Baklava,
the most famous Greek dessert, is made with nuts, spices, butter, and
phyllo pastry.
Ingredients
1
pound (4 cups) blanched almonds or walnuts or a combination of both,
finely chopped
3/4
cups sugar
1
tablespoon ground cinnamon
1
pound phyllo pastry
3
sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
phyllo
Syrup
2
cups water
3/4
cup sugar
1
tablespoon fresh lemon juice
one
2-inch strip of lemon rind
3/4
cup honey
Preparation
Preheat
oven to 300 degrees.
Combine
nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Keeping unused sheets covered with plastic
wrap, place 8 sheets of phyllo pastry, one at a time, in bottom of an 8 x
14 x 2-inch pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Sprinkle top
sheet generously with 1/4 cup nut mixture and cover with 2 buttered phyllo
sheets. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup nut mixture. Continue adding buttered phyllo
sheets, sprinkling every second sheet with nut mixture, until all nut
mixture is used. Place remaining phyllo sheets on top, buttering each
sheet.
Cut
Baklava into small diamond-shaped pieces with a sharp knife. Place a pan
of water on the lowest shelf in oven. Place Baklava on middle shelf above
the water and bake for 2 to 21/2 hours, or until golden, making sure that
the water pan is always full.
While
Baklava is in the oven, prepare the syrup:
Combine
in a saucepan water with all ingredients except honey. Bring to a boil,
and simmer for 15 minutes. Add honey, and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove
lemon peel and cool.
Remove
Baklava from oven and pour cool syrup over hot pastry.
Note: Can be prepared
and frozen, unbaked. When ready to use, bake, unthawed, in a 300-degree
oven for 3 to 31/2 hours, or until golden.
Optional: The top of
each Baklava piece can be studded with a single clove for decoration and
flavor. (You don't eat the clove.)
Yield 30
to 36 pieces.
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Koulourakia are butter cookies made in various shapes - little
circles, small braids, tiny coils, figure eights, etc. The recipe makes a
large amount, but the cookies keep well (if you have a good hiding
place.)
Ingredients
4
sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2
cups sugar
6
eggs
2
teaspoons vanilla extract
8 to
9 cups all-purpose flour
2
tablespoons double-acting baking powder
1 egg
beaten with
1
tablespoon water
Preparation
Preheat
oven to 375 degrees.
Cream
butter and gradually beat in sugar. Beat eggs until light; add to butter
mixture and beat thoroughly. Add vanilla extract. Sift together flour and
baking powder. Carefully blend into butter-egg mixture to make a soft
dough. Shape dough with lightly floured hands into desired shapes and
arrange on ungreased cookie sheets. Brush with beaten egg and water. Bake
for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on racks.
Yield 8
to 10 dozen small cookies.
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Ingredients
1 cup
unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (reserve one yolk for
glaze
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
finely grated rind
from an orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed
orange or lemon
sesame seeds
Preparation
Cream
butter. Add sugar gradually and cream together thoroughly. Add eggs,
reserving one yolk for glaze. Beat well. Blend in juice, vanilla, and
grated rind. Stir in dry ingredients. Knead well until dough is smooth and
does not stick to your fingers. Pinch off pieces and roll on board lightly
by hand to desired length. Fold in half and make into braided twiests.
Place on cookie sheet. Add a few drops of cold water to egg yolk and beat.
Brush tops of koulourakia with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Place on cookie rack to cool. Store in airtight container.
Yield
4 dozen -
coffee dipping size
Notes
Optional:
You may wish to add a little sugar and cinnamon to the sesame seed
sprinkle for topping.
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Ingredients
12
eggs, separated
1 1/2
cups sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
3
cups finely chopped walnuts
3
cups finely chopped blanched almonds
16
pieces zwieback, crushed fine
1
tablespoon grated orange peel
RUM
SYRUP
2
cups sugar
4 1/2
cups water
1
cinnamon stick
1
lemon slice
1/2
cup light rum
Preparation
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.
In a
large bowl, beat egg whites untill stiff. In another bowl, beat yolks with
sugar until thick and pale in color. Beat in vanilla extract. In another
bowl, mix together nuts, zwieback, and orange peel. Gradually fold beaten
egg whites into yolk mixture and fold in nut mixture. Pour butter into a
greased 16x13x3-inch pan and bake for 1 hour, or until cake tester comes
out clean.
