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Reform Cake (Reform Torta)

 Reforma Torta is of Serbian origin and consists of a rich, multi-layered walnut sponge cake with a creamy chocolate filling. It is a  very popular desert and it is hard to imagine any celebration without it.

 

Reform Cake Reform Torta)
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Reform Cake Reform Torta)
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
Walnut Sponge
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Separate 10 egg whites from 10 eggs. Using electric mixer whisk egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form, Gradually add sugar until sugar is dissolved.
  3. Add wallnats and whisk until just combined.
  4. Spoon half of the meringue into the average sized rectangular baking pan. The thickness should be about 0.5-1cm.
  5. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and edges are just beginning to color. Remove from oven and cool in pan 3 minutes.
  6. Run a knife around the edge of the sponge cake to loosen it. Carefully invert onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely. When cool, split each sponge cake in half horizontally so you have 4 layers.
Filling
  1. To make a filling place 10 yolks and 10 tablespoon of sugar in a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add 100 gr of dark chocolate and mix for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool.
  2. Using electric mixer beat the butter in a separate bowl. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture, mix until combined.
Assemble the Torte
  1. Place one layer of walnut sponge on a serving tray and spread on a layer of chocolate filling. Repeat until all 4 layers are stacked on top of each other.
  2. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the remaining chocolate filling. Leave at room temperature for several hours before refrigerating. If desired, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.
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Green Papaya Salad

Green Papaya Salad
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Green Papaya Salad
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. To make the dressing: combine all the ingredients and set aside to let the sugar dissolve.
  2. Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane. Cut the carrots to the same width and length as the papaya and set aside.
  3. Combine the papaya and carrot in a separate bowl. Pour dressing over the top and give a gentle toss to combine.
  4. Sprinkle with the chopped roasted peanuts.
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Simple Strawberry Jam

Simple Strawberry Jam
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Simple Strawberry Jam
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Wash and sterilise jars and lids.
  2. Wash, hull and halve the strawberries.
  3. Put the strawberries in a bowl and gently toss through the sugar. Leave uncovered at room temperature for couple of hours or overnight. This process helps the sugar to dissolve, ensures the fruit doesn’t disintegrate too much and helps to keep its vibrant colour.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Periodically skim foam off of the top. Cook the mixture until fruit is mostly dissolved and jam coats the back of a spoon.
  5. After 20-30 minutes jam should be thick and drop from a spoon in thick drips.
  6. Pour into warm jars, filling to just below the rim. Cover with a lid or a cellophane circle and elastic band. Pop on a label (include the date), plus a pretty fabric top, if you like. Refrigerate after opening.
Recipe Notes

It is important to sterilize jars to prevent mould forming. Jars can be sterilized in a number of ways. Firstly, choose glass jars with an airtight lid. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse, then sterilize using one of the following methods:

Oven: Preheat the oven to 120C. Place jars (upright) and lids (separately) on an oven tray and heat in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and fill immediately with jam or other preserves.

Stovetop: Place jars and lids in a deep saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring water to the boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with paper towel. Remove the jars using metal tongs and allow to air dry or dry with a clean paper towel.

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Homemade Lemonade

Homemade Lemonade
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Servings
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Servings
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Homemade Lemonade
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Servings
0
Servings
0
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cut the lemons into wedges. Place in a food processor and run the processor until the lemons have been broken down. Tip into a large saucepan.
  2. Add 6 liters of water, the sugar and the citric acid. Mix the juice until sugar dissolves. Leave it for couple of hours.
  3. Pour the lemonade through a metal strainer into a large saucepan then into clean bottles. Store in the fridge.
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Pumpkin Pie / Bundevara

Pumpkin Pie (Bundevara) is a common Serbian sweet pie made with grated pumpkin and filo pastry.

