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They are THE absolute trend among cake fans who don’t have much time but still want to enjoy a delicious pastry: mug cakes. The mini cakes from the cup have their origin – how could it be otherwise – in the USA and are now becoming increasingly popular in Germany, so well-known food companies have already included the cupcake in their range and offer various baking mixes in the supermarkets. But of course, you can also make the delicious creations yourself. We’ll tell you how to make mug cakes yourself.

They succeed in no time at all and taste simply delicious: mug cakes are the latest craze and are extremely popular with baking fans worldwide! The mini cakes, which are cooked in the microwave, are considered a real treat and can be spooned straight out of the cup. You don’t need a scale or a mixer to prepare it. All you need is a little imagination! Would you like to make a mug cake yourself? Then get started right away.

It does not require many ingredients – you can design and develop the cakes according to your preferences. And best of all: A mug cake is only one portion, which is extremely figure-friendly. Because unlike with an ordinary cake or a tart, you can’t just order a second helping…

Make mug cake yourself – the basic recipe

For 1 portion or 1 mug of cake

  • 30 grams of butter
  • 1 egg (M)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 tbsp cream
  • 5 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the topping

  • powdered sugar
  • optional chocolate glaze.

Preparation

1. Melt butter in the microwave. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the pulp. In a large mug, beat the egg vigorously with the sugar and the vanilla pulp; Gradually add all the other ingredients, including the melted butter, while stirring constantly.

2. Place the cup, including the liquid content, in the microwave at 800 watts for around 2 minutes so that the dough rises.

3. Take the mug out of the microwave (caution: the handle is hot) and sprinkle chocolate icing or some icing sugar over it.

The nice thing about this basic recipe is that you can adapt it to your own preferences – for example, add cocoa powder (3 tablespoons), work a few drops of chocolate into the dough, use colorful sprinkles or brittle as a topping, and and and… If you want, you can use the cake also put on a little cream or garnish it with a fruity sauce. There are no limits to your ideas! Another tip: If the mug cake appears a bit dry, this is usually due to the individual microwave setting. Here it helps to approach the ideal result or to add a little milk (2 teaspoons) when preparing the dough. Work out your favorite mug cake creation and tell us your favorite recipe! We are excited…

Admittedly, Matcha Latte with its green color takes a little getting used to. But the green tea drink is not only healthy but also delicious and very popular with celebrities. We reveal how you can make Matcha Latte yourself.

Matcha was originally prepared by Buddhist monks, later it became the favorite drink of the samurai and then an integral part of the Japanese tea ceremony – even today.

With us, the ground green tea from the delicate leaf tips of Tencha tea has become more and more popular and well-known in recent years. Last but not least, Hollywood celebrities strolled through the streets with a matcha latte and were photographed by the paparazzi.

Of course, matcha tea can also be drunk pure, i.e. only infused with water, but it becomes an in-drink and coffee substitute with milk. The drink is then called Matcha Latte and is super easy to prepare. Health-conscious people, people with lactose intolerance, and vegans use soy milk. However, it also works with cow’s milk.

Make Matcha Latte yourself: This is how it works

  • ½ tsp matcha powder
  • 50ml hot water
  • 200 ml frothed soy milk

Put the matcha in a small bowl and stir in 50 ml of hot water. It gets lump-free with a matcha whisk. Pour liquid into a glass or mug and then add frothed soy or cow’s milk. If necessary, sweeten the Matcha Latte with honey or agave syrup (vegan). You can find more great Matcha recipes such as waffles with Matcha filling or tiramisu with Matcha here

Matcha is healthy

A bowl of Matcha contains about 3% caffeine. However, the drink does not make you jittery or nervous, but the green tea powder has a pleasantly invigorating effect.

Matcha is also said to have an anti-inflammatory effect and strengthen the immune system. You can find out everything you need to know about matcha and why it is so healthy in our product information about matcha.

