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Make Healthy Sourdough Yourself

Make healthy and delicious sourdough yourself with simple instructions. Because sourdough bread has the necessary acidity and is light and fluffy, it tastes particularly good. So learn now how to prepare and feed sourdough. This is how the sourdough starter succeeds the first time.

Is sourdough healthy?

A sourdough made from rye provides you with lots of healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These include vitamins B and E, iron, sodium, zinc, and folic acid, which is important for pregnant women. In addition, no artificial additives are necessary for the production of sourdough bread. Yeast is also avoided here. In addition, sourdough has a low glycemic index. This indicates the blood sugar-raising effect of foods containing carbohydrates. The low level of sourdough illustrates that blood sugar rises slowly after consumption. Since the important vitamins and minerals can also be better absorbed by the body, homemade sourdough is very healthy.

Instructions for making your own sourdough

Since sourdough is very healthy and well-tolerated, it is enjoying increasing obesity. So use our clever recipe for the right dough. You can feed this sourdough up to ten times. All you need is water and rye flour. Then mix these two components and in about three days you have the perfect sourdough with which you can bake delicious whole-food bread. But how exactly does it work? In the following video, you will find pictorial instructions for the sourdough starter. And below you will find detailed instructions.

1) Prepare the sourdough

To prepare the sourdough you have to mix the following ingredients into the dough and leave it to stand covered and warm overnight. The rest period should be at least 24 hours. After this time, the dough should form small bubbles. Important: the temperature must be around 25 degrees. But please make sure that no drafts or direct sunlight spoil the dough. In order for the fermentation of the dough to take place hygienically, you should leave the dough covered. This prevents bacteria from penetrating from the outside. Because the dough only needs heat, time, and rest. You can then move on to the next step.

  • 100 g rye – grind it fresh yourself and use it
  • Mix in 150g of water.
  • or take 100 g rye flour and 100 g lukewarm water as described in the video instructions.

2) Lengthen sourdough

On the second day, you can extend the sourdough. Then add another 100 g rye, finely ground, and 150 g water. Then mix these ingredients into the already prepared base dough. The part still shows little change, since slight blistering or pink coloring usually only occurs after the 3rd day of fermentation. After the addition, the dough must have rest, warmth, and at least 24 hours to allow the fermentation process to progress.

Tip: Right from the start, you should mix the rye and water in a large enough bowl so that the sourdough can double in volume without spilling out of the bowl. Similar to yeast dough, each fermentation process needs space in the dough. The last step can follow after another 24 hours.

3) Feed sourdough

In the last step, you have to feed the sourdough again. Add another 150 g of finely ground rye and about 3 tablespoons of warm water. Since the dough piece is already slightly liquid, adding 3 tablespoons of water is sufficient. Then mix the entire dough again and then let it rest, covered, for 24 hours in a warm place.

After three days, when all three steps are complete, the sourdough should smell slightly sour and show up as slight pink discoloration. At the same time, the frothy bubble formation reflects the optimal fermentation process. Then the sourdough is ready and can be used as a basis for baking bread.

“Lock up” sourdough base

If this sourdough is now ready, you can lock a small part in a “glass”. It is best to close the jar tightly with a screw cap. After that, you can store it in the fridge. The sourdough lasts there for a few weeks and can later be used very well as a base for the next sourdough.

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Food

Make and Replace Baking Malt Yourself: Here’s How

Baking malt is a leavening agent that improves the texture and flavor of homemade bread. If you have a little time, you can easily make baking malt yourself – we’ll explain how it works.

Baked malt is made from sprouted grains that you dry in the oven, roast, and then finely grind. Baking malt fulfills two main tasks when baking bread: On the one hand, it refines the taste of the bread and also gives it a stronger colour. On the other hand, it can ensure that the dough rises better. This works especially well with wheat dough.

This is because the enzymes in the sprouted grains remain active when you dry them at low temperatures. Together with the yeast, they ensure that the bread rises particularly well. However, baking malt is not the only leavening agent – it only supports the function of the yeast. Recipes with baking malt therefore usually also contain yeast. You don’t have to change the amount of yeast if you also use baking malt.

Baking malt can be bought ready-made, but you can also easily make it yourself. All you need is grains, water and a few days of patience – because depending on the type of grain, it takes a while for the grains to germinate.

Important: Always use untreated organic grain if you make baking malt yourself. On the one hand, you support sustainable agriculture that works without synthetic pesticides. On the other hand, conventionally processed cereal grains are often not germinable because they are usually dried at high temperatures. Your enzymes can then no longer be activated.

