Homemade Catalan Cheese - Mató!

Hola!

For the cheese lovers today, I am posting this recipe for homemade Catalan Cheese aka Mató. 

This is a sweet, unsalted Spanish cheese coming from Catalonia, Barcelona. This cheese is eaten as a desert with honey known as Mel y Mató. 

So if you want to make your own Catalan cheese, this is method.

Equipment needed

Digital kitchen thermometer

Cheese cloth

Stove and pot

Strainer

Whisk

Measuring spoons

A large bowl for water bath

A medium bowl for straining

Ingredients

1 Liter of whole milk

2 tablespoons of white vinegar (30mL)

Honey

Method

1. First, prepare the cheese cloth into the strainer for later.

2. Put the one liter of milk in the pot on medium heat. 

3. Heat the milk while stirring. When the milk reaches 92˚C, turn off the heat and quickly add the 30mL of white vinegar.

4. Now, the best part. After you added the white vinegar DO NOT stir milk. If you continue to mix the milk, you will prevent the coegulation from happening and you will end up with no cheese. You will now see the cheese curds forming and floating. 

5. Place the pot in a large bowl filled with cool water to help it cool down. 

6. When the temperature reaches 36˚C, pour the contents of the pot into the strainer with the cheese cloth. The cheese curds will remain in the strainer. 

7. Allow some time so that the cheese is strained well with an occasional gentle stir to help the whey drain. 

8. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth and put everything (strainer + bowl) in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes or more. 

9. Serve with drizzled honey and crackers.

Enjoy!

Ciklemfusa

xx

Home Decor Finds.

Hello again!

I was browsing through Pinterest this evening for some inspiration. I know what I like and what shades and texture I want in a living room, so here are some ideas I collected for you to see.

For the minimalist. Less is more and here are some ideas, I picked which I think will go very well together.
Colors are based on a natural tone and some extra touches to give some oomph to the room.

I love these colors. 

                            More...

And for the hippies at heart, below you can find patterns and different textures. 

This is my favorite kind of decor. I love different cultures and this will give the space life. 

You can decorate with your own collection from places you have visited. In that way, every piece will have a story behind it. An adventure. Your guests will always have something to look at and take interest in! 

I hope this will inspire you to give your rooms some color! 

Love

Ciklemfusa

xx

Panna Cotta with Mango.

Hola!

I hope you had a lovely Valentine's day yesterday with all the plans you might have thought about to impress your other half :)

I prepared desert for the evening which consisted of an exotic fruit - mango ! Very simple recipe which I wrote below, here for you to try. Panna cotta when translated means 'cooked cream', and that's what are you going to do! Cooking cream to make a very soft and flavourful desert with a smooth mouthfeel.

This recipe is divided into two parts where you are going to prepare the panna cotta and the mango puree seperately.

Ingredients

100 mL milk.
300mL whipping cream.
6 tablespoons gelatine powder.
2 table spoons of sugar (depending how much of a sweet tooth are you)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract.
2 teaspoons of cold water.

1 ripe mango.
2 teaspoons of gelatine.
optional : 2 teaspoons of sugar.


Method for panna cotta

1. In a saucepan on medium to low heat, put the milk and sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved in the milk.

2. In a small bowl mix the 6 tablespoons of gelatine with 2 teaspoons of cold water to soften the gelatine.

3. When the mixture of milk and sugar is well dissolved, put the whipping cream, the vanilla extract and the 6 tablespoons of gelatine powder (with the cold water) and whisk well until well incorporated and until the gelatine dissolves completely. The gelatine's role in this mixture is to solidify a bit the cream and you can get a creamy and milky jelly.

4. When the geltine is well dissolved, put off the heat and prepare cups for your desert presentation. Pour the mixture into glass cups and refrigirate for 4 hours or overnight to let solidification to occur.


Method for mango puree

1. Pick a ripe mango. In order to know whether a mango is ripe enough to be eaten , its texture should be soft and also it smells fruity, it indicates that it is ripe enough.

2. Peel and core the mango using a potato peeler and cut as much meat as possible from the pit.

3. Put the pieces of mango in a bowl and blend them. I used my hendheld blender but you can also use a food precessor. Blend until a puree texture is achieved.

4. Put the puree in a suacepan on medium to low heat and add the 2 teaspoons of gelatine and whisk until the gealtine is dissolved. If you want more sweetness, you can add 2 teaspoons of sugar, but I did not use any sugar in the puree and it had the perfect amount of sweetness. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

5. When dissolved, switch off the fire and put in a seperate bowl to cool.

6. After 4 hours in the fridge, get the panna cotta and top it with the mango puree. Put again  in the fridge for the puree to solidify. 

7. Serve cool.

Enjoy! 

Ciklemfusa

xx

Last Minute DIYs For This Valentine's Day

Hello Lovers!

Below are some last minute DIY projects for tomorrow!

Make your loved one a handmade gift or as a decor for the evening together to set the mood :)

Heart Garlands Ideas. Can be done with paper and also textile. 

Wire Heart Ring. 

Gift Wrapping Idea.

For the embroiderer at heart. Literally! :) 

The coolest one of them all. Personalized mug using a plain white mug and a sharpie. Bake at 350 degrees C for 30 minutes! 

Hearts Hearts Hearts !

   Happy Valentine's Day !

                                                                               Love.

            Ciklemfusa.
                  xx

Transformation of a Painting.

A painting I started last year and finished this new year .. How long is that to finish a painting ! :) 

It actually transformed ... I changed my mind and here are some photos. You decide which one's better. I prefer the new version of this painting. It has more emotional movement and for it I used acrylics and gold leaf on canvas.

Gold Leaf! Inspired by The Never-Ending-Inspirational Klimt ! 

                                                                        Version One. 

Than... 

All covered! 

Drum Roll

.....

.....

Version Two! 

Keep updated on new paintings and drawings! 

That's it for today.

Love.

Ciklemfusa! 

xx 

Recipe for Peach Chicken.

Hello again! 

This is a FOOD post ! 

Bored of the same old chicken recipes ? This is your new favorite chicken dish :)

Ready to dig in ? 

Recipe for Chicken Breast with Peach.

.Ingredients.

1. One chicken breast cut in strips.

2. One small onion finely chopped.

3. 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce

4. 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil and some extra for the pan. 

5. Half tablespoon of Paprika.

6. Some freshly ground black pepper.

7. Fresh or tinned peaches (depending on the season).

.Method.

1. Prepare the marinade for the chicken by mixing in a bowl the 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce and 2 tablespoons of olive oil accompanied by half table spoon of Paprika and a pinch of fresh black pepper. 

2. Put in the bowl the chicken strips. Cover and let to marinade for at least 20 minutes. 

3. With some hot olive oil in the pan, sweat the finely chopped onion.

4. Add the marinated chicken strips and let cook from one side first on low to medium heat in order to prevent excess loss of moisture from the chicken. 

5. Flip the chicken strips and let cook. 

6. Add peaches and let cook until brown. 

7. Serve with couscous or your favorite side such as roasted potatoes and vegetables.

 Enjoy !

Ciklemfusa.

xx 

Colours and Feathers.

Hola!

Hope all is well!

Here is a drawing I did recently. Of a feather. Ink. Watercolour. And lots of water :)

Hope you like it!

Any comments are appreciated.

xx