A selection of sweets

Pastéis de Nata

425g package ready opened puff pastry (40×32 cm)

For the cream

350g milk

100g white sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 sachet vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon powder

For the garnish/serving

Powdered sugar and ground cinnamon (as needed)

Place the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and slowly heat.

At the same time, in a small bowl, whisk the yolks along with the corn flour, vanilla and cinnamon until creamy.

Then pour the milk mixture into the yolks and mix well.

Strain the mixture back into the pot where you boiled the milk.

Place the pot over low heat and continue stirring for half a minute.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Butter or grease a 12-cup cupcake or muffin pan.

Open the puff pastry sheet and roll out slightly.

Then cut the pastry with a glass or cutter (10-12 cm).

Transfer the pastry circles to the buttered tin. Press the dough into the walls and pierce with a fork.

Then distribute the milk mixture between the cases.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the cream is golden brown.

Remove from the moulds.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon, then serve.

Saganaki with Lemony Honey Sauce

For the saganaki

300g cheese suitable for saganaki (kefalotyri, gruyere or hard cheese)

100g all-purpose flour

Olive oil for frying

Lemon slices for serving

For the sauce

2 tablespoons honey (30g)

Juice of 1 lemon (40 ml)

Zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh thyme

In a small saucepan, heat the honey over low heat. Add the lemon juice and zest, olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and keep the sauce warm.

Cut the cheese into pieces about 1.5cm thick.

Fill a bowl with cold water and a plate with flour. Pass the pieces of cheese first through the water and then through the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat a little olive oil in a nonstick skillet and fry the cheese for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy.

Place the fried pieces on absorbent paper to absorb the excess oil.

Transfer the saganaki to a plate, drizzle with the warm lemon sauce and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Optionally, serve with lemon slices.

Cycladic Watermelon Pie

700g finely chopped watermelon

100g all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch salt

Olive oil (for brushing and sprinkling)

Sesame seeds, (for spreading and sprinkling)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a round 20-22 cm baking pan with parchment paper, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle the base with sesame seeds.

In a bowl, crush the watermelon with your fingers to extract juice and create small pieces. If there are seeds, remove them. Add the flour, honey, cinnamon and salt and mix well until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

Pour the mixture into the baking pan and spread it out until it is 1-2 cm thick. Sprinkle the surface with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and a crispy crust.

Let the watermelon pie rest for 10 minutes outside the oven. Serve hot or cold (from the refrigerator), accompanied with vanilla ice cream.

Recipes provided by the Lidl food academy. Stasikratous 34, Nicosia 1010. https://www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/