KATAYEF WITH CREAM AND CHERRY JAM

All you need

1 kg small katayef
3/4 kg ready-made cream
4 tbsps. al alali Cherry Jam
Ground pistachio for garnishing  
 Arabic Dessert Syrup Orange Blossom Flavor

Directions

• Place 1 full teaspoon of the cooled ready-made cream on each katayef, close firmly halfway showing the cream from one side. Apply the same method for the rest of the katayef
• Dip each katayef from the open side in the ground pistachio, garnish with Cherry Jam
• Place in a large platter and serve with al Arabic Dessert Syrup Orange Blossom Flavor
• Serve and enjoy!

HALAWET EL JIBN (SWEET CHEESE ROLLS)

Ingredients

For the syrup:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
A squeeze of lemon juice (about ½ teaspoon)
¾ teaspoon orange blossom water
¾ teaspoon rose water

For the sweet cheese rolls:
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 cup fine semolina (known in Arabic as semeed basbousa)
2 cups (10oz, 284g) mozzarella cheese, shredded (*see note)
2 tablespoons rose water

For filling the rolls:
400 grams (about 1lb) fresh eshta (clotted cream), (**see note for substitution)

Pistachios, ground (for garnishing)
Rose petal jam, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

To make the sugar syrup: (Can be made up to a week in advance)

1. In the small saucepan, combine together the sugar, water and squeeze of lemon juice. Set on the stove top over medium high heat.
2. Bring to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for no longer than 10 minutes. Set a timer! The syrup will thicken slightly, and have a consistency similar to pancake syrup. If it simmers for longer it could thicken too much and become candy-like and not pourable. Stir in the orange blossom and rose water
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

To make the cheese rolls:

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat together the water and sugar, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then add in the fine semolina, stirring constantly with a spatula until well combined and slightly thickened; about 30 seconds.
2. Turn down the heat to medium, then add in the cheese and rose water, and stir well until the cheese melts and the mixture forms a soft, cohesive dough. Allow to cool briefly until it's warm enough to handle.
3. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces; take 1 half of the dough to work with and cover the other half. Turn out the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with another sheet. Roll out the dough between the 2 sheets of plastic wrap, into a 9X13 inch (23cmX33cm) rectangle. Remove the plastic wrap on top. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim off the irregular sides of the dough to form a clean cut rectangle. You could use a ruler or the edge of an object to help you get straight sides.
4. Fill a piping bag with the eshta (clotted cream) and snip off about 1 inch (2 cm) of the tip. Start piping the eshta on the long side closest to you, leaving a 1 inch (2cm) border. Alternatively, you could just spoon the eshta on the dough with a spoon.
5. Using the plastic wrap under the dough, lift the dough and roll it over the cream filling, until the cream filling is completely covered, the dough seals it in and looks like a thin log. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, make a cut along side the log to slice it off from the rest of the dough. Repeat this process to make make 2 more logs.
6. For cleaner cuts, place the logs in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm them up a little; its not necessary though. Then using a sharp knife or bench scraper, divide the logs into 1¾inch (4cm) pieces. You should have 30 to 32 pieces.
7. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
8. Arrange the rolls on the serving platter, sprinkle each with a little ground pistachios in the center and rose petal jam.
9. Serve alongside the syrup, drizzling each piece with some before eating.
10. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

LAYERED MUHALLABIA WITH COCONUT MILK ANG MANGO

For Coconut Milk Muhallabia:

2 cups milk
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsps Corn Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Powder
1 tbsp water

For Mango Muhallabia:

4 ripened mango
1 tbsp Corn Flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp warm water

For Garnishing:

1/2 cup coconut desiccated
Ground pistachio

Directions

Coconut Milk Muhallabia:

• Add sugar to milk then heat with coconut milk on low heat. Stir constantly
• Dissolve Corn Flour in 1 tbsp cold water, then add to milk. Add Vanilla Powder, and cook on low heat while stirring constantly until mixture becomes thick, set aside
• In serving glasses, pour mixture putting up-to middle of the glass. Refrigerate to cool

Mango Muhallabia:

• Peel mango and cut it into small pieces, add sugar and mango juice, then mash with a fork
• Heat mango mixture. Dissolve Corn Flour in 1 tbsp cold water, then add to mango with constant stirring, until mixture becomes thick. Set aside
• Place mango muhallabia on top of the prepared coconut muhallabia, refrigerate until layers set

Garnish:

• Roast coconut on low heat for 3 minutes or until golden color, then garnish muhallabia together with pistachio
• Serve and enjoy!

