Lebanese Knafeh

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 1 package of shredded Kataifi  dough
• 1 cup  of butter melted
• 1 tablespoon melted Ghee
• 2 ½ cups of Akawi cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted pistachio coarsely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups of milk
• ½ cup of Semolina (fine)
• 1 tablespoon of Rose water

Syrup:

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon of rose water

PREPARATION:

1. Thinly slice the cheese into  patties and soak in water for an hour changing the water at least twice to  remove salt.
2. Next is to defrost the Kataifi dough. Remove from bag, and chop the log into 1 inch treads.
3. In a sauce pan, make syrup (add sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water) and bring to a boil for 7-10  minutes. Then heat down to low and keep warm.
4. In a large bowl, shred the  dough to make sure you have no clumps. Then add the melted butter and ghee while continuously shredding the dough and making sure it’s competently incorporated.
5. When this process is complete and the dough coated well with the butter and ghee, separate the dough into two equal portions.
6. In a pan ( 30*20cm), spread out the dough thoroughly, and gently press down.
7. Remove cheese from water and pat dry on paper towel.
8. In a sauce pan, cook the milk, semolina and rose water until thickened. Pour over the pressed dough in the tray and spread evenly ovoid touching the edges of the tray.
9.  Lay the cheese patties onto the semolina spread. Lay the second half of the dough onto the cheese so that it is evenly distributed. Gently press down making it even all over.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then place the pan in the middle for roughly 45 minutes. With a butter knife check the side to make sure bottom is browning.
11. Once golden brown on both sides, remove from oven then sprinkle with pistachio’s and then spoon half the sugar syrup over the Knafeh.
12. Serve warm with a spoonful of syrup over it. Once cooled you can reheated it in microwave for 30-40  seconds a slice and then pour some syrup over it.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 4-large ripe bananas
• 1-cup sour cream
• 2- teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4- large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½  cups  white sugar
• 4- cups cake flour + 1 tablespoon for tray
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1 cups of chopped pecans
• 2- teaspoon baking powder
• 2- teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ¼ cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray with non-stick oil then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and pat until evenly coated.
3. In the bowl of your food processor, place the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Process just until mixed and smooth. Add the eggs and process until combined.
4. In the bowl combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg  and ground cinnamon and mix well.
5. Add the softened butter, along with half the banana mixture, and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
6.  Add the remaining banana mixture and half of the chocolate chips and beat on medium for 1 minute.
7. Pour the batter into floured pan, smoothing the top. Then sprinkle with the pecans and rest of chocolate chips.
8.  Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and set aside to completely cool.
10. For garnish you can drizzle with chocolate syrup and extra pecans.

Lebanese Sfouf

INGREIDENTS NEEDED

• 1½ cup fine semolina flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of Turmeric
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp of tahini paste
• 12-18 whole blanched almonds

PREPARATION:

• In a bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, semolina, baking powder and turmeric and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, dissolve the milk and sugar, and then add the dry mixture and oil and beat on low-medium for 5 minutes ( this step is very important).
• Grease an 8 inch pan with tahini paste and pour the mixture in. Sprinkle with  sliced almonds or pine nuts.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until inserted  wooden tooth pick come out clean.
• Remove and let to cool. Enjoy

Finger Dates, Lebaese Dessert

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

3 cups of four

1 large spoon of yeast

1 large spoon sugar

1 small spoon baking powder

¼ small spoon of salt

¼ small spoon of cinnamon

½ cup veggie oil

¾ cup of warm water

FILLING

450 grams date paste

1 large spoon of butter

1 small spoon of cinnamon

UPPER LAYER

1 large egg

¼ spoon small vanilla

¼ cup  sesame seeds

PREPERATIONS:

1. In a bowl of your food processor with the dough hook add 2 1/2 cups of flour, yeast, baking
   powder, salt, cinnamon, and mix well.
2. Add the oil and water and mix until dough separates from walls. Then add the remaining flour and knead for 5
   minutes.
3. Remove and rub with oil, then place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic for 1 hour.
4. Mix the filling ingredients until you get soft dough that you can shape into fingers.
5. On a flat layer, roll out dough into any size you want (1-2 cm thickness) place filling,
   and roll over twice only. You can make one at a time or roll out a large sheet
   and use a knife to cut into you shapes.
6. Place the fingers on a baking sheet.  Mix the upper
   layer ingredients (egg, vanilla) and brush the fingers, then sprinkle with the
   sesame seeds. Place in a warm place for 10 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Baking for 10-20 until golden brown

 INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

Crust:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 eight ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream340 grams of semi-sweet chocolate
3 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

PREPARATION:

 Preheat oven to 350F. Grease sides of a spring-form pan.  In a large bowl, mix butter and graham cracker crumbs until well blended. Press into bottom of pan and freeze for at least 30 mintues.

 beat sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, blend in cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well( 30 seconds) after each egg is added. Mix in sour cream, flour and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling batter over the crust.

Bake  for one hour in preheated oven. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven for about 5 hours.   Refrigerate for at least 5-7  or overnight.

Cherry Cheese Cake

 INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

Crust:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 eight ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease sides of a spring-form pan.  In a large bowl, mix butter and graham cracker crumbs until well blended. Press into bottom of pan and freeze.

beat sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, blend in cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well( 30 seconds) after each egg is added. Mix in sour cream, flour and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling batter over the crust.

Bake for one hour in preheated oven. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven for about 5 hours.   Refrigerate for at least 5-7 hours before serving.

• Cherry sauce for topping ( or your favorite toppings)

Blueberry_Cheese_Cake

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

Crust:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 eight ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease sides of a spring-form pan.  In a large bowl, mix butter and graham cracker crumbs until well blended. Press into bottom of pan and freeze.

beat sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, blend in cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well( 30 seconds) after each egg is added. Mix in sour cream, flour and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling batter over the crust.

Bake for one hour in preheated oven. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven for about 5 hours.   Refrigerate for at least 5-7 hours before serving.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 2 ½ cups of plain flour
• ¾ cup of white sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ pistachio nuts, crushed
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• Water ( AS NEEDED)
• 1  ½ cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1  cup pistachio nuts, crushed

Preparation

Combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder then mix well. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix with your hands until well combined.

Then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until soft dough and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Make small balls with the dough. Press each ball gently to make a circle. Dip one side in the crushed pistachio, turn and dip the other side in the sesame seed press well here to hold the seeds in place.

Place them using a non-stick tray and bake at 300 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden in color

Remove and let cool before serving with coffee or tea.

Read the Full Recipe!

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INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup of granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp of lemon zest
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• ¼ salt
• ½ cup of dried cranberries coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup of coarsely chopped pistachios
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 tsp of vegetable shortening
• NOTE: you can substitute the cranberries for your favorite dried fruit (peaches, cherries, raisins) or change the recipe with any choice of nuts.

PREPARATION:

• Preheat oven to 350
• In an electric mixer, add eggs and sugar and beat on high for 4-5 minutes ( it should be thick and pale in colour. Then beat in vanilla and lemon zest until combined.
• In a bowl mix thoroughly flour, baking powder and salt. Then add to egg mixture and mix well.  Fold in cranberries, pistachios and almonds.  (You can use electric  mixer or kneed them yourself)
• Transfer the dough onto a flat surface and divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Shape into logs about 20cm long and 3cm thick. Place the logs on a baking sheet about 5 cm apart. Lightly moist your hands in water if the dough is sticky to help you shape into logs.
• Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Cut the cooled biscotti’s into 2 cm slices, on the diagonal and place back on the baking sheet. Then place back in oven for 5 minutes at 300 degrees.
• Remove and cool completely.
• Melt 1 cup of chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable shortening in a small metal bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering hot water.
• Line a sheet with parchment paper. Remove melted chocolate from heat and dip the bottom end of the biscotti’s into the melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper and cool in the fridge for ½ hour before serving with your favorite cup of coffee or tea.

Read the Full Recipe!

Read the Full Recipe!

Read the Full Recipe!

Read the Full Recipe!