Hellimli ve Zeytinli Kek – Halloumi and Black Olive Cake (Easy Recipe)

May 30, 2024

Turkish Cypriot Baking

In Cyprus, there is a halloumi and olive bread called hellimli and zeytinli. This tradition Cypriot bake is the ultimate comfort food. They can be enjoyed freshly baked or saved for another day. It’s the perfect bread to enjoy as a meal, a snack or to impress guests. With a mix of onions and either parsley or coriander in the dough, these breads are more than just bread dough!

This bread can be made into loaves or rolls and even though it can be time consuming to make, it is worth every second of time kneading the dough. Baking is also a great way to find some mindful time to yourself, especially if you enjoy baking. Cypriot families will have their own versions of these recipes and all taste just as good as one another.

I have very fond memories of making hellimli and zeytinli with my mum and nene. I would watching them knead the dough for what felt like forever! Then I would try to find the patience while waiting for the first prove and then the second. When the hellim or/and zeytin ingredients are added, I just wanted to eat it all, not wait for more proving! The wondrous smell of this bread slowing baking in the oven, fills the kitchen and the whole house with the most pleasant aroma of fresh bread. The sweetness in the air of olives and halloumi cheese just give it that Turkish Cypriot hit!

Waiting for the light and soft dough to bake would be the tricky part but as soon as they come out of the oven, you just want to dive right in. I can easily eat a few rolled in one sitting!

Turning bread into a cake – no knead but the same flavours

This recipe give you the same flavours but with the easy and quickness of making a quick cake. I also like to add a little more mint and hellim if I can to really give it that fresh herby cheese taste. Hellim and mint got so well together!

I always make this in my 10inch square cake tin. I do this as I prefer to cut the slices into cubes to serve. It allows a nicer portion size to enjoy with your tea.

The lure of this recipe is that it can be made just like you would a cake. Using two bowls, have one bowl for all the dry ingredients and another for the wet ingredients. Then all you need to do is gently mix it altogether.

Once baked, we always enjoy them with a pot of Tütülü Çay (cinnamon and clove infused) or Turkish Çay. Find my original recipes for Zeytinli and Hellimli if you have time to enjoy the process of baking bread (it’s worth it!)

If you have TikTok then make sure to follow my @lifewithpinar where I regularly share food videos and some of my favourite family Turkish Cypriot recipes.

Making the dough for hellimli zeytinli kek

Hellimli ve Zeytinli Kek – Halloumi & Zeytinli Cake

A quick and easy recipe for a cheats hellimli ve zeytinli. This recipe involves no kneading and can be prepared and baked in no time. It’s the perfect comfort food that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Ingredients

Preheat fan oven to 180 degrees.
Using a cake tin I use a 10 inch square tin line with some baking/parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients – flour baking powder, salt, sugar, mint, chopped onions, parsley, olives and halloumi.
In another bowl add the wet ingredients – olive oil milk and eggs.
Using a spatula gently mix/fold the ingredients altogether.
Transfer to the tin and use the spatula to even the dough.
Finely grate the remaining halloumi over the top and sprinkle over the nigella and sesame seeds.
Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven at 180 degree fan oven for 40-45 minutes leave in tin for 15 minutes to cool slightly and hold its shape and then enjoy.

Instructions

Preheat fan oven to 180 degrees. Using a cake tin (I use a 10 inch square tin) line with some baking/parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, mint, chopped onions, parsley, olives and halloumi. In another bowl add the wet ingredients – olive oil, milk and eggs. Using a spatula gently mix/fold the ingredients altogether. Transfer to the tin and use the spatula to even the dough. Finely grate the remaining hellim over the top and sprinkle over the nigella and sesame seeds. .
Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven at 180 degree fan oven for 40-45 minutes, leave in tin for 15 minutes to cool slightly and hold its shape and then enjoy.