Baklava

I wanted my first attempt to make baklava to be for Christmas. The process is not a very difficult one, but it is quite time consuming and laborious. The best way to go about it, is to have everything prepared and ready on the work surface before getting started. My photos of the actual assembly are not the greatest, but hopefully it will give a small insight into how this sickly sweet fragrant pastry is made.

Baklava

1 packet of filo pastry (450grams frozen)
300grams salted pistachios, shelled
200grams roasted hazelnuts, unsalted
250grams butter, melted
1tsp cinnamon
1dl sugar
(pinch of ground cloves is optional)

Syrup 

2,5dl water
2,5dl sugar
1,25dl honey
2tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick

1. Thaw the packet of filo pastry sheets at room temperature for at least 2hrs before starting.
2. To make the filling, put the pistachios and hazelnuts into a food processor and blitz until the nuts resemble a small crumb. Little cubes sort of. Combine with the sugar and cinnamon.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave.
4. Roll out the thawed pastry sheets and cut them in half to make sure they fit into the pan. Keep the pastry sheets covered with a damp cloth, they must not dry out.
5. Make the first layer of pastry 7-8 sheets thick, making sure to brush each sheet of filo pastry with the melted butter.

6. Spoon a thin layer of the nut mixture on top and cover with two sheets of filo, each brushed with the butter. Repeat until there is no more filling left.

Keep count of the number of sheets, so that there are about 7-8 sheets left for the top layer. Finishing off the top layer, make sure that each sheet is brushed with the melted butter. There should be no dry pastry in sight!:)
7. Brush the top layer with more butter and then using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into small squares. Bake for 30-35mins at 175degrees until golden and crisp.
8. Meanwhile make the syrup. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Let it simmer on a medium low heat for 7 minutes or so, until slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow it to cool.

9. Pour the syrup over the hot baklava and leave it to cool for at least 4 hours before tucking in. Store the ready made baklava in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. (ours was all gobbled up in less than a week!:))  

Waiting to be eaten!

     

Chocolate and Pear tart

My husband really has a big sweet tooth and chocolate is definitely one of his weaknesses! I chose to make something extra scrumptious for father's day and thought this combination of dark chocolate and juicy pears would most certainly go down a treat with the whole family.

Chocolate and Pear tart

for the pastry:

175grams plain flour
100grams cold butter, cubed
25grams icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1tbsp cold water

(the original recipe uses ready-made shortcrust pastry, which is great if you're pressed for time or unsure of making your own)

filling:

2 large eggs
125grams ground almonds
125grams butter, softened
95grams caster sugar
185grams dark chocolate, melted
3 pears (peeled, cored and quartered)

1. If making your own pastry, start by mixing the ingredients together in a food processor until it reaches a crumbly texture, knead a couple of times and then wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry nice and thin, pop it into you 24cm tart tin (preferably loose-bottomed) and chill in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.(I had no space in my freezer, so I just let it chill in the fridge.)
3. Blind bake the pastry case at 200degrees until golden brown. Set a side to cool a little.
4. Lower the oven temperature to 170degrees once the pastry is done and mix together the ground almond, butter, sugar and eggs. While the melted chocolate is still warm, stir it into the filling mixture.
5. Pour the filling into the pastry case and gently press the pears onto the chocolate and almond mix. Bake for 40-45minutes until the filling is firm and the pastry has a golden colour to it.

Smooth chocolate and juicy fruit!

A rich and sweet tart that is great on its own with a cup of coffee or simply with a dollop of loosely whipped cream!

We really enjoyed our low key father's day, I hope you guys did too(?) :)

Have a great start to this lovely week! x        

Tarte Au Citron

The tart of all tarts. That is the only way of describing this lemon flan. It is definitely the most delicate, perfect combination of thin, crumbly pastry and sweet zesty filling.

The recipe is one of Mary Berry's and I got it here.

