Sweets and treats from the kitchen of the poseidonion grand hotel
ISBN 978-960-93-3792-2 Copyright © 2012 Communication Lab Athens 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Recipes - Τhe poseidonion Grand Hotel team Food photography - Ιoanna Roufopoulou Interior & Exterior Photography - Adrian Houston, Alexandros Ioannidis, VaNgelis Paterakis, Ιoanna Roufopoulou Concept, Design, Styling - Communication Lab
A taste of Spetses
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11 Introduction 13 Chocolate 15 17 19 21 23 25 29
Chocolate Chip Cookies White Chocolate Cookies with Dried Cranberries Chocolate Souffl�s Chocolate Raspberry Brownies Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Melt-and Mix Small Chocolate Cakes with Chocolate Glaze Poseidonion Tips for Chocolate
31 Fruit 33 35 37 39 41 43 47
Raspberry/Mint Sorbet Lollipops Banana & Blueberry Muffins Baked Quinces with Cardamom Cream Lemon and Lime Tartlettes Peach Turnovers Clementine Cake Poseidonion Tips for Fruits
49 Eggs 51 53 55 57 59 61 65
Cr�me Br�l�e with White Chocolate Pistachio Vanilla Ice-Cream Breakfast Waffles Cr�me Caramel Berry Pavlova Vanilla Cake Poseidonion Tips for Eggs
67 Traditional Sweets 69 71 73 75 77 79 83
Poseidonion Tsoureki Boughatsa Pasta Flora Spetses Almond Sweets (Amygdalota) Loukoumades Rice Pudding (Ryzogalo) Poseidonion Tips for Traditional Sweets
Poseidonion Grand Hotel
91 93 Editor’s Note
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Introduction If you have been a guest at the Poseidonion Grand Hotel, this recipe book will surely bring back pleasant memories. It is just a small selection of our sweetest gastronomic experiences, some of which you may have sampled on the magnificent hotel verandah after a meal, or taken along with you in a snack pack prepared by the hotel on one of your local excursions. If you still haven’t visited the Poseidonion, let this book serve as an introduction to our cuisine. What we’ve set out to offer you is more than just a treat for the taste buds. Our aim is to stimulate all your senses, with images, tastes and aromas. The philosophy behind a particular cuisine starts with the quality of the ingredients. The Poseidonion has established an organic garden to supply the kitchens with fresh vegetables in preparing the daily menus. This year we added fruit and herbs and a few of our own chickens so you can be sure your morning eggs are the freshest around. In fact our menus in both the “On the Verandah” restaurant and the “Library Bar Brasserie” rely on locally available meat and fish. You’ll taste the difference - our cuisine has already earned the Greek “Golden Hat” culinary award. This year renowned chef Christophoros Peskias is coming to re-design the menus in both the “On the Verandah” restaurant and the “Library Bar Brasserie”, while the well loved “Freud Oriental” restaurant will be with us during July and August. This book is divided into four sections: chocolate, fruit, eggs and traditional recipes. You will also find a number of secrets and tips to help make their preparation as effortless and enjoyable as possible. In addition, by purchasing this recipe book, you’ll be helping to support the Spetses Shipbuilders Association and, by extension, local marine tradition (see Editor’s note for details). You can also try new recipes each month by subscribing to our newsletter through our website (www.poseidonion.com), or join our Facebook page (“Poseidonion Grand Hotel”) to keep up with our latest news. Enjoy and Kali Orexi!
