Greek Easter Bread

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                                        Greek Easter Bread a.k.a Tsourekia





Food is the unification of the family, that’s what my mom taught me. Easter at my house was a blend of beautiful aromas and family unification! My mom began cooking in the middle of the week and finished at the end of the week just  a few hours before going to church. Nostalgic of her cooking and her presence,  I try to create my own moments with my own family using her recipes.  This recipe takes me back to a time of fun, a worry free life and a time where things were quite different. My mom’s holiday cooking would put a smile on all our faces. She made everything seem effortless, whether she was tired or not she had a smile when she cooked.  Her happiness just echoed throughout the house. In return I want to give my children these moments that I still long for. No matter how old you are or how good you cook, mom’s cooking is always better. This Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki) resembles the Jewish Challah. It goes great with coffee, you can spread on it butter, honey, jam or just eat it plain,that’s how I like it. Without the Greek Easter Bread, it's just not Easter, the aroma of this bread seduces your soul and gratifies every single taste bud that you have! 

Greek Easter Bread a.k.a Tsourekia

Ingredients

• 5 pounds of all purpose flour ( always buy a little extra)
• 12 whole eggs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 cups sugar or 850 grams
• 1 cup Mazola corn oil ( any corn oil will do)
• 1 stick sweet butter or 200 grams
• 5 yeast envelopes ( for the leaven)
• 3 glasses of milk or 650 grams
• 8 Red dyed eggs ( if you want to )
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Mahlepi ( a Greek unusual spice with an Arabic name) *
• 1/2 teaspoon of Mastiha ( Gum resin from the Mastic tree) *

Leaven, this must be made overnight.

Heat one glass of milk till warm, add in a big pot then add your 5 envelopes of yeast. Dissolve yeast very well then slowly add your flour, add just enough to make it tight, set aside till next day.

The next day it should have tiny air bubbles.

he next day in a different pot:

Mix 12 eggs and 1 glass of warm milk and then slowly all other ingredients, add your butter last.  Beat for at least 15 minutes.  Make sure your mahlepi and Mastiha are cracked I usually place it in a towel and crack them with a hammer.  You can use a hand processor and break them down.

* Mahlepi – can be found in Middle Eastern shops

* Mastiha can be found in gourmet shops or Greek Delis

TIPS: 1) You could also chew the Mastiha as is, it's excellent for digestion.
         2) The new generation loves to top it off with melted chocolate or filled with                Nutella.
    

Once you are done you add your leaven to your mix.

Once you add the leaven, mix and then  slowly add the flour, when you add enough flour and the dough starts forming you begin kneading, rub your hands with corn oil, this makes the kneading  a lot easier. If you do not use corn oil it will become a difficult task.  You must knead it for about 20 minutes, if you have a bread machine go ahead and use it. I like doing it the traditional way. I make the dough, as soon as I wake up in the morning. When you are done kneading leave it in a big bowl and allow it to rise usually about about 4 hours. If it overlaps in the bowl it's ready, I usually knead about 3 times and allow it to rise each for about an hour or so. Makes the bread fluffier.

It’s traditional to make the Tsourekia in shapes of braids. We do this to keep all bad spirits away.

If you have followed the recipe, you should have about 7 to 8 tsourekia (depending on the size you make). When they are all ready brush them with an egg for color, then you cover them  with aluminum foil and towels and you let them rise for about 2 -3 hours before baking. If they have not risen, they are not ready and yo will get a hard tsoureki. Preheat your oven for at least an hour. Bake them for 25 mins. at 248 Fahrenheit or less. To check if they are ready place a skewer in the middle if it comes out clean they are ready!! Let them cool and eat !

                                                                KALE OREXI!!! 

zeppoles with yogurt a.k.a loukoumades

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                                                     Zeppoles with Yogurt a.k.a Loukoumades

Remember my post about my traditional recipe for Zeppoles a.k.a Loukoumades. Well the other day I received a new tip from someone who has more experience than I in making loukoumades and of course I had to give it a try. Instead of using just water you, you can add yogurt. They come out soft and super delicious and if you have leftovers, and allow them to sit overnight they are still soft the next morning to enjoy them with your cup of coffee.  KALE OREXI!

