Fay's Christmas pine cones

Fay's Christmas pine cones 4 packets of assorted Tim Tam chocolate buscuts 1 packet of hazel wafer biscuits 200g of unsalted melted butter A jar of Nutella (the small one) 150 gr unsalted butter Two teaspoons of cocoa, few Milo cereal pieces for making the cones Powdered sugar for dusting Method Place the biscuits through the blender until they chopped fine In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients and mix well until it becomes a thick paste! With an ice cream scoop make oblong shapes and place in a tray lined with baking paper and then take the milo serial and one by one stick it on the oblong shape balls making it look like a pine cone when all done sprinkle with icing sugar and refrigerate for 30 '

Fay’s pumpkin soup

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced 
• 1 garlic clove, crushed 
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1kg peeled pumpkin, diced 
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, diced 
• 1L chicken style liquid stock or vegetable liquid stock 
• 1/2 cup (125ml )sour cream 
• Salt and pepper 
• Select all ingredients
• Method 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add onion and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add garlic and spices and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, potato and stock and bring to the boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blend in batches.

Return soup to pan, stir through cream and reheat gently. Season and add a little more nutmeg if desired.

Fay’s Greek Paximadia Sweet rusks

 

 Ingredients 

250g unsalted butter 

3 whole Eggs

 2 1/2 cups sugar 

2 teaspoons Vanilla Sugar

Ouzo 1 shot glass 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking

 2 teaspoons Aniseed

 1 1/2 cup milk 

 1 1/2 kg self raising flour  or there about

Sesame seeds 

poppy seeds 

To roll them in black seed and sesame seed

How to Bake Paximadia 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add everything but the flour to the bowl and mix. Slowly add the flour to the mixture until the dough has a soft, but not sticky, consistency. You may not use all the flour or use a bit more

Make long rounded rolls of dough and press them on to a pan to flatten the top and sides. Score them every few inches (depending on how big you want the paximadia to come out.)

Bake at 350 degrees until they are slightly browned, approximately 20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and lower the oven to 250 degrees.

Remove the paximadia strips from the pan and cut them where they were scored. Place the cookies back on the baking sheet on their sides (so all sides of the paximadia can properly be cooked

Fay’s Kataifi Cream Rolls

Ingredients

Base ingredients

• 1 pkt of kataifi dough
• 200g butter, melted (7 ounces)

For the custard

• 950g/ 33.5 ounces milk, divided in 700g/ 24 ounces and 250g/9.5 ounces
• 300g sugar (10.5 ounces)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3–4 egg yolks, depending on the size of the eggs
• 250g all-purpose flour (8.8 ounces)
• 50g butter, at room temperature (1.8 ounces)
• 1/3 of a cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

For the syrup

• 500g sugar (17.6 ounces)
• 400g water (14.1 ounces)

To prepare these amazing kataifi  pastries , start by making the syrup. In a pan add the sugar and water and bring to the boil; the syrup is ready, as soon as the sugar dissolves. Leave aside to cool down for a while.

1. Unroll the kataifi from the plastic sleeve and place on a working surface and shred it to make sure all is fluffy and loose take a hand full of kataifi and wrap it around a well buttered cone and with cooking brush drizzle with melted butter.
2. Fold one corner to form a triangle and continue folding the triangle upon itself, until the entire piece of karaifi is used.
3. Continue with the rest of the kataifi in batches until all of the cones a filled and buttered well.
4. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, place the kataifi  trolls  on top and brush them with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven at 160C for about 30 minutes, until nicely coloured.
5. As soon as you turn them out of the oven, dip them in the cold syrup, turning them sides; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool down.
6. Prepare the custard for the pastries. In a pan add 700g/ 24 ounces milk, the sugar and vanilla extract to bring to the boil.
7. In a bowl add 250g/ 9.5 ounces milk and the egg yolks; whisk to combine. Add the flour in the bowl and whisk to combine. As soon as the milk comes to the boil, remove from the heat and ladle slowly 1/3 of the milk into the flour mixture and whisk.
8. Place the pan with the milk again on the stove and turn the heat down to medium. Add the flour mixture into the pan with the remaining warm milk; whisk continuously, until the mixture has thickened and is smooth and creamy. Remove the pan from the stove, add the butter and stir.
9. Pour the custard in a large tray, cover with some plastic wrap (the plastic wrarp should be touching the custard, so that it doesn’t form a crust) and place in the fridge to cool.
10. Put the cold heavy cream into a mixer’s bowl, add the sugar and beat into whipped cream.
11. Remove the custard from the fridge, add the whipped cream and fold gently to combine.
12. Using a pastry bag, fill the kataifi rolls with custard and garnish chopped nuts. Enjoy!

