recipe – Page 3 – My Whisk and I

Carrot-Pineapple Cake

August 25, 2024August 19, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

625ml flour
10ml baking powder
7,5ml bicarbonate of soda
15ml ground mixed spice
5ml salt
375ml brown sugar
310ml sunflower oil
62ml smooth apricot jam
4 eggs
500ml grated carrot
1 x 440g tin of crushed pineapple, drained
125ml pean nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven too 190℃ and spray a ring tin with cooking spray. Coat the sprayed tin with dried breadcrumbs and shake out the rest. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
Add the sugar and oil to the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
Add small amount of the apricot jam to the mixture with the machine running on medium speed.
With the mixer still running, add the eggs one-by-one.
Scrape down and mix on high speed for a minute or so.
Add the carrot, pineapple and nuts and mix on a low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated.
Take the bowl from the mixer and add the flour mixture.
Fold together until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto a serving platter.
Cool the cake completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing:
60g butter, room temperature
125g cream cheese, room temperature
30ml milk
2,5ml vanilla
125g icing sugar, sifted

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until soft and fluffy, scraping down every now and then.
Keep the mixer running and drizzle in the milk and vanilla.
Add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time until you have a smooth mixture.
Spread the cream cheese icing on the cake and scatter a handful of pecan nuts over.

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Zucchini Cheese Pie

August 24, 2024August 23, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g zucchini, grated
200g feta cheese, crumbed
100g mozzarella, grated
25ml dill, chopped
15ml sliced spring onions
2 eggs
5-6 sheets filo pastry
50g butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Grate the zucchini into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 20 min.
Scoop the zucchini into a clean dish towel and twist it as though you are wringing it out, to get rid of the water/moisture.
Add the zucchini, feta and mozzarella to a bowl and mix together.
Add the dill, spring onion and egg and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Melt the butter and brush a 23cm diameter pie dish on the bottom and sides.
Lay a sheet of filo in the pie dish, allowing it to hang over the sides and brush that with butter as well.
Lay another 4-5 sheets of filo over the first one, overlapping them at different angles and brushing each with the butter.
Spoon the zucchini and cheese mixture into the filo.
Fold the pastry in and around the filling and once brush with the butter.
Bake the pie in the oven for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Serve the pie warm or at room temperature.

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Blood Orange Cordial

August 20, 2024August 19, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

the zest of 3 oranges
1 litre freshly squeezed orange juice, strained
500ml sugar
4 bay leaves

Add all the ingredients to a saucepan placed over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer the mixture for one hour – you want a syrupy consistency.
Cool the liquid completely and strain into a glass bottle.
Serve the cordial over ice and sparkling water.
Store in the refrigerator.

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Beef Short Ribs

August 18, 2024August 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg beef short ribs
7,5ml salt
5ml pepper
30ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
50ml tomato paste
500ml red wine
500ml beef stock
4 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves

Preheat your oven to 160℃.
Dry the ribs and season it with the salt and pepper.
Pour the oil into a large saucepan set over high heat.
Brown the ribs in batches and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic and onion. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add the carrot and cook for another 7 minutes or so.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes while stirring every now and then.
Now pour in the wine and beef stock and add the thyme and bay leaf.
Place the beef back into the liquid, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove the beef from the cooking liquid.
Strain the liquid through a sieve and return it to the saucepan.
Simmer the sauce until it has reduced and thickened. Season to your liking.
Arrange the short ribs on a serving platter and spoon over the sauce.

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Citrus Braised Fennel

August 17, 2024August 17, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

I used blood oranges in this recipe but regular oranges are just as good!

2 medium fennel bulbs
60ml butter
2,5ml salt
2,5ml sugar
60ml orange juice
180ml chicken/vegetable stock
finely grated zest of one orange
30ml chopped fennel fronds

Rinse and dry the fennel bulbs and cut off the fronds.
Slice each bulb in half, lengthwise through the core.
Halve each again so that you have quarters, keeping the core so that the wedge doesn’t fall apart.
Add the butter to a pan set over medium-high heat and wait for it to melt.
Place the wedges in the pan, sprinkle some sugar and salt over and fry until golden.
Flip the wedges and sprinkle the other side with sugar and salt (it helps the caramelisation).
Pour in the orange juice and stock.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid. Braise the fennel for 12 minutes.
Remove the lid and turn up the heat so that the liquid cooks down to a glaze.
Sprinkle over the orange zest and chopped fronds.
Serve the fennel with some fresh orange segments.

