Pork slow cooker roast

You Ingredients

1tbs of mustered 

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1.5 kg higher-welfare loin of pork, boned, skinned, rolled and tied

sea salt 

freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked 

1 small bunch of dried oregano

2 knobs butter

2 tbs of garlic salt 

1 tsp of paprika  

1 large lemon 

275 ml organic chicken stock

2 tbs of corn floor 

Method

This method of cooking pork stops it drying out and keeps it juicy and soft. You also end up with a wonderful rich sticky sauce!

In a frypan add the olive oil and butter let it get hot. Season pork well with all the spices and brown all sides. 

Place browned pork in the a slow cooker add the juice of a lemon and some chicken stock. Make sure to add Just enough stock To reach less then half way do not cover all meat with stock. Taste stock and adjust seasoning if needed cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Turn off  take meat out of cooker to rest. let it stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

While the meat is resting, finish the sauce by skimming any fat off the top, adding the chicken stock and simmering for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and add the diluted corn floor and mix well until thickened. Slice the pork as thinly as you want and serve with the delicious sauce. Serve with steamed veggies or fried Chips or mashed potato and veggies

Fay's Vasilopita Greek New Year's Cake

Ingredients

250g butter

2 cups (440g) white sugar

3 cups (375g) plain flour

6 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (250ml) warm milk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Preparation:30min  ›  Cook:1hour  ›  Ready in:1hour30min 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Generously grease a 25cm round cake tin.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour and mix until combined-it may be a little dry and crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the baking powder and milk, add to the egg mixture, mix well. Then combine the lemon juice and baking soda, stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle the nuts and sugar over the cake, then return it to the oven for 20 to 30 additional minutes, until cake springs back to the touch. Gently cut a small slit in the cake with a knife and place a coin in it. Try to cover the slit up.Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.

 

Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

For the Tomato Sauce

¼ cup olive oil, divided

1 small onion

1glove garlic

500 grams (1.10 lbs) tomato puree

1 tin whole tomatoes with the juice (400 gr. – 14.11 oz)

½ cup water

¼ tsp cinnamon

Freshly ground black pepper

3 allspice berries

1 tsp salt black pepper 

1 tbs of powder chicken stock

For the meatballs:

800 grams ground veal or beef

3 slices white bread without the crust

1/3 cup red dry wine

2 ½ tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly grated black pepper

1/8 tsp ground allspice,

1/8 tsp cumin

1 very large clove garlic (about 1 tsp)

Directions:

Puree the onion together with 2 tbsp olive oil in a food processor.   Heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes and then add all the spices and stir to get out their fragrances.  Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick.

Meantime, soak the bread together with the wine, lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil.

Squeeze the bread and use the fluid to puree the garlic in a food processor. Then add the bread in the food processor and mix.

Put the ground meat in a bowl with all the spices and bread. Mix well and let it rest for about ½ to 1 hour in the refrigerator for the flavours to mix.

Shape the meatballs into an oblong small sausage, around 8 cm (3 inches) long.   And place in a baking tray and bake until golden browned then Pore tomato sauce directly into the tray on to the soutzoukakia and  lower heat and bake for about another 20 minutes until sauce thickens.

 Serve with potato chips toped with oregano and feta or steamed rice toped with feta cheese enjoy! 

Melomakarona Greek Christmas cookies

For the melomakarona

1 1/2 cup oil (1 cup olive oil and 1/2 a cup sesame oil)

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/4 of a cup cognac

1/2 cup beer (blonde pale lager such as bottled Heineken or Mythos)

2 tsps orange zest

1/4 of a cup orange juice

2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1kg all-purpose flour (8 cups/ 35 ounces)

For the syrup

650g honey (23 ounces)

420g sugar (15 ounces)

500g water (17.6 ounces)

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

For the garnish

some chopped walnuts

powdered cinnamon (optional)

powdered clove (optional)

 

Instructions

Prepare the dough for the melomakarona. In a mixing bowl add the oil, butter and sugar and mix with an electric mixer at low-medium speed for about 10 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. (It is very important that the butter is at room temperature.)

In a large bowl, add the flour and the baking powder and blend with a spoon to combine.

