David Leite's Chocolate Chip Cookies, slightly modified

Here's what I had for breakfast today - a large cup of coffee, and two gigantic chocolate chip cookies. Following the famous recipe David Leite's Chocolate Chip Cookies pretty closely, I made up a batch of cookie dough on Monday night, and baked 6 large cookies this morning. They weren't bad - I especially liked the slightly chewy inside and crispy edges, and the sprinkling of Maldon sea salt flakes on top of a chocolate cookie is genious. But if I ever make these again, I drastically reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. I made the mistake of having two of these with my coffee this morning, and that is not something I recommend. I was very close to opening a can of tinned sprats to reduce the effects of all that sugar.

Other than that, I was pretty pleased with the way these spread out and baked. Some foodbloggers mentioned that the cookies were flat - not in my kitchen - they were about 1 cm /just under half an inch/ in the center. I baked large cookies, ca 75 grams each (that's just under 3 oz), which is way larger than what's considered a socially acceptable cookie size outside the US, I'm afraid. I'll share the metric recipe here - if you're cooking and baking in cups and ounces, then please refer to any of the good foodbloggers below.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Ameerika šokolaadiküpsised)
Makes a lot, recipe can be halved and the formed unbaked cookies can be frozen



480 g all-purpose flour
1.25 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
275 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200 g soft brown sugar (I used 'fariinsuhkur')
300 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
500 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (at least 60% cacao content)
Maldon sea salt flakes for sprinkling

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a measuring jug. Put aside.
Using the paddle attachment of a food processor, cream the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes, until it's creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined.
Add the flour mixture, and stir just to combine. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
Using your hands, press the dough into a large ball and place in a bowl. Cover with a clingfilm and refridgerate for 36 hours (or up to 72 hours).
Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. Using a large ice cream scoop or a similar utensil, scoop out balls of cookie dough, each weighing about 75 grams. Place the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of space for spreading (I placed 6 cookie dough balls on my large baking sheet). (Return the remaining dough into the fridge!)
Sprinkle lightly with Maldon sea salt flakes.
Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 175°C oven for 16-18 minutes, until the cookie looks golden on the edges, but is still just pale tanned in the middle.
Remove from the oven, gently transfer onto a metal rack to cool slightly and firm up.
Repeat with the remaining dough.

Some other foodbloggers have tried and tested the recipe:
Molly @ Orangette
Deb @ SmittenKitchen
Stephanie @ Bay Area Bites
Clotilde @ Chocolate & Zucchini (who was smart enough to halve the recipe)
Kristin @ Kitchen Sink Recipes
Pim @ Chez Pim

Gooseberry Fruit Soup

We went to see my parents last weekend, and I was thrilled to see that both whitecurrants and gooseberries are ripe and ready to be picked! I sneakily picked about a quart of gooseberries, and made a simple fruit soup for dessert that night. I like my fruit soup to be thick enough to hold a large spoonful of whipped cream without collapsing, but thin enough so I could drink a glass when thirsty.

My mum's gooseberries are yellow and rather sweet, so if the ones you've picked or bought are sharp and acidic, you should increase the amount of sugar in the recipe.

Gooseberry Fruit Soup
(Tikrikissell)
Serves 4 to 6

400 g fresh gooseberries (about 1 litre/1 quart)
150 to 200 g sugar
1 l water
cinnamon stick (optional)
3 slightly heaped Tbsp potato starch or cornflour (see note) + some cold water

Wash the gooseberries, top and tail. Place cold water, gooseberries, sugar and cinnamon stick into a medium saucepan and bring slowly into a boil. Cook over moderate heat for 7-10 minutes, until the berries are soft, but not mushy.
Mix potato starch with some cold water into a runny paste, then stir into the hot fruit soup, stirring gently. Bring just into boil again, then remove from the heat and cool. (Sprinkle some sugar on top to avoid the forming of the 'skin').

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream (or a suitable vegan alternative).

