A Trip to Lainzer Tiergarten & Frozen Kiwi Pops

Last weekend was a long weekend for us, three free days with my husband, we had wonderful weather in Austria  and so we decided to go out and enjoy nature & culture on our free days. The first day we spent in Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, but unfortunately I had no camera with me that day. I forgot it, shame on me!  The second day we decided to visit the Lainzer Tiergarten. Here are some facts (source: Wikipedia) that might be of interest: The Lainzer Tiergarten, is a 24.50 km² wildlife preserve in the southwest corner of Vienna, Austria, and  80% of it being covered in woodland. It dates back to 1561, when Ferdinand I of Austria created it as a fenced-in hunting ground for his family to use. Since 1919, it has been open to the public. Its name consists of its location by the Lainz district of Vienna's 13th District, and Tiergarten, which means zoo (literally, "animal garden"). Today the Lainzer Tiergarten is home to between 800 and 1,000 wild boars 200 to 250 fallow deer approximately 700 mouflons, and 80 to 100 red deer (elk). 

There is one museum located within Lainzer Tiergarten:  the Hermesvilla. Emperor Franz Joseph I gave it to his wife Empress Elisabeth (nicknamed "Sisi"), and he called it the "castle of dreams.“ The name of the villa refers to a statue of Hermes made of white marble that is located in the garden of the villa. Today, the Hermesvilla is noted for its art and natural setting, and is used by the Vienna Museum for special exhibitions on cultural history.

It was a fun day, no stress, just exploring and enjoying... If you have the chance to visit Lainzer Tiergarten, do it, you will love it!!

Prošli, produženi vikend smo suprug i ja proveli opušteno, bez stresa, iskoristili smo maksimalno lijepe, sunčane dane, uglavnom u prirodi. U nedjelju smo posjetili palaču i vrtove Schönbrunna,  Gloriettu iznad parka, i Paviljon Palmi, ali sam nažalost zaboravila fotoaparat pa ćete mi na riječ morati povjerovati da je bilo prelijepo.:) Imam u planu da nekad napišem post o Schönbrunn-u, a pošto nerijetko odemo u šetnju prekrasnim vrtovima, biće sigurno prilike da to i lijepo fotografiram.  U ponedjeljak smo po prvi put posjetili zoološki vrt "Lainzer Tiergarten", i to smo povezali s razgledavanjem dvorca i muzeja Hermesvilla.

Ako vam se nekad pruži prilika da posjetite Lainzer Tiergarten i dvorac Hermesvilla, obavezno posjetite muzej, gdje se redovno organiziraju izložbe, ili posjetitie privatne odaje carice Elizabeth "Sisi". Evo i nekoliko sličica...:)

Na kraju posta ćete naći i receptić za savršeno osvježavajuće "grickalice"s kivijem za tople dane. Uživajte!

Hermesvilla- front view

Fountain in the courtyard of the Villa

Garden impressions

Restaurant "Artner" in the Hermesvilla

Coffee break :)

Posing with M. :)

And last, but not least, a very easy recipe, more an idea for frozen treats: Frozen Kiwi Pops! Dip a fruit of your choice (kiwi, strawberry, banana) in melted chocolate and freeze, it is so easy and delicious!

Frozen Kiwi Chocolate Pops

                Potrebno je:                    

kiwi (2-3 komada)

drveni štapići 

(u nedostatku štapića za sladoled sam upotrijebila čačkalice- 

ako pravite djeci, naravno one ne dolaze u obzir!)

čokolada po izboru (kvalitetnija)

1 žlica ulja 

kokos (po želji)

Priprema:

Isjeći kiwi na deblje kolutove, ako su prekiseli, pošećeriti, poredati na papir za pečenje.
Staviti u zamrzivač otprilike 20-30 minuta.
U međuvremenu istopiti čokoladu na pari, i dodati žlicu ulja.
U napola smrznute kolutove kivija zabosti štapić, pa umočiti u otopljenu čokoladu. Po želji uvaljati u kokos.
Poredati na papir za pečenje i vratiti u zamrzivač da se stegne.
Prije serviranja izvaditi i staviti u frižider 5-10 minuta, da kivi malo popusti, onda su najljepši! Uživati :)

Curd Cheese & Cinnamon Dumplings filled with Apricots- My Guest Post at Sandra's Easy Cooking

Before telling you more about the recipe I will post let me thank Sandra for the opportunity of being this month’s guest at her wonderful blog! I felt so honoured and so excited when Sandra contacted me and asked if I would like to be her next guest. Of course I would!!! I am a reading  Sandra’s blog for a while now, and her recipes and amazing photos trully inspire me every day! And so I started thinking what recipe I could post, it should be something I have not posted yet and as I like to make the absolute most of delicious seasonal fruit and vegetables at their very best, I have chosen to cook or bake something with apricots. When I decided what the basic ingredient should be, it came into my mind to make Dumplings filled with Apricots. These Dumplings are called Marillenknödel in Austria, where I live. It is a typical Austrian dish.

