CHOCOLATE AND NUT MERINGUES

I made these meringues and this time tried them with normal table sugar rather than caster sugar. My dear friend Ozlem in Turkey mention that her meringues were not turning out right using normal sugar, so this is for you Ozlem, hope you like them.

YOU NEED

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 level tsp of cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios or walnuts
• 1/2 cup chocolate drops or grated chocolate

Preheat the oven to 150 C. Line the baking tray with greaseproof paper.

• Beat the egg whites until fluffy and foamy in a bowl. Make sure the utensils and the bowl is completely grease free.
• Add cream of tartar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks.
• Sprinkle sugar little at a time, beat until the mixture is shiny and stiff peaks are formed.
• Fold in chocolate and the chopped nuts.
• Place a 1 heaped tsp on baking tray leaving 1-2 cm space between the meringues.
• Bake for 20- 30 minutes. Leave in the oven to cool completely. Makes 40- 42

GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS

This is another vegetarian dish which is enjoyed in summer months made with olive oil. It is generally served cold as a side dish.  In Turkey people prepare these vegetables dishes cooked in olive oil and fresh tomatoes in advance and keep them the fridge as standby for meal times. These dishes traditionally served after the meat dish and before the rice but can be served as meze or side dish. 

YOU NEED

• 500 g stringless beans
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1-2 clove of garlic, diced
• 4-5 medium fresh chopped tomatoes or can of tomatoes
• pinch of sugar
• handful of chopped fresh parsley and dill
• salt and ground black pepper.

1) Trim the beans and cut them into small pieces. Wash and set aside.

2) Fry chopped onions in the olive oil until lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, beans and stir.

3) Bring it to boil on the stove then turn the heat to very low and cook the beans with the lid on for 20-25 minutes.

4) You don't need to add any water to this dish but if it is going dry just add splash of water.

5) When it is nearly cooked, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs just before serving.

REVANI (Turkish semolina cake with syrup)

INGREDIENTS

For the syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the cake

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 cups fine semolina
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 2 cups natural yogurt
• 1/2 cup oil or melted butter
• 1 tbsp orange rind
• coconut or chopped nuts for decorating

METHOD

1) First make the syrup. Bring water and sugar to boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Then add the lemon juice and set aside to cool.

2) Sieve the flour add baking powder and semolina, set aside.

3) Whisk sugar with the eggs until it is slightly foamy. Add yogurt, butter and whisk with an electric mixer or wire whisk.

4) Gently fold in the flour, semolina and orange zest.

5) Pour the mixture into a greased baking tin 34cm x 24cm and spread out evenly.

6) Bake the cake in pre heated oven 170 C  for 35- 40 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.

7) Let the cake rest for 5 minutes and then cut into squares or diamond shaped slices. Pour the cool syrup over the hot cake and let all the syrup soak into the cake.

8) Place the cake into the fridge for 2-4 hours. Serve chilled. Decorate with desiccated coconut or chopped nuts before serving. Also very good, served with whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTE : This cake is also nice, baked with added chopped almonds or pistachios.  Add 1/2 cup of nuts  to the ingredients, if you wish.

 

CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE CAKE

It was my daughter's birthday and enjoyed making this cake with chocolate drops, orange zest and orange juice. The cake was nice and moist and had a  good texture with a fresh orange flavour. Cake covering was rich with double cream and chocolate but we all enjoyed it as a special treat. I decorated the cake with apple blossoms but decorate as how you like with chocolate or butter icing.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups of fresh orange juice
• grated rind of 1 orange
• 100 g chocolate drops

For the cake covering

• 200 ml double cream
•  200 g dark chocolate

METHOD

Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Set aside.

Separate the eggs.

Grate the orange .

Grease and flour a 25 cm kugelhopf  ring tin

Preheat the oven to 180 C, 160 Fan setting.

1) Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy with a hand held mixer. Add egg yolks one at a time whisking after each addition.

2) Fold the sifted flour with salt and baking powder into the creamed mixture. Add the orange juice mixing with a metal spoon. Stir in the orange rind and chocolate drops.

3) Whisk the egg whites  in a separate bowl until it is at soft peak stage and fold them into the mixture.

4) Pour into the prepared mould and bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. 

5) Rewove the cake from oven and cool for 10 minutes in the tin. Then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool for further 15- 20 minutes or until it is completely cool.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE COVERING

1 )Bring cream to boil in a pan. Break chocolate into small pieces. Place the chocolate pieces into a heatproof  bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Place the bowl with  cream and chocolate mixture over a pan with hot water. Bring water to boil and melt the chocolate gently, stirring all the time. When chocolate is completely melted, take of the heat.

2) Let it cool until just runny enough to pour the chocolate sauce over the cake.

3) Let the chocolate set before decorating the cake.

