Tag Archives: food blog

jagodzianki! (blueberry yeast buns)

DSCF7710

I am going to be honest with you.  I have been determined to get a a good recipe for these mostly because I love the name.  They are good, don’t get me wrong, especially when they are fresh.  But the name is just the best.  In Polish blueberries are called jagody, so it’s just a cute word for blueberry buns.  It’s a little harder in English because it doesn’t have as many ending options of making something cute, but it would be like saying blueberry bunsies, cute little blueberry buns.

Another thing I will be honest about is that these are more popular in the Spring and early Summer when blueberry season first starts.  This year I was a little late at making these the way I wanted and I was late to go blueberry picking in Indiana like I try to do every year.  But, I did go and now I have a freezer full of blueberries!  And actually these are perfect with defrosted blueberries, I think because they turn jammy better when baked.

They are easier than you think, just like with any yeast dough you gotta stick around and watch it, because it’s alive!  The folding can also be tricky, I had many a leaked jagodzianki.

DSCF7707

Jagodzianki

3 cups packed all purpose flour (or 500g)

1 cup milk

1 packet instant dry yeast (7g or 2 1/4 tsp)

8 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1 stick of European style butter (113g, 8 tbsp), softened

3 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, defrosted

2 tbsp potato starch

for the crumble:

3 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp cold butter

5 tbsp flour

1 egg for brushing

– Heat the milk until it is lukewarm, not more than 100º F.  Mix in a little bit of the sugar and all of the yeast and let it sit until it blooms.

DSCF0402

– Mix the flour, salt and add the rest of the 4 tbsps of sugar in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, or in a big bowl with a large spoon.  Add the milk mixture and mix on low in the stand mixture or continue with a spoon if you have a bowl instead.  Add the egg and keep mixing until incorporated, possibly using your hands if not in a stand mixer.

– Add the softened butter a bit at a time and knead or mix it in.  Mix or knead for about 15 minutes, you want the dough to be very soft and elastic.  Cover it in a bowl and let it sit in a warm place for about an hour.

– Make sure there is no more liquid in the de-frosted blueberries and mix the blueberries with the sugar and starch.

DSCF0410

– Once the dough doubles in size take it out of the bowl.  Divide the dough into about 12 even balls.  flatten each ball on a floured surface and place about 2 tbsp of blueberries on the dough.  Pinch four sides together to make a little sack to cover the berries.  Really gather the sides and twist the top slightly, and fold it in. Make sure there is no space for liquid to leak through and place it twist side down on a lined baking sheet.

– Repeat with all of them and let them sit for about half an hour.

DSCF0464

– Pree-heat the oven to 375º.

– Make the crumble by mixing the flour and sugar first in a bowl.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces and add it to the flour.  Mixing with your hands or a fork, but probably ending up with your hands, mix the crumble.  Beat the egg in a separate bowl and set aside.

– Once the little balls have rested, brush the with the egg and sprinkle some crumble on top.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

DSCF0466DSCF0470

enjoy!!!!!!

cheesecake and jello cake (my Polish-American pie)

Does it seem weird? Does it kind-of sound not appealing? Maybe. But we do it anyway and actually it’s quite delicious. Especially because I would eat jello everyday if I made it everyday. This cake is so very Polish to me and maybe even Polish-American. I saw it in Poland. But jello is so American to me, as well as no bake cheesecake. So it’s one of those things that somehow became a thing when mainstream American commercialism made its way to post Soviet countries. At least that is my story. I can say I never grew up having this at any of my American friends houses and we have had it many times and I see it at almost every Polish bakery. So there you go.

Here is a picture of me on my second birthday eating a very similar style cake my mama made 🙂

Here is how I made mine, I thought it was very good. Also yes to no baking in the oven!!

Cheesecake and Jello Cake

2 cups crushed up ginger cookies (the dry hard kind)

5-6 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup ricotta cheese

8 oz cream cheese

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of half a lemon

2 packets plain gelatin – 1/4 oz each

2 cups white grape juice

1/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 cups berries (about), cut into bite size pieces if big like the strawberries especially

– Mix the melted butter with the cookies and press them into an 8 inch spring form pan (or something close to that size) to create a crust. Place it in the fridge for half and hour.

– Mix the ricotta and cream cheese together in a food processor until well blended. Add the zest, extract and honey and mix well.

– Once the crust is hardened enough pour the cheese mixture onto the top and let the whole thing sit in the fridge for an hour.

– In a small saucepan heat 1/4 cup of the white grape juice until warm enough to mix in the sugar to dissolve it. Keep it on low.

– In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over another 1/4 cup of the white grape juice. Let it sit 2 minutes.

– Turn the heat off the saucepan and pour in the other gelatin mixture and mix well with a whisk. Then add the rest of the grape juice.

– If the jello mixture is cool pour it over the cooled cheesecake and start to add your pieces of fruit in whatever way is pleasing to you. Make sure not to touch the cheesecake part with your fingers and don’t press the fruit down too much.

– Let it cool about 1.5 hours until set. Before serving run a knife around the edge before removing the spring form. Keep it in the fridge if not eating 🙂

Enjoy!