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo (2.2 pounds)   All purpose flour
• 200 grams plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Domino sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 envelope of yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Honey

Leaven:

Ingredients:

• 180 grams flour
• 1 1/2 envelopes of yeast
• 260 grams luke warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the leaven:

Add water and yeast mix until the yeast has dissolved. Then add flour and mix, next add your salt and your baking soda. Set it aside for an hour. Small bubbles should be forming immediately.

                                                             

For Zeppole mixture: 

Add your yogurt and flour. Water and flour should be added little at a time until you have reached the desired amount and  your dough should has elasticity. Proceed with your loukoumades as in the previous post.( Check link above) 

TIP:  If you could like you can add 1 teaspoon of honey it gives the loukoumades a rich golden color.

Pancakes a.k.a Tiganopsomo Fried Bread

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                                                      Greek Pancakes a.k.a Tiganopsomo ( Fried Bread)

Fried Bread or Tiganopsomo, A heavenly treat for anytime of the day, Tigano/tigani means frying pan and psomo/psomi means bread, therefore, we have tiganopsomo. My mom was exceptional in the kitchen,I thank God she passed down her culinary skills on to me. Every time she would make Tiganopsoma, the sizzle and scent from the olive oil whiffed my nose and I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth in this crunchy and fluffy tiganopsoma.  This recipe has value because it's not only the fact that it tastes goods but it's associated with the scenic and beautiful birthplace of my parents. Mathraki. It represents a time when people didn't have access to supermarkets and fast food chain stores. They cooked with what they had at hand and this kind of forced them to come up with various recipes. My mom can be called a home cook aficianado. Tiganospsoma are fulfilling and so fun to make! You can eat them in so many different ways, the traditional way with feta cheese, tomatoes and olives. For a sweeter version, drizzle them with honey, sugar and cinnamon. TIP: a) you can  turn them into personal pizzas with a variety of toppings. b) In some regions they add feta cheese, olive oil, oregano or mint leaves in between two tiganopsoma and fry them. This is a great idea for your next party. A simple and yet so savory delight that I had to share this experience with my kids( which they love) and now I'm sharing my mom's traditional  recipe with you all. 

Ingredients

• 500 grams of all purpose or self rising flour
• 1 cup of luke warm water
• 1 envelope of dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cup of olive oil

First, have your luke warm water ready, add it in a bowl, add your yeast and mix until the yeast has been diluted completely. Once this has been done add flour mix until you get a soft stick substance ( this is called a leaven

When you are almost done set it aside for about an hour or so the longer the better. An hour is a good portion of time for the leaven to rise, if starts to make bubble it's good.

When the leaven is ready, keep adding luke warm water and flour, before completing it onto a pliable dough add your salt. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your fingers. I usually use all of the 500 grams of flour and then I have extra flour when I roll the bread pitas out. I usually make about 15 -18 pancakes, I  used all 500 grams of flour and of course, I give to my neighbors as well. 

Before making your tiganopsomo allow the dough to rest for 30 min.

Make sure you flour your surface before rolling out your flat breads. I roll them out to about 7 - 8 inches, We all like them big, if the  dough is a bit sticky just add more flour. Don't roll them out to tick or they will not fry well in the middle. I know this from personal experience. 

Add olive oil enough to cover the bottom of the the pan. When placing the bread in the pan dust off the extra flour then place in pan make tiny holes in the bread with your fork. Let it fry until golden brown on both sides. Olive oil works best for tiganopsoma. Best to serve when they are warm. KALE OREXI!! Another great recipe from my kitchen to yours! 

carrot truffles

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                                                               Carrot Truffles

I went to a party the previous week and as I sat down my eyes immediately were attracted to these tiny coconut covered balls. My hand quickly dove into the platter, grabbed one and sunk my teeth right into it. Then another one and another one, I couldn't stop at just one, these Carrot Truffles were so good!  So what's the next best thing, you ask the host of the party if you can have the  recipe. She handed me over the recipe book. I opened it up and found my recipe of Carrot Truffles, they were so easy to make. 