NOTE: We tend to use potato starch in Estonia to thicken our desserts. Potato starch needs to be mixed with some cold water, then stirred into the hot soup. Bring just to the boil and remove immediately, avoiding un-necessary stirring when cooling. When you use cornstarch/cornflour, then use the same amount, but cook the fruit soup for a few minutes once it's simmering again to achieve the required/desired thickness.

Other fruit soup recipes @ Nami-Nami:
Rhubarb fruit soup
Raisin fruit soup
Cranberry fruit soup

Tarte aux Myrtilles - a recipe for French Blueberry Tart

What's an Estonian girl to write about French blueberry tart? No real excuse, apart from the fact that I had a box of wild Estonian bilberries in my freezer and I wanted to make something that really highlight these delicious berries. The resulting cake was delicious and elegant in its simplicity, and I wanted to share the recipe with my blog friends :)

Bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L), is related to high-bush blueberries (Vaccinium Cyanococcus) mostly known and cultivated in the US. I must admit I always thought these two were the same thing - until I bought some cultivated blueberries in Scotland and were surprised to see that the berries where greenish-white inside, and not dark purple, as the berries I had always picked in Estonia. So now I know that when it's white inside, it's a blueberry, when it's purple inside, it's a bilberry.

Both work well in this lovely berry tart. Serve with a sprinkling of icing sugar, and some whipped cream or creme fraiche on the side.

French Blueberry Tart
(Prantsuse mustikapirukas)
Serves six to eight



300-350 g sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe below)

400 g blueberries or bilberries
75 g sugar
1 Tbsp potato starch or cornflour

icing sugar, to serve

For the pastry:
100 g cold unsalted butter
70 g sugar
1 small egg
1/3 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
170 g plain/all-purpose flour

To make the pastry, put all the ingredients into the food processor and process into small crumbs. Using your hands, press into a disk, and place to the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Then roll out and line a 24-25 cm springform tin with it (incl. about 1 inch up the sides). (Or use your favourite sweet tart pastry or pâte sablée recipe - you need about 300-350 g).
For the filling, stir sugar and potato starch/cornflour into blueberries, pour onto the cake tin.
Bake in a pre-heated 200 C oven for about 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and baked.
Cool completely before serving - otherwise the filling is a bit runny.

Nami-Nami recommends: Eating Out in Tallinn and beyond in Summer 2009

NOTE that I'll be updating this post during the summer, as I get to frequent places again myself. I'll put a handy link to the right hand side of this blog, so you can find the post easily.

I've received numerous emails during the last few months asking for café and restaurant recommendations in Tallinn and elsewhere in Estonia. I've outlined my favourites before - Tallinn: Culinary City Snapshot - was published on my friend Johanna's blog back in February 2007. I also did an eGullet foodblog in September that year that included lots of restaurant suggestions. But things have changed since then, so it's definitely time for an updated review. However, instead of replying individually to each of you, I've put together a list of suggestions, explaining what and where alongside. Hope at least some of you will find it useful. If you do have any further questions, please leave it in a comment section and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Note that I gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl in January 2009 and as you can imagine, I've had to reduce the occasions of eating out over the last six months considerably. However, I've still been out and about, especially in cafés, so it's not totally out of date :)

GOURMET RESTAURANTS
If you are looking for a special gourmet night out in Tallinn, then my two top recommendations are the award-winning Ö (Chef Roman Zaštšerinski, Mere pst 6E, +372-6616150; Mon-Thu 12noon-11pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-midnight, Sun 1pm-10pm) and STENHUS (Chef Tõnis Siigur; Pühavaimu 13/15, Tel +372-6997780; Open for lunch and dinner, Courtyard Garden open during the summer months). I've written about Stenhus twice before, in October 2007 and February 2007, but I've been there on numerous occasions since then, most recently in November and December 2008.

