Berry sbiten and cookies for a Russian-style winter evening (RECIPES)

In Europe, hot chocolate is especially popular in winter, but in Russia, since time immemorial, people have prepared a unique beverage made of herbs, berries and honey, known as sbiten. It used to be prepared in a samovar, but nowadays a cooker and saucepan will suffice.

Sbiten is undergoing a resurgence in Russia — it is available everywhere from coffee houses to restaurants. Oatmeal cookies with cranberries make a very tasty combination. Both recipes are easy to follow, so there's no excuse not to try them! 

Sbiten

Recipe by Viktor Beley, brand chef at Uhvat restaurant

Uhvat restaurant

Ingredients:

• Sea-buckthorn puree - 60 g
• Raspberry puree - 30 g
• Chokeberry puree - 30 g
• Buckwheat honey - 70 g
• Birch sap - 100 ml

If some ingredients are missing, feel free to experiment. Instead of chokeberry puree, use black currant, for instance, or try replacing birch sap with apple juice.

Preparation:

1. To make sbiten, you can use either ready-made puree or fresh berries. Crush the berries in a blender, then strain, separating out the larger pieces.
2. Sugar is not added to this drink; instead use buckwheat honey. In a saucepan, mix the puree, honey and birch sap, and warm for 3-5 minutes while stirring. Serve hot. 

Oatmeal cookies with cranberries and milk chocolate

Recipe by Artem Apanitsky, pastry chef at Drinks@Dinners restaurant

Drinks@Dinners restaurant

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 65 g
• Oatmeal - 30 g
• Butter - 50 g
• Milk chocolate - 20 g
• Cane sugar - 50 g
• Dried cranberries - 50 g
• Egg - 20 g (about half a regular egg)
• Baking powder - 1 g
• Soda - 1 g
• Salt - 2 g

Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients with your hands or a spatula. Shape into small balls weighing up to 35 grams.
2. Place on baking paper, and bake in the oven at 190°C for exactly 5 minutes.

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