This is not my recipe, and I haven't tweaked it at all. The author of the cookbook is Vefa Alexiadou, she is really well known in Greece. I just wanted to share it with all of you. 

So without further adieu and since this will be my last post for 2015 I wanted to leave you with a sweet thought, Carrot Truffles- simple, quick and an awe- inspiring yummy recipe. :)

Carrot Truffles

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds big carrots
• 1 pound sugar
• 1 pound grated coconut ( have an extra bag for coating)
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Clean your carrots place them in a pot and cover them with water.Boil them until they become soft ( don't over boil)  Place them in a colander and let them drip dry.When they have dried up shred them. Place them again in the colander and set  them aside for two hours. Place them in pot add sugar, place your pot on stove on high heat and stir for about 15 to 20 minutes. Take your pot off the burner, add your vanilla extract, grate your two lemon rinds,and your coconut, stir and allow to cool. When cool take a bit of the carrot mix and roll balls into your palm then coat them with coconut and they are ready to serve.  KALE OREXI and have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! You should be able to make about 40 - 50 depending on how big or small you make your truffle balls. 

Sugar Powdered Cookies a.k.a Kourabiedes

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                                   Sugar Powdered Cookies a.k.a Kourabiedes

                                            

It's not christmas at a Greek house if the Kourabie is not the host, the sugar powdered Christmas butter cookies. Simply put, there's no festivity without these sugar powdered cookies. They are very simple to make and they just melt in your mouth. When  a mom and a daughter bake/cook together, they create memorable moments that last a lifetime. In my kitchen, I recapture moments of my childhood baking with my mom and at the same time my daughter sits right beside me, assisting with the process and art of making Greek butter cookies. A hand me down recipe filled with many funny moments, the time we burnt a few, the time the sugar wasn't enough or just running to the supermarket to buy some very last minute ingredients for this melt in your mouth butter cookies recipe. No matter what behind the scenes we went through with my mom, the outcome was always perfect  and the scent was heaven, alerting everyone the holidays have arrived! Every year during this time I can't wait to place the first pan of kourabiedes in the oven, the scent that pervades from the oven  and lingers through the whole house, the aura of buttery and zesty aromas makes your taste buds sing Jingle Bells!

Kourabies, is the singural and the plural is Kourbiedes. According to the wikipedia it has a mixture of origination Azerbaijani, Qurabiye, Albanian Kurabie, Persian Ghorabi,Turkish, Kurabiye . The common word is Kuru, which means dry biscuit. Therefore, Greeks call it Kourabie, a dry biscuit.

* It's a trial and error kind of recipe but once you get the hang of it, it becomes more simple than simple ;) Enjoy and  have a Merry Christmas!

 The story goes as, when these cookies were deemed as Christmas cookies, they were given the crescent shape and the top their was a whole clove inserted into the cookie. The clove represented the gift of spices  that the Three Wise Men brought to Bethlehem when Jesus was born,                        

Ok, enough rambling on with my famous Kourbiedes Recipe :)

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 shot glass of cognac
• 1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered vanilla or
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 sticks of butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 bag confectioners sugar
• 1 cup roasted chopped almonds
• 1 bottle ouzo ( Metaxa or Pilavas) 

                          First, mix your butter with an electric mixer until it's white and fluffy.
                                                               

Slowly, add everything else and last you mix in your chopped roasted almonds.

                             
Finally, you add your flour, you add a little bit at  at a time and you knead as you go. You stop kneading when you have a pliable dough and it doesn't stick to your hands.