VEGETARIAN
Being a vegetarian AND eating out is not easy in Estonia. Although most restaurants and cafés would have something on the menu to suit your diet, the choice is often limited and much less creative and interesting than the non-vegetarian menu. However, there's a restaurant in the Old Town, called AED ('garden'; Rataskaevu 8, tel 6269088, Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm) that's taken its vegetarian menu seriously (they also highlight gluten-free and lactose-free dishes on their menu).

There is also a new vegetarian diner Maitsev ja Tervislik ('tasty and healthy; Narva mnt 6; Open 10am-9pm), but I must admit I haven't had a chance to check this place out yet. It seems to be the only place in Tallinn serving vegan food, for example.

LUNCH
There are several places I can recommend for a quick lunch.
Bestseller & Boulangerie (Viru Keskus, 3rd & 4th floor) are part of the Imre Kose Emporium. Nice salads and pastries, special offers during lunchtime, and as both cafés (with slightly different menus) are part of a bookstore, then I've had lunch there often. Ask for sea-buchthorn juice!!
Bonaparte Bistro has recently opened in the Foorum Keskus (Narva mnt 5), and the food is excellent.
Vertigo (Chef Imre Kose, Rävala pst 4, 9th floor) is known as one of the more expensive restaurants in Tallinn, but their lunch deals are good value. My partner K. heartily recommends them, and as he works in the adjacent building, he knows what he's talking about.
Vapiano (Hobujaama 10) serves Italian food (pizzas, pastas, salads - I like their pizzas more than their pastas).

CAFĒ
If it's a good cup of coffee and a slice of cake that you're after, then in the Old Town try any of these cafés:
Matilda (Lühike jalg, Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 9am-6pm; their Pavlova is great)
Bonaparte (Pikk tn 45, Open Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 10am-6pm; they also run the Tristan & Isolde Café under Raekoda aka Town Hall)
Anneli Viik (Pikk tn 30, Open Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-7pm).



Chocolats de Pierre (above) has a great courtyard, good choice of cakes and hand-made truffles (Vene tn 6, Open daily; see my previous post).
Kehrwieder is a chain of cafés dotted across the city centre. They're coffee is of varying quality, but the venues themselves are rather nice.

KADRIORG
Kadriorg is a beautiful park area within walking distance from the Old Town (or take Tram no 1). It's definitely worth a visit because of the new National Art Gallery, KUMU. While in Kadriorg, there are several places where you could stop for a pastry or lunch. Here are some of my favourites:
NOP (Köleri 1, Open 8am-8pm) is a great place for breakfast or lunch, and they've also got a small deli shop next to the café, where you can buy a range of organic and/or local food items. Before having the baby, I visited them several times a week. (Oh, they've got a children's area as well).



Park Café (above, Weizenbergi st 22, Open Tue-Sun 10am-8pm) has a German-trained baker on premise, making their cakes slightly different from the usual offerings in Tallinn. I love their outdoor seating area (below) just next to the lake in the Kadrioru Park. Another good place to visit when you've got kids.



TIGU seafood bistro (Vilmsi 45, Open Tue-Fri 12 noon-10 pm) is a cosy seafood-oriented and French bistro style establishment in the outskirts of Kadriorg. They're small and popular with local and loyal customers, so make sure to book a table in advance if you want to have dinner (+372-56668493). However, they've got a summer terrace where you can quickly order lunch and don't need to book in advance, so you may want to try that.
KUMU kohvik (Weizenbergi 34; Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm) is located on the ground floor of the KUMU Art Museum. You can enjoy your coffee outdoors if the weather is nice.
Creperie Kristjan & Kristiine (Vase 14, +372-6448462; Open Mon-Sat 12 noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-6pm, currently closed until early August) is a small restaurant specialising in salads, crepes and pancakes with sweet and savory fillings.

