Ouzo Keik Cake Recipes

HOMEMADE OUZO

Steps:

• 1. Make a simple syrup with water and sugar. Add angelica root and mace.
• 2. Allow to cool, then add alcohol, anise extract and water. Give it a good shake.
• 3. Age for 1 week and then strain into clean bottles. Allow an additional month for aging.

OUZO KEIK (CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• Sprinkle walnuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
• Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, and Ouzo.
• Pour batter into pan, over the walnuts.
• Bake for 1 hour.
• Place on a rack and cool for 30 minutes.
• Invert onto a serving plate.
• Prick several times with a skewer and pour honey syrup over the top.
• To make honey syrup:.
• Combine honey, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a pot.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
• Cool for 30 minutes without stirring, or until mixture is syrupy (230 degrees on a candy thermometer.).
• Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves.
• Stir in honey.
• Stir in Ouzo.

OUZO COOKIES, KOULOURAKIA OUZOU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Beat oil, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy.
• Beat in Ouzo, anise, lemon juice, and zest.
• Whisk flour and baking powder together.
• Add to mixture , kneading in bowl until mixed and doesn't cling to bowl.
• With oiled hands, roll small pieces of dough out in strips to make omega sign, figure 8.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

OUZO-SCENTED ALMOND, YOGURT, AND OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pans with olive oil. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; brush parchment with olive oil. Spread 1 1/2 cups almonds on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven 10 minutes. Cool. Transfer to processor and coarsely grind (some small almond pieces should remain); set aside. Finely chop 1/2 cup untoasted almonds in processor. Boil ouzo in small saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Cool.
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped untoasted almonds over bottom of each pan. Whisk flour, ground star anise, baking powder, sea salt, and ground toasted almonds in large bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1 1/2 cups sugar in medium bowl until well blended (mixture will look grainy at first). Add 1 cup light olive oil; beat 1 minute. Add ouzo and yogurt and beat until well blended, about 30 seconds. Gradually add flour mixture to yolk mixture, beating just until incorporated (batter will be thick).
• Using dry clean beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 1/2 cups for each). Sprinkle each with remaining finely chopped untoasted almonds, dividing equally. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake cakes until golden brown and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.