Fay's GLUTEN FREE 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 GLUTEN 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 GLUTEN 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 25 0*

 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

Fay’s Lamb with Green beans and potato stew

 Green beans with lamb and potato’s in red sauce❤️

Ingredients 

1 large onion.               

 1 kg meat (pork lamb or beef), cut in portions

1 kg green beans, cleaned (with the string removed)

1kg of cut potatoes 

1 can of diced tomato

2tbs of tomato paste

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Gloves of garlic

2 tbls of powder Chicken Stock

1/2 bunch of chopped parsley

Cup of flour 

Salt

Pepper

METHOD

Put flour in a bowl add salt and pepper then dip the cut up pieces of meat and  Sauté then add the potato’s to lightly brown then the chopped onion and garlic in the oil until it’s is transparent then add  the tomato paste and chicken stock.  When all has been sauté add little water and cook in low temperature in slow cooker for 4-hours on high. When it is half cooked add the beans,tin tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it simmer. Beef should be tender and remaining sauce thick. To tenderise the meat you might need 2 - 3 hours. Serve hot.

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 14-oz bag sweetened flaked coconut, Angel Flakes
• 7/8 cup sweetened condensed milk (see note below on measurement)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Set two oven racks near the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
• Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back, until the tops and edges are golden. Let cool on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Note: 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
• Note: Make sure to use parchment paper (NOT wax paper) on the baking sheets. The macaroons will stick to wax paper.

OKRA (BAMIES)WITH POTATOES AND TOMATO STEW

 OKRA (BAMIES)WITH POTATOES AND TOMATO STEW

• 2 pounds small okra
• 1 pound chopped potatoes 
• ASalt
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, cut in half lengthwise then sliced thin across the grain
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves to taste, minced
• 1 pound tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, seeded and grated, or else peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can, with juice
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• ¼ cup finely chopped

1. Trim the stems off the okra, and place in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole. Add the okra and quick fry take out and add the potatoes until they get a bit of colour or half cook then take out and add the onions onions Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the okra, the potatoes and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the edges begin to color. Add the garlic, stir together for about half a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, allspice and sugar. Add water if necessary to just cover the okra. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes until the okra is very tender. Add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Fay’s Tsourekia Mars bar stuffed Easter Rabits

   Fay’s Mars bar Tsourekia Easter Rabits 

Makes 12 rabbits 

8 eggs

200 g warm milk

3 cups sugar

250g of unsalted butter 

1 cup orange juice and zest from an orange 

1 tsp Mahlepi 

1 tsp mastixa 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cardamon 

1 tsp vanilla powder

6 tsp dry yeast

2kg of 00 flour or all purpose flour, as much as it takes 

1 tbls of baking powder

Mars bars or any other chocolate of your choise

Egg wash to wash to top sprinkle some colour sprinkles 

Some currents for the eyes and red currents for nose and mouth 

Mix all dry ingredients together and all dry ingredients then with a wooden spoon mix both the wet on to the dry ingredients and mix well until it's a nice loose dough.

When you mix let rise for a few hours in warm place until it doubles.  

Divide dough in four parts cut some dough to make the body like a large burger to make the body of the rabbet then cut some smaller dough to make the head then small amounts for the ears and tail 

Shaping the body first flaten the large peace of dough that's for the body placing the small Mars bar in the middle picking up all sides cover chocolate and shape for body then take the smaller dough and roll up to read a head place on top side of the body then roll some small amount of sought I make the ears and place on top of the head.

Decirate with currents for the eyes and red current bits for nose and mouth! Let them rise until they double in size then with a pastry brush apply the egg wash and add the sprinkles five with a plastic wrap and let them rise then bake in 170* oven for around 45 minutes or until they are golden brown let them cool and decorate! Happy Easter 

After that, knead a little then with a rolling pin roll out equal amount of dough and apply some nutella spread then fold then roll the dough to form long cigar rolls and braid them in to plates let rise for another hr.

Then with a brush apply some egg wash and add sesame seeds cover with glad wrap and a towel and let it rise once more until it doubles it's size

Preheat oven to 170* 

Bake for 45mins or until lightly golden brown 

Happy Easter 

Anty Fay’s Paximadakia

 Anty Fay’s  Paximadakia

Ingredients 

250g of unsalted butter 

3Eggs 

2 1/2 cups sugar

 2 teaspoons Vanilla 

Ouzo 1 shot

Cup of sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

2 teaspoons enneseed 

1 1/2 cup milk 

1/2 cup of orange juice and peel 

about 1 1/2 kg self raising flour or as much needed!  

If you like you can add nuts or mixed dry fruit too! 

Roll them in to long loafs and roll them in black seed and sesame seed! 

Cook at 170* for the first bake until baked then let them cool and cut them in to slices and put back in oven and bake until golden 

Baklava circles Nest

 Ingredients 

Nuts 

• ½ cup pecan nuts 
• 1/2 cup of roasted Almonds
• ½ cup shelled pistachios
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves

Assembly

¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1 lb pkg (16 sheets) phyllo pastry, thawed

Powdered cinnamon and cloves 

Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup honey

1 cup water

1/2 lemon, cut in half

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

Method

• First up it's good to  prepare the syrup so it can cool down always pore cooled Syrup on to hot pastry. It will help to stay crispy 

Syrup

1. For the syrup, bring the sugar, honey, water, lemon (squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and drop the lemon halves in), cinnamon stick and whole cloves up to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer this for 5 minutes, stirring to make sure the sugar has dissolved and then set aside to cool.

2. Hot from the oven, spoon the cooled  syrup over the hot baklavas, using a brush to fill in any gaps. Let the baklavas cool to room temperature on a rack before enjoying.

3. The baklavas can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nuts

1. For the nuts, pulse the pican and pistachios with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a food processor until evenly chopped (but not finely ground). Set aside.

Assembly

1. To assemble, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and brush a 9-x-13-inch (23-x-33 cm) baking pan with some of the melted butter. Cut all the phyllo pastry sheets in half and stack one half on top of the other – cover the stack with a piece of plastic wrap topped by a damp tea towel (this will prevent it from drying out). Lay out a sheet of phyllo pastry and brush it lightly with butter. Top this with a small line of the nuts in a line and brush it lightly with butter. Using a long-handled wooden spoon or piece of doweling, place the spoon handle along the short end of the pastry and roll up the pastry over the spoon (but not too tightly). Scrunch the phyllo down the spoon to pull it off and also “ruffle” the pastry at the same time. Shape this into a small circle and place it in the buttered baking pan and repeat with the remaining pastry (15 baklavas fit into the pan nicely. Brush the tops of the baklavas with all the remaining butter.

2. Place a generous spoonful of the nut filling into the centre of each baklava circle and press in as much as you can and sprinkle some melted butter all over it. Bake the baklavas for about 30 minutes, until a rich golden brown. Then pore the cooled syrup all over as soon as they are out of the oven. When cooled place some chopped pistachio in the middle of each circle for decoration and enjoy.