1. First, we’re making the blini batter. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth, then let it chill for like 5-10 minutes. Once the batter’s had its lil rest, heat up a pan with a bit of oil or butter and spoon in small circles of batter. I usually use 3/4 of a tablespoon. Here’s the pro tip: when you see those cute little holes popping up on the surface, it’s time to flip them. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until they’re golden and gorgeous. Boom, your blinis are born. Pop them on a cooling rack to chill out – no soggy bottoms here.
2. Grab a bowl and mix the ricotta cream. For this, stir together ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper until it’s smooth and creamy. Then load it into a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy, or just keep a spoon handy for the easy aesthetic.
3. Once your blinis are cool, dollop or pipe some ricotta cream onto each one. Get creative – a little swirl, a casual blob, whatever your heart desires. Now they’re ready for toppings.
4. For Blini topping 1, toast the walnuts in a pan without adding additional fat. Take them out and let them cool. Thinly slice the shallots into delicate rings and fry them in a bit of oil until crispy. Set aside to cool. Add half a walnut onto the blini, as well as about 1 tsp of the crispy onions. Finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of pink peppercorns. Toss on a few fresh thyme leaves and finish with a few drops of chili oil for a spicy kick that ties it all together.
5. For Blini topping 2, slice fresh figs into eighths. Place one fig wedge on the ricotta cream, then crumble some blue cheese on the other side – as much or as little as your vibe calls for. Add a few drops of truffle oil, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, and garnish with a touch of chopped chives to seal the deal.
6. For Blini topping 3, flake some cooked salmon into bite-sized pieces and nestle it onto the ricotta cream. Slice red onions into thin strips, then scatter a few pieces on top along with some capers. Add a few drops of olive oil, a grind of fresh black pepper, and finish with a couple of dill sprigs.
7. For Blini topping 4, tear thin slices of pastrami into strips, roll them into little spirals, and press them onto the ricotta. Diagonally halve some cornichons and place one half on the blini. Drizzle a few drops of walnut oil for a rich, nutty twist. Top it all off with a sprig of fresh parsley for a classy finishing touch.
8. For Blini topping 5, thinly slice radishes into delicate rounds and place two slices on one side of the blini. On the other side, gently press on a little bunch of radish cress for that pop of green. Finish with a few drops of basil oil for a fresh, herbaceous flair.
9. Serve these cute appetizers on a platter and watch them disappear in seconds.

1. For the apple filling, dice the apples and add them to a pot with apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the apples are soft. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp of cold water, then stir it into the apple mixture. Bring to a quick boil until it thickens, then remove from heat and let cool.
2. For the caramel-cinnamon sauce, heat sugar and water in a pot until it reaches 170°C (340°F) and turns a light golden caramel (about 10–15 minutes). Remove from heat and carefully stir in butter and cream – it may clump, but just keep stirring. Add a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, mix well, and let it cool.
3. For the milk crumble, combine milk powder, flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add melted butter and mix with your hands until crumbly. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake at 140°C (285°F) for about 10 minutes. While it bakes, melt the white chocolate. Once the crumble is baked, transfer it to a bowl, drizzle the melted chocolate over it, and stir until it forms larger clusters. Set aside.
4. Next, prepare the vanilla sauce. You can find the recipe here.
5. For the filo rolls, place a heaping tablespoon of the apple filling on each sheet of filo dough. Fold in the sides, roll them up, and seal the ends with a bit of water. Arrange the rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush them with melted butter, and bake at 180°C (355°F) for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
6. To serve, pour the vanilla sauce onto plates or bowls, cut the filo rolls into three pieces each, and arrange them on top of the sauce. Drizzle with the caramel-cinnamon sauce and finish with milk crumbles. Enjoy!

PREPARATIONS

• Finely grate the Parmesan.
• Cut the shallot into small pieces.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the butter and risotto rice, stirring everything well, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
2. Deglaze with the first 100ml (1/2 cup) of white wine, letting it reduce over medium heat until no liquid remains in the pot.
3. Next, add 100ml (1/2 cup) of stock and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated. Continue adding stock 100ml (1/2 cup) at a time, letting it simmer and be absorbed by the rice before each addition, until the remaining 200ml (1 cup) of stock has been used.
4. Afterward, add 150ml (1/2 cup) of water, allowing the rice to absorb it as it cooks. Follow with another 100ml (1/2 cup) of white wine, then add the final 150ml (1/2 cup) of water, stirring as it cooks. The whole process should take around 40 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
6. Divide the risotto between plates and top with additional grated Parmesan, freshly ground pepper, and parsley.

1. Peel and dice the onion. Roughly chop the pre-cooked chestnuts and set both aside.
2. Heat a medium pot over medium heat with a bit of olive oil, then sauté the onions until translucent. Next, add the chestnuts and let them cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the beef broth and cream to the pot, bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer on low heat for about 20-30 minutes, until the chestnuts are soft.
4. While the soup is cooking, heat a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Meanwhile, cut the toast into cubes. Add cinnamon, dried chili flakes and salt to the butter, stirring well. Add the toast cubes and toss so they’re evenly coated in the spiced butter. Cook for a few minutes until the cubes are crispy. Set aside.
5. Add thyme to the soup and blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth. Season the soup with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and more thyme if needed.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with cream and leek oil, and top with the toasted croutons. Optionally, sprinkle with a bit more ground pepper and enjoy!

