Saturday 30 November 2019

Print

Æbleskiver - Danish Christmas Pancake Balls


Makes 25

Ingredients:

1. 250 g white whole wheat flour (approx. 5 dl)
2. 1/4 tsp salt
3. 1/2 tsp baking soda or 10 g yeast
4. 1 tsp vanilla powder
5. 1 tsp cardamom powder (kardemomme) (optional)
6. 2 tsp sugar
7. A sprinkling of lemon skin (optional)
8. 400 ml fresh milk (sødmælk) or butter milk
9. 2 TBS olive oil
10. 4 TBS honey
11. 3 eggs
12. Butter for frying
13. Apple pieces (optional)
14. Chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Separate egg white from egg yolk.
2. Dissolve the yeast with a bit of milk
3. Add flour, sugar, salt, vanilla powder and cardamom powder.
4. In a mixer, mix in the rest of the milk and blend to avoid lump.
5. Lastly blend in the egg yolk and olive oil.
6. Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight so that it works better when frying.
7. In a separate bowl, beat egg white with sugar until stiff.
8. Gently fold in with the batter from the fridge.
9. Heat Danish pancake pan with medium heat (no. 6.5 on my stove).
10. Grease each hole with a bit of butter or cooking oil.
11. Fill the holes 3/4 full with the batter.
12. After a minute when the outer batter is done, turn them 90 degree over with a toothpick.
13. At this point, reduce the heat further to prevent burn (no. 6 on my stove).
14. Add a piece of apple into the hole (optional) and then pour a little more batter into the hole.
15. Turn them over to close the ball-shaped batter.
16. When the outer batter are cooked around another 2 minutes, turn them around to get it evenly cooked and remove them from heat.
17. Bake them for 10 minutes in the oven at 200 degree Celsius until the inside are fully cooked if necessary.
18. Let it stay warm in the oven at 50 - 70 degree Celsius until you are ready to eat them.

Video Demonstration:






Additional Information:

We are having guests over today, and I decided to make æbleskriver. This is a healthier and more nutritious version using whole wheat flour. All the kids love it, including Daddy FECS, so I was very happy :-)

References:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11037/aebleskiver/
https://www.196flavors.com/denmark-aebleskiver/
https://www.dk-kogebogen.dk/opskrifter/19536/aebleskiver-med-kaernemaelk-og-natron
https://www.valdemarsro.dk/aebleskiver/
https://www.metteblomsterberg.dk/opskrifter/aebleskiver
https://madensverden.dk/aebleskiver-mormors-opskrift-kaernemaelk/
https://nordicfoodliving.com/original-recipe-danish-aebleskiver-pancake-balls/
http://www.bysachse.dk/aebleskiver-med-banan/
https://madogkaerlighed.dk/sundere-aebleskiver/
https://sydhavnsmor.dk/2017/12/03/sund-jul-de-laekreste-aebleskiver-uden-mel-og-sukker/
http://thefoodlover.dk/2014/12/14/sunde-aebleskiver/
https://www.annesondergaard.dk/sunde-aebleskriver/

250 g white whole wheat flour

Buttermilk

400 ml buttermilk

Add 400 ml butter milk into a mixing bowl/mixer.

Add 1 tsp cardamom powder.

Add 1 tsp vanilla powder.

Add 2 tablespoon olive oil.

Add 1/4 tsp salt.

Grate a little of organic lemon peel in (optional)

Add 3 egg yolk and mix well.

Slowly add in 250 g white whole wheat flour bit-by-bit to prevent lump. Best to use a sift.

Whisk and mix well so that there are no lump and place in the fridge for 30 mins or overnight so that it works better when frying.

In the mean time, cut an apple into small pieces.

 Beat 3 egg white until stiff.

Now the egg white is done :-)

 Gently fold the egg white into the batter.

Now the batter is ready :-)

 Grease pancake pan with a bit of cooking oil and/or butter.

Fill the holes until they are 3/4 full and it will raise a little on its own.

When the outer batter is cooked in about 1 minute, use a stick to turn it over 90 degree.

Close-up.

Add a piece of apple and a piece of chocolate chip (optional).

Fill it up with a bit of batter.

Turn them over with a stick to close the ball-shaped batter.


Cook for another 2 minutes.

Place it in a oven-proof dish and bake it to finish cooking the batter inside the pancakes at 200 degree Celsius. Then keep them warm in the oven at 50-70 degree Celsius until they are ready to be served.

Sprinkle a little icing on top for decoration :-) (optional)


30 November 2019 (3Y6M14D): C loves it.

Tuesday 26 November 2019

Print

J Learning Chinese from a Teacher in Beijing



Our Little FECS has recently started a trial class learning Chinese from a Chinese teacher in Beijing, while he is sitting in Denmark. Initially, I must say I was quite skeptical, but it is actually surprisingly fun and quite effective. 

Below is a video of the class:


Our Little FECS loves it. I don't have to always nag at him about learning Chinese now. Instead, it is the other way around: He asks me when he will be going for Chinese class again and pester me to sign him up :-) 

As such, I am helping to promote it.

