Turkish Rice Pudding

There’s nothing like mom’s old standby recipes, regardless of whether it’s a biological mom or a chosen one. Sometimes, the simplest food is the best one, especially during long winters. When I was 17 I did a gap year in Turkey that changed my life, not least of all because it instilled in me a deep love of delicious food. Seriously, that is some of the best cuisine in the whole world!

This recipe started as my Turkish mom’s recipe for rice pudding, which I haven’t made in ages. I’ve tweaked it a little to my own tastes, lowering the sugar count and adding just a dash of orange extract, which pairs brilliantly with the dusting of cinnamon on top. I couldn’t decide whether I liked it better as a dessert or for a breakfast treat, but I like to think that even my Turkish mom would like it with a nice cup of tea. :)

Seni seviyorum, anne!

Rice Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups milk
1/2-3/4 cup sugar, to taste
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 egg yolks
1 Tbs. corn starch
Dash each vanilla and orange extract
ground cinnamon to serve

Combine 4 cups of milk and the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rice and cook for around 20 minutes or so, until the rice is soft. You may need to stir occasionally to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, corn starch, vanilla, and orange extract. While whisking, pour a little of the hot milk from the pan into the bowl to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot and cook for another couple of minutes, whisking or stirring to fully combine. The mixture should thicken considerably during this time. Pour everything into a heat-proof casserole dish (or smaller individual sized serving bowls). At this point, you can either serve warm or room temperature, or chill for later. You can also put the whole casserole into an oven preheated to 350F for around 20 minutes, until they are warmed through and the tops have browned.

Baked Currant Doughnuts

Thoughts:

This recipe is based on one from Clear Flour Bakery, near which I used to live. It makes amazing doughnuts, albeit ones that are still a little inferior to those from the bakery itself. You could get me to wake up at any hour of the morning to get some of those doughnuts. But now living several hours away, getting a hold of the genuine article is no longer practical.

These delectable morning treats have always struck me as oddly medieval. Between those familiar cinnamon and nutmeg, and the prolific currants, they tick several of the standard medieval ingredient boxes. The triple risings make them soft and incredibly fluffy, and I will admit to eating several myself. Every time. They’re SO good. Even the residents of The Inn who don’t especially like sweets enjoy these, since the main sugar content is however much you dust the outsides with.

Proposed Location?

The expense of the spices would point toward one of the more well-heeled households, while the dried currants point toward something somewhat northern. I could see them at Winterfell or Riverrun, but even as far south as King’s Landing or Oldtown. Each location or family cook would probably add their own special ingredients to them, such as candied lemon peel in the capitol, or a dash of rosewater for the Tyrells. And as I type those thoughts, I might have to try some of those variants… strictly for research purposes, you understand. ;)

What do you think would be good?

Baked Currant Doughnut Recipe

Makes about 10 doughnuts

Cook’s Notes: This recipe looks daunting, but the hardest part is waiting for the doughnuts to rise. If I’m serving them with breakfast, I like to start the dough the night before- I let it go through the first rise, then punch it down and leave it somewhere with a neutral temperature to rise the second time overnight. In the morning, all I have to do is form into shapes, let rise the final time, and bake!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried currants
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 cup for dusting
3/4 cup milk, warmed
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1 stick soft butter, plus 4 -6 Tbs. additional melted butter
pinch of salt

In a medium bowl, cover the currants with hot water and let stand until softened, 20 minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir the yeast with 2 tablespoons of warm water and a pinch of sugar and let stand until foamy about 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, then the yeast and spices. Drain the currants, and stir into the batter. Gradually add the flour, alternating with the milk, until the dough comes together. It should start to take on a smooth consistency that pulls away from the sides of the bowl; if need be, either don’t add all the flour, or add a little extra until you reach the right kind of dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for several minutes, or until the dough bounces back when poked. Grease a large bowl and place the kneaded dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let stand in a warm place until it’s doubled in size. Punch it down, re-form it into a ball, and place back in the bowl. Let it rise again until doubled.

Grease a couple of baking sheets with butter. Divide your dough into 10 pieces, and pinch them into ball shapes. Split these between the baking sheets, flattening them slightly. Using a small round cutter, cut out the center of each disc of dough and place in the empty spaces on the baking sheet. Cover the dough again, and let rise in a warm place for one final hour.

Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes- the doughnut holes might need less time, so keep an eye on them. The doughnuts are done when they are a rich golden color. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes until they can be handled, then brush with melted butter and dip in granulated sugar. Dig in!

