Baked Qumeshtur / Qumeshtur i pjekur

This is a traditional Albanian recipe and I'm super glad to share it you. My family has been cooking this recipe for over 25 years and it has a really nice and special taste. There are some things I should say about this recipe. First of all I did the photographer role in  this post since my sisters weren't home and my auntie was the cooker.  The second, eggs are optional; this means you add them or you can leave them, it's up to you. Of course with the eggs added you will have a richer and heavier qumeshtur, without them a lighter dessert. Also If you think that vanilla extract's flavor it's dominant then use the vanilla crystals. But most important at this recipe is that you need to stir all the time without stopping + it becomes really hard to stir when the mass it thickens so make sure to have someone by your side when cooking this. You can also eat this in the pudding form-which means you don't 

need to bake it, so 1 recipe 2 ways how to eat it ;) Hope you like it and as always let me know!

Kjo eshte nje recete tradicionale Shqiptare dhe une jam shume e gezuar ta ndaj me ju. Familja ime e ka gatuar kete recete per me shume se 25 vite dhe ka nje shije te kendshme dhe te vecante. Ka disa gjera qe do doja te thoja per kete recete. Se pari ne kete post une bera rolin e fotografes pasi motrat e mia nuk ndodheshin ne shtepi dhe tezja ime ishte guzhinjerja. Se dyti, vezet jane opsionale, qe do te thote mund ti shtoni ose ti lini menjane, eshte ne doren tuaj. Sigurisht qe me shtimin e vezeve do te keni nje qumeshtur me te rende dhe te pasur, nderkohe qe pa vezet do te keni nje embelsire me te lehte. Gjithashtu nese mendoni se shija e ekstraktit te vaniljes eshte teper dominuese atehere mund ta zevendesoni me kristalet e vaniljes. Por cka eshte me e rendesishmja ne kete recete eshte se ju duhet ta perzieni gjate gjithe kohes pa ndaluar + behet shume e veshtire per ta perzier masen kur ajo trashet keshtu qe sigurohuni te keni nje njeri ne shtepi kur ta gatuani kete recete. Ju gjithashtu mund ta konsumoni ne fomen e pudingut - qe do te thote qe nuk eshte nevoja ta piqni, keshtu qe nje recete - 2 menyra konsumimi ;) Shpresoj t'ju pelqeje dhe si gjithmone me vini ne dijeni ! 

Ingredients for baked qumeshtur:

• 1.5 l milk 
• 1 kg sugar  
• 0.5 kg cornstarch 
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Perberesit per qumeshturin e pjekur : 

• 1.5 l qumesht
• 1 kg sheqer
• 0.5 kg niseshte
• 6 kokrra veze
• 1 tsp ekstrakt vaniljeje 

Pour 1 liter in a big pot and let it come to a boil (medium heat)

Ne nje tenxhere te madhe shti 1 liter qumesht dhe lere te vije ne vlim (ne zjarr normal)

In a large bowl add the cornstarch and the remaining milk (0.5 l) and mix well until we have a homogeneous liquid mass 
Ne nje tas te madh shto niseshtene dhe qumeshtin e mbetur (0.5 l) dhe perziej mire derisa te kemi nje mase homogjene ne trajte te lengshme  

Add the sugar at boiling milk and stir, add the vanilla extract and do same, let the milk come to a simmer 

Shto sheqerin dhe perziej, shto ekstraktin e vaniljes dhe bej te njejtin veprim, lere qumeshtin te vije ne vlim 

Beat the eggs

Rrih vezet 

 Dye the baking pan you'll use with melted butter 
Lyej tepsine qe do te perdoresh me gjalp te shkrire 

Add the cornstarch while mixing the mass. From this step you'll have to  keep mixing without stopping, otherwise you'll burn the batter 

Shto niseshtene duke perzier masen. Nga ky hap ju duhet te vazhdoni ta perzieni masen pa ndaluar, perndryshe ajo do te digjet

 Low heat - add the beaten eggs, you have to keep mixing as I said before or otherwise you'll end up with cooked eggs (not good) 

Ne zjarr te ulet - shto vezet e rrahura, duhet te vazhdoni te perzieni sic e thash dhe me pare ose perndryshe do te perfundoni me veze te gatuara (shenje e keqe) 

Now all you have to do is to keep stirring without stopping, make sure the mass at the end of the pot doesn't burn or stick. You'll see that eventually the mass will thickens 

Tani e vetmja gje qe duhet te beni eshte te vazhdoni te perzieni pa ndaluar, duhet te siguroheni qe masa ne fund te tenxheres te mos digjet ose ngjise. Do te shikoni se gradualisht masa do te trashet

When the mass is thickened as in the picture, turn off the heat and keep stirring until the mass becomes homogeneously thick. You will end up with a lovely thick shiny batter 

Kur masa te jete e trashe si ne figure, fikni zjarrin dhe vazhdoni te perzieni derisa masa te jete e trashe ne menyre homogjene. Ju do te perfundoni me nje mase te kendshme te trashe dhe me shkelqim

Now : this is the step when you rather pour it into the baking pan(and have the baked qumeshtur) or you can divide the batter in bowl and eat it that way. I insure you both ways are delicious. If you pour it in the baking pan, flatten with the back of the spoon

Tani : ky eshte hapi kur ju ose e shtini masen ne tepsi (dhe keni nje qumeshtur te pjekur) ose e ndani masen neper tasa dhe e konsumoni ne kete menyre. Jua siguroj qe te dyja menyrat jane shume te shijshme. Nese e shtini ne tepsi, sheshojeni me kurrizin e luges

Baking Temperature : 200 grade C,    Timing :  full baking (the surface to obtain a golden color, this is up you and your preferences, if you want it more baked and crispy then bake it longer as I did, otherwise remove it when you notice the golden color at the surface)

Temperatura pjekjes : 200 grade C,    Kohe-zgjatja :  deri ne pjekje te plote (siperfaqja te marre ngjyre te arte, kjo varion sipas preferences, nese e doni shume te pjekur dhe kerce atehere piqeni me teper sic kam bere une, perndryshe hiqeni kur te kete marre nje faqe)

Bon Appetit

♥ Kiki ♥