'Tulumbe' fried Syrupy Pastries

Tulumbe remind of churros by their shape, except they're dunk in syrup and the dough contains eggs (like profiteroles' dough). They are very popular in Turkey, Greece and Eastern Balkan countries.
I never made them before (don't really like that kind of desserts), but was keen to give it a try, since a cafe owner asked me if I could make them for him. (By the way, I have completed my course, and now I'm ready to start my business!)

Ingredients:
Pastry-
500 ml (2 cups water)
100 ml oil (or butter)
vanilla essence
375g flour
5-6 eggs (depending on size)
Syrup-
1 kg sugar (...I know!)
600 ml water
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 L oil for deep frying
Method:
First make syrup; place sugar, water and lemon slices in a pan. Bring to boil, cook for 5 minutes. Leave it to cool completely.
Pastry- Place water and oil in a (heavy bottomed) pan. Bring to boil, them place all flour at once into it and mix vigorously until very thick and starts to form a ball. Let it cool slightly, than mix in one by one egg. If your mixer (with spiral beaters) doesn't do it properly, you'll have to do it by hand. Mixture should be thick and sticky, but smooth.
Heat oil in a pan (180*C); spoon pastry mixture into a piping bag with 1 cm wide nozzle (or special device for tulumbe - I used Biscuit press). When oil hot, squeeze 5-6 cm of dough into oil (cutting with scissors that you've dipped in oil). Fry 4-5 at once, turning them a few times. When golden, take out on a paper towel, then place them in cold syrup. Turn them several times to 'drink' properly. Repeat with the rest of dough. Serve when completely cold.

Svi znamo sta su Tulumbe. Izgledom su slicne Ćurosima, ali tijesto je vise kao za princes krofne. Popularne su u Turskoj, Grckoj i istocnim zemljama Balkana
Nikada ih prije nisam pravila (ne volim deserte takve vrste), ali sam bila voljna isprobati, jer me je jedan vlasnik kafea pitao da li bih mogla da ih napravim za njega. (Usput da kazem, kurs sam zavrsila i sad mogu otpoceti svoj biznis!)

Potrebno:

Tijesto-

5 dl vode

1 dl ulja (ili maslaca)

375 gr brasna

vanila 

5-6 jaja (u ovisnosti o velicini)

Sirup-

1 kg secera (...znam!)

6 dl vode

1/2 isjecenog limuna

Nacin:

Najprije napravite sirup; stavite sve sastojke u serpu, zagrijte i kuhajte 5 minuta. Ostavite da se potpuno ohladi.

Tijesto- Stavite vodu i ulje da prokljucaju. Ubacite brasno i vigorozno mijesajte, dok se ne pocne odvajati od serpe. Tijesto treba da je jako gusto. Ostavite blago prohladiti, zatim umijesajte jedno po jedno jaje; ako mikser nece umutiti, onda koristite ruke ili drvenu kuhacu. 

Zagrijte ulje (180*C) na srednje jako. Stavite tijesto u presu (ja sam koristila presu za keksice) i istiskujte 5-6 cm dugacke tulumbe u vruce ulje (rezite makazama umocenim u ulje). Przite okrecuci, dok ne postanu zlatno zute. Izvadite na upijajuci papir, zatim ih smjestite u haldan sirup i okrecite da se  'napiju'. Ponovite postupak sa ostalima. Servirajte dobro rashladjeno.

Rice Pudding

This is one of simplest and most loved desserts in the World. I had it often during my childhood, but never tried to make it myself...until now!

Ingredients:
1 l milk (4 cups), full cream
1 cup short grain rice (Arborio), washed and drained
1/4 -1/2 cup sugar, depending how sweet do you like it
cinnamon for sprinkling
Method:
Place rice and milk in a heavy bottomed (non-stick) pan. Heat and bring to boil. Reduce and cook for 25+ minutes; stir time to time - this will assure creaminess of your dessert. Add sugar and mix well. Take off the heat and pour into serving dishes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and let it cool (refrigerate) before serving.
Tips:
If you want creamier pudding, add a bit of butter to milk (or you can use 1/4 cream instead of milk). You can also add other flavourings, like orange peel, cardamom, vanilla...



Sutlija

Jedan od najjednostavnijih i najvoljenijih deserta u svijetu. Cesto sam je imala tokom mog djetinjstva, ali nikad nisam sama probala napraviti... do sada!

Potrebno:
1 l mlijeka, punomasno
1 solja rize (250ml zapremina) kraceg zrna (Arborio), oprana i ocijedjena
1/4 - 1/2 solje secera
cimet za posuti
Nacin:
Stavite rizu i mlijeko u posudu sa tezim dnom (neprijanjajucu), zagrijte do kljucanja, smanjite i kuhajte 25+ minuta. Promijesajte cesto, jer ce to omoguciti kremastiju sutliju (i manje prijanjanja za dno). Uspite secer i dobro izmijesajte. Prebacite u posudu za serviranje i pospite cimetom. Rashladit dobro prije sluzenja.
Savjeti:
Ako zelite bogatiju, kremastiju sutliju, u mlijeko mozete dodati malo maslaca (ili 1/4 mlijeka zamijeniti sa slatkim vrhnjem). Razlicite arome se mogu dodati, npr korica narandze, kardamom, vanilla...

Sweet Potato Cakes with Chives

I didn't think 2 weeks will pass without a single post. Well, I have completed my course (results will be known in a couple of days) and finally have some spare time to share a recipe with you.

Ingredients:
500 g sweet potatoes (kumara), unpeeled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs (dried)
2 tbs parsley, chopped
2 tbs chives, chopped
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
oil for shallow frying 
Greek yogurt or sour cream + chopped chives for serving

Method:
Cook (or microwave) potatoes until soft. Cool slightly, peel and then mash.
Combine herbs, crumbs, egg, onions ans seasoning. Mix well with potatoes. Shape cakes and fry them a minute each side. Drain on paper towel, then serve with sour cream and sprinkled chives. 

Šnicle / Polpete od slatkog krompira i vlašca

 Nisam mislila da ce 2 sedmice proci bez i jednog objavljenog posta. Kurs sam konacno zavrsila (rezultati za par dana), i evo napokon nadjoh vremena da podijelim sa vama jedan recept.

Potrebno:
500 gr slatkog krompira, neoguljenog
1 jaje, umuceno blago
1 1/4 solje mrvica / prezle
2 K persunovog lisca, isjeckano
2 K  vlasca, isjeckanog
4 mlada luka, tanko isjecen
so i biber prema ukusu
ulje za plitko przenje
Grcki jogurt ili vrhnje / pavlaka + jos vlasca za servirati

Nacin:
Kuhajte slatki krompir dok ne omeksa, prohladite ga, ogulite i ispasirajte.
Pomijesajte mrvice, jaje, luk, zacinsko bilje sa krompirom; zacinite prema ukusu.
Zagrijte ulje i pzite svaku stranu oko 1 minut. Ocijedite na upijajucem papiru, zatim sluzite sa vrhnjem i jos malo isjecenog vlasca po povrsini.

Raw Chocolate Cake

Between my tests and monitoring food temperature, I had to make something for kids who asked for anything sweet. I'm not raw food follower, but I'm not against it either...especially if it's quick, easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of walnuts (or other nuts)

2-3 tbs coconut oil
2/3 cup pure cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups of soft pitted dates, chopped
1-2 tbsp pure honey (or agave syrup)

pinch of cardamom (or cinnamon), optional

Method:

Heat gently coconut oil and honey, stirring until melted. Add all other ingredients; mix really well. Line a small cake pan with foil; spoon mixture inside and refrigerate until firm. Slice and enjoy!

Prijesni Čokoladni Kolač

Izmedju testova i mjerenja temperatura hrane, nadjoh malo vremena da napravim djeci nesto slatko. 
Nisam pobornik 'raw' ishrane, ali nisan ni protivnik...posebno ako je priprema brza, lagana i ishod ukusan.

Potrebno:

1 1/2 solja oraha, komadi

2-3 K kokosovog ulja

2/3 solje kakaa, najbolje kvalitete

1/2 k soli

2 solje mekanih datula, sjeckane

1-2 K meda ili agavinog sirupa

prstohvat kardamoma ili cimeta, opciono

Nacin: 

Blago zagrijte kokosovo ulje i med; mijesajte dok se ne otopi. Ubacite sve ostale sastojke, dobro izmijesajte i postavite u manju cetvrtastu posudu oblozenu folijom. Stavite u frizider da se stegne, rezite i uzivajte.