Semolina, Pistachio and Rose Water Cake

I grew up in a house where a jar or two of semolina were always laying around in the cupboard waiting to be used in some of our favorite recipes as kids.

My mother would always buy 2 kinds of semolina: fine and coarse. Each had a different use. Mom would use the fine one to make a vegan semolina and saffron or turmeric cake, while the coarse one was reserved to a sweet and syrupy semolina cake dotted with almonds. I will share both recipes with you the soonest.

Semolina is the star ingredient of the famous Easter cookies we make every year during the holiday. I'll be making a big batch soon and let me tell you that I can't wait to make these delicious crumbly cookies.

Taking inspiration in all of these recipes and some more, I made a cake that screams the Eastern Mediterranean to me with its delicate fresh and floral flavors. The cake is moist, packed with flavors and what's really neat is that it only takes a bowl and a hand whisk to make!

For the cake you need:

• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 80 g soft butter
• 50 g yogurt (plain, no added sugar or fruits)
• 100 g sugar
• 50 g pistachio paste
• 50 g ground pistachio
• 175 g semolina
• 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 2 tbsp rose water
• 1 tsp orange blossom water
• 250 ml of simple syrup (recipe follows)

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar, add the yogurt and mix well. Add the eggs one by one and mix until well combined. Incorporate the pistachio paste, ground pistachio, salt, semolina, baking powder and baking soda and whisk again.  Finally add the rose and orange water.

Pour the batter into a greased pan covered with parchment paper. I used a 16 cm round pan, and baked the cake in a preheated oven (175 C / 345 to 350 F) for about 40 to 45 min. Check after 35 min with a skewer, it should come out clean. If you use a bigger pan, reduce the baking time.

While you bake the cake prepare the syrup:

• 130 g sugar
• 130 g water
• few drops of lemon juice
• 1 tsp rose water and 1 tsp of orange blossom water

Combine sugar and water and simmer on a gentle heat. Once the sugar has dissolved and you start seeing bubbles on the surface, add the lemon, leave it for a couple of minutes then turn off the heat.
Add the rose and orange water and mix.

Once the cake is baked, leave it to cool for 5 minutes, remove it from the pan and then pour the syrup all over.

To serve, decorate the cake as you see fit. I have a big box of hairy floss so I decided to add some on the top to decorate my cake; it's also quite the delicious addition.

The cake pairs well with vanilla or mastiha ice cream, Greek yogurt, and honey. However, the cake is quite delicious on its own and does not necessarily need any additions.

Romantic and Sweet, a Valentine's Special: Chocolate and Raspberry Swiss Roll

Valentine's day is a special occasion to remind us of how important love is in our lives. While there's no one way to celebrate this day and express your love, for me the simpler the better. A nice romantic dinner with a sweet finish is all it takes. Let your gift for your significant other be a dinner prepared with love and finished with my idea of a perfectly romantic dessert: a chocolate, raspberry, rose and mascaprone Swiss roll.

You cannot go wrong in the romantic department when you combine chocolate, raspberries and roses; it's not even possible. This cake is not only delicious but it is also easy to make and you won't have to spend hours upon hours to make it perfect and ready for the occasion.

Let´s start rolling:
For the sponge cake you need:

• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 80 g brown sugar
• 80 g flour
• 20 g cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• 1 tbsp of rose water 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and rose water and mix for about 8 to 10 minutes until it triples in volume and becomes pale yellow and rather thick.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt and mix them well together. Sift the dry ingredients over a baking paper. 

Gently fold the flour  mix with the beaten eggs using a rubber spatula.  Make sure there are no lumps in the mix. It is better to add the flour mix in batches to avoid lump formation.

Spread the batter evenly on a 30 x 25 cm baking sheet covered with baking paper, greased and sprinkled with cocoa powder,

Bake in a preheated oven (200C) for 10 min. To make sure the sponge is baked nicely, gently press it in the middle and if it springs back then it´s done.

Let the cake cool for 3 minutes, then flip it over a baking paper covered with cocoa powder.  Gently peel off the baking paper that you used to bake the cake and cover it with a new one or a clean kitchen towel. Flip it again, trim the edges and roll it. Make sure to cover the edges well and let it cool completely. 

