Hot chocolate is a traditional hot drink that helps us warm up on the coldest days of autumn and winter.
In my memory I associate this comforting drink with moments of happiness and comfort on winter days. If I close my eyes and think of a cup of hot chocolate, the following images come to mind: blanket, fireplace, snow, churros, buñuelos, Spanish Kings´ Cake (Roscón de Reyes), Christmas… what about you?
Homemade Spanish Hot Chocolate
Spanish hot chocolate is especially thick and delicious. Not only is a drink on it´s own, but also you can dip delicious homemade churros, buñuelos (Spanish doughnuts) or Roscón de Reyes in it for breakfast or afternoon snack.
There are three days according to Spanish tradition to eat these sweet treats with hot chocolate: buñuelos on Christmas, churros con chocolate on New Year’s Day and Roscón de Reyes on Three Kings´ Day (January 6). But now that you have these recipes in our blog, you can eat them whenever you want!
You can find ready-to-make Spanish hot chocolate in any supermarket, but it is worth making it at home for its authentic flavor and ease of preparation.
This hot chocolate recipe contains cornstarch to give the chocolate that special thick texture that makes you can’t wait to take the next sip.
How to Make Homemade Spanish Hot Chocolate
1. In a saucepan, add 2 cups of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir a little so that the sugar dissolves.
2. In a separate saucepan or bowl, add 1¼ cup of whole milk and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves.
3. As soon as you see the first bubbles, add 200 grams of dark chocolate (52% cocoa) into the sweetened milk. Stir with a wooden spoon so that the chocolate doesn´t stick and melts completely.
4. Once the chocolate has melt, pour in the cold milk with cornstarch and continue stirring with the spoon. You will see that the chocolate is getting thicker.
5. As soon as you see the chocolate mixture boiling, remove it from the heat and keep stirring for 3 minutes or until all the lumps have disappeared and you have achieved the desired thickness. Et voilà… you have just made a delicious homemeade Spanish hot chocolate to enjoy on winter evenings! It is the perfect partner to homemade churros or buñuelos.
If you want to reduce the thickness of the chocolate, you can add just one tablespoon of cornstarch, instead of two, or add a little more milk.
Hot chocolate is a traditional hot drink that helps us warm up on the coldest days of autumn and winter. Spanish hot chocolate is the perfect companion to churros and buñuelos.
In a saucepan, add 2 cups of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir a little so that the sugar dissolves.
In a separate saucepan or a glass, add 1¼ cup of whole milk and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves.
As soon as you see the first bubbles, add 200 grams of dark chocolate (52% cocoa) into the sweetened milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate melts.
Pour in the cold milk with cornstarch and keep stirring.
As soon as you see the chocolate boiling, remove it from the heat and continue stirring for 3 minutes or until all the lumps have disappeared. Et voilà… you have just made a delicious homemeade Spanish hot chocolate to enjoy on winter evenings!
The most characteristic feature of this apple pie is its method of preparation, the caramelized apples are first put in and then covered with the dough.
Once the cake is baked, is popped out of its mold upside down, leaving the caramelized apples on top of the crunchy base. This tart is baked upside down but eaten right side up!
Tarte Tatin History
Popular legend has it that this dessert was created by accident in the 19th century by the Tatin sisters, Caroline and Stéphanie, two women who ran a small hotel in Lamotte-Beuvronen, France.
Stéphanie Tatin’s oversight was to forget to add the dough in when she was making an apple tart. So she decided to put the dough on top of the apples and then, once cooked, she carefully turned the tart over. This is how this delicacy, so well known in French cuisine and throughout the world, was born.
Another version indicates that this type of inverted pastry was a specialty in La Sologne, at least since 1790, a time when the upside-down tart was already among the basic recipes of pastry chefs.
Tart Tatin´s recipe arrived to Paris in 1926 and was first prepared and served at Maxim’s restaurant. Since then it has become a classic in French restaurants.
How to Make Tarte Tatin
The most famous tart in French gastronomy is made of flour, butter, sugar and Golden Delicious apples.
There is a quick way to make this tart, which is with puff pastry. However, we are going to make it with shortcrust pastry, which is the traditional way. Plus, this pie has a fuller flavor by mixing the softness of the juicy, caramelized apple with the sandy shortcrust pastry.
