OUT AND ABOUT | KRAKOW #1

After a very busy year my holiday time was definitely overdue. A place I am always happy to re-visit and like to call my second home is the truly wonderful Polish city of Krakow.

As a student, I spent my year abroad studying in this city and it holds many memories dear to my heart. I have been back to visit since, but I knew another visit was in order. I returned a few weeks ago to frequent some old haunts, hunt down new ones, for food inspiration and of course to do what I do best which is... eat!

Returning with a friend of mine who had also visited the city before, we were on a mission to eat our way round the city sharing plates and street food. Below is round up #1 of our favourite finds and eats in Krakow.

My main mission of this trip was to try several different types of Pierogi. Pierogi are a traditional handmade Polish dumpling which is made from unleavened dough. They are semi-circular in shape and filled with various different ingredients.

We successfully managed to work our way through a few different varieties including pierogi filled with fava beans, cheese and potato, sauerkraut and mushroom and garlic spinach.

However... on to the round up we go!



1. Milkbar Tomasza

Our favourite pierogi was from a lovely modern take on the traditional Polish milk bar (Bar Mleczny). The traditional ones are self-service cafeterias which were establised after World War I to provide cheap but nourishing hearty food. These are still going strong today and you can expect to buy a three course meal for the price of £3-£4.

Milkbar Tomasza was just over the road from our apartment on sw. Tomasza . It is modern in style but still retains the intimate cafeteria feel to it.

We loved this place so much that we went back three times during out stay... and on three times we ordered these INCREDIBLE Spinach Pierogi (pierogi ze szpinakiem) because they were indeed the best pierogi I have ever tasted. Light and fluffy dumplings filled with an intensely flavoured (but highly welcomed) garlic spinach which were boiled then fried and served with golden onions and chives. A portion of eight pierogi came to 13zl (£2.60).

The staff were super friendly and polite and extremely flattered to see us return. This was the star of the trip for me.

We also sampled some of their Potato Pancakes with Creamy Mushrooms (placki ziemniaczane z sosem pieczarkowym) which are also in need of a mention. These were potato cake fritters which were moist and delicate on the inside but crisp on the exterior. The mushrooms came in a creamy garlic sauce which was not too rich but was incredibly moreish. This is another popular dish in Poland. This was a mere 14zl which sets you back £2.80.

2. Zapiekanka from Plac Nowy in Kazimierz

Zapiekanka are one of the most popular Polish street foods you can get. They are halved baguettes which are served open faced like a pizza. They are usually topped with mushrooms and cheese and then whatever other toppings you desire.

Zapiekanka's are available from most of the kebab shops on in the Main Square (Rynek Główny) in Krakow but I highly recommend taking a walk over to Kazimierz, the Jewish district of Krakow and venturing to Plac Nowy where you will be greeted by an array of zapiekanka vendors. The usual rule of thumb is to join the vendor which has the biggest queue and eye up the zapiekanka's which are served whilst you make your decision on your toppings.

We tried a few different ones. Our favourite by far was this beast below... a vegetarian special with kidney beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes, tomato ketchup and topped with crispy fried onions. These come with an extremely messy warning though!

 On our next venture down we went to a different vendor. I was desperate to have some kielbasa, a smoked Polish sausage so I ordered one with spinach, kielbasa, tomato ketchup and crispy onions.
My vegetarian sidekick went for a similar one (minus the kielbasa) with spinach, garlic mayonnaise and crispy onions.

I also couldn't help but share a picture with you of some extremely popular food which we saw several workers ordering on their lunch break from the vendors. It's a pork knuckle served with sauerkraut and half a loaf of bread. The real hearty deal right there!

3. Chimera

When I lived in Krakow this was my favourite haunt. I could never get bored of eating here as the menu changes daily and the food is fresh and tasty, but also extremely healthy and good value for money. It is situated on sw. Anny and a nice hideaway just a stones throw from the Main Square.

There is a cellar restaurant in this establishment but the part that has me hooked is their salad bar based in the main courtyard. You can buy a small plate which means you get three different salads priced at 13zl (£2.60) or a large plate with five portions at 17zl (£3.40).

It is a cafeteria style salad bar where you choose your plate size and then walk along the counters and point at salads saying "proszę" to the staff serving you as they pile your plate high.

