This is another classic Eastern European treat. Curd cheese is a very common ingredient in daily consumption as well as baking both in sweet and savoury applications. Sometimes called cottage cheese, curd cheese is not quite like the local cottage cheese that is made here in the UK. Cottage cheese can be quite runny while curd cheese is quite dry and crumbly.

You will definitely need the crumbly kind for this recipe. Your local Eastern European shop is pretty much guaranteed to stock it. I get mine from the Easter European foods section in my local supermarket.

You can modify this recipe by using other dried fruits for the filling and by grating in some lemon or orange zest. You can add spices like cinnamon or mixed spice.  If you want to make a savoury version you can ditch the sugar and vanilla and replace the raisins with crispy bacon pieces and perhaps add some chopped dill to the filling too.

This recipe makes 6 decently sized buns. To make more simply multiply all the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

100g (3.5oz) milk

1 egg (50g; 1.75oz)

25g (0.9oz) butter

20g (0.7oz) sugar

5g (0.21oz) salt

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.32oz) fresh yeast

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

For the filling –

250g (8.8oz) curd cheese

1 egg white

25g (0.9oz) sugar

40g (1.4oz) raisins

5g (0.21oz) vanilla paste

For glazing –

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

If you are curious about why the dough contains butter, egg, and sugar, click the links to learn more about the effects those ingredients have on bread dough.

Method

1. Make the filling. Combine the egg white, sugar, raisins, and vanilla paste. Mix well. Add the curd cheese and mix to a paste. Transfer to a piping bag or leave in the bowl on the side for later.
2. Make the dough. Combine the milk, yeast, salt, sugar, egg, and butter. Mix well. Add the bread flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature around 24C (75F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust fermentation time accordingly.
3. Cover and ferment for 1 hour.
4. Fold.
5. Ferment for 1 hour.
6. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on a non-stick paper lined baking tray.
7. Cover and proof for 1 hour.
8. Stretch the dough balls to create a shape with a thick edge and a well with a thin membrane of dough in the middle.
9. Glaze with the egg and milk mix. Pipe or spoon the filling into the dough. Spread it and smooth it out with a spatula or a spoon.
10. Bake at 160C (320F) fan on or 180C (355F) fan off for 25 minutes.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

These two breads are inspired by the Turkish Ramazan pidesi. They are both made with the same dough. The only difference between them is the shaping method. The more ornate one is shaped similarly to the Afghan naan roghani that I posted a couple of years ago while the simpler one is based on the Turkish Ramadan pide shaping method.

Both turn out extremely soft, slightly sweet, full of delicious extra virgin olive oil flavour, and they both look exquisite. Tackle either one of them or make them both and see which one you like best.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

135g (4.75oz) water

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.42oz) fresh yeast

5g (0.17oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) sugar

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

1 egg yolk

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

For topping –

0.5 egg white

15g (0.5oz) olive oil

15g (0.5oz) yogurt

Black & white sesame seeds

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Make the topping paste. Whisk together the egg white, olive oil, and yogurt. Leave in the fridge for later.
2. Make the dough. Combine the water, yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the salt, yeast, and sugar. Add the flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature 25C (77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust fermentation time accordingly.
3. Cover and ferment for 60 minutes.
4. Fold.
5. Ferment for 60 minutes.
6. Place the dough on a piece of baking paper and flatten it.
7. Cover and proof for 45 minutes.
8. Decorate and top the dough.
9. Bake at 170C (340F) fan on or 190C (375F) fan off for 20 – 25 minutes.
10. Brush the bread with olive oil as soon as it comes out the oven.

For the more ornate version:

1. After mixing the dough let it ferment for 45 minutes.
3. Ferment for 45 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 2 halves. Divide one of the halves in two more halves.
5. Shape into balls, cover, and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
6. Shape the bread. Cover and proof for 45 minutes.
7. Decorate and top with seeds.
8. Bake at 170C (340F) fan on or 190C (375F) fan off for 20 – 25 minutes.
9. Brush the bread with olive oil as soon as it comes out the oven.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

Karelian pies are traditional Finnish pastries made with a rye flour-based dough rolled thin and filled with various fillings. I went with an unsweetened rice pudding filling that (after baking) is topped with ‘egg butter’ which, as the name implies, is made of eggs and butter. Very heavy, very hearty, but super delicious and just one or two will fill you up. This might be one of the most unique and strange bakes I’ve done as of late. Someone suggested it in the comments section of one of my videos and I’m very happy to have been introduced to this unique and delicious treat.

