Ya Salam Cooking

Crèam Caramel, flan, or caramel custard is a rich custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top. Do not let the long recipe turn you away because this is a pretty easy recipe even for beginners. The perfect amount of time that works for chilling would be 3 hours. The wait is hard but so worth it.

2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Let the sugar dissolve. Carefully brush the walls of the pot with a little water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing on the sides. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the syrup turns golden brown. Remove from the heat promptly and carefully divide the hot caramel among the 6 (4 ounce) ramekins. Let cool for at least 2 minutes

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to just below a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix together the egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Place the mixing bowl on top of a towel to keep it from wobbling while whisking in the hot liquid. Gently whisk 2 tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Slowly whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture 1/3 at a time, trying to prevent excess bubbles. Strain though a sieve.

3.Pour 6 ounces into each caramel-coated ramekin. Place on the extended middle rack of the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish until 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. (Be careful not to get any water on the custard mixture.) Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and very gently slide it towards the center of the rack. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the custards are almost fully set. Remove from the oven. Use tongs to remove the ramekins from the hot water bath. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then refrigerate until well chilled.

4. To serve, dip the ramekin in very hot water for 15 to 20 seconds. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the ramekin. Invert the custards onto serving plates. The caramel will pool around the inverted custards. Serve immediately.

Yields: 6 servings

Adapted from The Food Network

This dish reminds me of an Arabic style pot pie. The dough is quite nice and workable. You will have everything you need in this quick and satisfying meal bread, meat and vegetables.

Dough:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
6 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

Stuffing:
250 grams ground lamb
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoons Arabic spice
1 cube Chicken bouillon, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

1 egg, lightly beaten, extra

1.I a large bowl, combine flour, egg, milk, vegetable oil and salt. Knead until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.

2.Pre-heat oven to 375F.
3.In a medium sized bowl add lamb, onion, tomato, Arabic spice and chicken bouillon. Mix well until combined.

3.Place dough onto a lightly floured surface or a baking mat. Knead and with a rolling pin roll out into a circle as thin as you can get dough. Do the same with the second dough ball as well. The dough should be able to fill a 11 x 7 inch casserole dish. Tightly press dough edges together to seal.

4.Beat the egg and carefully and brush on top of the dough. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden.

Yields: 4 servings

Over the years I have made this recipe for simple white bread many times and it has never let me down. Growing up in Tennessee with an Amish village not far away I was always intrigued by their recipes. My family would often visit and purchase fresh bread, jams and other tasty treats. The trick to good soft bread is placing a pan of water in the oven for extra moisture. Any type of oil or butter would work with this but I personally like sunflower because the taste is more neutral. Also make sure you allow your yeast to froth, this is a must when making all bread and as always find the warmest place you can in your home so the bread can rise.

1 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 cups flour

1. In a measuring cup add warm water, yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar (do not stir). Allow to sit 5-10 minutes until top is frothy. In a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, oil and remaining sugar. Mix well until dough forms. If dough is to sticky gradually add more flour. If it is to dry gradually add more water. Knead for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Place dough into bowl making sure to cover all dough with oil. Place a towel over bowl and sit in a warm place until doubled 1-1/2 hours.

2. When dough has doubled carefully punch down with fist, allow to rest for 5 minutes. On a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper carefully place dough. Shape into a loaf. Cover with towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Pre-Heat oven to 350F.

3. In a 9 inch round baking pan or other small pan fill with water and sit on the lowest oven rack. Place bread on middle oven rack and allow to bake until golden, 30 minutes.

Yields: 1 loaf

I can not even believe that this is my first time trying yogurt cake. As I ate my first slice then my second slice I was just so confused to why anyone has not tried this sinfully delicious cake. I can not even begin to put into words how unbelievable this cake is. The yogurt makes a delicate light and airy cake while the cardamom and orange blossom water takes you back to its Mediterranean roots. When poking the top with a fork before adding the sugar syrup be extremely careful so that you do not tear your cake, its very fragile. This would be heavenly served with fresh fruit.

200 grams self rising flour
150 grams sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
250 grams yogurt
100 ml sunflower oil
1-1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

click here to make sugar syrup

1.Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder and cardamom, mix well. Add eggs, yogurt, oil and orange blossom water, mix well. Carefully pour batter into a spring form pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

2.Allow to cool for 30 minutes then carefully pierce top with a fork. Pour 1/2-1 cup sugar syrup on top of cake.

Yields: 8 servings

Growing up I have fond memories of my grandmother making these doughnuts for my cousins and I. We always thought she knew everything to be able to make us some yummy doughnuts out of a can of biscuits. I love this recipe its easier and taste better then other homemade doughnuts. And you can do whatever you would like as far as toppings go. And as if it did not get any better these babies actually get softer the next day. They remind me of Krispy Kreme, soft and delicious. They may look small but when they start frying they get pretty big even the small holes as well. I found the best thing that works for making the holes after digging around my kitchen for awhile was the end of a cake decorating tip. These are really good rolled in a mixture of sugar or cinnamon.

1 (10 pack) canned biscuits
1 cup sunflower oil for frying

1.In a 9-inch skillet on medium heat add oil and allow to become hot.

2.On a large cutting board carefully lay biscuits out piece by piece. Cut a hole in the center on each biscuit and sit hole dough aside. Place each biscuit into oil, watching at all times. As soon as dough becomes golden flip it. When both sides are golden allow to drain on a paper towel.

Yields: 10 + 10 holes

I love the naturalness in the sweet taste of pumpkin. Actually I love Fall just because pumpkin is so widely available for all of us bakers to incorporate it into our recipes somehow. These beautiful sunset orange colored muffins have all the lingering taste of Fall. The applesauce not only gives extra moisture but also an extra fun Fall flavor. You can use muffin liners if you would like. I rarely use them when I make muffins. Serve these treats with some hot apple cider for a Fall breakfast or brunch.

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1 egg
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2teaspoon allspice
1-1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl add pumpkin and flour, mix well with a wooden spoon. Add egg, yogurt and applesauce, mix well. Add oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mix well.

2. Fill muffin cups up 1/2 full. Bake 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Yields: 12 regular muffins + 24 mini muffins