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Chocolate
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Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients (makes 24) 125 g unsalted butter ½ cup caster sugar ½ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted ¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted 140 g milk chocolate cut into pieces (or chocolate chips) 1 teaspoon salt
Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees oC. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla extract. Add the egg and beat well. Mix in the sifted flours and salt. Add the milk chocolate pieces. Shape teaspoons of the mixture into small balls and place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until firm to the touch. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
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White Chocolate Cookies with Dried Cranberries Ingredients (makes 24) ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup caster sugar 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 shot brandy 1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted ½ teaspoon baking soda 200 g white chocolate cut into pieces 1 cup dried cranberries
Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees oC. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar until smooth. Add the egg and brandy and beat well. Mix in the flour and baking soda. Add the white chocolate pieces and dried cranberries. Shape teaspoons of the mixture into small balls (do not flatten) and place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm to the touch. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
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Chocolate Souffl�s
Ingredients (makes 8 individual ramekins) 250 g dark chocolate 200 g unsalted butter 200 g caster sugar 7 large eggs 1 shot brandy 1 tablespoon espresso powder Butter for greasing Flour for greasing
Method Preheat the oven to 230 degrees oC. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate with the butter, sugar and espresso powder. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the eggs, one by one, beating swiftly. Add the brandy and stir to combine. Pour into buttered and floured ramekins. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until risen and still moist in the middle. Do not open the oven door to check on the souffl�s!! Serve with cream or vanilla ice-cream.
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Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
Ingredients (makes 16) 200 g dark chocolate, chopped into pieces 250 g unsalted butter 1½ cups brown sugar 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted ½ teaspoon baking powder 60 g cocoa powder, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 1 teaspoon espresso powder
Method Preheat the oven to 170 degrees oC. Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Place in a bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla essence. Sift in the flour, baking powder, espresso and cocoa and mix to combine. Pour into a 23 cm greased square tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Top the mixture with the raspberries and bake for 40 minutes until set, but still soft in the middle.
You may substitute the raspberries with the same quantity fresh or frozen blueberries.
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Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients (serves 8) ž cup unsalted butter 250 g dark chocolate 1 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons full fat cream 1 tablespoon espresso powder 1 shot whisky (or if you prefer hazelnut liqueur) 6 large eggs ½ cup ground roasted hazelnuts Icing sugar and Cocoa Powder to decorate (plus more hazelnuts if you wish)
You may substitute the same amount of ground almonds if you wish, however, in this case omit the whisky.
Method Preheat the oven to 200 degrees oC. Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for approximately 8 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and then place the nuts in a food processor and pulse them until they become powder, with a flour like texture. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate, sugar. butter and cream and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and add the espresso powder and whisky. Allow to cool and add the eggs one by one, while whisking swiftly. Finally add the hazelnut powder. Pour into a 23 cm cake tin, which has been lined with baking paper. Bake for approximately 35 minutes. The cake will still be moist in the middle -it will solidify once it cools as the chocolate will set, but will still be runny in the middle. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the tin. Decorate with icing sugar and cocoa powder.
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Melt & Mix Small Chocolate Cakes with Chocolate Glaze Ingredients (makes 8 small chocolate cakes) 250 g unsalted butter, melted (allow more for greasing) 125 g dark chocolate, melted 90 g cocoa powder, sifted 1½ cups caster sugar 4 eggs 1½ cups desiccated coconut 1 teaspoon baking powder 185 ml full fat milk 1 teaspoon espresso powder
For the chocolate glaze In a small saucepan, place 150 g dark chocolate pieces and ½ cup double cream over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour into 8 small cake tins which have been lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins and then turn onto a wire rack. When completely cool, cover with the chocolate glaze.
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Poseidonion Tips for Chocolate Chocolate is quite fragile to cook as it burns easily. Only place chocolate over direct heat when another ingredient (for example butter or milk) has been added. Otherwise, melt in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water. Store bought vanilla ice-cream can be instantly turned into stracciatela by stirring grated dark chocolate, into it.
For an all time late night snack - make an indulgent hot chocolate drink by heating one cup of milk per person in a small saucepan until it’s close to boiling. Then add 2 tablespoons of grated chocolate per person and stir. Serve with chocolate chip cookies. Homemade Chocolate Truffles are easy to make and a wonderful gift for friends. Chop 400 g of chocolate (you can pick your favourite) and melt with ž cup full fat cream . Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Roll teaspoons of this mixture into balls and dust with cocoa. You may add finely chopped candied peel (see recipe page 47) or a shot of liqueur to the mixture prior to cooling.
