View posts for » Category "Sweet treats"

I have to admit, it’s been a little too warm to cook these days, and I’ve been trying to avoid using the stove—the tiny kitchen in my apartment just gets too hot sometimes. So I thought it might be time for some MediterrAsian Un-Cooking…who doesn’t like a frozen treat to beat the summer heat?

I’m used to the heat, from past years spent in Taiwan—when I was a child, my dad moved our family from the U.S. to Taipei. While my Taiwanese-born parents were excited to show their homeland to me and my brother, there were definitely times when we were less than thrilled by our new surroundings, the local cuisine, and the tropical heat (Hey, we were kids!). So what’s the universal way to cheer up a kid AND deal with the weather, no matter where you are in the world? Hand them an ice cream!

However, ice cream in Taiwan wasn’t quite the same thing as it was back in the States. Well meaning relatives would kindly offer us foods that they thought would make us feel more “at home,” but while these foods took familar Western forms, such as sandwiches or ice cream, they would often turn out to have distinctly Asian flavors, such as red bean. Of course, now you can find red bean or taro ice cream at any Asian restaurant, but to a transplanted American kid used to a scoop of chocolate chip or Rocky Road, it was a shocker to get a bean popsicle. But kids adjust, and I grew to love red bean desserts. Now, I see them as a taste of nostalgia. 

So when one of my cousins mentioned making delicious homemade red bean popsicles recently, I had to chuckle and I had to get the recipe. My cousin’s family loves them and they are a breeze to make…hope you enjoy them too!

(Note: My cousin’s recipe uses canned sweet red beans, which you can easily find at most Asian markets, but you can really add any ingredient or fruit that you prefer to the mix. I decided to use some fresh mango in some of my popsicles, for a bit of tropical flavor…we used to get wonderful mangoes from the open air markets in Taiwan. Also, the original recipe uses coconut cream rather than coconut milk, but coconut milk may be easier to find and works just as well. Just experiment and have fun!)

Coconut-Longan Popsicles

Recipe from my cousin Leng and her family (Lisa and Ananda)…thanks!

(Makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 can longan (dragon eye fruit) or lychee fruit (about 20 oz.)
• 1 can coconut milk (about 14 oz.)
• Sweet adzuki red beans (canned)
• A ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced

Equipment:

• Blender
• Popsicle molds

Directions:

Drain the liquid from the canned longan. Set aside a few pieces of the longan (4 or 5, depending on fruit size and your best judgment) and combine the rest of the fruit with the coconut milk in a blender. Blend until smooth, or leave some small pieces of fruit for texture. Dice the reserved longan and divide evenly among the popsicle molds. Add a heaping teaspoon of sweet red beans or mango to each mold, then pour the coconut milk-longan mixture over each until filled to the top. Give each popsicle a quick stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Add additional beans or mango to taste, or to even out the level of liquid in the molds. Freeze until set, and enjoy!

I recently enjoyed an excellent, leisurely lunch with family and loved ones at a Turkish restaurant. When the coffee (hot, strong and Turkish, of course) arrived after our meal, we were pleased to find small cubes of Turkish Delight perched on each of our saucers. Also known as lokum, it is a traditional, jelly-like Middle Eastern confection that has been around for centuries.

We found that each morsel was small but satisfying…lightly sweet and delicately flavored with rosewater, just one piece was enough for each of us. Despite being fat-free and small in size, it still seemed indulgent. It was a pleasant ending to an already perfect meal.

While it is easy enough to buy Turkish Delight in the shops, it is also fairly easy to make at home. There are numerous recipes for Turkish Delight out there, with all kinds of variations on ingredients and flavors…some with orange peel, some with lemon peel, some with rosewater or mint or nuts. This recipe is pretty easy and close to what we enjoyed that lazy afternoon:

Turkish Delight (Lokum)

(Note: This needs to set overnight before cutting and serving, so please plan accordingly.)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 cups water (divided into 1 1/2 cup and 3 cup quantities)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon rosewater (available from Middle Eastern markets)
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• Red food coloring

Coating:

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Equipment:

• 2 large, heavy saucepans
• Candy thermometer
• 9″x9″ square baking dish
• Wax paper or plastic wrap
• Vegetable oil

Optional Equipment:

A strong and patient friend to take turns stirring the pot because your arm will probably get tired!

Directions:

Combine sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water, and lemon juice and heat in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and mixture reaches a boil, then reduce heat and simmer without stirring until mixture reaches 240ºF (”soft ball” stage) on the candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

In the other saucepan over medium heat, stir 1 cup of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar together while gradually adding 3 cups of water. Stir mixture to remove lumps, until it has reached a boil and is the consistency of paste

Gradually add the sugar/water/lemon juice syrup to the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, frequently stirring to prevent sticking. Continue to stir for about an hour (this is where having a friend to take turns comes in handy), then stir in the rosewater and a tiny drop of red food coloring if you want to add a nice rose or red tint.

Oil the inside of the 9″x9″ baking dish with the vegetable oil and line with the wax paper or plastic wrap. Oil the wax paper/plastic wrap as well.

Pour the mixture into the oiled and lined baking dish and spread evenly. (Note: this probably goes without saying, but the mixture will be VERY hot, so be careful while pouring and try not to forget and casually wipe stray drips away with your finger…you WILL get burned!) Allow to cool overnight.

The next day, tip the hardened mixture out of the pan onto a cutting board. If your wax paper is fused to the mixture and is difficult to remove, gently dampen the surface of the paper with warm water and let it sit for a minute…it should peel away easily after that. Cut into one inch cubes with an oiled knife. I thought it would be fun and romantic to make heart shapes for Valentine’s Day, so I used a very small heart shaped cookie cutter instead.

Combine 1 cup confectioners sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch and sift into a bowl. Roll the cut pieces in the mixture to coat. (Don’t be afraid to coat generously, because the candy will absorb some of it.) Store in an airtight container, separating each layer of Turkish Delight with wax paper.

This pairs wonderfully with a cup of mint or cardamom tea. Enjoy!