delicious – Page 12 – My Whisk and I

Condensed Milk Snowballs

December 11, 2023July 27, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

250ml butter, room temperature
125ml condensed milk
5ml vanilla
500ml flour
15ml baking powder
125ml icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on a high speed and beat the butter for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Pour in the condensed milk and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes on high speed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute or so.
Add the flour and baking powder a spoonful at a time, until incorporated.
Use a 15ml measuring spoon and scoop up 2 scoops.
Roll into a ball with your hands and place on the baking sheet, about 4 cm apart.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes.
Sift over the icing sugar and allow to cool completely.
Store in a glass jar.

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Salmon Rillettes

December 10, 2023July 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, chopped
250ml dry white wine
750ml water
5ml whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, zested and juiced
250g fresh salmon, skin removed
125g smoked salmon, chopped
30ml + 30ml butter, cubed and at room temperature
30ml sour cream
45ml dill/parsley, chopped
15ml capers, finely chopped
15ml olive oil

Add half of the chopped onion, all of the white wine, water and peppercorns to a saucepan.
Add the bay leaf and lemon juice and bring the mixture to the boil.
Add the fresh salmon to the liquid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the liquid and allow it to cool. You may discard the poaching liquid.
Gently flake the salmon with your fingers and add it to a bowl. Set aside to cool completely.
Add 30ml of the butter to a pan set over medium heat.
Add the remaining onion and cook until soft.
Now add the lemon zest, smoked salmon, sour cream, dill, capers, olive oil, the remaining 30ml butter and the cooked onion to the flaked salmon.
Stir the mixture together to combine evenly but be careful not to mush the salmon.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Take the salmon from the fridge and allow 30 minutes for it to come back to room temperature.
Serve on crostini or crackers.

The salmon can be kept in the refrigerator for three days. Spoon it into a glass jar, melt about 50g of butter and pour over before sealing with the lid.

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Old Fashioned Blanc Mange with Berry Coulis

December 9, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

75ml cornstarch
100ml sugar
50ml cold water
250ml boiling water
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
2 egg whites

Berry Coulis:
500g frozen berries
30ml lemon juice
60ml caster sugar

Line a small 1 litre capacity loaf tin (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the sides. Set aside.
Add the cornstarch, sugar and cold water to a small saucepan and mix together.
Pour in the boiling water and stir the mixture over a medium-low heat until thick and smooth.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the lemon zest and juice and stir to combine. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks.
Spoon the whipped whites into the cornstarch mixture and fold through with a spatula.
Pour the mixture into the prepared container and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until completely set.

For the coulis:
Add the berries, lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and blitz with an immersion blender until thick and smooth.
Set aside to cool completely.

Take the blanc mange from the refrigerator and invert onto a serving plate.
Carefully peel off the plastic wrap.
Pour some of the berry coulis over to serve or serve as is with the sauce on the side.

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Popped Sorghum

December 7, 2023December 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Popped sorghum is a corn-free/gluten-free alternative to traditional popcorn but just as addicting and stackable – cute, tine and almost sweet tasting, it will become your favourite healthy snack!

30ml sorghum
vegetable oil
salt

Pour a small dash of oil into a saucepan and add one grain of sorghum.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and cover with a lid.
Add the rest of the sorghum grains once you hear the single grain pop.
Cover with a lid and shake the saucepan every 30 seconds or so until you don’t hear popping anymore.
Remove from the heat and season with salt while hot.
Enjoy your snack!!

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Pork Fillet (Tenderloin) in Honey

December 5, 2023December 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

5ml salt
10ml smoked paprika
a few grindings of black pepper
2 pork fillets/tenderloin
30ml butter
15ml vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
45ml apple cider vinegar
25ml soy sauce
125ml honey

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the salt, paprika and black pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
Lay the fillets on a board and sprinkle the mix over, rubbing all over.
Add the butter and vegetable oil to a heavy, oven-proof pan, place over high heat and wait for it to heat up.
Add the fillets and sear until golden.
Turn off the heat, add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the vinegar, soy and honey to the pan and stir to mix.
Turn the fillets over and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the fillets to a plate. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and set aside.
Place the pan back on a medium-heat and simmer the sauce for 3 minutes or so, until syrupy.
Turn off the heat and place the fillets in the sauce, turning to cover the meat completely.
Slice the pork and serve with mashed potato and extra sauce.