                                      

                                  The traditional recipe calls for crescent shapes but you can use cookie cutters.                                       They  taste delicious no matter what their shape.

                               

 Cook each batch for about 15 minutes or until brown. When they are ready, take them out place them on a flat surface and sprinkle with ouzo. Once you have sprinkled them with ouzo roll them in confectioner's sugar. I usually roll them then I place them in cupcake cups and add extra sugar on top. Your Kourabiedes are done!!! Happy Holidays! If you have any questions drop me a line or connect with me on my sm. :)    

                    If you love this recipe or any other recipe share with your family and friends.                                        
                                       

  

KALE OREXI!!!! 

Grape Pudding a.k.a Moustalevria

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                                                  Grape must pudding a.k.a Moustalevria

It's grape harvest time in my part of the world (Greece) in a little village called Zygos and grape harvest is called Trygos.  Once you have harvested your grapes you process them and make grape must, this the  the first step of wine making.  In Greek must is called moustos, Must has many uses in the Meditteranean cuisine, petimezei ( grape syrup) similiar to molasses, pies, grape must cookies ( moustokouloura) and the most famous, Moustalevria, a pudding made from the grape must, using alevri (flour). My  recipe of moustalevria is organic and gourmet, this is a recipe that dates back to Byzantine times, grape must was a necssary ingredient in all their sweets. 

Our organic grapevine

My grape must, is straight from my father -in - laws grapevine and onto our table. Moustalevria is made in many ways but I chose the most easiest and traditional way.

TIP:  You have to use the grape must immediately before fermentation begins, if you use it after two days you will get a sweet and sour taste.

Grape pudding ak.a Moustalevria

Ingredients

• 7 cups grape must
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ashes
• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Collect your grape must and place it in a container, leave overnight so it can settle.

The next day take a colander, line it with a cheesecloth or tulle.  Cheese cloth works better but I didn't have one this time. Place it inside the colander and drain your grape must, place in a pot and boil on high until it's half of what you original had. Make sure you add your wood ashes while the grape must is boiling ( in a cheese cloth). The ashes purify the grape must. 

When done boiling drain again using a cheesecloth,  I drained iτ twice allowing it to sit for about an hour each time. You can also allow it to settle over night and drain the following day. Return to heat on medium, add your flour slowly and stir with a whisk  when the pudding thickens remove from heat and place in bowls. 

TIPS: 1) Don't use charcoal ashes ( Very Dangerous) !  Some people use bread instead of ashes, I stick to olive wood ashes, I was informed by  Panagiotes Koutelidakes, an oenologist that you can also use grapevine ashes. He  also informed that wood ashes are rich in potassium, which neutralizes the musts's acidity, and also helod with the the thickening of the pudding. (  USE nothing else just clean wood or grape vine ashes, they are also high in potassium)  I prefer to use olive wood. When you are burning wood it should be clean wood and just wood,  no other materials like napkins, newspaper logs, fake firelogs etc.)   and only use small twigs to start a fire not petroleum or any other substances because the ashes will go into your pudding. 

2) You might not use up all the flour so don't worry if  you have flour left over.

7 cups of grape must,  makes about 4 small bowls.  Your Moustalevria is ready! Add crushed walnuts,cinnamon and serve.

KALE OREXI!! 

Kumquat Teaspoon Sweet

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                                                      Kumquats- Teaspoon Sweets

Kumquats teaspoon sweets are also known as glyka tou koutaliou, glyka means sweets, koutali, means spoon.

