2 Mouthwatering Dessert Recipes From The Middle East

Who doesn’t love Arabic food? Dishes such as Hummus are from the Middle East but have made their place in almost all grocery stores across the globe. Shwarmas and kebabs are also some of the most beloved dishes that people around the world enjoy. Therefore, it’s time someone talked about desserts from the Middle East. Here are 2 fusion dessert recipes that are perfect for intimate dinners and get-togethers.

#1. Vanilla and caramelized pine nut ice cream with apple caramel hazelnut tuile

Servings: 2 L

Ingredients:

For the Ice Cream:

4 separated eggs

30 g granulated sugar

50 g caster sugar

500 ml whipping cream

5 ml vanilla extract

50 gm pine nuts, toasted

30 ml liqueur (It has to be a good quality bourbon, Cointreau, rum, Amaretto. To avoid it from freezing, don’t skip the alcohol).

For Apple Caramel:

60 ml unsweetened apple juice

100 g Granulated sugar

A small knob of butter

For Hazelnut Tuile:

2 egg whites

½ tbsp salt

30 g plain flour

20 g ground almonds

50 g melted butter

A handful of toasted hazelnuts

1 tbsp demerara sugar

Directions:

For the Ice Cream:

1. Heat a heavy non-stick pan and add granulated sugar. Do not stir or disturb the pan. Keep it on low heat until the sugar gets melted and a little caramelized. Turn the flame off and remove the pan from heat, add the pine nuts and then transfer it into a tray lined with parchment paper on the base. Let it cool and then chop them roughly and keep aside.
2. Take a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and whisk them, and then transfer it to another cleaned bowl. Now, whisk the yolks along with castor sugar and vanilla, until it gives a creamy texture and pale colour.
3. Whip the cream until it gets a soft peak, which you’d used for the egg whites, and then fold into the mixture. Add the caramelized pine nuts and alcohol to the mixture. Transfer the mixture into a container that has a lid and is freezer-proof. Keep it for about 6 hours or overnight. The ice cream can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

For Apple Caramel:

1. Heat the sugar until caramelised, add butter and combine it with a whisk. Be careful, due to the difference in their temperatures, it may get spit.
2. Gently add the apple juice, which has to be a tablespoon, at one time, and then add more juice once,  until it starts getting mixed entirely. Just be careful, don’t add too much, else it would make the caramel hard and lump.
3. Once it gets mixed well, transfer it to another container, to cool. It’d be better if you could store it at room temperature. Nevertheless, it can be stored for up to 1 week.

For Hazelnut Tuile:

1. Preheat the oven up to 190°C and prepare the baking tray with the baking parchment paper.
2. Take a mixing bowl and combine the egg whites with salt. Mix it well and then add the ground flour, almonds, and melted butter.
3. Take a palette knife and spread the mixture evenly over the lined parchment baking tray. Roughly add the hazelnut and sugar to it. Bake it for about 8 minutes until it turns golden brown. Take off the tray from the oven and let it cool. Break them into pieces and transfer them into an airtight container. It can be stored for up to 1 month.
4. While serving, scoop the ice cream into bowls, drizzle the caramel and garnish it with Tuile pieces.

#2. Bakery’s Cheese Pie

Servings: up to 12

Ingredients:

1 kg white strong flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp dried yeast

1 ½ tbsp fine salt

½ tbsp grated nutmeg

2 tbsp honey

500-650 ml warm water

150ml + extra for brushing vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Add all the dry ingredients into the bowl of the mixer, make sure it’s fitted tightly with a dough hook, and then run the motor on low speed. Mix the honey along with ½ cup water and stir it well. Now, add the honey and oil to the dry mixture, and stir well. Keeping the motor on low speed, add remaining warm water to make a smooth consistent dough.
2. Shape the dough into small balls and keep it back into the bowl, then cover it for about 20 minutes or until it rises to the top.
3. Scatter the flour on the surface and keep the dough on it, roughly cut it into 120g portions. Shape them into a ball keep them on a floured tray and cover it for about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 240°C. Roll out the shaped dough on the floured surface. Keep 70-80 g halloumi on each side of the round dough and then fold and shape it into a moon structure.
5. Press both the sides together to seal the pies using the fingers.
6. Place them into a baking paper-lined tray for about 10 minutes.
7. Bake the pies for 20 minutes until they turn golden. Remove the cheese pies from the oven gently brush them with the oil and let them cool. Your cheese pies are ready to be served. Enjoy the delight!

Featured Image Credits: Pexels