foodcoma – Page 34 – My Whisk and I

Quick Tropical Cheesecakes

February 11, 2023February 10, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe makes 12 small desserts or 6 substantial portions, served in glasses or ramekins.

1 x 200g packet of coconut biscuits (Tennis biscuits)
80ml desiccated coconut
1 x 385g can of condensed milk
80ml lemon juice
250g smooth cream cheese, room temperature
250ml fresh cream
2 x large mango, cubed

Break the biscuits into large pieces and place in a plastic bag. Crush them lightly with a rolling pin but keep some texture/not too fine.
Add the coconut, mix through and divide amongst 12 serving glasses. Set aside.
Pour the condensed milk and lemon juice into a mixing bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until incorporated.
Add the cream cheese and mix again on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth. Set aside.
Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and beat until it forms medium-stiff peaks.
Add the cream to the condensed milk mixture and fold through until it is thoroughly blended.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the glasses and gently tap the glass so that the mixture settles into the crumb.
Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.
Peel the mango and cut into cubes.
Spoon the fruit on top of each cheesecake, sprinkle some coconut shavings on top and serve.

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Tomato and Plum Tart

February 9, 2023February 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 roll butter puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg and 15ml water beaten together
3 large tomatoes
3 ripe plums
15 thyme leaves
15ml honey
250g flavoured cream cheese (I used chive flavour)

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the pastry on the baking paper and cut a 1,5cm strip off each side.
Brush the pastry with some egg wash and lay the strips onto the pastry border.
Prick the inside of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes and plums into wedges and place in a mixing bowl.
Drizzle with the honey, season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme leaves over.
Brush the entire pastry sheet with the rest of the egg wash.
Now spread the cream cheese onto the inside block of the pastry, using the back of a spoon.
Arrange half the tomato and plum mix onto the cream cheese.
Bake the tart in the oven for 30 minutes.
Top the warm tart with the remaining tomato and plums and season once more.
Serve slightly warm.

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Chilli Cheese Garlic Bread

February 7, 2023February 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 250 g bottle of cheese spread
150g butter, cubed
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 red chillies, very finely chopped
250ml grated mozzarella cheese
2 sourdough loafs or baguettes

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Add the cheese spread, butter, garlic and chillies to a small saucepan and place over a low heat.
Stir the mixture around while the butter melts. Keep going until amalgamated.
Add the grated mozzarella and stir until the cheese has melted and has incorporated into the sauce. Take from the heat.
Slice the bread on the diagonal into slices 2cm apart, taking care not to go all the way through to the bottom.
Spread the cheese mixture generously between the slices.
Wrap the bread in foil. (You may freeze one loaf at this stage).
Place the loaf on a baking sheet and put into the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve immediately.

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Prawn and Basil Salad

February 6, 2023February 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g pasta of your choice
1 x 245g sachet pickled peppers, diced and liquid reserved
500g prawns, deveined
250ml salad cream/creamy mayonnaise
250ml yoghurt
2 big handfuls of basil leaves
half an English cucumber, diced

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain.
Take the pickled peppers from the sachet and chop. Set the peppers aside.
Drizzle the pickling liquid over the warm pasta and stir through. Set aside to cool.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add the prawns and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Add the salad cream, yoghurt and basil leaves to a blender and process until you have a light green dressing.
Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Add the pasta, prawns, cucumber, peppers and basil dressing to a large bowl and mix through.
Scatter some basil leaves on top and serve.

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Soy Sauce Eggs

September 28, 2022September 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These marinated eggs are delicious as a healthy snack or added to any asian dish and theeeee perfect companion for a slurpy bowl of noodles!! Serve them as breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between..

190ml warm water
190ml soy sauce
25ml vinegar
80ml honey
6 eggs

Add the water, soy sauce, vinegar and honey to a jug and whisk together to blend the ingredients. Set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
Lower the eggs into the boiling water with a spoon and cook for 7 minutes, or to your liking.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice and keep on the side.
Transfer the eggs to the ice bowl after the 7 minutes. Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle it is really easy to peel them when kept under the cold water.
Place the peeled eggs in a container and pour the marinate over.
Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. The eggs must be submerged in the marinade – place a weight on top to keep them covered in the liquid.
Remove from the soy mixture, slice and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs to serve.

The eggs in these photographs were marinated for 24 hours – very dark colour and strong umami taste!!

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Cremora Dessert

September 27, 2022September 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g digestive biscuits
100g butter, melted
250ml Cremona (coffee creamer)
1 x 385g tin condensed milk
250ml cream
80ml lemon juice
your choice of fresh fruit and/or berries

Place 6 glasses/bowl on a small baking sheet and set aside. (the baking sheet makes it easier to transport the desserts)
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to crumbs.
Add the melted butter with the engine running. You want to end up with a mixture that resembles wet sand.
Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the glasses and divide the rest equally. Press lightly onto the bottoms and place in the refrigerator.
Add the Cremona, condensed milk, cream and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisk together until you have a very thick mixture.
Divide among the serving glasses and place back into the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
Take the desserts from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to serve them.
Top with your choice of fresh fruit.

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Udon Noodle Broth

September 26, 2022September 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

200g mushrooms, sliced
50g butter
750ml chicken (or vegetable) stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2,5ml ground ginger
20ml soy sauce
10ml sugar
20ml dry sherry (or Chinese cooking wine if you can get hold of any)
2,5ml sesame oil
2 x 200g fresh udon noodles
a small handful of chives, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat. Wait for it to heat up and then add the butter and mushrooms.
Fry until golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the stock, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, sherry and sesame oil to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat so that the broth can simmer.
Place a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the garlic and add the noodles to the broth.
Agitate the noodles with a fork so that they break up and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the fried mushroom and remove the saucepan from the heat.
Ladle the noodles and a good amount of broth into serving bowls and top with a sprinkling of chives.

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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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15-Minutes Gnocchi

September 21, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g gnocchi
15ml olive oil
30ml butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml mixed Italian herbs
1 x 400g tin of diced tomato
125ml tomato sauce (ketchup)
125ml vegetable stock
80ml cream
5ml salt
a few grindings of black pepper
a few sprigs of thyme
parmesan cheese, to serve

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
Add the gnocchi, cook for 2-3 minutes (they should start floating) and drain.
Drizzle with some olive oil and mix through so that the gnocchi doesn’t stick – set aside.
Place a saucepan or large pan on medium-high heat and add the butter.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the gnocchi to the pan and sprinkle the herbs on top. Stir to coat.
Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Spoon the gnocchi into a bowl and keep warm on the side.
Now add the tin of tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Pour in the cream, add the salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Add the gnocchi back into the pan and heat through.
Scatter some fresh thyme over and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately.