dessert – Page 16 – My Whisk and I

Buttermilk Pannacotta

March 31, 2022March 27, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This buttermilk pannacotta is delicious when served with the this tart passionfruit syrup but of course, the choice is yours and it may be served with any sauce of your choice.

250ml buttermilk
10ml powdered gelatine
450ml pouring cream
60ml sugar

Passionfruit syrup:
80ml canned passionfruit
60ml sugar
80ml water
the grated zest of one lemon

Pour about 50ml of the buttermilk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Pour the remaining buttermilk, cream and sugar into a small saucepan set over low heat.
Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the gelatine mixture into this mixture and stir well.
Pour the mixture into 6 moulds with a 125ml capacity each, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours until set.

For the passionfruit syrup:
Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan and place it over a low heat.
Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer the syrup for 1 minute without stirring and then take it off the heat.
Add the lemon zest and passionfruit pulp.
Stir through and set aside to cool completely.

Turn the individual pannacottas out on a serving dish and drizzle with the cold passionfruit syrup to serve.

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Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake

March 25, 2022March 24, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe is a quick version of a burnt Basque cheesecake which one sees in almost every market on the French coastal region. The top of the cheesecake is supposed to be completely black, hence the name!

750g cream cheese, at room temperature
250g caster sugar
5 eggs
100g chocolate (honeycomb flavour), chopped
375ml cream
30ml cocoa powder, sifted
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt
honeycomb or honeycomb chocolate (Crunchie), broken into pieces
60g chocolate (honeycomb flavour), melted

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a 22cm loose bottom cake tin with aluminium foil – this will prevent the cheesecake batter from leaking. Line the “foiled” cake tin with baking paper.
Add the cream cheese and caster sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and forms soft peaks.
Turn the mixer to a low-medium speed and add the eggs one at a time.
Add the chocolate and cream to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted.
Take the bowl from the heat and add the cocoa powder, vanilla an a pinch of salt. Stir through.
Turn the mixer onto a low speed and pour in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 60 minutes.
DO NOT PANIC WHEN YOU SMELL THE CHEESECAKE BURNING!!
Remove the cake from the oven and cool it completely. The cheesecake will have a wobbly centre when removed from the oven.
Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Place the cheesecake on a serving plate.
Pour over the melted chocolate and scatter the broken honeycomb.

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Chocolate Cap Sauce

March 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

180g chocolate
45ml coconut oil

Break the chocolate into pieces and add it to a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.
Add the coconut oil and melt the ingredients over a low heat, until smooth.
Remove from the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly.
Pour the sauce over ice cold ice cream and wait for it to set!!
Voila!!!

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Kunafa ala Nawal

March 14, 2022March 15, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Kunafa is a Middle Eastern dessert made with spun pastry and drizzled with rosewater and sugar syrup. This is my adapted version of Kunafa, inspired by my favourite tennis “tweeter”! Thanks Nawal!!

250ml sugar
125ml water
5ml rose water
450g vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled
140g butter, melted
300g mozzarella cheese, grated
a handful of pistachio nuts
icing sugar to dust

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and butter a 25cm loose bottom cake tin. Place the cake tin on a large baking sheet and set aside.
Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan set over medium high heat.
Stir the mixture until all the sugar granules are dissolved and then bring it to a simmer for 1 minute.
Take the saucepan from the heat, add the rosewater and set aside.
Place the cooked noodles in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with the melted butter and mix with your hands to spread the butter over the noodles.
Place half of the noodles in the prepare cake tin, in an even layer.
Spread the mozzarella over the noodles and top the cheese with the remaining noodles.
Press the layers down into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden.
Remove the cake tin (still on the baking sheet) from the oven and immediately drizzle the kunafa with the rosewater syrup.
Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Take off the ring of the tin and sprinkle the kunafa with pistachio nuts.
Sieve over some icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

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

110g butter, room temperature
175g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
110g almond meal/ground almonds
110g dark chocolate, very finely chopped or grated
150ml milk
175g self-raising flour

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line two 12-hole muffin tins with paper cups.
Add the butter and caster sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together until very pale and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks to a bowls and whisk together.
Run the mixer on low speed and add a spoonful of the yolks at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and fold in the chopped chocolate, almond meal and milk.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft peak stage.
Gently fold the whites into the almond mixture.
Now add the flour and gently fold it in with a spatula.
Spoon the mixture into the 24 paper cases and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes on a cooling rack before icing/decorating.

Chocolate Ganache:
160g chocolate
125ml heavy cream

Chop the chocolate into pieces and place it in a heatproof mixing bowl.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan on medium heat. Take the cream from the heat as soon as small bubbles appear at the edges of the saucepan.
Pour the cream onto the chopped chocolate and allow to stand for 2 minutes.
Now stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and it is completely smooth and silky.
Cool completely before whipping for 4 minutes.
Use to decorate.

