sweet – Page 5 – My Whisk and I

PaneScone

December 20, 2023December 11, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

450g flour
2,5ml salt
10ml baking powder
150g butter, cubed
120g sugar
120g candied citrus peel
120g raisins
1 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested
250ml milk

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the flour, salt and baking powder to a mixing bowl and stir to mix.
Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar, citrus peel and raisins and lightly mix through.
Add the grated zest of the orange and lemon and stir again.
Add small quantities of milk, stir and repeat until the mixture comes together as a dough.
Flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Flatten with your hands so that it is 5cm thick.
Cut out rounds with a biscuit cutter or a glass and place the scone on the prepared baking sheet, spaced apart evenly.
Bring the dough together to a 5cm thickness again and cut out some more rounds.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the scones and cool on a cooling rack.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Uncategorized

Limoncello Tiramisu

December 15, 2023August 12, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

Lemon syrup:
125ml water
125ml sugar
1 lemon, peeled and juice
60ml limoncello

500ml whipping cream
60ml lemon juice
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
125ml + 60ml + 125ml lemon curd
190ml sugar
440g mascarpone cheese
2 packets ladyfingers (Boudoir biscuits)

For the lemon syrup:
Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Now simmer the mixture for 1 minute without stirring or fiddling with it.
Add the lemon peel and juice and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat, strain through a sieve and set aside to cool.

Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice, zest, 125ml lemon curd and sugar.
Whisk together with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
Add the mascarpone and mix on low speed until the mixture is fully incorporated and smooth. Set aside.
Pour the cooled lemon syrup and limoncello into a shallow dish.
Dip the ladyfingers in the mixture and lay them side-by-side in a 28cm x 22cm ceramic dish to form a compact layer.
Spoon half the mascarpone mixture on the biscuits and smooth it out.
Now spoon 60ml lemon curd on top and spread it out evenly.
Repeat the biscuit and mascarpone layers.
Spread the last 125ml lemon curd evenly over the top of the tiramisu.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Uncategorized

Coffee Rusks

December 13, 2023August 17, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

This is a small batch of rusks and yields about 24 pieces.

250g butter, room temperature
250ml caster sugar
4 eggs
10ml instant coffee dissolved in 30ml hot water
10ml vanilla
10ml baking powder
250ml flour

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a 23cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat together at high speed until creamy – scrape the mixture down once or twice in between mixing.
Add the eggs one at a time, waiting for it to be incorporated into the mixture before adding the next one.
Add the dissolved coffee and vanilla.
Add the baking powder and flour to a bowl and mix through.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add two tablespoons of flour at a time, until you have no flour left.
Spoon the batter in to the prepared loaf tin and bake for one hour.
Cool the cake on a wire rack.

Slice the cake into rusk sizes: I like 2cm x 3cm.
Preheat your oven to 150℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Space the rusks evenly apart and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the rusks over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Store the rusks in a glass container.

Uncategorized

Roasted Strawberries

December 12, 2023July 31, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

400g strawberries, hulled and halved
45ml balsamic vinegar
45ml water
30ml lemon juice
2,5ml ground black pepper
60ml + 60ml icing sugar
500g greek yoghurt
grated zest of 1 lemon
60ml mint leaves, chopped

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Add the strawberries to an ovenproof dish.
Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice over and pour the water into the dish.
Now sprinkle over the black pepper, icing sugar and a pinch of salt.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing after 10 minutes, until soft and bubbling.
Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour the roasting liquid into a small bowl.
Add the yoghurt and lemon zest to a bowl and mix together.
Now drizzle about 45ml of the roasting liquid over the yoghurt and fold through to create a ripple.
Spoon the yoghurt on to a serving plate and spoon the strawberries on top.
Drizzle over some of the roasting juices and scatter over the mint leaves to serve.

Uncategorized

Condensed Milk Snowballs

December 11, 2023July 27, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

250ml butter, room temperature
125ml condensed milk
5ml vanilla
500ml flour
15ml baking powder
125ml icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on a high speed and beat the butter for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Pour in the condensed milk and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes on high speed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute or so.
Add the flour and baking powder a spoonful at a time, until incorporated.
Use a 15ml measuring spoon and scoop up 2 scoops.
Roll into a ball with your hands and place on the baking sheet, about 4 cm apart.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes.
Sift over the icing sugar and allow to cool completely.
Store in a glass jar.

Uncategorized

Old Fashioned Blanc Mange with Berry Coulis

December 9, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

75ml cornstarch
100ml sugar
50ml cold water
250ml boiling water
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
2 egg whites

Berry Coulis:
500g frozen berries
30ml lemon juice
60ml caster sugar

Line a small 1 litre capacity loaf tin (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the sides. Set aside.
Add the cornstarch, sugar and cold water to a small saucepan and mix together.
Pour in the boiling water and stir the mixture over a medium-low heat until thick and smooth.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the lemon zest and juice and stir to combine. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks.
Spoon the whipped whites into the cornstarch mixture and fold through with a spatula.
Pour the mixture into the prepared container and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until completely set.

For the coulis:
Add the berries, lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and blitz with an immersion blender until thick and smooth.
Set aside to cool completely.

Take the blanc mange from the refrigerator and invert onto a serving plate.
Carefully peel off the plastic wrap.
Pour some of the berry coulis over to serve or serve as is with the sauce on the side.

Uncategorized

Cassata

December 2, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 egg whites
62ml + 62ml caster sugar
500ml cream
250ml chopped mixed nuts
125g mixed dried fruit
125g red and green glacé cherries

Line a baking tin with a 1 litre capacity (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap or baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks.
Add a teaspoonful of the 62ml caster sugar while whisking. Wait for the sugar to be incorporated (about 30 seconds) before adding the next teaspoonful. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Set aside.
Pour the cream into another mixing bowl and add the other 62ml caster sugar all at once.
Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Spoon about a third of the cream mixture into the egg white mixture and fold through with a large metal spoon.
Add the rest of the cream and fold it in until incorporated.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts, dried fruit and half of the cherries over and fold it in to the mixture.
Arrange the other half of the cherries on the bottom of your prepared container.
Spoon the mixture into the container and lightly level it out.
Place the cassata in the freezer until frozen.
Serve in slices with or without a sauce.

To store leftover, cover the cassata with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer as you would with ice cream.

Uncategorized

Baked Chocolate Mousse

November 29, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen Claassen2 Comments

300g dark chocolate, chopped
160ml butter, cubed
6 eggs, separated
30ml + 30ml caster sugar
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with baking paper.
Add the chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water.
Stir every now and then until the chocolate is melted and you have a silky smooth mixture.
Take the bowl from the saucepan and set aside.
Add the egg yolks and 30ml caster sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks.
Add the remaining 30ml caster sugar a little at a time while whisking until you have a thick, glossy consistency.
Stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Add the rest and gently fold it through.
Add the vanilla and fold it in until your mixture has an even colour without any white pockets of egg white in it.
Spoon the mousse into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the baking tin.
Remove from the tin and sift over some icing sugar to serve.

Uncategorized

Romany Creams

November 17, 2023August 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe yields about 30 sandwiched romany creams.

250g butter
250ml caster sugar
2 eggs
500ml flour
60ml cocoa powder, sifted
5ml baking powder
2ml salt
375ml desiccated coconut

Filling:
60ml sugar
15ml butter
80ml cream
30ml milk
5ml vanilla
625ml icing sugar, sifted
30ml cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together.
Add the eggs one at a time while beating and wait for it to be incorporated.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Add the coconut and stir to mix.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time, allowing time for it to be incorporated.
Scrape the bowl down and mix on high speed for 1 minute.
Scoop a teaspoonful of the dough in your hands, roll into a ball and space it evenly on the baking sheet.
Flatten the dough balls slightly by pressing down on them with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 12 minutes and allow to cool on the baking sheet.

For the filling:
Place a small saucepan over MEDIUM heat and add the sugar and butter.
Stir until the sugar has melted.
Add the cream and milk and remove from the heat.
Add the vanilla and stir through.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the saucepan and mix until the filling has a spreadable consistency.
Sandwich the biscuits together. (You may re-heat the filling over a low heat if it becomes un spreadable)
Store the romany creams in a glass container.

Uncategorized

Hertzoggies

November 10, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Yields about 18 cookies.

Pastry:
250g flour
25g caster sugar
10ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
125g butter, room temperature, cubed
3 egg yolks
15ml cold water

Filling:
3 egg whites
250g sugar
500ml desiccated coconut
about 100ml smooth apricot jam

For the pastry:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray.
Sift the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips.
Whisk the egg yolks and water together and add it to the mixture.
Mix and knead by hand until you have a soft pastry.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to medium peaks.
Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition so that it is incorporated into the whites.
Add the coconut and fold through. Set aside.

Roll the pastry out to a 3mm thickness and cut out pastry circles of 7cm diameter.
Line the muffin tins with the circles.
Spoon about 7ml apricot jam into each pastry case and then divide the coconut and egg mixture amongst the cakes, topping it.
Bake in the oven for 22 minutes.
Cool the Hertzoggies in the muffin tins for 10 minutes before gently removing them to cool on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container.