​Dessert

Nut Tofee

Toffee is a candy formed by boiling a sugar syrup to a high temperature. As a result, toffee usually has a hard, slightly chewy texture and a rich taste that is gained by adding butter or cream to the sugar and water in the sugar syrup. Other common additions to toffee are roasted, chopped nuts and chocolate.

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Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

3/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

1 pound of dark chocolate

2 cups (1 pound) butter

2-2/3 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1.5 dl chopped hazelnuts (or almonds)

Preparation

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1. Toast the nuts by spreading them on a cookie sheet and placing them in a 325-degree oven for approximately 10 minutes. Stir them every 3-4 minutes, and remove them once they darken and become fragrant. Let the nuts cool, then chop them finely.

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2. Prepare a 12x16 inch cookie sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

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3. Combine the butter, sugar, water and corn syrup in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter. Insert a candy thermometer and bring the candy to a boil, periodically brushing down the sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization.

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4. Continue to cook the candy, stirring frequently, until it reaches 300 degrees. If the candy appears to separate (with a layer of melted butter on top) stir vigorously to make it come back together again. Watch the candy as it approaches 300, since it cooks quickly and can scorch at high temperatures.

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5. Once the candy reaches 300 degrees, remove from heat and pour it onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the candy to an even thickness. Allow the toffee to begin to set, then spray a knife with nonstick cooking spray and score the toffee into small squares or rectangles. Allow the toffee to cool completely.

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6. Once the toffee is cool, break it apart on the scored lines into small squares. The toffee can be left plain, or dipped in chocolate.​

Carrot Cake with Walnuts

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A nice Carrot and Walnut cake with a slight taste of spice cardamom. It's not too sweet and the count of calories is moderate

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Ingredients

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3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup milk

6 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

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Preparation

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch tube pan.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.

3. Beat the eggs with the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom together for 5 minutes. Stir in the confectioner's sugar and mix well. Beat in the vegetable oil and continue beating for 5 minutes.

4. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the egg mixture. With a spoon stir in the carrots and the walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Enjoy it with a glass of milk or a cup of tea.​

French Nougat

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The word Nougat is said to be descended from the French, Tu nous Gates (You spoil us) when the almond tree was introduced in France around the 1650th However, what we call French Nougat, have existed for more than 500 years in the Middle East under the names Raha and Luckum

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Ingrediens:

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1 cup(1/4 L) confectioners' sugar

1 cup(1/4 L) finely chopped toasted almonds

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Directions:

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Oil a marble slab or large cookie sheet. Oil a heavy wooden spoon or metal spatula and set aside. Put the sugar in a 3-quart heavy pot, set over low heat, and stir now and then as it becomes very hot. Stir continuously as it starts to melt. It may take 10 minutes to begin to melt; as it does it will almost immediately turn to caramel. When completely melted and carmelized, stir in the almonds and turn out onto the slab or cookie sheet. For flat pieces, use the greased spatula or spoon to spread it out until it stops moving, then let it cool and break into pieces. For small rounds, keep it moving at this point; fold it over onto itself with the spatula, keeping it constantly in motion. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, divide into four parts and shape into long rolls about 1/3 inch thick. Keep the rolls moving until they are almost cold. With a sharp knife cut each roll into five sections. Store in airtight container. Makes 1 pound.​