Add the mixed oil, butter and sugar (from step 1) in the bowl with the flour and pour in the cognac, beer and orange zest. In a cup add the orange juice and baking soda and blend, until dissolved. Be careful when doing so, because the baking soda will start to foam out of the cup; so blend in a cup placed over the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, so that the foam will end up in the bowl. Pour in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and start kneading your dough. Knead the dough using your hands until the ingredients combine and the dough is smooth and soft. (Don’t overwork the dough.) Leave the dough to rest for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200C; layer the bottom of 2 baking trays with parchment paper and shape the melomakarona. Pinch a portion of dough about the size of a walnut (or bigger, if you prefer) and shape with your palms into a smooth oblong shape, like a small egg; place on the baking tray, push lightly the top with a fork and make some holes on top (not all the way down). Continue with the rest of the dough.

Place the baking trays with the melomakrona in the oven and turn the heat down to 180C. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through.

A little bit before turning the melomakarona out of the oven, prepare the syrup. Pour in a pot the sugar, honey and water and bring to the boil; boil for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved (do not stir the syrup).

When the melomakarona come out of the oven, float them in the hot syrup, flipping them with a fork to absorb the syrup. Remove the cookies using a slotted spoon, place on a platter and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Store the melomakarona at room temperature in an airtight container. They will last for all your Christmas Holidays!

PISTACHIO ORANGE BUTTER COOKIES Kourambedes

Ingredients

1 cup butter (225g), at room tº 

4 Tbs (60g) confectioners´ sugar

½ teaspoon orange blossom water

Zest of ½ a small lemon

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour

¾ cup ground toasted pistachios

Extra confectioners´ sugar, for coating

Directions

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add zest, orange blossom water and beat well.

Add flour, 1 cup at a time and then the pistachios. Mix just until smooth.

Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Roll portions of cold dough between your palms to form balls. Place 1-inch apart on lined baking tray.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are a bit golden and cracked.

Let cool on a wire rack. Roll in some extra confectioners´ sugar to coat.

These cookies freeze well unbaked. When you need them, just line them up on a parchment-lined or greased baking tray, thaw, and bake.

ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES (kourambiethes)

Fay's kourabiedes 

Ingredients 

500g unsalted butter, at room temperature 

100g icing sugar

2 egg yolks 

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1tsp of baking powder

230g almond meal

100g of chopped roasted blanched almonds 

1kg self rising flour

60g of brandy 

For dusting 

Vanilla sugar 

Extra confectioners´ sugar, for coating

 Some rose water 

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the egg yolks slowly one at a time and add the egg mix well then add almond meal and beat well. Add the vanilla extract the brandy and baking powder.

Slowly add the flower, 1 cup at a time and then the chopped  almonds. Mix just until it becomes a soft dough 

Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least half hour.

Preheat oven to 80*

 Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Roll portions of cold dough between your palms to form balls. Or use a cookie cuter Place 1-inch apart on lined baking tray.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are a bit golden and cracked. Using a spray bottle spray the kourabiedes with rose water and while got roll in some extra confectioners´sugar mixed with the vanilla sugar to coat.

These cookies freeze well unbaked. When you need them, just line them up on a parchment-lined or greased baking tray, thaw, and bake.

Yields 3 to 4 dozens, depending on the size

7

Pastaflora (Jam tart)

Ingredients 

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups of jam of your choice 

Tart made with butter

.

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter at room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon of grated orange or lemon peel

1/3 cup of sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

3 tablespoons of brandy

3 cups of all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons of baking powder

This recipe calls for a 12- to 13-inch tart pan or equivalent baking pan.

Sift flour with the baking powder before starting. (The dough needs to be smooth and soft.)

Butter Shell:

Cream the butter, adding orange or lemon zest, then sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then brandy, and beat until fully combined. Beat or mix in flour until combined. Use hands to form into a smooth dough. 

Make the Tart 

Roll out half the dough to fit in the bottom of the tart pan. Roll out about 1/3 of the remaining dough to make a strip (about a small finger's width and height) and place all the way around the raised sides of the tart pan, pressing gently to cover evenly and join with the base. 

Spread the jam evenly over the base of the tart shell. 

Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thickness (or more) and cut into strips. For a decorative touch, use a fluted pastry wheel to cut the strips. 

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)

I like to make them in small individule serves and when they are hot out of the oven I dust them with icing suger it's easer to pick up and eat it with a nice cup of coffee

. 