For the filling you need:

• 250 g mascarpone cheese at room temperature
• 30 ml rose water
• 40 g powdered sugar (you can add more if you want it to be sweeter)
• 100 g fresh raspberries

In a bowl, mix the cheese, sugar and rose water until you have a smooth and fluffy mixture. I used a hand whisk and it took just few minutes.

Assembly:

Unroll the cake, remove the top layer of baking paper, spread the mascarpone mix evenly over it and scatter the raspberries. With the help of the baking paper or towel you used on the bottom of the cake roll the sponge slowly and tightly. Remove the baking paper or towel and transfer the roll to a serving platter.

You can serve the cake as it is with a sprinkle of powdered sugar but  I decided to add chocolate rose water ganache. 

For the ganache you need:

• 75 g of 70% dark chocolate, chopped finely
• 100 ml cream (35%)
• 1 tsp rose water

Heat the cream until it simmers, remove from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate melts. Add the rose water and mix again.

Pour the ganache over the swiss roll to cover it completely. Let it cool for 15 minutes, and you´re ready to serve. If you decide to use the ganache to frost the roll, do this before you transfer it to the serving plate.

Enjoy a chocolaty, creamy and  aromatic cake with your loved one or ones! 

Happy Valentine! 

A Valentine's Chocolate and Blackberry Cake

Flowers, especially roses, gifts, cards, love declarations and of course romantic meals are the norm of Valentine celebrations around the world. Personally I don´t think we need any fixed date to celebrate love, but it´s a longstanding tradition  and it wouldn't hurt if for one day if we did something extra for the ones we love.

I once read that "cooking is love made visible" and I couldn't agree more. For me, cooking is a labor of love first and foremost and when you don't cook with love and passion the end result will always be lackluster. This Valentine day bake  a cake or cook a nice meal for your significant other or for just anyone you think is deserving of your love. If cake is on the menu then I've got just the perfect recipe for you!

I first made this cake was for my birthday celebration, but once decorated it was clear that it is the perfect cake for Valentine. It's layered cake with chocolate and blackberries that not only tastes great but also shines with its simple elegance; you can never go wrong with that. Taste wise it has a delicate balance between the depth of chocolate and the freshness and tang the fruits add.

Let's start baking.

For the sponge you need: 

• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 180 g granulated sugar 
• 150 g melted  butter 
• 180 g sifted flour
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 125 g blackberry purée (recipe follows)
• 50 ml of milk or cream
• 8 g baking powder
• 90 g melted and cooled chocolate
• 1 tsp blackberry liqueur; optional (you can rum or any other fruit liqueur) 
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

For the frosting you need:

• 250 g butter  (room temperature)
• 150 g cream cheese (room temperature)
• 200 g powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp blackberry purée

For the blackberry purée you need:

• 300 g blackberries
• 20 g sugar
• Seeds of a half vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the purée

Combine all ingredients and gently simmer for about 10 to 15 min or until the fruits are soft, pass the purée into a sieve to get rid of the seeds, and you´re done.

For the sponge:

First combine all the dry ingredient, mix well, set aside. Beat the eggs with the vanilla and the liqueur (if using), slowly start adding the sugar. Keep beating until the egg mixture doubles in volume and becomes rather thick.

Add the chocolate and mix at low speed. Turn off the mixer, add the butter and mix slowly till well combined, fold in the flour, then the blackberry purée, the milk or cream and mix again until well combined.

Pour the batter into 4 greased and lined pans (15 cm) and bake for 20-25 min at 180 C preheated oven. If you don´t have 4 pans do as I did since I only have 2. Divide the batter in two equal amounts, bake the first batch while the other half rests in the fridge, then bake the second batch. 

Once out of the oven, let the cakes cool for 5 min in the pan then transfer to a cooling rack until they are completely cooled. 

For the frosting:
Start mixing the butter and cheese, add the sugar and then the purée. Mix until well combined. Leave in the fridge for at least half an hour before you frost your cake!

Assembling:
Brush each layer with some blackberry purée, then add a generous amount of frosting between each layer, lightly frost the outside of the cake and decorate with a real rose using the color that your like! 

Happy Valentine!