Egg Curry

Egg Curry

Ingredients

6 hard boiled eggs peeled and halved

1 large red onion, roughly sliced
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

4 flakes garlic

2” piece ginger

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp mild curry powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 green chilies sliced at an angle

8-10 cashews

½ glass of water

5-6 tbsp oil

Salt to taste
4 tbsp cooking cream

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions

In a deep pan heat some cooking oil and sauté the onions for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Next add ginger and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Then add the cashews and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for a bit. Transfer this to a blender and grind it to a fine paste. You can add some water if needed. In a pot heat some oil and add the green chilies and fry for a few minutes. Remove and transfer to a small bowl.  Add the ground mixture to the remaining oil and fry this for a few minutes or until the mixture changes to a darker colour. Add the curry powder and fry for a few minutes. Add salt to taste and half a cup of water. Simmer for a few minutes. The gravy should be thick. Now add the halved boiled eggs and cream. Stir gently. and check seasoning. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the fried green chilies and chopped fresh coriander. Service with hot white rice or naan. 

Gyros

Gyros

“Gyros is a popular Greek street food and is available almost everywhere in Athens. I tasted my first Gyros during my trip to Greece in Athens and simply loved it. The flat bread is crispy and soft in every bite. It can be made with a pork or chicken filling. In this recipe I used a roast pork filling which you can make a day before”.

Makes 10 Gyros (to make a smaller quantity, simply halve the ingredients)

Ingredients

For the flatbread:

6 levelled cups for the dough, plus more for bailing the dough later

2 teaspoons salt

2 cup water, lukewarm

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup milk, lukewarm

1 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Some butter for basting the breads

For the filling:

1 full rotisserie or grilled chicken shredded in big pieces or roast pork slices.

2 tomatoes sliced in rounds

1 large onion sliced in rings

Some chopped parsley

Tzatziki sauce (please see here how to make Tzatziki)

Directions:

To make the dough: In a small bowl heat ½ cup of water in the microwave for 35 seconds, remove, add sugar and mx. Add the dry instant yeast, mix and leave to foam up. You will know the yeast is activated when it’s all bubbly and frothy on top. In the bowl of your stand mixer add the flour and salt and mix. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt and with the dough attachment of your mixer start mixing. As the dough is mixing, add the lukewarm milk gradually as required till the dough is smooth but not sticky. Remove the dough onto your cleaned counter and knead into a ball using some oil. Place dough in the bowl of your mixer and cover with a cling wrap. Keep in a warm place for the dough to rise. If it’s cold where you live, pre-heat your oven for few minutes and then turn it off. Then place your dough inside the oven (remember the oven should be off!). After around 90 minutes, the dough will be more than double in size. Punch the dough lightly to release the air.

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts using a pastry cutter or knife (do not pull the dough as it will break the gluten strands). If the dough is sticky, oil your hands while dividing the dough. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel. Take a ball and roll it a bit, using some dry flour, bail the dough into a large flatbread, about 9-10 inches. Repeat the process until you’ve bailed all the flatbread.

In a flat non-stick pan, place one flatbread, on low heat. When you see small bubbles, turn the flatbread and brush with some butter on top. Turn the flatbread again and brush with butter. They should be golden brown on both sides. Repeat until all the flat breads are done. In a plate arrange one Gyro flatbread. Top it with shredded chicken or pork slices. Place a couple of tomato roundels, some onion rings, drizzle with some Tzatziki and some chopped parsley. You can cover each Gyro with butter paper, however here I used a toothpick to hold it together.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki

Ingredients

1 medium cucumber

250 grams Greek yogurt*

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp oregano

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

Some chopped dill (optional)

Directions

Whisk the Greek yogurt and set aside. *If you don’t have Greek yoghurt, put full fat yoghurt in a strainer for an hour and discard the whey that collects below. Slice the cucumber in half and scrape out the seeds and discard. Chop cucumber very finely. Add it to the whisked yoghurt along with the other ingredients. Garnish with some olive oil on top. Use this as a dip with pita bread or as a sauce in Gyros.

Date and Walnut Cake

Date and Walnut Cake

Ingredients

150 gms all-purpose flour

150 gms unsalted butter, softened

150 gms granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking powder

50 gms medium dried dates, de-seeded and chopped

50 gms walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease a bundt pan with butter. In a bowl, with the help of an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until white and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder and mix with the butter and sugar. Add the dates and walnuts and fold into the cake mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.