Pumpkin Pie / Bundevara
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Pumpkin Pie / Bundevara
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. In the meantime prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the grated pumpkin. Cook for couple of minutes until the colour of the pumpkin is slightly changed. Remove from heat and add sugar (3/4 cup)
  2. Unroll the filo pastry on a clean work surface and cover with a slightly damp tea towel. Prepare the tin by brushing the bottom with some oil. Lay one sheet of filo lengthways so its centre is on the edge of the tin, with half the sheet in the tin and half overhanging. Do the same with another tree sides of the tin. Brush with oil.
  3. Lay one filo pastry sheet, sprinkle mixture of oil and water, sprinkle with little bit of sugar. Place another sheet on the top, sprinkle with oil and water. Spread one portion of the pumpkin mixture.
  4. Repeat until all sheets are used (reserve one filo sheet).
  5. Once finished fold over the hanging filo sheets in the reverse order you laid them, brushing the tops lightly with oil. Cover with the last filo sheet. Brush with oil and water. Sprinkle with some row sugar. Cut the pita into small squares.
  6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200C. Bake for 35-40 minutes until crisp. Leave to cool slightly, then serve warm or at room temperature.
  7. Before serving dust with some icing sugar (optionally)
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Semolina Cake with Milk Syrup – Koh

Semolina Cake with Milk Syrup - Koh
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Semolina Cake with Milk Syrup - Koh
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Separate egg white from egg yolk.
  2. Mix together yolk and 6 tablespoons of the sugar until nice and creamy. Add semolina and flour. Mix until just combined.
  3. Beat egg whites until nice and fluffy. Whisk in semolina mixture. Stir together slowly with a wooden spoon.
  4. Use spray oil on an oven proof dish (33x23cm). Pour mixture in a dish and bake for 20-25 minutes on 180C .
  5. Meanwhile, put 6 tablespoons of sugar into a saucepan with 1 liter of milk and bring to a simmer; remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  6. When cake is done, remove from the oven and pour hot milk over hot cake. Leave it for half an hour to absorb milk before serving.
Recipe Notes

Semolina Cake YouTube

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Poppy Seed / Walnut Strudel

 

Poppy Seed / Walnut Strudel

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This poppy seed strudel recipe showcases the distinctive taste of poppy seed filling that is so popular in European sweets rolled inside a yeast dough crust.

Poppy Seed / Walnut Strudel

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This poppy seed strudel recipe showcases the distinctive taste of poppy seed filling that is so popular in European sweets rolled inside a yeast dough crust.

Ingredients

For the poppy seed filling:

For the walnut filling:


Servings:

Instructions
  1. First, make the dough: heat milk until warm, add dry yeast and sugar and leave to dissolve, for 10 minutes. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter. Mix well. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and egg. Knead until soft dough forms. Cover in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.

  2. Prepare fillings: in a sauce pan, mix sugar and milk for filling. Bring sugar/milk mixture to a boil. Mix poppy seed (walnuts) with other dry ingredients and pour sugar/milk mixture over, stir well and set aside.

  3. Take your dough, divide in 2-3 equal pieces and roll each one out on well-floured surface, into a rectangle. Spread filling leaving last 2 cm of dough with out filling . Roll longer rectangle sides towards the middle. Place all rolled up strudels onto a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

  4. Brush strudels with egg yolk. Let them rest for 10-15min. Brush them with egg white and leave for another 10-15min.

  5. In the meantime preheat oven to 180C; bake for 30-40 min.
    Slightly cool before cutting.
    Keep well frozen.

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Vanilla Cookies – Vanilice

Vanilla Cookies - Vanilice
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Vanilla Cookies - Vanilice
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Beat sugar and butter with mixer until well blended. Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add flour into the butter mixture, mix well. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface on 1/8 inch thickness and cut cookies with small glass.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes (you don't want the cookies to be brown). Cool for 5 minutes, then spread a little bit of the raspberry jam onto one side of a cookie, top it with another (don't put too much filling, you don't want it coming out the sides).
  4. Serve the following day but the best is to let age 5-7 days before serving.
  5. Can be stored for a few months in the freezer and then brought to room temperature before serving.
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