Sofreye Haft Sin Sofreh is a Persian tablecloth. On this tablecloth 7 symbolic elements are dished up for Norooz our Persian New Year, which begin with the letter “S” in Farsi. The number seven is a sacred number. Watch Video on Instagram
Nowrooz is coming, so let’s start thinking about Shirinipazi (baking cookies)! After all, we also have the ritual of baking cookies for Nowrooz as you do for Christmas. It’s about 6 Days from now to Monday, March 20 at 10:25 pm in Germany. I have some cookie recipes on my Blog for you for the holidays. For today, I have the recipe for gluten-free Ghorabieh – Persian Almond macaron قرابیه, a traditional treat from the city of Tabriz in northwestern Iran. Ghorabieh is a popular souvenir from Tabriz and is one of the most expensive cookies baked in Persia.
Shirini-e Ghifi – Persian Cream Horns شیرینی قیفی خامه ای are a fluffy treat and a simple pastry made from puff pastry. With this recipe, a touch of nostalgia for Nowrooz blows into your kitchen. The crispy baked Cream Horns are filled with creamy rosewater-vanilla-cream and melt in your mouth. The best part is that although they look sweet, they aren’t. They are slightly sweet and yet just irresistible. Serve them along with other sweets on holidays like Nowrooz and at weddings. They are easy and quick to make, and an eye-catcher on your festive table. If you’ve never tasted Cream Horns, you should do it! View Video on Instagram
Are you getting prepared for the Persian New Year Nowruz? Part of this is spring cleaning, making sabzeh, and baking cookies. Shirini-e Zaban – Persian Puff Pastry شیرینی زبان, is besides of Cake Yazdi and Nan-e Nokhodchi, a popular and nostalgic sweet to treat guests on celebrations. In Farsi, Shirini means sweet, and Zaban tongue, as they have the shape of a tongue. Shirini Zaban is a traditional sweet from the city of Qazvin in Iran. It’s a simple recipe, all you need is ready-made butter puff pastry, butter, honey, rose water, and cardamom. The golden Shirini-e Zaban is quick to prepare, flaky and crispy and not too sweet. Once they come out of the oven, brush them with the honey-rosewater-glaze, and sprinkle them with ground pistachios, grated coconut, or sesame seeds, depending on your taste. With Nowruz just around the corner, check out my blog for plenty of Nowrooz recipes and ideas. View Video on Instagram
One of our favorite desserts is the Italian Tiramisu. For the National Day of Pistachio, I pimped the traditional dessert with a new look. Bye Bye retro style, Hello new cool look – Mini Pistachio Tiramisu Charlotte – تیرامیسو پسته . To make this look, place ladyfingers dipped in vanilla essence all around a jar and line the bottom with ladyfingers. A pistachio cream made of mascarpone is whipped creamy with white chocolate, cream, homemade pistachio butter, and caster sugar and layered with chopped pistachios and more ladyfingers. Fruity raspberries, white chocolate drops, and chopped pistachios finish off the new look. By the way, my Mini Pistachio Tiramisu Charlotte is eggless and alcohol-free. It’s not only an eye-catcher but also tastes perfect. Getting to that perfect result is quick and even easier than you think. Try this royal dessert for Norouz to treat your guests.
Bastani Sonati or the traditional Faloodeh are most popular ice cream delights in Persia. Also Yakh dar Behesht-e Anar – Persian Pomegranate Granité یخ در بهشت انار is one of the most popular ice creams, especially in autumn. We love preparing it for Shab-e Yalda (winter solstice), which is the longest night of the year. Yakh means ice, and Behesht means heaven, so freely translated it means ice in heaven. My granité is a heavenly ice cream made with pomegranate juice, fresh mint, lemon, water and sugar. It is prepared without an ice cream maker, tastes sweet and sour at the same time, our absolute favorite flavor. We served it in a glass with a straw and spoon. An unique experience, as the crystalline in the ice cream melts softly on the tongue. Yakh dar Behesht is gluten-, fat- and dairy-free, so it’s perfect for people with allergies, vegetarians and vegans. Treat yourself with this ice-cold treat!
Today I welcome autumn with a dream in green. My delicious apple mint jelly gives pleasure to the palate and eyes at the same time. Quite fancy with mint, which also provides some freshness. This tastes very fine, and also looks great. In my green apple mint jelly, the finely chopped mint leaves are a great eye-catcher. One half I dyed with green food coloring* and the other half I left natural. The jelly is great as a fruity spread for breakfast. Filled in pretty glasses, the Apple Mint Jelly is also a fancy gift idea. In addition, a great souvenir for friends, parties, or brunch. You can use apple mint jelly as a spread, for baking, or as an ingredient in desserts or compotes. It also tastes delicious as a side dish to cheese platters!
Did you know that the Queen’s favorite cake was chocolate biscuit? In fact, there is also a Persian version of the chocolate biscuit cake: Cake Yakhchali – fridge cake کیک یخچالی. In memory of “her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth”, I made her favorite Chocolate Biscuit Cake. May her soul rest in peace. We will miss you queen Elizabeth. My laziest-ever chocolate no-bake cake doesn’t need an oven, instead make room in the fridge! This no-bake cake has soft butter cookies inside and is covered with a smooth chocolate cream. The fridge takes care of the rest! Cake Yakhchali – Fridge Cake کیک یخچالی is the Persian answer to the German kalter Hund (German No-Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake). With a couple of slight differences, first, the Persian version is not so hard and firm, but quite fluffy and soft. Besides, I didn’t layer the cookies from the bottom to the top, but placed them vertically, in other words upright in the baking pan. If you don’t like exact layering, you can simply crush the butter cookies and …
Between July and November is fig season and I got some very nice examples from our neighbor. I don’t know why I have not yet planted my own fig tree in the garden, but it’s definitely time to do. Morabay-e Anjir – fig jam مربای انجیر is made from fresh whole figs and is infused with cardamom, vanilla and saffron. Believe me, the spicy and oriental sweet fragrance is a true joy for your senses. In daily life, quince, carrot, rose or cherry jam are more popular in Persia. Honey-sweet fig jam, on the other hand, is served with bread, butter or clotted cream more on special occasions for breakfast. A sweet delight for real gourmets.
The Persian Halva Safarani حلوا زعفرانی is very different from the Halva you know from Turkish or Arabic stores. This recipe is an old and classic version made from wheat flour and oil or butter. Saffron is responsible for a beautiful color and at the same time revitalizes the soul. Sugar adds sweetness, rose water a light floral aroma and warming cardamom a light tangy citrus note. It is an uncomplicated yet spectacular dessert that is also very popular eaten with Nan-e Barbari for breakfast. Halva means “sweet” and dates back to 7th century Persia. If you prepare it with oil like I did in this recipe, you even have a delicious vegan dessert. Let it melt in your mouth!