Shortcrust Pastry
1. Dump 2 cups of flour onto your work surface. Make a well in your piled-up flour, it looks like a nest or a volcano, and add in one egg, ½ cup of diced butter and 6½ tablespoons of sugar. The butter must be at room temperature, otherwise put it half a minute in the microwave.
2. Start stirring with a fork to integrate the egg with the rest of ingredients. Then, knead the flour with your hands.
3. Pat the dough together into a ball.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Caramel
5. In a frying pan, add 10 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of water over medium heat (level 5 on glass ceramic). When the wet sugar starts to boil, place 1¾ tablespoon of diced butter into the boiling. Keep in mind not to stir with a metal nor wooden spoon.
6. When the butter melts, distribute it evenly tilting the pan gently on both sides.
7. Let the sugar boil for a few minutes over medium heat and then turn up to high heat (level 9). The caramel starts to brown.
8. Pour the caramel into a 8-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
Tart Filling
9. Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut them in half.
10. Put the apple slices in a large frying pan, without turning on the fire yet.
11. Add in 7 tablespoons of sugar and ½ cup of diced butter over the apples.
12. Put over medium high heat (level 6 on glass ceramic) with the lid on for 10 minutes. We want the apples to soften while sugar and butter melt.
Assembly
13. When filling the cake pan, arrange the apples upright in a circle around the outside, slightly overlapping the slices. Then, use the leftover and less beautiful pieces of apple to fill the middle.
14. Take the shortcrust pastry out of the refrigerator and roll it out to a thickness of 0.8 inches and give it a round shape with a slightly larger diameter than the pan.
15. Place the dough on top of the pan and cut the edges with the rolling pin.
16. Turn on the oven to 356ºF (180ºC) and bake for 35 minutes, or when the shortcrust pastry is golden brown.
17. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool down for 20 minutes.
18. Then, turn the tart upside down on a plate … Et voilà! You have just made the most famous tart of French gastronomy!
I like to eat it warm, with cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Dump flour onto your work surface. Make a well in your piled-up flour and add in one egg, butter and sugar.
Start stirring with a fork to integrate the egg with the rest of ingredients. Then, knead the flour with your hands.
Pat the dough together into a ball.
Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Caramel
In a frying pan, add sugar and a tablespoon of water over medium heat. When the wet sugar starts to boil, place the diced butter into the boiling.
When the butter melts, distribute it evenly tilting the pan gently on both sides.
Let the sugar boil for a few minutes over medium heat and then turn up to high heat (level 9). The caramel starts to brown.
Pour the caramel into a 8-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
Tart Filling
Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut them in half.
Put the apple slices in a large frying pan, without turning on the fire yet.
Add in sugar and butter over the apples.
Put over medium high heat (level 6 on glass ceramic) with the lid on for 10 minutes.
Assembly
When filling the cake pan, arrange the softened apples upright in a circle around the outside, slightly overlapping the slices. Then, use the leftover and less beautiful pieces of apple to fill the middle.
Take the shortcrust pastry out of the refrigerator and roll it out to a thickness of 0.8 inches and give it a round shape with a slightly larger diameter than the pan.
Place the dough on top of the pan and cut the edges with the rolling pin.
Turn on the oven to 356ºF (180ºC) and bake for 35 minutes, or when the shortcrust pastry is golden brown.
Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool down for 20 minutes.
Then, turn the tart upside down on a plate … Et voilà! You have just made the most famous tart of French gastronomy!
This lemonade recipe is amazingly easy and quick to make. Don’t feel like squeezing lemons? Want to always have a pitcher of lemonade in your fridge? You are in the right place.
This homemade drink is:
Refreshing.
Sweet.
Easy and quick to make.
You only need four ingredients to make the best homemade lemonade.
Neither too tart nor too sweet, this recipe has the perfect balance of lemon and sugar. This is a refreshing drink for a summer day!
How to Make Lemonade
It may seem that making this drink is easy (and it is!) , but you have to play with the measurements to get the right proportions.
If you add too much lemon, it can turn out too tart; if you pour too much water, it can turn out too watery. This lemonade recipe is deliciously balanced, so all you have to worry about is enjoying the summer!
Before you start, make sure you have the following equipment: a blender of at least 600 watts, a strainer, a pitcher and a wooden spoon.
Let’s get to it!