Allow to cool and then invert the cake. Serve with tea or coffee. Enjoy!

Mujadara: Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions

Mujadara

"Mujadara (mujaddara) is a signature Middle Eastern dish of lentils and rice garnished with crispy onions. I have tweaked the original recipe a bit and added a few ingredients for extra flavour."

Serves 4-5 persons

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain white rice, washed and then drained

1 cup black lentils (I used flat brown lentils known as masoor), sorted and rinsed (use the same cup for exact measurements).

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used ghee) more for later

3 large onions sliced and fried till golden brown and crispy

1 tsp salt, more to taste

1 bouillon cube

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

4 ½ cups water, divided (use the same cup that was used to measure rice for exact measurements).

Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

Place the lentils in a small saucepan with some water. Add a pinch of salt, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the lentils are par-boiled (10-12 minutes). Remove from the heat, drain the lentils and set them aside. Reserve the liquid. Measure to see how many cups you have.

In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat the oil/ghee over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until the onions are dark golden brown, darker than typical caramelized onions (about 40 minutes), sprinkle the onions with a teaspoon of salt as they cook. Drain from oil and keep aside.

In the remaining oil, add the powdered spices and stir. Add the washed rice and fry for a few minutes. Carefully pour 3 cups of water, salt to taste, bouillon cube, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. When the rice is just done, add the cooked lentils and the reserved water (in total it should be 4 ½ cups of water). Cover and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are both cooked through (about 20 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in half the crispy onions. Serve the Mujadara hot or at room temperature with the remaining crispy onions on top, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parsley garnish, if you like.

Add a side of salad like fattoush, if you like. Enjoy!

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

"Traditionally these spiced buns are made during Lent on Good Friday, but they can also be enjoyed throughout the year. This recipe is taken from Dusty's Food Adventures."

Ingredients:

3 heaped cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

200 ml milk + 50 ml water

¼  cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

¼  cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice (see mixed spice recipe below)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼  teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

1/2 cup candied ginger, mixed dry fruit and peel

2 - 3 tablespoon all purpose flour (for the cross)

2 - 3 tablespoon honey (for the glaze)

Directions:

1. Prep your ingredients before you begin to save time while cooking.

2. Combine the milk and water, and warm it in a pan or microwave until it is just warmer than room temperature. Add the yeast to the mix and stir it in. Set aside.

3. Warm up the butter until it melts and beat the egg in a separate bowl. Set aside.

4. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

5. Add the butter, yeast mixture and egg to the bowl.

6. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together.

7. Knead the dough for around 10 minutes until it is smooth and pliable.

8. Cover and place in a warm place to proof for around an hour or until doubled in size. I place the mixing bowl in my oven with just the oven light on.

9. After an hour, add the mixed dry fruit and peel to the dough mix.

10. Knead for 1 - 2 minutes.

11. Divide the dough into 10 - 12 equal parts (use a knife or pastry cutter; do not tear the dough as it will break the gluten strands) and roll them into balls. Place the balls on a greased and lined baking tray. Place the tray back into the oven for a further 30 minutes. Here's a quick video that will show you how to go about shaping the dough: How to shape dough - King Arthur Flour.

12. In a small bowl combine the flour for the cross with equal parts of water. The mix should be thick enough to pipe. It's better to be a bit on the dry side, because if too runny, the crosses will disappear when baked.

13. Once the 30 minutes are up, add the flour mixture into a piping bag, or into a zip lock bag with the corner cut off, and pipe a cross across the top of the dough balls.

14. Turn on your oven and pre-heat it to 375F (190C). Place the tray into the oven and bake the buns for 20 minutes or until they brown.

15. Once done, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

16. Add a tablespoon or two of water to the honey, and mix it to form a thin mix.

17. Brush the honey mix over the tops of the bun, and repeat again if necessary.

18. Serve warm with salted butter and/or your favourite jam.

Mixed Spice Recipe:

1 Tablespoon ground allspice

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground Ginger

Mix all the spices together, and store in a sealed jar away from light. You can use this spice powder to make other types of sweet bread rolls/buns. 

Beignets

Beignets

"The word Beignet in French is "fritter" or "doughnut". The country of origin is France but they are very popular in New Orleans, Beignets are doughnut-like fried dough that are dusted with powdered sugar. 

