Recipes

Asure (Noah's pudding)
Image: Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria

Asure

(Noah’s pudding)

The spirit of sharing with neighbours, the history of humanity unfolding within a story, the healthy and humble ingredients... These are all the emotions conjured up within my heart when I think of asure. It is the combination of these emotions that allows asure to maintain a holy and spiritual status within Turkish culture, while spreading happiness throughout the community

Recipe contributed by Feriha Resitoglou

Ingredients

• 1 cup barley, pre-soaked in hot water overnight and strained
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, pre-soaked in hot water overnight and strained
• 1/2 cup white beans, pre-soaked in hot water overnight and strained
• 1 tbs cloves
• 1/2 cup flaked almonds
• 4 dried figs, chopped
• 4 dried apricots, chopped
• 1 small packet of sultanas
• 1/2 cup medium grain white rice
• 1 cup white sugar
• 8 cups boiling water
• Toasted sesame seeds, walnuts, cinnamon or pomegranate seeds to garnish

Method

Place pre-soaked and strained barley, chickpeas and white beans into a large pot and cover with all of the boiling water.

Place pot on medium heat, add cloves and bring back to boil.

Allow pot to simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add rice, sugar, figs, apricots and almonds and cook for another 15 minutes, adding boiling water if needed.

After pudding is cooked, place into bowls and garnish with sesame seeds, walnuts, cinnamon or pomegranate seeds as desired.

Badam ki burfi
Image: Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria

Badam ki burfi

The very first salary I received back in India was paid in cash! After collecting my monthly pay envelope I would unfailingly take an autorickshaw to the nearest sweet shop and pick up a kilogram of mixed sweets such as ladoos, barfi and jalebis to take home for my parents and brothers and sisters to share after dinner. -- Shabbir Wahid

Recipe contributed by Krishna Arora

Ingredients

• 360 g almonds (remove the skin after soaking and grind into a paste)
• 600 ml milk
• 300 g sugar (to taste)
• 4 tbs ghee
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

Place milk and sugar in a heavy bottomed pan, place on slow fire and constantly stir until the milk thickens. Add ghee and cook further until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Add cardamom powder and pour on to a greased tray. Flaten with a flat spoon and cool. Cut in diamond or square shapes.

Turkish Baklava
Image: Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria

Baklava

During the 1970s I was working as a contractor when I visited the city of Gaziantep which is famous for its baklavas. My aim was to have a 'baklava crawl', visiting one baklava shop after another to find the best baklava in the city. However after half a dozen shops I realised I couldn't continue as I almost had a 'sugar attack'. Umit Ugur

Recipe contributed by Yildiz Ugur

Ingredients

• 1 packet (375 g) filo pastry
• 250 g finely crushed walnuts
• 250 g unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups sugar

Method

To make syrup, boil water and sugar mixture for 20 - 25 minutes on low heat.

Cut whole stack of filo sheets into 2 to fit the size of a baking tray measuring 20 x 30 cm. Use half the sheets for bottom, brushing each sheet liberally with butter. Spread finely crushed walnuts and continue with the rest of filo pastry for top half. Butter the top sheet again and cut into baklava (diamond) shape (or squares if you like).

Cook in slow oven (about 160°C) for 50 - 60 minutes until brown. Pour cold syrup over hot baklava and wait to cool down before serving.

Brioche à la Rosana Clark style
Image: Stella Hennequin

Brioche à la Rosana Clark style

For the First Communion we make brioches which are taken to the priest for a blessing. After the First Communion ceremony the children are given a basket of brioches and they give one brioche to each person as a symbol of the sharing of bread recieved from God. -- Rosana Clark

Recipe contributed by Stella Hennequin

Ingredients

• 4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 125 g butter
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 13 drops of bergamot essence/fleur d’oranger
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 30 g fresh baker’s yeast