Teff Porridge with honey and dates

“Beneath them, the plain stretched out immense and empty, a vast flat expanse that reached to the distant horizon and beyond. It was a sea, Dany thought. Past here, there were not hills, no mountains, no trees nor cities nor roads, only the endless grasses, the tall blades rippling like waves when the winds blew…” -A Game of Thrones

Teff Porridge with Dates

Thoughts:

This recipe comes courtesy of a suggestion by blog fan and reader Jessette. I’d seen teff for sale, but hadn’t the faintest idea what to do with it. Now, I’m eager to experiment. The seeds are tiny, even smaller than chia seeds, but they cook like millet or quinoa, but faster. It’s an ancient grain, dating back to at least 1,000 BCE, making it an ideal candidate for the continent of Essos.

Teff porridge is like a quirky, earthier version of breakfast oatmeal. The grains don’t break down completely, leaving tiny *pops* of texture. The dried dates match the darkness of the teff, and the honey-sweetness ties the whole thing together. I was instantly smitten by the tasty uniqueness of this morning breakfast alternative.

Proposed Location?

The Dothraki Plains, hands down. Teff comes from a type of African grass, which seems to particularly invoke images of the Dothraki Sea. One taster suggested that it would also make an excellent stuffing. I imagine the Dothraki women or slaves hunting rabbits and birds as they traveled, and using teff as a nutritious stuffing.

Recipe for Teff Porridge

Cook’s Notes: Teff porridge, as made by the Dothraki, could include any ingredients they had plundered from their enemies or gathered on the plains. Get creative!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole teff grain – not the flour
3 cups boiling water
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit, such as dates or raisins
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup honey, plus extra for serving

Pour the teff into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, and toast gently for 3-5 minutes until it gives off a nice, nutty smell.

Add the butter, boiling water, and spices. Increase heat to a simmer and stir occasionally to keep the porridge cooking evenly. After 10 minutes, add the chopped dates, salt, and honey. Continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, adding extra water if needed, until the porridge is cooked through to your liking.

Scoop into serving bowls, and garnish with extra honey and dates. Enjoy!

Teff Grains

Jammy Rolls

Thoughts:

Continuing my seasonal trend of all things Concord Grapes, I had the sudden idea to make these awesome jammy rolls with some leftover jam. Which, of course, means I’ll have to make more jam. They’re basically made the same way as cinnamon rolls, but are filled with concord grape jam instead of cinnamon sugar. Topped with a little drizzle of lemon icing, and they’re pretty much amazeballs.

Soft, dense dough holds in the gooey grape filling. The lemon icing, which couldn’t be easier to make, perfectly accentuates the flavors of the Concord Grapes, adding a little zing! to their sweetness. Granted, they could be made with any jam you happen to have on hand, but I think the flavor of the grape is robust enough to hold its own against that amount of dough.

So go get yourselves some of the last grapes of the season, and make this recipe for a wonderful weekend breakfast treat!

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Cider Cake

Thoughts:

Cider, for me, is the epitome of Autumn.

Dense, moist, and characterized by that distinctive spiced cider flavor, this cake is an easy new favorite. I initially wondered if the cake would need icing, since it calls for so few ingredients, but after tasting it, I love it as is. It’s delightfully simple, and while frosting would only add, I enjoy a simpler baked good next to my afternoon tea. If frosted, it would be pigeonholed into the dessert category, while unfrosted, it can be enjoyed equally well as breakfast, snack, dessert, or with tea. I’ve tweaked the recipe just a bit, but it is every bit as delicious as the original.

Also, one of the best parts of the recipe is the note afterward, which states that despite the recipe coming from a Young Lady, it “will make a nice cake, better than some old ladies make.”

I’m inclined to agree.

Cider Cake Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes Baking: 35-40 minutes

Makes one 9″x9″ cake

Cook’s Note: The batter is much, much thicker than what we are used to with cake recipes. Also, you may wish to trim off the edges of the cake if they are a tad too crispy.

from Dr. Chase’s Receipt Book, 1887

Ingredients:

1 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 1/3 cup sweet (unfermented) apple cider, room temperature
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour an 8″ square pan, or a 9″ round one.

Cream together the sugar, butter, and egg. Add the cider, and beat until it’s all the same consistency. Add the soda and spices, followed by the flour, which should give you an unusually thick batter. Smooth this evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the middle comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool in the pan for around 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Delicious served with a little whipped cream, or vanilla or ginger ice cream.

Breakfast in Braavos

“She broke her fast on sardines, fried crisp in pepper oil and served so hot they burned her fingers. She mopped up the leftover oil with a chunk of bread torn off the end of Umma’s morning loaf and washed it all down with a cup of watered wine, savoring the tastes and the smells, the rough feel of the crust beneath her fingers, the slickness of the oil, the sting of the hot pepper when it got into the half-healed scrape on the back of the hand. Hear, smell, taste, feel, she reminded herself. There are many ways to know the world for those who cannot see.” -A Dance with Dragons

Breakfast in Braavos, fried sardines

Thoughts:

NOMSCH.