There are always at least a selection of ten cold vegetarian salad options to choose from and usually a few meat and fish ones too. They also serve up hot portions of stew, grilled potatoes, tarts and savoury pancakes.

All salads come with the option of a dressing on the side in a little tub and unlimited rye bread. Portions as you can clearly see are also overly generous!

I would also recommend trying their cake... We tried their Szarlotka (a Polish apple cake) and also a rhubarb version of this too. Both were very good and like a cold slab of buttery crumble. Mmm.

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And on that note we have round up one of our feasting in Krakow. My next post features the delights of Antler Poutine&Burger, Horai and Ambasada Śledzia (plus a few sneaky extras).

RECIPE | CHOCOLATE ORANGE LOAF CAKE

Requested to make some cake for some ex-office buddies when visiting them last week I asked them what they would like in advance. A chocolate orange cake was the order and I set to work to make a delightfully moist but easily transportable cake as it would be venturing round in my handbag all day through various meetings and train journeys... et voila, the handbag proof cake of choice, the chocolate orange loaf cake!

Ingredients:

Cake:

150g Butter

160g Caster Sugar

Zest of 2 Oranges

2 Eggs

3tbsp Golden Syrup

40g Cocoa Powder

3tbsp Boiling Water

150g Plain Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

100g Chopped Milk Chocolate or Chocolate Chips

Juice of 1 Orange

Icing:

100g Milk Chocolate

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (or two 1lb loaf tins) with baking paper.

2. Cream the butter and the sugar together until fluffy and light in colour. Add the orange zest, eggs and golden syrup and continue to beat until combined.

3. In a separate bowl or mug, add the hot water to the cocoa powder and mix until a smooth paste is formed. Add this to the other wet ingredients and then fold in the flour and baking powder.

4. Carefully fold in the milk chocolate or chocolate chips and loosen with the juice of the orange.

5. Pour into the baking tin and place in the centre of your oven to bake for 40-50 minutes.

6. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

7. Once cooled, melt the chocolate for the icing and drizzle it over the cake and leave to set.

RECIPE | GLUTEN-FREE BANOFFEE GRANOLA MUFFINS

Last week I was sent some gluten-free products from Nature's Path and rather than doing a boring old review post I thought I would use their products in a new recipe!

Photos: Nature's Path

I crafted a gluten-free recipe to pay homage to their delicious Nice and Nobbly Pumpkin, Almond and Raisin Granola (my favourite out of the products received). Deliciously tasty on its own as a snack or drenched in milk it does not taste like some of the other gluten-free cereal options out there which leave you hating on the thought of breakfast.

I bring you... gluten free Banoffee Granola Muffins!

Lovely moist muffins with surprising textures of crunchy granola and gooey melted fudge (even better when still runny and molten out the oven!). A sweet treat without being too heavy or as naughty as a banoffee pie... and they are gluten-free too. Win win.

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins):

4 overly ripe bananas

4tbsp Rapeseed Oil

2 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Essence

250g Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour

100g Soft Brown Sugar

1 1/2tsp Gluten Free Baking Powder

100g Fudge

150g Granola

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas and then add the rapeseed oil, eggs and vanilla essence and combine until mixed.

3. Add the sugar to this mixture and follow with the flour, sugar and baking powder.

4. Chop the fudge into small chunks and add 3/4s of this to the mixture along with 3/4s of the granola.

5. Spoon the mixture into 12 muffin cases and scatter the remaining fudge and granola on top of the muffins.

6. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

RECIPE | COCONUT AND LIME POLENTA DRIZZLE CAKE

I love to bake with polenta and having not made a polenta cake in a while I thought I would try out with a new recipe.

The grittiness and nutty texture of the polenta compliments the bite of the dessicated coconut. When both are combined and drenched in a lime syrup drizzle it makes for a super moist cake.

 

Ingredients:

Cake:

200g Caster Sugar

200g Butter

3 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Essence

Zest of 2 Limes

100g Polenta

140g Self-Raising Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

70g Dessicated Coconut

4tbsp Milk

Drizzle:

Juice of 2 Limes

40g Granulated Sugar

50g Caster Sugar

Icing:

6tbsp Icing Sugar

1tsp of Water

2tbsp Toasted Dessicated Coconut

 Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C and grease and line a loose bottomed 8" cake tin.