Make baking malt yourself: This is how it works

Ingredients:

200 gorganic cereal grains (e.g. wheat or spelt)
water

Directions:

Place the grains in a sieve. Place the sieve in a bowl and fill it with enough water to cover the grains by about an inch or two. Leave them like that for twelve hours.
Remove the strainer from the bowl and drain the water. Dry the bowl. Rinse the grains in the sieve well under fresh cold water and then put the sieve back into the dry bowl. Important: The bowl should get light during this step, but if possible not stand directly in a sunny place.
Let the grains sit, this time for about two to three days. Rinse again under cold water every 12 hours.
After some time, the grains will begin to germinate. You can tell by the fact that thin white shoots sprout at the ends, which gradually intertwine. Wait for them to grow long enough to branch and form a braid. Then you can move on to drying the kernels. How long the grains need to germinate varies depending on the type of grain. With spelled, for example, it usually takes longer than with wheat. Important: If the shoots turn green, the grains are no longer edible. It is therefore important to wait for the right moment.
Line a baking tray with baking paper (or an ecological baking paper substitute). Spread the grains out on the baking tray and let them dry in the oven at 70 degrees top/bottom heat for about an hour. It is best to clamp a wooden spoon in the oven door so that it remains open a crack and the moisture can escape better.
After the drying process, you can roast the grains. Increase the temperature to 170 degrees top/bottom heat and leave the grains in the oven for another 40 minutes. You can then do a taste test: if the grain already tastes slightly malty, it’s ready. Otherwise, roast the grains again for 10 minutes.
When the kernels are done, remove the tray from the oven and let them cool completely. Then check if the grains are really completely dried. They must no longer contain any moisture.
Once they have cooled, you can grind the grains. It is best to use a grain mill or coffee grinder for this. Alternatively, you can also put them in the blender.
Fill the ground baking malt into a clean screw-top jar and close it tightly.

Baking malt: tips for use

The baking malt will keep for several months in a screw-top jar. It is important that the glass is sterile. You can find tips for this here: Sterilizing glasses: The best methods with step-by-step instructions.

When baking bread, it is sufficient to use about 30 grams of baking malt per kilogram of flour, unless the recipe specifies otherwise. Simply mix the baking malt into the remaining ingredients before kneading them into a dough and follow the further instructions.

Tip: If you don’t have baking malt at hand, you can replace it with malt coffee if necessary. It is then sufficient to use about a fifth of the recommended amount of baking malt – for example six grams instead of 30 grams.

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Cooking Tips

Latte Macchiato: The Recipe To Make Yourself

The latte macchiato has been an absolute favorite drink for years. It has a mild taste and consists largely of milk. The accompanying espresso provides the necessary coffee nuance and a fine aroma. In the following post we show the perfect preparation method.

What is a latte macchiato?

Along with cappuccino, latte macchiato is one of the most popular coffee specialties worldwide. The beverage originally came from Italy. Here it was traditionally made for children and young people because it has a low coffee and caffeine content. The individual layers of the drink consist of warm milk, espresso and milk froth. A typical latte macchiato with whole milk weighs in at almost 130 calories and 25-30 mg of caffeine.

Origin and history of “spotted milk”

Unfortunately, it is not known when and by whom latte macchiato was invented. However, it has its origins in Italy. In contrast to conventional coffees, this variation should have the lowest possible caffeine content of 25-30 mg caffeine. A typical 200 ml cup of filter coffee has 64-96 mg of caffeine in comparison. The aim was to gradually introduce children and young people to the taste of coffee without giving them an unhealthy amount of caffeine for their age. Incidentally, latte macchiato means “spotted milk”, which is an allusion to its composition. This consists of three superimposed layers. Warm milk is in the lower third, espresso in the middle and milk froth in the upper part.

Difference to cappuccino

Latte macchiato and cappuccino have the same ingredients: espresso and milk (alternative). The difference lies in the preparation. While the cappuccino only contains milk froth, the milk separates from the latte macchiato.

How do you prepare a latte macchiato?

The original Italian recipe for a latte macchiato is quite simple and consists of hot milk and espresso. The preparation looks very uncomplicated: the coffee is quickly poured over the milk. The classic three layers, as we know it in this country, are not used with this method.

To enjoy a latte macchiato with layers, the preparation is a little more difficult than the basic Italian recipe. For the perfect enjoyment, it is recommended to follow the following three steps.

Ingredients needed for a latte macchiato:

An espresso
200 ml milk (alternative)

Step 1:

Froth approx. 200 ml of milk to create a creamy and firm milk froth. This should be firmer than a cappuccino, so froth the milk or milk alternative a little longer.

