bake – Page 7 – My Whisk and I

Chocolate Bread

November 2, 2022November 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you long for slightly warm pain au chocolat directly from a Paris pâtisserie, long no more! This chocolate bread offers real competition! If you battle to understand the finishing instructions, go to my instagram account (karen_claassen) or my YouTube channel, for a demonstration video.

300ml milk

30ml butter

10g instant yeast

80ml sugar

a pinch of salt

850ml cake flour

2 egg yolks

350g chocolate spread

2 egg whites

Put a small saucepan onto the heat and warm the milk in it.

Stir the butter into the milk so that it can melt.

Allow the milk to come to a temperature where you can comfortably keep your finger in it without feeling it is hot.

Sprinkle the yeast onto the milk and give it a good stir. Set aside for 5 minutes or so.

Add the sugar, salt and flour to a large mixing bowl.

Add the yeast mixture as well as the egg yolks and mix to form a rough dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to stand until doubled in volume.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide it into four equal pieces.

Roll the first portion of dough into a circle – I like to measure my circle with the loose-bottom of a 22cm cake tin. This is a real help in getting all the circles/discs to the same size.

Transfer this dough circle onto your prepared baking sheet and spread a third of the chocolate spread as evenly as you can over the dough.

Repeat this process with the other three portions of dough.

Once the last dough circle has been placed onto the stack, you are ready to cut and shape your bread. If you have difficulty in following this process, go to my instagram account or my YouTube channel for demonstration video.

Finishing instructions:

Imagine a 5cm diameter circle as the centrepiece of your dough circles – DO NOT cut through this circle.

Now, if the dough circles were a clock, make an incision from the centre circle on 12 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock.

Half each of the four triangles you have so that you are left with 8 pieces.

Lastly, cut through each of the 8 pieces to end up with 16.

Now lift two pieces that are next to each other, one in each hand, and make two twists in opposite directions. Carefully place these pieces down. Keep going until all of the bread pieces have been twisted and your have a beautifully patterned bread.

Cover the bread with a clean tea towel and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

Whisk the two egg whites with a fork and glaze the bread with it.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden.

Serve slightly warm.

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Enoki Quiche

October 24, 2022October 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g enoki mushrooms
45ml butter
1 packet puff pastry
4 eggs
250ml sour cream
250ml cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 23cm diameter loose-bottom pie tin with cooking spray.
Put a frying pan on medium-high heat and wait for it to warm up.
Add the butter, wait for it to melt and then add the mushrooms. Fry until golden.
Take the mushrooms from the heat and set aside.
Line the prepared pie tin with the pastry and prick the base all over with the tines of a fork.
Line the pastry case with baking paper and dry beans and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the beans and paper and bake the shell for another 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180℃.
Add the eggs and sour cream to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Scatter the enoki mushrooms over the base of the pastry shell and pour the egg mixture over.
Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake the quiche for 40 minutes.
Serve warm (not hot!) with a salad on the side.

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Almost Cinna-Buns

October 23, 2022October 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a cheat’s shortcut to cinnamon buns but in this case, made with puff pastry.

1 packet puff pastry
125ml cinnamon sugar
egg-wash: 1 egg yolk + 30ml water whisked together
250ml icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the puff pastry flat on a working surface and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over.
Cut the pastry into strips that are more or less 1,5cm X 12cm.
Roll each strip in its length and place each roll on the prepared baking sheet with the cut side up. (showing the spiral)
Brush the rolls with the egg wash and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the rolls and cool completely.
Mix the glaze by sifting the icing sugar and adding a few drops of hot water at a time. Be careful not to add too much water at a time as you are looking for a very thick consistency.
Now drizzle the glaze over the cooled pastries and set aside for about 30 minutes.
Keep the pastries in a sealed container.

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Viennese Sachertorte

October 7, 2022October 6, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

It has been said that a Viennese Sachertorte is a cake worth fighting over….! Hopefully without the fighting, you will bake this labour of love and indulge in the best chocolate cake in the world! Traditionally the cake is served with Chantilly cream on the side so that every bite may be dipped into the cream before eating. If you want a higher cake like the one in my photographs, bake the cake twice – the apricot and chocolate glaze is sufficient to cover a higher/larger cake.