As to the cultural background of the Marillenknödel, I must briefly refer to Austrian history: In the imperial era Bohemia, which today belongs to the Czech Republic, was part of Austria. Since it was a poor country, many of its inhabitants went to Vienna to find work. Bohemian food was very much appreciated so that women easily found employment as cooks. Sweet dishes such as Guglhupf, Germknödel, Topfenstrudel, Powidltascherln and, of course, Marillenknödel belonged to their most famous specialities. Although originally food of the poor, Bohemian dishes very soon became an indispensable part of the Austrian cuisine and even Kings are said to have loved them :)

Für Rezept in Deutsch bitte scrollen:

And now back to the recipe:

Adapted from: Delicious Days

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients (for 6 dumplings):                                                   

250 g curd (20 %)

6 small apricots

4 tsp of brown sugar

1 tsp zest of (untreated) lemon

25 g soft butter

1 egg yolk

75 g semolina

 a pinch of salt

50 g all- purpose flour (type 405) + additional flour (for forming)

125 g butter

125 g breadcrumbs

powder sugar

cinnamon

Directions:

1. Strain the curd cheese in a fine mesh sieve, for about 15-20 minutes. Wash the lemon, rub dry, then zest it with a grater. You will need about 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
2. Wash the apricots and pad them dry, then cut  them open (only halfway!) along their seems. Remove their pits. Fill them with ½ teaspoon brown sugar.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a (generous) pinch of salt, then reduce the temperature until the water bubbles very lightly.
4. In a big bowl cream together the strained curd cheese, semolina, egg yolk, butter (25 g), vanilla sugar, salt and lemon zest using a wooden spoon. Lastly add the flour and mix in only long enough until you can form the dough into a thick log (if the dough is still sticky add some additional flower).
5. Cut the log into 6 equally sized slices.  Slightly flour your hands and form little discs, then place a sugar filled apricot on top of each and wrap it tightly with the dough.Form a dumpling (re-flour your hands if necessary) and check carefully that the apricots are completely covered by the dough.
6.  Bring the pot of water to a boil and carefully slip the dumplings into the water, stir occasionally to make sure that the dumplings do not stuck to the bottom of the pot. Let them simmer at low  heat for 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile melt some butter in a pan over medium heat and roast the breadcrumbs (about 125g butter, and 125g breadcrumbs; ratio 1:1). Remove the dumplings with a skimmer, then roll them in the pan with the buttered breadcrumbs until evenly covered. Serve hot and finish with cinnamon sugar (just mix cinnamon and powder sugar). Enjoy!

Everyone, please stop by her wonderful blog Sandra’s Easy Cooking and check out my Guest post with interview :) and Sandra's fantastic recipes over there!

Also, you can follow her on:

Twitter

Facebook and

FoodBuzz.

Bevor ich euch mehr über das Rezept erzähle, möchte ich mich ganz herzlich bei der lieben Sandra für die liebe Einladung, Gast in ihrem wunderbaren Blog zu sein, bedanken! Ich fühlte mich sehr geehrt und war richtig aufgeregt, als Sandra mich kontaktiert und gefragt hat, ob ich nicht ein Guest Post für Ihren Blog schreiben würde. Aber selbstverständlich, sogar sehr gerne!!! Ich verfolge ja Sandra’s Blog schon eine ganze Weile, und ihre Rezepte und tolle Fotos inspirieren mich jeden Tag! Dieser Blog mauserte sich innerhalb kürzester Zeit zu einen meiner absoluten Lieblingsblogs, und Sandra zu einer ganz lieben Foodie Kollegin! Und so fing ich an darüber nachzudenken, was nun mein Rezept-Beitrag sein könnte…Es sollte etwas sein, das ich noch nicht gebloggt habe, und da Aprikosen/ Marillen ja derzeit absolut Saison haben, sollte es natürlich auf jeden Fall etwas mit Aprikosen werden J. Nun, da ich nun wusste,  was die Hauptzutat sein sollte, kam mir sofort eines meiner Lieblingsgerichte in den Sinn: Marillenknödel!  Ein typisch österreichisches Gericht, und da ich ja in Österreich lebe, wohl passend ;) Also, wenn ihr mögt, schaut doch mal bei Sandra in ihrer virtuellen Küche vorbei, und checkt dann  doch auch gleich mal  mein Guest Post !

