30g butter 200g sugar 5 eggs, separated 140g self-raising flour a pinch of salt 1 litre milk 5ml vanilla ground cinnamon for dusting
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 22cm tart dishes with cooking spray. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time with the engine running. Scrape the mixture down a few times during mixing. Sift the flour and salt together and add spoonfuls to the mixture until everything is incorporated. Turn the mixer to its lowest speed and drizzle in the milk. Add the vanilla and mix through. Set aside. Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until it reaches stiff peaks. Add the stiff whites to the batter and fold it into the mixture. Scoop the batter into the two prepared tart dishes and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the milk tarts from the oven and sift over the ground cinnamon while the tarts are warm. Allow the milk tart to cool completely before serving.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line an oven tray with aluminium foil. Melt the butter and chocolate together over a very low heat. Take from the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes so that it cools down slightly. Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Now beat the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Add the flour, salt and nuts and mix through. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. The top should be dried and pale and the middle still dark and gooey!! Enjoy as is or serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
Although a kruimelvlaai is often made with a sweet pie crust the traditional version calls for a yeasted pastry and it is soooo worth it! This is a delicious tart – a creamy, smooth custard filling in a slightly chewy pastry with a crunchy streusel on top!!
Pie Crust: 150ml milk, tepid 50g butter 250g flour 10g dry yeast 35g sugar a pinch of salt 5ml vanilla
Streusel: 100g butter 175g flour 75g sugar 5ml vanilla a pinch of salt
For the filling: Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Mix the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and whisk well. Take the milk from the heat and pour a third of it on the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Now pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk while whisking away. Turn the heat down to medium and keep whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Take the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla and mix through. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on to the surface and leave to cool completely.
For the pie crust: Warm the milk until tepid and add the butter to melt. Add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and vanilla to a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour the liquids into the well, mix with a fork to bring the pastry together and knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes, until smooth. You may add small amounts of flour to get the dough to the consistency where it can be kneaded. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour. Spray a 24cm tart tin with cooking spray. Roll the dough into a circle of about 28cm in diameter and line the bottom and sides of the tart tin. Place in a warm spot.
For the streusel: Add the butter and flour to a mixing bowl and rub it together until it resembles course breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and rub with your fingers to mix through.
Preheat your oven to 200℃. Pour the cold filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle the streusel over the filling in an even layer. Bake the pie for 45 minutes. Take the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool. Serve generous slices with a cup of coffee.
Filling: 4 large apples 83ml raisins 83ml brown sugar 2,5ml ground cinnamon finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Eggwash: 1 egg and 15ml water whisked together
For the pie crust: Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub in with your fingertips until it is clumps the size of peas. Whisk the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture. Mix the pastry with your hands and add a few drops of water if it is too dry to come together. Shape the pastry into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
For the filling: Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm pie dish with cooking spray. Peel the apples, core them and cut into small chunks. Add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest and mix through. Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces and set one piece aside. Press the rest of the pastry into the bottom and sides of the cake tin – you can roll it out and patch wherever it breaks. Spoon the filling into the pie crust. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining pastry. Cut into strips and make a lattice pattern for the tart. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Place the apple tart in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Serve the tart with a dollop of cream.
Mix the flour, baking powder, icing sugar and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk and egg to a jug and whisk together. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together. Add the mashed banana and mix through. Set aside. Heat about 7cm deep vegetable oil in a saucepan. Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Mould the banana batter with two teaspoons and fry in batches for about 3 minutes, until cooked and golden. Drain the fritters on kitchen paper and immediately roll them in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
For the butterscotch sauce: Measure the sugar into a small saucepan set over medium heat and allow the sugar to melt without stirring. Allow the sugar to caramelise and become golden while watching it with a hawk’s eye – you want a light caramel colour at this stage. Add the butter and stir until melted. Simmer the mixture over gentle heat for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cream. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Decant the sauce – it will thicken as it cools.
Serve the banana fritters with the butterscotch sauce on the side for dipping.
This is a dairy-free and vegan alternative to Chantilly cream and delicious with most desserts.
1 x 400ml tin coconut cream, chilled for at least 8 hours 30ml icing sugar, sifted 5ml vanilla
Scoop the hardened coconut cream into a mixing bowl. Whisk the cream with an electric beater on high speed for 1 minute so that it loosens up. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl, add the vanilla and whisk again on high speed for another minute. Dollop the coconut cream onto your favourite dessert. Keep refrigerated.
5 eggs, separated 135g sugar 4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and grated 80g almond meal 80ml flaked almonds icing sugar to dust
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spay a 22cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray. Add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together until light in colour. Scoop the apple into a clean tea towel and squeeze the juice from it. Add the apple to the creamed mixture and mix through. Add the almond meal and mix on medium speed until incorporated into the batter. Set aside. Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the flaked almonds over. Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Dust the apple pudding with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
500g flour 190ml brown sugar 62ml cocoa powder 10ml baking powder 2,5ml salt 120g butter, cubed 220g dark chocolate, chopped 250ml cream 5ml vanilla 125ml pecan nuts, chopped 15ml cream brown sugar for sprinkling
Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingers. Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and stir it every now and then until completely melted. Add the melted chocolate, cream and vanilla and lightly mix through, making sure that all dry ingredients are moistened. Add the chopped pecan nuts. Knead the dough 3 or 4 times by hand to bring everything together in a ball. Do not overwork the dough – scones are soft and crumbly when the dough is handled less. Place the dough ball on the prepared baking sheet and pat it down into a 20cm diameter circle. Cut the dough circle into 8 wedges and slightly separate them with the. blade of the knife. Brush the top of the scones with the 15ml cream and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Serve the scones with a dollop of whipped cream.
Add the sugar and cornstarch to a mixing bowl and stir through. Add the egg yolks and 50ml milk and mix together to make a smooth very runny paste. Set aside. Add the 700ml milk to a saucepan set over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the boiling milk in a thin stream while whisking vigorously. Turn the heat down to medium, keep stirring and wait for the mixture to thicken. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the custard into cups and dust with some ground cinnamon. Serve slightly warm.
This buttermilk pannacotta is delicious when served with the this tart passionfruit syrup but of course, the choice is yours and it may be served with any sauce of your choice.
Passionfruit syrup: 80ml canned passionfruit 60ml sugar 80ml water the grated zest of one lemon
Pour about 50ml of the buttermilk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over. Set aside for 5 minutes. Pour the remaining buttermilk, cream and sugar into a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the gelatine mixture into this mixture and stir well. Pour the mixture into 6 moulds with a 125ml capacity each, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours until set.
For the passionfruit syrup: Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan and place it over a low heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Simmer the syrup for 1 minute without stirring and then take it off the heat. Add the lemon zest and passionfruit pulp. Stir through and set aside to cool completely.
Turn the individual pannacottas out on a serving dish and drizzle with the cold passionfruit syrup to serve.
My Whisk and I 