Baklavas

Ingredients for Syrup:

1 1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ingredients for Baklava:

454 gr phyllo pastry (20 sheets)
1/2 cup (125 ml) + 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup pistachios, ground
6 tablespoon cream 35%

3L (13x9x2") Pyrex casserole dish

To prepare the Baklava syrup place the water and sugar in a pot. First bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Then simmer for 15 minutes and turn the heat off. Add lemon juice and place the syrup in another bowl so that it cools down quickly.

Place the block of phyllo sheets on the counter. Cut the sheets in half. Now there are two blocks of approximately 40 sheets. After cutting in half, the size of the sheets should the same as the size of the pyrex dish. Keep the blocks separate as half the sheets will go below the baklava filling, and the rest above.

Brush the inside of the pyrex dish with the butter. Then lay down 2 sheets. Spread more butter on top, and then place two more sheets on top and butter again. Continue until you finish the first block of the phyllo sheets. Then brush on the cream evenly on top.

Spread the pistachios on the cream evenly. Then finish second block of the sheets the same way. Don't forget to brush the very top with butter.

Dip a big, sharp knife into hot water to cut the Baklava in rectangles. Cut 4 vertically and 6 horizontally to get 24 piece of Baklava. However, don't cut all the way down, only cut halfway until you reach the pistachio. This will ensure only the top parts will rise when you bake it.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the pyrex dish on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes. At this point turn the heat down to 325 F while the dish is still in the oven. Bake for 30 more minutes and take the Baklava out. Leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Then using the same knife, re-cut the Baklava all the way down.

With a tablespoon pour the lukewarm syrup evenly along the cut lines. Make sure not to pour it all over, only between the lines, otherwise Baklava won't turn out well. 

Sprinkle some pistachios on top of each Baklava. Let it rest at least 4 hours before serving. The syrup should be completely absorbed. You don't need to refrigerate it. Kali oreksi!

Lokoumades

Ingredients:

For the dough:

250 grams plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon dried yeast
1 tablespoon honey
250 ml warm water
Sun flower oil

For the sauce:
100 grams runny honey
1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar
½ lemon juice and zest
1 ablespoon butter
1 tablespoon water
50 grams pistachios, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to serve

How to cook:

Mix the flour, salt and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Add the honey and warm water and mix until combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to prove in a warm place for 40 minutes.

Fill a deep-fat fryer with corn flower oil. Heat the oil to 180C . Carefully drop tablespoons of the mixture into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until crispy and golden-brown. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.

For the sauce, place the honey, sugar, lemon zest and juice, butter and 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pistachios and remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the sauce over the loukoumades and dust with ground cinnamon. Kali oreksi!

 

Spinach Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
500 grams spinach, roots cut off, washed, drained
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup whipped cream

3L Pyrex

How to cook:

Puree the spinach in a food processor and keep it somewhere. Whisk the egg and sugar. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pureed spinach in it and mix. Then add flour and baking powder. Mix for a few minutes. Pour into the oiled Pyrex.

Preheat the oven to 190 C and cook about 30 minutes.

Let it cool down, then take it out of the Pyrex. Cut off the sides about 1,5 cm wide, and mix these using a blender to get them in powder form, put aside. Place the cake on a service plate. Spread whipped cream on the top, then sift the powdered cake on top of the cream. Slice it up and serve. On top, you can also put chocolate pieces if you like. Kali oreksi!

Chocolate Suffle

Ingredients:

200 grams finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for preparing the molds1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract3 large egg yolks3 tablespoons warm water1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons8 large egg whites, room temperature1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juiceStrawberry for garnish

How to cook:

Brush 6 ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.

Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture.

Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.

Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet.

Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, garnish with strawberry and serve immediately. Kali oreksi!

Honey Bun Cake

Ingredients:

1 cartoon sour cream
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

How to cook:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease your pan (it can be 9x13 cm. Mix eggs, oil, water, cake mix and sour cream. In another bowl, mix cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour cake batter into the pan and top with brown sugar topping. Bake for 40 minutes.
In another bowl, mix sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Pour icing over the hot cake and allow cake to cool. Kali oreksi!

Muffins With Nuts and Bananas

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
2 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Zest from half a lemon
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

How to cook:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix egg whites, bananas, nuts, sugar, oil and lemon peel. Add egg mixture to flour mixture  – stir till well combined. Fill muffin pan with butter. Bake for 25 minutes until they are golden brown. Kali oreksi! 

Chocolate Pancake

Ingredients:

• 
  
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• butter for griddle, if needed
• fresh strawberry and banana slices
Chocolate Sauce
• 225 grams chocolate chips 
• 1 cup heavy cream

How to cook:

• Preheat the electric griddle to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together granulated sugar and cocoa. Stir in light-brown sugar followed flour, baking soda and salt. Make a well in center of dry mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl mix together milk, buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk to blend. Butter griddle if necessary, pour batter onto preheated griddle 1/4 cup at a time and slightly spread batter in a circular form outward  and allow to cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface, about 1 minute. Then carefully flip to pancake to opposite side and cook until done. Serve warm topped with chocolate sauce, strawberries and bananas.
• For the chocolate sauce:
• Place chocolate chips in a medium heat proof bowl. Bring heavy cream just to a gentle boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and stir until chocolate has melted. Note that chocolate sauce will thicken as it cools, also if you want a thinner consistency you can add a few more tablespoons hot cream. Reheat as needed in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Kali oreksi!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

8 digestive biscuits

50 grams melted butter

600 grams cream cheese

2 tablespoons flour

175 grams caster sugar

Few drops of vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 yolk

140 ml pot of soured cream

300 grams raspberries

How to cook:

Heat the oven to 180C. Crush the biscuits in a food processor. Mix with melted butter. Press into a 20cm springform tin and bake only for 5 minutes, then cool. Beat cream cheese with flour, caster sugar, a few drops of vanilla extract, eggs, yolk and a 140ml pot of soured cream until light. Stir in the raspberries (150 grams) and pour into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes and then check, it should be set but slightly wobbly in the centre. Leave in the tin to cool. Using the remaining (150 grams) raspberries, keep a few for the top and put the rest in a pan with 1 tablespoon icing sugar. Heat until juicy and then squash with a fork. Push through a sieve. Serve the cheescake with the raspberry sauce and raspberries