Glazing

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbs of milk

Makes 12

Method

Sift flour into a large deep bowl and set aside in a warm place. Heat milk, sugar, salt and butter in a small saucepan on gentle heat and simmer. Do not bring to boil. Remove the mixture from heat and cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water. Make a well in the centre of the sifted flour, pour the yeast mixture, cover with flour and allow the yeast to rise for a few minutes. Pour in the milk mixture, the beaten eggs and bergamot essence mixture, stirring continuously with a long handle wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth, shiny and forms a soft sticky dough. Cover with a cling wrap or tea towel and chill for at least 4 hours.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Cut into 4 equal parts by measuring on a scale. Slightly roll out each piece of the dough to form a log and cut each log into 3 equal parts. Flour a clean surface and your hands. Flatten out any air bubbles in the dough and roll into a ball using the palm of your hand ensuring that your hand remains cupped at all times (Tip: lean the inside of your wrist onto the surface). Place on baking tray lined with greaseproof baking paper, cover with a tea towel, set aside for about 1 hour to allow the dough to rise again. Preheat oven to 200ºC for about 10–15 minutes. Whisk the egg and milk together for the glazing and baste the brioche ensuring that it is completely covered.

Place in oven and reduce heat to 180°C, bake for approximately 15–20 minutes. Remove brioches from the oven, baste again with the glazing. If the brioches are for a Holy Communion place 3 tablespoons of plain flour and 2 tablespoons of self-raising flour in a cup and mix with a small amount of water to form a paste, not too runny. Place in a piping bag or gun and form a cross on the brioche. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a cake rack.

Canolli
Image: Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria

Cannoli

My mother loved writing recipes on small scraps of paper and she kept these in the pages of her various cookbooks. I found this recipe recently in one of her Italian cookbooks I have inherited. Her recipe includes cherries - we used maraschino cherries (not usually included in cannoli recipes). -- Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Recipe contributed by Elena Raniolo

Ingredients

For the cannoli shells

• 150 g flour
• 10 g sugar
• 10 g butter
• 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa
• 1/2 tablespoon of ground coffee
• 1 tbs marsala
• 1 tbs brandy
• 1 egg white
• Pinch of salt

For the filling

• 250 g fresh ricotta (pressed through a fine mashed colander to make it smooth)
• 125 g icing sugar
• 20 g candied fruits
• 12 cherries soaked in syrup
• 30 g chopped pistachio nuts
• 30 g dark chocolate, chopped

Method

Rub butter into flour or mix melted butter into flour, add cocoa, ground coffee, egg white, brandy and marsala, knead to form a dough, wrap in a clean floured cloth and rest for about 2 hours.

Roll dough out thinly; using a thick glass cut into 10 cm diameter circles, wrap around a cannoli form/rod (2 cm in diameter and 12 cm long), which have been greased with butter, brush edges with egg white to seal. They need to float in oil to fry (in other words, deep fry in hot oil).

It is just assumed that the cook will know what to do with the filling because instructions are not included in the recipe, but basically beat ricotta and sugar, fold in candied fruits and well drained cherries. Fill the cannoli with this mixture (after the cannoli have been drained on paper towel and the cannoli forms have been removed).

Sprinkle one end of each cannolo with nuts and the other with chocolate.

Sprinkle each cannolo with icing sugar.

Castella
Image: Emily Kocaj
Source: Museum Victoria

Castella

(かすてら、カステラ)

Castella is a delicious Japanese sponge cake, originally an immigrant, but now totally naturalized. Castella is a popular gift in Japan for the bride and groom to give as a return present to their wedding guests. Your main chance to eat castella is when someone brings it as a present when they visit your home, or as an omiyage (souvenir gift) after a trip somewhere.

Recipe from Suponji Keiki Sae Jozu ni Yakereba, If You Can Bake a Sponge Cake, by Masako Kawada, Bunka Shuppankyoku, 1998

Recipe contributed Anthony Preston

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2 egg yolks (= total 7 eggs)
• 200 g white sugar
• 30 g honey
• 140 g plain flour
• 35 ml canola oil

Preparation

• Line 21 x 21cm tin with baking paper
• Mix water and honey, keep warm in hot water bath
• Sift the flour twice
• Warm the oven to 170°C

Method

Put 5 eggs and 2 yolks in a bowl, lightly whip with a hand blender at medium speed. Add sugar.

Put the bowl in hot water at 45°C–50°C and stir until the mixture is 34°C–36°C. Remove the bowl from the hot water, and apply a mixer to the mixture for about 3 minutes to mix air through and make it froth.

Add about 60 ml of mix into honey and water, stir and fold over. Froth it up for 4–5 minutes at high speed.

When it is frothed up, mix for 40–50 minutes at medium speed. Sprinkle plain flour all over.

While turning the bowl as though pulling it to your front left, stir the mix by lifting it up with a rubber scraper.