125g dark chocolate, chopped
125g butter, room temperature
110g icing sugar, sifted
6 eggs, separated
5ml vanilla
50g granulated sugar
130g flour

Apricot glaze:
300g apricot jam
15ml dark rum

Chocolate glaze:
220g sugar
125ml water
200g dark chocolate, chopped

Place an oven rack in the centre of your oven and preheat to 180℃.
Lightly butter 22cm springform tin with butter and line the bottom with a round of baking paper. Dust the sides of the tin with flour and tap out the excess.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Remove from the heat. Stir the chocolate often until tepid but still fluid.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
Turn the mixer to low speed and beat in the icing sugar.
Set the mixer back on medium-high and beat until light in colour and texture. (about 2 minutes)
Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Now beat in the chocolate and vanilla with the machine running.
Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed just until they form soft, shiny peaks. Do not overbeat.
Stir about a fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
Now fold in the remaining whites, leaving a few visible whisps of whites.
Sift half the flour over and fold in with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining flour.
Scrape the batter into the prepared cake tin and spread it evenly.
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove the sides of the tin and invert the cake onto the wire rack. Remove the baking paper.
Re-invert the cake on another rack to turn it right side up and leave to cool completely.

For the apricot glaze:
Melt the jam in a saucepan over medium heat, add the rum and pass through a sieve.
Set aside to cool slightly.

Trim the top of the cake to make it level. (Optional)
Cut the cake horizontally into 2 equal layers.
Brush the top of one cake layer with a third of the apricot glaze.
Place the second layer on top and brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze.
Allow to cool until the glaze is set/less sticky. Half an hour in the refrigerator should be sufficient.

For the chocolate glaze:
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add the chocolate, remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate has melted and you are left with a smooth, glossy glaze.|Set aside to cool and thicken slightly.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Pour the slightly warm chocolate glaze over the cake. Take care to cover the entire cake and the sides.
Allow to cool and set completely – 2 hours minimum.
Trim away any hardened glaze on the bottom of the cake and transfer it to a serving plate.
Serve each slice of sachertorte with a generous dollop of cream so that each bite may be dipped in the cream before eating.

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Chocolate Swirl Brownies

September 25, 2022September 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

150g butter, melted
250ml sugar
45ml espresso
2 eggs
5ml vanilla
80g dark chocolate, melted
190ml flour
60ml cocoa powder, sifted
2,5ml salt
80g dark chocolate, chopped

Cheesecake Swirl:
125g cream cheese, room temperature
80ml sugar
1 egg yolk
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
Add the melted butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the espresso, eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate and whisk to combine.
Now add the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
Fold the ingredients together until you have a smooth batter.
Add the chopped chocolate and fold through.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking tin and set aside.

For the cheesecake swirl:
Add the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Spoon dollops of the cheesecake batter across the surface of the brownie mixture.
Swirl the cheesecake mixture through the brownie batter with a small knife.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Cool the brownies in the baking tin before removing and slicing.

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Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

September 22, 2022September 21, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Base:
200g chocolate biscuits
55g brown sugar
100g butter, melted

Mousse-cheesecake:
120g chocolate, chopped
900g cream cheese, room temperature
15ml cocoa powder, sifted
375ml sugar
10ml vanilla
4 eggs
375ml cream
60ml icing sugar, sifted

Chocolate Ganache:
320g chocolate, chopped
300g cream

For the base:
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a fine crumb.
Spoon the biscuit crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the sugar and melted butter.
Mix together until it resembles wet sand.
Spoon the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottom cake tin and press evenly over the base.
Place in the refrigerator.

For the mousse-cheesecake:
Preheat your oven to 150℃.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt until completely smooth.
Add the cream cheese, chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until incorporated.
Add the vanilla and eggs and whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Add the cream to another mixing bowl and sift the icing sugar into the bowl.
Whisk until the cream develops a mousse-y texture and soft peaks form.
Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture – do this in 3-4 batches. Fold until just incorporated.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cake tin with the biscuit base. Smooth the top and give the cake tin a jiggle to let out any air bubbles.
Place the cake tin soon top of a sheet of aluminium foil and fold the foil up the sides on the outside of the tin. Place the cake tin into a roasting pan and fill the pan with 2,5cm of hot water.
Bake the cake for 70 minutes. Check and refill the water in the roasting tin every 20 or so during baking.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the outside of the cake to release it from the tin.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before removing the tin ring.

