. Last year I posted a faux red currant jam recipe using cranberries and pomegranate juice. It became one of my favorite jams. I already have a recipe for Linzer Torte on my blog, but I decided to add an additional one. It is slightly different, but I am posting it because I can freeze the dough and make small tortes quickly. I have the jam and the dough available whenever I need a special treat, and can be creative with the recipe. Over the last two years, I  have made this Linzer Torte in many different variations. 

After reading the book, Lessons in Chemistry, ​(and watching the series on TV), I am not surprised that this recipe has some scientific components that allows the dough to be frozen without losing its taste. The recipe is from the same book as the cranberry jam, Baking at the 20th Century Cafe by Michelle Polzine.

Even though I am not a cake decorator, I enjoy playing with different tart sizes and cookie cutters. My husband loved the torte I made for him with a wine bottle cookie cutter and two different jams. Talking about jams, my apricot jam was delicious on the torte. If you decide to make this, try your favorite jam. 

 Ingredients:

I coarsely grind skinless toasted almonds in a food processor. (The original recipe uses almond flour). I often skip the egg wash and sugar coating. You can use different jams or marmalades if you don’t have red currant or cranberry jam. I used apricot jam for one torte and it was delicious.

1 ½ cup (248g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup ground almonds 
18 TBS (250g) soft unsalted butter 
½ cup (150g) plus 1 TBS sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, hard-boiled 
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
2 tsp. sugar for dusting
about 2 cups of jam for the filling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ degrees Fahrenheit. 
Generously butter or spray whatever tart pan you use. 

In a medium bowl, sift together, flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the ground almonds.

Using an electric mixer or a stand-up mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest for about 3 minutes on medium speed until fluffy. Remove yolks from the hard-boiled eggs and press through a fine-mesh sieve. Save the whites. Add yolks to the butter and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients all at once and pulse until dough becomes  homogeneous. 

Divide  the dough into 4 rectangular pieces, cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until you are ready to use it. If you want to make one torte, use my other recipe. I have used different tart pans for the torte (or is it a torte pan for a tart?). I have a rectangular one that I like to use. Partially defrost the dough, then press the dough into the tart form and freeze for about 5 minutes. Spoon the jam into the tart and decorate the top with whatever decoration you choose (made out of dough). If you like, brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven until the filling in the center bubbles. The baking time depends on the size of the tortes (30 to 45 minutes).  Cool the torte on a rack and transfer to a serving plate. The dough tends to be a little crumbly. 
​
Guten Appetit!
Recipe  from Baking at the 20th Century Cafe by Michelle Polzine
Posted by ©Sunnycovechef.com
​

This is the original recipe for the Austrian Linzer Torte that  I posted in 2016
​ Click here for the recipe.

This is my version of one of my favorite German dishes. I made it for some of my friends a couple of weeks ago, and they seem to like it.
​​Click here for the recipe.

Cruising means going from port to port and getting off the boat to explore a given area for one or two days. The cruise line offers many excursions and I prefer booking through them because it guarantees that you will not miss the boat if your group is late. That is very important because the ship will not wait for you beyond their given departure time.  I have seen and heard some horror stories. This is especially important when you embark on the boat for your cruise. My husband and I arrive at least two days ahead of time just in case the flight is canceled or delayed. I have talked to several disappointed people who have had family members miss their cruise. Enough of this, let's go to the fun part.
We boarded the Queen Mary 2 in New York and spent the first day at sea. Read about it here. Our first stop was Rockland, Maine. We took a bus ride to Camden. The local library in Camden is worth a visit. The picturesque scenery of the Maine coastline always intrigues me. My husband and I had visited Bar Harbor several years ago and loved it. I hope to visit again and stay a little longer. We had a delicious lobster roll in Rockport.   

Our next port was Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was here that Samuel Cunard was born. He later moved to the United Kingdom where he set up a joint venture with several other businessman to bid on the right to run a transatlantic shipping company between the UK and North America. These days, Cunard is owned by the Carnival group.
​We visited Peggy’s Cove, a magnificent lighthouse built on the rocky coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The scenery was beautiful and the lobster delicious.

The Queen Mary 2 anchored in Sept-Îlles in Quebec. It was raining that day and there was little to see. We took the HopOnHopOff bus, but never got off and returned to our cozy ship for tea time. 
Our next stop was Saguenay, a nice town in the province of Quebec. The city can be described as an isolated oasis in the middle of the vast remote wilderness of Northern Quebec. It was here that my husband and I flew in a helicopter for the first time. It was a great experience. I enjoyed walking through this small town and buying some handmade gifts 

We finally arrived in Quebec, the second most populous province after Ontario.  Quebec City is the only fortified city north of Mexico and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. Everybody in Quebec City speaks French and it feels a bit like Paris. Every cobblestone street, corner, and plaza tells a story. We visited the iconic Fairmont Hotel, Le Château Frontenac, and were able to enjoy the lobby. It is supposed to be the most photographed hotel in the world. The cobblestone streets have many restaurants, cafés, and stores. I was just glad I didn’t walk these steep streets during a rainstorm or in winter when it is icy. I asked myself, how do people do it? We found a little restaurant that served my husband‘s favorite dish, Foie Gras.