The dough is made of rye flour and spelt flour, but you can swap the spelt for wheat flour if you like. The egg butter is an optional addon and it’s pretty rich. The pies are good enough without it. If you do decide to make the egg butter, I’d suggest adding a little bit of mustard and some herbs to make it more interesting. Basically, like egg mayo. But I’ll leave that to you.

This recipe makes 8 pies.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

100g (3.5oz) wholegrain (dark) rye flour

50g (1.75oz) spelt flour

3g (0.1oz) salt

15g (0.5oz) butter

80g (2.8oz) water

For the filling –

150g (5.3oz) short grain (pudding) rice

300g (10.6oz) water

50g (1.75oz) butter

5g (0.17oz) salt

500g (0.5qt) full fat milk

For the ‘egg butter’ –

4 boiled eggs

80g (2.8oz) softened butter

Salt and pepper to season

Optional teaspoon of mustard and herbs to mix in.

Method

1. Make the filling. Bring the water up to a boil. Add the rice and let it cook for 5 minutes or until almost all the water has been absorbed. Add the salt and the butter. Add the milk. Let it come up to a boil, turn the heat down, and leave to simmer for around 30 minutes.
2. Make the dough while the filling is cooking. Dissolve the salt in the water. Add the butter and spelt flour. Mix well and then add the rye flour. Mix to a dough and knead it a little to make it smooth.
3. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape into balls. Cover and leave on the side.
4. Pour the cooked filling into a bowl and leave it to cool down. I made the filling and the dough a day ahead of time and left them in the fridge. On the next day I let them come up to room temperature to make them easier to work with. You can make the pies on the same day as soon as the filling has cooled down and set.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 230C (445F) fan on or 250C (480F) fan off.
6. Roll out each piece of dough to a thin oval. Spread the filling evenly leaving a little edge. Pinch the sides together starting from the middle and work your way to the ends. Arrange the pies on a non-stick paper lined baking tray.
7. Bake for around 15 minutes until the pastry looks crispy and the filling has developed golden brown spots.
8. Brush the pies with oil or butter once the come out the oven. Leave to cool down.
9. Make the egg butter by chopping or grating the eggs and mixing them with the other ingredients. Top the pies with the egg butter once they have cooled down.

Enjoy your unique Finnish style treat!

Khachapuri is the national dish of Georgia. There are various versions of it. This Adjarian khachapuri consists of a soft dough shaped like a boat and filled with a mix of cheeses. After being baked it is topped with an egg yolk and a knob of butter. The yolk and the butter are then mixed into the cheese to create a delicious cheesy dip for the bread. The bread is torn off piece by piece and eaten with the cheesy filling. It’s an incredibly delicious bake that will put you in a cheesy coma.

There’s not much else I can say about khachapuri. I have published two videos about it already. It is one of the most popular recipes on my channel, so it deserved a little update in line with my current baking style. This new version is no-knead and cold bulk fermented. Making it easy, convenient and mess free. There are a couple of other tweaks like the addition of whole wheat flour for extra flavour and a slight increase in hydration.

This is not quite a traditional version because of the cheese that I use. The original is made with a cheese which I cannot get a hold of. But feta is the next best available thing in terms of saltiness and flavour. The mozzarella is there to provide a nice stretch.

Want a khachapuri for a weekday dinner? Mix the dough, leave it in the fridge, shape, proof, and bake within an hour on the next day!