1. In the blender, add 5 ice cubes and crush the ice in 2 ten-second batches at maximum speed.
2. Wash 3 lemons and cut off both ends. Then, cut each lemon into four pieces, and toss them in the blender.
3. Add in 100 grams of sugar and one liter of water.
4. In 3 batches, beat at maximum speed for 1 second.
5. Using a strainer, pour the lemonade into a pitcher. And then add 250 ml of water, mint leaves and ice to taste. Stir with a wooden spoon. The mint gives it a touch, even more if possible, of freshness and menthol aroma that combines perfectly with the flavor of the lemonade. Et voilà! Enjoy the summer!
Crush the ice in a blender at maximum speed, in 2 batches of ten seconds each.
Wash 3 lemons and cut off both ends. Then cut the lemons into four pieces and toss them in the blender.
Add in sugar and one liter of water.
In 3 batches, beat at maximum speed for 1 second.
With a strainer, pour the lemonade into a pitcher, add 250 ml of water, mint leaves and more ice to taste. And stir with a wooden spoon… Et voilà! Enjoy the summer!
In my family, we’ve been eating buñuelos for as long as I can remember!
Blanca, isn’t the shape of buñuelos round? Buñuelos is a traditional dessert that is prepared in different ways both in Spain and in Latin American countries. However, this buñuelos recipe come from southern Spain, and they are characterized by having a hole in the middle.
These crispy fritters are known in some places as the Spanish doughnuts.
This traditional dish is part of our family customs. When Christmas arrives, we all get together in Arcos de la Frontera to celebrate the beginning of the holidays.
La Buñuelada
My great aunt Chari invites us all to go to her house in Arcos, which has a very large patio, and that is where they fry buñuelos to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas holidays. We call this la buñuelada.
As soon as the buñuelos are removed from the boiling oil, they are drained and dusted with sugar. Then, they pass them around on trays and, we all chat about on how the year has gone and their new resolutions for the coming year, while eating these sweet treats.
The magic touch is to eat them with hot chocolate, as it is a bit chilly outside in the patio at this time of the year.
This is a tradition similar to that of churros, but here in Arcos it is made with buñuelos.
The way of making the batter and frying these fritters is a real art. However, it is a traditional dessert that is prepared in different ways both in Spain and in Latin American countries.
I share with you this original buñuelos recipe from the south of Spain so that you can live, in the best possible way, the incredible experience that we all spend together in la buñuelada at Christmas time.
How to Make Buñuelos
Buñuelos is a Spanish classic dessert made from basic ingredients such as flour, water, salt and yeast. In the elaboration process, it is very important to follow this recipe instructions to make the batter well and to fry them so that they come out fluffy, light, not too fatty and well done inside.
1. In a large bowl, add 250 ml of warm (not boiling) water, a teaspoon of salt and 50 grams of fresh yeast. Dissolve.
2. Add in 250 grams of flour and integrate by hand.
3. Add in the remaining water (750 ml) and flour (750 ml) and integrate by hand.
How to Make the Batter?
According to this old buñuelos recipe, preparation of batter is key to get fluffy and light buñuelos. The texture of the batter is neither solid nor very liquid, it is rather sticky. The way you mix the batter is very important: with an open hand, you pat the batter until well combined, without flattening or kneading. You mix with an open hand until all the flour is integrated. Plus. you will notice that it sticks to your hand as you mix.
4. When the mixture is free of flour lumps, cover it with a cloth and let it rest for an hour to rise. Do not cover it with cling film since it is important that air enters. Then, place the bowl near a heat source. I place it in the oven turned off for an hour. When the hour has passed you will see that the dough is bubbling and higher, so much so that it may be touching the cloth. Keep in mind that the dough will rise.
Now you have the buñuelos batter ready to fry!
5. Pour plenty of sunflower oil in a saucepan, and put it over high heat (level 8 on glass-ceramic).
6. Place a small bowl filled with water and salt next to the saucepan. This is to wet your hands so that the batter does not stick to your hand before frying it.
7. When the oil is hot, with both hands moistened, grab and stretch the batter and with your thumbs make a hole in the middle. Once you have made the hole in the center carefully drop it into the hot oil.
8. Fry buñuelos one at a time until golden brown on both sides. When one side is browned, after about 45 seconds, flip it over to brown the other side. In total, one buñuelo fries in a minute and a half. Use a skimmer to turn them over.
9. When you take them out, leave them on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Then, sprinkle sugar on top and serve them. Et voilà! You have just made delicious buñuelos in the traditional style!