Serve a scoop of chocolate store bought chocolate ice-cream with a shot of espresso poured over to make a quick and effortless dessert. Most chocolate cake recipes benefit from a pinch of espresso powder as it brings out the flavor of the chocolate
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Fruit
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Raspberry/Mint Sorbet Lollipops
Ingredients (makes 10) ¾ cup caster sugar 1 cup water 1¾ cups strained raspberry pur�e (from approximately 700 g fresh or frozen raspberries) ¼ lime juice 1 shot vodka 10 fresh mint leaves for garnish
Method In a saucepan, place the sugar and water over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, without allowing it to boil. Increase the heat and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Combine the raspberry pur�e, vodka, lime juice and the sugar syrup and place in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Place in lollipop cases or serve as is. Garnish with whole mint leaves before serving.
If you do not have an ice cream maker, place the mixture in a metal bowl, cover and freeze for 1 hour until just beginning to set at the edge. Beat with an electric hand mixer or a whisk and return to the freezer. Repeat three times at hourly intervals until the sorbet is smooth and scoopable.
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Banana and Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients (makes 12) ¾ cup vegetable oil 1½ cups caster sugar ½ cup skimmed milk 3 medium eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ cup rolled oats 3 bananas, mashed 250 g blueberries, fresh or frozen 1 tablespoon light brown sugar for sprinkling
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. In a medium bowl, place the oil, sugar, milk and eggs and whisk to combine. Place the sifted flour, baking powder and oats in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the fruit to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir lightly, being careful not to over-mix. Spoon into a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops with the light brown sugar. Bake for 25 minutes or until done when tested with a toothpick.
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Baked Quinces with Cardamom Cream Ingredients (makes 8 servings) 2 large quinces, peeled, cored and quartered Juice of 2 oranges 3 tablespoons caster sugar 2 tablespoons honey
Method
For the cardamom cream 2 tablespoons caster sugar ½ tablespoon ground cardamom 250 ml double cream
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and place the quince pieces on it. Pour over the orange juice, sugar and honey and cover with another piece of baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC.
Bake for 60 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 140 degrees oC and bake the quinces for another 2 hours or until they have turned a deep ruby red.
You can substitute the cream with thick Greek yoghurt (adding the ground cardamom) for a lighter dessert.
To make the cardamom cream, whisk the double cream with the sugar and ground cardamom until stiff. Serve the quinces with the thick cream.
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Lemon and Lime Tartlettes
Ingredients (makes 8 tartlettes or one 26 cm tart) ½ cup lemon juice ¼ cup lime juice ¾ cup caster sugar ¾ cup single cream 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten Zest of 1 large lemon, to decorate For the shortcrust pastry 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 3 tablespoons caster sugar 150 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 2-3 tablespoons iced water
Method To make the pastry Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Mix the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. While the processor is still on, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough and process until just combined. Knead the dough lightly, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and line a tart tin (either for small tartlettes or one larger tart). Place a piece of non-stick baking paper over each tartlette and fill with baking weights or dry beans to prevent bubbling. Bake the pastry for 10 minutes, remove the weights or beans and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden. Allow to cool. To make the filling Place the lemon and lime juice and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cream and eggs and stir continuously for 5 minutes. Strain the egg mixture into the cooled tart shell and bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven (180 degrees o C) or until the filling is almost set. Allow to cool. Before serving, decorate with the lemon zest.
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Peach Turnovers
Ingredients (makes 6) 375 g store-bought puff pastry, thawed 1 can peach halves, drained Milk for brushing Light brown sugar for sprinkling
Method Preheat the oven to 200 degrees oC. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 rounds and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Place 2 peach halves on one half of each round (apricots can also be used). Sprinkle with the sugar, brush the edges with the milk, fold over and press the edges together with a fork. Score the pastry 2 times. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
Perfect for a festive breakfast or a coffee snack.
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Clementine Cake Driving down from Athens to the Poseidonion Grand Hotel, many of our guests stop to shop for delicious oranges and clementines grown by local producers in the area of Epidaurus. This easy recipe is a great way to use up the fragrant and fresh clementines.
Ingredients (serves 8) 1 cup caster sugar 1 cup ground blanched almonds 5 seedless clementines 6 large eggs 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence 1 tablespoon of lemon liqueur ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon baking powder
Method Put the clementines in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for approximately 2 hours (until really soft). Allow to cool and then drain. Put the clementines without removing the skins- in a food processor and blitz until reduced to a pulp. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Cream the eggs and the sugar and then add the baking powder, liqueur, cinnamon and vanilla essence. Finally add the pulped clementines and mix with a wooden spoon.
