Off The Shelf - 'A Basket by the Door' by Sophie Hansen

Bought at: The combined Sydney book launch of ‘A Basket by the Door’ by Sophie Hansen, ‘Tortellini at Midnight’ by Emiko Davies & ‘A Tree in the House’ by Annabelle Hickson - March 2019. This event took place a couple of weeks before ‘A Basket by the Door’ was officially released, and I was so happy to be able to buy a copy a little early! It was also wonderful to have the book signed by Sophie. I then spent the remainder of the afternoon after the book launch, looking through the book and never wanting it to end. 

Recipes Made: Pistachio, Cardamon & Rose Balls p.17, Sweet Verjus-Pickled Strawberries with Vanilla and Pink Peppercorns p.66, Orange and Quinoa Biscuits p.66, Apple, Fennel & Pork Sausage Rolls p.142, Quick Tomato Chutney p.142, Quince Chutney p.145, Pasta Salad with Olive and Walnut Pesto p.159, Piedmontese Capsicums p.183, Quince Butter p.199, Anna’s Minestrone p.215 and Baked Apple Porridge p.216.

Pistachio Cardamom and Rose Balls

The Pistachio Cardamom and Rose Balls are the first ‘bliss ball’ type of thing I have ever made or eaten. I am not one for ‘healthy’ fad foods just for the sake of it, I am after flavour and lots of it. I also find that many bliss balls use some kind of chocolate or cacao and cashews, all of which I cannot eat. These on the other hand, are not like regular bliss balls. The fact that this recipe was the first I made from the book is testament to that. The combination of dates, honey, cardamom and rose makes these balls moorish and actually worth making. I am finding they are a great snack for work days. 

Pistachio Cardamom and Rose Balls

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I first tried Sophie’s Sweet Verjus-Pickled Strawberries with Vanilla and Pink Peppercorns and the Orange and Quinoa Biscuits at the first Local is Lovely Workshop back in 2014. As we all madly took photos, Sophie demonstrated how to make them and we got to sample some. After that I have recreated it home many time, served with a nice goats cheese or curd and fresh honeycomb. 

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Ok, the Apple Fennel and Pork Sausage Rolls are the absolute bomb. I am not a big meat eater, but I do love pork, and these sausage rolls are the best I have ever had. They first appeared in column Sophie wrote for the Domain Magazine last year, and I saved the recipe and have made them numerous times ever since. Once I realised how utterly amazing they were, I started making double and freezing them rolled into logs ready to cook. I have made a couple of batches of the Quick Tomato Chutney, which is great with the sausage rolls. I also love serving it with frittatas as well. 

The Quince Chutney on the other hand, is the best accompaniment to these sausage rolls. This recipe also appeared in the Domain mag last year, so I made one batch of it. I was so disappointed when it was all gone, that this year I am determined to make at least two batches. If I can really recommend anything to make from this book, top of my list would be these sausage rolls with the quince chutney. 

Quince Chutney

I made the Pasta Salad with Olive and Walnut Pesto so I had something nice to take to work for lunch, inspired by this chapter in the book about making time for lunch during work. I made the pesto with almonds as I didn’t have any walnuts and I loved it. And I definitely didn’t have any “sad desk lunch[es]” that week!

Piedmontese Capsicums

The Piedmontese Capsicums are probably my favourite way to eat capsicums. Again I first tried this dish at the first Local is Lovely Workshop, and have made it again and again ever since. The leftovers are really great added to the topping of a pizza, and as I am such a caper and anchovy fiend I add more than the recipe actually stipulates! 

While I have poached quince many times now, I have only recently made them into Quince Butter. Using Sophie’s recipe for poaching, the quinces turned a very deep burgundy red which was most satisfying. I have seen the recipe for quince butter before, and I have to say the lack of water in the recipe always confused me. I did everything as the recipe said until I lost my nerve once the quince were in the oven and added about 1/2 cup water - the mixture was so syrupy almost toffee like I just couldn’t hang around for three hours while it was all in the oven and wonder if it would work! It did in the end and tastes amazing.

