Turkish Yogurt Cake [adapted from Claudia Roden’s Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, & Lebanon (Knopf, 2008)]
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups strained Greek-style yogurt
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
juice of 1 lemon
Beat the yolks with the sugar until it is a thick and pale yellow cream. Beat in flour, yogurt, the lemon zest and juice until well blended.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the above mixture.
Pour into a round (preferably non-stick) 9 inch baking tin greased with butter. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes until brown. It will puff up and then fall (don’t be alarmed).
Turn out onto serving plate (or if you use a tin w/removable bottom, release) and serve warm or cold.
[I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. And then, um, we ate it.]
Optional syrup: I like this cake with or without the syrup. Without, it is delicious and light. The syrup adds a bit more sweetness.
2/3 cup water
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange
If making the syrup, boil water, sugar, lemon juice and orange zest for 3-5 minutes. Cool and chill in refrigerator.
serves 6