Ingredients

1 ½ cups lukewarm water

½ cup granulated sugar

1 envelope active dry yeast

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

1 cup evaporated milk

7 cups bread flour

¼ cup shortening

Vegetable oil

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, and evaporated milk together.

Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix.

Stir in 3 cups of bread flour. (A wooden spoon is good for stirring.)

Add shortening and stir it in. Stir in remaining flour.

Note: The video above shows melted shortening being used, but there is no need to melt the shortening. It will mix in just fine in solid form.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Coat a large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise at least 2 hours or place in refrigerator overnight.

Pour about 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven and heat to 350 degrees.

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut 2-inch squares. (This is easy to do with a pizza cutter.)

Working about 4 at a time, place in oil and fry, flipping continuously until they are golden brown.

Test one to make sure it is cooked through. Drain on paper towels and coat with powdered sugar.

Serradura (Sawdust Pudding)

Serradurra

"Serradura (Sawdust Pudding) is a Portuguese dessert which consists of a combination of sweetened whipped cream and powdered tea biscuits. Serradura in Portuguese means sawdust, and the sawdust in this dessert is powdered tea biscuits. The biscuits are powdered to super fine and resemble sawdust."

Makes: 5 dessert bowls (depends on size of bowl)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

15-20 Marie biscuits or any tea butter biscuits

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

1 cup whipping cream or thick cream

Directions:

Powder or crush the biscuits using a food processor.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Add condensed milk and vanilla essence and whip again till stiff peaks are formed. Do not over whip else you will end up with butter. I recommend using a blender here.

In a bowl, first put a layer of Marie biscuits powder.

Add a layer of cream. Repeat with further layers of Marie biscuits and cream.  (make sure that  the Marie biscuits layer is very thin as you want it to be softened by the whipped cream)

The last layer should be a very thin layer of biscuits.

Place in freezer for 2-3 hours. Take it out 15 minutes before serving.

Chocoflan

Chocoflan

Ingredients

3 eggs

 1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

175g Lurpak Baking butter

1 ½ cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

 ½ cup milk

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven on 180°C /350°F.

2. Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter.

3. Add flour baking soda, baking powder and milk. Beat well.

4. Divide mixture in 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into one of the mixtures. Pour batter in a pre-greased baking pan.

5. Alternately spoon the mixtures into the pan.

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack

Ingredients

Softened butter, to coat pan

¼ cup cajeta or caramel sauce or dulce de leche

For the cake:

10 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

For the flan:

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For garnish:

¼ cup cajeta or caramel sauce

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions

1.       Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2.       Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup cajeta and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)

3.       For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.

4.       For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds.

5.       Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.

6.       Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 hour, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

7.       Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp tightly together, jiggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining cajeta from the pan onto the cake, garnish with chopped pecans and serve!

Cook's Note:

The batters may appear to mix when you pour them into the pan, but they completely separate while baking, with the flan ending up on the bottom when it's inverted. I like eating it warm, but traditionally, it is chilled 24 hours before serving. Flan is a rich, creamy, cooked egg custard. It is often flavoured with vanilla and baked in a water bath to retain its delicacy. Cajeta is a thick and creamy spread or paste made with caramelized sugar and milk. It is used as a desert on its own or as a topping. Also known as "dolce de leche," it is sold in many supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online. It can be substituted with a thick caramel sauce.

Marble Cake

Marble Cake

Ingredients

3 eggs

 1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

175g butter

1 ½ cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

 ½ cup milk

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven on 180°C /350°F.

2. Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter.

3. Add flour baking soda, baking powder and milk. Beat well.

4. Divide mixture in 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into one of the mixtures. Pour batter in a pre-greased baking pan.

5. Alternately spoon the mixtures into the pan.

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack

Buko Salad (Tender Coconut Fruit Salad)

Buko Salad

Ingredients

1 jar of Macapuno Strings in syrup or young coconut meat from 5 coconuts, sliced into strips (Buko)
1 container sugar palm gel (kaong), drained
1 cup Nata de coco (coconut gel), drained
1 can fruit cocktail, drained
1 large can of tropical fruit chunks, drained
1 cup condensed milk (adjust to the sweetness you like)
1 cup thickened cream or whipped cream

Note: some canned fruits come with sugar palm gel in it.