Step 2:

Slowly pour the frothed milk into a tall, narrow glass. Set the glass aside to allow the foam and milk to separate.

Step 3:

Carefully pour 25-30ml of espresso into the glass. The espresso can easily be poured into the milk using a small jug in order to achieve an optimal layer formation.
Good to know: With an espresso maker you do not prepare espresso, but a strong coffee. This can still be used for the preparation.
When pouring the espresso, remember to pour it slowly in the middle or on the side of the glass. As a result, the coffee should separate the milk from the milk foam and be placed exactly in the middle between the two components. This is how the well-known three layers of latte macchiato are created: milk below, espresso in the middle and milk foam on top.

Why do the three layers mix?

If the layers mix with each other, this can have two reasons:
There is a possibility that the milk has not been properly frothed and the froth lacks firmness.
On the other hand, pouring the espresso too quickly or imprecisely can lead to the milk and coffee being mixed together.

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Cooking Tips

Make Bubble Tea Yourself: 5 Good Reasons and a Recipe

Colorful drinks with wobbly balls: bubble tea is back in fashion. We’ll show you here why it’s better to just make it yourself than to buy it.

Already ten years ago it was the trend drink par excellence in Germany: bubble tea. Freely translated, this means ball or pearl tea. The liquid refreshment comes from Asia, more precisely from Taiwan. Bubble tea has been there for more than 25 years. The special thing about it: in addition to tea, milk and syrup, small balls make the bubble tea what it is.

The classic version of the bubbles consists of tapioca pearls. These are made from maple syrup mixed with tapioca flour and cooked. The bubbles turn black because the syrup caramelizes.

Tapioca flour consists of ground cassava roots, which are often referred to as “tropical potatoes”. The tapioca flour is relatively neutral, the flavor comes from mixing with the syrup. The consistency of the pearls resembles that of jello.

There are now other options on the market: on the one hand, there are the “Popping Bobas”. They are filled with fruit juice and will burst if you bite into them. There are also “jellies” made from coconut flesh and fruit juice.

Why you should make bubble tea yourself

As tasty and trendy as the soft drink may be, there are good reasons not to buy commercial bubble tea. In addition to very obvious points such as the plastic packaging, there are also many hidden ingredients in Bubble Tea that are not necessarily obvious at first glance.

If you still feel like having the drink from time to time, you can make it yourself with just a few ingredients. This is how you decide what goes into the tea and how you serve it.

Plastic cup and straw: the packaging of bubble tea

Bubble tea shops usually offer little space and are designed according to the to-go principle. This means that the drink is filled into plastic cups and customers take it with them. But that’s not all: the lid of the cup is made of a thin plastic film into which a plastic straw is inserted.

Not exactly timely when you consider that an EU-wide ban on single-use plastic, which also affects plastic straws, is to come into force in July 2021. Because if you use plastic, you harm both the environment and your health. Because plastic contains many chemicals that can get into your body, according to the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND). The additives are not firmly embedded in the plastic and are therefore particularly easy to remove from the cup and straw.

Packaging waste in particular poses a problem, as it is thrown away after it has been used once. It accounts for around a third of the plastic waste we produce; according to BUND, only a little is recycled.

Sugar content as high as cola

Tea and milk – actually, the main ingredients of bubble tea seem to be quite healthy. In fact, bubble tea contains about the same amount of sugar and calories as cola: a 500-milliliter cup of the trend drink contains between 300 and 500 calories, depending on the variety; the sugar content is up to 60 grams.

For comparison: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum of 50 grams of sugar per day for adults. With a cup of bubble tea, this need is already covered, if not exceeded. For children and adolescents, the recommended intake of sugar is even lower.

As a consumer, you quickly underestimate the sugar content of bubble tea: the drinks are enriched with ice cubes, which weaken the sweet taste. If you make the bubble tea yourself, you can better control the sugar content.

Ingredients of Bubble Tea

From colorants and flavorings to acidifiers and preservatives – according to Stiftung Warentest, bubble tea contains numerous artificial ingredients. The survey was released during the first wave of bubble tea trends in 2012. However, the results are still usable, because the ingredients have not changed much.

There are also shops that use tea powder instead of fresh tea to prepare bubble tea. This creates a variety of tastes. The downside of the coin: the powders contain more chemical additives than natural teas. In the homemade bubble tea you can rely on natural ingredients.