Matcha: An expensive affair

Matcha powder can be bought in tea shops or health food stores. However, it is not cheap due to its complex production. Apart from growing and picking, it takes about an hour to get around 30g of matcha powder from tencha tea. Therefore, you pay at least 15 euros for a small can (30 g). Be careful with cheaper products. It is not uncommon for this not to be real matcha. Store Matcha in an airtight container and protected it from light. The Japanese also like to keep their matcha in the fridge after opening.

Scones are a staple of tea time in the British Isles. But the delicious pastries can also be served with our Sunday coffee. We will therefore tell you how you can easily make scones yourself.

Anyone who has ever tried scones will have quickly noticed that the pastries have a very special consistency. This is due to the addition of eggs and sweet cream and the very gentle mixing of all the ingredients. Scones can be eaten on their own like cakes or biscuits, or – as in Britain and Ireland – eaten warm with butter, jam, honey, or clotted cream. Of course, sugar, flour, eggs, and cream don’t make scones easy. But our variant only has 160 calories per piece. You can have a snack on Sundays.

Make scones yourself: the ingredients

For 12 scones

  • 150 grams of flour
  • 100 g ground almonds
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (40g)
  • 1 packet of vanilla sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 50 g butter (at room temperature)
  • 50g dried cranberries
  • 50 ml milk (1.5% fat)
  • 1 egg

Make scones yourself: Here’s how

  1. Mix flour, almonds, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
  2. Add soft butter in flakes and quickly rub everything into crumbles with your hands or use the dough hook of a hand mixer to make crumbles.
  3. Add the cranberries and milk to the crumbles and knead in as quickly as possible (the dough will become tough if kneaded for a long time). Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1.5 cm.
  5. Dip a ring cutter (5 cm Ø) in flour and cut out circles from the dough.
  6. Roll out the leftover dough again and cut it out the same way (there should be 12 circles of dough in total).
  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the circles on it.
  8. Separate the egg. Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, brush over the cakes and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. (Use the egg white for something else.)
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (convection: 180 °C, gas: level 3) on the 2nd shelf from the bottom for 15-17 minutes and leave to cool on a wire rack.

It’s tea time!

Drinking enough fluids is especially important in summer. But only drinking water is boring. And fruit juice is not always the healthiest alternative! This gave rise to the latest trend, “Fruit Infused Water” or “Detox Water”. Flavor water is incredibly easy to prepare.

Not only are these delicious drinks delicious, but they’re also healthy because the ingredients release minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants into the water, which you, in turn, put into your body.

Why is infused water so healthy?

Some combinations of infused water have a particularly positive effect on different areas. Lemon, for example, brings energy, boosts metabolism, and improves digestion. Like cucumber, it is also very refreshing. This is particularly pleasant in summer. All types of fruit and berries add sweetness to the water and provide energy. They also strengthen the immune system. Rosemary is said to be a muscle relaxant and regenerating herb, which improves memory and concentration. Mint prevents allergies and also improves the complexion.

The trend drink is so easy to make!

For the Fruit Infused Water, mix a liter of still water with about a handful of your favorite ingredient and let the mixture steep for a few hours. You can add fruit, vegetables, or herbs. Cucumber, ginger, lemon, and mint are particularly popular. Your creativity knows no limits!

Special combinations can also be used to counter specific complaints:

  • Belly fat can be counteracted with a combination of cucumber, strawberries, and basil.
  • Lemon, cucumber, berries, and oranges can provide more energy.
  • Strawberries, cucumber, lime, and mint in your water have a stress-relieving effect.
  • You will become slim and fit with the combination of lemon and coconut water.
  • Fat is easily “washed away” when you add cucumber, grapefruit, tangerine, and peppermint leaves to your water.
  • With grapefruit and mint, your complexion will improve.
  • A healthy bubble tea alternative can be mixed with chia seeds and water or coconut water.

When shopping for your infused water, make sure you’re buying quality products, such as organic. Before you put the ingredients in the water, you should wash them well.

We wish you a good thirst!