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Sweet Goat Cheese Puffs

December 3, 2023December 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Makes about 36 bite-sized puffs

1 packet store-bought puff pastry, thawed and at room temperature
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water, whisked together
45ml sesame seeds
180g cream cheese, softened
60g goat cheese, softened
15ml lemon juice
1ml salt
30ml chopped chives
60ml sweet chilli sauce

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the pastry on a work surface and cut out 5cm rounds with a biscuit cutter.
Transfer the pastry rounds to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart.
Now score each round with a 2,5cm biscuit cutter, but do not cut through.
Brush the borders/rims of the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake the rounds for 12 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and press down the centres of each puff with the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool completely.
Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, lemon juice, salt and chopped chives to a bowl and beat together by hand until creamy.
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe into the centre of each pastry puff.
Drizzle over the sweet chilli sauce and serve.

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Cassata

December 2, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 egg whites
62ml + 62ml caster sugar
500ml cream
250ml chopped mixed nuts
125g mixed dried fruit
125g red and green glacé cherries

Line a baking tin with a 1 litre capacity (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap or baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks.
Add a teaspoonful of the 62ml caster sugar while whisking. Wait for the sugar to be incorporated (about 30 seconds) before adding the next teaspoonful. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Set aside.
Pour the cream into another mixing bowl and add the other 62ml caster sugar all at once.
Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Spoon about a third of the cream mixture into the egg white mixture and fold through with a large metal spoon.
Add the rest of the cream and fold it in until incorporated.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts, dried fruit and half of the cherries over and fold it in to the mixture.
Arrange the other half of the cherries on the bottom of your prepared container.
Spoon the mixture into the container and lightly level it out.
Place the cassata in the freezer until frozen.
Serve in slices with or without a sauce.

To store leftover, cover the cassata with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer as you would with ice cream.

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Baked Chocolate Mousse

November 29, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen Claassen2 Comments

300g dark chocolate, chopped
160ml butter, cubed
6 eggs, separated
30ml + 30ml caster sugar
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with baking paper.
Add the chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water.
Stir every now and then until the chocolate is melted and you have a silky smooth mixture.
Take the bowl from the saucepan and set aside.
Add the egg yolks and 30ml caster sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks.
Add the remaining 30ml caster sugar a little at a time while whisking until you have a thick, glossy consistency.
Stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Add the rest and gently fold it through.
Add the vanilla and fold it in until your mixture has an even colour without any white pockets of egg white in it.
Spoon the mousse into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the baking tin.
Remove from the tin and sift over some icing sugar to serve.

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Breakfast Tortilla Bake

November 26, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 large tortilla
1 onion, sliced
1 sweet pepper, sliced
100g + 100g cheddar cheese, grated
100g baby spinach
4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Lay the tortilla flat in a cast iron (or any other oven-friendly)pan and press it down slightly so that it covers the bottom and comes about halfway up the sides.
Sprinkle 100g of the cheddar cheese over the bottom of the tortilla.`
Spread the sliced onion over the cheese and then scatter over the sliced sweet pepper.
Place the spinach onto and spread it out evenly to cover the rest of the ingredients.
Break the eggs on the spinach leaves and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining 100g cheddar over and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve the tortilla with a good, crusty bread.

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Parmesan Chicken

November 24, 2023October 15, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 x 400g tin of diced tomatoes
250ml panko breadcrumbs
2,5ml salt
250ml + 250ml finely grated parmesan cheese
190ml flour
2 eggs
6 chicken breasts
250ml vegetable oil
250ml grated mozzarella cheese

Turn your oven on to grill and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat and pour in the 45ml oil.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the diced tomato, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir every now and then.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the breadcrumbs, salt and 250ml parmesan to a shallow bowl.
Add the flower to another bowl.
Add the eggs and 15ml water to a third bowl and whisk together.
Place one chicken breast between two layers of plastic wrap and gently thin it out by pounding it with a meat mallet or rolling pin. The chicken should be no thicker than 1cm.
Season with salt and dip it into the flour. Shake off the excess and dip it into the egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
Keep the breaded chicken on a baking sheet until all of the chicken is done.
How place a pan on medium-high heat, add the 250ml oil and wait for it to heat up.
Fry the chicken in batches for about 1 minute before flipping it over for another minute or until it is golden brown.
Arrange the fried chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spoon the cooled tomato sauce over.
Mix the mozzarella and remaining 250ml parmesan and sprinkle over the chicken.
Grill the chicken for about 2 minutes – it is important to watch the chicken as it can easily burn but you want the cheese melted and browned.
Serve the parmesan chicken with any of the remaining tomato sauce.