While
cake is baking, make the syrup:
In a
saucepan, combine sugar, water, cinnamon, and lemon. Bring to a boil, and
simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and
stir in rum.
Immediately pour hot syrup over hot cake. Cover with aluminum foil.
After cake has cooled completely, cut into diamond-shaped
pieces.
Note: Cake can be
frozen, once it has been cut. Serve at room temperature.
Note: This recipe can
be halved and baked in a 13x9x2-inch pan.
Variation: Use all
walnuts or all almonds, if desired. Yield 48 servings.
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Ingredients
2
sticks (1/2 pund) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2
cups sugar
4
eggs
6 egg
yolks (use whites for meringue, below)
1
tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2
cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2
teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1
tablespoon congac
1/4
cup milk
Meringue
6 egg
whites
1 cup
sugar
2
teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4
cups chopped walnuts
Syrup
1/2
cup sugar
1 cup
water
Preparation
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.
Cream
butter until light and gradually beat in sugar. Beat eggs and egg yolks
until light; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in grated lemon
peel. Sift together flour and baking powder and stir into egg mixture
alternately with cognac and milk. Butter a 10x14x2-inch pan; pour butter
into pan and bake about 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Remove from
oven and cool in pan. Lower oven temperature to 300
degrees.
While
cake is cooling, prepare meringue:
Beat egg
whites until they stand in soft peaks. Gradually beat in sugar, continuing
to beat until meringue is glossy. Add lemon juice, and fold in chopped
nuts.
Spread
meringue-nut mixture over coolded cake. Return to oven, and bake for 15 to
20 minutes, or until meringue is browned. Cool cake.
While
cake is cooling, prepare syrup:
Combine
sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer 10
minutes.
When the
cake is cool, pour hot syrup over it, cover with aluminum foil, and let
stand until cool. Cut into 2-inch squares to serve.
Note: This cake is
best if made 3 or 4 days in advance of serving. Cover with plaastic wrap
or aluminum foil and refrigerate. Remove threee hours before serving and
bring to room temperature. Yield 30 to 35 servings.
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Cool
custard covered with phyllo pastry. This particular recipe is made with
orange.
Ingredients
4
cups milk
4
tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter,
melted, for brushing phyllo
1/3
cup sugar
1/2
cup uncooked regular farina
4
eggs
3
tablespoons orange juice concetrate, undiluted
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2
pound phyllo pastry
Orange
Syrup
1 cup
water
11/2
cups sugar
1
cinnamon stick
2
whole cloves
2
teaspoons grated orange peel
Preparation
Scald
milk in a large saucepan; stir in 4 tablespoons butter and sugar.
Gradually add farina, stirring constantly, and bring mixture slowly to a
boil. Remove from heat.
Beat eggs
in a bowl until they are frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly stir hot farina
mixture into egg mixture. Add orange juice concentrate and vanilla
extract. Set aside to cool.
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees.
Line a 9
x 12-inch baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo (some of which should hang
over the pan) an dbrush with butter (keep unused phyllo covered with
plastic wrap. Layer 5 more sheets of buttered phyllo in the pan so that
bottom and sides are completely covered, with some overhang on all edges.
Pour in cooled custard. Cover with 1 sheet of phyllo; brush with butter.
Layer 5 more individually buttered sheets of phyllo on top, and fold in
overhang. With a sharp knife, slice through top layers of phyllo, marking
off 21/4-inch squares or diamond shapes. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce oven
temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes, or until
golden.
While
pastry bakes, prepare the syrup:
Place
ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10
minutes. Let cool. Place pastry pan on a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Pour
cooled orange syrup over galaktoboureko. Cut all the way through and serve
at room temperature. Yield 2 dozen.
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Ingredients
For the
pie:
6
Cups Milk
1 1/2
Cups Sugar
1 Cup
Metaxa Brandy
2
Tablespoons Butter
1
Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
5
Eggs
1/2
Cup Semolina
Olive
Oil
Phyllo Pastry - 9 Sheets
For the
sauce:
1 Cup
spring water
1 Cup
Metaxa Brandy
3 1/2
Cups Sugar
2
Tablespoons Honey
Juice
and peel of one large lemon
Preparation
Combine
the milk and sugar in a deep sauce pan. Heat over medium until just below
a simmer - 165 deg. F. Add the Metaxa brandy, butter and vanilla extract.