Who does not know that? No matter how tasty the names of the marinades for packaged grilled meat from the supermarket sound, somehow the end product from the grill always tastes suspiciously similar. Whether “hearty summer herbs” or “smoky barbecue” – in the end, it honestly tastes like glutamate, paprika powder, and garlic.

Our hearty and aromatic homemade marinades transform conventional meat, fish, vegetables, or tofu into an incomparable treat in no time at all.

Our recommendations for an ideal preparation

For a perfect result, it is important to note that the pickling time varies depending on the dish.

  • Poultry, pork, and thin slices of beef should rest in the marinade for about four to eight hours,
    and large cuts of pork and beef should be allowed to marinate for up to 12 hours.
  • Fish fillets, on the other hand, should only be marinated for about an hour – otherwise, the tender fish flesh will be too tender and the flavor too strong.
  • By pickling, the spices and acid penetrate deep into the food, making it more aromatic and tender.

Marinades should also not contain any salt, otherwise, they will draw liquid out of the food and the flavors will not take off as well.

Fruity-sweet whiskey marinade

With this hearty, spicy marinade, every fillet of beef or pork becomes a unique treat.

Ingredients for about 500 grams of meat:

  • 10 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons whiskey of your choice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard, coarse, spiciness to taste
  • 1 tbsp mango chutney
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • pepper

Preparation:

  1. Whisk together the cooking oil, whiskey, and soy sauce, then stir in the honey, mustard, and chutney until smooth. Season with pepper at the end if you like. Place the meat in the marinade in the refrigerator for approx. 8 hours so that it can absorb the marinade as best as possible. You should also make sure to dab the meat with paper towels before grilling to prevent liquid from dripping onto the embers.

Bay leaf and lime marinade

This unusual variant is particularly suitable for juicy fish fillets, as the lime juice makes the fish more tender and at the same time refines the aroma.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

  • ½ bunch of fresh thyme
  • 8 bay leaves
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 limes (zest and juice)

Preparation:

Top the fish fillet with thyme and bay leaves. Whisk together the olive oil, grated zest, and lime juice and drizzle over. Let the whole thing rest for about 1 hour.

Asian marinade for spicy tofu steak

A detour to Asian cuisine is always worthwhile with this aromatic, spicy pickle. Ginger and garlic not only provide plenty of flavors but also keep the heart and blood vessels healthy.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

  • 5 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • a few slices of ginger (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
  • 1 teaspoon syrup (e.g. apple or rice syrup)
  • chili

Preparation:

Finely chop or crush the garlic cloves and ginger and then mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, and syrup with them. Marinate the tofu steak for about 10 minutes.

Gluten-free bread is not available from every bakery. If you have to or want to do without gluten, you will find an uncomplicated bread recipe for everyday use here with teff flour, chia, and psyllium husks.

Those who cannot tolerate gluten-containing products must keep their eyes open when shopping. Getting gluten-free bread or rolls is anything but easy. In the meantime, however, there are baking mixes for gluten-free bread in health food stores, organic markets, or well-stocked supermarkets. If you don’t want to use a baking mix and want to bake your own bread, you can try this rather uncomplicated bread recipe.

Locust bean gum and psyllium husks ensure a nice bond. Organic psyllium husks in particular consist of up to 80 percent dietary fiber. They also contain mucilage. These swell in the digestive tract and bind up to 40 times their weight in water. Flea seed shells, for example, are great as an egg substitute for vegan baking. Why not try the organic psyllium husks from Steinberger! Alternatively, you can use chia seeds as a binding agent for gluten-free bread, for example, which swell into a thick gel when combined with warm water. Caution: The baking time will be slightly longer if you use chia seeds as a binding agent.

The types of flour can be replaced with other gluten-free flour; It is only important that the number of flour totals 500 grams.

