Uncategorized – Page 30 – My Whisk and I

Milk Tart Hand Pies

May 23, 2023May 11, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

420g flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
5ml sugar
220g butter, grated
190ml milk
vegetable oil for frying

Filling:
40g corn flour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g caster sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla

For the pastry:
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a mixing bowl.
Add the grated butter and rub the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Drizzle the milk over the mixture and bring it together with your hands.
Shape the pastry into a ball, slice it in half and flatten each into a flat disc.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

For the filling:
Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and stir in 50ml of the milk.
Add the egg yolks and 50g caster sugar and whisk together. Set aside.
Pour the 450ml milk into a small saucepan and add the other 50g caster sugar and ground cinnamon to it.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Take it from the heat as tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously.
Now pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on medium-low heat.
Stir continuously until thickened.
Allow to cook for 30 seconds before removing from the heat.
Add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl and then place plastic wrap directly on its surface.
Allow to cool completely.

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to a 5mm thickness.
Cut 12 circles with a 12cm diameter from the dough.
Spoon 30ml of the filling on the pastry circle.
Wet the edges of the circle with water and fold the dough over into a half-moon shape.
Seal and crimp the edges with a fork.
Refrigerate the pies for 30 minutes.
Heat 6cm vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry 3 pies at a time for 6 minutes, flipping them over every now and then.
Drain on paper towels.
The hand pies may be served as is or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

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Cucumber Avo Salad

May 22, 2023May 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g cucumber (about half an English cucumber)
2 avocados
30ml lemon juice
2 salad onions, finely sliced
chilli flakes

Peel the cucumber in alternating strips in its length.
Take out the seeds with a teaspoon, cut into bite-sized pieces and put it in a colander set in your sink.
Sprinkle 5ml salt over, toss together and leave to drain for about 20 minutes.
Slice the avocado in half, remove the pip and scoop out the flesh.
Cut in to 1,5cm cubes.
Add the avocado to a mixing bowl, sprinkle over the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Shake the cucumber pieces in the colander to get rid of any moisture.
Add to the avocado.
Add the sliced salad onions and mix again.
Now stir the salad vigorously until the avocado breaks down a bit.
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Scatter over some chilli flakes and serve.

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Chunky Vegetable Soup

May 21, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The garnish for this vegetable soup was made by horizontally slicing a hotdog roll, drizzling it with olive oil and toasting it in the oven. The garnish on the crouton is homemade mayonnaise with cherry tomatoes and fresh soft herbs.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sticks of celery, leaves included, washed and chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, chopped
400g potato, peeled and cubed

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the tinned tomato and cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour in the stock, add the bay leave, carrot and potato and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Mash or liquidise half of the soup, cook another 5 minutes and serve with a fresh, crusty bread.

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Orange Margarita

May 20, 2023May 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe is for one single serving of margarita.

90ml orange juice
30ml cointreau
60ml tequila
30ml fresh lime/lemon juice
30ml simple syrup

Sprinkle some sugar on a side plate, wet the rim of your margarita glass and lightly push it into the sugar so that it sticks to the rim. Set aside.
Pour the orange juice, cointreau, tequila, lime/lemon juice and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
Add 125ml of ice and shake it up.
Pour into the prepared glass, garnish with a slice of citrus and sit back and enjoy!

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Marshmallow Flowers

May 18, 2023May 4, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Marshmallows

Follow the video instructions to shape the marshmallows.
Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 150℃ for 10 minutes.
Remove and place a pistachio nut at the centre of each flower and bake for another hour.
Remove the flowers from the oven and allow to cool completely until dry.
Use as a decoration for cupcakes.

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Thai Green Curry

May 17, 2023May 4, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml vegetable oil
60ml Thai green curry paste
500ml chicken stock
1 x 400g tin coconut milk
10ml fish sauce
45ml sugar
1,5ml salt
800g chicken breasts, skin removed and cubed
2 aubergines (about 450g in total), diced
a small bunch of basil leaves
30ml lemon juice

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and coconut milk and stir to dissolve the paste.
Add the fish sauce, sugar and salt.
Now add the chicken.
Turn the heat to medium-low heat so that the curry simmers lightly. Cook for 20 minutes.
Add the diced aubergine and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Taste the curry. Add more salt if necessary and also more sugar for a background sweetness.
Chop a handful of the basil leaves and add it to the curry.
Pour in the lemon juice and turn the heat to low.
Cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve the curry on a fragrant rice and scatter over some fresh basil leaves.

