 Chocolate & Orange Olive Oil Cake
Baklava
Sweet Custard Rolls
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Chocolate & Orange Olive Oil Cake
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Ingredients
200ml Freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4tsp Bicarbonate of soda
4 Medium eggs (free range)
370g Golden caster sugar
180ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
225g Plain flour (sifted)
2 heaped tsp Baking powder (sifted)
50g Cocoa powder (sifted)
Step 1
Sieve and then pour the freshly squeezed orange juice into a pan and bring to the boil
Stir in the bicarbonate of soda which will fizz
Leave to cool for about 20 minutes
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4
Whisk together the eggs, sugar and Olive Oil in a large bowl
Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder and cocoa powder until combined, followed by the orange juice mix from Step 1
Step 3
Grease and line a 23cm x 30cm x 4cm tin baking tray with Olive Oil
Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden, risen and firm - to test insert a skewer in the centre of the cake which must come out clean
Run a knife around the edge and leave to cool completely
Serving
To serve cut the cake into squares - you should get approximately 20 squares
Storage
The cake will keep for several days if stored in an airtight container.
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Baklava
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Spices, filo and nuts.
Ingredients
375g (3 1/2 cups) walnuts,
finely chopped, not ground
160g (1 cup) almonds, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons butter; melted
1 tablespoon extra virgin Olive Oil
16 sheets filo pastry
Syrup
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
3 whole cloves
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves 4-6
- Preheat oven to moderate 180 c. Brush the sides and base of a shallow 18 x 28cm ovenproof dish with melted butter or oil. Combine walnuts, almonds, spices and sugar in medium bowl; divide into three portions. Place one sheet of pastry onto work surface. Brush half the sheet with combined butter and oil mixture; fold in half widthways. Trim edges to fit dish. Place into base of prepared dish. Repeat process with another three sheets of pastry.
- Sprinkle one portion walnut mixture over pastry. Repeat pastry process with four more sheets. Sprinkle with second portion of walnut mixture. Continue with another four sheets of pastry, remaining walnut mixture
and final four sheets of pastry. Trim edges.
- Brush top of pastry with remaining butter and oil mixture. Cut the slice evenly into four lengthways.(Do not cut through to the base). Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp.
- Pour cooled syrup over hot slice. When cold, cut slice into squares or diamonds.
- To make Syrup: Combine ingredients in small pan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture has boiled and sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat, simmer; without stirring, for 10 minutes.
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Sweet Custard Rolls
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Vanilla custard in filo pastry
Ingredients
1 lemon
3 cups milk
1/2 cup coarse semolina
1/4 cup rice flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
14 sheets filo pastry
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon extra virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation time:15 minutes + 10 minutes standing
Cooking time:50 minutes
Serves 6-8
- Grease a 32 x 28cm oven tray. Peel lemon rind
into three strips 1 x 5cm long. Combine rind
with milk in heavy-based pan. Stir over low heat
until almost boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered,
10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; leave to cool for
10 minutes. Remove peel.
- Using electric beaters, beat semolina, rice flour,
sugar and eggs on low speed 2 minutes or until smooth.
Add milk gradually beating thoroughly after each addition.
Return mixture to pan. Stir over medium heat 10 minutes
or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove custard from
heat, stir in essence.
- Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap to prevent
skin forming, allow to cool. Preheat oven to moderate
180 c. Place all the sheets of pastry onto the work surface.
Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut filo widthways into three
even pieces. Brush one piece with combined butter and oil, top
with a second piece. Brush one narrow end with butter mixture.
4 Place 2 tablespoons of custard 2cm in from opposite end.
Roll pastry over filling. Fold ends in towards filling; roll
to end of pastry. Repeat with remaining pastry and custard.
Arrange rolls onto prepared tray about 2cm apart. Brush with
remaining butter mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until pastry is
puffed and lightly golden. Serve warm, dusted with combined
icing sugar and cinnamon.
While working keep filo pastry covered with a clean damp cloth
to prevent drying out. Cover the assembled rolls to prevent the
pastry drying.
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Whether packed with nuts or dusted with icing sugar, the sweet things from Greece are equally delicious.