Gluten-free bread: the ingredients to bake yourself

  • 500 ml lukewarm water
  • 1 cube of fresh yeast
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 200 grams of rice flour
  • 150 g teff flour
  • 150 grams of buckwheat flour
  • 2 tsp locust bean gum
  • 1 tbsp ground psyllium husk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • a handful of nuts, seeds, or kernels (we used hazelnuts)
  • 1 loaf pan (26 centimeters)

Gluten-free bread: preparation

  1. Put water in a bowl, dissolve yeast and honey in it
  2. Add the other ingredients and knead with the dough hook of the hand mixer until a viscous mass is formed. If the dough is still too dry, add some lukewarm water.
  3. Grease the loaf tin with a little oil and pour in the dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for an hour in a warm place.
  4. Preheat the oven to 220 ° C (fan oven). Place a small pan of water on the bottom of the oven. Brush the surface of the bread with some oil and put it in the oven for an hour. After 10 minutes, turn the temperature back down to 200°C.
  5. Let the bread cool down and turn it out of the pan.

A nice honey-mustard dressing for your salt has long been considered an insider tip at a party or when entertaining guests because it is very mild and tasty at the same time. It is also a nice alternative to the well-known normal standard dressings.

Ingredients for 4 persons

– 100 ml vegetable oil (olive oil, sunflower oil, etc)
– 50 ml vinegar (balsamic vinegar, herbal vinegar, apple cider vinegar)
– 20 ml cream
– 1 tbsp sweet mustard (normal also possible)
– 1 tbsp honey
– Salt and pepper

Preparation

Mix everything in a tall bowl and mix very well with a fork or a whisk. After all the ingredients have combined well, the finished dressing on the salad.

Useful additional knowledge

Vinegar or lemon in a dressing basically causes the salad to be “attacked” and changed. The lettuce becomes visibly smaller due to the acetic acid collapsing.

Pizza rolls are quick to prepare and they can be made in larger quantities without much effort. Ideal for a party or a children’s birthday party. Or simply, if you feel like it.

Ingredients for 30 rolls

– 1 Gouda in a row
– 2 packets of salami (total 400g)
– 1 packet of cooked ham (200g)
– 1 cup of crème fraîche
– 3-4 packets of pre-baked rolls

Preparation

You will need a food processor to prepare the pizza rolls. First cut the Gouda, salami, and cooked ham into small pieces. Now gradually put the pieces of sausage and cheese in the machine and chop them up. Add the crème fraîche and mix it with the mixture. The spread for the pizza buns is ready. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C for a fan oven). Now cut the buns in half and spread them with the mixture as you like. Put the bun halves in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes.

Useful additional knowledge

If the mass is too firm when chopping, you can add the crème fraîche earlier. Depending on your taste, the pizza buns can be sprinkled with oregano or basil.

Enjoyment is already pre-programmed with this delicious aubergine casserole as an Italian recipe. The aubergines combined with the tomato sauce provide a delicious aroma. Enjoyment is guaranteed when the mozzarella melts in your mouth. A wonderful gratin that reminds you of your last vacation in Italy with a Mediterranean aroma. Delicious when the mozzarella melts in your mouth.

Ingredients for 4 persons

  • 750g eggplants
  • Salt pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 onions
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • oregano and basil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • flour
  • 2 packs of mozzarella
  • 4 tablespoons Parmesan
  • 1 can of tomatoes

Preparation of aubergine casserole

  1. Cut the aubergines into slices about 1 cm thick, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for about 20-30 minutes.
    Preheat the oven to 250°C.
  2. Dice the onions and sauté in oil. Add tomatoes in liquid, tomato paste, and spices. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree with the blender.
  3. Dry the aubergines with paper towels and dredge them in the flour. Fry in batches in hot oil
  4. Pour half of the tomato sauce into a mold. Layer eggplant and cheese alternately. Finish with tomato sauce and cheese.
  5. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then sprinkle with basil

Useful recipe information for housewives

  • As an accompaniment to the aubergine casserole: rice, ciabatta, or baguette.
  • Use a Teflon pan to sauté the eggplant.
  • Preparation time: approx. 40 minutes
  • Baking time: approx. 20 minutes

Whether for school, work or just because: learning languages ​​is important for many people. But it’s not that simple – or maybe it is? Here are five tips on how you can easily improve your language skills.

