Baklava Loaf

Baklava Loaf

80ml blanched almonds
80ml blanched walnuts
30ml brown sugar
7,5ml ground cinnamon
750ml self-raising flour
80g butter, cubed
300ml milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Honey Syrup:
190ml sugar
60ml honey
125ml water

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 10cm x 21cm loaf pan with baking paper.
Add the almonds and walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.
Spoon the nuts into a bowl and add the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Mix through and then spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a small bowl. Set both bowls aside.
Sift the flour in to a mixing bowl and add the butter.
Rub the butter and flour together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre and add the 250ml of milk.
Mix with a flat-bladed knife until it forms a soft dough – add a few drops of milk at a time if the mixture needs more liquid.
Flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Gently knead the dough until it JUST comes together.
Now place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll to a 20cm x 35cm rectangle.
Brush the surface with the egg and scatter over the nuts.
Start from a short end and roll up like a Swiss roll.
Place in the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour.
Stand in the pan for 10 minute, remove from the baking tin and place on a cooling rack to cool.

For the syrup:
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook the mixture for 5 minutes while stirring.
Now boil it without stirring for another 5 minutes and take it from the heat.
Pierce the top of the warm loaf with a skewer and drizzle half the syrup over.
Sprinkle the reserved two tablespoons nut mixture over the cake and stand for another 10 minutes.
Serve the Baklava Loaf sliced with the remaining syrup.

Easy Turkish Delight

Easy Turkish Delight

It is best not to attempt making Turkish delight when rainy – the moisture in the air prevents the sweets from setting properly.

50ml water
45ml powdered gelatine
300ml water
100ml red grape juice, store bought
450g sugar
1ml citric acid (you will find it in the baking isle)
5ml rose water
50ml cornstarch
25ml icing sugar

Line a 28cm x 18cm container with plastic wrap. Leave an overhang of the plastic so that you can lift the Turkish delight out of the tin once it has set. (2 x 14cmx9cm Tupperware containers also work well)
Pour the 50ml water in to a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Pour the 300ml water and grape juice in to a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat.
Add the sugar and citric acid and stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Bring it to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Melt the gelatine by placing it in the microwave for 5 second bursts at a time – it should be liquid.
Remove the grape juice mixture from the heat and drizzle in the melted gelatine . Mix well and set aside until the mixture is at room temperature.
Add the rose water, mix through and pour in to the prepared container.
Refrigerate for 8 hours.

Lift the Turkish delight from its container, pull off the plastic wrap and slice into even-sized squares.
Sift the cornstarch and icing sugar together and roll the Turkish delight in it.
Place it on a pretty serving dish and be the star of the show!!

Beef Kebabs / Shish Kabob

Beef Kebabs / Shish Kabob

12 skewers
2kg beef, cut into 2cm cubes
60ml soy sauce
125ml teriyaki sauce
15ml steak seasoning
250ml red wine
1 green bell pepper, cut into 2cm x 2cm squares
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2cm x 2cm squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 2cm x 2cm squares
1 red onion, cut into 2cm x 2cm squares`

Sauce:
250ml greek yoghurt
80ml parsley, finely chopped
60ml mint leaves, finely chopped
2,5ml salt
15ml lemon juice

Add the beef cubes to a mixing bowl and pour over the soy sauce, teriyaki, steak seasoning and red wine.
Toss the beef with your hands and ensure that it is covered with the marinating ingredients.
Set aside for 1 hour or longer.
Thread the beef, bell pepper and onion on to a skewer – you should have 12 kebabs.

For the sauce:
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix through.

Grill the kebabs on an open fire – 3 minutes per side x 4, until beautifully charred.
Serve the kebabs with the yoghurt sauce.

Lentil Soup (Mercimec Cobrasi)

Lentil Soup (Mercimec Cobrasi)

This is a traditional Turkish soup that is delicious, easy and quick to make and freezes beautifully!

30ml + 30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 + 1 cloves of garlic, minced
60ml tomato paste
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1,5litres of vegetable stock
5ml + 5ml smoked paprika
250ml lentils, rinsed
5ml ground cumin
2,5ml ground coriander
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and pour in 30ml of the olive oil.
Add the onion and fry until translucent.
Add the 2 cloves of garlic (minced) and tomato paste and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the carrots and potato and pour in the stock.
Add 5ml smoked paprika, about half a teaspoon of salt and the lentils.
Bring the soup to a boil, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
Take the soup from the heat and blitz with an immersion blender, until smooth.
Pour the remaining 30ml oil, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 5ml smoked paprika, cumin and coriander to a pan and stir-fry over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper.
Spoon the soup into bowls and drizzle over the flavoured oil.
Serve with a lemon wedge.