TURKISH PIDE - BREAD

This bread is delicious hot from the oven with butter or with any savoury dish with your meal.

PIDE

• 4 cups of strong bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• half a cup warm water
• 2 tsp easy blend dried yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp nigella seeds

For glazing

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp milk

Sieve the flour with salt. 

1) Mix the yeast and sugar in a jug with warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes until is is frothy.

2) Make a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture. Add the oil, egg white and the yogurt. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Alternatively use an electric mixer with the dough hook for 6-7 minutes. Add little more flour if sticky but make sure the dough is not too hard.

3) Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 2 hours until it has doubled in size. Knock back the dough and knead for 1-2 minutes.

4) Place the dough on a floured surface and divide dough into 2 pieces.. Flatten each dough with the heal of your hand, use your fingers to stretch it from the middle.

5) First mark the dough with a knife  like a diamond shape on the surface. Then push your fingers into the dough to achieve a dimpled effect.

6) Place the dough on to a baking tray, brush with milk and egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Cover and leave the dough to rise again for 30 minutes.

7) Place 2 cups of water in a oven proof dish and place at the bottom of the oven. Bake the pide in preheated oven 220 C, 200 Fan setting for 10 - 15 minutes. Bake the other pide the same way.

8) Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

BAKLAVA- EASY TURKISH BAKLAVA

Baklava  is a Turkish specialty dessert that  prepared and enjoyed during holidays, weddings and special occasions. It is also customary to take some baklava as a gift when visiting family and friends.

Baklava in Turkey  always made with home made paper thin filo pastry and only pistachio nuts or walnuts used as filling as they are softer in texture.

Today I used mixture  of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios which I had in my freezer and wanted to used them up. I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did. Makes 23-25 pieces of baklava.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack of 400 g filo pastry, defrosted if frozen
• 1 cup ( 10 tbsp )melted butter 
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE SYRUP ( 1 cup of water = 200 ml and 1 cup of sugar = 200 g )

• 4 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD

Preheat the oven 180C, 160 fan setting. Mix chopped nuts with cinnamon in a bowl.

1) Brush a baking tray with butter. ( I used 32cm x 22 cm tray ). Cut one sheet of filo pastry to fit your baking tray as shown above. Then brush the pastry with butter and place another layer of pastry. Repeat this process with 4 more layers of filo pastry and butter  to make it 6 first layers. Sprinkle the nut mixture to cover the pastry  and layer another 6 sheets of  pastry brushing the each layer with butter. Now sprinkle some more nuts and layer it with 3 or 6 more of the sheets of filo with butter, depending on how much pastry left to use. Brush the top of the last filo with butter.

2) Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava diagonal lines right through all the layers to the bottom, to form small diamond shapes.

3 ) Place baklava into the oven and bake for one hour, until it is golden. While the baklava is  in the oven, make the syrup.

4) Place the sugar and water into a heavy pan and bring it to boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then turn the heat to low and simmer the syrup for 15 minutes  until it thickens slightly. Add the lemon juice and simmer further 3-5 minutes and take the syrup off the heat. Leave it to cool in the pan.

5) Take the baklava out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then pour over the cooled syrup over the baklava and leave it to soak preferably overnight.

6) Re cut the baklava and serve with sprinkled pistachio nuts.

TURKISH KADAYIF ( SARMA TEL KADAYIF )

Kadayif is a very fine vermicelli like pastry used to make sweet pastry and desserts. It is a very popular sweet dish in all the Middle eastern countries as well as in Turkey.

You can find fresh or frozen kadayif in Turkish food stores and continental supermarkets. Kadayif also comes in packets already oven cooked. In that case you just have to add the nuts and the syrup to make the dessert. The syrup should be cooled if the pastry hot from the oven. If you made the kadayif the day before then the syrup should be warm almost hot before pouring to soften the kadayif. Some people add spices in the syrup but in Turkish recipe we don't add anything other than just water and sugar and lemon juice for the syrup. I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did. it is a great favorite with my family every time. Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 gr kadayif
• 1/2 a cup melted butter
• 1 cup pistachio nuts, chopped coarsely
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

1) Bring the sugar and water to boil in a sauce pan, then turn the heat to low and simmer the syrup uncovered  for 10-15 minutes until the syrup is light yellow in colour. Then add the lemon juice and take the syrup of the heat and set aside to cool. Place nuts in a food processor and whiz them a few times to ground them roughly. ( or place them in a freezer bag and roll the nuts with a rolling pin until you achieve ground nuts ). Mix the cinnamon with nuts.

2) Brush a deep baking tin with butter.  Preheat the oven to 180 C.

3) Spread the kadayif on a flat surface and brush with melted butter. Then break 12 equal pieces of the kadayif ( 5 cm x 3 cm ) as shown above. 

