spoon sweets

• 3 pounds quince
• 4 cups water
• 3 Tb lemon juice
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 cup thyme honey
• 1 sprig rose geranium

Peel the quince and cut into pieces, like matchstick potatoes.  Put in pot, cover with 1 1/2 cups water and half the lemon juice and bring to a boil, cover & cook until they start to become tender 20-30 minutes. Add sugar, honey, remaining cold water and continue cooking until tender, about 30 minutes. After about 15 minutes add the rest of the lemon juice and the geranium. Test with sugar thermometer, when 220F remove from heat. Fill clean sterilized jars and cover with lids Store in a cool place.

Galaktoboureko

From a really good Greek cookbook that I have to give back to my sister….

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup fine semolina
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 pound filo dough
• 2/3 cup melted butter for brushing on filo

Syrup

• 3 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 lemon or rosewater to taste

In a heavy pot bring milk to boil Sprinkle in semolina whisking constantly over low heat. Add sugar and simmer for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add butter & eggs one by one, stirring. Add vanilla, stir. The mix will be thick but pourable.

Preheat oven to 375.  Butter a deep 10 inch baking pan and layer 8 sheets of filo dough, brushing butter between each layer. Pour the mixture in and layer and additional 8 sheets, buttering between each sheet. (You can do this outside the pan and then move all of the sheets together onto the top).

with a sharp knife, score the top diagonally. Sprinkle with a little water and bake for 1 hour.

Meanwhile make the syrup and simmer for 1 hour. You can put the whole 1/2 lemon in the syrup and remove at the end.  Pour the syrup over the galaktoboureko the minute you remove from the over.  It will sizzle and pop so be very careful not to get burnt and protect the surrounding area with paper towels.

Let cool and serve.