snack – Page 6 – My Whisk and I

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

April 10, 2023April 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

You can top these cupcakes with a chocolate ganache icing or leave them plain – I prefer plain as they are sweet and gooey with the melted Easter egg on the inside.

200g butter, room temperature
200g sugar
200g flour
83ml cocoa powder, sifted
7,5ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
150ml sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
7,5ml vanilla
12 small, filled chocolate eggs

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together on high speed, scrape down the bowl and mix again on high speed.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Stir through by hand until just incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 12 paper cups and insert a filled chocolate egg in each.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

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Hot Cross Buns with Caramel Banana

April 7, 2023April 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 hot cross buns, halved
240g cream cheese, room temperature
125ml cream
2,5ml vanilla
160g Biscoff spread
4 bananas, sliced

Toast the halved buns in a dry pan.
Add the cream cheese and cream to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate until needed.
Add the biscoff spread to a small bowl and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds at a time, until you have a very soft spread.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture on the buns.
Slice the bananas and arrange on top.
Drizzle with the biscoff spread.

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Biscoff Mini Cakes

April 5, 2023April 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These little cakes can be baked in a 12-hole muffin tin when lined with paper cups. Baking time remains the same.

175g butter, room temperature
175g brown sugar
30g + 200g Biscoff spread
3 eggs
175g self-raising flour

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray.
Add the butter, sugar and Biscoff spread to a mixing bowl.
Whisk with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time while mixing.
Add the self-raising flour and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 6 ramekins.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on a wire rack.

Decant about 200g of Biscoff spread and place in the microwave oven for 20 second spurts.
Stir the spread and micro again until you have a pourable consistency.
Place the cooled cakes on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and pour over the spread.
Stand for 30 minutes until set.

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Grilled Halloumi with Pear

April 1, 2023March 31, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a heavenly combination of salty halloumi, sweet and spicy fruit and fabulous fresh basil!

2 pears
30ml lemon juice
60ml brown sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
30g butter, cubed
2 x 300g blocks Halloumi cheese
1 x 230g Dulce del Cabo sculpted fruit preserve (or 230g fruit preserve of your choice)
a handful of small basil leaves

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a small baking tray with baking paper.
Halve the pears and remove the core.
Place the pears, cut-side up on the prepared baking tray and drizzle with lemon juice.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on the fruit and place a piece of cubed butter on each.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
Turn your oven on the grill setting.
Score the halloumi, without cutting through, in a diamond pattern – about 2cm deep.
Place both blocks of cheese on a lined baking sheet and drizzle over some vegetable oil.
Place the cheese under the hot grill until browned and slightly scorched. (about 8 minutes, depending on your oven)
Cut the fruit preserve into pieces and add to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat.
Pour in 60ml of water and stir until melted.
Place the halloumi on a serving platter and arrange the pear around it.
Drizzle over the fruit preserve and scatter with basil leaves.
Serve with a crusty bread.

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Chickpea Chocolate Bark

March 28, 2023March 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g tin chickpeas
240g chocolate
10ml sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Rinse the chickpeas under running water and spread them out on a kitchen towel.
Place another towel on top and dry the chickpeas.
Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and spray them with cooking spray.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, giving them a shake every now and then so that they bake evenly.
Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Break up the chocolate and add it to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with barely simmering water. Allow to melt.
Pour the chocolate over the chickpeas and scatter the sesame seeds over.
Refrigerate until set, about an hour.
Break into shards.

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Chorizo and Paprika Quiche

March 24, 2023March 23, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

200g chorizo, casing removed and sliced
45ml butter
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced in discs
2 onions, sliced
1 x 400g frozen puff pastry
4 eggs
125g sour cream
50g parmesan cheese, grated
15ml flour
5ml smoked paprika

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 22cm diameter loose-bottom pie tin with baking spray.
Place a pan on medium-high heat and add the butter.
Add the chorizo, leeks and onion and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the pastry into a 25cm diameter disc.
Line the prepared pie tin (base and sides) with the pastry and prick the base all over with the tines of a fork.
Line the pastry case with baking paper and dry beans/rice and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the beans and paper and bake the shell for another 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 180℃.
Add the eggs, sour cream, parmesan, flour and paprika to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Spoon the chorizo mixture into the pastry shell and spread it evenly over the base.
Pour the egg mixture over and bake the quiche for 40 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Carrot Muffins

March 20, 2023March 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe makes 12 muffins but can easily be doubled. You may also keep the batter in the refrigerator for a week. Be sure to take the batter out and leave it at room temperature for 40 minutes BEFORE baking. They store really well in a sealed container.

50ml + 200ml buttermilk
6ml bicarbonate of soda

375ml bran
125ml boiling water
60ml butter, melted
190ml brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
160ml flour
160ml wholewheat flour
2ml salt
125ml grated carrot
125ml pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Pour the 50ml buttermilk into a small bowl, sprinkle in the bicarbonate of soda and stir to dissolve. Set aside.
Add the bran to a large mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir through.
Drizzle over the melted butter and stir together.
Now add the brown sugar, egg and 200ml buttermilk.
Pour the buttermilk and bicarb into the mixture and stir through.|Add the flour, wholewheat flour, salt, grated carrot and nuts and mix together.
Divide the mixture between the paper cups and bake for 20 minutes.
Cool the muffins on a wire rack and keep stored in an airtight container.

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Puff-Baked Apples

March 18, 2023March 17, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g Today Puff Pastry
2 large apples
egg-wash: egg yolk + 15ml water whisked together

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Unroll your pastry and divide and cut it into 8 equal squares.
Place 4 squares on the prepared baking tray and set aside.
Make 0,5cm incisions in a vertical line on the other pastry squares.
Fill the squares with these incisions following a “brick-laying” pattern.
Peel, halve and core the apples.
Place half an apple on a square on the baking sheet and cover with a square with incisions.
Press down to seal and trim off the excess pastry.
Brush with egg-wash and repeat with the rest of the squares and apple.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and serve with custard.

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Onion Tarte Tatin

March 14, 2023March 13, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml + 30ml butter
1 clove garlic, minced
6 onions, halved horizontally
100ml sugar
60ml water
30ml balsamic vinegar
5ml thyme leaves
5ml salt
1 x 400g roll Today puff pastry

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Put a wide-bottomed pan on medium-high heat and add 30ml butter to melt.
Add the garlic and onion halves cut-side down.
Cook the onions until they have caramelised and softened slightly (about 10 minutes).
Gently remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Add the sugar and water to an ovenproof pan over medium heat.
Cook, swirling constantly, until the sugar dissolves – DO NOT stir!
Turn the heat up to high and cook undisturbed (no stirring!) for 5 minutes or until it turns to a golden caramel – this happens instantly!!
Remove from the heat and add the balsamic, thyme, salt and 30ml butter.
Return to the boil and swirl to combine.
Arrange the onions cut-side down, trying to fit in as many halves as you can.
Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll it slightly wider.
Now cut a circle that is 1cm larger than the diameter of your pan.
Place the pastry circle on top of the onions and tuck in the edges so that it forms a “basket” for the onions.
Cut a very small hole in the centre of the pastry and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cover with aluminium foil to prevent burning.
Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes until the pastry is cooked through.
Remove the tart from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Place a flat plate/wooden board over the pan and carefully invert the tart.
Season with salt and pepper to serve.