Fay's easy Easter cookies

Ingredients 

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

375gr gr fresh cream

1 bottle of lemon essence 

orange or lemon zest

1 kg flour and little extra 

4 tsp baking powder

2 pkts vanilla sugar 

Sesame seeds 

This recipe dose not need the use of an electric mixer you can easily make it by hand. 

Method 

In a mixing bawl mix with a Spoon or by hand the fresh cream and sugar well.

Add the eggs one by one. Add the lemon or orange zest and lemon essence vanilla baking powder 

 mix all the ingredients with half of the flour and begin to adding more flour and mix well. We put flour as needed to make the dough not too hard, but does not stick to your hands.

Allow dough to rest for a quarter of an hour in the fridge.  Roll  cookies in desired shape spread a little beaten egg on top of each cookie to shine. I usually put one egg in a bowl and add a little water, beat then spread on cookies well and sprinkle sesame seeds on top bake at 180 ° for 10 '-20', depending on the size.

https://www.facebook.com/videoincredibilidelweb/videos/353978061447749/

Easter cookies

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

250 gr. butter

½ cup. milk

½ cup. orange juice

orange zest

1 kg flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 vanilla

½ tsp soda

½ tsp salt

Method 

Beat the butter and sugar well.

Add the eggs one by one. Add the milk with the lemon juice and zest.

In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients with half of the flour and begin to add this mixture to another. We put so flour as needed to make the dough not too hard, but does not stick to hands.

Allow dough to rest for a quarter of an hour. Roll  cookies in desired shape spread  t a little beaten egg on top of each cookie to shine. I usually put one egg in a bowl and add a little water, beat then spread on cookies well and bake at 180 ° for 10 '-20', depending on the size.

Fay's home made Turkish-style couscous

Ingredients

250 g couscous

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red onion , peeled

1 medium cucumber

2 ripe tomatoes

1 fresh red chilli

1 bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked

½ bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked

1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ unwaxed lemon, zest and juice from

Method

Place the couscous, cumin, paprika and a big pinch of salt into a bowl. Stir to combine, then pour over just enough boiling water to cover the couscous. Cover the bowl and leave for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, cucumber, tomatoes and chilli (I leave the seeds in, but deseed if you prefer). Finely chop the mint and coriander leaves, and the parsley (including the stalks).

Mix the couscous up with a fork, then stir in the tomato purée until well coated Add all the chopped vegetables, chilli and herbs and mix well. Stir in the oil and the lemon zest and juice, then season to how you like it. Serve as a side with grilled meat or fish or eat it on its own if you want a light meal or snack. Enjoy! 

Cypriot Easter bread (flaounes)

Ingredients

Filling 

1 kg Romano cheese, grated 

250 g haloumi, grated 

50 g fresh yeast, dissolved in 125 ml (½ cup) warm milk and ½ tsp white sugar 

180 g (1 cup) fine semolina 

150 g (1 cup) plain flour 

7 eggs 

1 small bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped 

1½ tsp baking powder 

170 g (1 cup) sultanas, or to taste 

Pastry

1 kg plain flour 

5 g mastic, crushed (see Note) 

10 g mahlepi, crushed (see Note) 

40 g fresh yeast, dissolved in 125 ml (½ cup) warm milk and ½ tsp white sugar 

 125 g soft unsalted butter 

pinch of salt 

1 litre (4 cups) milk, approximately 

Glaze

250 g sesame seeds 

dash of white vinegar 

6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. 

Instructions

Resting time 1 hour 

Chilling/freezing time overnight

You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

To make the filling, combine the cheeses, yeast mixture, semolina, plain flour and eggs in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day, stir in the mint, baking powder and sultanas until well combined.

To make the pastry, place the flour, mastic, mahlepi, yeast mixture, butter and salt in a large bowl.

Adding the milk a little at a time, knead ingredients together until soft but not sticky. Cover with plastic wrap, a towel or blanket, and set aside to rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, to make the glaze, place the sesame seeds, vinegar and enough water to cover in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Drain well and spread seeds over a tea towel to dry.

To assemble, divide dough into large pieces and roll out on a lightly floured work surface until about 3 mm thick. Using a saucer as a template, cut into 18 cm rounds.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line baking trays with baking paper. Firmly press one side of pastry rounds into sesame seeds on tea towel to coat bases well. Place 1 heaped tbsp of filling into centre and fold in three sides to make a rounded triangle shape, leaving a gap in centre with filling exposed.