ESTONIAN FOOD
This is actually trickier than you think. There are some restaurants that heavily advertise themselves as Estonian, but neither I or my friends have really enjoyed the food. So I skip that bit. However, there are couple worth trying in Tallinn:
VANAEMA JUURES ('At grandma's place'; Rataskaevu 10/12, +372-6269080; Open Mon-Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-6pm) serves unpretentious, but really tasty food.
KULDSE NOTSU KÕRTS (Dunkri tn 8, +372 628 6567; Open daily from 12noon-midnight) also serves Estonian food, including famous items like sült (headcheese/meat jelly/brawn), Estonian pea soup and Kama, of course.
KOLU KÕRTS (Kolu Tavern) is slightly out of town, at the Open Air Museum (Vabaõhumuuseum; Bus nr 21). They serve old peasant dishes, including kama (again :)), soups, mushroom salads. The menu is limited, but it's a beautiful open air museum, so if you're going on a (half)day trip, there's no need to bring your own sandwich.

RUSSIAN FOOD
If you're keen to try some Russian food, then there are quite a few restaurants in Tallinn.
Troika (Raekoja plats 15, +372-6276245) - I like their pelmeny dumplings, cold soups and pickles, honey and sour cream starter. They've got two outdoor seating areas on the Town Hall Square.
Nevskij is a slightly more upmarket Russian restaurant on the ground floor of Hotel St Petersbourg (Rataskaevu 7, +372-6286560, Open Tue-Sat 12 noon-11pm)

SUNDAY BRUNCH
Sunday Brunch is a concept only now becoming a feature in local restaurants. The only two places I know of (and although I've eaten there, I haven't tried their brunch yet) are:
MUSEUM (Chef Nikita Tšunihhin, Vana-Viru 14). Brunch is served on Sundays from noon till 4pm, a la carte menu (incl. bagels, Eggs Benedict etc).
VERTIGO (Chef Imre Kose, Rävala pst 4, 9th floor). Brunch is served on Sundays from 11am-4pm; 350 EEK per person, 150 EEK for childen aged 3-15, toddlers free)

VIIMSI
Viimsi is a suburb just outside Tallinn, about a scenic 20-minute drive pass the Song Festival Square and Pirita monastery. It also the place that Yours Truly happens to live :) In the unlikely place you've ended up in Viimsi (perhaps on a way to visit me? Or you're staying at Viimsi SPA like many Finnish visitors), there are few places to fill up your stomach. If it's just a coffee and pastry you're after, try Delicato deli at the Viimsi Keskus (Randvere tee 6; drinks and pastries are a very reasonable 15-25 EEK, cakes more expensive). Harmoonikum (Pargi tee 8, open Mon - Sat 12-20) is a lovely organic café and day spa that serves simple and organic fare, including soups, cakes, herb infusions. For pub food and a pint of beer, there's Scotland Yard (Randvere tee 6, Viimsi). And if it's the view, but not food, you're after, then there's Paat, a pub with a lovely outdoor seating area and a gorgeous view of the Tallinn skyline (but the food is unfortunately a letdown).

Estonian Strawberry Roulade (Berry Swiss Roll)

I'm not claiming that Swiss Roll or Strawberry Roulade is by any means unique to Estonia. But I guess our most popular version of the roll - filled with a mixture of curd cheese and whipped cream, as well as berries, is rather typical and perhaps less common outside the country. Here's how I make it.

* If you live in the UK, try the Polish shops for 'tvorog'. In the US, some of the farmer's cheese look and taste very similar to our curd cheese (or buy 'tvorog' from Russian shops). In Finland, use 'rahka' and in Sweden 'kesella'. Alternatively, try ricotta, but add a spoonful or two of sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice to make it more similar to curd cheese.