This cake tastes even better the day after.
Pour the cake mixture into a buttered and lined cake tin and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven but do not transfer to a wire rack (it will break). Allow to cool in the tin.
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Poseidonion Tips for Fruits Use fruits in season and you will be rewarded with maximum juice, flavor and texture. Keep it simple- most fruit needs the minimum effort to be made into a great dessertfor example serve wedges of fresh ripe pineapples with finely chopped mint and some rosewater for a wonderful summer fruit salad- or slice a banana in half lengthways, sprinkle with brown sugar and grill.
Prolong the pleasure of fruits in season by making jams. A good rule of thumb is to use 750g of caster sugar for every 1 kilo of fruit. Bring fruit and sugar to boil, turn down the heat (skim any foam off) and simmer until thickened. To test if the jam is done, place a spoonful of jam on a cold plate. Run your finger through the jam - if the line remains then the jam is done. Add the juice of one lemon and place in sterilized jars. For a quick fruit salad using dried fruit - finely slice 6 dried figs and 4 dried apricots and place in a bowl with the juice and zest of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon rosewater and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and enough hot water to cover.
Marinate overnight and serve over greek yoghurt for breakfast or vanilla ice-cream for dessert. (if you wish you may also add dried sultanas and dates, simply add more water)
Fruit galettes are another quick and easy dessert. Very thinly slice any ripe fruit in season (our favourites are apples, pears and nectarines) place on thawed store bought puff pastry, sprinkle with brown sugar and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven (180) until golden. Serve the galettes with cream or ice-cream. Candied Peel is a great way to decorate even the most basic cake. Heat 3 cups caster sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan over low heat. Add the peel of citrus fruit (for example 3 oranges and 3 lemons) and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and cool peel in the syrup. Use to decorate cakes, or to serve with liqueur for an after dinner treat.
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Eggs
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Cr�me Br�l�e with White Chocolate Ingredients (makes 6 servings) 1 cup single cream ¾ cups full fat milk 4 egg yolks, whisked until pale 1 tablespoon vanilla extract ¼ cup caster sugar 100 g white chocolate, melted 2 tablespoons light brown sugar to caramelise the top
Method Before beginning, place 6 small ramekins in the freezer. In a saucepan, place the cream, milk and vanilla extract and stir continuously to bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the egg yolks, sugar and melted chocolate, stirring continuously. Return to a low heat and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken, about 4 minutes. Pour into the frozen ramekins and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set. Sprinkle each cr�me br�l�e with a little light brown sugar and use a blowtorch to caramelise. Serve immediately.
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Pistachio Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients (serves 8) 1 cup full fat milk 2 cups double cream 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped 6 egg yolks ž cup caster sugar 1 cup roasted and chopped pistachio nuts
If you do not have an ice cream maker, place the mixture in a metal bowl, cover and freeze for 1 hour until just beginning to set at the edge. Beat with an electric hand mixer or a whisk and return to the freezer. Repeat three times at hourly intervals until the ice cream is thick, smooth and scoopable.
Method In a saucepan, place the milk, cream and vanilla bean over medium heat and stir continuously until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk mixture and slowly pour over the egg yolk and sugar mixture while whisking well to combine. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and stir over low heat for 4 minutes or until the custard is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Add the chopped pistachio nuts and set aside to cool. Place in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Breakfast Waffles A great favourite, served for a late breakfast at our Library Bar Brasserie.
Ingredients (makes 6) 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted 1 tablespoon baking powder Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon caster sugar 1 large egg, beaten 30 g butter, melted 他 cup full fat milk
Method Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz. Transfer the mixture to a jug. Heat a non-stick waffle pan and add some of the melted butter. Pour the batter into each section of a hot waffle iron and cook until golden and crispy. Repeat process until the batter has been used up.
You can serve the waffles with fresh fruit, thyme honey, icing sugar or even ice-cream for an indulgent dessert.