Add about 100 ml of mixture into the canola oil, and mix thoroughly with the rubber scraper while folding the mix back into the bowl, stirring it carefully from the bottom until the mixture starts to shine.

Pour the mixture into the 21 x 21 cm tin and tap the tin to get rid of bubbles. Insert a bamboo spike into the mix about 3–4 cm to eliminate bubbles.

Put the tin into an oven heated to 170°C, cook for 20 minutes and when the surface is baked, cover it with foil, turn the temperature down to 160°C and cook for another 40 minutes.

Sweets exhibition

Chocolate Manju

I experimented with various types of chocolate to find the best taste using rich dark chocolate. Care is required to prevent the manju from splitting when baking them. These are in demand for various get-togethers. They are not sold commercially, so I was pleased to learn how to make them at home.

Recipe from Haruko Kanezuka, Denshi Renji to Fuudo Purosesaa de Wagashi ga Dekiru Japanese Desserts You Can Make with a Microwave and Food Processor, Kodansha, 2000.

Recipe contributed Kyoko Preston

Ingredients

• 15 g dark chocolate
• 50 g white sugar
• 10 g honey
• 1 egg
• 2 g baking soda (dissolve in 1/2 tsp of water)
• 100 g bread flour
• 8 g cocoa
• 300 g anko white bean paste
• Appropriate amount of bread flour (sprinkle on tray)

Makes 15 choko manju

Method

Make outer layer
Put dark chocolate into heat-resistant glass, cover with oven wrap, melt for several seconds in microwave. Mix white sugar, honey and beaten egg in food processor until sugar grains disappear. Add the melted dark chocolate and baking soda and mix.

Mix the flour and cocoa and sift. Add to the mixture, and stir until the flour is not visible. Move the mixture to a bowl and rest it for 30 minutes (In the refrigerator in summer).

Wrapping the white bean paste
Separate the white bean paste into 15 balls. Put the mixture on a bench dusted with bread flour and knead the mixture until smooth.

Apply flour and stretch out the mixture into a round shape. Brush the flour off with a brush, place the anko bean paste ball on the mixture and wrap the mixture around it. Shape the manju correctly, then brush off the flour.

Bake in the oven
Spread a baking sheet over a baking tray, line up the manju on the tray with sufficient space between them, brush off the flour and lightly spray a water mist over the manju to prevent cracking while baking. Bake the manju in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack.

Frutta di martorama
Image: Emily Kocaj
Source: Museum Victoria

Frutta di martorama

(Marzipan shaped fruits and vegetables)

All over Sicily there are celebratory sweets and special rituals to celebrate religious feasts. Frutta di martorama is the marzipan-shaped fruits and vegetables always seen in Sicilian pastry shops and are strongly associated with Sicily. Marzapane (Marzipan) is also called pasta reale.

Recipe contributed by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Ingredients

To make marzipan

• 3 cups whole blanched almonds
• 3 cups caster sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp almond essence

To make marzipan fruits

• Marzipan paste (at room temperature)
• Food colouring
• Cloves
• Icing sugar, to coat hands

Method

In a food processor, grind the almonds with about 2 tablespoons of the sugar until very fine, almost powdery. In a food processor or in an electric mixer, combine the nuts, the rest of the sugar, the water, vanilla, and the almond extract. Process until the paste is very smooth. Remove to a marble slab or other cold work surface dusted with icing sugar and knead briefly by hand. Add more icing sugar if necessary.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Marzipan will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator. The marzipan can be made up to 8 weeks in advance.

How to make marzipan fruits

Marzipan should be made at least 2 days ahead. Work with small pieces of marzipan at a time and keep the remaining marzipan covered tightly. Form the marzipan into a smooth ball by rolling it between the palms of your hands, and mould it gently into the desired shape. Wiping your hands occasionally with a damp cloth and using a little icing sugar to coat your palms helps stop it sticking. Let the marzipan dry on sheets of foil overnight.

Use small brushes dipped in the food colour to achieve the desired colours and shadings. You may need a second coat of colour but let the first coat dry. Use cloves to form the blossom end of fruits such as apples and pears.

Let the marzipan dry uncovered for 1 day, and once again with a soft brush add any fine details.

Tip

If you wish to make the marzipan look like citrus fruit or strawberries roll it over a fine grater or sieve.

Sweets exhibition

Ichigo Daifuku

(いちご大福)

Ichigo daifuku are said to be invented in the 1980s. They are usually eaten in the springtime in Japan, but in Australia strawberries are available throughout the year, so this can be enjoyed all year round. This recipe was first adapted from a friend’s recipe. -- Anthony Preston

Recipe contributed Kyoko Preston

Ingredients

Crema pasticcera

• 200 g mochiko (sweet rice flour)
• 100 g sugar
• 250 ml water
• 150 g (approx.) of sweet white bean paste
• 16-20 hulled strawberries, medium size
• Katakuriko (rice flour/potato starch)

Method

Mix the mochiko and sugar well, add water, cover in cling wrap and microwave for 3–5 minutes.

Knead the mochiko dough to stretch it. Spread katakuriko (rice flour/potato starch) over bench top to prevent mochiko dough sticking to everything, spread out dough to cool it. Wrap hulled strawberry in white bean paste and mochiko dough.

Irmik helvasi
Image: Elise Murphy
Source: Museum Victoria

Irmik helvasi

(Semolina helva)

My memories of irmik helva are bitter sweet. I love the taste of helva but because we usually make it when someone dies, my enjoyment is mixed with sadness. When I hear someone near and dear has passed away, I find it comforting to make the helva and think of the person because it makes me feel close to them. -- Yildiz Ugur

Recipe contributed by Yildiz Ugur

Ingredients

• 500 g semolina
• 500 g sugar
• 200 g butter
• 1 litre water
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

Method

Melt butter in a large pan, add pine nuts and brown.

Add semolina and cook over low heat, continuously stirring with a wooden spoon until a medium golden colour.

Boil the water separately and add to the mixture until all water is absorbed.

Add sugar over low heat while still stirring continuously until the mixture is thick and grains are separated.

Rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve spoonfuls in a dish.

Sweets exhibition

Lokum

(Turkish delight)

Walking down the busy stoned passages of Istanbul we entered a shop with sweets piled on every bench top, some glistening with syrupy goodness, others dusted in snow-white icing sugar. I had to try the rose pink lokum (Turkish delight). It was so soft and fresh that I could pull it apart with my fingers. -- Sahika Goker

Recipe contributed by Nurper Goker

Ingredients

• 2 kg sugar
• 500 g corn flour
• 120 g gelatine
• 1.2 litres water (7 cups)
• 250 g icing sugar

Method

Mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Add the water and mix well.

Cook on high heat until it boils and thickens stirring all the time.

Line a baking tray (about 30 x 45 cm) with baking paper, pour the mixture into it and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, turn the tray upside down, cut into small cubes and roll them in icing sugar to cover the surfaces.

Napolitains
Image: Jon Augier
Source: Museum Victoria

Napolitains

After almost 40 years in Australia, I still make traditional sweets such as napolitain learnt from my cousin Lindsay . . . My napolitains are a little different to the ones you would buy in Mauritius as they are much lighter in texture and made with a much thinner layer of icing. -- Stella Hennequin

Recipe contributed by Stella Hennequin

Makes around 50 or more if using a smaller biscuit cutter

Ingredients

• 800 g plain flour
• 500 g butter or margarine
• Plum or apricot jam
• 500 g soft icing sugar
• Hot water to make icing
• 1-2 drops pink food colouring

Method

Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Knead until it forms a soft dough. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1 cm thick. Cut out circular shapes about 2.5 cms for small or 5 cms for large using a cookie cutter. If the dough gets too dry add a little bit more margarine.

Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven 180°C for 17 minutes or until biscuits turn a light golden brown. Allow to cool. Spread jam over one biscuit and sandwich it up with another biscuit. Place the paired biscuit on a cooling rack over a drip tray, leaving sufficient room between them so that when you ice your biscuits they do not stick together.

Sift the icing sugar into a jug and add sufficient hot water to form a paste, not too runny and not too dry. Add drops of food colouring until you reach desired colour. You want the paste to be able to be poured over the biscuit to cover it without the biscuits being seen through the icing. Test a couple so the consistency can be adjusted.

Place some boiling water in a large cup with a serving knife and spoon. Coat the biscuits with the icing by scooping 1 tablespoon of the paste in a circular motion over the biscuit using the spoon from the hot water and make sure that it is covered thoroughly by guiding your spoon around the biscuit. Using the hot serving knife, gently remove the coated biscuit and place on a serving platter to set. Remember to not allow them to touch each other until they are dry.

Sweets exhibition

Pandoro

As a child growing up in Trieste (northern-east region of Italy) I particularly liked to eat pandoro. I used to dunk it in my hot chocolate and I enjoyed it because it was soft. I much preferred it to panettone, which had dried fruits – I did not like the fruit floating in my cup.

Recipe contributed by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Ingredients

• 3 cups (300 g) flour
• 250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (120 g) sugar
• 20 g active baker’s yeast
• 1/2 cup water (warm)
• 1 large lemon - grated zest
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Extra flour and butter for work surface and mould
• Icing sugar to dust on top

Equipment

A pandoro tin is star shaped (20 cm tall and 20 cm in diameter), you may be able to purchase one from a speciality cooking store. If not substitute another similarly sized tin.

Method

To make the biga (sponge) put the warm water in a small bowl. Stir in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, an egg yolk, and 1/3 cup of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours (it should have doubled in size).

Using an electric mixer and a kneading hook, combine 3 egg yolks, 1/3 of the butter, half the left over sugar and biga. Beat on low just to combine the ingredients. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat the dough for 3–4 minutes. The dough will be soft and a little sticky.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

Add the remaining flour and sugar and work it into the dough, together with the whole egg and the yolk, add the lemon zest and the vanilla extract. Knead the dough well. Add the rest of the softened butter and beat well. Cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for another 2 hours.

Butter and flour the tins. Divide the dough into 2. Shape into 2 balls and place each into a tin – each should fill the tin about a third of the way up. Cover the tins with a cloth and put into a warm place to rise until the dough reaches the top of the tins. (40 - 60 minutes).

Preheat oven to 200°C. Bake the pandoro for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat 180°C and cook till done (until the top is brown and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean). Let the bread cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove bread from tins and cool completely on wire racks.

Dust with icing sugar when ready to eat. Pandoro can be sliced into vertical wedges or cut horizontally into star-shaped slices.

Poudine mais
Image: Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria

Poudine mais

Poudine mais reminds me of my childhood! This simple, healthy and tasty treat made of polenta was available at the market, home, school canteen, and from street merchants. -- Patricia Kimtia

Recipe contributed by Patricia Kimtia

Ingredients

• 3 litres of water
• 10 tbs of powdered milk
• 600 g of polenta washed properly
• 450 g of sugar
• 1 grated coconut
1 vanilla pod

Method

In a pressure cooker, add the water, polenta, sugar and vanilla pod and boil on low heat for half an hour. Blend the powdered milk in 1 litre of water and add to the mixture. Leave on the stove until the liquid evaporates. Pour into a greased serving platter. Sprinkle the grated coconut. Slice into pieces when cool.

Sweets exhibition

Poutou

Poutou cakes bring back old times when we would queue up after mass or late nights besides the poutou cake lady at street corners, to enjoy nice, warm and tasty poutou cakes. These cakes are traditionally prepared in poutou cake steamers. Today, they can be prepared using microwaves but nothing beats poutou cakes freshly steamed in poutou makers. -- Clancy Phillipe

Recipe contributed Madeleine Phillipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder
• 2 (flush) tsp salt
• 1 cup hot water to sprinkle

Equipment

A potou maker may be able to be purchased from an Indian grocery store or online

Method

Soak the rice for 3 hours. Leave on a tea towel or in a strainer and allow to drain. When dry, grind in a mixer into a fine powder.

Heat the powder over low heat in a pan for 5 minutes and keep stirring to stop it from burning. Allow to cool.

Add the salt to the hot water and mix well. Sprinkle the hot water into the rice powder and gently fold in (don’t add too much water). Make sure that the rice is still in powder form and not dough.

Mix the shredded coconut with the sugar and elaichi powder.

Now add a layer of shredded coconut mix in the poutou maker and then add the wet rice powder in stages, alternating with the shredded coconut layers. Use one quarter of the wet ground rice flour and shredded coconut for each layer. This is done till you reach the top of the poutou maker.

Close the lid and steam for 5–8 minutes or until cooked.

Alternative microwave recipe

Ingredients

• 325 ml coconut powder
• 300 ml rice flour
• 200 ml self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 150 ml sugar
• 400 ml hot milk
• 40 g butter
• 5 ml vanilla essence

Method

Grease a microwave dish 20 cm in diameter) with butter. Melt the butter and add it to the hot milk. Add all the other ingredients. Mix well with a spatula and pour the preparation in the dish. Cook in a microwave oven at high for 8–9 minutes. Very quickly done and delicious, same taste as the ones sold in Mauritius.

