Scrumptious Baklava Balls Inspired by Mastic

Being Greek, I have always grown up eating baklava, comparing different versions and perfecting my own recipe along the years and reinventing the taste in the likes of ice cream or cupcakes. But never, ever, did I ever imagine a baklava ball - as in a 'health' ball that tastes exactly like backlava ... That was until my most recent visit to George Calombaris' healthy wholefoods cafe Mastic. 

Firstly, as a Melbournian I take pride in my city's renowned cafe culture, but this cafe really knows how to do insanely good coffee and the most scrumptious healthy food. Whilst there, I had the most beautiful beetroot, farro, cauliflower and quinoa salad. If you've seen my post about George's Cypriot Grain Salad, you know that I think that is an exceptional salad, but seriously after eating this, I have to say that it gets demoted to second place and first place is certainly replaced by this one. 

But anyway, this post isn't about the beetroot salad. It's about the baklava balls, which I discovered at the counter just as we were about to pay. There was no way my curiosity would let me say no to trying them out ... maybe 'trying out' isn't the right word, as I breathed in, inhaled, examined and adored every single morsel with a pen and paper by my side so I could jot down everything I could taste; the nuttiness of almonds, walnuts and pistachios, the spiciness of cinnamon, and the delicate sweetness of honey. And if their interior wasn't good enough, they were also coated in white chocolate, which took my smile to a whole new planet. 

So after, playing around and adjusting ratios of ingredients, I truly think I mastered Mastic' baklava balls. I have no idea if the recipe resembles theirs but I can certainly say that the taste and texture are on point. 

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup almonds

1 1/3 cup walnuts

1/3 cup pistachios (plus 1/4 cup crushed pistachios for decoration)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup roasted almond butter (I made my own by roasting almonds and processing them in a food processor until peanut butter consistency)

1/3 cup tahini

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla essence

200g lindt white chocolate for coating

Method: 

Process all the ingredients, except for the white chocolate, in a food processor until the mixture forms a rollable dough consistency. The easiest way to ensure you don't over beat or under beat the mix, is to pulse it several times and continually check it, taking out some dough and testing whether you can roll it into a ball. 

Once ready, take a small tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Place on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and allow the balls to rest in the fridge for half an hour. 

Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. White chocolate is highly temperamental when melting, so keep an eye on it at all times and ensure that the water is never boiling. If there are still a few remaining lumps left, this is the best point to take the bowl off the heat and allow the white choc to continue melting on the counter. 

Gently coat the balls in the white choc and place back on the greaseproof paper. Place the balls back into the refrigerator for half an hour. Don't worry, they are going to look quite ugly at this stage, because surprisingly, white chocolate is very thin, so they will need two coats to look beautiful.

Take the balls out of the fridge. If the white chocolate, has solidified a bit, just put it back over the simmering water to melt a bit. Coat the balls once more, sprinkling pistachios on top.

Place in the fridge to allow chocolate to solidify! And enjoy! 

Tsoureki - Greek-style Brioche

Tomorrow is a very special day in the Christian calendar as it the nameday for the Virgin Mary. Given that my mum is called Maria, it just so happens to be her nameday! So, I guess I had to make her one of her favourite things in the world which is usually only made for Easter – this Greek-style brioche, which we call tsoureki.

Seriously, this sweet bread is deathly good. You don’t even have to eat it to feel sinful. Walking into the house and smelling it bake evokes indulgent ideas of eating it that should be considered a crime! If you haven’t figured it out already, I guess it’s not only my mum who loves it, but moi aussi!

It definitely takes a bit of TLC to make and some patience, but when you see those detailed pull apart lines, tempting you to pull it to pieces (the only way to eat it if you ask me), it is worth every bit of time you spent making it and dreaming about it.

Mahlepi or mahleb is the crucial aromatic spice in this bread and can be found at Greek or Middle Eastern delis.