Caffeine content in bubble tea

Black and green teas contain theine – a special name for the stimulant caffeine. Since green or black tea forms the basis for many bubble teas, the soft drinks also contain large amounts of caffeine. The stimulating effect is usually similar to that of cola, but is usually not marked when bubble tea is sold.

The problem with this is that children and young people in particular drink bubble tea. And caffeinated drinks are not suitable for them, according to the Association for Independent Health Advice (UGB).

Danger of choking from bubbles

As attractive as the bubbles make the tea, they can be life-threatening. Because the beads with a diameter of eight to eleven millimeters are very slippery and sometimes difficult to chew on.

The danger is increased by the straws: They are extra wide so that the balls can fit through. Due to the suction, the beads can get directly into the trachea and lungs. The situation in children is so alarming that the professional association of paediatricians in Germany advocated a warning on the cups with bubble tea in 2012. Adults can also choke on the bubbles.

If you make bubble tea yourself and want to serve it to children, make sure to use low-caffeine tea and do not offer it to young children.

Make bubble tea yourself

Although the above points make bubble tea questionable: you don’t have to do without the soft drink. With our simple recipe you can make it yourself and thus pay attention to natural ingredients and a low sugar content – you can do without the plastic cup and straw.

For all ingredients, make sure to use products with organic and fair trade seals – especially with tea, which you use as the basis for the drink. We particularly recommend the Naturland, Bioland and Demeter seals, as the certified products have to meet very strict environmental protection criteria. You can use black or green tea, but any other variety of your choice also tastes good as bubble tea.

To make the balls you need Tapioca Starch. Regional alternatives are corn starch or potato starch.

Caution: Homemade bubble tea is also unsuitable for small children, as they can choke on the balls.

Ingredients:

60 g tapioca, corn or potato starch
30 ml maple syrup
700 ml tea
300 ml vegetable milk
ice cubes
Honey, agave syrup or maple syrup for sweetening

Directions:

First you make the tapioca pearls. Put the starch in a bowl with the maple syrup.
Knead the ingredients into a homogeneous, caramel-colored mass.
Form hazelnut-sized balls from the syrup-starch mixture.
Boil water in a saucepan.
Put the balls in the water and let them cook for 20 minutes. Keep stirring every now and then.
If the bubbles have a jelly-like consistency, you can pour them into a colander. Then rinse the balls thoroughly with cold water. Tip: If you don’t use your bubbles straight away, you should store them in syrup so that they don’t stick together.
brew the tea It can be a little stronger, as the ice cubes will dilute it.
Divide the tea, bubbles, ice and milk into glasses. To sweeten, you can add honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup to taste.

Bubble tea sometimes fruity

To serve the bubble tea, you can put tall spoons or straws made of glass or metal into the glasses.

If you want to give your drink a fruity note, you can reduce the amount of tea and add a fresh juice of your choice to the bubble tea instead.

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How Sage Honey Works and a Recipe to Make Yourself

Sage honey is an effective home remedy for cold and flu symptoms. Here you can find out how sage honey works and how you can make it yourself.

A sore throat, cough and hoarseness are among the most common symptoms of a cold or flu. Sage honey can provide quick relief and aid in healing. It is also a natural alternative to conventional cough syrups, which often contain questionable ingredients and should be used with caution, especially in children. You can find out more about this in our article cough syrup for children: risks, home remedies and what you should consider.

As the name suggests, sage honey consists of only two ingredients: sage and honey.

Sage is a well-known medicinal herb that has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antibacterial properties. That is why it is a popular home remedy for sore throats and coughs.
Honey also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It is therefore well suited as a carrier for the sage.
Important: If possible, use regional organic honey from Germany for the sage honey. This way you can be sure that it was not imported via CO2-intensive transport routes. In another Utopia article you will find out what you should consider when buying honey.

Make sage honey yourself: Here’s how

Ingredients:

20leaves of fresh sage
500 ghoney
optional: lemon juice

Directions:

Wash the sage leaves thoroughly and then drain them. Then cut them into small pieces.
Place the honey in a large sterilized jar. The glass should be able to hold at least 700 grams.
Stir in the chopped sage. Tip: If the honey is very thick and stirring is too difficult, you can dilute it with a little lemon juice.
Place the sage honey in a dark place and let it steep for at least four weeks. After this time he is finished.

Sage honey: tips and hints

The earlier you take the sage honey, the better it can work. At the first scratchy throat, start applying the sage honey. Let it slowly melt on your tongue.