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Mini Poppy Seed Loaves

May 16, 2023May 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These tiny loaves are deliciously moist and lemony and can be baked as cupcakes as well. The recipe yields about 10 mini loaves or 24 cupcakes.

200g flour
1,2ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
1,2ml salt
15ml poppy seeds
105ml vegetable oil
210g sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
150g sour cream
7,5ml vanilla
15ml lemon juice

Lemon Buttercream:
200g butter, room temperature
grated zest of half a lemon
10ml vanilla
15ml lemon juice
330g icing sugar, sifted

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line 12 x mini-loaf tins with paper cups (2 x 12-hole muffin tins).
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together.
Add the poppy seeds and set aside.
Add the vegetable oil, sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and mix for 1 minute.
Turn the mixer down to a slow speed and add the eggs, one at a time.
Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
Turn back on to a low speed and add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time.
Now add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and mix until combined.
Divide the batter among the paper cups and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the buttercream:
Add the butter and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on high speed for 2 minutes, scrape down the bowl and mix for another 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix until incorporated.
Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time.
Pipe/spread on to the cupcakes.

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Chocolate Layer Brownies

May 15, 2023May 4, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

145g butter
250g sugar
80g cocoa powder, sifted
1,2ml salt
7,5ml vanilla
2 eggs
65g flour
75g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
2 x 80g slabs of chocolate

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
Add the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
Stir the mixture every now and then until the butter has melted and the mixture is amalgamated.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the vanilla.
Stir through.
Add the eggs one-by-one and beat to incorporate, with a wooden spoon.
Add the flour and beat again to incorporate.
Add the pecan nuts and stir through.
Spoon half the batter in to the prepared baking tin and spread it out evenly.
Place the chocolate slabs, side-to-side, on the batter and cover with the rest of the brownie batter.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the brownies from the oven and cool completely.
Slice into 16 squares.

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Pull-Apart Tortilla Wraps

May 14, 2023May 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sweet peppers, diced
600g minced beef
30ml tomato purée
30ml Worcestershire sauce
3 large tomatoes, diced
3 spring onions, sliced
60ml coriander, chopped
10 large tortilla wraps
150g + 150g cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray.
Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add a dash of vegetable oil.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and sweet pepper and cook while stirring occasionally until the peppers are softened.
Add the minced beef, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper and turn up the heat.
Break the mince up with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until there is no liquid left.

For the salsa:
Add the diced tomato, spring onions and coriander to a bowl.
Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble:
Lay the tortilla wraps on a chopping board and trim the left and right edges so that they are square.
Spoon some of the mince mixture on the curved edge closest to you.
Spoon some salsa on the mince and scatter with grated cheese.
Roll the tortilla into a fairly tight cylinder.
Repeat with the other ingredients.

Slice each tortilla roll into 3 equal rolls.
Pack the rolls cut side up, in the cake tin. Start on the outer edges and work towards the centre.
Sprinkle the remaining 150g cheese over the rolls.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the outer ring of the cake tin and serve immediately.

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Orange Glazed Carrots

May 13, 2023April 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg carrots, peeled
60ml butter, cubed
grated zest of one orange
2 + 2 oranges
125ml brown sugar
30ml thyme leaves
30ml pumpkin seeds

Fill a saucepan with water, add the carrots and bring to the boil.
Cook for 5-6 minutes until almost done – the cooking time will of course depend on the size of the carrots.
Drain and pat dry with a tea towel.
Place a pan on medium-high heat, add the butter and wait for it to melt.
Now add the orange zest, 60ml orange juice and the brown sugar.
Stir until most of the sugar has dissolved.
Add the carrots to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the glaze is shiny and thick enough to coat the carrots – between 5 and 10 minutes.
Watch the carrots in the glaze and regulate the heat – they burn easily.
Peel and slice the other two oranges and arrange the slices on a serving plate. Place the carrots on top of the orange.
Drizzle over any glaze in the pan, scatter the thyme leaves and pumpkin seeds over and serve with a smile.