Quince Butter

I absolutely love the Minestrone Soup recipe in ‘A Basket by the Door’. The same recipe can be found on Sophie’s blog, and I have been making it for the last couple of Winters now. It is super tasty and comforting on a chilly Winter’s evening, and the left overs are great for work lunches or frozen for another time. I always end up using a white wine in the soup rather than red, and there is always a bottle of white wine for cooking open in our fridge. Sometimes I also leave out the pasta and just have the barley and cannellini beans. Mostly because the starch of the pasta thickens the soup up a lot (which is quite noticeable if you are planning on having leftovers), and the soup is so tasty without it I don’t ever miss it.

Baked Apple Porridge

I made the Baked Apple Porridge last weekend, as an alternative to making my usual Muesli Breakfast Crumble. It smelt so delicious when it was baking, that even though I made it in the afternoon ready for pre-work breakfasts during the week, I just had to taste a little when it was ready! I added some poached quince to mine as well as the apples, and it was delicious. Definitely the perfect warming breakfast for a chilly morning. I served mine with yoghurt and honey as Sophie suggests, though I think some of the quince butter could be lovely with it too!

Favourite Things About the Book: The recipes and the photos! I love the variety of recipes in this book, and that so many of my favourites from Sophie’s blog are included too. Sophie’s food is exactly the kind of food I like to make and eat, simple, seasonal and super tasty. I knew when I heard this book was in the works it would be good, and it certainly hasn’t disappointed. I also love the photography in the book, and the fact that there are so many photos. The pages with the collages of photos are great, and really bright and inviting. The combination of fantastic recipes and photos makes this book so inviting and warm, and one I will be cooking from forever. 

Bookmarked Recipes (to make later!): Beetroot, Walnut and Pomegranate Dip p.22, Fennel and Sausage Ragu p.35, The Chicken Pie pp.39-41, Hot-Smoked Salmon and Zucchini Tart p.46, Baked Ricotta with Spring Greens p.69, Vanilla, Peach and Mint Iced Tea p.105, Brunekager p.107, Tomato, Capsicum and Pearl Couscous Salad p.160, Triple Ginger Loaf p.164, Braised Fennel and Tomato p.219, to name a few!

Ginger Date & Rose Cupcakes + Baking with Rose eBook is Here!

My new eBook, ‘Baking with Rose’ is here! And to celebrate I am sharing one of my favourite recipes from the book, these Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes.

It wasn’t until recently I discovered rose and ginger go really well together. While I like both flavours a lot, I had never thought to put them together. That changed when I saw this recipe for Gingersnaps with Rose icing. I made them, and loved them! I then began to think of all the other ways I could use ginger and rose together and these cupcakes are one of the ideas I came up with.

I love the flavour combination of these cupcakes, and the rose is fairly subtle as it’s only in the icing. The date molasses and panela sugar add a gentle sweet flavour, however regular molasses or brown sugar would be good substitutes if you don’t have date molasses or panela.

For more rose recipes like this, check out my new eBook ‘Baking with Rose’!

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Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Ginger Date and Rose Cupcakes

Ingredients: 

250g softened unsalted butter

200g panela sugar 

2 eggs

310g date molasses

230ml water

410g plain flour 

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground all spice 

1/2 tsp ground cardamom 

2cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated

Ingredients for Icing: 

170g icing sugar

1.5-2tbsp rosewater

fresh edible rose petals to decorate, optional

Method: 

Line two 12 capacity cupcake trays with cupcake cases and pre heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and panela sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Then beat in the water and date molasses. 

Sift flour, baking powder, bicarb and the spices and add to the mixture. Add the fresh ginger. Beat on a low speed until the flour begins to combine, then beat on a medium speed for 2 minutes or until mixed well. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and are springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, and remove cakes from the tins and allow to cool on a cooling rack. 

To make the icing, mix together the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rosewater in a medium bowl, to form a paste. If the icing is too thick gradually add a little more rosewater. Spread icing over each cake, allow to dry a little before decorating with the rose petals. 

Makes 24.

