snack – Page 3 – My Whisk and I

Nutty Finger Cookies

November 3, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

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.

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Pineapple Brulée

October 18, 2023September 17, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

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.

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Biltong Quickbread

October 14, 2023September 9, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500ml flour
15ml sugar
7,5ml baking powder
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
250ml buttermilk
1 egg
62ml vegetable oil
200g mature cheddar cheese, grated
150g biltong, sliced and chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 22cm x 12cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the buttermilk, egg and vegetable oil to a jug and whisk together.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Stir with a spatula until you can’t see any dry flour.
Add the cheddar and biltong and stir really well so that the ingredients are distributed evenly.
Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and level out the top.
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
Cool the bread in the baking tin for 15 minutes.
Remove from the tin and cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

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Honey-Mustard Smashed Potato

October 9, 2023September 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

700g – 1kg small potatoes
45ml olive oil
60ml mayonnaise
60ml wholegrain mustard
30ml honey
5ml white wine vinegar

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray an oven tray with cooking spray.
Cook the potatoes until just done, but fully cooked.
Add the mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard, honey and white wine vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Smash each potato down with a flat-bottom coffee mug and place them in the oven tray.
Drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt.
Spoon half the honey-mustard dressing on to the potatoes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Flip the potatoes over, spoon the rest of the dressing over and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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Mini Cinnamon Swirls

September 24, 2023September 6, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500ml self-raising flour
30ml flour
30ml caster sugar
150g butter, cubed
125ml milk
1 egg
10ml vanilla
125ml brown sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
25g butter, cubed
20g butter, melted

Glaze:
375ml icing sugar, sifted
15ml boiling water

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 24-hole mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.
Add the self-raising and regular flours, caster sugar and butter to a food processor and process to fine crumbs.
Tip the mixture into a mixing bowl.
Add the milk, egg and vanilla to a jug and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The dough will be very sticky. Set aside.
Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and stir to mix.
Add the 25g butter and rub it into the sugar with your fingers.
Flour a work surface and divide the dough in half.
Roll out to 35cm x 20cm rectangle.
Sprinkle half the sugar and butter mixture evenly over the surface and roll it into a long, tight log.
Trim the edges neatly and then cut the log in to 1,5cm slices.
Place each slice in a hole in the muffin tin.
Melt the 20g butter and brush it on to the swirls.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove and cool on a cooling rack.

For the glaze:
Add the icing sugar to a small bowl and pour in 15ml of boiling water.
Mix together and drizzle over the swirls.
Stand the cookies for 20 minutes to set, before serving.

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Tortilla-Pizza Snack

September 10, 2023August 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

I am listing the ingredients and the method but the quantities are loose and depends on how many people you will feed.

tortilla wraps
marinara or any other tomato-based pasta sauce
salami or pepperoni
mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves
a hard cheese like parmesan

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Once the cheese has melted (about 15 minutes) the tortilla snack is ready to serve.

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Breakfast Puffs

September 3, 2023August 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

140g flour
12,5ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
a pinch of smoked paprika
100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
250ml milk
1 egg

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and paprika into a mixing bowl.
Add the grated cheddar and mix through.
Add the milk and egg to a jug and whisk together.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix together to form a batter.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Confit Garlic Mayonnaise

August 31, 2023August 17, 2023by Karen Claassen3 Comments

250m vegetable oil
15 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
a few sprigs of rosemary
a few sprigs of thyme
2 egg yolks
5ml English mustard
juice of half a lemon
5ml salt

Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan and place over medium heat.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme and wait for the oil to start simmering.
Turn the heat down so that you have the lowest simmer possible.
Simmer for 40 minutes, remove from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes.
Remove the garlic cloves and strain the oil. Set the oil aside to cool completely.
Place the garlic on a chopping board and cream it by pushing the flat side of the blade of a utility knife onto it. Lift the blade, push down and drag. Repeat until you have no lumps and the garlic is smooth.
Add the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, salt and garlic to a small bowl.
Blitz together with a stick blender.
Drizzle the cold oil into the bowl with the stick blender running.
Keep drizzling and blitzing until all the oil has been added and you have a thick mayonnaise.
Spoon the mayo into a pretty bowl and serve with potato chips or wedges.

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Coffee Cupcakes

August 29, 2023August 17, 2023by Karen Claassen2 Comments

125ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
125ml buttermilk
10ml vanilla
250ml brown sugar
80ml cocoa powder, sifted
15ml instant coffee granules
250ml flour
5ml baking powder
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
1,2ml salt

Frosting:
125g butter, room temperature
10ml vanilla
30ml instant coffee granules
500ml icing sugar, sifted
30ml milk

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a cupcake baking tin with paper cups.
Add the vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix to combine.
Add the sugar and mix at high speed for 2 minutes.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add the cocoa powder and coffee.
Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a separate bowl and stir to mix.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add spoonfuls of the flour mixture, waiting for it to be incorporated before adding more.
Spoon the batter in the paper cups, filling each three-quarter-full.
Bake the cupcakes for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of one, comes out clean.
Cool on a cooling rack.

For the frosting:
Add the butter, vanilla and coffee granules to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on high speed.
Add the sifted icing sugar in three batches and then drizzle in the milk.
Mix at high speed for 2 minutes.
Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe on to the cupcakes.

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Baked Burrata

August 18, 2023August 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml passata sauce, store bought
200g pickled sweet peppers, in olive oil
2 burrata cheese

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Pour the passata sauce and peppers into a small ovenproof dish.
Place the cheese in the sauce and pour over the olive oil from the sweet peppers.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Serve the burrata and sauce with crostini or fresh, crusty bread as a delicious warm starter.