2. In a bowl, place the milk over the dessicated coconut and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until it is light in colour and fluffy in texture.

4. Add the eggs, vanilla essence and lime zest and beat the mixture together until it is well combined.

5. Add the flour, polenta and baking powder to the wet ingredients and fold them together.

6. Add the milk soaked dessicated coconut to this mixture and fold together until a smooth cake batter is formed.

7. Place the mixture into the cake tin and place on the centre shelf of your oven to bake for 30-40 minutes.

8. To make the drizzle, take the juice of 2 limes and stir together with the granulated sugar and caster sugar. Once the cake has been removed from the oven, immediately pierce it with a skewer all over and then pour the lime drizzle mix on top of the cake.

9. Once the cake has cooled and the drizzle has set you can remove the cake from the tin. Make up the icing mix by sieving the icing sugar and adding the water to create a thick drizzling consistency. Drizzle this over the cake in lines and then scatter with the toasted dessicated coconut.

RECIPE | CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT AND BANANA MARBLE CAKE

After receiving some lovely goodies from Whynut in the post last week I just couldn't resist sampling them out in some baking this weekend. I decided to use their hazelnut paste in a marble cake to really test the strength of the flavour.

 What goes well with hazelnuts? Chocolate! What goes well with chocolate? Bananas!

Sorted... we have the Chocolate, Hazelnut and Banana Marble Cake.

Ingredients:

Plain Cake Batter:

225g Caster Sugar

225g Butter

4 Eggs

2tsp Vanilla Essence

225g Self-Raising Flour

1 1/2tsp Baking Powder

Banana Mix:

1 Banana

3tbsp Milk

Chocolate Hazelnut Mix:

50g Dark Chocolate

2tbsp Hazelnut Paste

2tbsp Cocoa Powder

4tbsp Milk

Topping:

100g Dark Chocolate
15g Butter

1tbsp Hazelnut Paste

3tbsp Chopped Hazelnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (or two 1lb loaf tins).

2. Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy in colour, then add the eggs and vanilla essence and mix until combined.

3. Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and fold until it is fully mixed. Divide this mixture into two separate mixing bowls.

4. For the banana cake mix - mash the banana and add to one of the mixing bowls along with the milk and mix until you have a smooth cake batter.

5. For the chocolate hazelnut cake mix - add the hazelnut paste, cocoa powder and milk. Melt the dark chocolate and fold these ingredients into the mixture until smooth.

6. Spoon alternate dollops of each mixture into the loaf tin, then use a skewer or sharp knife to create a marble pattern by swirling it through the mixture.

7. Bake in the centre shelf of your oven for 40-50 minutes or until it springs when touched in the centre and leaves a clean skewer when poked into the cake.

8. Leave the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then remove. Melt the dark chocolate and the butter together with the hazelnut paste. Drizzle over the cake and sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts on top.

RECIPE | CINNAMON AND VANILLA CUSTARD CRUMBLE CAKE

I have created a masterpiece! My latest cake invention is perhaps my best yet.

Combining the warming sponge laced with cinnamon, a thick vanilla custard and a crumble topping, the Cinnamon and Vanilla Custard Crumble Cake is born.

Ingredients:

Cake:

175g Caster Sugar

175 Butter

3 Eggs

1 1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

175g Self-Raising Flour

1 1/2tsp Baking Powder

3tsp Cinnamon

2tbsp Milk

425g Custard

Crumble Topping:

110g Plain Flour

80g Butter

1tsp Cinnamon

3tbsps Demerera Sugar (and a little extra to sprinkle on top)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and line an 8" loose bottomed cake tin.

2. Cream the sugar and the butter until light in colour and fluffy in texture.

3. Add to this the eggs, vanilla essence and 2tbsps of the custard and mix until combined.

4. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon to form the cake batter - loosen this with the milk if needed.

5. Place the cake batter into the cake tin and spread evenly.

6. Pour the rest of the custard over the cake batter and spread evenly to form a thick layer.

7. In a bowl, add the flour and the butter for the crumble ingredients and rub the mixture together until it resembles small breadcrumbs (this can take a good five minutes). Add the sugar and the cinnamon to this mixture and then scatter onto the top of the cake with an even coverage.

