Ingredients

-1 cup milk
-1 cup water
-1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
-1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches long, broken
-1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and sliced
-8 whole cloves
-10 whole black peppercorns
-3 strips fresh tangerine peel, 1/4 inch wide, 3 inches long
-1 piece vanilla bean, 1 inch long
-1 tablespoon loose black tea leaves such as Darjeeling
-1 1/2 tablespoons sugar or to taste

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the milk, water, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, peppercorns, tangerine peel and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the tea and simmer 10 minutes longer. Strain into pitcher or teapot and stir in the sugar. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

For Cake:
-2 cups water
-12 ounces pitted prunes
-1/4 cup Armagnac or Cognac
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tablespoon baking soda
-2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
-1 teaspoon ground allspice
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
-2 1/4 cups sugar
-1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
-5 large eggs
-2 tablespoons vanilla extract
-1 1/2 cups buttermilk
For Glaze:
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-1/2 cup Armagnac or Cognac
-1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
-2 tablespoons light corn syrup
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

FOR CAKE: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

Combine water, prunes and Armagnac in heavy large saucepan. Simmer until prunes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain prunes; reduce cooking liquid to 1/4 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid for glaze. Quarter prunes. Set aside.

Whisk flour and next 7 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Mix in dry ingredients just until blended. Add buttermilk; beat just until batter is smooth. Fold in quartered prunes. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Mixture will foam. Mix in reserved 1/4 cup prune cooking liquid. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using skewer, pierce cake all over. Slowly pour all but 1/2 cup hot glaze over hot cake. Cool glazed cake in pan 30 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter. Cool completely and serve.

Cut cake into wedges; transfer to plates. Drizzle with reserved sauce and serve.

By Anna Dorantes for SpecialCooking.com

Ingredients

-2 cups flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 large egg
-1 cup milk
-4 tablespoons butter, melted
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1 1/2 cups mixed berries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg. Whisk in the milk, melted butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Form a well in the dry ingredients and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Fold in the berries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake about 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

To make the dough :
-2 cups flour
-1 teaspoon yeast
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon sugar
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-3/4 cup water

To make the stuffing :

-500 grams ground beef
-1 medium onion chopped
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon all spice
-1/4 teaspoon cardamom
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 tablespoon Tahini(optional)
-1 tablespoon labaneh(optional..you can replace it with sour cream)
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
Salt to taste
1/2 tablespoon dried mint

Directions

Proof the yeast by mixing the yeast, sugar and water and waiting for the yeast to foam and bubble. (if it doesn’t bubble you need to discard it and start over with new yeast).

In a bowl whisk together the flour and salt till combined.

Add the oil and then rub it into the flour mix with your fingertips.

Add the water/ yeast mixture and knead the dough untill it forms a smooth soft ball that doesn’t stick to your hands (a tip from a bakery owner I know, lift the dough and slam it into the table 7-10 times during kneading. That will give your baked goods that fluffy cotton like interior)

Cover a bowl with a little olive oil,place your dough it and cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place untill it doubles in size (If you are short on time, heat your oven to 200 C and place the rack in the middle. Turn it off. Place a clean towel on the rack and place the bowl with your covered dough on the towel and leave it in the closed oven. It will double in size in 10-15 minutes).

Cut the dough into egg sized balls and cover them with a clean towel and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
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To make the stuffing saute the onions in the olive oil untill translucent.

Add the ground beef and spices and stir untill it is half done.

Add the molasses, tahini,labaneh and mint. Stir to combine.

To assemble the sfeeha

Oil your baking sheets.

Center your oven rack

Heat your oven to 270 C (or the highest setting or temperature your oven can get to )

Roll the dough ball into a small circle, place the stuffing in the center.

Wet 1 cm of the dough circumference with water using a brush or your finger.

Take two sides of the dough circle and seal them together by pinching them between your finger and thumb

Repeat that with the other sides of the circle untill you get 4 corners.



Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

If you are making a big amount make sure you cover the meat pies with a clean cloth while they are resting or the surface will dry and crack once you bake them.

When the whole amount is ready re-pinch the sealed dough margins together to make sure they are sealed tight.

Brush the dough with some Powdered milk dissolved in a little water (you want it to be of thick consistency). You can use an egg wash but I personally hate the smell of eggs that the egg wash leaves.

Bake your meat pies for 10 minutes or untill the under side is golden. (They will buff up as they bake so don’t place them too close to each other on the baking sheet).

Place them under the broiler untill the tops are golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients

-1 cup blueberries
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-Custard Base for Ice Cream (see recipe)

Companion recipe: Custard Base for Ice Cream

Directions

Place blueberries and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor, process until smooth. Add to custard mixture. Pour into a 13 X 9-inch pan. Freeze until almost set.

Remove from pan and place into a bowl of a processor or electric beater. Process and beat until smooth. Return to pan and freeze. Alternatively, use an electrice ice-cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Ingredients

-1 cup milk
-1 cup light cream
-2 egg yolks
-2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Companion recipe : BlueBerry Ice Cream

Directions

Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Whip egg yolks and sugar until light. Continue whisking while pouring milk mixture into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Cool and chill thoroughly before using. For flavors, see ice cream recipes.

Ingredients

-6 ounces green beans, strings removed and cut in half
-13 ounces chayote (vegetable pear/choko), peeled, cut in half to remove core, and cut into 1/8-inch slices
-14 ounces fresh peas, shelled
-14 ounces potatoes, peeled and sliced
For the Fritters:
-10 ounces carrots, peeled and sliced
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon queso anejo or dry feta cheese, shredded
-1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the Chile Sauce:
-2 1/2 ancho chiles, stems removed, seeded, deveined, toasted briefly over direct flame, and soaked
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
-Pinch ground cumin
-3 1/2 queso anejo or dry feta cheese, crumbled
-1 onion, halved and sliced

Directions

Cook the green beans, chayote, peas, and potatoes seperately in boiling, salted water until tender.

FOR THE FRITTERS:
Puree the carrots in a blender with the egg, cheese and salt to taste. Remove to a bowl and mix in the flour. Using your hands, form 10 flattish, round fritters with the mixture and fry in the oil over high heat for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Place the chiles in a blender with the water, vinegar, cumin, and salt. Blend until very smooth.

In an oiled serving dish approximately 10x6x2 inches, layer the potatoes, chayote, green beans, carrot, fritters and peas. Cover with half the chile sauce, repeat the layers, and finish with the remaining sauce.

Garnish with the cheese and onion, and serve.