In der Kaiserzeit Böhmen (heute: Tschechische Republik), war ein Teil von Österreich. Da es ein armes Land war, gingen viele seiner Bewohner nach Wien, um Arbeit zu finden. Böhmische  Gerichte waren hoch geschätzt, so daß böhmische Frauen sehr einfach eine Anstellung als Koch fanden. Süße Speisen wie Guglhupf, Germknödel, Topfenstrudel, Powidltascherln und natürlich gehörten auch Marillenknödel dazu, gehörten zu den berühmtesten Spezialitäten. Obwohl ursprünglich eine Speise der Armen, wurden böhmische Speisen sehr schnell zu einem unverzichtbaren Bestandteil der österreichischen Küche und sogar Könige sollen sie geliebt haben J. 

Und nun zum Rezept:

                   

                                             Klick auf das Bild zum Vergrössern

Also, wenn ihr mögt, schaut doch mal bei Sandra in ihrer virtuellen Küche vorbei, und checkt dann doch auch gleich mal  mein Guest Post (samt Interview :))!

Sandra findet ihr außerdem auch auf

Twitter

Facebook und

Foodbuzz

Prije nego što pređem na recept, htjela  bih se zahvaliti dragoj Sandri s bloga Sandra's Easy Cooking za poziv da joj budem gošća na njenom, meni jako dragom blogu. Osjećala sam se jako počašćenom kada me je Sandra kontaktirala i pitala da li želim da joj budem gošća! Vrlo rado!!! Sandrin divni blog inače pratim već duže vrijeme, jer je pun divnih i nekompliciranih recepata, sa uvijek jako primamljivim fotografijama!

I tako sam počela razmišljati koji bi recept mogla postati, htjela sam da to bude nešto što još nisam objavila i nešto sa sezonskim voćem. Brzo sam se odlučila za marelice, koje su trenutno prekrasne, slatke i zamamne. A kad sam odabrala glavni sastojak, odmah su mi pale na pamet knedle J  Pošto živim u Austriji, a knedle s marelicama (Marillenknödel) se mogu smatrati tipičnim austrijskim specijalitetom, mi se moj izbor učinio prikladnim za prezentaciju na Sandrinom blogu.

Inače, slatka jela, kao što su Guglhupf,  Germknödel, Topfenstrudel, Powidltascherln i, naravno, Marillenknödel su austrijski najpoznatiji specijaliteti. Nezamjenjivi su dio austrijske kuhinje! Ali da se vratim receptu:

Kliknite na recept:

 

Pogledajte/ pročitajte moj Guest blog OVDJE ( ima i mali intervju ;) i ujedno prolistajte Sandrin blog, sigurna sam da ćete uživati u njemu kao i ja :)

Sandru možete pronaći i na:

Facebook-u, 

Foodbuzz-u  i

Twitter-u



This recipe is shared at: Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday #4 Link Party

Kajzeršmarn (Kaiserschmarrn)

For Recipe in English please scroll down:
Für Rezept in Deutsch bitte scrollen:

Ljubitelji skijanja u Austriji itekako znaju kako da se okrijepe i snabdiju energijom koja je potrebna za naporne snježne staze- uživaju u austrijskom specijalitetu Kaiserschmarrn :). Jasno, o kalorijama ne trebamo govoriti- ovo jelo je BOMBA-stično, ali je naročito zimi perfektan desert uz kuvano vino ili punč! Moja mama kaiserschmarrn  pravi redovno po ovom receptu za svoje unuke koji ga prosto obožavaju.  Eto, ja, nažalost vec godinama nisam bila zimi negdje na skijanju, ali sebi i dragom makar malo na ovaj način dočaram neki  "Austro-apres-ski- flair" kod kuce :))))). Ah da, pripremila sam i kuvano vino za nas dvoje.Odlično!

