by Selin Kiazim
Trilece cake
Dark chocolate & praline katmer with pistachios
Chocolate, prune & cardamom delice
Ricotta & vanilla kadayif with bergamot cream & strawberries
Semolina cake
Blood orange ganache, poached pear & rosemary filo shards
Muhallebi with strawberry jelly
Syrup sponge stuffed with ricotta & walnuts
Poached & barbecued quince
Candied bergamot & seville oranges
Tahini spiral & spiced hot chocolate
SEMOLINA CUSTARD & FILO BÖREKS
You can serve these pastries as they are (they’re best slightly warm), or with some ice cream and a few pistachios for extra indulgence. The recipe for sütlü börek I’ve given here is a slight variation of one of my mum’s, to which I’ve added vanilla and orange blossom because I think it tastes nicer. Mum isn’t convinced, and thinks that the traditional way is the best, so I invite you to try it both ways and judge for yourself.
MAKES 18 – 20
20 sheets of filo pastry
200g (7oz) unsalted butter, melted
100g (3½oz) pistachios, toasted and crushed (optional)
FOR THE FILLING
250g (9oz) semolina
4 heaped tablespoons cornflour
1.2 litres (2 pints) milk
3 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR THE SYRUP
500ml (18fl oz) water
500g (1lb 2oz) caster sugar
freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
2 teaspoons orange blossom water (optional)
First make the syrup: put the water in a pan with the sugar and bring to the boil. Simmer until it takes on a syrupy consistency and is slightly sticky. Add the lemon juice and the orange blossom water, if using. Leave to cool completely.
To make the filling, mix the semolina and cornflour with about 200ml (7fl oz) of the milk to make a smooth paste. Put the remaining milk in a pan with the sugar and heat to just below boiling point. Whisk the semolina mixture into the hot milk and reduce the heat to medium. Add the vanilla and keep whisking until you have a very thick custard. Immediately pour it into a shallow tray measuring about 40 x 30cm (16 x 12in). Allow the mixture to cool, then cut it, still in the tray, into 18–20 equal rectangular pieces.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas Mark 7 and line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Take 1 sheet of filo pastry and fold it in half to form a small rectangle. Place it on the work surface portrait way up. Brush it all over with butter. Now place a rectangle of the custard in the middle of the edge closest to you and fold it over once, working away from you, to enclose it in the pastry. Fold in each side of the pastry on the left and right. Brush the sides with butter and continue folding over until you reach the end of the pastry, sealing it with a little butter. It is important to fold quite tightly around the custard and ensure there are no cracks for it to escape. If any cracks do form, wrap the whole thing in another sheet of filo.
Place the börek on a prepared baking sheet and repeat the folding process with the rest of the filo and custard. Leave a 2cm (¾in) gap between each pastry. Brush the tops with butter and bake until golden brown all over, about 20 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, submerge them one at a time in the cold syrup and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle over the pistachios, if using. Allow to cool before serving.
SPICED RICE PUDDING BRÛLÉE WITH PISTACHIOS, CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE, RUM JELLY, LYCHEES & CANDIED LIME ZEST
This dish is inspired by sütlaç, a traditional creamy spiced rice pudding, and it has converted many a rice-pudding doubter. There are a lot of garnishes, but the rice pudding is tasty just on its own, so make as few or as many of the extras as you like. If you would like to make your own tamarind paste, buy fresh tamarind (with seeds), simmer them in water until soft, then pass through a sieve.
SERVES 8 – 10
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
100g (3½oz) pistachios, toasted and crushed
FOR THE RICE PUDDING
1.4 litres (2½pints) milk
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
15cm (6in) cinnamon sticks
1 rounded tablespoon star anise
1 rounded tablespoon cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g (5½oz) arborio rice
200ml (7fl oz) double cream
FOR THE RUM JELLY
25g (1oz) dark brown sugar
125ml (4fl oz) water
2 gelatine leaves
30ml (1fl oz) good-quality rum
FOR THE LYCHEES
grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
10g (¼oz) fresh ginger, finely grated
175g (6oz) drained tinned lychees, halved
FOR THE CANDIED LIME ZEST
2 limes
75g (2¾oz) caster sugar
50ml (2fl oz) water
FOR THE CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
½ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and diced into 2cm (¾in) pieces
15g (½oz) unsalted butter
35g (1¼oz) tamarind paste
First make the rice pudding: put the milk, sugar, spices and vanilla in a pan and bring gently to a simmer. Remove from the heat and cover the pan with clingfilm. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain the milk into a new pan and add the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, over a low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is soft. Leave the rice to cool (it will still look quite liquid but will firm up), then chill completely.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it through the cooled rice pudding. Divide between 8–10 ramekins or bowls and return to the refrigerator until needed.
To make the rum jelly, put the sugar and water in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Put the gelatine into cold water to soften. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum and gelatine, stirring to dissolve. Strain into a container, leave to cool, then store in the refrigerator.
