Cakes and Desserts

Katmer; Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachio and clotted cream

This delicious and easy to make Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachios and clotted cream, Katmer, hails from Gaziantep, one of the must visit gastronomic regions in Turkiye. The crunchy, flaky Katmer is traditionally the first meal eaten by the bride and groom after their wedding night in Gaziantep. It tastes absolutely heavenly with Gaziantep’s world famous pistachios and the thick Turkish clotted cream, kaymak.

My (updated) version of Katmer here uses filo pastry sheets (you can use the fresh, paper thin Turkish yufka pastry sheets for baklava – baklavalik yufka – if you can get too) and thick clotted cream instead of kaymak, as it is not easy to find kaymak abroad (mascarpone cheese also gave good results). The substitution worked well in Katmer and made a lovely, easy and light dessert with with fresh fruit by the side. You can serve Katmer as part of breakfast, dessert or as a tea time treat, perfect with Turkish tea, cay.

I hope you enjoy Katmer, Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem

5.0 from 1 reviews

Katmer; Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachio and clotted cream

This delicious and easy to make Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachios and clotted cream, Katmer, hails from Gaziantep, one of the must visit gastronomic regions in Turkey. It is delicious as part of breakfast, tea time treat or a light dessert with fresh fruit aside.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish regional desserts

Cuisine: Turkish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

6 sheets of filo pastry, thawed (each sheet about 480 mm x 256 mm) or baklavalik yufka
70g unsalted butter, melted
200g clotted cream, orTurkish kaymak
65 g. unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped
3 tbsp white granulated or brown sugar
Small bowl of water with a drizzle of oil, to secure the katmer parcels
1 tbsp finely chopped pistachio kernels to decorate
Fresh berriies to serve aside - optional

Instructions

Take the filo sheets or baklavalik yufka out of the fridge 20 minutes prior using to bring to room temperature. If filo sheets are frozen, it is best to thaw in the fridge overnight and take out 1 hour prior using to bring to room temperature. Alternatively, you can take out the frozen filo sheets 2 hours prior using to bring to room temperature. Place on a clean, dry surface and cover with a damp towel.
Place a filo sheet near you and brush with the melted butter. Place another filo sheet on top and brush again with the melted butter.
Place 4 tbsp of kaymak or clotted cream, as little dabs, in the middle of the sheet, within a 15 cm square frame. Leave a margin of about 5 cm on top and bottom of the long edges of the sheet with no filling. Sprinkle 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios and 1 tbsp sugar evenly over the cream.
Fold the bottom and top part of the filo sheets over the long edge of the filling; this will secure the filling. Brush this folded pastry with melted butter too.
Now fold the right side of the buttered sheet over the filling, then fold the left side over on top, to make a 15 cm square parcel. Brush the top and sides of the katmer parcel with melted butter. Also dip another brush into the water & oil mixture and brush the edges of the parcel to seal, so that the filling stays secure.
Make 2 more katmer parcels this way, using 2 filo sheets at a time.
Brush a large, non-stick frying pan with melted butter and place the buttered side of katmer on the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, over medium to high heat. While cooking, brush the top side of the katmer with melted butter too. Once the bottom of katmer is golden, flip the katmer over carefully using a large spatula, let the other side cook for 1- ½ minutes over medium to high heat.
Place the cooked katmer on a large serving plate, and cook the remaining katmer parcels this way, brushing both sides during cooking.
Slice each katmer into six pieces, sprinkle finely chopped pistachio over and serve warm, perhaps with fresh berries and tea, cay at the side.

Sekerpare; Tender and Moist Turkish Semolina Cookies in Syrup

By Ozlem Warren on July 13, 2015 in Cakes and Desserts 25

Sekerpare; tender and moist Turkish semolina cookies in syrup

Sekerpare is a much loved Turkish dessert, made in Turkish homes and a huge favorite of my dear brother-in-law, Mehmet. You can also find Sekerpare in bakeries and patisseries, pastane as we call it, all around in Turkey. Semolina based national favorite Sekerpare would always appear at my mother’s tea time spread, during celebrations with family and friends, as well as at religious festivities as when marking the end of Ramadan.

