theprettyblog – My Whisk and I

Triple Chocolate Mousse

October 21, 2021October 20, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

150g milk chocolate, chopped
45ml boiling water
7,5ml powdered gelatine
3 eggs, separated
375ml whipping cream
150g milk chocolate, chopped
150g dark chocolate, chopped

Line a 22cm x 11cm loaf tin with plastic wrap, leaving enough plastic to make an overhang (so that you can fold it on top of the mousse later on). Tip: wet the loaf tin before lining it – the water will help the plastic “stick” to the the tin.
Add the white chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt. Remove from the heat, give it a good stir and set it aside for about 5 minutes to cool.
Add 15ml of the boiling water to a small cup and sprinkle 2,5ml of the gelatine over. Stir the mixture continuously until the gelatine has dissolved completely – about 2 minutes of constant stirring.
Add the gelatine and one egg yolk to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Add 125ml cream to a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
Add the cream to the chocolate mixture and stir through until combined.
Add one egg white to a clean mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft peaks form
Fold the egg white into the chocolate mixture with a spatula.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the white chocolate layer is set.

Repeat the process with the milk chocolate and half of the remaining ingredients.
Pour over the white chocolate mousse and place back in the refrigerator for another hour or until set.

Repeat with the dark chocolate and the remaining ingredients.
Pour over the milk chocolate layer and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.

Serve the mousse with a chocolate sauce or plenty of berries.

Chocolate Pancakes

July 14, 2021June 22, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These pancakes are not cocoa-chocolatey-looking but actually contain real chocolate in the batter!! Whether you serve them with ice-cream, fresh fruit and Chantilly cream or plain, from-the-pan, you will love them! Yields about 12 pancakes depending on the size of your pan.

80g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
250ml + 100ml milk
90ml caster sugar
200g cake flour
100ml water
3 eggs
2,5ml vanilla
butter for frying

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and add it to a small saucepan.
Pour in 100ml milk and place on a very low heat.
Stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted completely and remove from the heat.
Add the 250ml milk and caster sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Pour the water, eggs and vanilla into a jug and whisk it together.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour in a very thin stream while whisking. Pour slowly, whisk quickly …. you don’t want lumps in your batter!
Now whisk in the chocolate mixture in the same way.
Cover the batter with a tea towel and allow to stand for one hour.

Heat a frying/crêpe pan until it is very hot.
Add a knob of butter and swirl it around so that it covers the surface of the pan.
Pour in a ladleful of batter and swirl again to evenly distribute in the pan.
Turn the heat down slightly and cook the pancake for 1 minute.
Turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook for another 30 seconds. (The combination of sugar and chocolate burns really easy!!)
Keep going with the rest of the batter until you have a heavily stack of chocolate pancakes.
Serve warm.

Middle-Eastern Rice Pudding

June 25, 2021June 13, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is fragrant dessert with rose water and honey and is based on the traditional Roz bel Laban. The recipe provides 6 generous portions depending on the size of the glasses or bowls it is served in.

500ml milk
250ml cream
2 cinnamon quills
6 cloves
1,2ml ground cardamon
250ml rice
30ml sugar
500ml water
83ml condensed milk
30ml butter
30ml rose water
honey and pistachio nuts to serve

Add the milk, cream, cinnamon, cloves and cardamon to a saucepan.
Turn the heat on medium and wait for the mixture to come to the boil.
Turn the heat down so that the mixture simmers and add the rice, sugar and water.
Allow the mixture to simmer until the rice is cooked, stirring continuously. This will take 30 – 40 minutes. Do not leave the mixture – keep an eye on it!
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the condensed milk, rose water and butter. Stir thoroughly.
Spoon the rice pudding into glasses or serving bowls.
Drizzle each dessert with honey and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.
The rice pudding is best served warm.

Nut Brittle

June 22, 2021June 13, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a simple recipe and requires no thermometer. Brittle is best made on days with sunshine as the moisture from mist and rain will cause the brittle to become/stay sticky. Best kept in an airtight container lined with wax paper, at room temperature.

250ml sugar
62ml water
2,5ml salt
375ml peanuts, cashew, blanched/raw almonds or pistachio nuts

Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking paper and spray it with cooking spray.
Spread the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
Add the sugar, water and salt to a small saucepan.
Place onto a high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Cook the mixture for 4 minutes WITHOUT stirring and start checking the colour – you are aiming for an amber colour. You may cook the sugar for longer until it reaches the colour you like.
Remove from the heat and pour over the nuts.
Set aside to cool and set.
Keep the brittle in a sealed container lined with wax paper, at room temperature.

Pistachio Cake

June 14, 2021June 13, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is an easy and quick cake loaf that is perfect for afternoon tea.

100g pistachio nuts, chopped
200g caster sugar
150g butter
125ml yoghurt
3 eggs
200g flour
5ml baking powder
5ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml vanilla
4 limes, zest and juice
200g icing sugar
30ml pistachio nuts, sliced

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 20cm X 10cm X 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the pistachios and caster sugar to the bowl of a food processor and whizz until fine.
Add the butter, yoghurt, eggs, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla and lime zest and whizz again until smooth.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 55 minutes.
Cool the loaf in the tin for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the lime juice.
Spoon the glaze over the pistachio loaf and scatter with the sliced pistachios.

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