A simple and refreshing Cypriot dessert.

Ingredients:
8 heaped tablespoon corn flour
8 level tablespoons sugar
8 cups/ 1 1/2 liters/ 2 3/4 pints water
4 tablespoons rose water

Extra sugar and rose water, for serving

Method:
In a large pan, stir the corn flour and sugar in 2 cups/375ml/ 13 fl oz of the
water until blended. Add the remaining water, switch on the heat and stir
continuously with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps forming. As it
begins to bubble, add the rose water and lower the heat. Continue stirring
for a few minutes until thickened. Pour into wet bowls and leave to cool and set.

The next day, refrigerate for several hours. Before serving, have a large
bowl ready filled with cold water. Wet your hand and carefully push the
mahalepis out of their bowls into the water. Serve with extra sugar and rose water.

This very refreshing sweet is perfect for the summer months. As an
alternative to the usual white machalepi, replace the rose water with triantafillo, 
a rose-flavored syrup, to make pink machalepi.

PAKLAVA
Syrupy Fillo Pastries with Almonds
Makes 20-25 pastries

Ingredients:
1 cup/ 110g/ 4 oz almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup/ 75g/ 3 oz caster sugar
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup/ 60g/ 2 1/2 oz butter
1/2 cup/ 100ml 3 1/2 fl oz corn oil
450g/ 1 lb fillo pastry, approx. 30cm/ 
12" square per sheet

For the syrup:
2 cups/ 375ml/ 13 fl oz water
1 1/2 cups/ 250g/ 9 oz sugar
1 stick of cinnamon
4-5 whole cloves
3 tablespoons honey

A large rectangular baking tin, approx 36cm/ 14 1/2" in width

Method:
To begin, mix the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Next, melt
the butter with the oil and have a pastry brush handy.

Lightly grease the baking tin with some melted butter/oil. Remove a sheet of 
pastry and use it to line the baking tin, folding over any excess pastry. Brush
lightly with the butter/oil. Repeat with four more fillo sheets remembering 
to brush in between each layer but leave the fifth sheet increased. Sprinkle
a third of the nut mixture over the pastry. Repeat until you have three
layers of nuts. Add a further five sheets of fillo pastry. Keep a fairly
unspoilt sheet for the last layer. Fold any excess pastry underneath to keep
the top tidy and brush with any left over butter/oil.

Before baking, score  with a sharp knife cutting half-way down into the paklava
to make diamond shaped portions. Sprinkle with a little water and bake in a
pre-heated oven Gas 6/ 400°F/ 200°C for 30 minutes. Then reduce 
temperature to Gas 2/ 300°F/ 150°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or
until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

To make the syrup, heat the water in a small saucepan with the sugar, 
cinnamon and cloves. Boil for 5 minutes (uncovered). Next add the honey
and continue boiling for a further 2 minutes removing any froth which may form.
Discard the spices and pour the hot syrup over the cooled paklava. Cool for
several hours before cutting into portions. Paklava keeps well in the 
refrigerator for up to one week.

LOUKOUMATHES 
( Syrupy Doughnut Balls)
Makes 80-90

Ingredients:
450g/1 lb self-raising flour - 1 level teaspoon salt,
2 level tablespoons corn flour -  25g/ 1 oz instant potato -
720ml/1 1/4 pints warm water

For the syrup:
1 cup/200ml/7 fl oz water - 1 cup/175g/ 6oz sugar
1 stick of cinnamon - 5 whole cloves
2 teaspoons lemon juice - 1 tablespoon rose water

Oil, for frying

Method:
Sift the flour into a large basin and add the salt and corn flour. 
Mix the instant potato in 150ml/ 5 fl oz of the water and dissolve the
dried yeast with a few teaspoons of the water. Add both to the flour together 
with half of the remaining water. With your hands, beat the mixture 
until thoroughly combined. Gradually pour in the remaining water and 
continue beating until it resembles a smooth batter. Cover with a tea-towel 
and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Meanwhile make the syrup. Heat all the ingredients, except the rose water, 
in a small saucepan and boil (uncovered) for 10 minutes. Stir in the 
rose water and leave to cool until required.

Before you begin to fry, have a cup half-filled with oil and a teaspoon handy.
 Next, half-fill a wide, thick based pan with cooking oil. Have the basin 
of batter near to the pan. Heat the oil until hot.  Wet your hand with 
water and place into the mixture. Take a handful of the batter, make a first 
until a ball of the mixture pops out of the top of your hand. Use the teaspoon
 to lift of the ball and drop it straight into the hot oil. (For larger loukoumathes, 
use a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon). Continue to do this until the pan is full 
(do this in several batches). Fry for about three minutes, turning occasionally
until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drizzle the syrup
 over the top (spices discarded). After each batch, remember to wet your hand
 and to frequently dip the teaspoon into the cup of cold oil as this will help the
 batter slip off the spoon. Cool before serving.

If liked, honey may be drizzled over the loukoumathes or you can sprinkle 
them with caster sugar. Best eaten same day 

VASILOPITA 
(Traditional New Year's Cake)

When the cake is cut on New Years Day, everyone is
keen to find the coin as whoever does is meant to have 
good luck throughout the year. In days gone by, wealthier
people would actually use a real gold coin!

1 + 1/2 cups sugar
4  eggs
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
3 cups  flour
2  tsp.  baking powder
chopped almonds
icing sugar
Royal Icing (optional)

Whip eggs and sugar until very light. Add oil, melted butter and vanilla.
Stir in orange juice, brandy, flour and baking powder just until combined.
Place in a greased and floured round cake pan. Place a foil-wrapped coin
into cake mixture. Sprinkle almonds around edges. Bake at 175°C  for
45 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool and remove from pan. If desired, write the new year on top with
royal icing and sprinkle with icing sugar.

ROYAL ICING
1  egg white
1 + 1/2   cups  icing sugar
1  tsp.  lemon juice

Whip egg whites, slowly adding icing sugar and lemon juice.
Adjust consistency by adding a few drops of water for thinner icing
or icing sugar for a stiffer icing. Spread or pipe on cake and let dry.