Sekerpare means “a piece of sweet” in Old Turkish and I love the crumbly, lighter texture semolina brings to Sekerpare, it simply melts in your mouth. My version is a little lighter and less sweet, fragrant with lemon juice and lemon zest.

Make sure to leave enough space between each sekerpare on the baking tray, as they expand during baking.

A few tips for a successful Sekerpare: 1) Make sure to leave enough space between each sekerpare on the baking tray, as they expand during baking. 2) First make the syrup, as it needs to cool down. Pour the cooled syrup over hot Sekerpare and let the Sekerpare cookies absorb the syrup as they cool. Once all the syrup absorbed, Sekerpare will be soft and tender enough to eat with a fork.

Pour the cooled syrup over hot Sekerpare and let the Sekerpare cookies absorb the syrup as they cool.

We enjoy Sekerpare with Turkish coffee, Turkish tea, cay for a tea time treat or as a dessert after meal. I hope you can have a go at this delicious and easy to make treat.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Adapted from Adventures in Turkish Cooking, Anatolia Cookery Book

5.0 from 6 reviews

Sekerpare; Tender and Moist Turkish Semolina Cookies in Syrup

Sekerpare is a much loved Turkish dessert, made in Turkish homes. Sekerpare means “a piece of sweet” in Old Turkish and I love the crumbly, lighter texture semolina brings to Sekerpare, it simply melts in your mouth. My version is a little lighter and less sweet, fragrant with lemon juice and lemon zest. We enjoy Sekerpare with Turkish coffee, Turkish tea, cay for a tea time treat or as a dessert after meal; hope you can give it a go and enjoy too.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Semolina based Turkish Desserts

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 20 pieces

Ingredients

Zest of 1 small lemon
115 gr/ 4 oz. / ½ cup sugar
125 gr/ 4 ½ oz. unsalted butter
300 gr/ 10 ½ oz. /2 cups plain (all – purpose flour)
95 gr / 3 ¼ oz. / ½ cup fine grained semolina
2 eggs
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. baking powder
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. light olive oil (and a little extra to grease the baking tray)
20 blanched almonds or hazelnuts
Small bowl of cold water (to help shape the sekerpare cookies)
For the syrup:
Juice of 1 small lemon
345 gr/ 12 oz. /1 ½ cup sugar
480 ml/ 16 fl. oz. / 2 cups water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4
First make the syrup. Grate the lemon zest into a bowl and set aside for the dough.
Squeeze the lemon juice into a cup.
Combine the 345 gr/ 12 oz. /1 ½ cup sugar and 480 ml/ 16 fl. oz. / 2 cups water in a heavy sauce pan over the medium heat and bring to the boil. Stir and let the sugar dissolve.
Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat and simmer for a further 15 minutes for the syrup to thicken slightly. Turn the heat off and set the syrup aside to cool.
Now, let’s make the dough. Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat (or cut in small chunks and melt in microwave for 30 – 40 seconds, mixing half way).
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the semolina. Make a well in the middle and pour in the butter. Stir in the 2 eggs, 115 gr/ 4 oz./ ½ cup sugar, lemon zest, 2 tbsp. light olive oil and the baking powder.
Knead for 5 minutes, until you achieve a soft, moist dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Have a small bowl of cold water nearby. Knead the dough again for 5 minutes. Then wet your hands lightly with cold water and divide the dough and shape into twenty ping pong sized balls.
Grease a baking tray with a little of light olive oil (about 1 tbsp.) and place the sekerpare dough balls side by side, making sure you leave extra space between them to expand. Gently press down on top of each ball to flatten slightly.
Push an almond or hazelnut in the center of each sekerpare ball.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until they start to turn light brown.
Remove the sekerpare from the oven and pour cooled syrup over hot sekerpare cookies. Leave to cool and let the sekerpare cookies absorb the syrup for 15 minutes; they will get soft and tender.
Serve cooled sekerpare with Turkish tea or coffee. You can keep sekerpare cookies covered in a container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Notes

Sutlu Nuriye; Lighter Baklava with Hazelnuts in Milky Syrup

By Ozlem Warren on December 17, 2014 in Cakes and Desserts, Turkish Festive Dishes 20

Sutlu Nuriye; lighter baklava with hazelnuts in milky syrup

Sutlu Nuriye is a delicious Turkish dessert; similar to baklava but lighter with its milk based syrup. Crushed hazelnuts are used in the filling here and works wonderfully with the milky syrup, which gives Sutlu Nuriye a whitish look. Sutlu Nuriye is lighter, creamer than baklava and really easy to make at home, using filo pastry sheets. They have been a huge hit with the children, as well as adults in our home, great for entertaining.

