Adding golden glow to your images is a simple yet effective editing technique that allows you to bring more warmth, glow and contrast to your images.
I remembered this simple technique while editing the pictures for my latest recipe – the langos.
When I was looking at the pictures I took and compared them to reality, I thought that the delicious fried bread shown in my images was lacking a bit of the beautifully golden color that it actually possessed. The pictures were just not doing the real thing justice.
This is the image after the golden glow effect was applied.
The change is slight and rather subtle. But it did just what I was looking for – it deepened the image, added more contrast, and most importantly, it brought nice warming golden glow to my subject.
To add more glow to your pictures, just follow these simple steps.
1. Open your image in Photoshop (I am using Photoshop Elements 11 here).
2. Duplicate the background layer (Ctrl + J for PC/Command + J for Mac).
3. In the top bar of your screen press Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur and in the small window that pops up move the slider to choose the setting that blurs your image completely (I went up to 37.5 % for my image).
4. Press OK.
5. Change the Blending Mode to Slight Light. You can find the Blending Mode option in the upper right part of your screen, right above the open layers.
6. If you are happy with the result, just save the image. If you’d like to reduce the effect, you can use the Opacity slider to make the effect more subtle (you can find the Opacity slider in the upper right part of your screen, right above the open layers). In this particular image, I liked the result of the effect at 63 % opacity.
Today I am super happy to announce the winner of the ‘Easter Cookie Stamp GIVEAWAY’!
So… the winner is…
The lucky commenter number 32 – Katka!
Congratulations Katka! You will be contacted via email soon.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for participating in the contest! I loved learning about your favorite Easter treats, they all sounded incredibly delicious!
Coming from central Europe, I’ve been feeling obliged to introduce langos to you for quite some time.
Because langos is immensely typical for the region where I live. Because langos is gorgeous. Because I’ve been munching on it my whole life. And because I simply love it…
‘And what is langos then?’, you might ask. Well, the answer is really simple – it is a deep fried flat bread served with various toppings – garlic, sour cream and cheese being the most typical ones.
In certain regions of Europe, langos can be found almost everywhere, offered as street food, served fresh and warm.
To put it short, langos is a divine thing that you neeeeeed to make too… it’s really easy… 🙂
To make a bunch of langos, first, in a bowl or saucepan, add the warm milk, sugar and yeast, mix to combine and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, place the cake flour, eggs, sour cream and salt.
When the milk-sugar-yeast mixture has rested enough, pour it in the flour-eggs-sour cream-salt mixture and knead (either by hand or with your stand mixer) until a smooth dough ball forms that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 8 hours (overnight). The dough will rise considerably so make sure there’s enough room left in the bowl for the dough to rise.
After the dough has rested enough, remove it from the fridge.
I was only going to use half of the dough for my first batch and the rest went back in the fridge to be used the other day.
Cut the dough into about 16 pieces (since I was only using half of the dough this time, I cut it to 8 pieces).
Form a neat ball out of each cut portion of the dough.
Place the dough balls on a oiled plate, cover with a plastic wrap.
Allow to rise for about 30 minutes.
Pour vegetable oil in a frying pan so that it reaches about ⅓ inch (1 cm) up the sides of the pan. Place the frying pan over medium heat.
Place one of the dough balls on a generously oiled plate and with oiled hands (this is important), stretch it out into a round shape, with the center being thinner than the edges. The dough round should be about 8 inches (20 cm) wide.
Carefully transfer the dough in the hot oil (be careful here, the oil will be very hot).
Fry it on one side until golden brown.Then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown too.
Use a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
And take a little while to admire the pile of the golden deliciousness you have just created. Yummy!
Serve warm with the toppings of your choice.
My favorite is minced garlic. Or sour cream-cheese-ketchup. Or mayonnaise. Have I just mentioned them all? Oh my! 🙂
In a bowl or saucepan, add the warm milk, sugar and yeast, mix to combine and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, place the cake flour, eggs, sour cream and salt.
