Δευτέρα 26 Οκτωβρίου 2015

Greek ekmek kataifi

Ekmek kataifi is a Greek dessert made with layers of kataifi  baked until crispy and golden, bathed in lemon or cinnamon scented syrup, topped with creamy thick custard and whipped cream and garnished with cinnamon, pistachios or walnuts. 

Also it has a vanilla aroma between the layers of creams and that makes it soooo…Yummy! 
I made it today because it is my father's name day. Let's see the ingredients below:
For the base:

  • 250 gr kataifi dough
  • 100 gr melted butter
  • 100 gr walnuts chopped or pistachios. (You can also use almonds)
  • cinnamon
For the syrop:

  • 200 gr sugar
  • 200 gr water
  • 3-4 drops of lemon juice
  • cinnamon
For the custard:
  • 1,5 littre of milk
  • 200 gr sugar
  • 2 vanilla sticks
  • 200 gr corn flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 gr butter
For the whipped cream:
  • 500 ml cold whipping cream
  • 70 gr icing sugar
  • 1 vanilla stick

Instructions:
Start by making the base.
 Preheat the oven to 180 oC and unroll the kataifi dough from the plastic sleeve. Work the kataifi dough with your hands, tearing apart the shreds and spreading the strands out a bit if they clump together, in order to get fluffy.I used a pyrex bowl but you can also use a 24 cm square non-sticking baking dish.Butter the bottom of the baking dish and spread the kataifi dough to form the base of the ekmek kataifi. Pour over the melted butter and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until crispy and nicely coloured. Take the kataifi out of the oven and let it cool down completely.
Prepare the syrup for the ekmek kataifi.
 Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a small pot and bring to the boil. Simmer the syrup of 3 minutes (without stirring), until slightly thickened and remove from the stove. Leave the syrup aside to cool down for a while and pour it slowly over the cold baked kataifi pastry, enabling each ladle to be absorbed.  Spread evenly the half amount of your chopped nuts and the cinnamon and Set aside to cool down for a while.
For the custard
Add in a pot all the ingredients except the eggs and butter, and whisk until you have a cream . Remove from fire and add the butter and the eggs, stirring constantly. Cover the kataifi base with the custard cream using a spatula.
For the whipped cream
Put the cold heavy cream into a mixer’s bowl, add the icing sugar and whisk on high speed for about 2-3 minutes.
Cover the top of  the ekmek kataifi with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the other half amount of your chopped walnuts and a pinch of cinnamon.
Store the ekmek kataifi in the fridge and serve it cold.



Τετάρτη 21 Οκτωβρίου 2015

Salmon

This is a wonderful way to prepare fresh salmon fillets in the pan, You can serve them either with baked baby potatos or with a green salad. I'll show you both options, and it's up to you which one you will go for.

Well salmon fillets may be a little expensive but they 're sooo rich and delicious. Salmon is a popular food. Classified as an oily fish, salmon is considered to be healthy due to the fish's high protein, high omega-3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D.

Let's see the ingredients:

  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • half glass of white wine
  • 1 clove garlic
  • salt, pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 fresh onions
  • 2 lemons
  • 1kg baby popatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • honey
  • salt pepper
  • olive oil
  • oregano
  • green salad(mixed)
  • carrot
  • red pepper
  • 1 pomegranate
Directions
Marinate the fillets in mustard, the zest of a lemon, and refrigerate for an hour before cooking.Put the butter in the pan with the garlic (cut in half) and let it warm up. Then add the olive  oil (2 tablespoons for each fillet). Then add the salmon and leave it for 4 minutes each side to cook. (Does not need more). The salmon is ready when its color become light pink. At that time we poor the wine. We leave it for 1-2 minutes and then our fillets are ready.
Now for the potatos.
Wash the potatoes thoroughly so that no soil is left and do not peel off. After putting oil into the pan, put a clove garlic. Put the potatoes, honey, juice of one lemon salt,pepper and oregano and some water (half a cup) and bake for 30-40 minutes depending on size at 180 oC.

You can also use some yogurt mixed with parsley, salt, pepper, olive oil as a sauce above the salmon' fillets.
For the salad
Chooze whatever green salad you prefer, cut the carrot into thin peels. After that, cut the red pepper into julienne pieces.Also cut the fresh onions in small pieces. Use olive oil, balsamic, salt,honey and mustard if you like. Then mix all the ingredients together. And at the end add the pomegranate.





Κυριακή 18 Οκτωβρίου 2015

Zebra cake



    Everybody is familiar with chocolate and vanilla cakes orr  marble cakes whose taste reminds us of our childhood. Today we gonna show a different way of making the classic choco-vanilla cake of our childhood and this way is....a zebra cake. Still a bit warm, along with  a cup of cold milk, zebra cake always makes a delicious treat. 




Ingredients

Makes about 10 servings(maybe more it depends

  • 4 eggs
  • 200g sugar
  • 200g butter at room temperature
  • 240 ml milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla 
  • 375g all-purpose-flour 
  • 10 g baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt






For the chocolate batter
  • 3 tbsp (25g) cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup (50ml) milk
  • 1 tbsp (15g) sugar







Directions


1. Grease and line with parchment paper, a 24 cm  round cake pan. Preheat oven at 180o C.

2. Whisk together in a large bowl the dry ingredients, flour salt and baking powder.




3. In another bowl mix the cocoa powder with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp of sugar.




after mixing all the ingredients together.

4. Mix butter with sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla. 





 5. With the mixer on low, add gradually milk and flour in the mixture until all is well incorporated. 


final mixture

6. Remove two cups of the batter and mix them with the chocolate batter. 



final mixure


7. Use one tablespoon for each batter to create the layers of batter on the prepared pan. Begin from the middle of the pan, take one spoon of white batter then over it add a spoon of chocolate batter and repeat this steps until all batter has been used. 








8. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.


9. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pan. 

10. Serve as it is or top with chocolate glaze.





Πέμπτη 15 Οκτωβρίου 2015

Fluffy pancakes

That's an easy one.
Learn how to make fluffy American pancakes at home. These pancakes are delicious for breakfast or as a dessert. They can be served with jam, fruits, honey, whipped cream, chocolate, maple syrup, or whatever you like!

▼ INGREDIENTS LIST:

- (ingredients for 8-10 pancakes) 

- 180 g  of all-purpose flour
- 2 medium eggs
- 50 g  of melted butter
- 275 ml of milk
- 50 g of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 small packet of baking powder (16 g )
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for the pan)


I served them with a choco sauce and a medium banana.

▼ DIRECTIONS:

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well. Butter must be melt. With a table spoon we take a small portion from the butter and we pour it in the pan. As soon as we see the surface has bubbles we flip it from the other side. After a minute our pancake is ready.