Desserts on Arshad Siddiqui

Knafeh - II

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Ingredients #

Knafeh pastry
Ghee
Mozzarella (shredded)
Double cream (extra thick)
Food colouring (orange)

For the syrup: #

Sugar – 2 cups
Boiled water – 1 cup
Lemon juice – few drops
Rose water – 1 tablespoon

Syrup Preparation #

Add sugar and boiled water to a pan.
Add drops of lemon juice (or a little citric acid).
Boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add rose water.
Set aside to cool before use.

Recipe #

Use knafeh pastry from a Mediterranean shop.
Use a food processor to cut the pastry finely.
Mix pastry with ghee and orange food colouring until well combined.
For the stuffing, mix ¾ mozzarella cheese with double cream (make sure to drain all water from the cheese).
Grease the baking tray with some ghee.
Spread half of the pastry mixture evenly in the tray.
Add the cheese and cream stuffing layer in the middle.
Cover with the remaining pastry mixture.
Use your hand to gently spread the pastry and stuffing evenly.
Preheat the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry turns crispy and golden.
Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry.
Decorate with pistachios and serve.

Home | Dessert

Knafeh - III

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Kunafa #

Kunafa (also spelled knafeh, kunafeh, kunafah) is a Mediterranean cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar syrup, popular across regions once part of the Ottoman Empire. Traditionally, it uses kataifi pastry with Naboulsi or Akawi cheese.

Ingredients #

For Kunafa #

Kataifi / Vermicelli – 200 g
Ghee – 50 g
Mozzarella (slices) – 5
Food colouring (orange) – a pinch (optional)

Optional Layer (use one) #

Semolina layer:
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tbsp semolina
- 3 tbsp sugar
Or Ricotta cheese – 200 g
Or Extra thick double cream
Or Mawa (khoya) + chenna + sugar

For the Syrup #

Sugar – 1½ cups
Water – 1 cup
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon stick – 1
- Optional alternative: 5 saffron strands

Optional Garnish #

(Adjust as preferred)

Coffee Walnut Cake

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:26:00 +0100

Coffee Walnut Cake #

A rich and moist coffee-flavoured walnut sponge cake layered with smooth coffee buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or afternoon tea.

Ingredients #

For the sponges: #

340g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
340g caster sugar
250g plain flour
90g walnuts
3 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs
3 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1.5 tbsp boiling water

For the frosting / topping: #

750g icing sugar
250g unsalted butter
4 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water
2 tbsp milk
Approx 9 walnut halves for decorating

Equipment Needed #

3 x 20cm round sandwich tins
Baking parchment
Stand mixer or electric hand whisk
Food processor
Offset palette knife
Silicone spatula
Sieve
Kitchen scales
2 x wire cooling racks
Display plate or cake board

Recipe #

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line three 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
Dry fry the walnut halves in a frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes until aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Beat butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. If mixture splits, add a tablespoon of flour and continue mixing.
Fold dissolved coffee into the wet mix.
In a food processor, blitz the flour, baking powder, and cooled walnuts until the nuts are finely ground.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a silicone spatula, ensuring flour at the bottom is incorporated.
Divide the mixture evenly among the three tins. Smooth the tops with an offset palette knife.
Bake for 23-28 minutes until a cocktail stick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in tins briefly before transferring to wire racks.
For the coffee buttercream icing: beat butter until soft, gradually add icing sugar, then mix in dissolved coffee. Add milk if needed to loosen the icing.
Once sponges are cool, level any domed tops with a bread knife.
Assemble the cake by spreading 1/3 of the buttercream on the first sponge layer, then add the second sponge and repeat. Place the top sponge upside down, pressing gently.
Spread remaining icing on the top and decorate with walnut halves.

Enjoy your delicious Coffee Walnut Cake with a fresh cup of coffee or tea!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sun, 03 May 2020 16:09:00 +0100

Ingredients #

Granulated sugar – 100 gram (can reduce for less sweetness)
Brown sugar – 165 gram (can reduce for less sweetness)
Salt – 1 tsp
Unsalted butter (room temperature) – 115 gram
Egg – 1
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Plain flour – 155 gram (can add more if needed)
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Cocoa powder – 1 tsp
White chocolate chunks – 110 gram
Dark chocolate chunks – 110 gram

Method #

Whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and softened butter until creamy.
Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the plain flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Mix gently with a spatula.
Fold in the white and dark chocolate chunks.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight for better flavour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this prevents burning the bottoms).
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start to brown—avoid overbaking to keep them chewy.