                                                             

                       

                                                      

Kumquat is also pronounced in Greek Koum Kouat, it's  not only a traditional product of Corfu but a trademark of Corfu, Greece. They were bought to Europe by a botanist by the name of Robert Fortune, sometime in the 18th  or 19th century from China. There are four kinds of Kumquats.Since 1924, they have been harvested in the village of  Nymphes, located in the Northern part of Corfu. In fact, corfu is a major exporter of Kumquats, tons are produced every year. This delicious fruit is similiar to an orange just quite smaller, they're the size of Kalamata olives. Kumquats can be eaten raw ( including the peel)  but are also used in various cooking recipes, click the link for the recipe, Kumquat - Gourmet Pasta Sauce. They have a distinct bittersweet but tangy taste. Corfu, is mostly known for its Kumquat Liqueur, my favorite. Kumquats are macerated in clear spirits such as vodka and brandy.This tiny citrus fruit may may be smaller but are  still filled with  antioxidants,  loads of vitamins and  health benefits. Such vitamins include vitamin A,C and E. When eating the fruit raw we are protecting our body from diabetes,cancer, degenerative diseases and various infections. They are also known for relieving hypertension. The peel of the the Kumquat is loaded with in essential oils, fiber and anti- oxidants.

Ingredients

• 1 kg/2.2 pounds Kumquat
• 1 kg/2.2 pounds Domino's Sugar  ( you can add 700 - 800 grams)
• 500 grams water
• 1 tablespoon McCormick Vanilla extract or powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Follow my steps, to prepare a yummy Kumquat teaspoon sweet. This traditional recipe was given to me by my dear friend Maria who has a Kumquat Tree in her backyard. 

1) Take a toothpick and puncture about 6 holes in all your kumquats. When done place them in a pot or container, like I did. Cover them with water for about 8 hours.This procedure helps remove all the bitterness, I usually let them sit overnight.

2) The next day we drain them, fill a pot with water and add the kumquats. We boil them on high heat for 5 minutes. When done, drain them again and repeat the process with new water and boil them for 8 minutes. We remove the kumquats with a straining ladle  and place them in a container with cold water, to give them a shock and remove the bitterness.

3) Drain them and then place them in a container (use the container that I did very convenient)  with new water, allow them to rest for 24 hrs, changing the water every 6 - 8 hrs.

4) When done with the above process, drain them again, then place them in a pot with water and boil them on high for 3 minutes. Don't over boil them. When done drain them and  fill a container with water, squeeze half a lemon inside the jar, place the kumquats inside and allow them to rest for 1 hour. 

This is how they should look, if they crack, it's ok. 

5) After one hour drain them, place them on a towel so they can dry out for about 3 - 4 hours.

6) In a big pot, add your water and sugar, let it boil on high heat for 10 minutes then add your kumquats and allow them to boil for another 10 minutes. Depending on how tender you like them you can take them off the stove or boil them until your are satisfied.I boiled them for 30 minutes, add your vanilla extract or powder.When done take them off the stove and add 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

7) Wet a towel and cover the pot shaking every now and then so your kumquats will not shrivel and lose their shape.

8) Allow your kumquat teaspoon sweet to cool for eight hours, if after the eight hours the syrup is not runny it's ready, if it's runny you need to boil it for a few minutes. *TIP syrup is ready when you are able to drip drops unto a small plate.

9) Place them in an airtight jar and you can have it all winter long.

KALE OREXI !!! You may serve your kumquat teaspoon sweet with a glass of cold water infused with ouzo!! 

Strawberry Balsamic Cake

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Strawberry Balsamic Cake   

Strawberries are beneficial when added to our diet because they are filled with antioxidants. Being one of the finest berries it's packed with vitamins C and K they are also enriched with fibre,manganese, potassium and folic acid. Strawberries also played a significant role in history, it is said they were given to newlyweds as an aphrodisiac. They were served for breakfast with sour cream. Now, that I provided a bit of information and since we all love strawberries in our family. I recreated the Strawberry Balsamic Cake that I saw on a Greek TV show, of course I have added my own touch to it. This is the very first time I created a cake from scratch and I'm bringing it to you step by step as I create this fabulous Strawberry Balsamic Cake for my husband's mini Birthday Party! everyone loved it ;)  

Cake Base                   

Ingredients

*You should prepare this the night before, that way you will have less crumbs.

