Author: Karen Claassen

This dessert causes quite a stir at a dinner party because of its unusual ingredients. I think most people react to being deceived into thinking that this is a “real” chocolate mousse dessert and that a common, store cupboard ingredient can turn into a delicious dessert. Do try it at your next dinner party: it yields 12 large portions, can be made in advance and keeps well in the refrigerator.

10g powdered gelatine

30ml water

200g chocolate biscuits (e.g. Romany Creams, Oreo)

100g butter, melted

500g powdered coffee creamer (Cremora)

250ml ice cold water

2 X 385g cans of condensed milk

250ml lemon juice

5ml vanilla

120ml cocoa powder

Pour the 30ml water into a cup and sprinkle the gelatine over. Set aside to bloom.

Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed cake tin. You may use a bread tin but if it doesn’t have a loose-bottom you should line it with baking paper in order to un-mould the dessert for presentation.

Add the chocolate biscuits to the bowl of a food processor and blitz until you have a uniform crumb mixture.

Melt the butter and add it to the crumbs in a thin stream , with the processor running.

Tip the crumb mixture into your prepared baking tin and line the bottom and sides by pressing the mixture firmly with the back of a spoon. Set aside.

Add the coffee creamer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Add the ice cold water and mix until combined.

Add the condensed milk and mix together at high speed for 7 minutes. You will end yup with a very thick and creamy mixture.

Turn the speed of the mixer down and add the lemon juice a little at a time, making sure it is incorporated before adding more.

Add the vanilla in the same way and then turn off the mixer.

Sieve the cocoa powder onto this mixture and turn the mixer onto medium speed.

Melt the gelatine by putting it into the microwave oven for 10 second spurts until runny.

Now add the melted gelatine to the mixture while the mixer is running.

Run the mixer for 1 minute after the gelatine has been added to make sure it is well incorporated.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Un-mould the mousse dessert and decorate with cocoa powder and fresh berries.

This is a classic chocolate ganache recipe and can be used as a warm chocolate sauce or as frosting on cakes. Utterly delicious!

250g chocolate

30ml butter

160ml double cream

5ml vanilla

Chop the chocolate finely and set aside.

Add the butter and cream to a small saucepan and put it onto medium-low heat.

Stir the mixture with a whisk until all the butter has melted.

Leave the mixture for about 2 minutes or until tiny bubbles form along the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat immediately.

Add the chopped chocolate and stir the mixture so that the chocolate can melt.

Add the vanilla and stir the sauce with a whisk until it is completely smooth.

The ganache may now be used as a smooth, pourable fudge sauce to accompany cake, dessert or as a warm sauce for ice cream.

If you would like to use it as a frosting for cakes or cupcakes, pour the warm mixture into a clean mixing bowl, cover with cling film and press the cling film onto the surface of the ganache.

Refrigerate the ganache until ice cold.

When cold, whisk the mixture for one minute until it starts changing colour and becomes creamy. It will be a lighter brown and will have a fluffiness to it.

Use immediately as it firms up quickly.

Yes that’s right! No kneading for these fabulous rolls. They are an absolute pleasure to make and truly has the texture of fluffy pillows!! Makes 12 rolls

10g instant yeast

10ml and 50ml sugar

125ml water, lukewarm

600g bread flour

7,5ml slt

250ml milk, lukewarm

50g butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs, beaten

Pour the lukewarm water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast and 10ml sugar on top. Stir thoroughly and set aside.

Add the flour, 50ml sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

Now add the warm milk, melted butter, beaten eggs and yeast liquid to the dry ingredients.

Mix together with a spatula until combined and you are left with a thick, sticky batter.

Cover the mixing bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to rise to more than double its size/volume. This should take about 2 hours.

Line a 23cm X 30cm roasting tin or baking tray with baking paper.

Punch the dough back to deflate and and knead it very briefly by hand – you simply want to deflate the dough.

Dust a work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. It will be very sticky and you may dust your hands and the dough with flour as you work.

Shape the dough into a log, cut it into 4 even sized pieces and then cut each piece into another 3 pieces.

Take one piece of dough and flatten it slightly between your palms. Use your fingers to gather the outsides of the dough, so that it forms a stretchy, smooth surface in your palm. Press the gathered ends together and flip the ball so that the smooth side is on top.

Place the ball on the lined tray.

Repeat with the remaining dough by lining them up 4 X 3.

Spray the surface of the rolls with cooking spray and wrap with plastic wrap.

Leave the covered rolls in a warm place for 40 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180℃, on the fan setting.

Uncover the rolls and bake them for 20minutes.

Remove the baking tray from the oven and brush the rolls with 15ml melted butter.

Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

This is a delicious vegetarian lunch when paired with a salad. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

1 X Sour Cream Pastry, blind baked as described in the recipe on this blog

750ml butternut, cubed

125ml crumbed feta cheese

250ml feta cheese, cubed

83ml pumpkin seeds

4 eggs

250ml sour cream

2,5ml salt

Once you have baked your pastry, preheat your oven to 190℃.

Prepare the butternut by peeling it and cutting it into cubes no larger than 1,5cm X 1,5cm.

Add the cubes to a roasting tin and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven for about 30 min, stirring through occasionally, or until just done.

Allow to cool.

Spoon the roasted butternut into the baked pastry shell and spread it evenly over the bottom.

Scatter the cubed feta over the butternut.

Add the crumbed feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, eggs, sour cream and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk the mixture to combine.

Pour this mixture onto the butternut and feta and bake for one hour.