#1 Podcasts, Series, YouTube and Co.

One of the easiest and most popular methods, especially among the younger generation, is to watch series or films in the original language. In particular, because puns and inside jokes are not lost. It has the positive side effect that you learn new words and phrases in a playful way without realizing it. If the original language is not the target language, you can of course switch films and series to the desired language. This is very easy to do with streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney+.

But even if you don’t want to spend money on the television services, you can easily immerse yourself in the language with the help of YouTube videos or podcasts. There are YouTubers from almost every country in the world who film and upload videos in their native language. Whether vlogs, cooking videos or specific language learning videos. The “genre” doesn’t matter in learning as long as you’re actively listening. This can lead to great difficulties in understanding, especially in the beginning. This can be remedied by subtitles, which can be generated automatically for many videos.

Podcasts also offer audios on a wide variety of topics in different languages. For example, you can easily improve your language skills on the way to work or when going shopping. Special podcasts that specialize in language learning can be particularly interesting here. The Coffee Break Podcasts, for example, upload short audio files on various topics that you can use to learn the language bit by bit. There are also a growing number of news podcasts designed to speak extra slowly and clearly to make it easier to understand.

#2 Read, read, read

If television and podcasts are not for you, you can easily read in your desired target language. Nowadays, the internet makes it very easy to find books, newspapers, etc. in all languages. If you don’t mind reading on your phone, tablet or computer, there are some apps that also offer many books in different languages. Amazon’s Kindle, iBooks or eLibrary from your local library offer a variety of e-books that you can even read on the go. A particular advantage of reading online is that you can quickly and easily look up words that you do not yet know in your target language in the dictionary on your mobile device.

Of course, conventional books have the same effect as e-books and can also help to better memorize vocabulary and proverbs due to their special reading experience.

Above all, reading promotes your vocabulary, but grammar is also learned particularly well here. Because by repeatedly reading a wide variety of phrases, tenses and sentence constructions, they can be internalized particularly well.

#3 Exchange and language trip

Exchanges and language trips are also very popular when learning a new language. Some students have the opportunity to take part in a year abroad or an exchange while they are still at school. After graduating from school, it makes sense to do a gap year while going abroad or to do a semester abroad during your studies. But not only young people should take advantage of these opportunities. There are numerous agencies that offer language trips for people of all ages.

Living with a host family during this time helps immensely to develop language skills. You also learn a lot about the culture and lifestyle of the residents in the host country, which can also have a positive effect on learning behavior.

#4 language tandem

If an exchange or a language trip is too expensive or doesn’t work for other reasons, you don’t have to do without direct personal exchange with people from the target country. Language tandems are a cost-effective and interactive alternative. Such tandems are often offered by schools, adult education centers or universities. But you can also quickly find people with whom you can work together on social networks such as Facebook or Instagram.

In such a cooperation, two people who want to learn each other’s mother tongue come together and exchange ideas. It is usually arranged in such a way that people meet about once a week for an hour and then speak the respective language for half an hour. However, everyone could also speak the respective target language and correct the partner if a mistake is made. There are no limits to the execution of the exchange, it is best for you to find out for yourself how you can get the greatest benefit from it.

#5 Language Learning Apps

As with almost everything, there are numerous apps for language learning that can help you. In addition to the book apps mentioned above, there are also special language learning apps that teach you the language in a playful way. Duolingo and Babbel, which offer their services for countless languages, are particularly well-known and popular here.

With step-by-step learning and goal setting, the apps provide a good learning atmosphere with reminders and rewards. All areas that are important for languages ​​are also learned here: listening, reading and speaking are specifically tested in the individual exercises so that you get fit in all areas.

Learning languages: It’s all in the mix!

Speaking, reading and listening are essential in language learning, so a mix of all is best to learn your target language the fastest. However, one should not overdo it either. At the end of the day, having fun is the most important thing, because without having fun, the whole thing is only half as effective!