Traditional Karidopita Recipe

Karidopita is a traditional Greek walnut cake drenched in a lush lemon syrup. It is by far one of Greece’s most popular cakes. Here is a delicious and authentic recipe for this syrupy sweet by popular Greek chef Giorgos Tsoulis. 

Ingredients (makes 10-12 pieces)

For cake

– 500 x grams plain flour 
– 500 x grams caster sugar
– 10 x eggs, room temperature
– 250 ml olive oil
– 50 grams baking powder
– 1 x tablespoon vanilla sugar
– 1/4 x teaspoon ground cloves
– 1 x tablespoon ground cinnamon
– 400 x ml full cream milk
– 300 x grams walnuts, crushed

For syrup

– 500 x grams caster sugar
– 1 litre water
– 50 x grams glucose syrup
– 2 x cinnamon sticks
– 1 x lemon, juiced

Method

For syrup

-Place saucepan over medium heat, add water, sugar, glucose syrup, cinnamon sticks and lemons juice. Mix with a wooden spoon and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Once syrup has set, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

For walnut cake

-In a large metal bowl, pour the olive oil, milk, sugar, eggs and stir with hand whisk until the eggs are dissolved.

-Take a large pot and fill it halfway with water and transfer to medium/low heat, until it
starts to boil.

-Place metal bowl with the eggs on top and stir constantly with a hand whisk for 5-10 minutes, until fluffy.

-Remove from heat, add flour and mix with a plastic spatula.

– Add baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, walnuts and mix until well combined.

-Butter a round pan with a diameter of 35cm, and transfer mixture into pan. Bake it in a preheated oven in the middle rack at 180 degrees Celcius (air force oven) for 40-45 minutes.

-Once it’s ready, remove from oven and lightly piece the walnut pie creating small recesses with knife.

-Pour the cold syrup over the walnut pie , cut into pieces and serve.

For more delicious recipes by Giorgos Tsoulis, head to his website here

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Homemade Prasopita (Leek & Feta Pie) Recipe

There is nothing better than the smell of a freshly baked homemade pita! Prasopita (leek & feta pie) is a delicious vegetarian dish with a sweeter taste than Spanakopita (spinach pie) thanks to the leek. 

Today we share our family recipe- with the traditional technique of rolling out the pastry from scratch.

For those who don’t feel confident in making pastry- you can use commercial filo- 375 gram pack is ideal- but make sure the filo is completely thaw before using.

Ingredients 

For pastry

– 400 x grams all purpose flour (plus extra to roll out)

– 1 x tablespoon of vinegar

– 2 x tablespoons olive oil

– 120 ml x warm water

– 1/2 x teaspoon of salt

For filling

– 4 x leeks

-1 x bunch parsley

– 4 x eggs

– 400 x grams feta

– 1/2 x cup of semolina

– 1 x cup of olive oil (extra for drizzling)

– salt & pepper to taste

Directions 

For pastry (Part 1)

– In a large bowl mix the flour with the salt, vinegar and olive oil and place warm water in the middle of the mixture.

– Knead the dough well and then divide into 6 equal parts.

– Leave for 1/2 hour covered in cling wrap to rest.

– In the meantime you can prepare the filling.

Preparing the filling: 

– Clean the leek and parsley and cut into 1/2 cm pieces.

– Place in a deep large bowl and add salt, pepper, eggs, semolina, olive oil and grate the feta cheese on top.

– Mix the filling thoroughly and set aside.

For pastry (Part 2)

– Lightly sprinkle flour on the surface you will be using to roll out the dough (so the pastry won’t stick).

– Flatten the balls out one by one and begin rolling them out slowly using a large rolling pin, they should end up being about 60cm in diameter.

– Make sure you continue lightly sprinkling flour between each phyllo you roll out, so they do not stick together.

Placing it all together 

– Lightly drizzle olive oil in your baking dish and place one of the phyllo pastries in dish.

– Lightly drizzle more olive oil and place the second sheet of phyllo.

– Spread one third of your filling you have prepared evenly over the surface.

– Add another layer of phyllo pastry and spread 1/2 of the remaining mixture.

– Place another layer of phyllo and remaining mixture.

– Add the final 2 layers of pastry and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

– Fold the edges in.

– Using sharp knife, cut into diamonds or squares, three-quaters of the way through to bottom of dish.

– Place in preheated moderate oven and bake for about 45 minutes at 200 degrees.

*Recipe and Images by IN+SIGHTS GREECE © (Copyright) 

Classic Mosaiko Recipe

Mosaiko is a mouthwatering Greek “no bake cake” that will definitely become a favourite go-to recipe when entertaining- as it can be prepared a day ahead- making it the perfect dessert when hosting! 

Ingredients 

  • 250 x grams Petit Beurre biscuits
  • 150 x grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 250 x grams dark chocolate, extra for garnishing
  • 110 x grams icing sugar
  • 200 x grams walnuts, chopped
  • 1 x cup full cream milk
  • 3 x tablespoons liqueur, of your choice

Method 

  • Cut dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.
  • Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
  •  Pour hot milk into the bowl with dark chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside.
  •  Cut butter into a few small pieces and place in a large bowl with icing sugar. Whisk together with a hand mixer, till butter becomes fluffy and is well combined with icing sugar.
  • Crumble biscuits into butter mixture and also add walnuts and liqueur.
  • Pour over melted chocolate and combine all ingredients until chocolate has covered entire biscuits and walnuts.
  • Pour mixture into a cling wrap lined rectangle baking tin and cover entire cake with cling wrap.
  • Place in fridge (not freezer) for 4 hours to set.
  •  Take out of fridge and place on serving plate.
  • Grate dark chocolate pieces on top of cake and serve.

*Recipe and Image by IN+SIGHTS GREECE © (Copyright)