This kanafa recipe comes from my sister Nishat, whom we fondly call Nini. It’s a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dessert that has many variations, depending on where you come from. Nini’s version uses mozzarella and a beautiful rose-flavoured syrup.
This is an easy, no-bake cheesecake. The passionfruit provides a sharp, tangy flavour that cuts through the creaminess of the dessert beautifully. You can replace the passionfruit with berries if you prefer.
The rich flavour of gingerbread is so inviting, and the combined aromas of the spices used in this cake make it a wonderful treat any time of year. I’ve included it in this chapter because I think serving it warmed with a rich caramel sauce makes the perfect winter dessert.
A delicious pistachio and raspberry dessert ideal for summer entertaining, it takes no time to prepare — and you can replace the nuts and berries with chopped chocolate or honeycomb as you wish.
Not only a pleasure to look at, this gorgeous cake is wonderfully decadent without being too rich — and it’s actually not that difficult to make. If you want to make a three-layer cake, simply use smaller-sized tins, ideally 16–18cm.