Tarte au Citron (8 servings)

for the pastry:

175grams plain flour
100grams butter, cold and cubed
25grams icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1tbsp cold water

for the filling:

5 eggs
125ml double cream
225grams caster sugar
4 lemons, juice and zest
icing sugar for dusting

1.  Start with the pastry. Add the cold butter, flour and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse until it has a textures that resembles breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and cold water, then mix briefly until it forms a ball. Knead the pastry two or three times, wrap it in cling film and chill for 30minutes.
2. Prepare a 24cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin.
3. Roll out the pastry on a piece of parchment paper, to about 4cm larger than the diameter of the tin. Transfer it into the tin, gently pressing down the pastry into the corners and up the sides into the flutes. Lightly fold the pastry over the sides of the tin. Prick the base with a fork, but not all the way through. Cover it loosely with cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200degrees.
4. Once chilled, replace the cling film with foil and fill with baking beans or as I did, with uncooked rice. Bake blind for 12-15mins until set. Remove the foil and beans/rice and trim the excess pastry that is overlapping the tart tin using a sharp knife.
5. Return the empty pastry case to the oven and bake a further 10-12mins until golden and completely dry.
6. Set aside to cool, while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 170degrees.

Blind baked pastry case.

7. Make the filling next. Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together with a wire whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a good whisk until well combined.
8. Pour the mixture into a jug and fill the pastry case half way. To prevent spilling, place the half-filled tart onto the oven shelf and carefully pour the rest of the filling into the tart tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes until just set and so that it still has a slight wobble to it.
9. Leave the tart to cool and when the pastry seems firm enough, remove the tart from the tin. Place on a serving dish and dust with icing sugar.

Irresistible!

Serve the tart warm or cold. It can be made two days in advance, but do not decorate it until ready to serve.

Bon appétit!         

Bebé bakelser - Bebé tarts

Idag fick vi extra trevligt sällskap, i form av en liten bebé. Nu menar jag främst min kusin som hämtade sin nya flick bebis hem till oss på besök, men även de egentliga bebé bakelserna som jag bakade för första gången, enkom för dagens gäster. Det bästa är att få tillbringa en dag med familj och jag tycker att de här små kakorna var perfekta och söta till kaffestunden!
Ursprungliga receptet, som jag lite modifierat, hittade jag här.  

Sött och ljusrött!

Bebeér (ca 35st)

botten:

200gr smör
1dl     socker
2        ägg
4dl     vetemjöl

fyllnad:

2dl    grädde
1dl    socker
2,5msk potatismjöl
2        ägg
3tsk   vaniljsocker
150gr smör  (rumsvarmt)

glasyr:

5dl      florsocker
2,5msk vatten
livsmedel färg (traditionellt ljusrött, pink)

Börja med att vispa det rumsvarma smöret tillsammans med sockret. Tillsätt ett ägg i taget tills smeten är porös. Rör ned vetemjölet antingen med en slickepott, eller om du använt en mixer så kan du blanda i mjölet och fortsätta röra om tills degen formats till en boll. Slå in degbollen i plastfolie och lägg i kylskåpet i minst 30min. Värm ugnen till 175grader och börja med att ta en liten boll av degen och tryck ut den i kakformen. Upprepa tills alla formar är fyllda. Pricka hål i bottnen med en gaffel och grädda i ca 12-15 minuter. (Degen räcker till 35st, men jag hade bara 25st formar, så det blev deg över.)
Jag använde mig av sandkaks formar, som är av metall, så jag var tvungen att smörja formarna och bröa dem tunt med vetemjöl. Om man vill kan man använda sig av engångs formar, ifall man int vill satsa på dem ovan nämnda.
Fortsätt med att blanda ihop grädden, sockret, potatismjölen och äggen i en kastrull. Koka upp krämen och ta den genast av värmen när den tjocknat. Låt krämen svalna helt och hållet. Vispa sedan ner de mjuka smörkuberna och vaniljsockret om vart annat tills fyllningen är en fin vit färg och ganska fast.

Gräddade skal och färdig bebé fyllning.

   
Fyll de gräddade bottnen med en rejäl tesked av färdig smet och lägg bebéerna i kylen och vila. (även av smeten blev det överlopps, då jag bara hade bakat 25st) Laga glasyren till näst. Var försiktig med vattnet, glasyren får inte bli för lös. Hellre lite tjockare. Jag använde mig av Wiltons pink terracotta pasta färg för att få ljusröd glasyr. Nästa gång tänker jag nog göra någon annan, kanske lite pojkigare färg!:)


Dra över glasyren på de kylda bakelserna och dekorera med nonpareller eller dylikt. Jag hade supersöta vita, silver och ljusröda nonpareller, som min lilla systerdotter Juliët 4år hämtade åt mig från Holland i somras. Finare kan det inte bli!
       

Mums filibabba!