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Cr�me Caramel
Ingredients (makes 6) 2/3 cup full fat milk ¾ cup double cream 2 large eggs 4 egg yolks 1/3 cup caster sugar 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract Zest and Juice of ½ a large orange For the caramel 2/3 cup caster sugar 1/3 cup water
Method Preheat the oven to 150 degrees oC. In a saucepan, place the milk and cream over low heat and stir continuously until hot. In a bowl, place the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, zest juice and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Slowly pour over the milk mixture while whisking well to combine. Remove from heat. In the meantime, make the caramel. Place the sugar and water in a pan over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Brush the sides of the pans with a little water to remove any sugar crystals. Increase the heat and boil for 8-10 minutes, without stirring, until the syrup is a deep golden colour. Pour into 6 ramekins. Strain the milk mixture and pour over the caramel in the ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and pour in hot water in the pan to three-quarters of the height of the ramekins. Bake for 35 minutes or until the custard is set. Remove from the tray and refrigerate until cold. To serve, invert the cr�me caramel onto a plate.
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Berry Pavlova
Ingredients (serves 8) 4 egg whites 1 cup caster sugar 2 tablespoons corn flour, sifted 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1 cup double cream 250 g strawberries 100 g raspberries 100 g blueberries 50 g gooseberries 10 large mint leaves, very finely chopped, to decorate
Method Preheat oven to 120 degrees oC. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff and glossy. Gradually add the sugar, beating well until peaks form. Add the corn flour and vinegar and beat until combined. Shape the mixture into a round base on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Spread over the meringue, top with the strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blueberries. Sprinkle over the finely chopped mint and the gooseberries and serve immediately.
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Vanilla Cake
Ingredients (serves 8) 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted ½ cup all-purpose flour sifted 1 cup light brown sugar 2 large eggs 220 g unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Zest and juice of 1 orange 2 tablespoons caster sugar for sprinkling
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the flour and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs one by one. Add the zest and finally the juice. Pour into a loaf tin, buttered and covered in nonstick baking paper. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.
You may substitute the zest and juice of the orange with the zest and juice of 1 lemon and add 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds to turn this basic vanilla cake into a lemon poppy seed cake.
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Poseidonion Tips for Eggs Always use eggs at room temperature - they are easier to handle this way (unless the recipe specifies it)
To check if an egg is fresh - place in a bowl with cold water. If the egg lies on the bottom then its fresh, if the egg stands then you can use it but it isn’t that fresh. If the egg floats to the surface, disregard.
French Toast is a great brunch idea and a way to use up old bread or brioche. Simply whisk 2 eggs with 4 tablespoons of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla essence and 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Cut the bread into slices, dip into the egg mixture and fry in a little melted butter. Serve immediately with drizzled thyme honey, icing sugar and cinnamon. Eggs, Flour and Sugar, Butter and Baking Powder are all you need for a Basic Sponge Cake. Finally fold through 50 g melted butter and bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven (180 oC). To this basic mixture, use your imagination and add, fruit, nuts or chocolate. Meringues are a wonderful staple for a quick dessert- for a basic meringue recipe whisk together the whites of 4 large eggs with 1½ cups icing sugar until soft peaks form and the mixture is soft and glossy. Bake in a preheated oven 120 oC for 2 hours. Leave the meringues in the oven to cool. For chocolate meringues twirl through approximately 100 g of melted chocolate after the whisking part and before the baking. For raspberry meringues, use 100 g of raspberry pur�e in the same way.
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Traditional Sweets
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Poseidonion Tsoureki
Ingredients (makes 2 loaves) 4 eggs, well beaten 1½ heaped cups caster sugar 160 g unsalted butter, melted 50 g fresh yeast ½ cup full fat warmed milk 1 sachet ground mahlepi 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice 750 g all-purpose flour, sifted (allow a little extra for the yeast starter) 1 egg white for glazing
All across Spetses at Easter, the air is fragrant with the aroma of freshly baked tsoureki, a sweet aromatic bread, traditionally served on this holiday and decorated with a boiled red egg. The Poseidonion’s own special ingredient is a tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary, which adds a tangy taste.