To make the lychees, mix the ingredients in a bowl, then set aside.
To make the candied lime zest, peel the limes, scrape off the pith and slice the zest into very fine strips. Put the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the strips of lime zest, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook until a thick syrup forms. Drain off the syrup and leave the lime zest to cool on a rack or a tray lined with baking parchment.
To make the caramelized pineapple, put the sugar in a large heavy-based pan or non-stick frying pan and add a dash of water to make a paste. Cook over a medium heat without stirring until a dark caramel forms, then immediately and carefully add the pineapple. The caramel will clump together a little, so keep cooking until it all turns liquid again. Add the butter and keep cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tamarind paste, transfer to a container and leave to cool.
To assemble, sprinkle a thin layer of demerara sugar evenly over each rice pudding. Use a blowtorch or very hot grill to caramelize the sugar golden-brown. Allow the caramelized sugar to cool, then sprinkle over the pistachios, followed by some pineapple and lychees. Now place 4–5 small spoonfuls of rum jelly on each pudding. Finish with a few strands of candied lime zest.
TRILECE CAKE
I first tried trilece cake in Istanbul when it was brought to us as a complimentary dessert by a waiter who was very much taken with Laura. I thought it was delicious, and the waiter told me it was a traditional Balkan dessert. I later found out that this cake is in fashion in Istanbul, with restaurants across the city trying to out-do each other with their versions. The cake is almost biscuit-like once baked, so quite a dry texture, but this allows it to soak up all the flavour from the milk to produce a delicious moist sponge. I like to serve this cake with some Medjool dates, which I coat in a little of the caramel topping and finish with a dollop of kaymak (clotted cream).
SERVES 12
sunflower oil, for greasing
&nbs
p; 4 large eggs, separated
200g (7oz) caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
270g (9¾oz) plain flour, sifted
1½ teaspoons baking powder, sifted
FOR THE SOAKING LIQUID
500ml (18fl oz) cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk
250ml (9fl oz) double cream
250ml (9fl oz) condensed milk
FOR THE CARAMEL
300g (10½oz) glucose
150g (5½oz) caster sugar
240ml (8½fl oz) water
TO SERVE
Medjool dates
kaymak (clotted cream)
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6 and grease a 30 x 25 x 5cm (12 x 10 x 2in) baking tray, or 12 individual baking rings, 8cm (3¼in) diameter.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a large bowl. Add the sugar in 3 batches, whisking constantly to ensure that each batch is fully incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
Fold in the flour and baking powder until fully incorporated. I use a whisk to do this, but folding rather than whisking. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared tray or rings and bake until golden brown and springy. Individual cakes will take about 12 minutes and a whole tray will take about 30 minutes.
While the cake bakes, mix together the ingredients for the soaking liquid. When the cake comes out of the oven, pour the cold mixture over the hot sponge and allow it to cool completely and absorb the liquid for about 4 hours. Once cool, cut the cake into 12 equal pieces.
To make the caramel, put the glucose and sugar in a heavy-based pan or nonstick frying pan and cook over a medium heat until it becomes a dark caramel. Taking great care, as it will spit, slowly pour in the water. The caramel will seize up, but keep cooking until it all turns to liquid again. Continue heating the caramel until it becomes a fairly thick syrup. To test it, pour a little onto a saucer and place in the fridge for 5 minutes – the caramel should still be a little runny once cool. If it isn’t, it has gone too far, so add a little more water and bring it back up the boil. Allow the caramel to cool completely before pouring it over the cake, keeping back a little to garnish each serving. To serve, put a piece of cake on each plate and drizzle a little extra caramel around it. Add some Medjool dates dipped in caramel, then top with a dollop of cream.
DARK CHOCOLATE & PRALINE KATMER WITH PISTACHIOS
Praline is one of my guilty pleasures, particularly in the form of a certain sea shell chocolate. Katmer is a speciality dish from Gaziantep in south-eastern Anatolia, traditionally filled with kaymak, which is a bit like clotted cream, and pistachios, and often served as a breakfast dish alongside a cup of Turkish tea. Traditionally the pastry is handmade by expert bakers, who stretch it out thinner than a bedsheet before folding it into a multi-layered square with the filling in the centre. Using ready-made filo pastry makes this recipe much more feasible for the non-expert, and the chocolate and praline filling makes it a perfect indulgent weekend brunch dish. This recipe makes just one katmer, but it is easily scaled up to make as many as you desire.
SERVES 1 – 2
1 sheet of filo pastry, about 37 x 30cm (14½ x 12in)
30g (1oz) unsalted butter, melted
5 teaspoons praline paste or Nutella
15g (½oz) good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
40g (1½oz) shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped
Brush the filo sheet with a little of the melted butter. Place the praline in 5 dots in a square formation in the centre of the sheet. Sprinkle over the chocolate and half the pistachios.