Remove the mixture from the stove. Whisking continuously add the eggs one
at a time.
Stir in the semolina and return the pan to the stove and
cook over medium heat until the custard becomes very thick. Remove from
the heat and set aside.
Oil a pie
pan very liberally. Line the pie pan with one sheet of phyllo, pressing
into the bottom and sides, and trim so that about one inch hangs over the
pan's rim.
Thoroughly oil the phyllo lining. Place another 5 sheets of
phyllo pastry atop the liner and lightly oil. Also trim so that about one
inch hangs over the pan's rim.
Fold the cooked custard into the phyllo
lined dish. Smooth the filling and rap the pan lightly to settle.
Cover
the filling with 3 sheets of phyllo trimmed so that about one inch hangs
over the pan's rim.
Press the cover pastry onto the filling. Gather the
pastry hanging over the rim and rolling it toward the pan, fold it inside
around the sides of the pan.
Brush the dough with a little olive oil
and bake at 350 deg. F. for about 30 minutes.
Make the
brandy sauce: Combine the spring water, 1 cup of Metaxa and 3 1/2 cups of
sugar, 2 tablespoons of honey and the juice and peel of one lemon into a
saucepan.
Bring to boil. Maintain a light boil for about 10 minutes
until reduced to a light syrup that will coat the back of spoon. Remove
from the stove, strain and keep warm.
Remove
the pie from the oven when the pastry top has reached a light golden
brown. Pour 1 cup of the brandy sauce over the pie.
Place the pie into
a refrigerator until chilled completely through.
Cut the
pie into individual serving portions. Reheat the sauce until just warm.
Serve each dessert with about 1 tablespoon of sauce.
Note: This is a
wonderfully rich version of Galaktoboureko. Yield 24 servings.
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Ingredients
5
eggs
1 cup
sugar
2
cups flour
1 cup
dessicated coconut
1 cup
milk
1
sachet or 2 tsp baking powder
a few
drops of vanilla essence
For the
syrup:
2 1/2
cups of water
2 1/2
cups of sugar
cinnamon
Preparation
We beat
up with the mixer the eggs with the sugar for about 5-6 mins until they
become a thick substance. Then we add one by one the rest of the
ingredients and we continue to beat up until we have a smooth - not very
thick dough.
We spread some butter in a baking tray, we put the dough
in the baking tray and we put it in the ovenfor 45 mins approx. (150-175C,
Gas mark 6) until it becomes brown on the top.
Then, we let it cool
down while we prepare the syrup. We put the water, the sugar and the
cinnamon in a pan and we let them come to the boil. We let them boil for
about 5 mins or until the syrup starts thickening. We take the pan of the
hob and we soak the "ravani" with the syrup, making sure that it covers
the whole sponge.
we springle some more dessicated coconut on the top
and we let it cool down before we serve it.
Useful
Tips:
1) NEVER EVER open
the oven during the baking period.
2) when the baking period is over
and you want to check if your "Ravani" is properly baked, penetrate it
with a toothstick or a knife and if it is clear when you take it out, then
it is OK. If you see row dough on it, then it means that it needs more
baking.
3) In order to put the syrup on there must be different
temperatures. This means that the sponge must be cold and the syrup hot or
vice versa. NEVER put hot syrup on a hot sponge or cold syrup on a cold
sponge. Yield Not specified.
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Rum Nut
Cake Diamonds
makes 3
dozen
Rum
Syrup: Combine in a
saucepan
1 cup sugar,
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/3 cup
water
Bring to
a boil and boil until clear. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup
rum.
6 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon each
salt and cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond
extract
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
teaspoon grated orange peel
2-1/2 cups ground almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°F. First prepare the rum syrup and let
cool. Beat the egg whites until foamy; add the salt and cream of tartar
and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, eating
until the meringue stands in peaks; set aside. With the same beater, beat
the egg yolks until pale yellow and gradually beat in the remaining 1/2
cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon colored. Beat in the extract. Mix
the crumbs with the baking powder and grated peel and beat into the yolks.
Mix in half the nuts. Fold in the egg white meringue and remaining nuts.
Turn into a buttered, floured 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Bake in the oven
for 30 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Let cool 5
minutes. While hot, pour over the cool syrup. Let cool and cut into
diamonds.
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