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine together young coconut, sugar palm, nata de coco, fruit cocktail and pineapple chunks, and fruit cocktail. Make sure all ingredients are properly drained.
2. Place thickened cream in a container then gently fold the condensed milk.
3. Pour the cream mixture on the fruit mixture then mix well to combine.
4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Servings: 14

Dough

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups whole milk, warm to the touch (110–115˚F)

½ cup granulated sugar

1 pack active dry yeast

5 cups flour, divided

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

Filling

¾ cup butter, softened¾ cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Generously butter two disposable foil pie/cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar. The mixture should be just warm, registering between 100–110˚F. If it is hotter, allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture and let set for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of all-purpose flour to the milk, add the beaten egg and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C

After 1 hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Remove the towel and add an additional ¾ cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface. Knead the dough lightly, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick. Fix corners to make sure they are sharp and even. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. Press the mixture into the butter. Roll up the dough, forming a log, and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down. Trim off any unevenness on either end. Cut the log in half, then divide each half into 7 evenly sized pieces (about 1½ inches thick each). Place 7 cinnamon rolls in each cake pan, one in the center, six around the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap. Bake the cinnamon rolls in a preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the frosting. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, whole milk, and powdered sugar, until smooth. Remove the cinnamon buns from the oven. While still warm, drizzle evenly with frosting.

Peach Royale

Peach Royale

“This is a variation on a popular Filipino dessert called Crema de Fruta. Traditionally, crema de fruta (which literally translates to” fruit cream”) is an icebox cake made of brojas (the Philippines’ version of ladyfingers), whipped cream sweetened with condensed milk, and fruit cocktail. From crema de fruta stems many variations. The most popular being the mango royale. However since mangoes were not in season here in Dubai, I decided to use canned peaches, which was equally good.”

Ingredients

15 graham crackers

1 can of peaches

1 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Slice peaches thinly and keep aside.

Line a 9-inch square baking pan (with a removable bottom is best) with parchment paper along the bottom and sides to allow for easy cake removal. Line the baking pan with a layer of graham crackers. Cut crackers as necessary to fit pan.

In chilled bowl, use a handheld mixer to whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Continue to whip while slowing adding sweetened condensed milk. Whip to firm peaks.

Add about 1 cup of sweetened whipped cream over graham crackers. Distribute about 1 cup of sliced peaches over whipped cream. Place a layer of graham crackers over peaches. Repeat twice by adding another layer of whipped cream followed by peaches.

Cover pan with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is best. Alternatively, you can freeze the dessert for more of an ice cream cake kind of texture. Once chilled, lift peach royale out of the pan using the parchment paper. Slice and serve.

Shkmeruli - Chicken cooked in cream and garlic

Shkmeruli

"Shkmeruli Is a Georgian Chicken dish in a sauce of garlic and cream from the Racha region in Georgia. I had the opportunity to try this in a restaurant in Batumi, Georgia and truly loved it. I have given the recipe a twist by adding red chilli powder, turmeric and some parsley, but you can omit these and stick to the traditional recipe."


Serves 4


Ingredients
2 whole young chickens 
2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
100 grams of garlic
200 ml of cooking cream (160 grams of sour cream if you prefer)
160 ml of water (100 ml if you are using sour cream instead of cream), 
60 ml of oil Handful of chopped parsley (optional)
Salt to taste 

Directions
Wash the chickens and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the chickens length ways from breast but do not separate into two halves. Rub oil, chilli powder and salt on to both sides of the chicken. Flatten the chickens out and add one chicken to a pan of hot oil and press it down.Use a pestle or any suitable heavy object to keep the chicken flat so that it cooks evenly. Fry both sides of the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the pan. Repeat the same process for the other chicken. Remove and let it cool down a bit.  You can keep it whole or cut into pieces. Do not discard the oil as it will be used to fry the garlic. Crush the garlic. Add the crushed garlic to the oil in the pan that was used to cook the chicken. Use a wooden spoon to mix the garlic and oil. Add 160 ml of water (200 ml if you are using sour cream instead of cream) and heat on a medium heat, stirring continuously. Add 200 ml of milk (or 160 grams of sour cream). Taste and add a little salt if needed. Stir until the mixture boils and then turn off the heat. Add the chicken pieces to an oven proof dish (traditionally a Georgian clay ketsi dish is used).Pour the cream (or sour cream) and garlic mixture onto the chicken pieces and add the ketsi to a hot oven for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot.