4) Then spoon 1-2 tsp of the nuts in the middle and roll the kadayif like a log and shape it with your hands. Making sure it is tucked under from the sides and the ends of the log are securely tighted. Place  the kadayif log in the baking tin.

5) Repeat this process until you use all the kadayif. Then brush all the kadayif logs with melted butter and cook in preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden and crispy. Oven setting is 180C, 160 C Fan setting and cooked in the middle shelf of the oven. 

6) Take the kadayif out and pour the syrup over it immediately. Make sure all the syrup covers all of the kadayif to the top. ( If you think you haven't got enough syrup, boil 1 cup of  sugar and 1 cup of water, then  pour over the kadayif )

7) Let the kadayif soak up the syrup for 4-5 hours then transfer them on a plate( without syrup) and keep in the fridge.

8) Sprinkle the kadayif with pistachio nuts just before serving. Afiyet olsun. 

BRANDY SAUCE

This sauce s so good with Christmas pudding and mince pies.

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 250 ml milk
• 3 tbsp brandy

Mix cornflour with egg yolks and sugar  in a bowl until smooth. Add the milk gradually and transfer this mixture into a non stick sauce pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the brandy. Take it off the heat and stir it well. Serve it  straight away or warm with Xmas pudding and  sweet mince pies.

BANANA,CHOCOLATE CHIP AND HAZELNUT MUFFINS

This  is my friend Lisa's recipe from Canada. They are ready in no time and are  simply delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 230 g whole wheat flour
• 230 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 g chocolate chips
• 100 g chopped hazelnuts
• 100 g fresh or frozen bananas
• 125 ml milk
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 50 ml olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla or rum extract
• 230 g brown sugar
• 2 large eggs

METHOD

Pre heat the oven to 350F, 180C, 160 Fan.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and mix well. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a blender, add chopped bananas, eggs, milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla and rum extract. Blend until smooth. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture. Mix well until all combined together. Spoon the muffin mixture into the paper cases, bake in the middle shelf for 20-30 minutes.

NOT: I didn't have enough chocolate chips, so used sultanas to make up the amount. I also sprinkled the muffins with sugar and cinnamon mixture just before they went into the oven. I hope you don't mind Lisa, LOL !!!

LISA'S BLOG: www.lisaopolis.wordpress.com

MEVLANE BOREGI ( Mevlane pasties )

These boreks ( pasties ) are the speciality of City KONYA  where MEVLANE ( see above ) lived.

These are delicious filled with mince meat, but today I used  mince meat  and some  goats cheese, parsley filling  for some of the boreks  which was equally nice.

INGREDIENTS

• half a kg lean mince meat
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 lage onion, chopped finely
• fresh parsley, chopped
• half tsp chili flakes
• salt and pepper
• half a kg flour
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1tsp sugar

First cook the mince with the onion in oil until it is browned nicely. Add the parsley, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add 1-2 tbs water if it starts to stick to the pan. Take off the heat and set aside. This should take  about 10 - 12 minutes.

NOW MAKE THE DOUGH

 

Mix yogurt, oil with sifted flour. Add the egg, sugar and bind it together until you achieve a soft dough. Take a size of a walnut open the dough piece about 10 cm round shape on a floured surface. I do this by hand but a rolling pin can be used if it is easier.

Place 1 tbsp of cooled mince mixture in the middle and fold it over to cover it. Seal the edges well and brush the pasties with egg yolk. Transfer the pasties on a greased baking tray, brush with whisked egg yolk and cook on preheated oven 180C for 15- 20 minutes until they are cooked and golden in colour. Makes 20 -25.

KABAK TATLISI ( Poached pumpkin )

This is a lovely winter desert as the pumpkins are widely available through out the cold months. you can serve it with nuts,  clotted cream  or creme fraiche.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg pumpkin flesh, peeped and deseeeded
• 400 g sugar
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Handful of walnuts

THE NIGHT BEFORE

First peel and deseed the pumpkin, cut into  cubes. In a large pan put one layer of pumpkin then sprinkle some sugar over it then again some more pumpkins then sugar over it. Repeat this process until all the pumpkins are covered with sugar. Add the cloves and the cinnamon stick. Put the lid on and leave it to rest overnight. Next day you will have lovely sugar syrup with the pumpkins.

METHOD

 Mix the pumpkins and the syrup gently once then  put the pan on the heat and bring it to boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer the pumpkins for 10 - 15 minutes with the lid on tilted. Stir it gently. Then take the lid off and continue to poach the pumpkin until they are tender and rich in orange colour and to thicken the syrup. This will take further 10-12 minutes or so. 

Leave the pumpkin in the pan to cool before transferring into the serving dish. Serve with nuts and cream. Hope you enjoy it...