Milk Tart Hand Pies

Milk Tart Hand Pies

420g flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
5ml sugar
220g butter, grated
190ml milk
vegetable oil for frying

Filling:
40g corn flour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g caster sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla

For the pastry:
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a mixing bowl.
Add the grated butter and rub the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Drizzle the milk over the mixture and bring it together with your hands.
Shape the pastry into a ball, slice it in half and flatten each into a flat disc.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

For the filling:
Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and stir in 50ml of the milk.
Add the egg yolks and 50g caster sugar and whisk together. Set aside.
Pour the 450ml milk into a small saucepan and add the other 50g caster sugar and ground cinnamon to it.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Take it from the heat as tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously.
Now pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on medium-low heat.
Stir continuously until thickened.
Allow to cook for 30 seconds before removing from the heat.
Add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl and then place plastic wrap directly on its surface.
Allow to cool completely.

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to a 5mm thickness.
Cut 12 circles with a 12cm diameter from the dough.
Spoon 30ml of the filling on the pastry circle.
Wet the edges of the circle with water and fold the dough over into a half-moon shape.
Seal and crimp the edges with a fork.
Refrigerate the pies for 30 minutes.
Heat 6cm vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry 3 pies at a time for 6 minutes, flipping them over every now and then.
Drain on paper towels.
The hand pies may be served as is or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Chocolate Pudding Cake

190ml flour
60ml cocoa powder, sifted
80ml granulated sugar
1,2ml salt
10ml baking powder
1 egg
55g butter, melted
80ml milk
5ml vanilla
80g chocolate, chopped
125ml pecan nuts, chopped
80ml granulated sugar
80ml brown sugar
80ml cocoa powder, sifted
375ml strong coffee

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with cooking spray.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and baking powder to a mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk.
Add the egg, melted butter, milk and vanilla to a jug and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients.
Add the chopped chocolate and nuts and stir to mix.
Spoon the batter in to the prepared baking tin.
Add the 80ml granulated and brown sugar and the cocoa powder, to a bowl and mix.
Sprinkle the mixture over the cake batter.
Pour the coffee over and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Serve the chocolate pudding cake with cream or ice cream.

Naked Milk Tart

Naked Milk Tart

This is a crustless milk tart, easy to put together and produces one large (38cm x 26cm) or two medium (28cm x 20cm) tarts.

6 eggs
375ml sugar
90g butter, melted
375ml flour
7,5ml baking powder
a pinch of salt
1,5litres of milk
15ml vanilla
ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 38cm x 26cm ceramic dish with cooking spray.
Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and drizzle in the melted butter.
Turn off the mixer.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and turn the mixer back on to a low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Add the vanilla to the milk and drizzle the milk in to the batter with the engine running.
Scrape the batter into the prepared ceramic dish.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Take the milk tart from the oven and immediately sift over some ground cinnamon.
Set aside for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Keep refrigerated.

Coconut Milk Crêpes

Coconut Milk Crêpes

250ml flour
1,2ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
250ml coconut milk
125ml water
62ml sunflower oil
2 eggs

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the coconut milk, water, oil and eggs to a large jug and whisk together until the eggs are incorporated.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and slowly drizzle in the liquids.
Keep going until all has been added.
Set the mixer on its highest speed and whisk for 2 minutes.
Take the bowl from the mixer and check whether there are any lumps in the batter.
If there are, set a sieve over a large bowl and pour the batter through.
Cover the batter with a tea towel and set aside for one hour.
Place a crêpe pan on medium-high heat, wait for it to heat up and then add a few drops of oil.
Spoon some batter into the pan and swirl around to evenly distribute and cover the pan surface.
Cook for about 2 minutes, flip over and cook another minute or so.
Serve the crêpes warm with honey and a squeeze of lemon.

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

You can top these cupcakes with a chocolate ganache icing or leave them plain – I prefer plain as they are sweet and gooey with the melted Easter egg on the inside.