Fresh Edible Rose Petals

Recipe is an extract from ‘Baking with Rose - Recipes Showcasing the Best of Rose in Baking and Confectionary’ by Kath Vincent (kulinaryadventuresofkath.com, 2019), p.7.

Tips for Baking with Rose + A New eBook!

I am very excited to announce that I have a new eBook coming out on April 29th! This book is all about baking with rose, since it is a flavour I absolutely love. I also spent such a long time working out how to make all the various recipes, and basics (like crystallised rose petals) that I thought it would be a great idea to put all that information in one place. 

In the next few days I will share a recipe from the eBook here on the blog, though if you are on my mailing list this recipe will be emailed to you on Monday morning (April 29th), along with a special subscribers discount code to use when you purchase your copy. If you would like to join my mailing list please click here. 

The below are a few tips for baking with rose, which I have found helpful over the years and will assist you in creating some great bakes with rose. If you have any further questions, leave them in the comments below and make sure you check out my new eBook ‘Baking with Rose’ on April 29th! 

‘Baking with Rose’ eBook - release date 29/04/2019 - sign up to my mailing list for more information

How to Store Rose Petals

To store fresh rose petals, line a tupperware container with a piece of damp paper towel and seal with a lid. Place in the fridge (preferably in the crisper), for a shelf life of at least a week. 

For storage of dried rose petals, ensure they are in a well sealed container, preferably glass, away from direct sunlight. If the rose petals have been dried correctly, they will last for years stored like this. 

Where to Buy Rose Ingredients

Sometimes ingredients such as fresh rose petals can feel very elusive, but it helps to know where to look! If looking for fresh rose petals, I recommend looking at smaller more gourmet green grocers, or ask around friends and family to see if anyone has roses that aren't sprayed. If based in Australia, Petite Ingredient will ship them when in season. They can also sometimes be found at Harris Farm Markets.

I would recommend buying rosewater from Persian grocers. You know it's the real deal, and you can often get bigger bottles of it for more reasonable prices than delis etc. 

Dried rose petals are more readily available in gourmet grocers, delis as well as Persian grocers. Pariya brand has a good range of products, that are also available in many stores and online.

In Australia crystallised rose petals have been very hard to find, however they are now sold via The Essential Ingredient and Petite Ingredient online! 

Of course if you have access to fresh unsprayed rose petals you can make many of these ingredients at home. The recipes for how to make crystallised rose petals, rose syrup, dried rose petals (see recipe below also) and rose petal sugar can be found in my new eBook ‘Baking with Rose’. 

Substitutes for Rose in Baking

I know not everyone loves the flavour of rose. If you are undecided or have had a bad experience with it in the past, I would definitely recommend making something with rose yourself at home. This way you can control how much rose is added to the dish and you can taste test along the way to ensure it suits your palate. Start with small quantities (even smaller than a recipe states) and work your way up until you are happy. 

If you would prefer to use another flavour, lemon often works really well. Any recipe with a rose glaze icing (one made with icing sugar and a liquid like rosewater, like the one used in this Rose Cake) can easily be substituted with fresh lemon juice, or even water for a more simple icing. Rosewater or rose syrup used in cakes can often be substituted for vanilla extract or some citrus zest, or if you like violet or orange blossom they can often be good substitutes too.

To get started with baking with rosewater, I would recommend making these Cardamom and Rosewater Macaroons. Both the cardamom and rosewater quantities can be reduced, and the rosewater can be left out of the biscuit entirely. For a subtle hint, wet your hands with some rosewater before rolling the macaroons into balls rather than adding it to the main mixture.

The icing of this Rose Cake could be substituted for lemon juice

How to Dry Rose Petals at Home 

Preheat oven to 80 degrees Celsius, and scatter rose petals on a baking tray. Try to ensure they aren't sitting on top of each other too much. Place in the oven and allow to dry for about 20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes or so. The petals will be done when their colour has darkened, they have shrivelled, and they are completely crunchy in texture. Store in an airtight container (preferably glass) away from direct sunlight. If stored correctly they should last for years.

To grab your copy of my Baking with Rose ebook click the link below!