The following day, we visited Montmorency Falls, located 8 miles from Quebec City, this waterfall is 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls, but not as impressive because it is much smaller. My favorite stop that day was visiting a place where we learned the history of maple syrup and how it is harvested. I loved the samples.

After two days in Quebec City, we sailed away, which was quite an event. There is something about a ship leaving the harbor which always amazes me. Our last port before returning to New York was Sydney, Nova Scotia. There are many churches including St. Patrick's, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Cape Breton. We opted to hire a taxi driver for a couple of hours to show us the area. He drove us along the Atlantic Coast and showed us a lighthouse and a museum from World War 2 where the Canadian military was sinking German U-boats. When we returned to town, three other boats had pulled in and the town was filling up. I visited a local store that had items made by local artists. There was some astonishing yarn and weaving work that I hadn't seen for decades. The tapestry was amazing. I bought some hand-knit socks and gloves.  

And just like that, our 12-day cruise on the beautiful Queen Mary 2 was over. I would love to go on another trip with any of the Queens.

My husband and I celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary on the beautiful Queen Mary 2 on a 12-day cruise from New York to Quebec and back to New York. When we flew to New York, we spent three days before boarding the ship. New York did not disappoint, although I thought it had too many security guards standing in the hotels and stores. One evening, we enjoyed the musical Water for Elephants and another evening we ate at Bourbon Steak New York, one of Chef Micheal Mina's restaurants, located in the Essex House. We both loved our visit to the MOMA. Before we knew it, our three days were over and we boarded the beautiful Queen Mary 2.  

A few hours after boarding the ship, we sailed away under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with only 8 meters separating the top of the ship from the bridge.
There is a pilot who guides the ship in and out of the harbor. I always love watching the pilots jumping off and onto the ship. I am amazed how skillful they are when maneuvering these large ships. This was the first time I sailed out of New York and seeing the Statue of Liberty is quite a moving experience. It is a touching and special moment that makes you wonder about all the people who came to this country to build a new life for themselves and their families. 
We returned to New York 12 days later. It was early in the morning and New York offered a great light show as the sun rose. I am happy I didn't miss this; it was worth getting up early in the morning. 

Our first day on the Queen Mary was a sea day. I love these days. We explored the ship, from the incredible library (the largest library at sea), where my husband loved looking at old maps and atlases to the spectacular Queen's room. If you like ballroom dancing, you are on the right ship. For the young and young at heart, there is a late-night disco where you don't have to be a ballroom dancer. There was  plenty to do and I enjoyed being on the high seas. I never got bored and was able to relax and enjoy all the different activities.

The Queen Mary 2 is not a cruise ship, it is an ocean liner, built for trans-Atlantic crossings. It is a throw back to the 19th century ocean liners. It even has a kennel for 24 animals. It is one of my bucket list items . I hope I have the chance to do it. ​

I will write  about our excursions in my next blog post. 

I hope you all enjoyed my previous post about Wilder Ranch and maybe some of you who live nearby have visited this spectacular place. 

Years ago, some docents at Wilder Ranch State Park wrote a cookbook that is now for sale. We use the recipes from this book to cook in the old fashioned stove in the Victorian Kitchen. The visitors are amazed when they see this antique beauty. We tell them how we light the fire and how long it takes to heat the oven (when the water on top of the stove starts boiling). There is no temperature gauge and more than once, the cookies got burned. My friend and fellow docent, Georgia, does it the best. I love being in the kitchen with her. My favorite recipe is the one for gingersnap cookies. They disappear very fast when visitors come through the kitchen, and I always save some for my husband who likes them too. ​

Here is a little history about molasses. Molasses is a thick, dark syrup produced during the refining process of sugar cane and sugar beets. Molasses was the primary sweetener used in America (and in Europe) until the 1880s, as it was more affordable than sugar. It contains vitamins and minerals and is nutritionally better than refined sugar. Molasses was a staple in the Victorian kitchen.

Ingredients:
This recipe makes about 34 cookies. 
Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit
¼ cup butter 
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups white flour
2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp.salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground gloves 
1tsp. ground ginger

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and molasses and beat well. Sift flour and mix with baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Sift again and then add it to the creamed mixture. Shape the dough into one-inch balls and roll them in a bowl of sugar. Set them two inches apart on an uncreased cookie . Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until just set and surface cracks. Cool on wire racks.  


Guten Appetit!
Recipe from the Wilder Ranch State Park Cookbook
Posted by Sunnycovechef.com