Starting at the top left, fold the corner into the centre, then fold the bottom right corner in to meet it. Fold in the two remaining corners, overlapping them in the middle to end up with a square.
Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the remaining melted butter. Place the katmer in the pan, seam-side down. Cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Serve with the rest of the pistachios sprinkled over the top.
CHOCOLATE, PRUNE & CARDAMOM DELICE
This rich layered dessert, gently spiced with cardamom, will appeal to chocoholics and fans of fruity desserts alike.
SERVES 16 – 24
140ml (4½fl oz) milk
325ml (11fl oz) double cream
5g (⅛oz) cardamom pods, toasted and crushed
340g (11¾oz) good-quality dark chocolate
120g (4¼oz) egg yolks
1 quantity Orange Cream, to serve
FOR THE POACHED PRUNES
190ml (6½fl oz) water
75g (2¾oz) caster sugar
1g gum mastic
10g (¼oz) vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange, bergamot variety if possible
125ml (4fl oz) white wine
5g (⅛oz) Earl Grey tea leaves
250g (9oz) prunes
FOR THE PRALINE
75g (2¾oz) good-quality milk chocolate
125g (4½oz) good-quality dark chocolate
25g (1oz) praline paste or Nutella
100g (3½oz) feuilletine or crushed cornflakes
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
10g (¼oz) gelatine leaves
100ml (3½fl oz) water
130ml (4½fl oz) double cream
210g (7½oz) caster sugar
90g (3¼oz) cocoa powder
First make the poached prunes: put the water in a pan with the sugar, mastic, vanilla, orange zest, wine and tea leaves and bring to the boil. Simmer until it reaches a light syrup consistency. Strain into a container, add the prunes and leave to steep for at least 1 hour. Strain off the liquid into a pan and simmer to reduce to a thick syrup. Process half the prunes to a coarse purée using a stick blender, and set aside. Put the rest of the prunes into a container, pour over the thick syrup and set aside.
Place a stainless steel cake frame, about 30 x 20cm (12 x 8in), on a tray lined with baking parchment.
To make the praline, break the milk chocolate and 75g (2¾oz) of the dark chocolate into pieces and put it in a heatproof bowl with the praline. Set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and stir in the feuilletine. Pour half the mixture into your frame, spread it out in an even layer, then refrigerate to set. Melt the remaining mixture with the remaining dark chocolate, then spread it in a thin layer on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put it in the refrigerator to cool.
To make the delice, put the milk, cream and cardamom in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover with clingfilm and leave to infuse for 1 hour.
Once the praline mixture in the frame has set, spread the prune purée over it and return it to the refrigerator.
Break the delice chocolate into pieces and melt as before. Strain the cardamom-infused milk mixture and bring it back to the boil. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale, then slowly pour the hot milk mixture over them, whisking continuously. Return to the pan and set over a low heat, whisking until it has thickened to a custard consistency. Pour it over the melted chocolate, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture into the frame on top of the prune purée. Return it to the refrigerator to set.
Now make the chocolate glaze: soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until softened. Meanwhile, put the water, cream, sugar and cocoa in a pan and whisk together. Bring to the boil, whisking all the time, until slightly sticky. Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatine and whisk until dissolved. Strain into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
Evenly spread the glaze over the delice. Return to the refrigerator to set. Using a blowtorch, heat the frame just enough to release it and lift it off. Using a hot knife, cut the delice into 16–24 pieces. Serve the delice with the whole prunes, shards of praline, a dollop of orange cream and a drizzle of leftover glaze, if you have some.
RICOTTA & VANILLA KADAYIF WITH BERGAMOT CREAM & STRAWBERRIES
Kadayif is best described as shredd
ed filo pastry, and it is used in many ways to create syrup-based desserts. You’re aiming for a pastry that is soaked in syrup but retains some crunch; it shouldn’t be soggy. The bergamot cream adds sharpness and the strawberries a freshness to balance out the indulgence of the syrupy ricotta pastry.
SERVES 8
400g (14oz) kadayif pastry (available in Turkish supermarkets)
150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, melted
160g (5¾oz) ricotta
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quantity Orange Blossom Syrup
16 strawberries, hulled and halved
FOR THE BERGAMOT CREAM
160g (5¾oz) mascarpone
grated zest of ½ orange
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaped tablespoon candied bergamot (available online), finely chopped, or bergamot jam
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas Mark 7.
Put the pastry into a bowl, pour in the melted butter and mix very well. Divide the pastry into 8 equal piles, arranging each pile into a long rectangle.
Mix the ricotta with the vanilla, divide into 8 equal portions and place one at the end of each pastry rectangle. Roll up tightly to form 8 cylinders. Place on a baking tray, seam-side down. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the bergamot cream.
Remove the pastries from the oven and pour the cold orange blossom syrup all over them, reserving a little syrup to serve. Allow to cool slightly before serving with a spoonful of bergamot cream, a pile of strawberries and an extra drizzle of orange blossom syrup.