White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

Since Easter and Passover again fall at the same time this year, I thought I would make a dessert that observed both holidays. My immediate thought was a variation of a Lithuanian Nut Torte I had made a couple of years ago. The recipe uses nuts, grated chocolate and whipped egg whites to make a light cake. 

The time I first made this cake, I made it with dark or milk chocolate, however always thought I should try a white chocolate version of it. Now two years later I am finally doing it! 

The idea to make this cake again reappeared in my mind late one night when I was trying to fall asleep. That day a friend and I had visited Bakedown Cakery in St Leonards, as I was really keen to get some of the new Easter range. We both bought some chocolate, and as we walked home got caught in the worst downpour! We were absolutely saturated once we got back, but our Bakedown goodies had been well protected and survived the journey. 

I had bought some of the Golden Almond Eggs (caramelised white chocolate filled with almond praline - as delicious as it sounds), and some of the Hot Cross Bunnies chocolate bark (white and caramelised white chocolate with Easter spices with cute bunny illustrations printed on top). These chocolates, particularly the bark got me thinking about how it could be used to decorate a cake. 

The Nut Torte I had made so long before popped into my head as the perfect Easter dessert, which could also double as dessert for Passover. I decided I needed to visit Bakedown again to get more of the Hot Cross Bunnies bark, and a couple of blocks of Toasty (Bakedown’s caramelised white chocolate) to use for the torte. Jen at Bakedown also had Toasty Easter Bunnies ready when I went in the second time, and my gosh I was excited! Caramelised white chocolate is one of the best things I have ever tasted, and as someone who can’t eat ‘normal’ chocolate it was so nice to have an Easter treat I could actually enjoy! 

For this Easter Torte, I used Bakedown’s Toasty to grate into the torte, and the Hot Cross Bunnies bark to decorate the outside. I also used a combination of Toasty and regular white chocolate to melt down and decorate the top and use to stick the bark to the sides of the torte. You can of course use any type of chocolate you wish to make this torte, and decorate with your favourite Easter eggs, or just leave the decoration at the chocolate drizzle if you are making this cake for Passover (some toasted nuts scattered over the top would also be lovely). 

White Chocolate Bark from Bakedown Cakery, illustrations by Dawn Tan.

Hot Cross Bunnies white and caramelised white chocolate by Bakedown Cakery

White Chocolate Easter Torte (Passover Friendly)

Ingredients: 

100g macadamias or almonds, ground

3 tbsp fine matzo meal (or fine dry breadcrumbs if not making for Passover)

100g good quality white chocolate (the kind you would buy to eat) 

3 eggs (large), separated

125g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice 

To Decorate: 

50-100g white chocolate 

Easter eggs/chocolate to decorate or some extra toasted nuts (macadamias or almonds) 

Method: 

Pre heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a round 20cm loose bottomed or springform tin with baking paper. 

Grate the chocolate into a medium bowl, then add the ground nuts and matzo meal. Mix to combine then set aside. 

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Continue to whisk until the sugar has just incorporated. Briefly whisk in the egg yolks, then fold in the chocolate nut mixture. 

Tip into the prepared tin, and gently smooth the top. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the torte is golden in colour and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The torte will rise up then sink down a bit as it cooks. 

Leave to cool on a wire rack, removing from the tin once cooled. 

To decorate, melt the chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler. If sticking chocolate bark or similar around the edges of your torte use 100g of chocolate, drizzle some over the top, then spread the remaining chocolate around the sides of the cake then sick on the bark. If not, use 50g chocolate to drizzle over the top. Decorate with Easter eggs or toasted nuts. 

Reference: ‘100 Best Jewish Recipes’ by Evelyn Rose with Judi Rose (Pavilion, 2016), p.149. 

Pink Rocky Road with Homemade Blackberry Marshmallows + Homemade Raspberry Jubes for Easter

This recipe has been a long time coming for me. 

I have always been obsessed with marshmallows, so making them myself was always going to happen. I used to melt bowls of them in the microwave as a kid and eat them (sometimes with rice bubbles added too!). 

