REVANI CAKE WITH LEMON CINNAMON SYRUP – ATHENS, GREECE

Revani cake is syrupy sweet and oh so simple! It is a semolina cake that is served throughout the eastern Mediterranean and can vary depending on the country. The Turkish revani, for example, is slightly different and features hazelnuts. However, this recipe focuses on the beautiful revani cake that Ben and I made in historic Athens, Greece!

Revani is the perfect sweet finale to our comforting pastitsio and is perfectly accompanied by natural Greek yoghurt or clotted cream and dusted with almonds.

Our Cooking Class Experience

Ben and I learned to make this delicious cake with Marilena of CookinAthens and it was completely different from any cake we had made before! At home, I primarily make lemon cakes, chocolate cakes, and jam cakes. I have never ONCE tried my hand at a syrup semolina cake, so it was definitely an experience!

However, despite our reservations, it was incredibly simple and quick to make! it is definitely a recipe that can be made for a large group of people and is ideally suited to those with a HUGE sweet-tooth!

Despite being a relatively simple recipe, there are a couple of things to remember! For example, when preparing the cake, you must remember to use fine semolina, or else the texture could be too coarse. In addition, to ensure the cake is perfectly moist, the syrup must cool completely before being poured over the warm sponge cake, or else it could end up being very soggy!

If you remember those two points – you will create a delicious, moist revani!

I really hope you enjoy this syrupy-sweet recipe for a true taste of the Meditteranean!

For a PERFECT starter and main to accompany this dessert, why not try my fresh Greek salad and comforting pastitsio?

Yamas!

–ARIA

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AUTHENTIC APPLE STRUDEL (ÄPFELSTRUDEL) – VIENNA, AUSTRIA

The sweet, sugary scent of freshly baked apple strudel – there is nothing else quite like it! It is a traditional Viennese pastry and is also popular in other countries such as Italy, Germany, Romania, and Poland.

It consists of sour apples and sweet raisins wrapped up in blankets of thin, flakey pastry. The dessert is then dusted with powdered sugar and served with fresh whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or vanilla custard.

The History of Apple Strudel

The earliest knowledge of strudel dates back to 1697, in the form of a hand-written recipe, stored today in the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus library in Vienna.

The pastry grew in popularity in the 18th century. Here, Austrian cuisine, in general, was formed due to the multi-cultural influences throughout the expansion of the Austrian Habsburg Empire.

Many variations of strudels exist today. The pastry can be either savoury, with ingredients such as spinach, cream cheese or pumpkin or sweet, made with apples, berries, and other fruits.

This recipe is an authentic, traditional recipe that we learned from scratch in an immersive Austrian cuisine cooking class in the historic city of Vienna. This strudel incorporates the traditional ingredients of toasted breadcrumbs and sweet raisins. These ingredients complement the strudel perfectly and are a delicious addition!

Similarly to wiener schnitzel, apple strudel is viewed as one of the national dishes of Austria, and it is a cherished pastry frequently shared among family and friends due to its large size.

Hot, sweet and light, apple strudel is the PERFECT post-dinner treat, and with a variety of possible fillings – it’s an ideal choice for any time of the year!

I hope you enjoy this authentic apple strudel recipe! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions.

For another Austrian specialty, why not try my Crispy & Flavourful Chicken Schnitzel?

Mahlzeit!

–ARIA

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SWEET & FLUFFY BELGIAN WAFFLES – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

I have always had a sweet-spot for waffles and was SO EXCITED to make traditional Belgian waffles from scratch in the heart of Brussels! There are different varieties of waffles, there are even two main types in Belgium alone: Brussels waffles and Liège waffles.

This is an authentic recipe for Brussels waffles, which are rectangular in shape, in comparison to round Liège waffles. Brussels waffles are also crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – which you will discover with this recipe!

The History of the Belgian Waffle

The word “waffle” exists in Belgian literature as far back as 1604, but the actual waffle industry became most prominent in the early 19th century, with Belgian waffles crossing international lines and becoming the star of the World Fair in New York City in 1964.

Belgian waffles are made with a lightweight batter and have large, deep squares – perfect for puddles of chocolate sauce! Initially baked with yeast, today’s waffles now use baking powder and are a common breakfast food.

Toppings for Belgian waffles vary from the traditional, primarily powdered sugar, to the more exciting! Belgian people would most likely say that powdered sugar and fruit are the only acceptable topping options. They would probably recoil in disgust if they knew that I drench my waffles in Lotus speculoos spread!

Other toppings for these waffles can include chocolate sauce, whipped cream, syrup and of course the infamous Nutella!

Whatever you choose to decorate your waffles with, the common consensus is that waffles are delicious, heavenly treats! There should be a day each year where we celebrate this scrumptious dessert and give it the damn respect it deserves!

Oh wait, that actually exists – March the 25th to be exact, so mark those calendars and dust off your waffle iron!

For this recipe, I have bought you an authentic waffles learned in the Waffle Workshop cooking class in Brussels, Belgium. It is sweet, light and fluffy – the perfect way to start and finish your day – or for any time in between!

I hope you enjoy these beautiful Belgian waffles! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions. Waffles can always be adapted to suit a variety of health and dietary needs!

For another world cuisine, perfect for a romantic dinner, why not try my Healthy 30-Minute Chicken Laksa?

Enjoy!

– ARIA

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DELICIOUS PORTUGUESE PASTEL DE NATAS

Hands down one of my favorite sweet things to eat to this day, Pastel de Natas are the perfect dessert: light and delicate but also filling and truly, truly delicious!

Pastel de Natas, also known as Portuguese custard tarts or pasteles de Belém, are small, delicious egg tarts with light, flakey pastry, often served with a light dusting of cinnamon.

The History of the Pastel de Nata

They originate from Portugal and were created by Catholic monks just before the 18th century. Today, most people flock to Portuguese cities such as Lisbon and Porto to sample this mouth-watering delicacy. However, Pastel de Natas are also found in other countries across Europe.

For this recipe, we have bought you a truly traditional, authentic Pastel de Nata recipe. We cooked it ourselves in a quiet little cooking class just off of the busy streets of Lisbon.

Ben and I are currently on our adventure around the world and I wanted to take him to Lisbon. I wanted to show him the beauty, food and landscape of this stunning city. After a busy week it was nice to take an evening to relax and cook some tasty Portuguese delicacies!

Our Cooking Class Experience

We had such a lovely time at the Compadre cooking class in Lisbon! We spent two hours in the evening cooking Pastel de Natas with two chefs who really knew their stuff! They were so passionate about cooking and the history of Portugal. It was a delight to be in their company and a lovely way to round off our two weeks in Lisbon.

We booked the cooking class through Airbnb experiences. It was our first time using them and they did not disappoint. Booking the class was quick, easy and we were contacted immediately by the hosts, thanking us for booking. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish. If you find yourselves in Lisbon any time in the future, check them out here!

We hope you enjoy these gorgeous little custard treats! Let us know in the comments if you made them and what you thought, I’d love to hear of any alterations or additions to the recipe! Pastel de natas can be eaten hot or cold, but we would recommend storing them at room temperature and consuming them within two days, otherwise they tend to go slightly chewy!

For a quick, simple and flavourful midweek dinner, why don’t you check out my Healthy 30-Minute Chicken Laksa?

Without further ado, here is the delicious recipe for traditional Pastel de Natas for you to wow your family and friends at home!

You could even say that you learned it yourself with the help of José and João in Lisbon…we promise we won’t tell!

— Aria

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