This particular recipe was inspired by a beautiful blog called My Little expat Kitchen. I have added vanilla and orange and lemon rind as well as a bit of cinnamon as I love the combination of these flavours – and they remind me of the Mediterranean. But I definitely suggest you read her post as it has beautiful step-by-step pictures which may help you if it is your first time testing this one out J

http://mylittleexpatkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/tsoureki.html

1150g strong white bread flour

84g fresh yeast (or 22g dried yeast)

250 ml fresh, whole milk, lukewarm

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

400g caster sugar

9g sea salt

2 teaspoons mahlepi

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Finely grated zest of 2 oranges and 1 lemon

5 medium-sized eggs, at room temperature

230g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 egg for glazing the tsourekia

Flaked almonds to sprinkle on top

Nutella (optional)

In a small bowl, add 200ml of the milk, 2 tbsp of the sugar, 2 tbsp of flour and stir in the dry yeast (or crumble in the fresh yeast if that is what you are using). Allow the bowl to sit in a draft free area (I place mine in a turned-off oven) and allow it to rest for half an hour in order to activate the yeast. You will know the yeast has activated if there are bubbles on the surface. 

In the meantime, in the bowl of your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, sugar, salt, mahlepi, cinnamon and rinds. Stir the ingredients with a whisk and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs, the rest of the lukewarm milk, half of the melted butter, vanilla and the yeast mixture. 

Start the machine on the lowest setting, until the ingredients come together as a dough. Add the rest of the melted butter gradually. Increase the speed setting one notch higher and  allow the mixer to knead the dough for 8 – 9 minutes. If you’re kneading by hand, you’ll need to knead the dough for approximately 15 minutes. The best way to tell if the dough is ready is if it no longer sticks to your bowl and hands and if has adopted a glossy shine. In texture, it should also be smooth and elastic. 

Cover the dough with clean kitchen towel or glad wrap and leave in a warm place to proof for around 4 hours.

Once proofed, empty the dough onto a clean working surface and knead with your hands for 1-2 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. I like to weigh my dough and ensure my portions are equally divided (but that's just because I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so you don't have to do this part). Take each piece of dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces.

Shape each of the 3 pieces into a 25cm long rope. Connect the 3 ropes on one end and plait them as you would plait hair, making sure not to braid too tight otherwise they will not have room to rise. Tuck the ends underneath and gently transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat with the remaining dough to make another 3 tsourekia.

If you wish to fill the tsourekia with nutella, how I do it, is I take the piece of dough and roll it out first using a rolling pin to be 25cm long and 6cm wide. I then smooth over some nutella on the lower third and gently fold the dough over the nutella to envelope it inside and gently pinch the edges. I do this with the other two pieces as well, and then plait the tsoureki as above.

Allow the tsourekia to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 160 degrees fan-forced. In a small bowl, beat the egg, add a tad of milk and gently brush over the proofed tsourekia. Sprinkle with almond flakes. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, then cover with a piece of aluminium foil as they will brown quite quickly on top and bake for 15 – 20 minutes more to ensure that they cook through (there is nothing worst than a doughy tsoureki). They should have a golden-brown colour.

Allow to cool slightly on the baking trays, then move the tsourekia onto a wire rack to cool completely (or if you are like me a little bit and then rip them a part whilst they are hot and make yourself a coffee so you can be transported to heaven!).

Homemade Ricotta

I have been dying to make ricotta for about 2 months now. I even bought a muslin cheesecloth 7 weeks ago with the intention to make it. But I didn’t just want to make it without using it and making it even more scrumptious than it is.

So, when I had a dream the other night of fresh pasta sheets layered with roasted pumpkin, spinach, pinenuts and dollops if fresh ricotta, I knew that the time had come for me to pull out that cheesecloth, herd the cows in and make this beautiful cheese.

I love cheese. In fact, my mum fears going to the deli because she knows how much she has to spend on cheese just to satisfy my need. I adore the scent, I relish in the taste and I love trying new flavours and textures. Everything about cheese is oh so perfect! And I don’t care who knows about this infatuation of mine. I was shopping for shoes the other day whilst on the phone with my mum who was consulting me as to which cheese to buy, when I said (rather loudly I admit) “ get heaps, get everything … I love cheese and we can never have too much!” This proclamation received me a head-to-toe appraisal from some woman who smirked to herself for what reason I don’t know but her forthright sizing up did receive a not so subtle eye-roll from me.

