Gitane - London

You know those unforgettable girls city trips? Those you keep talking about over and over...? For me one of those city trip is definitely New York City. There was one small café we did really like and had amazing breakfast, called Café Gitane (NoLita). So to take a trip down memory lane I met my friend for coffee at Gitane today, this time in London instead of NYC. 

Gitane is a lovely Persian and Middle Eastern café with delicious food and lovely staff. I love those small cafés with a wooden counter, fresh and delicious food, good coffee, where you can sit and chit chat with friends in a cosy atmosphere. 

If you need a relaxed break, Gitane is the place to go! Close to Oxford Street, right next to busy and famous Kaffeine. I'm already looking forward to spring time...sitting on Gitane's cute purple chairs outside in the sun.

Gitane 

60 Great Titchfield Street

London W1W 7QF

smiley-cake

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

For all the cheesecake, brownie and red velvet lovers! Why not combine everything and call it 'Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies'?! Trust me, it's super easy to bake. Besides the food coloring you probably have all the ingredients at home anyway. Basically it's just a cheesecake layer on top of a brownie layer.

The raw dough was already so delicious that I couldn't wait to try the brownies. I wasn't expecting too much, the brownie layer was super moist and absolutely chocolaty, the cheesecake layer soft and creamy. All in all a perfectly tasty combination and obviously nice to look at!

fresh eggs, cream cheese, food coloring, flour and cacao

pouring the brownie dough in the baking pan

after spreading the cream cheese layer.....and swirling through the dough

after 30 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes cooling time....

....finally ready to eat: super delicious brownies

For the brownie layer you need:

100 g unsalted butter (melted)

100 g sugar

100 g flour

30 g cacao powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 tbsp red food coloring ( I guess I used more, just to be sure)

1 tbsp vinegar (makes the brownies moist)

Cheesecake layer:

250 g soft cheese

30 g sugar

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 180°C 

In a bowl mix together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, cacao powder, food coloring and vinegar. In another small bowl whisk the eggs and add them to the brownie mixture. At the end stir in flour, until everything is well combined. 

Butter a baking pan. Ideally a rectangular baking pan, mine was in use, but it worked perfectly fine with an oval-shaped one as well. Now pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.

For the cream cheese layer mix all the ingredients together (in a bowl). Then spread the cream on top of the brownie layer until the brownie dough is covered. Now get creative, use a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to swirl through the cream cheese layer and create a nice pattern.  

Bake the Cheesecake Brownies for about 30 minutes, let them cool down and cut into small pieces.

Valentine's Day gift idea: cut out heart-shaped Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie Hearts (using a heart shaped biscuit cutter) 

Enjoy!

Italy meets Sweden...

Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake

...what I really love about living in London is that I get to know so many different people from so many different countries. Their habits, their point of views and of course their traditional dishes. Last weekend we had an Italian and Swedish dinner with Bruschetta, Risotto and Sticky Cake. 

Mushroom Bruschetta

Lanka Green Tea Chocolate Cake

Is there something better than a lazy afternoon with girl's chit-chat and Lanka green tea chocolate cake?

Lanka Bakery is a small and super cute café close to Finchley Road.

Well, we enjoyed our delicious cake at home, thanks to a special beloved one who was so nice to surprise us with this lovely cake...in front of my door steps. Thanks!

That was an absolute perfect girls afternoon and the unexpected guest (green tea cake) made it even better!


Lanka
9 Goldhurst Terrace
London NW6 3HX

Moist lemon and poppy cake

This is a really easy and quick cake recipe and it's soo delicious! I love the cracking sound of the poppy seeds, it makes the taste adventure of the cake more exciting. 
If you love the cake really, really moist add a dash of fresh orange juice.

All you need is

100g soft butter

140g flour
100g sugar

30 g poppy seeds

3 tablespoons of cream

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons of lemons zests

One dash of fresh lemon juice

For the glaze

4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

100 g icing sugar

First of all preheat the oven.

Now put butter, sugar, cream, the lemon zests and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well.

Stir in the eggs, flour and add the poppy seeds.

Pour the ready dough into a loaf tin. Bake at 180C for approximately 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the glaze: Just mix the icing sugar together with lemon juice until you get a creamy frosting.

As soon as the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool down. Once the cake is cooled down pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.

Give the glaze time to dry and add some more icing sugar as decoration..... ready is your cake!

mixing the ingredients

ready!