After enjoying the white chocolate rocky road by Sweetness The Patisserie (now owned by Adora Handmade Chocolates), for years and gifting many a milk or dark chocolate rocky road, I really wanted to make a good rocky road at home. Years ago I bought marshmallows and patê de fruits from Sweetness and assembled it myself. But after having made my own marshmallows for quite a while, I really wanted to do the whole thing myself. 

I have been keeping an eye out for a good patê de fruits or jube recipe for a while now. And I finally found one, that actually looked achievable in Bourke Street Bakery’s book ‘All Things Sweet’. I immediately put the book on my wish list, and luckily was gifted it for Christmas last year. 

Now I had the marshmallows and the jubes covered, I had to tackle the chocolate! I don’t eat chocolate, unless its white chocolate, so I don’t have a lot of experience with tempering etc. The main thing I can say about it now I’ve done it is, buy good quality chocolate with a high cocoa butter content, and get yourself a chocolate thermometer. I made the mistake of thinking I could use my candy thermometer, only to realise it doesn’t read temperatures under 40 degrees Celsius, which is not helpful for tempering chocolate! 

I bought this thermometer from Peter’s of Kensington, which is great as it’s a thermometer and spatula in one. If you want to know more about tempering chocolate I would recommend the above Bourke Street Bakery book and Katherine Sabbath’s pop up book ‘Greatest Hits’. 

This recipe does look a bit daunting I know, but I found making the marshmallows and the jubes on one day quite achievable. They both need to set overnight at least, so the next day all you need to do is temper the chocolate and assemble the rocky road. I add a very small amount of pink colouring and rose flavouring which is suitable for use with chocolate, however this is completely optional. You could of course use any type of chocolate you like (I think ruby chocolate would be great here!). 

Along with the chocolate thermometer, a candy (sugar) thermometer is also necessary to make the marshmallows and jubes. 

I hope you have a go at this recipe (or one of the elements of it!), I think homemade rocky road would make great gifts to give this Easter - and if you can’t fathom all that effort I would recommend checking out the Easter ranges at Adora Handmade Chocolates (who also make a stellar rocky road!) and Bakedown Cakery for any Easter gifts you may need.

Blackberry Marshmallows

Homemade Blackberry Marshmallows

Ingredients: 

275g pureed fresh blackberries (the seeds can be strained if you wish, however the total weight still needs to be 275g)

50g gelatine powder

115ml water

820g white/granulated sugar 

320g glucose 

50g potato flour/starch

50g icing sugar (pure or confectioners)

cooking spray

Method: 

Spray a slice tin or lamington tray (at least 30x20cm) with the cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, briefly mix together the blackberry puree and the gelatine powder. Leave for now, ensuring the whisk attachment is fitted and everything is ready to go once your sugar syrup is ready. 

In a medium/large saucepan place the water, then the sugar, then the glucose. Place over high heat and cook until the syrup reaches 120 degrees Celsius on a candy thermometer.

With the mixer on low, gradually pour the sugar syrup into the blackberry mix. Whisk on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture turns a more opaque colour. The mixture will also start to thicken. Then increase mixer to high speed for about 8 minutes, until the marshmallow has tripled in volume and has thickened. 

Pour marshmallow into the prepared tray, tapping it down on the bench to remove any air bubbles and to ensure it is sitting in the tray evenly. 

Leave to set overnight before cutting (room temperature is best, preferably covered with a food net or cover).

Once the marshmallow is ready to cut, in a small bowl whisk together the potato flour and the icing sugar (sift if necessary). 

Dust some of this mixture onto your clean work surface. Remove the slab of marshmallow from the tin, use a spatula to pull the sides away from the tin and tip it onto the dusted work surface. 

Dust more of the icing sugar mix over the top of the marshmallow slab, and around the sides. Using a large sharp knife, cut into cubes, by cutting the slab into rows, then cutting rows in the other direction. Dust your knife regularly with the icing sugar mix, and continue to dust the marshmallows as they are cut. The size you cut the marshmallows is completely up to you, I like cutting them into larger cubes (as pictured). 

Ensure every part of the cut marshmallows are covered in the potato flour and icing sugar mix. Toss them around on the bench to remove any excess.

Store in an airtight container. The marshmallows will keep for about 3 weeks. 

