His name is now synonymous with sweetness and elegance. Stelios Parliaros, a pastry chef born in Constantinople, is deeply connected to the scents and images of a bygone era that he still carries within him. His journey into the world of baking began with crafting cakes at Papaspirou Patisserie, and he honed his skills alongside Egyptian teachers at the Hilton.
Stelios Parliaros delved into the art of baking, dedicating himself to the craft by studying, experimenting, and creating numerous sponge cakes and mousses. His pursuit of excellence led him to prestigious pastry schools such as the Ecole le Νôtre, the Escoffier of Hotel Ritz, Valrhona of Lyon, and the renowned pâtisserie Fauchon.
1982, he marked a pivotal moment in the Greek pastry scene by opening his first patisserie, Sweet Alchemy, in Kolonaki, Athens.
This venture showcased his culinary expertise and transformed the taste and landscape of pastry making in Greece. Stelios Parliaros remains a revered figure, celebrated for his mastery of the art of creating delightful and sophisticated desserts.
Today, we are passing on the ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions to help you create some of the most divine Greek-inspired sweets- just in time for Christmas.
♦Sugared Bun (KOURAMPIES) by Stelios Parliaros
Ingredients →
- 300 g x butterklarifie (from 400-450g butter)
- ½ x teaspoon baking powder
- 1 x vanilla bean
- 110g x icing sugar
- 30g x black rum
- 600g x flour
- 125 g x caramelised almonds
For caramelised almonds →
- 500g x almonds
- 250g x sugar
- 90g x water
For glaze →
- 250 g x icing sugar
- 50g x water
- 1 x vanilla bean
Method →
- Beat the butter in a mix with the icing sugar on high speed in the mixer for about 20 minutes. The more we beat, the better the dough will be. With a sharp knife, rip the vanilla bean and pour the seeds into the mixture together with the flour and baking powder sifted. Add the rum and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes until the dough is kneaded. Then, add the caramelised almonds and mix. Make small balls and place them in an oven tray. Bake in preheated oven at 150 degrees C for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool thoroughly. Steam them with icing sugar or drizzle with the glaze.
For the glaze & caramelised almonds→
- Mix together the sugar, water and seeds of the vanilla bean. Drizzle the buns, let them dry and then drizzle once more.
- For the caramelised almonds, in a small saucepan, wet sugar with water and put it on fire. When it boils, pour the almonds and stir constantly over high heat. First, they begin to drool. Continue stirring until caramelised. Once they are ready, spread them on a baking sheet and allow them to cool.
♦Baklavas with Aegina Pistachio by Stelios Parliaros
Ingredients →
- 40 x sheets filo pastry
- 500g x clarified butter
Filling →
- 220g x butter
- 230g x sugar
- 5 x eggs
- 130g x flour
- 250g x Aegina Pistachio powder
Syrup →
- 650g x sugar
- 400g x water
- 100g x glucose
Method →
- We butter the sheets of filo one by one and put half in a 30cm x 40cm parallelogram pan. Beat the sugar and butter together until fluffy and white. Add eggs one by one.
- Followed by folding in the flour and pistachio powder. We spread the powdered pistachio mix all over the sheet and covered it with the remaining filo sheets after having them buttered individually.
- We put the pan on the fridge to cool off so that we can easily cut it. We cut into square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. We bake in the preheated oven, no air, to 150 degrees C for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove the baklava from the oven and spoon the hot syrup over it.
For syrup →
- Boil sugar, water and glucose for 3 minutes (from the point where it starts to boil).
♦Melomakarono by Stelios Parliaros
Ingredients →
- 400g x orange juice
- 530g x sunflower oil
- 1200g x flour
- 30g x icing sugar
- 1 x teaspoon x baking soda
- ¼ x teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/6 x teaspoon clove
- 50g x melted butter
- zest of 1 orange
For syrup →
- 500g x water
- 700 g x sugar
- 1 x orange cut into half
- 2 x cinnamon sticks
- 100g x honey
To garnish →
- extra honey
- ground walnuts
Method →
- In a saucepan, add water, sugar, orange and cinnamon sticks. Put on the fire, bring to a boil for 1 minute and withdraw. Pour the 50 g of honey and let cool.
- In a deep dish, add all liquids and butter. Add the icing sugar and all the herbs together, mix manually and add flour. Continue stirring gently by hand from the centre outwards so as not to “discomfort” the dough. Shape into small balls. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees C for about 25 minutes until they get a dark golden colour. Pour them into the cold syrup after taking them out of the oven. With a spoon, stir them for 1 minute. Remove them and leave them in a strainer to drain. Sprinkle with honey and grounded walnut and let them dry.
*For more recipes by Stelios Parliaros steliosparliaros.gr