Sweets exhibition

Puits d’amour

Both my parents worked in the capital, occasionally they would take us on a Saturday to visit their offices, then we all went to La Flore Mauricienne a very reputable French bakery for a special treat... There we ate all the delicious cream cakes and pastries. I can still see myself suck my fingers after having devoured a puit d’amour... -- Danielle Herbereau de Lachaise

Recipe contributed by Stella Hennequin

Ingredients

Pastry

• 2 cups of plain flour
• 2 cups of self-raising flour
• 1 cup of softened butter
• 2 eggs whisked
• 1 cup of icing sugar

Custard filling (crème pâtissière)

• 9 egg yolks
• 3 cups of sifted caster sugar
• 3 tbs of sifted plain flour
• 3 tbs of sifted cornflour
• 1 litre of milk
• 3 vanilla pod (cut in half) or 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Method

Baking the pastry cases
Sift the plain flour and the self-raising flour into a mixing bowl. Pour the egg mixture, icing sugar and softened butter in the centre of the bowl. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients well until you have a dough; if required add more egg to make a nice dough (do not use any water). Roll out into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 2 hours. Use a floured board to roll out the pastry to 1/2 cm thick. Using a cookie cutter with scalloped edges cut out circles 1 cm larger than your mould. The remaining dough can be re-rolled and used again. Gently layer the dough into your mould to retain its scalloped edge, blind bake in a moderate oven on 180ºC until they are golden, remove from oven and allow to cool. Cases can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Making the crème pâtissière
Heat milk without boiling. Use a hand mixer to mix egg yolks, caster sugar, plain flour and corn flour until no more lumps appear. Slowly pour the hot milk a little at a time over the mixture, transfer to a saucepan and cook on medium heat stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Add vanilla and continue to stir until well blended. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl/container, cover with plastic wrap, allow to set in the refrigerator.

Putting it all together to serve
Tip: it is best to assemble the puits d’amour just before serving so the cases remain crispy. Scoop 1–2 tablespoons of the crème pâtissière into the pastry cases, ensure you round it up with a spoon to end up with a dome effect. Sprinkle shredded or desiccated coconut; cut up glacé cherries in half or quarters, place on top of the puits d’amour. Et voilà, they are ready to eat!

Sweets exhibition

Qubani ka meetha

The one sweet I have always fantasised about is qubani ka meetha, made from apricots in a caramelised syrup and particular to Hyderabad. I was fortunate enough to visit Hyderabad twice in the last few weeks. I plan to do more business in Hyderabad so I can get more of the qubani ka meetha!! It is just divine. -- Shabbir Wahid

Recipe contributed by Gurpreet Bhatia

Ingredients

• 1 cup or 250 g dried apricots
• 125 g sugar
• 100 g (blanched) almonds
• Few strands saffron
• 250 ml water

Method

Wash and soak the apricots in water for 5–6 hours or overnight. Drain the liquid and set aside.

De-seed the apricots and blend or chop finely.

Make syrup of sugar and water and add apricots.

Cook over medium heat till the apricots are fully cooked and the colour changes from light brown to slightly dark. Add saffron and mix (sometimes rose syrup is also used as flavouring).

Chill and serve cold garnished with blanched almonds or apricot kernels. Traditionally it is garnished with malai, homemade clotted cream from buffalo milk.

Sweets exhibition

Rikyu Manju

(利休饅頭)

Rikyu manju is a Japanese cake named after a great tea master, Sen no Rikyu (1522–1591).

Recipe contributed by Takae Okada

Ingredients

Crema pasticcera

• 120 g plain flour
• 90 g un-refined brown sugar
• 2 tbs water
• 2/3 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp water
• 240 g an, sweet bean paste (can be bought from Asian grocers)
• Extra flour (for shaping)
• Waxed paper

Method

Divide the sweet bean paste into 12 and roll them into balls. Put the un-refined brown sugar into a small pan with 2 tablespoons water. Heat over low heat, mix well with a spatula until the sugar is melted. Place into a mixing bowl, and let cool completely.