Enjoy your chewy, chocolate-loaded cookies fresh from the oven!

Black Forest Cake

Sat, 06 May 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Ingredients #

For the cake:

All purpose flour – 1 cup
Cocoa powder – ½ cup
Baking powder – 1½ tsp
Baking soda – 2 pinches
Salt – ¼ tsp
Egg whites – 4
Egg yolks – 4
Caster sugar – 150 g (¾ cup)
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Sunflower oil – ¾ cup

For the syrup:

Sugar – 6 tbsp
Water – 6 tbsp
Syrup from canned cherries (optional) – 2½ tbsp

For the whipped cream:

Chocolate Cake with Ganache

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Ingredients #

Unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature) – 220 grams
Golden caster sugar – 220 grams
Eggs – 4
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Self-raising flour – 220 grams
Cocoa powder – 3 tbsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Salt – small pinch
Milk – 2 tbsp

For the Ganache: #

Double cream – 300 grams
Dark chocolate – 300 grams

Recipe #

Cake #

Heat oven to 160°C (fan).
Line the base of 2 x 20cm (8in) deep cake tins and grease the sides with butter.
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla extract.
Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until mixed in.
Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; fold into the wet mixture.
Add milk and fold gently.
Pour batter evenly into the cake tins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Check the cakes and bake for another 5-10 minutes if not done (a skewer should come out clean).
Cool cakes in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Ganache #

Heat double cream in a saucepan until nearly boiling.
Break dark chocolate into a bowl.
Pour hot cream over chocolate and cover the bowl.
Let it stand for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk ganache until smooth and glossy.
Cool for 10 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Assembly #

Once the sponge cakes are cool, layer and ice them with the ganache.

Enjoy your rich and moist chocolate cake with smooth ganache!

Plum Cake

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients #

Self-raising flour – 175 gm
Unsalted butter – 175 gm
Golden caster sugar – 175 gm
Eggs – 3
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Dark chocolate – 75 gm
Dry fruits (raisins etc.) – as desired

Recipe #

Heat oven to 140°C (fan).
Line the base of a deep cake tin and grease the sides with butter.
Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until mixed in.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, and dry fruits.
Break the dark chocolate into pieces and add to the batter.
Pour batter into the tin.
Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 25-30 minutes.
If not done, bake for another 5-10 minutes (a skewer inserted should come out clean).
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing.

Enjoy your delicious plum cake!

Tiramisu

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 16:11:00 +0100

Tiramisu #

This super-simple Italian dessert actually benefits from being made ahead, as this gives it time for all the lovely flavours to mingle.

Ingredients #

Espresso coffee (strong, cooled to room temperature) – 2–3 cups
Eggs (separated) – 2
Caster sugar – ¼ cup
Mascarpone cheese – 250 g
Cream (heavy whipping cream or any cream with more than 36% milkfat) – 1 cup
Sponge fingers – 250 g
Cocoa powder – for dusting
Hazelnuts (roasted and chopped) – for dusting

Recipe #

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat until the mixture turns pale and thick.
Add the mascarpone and beat lightly to combine. It’s fine if the mixture is slightly marbled.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the egg mixture using a spatula or metal spoon — do not beat.
In a separate clean metal bowl (ensure no grease or residue), beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the cream and mascarpone mixture — again, do not beat. Retain as much air as possible.

Assembling #

Choose either a large serving dish or individual glasses.
Pour espresso coffee into a shallow bowl.
Dip sponge fingers into the coffee one at a time — take them out quickly to avoid over-soaking.
Layer the bottom of the dish with the soaked sponge fingers.
Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top and smooth it out.
Add another layer of coffee-dipped sponge fingers.
Finish with the remaining mascarpone mixture, smoothing the surface.

Finishing #

Refrigerate overnight to allow flavours to develop.
Before serving, dust with cocoa powder and sprinkle with roasted chopped hazelnuts.
Use a spoon to create a layered effect with the toppings if desired.

Tip:
If using glasses for serving, break the sponge fingers into smaller pieces to fit. Follow the same dipping and layering method. Remember: do not oversoak the sponge fingers.