Eishta Or Kaymak Food

EISHTA OR KAYMAK

Steps:

• Stir 4 1/2 cups milk with 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. Pour into a wide, shallow dish. Use the widest available, to give the cream the greatest possible surface. Bring to the boil slowly and simmer gently over very low heat, so that it barely trembles, for about 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let stand for 7 hours before putting in the refrigerator. Chill overnight before using.A thick layer of cream will have formed on the surface of the milk. Using a sharp-pointed knife, detach the edges of the cream from the pan and transfer to a flat surface or a large plate. Cut into squares.
• Lay the cream flat on pastries or curl it into little rolls.
• Ordinary thick clotted cream, mascarpone, and whipped double cream are good enough substitutes.

QUICKIE KAJMAK

Steps:

• Press feta cheese through a sieve until most of liquid has drained. Beat drained feta cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until flavors blend, at least 30 minutes. Bring to room temperature before serving.

EISH ES SERAY OR EKMEK KADAIF

Steps:

• Make a thick syrup. Bring to the boil the sugar and water with the lemon juice. Simmer 10 minutes, until it thickens. Stir in honey and rose water and simmer for 2 minutes longer. You can darken the syrup to a rich deep brown (the traditional color for this sweet) by melting 2 tablespoons sugar in another pan until it is a dark-brown caramel and stirring it into the hot syrup.
• Cut a slice about 3/4 inch thick horizontally right across the loaf of bread, and cut away the crust around it, so as to obtain one large soft crustless disk of bread. Dry out in a very low oven until slightly colored. Then moisten with water.
• Pour the syrup into a wide, shallow round pan which will hold the whole crustless disk of bread. Bring the syrup to the boil. Place the bread in it and simmer very gently, squashing and pressing it down with a wooden spoon to help it absorb the syrup better. Cook for about 3/4 hour, adding water if it becomes too sticky, until the bread is entirely soaked through and is soft, rich, and heavy.
• Turn out onto a round serving platter and allow to cool.
• Spread with a thick layer of cream or mascarpone and sprinkle, if you like, with chopped pistachios.
• Serve very small portions, as eish es seray is extremely rich and nobody can eat too much of it.
• Variations
• Individual slices of bread can be used in the same way as the single large disk of bread and simmered until soaked through and very soft.
• In the Lebanon the syrup is scented with the grated zest of an orange.