This recipe makes two hefty khachapuris.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

230g (8.1oz) white bread flour

20g (0.7oz) whole wheat bread flour

5g (0.17oz) salt

5g (0.17oz) sugar

2.5g (0.09oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) active dry yeast or 7.5g (0.26oz) fresh yeast

10g (0.35oz) butter

170g (6oz) water

For the filling –

200g (7oz) feta

200g (7oz) grated mozzarella

1 egg

10g (0.35oz) flour

To finish –

2 egg yolks

2 knobs of butter

More butter for brushing the edges

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Make the dough. Combine the water, yeast, salt, sugar, whole wheat flour, and butter. Mix well to dissolve the salt, yeast, and sugar. Add the white bread flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature around 23C (73F).
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Make the filling. Crumble the feta. Add the egg and the flour and mix well. Finally, add the grated mozzarella and mix until everything is well combined. Cover and leave in the fridge.
4. Fold the dough. Place it back into the fridge and leave it to cold ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
5. On the next day divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape into balls.
6. Cover and proof for 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven towards the end of the final proof. 210C (410F) fan on or 230C (445F) fan off.
7. Shape the khachapuri and fill with the cheesy filling.
8. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes or until browned all over.
9. As soon as it comes out the oven brush the edges with butter, top with an egg yolk, and a knob of butter. Serve immediately.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

Scones with jam and clotted cream are a classic afternoon tea snack here in the UK. You can find them anywhere from your nan’s house to pubs, fancy restaurants, and 5-star hotels. A scone is a humble little pasty that is neither bread nor cake, but something in between. It is light and crumbly, but it can withstand a good smearing with the thickened clotted cream.

Clotted cream is double (heavy) cream that is usually baked on a very low temperature for a very long time. Think less than 100C (210F) for about 12 hours. I don’t have that kind of patience and my electric bill has been destroying my walled this winter already, so I’ll show you how to make clotted cream the quick way.

Jam is the final element of this recipe, and it is also quick and easy to make. Three ingredients and 20 minutes later it’ll be ready. The jam recipe makes around 250g (8.8oz) jam. And the scone recipe makes 8 scones.

The clotted cream recipe makes around 300g (10.5oz) which is quite a lot, and definitely too much for the scones, so feel free to divide it in half to make less. The cooking time will be reduced in that case too. If you can’t find cream with 50% fat, then you can add butter to the mix to make up for it.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the clotted cream –

600g (1.3lb) double (heavy) cream. The fattier the better. Mine was 50% fat.

For the jam –

500g (1.1lb) fresh strawberries or other berries of your choice

150g (5.3oz) white sugar

15g (0.53oz) fresh lemon juice

For the scones –

250g (8.8oz) plain white flour

5g (0.17oz) baking powder

15g (0.53oz) white sugar

3g (0.1oz) salt

50g (1.75oz) cold butter pieces

130g (4.6oz) milk

25g (0.9oz) egg. Half of a medium sized egg.

25g (0.9oz) egg for glazing. The other half of the egg leftover from the dough ingredients.

Method

1. Make the clotted cream by boiling/simmering it until it has reduced by half and become thick. It will take around 15 minutes on medium heat. Pour it into a jar and cool in the fridge until completely set.
2. Make the clotted cream by microwaving it three times in 4-minute increments on medium-high power until the cream has thickened and developed a yellow colour. Pour into a jar and leave in the fridge to cool until set.
3. Make the jam by combining all ingredients in a pan and boiling/simmering for 20 minutes on medium-high heat until the jam has thickened, and you can draw a line through it with a spatula. Pour into a jar and leave in the fridge to cool down completely.
4. Make the scones. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix. Add the butter and crumble it in until the floury mix becomes sandy.
5. Add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients and mix until there is no dry flour left. Dust the dough and the table generously with flour and scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured table.
6. Push the dough together to form a relatively smooth ball. Do not work the dough too much and do not knead it as it will become tougher the more you handle it.
7. Flatted the dough either by hand or with a rolling pin to around 3cm (1.2in) thick. Cut with a 5cm (2in) cutter or any size cutter you have/prefer.
8. Push the trimmings together sideways and then turn the dough on its side, flatten it again, and cut more scones out of it. Continue until you run out of dough.
9. Glaze the scones with egg. Bake at 200C (390F) fan off for 18 minutes.

Leave to cool down and tuck in!

Samosa was one of my favourite snacks when I was on vacation in India a couple of years ago. It was being sold all over the place especially for breakfast. Can’t beat a carb loaded delicious snack to start off a day of travelling and exploring. Almost every morning I used to grab a couple with a few fried chillies on the side and get on with my day.

