Cream of Wheat Cake (Koh od griza)

When I wrote this recipe I thought that American grits was the same thing as griz, a product that I used back in my home country. I have to tell you I was very surprised to see grits used only in savory dishes since I made only sweet stuff with it. Even I named it - Sweet Grits Cake. And then, I figured out the difference - grits is corn and griz is a wheat product, although their names sound very the same.


In the part of Europe where I came from,  a product that you can find here as Cream of Wheat, we call griz. This is a type of farina made of wheat semolina. Griz is a popular ingredient for sweet dishes and koh is the most popular dessert with it.

I know it doesn’t sound gracious, but I think I could eat the whole baking pan of this cake at once. Maybe because it reminds me of my childhood when it was my favorite dessert. It is so easy to make, but the problem is that it is eaten very quickly.

I usually make koh in a large ceramic baking dish, but you can bake them in those fireproof ramekins, just for fun (see pictures). Also, if you want to add some kick, put on the top some berry preserve.

You need:

• 6 eggs, on room temperature
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons all- purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons Cream of Wheat
• Vegetable oil or butter, to grease the baking pan

• 1 quart of hot milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. Mix flour with Cream of Wheat in a large bowl.
3. Separate egg yolks from egg whites.
4. Whisk egg whites using hand mixer until you get firm shape. In another bowl mix egg yolks with sugar, one spoon at a time. When the mixture is creamy add Cream of Wheat and flour mix, one spoon at a time. 
5. Using spatula fold in mixed egg whites into yolk mixture, in three batches. 
6. Pour the batter into greased baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. While cake is baking heat the milk adding vanilla extract and sugar.
8. When the cake is done pour the hot milk over it. Cool it down and transfer to the fridge to stay for at least 2 hours.
9. When you serve add some fruit preserve on the top.