sweet – Page 2 – My Whisk and I

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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Croissant Bake

June 2, 2024June 1, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 eggs
5ml vanilla
80ml sugar
500ml milk
125ml cream
5ml ground cinnamon
30ml butter
6 large croissants, halved
icing sugar
fresh berries

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place a 24cm cast iron pan in the oven for 10 minutes.
Add the eggs, vanilla and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Pour in the milk and cream and add the cinnamon. Whisk to incorporate.
Remove the pan from the oven, add the butter to it and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
Pack the croissant halves, cut-side down into the pan and pour the egg mixture over it.
Cover the pan with aluminium foil, place it back into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to stand for 10 minutes.
Sieve some icing sugar over the croissant bake and scatter over fresh berries.
Serve while warm.

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Cinnamon Rolls

May 23, 2024May 16, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

125ml milk
5ml instant yeast
5ml sugar
830ml flour
7,5ml baking powder
7,5ml salt
190ml yoghurt
1 egg

Cinnamon paste:
113g butter, melted
310ml brown sugar
30ml ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt

Icing:
30ml cream cheese, room temperature
1,2ml almond extract
1,2ml vanilla
a pinch of salt
250ml icing sugar, sifted
30ml milk

Warm the milk until tepid and pour it into a small bowl.
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over, stir to dissolve and set aside until bubbly.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix together.
Add the yoghurt and egg to a small bowl and whisk together.
Add the milk mixture and yoghurt mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until a ball of dough forms.
Place the dough in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about 2 hours.
Lightly oil a clean work surface. Roll the dough on the oiled surface until it is a large rectangle.
Mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and spread it evenly over the dough rectangle – spread it right to the edges.
Roll the long side of the dough up and cut rolls from it: divide the roll in half; divide the two half in half; etc.
Grease a 22cm round cake tin and place the rolls cut side up in it. Cover and set aside to rise for an hour or refrigerate overnight.
Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Bake the rolls for 25 minutes before removing and placing it on a cooling rack.
Add the cream cheese, almond essence, vanilla and salt to a small bowl and whisk together.
Now add the icing sugar and stir through.
Add the milk a little at a time so that the mixture is thick.
Drizzle the icing over the rolls while warm.

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Pear and Honey Cake

May 21, 2024May 20, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 pears
125ml sugar
45ml water
220g butter
340g honey
190ml cultured buttermilk
3 eggs
150g sugar
5ml vanilla
300g flour
10ml baking powder
5ml ground cinnamon
2,5ml ground mixed spice
10ml salt

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and spray the sides of a fixed-bottom cake tin with cooking spray.
Peel the pears and slice them into 8 wedges each.
Arrange the wedges on the bottom of the cake tin and set aside.
Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
Do not stir but swirl the mixture from time-to-time until you have a caramel.
Remove from the heat and pour the syrup over the pear wedges in the cake tin. Set aside.
Add the butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat and gently simmer it for 5 minutes or so.
Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and add the honey, buttermilk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Whisk the mixture together.
Now sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt. Mix until you have a smooth batter.
Pour the cake batter onto the pears wedges and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove the cake from the oven and invert it onto a plate – leave the upturned cake tin for a few minutes before removing it.
Serve the cake with a dollop of cream, ice cream or yoghurt.

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Milk Jelly Clementines

May 18, 2024May 16, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3-5 clementines
28g powdered gelatine
375ml milk
60ml sugar

Peel the clementines and bead them onto a chopstick – you need something that will keep them atop each other.
Place them in a container that allows about 1cm on the diameter.
You may ‘stabilise’ the clementines with two horizontal dowels so that you can pour the gelatine mixture around it.
Add the gelatine, milk and sugar to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and gelatine has dissolved.
Pour around the oranges and leave to cool before refrigerating until set.
Place the container in a bowl with very hot water for 30 seconds and immediately invert onto a chopping board.
Slice and serve.

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Easy Banana Bread

May 9, 2024May 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 bananas, very ripe
200g brown sugar
150g butter
2 eggs
240g flour
10ml baking powder
1,2ml salt

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 13cm x 23cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Peel the bananas and place them in a mixing bowl.
Now beat them with an electric whisk until completely mushed.
Add the sugar, butter and eggs and lightly beat the mixture together on low speed. Set aside.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to another bowl and stir to mix.
Add one or two spoonfuls of the dry ingredients to the banana mixture while beating on a low speed. Keep adding and beating until all is incorporated.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes.
Cool the loaf in the baking tin for 15 minutes and then remove it and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Serve thick slices of banana bread spread with salted butter.

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Quince Leather

May 7, 2024April 25, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Follow the recipe as for the Membrillo.

Preheat your oven to 50℃.

Line a large baking sheet(s) with baking paper.
Pour the blitzed quince on to the paper and spread it out, about 3mm thick and as evenly as you can.
Place in the oven to dry for 7 – 8 hours. The fruit will remain slightly sticky when it is ready.
Once out of the oven, cool completely before rolling and slicing.

Store the quince wrapped in baking paper in a dry, well ventilated area.

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Almond Pastries

May 5, 2024May 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Almond cream:
215ml almond flour (125ml + 60ml + 30ml)
125ml sugar
2,5ml vanilla
2,5ml almond extract
15ml flour
1 egg
30ml milk

2 x rolls puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water/milk
100ml slivered almonds
45ml icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the almond flour, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, flour, egg and milk to a mixing bowl and mix together. Set aside.
Lightly flour a working surface and lay out one sheet of puff pastry.
Spread the almond cream onto the pastry in an even layer.
Lay the second sheet of pastry on top and lightly press down onto it.
Slice into 2cm wide strips.
Twist the strips and then twist it again and bring the ends together to form a circular shape.
Press the ends together and lay each pastry circle on the prepared baking sheet.
Brush the pastries with the egg wash and sprinkle over the almond slivers.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Dust the hot pastries by sieving over the icing sugar.
Set aside to cool slightly.

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Membrillo / Quince Cheese

April 30, 2024April 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg quince, weighed after peeling, coring
750g white sugar
30ml lemon juice
250ml water

Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
Peel, core and dice the quince into 2cm chunks.
Add the sugar, lemon and water too a saucepan set over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the quince, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring every now and then.
Take the saucepan from the heat and blitz the mixture with an immersive blender.
Pour into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top.
Set aside to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 48 hours.
Invert the membrillo on to a chopping board and slice.
Serve the membrillo on a cheese board and store wrapped in baking paper (not plastic!) in the refrigerator for three months.

Old fashioned quince sweets:
Cut the membrillo into bite-sized pieces and roll it in white, granulated sugar before serving.