No two buñuelos are alike, each one has its own shape!
In a large bowl, add 250 ml of warm (not boiling) water, a teaspoon of salt and 50 grams of fresh yeast. Dissolve.
Add in 250 grams of flour and integrate by hand. Mix with an open hand, patting the dough, until all the flour is integrated.
Add in the remaining water and flour and integrate by hand.
When the mixture is free of flour lumps, cover it with a cloth and let it rest for an hour near a heat source.
Pour plenty of sunflower oil in a saucepan, and put it over high heat (level 8 on glass-ceramic).
Place a small bowl filled with water and salt next to the saucepan to wet your hands.
With both hands moistened, grab and stretch the dough, and with your thumbs make a hole in the middle.
Fry buñuelos one at a time until golden brown on both sides.
Remove buñuelos from the oil and leave them on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Sprinkle sugar and serve them. Et voilà! You have just made delicious buñuelos in the traditional style!
This recipe for Spanish cupcakes, also known as magdalenas or Spanish muffins, will surprise you with its fluffiness and taste.
I usually write about desserts that have the power to take us back to our childhood, as that was the main reason to create this blog, but there are also breakfasts and afternoon snacks that have the same effect on us as is the case of these cupcakes!
What´s the difference between French madeleines and Spanish magdalenas ? Basically the main difference is that the French madeleines, and American cupcakes, are made with butter, while these Spanish cupcakes are made with olive oil.
The Spanish magdalena stands out for its combination of simplicity and exquisiteness at the same time.
I remember when I was little, I used to eat them at breakfast or snack time, dipping them in milk or spreading butter on one half. How much I enjoyed eating this delicacy!
If you have never tried it before, I recommend you do so, and if you haven’t done it for a long time, now you have the opportunity to make a homemade magdalena. Don’t you feel like having a freshly baked Spanish muffin for a snack?
How to Make Spanish Cupcakes (Magdalenas)
1. In a bowl, sift 250 grams of flour and 8 grams of baking powder with a sieve.
2. In a separate bowl, add 2 large size eggs and 200 grams of sugar. Beat with a hand held mixer on high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture turns a pale color. It is preferable that the eggs are at room temperature.
3. Gradually, with the help of a spoon, add the dry ingredients into the eggs mixture. Keep beating on medium speed.
4. Add in 150 ml of olive oil and keep whisking until combined. Do not worry if the mixture is too oily at the beginning, the olive oil will be fully integrated into the batter as you whisk.
5. Add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract and keep beating until integrated. In this step, instead of adding vanilla, you can use lemon zest to make traditional lemony spanish cupcakes.
6. Pour 130 ml of whole milk into the mixture and beat on high speed for three minutes until combined. The milk should also be at room temperature.
The batter is ready!
7. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
8. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Then spoon the batter evenly into each liner, filling each half the way.
9. Bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven door.
10. When the time is up and cupcakes have browned, remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Et voilà! You’ve just made delicious Spanish cupcakes!
If you would like to have more ideas for afternoon snacks, you can find them here!
Spanish Cupcakes Recipe
This recipe for Spanish cupcakes, also known as magdalenas or Spanish muffins, will surprise you with its fluffiness and taste.
Ever since I tried this cookie for the first time at a Starbucks, I knew we were made for each other.
Its softness and chewiness make this chocolate chip cookie unique. While you bite the cookie, you enjoy every single part of it from start to end.
In short, when you eat this chocolate chip cookie, you live an experience with all your senses.
As soon as I tried this tasty treat, I set out to find out not only how to make them, but also to make the perfect cookie. This has led me to spend hours in the kitchen, making trial and error, to come up with the recipe that I am proud to share with you.
If they are already delicious, the chocolate chips embedded in them make them magical. I put a lot of chocolate chips in them, to make sure that in each bite I combine the flavour of the biscuit with that of the chocolate. Also, you can add chocolate chunks to enhance, even more, the chocolate flavor in the cookie.
Besides chocolate chips, you can add dried fruit, m&ms, candies, raisins, nuts, white chocolate, etc… whatever you like. I personally love this classic American cookie with chocolate chips!
You can eat them with milk or coffee. If your kids are around, save at least one for yourself! 🙂
How Do I Know When Cookies Are Done ?