Usually, samosa is made with Maida aka plain flour. The plain flour I used may not be the same, but it does the job. Gluten is the enemy here, so we must use a low protein flour to achieve a nice flaky texture.

You can adjust the spices and fillings to your taste. It is probably not an authentic recipe anyway. But the principle is there. This recipe makes 10 samosas. To adjust the amount simply divide or multiply the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

250g (8.8oz) plain white flour

50g (1.75oz) vegetable oil

3g (0.1oz) cumin or ajwain seeds

3g (0.1oz) salt

90g (3.2oz) water

For the filling –

500g (1.1lb) baked potatoes

80g (2.8oz) peas

15g (0.5oz) oil

15g (0.5oz) chopped ginger

15g (0.5oz) chopped chili

15g (0.5oz) fresh coriander

50g (1.75oz) finely diced onion

Juice of half a lemon

Spices:

3g (0.1oz) garam masala

0.5g (0.02oz) asafoetida

3g (0.1oz) cumin powder

3g (0.1oz) mild chili powder

3g (0.1oz) fennel seed

3g (0.1oz) coriander seed

Oil for frying

Method

1. Bake the potatoes at 200C (390F) for 1 hour or until soft. Leave to cool down. Peel, and cut into chunks.
2. Make the dough. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, seeds, and oil. Mix until uniform. Add the water and mix to a dough. Divide into 5 equal pieces and shape into balls. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Make the filling. Toast the whole spices in a dry pan. Add the oil, onion, chili, ginger. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for a couple minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Add the peas and ground spices. Mix well. Finally, add the potatoes, coriander, and lemon juice. Mix. Leave to cool down.
5. Roll out the dough, cut, fill, and shape.
6. Fry at 180C (355F) for 6 minutes or until nicely browned all over.
7. Alternatively, bake them at 180C (355F) for 20 minutes or so.

You already know how much I love my rough puff pastry. It’s crumbly and flaky and makes for the best wrapper for a delicious filling. And when it comes to Jamaican patties there are few that could be better. Spicy curried beef and veggies stuffed in a buttery pocket is what dreams are made of if you ask me!

The pastry recipe uses my standard method. The main difference is the addition of spices and the milk being swapped for buttermilk. I realized that 1 hour of chilling between folds may not be necessary, so to cut down on preparation time I’ve reduced it to 45 minutes, and it works just fine. If you want to use milk instead of buttermilk, then you will only need only 95g.

The filling is quite spicy thanks to the scotch bonnets. If you are not a bit of a chili head, then I would strongly suggest using less or swapping for another type of chili.

You can prepare the dough and the filling 1 or 2 days ahead of shaping and baking if you like.

The recipe for the filling makes almost twice as much as is needed to fill all the patties. The amount you make is up to you. Double the pastry and use the filling to make 12 instead of 6 patties. Or cut the filling in half to make 6. It is so tasty that I used the other half to eat with some rice, a fried egg, and salad the following day.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour, cold

200g (7oz) cubed butter, cold

5g (0.17oz) salt

110g (3.9oz) buttermilk, cold

3g (0.1oz) turmeric

3g (0.1oz) curry powder

1 egg for glazing

For the filling –

100g (3.5oz) onions

20g (0.7oz) garlic

30g (1oz) carrots

30g (1oz) spring onions

10g (0.35oz) scotch bonnet chili

3g (0.1oz) thyme leaves

30g (1oz) bell pepper

40g (1.4oz) soya sauce

80g (2.8oz) chopped tomatoes

4g (0.14oz) paprika

2g (0.07oz) black pepper

8g (0.28oz) curry powder

400g (14.1oz) ground beef

15g (0.5oz) olive oil for cooking

*Chop all the vegetables and herbs nice and fine.

