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Croatian Honey Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes, Croatian, Traditional .

Croatian Honey Cake

Croatian Honey Cake recipe
Croatian Honey cake is a very popular traditional desserts in Croatia, where it is most popularly eaten at Christmas time (though is also commonly eaten as a special treat anytime of the year).
Much like many traditional treats this cake has many versions. After experimenting with a few recipe versions below is my altered favorite where I have toned down the sweetness just a bit as the honey can be very overpowering. This cake will melt in your mouth and is absolutely delicious. It may take a few steps to make but it is well worth the effort and wait!
Croatian Honey Cake recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 400g plain flour
  • 1tbsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 45ml milk
  • 45ml oil
  • 15g honey
  • 140g sugar
  • 1 Egg

Filling:

  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 500ml milk
  • 70g honey
  • 60 g sugar
  • 6 tbsn semolina
  • 150g butter
  • 130g dark chocolate

Syrup:

  • 70g sugar
  • 80g water
  • 50ml rum

 

Method:

  1. Put the milk, oil, honey and sugar into a saucepan on a high heat and stir until the sugar has melted.
  2. Pour the honey mix into a bowl and leave aside to cool.
  3. Sift the flour and bicarb into the honey bowl.
  4. Add the egg to the mix and using your hands kneed all ingredients until well combine and soft.
  5. Wrap the cake batter in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
  6. Meanwhile make the filling by placing the vanilla essence, milk, honey and sugar into a saucepan and heat on high until boiling.
  7. Take the mix off the heat add the semolina and place back on the heat until the semolina is thick and the liquid is all absorbed.
  8. Divide the semolina mix into 2 bowls, 1 with 1/3 of the mix and 1 with 2/3 of the mix.
  9. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute on medium or until melted.
  10. Add the chocolate into the smaller bowl of semolina and beat with a hand whisk until combine.
  11. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap.
  12. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees.
  13. Make the cake by lining 2 40cm x 30cm baking trays with baking paper.
  14. Cut the mix in half and roll each piece onto the baking paper precut to the tins in size until they both fit in the tins snug.
  15. Bake both cakes for 5 minutes until pale but firm to touch.
  16. Cut both layers in half and leave aside to cool.
  17. Meanwhile make the syrup by placing all the ingredients into a saucepan on high heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
  18. To put the cake together line a 15cm x 15cm cake tin with baking paper.
  19. Cut the 4 cake layers to size to fit the tin perfectly.
  20. Place one cake layer in the lined tin and brush ¼ of the syrup on the cake layer.
  21. Add half the honey filling and spoon onto the cake layer in the tin, flatten.
  22. Add the 2nd cake layer and brush with ¼ of the syrup.
  23. Add the chocolate filling and flatten out.
  24. Top with the next cake layer and brush with ¼ syrup.
  25. Add the remaining honey filling and top with the last cake layer.
  26. Brush the top cake layer with the remaining syrup.
  27. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to set.
  28. Turn the cake onto a plate and trim the sides to ensure even layers are visible.
  29. Cut the cake into long slices and dust with icing sugar, enjoy.

 

Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Croatian Honey Cake recipe

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Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

Posted on Posted in Pudding .

Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

This recipe is a mix between a rice pudding and porridge that can be eaten as a satisfying breakfast or a quick and easy dessert.

I eat porridge for breakfast quite frequently and also enjoy a sweet coconut rice pudding for dessert.

To my porridge I like to experiment by replacing the oats with similar ingredients such as chia seeds, sago or quinoa flakes. To take my experimenting to the next level I decided to use semolina instead of the oats in porridge or the rice in rice pudding.

For the flavouring I opted for apple and cinnamon – an oldie but a goodie.

After playing around with the recipe I decided that caramelized apple slices on top of the pudding and beautiful vanilla & cinnamon cooked into the semolina delivered the best taste result.

To add more depth I topped the pudding with a burnt honey sauce and roasted nuts for the satisfying crunch texture.

If you’re after a delightful creamy and moreish breakfast option or a sweet way to finish a meal this recipe will have you covered.

Why this recipe makes the website – the result I ended up with blew my expectations. I could but the spoon down!