Take the quiche out of the oven and allow it to stand for 20 minutes before remoulding it.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

This quick bread is healthy, fragrant and the perfect carrier for a special open sandwich. Cool the bread completely before slicing it as it has a fragile crumb.

310ml wholewheat flour

250ml cake flour

50ml sunflower seeds

12,5ml baking powder

2,5ml bicarbonate of soda

5ml salt

15ml chai tea leaves

15ml linseeds

200ml + 15ml + 15ml rolled oats

250ml yoghurt

1 egg

62ml vegetable oil

62ml honey

190ml milk

Preheat your oven to 190℃.

Spray a medium sized bread tin with cooking spray. Sprinkle 15ml oats in the pan and tilt it so that the oats sticks to the sides.

Add the wholewheat flour, cake flour, sunflower seeds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, chai tea leaves and linseeds to a mixing bowl and stir to mix through with a spatula.

Add 200ml oats, the yoghurt, egg, oil and honey and combine by stirring.

Now add the milk and stir until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bread tin and scatter the last 15ml oats on top.

Bake the bread for 45minutes.

Remove from the oven and stand in the baking tin for 15 minutes before removing the bread from the tin and cooling it completely on a cooling rack.

Slice and serve with your favourite topping.

This is certainly an unusual tart but if you are fond of citrus and avocado you should definitely give it a try!

For the crust:

125ml pecan nuts, chopped

125ml salted crackers, crushed

15ml melted butter

45ml sugar

a pinch of salt

1 egg white

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Prepare a tart tin by spraying it with cooking spray.

Add the pecan nuts and salted crackers to the bowl of a food processor and blitz until you have even crumbs.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blitz until well mixed.

Spoon the ingredients into the prepared tart tin and press evenly onto the bottom and sides of the tin.

Bake the crust for 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a cooling rack.

For the filling:

3 ripe avocado pears

125ml yoghurt

125ml honey

2,5ml vanilla

zest of 3 limes

83ml lime juice

10ml powdered gelatine

125ml coconut milk

Scoop the flesh from the avocado into a blender.

Add the yoghurt, honey, vanilla and lime zest and blitz until the mixture is completely smooth. Scrape the mixture down to check the smoothness and blitz again if necessary.

Add the lime juice to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Sprinkle the gelatine over and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and turn on the heat. Warm the mixture until tiny bubbles start appearing but before it boils.

Pour the warm coconut milk onto the gelatine mixture while running the mixer, whisking continuously.

Whisk for another 5 minutes, once all of the coconut milk has been incorporated.

Scoop the avocado mixture into the gelatine mixture and combine with a spatula.

Pour the mixture into the baked crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Serve cold.

This recipe combines the authentic, traditional carbonara recipe which includes egg yolks, with a no-fail solution of added cream. The yolks add a richness to this dish that your palate will remember and that will transport you back to the streets of Rome. It is a punchy Carbonara with the best of two worlds combined and takes 20 minutes to put together. Serves 4 adults.

250g spaghetti

250g bacon, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

250ml cream

2 egg yolks

250ml grated parmesan cheese

a handful of basil leaves

4 extra egg yolks, for serving, if you so wish

Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking instructions on the packet.

Pour some olive oil into a saucepan and put onto medium to high heat.

Add the diced bacon and fry for about 7 minutes before adding the minced garlic. Stir and fry for another 5 minutes and then take from the heat.

Separate the egg yolks into a mixing bowl, add the cream and a good pinch of salt and whisk together.

Add the drained, cooked spaghetti to the cream mixture and mix through.

Now sprinkle the parmesan and torn basil leaves on top and give everything a good mix.

Dish up into pasta bowls and serve warm.

Perfect as a dessert and something different for tea!

4 eggs

500ml milk

5ml vanilla

120ml butter, melted

250ml desiccated coconut

125ml cake flour

190ml sugar

1,2ml ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Grease a pie dish with butter and sprinkle a handful of flour over the bottom. Tilt the dish so that the flower sticks to the butter on the bottom and the sides. Tip the pie dish to get rid of the extra flour. Set aside.

Add the eggs to a mixing bowl and give it a whisk.

Add the milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.

Melt the butter and add it to the egg mixture, whisking as you pour. Set aside.

Add the coconut, flour and sugar to another mixing bowl and stir through.

Now add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking well to combine thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish and sprinkle the nutmeg on top.

Bake the pie for 45 minutes.

You may serve the pie warm as a dessert, but it is a fabulous coconut treat when served cold.

This is a robust, no-nonsense pavlova that is baked at a high temperature and presents with a beautiful cracked exterior. The sharp, citrusy lemon curd and Chantilly cream work together in perfect harmony. Add some fresh fruit for a popular, delicious dessert!

6 eggs, whites only

380g caster sugar

15ml cornflour

10ml white vinegar

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.

Add the egg whites to the very clean bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment.

Whisk the whites until soft peaks form and then start adding the sugar, one spoonful at a time, every 30 seconds. You have to allow this time between additions to allow for the sugar and egg white to incorporate and bind. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated and you are left with a silky, glossy mixture.

Remove the bowl from the mixture and sprinkle the cornflour and vinegar on top. Carefully fold this into the meringue mixture until well distributed.

Now spoon the meringue onto the baking paper and shape it with a spatula or the back of a spoon.

Place the meringue into the oven and bake for 1 hour.

Take the baked meringue from the oven and cool on the baking paper for at least an hour.

Fill the meringue with Chantilly cream and Lemon Curd (recipe on this blog) and decorate with fresh fruit.