Ayva macunu, or candied quince, is a much-loved traditional Cypriot preserve that's made when golden-skinned quinces are at their best, from late autumn through to early winter. With its deep rosy colour, glossy syrup and firm yet tender slices of fruit, ayva macunu is as beautiful as it is comforting. It has a delicate, floral flavour and fragrance, with a soft sweetness that isn't overpowering or sugary. The addition of cloves to the syrup adds a subtle background note tha

Sütlü börek (galaktoboureko in Greek) is a heavenly Cypriot dessert . Sütlü (soot-loo) means 'milky' in Turkish, in reference to the firm yet smooth vanilla-infused semolina custard filling. The layers of golden, buttery and flaky filo pastry of sütlü börek offer a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the custard. With its delicate texture, the pastry feels wonderfully light to eat. The aromas of rose, cinnamon and cloves come gently through as the syrup oozes in

Tel kadayıf tatlısı is a dessert that’s popular in Cyprus and, like e kmek kadayıfı , is often made on special occasions such as Bayram (Eid). Pronounced 'tehl kah-dah-yuf', it feels light to eat with its delicate layers of soft wispy pastry and chopped nuts. By brushing the layers of pastry generously with melted butter, it gives the dessert a rich flavour which pairs perfectly with the fragrant rose syrup. We use a blend of almonds and walnuts in the centre and top with p

Ekmek kadayıfı (ehk-mehk kah-dah-yuh-fuh) is a popular Turkish syrup-soaked dessert and like tel kadayıf , it is often made for celebrations like Eid. It has numerous regional variations in its preparation and in its most simplest form, is topped with a generous dollop of kaymak (a rich clotted cream) which perfectly balances its sweetness. Ekmek means 'bread' in Turkish, as the dessert is made with a special type of dried sponge cake that is rehydrated with a fragrant ros

Şamali (shah-mah-lee) is a Cypriot syrup-soaked, semolina-based cake. It is similar to other semolina-based desserts that are popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, such as Revani which usually contains flour, and Basbousa which often contains desiccated coconut. The cake has a delicate grainy and crumbly texture created by the semolina which soaks up the syrup like a sponge. The natural yoghurt in the cake provides a gentle creamy undertone that complements t

Şerbetli katmer is a popular Cypriot dessert that is often made for Bayram (Eid) celebrations. Sheets of filo pastry are filled with double cream, chopped almonds, walnuts, sugar and a generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon, before being rolled up. The pastries are then baked until golden, before a rose and spice syrup is ladled all over and left overnight to absorb. Şerbetli (shehr-bet-lee) means ‘with syrup’ in Turkish, referring to the fragrant syrup poured over the pastr