Method For the yeast starter, put the yeast, the milk and half the sugar into a large bowl. Mix until yeast is creamy and liquid. Add some flour so that it forms a nice thick batter. Cover and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (approx. 45 minutes). In a large mixing bowl, add the sifted flour, mahlepi, rosemary and remaining sugar. Mix well. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten eggs, orange juice, melted (cooled) butter and the yeast mixture. Form a hook with your hand and start mixing, until an elastic, soft dough is formed. Place well-kneaded dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down dough and knead again. Repeat process one more time. Divide dough into 6 portions. Roll out each portion into a long rope and then plait using three ropes to make two loaves. Place each loaf on its own baking tray and place in warm spot until loaves are doubled. Brush with egg white. Bake each loaf in a hot, preheated oven (180 degrees oC) for about 5060 minutes, until doubled in size and golden brown.
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Boughatsa
(Custard Filled Phyllo Pastries) This traditional dessert originated from Thessaloniki, but it is a favorite across Greece.
Ingredients (serves 8) 1 ½ lt of full fat milk 2 ½ cups of brown sugar 1 cup semolina 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence Zest of one orange 4 eggs 150 g unsalted butter, plus more melted for separating the sheets of pastry 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, for sprinkling. 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, for sprinkling. 10 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed and dampened with a towel.
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Place the milk, sugar, semolina and vanilla essence in a saucepan and heat until boil point. Turn down the heat and simmer gently until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and the eggs one by one. Add the orange zest. Place 5 phyllo sheets, each separated with a thin layer of melted butter, on a baking tray covered with non-stick baking paper. Using a spatula, spread custard onto the sheets, leaving a border around. Cover with the remaining 5 phyllo sheets (again separated by a thin layer of melted butter). Fold right and left sides towards center so that the edges meet. Lightly brush folded sides with butter. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly and dust with cinnamon and icing sugar.
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Pasta Flora A traditional Greek sweet tart - made with jam - we used homemade apricot jam but other favorites include strawberry or orange jam.
Ingredients (serves 8) 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted 1 tablespoon baking powder, sifted 250 g unsalted butter ½ cup icing sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla essence Zest of ½ orange 250 g homemade apricot jam Extra flour for rolling 1 egg white for brushing and a little milk
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the flour and baking powder. Finally stir in the eggs and zest. Form into a dough ball and leave in the refrigerator to rest. Roll out approximately half the pastry mixture until about 1 cm thick and place into a buttered tart dish (or 6 individual ones as we used). Add the jam. Using the rest of the pastry mixture make a criss - cross pattern using pastry strips. Brush with the egg white and milk and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
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Spetses Almond Sweets (Amygdalota)
These small, pear shaped almond sweets are a local speciality and our welcome gift to all our guests at the Poseidonion Grand Hotel.
Ingredients (makes 36) 600 g ground blanched almonds 1/3 cup semolina 3 cups icing sugar (allow a little more for dusting) 3 egg whites ½ teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-3 tablespoons rose water, for brushing
Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees oC. Using an electric mixer, beat the ground almonds with 2½ cups of the icing sugar, the semolina, the lemon juice and the vanilla extract. After a compact mixture has been formed, add the egg whites, mixing thoroughly. Wet your fingers with rose water and taking teaspoons of the mixture, shape the dough to form small pears. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then (while still hot) brush with the remaining rose water and dust with icing sugar.
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Loukoumades Traditionally served at festivities and weddings (with honey and walnuts symbolising health and happiness for the newlyweds), these golden puffs of fried dough are bathed in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. The Poseidonion loukoumades are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside - and they are absolutely delicious.
Ingredients (makes 30) 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 30 g dry yeast ½ tablespoon baking powder ½ tablespoon baking soda 2 tablespoons caster sugar Pinch of salt 1 cup lukewarm water 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying 1 cup honey Ground cinnamon and walnuts for serving
Method Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Mix well to combine. Add the dissolved yeast and rest of the water to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, mix the batter for 3 minutes at medium-high speed, making sure that there are no lumps. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about two hours to rise. When the batter is about double in volume, heat the 2 cups oil in a deep frying pan until very hot but not smoking. Using two spoons, carefully drop about a teaspoon full of batter for each puff into the hot oil. Turn the puffs using a slotted spoon and fry until golden brown all over. Remove the puffs to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Dip the hot puffs in the honey and then sprinkle with cinnamon and ground walnuts. Serve immediately.