Maja Blanca (Coconut Milk Pudding)

Maja Blanca

• Ingredients

• 400 ml coconut milk

• 200 ml evaporated milk

• 200 ml condensed milk

• 3 tablespoon sugar

• 1 small can sweet kernel corn (liquid type)

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 cup water

Topping

1 cup toasted peanuts finely crushed.

• Directions

1. Brush bottom and sides of a large baking dish with butter.
2. In a large pot, combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and sugar. Stir well until blended and sugar is dissolved. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add corn and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch. Stir well until cornstarch is dissolved. Gently add cornstarch mixture into milk mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until mixture thickens to a paste (mixture will thicken fast). Transfer mixture into prepared dish, smoothing top with a lightly oiled spatula or knife. Allow to slightly cool, cover and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours or until completely cooled and set.
4. Sprinkle powdered/crushed peanuts on top. Cut into serving squares.

Yema Cake

Yema Cake

"Yema Cake is a Phillipino dessert cake that originated in the Philippines some twenty years ago. The Yema filling and frosting is a custard candy made of egg yolks - Yema meaning egg yolk. It is a delicious and creamy filling in a two layered cake."

Ingredients

For the cake:

50 grams butter

250 grams cream cheese

110 ml milk

1 vanilla pod (optional)

60 grams all-purpose flour

20 grams corn starch

¼ tsp salt

6 egg yolks

1 tsp calamansi (or lemon) juice

6 egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

140 grams sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Yema filling or icing:

1 can condensed milk

6 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup butter

½ cup grated cheese

Directions

In a small pan over simmering water, melt together cream cheese, butter and milk. If you opt to use vanilla beans, scrape the beans from the vanilla pod and add it to the pan. Once melted, cool to room temp. Using a mixer, add in flour, corn starch, salt. Then add in egg yolks and lastly the lemon juice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy (or frothy). Add in vanilla then gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites to the cream cheese mixture. Make sure everything is well combined. Pour batter into an 8-inch round cake pan covered with parchment paper. Bake the cake in a water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until done at 325 F.

To make the icing, open a can of condensed milk and pour it over a pan. Add in egg yolks and cook in low heat. Add in vanilla extract. Cook until it thickens enough to spread. Add in butter.

To assemble the Yema Cake, divide cake into two. Add the filling then cover it with the other half of the cake. Cover the rest of the cake with icing. Top with finely grated cheese.

Meringue Shell Cookies (Rakushki)

Meringue Shell Cookies

"My elder daughter, Evania is back from the UK for Christmas holidays and I thought this would be ideal not only cause Christmas is around the corner, but it would also make a good tea time snack. Meringue Shell Cookies are light and not overly sweet cookies with a soft ribbon of meringue and a crumbly centre. They are perfect for an afternoon tea. I have taken this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. However, I have substituted sour cream with yogurt and added vanilla essence to the dough and meringue, to take away the strong smell of eggs."

Ingredients

For The Shell Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (16 Tbsp or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup thick yoghurt 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla esence
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (315 grams) *measured correctly

For the Meringue Cookie Filling:

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cups walnut pieces (3 pieces per cookie)

Directions

How to Make the Cookie Dough:

1. !Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a ¾ baking sheet with parchment (or 2 regular half sheets)
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add: 16 Tbsp butter, 3 egg yolks, ½ cup yogurt and mix medium/low speed just until combined. It won't be smooth. Add vanilla essence.
3. Add 2 cups flour and add the last ½ cup slowly just until dough is no longer sticking to clean fingertips. When dough is ready, turn it out onto floured work surface then wash and dry your mixing bowl and make your meringue:

How to Make Meringue Cookie Filling:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat 3 room temperature egg whites on high speed 1 minute until thick and foamy. Add vanilla essence. With the mixer on, slowly and gradually add ¾ cup sugar. Once sugar is all in, continue beating on high for 5 min or until the meringue forms stiff peaks.

How to Assemble Meringue Shell Cookies:

1. While meringue is mixing, divide cookie dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a log. Cut each log into 15 equal pieces and roll them into balls between your hands. Roll each ball with a rolling pin into a 2" diameter circle.
2. Dollop a teaspoon of meringue into the center of each round then fold the cookie n half and in half again and lay it on it's side on the lined baking sheet. Space cookies at least ½" apart.
3. Stuff 3 walnut pieces into the meringue of each cookie then bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool to room temp before dusting with powdered sugar.