Since sage contains the neurotoxin thujone, you should consider the following points when using sage honey:

Overdoses of thujone can cause symptoms of poisoning such as tachycardia, dizziness and cramps. Since the thujone content of sage honey is difficult to determine, to be on the safe side, you should consume a maximum of five teaspoons of sage honey a day.
New studies have shown that sage is suitable for long-term use without hesitation. However, you should seek medical help if your symptoms have not improved within three days.
Children younger than one year should not eat honey. As a natural product, honey can contain bacteria that can cause life-threatening bacterial infections in babies.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid taking sage honey.

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Make Cappuccino Yourself: This is How the Italian Specialty Succeeds

Creamy coffee just like in Bella Italia: With the right recipe and professional know-how, you can make your own cappuccino at home, the taste of which will immediately take you back to your last holiday in Italy.

Warming rays of sunshine, the hustle and bustle on the piazza and a cappuccino with perfect milk foam topping – the ingredients for a relaxing holiday! At least the luxurious drink can easily be taken home. Because the recipe for classic Italian cappuccino is very simple: it consists of equal parts espresso, milk and milk froth.

Already knew?

Italians only drink cappuccino in the morning. Due to its high milk content, it is considered to be stomach-filling. In Germany, on the other hand, we enjoy it all day long: with a long breakfast or in the afternoon with pastries.

It all comes down to the beans

First things first: The espresso beans should be of the best quality so that the cappuccino really tastes as good as it does on holiday. You are guaranteed to be on the right track with the high-quality coffees from Mamis Caffè. Which variety you choose is up to your personal preferences.

Gran Crema impresses with the fine crema of the Arabica beans from Brazil, which settles perfectly on the milk.
The full-bodied espresso crema has a soft, intense crema, which unfolds its aroma in the interplay of Arabica beans with a strong Robusta note.
The sweet Amabile with its generous, soft body brings together seductive Dolce Vita with aromatic notes from India and South America.
Dolce Vita already carries the pleasure in the name. Sweet and with a certain spice, Arabica and Robusta beans bring the Italian attitude to life into your cup.
The smooth Deca Coffee is suitable for a delicious decaffeinated cappuccino variant.

What else makes a good cappuccino? That’s right: a creamy, dense foam. For this to succeed, you need milk with a high fat content. Whole milk with a fat content of 3.5 percent is ideal. Without fat, the foam will be watery and won’t stay solid.

All good things come in threes: the cappuccino recipe

Everything together? Now it depends on the mixing ratio. A cup of cappuccino consists of:

⅓ espresso
⅓ warm milk
⅓ milk froth.
For this you need:

Espresso (approx. 25 – 30 milliliters)
milk (approx. 100 – 150 milliliters)

Cappuccino preparation: start with the espresso

Professionals brew their espresso in a portafilter machine. Such a high-end coffee machine has its price and requires a relatively large amount of effort to prepare. However, if you regularly enjoy cappuccino at barista level, the investment can be worth it. You like it less complicated? A small espresso pot for the stove, a so-called Bialetti, also does a good job. The espresso is quick and easy with a fully automatic coffee machine, a pad or capsule machine.

Of course, you know best which method best suits your everyday life. At Mamis Caffè you will find your favorite variety for every type of preparation: as a whole bean, ground coffee, pad or capsule.

It’s all in the milk: this is how the perfect milk froth succeeds

In order to produce a stable milk froth, it is important that the milk is not too hot. As the owner of a portafilter machine with a steam nozzle, you are on the safe side. Here you use hot steam to heat milk in a jug and froth it at the same time. It’s even easier with a fully automatic machine. Most models conjure up a decent amount of milk foam at the touch of a button.

Alternatively, simply heat the milk on the stove. A temperature below 65 degrees is ideal, it should never boil.

You can then either froth the warm milk with a special milk frother or use a hand blender or a whisk. What actually works: a sufficiently large, empty mason jar. Pour in the warm milk and shake vigorously: a fine froth forms.

For your cappuccino you need milk froth, milk and espresso in equal parts. Froth until the volume of the milk has roughly doubled.

Expert tip: Professional baristas briefly knock the pot onto the table after heating the milk. In this way, unwanted bubbles escape from the milk and the froth becomes more even.

The final touch: Serve the cappuccino

Once you have prepared your espresso, first pour it into a preheated cup. Now it’s time for the milk, which you pour into the cup with a flourish. First hold back the foam with a spoon. You use it in the last step to crown your drink with it.

Et voilà: the homemade cappuccino is ready and tastes at least as good as in your favorite café in Milan or Rome.