Sastojci (2 porcije):

• 50 g suhog grožđa                                                        
• 2 1/2  kašike  ruma (za odrasle) ili vode (za djecu)
• 3 žumanjka
• 1 vanilin šećer
• 1/2  kašika šećera
• 1/2 kašikica soli
• 125 g brašna
• 250 ml mlijeka
• 25 g istopljenog maslaca
• 3 bjelanjka
• šećer u prahu

Prilog:

• mus od jabuka

Priprema:

Grožđice natopiti pola sata u rumu ili vodi.

Izmutiti 3 žumanjka, so, šećer izmutiti mikserom, i onda polako dodavati brašno i mlijeko.

Na kraju u tijesto dodati istopljeni maslac (ja maslac nikad ne stavljam u tijesto, dovoljno je malo staviti u teflon tavu zbog pečenja- barem da malo uštedim na masnoći :)).

Izmutiti 3 bjelanjka u drugoj posudi, te ih lagano dodajte u smjesu. Na kraju dodati grožđice.

U tavu istopite komadić maslaca i onda dodajte smjesu (debljine otprilike 1 cm)). Na nižoj temperaturi pržite s obje strane kao palačinke dok ne dobije zlatnu boju. Češće kontrolirajte da donja strana ne zagori!

Kada se tijesto ispeče sa obje strane, plastičnom varjačom istrgajte ili isjecite tijesto, još malo ga dopržite.Vruć Kaiserschmarrn pospite šećerom u prahu i servirajte odmah. Kao prilog sam ovog puta služila mus od jabuka, ali odlično prija i uz kompot od šljiva.

Kaiserschmarrn

Zutaten für 2 Personen: 

• 50 g Rosinen
• 2 1/2  EL Rum für  Erwachsene, 2 1/2  EL Wasser für Kinder :)
• 3 Eigelb
• 1 Pkg Vanillezucker
• 1/2 EL Zucker
• Prise Salz
• 125 g Mehl
• 250 ml Milch
• 25 g zerlassene Butter
• 3 Eiweiß
• Puderzucker

Beilage: 

•  Apfelmus

Zubereitung:

Rosinen ca. eine halbe Stunde in Rum einweichen (oder Wasser, für die Kinder ).

Das Eigelb mit dem Mixer zusammen mit dem Vanillezucker, einer Prise Salz und 1 EL Zucker schaumig aufschlagen. Nach und nach Mehl und Milch einrühren. Anschließend die zerlassene Butter einrühren. Ich versuche zumindest ein paar Kalorien zu sparen und lasse prinzipiell die Butter im Teig weg- es reicht mir die Butter, die zum Backen verwendet wird :).

Das Eiweiß zu einem festen Eischnee aufschlagen und mit einem Löffel langsam aber gründlich unter die Teigmasse heben. Am Ende die Rosinen hinzugeben.

In einer (beschichteten) Pfanne etwas Butter zerlassen und den Teig (ca. 1 cm hoch) eingießen. Bei reduzierter Hitze goldgelb anbacken lassen. Aufpassen und öfters kontrollieren, dass drunter nichts anbrennt :D  Bevor der Teig aber ganz fest wird, soll er in kleinen Stücken in der Pfanne zerrissen werden. Die kleinen Teilchen so lange wenden, bis sie rundherum goldbraun gebacken sind.
Den Kaiserschmarren aus der Pfanne nehmen und mit Puderzucker bestreuen und mit Apfelmus (Zwetschgenröster schmeckt auch lecker) servieren. F e r t i g!

Kaiserschmarrn Pancake

Serves 2:

Ingredients:

50 g raisins
2 1 / 2 tablespoons rum for adults, or 2 1/2 tablespoons water for kids
3 egg yolks
1 pack of vanilla sugar
1 / 2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
125 g flour
250 ml milk
25 g melted butter
3 egg whites

icing sugar for decoration

applesauce (Apfelmus)


Method: Soak raisins in rum for half an hour (or water, for the children)

Beat egg yolks, add vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Gradually stir in flour and milk. Then stir in melted butter. I try to save at least a few calories and basically leave the butter in the dough out- it's enough for me the butter used for baking :). Mix to a liquid, but viscous dough.

Beat egg white until thoroughly stiff,  then add it with a wooden spoon to the batter, combine. At the end add the raisins.

In a non-stick frying pan melt butter, then pour in the dough (dough height about 1 cm). Bake on reduced heat until golden brown. Check regularly that nothing burns underneath: D When golden brown, tear it into small pieces (between 2-5 cm), then bake it properly.  Sprinkle it with iced sugar and serve it either with apple sauce (or  roasted plums -“Zwetschgenröster") . Enjoy!