It looks like when I installed a new recipe card plugin that I lost a portion of this recipe. Thankfully, I found it in my emails! This recipe was inspired from a dessert at a favored Greek restaurant of ours. The only problem was that the menu said the base was made of “syrup dipped wafers” and when looking up the recipe it seemed they were calling for kataifi. It was New Years’ Day when I decided to randomly try this recipe and I didn’t have many options, so went with a recommendation to use almond cake.
Couple changes I’d make for the next time I make this: I liked the cake, but it needed a different texture to soak up more of the syrup, so next time I will try and track down some of the pastry or soak the heck out of the cake.
Second change I’d make, on good recommendation from the Hubby, to give it a bit more flavour is to make the syrup used for baklava.
Ekmek - Almond Cake Layer
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil
- Place the flour and sugar in a mixer, then pour the melted butter mix over and whisk to blend. Don't over beat at any point, just mix to make sure all ingredients are blended
- Add the baking soda and mix to blend.
- Add the sour cream, mix.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to blend each time.
- Add the almond extract and mix.
- Pour into Baking Pam sprayed 9x13 pan, bake for 20-25 minutes at 375F
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Notes
Baklava Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 2 tablespoons rose water
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water and rose water. Let cool.
Custard Layer
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons corn starch
- 4-5 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons cold butter cubed
Instructions
- In a large bowl place the egg yolks with half the sugar and whisk until fluffy.
- Add 3-4 tbsp of the milk and the corn starch and whisk again until the corn starch has dissolved. Set aside.
- Pour the rest of the milk in a large non-sticking pan and add the sugar and the vanilla extract.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil.
- As soon as the milk comes to the boil, remove from the heat and gradually ladel in 1/3 of the milk into the egg mixture, whilst whisking.
- Add the remaining milk to the pan, then place the pan back on the stove and turn the heat down to medium.
- Add the egg mixture into the pan with the remaining warm milk. Whisk continuously, until the mixture has thickened, and is smooth and creamy.
- Remove the pan from the stove, add the butter a piece at a time, stirring to melt each time.
- Pour the custard through a sieve, into a large bowl, cover with some plastic wrap (the plastic wrarp should be touching the custard, so that a crust will not form on top) and let cool.
- Once cooled spread onto the cooled cake (that has been soaked in the sugar syrup).
Whip Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3-4 tablespoons depending on how sweet you like it
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whip in a bowl until fluffy peaks form. Spread in a layer on top of the custard.
- Sprinkle with crushed pistachios and refrigerate.
Looks like some of the recipe is missing. What are the instructions for the custard and syrup?
Hello Desiree, it looks like it lost the recipes when I transferred to a new recipe plugin. I’ll have to go back through my recipes to see what the missing pieces are!