Eyal Shani: "It has seductive and mysterious flavors, it's a dream"

Eliav Sasson: Basbousa with orange jam and malabi cream

Ingredients for the cake (26 cm springform pan or 3 loaf pans): 6 eggs, 1.5 cups sugar, 0.5 cup olive oil (not spicy) or canola oil, 1 cup orange juice, 5 drops orange blossom water (can be replaced with almond extract or rose water), 0.5 tsp grated orange zest, 1 cup flour, 1.5 cups semolina, 150g ground almonds, 2 packets baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 2 packets vanilla sugar).

For the syrup: 3 cups water, 3 cups sugar, 2 lemongrass stalks (chopped), peels from a whole orange, 6 cloves, 3 star anise, 0.5 lemon, 3 drops orange blossom water.

For the malabi sauce: 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 0.5 cup water (for the milk mixture), 0.25 cup sugar, 1 cup water (for the cornstarch slurry), 4 tbsp cornstarch, 3 drops orange blossom water.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (turbo mode).

2. Cake: Whisk eggs with sugar. Gradually add oil, orange juice, and remaining ingredients. Bake in a greased pan for 35–45 minutes.

3. Syrup: Bring water and sugar to a boil with lemongrass, orange peels, cloves, and star anise. Simmer for 35 minutes. Add lemon juice and orange blossom water, then strain. Pour hot syrup over the hot cake.

4. Sauce: Heat milk, cream, water, and sugar. Whisk cornstarch with 1 cup of water separately, add to the pot, and cook for 3–5 minutes until thick. Add orange blossom water.

5. Serving: Pour hot malabi sauce over each slice.

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Haim Cohen: Crepe Suzette with yogurt chantilly, za'atar, and caramelized pine nuts

Ingredients:

• Crepes: 2 cups milk, 1 egg, 1 cup flour, 0.5 tsp sugar, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp melted butter.

• Cream: 300 ml whipping cream, 100 ml yogurt, 30g powdered sugar.

• Sauce: 500g white sugar, 100 ml orange juice, zest of one orange, 1 vanilla bean, 30 ml orange liqueur, 50g butter.

Preparation:

1. Crepes: Blend all ingredients and cook on a pan without oil.

2. Cream: Whip all ingredients and refrigerate.

3. Nuts: Caramelize pine nuts in a pan with sugar and a little water.

4. Sauce: Melt sugar to an amber color, add orange juice, vanilla, liqueur, and butter.

5. Serving: Dip crepes in the sauce, plate them, and garnish with orange segments, cream, pine nuts, and fresh za'atar.