Dessert for Greek meal. Need ideas fast!

[KLynn]

I am having friends over for dinner...the menu is mini-spanakopitas from June '01, pita chips and hummas, and pasta tossed with greek-seasoned grilled chicken and greek veggies.

I need a simple dessert idea. I was thinking about some kind of store bought sorbet, but I'm not sure what flavor would work. I am open to other ideas. I am going to the market during lunch (in 45 minutes) to get my ingredients. Any ideas???????

[Grace]

Here are a couple that sound like they would work:

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Apple Frangipane Tart

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: October 1994 PAGE: 66

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
4 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup grond almonds (2-1/4 ounces)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg whites
5 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
Butter flavored vegetable cooking spray
3-1/2 medium Granny Smith apples (about 1-1/2 pounds), each peeled, cored and halved lengthwise
2 tblsp. warm honey

INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat cheese at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Ad 1/2 cup sugar, ground
almonds, vanilla extract, and egg whites, and beat until well blended. Set
aside.

Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, coat each sheet with cooking spray, and
fold in half crosswise, forming a 13 x 8-1/2 inch rectangle. Genlty press 1
folded sheet of phyllo into a 10-inch tart pan, allowing ends to extend over
edges of pan; recoat phyllo with cooking spray. Place another folded sheet of
phyllo across first sheet in a crisscross design; recoat phyllo with cooking
spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 sheets of phyllo. Decoratively
crimp edges of phyllo crust, and spread cheese mixture evenly into crust.

Cut each apple half crosswise iinto thin slices, leaving slices stacked
together to keep shape of apple half. Place 6 apple halves around edge ot
tart and 1 ini the center of cheese mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup
sugar. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes or until mixture is puffed and golden and
apples are tender. Brush with honey.

Yield: 8 serviings (serving size: 1 wedge)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories 267 (30% from fat) Protein 5.3g Fat 9g Carb 44g Fiber 3.4g
Sodium 131mg

And even though this one says Yugoslavian Baklava, it looks identical to the Greek Baklava that we get in every Greek restaurant here in Chicago.

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Cesnica (Yugoslavian Baklava)

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Holiday PAGE: 51

INGREDIENTS FOR 10 SERVINGS:
Butter Flavored vegetable cooking spray
6 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. shopped walnuts, toasted
2 Tblsp. margarine, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:
Coat an 8 inch round cake pan with cooking spray, set aside

Stack phyllo sheets, cut in half crosswise. Gently press 1 half-sheet of
phyllo into cake pan, allowing ends to extend over edges of pany. lightly
coat phyllo with cooking spray. Place another half-sheet of phyllo across
first sheet to form a crisscross design; lightly coat with cooking spray.
Repeat procedure with another half-sheet of phyllo and cooking spray.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon walnuts over phyllo. Place
another half sheet of phyllo in pan, continuing in a crisscross design,
lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons raisins and 1
tablespoon walnuts over phyllo. Repeat procedure with 5 half-sheets of
phyllo, cooking spray, remaining 1/2 cup raisins, and remaining 1/4 cup
walnuts, ending with phyllo coated with cooking spray.

Lightly coat 1 side of remaining 3 half-sheets of phyllo, and gently layer
each into cake pan to form a crisscross design, allowing ends to extend over
edges of pan. Fold in edges of phyllo to fit pan and form a rim.

Score diamond shapes into top layers of phyllo, using a sharp knife. Drizzle
margarine over phyllo. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden.

Combine honey, water and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from
heat; drizzle honey mixture over phyllo. Cool completely in pan.

Yield: 10 servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
179 calories / Fat 5.4 g

Good luck and have fun at your party!! Your menu sounds wonderful.

[valchemist]

buy some baklava if you can find it!!!

yummmmmy!!

(I would say you could make it yourself, but then it wouldn't be quick and easy)

[This message has been edited by valchemist (edited 05-29-2001).]

[funnybone]

The Greeks are known for Baklava. I have the following from Canadian Living, but have not made it myself.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA

1 cup dried cherries or raisins
1 cup water
2 1/4 cups toasted chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cups butter, melted
12 sheets phyllo pastry

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup liquid honey
1/3 cup water
1 strip lemon rind (2 inches)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 whole cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In bowl, combine cherries with water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry; chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, in food processor, grind together pecans, sugar and cinnamon until coarse, transfer to bowl. Stir in cherries and chocolate; set aside.

Lightly brush 13-x 9-inch cake pan with some of the butter; set aside. Cut phyllo in half into 14-x 8-inch sheets. Place 1 sheet on work surface, keeping remainder covered with plastic wrap and damp towel to prevent drying out. Brush sheet with some of the butter.