• 2/3 cup of Domino sugar ( if you would like you can add more sugar) 
• 1/4 cup of Pillsbury self rising flour ( if batter isn't thick enough add a tad bit more) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Davies baking powder
• 6 eggs separated
• 1/2 lemon

Cream filling

Ingredients

• 500 grams ( 2cups) cream cheese ( or any type of cheese that's creamy) 
• 500 grams whipping cream
• 125 grams sugar or 1/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 500 grams of Nestle whipping cream ( to cover cake ) 

Marmalade 

Ingredients

* You can prepare this the night before and refrigerate, it's better when it's cool.

• 1 pound fresh strawberries
• 1/3 cup mavrodaphne, it's a Greek thick sweet black wine grape ( You can substitute Cognac, that's what I used)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ( I used powder vanilla)
• 1/3 cup of sugar

Extra Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 pound fresh strawberries
• 500 grams whipping cream

Firstly, The Cake Base:

For the base of the cake, In the original recipe the chef used a ready made cake base. I used my experience along with some research, and I came up with this simple and easy cake base.  You will need to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Whip your egg whites in a thick meringue add a few drops of lemon, this will thicken the whites. When meringue is ready set it aside. In a separate bowl add your egg yolks and sugar and mix on high speed until the mixture is fluffy. Add vanilla ( I used powder vanilla, you can use extract vanilla) and your baking powder and mix for about 10 minutes. A picture is worth a 1,000 words so follow along. :)

The flour will be used in the meringue.

Add the meringue with the flour interchanging between the two and mix with a spatula.

When done mixing add your yolk mixture and mix for another 10 minutes.

*TIP: In the mixture you don't have to add vanilla extract you can add what ever you like, you can even make it chocolate flavored. 

Take a big pan, place parchment paper underneath, take your ring cake(as I  like to call it) brush with butter  then add your batter. Place in oven and let it bake for about 50 minutes at 350 Farhenheit. Insert a toothpick inside the base and if nothing sticks to the toothpick it's ready.

                                             
                                               

                                                                          
This is how they should look when they are baked place them in the refrigerator and use them the next day.

           

I made three cake bases the night before making the Birthday Cake. If the base is thick you can cut in half.

* Using a plate, place it on the cake base and slowly cut around you will use this piece to make a center for the marmalade. Set aside and make your filling

            

       Secondly, The marmalade:  I also made this the night before.
       Cut your one pound strawberries into small pieces.

                

Add your mavrodaphne/brandy, sugar, vanilla extract and strawberries in a flat frying pan. Cook on high heat for about 10 min. not more than 15 min.  don't over cook them.

                       

Thirdly, prepare your filling. In a separate bowl add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract, beat for about 10 minutes. I used a German type of cheese.

                        

 Then add your whipping cream mix for another 10 minutes or until it thickens and it becomes fluffy.
 When ready set aside.

                                                                     

Fourthly, make your syrup for the cake base.

                     

Finally,  Make your syrup, add sugar, water and cinammonugar melts sticks. Boil on high heat until sugar melts.

CAKE PREPARATION AND DECORATION 

Add a little bit of cream at the center of your platter, so when you place your cake base it will not slide left and right. This is a tip from the T.V.Chef.

First, take your syrup and brush all three cake bases. This make your base moist whether you use fondant or any type of frosting for covering. TIP:  I also brushed it with some brandy to give it an extra tangy taste. I always like to brush the bases with whatever  type of alcohol it is compatible.

Take 500 grams of strawberries and cut them in half and decorate as shown in the picture below.

The ring that you cut from the previous picture you use it as a center, so when you place the other layer and it will not fall. 

Then you add your marmalade and around the strawberries add the strawberry balsamic vinegar you could also add in the center if you like,I just added it on the strawberries.

Add your cream filling.

Add your second layer and repeat the process

And your cake is ready! 

Cut a piece and serve, top it off with Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar and a side of fresh strawberries. 

KALE OREXI!! A sweet dish from my kitchen to yours! :)