**20g (0.7oz) fresh ginger would be a great addition, but I forgot to get it!

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, turmeric, and curry powder. Mix well. Add the butter and coat it in flour.
2. Break each piece of butter into 4.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and mix to a dough. Do not knead it. The butter must remain chunky.
4. Tip the dough out on the table and press it together. Wrap it up in clingfilm and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
5. While the dough is chilling, make the filling. Pour the oil in a large pan set on medium-high heat. Add all the vegetables and herbs. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until the veggies become slightly browned and nice and soft.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and soya sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes.
7. Add the dried spices, mix well and finally add the ground beef. Mix until everything is well combined and keep cooking for another 5 – 7 minutes stirring occasionally. The filling should still be nice and moist.
8. Cover and leave to cool down.
9. Perform the first fold on the dough. Dust the table and the dough with flour. Roll the dough out to about three times its length. Fold one third over, brush off any excess flour and fold the loose third over to create three layers. Roll it out once more and repeat the same fold. The video will be the best guide for this.
10. Wrap the dough up and chill it for another 45 minutes.
11. Perform another set of folds exactly like the previous time. After that chill it for one last time for 45 minutes. The pastry will be ready for use from now.
12. Make the patties. Roll out the pastry to fit 4 cutters. I’m using 15cm (6in) bowls. You can use a saucer too. Cut the pastry, combine the trimmings, roll them out again and cut two more discs of pastry.
13. Brush the rim of each pastry disc with egg. Add two large tablespoons of filling. Fold the dough over and seal it up. Press it together firmly.
14. Crimp the edges shut with a fork.
15. Place the patties on a non-stick paper lined tray and brush them with egg. Cut a small vent-hole in each patty.
16. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C (392F) fan off for 30 minutes.
17. Leave to cool down slightly and enjoy!

Pan de Muertos is a traditional Mexican bread served on Día de Los Muertos. It is a sweetened bread flavoured with anise and orange.

This bread has great significance in Mexican culture. The day of the dead is a holiday where people welcome back the souls of their deceased loved ones.

Each part of the uniquely shaped bread symbolizes something. The round body of the loaf represents the circle of life and death. The ball on the top of the loaf represents the skull of the deceased. And the segmented pieces laid across the loaf represent bones and tears.

Flavoured with anise and orange it has a unique taste. It is enriched with sugar, eggs, and butter. A Mexican brioche of sorts. It is also cold fermented.

After the bread has cooled down from being baked it is brushed with butter and covered in sugar. Sometimes the sugar is coloured. Alternatively, you can skip this and glaze the loaves with egg before you bake them.

Hot chocolate is commonly served alongside this bread, and I have included a recipe for it below.

This recipe makes two medium sized loaves, and the hot chocolate recipe makes two cups. To make more simply multiply all the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

100g (3.5oz) egg or two medium sized eggs*

40g (1.4oz) milk*

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.12oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.31oz) fresh yeast

3g (0.1oz) orange oil or extract

1 orange worth of zest

50g (1.75oz) softened butter

30g (1oz) sugar

5g (0.17oz) salt

2g (0.07oz) anise seeds

*To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the coating –

70g (2.45oz) melted butter

70g (2.45oz) sugar

For the hot chocolate –

14g (0.5oz) sugar

10g (0.35oz) cocoa powder

4g (0.14oz) vanilla syrup

1g (0.03oz) cinnamon

400g (14oz) milk

60g (2.1oz) dark chocolate

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration.

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

If you are curious about why the dough contains butter, egg, and sugar, click the links to learn more about the effects those ingredients have on bread dough.

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the milk, yeast, salt, sugar, orange oil, orange zest, eggs, and anise seeds. Mix well to dissolve the salt and sugar, and to hydrate the yeast. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
2. Tip the dough out on the table and knead for 3 minutes.
3. Tear in the butter and knead for 4 more minutes. *Desired dough temperature 25C – 26C (77F – 79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
4. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
5. Fold.
6. Cold ferment for 12 – 24 hours.
7. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. 2 x 20g (0.7oz); 4 x 30g (1oz). Finally, weigh the remaining dough and divide it in half.
8. Pre-shape into rounds.
9. Cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
10. Final shaping. *See video.
11. Place on a non-stick paper lined tray. Cover and final proof for 2 hours. *During the final hour of fermentation pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F) fan on.
12. Bake the loaves for 25 minutes.
13. Leave to cool down completely.
14. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
15. Make the hot chocolate. Combine all ingredients but the chocolate in a small pan. Heat until almost boiling. Stir in the chocolate until melted.

Serve up and enjoy!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.