If you wish to have a free trial class, you can drop me a comment below or write to me at familyfecs@gmail.com

If you sign up the class via me, you will also get to receive some special discounts only to readers of this blog.
Print

Montessori Language Activity: Tracing Chinese Character with Danish Christmas Cookies Pepper Nut "Pedernødder"



Age: From 3.5 years old

Objectives:

1. To provide a fun way to teach writing Chinese characters
2. To train the child's fine motor skills

Materials:

1. 1 stamp and stamp pad
2. 1 Chinese Character
3. 1 toy horse (optional)
4. 1 tray

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your child how to trace the Chinese character using stamp, taking care to show her the correct sequence of strokes.
2. As you trace, read the Chinese character clearly to your child.
3. Invite your child to try.
4. As her to say out loud the Chinese character that she is tracing.

Additional Information:

Christmas is soon round the corner. I am using the Danish Christmas cookies Pepper Nut "pedernødder" to teach Chinese. The purpose of this activity is not to teach writing Chinese character per se, but to cultivate a love for learning Chinese and the love for writing Chinese characters. I learned this from J's Danish piano teacher. She uses cookies to teach musical notes :-) Thus, this activity incorporates the theory of Montessori with Danish fun way of learning :-)

It may seem to be a lot of cookies to eat at one go, but I made the cookies myself. Thus, it is both nutritious and a healthier version. It is Danish Christmas cookies made with a twist. I use white whole wheat flour to increase the nutrients and dietary fiber. And I also use olive oil, instead of butter. I didn't use sugar, but it is naturally sweetened with dates. Here is the recipe:

https://www.familyfecs.com/2019/11/nutritious-whole-wheat-danish-spice.html

Chinese Translation:

圣诞节快要到了。用丹麦圣诞饼干教小朋友学写字。目的其实不是在于教写字,而是在于用好玩的方式教小朋友热爱学习写字。这方法是我从Our Little FECS 的丹麦钢琴老师那学来的。:-) P.S. 希望小朋友的人生也和饼干糖果一样的甜美 :-)

Sunday 24 November 2019

Print

Danish Christmas Spice "Pepper Nut" Cookies Pebernødder Made from Whole Wheat Flour


Makes one jar of 80-100 pebernødder

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups (approx. 270 g) white whole wheat flour
2. 1/4 cup (approx. 35 g) almond ground
3. 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
4. 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground
5. 1/2 tsp star anise ground
6. 1/2 tsp clove ground
7. 1/2 tsp black pepper ground
8. 1/2 tsp minced ginger (optional)
9. 1 tsp vanilla powder
10. 1 tsp ginger ground
11. 10 dried dates pitted
12. 100 ml olive oil
13. 1 egg
14. 60 ml honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together and blend in a food process until mixed well.
2. Add olive oil, dates/honey and egg and blend them again into a soft dough.
3. Roll dough into finger thick sausage dough.
4. Cut into 1 cm pieces and roll into balls.
5. Place in baking tray laid with baking paper.
6. Bake at 150 degree celsius for 20 minutes or at 200 degree celsius for 10 minutes.
7. Once done, let it cool at room temperature, before storing.

Additional Information:

J asked, "Do you still love me?" I have been kept busy with C, who is 3.5 years old. I could feel that J somehow feels a bit neglected. With a blink of an eye, J is 10 years old now, and more independent now. It's nice that he still treasures and looks forward to spending time together with mommy. I really cherish it to my heart. The day will come, when he may not want to spend time with me anymore. This afternoon, we have our one-to-one date, and he would like to bake Danish pepper nut cookies. I hope to have more one-to-one time with him, not just today.

This is a healthier version substituting white flour with white wheat flour and almonds, and butter with olive oil. In general, for every 250 g, 1/2 tsp of spices each is used. And spices are known to have health benefits too. We made this today.

This is the version for my kids. If I am making for Daddy FECS, I will then add 60 ml of honey, as he has a sweet tooth.

Chinese Translation:

老大问:“妈妈,你还爱我吗?你只有时间和妹妹在一起。“ 感觉到他是忽有点被受冷落的感觉。转眼间,老大已经10岁了,比较独立了。但我也比较忙了。难得他还珍惜能有多一点和妈妈在一起的时间。我必须珍惜这个时光。今天下午,我们有一个one-to-one date,只有我们俩。他建议我和他一起在家烤丹麦圣诞节饼干。之后他就很开心了。:-) 我得尽量经常和他有one-to-one date :-)

References:

https://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/11/gluten-free-gingerbread-men/
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/oatmeal-gingerbread-men
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/chocolate-gingerbread-men
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/healthy-spelt-cinnamon-gingerbread-men
https://www.thehealthychef.com/2014/12/gingerbread-cookies/
http://www.arla.dk/opskrifter/krydrede-pebernodder/
http://www.dk-kogebogen.dk/opskrifter/visopskrift.php?id=23760
http://www.valdemarsro.dk/perfekte-pebernodder/


White whole wheat flour



















Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

My Favourite Books

Montessori Materials