Pour in the luke warm milky syrup over cooled cooked filo pastry and let the pastry to soak the milky syrup for 35- 40 minutes.

Sutlu Nuriye believed to be created due to the supply shortage in 1980s. Rather than the expensive pistachios, a baklava producer used hazelnuts and flavored with milk for lighter syrup. The result has been today’s popular Sutlu Nuriye, a delicious, lighter version of the regular baklava.

Light, melt-in-the mouth Sutlu Nuriye, a variation of baklava in milky syrup.

You can prepare Sutlu Nuriye a day ahead of time and keep it in a cool place; always serve at room temperature. I hope you enjoy this soft, light, melt-in-the mouth Sutlu Nuriye, a variation of baklava in milky syrup. Turkish coffee or Turkish tea, cay aside complements Sutlu Nuriye very well.

My very best wishes to you all for the festive season. Many thanks for your company, recreating my Turkish recipes at your homes, your kind share and comments, I greatly appreciate it. It’s been a pleasure enjoying Turkish cuisine with you all and I look forward to sharing many more recipes in the New Year. I wish you all a happy, healthy new year in good company and delicious food.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

3.0 from 2 reviews

Sutlu Nuriye; Lighter Baklava with Hazelnuts in Milky Syrup

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish Desserts

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 30 pieces

Ingredients

270 gr x 2 packs of filo pastry sheets (12 filo sheets in total; each sheet 480 mm x 255 mm each)
200 gr/4 oz. /a little less than 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
340 gr/ 12 oz. chopped/crushed hazelnuts
For the syrup:
16 fl. oz. / 2 cups water
12 fl oz. / 1 ½ cup whole milk
270 gr/ 1⅓ cup sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 F
Take out the fresh filo pastry sheets from the fridge and bring to room temperature 20 minutes prior using. To thaw frozen filo sheets, it is best to place them in the fridge the night before or bring it to room temperature 2 hours before using.
Grease the baking dish with the melted butter.
Place two filo pastry sheets to the baking dish (trim the sheets at the edges if necessary to fit into your baking dish) and brush with the melted butter.
Place 2 more filo pastry sheets and brush with the melted butter. Place another two sheets over them and brush with melted butter.
Crush the hazelnuts in a food processor, carefully pulsing a just few times or chop by hand (take care for the hazelnuts not go too small pieces or fine).
Spread the chopped hazelnuts evenly on the 6th sheet of buttered filo pastry.
Lay two more sheets of filo pastry and brush with melted butter. Repeat this 2 more times, buttering every two sheets, until you reach 12th sheet.
Brush the 12th sheet of filo pastry with butter and ease the sheets into the corners and trim the edges if necessary.
Then using a sharp knife, cut right through all the layers to form small square pieces. It should make about 30 pieces in total.
Bake the pastry in the preheated oven (180 C/ 350 F) for 25 minutes, until golden at top.
While the pastry is baking, prepare your syrup.
Put the sugar into a heavy pan, pour in water and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Once the sugar is dissolved, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour in the milk to the pan, give a good stir to the syrup and turn the heat off. Leave the pan aside to cool down; the syrup needs to be luke warm to pour over cooked filo pastry.
Once the filo pastry is cooked and golden at top, take out of the oven and leave it aside to cool down for 15 minutes.
Slowly pour in the luke warm milky syrup over cooled cooked filo pastry and let the pastry to soak the milky syrup for 35- 40 minutes.
Once milky syrup is absorbed by the pastry, take out the Sutlu Nuriye squares and serve at room temperature.
You can prepare Sutlu Nuriye a day ahead of time and keep in a cool place, covered.