250g digestive biscuits 80g butter, melted 50ml water 10g powdered gelatine 450g cream cheese 10ml + 5ml rose water 160ml cream 2 x 80g packets jelly, cherry flavour
Spray a 22cm loose bottom cake tin with cooking spray. Break up the digestive biscuits and add them to a food processor. Blitz to fine crumbs. Melt the butter and drizzle it in with the engine running. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin, spread it out evenly and press down. Refrigerate until needed. Pour the water into a smal bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixed fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until soft. Add the icing sugar and beat until incorporated. Scrape the bowl down every now and then. Add the 10ml rose water and mix through. Set aside. Add the cream to a large bowl and whisk to form soft peaks. Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Melt the gelatine in the microwave – a few seconds!!! It should be liquid and dissolved. Scoop 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the gelatine and mix well. Now add this mixture to the cream cheese mixture and thoroughly fold through. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and refrigerate for 2 hours. Prepare the jelly according to packet instructions and stand to cool but not set. Add the 5ml rose water once the mixture is cooled and pour on to the cheesecake. Refrigerate until set.
4 eggs, separated 100g granulated sugar 45mll flour 400g greek yoghurt grated zest and juice of 1 lemon a pinch of salt
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium-low speed until the whites are frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until soft peaks form. Spoon the whites into another bowl and set aside. Add the yolks and sugar to the mixer’s bowl and whisk on a high speed until pale and fluffy – about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to medium speed and gradually add the flour, yoghurt, lemon zest, juice and salt. Continue whisking until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Take the bowl from the mixer and add half the egg whites. Gently fold through with a spatula. Add the rest of the whites and fold in. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so that you end up with a very evenly mixed batter. Spoon the batter in to the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55 minutes – if the cake becomes too brown place a piece of aluminium foil loosely over it while baking. Take the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
1 egg 62ml sugar 125ml milk 15ml melted butter 250ml flour 10ml baking powder 1ml salt 3 pears, cut into 0,5cm thick slices 250ml mascarpone cream, room temperature 80ml syrup
Add the egg and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Pour about half the milk and all of the melted butter into the bowl and whisk until amalgamated. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and whisk again. Now gradually add the rest of the milk and whisk to form a silky smooth batter. Place a non-stick pan on medium-high heat, add a splash of vegetable oil and fry spoonfuls of the batter until golden. Flip the flapjack after three minutes and cook for another minute or so. Add a small knob of butter to the pan and fry the sliced pear over high heat until slightly charred. Build a stack by layering a flapjack, slice of pear, dollop of mascarpone and then repeat twice more. Drizzle the syrup over and serve.
It might not be one of the prettiest bakes you will serve but wins all the accolades for simplicity, speed and flavour!!!
250ml sugar 250ml water 250ml blueberries 3 pears, peeled and sliced into 1,5cm chunks 2 apples, peeled and sliced into 1,5cm chunks 45ml brown sugar 5ml ground cinnamon 125g sugar 125g butter, room temperature 2 eggs 125g self-raising flour
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 20cm x 16cm ceramic dish with cooking spray. Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches a boil. Cook for 1 minute without stirring. Now add the pear and apple chunks and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Remove the fruit from the liquid, spread it in the baking dish and add the blueberries. Scatter the sugar and cinnamon over the fruits. Add the sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on high speed. Turn the mixer on medium and add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape the bowl down and mix again. Run the mixer on low speed and add 1-2 tablespoons of flour at a time. Beat to incorporate between each addition. Spoon the batter on top of the fruit, spread it out evenly and bake for 45 minutes. Serve the dish warm with ice cream or custard.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray an oven tray/sheet pan with cooking spray. Add the sugar, flour and marshmallow to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, oil, cocoa powder and Coca Cola to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture onto the marshmallow mixture and stir until well blended – some of the marshmallow will melt, but not all of it. Pour the buttermilk into a small bowl and dissolve the baking powder in it. Add to the rest of the mixture and mix through. Now add the eggs and vanilla and give the mixture a last stir. Pour the batter in to the prepared oven tray and bake for 45 minutes.
For the frosting: Sift the icing sugar in to a mixing bowl. Add the butter, cocoa powder and Coca Cola to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquids on to the icing sugar and blend well. Add the vanilla and nuts, stir through and spread onto the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Set aside and allow the cake to cool before serving.
For the filling: Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and pour in 50ml milk. Add the egg yolks and 50g sugar and whisk together. Set aside. Pour the 450ml milk and 50g sugar into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to just before boiling point and take off the heat. Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. Stir until very thick and then cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir through. Pour the custard onto a dinner plate and cover with plastic wrap. Push the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Your should make TWO batches of filling, separately.
For the cake: Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray two loose-bottom cake tins and line the base and sides with baking paper. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl and whisk to mix. Add the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the sugar while the mixer is running. Now beat on high speed until the mixture is three times its original volume – about 7 minutes or so. Scatter a third of the flour on the surface and mix on the lowest speed. Add another third, mix and then the remaining flour and mix again. Add the butter and milk to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm when you put your finger in it. NB: YOU WANT THE BUTTER TO MELT, YOU DONT WANT TO BOIL THE MILK! Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla and vegetable oil and whisk through with a hand whisk. Add about 250ml of the egg and flour mixture and vigorously whisk to combine. The batter must be smooth. Turn the mixer on to a low speed and very slowly, pour in the milk. Scrape down the sides and the base of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake tins. Lift each tin 5cm from the work surface and then drop it – repeat a few times to knock out the large air bubbles. Place the cake tins in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the tins for 15 minutes before turning the cakes out on cooling racks and removing the baking paper. Leave to cool completely.
Assembling the cake: Slice the cake horizontally so that you have 4 cake discs. Spread the custard evenly on to each cake layer and stack them on a serving platter. Roast the flaked almonds in a dry pan, allow to cool and scatter over the cake to serve.
125ml warm/tepid water 2,5ml sugar 15ml instant yeast 4 x 250ml flour 60ml sugar 2 eggs, beaten together 500ml milk, warm/tepid 5ml salt 125ml raisins vegetable oil for frying icing sugar for dusting
Add the warm water and sugar to a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over and stir again. Leave to stand for 10 – 15 minutes. Add the flour and 60ml sugar to a very large bowl. Add the eggs and yeast mixture and whisk together. Now pour in the warm milk a little at a time, in between whisking. Keep adding milk and whisking until you have a smooth batter. Cover the batter with a damp tea towel and set aside to rest for 1 hour 30 minutes. Sprinkle the salt and raisins over the batter and fold it through with a spatula. Cover the bowl again and rest for another hour. Heat your oil in a saucepan – about 5cm deep. Dip two tablespoons in the oil, shape a dough ball and slip it into the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning as they cook. Do this in batches so that you don’t crowd the saucepan. Dust the warm doughnuts with icing sugar and serve warm.
This is one of my top 5 favourite all-time eats!! It is so easy and quick to make and utterly, heavenly delicious! The recipe makes 2 dumplings each for 4 people.
Syrup: 125ml golden syrup 190ml brown sugar 40g butter, diced 450ml water
Dumplings: 375ml self-raising flour a pinch of salt 30g butter 1 egg 100ml milk 30ml golden syrup
For the syrup: Add the syrup, sugar, butter and water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, give the mixture a stir and leave on a low simmer while you make the dumplings.
For the dumplings: Add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl and stir to mix. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the butter is as evenly distributed as possible. Add the egg, milk and golden syrup to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the flour and stir until just combined – do not overmix! Drop heaped tablespoons of the batter into the simmering syrup and cover with a lid. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, turn the dumplings over and cook with the lid on for another 5 minutes. Serve the dumplings with cream, ice cream or as is.
Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper (or line a cupcake tin with paper cups). Add the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and milk to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar has melted and it reaches a boil. Allow to boil for exactly 60 seconds, without stirring. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oats and stir until THOROUGHLY combined! Spoon about 60ml of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets and set aside to set for an hour. Store the oats cookies in a glass container.
Add the 160g chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt completely. Take off the heat and stir in the milk. Add the coconut, chocolate cake, icing sugar, pecan and rosemary and stir through. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Scoop 15ml portions into your hands and roll into balls. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate until set. Scewer each truffle with a rosemary sprig. Add the remaining 160g chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir every now and then to melt. Dip the truffles into the melted chocolate and place them back onto the lined tray. Stand the truffles at room temperature until the chocolate has set before serving.
My Whisk and I 