Raspberry Jubes

Homemade Raspberry Jubes 

Ingredients: 

550g caster sugar, plus extra

15g pectin (citrus pectin)

15g citric acid

300g pureed raspberries, seeds removed (from about 400g fresh/frozen raspberries)

75g raspberry or mixed berry jam (sieved if lumpy)

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

75g glucose

80ml water

Method: 

Line the base of a large baking tray with baking paper (approx. 30x20cm) 

In a small bowl combine 50g of the sugar, with the pectin and citric acid. 

In a medium saucepan, place the pureed raspberries, jam, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Place on medium to high heat and bring to the boil. Add the pectin mixture and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to come back to the boil, the remove from the heat and set aside (keep near your stove as you will need it again soon). This fruit mixture should have thickened up by now, and will continue to do so as it cools. 

Place the remaining sugar (500g), along with the glucose and water, in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow the mixture to continue boiling until it reaches 121 degrees Celsius on a candy thermometer. 

Once this point is reached, add the raspberry mixture and whisk to combine. Leave on the heat until it reaches 108 degrees Celsius. Once this point is reached, pour into the prepared tray, ensuring the mixture sits evenly in the tray. 

Leave to set overnight, at room temperature (preferably with a food net or cover sitting over it). 

When ready to cut, dust your clean work surface with some of the extra caster sugar, and tip the jube slab out of the tin. Cut into desired shapes, it’s really up to you. Sprinkle with more caster sugar until they are all well coated. 

Store in an airtight container. Will keep for about 2 weeks. 

Rocky Road Ingredients

Pink Rocky Road

Pink Rocky Road

Ingredients: 

700g good quality white chocolate

pink colouring (suitable for use with chocolate)

rose flavouring (suitable for use with chocolate)

80g raw or blanched pistachios

265g homemade raspberry jubes

500g homemade blackberry marshmallows 

dried edible rose petals, for decoration

Method: 

Line a square baking tin (approx. 22cm) with baking paper - I like to use small bulldog clips to hold the paper in place. 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Roast the pistachios on a lined baking tray for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Have all the rocky road elements ready to go next to your prepared tin. 

Place a small pot with a little water on the stove and allow to simmer. Using another pot or bowl that will comfortably sit over the top of the water pot, measure out 450g of the white chocolate. 

Place this pot over the simmering water (ensuring the water does not touch the base of the pot above) and melt the chocolate. Ensure the chocolate is constantly stirred. Once the chocolate reaches 45 degrees Celsius on chocolate thermometer, remove from the heat and continue stirring while gradually adding the remaining 250g of white chocolate. Add a little at a time and allow to melt before adding more. 

Continue to check the temperature of the chocolate, once it has fallen to 34 degrees Celsius, the remaining chocolate should have all been added. Continue stirring to allow the chocolate to cool further to 32 degrees Celsius. Add a little pink colouring at this point, and a few drops of the rose flavouring. Start small with both and add more if you think it’s necessary. 

Once the chocolate has reached 32 degrees Celsius, it is ready to use. 

Pour about a third of the chocolate into the base of the prepared tin and allow it cover the base completely. Scatter in half the marshmallows and half the jubes. Scatter in a third of the pistachios. Cover with another third of the chocolate, then place the remaining marshmallows and jubes in, and another third of the pistachios. Cover with the remaining chocolate, and scatter over the remaining pistachios. Decorate with some dried edible rose petals. 

Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set (especially if you are working in warm or humid conditions). 

Once set use a large sharp knife to cut the rocky road into desired sizes. 

I prefer to keep the rocky road in the fridge. Keeps for about 2-3 weeks. 

Makes 8 generous blocks of rocky road. 

References: ‘Bourke Street Bakery All Things Sweet’ by Paul Allam and David McGuinness (Murdoch Books, 2017), pp.104-105 + 119; ‘Greatest Hits - The Pop Edition’ by Katherine Sabbath (Katherine Sabbath, 2017) Recipe Card #40; Heilala Vanilla SWEETNESS Vanilla Bean Marshmallow. 