So trust me, when I say that this ricotta is absolutely beautiful. The taste is not like any fresh ricotta I have ever bought at a deli. It is far more buttery and creamier and much more tasty! When it was warm, I smothered it over some toasted ciabatta and drizzled honey on top and was in a state of euphoria for some precious moments. Gosh, I’m salivating just reminiscing on that experience.

Plus, it is super, super easy! Never again will I buy ricotta and I think the start of my cheese-making days have just begun! Next mission – chèvre …. mhhmmmm

8 cups (2 litres) full cream milk

1 cup full fat cream

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 lemons freshly squeezed)

In a large saucepan heat the milk, cream and salt over medium heat until a roiling boil (i.e. lots of bubbles), stirring occasionally to prevent the milk scalding the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon juice and stir constantly for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to rest for 5 – 10 minutes until more curds have firmed. If you don’t feel that enough of the milk has separated from they whey then add more lemon juice.

Line a large strainer with a cheesecloth and place this in a large mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into it and allow it to strain. Tie the edges of the cheesecloth up and tie it to the sink’s tap to strain for 30 minutes to 1 hour. It should be beautifully firm and creamy when done. If not using straight away, put it in the fridge. It will last for up to 2 days.

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Jam and Whipped Cream Frosting

When Food and Wine published this recipe by Ina Garten, she declared that “this is the most fabulous chocolate cake that I’ve ever made.” Now, that is quite a bold statement coming from one of America’s most delightful cooks whom I use to wake up at 5am for to watch Barefoot Contessa. So, knowing that she said that about this cake, it didn’t take a lot of convincing for me to decide that this would be my mum’s mother’s day cake.

Now, I’ve made a lot of chocolate cakes but I have to say Ina Garten is right – this is truly the most fabulous homemade chocolate cake. The evidence (1) it didn’t even last 24 hours in my home, (2) my dad took his own self-initiative to cut himself I kid you not a quarter of the cake (3) my mum wants me to make it again this weekend (4) one of my closest friend’s said I made her day and sent her to heaven …. So you could say it went down pretty well.

I decided to pair this cake with a raspberry jam that I am obsessed with from the Melbourne Uni Farmer’s Market. I have been buying one 500g jar of this jam every week for the last couple of months now and my family and I are still yet to get sick of it. Once you try fresh, homemade jam like this made with fresh raspberries, paying $9 for a jar is totally worthwhile plus the intangible benefit of supporting a local producer is a very special feeling as well.

So make sure you pair this cake with an incredible jam – your favourite jam. And the whipped cream icing is so fluffy and smooth, complementing the richness of the cake and fruitiness of the raspberries.

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened, dutch processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed coffee (add it whilst it is still hot)

300ml heavy cream, well chilled

½ cup sifted icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Your favourite raspberry jam

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter one large round cake tin and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a bowl, whisk the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45mins to 1 hour, placing a bit of parchment paper over it if it begins to brown too soon. Don’t take it out until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for one hour. Invert the cake onto a cake stand.

For the whipped cream frosting, place the bowl of your mixer and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 20 mins in advance. Beat the cream in the chilled bowl until frothy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla gradually while beating. Whip until light and a thick enough consistency to pipe onto the cake. Use immediately.

Once the cake is cool, spread a generous amount of the jam on top of the cake. Using the star nozzle attachment pipe the frosting on top of the jam and on the sides of the cake. Dress with little sugar flowers and it will be a cake to remember!

Viennese Whirls

Last week was mother’s day and to celebrate this incredibly special day I cooked and cooked and cooked all of my mum’s favourite things.

My mum might get teased by my dad for eating biscuits for breakfast, cake for lunch and chocolate before dinner, but her sweet tooth has most certainly permeated her whole being as she is truly the sweetest, most loving and kindest woman I know.