Art in coffee: create latte art like a barista

Professionals refine the cappuccino with artistic motifs in the milk froth, the so-called latte art. The patterns in the crema are created when you pour the milk onto the espresso with a lot of energy and small, targeted movements. This requires finesse and practice. Would you like to surprise your guests with artistic masterpieces on milk froth? Most major cities have barista classes that will teach you the basics in just a few hours.

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Make Ice Cubes Yourself: This is How It Works Without an Ice Cube Mold

Need ice cubes but don’t have an ice cube mold? No problem! We have put together various ways for you to make ice cubes yourself at any time.

If you want to prepare ice cubes, the only option is usually to use molds made of plastic or silicone. You can also buy plastic ice cube bags everywhere, which end up in the garbage after one use. Both plastic and silicone are harmful to the environment and to your own health. Over time, for example, a silicone mold can release plasticizers into the ice cubes. Make sure that your ice cube mold is free of plasticizers such as BPA.

But if you don’t have such a shape or you want to produce ice cubes in an environmentally friendly way, you have to improvise. We have several ways for you to make ice cubes without an ice cube mold.

Make ice cubes without an ice cube mold

Use the shape of a box of chocolates. You can use any type of chocolate. We recommend buying chocolates made from fair trade chocolate. There are some seals for Fairtrade chocolate such as the Fairtrade seal. So keep the shape of a box of chocolates or you transfer the chocolates. You don’t have to throw these away, of course, but put them in a lockable box. The good thing about this variant is that you do not produce any additional garbage. Another plus is that you get ice cubes in special shapes. After all, chocolates often come in a wide variety of shapes. BTW: You can use other forms of candy as long as they are stored in a plastic mold.

Another option is to prepare glasses in advance that you want to drink from later or that you want to serve. To do this, fill in some water (a few centimeters high) and place it in the freezer compartment. But make sure that the glasses are freezer-safe. So don’t use glasses that are too thin. You can then simply pour the drink onto the thin layer of ice.

Crushed ice is also possible. You can use any type of container that is freezer-safe.

Cool drinks with alternative ice cubes

There are other ways you can cool drinks:

You can use frozen fruit as ice cubes: for example, put grapes in the freezer for about two hours and then put them in the glass. Alternatively, you can buy already frozen organic fruit. If the frozen fruit is no longer needed, you can simply eat it – it tastes delicious and you haven’t wasted anything.

You can also slice and freeze lemons or limes. It is best to use organic ones. Then you can be sure that they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Another option is to pre-chill the empty glasses or just the drinks yourself in the fridge. These are then cool from the start and remain so for a little longer thanks to the cool glasses.

Since the main problem is the material of conventional ice cube molds, you can use stainless steel molds, which can be bought online. There are also so-called whiskey stones made of stainless steel that you can freeze and use again and again.

Try making ice cubes out of liquids other than water. For example, freeze organic juices, yoghurt or fair trade coffee as cubes.

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Make Crushed Ice Yourself: This is How It Works Without an Ice Cube Machine

Making crushed ice yourself is easy and there is no plastic packaging. We’ll show you how to make the cool refreshment. This makes hot summer days more bearable.

You can buy crushed ice, but making it yourself isn’t difficult. Especially on hot summer days, it is a refreshing addition to drinks such as slush ice and summer (non-alcoholic) cocktails, or you can use it to cool other alcoholic drinks such as sparkling wine. All you need are ice cubes. With our tips you can easily make crushed ice yourself.

Make crushed ice yourself with a tea towel

Probably the most sustainable and easiest way to make your own crushed ice is with a clean tea towel and a solid object. So there is no plastic packaging and you don’t have to buy any additional new devices.

To do this, place ready-made ice cubes in the middle of a clean tea towel. Hold the open sides tightly together. Now you need a solid object. For example, a hammer, a rolling pin or something similar are suitable. Now break the ice cubes out of the kitchen towel with your solid object. Your homemade and sustainable crushed ice is ready.

Tip: Be careful not to break the ice cubes too small. This way you get more of your crushed ice because it melts more slowly.

Make your own crushed ice with a stand mixer

Another way to make your own crushed ice is with a stand mixer. However, this method only makes sense if you already own a stand mixer. In general, you should not buy any new equipment for the production of crushed ice to avoid wasting unnecessary resources. You can prevent this by using the dishcloth crushed ice method above.

If you already own a stand mixer, the crushed ice method with a stand mixer is the faster and less complicated method for you.

Simply put the ice cubes in a blender and crush them in batches. This makes it easier to crush the ice cubes than if you use the normal smoothie function. In addition, the blade of the blender does not wear out as quickly. Also make sure that your blender has enough power to crush the ice cubes.