For more recipes showcasing the best of rose, check out my ebook Baking with Rose by clicking the link below!

Syrian Inspired Sesame & Pistachio Cookies

Late last year I started a new job, and in the first couple of weeks one of my co-workers had a birthday. It was her 21st, and some of the others bought her a cake. She also brought in some Syrian Barazek cookies. These biscuits are native to my co-workers homeland and I was really excited to try them. I also thought it was so sweet of her to bring something in to share on her own birthday! 

Syrian Barazek cookies are thin crunchy biscuits that have pistachios on the base and their tops are covered with sesame seeds. After trying them at work, I immediately knew I must try and make them myself. Unfortunately, I tried and failed miserably! The recipe I tried seemed simple enough, but maybe that was the problem. These cookies are not simple, and I feel only someone who has made them for a long time could teach me how to perfect them. 

I asked my co-worker and another who is also from Syria, and they said that most people would by Barazek cookies rather than make them. Even the ones I tasted at work had been imported from Syria. I was beginning to think I wouldn’t be able to replicate these delicious biscuits! 

A month or so passed, and I still couldn’t get the idea of making some of my own Barazek style cookies out of my head. I then stumbled upon a recipe in Greg and Lucy Malouf’s book ‘Suqar’ for a Lebanese version of Barazek with sour cherries added. Reading the recipe it was quite different from the other Barazek cookies I had tried to make, and looked more reminiscent of a shortbread or sugar cookie than the others. 

This gave me an idea. I didn’t need to perfect a traditional Barazek recipe, I could use those flavours and ingredients to create my own Syrian inspired cookie.

The below recipe is what I came up with. I adapted my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe to include the two main ingredients of a Barazek cookie - sesame seeds and pistachios. I am very happy with the result, despite my biscuits being quite a departure from a traditional Barazek cookie. 

I took some into work, and one of my colleagues said it reminded her of the Syrian Barazek cookies, even though they were different. I took this as a great compliment, and am so happy others have not only inspired my baking but also enjoyed it! 

Cutting the dough from frozen (see recipe method)

Fresh from the oven

Syrian Inspired Sesame & Pistachio Cookies

Ingredients: 

250g unsalted butter, softened or margarine (I use Proactiv Buttery)

200g brown sugar

100g white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

325g plain flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

150g slivered pistachios

60g white sesame seeds, plus 2 tbsp extra

Method: 

Beat the butter or margarine and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until combined. Add the vanilla extract, then the egg yolks mixing until combined. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and the baking soda, then add to the butter mixture and mix on a low speed until almost combined. Then add the pistachios and the 60g sesame seeds and mix until combined. 

At this stage you can either remove the bowl from the stand, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or roll the dough into two logs, cover with plastic wrap or baking paper and freeze. 

Either way this biscuit dough needs to be chilled. If placing in the fridge, pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line 3-4 trays with baking paper. Once the dough has been in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, scoop out heaped tablespoons of the mixture and place on the prepared baking trays (leaving room for the biscuits to spread as they cook). Sprinkle the tops of each biscuit with the remaining sesame seeds.

Bake for 15-16 minutes (rotating the trays halfway) for a softer biscuit, or about 18 minutes for a crunchier biscuit. The biscuit will be golden once done.

Allow to cool on their trays. 

If freezing the dough, roll out some plastic wrap or baking paper and shape half the dough into a log and cover. Repeat with the second half of the mixture. Allow the dough to lie flat in the freezer until completely frozen. 

When you want to bake the dough, pre heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line 3-4 baking trays with baking paper. Remove the dough from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting. 

Using a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/5-1cm rounds and place on the prepared trays (allowing room for the biscuits to spread whilst cooking). Sprinkle the tops of each with the remaining sesame seeds. 

Bake for 18 minutes (rotating the trays halfway) for a softer biscuit, and 20 minutes for a crunchier biscuit. The biscuits will be golden once done. 

Allow to cool on their trays.

References: ‘The Violet Bakery Cookbook’ by Claire Ptak (Ten Speed Press, 2015), pp.140-1; ‘Suqar’ by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Hardie Grant Books, 2018), p.84.