Strawberry Roulade
(Rullbiskviit maasikate ja kohupiimakreemiga)
Makes about 10 slices



Sponge:
4 large eggs
100 g caster sugar
55 g plain/all-purpose flour
50 g potato starch/potato flour
1 tsp baking powder

Filling:
200 ml whipping cream (35%)
1 Tbsp caster sugar (or vanilla sugar, if you prefer)
250 curd cheese
300-400 g fresh strawberries

Garnish:
icing sugar
fresh mint or lemon balm (optional)

Make the sponge: whisk eggs and sugar until very thick, pale and foamy (this would take about 8-10 minutes or slightly less, when using a KitchenAid). Mix flour, potato starch and baking powder in a measuring jug, then pour through a sieve onto the egg foam. Using a wide spatula or metal spoon, gently stir until just combined.
Spread the batter onto a oven sheet covered with baking paper.
Bake in a preheated 225 C / 437 F oven for about 7-8 minutes, until the sponge is light golden brown on top. IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO OVERCOOK THE SPONGE, AS IT WON'T ROLL NEATLY WHEN YOU BAKE IT FOR TOO LONG!
Take the sponge out of the oven.
Place a clean sheet of baking paper onto your work surface and sprinkle with some caster sugar. Carefully flip the cooked sponge onto the baking paper, upside down. Now peel off the "baked" baking paper, then replace on top, cover with a kitchen towel and leave to cool.
To make the cream, whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Then fold in the curd cheese, whisking again lightly to combine.
Wash and dry the strawberries, then hull and cut into slices.
Remove the kitchen towel and the "baked" baking paper from the sponge cake.
Spread the curd cheese cream onto the cooled sponge cake, leaving about 2 inches/5 cm of one of the long edges clean. Scatter strawberries on top.
With the help of the baking paper, roll tightly into a roulade, starting from the long edge covered with cream.
(You can put the undecorated roulade into the fridge for up to 24 hours, wrapped in clingfilm or parchment paper. It will be easier to cut into neat slices, when allowed to rest in the fridge for a while).
Decorate with fresh strawberries and some mint or lemon balm leaves, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Smoked Bacon, Onion and Cheese Tart with Cherry Tomatoes

While we're still eating lots of strawberries (yes, the season is still going strong here), then here's something savoury for a change. I flipped through the latest issue of the British BBC Good Food magazine in a café few days ago, and this recipe for Smokey Cheese and Onion Tart caught my eye. I used puff pastry instead of shortcrust, and slightly modified the process and ingredient proportions, and made this for dinner on Wednesday. We liked it a lot.

As with most puff pastry tarts, this is best when still warm or lukewarm.

Smoky Bacon, Onion and Cheese Tart with Cherry Tomatoes
(Sibula-juustu-peekonipirukas)
Serves 6 to 8



500 g puff pastry
100 g smoked bacon
4 to 5 medium-sized yellow onions
200 ml whipping cream
1 large egg
200 g grated cheese
200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
freshly ground black pepper

Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Using a small sharp knife, score a 1 cm border around the edge of the pastry.
Cut the smoked bacon into small cubes. Peel and halve the onions, then cut into thin half-slices.
Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat, add bacon and onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then, until bacon is browned and onions softened. Remove from the heat, and cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg and cream, then fold in the grated cheese and fried onions and bacon. Spread the mixture over the puff pastry, staying within the scored line.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes on top, season with freshly ground black pepper.
Bake in the middle of a preheated 225 C / 450 F oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the puff pastry edge has risen and the filling is a lovely golden shade.

Strawberries with Amaretto cream and crushed meringues

Another simple strawberry dessert that's ready and served within minutes. The recipe idea is from a Swedish recipe leaflet Arla Köket (2/2001, Jordgubbar på italienska).

Cut strawberries into small cubes, sprinkle with some sugar (optional) and divide between serving glasses. Whisk some whipping cream until soft peaks form, then season with a splash (or two) of Amaretto. Spoon over strawberries. Finally, crumble some meringues and sprinkle on top of cream.

A lovely contrast of flavours and textures, trust me :)

(Itaalia maasikadessert)

Cherry smoothie with kama and kefir

Here's a quick smoothie I fixed myself yesterday. A large handful of pitted cherries, a cup of kefir*, blended with an immersion blender. I then stirred in 2 Tbsp of the famous Estonian kama mixture, and seasoned the smoothie with a spoonful of agave nectar and a squeeze of lemon. Lovely, and perfect for summer!