What a unique and satisfying breakfast! The sardines sizzle and spit as they cook in the peppery oil, giving off the slightest seafood smell. The skin and breading cooks to a wonderful crispy texture that crunches as you chew. The pepper cooks into that outer layer, and melds with the tender, flaky fish on the inside. Umma’s Olive Bread is ideal for swiping up the leftover peppery oil from the plate, just as the Blind Girl did, and a splash of watered wine rounds out the whole meal.

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Hansel & Gretel – Crumbcake

Hansel and Gretel, by Arthur Rackham, 1909

You probably know the basics of the Hansel and Gretel story: the standard wicked stepmother, a fantastic candy house, a child-eating witch, and the happy ending.

This familiar tale was recorded by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. It may date back to the Great Famine of the early 14th century, when many poorer families gave in to desperate strategies for survival. It also has elements in common with many other more obscure fairy tales, such as following a trail through the woods, abandoned children, and witches who eat children.

The idea of an entire house made of gingerbread and candy, simultaneously enticing and forbidden, stayed with me as a child, and is similar to the 14th century account of the Land of Cockayne, a fantastic medieval utopia. That house will be revisited in a later post, but for now, I’ll stick with the breadcrumbs.

The first time Hansel and Gretel are banished into the woods, they leave behind them a trail of white pebbles that helps guide them back home. The second time, unable to get pebbles, they use breadcrumbs. Later, they lose their way after discovering that birds have eaten all of the crumbs.

You will devour this crumb cake just as readily:

Despite the fact that a little goes a long way, you may be tempted to overindulge, given the wonderful combination of crust and cake. The rich, buttery crumble top contains warm spices, with just enough sugar to give it a bit of crunch. The cake itself is moist and flavorful, the ideal companion to coffee or tea.

Try it with breakfast, or with afternoon tea, or even as an accompaniment to after-dinner coffee hour.

Crumb Cake Recipe

Makes 1 8×8″ cake

Prep: 30 min. * Topping: 20 min. * Baking: 35 min

Cake:

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour

To make the topping, combine the sugars, cinnamon, and melted butter. Add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.

For the cake, preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8” square baking dish and line with parchment, allowing extra to hang over the sides. This extra will help lift the cake out of the pan once it is baked.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the softened chunks of butter one piece at a time, incorporating thoroughly until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, with no large chunks remaining. Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, then beat together until light and fluffy.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Break apart the crumb topping and sprinkle over the top of the batter in an even layer.

Bake until the crumbs are golden, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes more, then remove the cake from the pan by lifting out the parchment.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Ice cream makes a wonderful accompaniment.

Biscuits and Bacon

“Ysilla was turning the biscuits. She laid an iron pan atop the brazier and put the bacon in. Some days she cooked biscuits and bacon; some days bacon and biscuits. Once every fortnight there might be a fish, but not today… They were best when eaten hot, dripping with honey and butter.” (Dance with Dragons)

Modern Biscuits and Bacon (Gravy!)

Our Thoughts:

Omdanom.

We hate to admit it, but some dishes really are just better now than they ever were. We struggled and struggled to find a cool, interesting old recipe for biscuits and bacon, and failed to find anything the least bit appetizing. The closest historical equivalent would probably be hardtack and salt pork, both of which were available on ships.

However, our modern biscuit and bacon gravy is a simply decadent and delicious way to start the day. The recipe is straightforward, but results in a thick, salty gravy filled with bits of crunchy bacon. Served over biscuits, or in them, as Tyrion does, it’s delicious, and even vaguely feasible for a shipboard breakfast!

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Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd

Our Thoughts:

Lemon curd is so unbelievably good, so decadent, that you will not believe us when we tell you that it’s also easy to make yourself. But give this recipe a try, and you’ll not resort to buying the overpriced jar at the market ever again.

This makes a wonderful topping for any of our various lemoncake recipes, a classic accompaniment to scones and tea, or eaten directly off a spoon.

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Breakfast in King's Landing

“Cersei Lannister was breaking her fast when Sansa was ushered into her solar. ‘You may sit,’ the queen said graciously. ‘Are you hungry?’ She gestured at the table. There was porridge, honey, milk, boiled eggs, and crisp fried fish.” -A Clash of Kings

Breakfast in King’s Landing

Our Thoughts:

While Sansa might not have had the stomach for such a breakfast, we’re certain you will have no such qualms. The saltiness of the fingerfish is a flavorful counterpart to the sweetness of the honeyed porridge. The texturally aware eater will delight in the wide array provided by this spread: crunchy fish, delightful porridge mush, Oozy honey, firm egg. Wash it all down with good quality cold whole milk, and you’ll be set for whatever challenges your day might bring.

Just please, don’t set your bedroom on fire…this breakfast can be yours without the drama.

Get the recipes in The Cookbook!