 

Ingredients:

Pudding:

  • 600ml milk
  • 60g sugar
  • 1 tsn cinnamon
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 70g semolina
  • 15g butter

Apples:

  • 2 apples
  • 40g butter
  • 2 tbsn maple syrup
  • ½ tsn cinnamon

Extra:

  • 80g honey
  • 40g water
  • 80g mixed almond/hazelnut/brazil/macadamia nuts

 

Method:

  1. Place the milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla into a saucepan on a high heat.
  2. Whisk the mix until it boils.
  3. Add in the semolina and butter, stir and reduce the heat down to simmer.
  4. Whisk continuously until the milk is soaked up by the semolina and the mix thickens (about 15 minutes).
  5. Remove off heat and divide the mix up between 4 bowls.
  6. Peel the apples and thick julienne cut them.
  7. Place the apple in a saucepan on high heat along with the 40g butter, maple syrup and ½ tsn cinnamon.
  8. Stir with a spoon until the apples caramelize and are slightly soft.
  9. Spoon the apples over the semolina pudding.
  10. Place the honey a saucepan on high heat for 1 minute or until it darkens in colour.
  11. Add the 40g water and stir until the mix slightly reduces and is syrupy in consistency.
  12. Spoon the honey over the pudding.
  13. Top with finely diced nuts and enjoy.

 

Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

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Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

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Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

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Cinnamon Apple and Burnt Honey Semolina Pudding

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Semolina Spiced Mini Cakes

Posted on Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes .

Semolina Spiced Mini Cakes

Semolina Spiced Mini Cakes recipe

Recently I have been playing a lot with syrups for cakes, which has resulted in quite some playing with a variation of spices and essence (some I am familiar with and some not so much).

One of the syrups I made up was so amazing that I decided to create a cake purely based on the key spices and essence.

After thinking about what cake foundations would best hold and complement my new favourite spices and essences I ended up deciding on a semolina (almost polenta) cake.

It did take me 3 tries to get to this final recipe:

Attempt 1 –  was to produce a thin syrup, which just overtook the cake and flooded it.

Attempt 2 – was to make the syrup more of a caramel consistency, almost to a praline level. This just didn’t suit the cake, it needed to have an ‘icing’ element that would work with the strong spices and tone down the sickly sweetness.

Attempt 3 –I gave up on the syrup idea and decided that this cake would be best eaten with ice-cream and cream as it would work wonders with the strong moist richness of the cake. Therefore whipped up some cream and success!

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 180g butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla
  • 1 tsn cinnamon
  • 1 tsn cardamom
  • ½ tsn star anise
  • 6 threads of saffron
  •  ½ tsn rosewater essence
  • 240g natural yoghurt
  • 1 cup semolina
  • ½ cup self raising flour
  • ½ tsn baking powder

Topping:

  • 300g cream
  • 2 + ½ tbsn icing sugar

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and fill 2 x 12 cupcake tin trays with cupcake liners/cases.
  2. Using electric beaters beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, rosewater, saffron diced and star anise until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the yoghurt, semolina, flour and baking powder and beat until the mix is just combine.
  4. Spoon the mix into the 24 cupcake patties.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  6. Remove the cakes from the tin and place on a cooling tray until cold.
  7. Meanwhile to make the topping whip the cream and sugar in a bowl with electric beaters until peaks form.
  8. Using a piping bag and star nozzle pipe the cream on the top of the cold cake.
  9. Remove the cakes from the patty cases and sprinkle with a little cinnamon on top.

 

Notes:

  • I have decorated the cakes with a sugar almond on top.

 

Semolina Spiced Mini Cakes recipe

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Semolina Spiced Mini Cakes recipe

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Kahlua and Butterscotch schnapps Cake

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Orange Blossom Semolina Syrup Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Orange Blossom Semolina Syrup Cake

Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

This cake incorporates unique flavors and ingredients that when combine produce the most amazingly textured and tasting cake.

The texture of the semolina, taste of the orange blossom and crunch of the almond meal/flakes creates a cake that will melt in your mouth. Add the orange syrup and you would swear the cake has just come out of a Greek nonna’s kitchen.

The orange blossom delivers a special twist on top of the orange syrup for a unique rare luscious flavor.

Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

Ingredients:

  • 125g butter
  • 110g sugar
  • 2 tbsn orange zest
  • 1 + ½ tbsn orange blossom water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup semolina
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 40g flaked almonds
  • 2 tbsn extra sugar
  • 200ml thickened cream

Syrup:

  • 110g sugar
  • 330ml orange juice (approx. 5 Oranges – use the same orange for the zest)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 23cm spring form cake tin.
  2. Beat butter and sugar with electric beaters in a bowl until thick and pale.
  3. Add the zest and blossom water, and beat until combine.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time beating in between each addition.
  5. Stir in the semolina, almond meal and baking powder until well combine.
  6. Spoon cake batter into the cake tin and flatten out with the back of the spoon.
  7. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on the top, and then sprinkle the extra sugar.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  9. Leave in the cake tin and using the skewer poke small holes in the top of the cake.
  10. To make the syrup place the sugar and orange juice into a sauce pan stirring on high until the mix bubbles. Turn to medium for 5 minutes or until the mix thickened up and turns syrupy.
  11. Pour the syrup over the top of the cake, evenly covering all areas.
  12. Whip the cream until thick and peaks form.
  13. Remove the cake from the tin and serve warm with a dollop of the cream on the side.

 

Notes:

  •  When flattering out the cake batter allow for more batter around the sides of the cake so when it rises the centre will not peak.

 

Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

Ingredients

Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

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Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

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Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

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Orange Blossom Semolina Cake recipe

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Maamool

Posted on Posted in Arabic, Traditional .

 Maamool

Maamool recipe

In my constant exploring and investigating for amazing worldly sweet treats I came across the Maamool biscuit (or Ma’amoul). These biscuits are Arabic traditional small shortbread pastries filled with dates or nuts.

As they are popular in so many courtiers (etc Lebanon, the Middle East and North Arica) you can imagine there are many varying recipes, particularly when it comes to the actually biscuit (cookie) dough. So I started comparing and researching recipes until I identified a few that seems to be quite consistent in ingredients and methods.

These biscuits are not my usual sweet treat fix as they are not very sweet but the fact they are predominately used for religious festivals was very interesting to me. Muslims eat these treats during holidays, and Arabic-speaking Christians eat them at Easter. So to have this much importance to cultures made me really keen to make them myself.

In my option below is the easiest and tastiest biscuit recipe (which I’ve adapted) and 2 filling options (also adapted), though the date one is by far the tastier.

Maamool recipe

Ingredients:

Biscuit dough:

  • 4.5 cups fine semolina
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups butter, melted
  •  4 tsp orange blossom water
  •  4 tsp rose water
  • 1/4 water

Date Filling:

  • 2 cup chopped pitted dates
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsn orange blossom water
  • 2 tsn rose water

Nut Filling

  • 2 cups almond (or walnuts / pistachios)
  • 100g sugar
  • 2 tsn orange blossom water
  • 2 tsn rose water

 

Method:

  1. Mix all the dough ingredients together in a bowl, massaging with slightly wet hands until the mix is combined well.
  2. Knead for 5 minutes to form a soft ball.
  3. Leave mixture in a bowl covered overnight (or at least 5 hours) to rest. This will allow the semolina to swell and soften up.
  4. After the mix has been left overnight line 2 large baking trays with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 175c.
  5. If your making the date mix:
    1. Prepare the date filling by placing all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir on low until the dates are softened and the ingredients are combining.
    2. Place in a food processor and process until the mix is smooth then form into small balls (the size or a 5 cent piece or 15g).
  6. If your making the nut mix:
    1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to semi-coarse consistency.
    2. Using your hands massage the ingredients together until well combined.
  7. Roll dough into 30g sized balls the size of golf balls.
  8. Stuff the cookies by place your finger in the middle to form a hole in the ball and place the date balls inside / or spoon 15g of the nut mixture inside.
  9. Gently close up dough ball and seal and roll to be a ball again.
    1. If you are using the traditional Maamool mold place the ball into the mold and gently pat down to mold. Tap the mold onto a bench to remove the biscuit.
  10. Place Maamool onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until just about to get a little brown.
  11. Once cooled sift icing sugar onto the Maamool.

 

Notes:

  • Maamoul’s can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 weeks or can be frozen for up to 3 months. The airtight container is important as without it they will go dry.
  • You can also use a metal cookie cutter instead of the mold.
  • You can flour the mold and tap out excess flour if you are worried about the dough sticking.
  • You can place a design on the top with a folk if you are not using a mold.
  • These biscuits don’t rise so 1cm apart if perfectly fine.
  • If the dough is crumbly you have used too much butter.
  • If you have used too little butter or you over-bake they will be crunchy and crack.

Maamool recipe

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Maamool recipe

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Maamool recipe

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Maamool recipe

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