Greek Orange Semolina Cake Food

GREEK SEMOLINA CAKE WITH ORANGE SYRUP (REVANI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan and set aside.
• Mix the flour, semolina, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer , cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add the egg yolks one by one. Continue mixing until the batter turns light yellow. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest .
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with the milk.
• Clean the beaters well and beat the egg whites in a separate bowl with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
• Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined. Don't mix too much, or you will "flatten" your egg whites.
• Pour the batter into the pan, level with a spatula, and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is a nice golden color.
• Add the water, sugar, and orange zest to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cool.
• While the cake is still warm, cover it with the syrup. When the cake cools, you can sprinkle with some powdered sugar , cinnamon, and almonds, if using.

REVANI (GREEK CAKE USING SEMOLINA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Butter and flour a 13 X 9 inch pyrex baking pan.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
• In large electric mixer bowl, beat egg whites until frothy.
• Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar.
• Continue beating until very stiff and glossy.
• Set meringue aside.
• Beat egg yolks, remaining sugar, and butter until very light and fluffy.
• Add orange rind and vanilla.
• Beat in dry ingredients alternately (slowly, on a low speed) with orange juice and semolina until incorporated.
• Fold in meringue.
• Turn into prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until it tests done.
• Cool.
• For syrup: Boil sugar, water and cinnamon stick for 8 minutes.
• Add brandy and remove cinnamon stick.
• Pour hot syrup over cooled cake.
• Cool and cut into squares.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

ORANGE CAKE WITH SEMOLINA AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Combine chopped oranges and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until oranges are soft and excess liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Place oranges in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, continuing to beat for 1 more minute.
• Beat egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a separate bowl until pale and thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in finely chopped oranges. Fold in ground almonds, semolina, vanilla extract, and fiori di Sicilia. Stir in 3 spoonfuls of whisked egg white to loosen the batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon. Pour batter into prepared springform and level the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Check cake after 20 and 30 minutes to see if it is starting to brown too quickly. Cover top lightly with aluminum foil once cake starts to brown.
• Remove from oven and cool in the pan. Remove ring, peel away parchment paper and transfer cake to a serving plate. Drizzle with liqueur and dust with confectioners' sugar.

PORTOKALOPITA (GREEK ORANGE PHYLLO CAKE)

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups sugar, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Squeeze in orange juice and add juiced halves. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare the cake.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with some olive oil.
• Remove phyllo sheets from the package. Tear each sheet roughly into shreds and pile up in the baking pan. Let shredded phyllo dry out a little while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut 1 orange in half, and slice 1 half into very thin half-moons to garnish the cake. Zest and juice the remaining 2 1/2 oranges.
• Combine orange juice, orange zest, eggs, yogurt, olive oil, 1/2 cup sugar, and baking powder in a blender or food processor. Blend together on high speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Pour orange and egg mixture over the shredded phyllo in the baking pan. Stir everything together gently to ensure that the egg mixture is evenly distributed. Garnish top of the cake with the orange slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the filling set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. Set aside for at least 1 hour, until most of the syrup has soaked in. Slice into squares and serve.

REVANI (GREEK SEMOLINA CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Grease the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, semolina, and baking powder.
• Use a mixer to cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
• With the mixer still running, add the eggs one by one. Continue mixing until a light yellow color.
• Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• Clean the beaters and whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
• Using a spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the batter until just incorporated. The best way to do this carefully is to add the eggs in thirds.
• Pour the batter into the pan, using the spatula to smooth it out, and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup by adding the water, sugar, and orange peel to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice and allow to cool.
• Once the cake has finished baking, pour the syrup over it while the cake is still warm.
• When the cake has cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and the almonds.