Tip for sustainable ice cubes for your crushed ice

The basis for making crushed ice yourself are ice cubes. But you don’t necessarily need the classic plastic ice cube tray. A sustainable alternative is to simply make the ice cubes yourself in glasses. Make sure that you fill the water mainly in cone-shaped glasses and do not screw a lid on top. Let the ice cubes thaw briefly at room temperature before processing them into crushed ice – this is how you get them out of the glasses. Also, to avoid expanding the glass, you should only fill the glass up to three quarters full with water.

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Make and Use Sunflower Seed Butter Yourself: This is How It Works

You can quickly make sunflower seed butter yourself with just a few ingredients. The mush can be used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. We show you a recipe and what you should pay attention to.

Sunflower seed butter made from Europe sunflower seeds is a regional alternative to almond butter and other nut butters. This avoids long transport routes and packaging.

Sunflower seeds are healthy because they contain important nutrients. They are rich in vitamins, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vegan proteins. The seeds are therefore particularly suitable for a balanced plant-based diet. Processed as a mush, you can use sunflower seeds in a variety of ways in the kitchen.

Make sunflower seed butter yourself

When buying your ingredients, make sure that they are organic and, if possible, from regional cultivation. This makes your sunflower seed puree a sustainable alternative to conventional nut spreads and you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Ingredients:

200 gorganic sunflower seeds
1 pinch(s) of salt

Directions:

Soak the sunflower seeds in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. This makes them softer and easier to work with.
After soaking, drain the sunflower seeds through a sieve.
Place the sunflower seeds and salt in a high powered blender. Mix everything into a smooth mass.
If the mousse is still too chewy, you can add some tasteless oil.

Variation tips for sunflower seed butter

You give your sunflower seed butter a particularly nutty aroma when you roast the sunflower seeds. They shouldn’t be too dark.

Variants:

You can add some olive oil or oat milk. This makes the sunflower seed butter a little milder and creamier.
For a savory taste, you can add a clove of garlic.
For a sweet alternative, you can add a spoonful of honey or syrup, some cinnamon and vanilla to the mousse.
As a regional alternative to tahini sauce, you can add some salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs to your sunflower seed puree.

Use sunflower seed butter

Sunflower seed puree can be refined as a sweet or savory puree. You can therefore use it in many ways. Here are some tips on how to use your sunflower seed butter:

As a hearty spread: If you refine your sunflower seed puree with fresh herbs and spices, you can use it as a delicious spread.
As a sweet spread: Alternatively, you can make a sweet variant of the spread from the sunflower seed butter. This goes particularly well with pancakes and fresh rolls.
As a dip: Use more liquid during preparation to create a sauce-like consistency. This dip goes great with raw vegetables, crackers or homemade falafel.
As a vegan butter substitute: neutral sunflower seed butter is an excellent vegan alternative to butter.
As a salad dressing: Use the puree to make a delicious salad dressing. Simply add a tablespoon of puree to your favorite dressing.
As a cooking cream: You can refine warm dishes such as soups or stews with the sunflower seed butter. The mush gives the dish a creamier consistency.
As a muesli topping: You can put sunflower seed butter on your muesli or porige for a wholesome breakfast.

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Cooking Tips

Slow Coffee: These are the Best Ways to Make Really Good Coffee

A typical slow coffee is prepared – and that shouldn’t come as a surprise – slowly. With a hand filter, but also with the espresso maker or the French press, this is very easy and creates awareness for better coffee.

I have never understood why people prefer a coffee from the fully automatic machine to a freshly brewed one. When Nespresso suddenly moved into my friends’ homes, I almost lost my faith. Overpriced coffee in aluminum capsules that only work in an overpriced coffee machine and also cause a gigantic waste problem. Stiftung Warentest estimated the amount at 5,000 tons of capsule waste in 2015.

Instead of coffee at the push of a button, supporters of the slow coffee movement are already celebrating the preparation. Get up ten minutes earlier in the morning, breathe in the scent of whole coffee beans, grind the coffee and pour it into the espresso maker in good portions. This has a meditative character – and is also a wonderful morning ritual. It’s about giving yourself a lot of time and consciously perceiving this as well as the enjoyment of the coffee later.

The Slow Coffee movement also includes paying attention to fair production conditions and sustainable cultivation. You can often get good fair trade organic coffee directly from your trusted roasting house. You can also find recommended coffee in many supermarkets and health food stores. Just find out more in our best list for organic and fair trade coffee.

Classic slow coffee is brewed slowly. But other methods of preparation are also ideal for “slow coffee”. We introduce you to five ways to make really good coffee.