8. Sprinkle the cake with some extra demerera sugar and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

It is delightfully good served warm with extra custard or ice cream, but is just as nice as a a slice on its own with a good cup of (Yorkshire) tea.

RECIPE | CLEMENTINE DRIZZLE CAKE

Surpise surprise! It's another loaf cake...

This time I've used up some clementines (I have an abundance of the juicy fruit thanks to a great swag at Leeds Market the other day). It's a simple recipe and easy to make. It's also an all round pleaser and makes a nice little change to the traditional lemon drizzle.

Ingredients:

Cake:

175g Butter

175g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

1 1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

Zest of 2 Clementines

175g Self-Raising Flour

1 1/2tsp Baking Powder

1tbsp Clementine Juice

2tbsp Milk

Drizzle:

Juice of 2 Clementines

80g Granulated Sugar

2tbsp Icing Sugar

 Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

2. Cream the butter and the sugar together with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until light in colour and fluffy in texture.

3. Add the clementine zest, vanilla essence and eggs to the mixture and stir until combined.

4. Fold in the flour and the baking powder and mix together.

5. Add the clementine juice and milk to loosen the mixture into a light cake batter.

6, Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake on the center shelf of your oven for 40 minutes.

7. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and pierce the cake several times with a skewer.

8. Mix together the drizzle ingredients and pour generously over the cake whilst it is still in the tin.

9. Once the cake has cooled and the drizzle has set then it is ready to devour!

 

RECIPE | CHERRY AND ALMOND LOAF CAKE

I have a strange attachment to the safety of baking loaf cakes. I rarely find they ever go wrong and they are by far one of my favourite cakes to bake.

I baked this Cherry and Almond Loaf Cake a few weeks back when testing out some new 1lb loaf tins. I usually bake my loaf cakes in a 2lb tin but I love the idea of having two identical cakes of smaller size. One for yourself and one to share or to put in the freezer.

 Ingredients:

Cake:

175g Butter

175g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Essence

75g Ground Almonds

175g Self-Raising Flour

1 1/2tsps Baking Powder

300g Glace Cherries

3tbsps Milk

Decoration:

5tbsps Icing Sugar

1tsp Water

1 handful of Flaked or Chopped Almonds

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (or alternatively two 1lb loaf tins).

2. Cream the butter and the sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy - this should take around 2-3 minutes.

3. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla essence until the mixture forms a smooth paste.

4. Sift the self-raising flour into the mixture, followed by the baking powder and the ground almonds.

5. Rinse and drain the glace cherries and then dust them in a few tablespoons of flour until they are lightly coated (this will stop the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cake).

6. Add the cherries to the mixture and fold until it is well combined and the cherries evenly distributed.

6. Add the milk to loosen the mixture into a thick batter (use more or less milk if needed).

7. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and place on the center shelf of your oven to bake for 40-50 minutes.

8. Once removed from the oven, allow the cakes to cool.

9. Mix the icing sugar with the water (it should be quite thick) and drizzle over the cake and sprinkle with flaked or chopped almonds to finish.

RECIPE | PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES

Blondies AKA the sexier sibling of the classic brownie are a fudgy love affair waiting to happen

Blondies are ridiculously moreish without the hit of being too rich. It's almost impossible to make them without eating half the batter before you've put them in the tray... let alone devouring them molten hot out the oven.

Peanut Butter Blondies

As with any baking... to take it to a whole new level just add peanut butter!

Ingredients:

220g Plain Flour

1 1/2tsp Baking Powder

180g Butter

300g Peanut Butter

250g Light Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

75g Chopped Nuts

200g White Chocolate

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and line a baking tin with baking paper.

2. Cream the butter and the sugar for 2-3 minutes with an electric whisk until fluffy and light in colour.

3. Add the peanut butter, eggs and the vanilla essence to the mixture and mix.

4. Fold in the flour and baking powder and combine until the mixture forms a batter.

5. Chop the white chocolate into small chunks and fold into the batter along with the chopped nuts.

6. Pour the batter into the baking tin and spread evenly.

7.  Place in the centre shelf of your oven and bake for 35 minutes or until firm in the middle.