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.
In the 1980s, my brother Godfrey used to make sponges using this recipe, which came from the local public health nurse, Ailsa Gathergood. Godfrey, then a sheep farmer, busy entrepreneur and father of five, reckoned the secret was to ‘beat the s--t out of it’. Use electric beaters, even if you have forearms honed by wrangling sheep and small kids.
FROM ‘THE CAKE – WHOLESOME CAKES, COOKIES AND DESSERTS’ SERVES 12 INGREDIENTS 180g butter, softened 150g light muscovado sugar...
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.
Peach jam is often overly sweet, so to counteract this I like to add soft herbs to balance the sweetness.