I was asked to take part in Expedia’s world on a plate challenge, I had to make and share a Cypriot recipe with items from a hamper. I decided to use the thyme honey and spoon fruits to make this Cypriot semolina pudding (poutinga me simigdali). I wanted to create a sweet recipe as I knew a lot of people would be doing a savoury one. I added nuts and honey on top of the pudding and served it fresh fruit. spoon fruits are preserved fruits in sugar syrup. I had a jar of figs in lemon sugar syrup with cloves and almonds so I added then into the mixture.

recipe adapted from the book Cyprus: a culinary journey

• 1 litre milk
• 180g semolina
• 200g sugar
• peel of 1 organic orange
• 4 eggs
• juice of 1 orange
• 350g preserved fruit or ‘spoon sweets’ drained and chopped up
• decoration
• 200ml fresh cream
• 4 tbsp. honey
• 50g sliced almonds and hazelnuts
• combe honey

directions

put the milk, semolina, sugar and orange peel into a saucepan and bring to the boil stir continuously until it forms a pudding mixture then remove the orange peel and set aside to cool,

preheat the oven t0 160c fan assisted or 180 then beat the eggs with 2 tsp of sugar until mixed then add the orange juice. stir in to the cooled pudding mixture then add the chopped fruit pour into lined cake tin and bake for about 40 50 minutes until semolina is firm, turn out on to plate and let cool. whip the cream and honey until thick then spread on to the pudding.

drizzle more honey and add the nuts and honey combe. serve with sliced fresh fruit or on its own.