, halved, stoned, then cut into 10 wedges
4 tbs apricot jam
2 tbs water

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place twelve 6 cm (2 ½ in) diameter rings onto 2 baking sheets. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Thinly roll out each piece (between no-stick baking paper) to line the metal rings. Trim the top, prick the bases and chill for 10 minutes. Line each pastry with non-stick baking paper or aluminium foil and fill with baking beans or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper with the beans. Bake the pastries for a further 5 minutes or until the bases are pale brown and dry.

Lightly toast the almonds in a heavy-based pan for 1-2 minutes until they begin to release their aroma. Cool the nuts slightly, then process them in a food processor until finely ground. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almonds. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Reduce the oven to 170ºC (325ºF). Spread 3-4 tbs frangipan into the base of each tartlet. Press apricot wedges into the mixture. Bake the tartlets for 25-30 minutes until the frangipan is just set and the fruit is starting to caramelise at the tips.

Heat the jam with the water and pass it through a sieve. Allow the tarlets to cool for 1-2 minutes before brushing the glaze on the fruit, frangipan and pastry edge. Allow to cool before serving.

1 tartlet – 380 kcal
100 g – 400 kcal

carbohydrate 32 g – protein 6 g – fat 27 g (saturated fat 13 g) – fibre 3 g

You would think being away for four weeks would leave me relaxed....not the case unfortunately. Our trip to the Netherlands was focussed on finding a house to buy. We’re leaving Tel Aviv in the beginning of August to go back to living in the Netherlands (The Hague to be precise). So a house would come in handy ;) Having a (then nearly) one year old meant that we had to schedule our house-looking-appointments in between his naps (no grannies in the neighbourhood to baby-sit)...which didn’t leave too much time...especially not because we were staying a 1 ¼ hour drive from the Hague. And besides looking for houses there were of course a lot of family and friends to visit...
Before we left I thought I would have some time to blog but alas...the precious spare time I had I used to relax on the couch.... sorry!
After a week in the Netherlands, my son and I went to Croatia for a week to visit my parents and the rest of the family. Leaving Adriaan to deal with mortgage-stuff etc.



My son Rein tearing off a fig leaf. Something he had done before if you watch closely.

Here are some photo's to give you an impression of our time in Croatia. The following three I made at restaurant Duga in Okrug Gornji on the island of Ciovo. It’s one of my parents’ favourite restaurants in the Trogir area. The food is excellent and the view is spectacular. It's a restaurant you have to know because you wouldn't really bump into it. When you take the turn from the main road you have to drive a dirt road for a km or so to reach the restaurant. Alternatively you could go to the restaurant by boat. Just throw out the anchor and swim or paddle ashore.
(the boat at the top of the page I shot at the restaurant too)



During our stay in Croatia the weather was unseasonably cold (as it had been in the weeks/months before). Only on our last day the weather was kind of okay enough to actually go to the beach. I sort of thought I would go swimming but after trying the Adriatic with my big toe I decided to postpone it till next year. Due to the cold weather the sea hadn’t warmed up as much as usual. I tried to get my son into the water – his first time in the Adriatic – but he too thought it was too cold.



This flan is called rožata in Croatian and originates from Dubrovnik. It is the specialty of my uncle, he bakes it a lot. Like other flans its basis is a custard made with eggs, sugar and milk. It is flavoured with a little rum , vanilla and lemon rind. In the old days it used to be flavoured with a rose liqueur called rozolin that was readily available back then. Nowadays that particular liqueur is hard to come by so rum is used instead. I love rožata and my uncle knows that. So every time we visit him and my aunt he has one ready. I always eat at least two big pieces….and this is after the wonderfully delicious lunch my aunt always prepares when we visit! Rein loved it too...like mother like son.
No recipe for the rožata because I couldn’t give away my uncle’s secret trademark recipe ;) But if you google rožata, you’ll get plenty of recipes.

Just a note to let you know that I'm back...will be posting soon....