Place on prepared trays. Brush tops with beaten egg yolk and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.

Note 

• Mastic is the hardened resin from a small evergreen tree found mainly on the Greek island of Chios. It is used to flavour Greek and Cypriot baked goods, sweets, drinks and ice-cream. It’s available from Greek food stores and good delicatessens.

• Mahlepi (or mahlab) is a spice made from ground cherry pits. It is usually sold whole and needs to be ground using a mortar and pestle before using. Use it to add a sweet, spicy fragrance to sweet breads. It’s available from Greek food stores.

Tsourekia Greek Easter bread

 

If you haven’t tried tsoureki (Greek Easter bread) before, then you are certainly missing out! Soft, fluffy, with a beautiful brown semi-soft crust and an amazing stringy texture.. This is the most flavourful tsoureki recipe you will ever try! Greek Easter bread owes its full and rich flavour to the two aromatic spices used in this traditional tsoureki recipe, mastic and mahlab, which give a really characteristic flavour and smell. Once put in the oven, the intense aromas of the sweet spices permeates the house and brings back childhood memories. Freshly ground mastic (masticha), which is an aromatic spice from Chios island, and aromatic mahlab or mahleb (mahlepi), a spice made from ground seeds of cherry, are essential to prepare this tsoureki recipe, giving the traditional Greek Easter bread its sharp and distinctive taste. (You can purchase mastic and mahlepi at Greek grocers or online). Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) is traditionally served in Easter and the three braids symbolise for the Holy Trinity, but it is also very popular throughout the year as a delicious mid day snack, breakfast or tea or coffee companion.

 

Tsoureki recipe – How to make the perfect Greek Easter bread dough

It is a common secret, that making your own Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) is quite challenging even for the experienced cooks. But experience has shown me, that it’s all about having the right recipe. This is a no-fail tsoureki recipe (with all the prep photos) for you to succeed on your first time!

Tsoureki dough is all about the rising, which means that the right temperature is key. Once starting to prepare this tsoureki recipe, make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature before using and lukewarm when added in the mixture; this will guarantee that your dough will rise. Give the dough time to rise and it will reward you with its distinctive air-y fluffiness. For this tsoureki recipe, make sure to use bread flour, which has elastic toughness that holds its shape well once baked. The most common mistake for the ones that haven’t tried a tsoureki recipe before is that once the dough is mixed, it resembles a little sticky, so most just add more flour, which result Greek Easter bread to lose its fluffiness. So be careful to add more flour than this tsoureki recipe calls for only in case the dough is very sticky after mixing for 15 minutes. Garnish Greek Easter bread with syrup for extra moistness and almond silvers. Enjoy!

Ingredients

135g butter, from cow’s milk, at room temperature (4.7 oz.)

135g milk, at room temperature (4.7 oz.)

200g sugar (7 oz.)

4 medium eggs, at room temperature

870g bread flour (30 oz.)

21g dry yeast (0.7 oz.)

100g lukewarm water (3.5 0z.)

zest of 1 orange

3g ground mastic (0.11 oz.)

4g ground mahleb (0.14 oz.)

1 egg and 1 tbsp water, for glazing the tsoureki

almond silvers for garnish

For the syrup

150g sugar (3.5 oz.)

150g water (3.5 oz.)

Directions

To prepare this tsoureki recipe (Greek Easter Bread), add in a bowl the lukewarm water, a pinch of sugar and yeast and stir. Wrap well with plastic wrap and set aside for about 6-7 minutes, until the yeast rises and starts bubbling. Be careful not do add hot water, as it will kill the yeast, nor cold, as it will take forever for the Greek Easter bread to rise. The water should be at the same temperature as your finger, so check it out sticking one finger in; you should feel no difference in temperature.

Use a pestle or a blender to ground the masticha and mahlepi, along with a pinch of sugar and set aside. (These aromatic spices will give Greek Easter bread its distinctive taste and amazing smell. But be careful not to add any more mastic than this tsoureki recipe calls for, as it will leave a slightly bitter taste to your Greek Easter bread.)