Layer with 5 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Place in pan; sprinkle with 1 cup pecan mixture. Stack 4 sheets, brushing each with butter; place on pecan mixture. Sprinkled with 1 cup pecan mixture. Stack 4 sheets, brushing each with butter; place on pecan mixture.

Sprinkled with 1 cup pecan mixture. Stack 4 sheets, brushing each with butter; place on pecan mixture. Sprinkle with remaining pecan mixture. Stack remaining sheets, brushing each with butter. Place on top.

Using tip of sharp knife and without cutting all the way through to filling, cut phyllo diagonally from 1 corner to opposite corner; making parallel cuts, 1 1/2 inches apart, to edge. Repeat in opposite direction to form diamonds. Bake in oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Syrup: In small saucepan, whisk together sugar, honey, water, lemon rind, lemon juice and cloves. Bring to boil over medium high heat; cook, stirring for 1 minute. Discard rind and cloves. Pour over hot baklava. Let cool on rack. Cut into diamond shapes.


Yield: 24 servings

[gertdog]

There are several tasty-sounding greek cookie recipes at this website. http://www.serendipity.gr/Greek-cooking.htm

One of them, a cookie that's dipped in a honey syrup, I've had at a local festival and they are really yummy (but sticky).

Good luck!

[funnybone]

Here's another:

HONEY-ALMOND PHYLLO PASTRY


Each serving of this baklava pastry is drenched in honey syrup with crunchy almonds encased in layers of paper-thin phyllo


Preparation time: 1 hour


SYRUP
2 cups liquid honey
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
2 tsp vanilla
2 cinnamon sticks
PASTRY
1/3 to 1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 to 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped blanched almonds, toasted
1 cup toasted ground sesame seeds
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
Pinch of cloves
12 sheets phyllo pastry, about 3/4 (1-lb) box


1. To make syrup, place honey, water, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice and peel, vanilla and cinnamon sticks in a large sauce -pan. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium so syrup boils gently. Skim off and discard any foam that forms on surface. Boil gently until syrup spins a thread when spoon is lifted from pan or temperature reaches 230F on a candy thermometer, from 30 to 40 minutes. No stirring is required. Immediately take pan off heat and cover to keep warm.

2. In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt butter with oil. (1/3 cup each of butter and oil works.) In another bowl, stir chopped almonds with sesame seeds, 2/3 cup sugar and spices. Unroll phyllo pastry and count out 12 sheets, leaving them in a stack. Place remainder back in package and refrigerate or freeze. With a very sharp knife, cut stack in half crosswise. You now have 24 sheets approximately 7-1/4x12-1/2 inches. Place plastic wrap over top.
3. To assemble pastry, lightly oil a 9x13-inch pan or coat with cooking spray. Count out 9 phyllo sheets and cover remainder. Brushing every other sheet with butter mixture, fit into pan so the whole bottom is covered, overlapping as needed. Top with 2 unbuttered sheets. Divide almond mixture into thirds, each about 1-1/4 cups. Sprinkle a third over pastry in pan. Add 2 more unbuttered sheets. Sprinkle with another third of almond mixture. Again top with another 2 unbuttered sheets and last of almond mixture. With remaining 9 sheets, brush every other sheet with butter mixture and fit into pan. Lightly brush top with butter mixture.
4. To bake, preheat oven to 350F. Cut diamond shapes or squares into pastry by using a ruler as a guide for straight lines. Use a very sharp knife and be sure to cut right through to the bottom, spacing cuts about 1-1/4 inches apart. Bake in centre of preheated 350F oven until golden, about 45 minutes.
5. When golden, remove pastry from oven and place on a rack to cool. Remove cinnamon sticks from warm syrup. Pour all of syrup evenly over hot pastry. As pastry cools, syrup will thicken and be absorbed. Serve each piece lightly dusted with icing sugar. Baklava will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for several days. Or freeze for up to 1 month.



[This message has been edited by funnybone (edited 05-29-2001).]

[emilycat]

Since you said simple, I'm going to throw in a vote for Edy's Whole Fruit Lemon Sorbet. I think the lemon flavor would work really well with your menu (which sounds great, by the way), and this line of sorbet is excellent. No comparison to any other sorbet I've ever had. Good luck tonight! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KLynn]

You all are amazing! How did I ever live without the advice on this board???

I don't think I am going to have time for a recipe - though I am defintely going to file all of these away. Thanks so much!

Emilycat - the lemon sorbet sounds perfect. I am off to the store in a few minutes - hopefully they will have it in stock. Would gingersnaps go well with it??

[KathySC]

KLynn,
In the future, you should definately try the Yugoslavian Baklava recipe that Grace posted. Our cooking group made this last year, when we did a Greek theme, and everone loved it.