What's KAMA??? Read more here.


* If you live in the UK, try looking for kefir in the Polish shops. If you live in the US, you could look for Lifeway Kefir in Whole Foods, Target etc.

(Keefirikokteil kama ja kirssidega)

Summer Salad with Strawberries, Prosciutto and Cacioricotta

With local strawberries finally here, I've tried to use them on as many occasions as possible. Remember my strawberries with elderflower zabaglione recipe? Well, this is the starter we served during that dinner. Pretty and seasonal, and delicious as well.

I used an Italian Cacioricotta cheese, made from sheep and goat milk. It's a young and crumbly cheese, similar to pecorino. Use this, if you can find some, or replace with a semi-soft goat cheese of your choice.

Summer Salad with Strawberries, Prosciutto and Cacioricotta
(Suvine salat maasikate ning singiga)
Serves 6

large handful of salad leaves per person (I used lamb's lettuce)
200 g (about half a pound) of strawberries
6 slices of Prosciutto/Parma ham
75 g Cacioricotta cheese

Salad dressing:
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used Belazu)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and dry the salad leaves, divide onto plates.
Clean strawberries, halve or quarter them. Rip Prosciutto into smaller pieces. Crumble the cheese. Divide between plates.
Whisk olive oil and balsamico together, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the salad portions.
Serve.

Rye bread with hazelnuts, raisins and dried cranberries

I've been baking my own naturally leavened (aka no-yeast) rye bread again, using just rye flour, and I'm very pleased with the results. I always make two large loafs - one plain (well, I do add caraway seeds and linseeds to the dough), the other flavoured. Last weekend I added some hazelnuts, dried cranberries and raisins to the mixture. Absolutely delicious!

Let me know if you're interested in the recipe.

EDIT 8 July 2009: Well, looks like I'll need to post the recipe indeed :) It's a longer post, but I'll do it a.s.a.p.!

Strawberries with Elderflower Zabaglione

We've got some friends living nearby, who love good food as much as we do (their 7-year old daughter's favourite pizza is with arugula and Prosciutto!). We get together pretty much on a weekly basis at each other's place, cooking and eating together. Last Friday we - K,. me and Nora - walked over to their house. The weather was hot and sunny, as it has been for over a week now, and we decided to have an al fresco dinner in the backyard. They were in charge of the main course (excellent grilled Teriyaki salmon with new potatoes and a salad, with additional nibbles), we prepared a quick starter (Strawberry and Prosciutto salad with Cacioricotta cheese), and this strawberry dessert. Estonian strawberries have finally appeared on the market stalls, so we were keen to use as many of them as possible..

This is a great summer recipe. I usually make zabaglione (or sabayon, if you prefer the French name) with Marsala or Madeira or some other dessert wine. However, I have recently come across many recipes combining strawberries with elderflower, so I decided to try elderflower cordial instead. It worked like a dream - the resulting zabaglione was light and sweet with strong floral undertone, which complemented the strawberries well. We gave a quick treatment with the torch, but you could just dip the berries into this zabaglione.

I used a Swedish Brunneby Fläderblomst cordial, available in various health food shops here in Estonia.

Strawberries with Elderflower Zabaglione
(Gratineeritud maasikad leedrikreemiga)
Serves six



500 g strawberries, cleaned and halved, if necessary
4 large egg yolks
3-4 Tbsp caster sugar
4 Tbsp elderflower cordial

If you're planning to bruleé the desserts, place the strawberries in small ramekins. Otherwise just divide the berries between six glasses.
Place egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl and whisk until foamy. Whisk in the elderflower cordial.
Place the bowl on top of a small saucepan, where you've brought about an inch of water into simmering boil. Continue whisking the egg mixture over the double-boiler, until it thickens (should take about 7-10 minutes). DO NOT BOIL, as the egg yolks will curdle if they get too hot.
When the mixture is thick and foamy, spoon over the strawberries. Either serve at once or, using the gas torch, grill until golden brown marks appear.