sweettooth – My Whisk and I

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.

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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.

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Chocolate Biscuit Slice

October 10, 2023September 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

200g plain sweet biscuits
125g butter, melted
395g can condensed milk
290g dark chocolate, chopped

Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
Add the biscuits to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb.
Drizzle in the melted butter and add 80ml of the condensed milk.
Pulse until the mixture is combined.
Spoon into the prepared tin, smooth the surface and set aside.
Add the rest of the condensed milk to a heatproof bowl and add the chopped chocolate.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate has melted.
Stir the mixture well and pour over the biscuit base.
Spread it out into an even, smooth layer.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Remove from the tin and slice into squares.

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Jam Squares

October 3, 2023September 8, 2023by Karen Claassen2 Comments

Yields about 35 squares.

250ml sugar
250g butter, cubed
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
10ml baking powder
750ml flour
125ml apricot jam

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a swissroll pan (32cm x 22cm) with cooking spray.
Add the sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on high speed until creamy.
Add the eggs and beat on high speed for 1 minute.
Scrape the mixture down and mix again.
Add the salt, baking powder and flour to a mixing bowl and stir to mix.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add a few spoons of flour at a time, allowing time for it to integrate into the mixture before adding more flour.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and divide in two portions.
Press the one portion of dough into the swissroll pan and even it out with your hands.
Spoon the apricot jam on top and spread it evenly over the dough layer.
Push the other portion of dough through a coarse grater, as though you are grating it. The dough is very soft and you will have to push it through with the heel of your hand and then spread it evenly over the jam layer.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Slice into squares or fingers once cold and store in an airtight container.

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Easy Fudge

October 2, 2023September 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This may not be the best looking fudge but on boy, it delivers on taste…!

100g butter
750g caster sugar
1 x 385g can condensed milk
150ml milk
2,5ml vanilla

Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
Add the butter, caster sugar and condensed milk to a medium-large saucepan and place over a medium to low heat.
Allow the butter to melt.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer for 25 minutes while stirring regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking to the saucepan.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla and whisk for 5 minutes with an electric whisk. You are cooling the mixture down and want it to be really thick.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and level the top.
Set aside to cool for an hour and cut into squares.

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Mini Cinnamon Swirls

September 24, 2023September 6, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500ml self-raising flour
30ml flour
30ml caster sugar
150g butter, cubed
125ml milk
1 egg
10ml vanilla
125ml brown sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
25g butter, cubed
20g butter, melted

Glaze:
375ml icing sugar, sifted
15ml boiling water

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 24-hole mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.
Add the self-raising and regular flours, caster sugar and butter to a food processor and process to fine crumbs.
Tip the mixture into a mixing bowl.
Add the milk, egg and vanilla to a jug and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The dough will be very sticky. Set aside.
Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and stir to mix.
Add the 25g butter and rub it into the sugar with your fingers.
Flour a work surface and divide the dough in half.
Roll out to 35cm x 20cm rectangle.
Sprinkle half the sugar and butter mixture evenly over the surface and roll it into a long, tight log.
Trim the edges neatly and then cut the log in to 1,5cm slices.
Place each slice in a hole in the muffin tin.
Melt the 20g butter and brush it on to the swirls.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove and cool on a cooling rack.

For the glaze:
Add the icing sugar to a small bowl and pour in 15ml of boiling water.
Mix together and drizzle over the swirls.
Stand the cookies for 20 minutes to set, before serving.

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Easy Turkish Delight

July 24, 2023June 26, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

It is best not to attempt making Turkish delight when rainy – the moisture in the air prevents the sweets from setting properly.

50ml water
45ml powdered gelatine
300ml water
100ml red grape juice, store bought
450g sugar
1ml citric acid (you will find it in the baking isle)
5ml rose water
50ml cornstarch
25ml icing sugar

Line a 28cm x 18cm container with plastic wrap. Leave an overhang of the plastic so that you can lift the Turkish delight out of the tin once it has set. (2 x 14cmx9cm Tupperware containers also work well)
Pour the 50ml water in to a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Pour the 300ml water and grape juice in to a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat.
Add the sugar and citric acid and stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Bring it to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Melt the gelatine by placing it in the microwave for 5 second bursts at a time – it should be liquid.
Remove the grape juice mixture from the heat and drizzle in the melted gelatine . Mix well and set aside until the mixture is at room temperature.
Add the rose water, mix through and pour in to the prepared container.
Refrigerate for 8 hours.

Lift the Turkish delight from its container, pull off the plastic wrap and slice into even-sized squares.
Sift the cornstarch and icing sugar together and roll the Turkish delight in it.
Place it on a pretty serving dish and be the star of the show!!

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Pomegranate Mille-Feuille

July 18, 2023May 23, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 375g puff pastry
45ml pomegranate seeds + extra to scatter over
125ml + 30ml icing sugar, sifted
250ml whipping cream
110g mascarpone
10ml rosewater

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and unroll the pastry.
Cut into 16 rectangles, place on the baking sheet and prick the surface with a fork.
Lay another sheet of baking paper over the pastry and place another baking tray on top.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Add the pomegranate seeds to a small bowl and muddle it with the back of a wooden spoon. Pour through a small sieve and reserve the juice.
Add the 125ml icing sugar to the pomegranate juice and mix to a thick paste. If you need more liquid, add a few drops of water.
Spoon the paste over 5 of the pastry rectangles and set aside.
Add the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to soft peaks.
Add the mascarpone, rosewater and 30ml icing sugar and whisk to stiff peaks.
Place 5 pastry rectangles on a serving platter.
Spread half the mascarpone mixture onto the pastry, place another piece of pastry on top and add the rest of the mascarpone on top.
Now place the pastry with the icing sugar on top of each mille-feuille and scatter over some pomegranate seeds.

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Rose-Meringue Discs

July 15, 2023May 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 egg whites
190ml caster sugar
7,5ml rose water
rose petals

Preheat your oven to 120℃ and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
Trace circles with an 8cm diameter on the baking paper and then flip the baking paper over on the tray.
Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk the whites to soft peaks.
Turn the mixer to high and start adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time and waiting for the sugar to be incorporated before adding the next spoonful.
Whisk for 5 minutes or until you have a very stiff, glossy mixture.
Drizzle over the rose water and fold in with a spatula.
Spoon the meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle.
Pipe the meringue on the inside perimeter of each circle.
Now spread the meringue from the outside of the circle to its centre, forming an even disc.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off the oven but do not open the door for another hour.
Carefully remove the discs from the baking paper.
Wet your finger, touch a rose petal and then stick the petal on the disc.
Serve the meringue discs with a cup of mint tea or use as a decoration for a dessert.

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Sponge on Fruit

June 28, 2023June 25, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

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.