FALAFEL PATTY MELT

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 slices dilled Havarti cheese (4 to 6 ounces)
• 4 flatbreads or pita bread rounds
• Romaine leaves (optional)
• Sliced tomato (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place peas in 1-quart microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on 100 percent power (high) for 2 minutes. Using a food processor or an immersion blender, puree garbanzo beans, carrot, flour, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the pepper, and salt. Stir in peas. Form mixture into eight patties.
• Heat remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned and heated through.
• Meanwhile, place flat breads on a baking sheet. Place two slices of cheese atop each flatbread. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Place two patties on each flatbread; fold over. Cut in half and, if desired, serve with romaine and tomato.

KUBBUS (PITA BREAD)

 
Ingredients

• 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teapsoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water

Directions

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.
• Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
• Make a small depression in the middle of lour and pur yeast water in depression.
• Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.
• Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer stick and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
• Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.
• Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
• Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to preheat your baking sheet also.
• Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
• Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
• Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.
• Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.

PISTACHIO MAAMOUL

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 9 cups semolina or 1500 g
• 1½ cups butter or 300 g, melted
• 1½ cups ghee or 300 g, melted
• 1 cup caster sugar or 200 g
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground mahlab
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• ¾ cup rose water or 190 ml
• ¼ cup blossom water or 60 ml
• For the filling:
• 3½ cups pistachio nuts or 500 g
• 1 tablespoon blossom water
• 2 tablespoons rose water
• 1 tin NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk or 397 g
• ½ cup caster sugar or 100 g

Preparation

• In a bowl, combine semolina, butter, ghee, sugar, nutmeg, mahlab, and yeast. Mix the ingredients well then cover and set aside for at least 4 hours.
• Pin an electric mixer, blend the pistachio until they are completely crushed. Remove and place in a bowl.
• Mix blossom water, rose water and NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk until all ingredients are well combined. Cover and place in fridge for 1 hour.
• Add rose water and blossom water to the dried mixture, knead by hands until the dough starts to hold together or forms a paste. If necessary, add a small amount of rose water.
• Remove a small piece of dough and flatten it with your hands and place a teaspoonful of the filling. Close carefully to form a ball.
• Press the stuffed dough into a wooden maamoul mold to form a pattern on the upper side of the dough.
• Tap out onto an cookie sheet that is not greased and bake in a 185c for 15-20 minutes or until lightly colored but not browned.

TURKISH DELIGHT

                              

Ingredients

• 620g granulated sugar
• 155g cornflour (125g+30g)
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1060 ml water split in to 4 equal parts (4x 265ml)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of chosen Steenbergs essence (Orange, Rose, Peppermint, Vanilla, Almond or Lemon)
• 2/3 drops of food colouring (yellow for lemon, pink for rose, orange for orange etc)
• 50g Pistachio nuts (optional)
• 200g Icing sugar
• Vegetable oil (for greasing)

Direction

• Line a deep baking tray with greaseproof paper
• In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 2x 265 ml water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Combine cream of tartar, 125g cornflour and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency.
• Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
• Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in your chosen Steenbergs essence, food colouring and optional Pistachio nuts. Pour mixture into lined baking tray. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.
• Once it has cooled overnight, sift together icing sugar and remaining 30g cornstarch together.
• Turn out Turkish delight onto table and cut with oiled knife into cubes.
• Dust cubes with icing sugar and cornflour mixture.

• Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper.