Greek Style Walnut Tarts

My best friend came back from Greece earlier this week and gifted me with a box of the most delicious mini walnut tarts that she'd found in a local bakery on her travels.  They were like a Greek version of Baklava, so I've had a go at recreating them.

Makes around 12 tarts

Ingredients:-

- 150g ready made filo pastry

- 100g butter, melted

- 120g caster sugar

- 100ml double cream

- 3 large free range eggs

- 2 tbsp self-raising flour

- 125g walnuts, finely ground

- Zest of 1 large orange, finely grated

- Olive oil to grease the muffin tin

- Icing sugar to dust

How to:-

1.  Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas mark 6.  Fold out one sheet of filo pastry and lightly brush it all over with melted butter.  Place another sheet on top and repeat the process until you have three layers.  Roughly cut out squares big enough for the muffin tin holes, and then brush each hole with a little oil.  Fit each square of the layered filo pastry into a hole and trim the excess off with scissors so that it fits.

2.  Put the sugar and 3 tablespoons of hot water into a saucepan over a low heat.  When the sugar completely dissolves into a clear looking syrup, increase the heat to medium and simmer until it becomes a golden caramel.  Turn off the heat, add the double cream and stir well until it becomes a caramel consistency.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until pale and slowly pour in the caramel, continually whisking as you do so.  Sift in the flour and whisk into the mixture.  Next, mix in the orange zest and ground walnuts until everything is combined.  Spoon equal portions into each pastry in the muffin tin.

4.  Bake for around 20 minutes, until each tart has risen and feels firm in the middle.  Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving with a generous dusting of icing sugar.

[Recipe adapted from and inspired by several traditional Baklava recipes]

Decadent Chocolate Pudding with White Rum

Happy New Year!  To start off 2014, I thought I'd share this amazing Chocolate Pudding recipe that I whipped up last night to celebrate the new year.  It's a very rich and indulgent treat, so look away if you started that diet/detox today - this is strictly for the chocolate lovers only.

Makes 4

Ingredients:-

- 3 medium free range eggs, separated

- 200g quality dark chocolate, chopped / broken into small chunks

- 185ml double cream

- 2tbsp caster sugar

- 3 tbsp white rum

How to:-

1.  In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and place to one side.  Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water and allow to melt slowly, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Remove the bowl from the heat and gradually add the beaten yolks, mixing until you have a smooth texture again.  Fold through the cream and white rum, and stir until everything is combined.

2.  Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and whisk again to mix it in.  Fold a small amount of the egg white mixture into the chocolate to slacken it, then quickly and light fold in the remainder.  Continue mixing until there are no streaks or pockets of egg white visible.  

3.  Pour the mixture equally into four ramekins or cups, cover with cling flim and chill in the fridge until firm.

These Chocolate Puddings will keep in the fridge for around 2 days and you can experiment with using different spirits or liqueurs if you don't fancy rum (I've also made these with whisky in the past and they're to die for).  For something non-alcoholic, you can try adding some strong espresso instead for an extra kick. 

[Recipe adapted from Easy Living magazine]

Austrian Croissants / Monica's Breakfast Bread (Godkipferl)

I made these for brunch today and they were delicious!  They're lovely with a hot mug of chocolate or coffee, a great way to treat yourself on a cold day.

Makes 6

Ingredients:-
- 1kg strong white plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1tsp salt
- 2 x 7g sachets of fast-action dried yeast
- 500ml milk, lukewarm
- 15g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
- 125ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk, beaten

How to:-
1.  Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt and yeast.  Pour the lukewarm milk into a separate bowl and mix with the sugar and oil, then beat in the 2 large eggs.
2. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mix to form a soft dough with your hands.  Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.  Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 15 minutes.  Dust 2 non-stick baking sheets with flour.
3. Knock back the dough and divide into 6 pieces.  Take a piece of dough and cut it into 3.  Roll or stretch each of the 3 pieces into sausage shapes about 20-25cm long.  Pinch the 3 together at one end, then plait the strands and pinch together at the other end.  Repeat with the remaining 5 pieces of dough.
4. Shape each plait into a crescent shape, place them on the floured baking sheets and leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4.
5. Brush the crescents with the beaten egg yolk and dredge them with caster sugar, then bake for 25 minutes until they are well risen and golden.  Take them out of the oven and check that the crescents are cooked by tapping the base - it should sound hollow.  Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving.

[Recipe: The Hairy Bikers' Big Book Of Baking by Si King and Dave Myers]

Norwegian Cardamom and Lemon Stamped Cookies

I decided to try out something different to satisfy my sweet tooth, and made these Norwegian Cardamom and Lemon Cookies.  I had no idea what to expect from this combination of flavours, but  they're really good!

Makes 24

Ingredients:-
- 225g butter, softened
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 250g plain flour
- 100g ground almonds
- 3tsp  ground cardamom or
1 heaped tsp cardamom seeds, ground in a pestle and mortar

How to:-
1. Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F / Gas Mark 5.  Line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2. Using a mixer or an electric hand whisk, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the flour, almonds and cardamom until the mixture comes together to form a stiff dough.
3. Divide into 24 equal sized balls and place 12 on each baking tray, leaving enough space in between to allow for spreading.  Press each cookie with a cookie stamp or the bottom of a glass to flatten.
4. Bake 1 tray at a time for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are a pale golden brown.  Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack.  Store in an airtight tin and eat within 7 days.

[Recipe: The Hairy Bikers' Big Book Of Baking by Si King and Dave Myers]