When the milk-sugar-yeast mixture has rested enough, pour it in the flour-eggs-sour cream-salt mixture and knead (either by hand or with your stand mixer) until a smooth dough ball forms that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 8 hours (overnight). The dough will rise considerably so make sure there's enough room left in the bowl for the dough to rise.
After the dough has rested enough, cut it into about 16 pieces (the dough can stay refrigerated for about 2 day, so if you do not want to use it all, you can just make a few pieces of langos, return the rest of the dough in the fridge and use it later/the other day).
Form a neat ball out of each cut portion of the dough.
Place the dough balls on a oiled plate, cover with a plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 30 minutes.
Pour vegetable oil in a frying pan so that it reaches about ⅓ inch (1 cm) up the sides of the pan. Place the frying pan over medium heat.
Place one of the dough balls on a generously oiled plate and with oiled hands (important), stretch it out into a round shape, with the center being thinner than the edges. The dough round should be about 8 inches (20 cm) wide.
Carefully transfer the dough in the hot oil (be careful here, the oil will be very hot).
Fry it on one side until golden brown.Then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown too.
If you are in the mood for a little adventure of a dessert kind, this Strawberry Meringue Squares are definitely the right choice for you… 🙂
By making this recipe you will be rewarded with wonderful cake squares where the bottom layer is as light as a cloud, fluffy and full of vanilla flavor. There will be strawberries mixed in to add freshness and the most amazing scent. And it will all be generously covered with a layer of luscious meringue, crispy on top and beautifully soft underneath, that will melt in your mouth as you eat it.
This cake is an adventure, something new and sinful in every layer.
And here’s how you can make it…
To make the meringue squares, first, place the egg yolks, 7 tbsp sugar, butter, flour, warm milk, yeast, salt and vanilla extract in the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix/knead until smooth batter/dough forms. (Keep the egg whites refrigerated while you are making the dough.)
Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (32 x 23 x 5-cm) baking pan with parchment paper – cut a length of parchment paper long enough to line the bottom of the pan with extra hanging over the sides (it will be used to remove the cake from the baking pan once it’s baked). Pour the dough in the baking pan.
Spread it over the bottom of the pan evenly.
And now onto the lovely delicious strawberries.
Rinse the strawberries, cut off the tops and halve them.
Just like this.
Press the strawberry halves into the dough. Set the baking pan aside and allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour.
When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 320 °F (160 °C), with the rack placed in the bottom third of the oven.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks, then add 2 cups + 1 tbsp (250 grams) confectioners sugar and whisk until soft peaks.
Pour the egg white mixture over the strawberry dough.
Even out the surface.
Then, using a tablespoon, form peaks on the surface.
Place the baking pan in the lower third of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. If the top of the meringue gets too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool.
Use the extra hanging of the parchment paper on the sides to remove the cake from the baking pan.
Place egg yolks, 7 tbsp sugar, butter, flour, warm milk, yeast, salt and vanilla extract in the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix/knead until smooth batter/dough forms. (Keep the egg whites refrigerated while you are making the dough.)
Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (32 x 23 x 5-cm) baking pan with parchment paper - cut a length of parchment paper long enough to line the bottom of the pan with extra hanging over the sides (it will be used to remove the cake from the baking pan once it's baked). Pour the dough in the baking pan and spread it over the bottom evenly.
Rinse and halve the strawberries. Press them into the dough. Set the baking pan aside and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 320 °F (160 °C), with the rack placed in the bottom third of the oven.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks, then add 2 cups + 1 tbsp (250 grams) confectioners sugar and whisk until soft peaks.
Pour the egg white mixture over the strawberry dough, even it out. Then, using a tablespoon, form peaks on the surface.
Place the baking pan in the lower third of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. If the top of the meringue gets too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool. Use the extra hanging of the parchment paper on the sides to remove the cake from the baking pan. Cut into squares!
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