traditional South African food

Jodetert/Custard Cake

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Jodetert is a traditional South African bake of years gone by. It is a wonderful concoction of light and buttery biscuit discs, layered with a soft custard and literally melts in one’s mouth. Without doubt, one of my all-time favourite eats – do try it!

Biscuit:
250g butter, softened
300g flour
240g sugar
10ml baking powder
1ml salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Filling:
80g flour
250g sugar
4 egg yolks
1 litre milk
5ml vanilla

For the biscuit:
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Cut 8 pieces of baking paper the size of a large baking tray. Spray each paper sheet with cooking spray.
Add the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse to mix.
Add the beaten egg in a thin stream while the engine is running, until the mixture comes together in a dough ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough in to 7 equal portions.
Place one piece of dough on a sprayed piece of baking paper and dust with flour. Place another piece of baking paper on top and roll the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and a 20cm diameter circle.
Remove the baking paper on top and place the dough circle on the baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
Repeat with the other 6 pieces of dough.

For the filling:
Add the flour, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Drizzle the milk onto the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir with a whisk until it thickens.
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the custard into a clean bowl and place some plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Allow to cool completely.

Assembly:
Spoon the custard into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle.
Place the first biscuit disc on a serving plate, pipe a spiral of custard onto it and place the second biscuit circle on top of it. Repeat the process of piping custard and stacking the biscuit discs until you have none left.
Dust the Jodetert with some icing sugar and serve with a good cup of coffee.

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Traditional Sweet Dumplings/Souskluitjies

June 17, 2022June 13, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml flour
5ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
45ml butter, cubed
2 eggs
15ml sugar
2,5ml salt
2,5ml ground cinnamon
125ml butter, melted
ground cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle over

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips.
Add the eggs and 15ml sugar to another bowl and whisk together.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix together.
Fill a large saucepan at least 7-8cm deep with hot, simmering water.
Add 2,5ml salt and 2,5ml cinnamon to the water.
Spoon a teaspoonful of batter into the water. Add another 4 dumplings – do not crowd the saucepan- and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a heatproof dish.
Drizzle with the melted butter and some cinnamon-sugar.
Keep the dumplings warm while you cook the rest.
Serve warm with extra cinnamon-sugar.

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Crustless Milktart

May 16, 2022May 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30g butter
200g sugar
5 eggs, separated
140g self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
1 litre milk
5ml vanilla
ground cinnamon for dusting

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 22cm tart dishes with cooking spray.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time with the engine running. Scrape the mixture down a few times during mixing.
Sift the flour and salt together and add spoonfuls to the mixture until everything is incorporated.
Turn the mixer to its lowest speed and drizzle in the milk.
Add the vanilla and mix through. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until it reaches stiff peaks.
Add the stiff whites to the batter and fold it into the mixture.
Scoop the batter into the two prepared tart dishes and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the milk tarts from the oven and sift over the ground cinnamon while the tarts are warm.
Allow the milk tart to cool completely before serving.

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French Onion Tart

March 21, 2022March 21, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The South African cook and food blogger, Elmarie Berry has recently launched her recipe book Kosbaar. This is my interpretation of her delicious French Onion Tart.

1 batch Caramelised Onions, search the recipe on this blog
250g puff pastry, store bought
250ml sour cream
2 eggs
30ml thyme leaves
parmesan cheese, to grate on top

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 20cm loose bottom tart tin with cooking spray.
Line the tart tin with the puff pastry.
Spoon the cooled Caramelised Onions into the unbaked tart shell and spread it out evenly.
Whisk the sour cream, eggs and thyme together and pour over the onions.
Grate a good amount of Parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Cool the tart on a cooling rack before taking it out of the tart tin.
Serve at room temperature.

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Vetkoek – Magwinya

November 30, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a traditional South African food that is popular as a quick meal and often eaten as is, filled with minced meat or with cheese and syrup. Vetkoek literally means “fat cakes” as it is basically a deep-fried bread. Magwinya is simply shaped differently, smaller than tennis balls and often found in Townships or sold as a on-the-go breakfast at taxi ranks.

10g dried yeast
900g cake flour
10ml salt
10ml sugar
vegetable oil for frying

Pour 250ml of warm water (tepid) into a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to dissolve the yeast and set aside.
Add the flour, salt and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Run the mixer on low speed and add the yeast mixture.
Now add some more lukewarm water (about 400ml) until the mixture comes together in a soft dough.
Knead on medium speed for 6 minutes.
Transfer the dough to an oiled mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside for 90 minutes.
Knock back the dough by kneading it by hand for 1 minute.
Pour about 2 litres of vegetable oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat.
If you are making Magwinya, pinch off some dough and shape it into a ball, about the size of a golf ball.
If you are making vetkoek, pinch off twice the amount of dough, roll into a ball and then press it flat between your hands.
Place the shaped dough on an oiled tray until you have shaped all the dough and the oil is warm.
Test the oil with a small piece of dough: if the dough starts bubbling and rises when dropped into the oil, it is hot enough.
Deep-fry the magwinya/vetkoek in the oil, turning them often for about 3 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown.
Scoop out and drain on kitchen paper.
Serve warm with mince/ragou or grated cheddar cheese and golden syrup.

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Chicken Pie

June 10, 2021June 4, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

As far as I’m concerned chicken pie is a crowd pleaser and a very convenient fall-back when you have to feed many people. This pie is made with store bought pastry but has a fabulous flavour! You will feed 6 hungry people with this recipe but you may double quantities for a larger pie.

9 chicken breasts, skin removed
1litre chicken stock
200g mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml turmeric
15ml salt
10ml thyme leaves
250ml greek yoghurt
1 packet shortcrust pastry
Egg wash: one egg beaten with 15ml of milk

Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and add them to a large saucepan.
Pour the stock in and add some hot water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the chicken for one hour.
Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the liquid. (This will prevent the chicken from drying out and losing its taste).
When the chicken is cool enough to handle comfortably: drain and discard the liquid and pull the chicken apart with your hands or two forks, as you would with pork belly.
Keep the pulled chicken to the side.
Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Put a heavy based saucepan onto the heat and cover the bottom with oil.
Add the mushrooms and fry them at high heat until they start to caramelise.
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
Now add the garlic, salt and thyme leaves and cook for one minute while stirring.
Add the cooked chicken and the yoghurt to the saucepan and reduce the heat to a light simmer for 30 minutes.
Spoon the chicken mixture into a heat-proof dish and allow to cool.
Roll the pastry to the size of your oven dish and cover the chicken mixture with it.
Brush the pastry with egg wash and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm with a salad.

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Tripe

June 2, 2021May 31, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Tripe is eaten all over the world but in South Africa it is often served as a curry. Also known as Mogodu or Afval, one is often surprised at the popularity of this traditional dish.

1kg tripe, cleaned
coarse salt
5 litres water
15ml curry powder
10ml ginger powder
15ml turmeric powder
10ml sugar
5ml salt
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Put the clean tripe into a large bowl and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt.
Add about half the water and leave to soak for an hour.
Rinse the tripe under running water.
Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a large saucepan.
Add the remaining water and a tablespoon salt.
Bring the tripe to a boil and simmer for about 3 hours, until tender.
Remove the tripe from the water and set aside.
Pour enough oil into a medium saucepan to cover the bottom.
Add the curry powder, ginger, turmeric, sugar, salt and bay leaf and cook on a low heat for a minute or two.
Add the tripe pieces and stir-fry until the tripe is covered in the spices.
Add the potato chunks and pour enough water into the saucepan to cover the tripe and potato.
Cook on a low simmer for about 40 minutes.
Serve the tripe on rice or a starch of your choice.