Fig and Orange Kataifi Flan

Ingredients

serves 4

100g Antoniou Kataifi pastry
50g butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
150g mascarpone
1/4 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
6 medium fresh figs, quartered

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Place pastry in a medium size bowl and loosen until strands are separated, light and fluffy. Add butter and mix with fingers until pastry is evenly coated. Place on prepared tray and form into a 20cm disc. Flatten pastry with your palm, leaving edges slightly raised. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool. Place on serving plate. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey and scatter with almonds.

Place mascarpone, icing sugar, orange juice and zest in a medium size bowl and mix with a spoon until combined. Spoon onto base of flan, then gently spread to leave a 1cm border. Top with figs and drizzle with remaining honey.

Cook’s Tip: Honey soaked Kataifi pastry makes an easy to prepare flan base. Pastry disc can be prepared a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. If you prefer, replace figs with apricots or peach slices.

Pistachio Ice-cream Cake

Ingredients

serves 6

500ml quality vanilla ice cream
100g shelled unsalted pistachio nuts, crushed
100g Antoniou Kataifi pastry
50g butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
extra honey, to serve
nectarine or peach slices, to serve

Method

Grease and line base and sides of an 18cm springform pan. Place ice cream in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature until softened. Add crushed pistachio nuts and mix to combine. Place in prepared pan; cover and freeze overnight.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Place pastry in a medium size bowl and loosen until strands are separated, light and fluffy. Add butter and mix with fingers until pastry is evenly coated. Place half of the pastry on a prepared tray and form into an 18cm disc, using your palm to flatten. Repeat with remaining pastry. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool. Use an egg lifter to help invert one disc onto a serving plate. Drizzle with honey.

Remove sides of springform pan, then use the egg lifter to help lift ice cream and place on top of disc. Place other disc on top of ice cream. Serve immediately, drizzled with extra honey and accompanied by fruit slices.

Cook’s Tip: Easily made the day before. It takes only a few minutes to assemble. Pastry discs can also be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Slice fruit just before serving to prevent discolouring.