For the ganache:
Add the cream to a small saucepan and warm it.
Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Set the cheesecake on a wire cooling rack, inside a baking sheet and pour the ganache over the cake.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

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French Meringue

September 20, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 egg whites
a pinch of cream of tartar
220g caster sugar
food colouring

Preheat your oven to 140℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a clean large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the cream of tartar over and start beating the whites with electric beater on medium speed.
Once you have a soft peak you can start adding a teaspoonful of sugar to the whites, while beating continuously.
Incorporate the sugar before adding another teaspoonful of sugar. (If you want to be technical, you should have 30 second intervals in between adding, whisking and more sugar!)
Beat the mixture until all the sugar is incorporated and it is stiff and glossy.
Add a few drops of food colouring and gently fold through.
Scoop the meringue into a piping bag and pipe 2cm diameter circles onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Switch off the oven but do not open it. Stand the meringues in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Milk Tart Stack

September 18, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pancake batter:
250ml flour
1ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
250ml milk
125ml water
62ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
ground cinnamon

Filling:
80g cornflour
1 litre milk
8 egg yolks
100g +100g sugar
10ml vanilla

For the pancakes:
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Pour the milk, water, oil and eggs into a large jug and whisk together.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and add the liquid slowly and in a very thin stream.
Whisk on high speed for 2 minutes once all the liquid has been added.
Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and stand the mixture for one hour.

For the filling:
Add the cornflour to a mixing bowl.
Pour in a small amount of milk and stir to dissolve the cornflour.
Add the egg yolks and 100g of sugar and whisk together by hand. Set aside.
Pour the rest of the milk and the other 100g of sugar into a small saucepan and warm but do not allow it to boil.
Take the saucepan from the heat and drizzle the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly!! Keep going until all the milk has been added.
Pour the mixture back in the saucepan, place on a medium heat and stir until thick and glossy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Scrape the mixture into a clean bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Allow to cool completely.

Bake the pancakes in a 20cm diameter pan and set aside to cool.

Assembly:
Place one pancake on a serving platter.
Spoon a generous dollop of the custard onto the pancake and spread evenly.
Sift an even layer of ground cinnamon over the custard and repeat the layers until you have build a beautiful stacked cake.
End with a layer of filling and cinnamon.

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Caramel Banana Pull-Apart Bread

August 24, 2022August 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

62ml tepid water
10g instant yeast
250ml milk, warm
30ml sugar
7,5ml salt
5ml ground cinnamon
62ml butter, melted
2 eggs
4 x 250ml + 83ml flour
1 x can/portion Dulce de Leche or Caramel Treat
3 bananas, sliced

Pour the tepid water into a small mixing bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir until dissolved and set aside.
Add the milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and whisk together by hand.
Stir in the butter, eggs and yeast mixture.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and gradually add the flour. You are looking for a dough that is soft enough to handle. It is usually ready when it easily pulls away from the sides.
Knead/mix for another 5 minutes.
Rub a few drops of oil on the inside of a mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and cover with a tea towel.
Allow to rise until double in size. (about 90 minutes)
Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour.
Roll the dough to a 0,5cm thickness and cut circles of dough with a biscuit cutter, about 8 cm in diameter.
You need about 22 circles to make two small breads.
Line two 11cm X 25cm loaf tins with baking paper.
Spread a teaspoon of caramel on half of each circle and place 3 slices of banana on top.
Fold the circle in half and place it in the prepared tin with the open ends facing up.

Continue until all the discs are in the loaf tin.
Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 40 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Bake the breads for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the baking tin.
Serve the pull-apart bread warm or at room temperature.

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Jodetert/Custard Cake

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Jodetert is a traditional South African bake of years gone by. It is a wonderful concoction of light and buttery biscuit discs, layered with a soft custard and literally melts in one’s mouth. Without doubt, one of my all-time favourite eats – do try it!

Biscuit:
250g butter, softened
300g flour
240g sugar
10ml baking powder
1ml salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Filling:
80g flour
250g sugar
4 egg yolks
1 litre milk
5ml vanilla

For the biscuit:
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Cut 8 pieces of baking paper the size of a large baking tray. Spray each paper sheet with cooking spray.
Add the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse to mix.
Add the beaten egg in a thin stream while the engine is running, until the mixture comes together in a dough ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough in to 7 equal portions.
Place one piece of dough on a sprayed piece of baking paper and dust with flour. Place another piece of baking paper on top and roll the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and a 20cm diameter circle.
Remove the baking paper on top and place the dough circle on the baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
Repeat with the other 6 pieces of dough.

For the filling:
Add the flour, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Drizzle the milk onto the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir with a whisk until it thickens.
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the custard into a clean bowl and place some plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Allow to cool completely.

Assembly:
Spoon the custard into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle.
Place the first biscuit disc on a serving plate, pipe a spiral of custard onto it and place the second biscuit circle on top of it. Repeat the process of piping custard and stacking the biscuit discs until you have none left.
Dust the Jodetert with some icing sugar and serve with a good cup of coffee.