Thursday 4 February 2016

MAKE MOSAIKO... A GORGEOUS GREEK TREAT!

Reader Aphrodite shares her recipe for yummy Greek Mosaiko... and it's super easy to make!

You will need:
2 packets plain tea biscuits, crushed (Petit Buerre are ideal)
Half cup of milk
2 tbsps orange juice
250g butter
250g icing sugar
50g caster sugar
4 tbsps cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

To make:
1. In a large bowl, crush the biscuits with the end of a rolling in, leaving 1" chunks to add texture to the cake. Pieces must not be too big, nor must they be crumbs either.

2. Mix the milk with the orange juice, vanilla extract and salt and pour over the biscuits. Mix with your hands, making sure to crush any too-big pieces of biscuit you may find.

3. Add melted butter and mix again.

4. Add icing sugar, caster sugar and cocoa powder and mix one last time.

5. Stretch clingfilm or baking paper across your counter and pour the mixture onto this. Use your hands to press mixture down. Lift the long side of the clingfilm or baking paper and roll the mixture over into a chunky cylinder, so that it forms the shape of a rolling pin perhaps. Wrap and store the pudding in the freezer for two hours and then place in the fridge.

6. Now for the best part... lick the bowl!

TADAH! Time to slice a piece and indulge. If you are feeling super indulgent you can always serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, on the side, or warm chocolate sauce or (why not?) both! And don't forget - sharing makes everything taste better!

Alternatives: This is an easy, fun recipe. You can play around and add your own trademark - add chopped walnuts or other nuts for example; or chopped glace cherries; or shredded coconut. The options are endless really, just like life! Don't forget that you can loosen the mixture with extra melted butter if it seems too dry at the mixing stage. Instead of rolling the mixture into a cylinder, you can form it into balls the size of ping pong balls, dipping your hands into water between each one so that the mixture doesn't stick to your hands. Roll in chocolate strands or shredded coconut before freezing - or dip in melted chocolate after the freezing stage. They're a kind of Greek chocolate truffle!

Sprinkle on a little history!
'Mosaiko' sounds a bit like 'mosaic', doesn't it, and that exactly what it is. If you look closely enough you'll see the bits of biscuit looks like pieces of mosaic. The word mosaic in Greek derives from the word muses, the daughters of Zeus and goddesses of inspiration, worshipped throughout Greece. They were Clio, Melpomene, Thalia, Calliope, Urania, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Erato and Terpsichore. Caves dedicated to the muses were decorated with mosaics. So much history in a bite!

Cathy says:
This looks and sounds SO gorgeous... and even a baking klutz like me can do it! Do YOU have a favourite recipe to share with DREAMCATCHER? Email me via the 'email Cathy' link on www.cathycassidy.com to share it and COMMENT BELOW to tell me more!

6 comments:

  1. I'll definitely try it!

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  2. Yum! What a gorgeous recipe! Will definetly try it!

    #sweetreats xxx

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  3. Thanks so much for the recipe!! I will have to make it and try it!! It just looks sooo delicious!!!!

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Looks tasty... it's definitely one to try. I can imagine myself curled upon the sofa, milkshake in one hand cake in another, reading a favourite CC book. Any recommendations for my first attempt?

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