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Sticky Rhubarb and Ginger Cake

By Ozlem Warren on April 12, 2011 in Cakes and Desserts, Uncategorised 2

Well, this is not a Turkish recipe, but something I couldn’t resist to share. Living in England, I get to enjoy the wonderful English cakes and puddings, which I absolutely adore. And this rhubarb and ginger cake is no exception. I love the tartness of rhubarb and its combination with ginger and brown sugar is divine. Fresh rhubarb is widely available now in the UK and I hope, even if you can’t get the fresh version, you may get them frozen.

This wonderful, moist cake is an adaptation from a Jamie Oliver recipe. I used a little less ginger than the recipe asked for; feel free to add more, if you are a ginger fan. This lovely cake is wonderful with custard, crème fraiche or with some fresh strawberries and blueberries.

Serves 8-10
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

200gr/7oz butter, plus extra for greasing the flour
250gr/8 1/2oz rhubarb
100gr/3 1/2oz caster sugar
30ml/2 tablespoons stem ginger syrup
150gr/5 1/4oz dark brown sugar
30ml/2 tablespoons golden syrup
150ml/7fl oz full-fat milk
2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
300gr/10 1/2 oz self-raising flour
5ml/1 teaspoon ground ginger
2-3 balls stem ginger, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/ Gas 4

Line the base of a 20cm (8″) round cake tin with greaseproof paper, then butter and dust the sides with flour.

Slice the rhubarb into 4cm (a little less than 2′) lengths and place in a pan with caster sugar, 3 tablespoons of water and the stem ginger syrup. Bring to the boil then poach over a low heat for 5 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft but still holding its shape.

Meanwhile, melt the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat. Once melted and combined, set aside to cool. Whisk the milk and eggs together, and then add the cooled butter mixture. Stir in the flour and the ground and chopped ginger.

Pour the cake mix into the prepared tin. Carefully arrange the rhubarb slices on top of the mixture, reserving the remaining syrup for later. Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes until risen and golden. If it looks as if it might catch, cover the top of the cake with tin foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking. To check it is cooked, insert a skewer into the center of the cake – if it comes clean, you’ll know it’s done.

Remove from the oven, spoon over the reserved rhubarb syrup and leave to cool completely in the tin before serving. Delicious with a dollop of custard, crème fraiche and some fresh fruit.

Afiyet Olsun!

England in full bloom

By Ozlem Warren on April 12, 2011 in A Slice of England, Uncategorised 0

The unexpected (but very pleasant!) summery April temperature in England has left the trees in full bloom and us in summer clothes, just wonderful! Different shades of pink, white and red blossoms have been like firework displays on trees, feast to the eye and soul. A few photos here from Surrey, the Cotswolds and the magnificent 12th century Abbey in Malmesbury with daffodils still on the ground. Enjoy!:)

Puff Pastry Pockets with Cheese, Potato and Parsley – Patatesli, Peynirli Borek

By Ozlem Warren on April 5, 2011 in Savory Pastries, Uncategorised 10

We Turks love boreks (savory filled pastries). You see dozens of pastry shops and street stalls with mouth watering pastries, sweet and savory; the smells and looks so inviting that they drag you to the store. Most common savory filling would be cheese and parsley, and cheese and spinach though some are with cheese and potato; onion and ground meat; olives; cheese and zucchini; and many more. We love indulging ourselves to these lovely boreks straight from oven with a glass of cay (tea), at breakfast, tea time or just anytime.

I tried the borek with puff pastry this time and it worked really well. You can serve these delicious treats as a starter or you can enjoy them for lunch with salad or with a cup of cay (tea) as we Turks do. You can also make them smaller and serve as finger food at dinner parties. These tasty treats can be made ahead of time.

Serves 6-8
Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking (baking) time: 25 minutes

For the filling:
260gr/9oz potatoes boiled and skin peeled
15ml/2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
110gr/4oz grated mozzarella or cheddar (or combination)
1 egg
15ml/1tablespoon olive oil
30ml/2 tablespoons milk
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 packs of 370gr/13oz puff pastry, thawed
15ml/1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
5ml/1 teaspoon nigella seeds to decorate
5ml/1 teaspoon sesame seeds to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F

The puff pastry in the UK comes fresh and is kept in the fridge. So it needs to be taken out 20 minutes before using. The puff pastry in the US comes frozen and it needs to be thawed 2 hours before using at room temperature.

For the filling; first cut the potatoes into small quarters and boil in plenty of hot water, for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, peel off the skin (it is easer to peel the potato skin once the potatoes are cooked). In a bowl, mash the potatoes and stir in the cheese, olive oil, milk and parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and check if more seasoning is needed. Add the egg and mix well. The filling is ready.

Place the puff pastry sheet (about 350mmx225mm) on a flat surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place the filling in the middle of the piece and bring the edges together and seal in both ends. Repeat this with the rest of the pastry.

Place the filled pastries into a greased baking tray. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with one egg and brush each pastry with this mixture. Sprinkle nigella and sesame seeds over the pastries. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden at the top.

Serve warm with a green salad by the side and if preferred, with a glass of cay (tea).

Afiyet Olsun!