It was probably one of the most memorable mother’s days in a very longtime. A morning filled with my brother and I cooking with the tunes of Bridget Jones’ Diary over the speakers. An afternoon filled with eating and good conversation. And an evening filled with at home ballroom dancing to Barry White and Michael Buble thanks to my brother’s infectious energy and love for dancing.

Now, onto these biscuits … My mum asked for biscuits and biscuits she got. But they were no ordinary biscuits. These Viennese Whirls are super buttery and that shines through in their delicate and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Once filled with good quality raspberry jam and dunked in dark chocolate topped with shaved coconut they become the most moreish and sinfully addictive biscuits to mankind.

The biggest danger of these Viennese Whirls is just how easy they are to make. Give yourself 30 minutes and two trays will be in the oven and you’ll already be washing up. So, dangerous indeed. And just in case you have those 30 minutes on hand at the moment, I’ll let you chop to it and whip up these beauties!

Oh and I must say this recipe is inspired from Katie at Katie Cakes – she has an awesome blog and it is definitely worth a look at: http://iheartkatiecakes.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/viennese-whirls.html#.VVh9CVWqqko

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter, very soft

250g plain flour

50g icing sugar

50g cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

raspberry jam for filling

100g dark chocolate, melted

½ cup shaved coconut for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C and line 3 baking trays with parchment paper.

Place the butter, sugar and flours into a food processor and pulse to combine. Once the dough starts to come together scrape the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe whirls of dough onto the lined baking tray.

Bake cookies for 15 – 20 minutes or until just golden and allow to cool on he tray. Once cool sandwich the cookies together using jam. Dip half the biscuit in the dark chocolate and top with the shaved coconut. Make a nice cup of cookie or a beautiful tea and delve in!

Hot Cross Buns

I guess it’s actually a good thing that I didn’t make these hot cross buns beforehand, because if I had, well I would’ve been making them every couple of days leading up to Easter - they are just that good. And well, we know how that would’ve ended – my mum, dad and brother all weighing themselves on the scales and blaming me for the weight gain. It’s not my fault that I love baking and well… they love eating … or is it?

But, let’s be honest it isn’t Easter unless you’ve delved in and ripped apart a warm hot cross bun, smothered it with butter and let the softness crumble against your mouth. And that is exactly what I did as soon as these precious babies came out of the oven. This recipe is from my well-trusted, artisanal Bread mentor Paul Hollywood. Give him dough and he will turn it into gold. This recipe, is no different – the end result; perfectly round and pertly risen domes, glistening with a honey coating and studded with black jewels of sultanas. The addition of apple ensures that the dough remains soft and the orange zest lends it a beautiful citrus tang. And how could I forget the tantalising scent of cinnamon that fills the buns and infuses the home whilst they bake … oh so yumm!

If my poetic descriptions aren’t enough to seduce you, I suggest you put your qualms to rest and start baking them instantly. This recipe is seriously fool proof and there is nothing more therapeutic than kneading dough – especially when the result is so sweet. I should also mention that these hot cross buns have a wonderfully soft texture but not that artificial softness that you’d get from a store bought version (God forbid).

I wish you all a very Happy Easter, filled with laugh, laughter and good food. And remember the special person for which we celebrate this special day.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and srink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

                                                                    Ecclesiastes 9:7

For the Buns:

300ml whole milk

500g strong white flour

75g caster sugar

1 tsp salt

7g (2 tsp) fast-action yeast

50g butter, cut into small cubes

1 free-range egg, beaten

150g sultanas

80g mixed peel

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces

2 oranges, zest only

2 tsp ground cinnamon

sunflower oil, for greasing the bowl

For the Cross:

75g plain flour

Water

For the Glaze

3 tbsp honey (or apricot jam)

Bring the milk to the boil and then remove from the heat and leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, butter and egg together in a bowl, then slowly add the warmed milk until it forms a soft, sticky dough.

Add the sultanas, mixed peel, chopped apple, orange zest and cinnamon, then tip out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for five minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave it to rise for approximately one hour, or until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 16 even pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured surface. Arrange the buns on a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving enough space so that the buns just touch when they rise and expand. Set aside to prove for another hour.

