Olive Walnut Mini Breads
I love love these cute little breads. They are rich, I won’t lie. I hate to lament my muffin tops after I bake the breads in huge batches, without giving a break in between. But if you are less of a glutton than I am and can control your appetite, you will be just fine. You will survive. These mini breads are fantastic. Olives and walnuts - a match made in heaven. I love how the olives peek through the shiny golden crust and the walnuts stay inside for a hidden bonus - crunch and added taste. Pure delight.
Special thanks to my friend Piraye for letting me borrow her Turkish cookbook for the recipe. Piraye, wait for my next raid on your library!
Olive Walnut Mini Breads
Adapted from “Caya Davet” by Fatos Yagci
Makes about 45
While I only tweaked the amount of flour in the recipe and left everything else the same, I changed the shape of these breads. Well, actually they were not supposed to turn into breads. They were meant to be cookies. The original recipe called for the dough to be rolled out, then cut out into shapes with a cookie cutter. I tried this the first time I tried the recipe, but failed - the dough is just too tender for that kind of task. So, I shaped it into balls and voila - mini breads were born. The idea stuck with me ever since. Or, you can call them savory cookies if you want to. They won’t be hurt.
For the Dough:
3+1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra if needed
Pinch of salt
2+1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup corn oil or olive oil
4.4 ounces (125 g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (it should be really soft to touch)
2 tablespoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup finely (but not too finely) chopped walnuts (you should feel the bite)
1 cup pitted sliced black olives
To Glaze:
1 egg yolk
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 380F (190C). Lightly grease the bottom of a large baking sheet.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and baking power. Stir to mix. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, butter, vinegar, and plain yogurt. Stir to mix. Add the walnuts and olives. Stir to combine.
Add the flour mixture and stir to mix. If the dough is sticky, gradually add more flour and knead the dough until it is tender, pleasant to touch, but not too tight or sticky.
Continue Reading… Olive Walnut Mini Breads
Banana and Berries with Cream
The recipe for this amazing dessert comes from a darling person, aunt Turkan, my friend’s mom. Aunt Turkan made it for one of our get-togethers here and I absolutely loved it. It was mixed fruits - plums, bananas, berries, grapes and other fruits I can’t remember - lushly covered with a creamy blanket. The cream, my friends, was out of this world. Luscious and velvety, it was perfumed with lemon and vanilla - a heavenly combination. Loved it!
So here it comes. I deviated from the original recipe and used a layer of sliced banana, followed by a layer of mixed fresh fruits instead of all kinds of mixed fruits. I also used my go-to garnish - fresh mint leaves - to decorate the top. One can never go wrong with fresh berries and mint, right?
Banana and Berries with Cream
Note: If you wish, make this dessert in individual cups or glasses. Also, the cream here is pudding-thick. If you prefer a looser cream, increase the amount of milk in the recipe accordingly.
For the Cream:
2 1/4 cup whole milk
2 eggs
14 tablespoons granulates sugar (yes, I used tablespoons)
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch (substitute: potato flour)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fine lemon zest
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Fruit Layer:
5-6 bananas, cut into thick circles
3-4 cups mixed fresh raspberries, blueberries and boysenberries (or any other berries of your choice, such as strawberries)
To Garnish:
Fresh mint leaves
Directions:
First, prepare the cream. In a medium saucepan combine milk, eggs, sugar, flour, cornstarch and lemon juices. Whisk thoroughly to blend, until no lumps remain. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook, until the mixture is slightly thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest and butter. Whisk with a baloon whisk or a hand mixer, until the butter is incorporated. Set the cream aside.
Meanwhile, arrange the banana slices on the bottom of a 13 x 10 (33 x 25 cm) pyrex dish in a single layer.
Spread mixed berries on top.