When you take them out of the oven, you will think they are unbaked, as you will notice they are extremely soft. Don’t worry, these cookies thicken when cooling at room temperature. If you bake them longer they will come out and will not acquire that soft, moist texture that makes them so special. First, allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie tray. Then, transfer them to the tray with racks, where you let them rest for 20 minutes to cool completely. You will be surprised with the final results!
What Are The Characteristics Of These Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Their texture is soft and chewy and … none of them look alike!
They are very easy to make, it is an advantage and a curse at the same time!
You can store them in an airtight container, and they last 4-5 days.
If you take these cookies with you for special occasions, you will have guaranteed success.
I have been improving this recipe to find the perfect cookie, so that everyone, from adults to the little ones, can enjoy eating them.
Why Do Cookies Get Flat In The Oven ?
Cookie dough balls have a fatty element ( butter ) and a leavening ( baking soda) that make cookies expand when they are in the oven.
Why Do My Cookies Come Out Hard ?
When they are in the oven longer than they should be, the moisture in the dough evaporates; therefore, they become harder and do not acquire the soft texture that makes them so special. Another reason may be that they are smaller than they should be, as result, their moisture evaporates earlier since they have less dough. Roll the dough into balls of about 50 grams each.
Tips, Ingredients and Equipment To Make These Cookies
Very important ! Use softened butter, so I recommend taking the butter out of the refrigerator 2 hours before, to cool at room temperature, or softening it in the microwave at low power in 15 second batches. The butter will be softened when you can sink your fingers into it.
I use hand mixer with dough hooks.
In this recipe, white sugar is combined with brown sugar. The white sugar makes the inside of the cookie more moist and fresh, while the brown sugar gives the cookie that soft, chewy texture.
Cornstarch helps to make this cookie soft, and eggs help to give it structure and thickness.
Use as much chocolate as you like. I add extra chocolate chips to make sure there will be delicious chocolate in every bite.
When you roll the dough into balls, press the sides a little to make them taller. This will help the cookies to come out thicker.
What Is The Best Way To Store Chocolate Chip Cookies?
In case you want to save them for another time, a very simple way to store them is in an airtight container or tupperware. Many weekends I make my mom these cookies for her Thursday Tour, in other words, every Thursday she goes to pick up all her grandchildren from school. That is, she stores these cookies with chocolate chips in tupperware for 5 days. My children and nieces and nephews, the biggest critics of my cooking, love them! So, in my experience, these chocolate chip cookies keep well in the tupperware for 5 days.
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 338ºF ( 170ºC ).
2. In a bowl, add 200 grams of softened salted butter cut in cubes, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar. With the hand held mixer, cream the butter with the sugar for 2 minutes on low speed.
3. In another bowl, whisk 2½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and ½ teaspoon baking soda together.
4. When dry ingredients are well combined, add them into the butter mixture, then beat with the hand mixer on low speed until the mixture gets a sand-like texture.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, one egg and one egg yolk into the mixture. Beat with the hand held mixer until crumbs.
6. Now start kneading the mixture. Add 200 grams of chocolate chips into the dough and knead again. The amount of chocolate chips can vary according to your taste for chocolate. In my case, I am very very chocolatier!
7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
8 . Roll the dough into balls, about 50 grams of dough each. I recommend you to, first, roll the balls and then squeeze each side, making the ball taller or into a more cylindrical shape.
9 . Place each ball on the parchment paper. Leave enough space between each cookie so that they have room to expand and don´t stick together.
10. Bake for 15 minutes.
11. When removing from oven, cookies will look like they are unbaked. Don´t worry! Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on parchment paper, then transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely for 10 minutes. You will see that they will harden a little more, without losing their soft texture. Et voilà, you have just made delicious chocolate chip cookies!
In a bowl, cream butter with sugar, with a hand held mixer, for 2 minutes on low speed.
In another bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and baking soda together.
When dry ingredients are well combined, add them into the butter mixture, then beat with the hand mixer on low speed until the mixture gets a sand-like texture.
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, one egg and one egg yolk into the mixture. Beat with the hand held mixer until crumbs.
Knead the mixture, then add 200 grams of chocolate chips into the dough and knead again.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into balls, about 50 grams of dough each.
Coloca cada bolita encima del papel de horno.
Place each ball on the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the parchment paper. Then, transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely for 10 minutes. Et voilà, you have just made delicious chocolate chip cookies!