Heat the oven to 205°C. For the cross, mix the flour with about 4 – 5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, adding the water one tablespoon at a time, so that you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven or until golden-brown. If the buns begin to brown too quickly, place a sheet of baking paper on top,

Gently heat the honey, until it becomes runny. While the honey is still hot, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Gently rip the buns apart to serve (with butter of course!), revealing temptingly soft edges.

Mini Lemon, Almond & Coconut Friands

I am a self-diagnosed hopeless romantic. And by hopeless, I mean hopeless. If someone even mentions the word wedding, my ears perk up. Not to mention, I have had a scrapbook for my own wedding since I was 12. And don’t even get me started on romance films, whether they be tragic or comedic – front row seat please! So, it was no surprise that I hardly slept a wink the night before my family friend’s Bridal Shower. Yep, that’s right, it wasn’t even my own Bridal Shower (God forbid I’m still far too young!) and I was too excited to get my beauty rest. As soon as the clock ticked 5, I waltzed into the kitchen, pumped myself up with an early morning cooking show, a bowl of muesli and a cup of tea, before I got my baking groove on and made these adorably pretty little Friands.

Now, this was no ordinary Bridal Shower. Firstly, the garden setting was an oasis, with handmade dangling pots of flowers and a garden eerily similar to paradise. But the food - the food was an incredible stand out. There was homemade mini spanakopites, tahini pides, rolled sushi, zucchini fritters, prawn cocktails, salmon bagels … um and did I mention the baguettes with various cured and smoked meats and gourmet cheeses … scrumpdidillyumptious!  And that was only the savoury! If the garden was paradise then the dessert table was nirvana. There was a small delicacy from every part of the globe, each sublime in its own right, but I must admit my mini friands definitely held their ground and were a hit. If I recall correctly, one lady got a plate filled up with friands and told the lady adjacent to her, who was staring pointedly at her plate ‘What? These were my favourite…’

Truly, it was no surprise that everything (including every morsel of food) and everyone was so beautiful, given that it was hosted by three of the most stunning women I know. I seriously worry for all future Bridal Showers as the risk of paling in comparison is just too high. In fact, I could probably dedicate this whole post to the Bridal Shower itself, but I couldn’t bear to keep these little beauties from you any longer.

I doubled the dose of this recipe and made 70 mini friands. But if you don’t need to make that many or would like to make larger ones keep the recipe as is (makes 8 – 10 larger friands). These are the perfect little treat for a feminine function, that’s not to say that men won’t adore them, as my dad ate 5 before I could slap his hands away. I guess it is just too hard to resist the delicate combination of lemon, almond and coconut and the soft texture of these beautiful creatures. So, it’s time to put that apron on and get baking ;)

For the Friands:

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

¼ teaspoon coconut essence/extract

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

150 grams Almond Meal

50 grams desiccated coconut

1 cup icing sugar

⅓ cup plain flour

5 egg whites, lightly whisked (ensure they are at room temp. before using)

150 unsalted butter, melted

For the Icing:

½ cup icing sugar

Juice and rind of ½ a lemon

50 grams shaved coconut

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180^°C and lightly grease a friand baking tray – or cupcake tray.

In a medium bowl of an electric mixer, sift the flour and icing sugar. Stir to combine. Add the lemon rind and juice, almond meal and the coconut and vanilla essence and gently mix to combine. Add the egg whites and mix on a low speed until well combined and smooth (note this can also be done by hand using a metal spoon or rubber spatula). Slowly poor the melted butter into the mixture and mix until combined and smooth. 

Fill the friand mould ¾ full with the mixture and bake for around 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tray before transferring to a wire rack. 

In the meantime, to make the icing place the icing sugar in a small mixing bowl and gradually add the lemon juice, until you achieve your desired consistency. It should be smooth, slightly thick and spreadable but definitely not runny.

In a separate bowl, mix together the shaved coconut and lemon rind.

Gently dip the friands into the icing and sprinkle with the coconut and lemon rind mix. These friands will keep fresh for 4 days in an airtight container, but it’s unlikely they’ll last in your house that long!