1. Combine the active-dry yeast with warm water (between 34-38°C / 93-100°F), olive oil, and a teaspoon of honey to get things started. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes bubbly and the oil floats on top with the activated yeast. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix your flour with the salt.
2. Pour the activated yeast mixture into the flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix everything together until it forms a dough and no dry flour is left. It might look a bit shaggy at first, but that’s totally fine! Scrape down any dough stuck to the sides and cover the bowl with cling film, a beeswax towel, or a shower cap. Let it sit for 20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and the dough to start developing elasticity.
3. After 20 minutes, uncover the dough and prepare a small bowl of warm water to dip your hands in for the stretch & fold process. This technique helps develop the gluten without kneading. To do it, gently pull one side of the dough up, stretch it, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides. You’ll do this about three times, letting the dough rest in between. This method strengthens the dough and helps create that light, airy texture! Follow these steps:
   • First stretch & fold, then let the dough rest for 20 minutes covered
   • Second stretch & fold, then rest another 20 minutes covered
   • Third stretch & fold, then let it rest for 60 minutes covered
4. After the final 60-minute rest, grab your oven dish and drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to coat it generously. Carefully transfer the dough to the dish, lifting it gently with both hands. Place it back in the dish, folding any hanging dough underneath itself to give it structure and elasticity.
5. Cover the dish and let the dough rest for another 60 minutes. During this time, the dough will rise and settle into the dish, preparing for its final transformation.
6. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F. After the dough’s last rest, uncover it and drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top. Use your fingers to gently press into the dough, forming dimples. This will encourage those signature bubbles to form during baking.
7. Bake the focaccia for 20-25 minutes, or until it’s golden and crisp. Enjoy your freshly baked focaccia! Let the focaccia cool to room temperature. If you cut it while it’s still hot, it might tear apart. But honestly, it tastes sooo good when it’s warm. Just tear it up and dip it into your favorite dips!

1. For the hot pepper jelly, first pour boiling water over the jar and lid, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the red pepper, green pepper, jalapeno, and chili into small pieces. Put them in a small pot. Next, add the preserving sugar and apple cider vinegar, and stir well. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Use tongs to carefully remove the jar and lid from the hot water and let them drain. Set aside.
2. Now, test if the jelly is ready by placing half a teaspoon of the mixture on a plate and tilting it back and forth. If it thickens and doesn’t run like water, it’s done and can be carefully poured into the sterilized jar. Let it cool in the fridge until further use.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. For the cheese cream, peel the garlic clove and finely chop the chives. Add both to a food processor along with the cream cheese, goat cheese, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer the cream to a small ovenproof dish with a lid (or cover with foil) and bake for about 15 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 5 minutes until the top is slightly browned. Take it out of the oven and let it cool briefly.
4. Finally, spread the hot pepper jelly over the cheese and serve with bread or chips.

PREPARATIONS

• Here’s the recipe for cinnamon oil. You’ll need about 4-6 teaspoons for this recipe. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of making the cinnamon oil, you can just add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the soup.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, we’ll prepare the soup. Heat some olive oil in a large pot. In the meantime, peel the onion and roughly chop it. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onion pieces and sauté on medium heat until soft.
2. While that’s cooking, halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and add to the onions. Peel the garlic and ginger and grate them directly into the pot with the pumpkin. Let everything roast for about 10 minutes, then pour in the vegetable broth. Put the lid on and let it simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Toast the walnuts in a small pan without any added oil until golden brown. While the walnuts are toasting, finely grate the Parmesan and then add both to a food processor. In the same pan, heat a little olive oil and fry the sage leaves. Let the fried sage drain on a paper towel until crispy, then add it to the food processor as well. Peel the garlic clove and add it to the mix. Add lemon juice and, with the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
4. For the grilled cheese sandwiches, grate the cheddar and press the mozzarella well in paper towels, then slice it thinly. Set aside.
5. Once the pumpkin is soft, remove the pot from the heat and use a hand blender to purée everything. Add the coconut milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Put the pot back on the stove and keep it warm on the lowest heat with the lid on.
6. Now, spread a thin layer of butter on the bread slices and place them butter-side down in a large pan. Spread 2 teaspoons of walnut-sage pesto on each slice. Distribute the cheese evenly on top of the pesto. Cook on low heat with the lid on for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt. Once the bread is golden brown on the bottom, place another slice of bread, butter-side up, on top of the cheese and flip the sandwich. Cook for a few more minutes until the second side is golden brown as well.
7. Serve the soup in deep bowls, topping it with cinnamon oil, cress, and chives. Cut the grilled cheese sandwiches into small squares and place them in the soup, or slice them into strips and serve them on the side.