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Speaking of Dessert

© Ofelia Nascimento

When one thinks of afternoon tea, images of a pretty English country garden, fine linen tablecloths, delicate china tea cups and silver trays of little finger sandwichs and small petit four cakes and tarts may come to mind. Yet the concept and practice of afternoon tea is not unheard of in other countries in Europe and to some extent an equivalent exists (if not as elegant as just described) in North America. It is not unusual to have tea and tartine in France, espresso and biscuits in Italy and Portuguese coffee and cake in Portugal and if we cross the Atlantic we find that Afternoon Tea is still a part of Brazilian culture. It is called Lanche which means snack and is a beverage and a piece of cake or cookies. Here are a few suggestions for your own version of Lanche. Have these with a steaming cup of freshly brewed Brazilian coffee or your favorite tea. *Gladys Marie Cake

3/4 cup dates 3/4 cup raisins 1/2 cup rum 1/4 lb butter 1 cup sugar 4 eggs seperated 1/2 teasp. cinnamon 1/2 teasp. nutmeg 1/2 teasp. all spice 1 teaspoon either grated orange or lemon peel 2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour 1/2 teasp. salt 4 teasp. baking powder 1 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven 350 Soak raisins and dates in rum 4 hours.Cream buter, add sugarand egg yolks one at a time, beating well.stir in spices, orange or lemon. Add soaked fruit and rum liquid. Mix flour with salt and baking powder and add to fruit mixture alternately with yogurt. Bake 60 min. Serve plain or with any topping.

Dreams (Cookies)

1 cup all purpose flour 2 teasp baking powder 1/4 teasp salt 1 can condensed milk 2 tablesp butter 2 eggs,seperated 1/4 cup chopped Brazil nuts 1/4 up milk

Preheat oven 400 Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Heat condensed milk with butter.When mixture is hot, add dry ingredients all at once stirring rapidly.Return to low heat and cook 5 min. Cool 5 min.Beat in egg yolks then fold in egg whites.Add nuts and milk. Spoon into butterd small size muffin tins.3/4 full. Bake 8 min.Reduce heat to 300 and bake another 8 min. About 30 cookies.

*These recipes and others can be found in Brazilian Cookery by Margarette de Andrade.

Now sit back and relax. See you next time.

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