Tag: dessert

Uncategorized

Cassata

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Cassata
Cassata

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.

Uncategorized

Baked Chocolate Mousse

by Karen Claassen2 Comments on Baked Chocolate Mousse
Baked Chocolate Mousse

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.

Uncategorized

Romany Creams

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Romany Creams
Romany Creams

This recipe yields about 30 sandwiched romany creams.

250g butter
250ml caster sugar
2 eggs
500ml flour
60ml cocoa powder, sifted
5ml baking powder
2ml salt
375ml desiccated coconut

Filling:
60ml sugar
15ml butter
80ml cream
30ml milk
5ml vanilla
625ml icing sugar, sifted
30ml cocoa powder, sifted

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 eggs one at a time while beating and wait for it to be incorporated.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Add the coconut and stir to mix.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time, allowing time for it to be incorporated.
Scrape the bowl down and mix on high speed for 1 minute.
Scoop a teaspoonful of the dough in your hands, roll into a ball and space it evenly on the baking sheet.
Flatten the dough balls slightly by pressing down on them with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 12 minutes and allow to cool on the baking sheet.

For the filling:
Place a small saucepan over MEDIUM heat and add the sugar and butter.
Stir until the sugar has melted.
Add the cream and milk and remove from the heat.
Add the vanilla and stir through.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the saucepan and mix until the filling has a spreadable consistency.
Sandwich the biscuits together. (You may re-heat the filling over a low heat if it becomes un spreadable)
Store the romany creams in a glass container.

Uncategorized

Hertzoggies

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Hertzoggies
Hertzoggies

Yields about 18 cookies.

Pastry:
250g flour
25g caster sugar
10ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
125g butter, room temperature, cubed
3 egg yolks
15ml cold water

Filling:
3 egg whites
250g sugar
500ml desiccated coconut
about 100ml smooth apricot jam

For the pastry:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray.
Sift the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips.
Whisk the egg yolks and water together and add it to the mixture.
Mix and knead by hand until you have a soft pastry.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to medium peaks.
Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition so that it is incorporated into the whites.
Add the coconut and fold through. Set aside.

Roll the pastry out to a 3mm thickness and cut out pastry circles of 7cm diameter.
Line the muffin tins with the circles.
Spoon about 7ml apricot jam into each pastry case and then divide the coconut and egg mixture amongst the cakes, topping it.
Bake in the oven for 22 minutes.
Cool the Hertzoggies in the muffin tins for 10 minutes before gently removing them to cool on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container.

Uncategorized

How to clean and season/maintain a cast iron pan

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on How to clean and season/maintain a cast iron pan
How to clean and season/maintain a cast iron pan
  • Wash the pan under very hot running water
  • Dry with a clean kitchen towel
  • Preheat your oven to 245℃
  • Fill the pan with course salt (I use dishwashing salt!)
  • Place the pan on high heat for about ten minutes. The salt will spit and jump our of the pan, but be brave!!
  • You will be able to see the dirt in the salt which means it is time to turn off the heat. Leave pan and salt to cool, it is extremely hot!!
  • Tip the dirty salt in a bag and dispose of it. Wipe the the remnants from the pan with kitchen paper.
  • Put a few drops of Linseed oil on kitchen paper and rub over the inside and outside of the pan.
  • Place the oiled pan in the oven and bake it for one hour. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven to cool completely.
  • Your pan is now clean and seasoned and will serve you for many more years.
Uncategorized

Nutty Finger Cookies

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Nutty Finger Cookies
Nutty Finger Cookies

Yields about 30 sandwiched cookies.

4 egg whites
375ml caster sugar
125ml flour
50ml mixed nuts, finely chopped
200g white chocolate, chopped
chocolate/mixed vermicelli

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms medium peaks.
Add the sugar gradually, a spoonful at a time, until all has been incorporated.
Mix the flour and chopped nuts, sprinkle it over the whites and fold in with a metal spoon.
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle and pipe 6cm long logs onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 13 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before gently removing from the baking sheet.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Sandwich the cookies together and place them back on the cooled baking sheet to set.
Dip the ends of the cookies in the chocolate and then in the vermicelli.
Allow to set completely.
Store the finger cookies in an airtight container.

Uncategorized

Greek Shortbread

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Greek Shortbread
Greek Shortbread

Yields about 35 biscuits.

200g butter, room temperature
250ml + 80ml icing sugar, sifted
1 egg
1 egg yolk
625ml flour
7,5ml baking powder
5ml ground cinnamon
420ml ground almonds/almond meal

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Add the butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and egg yolk and mix again. Scrape down.
Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and almonds to the bowl and mix together until incorporated.
Scoop about 15ml of the mixture into your hands and shape it into crescents. (Roll a ball, roll it in to a 3-4cm log and slope the ends downwards. Drape it over your finger to form a crescent)
Space the cookies evenly on the baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
Sift the 80ml icing sugar over the biscuits and leave to cool completely.
Hint: Hide some of the biscuits……they fly away on their own!

Uncategorized

Pineapple Brulée

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Pineapple Brulée
Pineapple Brulée

2 pineapples
40g cornflour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g caster sugar
5ml vanilla
100ml granulated sugar

Halve the pineapples in their length.
Cut a 1cm border from the edge with a small sharp knife.
Scoop out the flesh with a melon baller or a teaspoon, taking care not to break the skin.
Chop the flesh into small pieces and keep aside.
Add the cornflour to a large mixing bowl and stir in the 50ml 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 to it.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Take it from the heat as tiny bubbles start too appear around the edges of the saucepan.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
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 it from the heat.
Add the vanilla and stir through.
Pour the mixture onto a dinner plate and place plastic wrap directly on the surface.
Allow to cool completely.
Add the pineapple flesh, stir through and spoon the mixture into the pineapple.
Sprinkle about 25ml sugar over each pineapple and brulée with a blowtorch.
Serve the pineapple cold.


Uncategorized

Condensed Milk Cupcakes

by Karen Claassen1 Comment on Condensed Milk Cupcakes
Condensed Milk Cupcakes

125g butter, cubed
1 x 385g can condensed milk
5ml vanilla
300g self-raising flour
2 eggs
250g mixed berries
icing sugar, to dust

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Add the butter and condensed milk to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat.
Stir the mixture for about 3 minutes, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.`
Add the flour to a mixing bowl and pour the mixture into the flour.
Whisk the eggs together with a fork and add this to the mixture as well.
Fold through until the ingredients are just combined.
Set aside 24 of the berries and add the rest to the batter. Fold through.
Spoon the batter into the paper cups and press two berries into the top of each.
Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and tin and cool on a cooling rack.
Sift some icing sugar over to serve.