In a saucepan add the butter, sugar and milk. Place over very low heat and stir the mixture, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. The key is to melt the butter at very low heat, so that the temperature doesn’t ‘kill’ the yeast. Remove the pan from the stove and check the temperature. The mixture should be at the same temperature as your finger. If it is warmer, leave to cool down for a few minutes and check again.

Pour the butter mixture in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs. Add the yeast mixture and whisk to combine.

In the mixer’s bowl add the flour, the ground mastic and mahlepi, orange zest and the butter-egg-yeast mixture from step 4. Using the dough hook mix at first at low speed, until the ingredients start to combine and then mix at medium-high speed for about 15 minutes, until the dough doesn’t stick on the sides of the bowl. At this point the dough should be really soft, like seen in the picture and a little sticky. (Be careful not to add any more flour than this tsoureki recipe calls for, as the dough should be really soft and not firm).

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in a warm environment, until at least it doubles it’s size (for about 2-3 hours). If the environment is cold, preheat the oven at 30C, turn it off and place the bowl inside.

Gently deflate the tsoureki dough with your hands and cut in 6 equal portions (three for each Greek Easter bread). Take one piece of the dough (do not flour the working surface!) and roll it a little bit with your hands. Hold with your hands from the edges and shake to stretch the dough into a rope. This technique will help the Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) form the characteristic stringy texture, as seen in the picture. Form the Greek Easter bread into a braid and transfer on a large baking tray layered with parchment paper. Repeat the same procedure with the second tsoureki. Let the Greek Easter bread rise for about 1 more hour at room temperature or in the oven, until it almost doubles it’s size, like seen in the picture.

In a small bowl add the egg and 1 tbsp water and whisk with a fork. Brush the top of each Greek Easter bread with the egg, being careful not to deflate it, garnish with almond silvers and bake in preheated oven at 170C for about 40-50 minutes, until nicely browned and fluffy.

Although the traditional tsoureki recipe doesn’t call for syrup, garnishing Greek Easter bread with just a little syrup, always gives a little something! So it’s up to you to decide! Prepare the syrup for the Greek Easter bread just right before you turn the tsoureki out of the oven. In a small pot add the sugar and water and bring to the boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove the pot from the stove and ladle the hot syrup over the hot tsoureki.

Let the Greek Easter bread cool down and wrap well with plastic wrap, so that it doesn’t become hard and dry. Store for up to a 5-7 days at room temperature.

Prepare this traditional tsoureki recipe for your friends and family and enjoy over a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Bougatsa (Semolina custard pastry)

Ingredients

phyllo dough: 1 packet (450 g)

milk: 4 cups

butter: ¼ cup, for the custard and 2/3 cup (melted) for the phyllo dough

fine semolina: 2/3 cup

eggs: 2 plus 2 extra yolks

sugar: 2/3 cup

vanilla powder: a pinch

icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Share this recipe

Directions

Boil the milk. Melt the butter in a saucepan and brown the semolina stirring constantly for 1΄. Gradually pour in the hot milk whisking briskly and bring to a simmer while stirring all the time until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and allow the custard to cool stirring occasionally to keep it from forming a skin on top.

Beat the eggs and the egg yolks with the sugar and the vanilla in a mixer and incorporate the mixture into the semolina custard. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard, to prevent a skin forming, and set aside.

Lay half of the phyllo sheets onto a large lightly buttered baking tray brushing butter in between the layers. Spread the custard on and top with the rest of the phyllo sheets brushed with butter in between.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200° C for approximately 35΄ until golden brown. Serve hot and, if desired, dust with plenty of icing sugar and a dash of cinnamon. 

Y

Fay's Baklava

Ingredients 

 375g (3 3/4 cups) walnuts or pistachio nuts 

 200g (1 1/4 cups) blanched whole almonds

 75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 125g unsalted butter, melted

 375g packet filo pastry 

Syrup

 220g (1 cup) sugar

 120g (1/3 cup) honey

 60ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice

 4 wide strips lemon zest

 9 cloves

Notes

From regal beginnings, this Middle Eastern pastry hooked an entire empire on its sweet appeal.

In Turkey, baklava is always served with water to cut the sweetness.

Allow an extra 2 hours to cool.

Top tips: We used Antoniou Fillo Pastry from the refrigerated section of supermarkets, which is easier to handle than frozen filo pastry.