Mix the baking soda with 1 tablespoon water in a separate small bowl, and add to the cooled sugar solution. Sift the flour and add it to the sugar/baking soda solution in the mixing bowl. Mix with your hands into a dough. Wash your hands and then dust them with a little flour and divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll each of them into flat disk sheets (5–6 cm in diameter), a little thinner at the edge than the centre. Place 1 an sweet bean paste ball on the centre of your palm, and wrap the dough around it, then place bottom side down on a small piece of waxed paper. This is a manju ball before steaming.

Heat the steamer on high until steam comes out. Add extra water into steamer and lay a piece of wax paper (or a clean wet cloth) on the mesh shelf in the steamer. Line up the manju balls in the steamer, leaving some space for expansion between them. Cover with the lid of the steamer and steam on high heat for 8–10 minutes. Pick the warm manju balls up from the steamer and serve. Or they can be cooled on a wire rack before serving.

Sweets exhibition

Sooji halwa

Halwa is often made to be offered as Prasad (after prayers), for pujas, festivals and other joyous celebrations.

Recipe contributed by Krishna Arora

Ingredients

• 1 cup semolina
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Ghee
• 10 g raisins
• 60 g cashews (thinly sliced)

Method

Heat the ghee in a karai (wok) at a medium heat and add semolina. Stir well.

Add water and keep stirring to make sure there are no lumps. Add sugar, raisins and cashews and stir. When water evaporates and consistency is right, remove from heat.

Sweets exhibition

Zeppole

(Donuts)

This recipe has been adapted from my mother Luisa Zarro, and she has always made them by hand. But to save time it could also be made in a food processor using the dough attachment. I think making them by hand is more authentic!

Recipe contributed by Rosaria Zarro

Ingredients

• 1 litre water
• 1 kg plain flour
• 1 tsp of salt
• 10–12 eggs
• Peel of a lemon
• Oil for frying

Equipment

Zeppole machine - you can buy this in any large Italian supermarket.

Method

For the first step, boil the water with the peel of a lemon and a teaspoon of salt. As soon as water boils, add the flour a bit at a time. Cook the mixture on a low flame for about 30 minutes. The flour has to amalgamate well.

For the second step, put mixture on a table and while still warm work it well with your hands to remove all clots of flour. Put mixture in a big container and add the eggs 1 at a time. Work again with your hands until the eggs are absorbed into the mixture.

Put the dough mixture into the zeppole machine. Squeeze the dough into circular shapes into abundant hot oil, the donuts should be covered. Fry until golden brown. Place on absorbent paper. When cool, dust with icing sugar and serve either warm or cold.

Zuppa inglese
Image: Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Zuppa inglese

I use Alchermes to make the famous Italian dessert zuppa inglese (literally translated as English soup). This is the Italian version of the English trifle.

There are many stories about how this English dessert came to be part of Italian cuisine and the most colourful is that the well-off English living in Florence in 1800s asked their Italian kitchen maids to prepare trifle. The maids had to use Italian ingredients – savoiardi (sponge fingers) and Alchermes the ancient Florentine, red liqueur and crema pasticcera.

Recipe contributed by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Ingredients

Crema pasticcera

• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbs caster sugar infused with a vanilla bean
• 3 tbs of cornflour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 litre of milk
• Rind of 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick

Assembly

• 200 g Savoiardi (sponge fingers)
• 3/4 cup Alchermes liqueur(or to your liking; some mix it with water)
• Bitter chocolate to decorate

Method

In a saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and slowly add the flour, salt and a little milk to make a smooth paste - a whisk could be useful. If you do not have sugar that has been infused with a vanilla bean, use a little vanilla (not artificial). Add the rest of the milk and incorporate to dilute the mixture evenly.

Using a vegetable peeler remove the rind in 1 piece from the lemon. Add 1/2 the rind to this to the milk mixture. Add the cinnamon stick. Use low to medium heat, stir it constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon and slowly bring it to the boil until the custard thickens. Cool before using. To prevent a skin from forming, I place a piece of baking paper or buttered paper on the surface.

I use a large glass bowl to assemble the layers of ingredients - sponge fingers moistened with Alchermes, cover these with crema pasticcera, repeat for 2–3 layers finishing with a layer of sponge fingers.

Keep the zuppa inglese in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Cover it with a layer of panna montata (literally meaning cream made into mountains – whipped cream with a little caster sugar flavoured with vanilla bean).

Grate dark chocolate on top for decoration.