Sweet INDULGENCE

INSPIRED BY THE FLAVOURS OF THE MIDDLE EAST, THESE ENTICING DELICACIES – FROM ROSE CREAM FRITTERS TO PISTACHIO-SPRINKLED TEA LOAF – ARE THE PERFECT TREAT

- SAMUEL GOLDSMITH

PERSIAN MARZIPAN SWEETS (TOOT)

CHERRY PANCAKES WITH ALMOND BUTTER & CHERRY JAM

PERSIAN MARZIPAN SWEETS (TOOT)

These little sweets are simple to make. And as they don’t require any time in the oven, they are a great hands-on treat to shape with children.

MAKES 20

150g ground almonds

75g icing sugar

3 pieces of mastic gum (from health food stores and online suppliers)

1tsp cardamom seeds

2tbsp rose water

75g granulated sugar

2tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios

1 Place the ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor. Grind the mastic with the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar until a fine powder forms. Add to the food processor and blitz for a minute to combine. With the motor running slowly, pour in the rose water in a trickle until the mixture comes together when you pinch it between your fingers.

2 Take a date-sized piece of the dough and shape it into a cylinder with one end slightly pointed and the other end wider. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Lay the granulated sugar on a plate and roll the shaped sweets in the sugar to coat. Pierce the wider ends of the sweets with a slivered almond or pistachio.

3 Place on a platter, cover with a clean tea towel and put into the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Keep covered in the fridge until ready to serve, and consume within 5 days.

CHERRY PANCAKES WITH ALMOND BUTTER & CHERRY JAM

These fluffy pancakes are perfect for a lazy weekend brunch, and the toppings can be adjusted depending on how much time you have.

SERVES 4