To slightly dampen a tea towel, using your hands, flick tea towel very lightly with water, then wring to dampen evenly. Use a small amount of water as it should only be very slightly damp; add a little more water if necessary.

To make syrup, combine the sugar, honey, lemon juice and zest, cloves and 180ml (3/4 cup) water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Step 2 To make filling, process walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped (take care not to over-process or nuts will become oily). Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with almonds, then add to walnuts with sugar and cinnamon. Combine well.

Step 3 Generously brush base and sides of an 18cm x 28cm (3.5cm-deep) slice pan with butter. Unroll filo on a large chopping board and place prepared pan on top. Using a small, sharp knife, cut around pan all the way through the filo sheets. Discard trimmings. Keep filo covered with a clean, slightly damp tea towel to prevent the sheets drying out. Working with 1 filo sheet at a time, brush with butter, then place in pan. Repeat with 8 filo sheets to create 9 layers. Evenly scatter over half of the nut mixture.

Step 4 Repeat buttering and layering with another 6 filo sheets, placing them over the nut filling. Evenly scatter over remaining nut mixture. Repeat buttering and layering with another 6 filo sheets, placing over the second layer of nut filling. Using your hands, press filo gently to compress slightly. Brush top well with butter.

Step 5 Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced. Place baklava in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm (this will make it easier to score filo). Using a small, sharp knife, score the top few layers of filo in diamond shapes; to do this, score filo parallel to the short sides of the pan at 5cm intervals, then score it at a 45-degree angle to the first cuts at 5cm intervals. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden (cover with baking paper if the pastry is over-browning).

Step 6 Pour syrup over hot baklava in pan, then stand for 2 hours or until the syrup is absorbed and baklava is cool.

Step 7 Using a sharp knife, cut baklava into pieces along score marks to serve. Baklava will keep, covered with plastic wrap in the pan, in a cool, dark place In the fridge for up to 1 week

Fay's ΜΙΛΦΕΙΓ (MILLEFEUILLE)

What we need:

2 pkts of puff pastry 

For the pastry cream:

1 liter of milk

200g margarine

2 egg

3/4 Cup of  sugar 

5 tbsp cornflour

1.5 tbsp flour

2 vanilla

zest of 1 lemon

For the topping:

1 tub of cream 

powdered sugar and a little milk at will

Method

Cut puff pastry in half lengthwise and put a layer on a rectangular pan or Pyrex with the baked side down.

Prepare the cream. Pour into a saucepan three glasses of 1lt milk, margarine, sugar, vanilla and zest and heat until melted together.

Beat in a bowl the egg yolks, add the cornflour, flour, milk and dissolve until they become a smooth, homogenous mixture.

Pour the mixture into the pot previous

and carefully stir the cream with wire (to prevent clotting) until it thickens, over low to medium heat. When ready, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Mix and pour half the amount above the cooked puff pastry 

Cover with a second layer puff pastry and pour the remaining cream.

In the meantime, you've whip the fresh cream with a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and a little milk.

Lay the cream and cover the surface with debris from puff pastry  leftover.

Put the milkfai in the fridge and enjoy it after a few hours.

Homemade Bagels Recipe

 2 1/2 cups bread flour 

1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast 

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 cup lukewarm water

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

large pot of water (to boil)

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly mix together flour, sugar, and salt.

Add yeast and water, then knead together ingredients with hands to create a sticky but manageable dough.

Take dough out onto flat floured surface.

Knead dough firmly with your hands until the dough is no longer lumpy and powdery, approximately 15min.

Add sprinkles of water or flour as necessary to keep the dough manageable -- it will get elastic but pretty stiff.

Roll out dough into long tube and cut 1 inch sections as seen in picture.

Use your finger to poke a hole into the center of each piece.

Cover the bagels with plastic wrap and let rest for about 15 minutes (30-40 min during winter time).

In the meantime, fill a large pot with water and a teaspoon of sugar and bring to a simmer.

Preheat oven to 375F.

When the dough is ready, carefully drop them into the water (doing batches of 2 at a time) and let them simmer for about 15 seconds on each side, flipping them only once.

The bagels should float when ready.

Use a slotted spoon to remove bagels and place onto a baking sheet.

When all bagels are boiled place on a tray lined with baking sheet, bake for approx. 15 minutes, or until golden brown.