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Ryzogalo (Rice-Pudding)
A breakfast staple at the hotel, evoking childhood memories and enjoyed by all!
Ingredients (makes 6 individual ramekins) 1/3 cup uncooked short grain rice 2 cups water 3 ½ cups full fat milk Zest of one large orange ½ cup light brown sugar 2 tablespoons corn flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, to sprinkle
Method In a medium saucepan, boil the rice with the water until the water has evaporated (approximately 10 minutes). Add the 3 cups milk and simmer for another 15 minutes, while stirring continuously. Add the sugar and zest, while continuing to stir. In the meantime, dilute the cornflour with the remaining milk and add this to the saucepan as well. Simmer for another 10-12 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and pour into the individual ramekins. Allow to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon.
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Poseidonion Tips For Traditional Sweets Sweets of the spoon (Glyka tou koutaliou) are a traditional greek sweet used to welcome guests in one’s home.
The name derives from the fact that one spoonful of the sweet is placed on a small saucer and served with a glass of chilled water. To make our favorite grape sweet of the spoon (glyko tou koutaliou stafyli) place 1 kilo of caster sugar with 1 kilo of seedless grapes over a medium heat and simmer for approximately 25 minutes (skim foam off)- add the juice of one lemon. Store in sterilized jars.
As Greek desserts are richly sweet - they can be cut into bite sized pieces and piled onto a platter with cups of espresso (or even better Greek coffee) to be served at the end of a meal.
Halva or semolina is known as the 1-2-3-4 dessert in Greece.
The basic recipe calls for 1 cup of sunflower oil, 2 cups of coarse semolina, 3 cups caster sugar and 4 cups water. In a medium saucepan place the sugar and water with 2 cinnamon sticks and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for approximately five minutes. In another larger saucepan, over medium high heat, add the oil and heat until simmering. Add the coarse semolina and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook the semolina in the oil until the grains begin to toast and turn a deep golden color. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully add the hot syrup to the semolina mixture. The semolina is going to sizzle and spatter so be careful not to burn yourself. Cover the pot tightly and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a cake tin and allow to set (at least for 2 hours) - serve sprinkled with cinnamon and caster sugar.
Greek yoghurt Κs a wonderfully light substitute for whipped cream. If you like you may sweeten the yoghurt with some brown or caster sugar.
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Poseidonion Grand Hotel The legendary “Poseidonion Grand Hotel” was first built in 1914 by the renowned architect, Panagiotis Zizilas, who materialized the vision of the island’s benefactor Sotirios Anargyros. Over the years it hosted numerous important events and accommodated distinguished guests. In July 2009, the hotel reopened its doors after an extensive and lavish five-year renovation to welcome new and old friends.
Hotel Services BEACHES & POOL • Pool with sun beds and a wooden deck SPA managed by the renowned • Hamam • Facials • Body Treatments • Detox & Scrubs • Beauty treatments • Couple Massages • Exquisite treatment rooms ACTIVITIES • Cycling • Hiking • Horse-Riding • Water sports • Fishing • Sailing FOOD & BEVERAGES • On the Verandah restaurant • Freud Oriental restaurant • Library Bar brasserie & bar Situated on the legendary balcony of the Poseidonion Grand Hotel
TYPE OF ROOMS HISTORIC WING • Double rooms with sea or garden view • Junior and senior apartment suites • La Cupola Suite • The Royal Suite NEW WING • Superior rooms • The Pool Suite
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Editor’s Note Part of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the traditional Shipbuilding Association of the island of Spetses, dedicated to enhancing and preserving the continuation of this art.
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Poseidonion Grand Hotel Poseidonion Grand Hotel, Spetses, Greece Tel.: +30 22980 74553 • Fax.: +30 22980 74248 e-mail: sales@poseidonion.com info@poseidonion.com www.poseidonion.com
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