Dessert cake made of cookies with candied fruits and nuts

Name: Dessert cake made of cookies with candied fruits and nuts
Ingredients: 700 g plain biscuits; 150 g glazed biscuits; 400 g Turkish delight; 100 g candied apricots; 50 g candied cranberries; 100 g walnuts; 500 g bitter cooking chocolate; 50 g cocoa; 200 g butter; 700 ml milk; 4 tablespoons sugar; salt

Dessert - Dessert cake made of cookies with candied fruits and nuts by Cipriana F. - Recipia

I have found myself craving cookie salami a few times, but instead of sticking to the classic recipe, I ended up making this cookie chess cake with candied fruits, nuts, and Turkish delight. This time I had some glazed cookies in the cupboard and wanted to try a different version, with a neater appearance, in a loaf pan. It disappeared quickly; I shared it with my mom and mother-in-law, and there wasn't much left. Quick info Total time: about 2 and a half hours (including cooling time) Working time: 30-40 minutes Cooling time: at least 2 hours in the fridge Servings: 16 (2 loaf pans, 8 slices each) Difficulty: medium Recipe type: cold dessert, no baking Ingredients 700 g plain cookies 150 g glazed cookies 400 g Turkish delight 100 g candied apricots 50 g candied cranberries 100 g walnuts 500 g dark cooking chocolate 50 g cocoa powder 200 g butter 700 ml milk (or less, depending on the texture of the cookies) 4 tablespoons sugar (can be adjusted) pinch of salt Preparation method 1. Preparing the pans Line two loaf pans with plastic wrap. Place a layer of glazed cookies on the bottom and sides of the pans to create a "chess" pattern. It doesn't need to be perfectly mathematical, but it helps with the appearance. 2. Preparing the cookie mixture Break the plain cookies into fairly large pieces to maintain texture. Divide everything into two, as you will work separately for each pan. Do the same with the remaining ingredients. 3. Preparing the fruits and Turkish delight Cut the Turkish delight into small cubes. Soak the candied apricots and cranberries in warm water for a few minutes, then drain well. Chop the walnuts into not very small pieces. 4. Mixing the dry ingredients In a large bowl, place half of the broken cookies, half of the Turkish delight, candied apricots, cranberries, and walnuts. 5. Preparing the chocolate cream Put the butter and broken chocolate pieces in a saucepan over low heat. Separately, mix the milk with cocoa powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat this mixture (it should not boil). Gradually pour the milk mixture over the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until everything melts and homogenizes. 6. Assembling the cake Pour the hot mixture over the cookie and fruit mixture in the bowl. Quickly mix with a fork – it is important that all the cookies are covered, but not completely soaked. The mixture should not be liquid, just combined. If it seems too dry, add a little warm milk. 7. Mounting in the pan Place the mixture in the prepared pan over the glazed cookies. Level and press well with your hands to eliminate air pockets. Wrap everything with plastic wrap. 8. Cooling Put the pan in the fridge for at least 2 hours until the mixture sets and can be cut without falling apart. 9. Portioning Remove the cake from the pan with the plastic wrap, then remove the wrap and cut with a sharp knife, right next to the glazed cookies, for a neat appearance. 10. Repeat for the second pan with the remaining ingredients. Why I make this recipe often This cake is quick to make and does not require baking. It is easy to share, keeps well in the fridge, and can be adapted with ingredients you have on hand. I like that I can make large portions, especially when I have guests or want to share some dessert with others. Tips and variations Tips Do not let the mixture become too liquid – add the milk gradually. Use regular cookies, not too soft, so they don't disintegrate. If using very dry fruits, it’s good to hydrate them a little. Pressing during assembly is important to avoid air pockets in the cake. Substitutions Glazed cookies can be replaced with any chocolate cookies or other flavors. Turkish delight can be replaced with other types of jelly or raisins if you want it less sweet. You can use milk chocolate instead of dark, but adjust the sugar accordingly. Walnuts can be replaced with hazelnuts or almonds. Variations You can use only cranberries or only candied apricots, according to taste. If you don’t want to use cocoa, you can leave the milk mixture simpler, but the taste will be different. For more contrast, alternate layers of glazed and plain cookies during assembly. Serving ideas It can be served as is, sliced, at a cold temperature. Goes well with a glass of milk or coffee. You can sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top for decoration. Frequently asked questions The mixture turned out too soft. What can I do? If after mixing you see it’s too liquid, add a few broken cookies and mix gently. Next time, add the milk gradually and not all at once. Can I use different candied fruits? Yes, you can use any candied fruits you have on hand. The important thing is to hydrate them for a few minutes, especially if they are very dry. Can the cake be made a day in advance? Yes, it’s actually better to let it sit in the fridge overnight. The texture will be better and it will be easier to cut. Is gelatin or another binding agent needed? No, the chocolate and butter, together with the milk and cookies, bind the mixture sufficiently. Do the sweetness of the cookies affect the amount of sugar? Yes, if you use sweeter cookies or chocolate, reduce the added sugar. Nutritional values Approximately, a slice has around 350-400 kcal, with about 40 g of carbohydrates, 6-7 g of protein, and 17-20 g of fat. Values may vary depending on the cookies, chocolate, and the amount of sugar used. It is a dense dessert, so small portions are sufficient. Storage and reheating The cookie chess cake keeps well in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap or in a closed container, for up to 4-5 days. Freezing or reheating is not recommended, as the texture of the cookies changes. It is served directly from the fridge. This recipe is great for when you want a quick dessert that looks good without being complicated to make. If you have all the ingredients on hand, it’s worth trying.

Preparation

First, I prepared two cake pans lined with plastic wrap. On top of the wrap in the pans, I placed the checkerboard-glazed biscuits, also dressing the sides with a layer of biscuits. I broke the regular biscuits into larger pieces and divided them into two parts. I also divided all the ingredients into two parts since I worked separately for each cake pan. Thus, over the broken biscuits, I added the candied fruits, larger chopped nuts, and diced Turkish delight. In one pot, over low heat, I melted the butter with broken chocolate pieces, and in another pot, I mixed the milk with cocoa, sugar, and a pinch of salt. I gradually poured some milk over the chocolate and butter on the heat and stirred until everything melted and homogenized, then I poured the hot mixture over the biscuit mixture. I quickly mixed with a fork to ensure everything was well combined and poured the mixture over the biscuits in the pan. I pressed the formed cake well with my hands and wrapped it in the plastic wrap from the pan. I put the pan in the fridge until it hardened enough so that I could cut it nicely. I kept it in the fridge for about two hours, then portioned it alongside the biscuits. Each pan yielded 8 servings. The amount of milk varies depending on the texture of the biscuits; the mixture should not be too soft. The candied fruits should be soaked in warm water for a few minutes before use. The amount of sugar varies depending on how sweet the ingredients used are.

Dessert cake made of cookies with candied fruits and nuts

Preparation

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