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Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

February 21, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Base:
160ml peanut butter
60ml golden syrup
160ml desiccated coconut

Filling:
200g chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
500g tofu, room temperature
160ml brown sugar
30ml cocoa powder, sifted
22,5ml cornstarch

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
Add the peanut butter, syrup and coconut to a mixing bowl and stir together.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press evenly over the base of the tin.
Place the cake tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt.
Remove from the heat once it is smooth and put to the side to cool slightly.
Add the tofu, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and melted chocolate to the bowl of a food processor.
Blitz together until smooth – scrape the mixture down once or twice.
Pour the tofu mixture over the base and bake for 30 minutes, until set.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 hour.
Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

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Tropical Chocolate Bread

January 20, 2022January 20, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a great variation on banana bread and perfect for brunch when served with roasted peaches. Keeps for 2-3 days in an airtight container but it is very good when toasted thereafter.

150g butter
190ml caster sugar
2 eggs
30ml milk
2 ripe bananas, sliced
250ml self-raising flour
5ml bicarbonate of soda
62ml dodo powder, sifted
125ml desiccated coconut
160g De Villiers Cocoa Nut Butter Chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 11cm X 25cm X 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on medium-high speed until creamy.
Add the eggs, milk and sliced bananas and mix for another minute.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder together and stir into the mixture.
Take the bowl from the mixer, add the coconut and chocolate and stir through by hand.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice to serve.

Honey-Roasted Peaches:
6 fresh peaches
15ml butter, cubed
62ml honey

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.
Place the peach halves on an oven tray and dot the cubed butter over it.
Drizzle over the honey.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until caramelised and golden brown.
Serve on a toasted slice of Tropical Chocolate Bread.

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Chocolate Calzone

January 14, 2022January 13, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

We made this chocolate calzone one Saturday afternoon when we had leftover pizza dough and it has been a firm favourite from then on. Serve it warm with fresh strawberries and a few basil leaves on the side. This recipe yields 6 – 8 pizzas.

Pizza dough:
15g dry yeast
10ml sugar
800g bread flour
2,5ml salt
60ml olive oil
400ml tepid water

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in a jug with the lukewarm water and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Set aside.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Add the oil to the flour.
Turn the machine on to its lowest speed and add the yeast mixture. Knead for 2 minutes.
Turn the machine to medium speed and knead for another 6 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave to stand in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

If you are not baking your pizza in a pizza oven, preheat your oven to 220℃ and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Take the dough from the bowl and release the air from it by gently kneading it by hand for one minute.
Cut the dough into 6 – 8 portions.
Roll each dough ball to a thickness of 5mm and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.

Assembly of one calzone:
2 x 80g slabs of De Villiers Coco Nut, Nut Butter Chocolate
a handful of cashew nuts

Place the two slabs of chocolate, one atop of the other, on one half of the dough circle and sprinkle over the cashew nuts.
Gently fold the other half of the dough circle over the chocolate and pinch the edges together with your fingers.
Now fold the edge back by 1cm and pinch tightly together.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until done.

Serve the calzone with fresh strawberries and basil leaves.

(The calzone on the photographs was cooked in a pizza oven. )

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Chocolate Pistachio Thumbprints

January 6, 2022January 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

125g butter
160ml sugar
1 egg, separated
30ml milk
5ml vanilla
250ml flour
83ml cocoa powder, sifted
1,2ml salt
250ml pistachio, finely chopped
80g nut butter chocolate, chopped
15ml cocoa butter

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together.
Add the egg yolk, milk and vanilla and mix together.
Stir in the flour, cocoa powder and salt until combined.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Add the egg white to a small bowl and whisk until frothy.
Chop the pistachio finely (I do mine in a food processor) and place it in a shallow bowl.
Scoop up about 15ml of dough and roll it into small balls.
Now roll each ball in the egg white and then in the chopped pistachio.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.
Use the back of a 2,5ml measuring spoon to make an indentation in the centre of each dough ball.
Bake the biscuits for 12 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately re-press the indentations you made. Set aside to cool completely.
Add the chocolate and cocoa butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Stir every now and then until smooth and glossy.
Remove from the heat and stand the bowl for about 30 minutes.
Spoon the chocolate into the indent in each biscuit and set aside to allow the chocolate to set – preferably overnight.
Makes about 25 biscuits.

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Layered Custard Pots

January 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These custard pots are easy to make and can be kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 12.

2 packets finger biscuits
1 can condensed milk
125ml lemon juice
90ml sugar
135ml custard powder
200ml + 800ml milk

Line up 12 ramekins or serving glasses.
Break/cut the finger biscuits in half and place 2 halves in each ramekin, “lining” the bottoms. Set aside.
Add the condensed milk and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and stir together until the mixture amalgamates. Set aside.
Add the sugar and custard powder to a mixing bowl and make a slurry by slowly pouring in the 200ml milk, while whisking.
Pour the 800ml milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Pour in the the custard and sugar slurry and whisk vigorously. Whisk until the custard is thick and smooth and starts to bubble.
Remove from the heat.
Scoop about 60ml of the very hot custard on top of the finger biscuits in the ramekins.
Now scoop about 60ml of the condensed milk mixture on top of the custard layer and shake the ramekins slightly so that the mixture spreads and covers the custard layer.
Repeat the finger biscuit, custard and condensed milk layers.
Bash 12 finger biscuits until very fine and divide equally among the ramekins.
Place the custard pots in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.