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French Style Hot Chocolate

August 14, 2024August 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml + 60ml milk
125ml cream
15ml vanilla
30ml cocoa powder
7,5ml cornflour
a pinch of salt
150g chocolate, finely chopped

Add the milk and cream to a small saucepan and place it over medium heat until it is steaming hot.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside.
Add the cocoa powder, cornflour and salt to a small bowl.
Now add a few spoonfuls of the warm milk to it and stir to form a runny paste.
Pour the paste back into the saucepan and stir to combine.
Add the chopped chocolate and place the saucepan back over a very low heat.
Stir until the chocolate has completely melted.
Pour the hot chocolate into serving cups and add a dollop of whipped cream to serve.

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Bea’s Guava Crumble

August 10, 2024August 6, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 x 410g tins of guava halves
100ml brown sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
125ml cream

Crumble:
250ml flour
125ml brown sugar
120g butter, cut into small cubes
125ml chopped nuts
80ml oats

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and lightly spray a 28cm x 24cm oven dish with cooking spray.
Drain the guava halves and arrange them in a single layer in the oven dish.
Drizzle the cream over.
Add the brown sugar and ground cinnamon to a small bowl and mix together.
Sprinkle over the guavas and set aside.
Add the flour, brown sugar, butter, chopped nuts and oats to a mixing bowl.
Rub the ingredients together with your fingertips until you have a lumpy mixture with the consistency of wet sand.
Scatter the crumble over the guavas and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.
Serve the guava crumble with custard.

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Spanish French-Toast / Torrijas de Leche

July 30, 2024July 29, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 litre milk
1 lemon, zest cut into strips
1 orange, zest cut into strips
60ml sugar
1 cinnamon quille/stick
1 baguette, cut into 2cm thick slices
5 eggs
125ml caster sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
sunflower oil

Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the lemon and orange peel, sugar and cinnamon quill.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to steep until cooled to room temperature.
Strain the milk over a large bowl and discard the zest and cinnamon.
Add the eggs to a second bowl and whisk together.
Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a third bowl and set aside.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and pour in some vegetable oil.
Soak the bread in the milk, dunk it into the egg mixture and immediately into the not pan.
Cook the bread for about 3 minutes per side until golden.
Coat each slice with the cinnamon sugar and serve straight away.

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Sago Pudding with apricot sauce and meringue

July 7, 2024July 7, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

80ml apricot jam
30ml apricot juice

1 litre milk
90g sago pearls
70g sugar
60g butter, cubed
1,2ml salt
4 eggs, separated
5ml vanilla
2,5ml ground cinnamon
30ml caster sugar

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Turn off the heat, add the sago, cover with a lid and leave to soak for 90 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 160℃ and spray a 18cm x 28cm ceramic dish with cooking spray.
Add the apricot jam and apricot juice to a small saucepan and place it over a low heat.
Stir until jam has melted and you have a smooth, amalgamated sauce. Set aside.
Return the milk mixture to a medium-high heat and whisk while bringing to the boil.
Remove from the heat when the sago is translucent.
Add the sugar, butter and salt and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Set aside to cool slightly.
Add the egg yolks, vanilla and ground cinnamon to a bowl and whisk together.
Drizzle this mixture into the sago while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture into the prepared ceramic dish and bake for one hour.
Add the egg whites too a clean bowl and whisk with electric beater until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the caster sugar while beating, until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
Remove the sago from the oven and spoon half the apricot sauce over.
Top with the meringue and bake for another 25 minutes.
Serve the sago pudding with the rest of the apricot sauce.

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Pea and Bacon Soup

June 30, 2024June 28, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

400g smoked streaky bacon
15ml olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
650g frozen peas
750ml vegetable/chicken stock
15ml butter

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil.
Cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside.
Add the onion to the same saucepan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add about three quarters of the peas and all of the stock.
Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with a plunge blender until smooth.
Now add the peas that you kept aside, break the bacon into pieces and add those and the butter.
Gently simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Serve with bacon and cheese toasties.