200g butter, room temperature
200g sugar
200g flour
83ml cocoa powder, sifted
7,5ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
150ml sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
7,5ml vanilla
12 small, filled chocolate eggs

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together on high speed, scrape down the bowl and mix again on high speed.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Stir through by hand until just incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 12 paper cups and insert a filled chocolate egg in each.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Filled Eggs

Chocolate Filled Eggs

160g Orange flavoured De Villiers Chocolate
160g cream
12 De Villiers Chocolate hollow easter eggs

Chop the chocolate finely and add it to a mixing bowl.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and allow it to warm up – it should be hot when you stick your finger in it but it should not boil.
Pour the warm cream on the chopped chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted.
Set the bowl somewhere in your kitchen and stir every time you walk past.
The ganache will take about 40 minutes to come to piping consistency, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
In the meantime, slice the top off the Easter eggs.
I warm the bottoms of the eggs and then stick them on to a spoon so that they sit upright.
Spoon the ganache into a piping bag and fill the eggs.
Scatter some orange zest over to serve.

Biscoff Mini Cakes

Biscoff Mini Cakes

These little cakes can be baked in a 12-hole muffin tin when lined with paper cups. Baking time remains the same.

175g butter, room temperature
175g brown sugar
30g + 200g Biscoff spread
3 eggs
175g self-raising flour

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray.
Add the butter, sugar and Biscoff spread to a mixing bowl.
Whisk with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time while mixing.
Add the self-raising flour and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 6 ramekins.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on a wire rack.

Decant about 200g of Biscoff spread and place in the microwave oven for 20 second spurts.
Stir the spread and micro again until you have a pourable consistency.
Place the cooled cakes on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and pour over the spread.
Stand for 30 minutes until set.

Slovenian Sweet Omelet / Pahorje

Slovenian Sweet Omelet / Pahorje

A sweet omelet may be a strange/unusual idea but this traditional omelet with vanilla and fresh berries will surprise and delight your tastebuds!

3 eggs, separated
30ml + 30ml sugar
1ml + 1ml salt
45ml flour
125ml cream
2,5ml vanilla
80ml strawberry/raspberry jam
fresh berries
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line the base of a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with baking paper. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Add the egg yolks, 30ml sugar and 1ml salt to a separate mixing bowl.
Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until you have a very thick, very pale mixture that falls from the whisk in ribbons.
Fold a third of the egg whites into the mixture, add the rest and fold in until just combined.
Sift the flour over and fold in with a metal spoon until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and gently smooth the top.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The omelet should be fluffy and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
Add the cream, vanilla, 30ml sugar and 1ml salt to a mixing bowl and whisk until medium-stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
Remove the omelet from the oven and remove the ring of the cake tin.
Invert the omelet onto a plate and gently peel off the baking paper.
Allow to cool to room temperature.
Spread the jam on half the omelet.
Spread the cream over the jam and sprinkle over the fresh berries.
Gently fold the omelet over.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Summer Pavlova

Summer Pavlova

This is a large pavlova and will feed 10 – 12 people. Make it for the perfect end to a summer’s lunch…

6 egg whites
400g caster sugar
10ml white vinegar
15ml cornflour
5ml vanilla
500ml cream
fresh cherries
fresh strawberries
passionfruit

Preheat your oven to 150℃. Draw a 22cm diameter circle on a piece of baking paper and place on a baking sheet.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft peak stage.
Add the sugar a spoonful at a time while whisking continuously.
Add the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla and fold through.
Spoon the mixture onto the circle (on the prepared tray) and shape it into a round dome.
Place the pavlova in the oven and turn the temperature down to 120℃.
Bake the pavlova for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Turn off the oven but do not open the oven door. Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven for 2 hours.
Whip the fresh cream and spoon onto the fully cooled pavlova.
Top with the cherries and strawberries and drizzle over some passionfruit.

Cinnamon Bagels

Cinnamon Bagels

Makes one serving:

1 bagel per person
2 eggs
30ml milk
a pinch of salt

cinnamon-sugar

Add the eggs, milk and salt to a bowl and whisk together.
Slice the bagels in half horizontally and dip each half in the egg mixture.
Place a frying pan on medium-high heat and add a splash of vegetable oil.
Fry the egg-soaked bagel for about 2 minutes before flipping it and frying for another 2 minutes.
Generously dish the warm bagel halves with cinnamon sugar and serve while warm.