The espresso maker – an Italian original

The espresso maker is a classic that can be found in every Italian household. As the first espresso machine for the home, his invention triggered a small revolution in 1933: Until then, the popular hot drink in Italy could only be enjoyed in public coffee bars.

The espresso maker – also mocha pot – does not generate enough pressure for a real Italian espresso with a fine crema (and therefore shouldn’t really call itself espresso), the coffee still tastes good. A classic espresso maker generates around 1.5 bar. The Brikka – a further development of the classic espresso maker from the Bialetti brand – manages a total of 6.5 bar. For comparison: a portafilter machine works with a pressure of up to 15 bar.

The whole thing works very simply: Fill in water at the bottom, insert the sieve, fill completely with espresso powder and smooth out the powder. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat, when it hisses and bubbles, the espresso is ready.

Good to know: Biorama from Austria reported in March 2021 that a relatively large amount of aluminum can get into the coffee from standard espresso pots. Fortunately, the recommended limit values ​​are not exceeded by normal coffee consumption. However, you can easily work around the problem by using an espresso pot made of stainless steel (instead of aluminum).

French Press – for better coffee

Another environmentally friendly way of making coffee is the French press, also known as a stamp press pot or press stamp pot, push-through pot, Bodum pot or cafetière. The manual coffee maker was probably invented in France at the end of the 19th century. The Italian designer Attilio Calimani had it patented in 1929, and his compatriot Faliero Bondanini developed it further. It experienced a hype with us in the nineties – and with good reason.

The coffee from the French press tastes more intense, fuller and less “clean” than that from the filter machine. In this coffee preparation, a metal sieve takes over the role of the filter. Because the coffee powder is in contact with the water for longer, significantly more coffee oils and fats go into the finished coffee.

The preparation is also very easy here: fill the French Press with coarsely (preferably freshly) ground coffee powder, pour in hot water, leave to steep for four minutes, put on the lid and press down the sieve. Enjoy immediately, this is how the coffee tastes best.

Filter coffee – the simplest way to prepare coffee

The hand filter is undoubtedly a classic when it comes to coffee preparation. With grandparents you can usually still find it hidden somewhere in the closet, it had to make way for the modern filter coffee machine. Baristas swear by filter coffee – if you use the right technique.

To prepare coffee, use about 60 grams (9 tablespoons) of medium to finely ground coffee per liter of water. Before use, you can briefly rinse the paper filter with hot water from the kettle – this will eliminate any paper taste and also keep the filter at a good temperature.

After boiling, it is best to let the water cool down to 90 degrees for a few minutes to prevent fine coffee particles from burning and your coffee from becoming bitter in taste. First, pour just enough water on the powder to cover it and let it swell for 60 seconds. Then add water in 100 milliliter increments, advises the expert.

Karlsbader Kanne – coffee preparation with tradition

The Karlsbader Kanne is a real eye-catcher. It is also used to prepare filter coffee, is made entirely of porcelain and does not require a paper filter or other additives. There is also the Bayreuther Kanne, a new edition of the Karlsbader Kanne in a modern design. The Karlsbader or Bayreuther jug consists of four parts: the jug itself, a porcelain filter, a water distributor and the lid.

The preparation is very simple, the coffee is pleasantly mild. Heat the water to 95 degrees, coarsely grind the coffee (we recommend a grind of 9 or 10). Put the coffee in the filter – calculate about 10 grams or 1.5 tablespoons of coffee per cup – and spread it out. Put on the water distributor, pour in the water, let it swell for 30 seconds and then add more water.

Kamira – espresso maker for lovers

The Kamira can almost still be described as a novelty. The Italian inventor Nino Santoro used it to develop a very simple machine to bring the classic espresso from the portafilter machine into the home kitchen. The result is impressive: an espresso that, despite the relatively low pressure (about 3 bar), has a nice, slightly coarse-pored crema – and tastes good.

The application is quite simple. With the valve closed, you fill the storage tank with water, open the valve and let it run down into the water tank. Fill the portafilter with espresso powder, insert it and close the valve. Then the cooker comes on the stove and within a few seconds espresso flows from the portafilter directly into the cup. When the desired amount is reached, slowly open the valve to release the pressure, done.

The espresso maker is handmade in Italy, costs around 80 euros and, according to the manufacturer, is practically indestructible. Espresso fans will definitely have fun with it.

If, despite everything, you are not convinced by this type of coffee preparation, you will also find recommendations for coffee machines and alternatives to coffee capsules made of aluminum.

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