This is a variation from the basic Chocolate-Olive-oil-almond-and-ginger Cake to which I have added a middle layer of cream, and some sour cherries.
I doubled the recipe, making a round, simply decorated cake, and a log, for Marianna and Leonida Allamani’s 16th birthday.
See the BASIC RECIPE to make the cake and the chocolate Glaze. (more…)
The frozen pomegranate juice produced on Kea had inspired me to make a granita/sorbet adding syrup scented with the rose geranium leaves from our garden.
The other day I came upon a couple of small jars of Rose Petal Jam that I had made a few seasons ago, and totally forgot.
Tasting them I found that they were still nicely fragrant, although their color had darkened somewhat. ‘Why don’t I use them, together with pomegranate juice, to make a rose-scented granita,’ I thought, and so this one was created.
You may need to add some good quality rose water, depending on the fragrance of the rose petal jam you use.
Our friends and guests loved this very fragrant granita, so here is my very simple basic recipe. You can adapt it depending on how sweet or tangy you prefer your desserts.
Serves 8-12 (more…)
This simple, wonderful Turkish treat is called kabak tatlisi, and is a favorite dessert served in all kinds of restaurants and taverns.
Paula Wolfert, in her wonderful book The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, explains her most ingenious, simple way of making it perfect! All you need is time to bake the squash slowly. Use your phone timer if you have not an automatic oven that you can set it bake the squash for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
In my recipe below I have reduced the amount of sugar, as I find that butternut squash is by itself very sweet!
We like to serve it with mastic or vanilla ice cream sometimes adding the walnuts that Paula suggests sautéing in butter, something I don’t usually do.
In Turkey this baked squash is usually served with kaimak (clotted buffalo cream).
See also the elaborate Greek Squash or Pumpkin Preserves (rossoli).
Serves 4
1 pound (500 gram) peeled butternut squash, cut into about 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
2/3 cup superfine or baker’s sugar
Optional accompaniments:
About ½ cup toasted walnuts
1 cup crème fraîche, or thick yogurt, or ice cream
Mix the squash pieces with the sugar in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish and let stand for at least 30 minutes, or until the squash weeps and the sugar melts.
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150 C). Use your fingers or a wooden spoon to mix the squash and sugar. Cover with a crumpled sheet of wet parchment paper, place in the oven, and bake for 1½ hours, or more, until the juices boil and the squash is tender.
Turn off the oven and leave the dish inside until completely cool. (The squash will continue to re-absorb their syrupy juices.)
Store in a cool place or in the refrigerator. Let return to room temperature before serving. If you like, sprinkle with walnut and/or accompany with crème fraiche, thick yogurt, or ice cream.
My take on the classic Ginger Snap Cookies, based on the recipe of King Arthur Baking.
I reduced the amount of sugar in the mix since the topping makes them far too sweet, anyway. Also I choose to make them with olive oil, instead of any ‘shortening,’ and of course I use grated fresh ginger that gives them a lovely, fragrant kick.
As for the ‘molasses’ mentioned, the only kind we have here is Grape Molasses, which have a wonderfully deep flavor. In Greece the traditional Moustokouloura (grape molasses cookies) are vegan –no egg– as they are a favorite Lenten treat. But frankly, these gingery ones are far better-tasting and easier (!)
As for the ‘molasses’ mentioned, the only kind we have here is Grape Molasses, which has a wonderfully deep flavor. In Greece the traditional Moustokouloura (grape molasses cookies) are vegan –no egg– as they are a favorite Lenten treat. But frankly, these gingery ones are far better-tasting and easier (!)
For about 3 dozen cookies (more…)
This is an extremely easy, light and intensely lemony ice cream that needs no churning.
I love it with my Ginger & Grape Molasses cookies, which are a variation of the classic ginger snap ones that I make with grape molasses and olive oil instead of any other shortening.
Serves 8-12 (more…)
